CHAPTER 989: CHAPTER 571: TARGETED SEARCH

As Jiang Ning was the first to cross the finish line, accompanied by a burst of astonishing cheers, the crowd surged in like a tide, as if they were about to swallow Jiang Ning whole.

Cameras flashed, microphones were thrust forward, and a barrage of questions erupted.

In the midst of this chaos, Jiang Ning’s Divine Sense caught sight of a striking figure at the back of the crowd.

Bai Yuxia, having changed out of her volunteer outfit, wore a white dress, its hem gently fluttering with her steps like a white lotus.

Years of dance practice had given her a slender and graceful figure, coupled with an air of Confidence from her good upbringing. At this moment, she held a bouquet of flowers, smiling softly with dimples at the corners of her mouth, like an ancient maiden walking out of a painting.

Jiang Ning stood amidst the crowd and met Bai Yuxia’s gaze.

So, facing the thronging crowd, Jiang Ning raised his hand, his Divine Sense expanding. It was as if an invisible force blocked the people around him, causing them to halt their steps simultaneously.

The scene was somewhat eerie, yet it seemed inevitable, because he was the champion.

Jiang Ning stepped forward, and the crowd instinctively stepped back, making way for him.

Ignoring all reporters and the crowd, Jiang Ning gradually quickened his pace, making his way through the crowd towards Bai Yuxia, who held the flowers.

Nearly everyone present fixated their eyes on Jiang Ning and the girl who appeared as if she was untouched by the world.

Standing in front of Bai Yuxia, Jiang Ning looked down at her and smiled.

Bai Yuxia then handed out the flowers, their colors warm and bright:

"Congratulations, Champion."

The cameras zoomed in on this scene, broadcasted by the urban television station.

The Marathon champion, draped in the national flag, and the girl in the white dress complemented each other, with the flowers in their hands further enhancing their smiling faces. At any time, it was a classic picture.

"Damn it, damn!" In front of the television, Chai Wei cursed: "What makes you so great? What makes you so great!"

"A champion picked up by sheer luck!"

He crushed the can in his hand in anger. The girl he liked, the girl he couldn’t pursue, was giving flowers to someone else, and in front of so many people!

For Chai Wei, it was like trampling upon the dignity he held dearer than life, more painful than killing him!

"Damn! Damn!!"

With no outlet for his inner anger, just then, a message from Pang Jiao popped up on WeChat: "Ah Wei, why did you leave the group?"

Upon seeing Pang Jiao’s heavily photoshopped profile picture, a nauseating feeling rose in Chai Wei’s stomach, almost making him vomit the cola he just drank.

On the television, Bai Yuxia’s smile was as blossoming as a flower, a real girl, a real youth!

But when he thought of Pang Jiao’s big face and her bulky frame, Chai Wei finally couldn’t take it anymore.

’Why do I have to endure such a youth?’

’My life should be about light-footed girls, not a big fat pig!’

Thinking of the miserable days forced upon him by Pang Jiao.

Chai Wei’s anger turned to boldness, and fury rose from his heart. He clicked on Pang Jiao’s profile and decisively deleted her as a friend.

After doing all that, there was peace in his world.

In the class group.

"Bai Yuxia is giving flowers, quick, look, look!" Jiang Yanan posted, having been following the Marathon all day.

The people in Class 8 saw the scene clearly on television, and they could even make out the flowers in Bai Yuxia’s hand.

"Does anyone know the meaning of those flowers?" Yu Wen gossiped, "Could it be a confession?"

Lu Qiqi interpreted: "No, it’s not."

"Look closely, the combination of sunflowers, eustoma, and roses clearly isn’t about expressing love; it’s more about celebrating Jiang Ning’s victory."

Yu Wen was disappointed: "So that’s how it is."

But there was one more thing Lu Qiqi didn’t say, the floral language of sunflowers is "no one else in sight, all eyes on you."

Looking again at the scene of Bai Yuxia giving flowers to Jiang Ning amongst the crowd, it was truly fitting.

As the camera panned, "Huh, why is there another flower behind Bai Yuxia?" Jiang Yanan wondered.

Why did one person have two bouquets?

At the competition scene, Bai Yuxia said a few words to Jiang Ning, then picked up another bouquet and walked towards the finish line.

Yang Sheng also crossed the finish line, as the first place in the women’s category.

In this competition, the women’s champion received the same reward as the men’s.

Under the public’s watchful eyes, Bai Yuxia presented another bouquet of violets to Yang Sheng.

"Thank you!" Yang Sheng hadn’t expected that the first bouquet she received would be from a girl.

True to her character, she even knew to give flowers.

Bai Yuxia had a gentle smile on her face, her voice flowing like a clear spring: "I promised to come and cheer for you."

Her lovely dimples were just the right depth, bringing a fitting softness, appearing utterly genuine, as if she was truly just there to cheer for Yang Sheng.

...

In front of the television.

Seeing this scene, Chai Wei developed new thoughts, ’Did I misunderstand something?’

’Is it possible that she only gave flowers to familiar classmates?’

Chai Wei couldn’t help but speculate in this direction.

He looked back at his phone screen, and though he felt a momentary satisfaction from deleting Pang Jiao, he started to think about the consequences he would face when school starts for evening self-study.

That would be an unbearable weight on Chai Wei’s life.

How would Pang Jiao retaliate against him?

Corner him and interrogate him?

Force-feed him homemade snacks?

Publicly confess to him?

Every one of these scenarios was something Chai Wei couldn’t bear.

Once the passion subsides, people become calm, and they begin to consider the consequences.

Like many criminals who often regret deeply after the fact, having acted impulsively in an irreversible way, ruining their lives.

The greatest advantage ordinary people have over criminals is their ability to control themselves in extreme moments.