Do You Hate? •fengqing• Heaven Officials Blessing/Tian Guan Ci Fu/TGCF

Chapter 19

"YOU WHAT?!" Mu qing asked and felt up his hair. He did feel  braided stand of his hair that're also put together with the high ponytail. He frowned and looked at him before turning around. "Whatever." And just let his tied up hair flow on his back.

"You're here early. There's still 30 minutes till the race starts."

"We wouldn't be able to be at the front if were late." Xie lian said while inspecting his appearance.

"What are you looking at?" Mu qing asked with one of his eyebrows raised.

"Oh. Nothing."

"..."

"Your hair suits you." Xie lian complimented while walking to his back stroking his hair.

"Thanks? I guess? Zu xian tied it up. It somehow gives me nostalgic feelings." Mu qing said while reaching out to his braided hair.

"Tsk. Looks hideous." Feng xin commented.

"You're more hideous."

The two exchanged insults as usual while Xie lian was still looking at mu qing with an almost unnoticeable smile on his face.

Just then Zu xian approached them.

"Mu qing. Time to stretch." He said with his usual warm smile.

"Okay." Mu qing said and turned to the other three. "I'll get going now."

"Okay. Good luck!" Xie lian encouraged.

"Yeah. Good luck not tripping and embarrassing yourself." Hua cheng said with a sarcastic tone.

Mu qing just ignored him and turned to Feng xin. "Watch me." He said and smirked.

Feng xin just tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. "I'll watch you alright. I'll watch you lose our bet." He said and returned the smirk.

Although flustered, mu qing turned around and quickly went to his teammates. He was welcomed by the twins with a high five, Lu cheng with a nod and Zu xian with a head pat.

Mu qing just rolled his eyes and took his black shirt off. Beneath it was a black sleeveless shirt with their class logo in the left chest part.

With his oversized black shirt removed, his lower body shown. He was wearing leggings. Paired with black shoes. His physique was slim. A body that no one would expect to belong to a track runner.

His track members got hyped and also started removing their shirts revealing their matching no sleeve shirts.

"Mu qing! You look really pretty!" Jinyi said while holding his shoulders.

"Whoa, you braided your hair! It suits you." Lanyi said staring at his hair with amused face.

"Ugh. Can you two stop? Let's just stretch already." Mu qing said and walked towards Zu xian thinking that he's the only 'normal' one in the team.

"Let's just start." He said and Zu xian just looked at him and said "Alright. They're not lying though." He said with a smile. Mu qing just looked at him with a weird look on his face so Zu xian laughed and patted his head before leading the stretching session.

"After us first years, its the second years turn to race then the third. After that the individual races will begin. Starting from the longest distance. So Mu qing, you're first." Zu xian said. Mu qing just nodded and watched the crowds gradually increasing. He wandered his eyes and saw Xie lian with Hua cheng and Feng xin sitting in he front row seats in the benches. Beside Xie lian was Qianqiu, Qi rong and Yushi Huang. At the back he also saw ling wen with his two 'idiot' friends, the two who acted as the Demon Xuan and Wind master at yesterdays theatre.

"ALL 1ST YEAR TRACK PARTICIPANTS, KINDLY GATHER AT THE FIELD. THE RACE WILL BEGIN AT EXACTLY 1:30 PM. TIME CHECK; 1:27PM. AGAIN, PLEASE GATHER AT THE FIELD. THANK YOU."

"Alright team. Lets go!" Zu xian exclaimed in a loud voice.

"LET'S GO CLASS 1C!" The twins shouted and they started walking towards the field.

The track leaders were called to draw a paper that will indicate which lane they'll take. While waiting, the other track members were stretching while Mu qing just stood there concentrating, trying to block out all the noise.

He always does this everytime he's in a competition or when taking important tests. It helps him calm his nerves and focus more. He closed his eyes and felt all the muscles in his body. After taking few deep breaths, he opened his eyes and stared at the land as he tried to block his sense of hearing, drowning all the noise with nothing but silence. Completely separating the field from the audience.

When he felt his surroundings quiet down, he closed his eyes again for a few seconds and opened them again. He turned to his teammates who were now crowding to their captain. Zu xian met his eyes and smiled. "Are you done?" He asked.

Mu qing nodded. But thinking about what he asked he thought to himself; 'wait what did he mean by done? Done with what? Does he know about that little ritual I make before important events?' After realizing, he looked at Zu xian warily. Seeing his expression, he just laughed and patted his head.

"Dont give me that look. Every person have some kind of things they do to calm their nerves."

"TIME CHECK; 1:30PM. 1ST YEAR TRACK PARTICIPANTS, KINDLY GO TO YOUR DESIGNATED LANES."

"Alright. We're on lane 3." Zu xian said and started walking.

"Aww I wanted to be on lane one." Jinyi said with a pout.

"Why?" Lu cheng asked.

"Because it's number 1." Lanyi replied.

Mu qing just stayed silent and focused and took a glance at Xie lians direction where he saw Feng xin. Their eyes met. Feng xin gave him a thumbs up and mouthed 'good luck'.

Mu qing on the other hand smirked and mouthed back , 'I dont need it.' and turned to his teammates.

"Asshole." Fengxin mumbled with a faint smile.