Chapter 229: Puppy Love |
October 16th.
Early morning.
The moment the alarm rang, Liu Changqing's eyes snapped open. He reached out and smacked the alarm clock, silencing it instantly.
Turning slightly, he glanced at An Yuanyao, who was still sound asleep beside him.
Her breathing was slow and steady, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows on her face.
Since her foot was injured, Liu Changqing had been extra careful, sleeping closer to the edge of the bed to avoid accidentally touching her.
Lifting his head, he checked the time on the alarm clock.
Then, cautiously, he lifted the corner of the blanket, slowly moving his legs off the bed. He slipped on his slippers, gathered the workout clothes he had prepared the night before, and tiptoed toward the door.
After stepping out, he quietly shut the door behind him.
Spreading his legs slightly apart, he stretched his neck from side to side, producing a few satisfying crack sounds.
He still wasn’t used to sleeping with someone else—especially when he had to be careful not to disturb her injured foot.
It just didn’t feel right.
After a quick stretch, he changed into his workout clothes at the doorway before heading to his son's room.
Pushing the door open, he walked over and lightly patted Liu Zhiyue’s face.
“Wake up! Time for a run!”
Liu Zhiyue’s drowsy eyes slowly opened.
By now, he was used to this.
He remembered how he used to be startled whenever he woke up to his father’s face looming over him. But now, it barely fazed him.
After staring blankly for a few seconds, he finally sat up, still groggy.
“What time is it…” he mumbled.
“A little after five. Get up quietly, don’t wake them.”
“Why so early today…”
Usually, his dad woke him between 5:20 and 5:30, so getting shaken awake right at five felt unnecessarily cruel.
Still, he obediently climbed out of bed.
After changing into his workout clothes, he followed his father out of the room.
They brushed their teeth, washed their faces, and quietly slipped on their running shoes at the door before stepping outside.
With a soft click, the door closed behind them, leaving the house in silence once more.
—
The sky was still dark as the father and son jogged side by side, doing their warm-up stretches along the way.
Last night, Liu Changqing had a serious talk with his son.
Since he was already participating in the sports meet, he should at least aim for a good ranking.
That was why Liu Changqing decided to intensify his training.
After nearly six months of morning runs, their physical endurance had significantly improved.
Liu Changqing, thanks to his past athletic foundation, had regained well-defined muscle tone after shedding weight.
Liu Zhiyue, on the other hand, was still a bit behind.
He had some muscle definition, but it wasn’t as noticeable.
After warming up, the two started jogging at a steady pace.
Since Liu Zhiyue would be competing in a long-distance race, Liu Changqing shared some key tips with him:
“Don’t sprint too fast at the beginning. Maintain a steady rhythm, control your breathing, and wait for your opponents to wear themselves out. Then, when they’re exhausted, that’s when you accelerate and overtake them.”
The reason they were up earlier than usual today was to help Liu Zhiyue get used to maintaining a proper running rhythm before the competition.
The two ran at a moderate pace, neither too fast nor too slow.
About twenty minutes later, they reached a park where they usually trained.
In the mornings, the park was often filled with elderly people exercising.
Some practiced their not-so-perfect Tai Chi, their movements stiff and exaggerated. Others used the park’s fitness equipment, chatting loudly as they stretched.
This was also where the father and son would usually cool down after their run.
In the middle of the park was a small artificial pond.
They would jog around it dozens of times as part of their routine.
Liu Changqing still remembered when they first started running—
After just two laps, they had both been gasping for air, tongues practically hanging out.
Now, they ran side by side with ease.
And then…
Someone unexpected joined them.
—
Liu Changqing immediately noticed the new runner—
A girl wearing a baseball cap and sportswear had suddenly caught up to them.
He recognized her at a glance.
They had just run into her at the amusement park not too long ago.
It was Liu Zhiyue’s former deskmate—Zhang Yunjing.
When Liu Zhiyue spotted her, his face immediately darkened.
Why is she here?!
“Uncle, you run every morning too?”
“Yeah.”
Liu Changqing nodded.
Since she was his son’s classmate, he didn’t think much of it. As an elder, he should act appropriately.
But then he noticed something—
The girl had deliberately moved closer to him, running right beside him.
Raising an eyebrow, Liu Changqing subtly slowed his pace, allowing her to pass him.
And just like that, she ended up running beside Liu Zhiyue instead.
Her expression froze for a moment before she turned to glare at Liu Zhiyue.
To Zhang Yunjing, Liu Zhiyue was her mortal enemy!
It was his fault that she had been pushed out of the top ten in their class rankings!
Because of him, she lost the chance to demand a reward from her parents!
This damn pretty boy!
Aside from his good looks, there was absolutely nothing likable about him!
Liu Zhiyue, seeing her shift from surprise to hostility, had no intention of engaging with her.
She was also competing in the sports meet.
Being tall for her age, Zhang Yunjing had naturally been selected.
And from what Liu Zhiyue had seen, she actually had some athletic talent.
During PE class, when the teacher had asked her to do a test run, he had noticed her proper running form.
She didn’t wobble side to side like some of the other girls, and her arms didn’t flail awkwardly.
Still, that didn’t change the fact that Liu Zhiyue didn’t like her.
He had never been fond of people who thought the world revolved around them.
Even if she was tall and pretty, it didn’t matter to him.
So, he simply ignored her.
But Zhang Yunjing hated being ignored.
The more Liu Zhiyue acted indifferent, the angrier she got.
His nonchalant attitude was so irritating!
Ugh! He’s nothing like his dad—his dad is at least fun to talk to!
The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became.
Then, an idea popped into her head.
With a mischievous smirk, she sped up slightly, turned her head toward Liu Changqing, and yelled—
“Uncle, I’m reporting your son for dating too early!”
