C6 The First Day of Exercise

By the time Shiyu finished her four laps, she was ready to collapse right there on the ground. She had no idea how she managed to push through such a long distance.

It seemed like Xiangqian had planned to run just as much, because he stopped when she did and began stretching nearby. Shiyu, on the other hand, was too exhausted to even think about stretching. She plopped down on a stone bench by the path, gasping for air.

Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of her chest. After this experience, she admired Xiangqian even more for running the same distance without breaking a sweat, save for a slight sheen on his forehead.

Sitting on the bench, Shiyu placed her hands on her hips, trying to steady her breathing, and didn’t notice when Xiangqian, who had been stretching a little way off, walked over to her.

“Don’t sit down right after running. Walk a bit,” Xiangqian advised calmly, but it had the effect of a school principal’s directive, prompting Shiyu to immediately get up and follow his suggestion.

After taking a few steps, Shiyu turned back to him with a sheepish smile. “Thanks a lot.”

Xiangqian glanced at her. “They should have taught you this in school.”

Feeling a bit awkward, Shiyu realized she often felt this way around Xiangqian. But remembering his help earlier, she smiled and offered, “How about I treat you to breakfast later? Thanks for your help.”

Predictably, Xiangqian declined. “I’ve got breakfast at home.”

“...Alright then.” Though she rarely extended such invitations, being turned down left Shiyu feeling a bit embarrassed, even with her easygoing nature.

The atmosphere between them grew awkward once more.

Fortunately, Ruan Shiyu remembered to take her phone with her when she left the house.

"Ding dong~" The phone rang, and Ruan Shiyu breathed a quiet sigh of relief as she stepped aside. Although it was clearly a ringtone, no number appeared on the screen. She frowned, recalling the elusive system, but decided to answer the call anyway.

"Congratulations on successfully completing the task. Your reward is a daily special breakfast recipe." As expected, the familiar electronic voice of the system came through.

"A breakfast recipe?" Ruan Shiyu was puzzled.

Though the system wasn't always reliable, it was helpful within its service range: "This breakfast recipe is designed according to your current physical condition. It ensures you get your daily energy needs while catering to your taste." The system sounded a bit proud as it finished.

Ruan Shiyu, however, was focused elsewhere: "So, do I have to strictly follow this recipe for breakfast every day?" She thought of all the delicious foods out there and compared them to the bland diets of fitness enthusiasts. Even though the system claimed it considered her preferences, she was still a bit reluctant.

Luckily, the system promptly reassured her: "Don't worry, this recipe is just the best option for your daily breakfast. If you want to eat something else, as long as it's not excessive, it's fine."

Hearing this, Ruan Shiyu was still a bit curious: "What does 'not excessive' mean, exactly?"

"Low oil, low salt, mainly light dishes," the system quickly clarified.

With these guidelines, Ruan Shiyu felt a bit more at ease and, in a rare moment of spontaneity, thanked the system.

Receiving thanks from Ruan Shiyu for the first time, the system seemed a bit flustered and quickly hung up after a mumbled response.

Listening to the busy tone, Ruan Shiyu found herself thinking that, despite its mysterious appearance, the system was actually kind of endearing.

After hanging up, she noticed that Hsu Xiangqian had already left. Although she felt a bit disappointed at not being able to say goodbye, she realized they weren't that close and let it go.

As she walked back to her apartment, Shiyu was surrounded by people hurrying to work and elderly folks carrying grocery baskets with their grandchildren. The vibrant hustle and bustle of everyday life painted a simple yet rare picture of the world around her.

Ever since she started making a living as a comic artist, the idea of being a freelancer sounded appealing—having plenty of time to do what she wanted. In reality, though, Shiyu often found herself cooped up in her room, sketching her world on a digital tablet, stroke by stroke.

She couldn't even pinpoint when it happened, but creating comics had become a burden. She rarely went out, relying solely on the internet for information. The initial spark she had when she started drawing was completely gone. Sometimes, Shiyu even worried that she might not be able to draw anything at all.

Today, the system forced her to get up early for a run. Although she was annoyed at first, once she started running, she felt grateful. It allowed her to see the vibrant world again and seemed to reignite her inspiration.

Lost in these thoughts, Shiyu greeted passersby, bought some long-missed dumplings and soy milk, and even picked up a rice ball.

As for the breakfast recipe the system suggested... she’d look at it whenever she remembered.

When she got upstairs, Shiyu had just taken a bite of her rice ball when she noticed Xiaoxiao standing at her door, knocking repeatedly.

“Xiaoxiao? What brings you here?” Shiyu mumbled, surprised to see her.

Xiaoxiao had been waiting at Shiyu's door for quite a while, knocking with no answer and calling with no response. If she didn’t know Shiyu well enough to be sure she was just carefree, she might have thought Shiyu had slept through everything.

Hearing Shiyu's voice, Xiaoxiao quickly turned around to see Shiyu with a towel around her neck, holding a rice ball in one hand and soy milk in the other, still chewing something.

"Did you go out?" Shiyu asked in surprise, but Xiaoxiao seemed even more astonished.

Shiyu stepped forward and raised her right hand toward Xiaoxiao, who instinctively pulled the keys from her pocket and unlocked the door. "Why are you so energetic today? Aren't you usually in bed until ten?"

Shiyu entered, kicking off her shoes with a swift motion. "I went for a run today. Didn't you say I should aim for ten thousand steps a day?"

Xiaoxiao followed her in, changing her shoes as well. "You actually went running? Who was the one in college who wouldn't budge even if we dragged her?"

Shiyu walked a few steps into the apartment, then turned to look at her seriously. "You can't judge me based on college. I'm into fitness now. Besides, I've realized these past few days that I'm not getting enough exercise, so I'm committed to working out from now on!"

"You? Into fitness?" Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes, teasing her mercilessly. "Who was it that used to say exercising felt like dying?"

Shiyu's expression fell, and she set down her things, playfully whining, "Can't you take me seriously for once?"

Xiaoxiao pulled her hand back, shaking it off with a laugh. "Alright, alright. Seriously though, what made you decide to go for a run?"

Shiyu couldn't fool Xiaoxiao, and she couldn't mention the real reason. Half-joking, she said, "Because a cute guy moved in across the street. I thought I'd get up early to run and maybe catch his eye. How's that for motivation?"

To her surprise, Xiaoxiao replied, "Oh, that's why you were up so early."

Shiyu's eyes widened in disbelief. "You actually believe that?"

Xiaoxiao initially nodded with a straight face, but seeing Shiyu's expression, she couldn't hold back her laughter any longer. "Oh, come on. After all these years, don't you think I know you better than that? Just kidding."

Ruan Shiyu finally realized he had been tricked again. After taking a deep breath, he couldn't think of a way to get back at Moo Xiaoxiao, so he just accepted it with a sigh.

"By the way, why did you come over so early today?" Ruan Shiyu asked curiously as he brought out a plate of freshly arranged dumplings from the kitchen. "Good thing I bought an extra set of dumplings, or you'd have nothing for breakfast."

Moo Xiaoxiao glanced at the few remaining dumplings, then at the half-eaten rice ball, and finally at Ruan Shiyu's proud expression. Her face clearly said, "Are you kidding me?"

Ruan Shiyu felt a bit uneasy under her gaze. "What? These dumplings are pretty good. Want to try a couple?"

Moo Xiaoxiao sighed deeply. Only Ruan Shiyu would serve leftovers to a friend. But considering his usual antics, it somehow seemed typical.

She got up and took the plate of dumplings back to the kitchen. Ruan Shiyu was puzzled by her actions. "What are you doing?"

Moo Xiaoxiao pulled him towards the door, saying, "Let's go grab some brunch!"

Sitting in the teahouse, Ruan Shiyu still couldn't quite grasp how Moo Xiaoxiao had managed to bring him there.

Moo Xiaoxiao flipped through the menu, ordering dish after dish from the waiter standing nearby.

Hearing her order so much, Ruan Shiyu quickly interjected, "Xiaoxiao, don't order too much. We can't eat it all."

Moo Xiaoxiao glanced up at him, then closed the menu and told the waiter, "That's enough for now. Please bring it out quickly. Thank you."

The waiter nodded, took the menu from her, and walked away.

"So, why did you come to see me so early today?" Ruan Shiyu asked, leaning in a bit as she finally had a moment to spare.

Moo Xiaoxiao took a sip from her cup. "Isn't it all for you?"

Ruan Shiyu slightly pursed her lips, puzzled.

"The gym," Moo Xiaoxiao prompted, seeing her confusion.

Ruan Shiyu still didn't get it. "What's up with the gym?"

"The gym membership we got yesterday. The trainer said we need to go for an assessment this morning. Did you forget?" Moo Xiaoxiao sighed, knowing Shiyu had forgotten what she mentioned the day before.

With Moo Xiaoxiao's reminder, Ruan Shiyu finally slapped her forehead. She had indeed forgotten.

Thinking about her morning run, Ruan Shiyu hesitated and said to Moo Xiaoxiao, "How about we go tomorrow? I just ran four laps around the neighborhood this morning, and I'm exhausted."

"You actually went running?" Moo Xiaoxiao's first reaction was surprise.

Ruan Shiyu slumped over the table, looking at Moo Xiaoxiao with dissatisfaction. "Hey!"

Realizing she might have spoken too candidly, Moo Xiaoxiao quickly changed the subject. "Maybe I can talk to the trainer. But this trainer is their top coach, really hard to book. If we miss today, who knows when the next chance will be."

Ruan Shiyu's eyes lit up, and she feigned regret. "Well, if that's the case, there's nothing we can do. I'm really out of energy, and I wouldn't perform well anyway."

Moo Xiaoxiao hesitated. "Should I just cancel this time?"

Ruan Shiyu's eyes sparkled, and she was about to nod when her phone rang.

Looking at the phone, which kept ringing without showing a number, Ruan Shiyu's hand trembled slightly, and a sense of foreboding crept over her.