The first class in the afternoon was PE.
Like most schools in Shangjing City, Heijiang No. 3 Middle School’s PE class management was very relaxed.
Basically, after the bell rang, everyone gathered at the bottom of the teaching building, the teacher counted heads, the whole class spent a few minutes doing warm-up exercises, then ran two laps around the track, and they could disperse to do their own thing.
Although our PE class management wasn’t very strict, we couldn’t just openly go off to play on our phones or lie down on the grass and do nothing in front of the teacher.
Here, “do their own thing” meant choosing a sport to exercise.
If the PE teacher caught someone slacking off and not exercising, she would still drive you to the sports field to play ball or run, and then it wouldn’t be “free time” anymore.
“Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up! You’re all dawdling!”
Like the homeroom teacher, our PE teacher was also a woman in her thirties, tall and thin, with neat short hair, giving a very imposing impression.
But in my memory, the PE teacher had always been a bit of a joker, completely different from her stern appearance.
“Huang Yao, Tang Xiaolu, why are you two so slow today! Quick, quick, quick!”
Amid the teacher’s half-joking words, Tang Xiaolu and I walked over to the empty lot beside the sports field with somewhat awkward steps.
Considering this was PE class, after getting up in the afternoon, I changed into more convenient white socks and sneakers, and tied my long hair into a single ponytail.
And because this was my first time tying a ponytail, I wasn’t very familiar with female hair care, so it took a lot of effort, and I almost ended up late.
“Sorry, teacher, my wife is too clumsy. It took her forever to fix her hair.”
Standing properly on the empty lot, Tang Xiaolu also said to the PE teacher in a joking tone: “Tonight when we’re back in the dorm, I’ll punish her!”
“Oh wow, you’re already calling her ‘wife,’ so mushy. When can we have the wedding feast?”
The PE teacher gave us a disdainful glare, didn’t make a fuss, then turned to a male student in the class: “PE monitor, call the roll, report numbers!”
“Yes!”
That male student stepped out of the line, silently counted the number of people, then shouted to the PE teacher in a loud voice: “Reporting, teacher, the whole class of 43 is all present!”
“43 people? Oh, you had a new transfer student today, right?”
The PE teacher’s gaze fell on Huang Quan: “What’s your name?”
“Huang Quan.”
The girl next to Huang Quan took the initiative to answer for her: “The new classmate’s name is Huang Quan, Quan as in ‘spring water.'”
“Huang Quan? That’s quite domineering. Are you Huang Yao’s older sister or younger sister?”
As she spoke, the PE teacher took the whistle from around her neck and blew it sharply: “Alright, since everyone’s here, spread out! Get ready for warm-up exercises.”
“Same rules as always, after warm-ups, run two laps on the track, then free time. Don’t let me catch anyone slacking off or playing on their phones.”
Then came the routine warm-up exercises: squats, chest expansions, leg stretches, and so on.
During the warm-up, I noticed that compared to the boys, the girls’ bodies were much more flexible.
But relatively speaking, my strength was also a bit less.
At least back when I was still a boy a few days ago, these squats in PE class hardly gave me any noticeable sensation, but doing the same warm-up exercises in a girl’s body…
I could clearly feel a bit of fatigue in my body by the end of the warm-up.
“After school, should we buy some fruit before going to see Auntie?”
After the warm-up, everyone stood on the rubber track.
Tang Xiaolu beside me quietly said: “I feel like it’s not good to go empty-handed.”
“Yeah, there’s a fruit shop on the pedestrian street. We can buy some apples or strawberries.”
I thought for a moment: “Generally, patients in the hospital don’t like fruits that are too sweet or troublesome to eat. Things like apples and strawberries are just right.”
During the afternoon nap, Tang Xiaolu spent some time using her phone to control the computer at the “Secret Base” and found out the name of the hospital where the driver who had the rollover accident near Xingjian Garden Residential Area last night, that is, Lu Shuangshuang’s mother, was staying.
Lu Shuangshuang’s mother’s name is Lu Lanfang, and her occupation is a truck driver.
Although with Tang Xiaolu’s hacking skills, she couldn’t find out exactly which room Lu Shuangshuang’s mother was in, this information was already enough for me.
After all… over the years, I’ve been a frequent visitor to the major hospitals in the city.
My father himself is a doctor, so I’m extremely familiar with the hospital system.
Generally speaking, most people admitted to the hospital due to car accidents are first sent to the emergency department for rescue.
But last night, Tang Xiaolu and I had already examined that mother’s injuries.
There was nothing seriously wrong with her; she probably just hit her head and passed out when the car rolled.
So if she was to be hospitalized, it would be either in orthopedics or neurosurgery.
She could rest for a day or two and then be discharged.
If all else fails, we can go directly to the main service desk in the inpatient building and ask the nurse there for details.
Tang Xiaolu and I are both students from a nearby school.
As long as we ask politely, those nurse sisters certainly won’t make things difficult for us.
“Big Sis Lulu!”
Under the bright sunlight, Tang Xiaolu and I had just stood on the starting line of the track, ready to run, when the new classmate Huang Quan suddenly came over: “Are you two a couple?”
“Yes, we are.”
Ignoring the surprised gazes of the surrounding classmates, Tang Xiaolu immediately admitted our relationship and took my hand: “Xiao Yao is my wife. We’ve already decided to take the college entrance exam for the same university, live together after graduation, and then get married.”
“Wow! That’s great!”
There was no trace of any “scheme” on Huang Quan’s face.
She turned her gaze to me, with an expression full of innocent longing: “Having a good friend like Big Sis Lulu who can take care of you without hesitation, Classmate Huang Yao is so blessed!”
“Uh…”
Tang Xiaolu looked left and right, then lowered her voice and said to Huang Quan: “Um, you still haven’t told me how we knew each other before.”
“Sorry.”
Huang Quan avoided Tang Xiaolu’s gaze, her expression somewhat troubled: “This matter can’t be told to Big Sis Lulu for now. I’m truly very sorry.”
“Alright.”
Taking this opportunity, Tang Xiaolu moved to my other side, actively putting some distance between herself and Huang Quan, then winked at her: “Then tell me when you’re willing to say it.”
Anyone with eyes could see that Tang Xiaolu was actively drawing a line between herself and Huang Quan.
“What are you guys chattering about?”
At this moment, the PE teacher also walked over: “Are you all ready? If you’re ready, you can start running. Boys, 1,000 meters, two and a half laps; girls, 800 meters, two full laps. After running, go play ball or exercise on your own.”
“Especially classmates Huang Yao and Tang Xiaolu. A couple, huh? Showing off your love, huh? This class, the teacher will be watching you two!”