Chapter 211

After returning to the dormitory, Xiao Qi continued to go downstairs to run.

After completing 30,000 steps for today, she added another 2,000 steps.

She has been consciously increasing her running distance recently, while also training her sprinting explosive power, trying to see if she can reserve her strength in the last one or two laps and utilize her sprinting explosive power.

It was difficult at first, because after running tens of thousands of steps, her whole body was already in an extremely fatigued state. Although she didn't feel like a dead dog wheezing anymore, it was still an extremely limited state. Sprinting again and becoming completely limp after sprinting, she hated not being able to lie right on the playground.

If she had accelerated from the beginning, she could have run very fast, but she would have had no strength left afterwards, because long distance running relies heavily on breathing state. By utilizing sprinting explosive power from the start, it was like her body was overdrawn all at once, and she wouldn't have been able to persist for long afterwards.

So recently Xiao Qi has been learning to use this sprinting explosive power buff skill.

After multiple running trials and learning trials, Xiao Qi could basically understand that skill buffs don't appear out of thin air, but are already inherently present in her own body. Having the buff is the state of maximum arousal of her body's potential, not endless exertion, so the most critical thing is still to improve her own body's basic state.

There was still half a month before the marathon competition began. Xiao Qi felt that this period of time should be enough to practice.

After running, she rushed back to the dormitory and took a final shower before lights out.

She even used Yunshu's Dyson hair dryer to dry her hair. Not drying hair before bed makes it hard to dry and easy to catch a cold. Yunshu's hair dryer was the most powerful, drying hair with just a quick blow.

When lights out came, everyone turned on their emergency lights and lay back on their beds. Xiao Qi was more tired today and didn't continue studying, lying down instead.

But no one else in the dormitory was in a studying mood tonight either.

Mi'er started gossiping, "That girl across actually went to evening self-study in class tonight. I heard her roommate even bought dinner for her."

Xiao Qi didn't go to evening self-study tonight, but went to Japanese class instead. Mi'er was probably talking to her since it was the dorm across, avoiding mentioning the name directly, but it was clear she was talking about Chu Yu with just a listen.

"She seemed quite unwell this afternoon, is she better tonight?" Xiao Qi was a bit curious.

"I don't know, anyway a bunch of guys went up to comfort her, and my fellow townsman Chen Hanhe even bought a whole bag of apples, the expensive kind that cost 6.8 yuan per apple."

Lian Shi is a coastal city and does not produce apples, so apples are generally expensive here, while tropical fruits are cheaper in contrast.

Wei Cheng also whispered, "Her popularity with guys seems pretty good. Deputy learning commissioner Mao Wenshu seems to have brought her fruit too, guava I think. I can never seem to appreciate the taste of guava, it always tastes weird to me."

In class, Gu Yunshu usually just reads novels and ignores people, but she is quite lively in front of her roommates, actively participating in the gossip: "I had heard about her since high school. She gets sick all the time for no reason, making a scene whenever she gets sick."

"Is it really a heart condition? Congenital heart conditions seem pretty scary in Korean dramas, what if she dies?" Wei Cheng wondered. "I don't know, anyway I've never seen her go to the hospital. She just always seems sickly, even gets to skip PE class." Although Yunshu loved reading novels, she was quite clear on distinguishing reality from drama, unlike the more naive Wei Cheng.

Xiao Qi did not have good feelings towards Chu Yu, but still felt it was unfortunate for someone to be sickly. She was very glad her parents had given birth to her so healthy. Not to say she was as sturdy as a calf, but at least like a little donkey, full of energy every day.

"I actually feel like she's faking it. Even if she is sick, it definitely isn't a heart condition. My second uncle has a congenital heart disease, very weak physically, skinny and feather light, face always sallow. He can't do any strenuous work, blood pressure shoots up to 150 with slight exertion. My second uncle is over 40 years old already, and my grandma still treats him like a baby, he isn't even married." Talking about family, Mi'er did not seem very happy. There was a lot going on in her big clan.

"But I heard from her roommate that there is emergency nitroglycerin placed in every corner of their dorm, as if she needs it anytime she's in danger." Wei Cheng had gathered a lot of gossip from the outside while being there quietly.

"Let's not talk about her anymore. We just need to protect our own health. More exercise!" Xiao Qi did not like the feeling towards Chu Yu, decisively stopping this topic.

The others stopped talking too, though Yunshu was quite curious about Xiao Qi's donation. She asked a question. "Jin Zaiyan contacted me last time, asking me to make kimchi for her. I happened to see the foreign teachers organizing donations, and I thought, the foreigners are all so enthusiastic, it's quite admirable, and I just happened to have some spare money and don't lack money recently, so I donated." Xiao Qi explained.

Gu Yunshu certainly did not lack pocket money. She had a supplementary card from her mother, a Baifuzhang Prestige black card from CMB, with a very high limit that she could basically swipe freely.

The pocket money her dad's secretary sent her every month was a lot too, but if she took out tens of thousands for a donation all at once, her parents would probably ask her all sorts of questions, worried what she could have spent it all on.

Plus, she remembered her family participated in charitable foundations and such, but that was different from Xiao Qi's unconditional donation, also involving corporate tax deductions and publicity. At this time she rather admired Xiao Qi for the simplicity and directness.

Lying in bed, Wei Cheng sighed, "How nice!"

Not sure what about, she didn't have that much money herself and was definitely in the poorer class in Enhua. But she definitely would not want to accept other's donations either. Still, she felt what Xiao Qi did was very commendable.

In her heart, Mi'er felt her deskmate's actions were a bit silly. There are too many scammers in this world nowadays, not enough honest fools. But she also felt this was the exact reason she had taken a liking at first sight to her deskmate.

Although she thought it silly, having such a silly and simple friend by her side also gave her a sense of security.

Xiao Qi herself actually felt somewhat uneasy. She had initially only wanted to complete the task, but was receiving so much praise, feeling that this society, group, and class, though not without its unpleasantness and rumors, is largely positive and upward-directed, liking kindness and detesting falsity.

Xiao Qi became even more resolved inwardly: to study diligently, strive to improve herself, and truly become someone useful to society.

The emergency lights in the dormitory were extinguished one by one, conversation tapered off and disappeared.

The street lights still shone outside the window.

The stars bright and clear.

Occasionally the soft chirping of crickets.

Xiao Qi's breathing evened out as she entered dreamland, a faint smile still on her face - probably sweet dreams.