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Chapter 14 Part 2 Relentless Chase
Beigong pouted and burst into tears. Mother hugged her and comforted her gently then turned to glare viciously at Qi.
Qi stared, stunned. He knew a woman's tears were powerful against men. He hadn't realized they worked on other women too. With a few tears and no words, Beigong had flipped the situation, "winning over" his own mother.
After comforting Beigong, Mother told the teachers, "It's fine." Then she went to Qi and said coldly, "You'll explain at home what you did to that girl!" and hurried out of the school.
With the "victim"'s guardian appeased, the teachers chose to minimize the incident just a few bland warnings "don't hit classmates," "get along" and sent them back to class. No punishment was mentioned.
Qi and Beigong walked side by side, a distance between them.
"You're something… I underestimated you. You even fooled my own mom…" Qi grumbled as they walked.
"Auntie is a good person. Who knows how she had such a little pervert for a son! Maybe you're not even hers…" Beigong muttered once she opened her mouth.
Qi was almost dumbfounded. He hadn't expected this sweet-looking girl to be so cutting and venomous.
"Don't worry I'll pretend I didn't see anything that night. You're just a pretty boy kept by an older woman. It's nothing special these days," she added with a sideways look of contempt.
"A pretty boy kept by an older woman?" Qi was about to snap, but after thinking, he fell silent. Although he refused to admit it aloud, he knew that if you ignored the blood tie with Aunt, her description had a point. It was one of Qi's strengths he could accept reason.
"Wow, you can really swallow it," Beigong said as she thrust her chest out, the result of long-term training making her more developed than her peers.
"Better to be kept than not. My girlfriend's prettier than some people others would kill to be with her, but she wouldn't give them the time of day."
Even if he accepted her logic, he wouldn't concede verbally. If reason failed, he'd resort to cheek and use Aunt's beauty as a weapon.
"I admit that sister is beautiful. But picking you? She's blind," Beigong said, clearly unable to judge Aunt's real age and calling her "sister."
"Not necessarily. Now I've really seen it you play innocent, but you know perfectly well. Impressive."
Thus, the two traded jabs back to class.
Afterward, Qi learned just how "vicious" his deskmate could be. She'd stomp his foot when he wasn't looking, or jab him with an elbow not playfully, but hard. By day's end, Qi was covered in bruises. She had learned to avoid his face, scattering blows where no one would notice. Qi could only grit his teeth and stick to his "never hit women" principle.
At home, Mother didn't mention the fight. She briefed Father on Beigong's family: "Mother laid off, now runs a small shop; father injured on the job, on social benefits." Even Qi felt sympathetic after hearing it.
Given that, Father didn't press the matter. Mother, however, bluntly forbade Qi from "harassing" Beigong. She didn't say it outright, but the meaning was clear: Beigong's a pretty girl; Qi must be trying to take advantage.
Qi was speechless.
That night, Aunt texted to push him on his training. The next few days, Qi felt trapped in "hell." In the morning, he ran while dodging Beigong's pursuit; during class, he had to stay on high alert against her sneak attacks; at night more chasing. He had no idea how deep her grudge ran. After school, she seemed to do nothing but find trouble for him. He didn't know how long he could hold out.
On the weekend, Qi dragged his exhausted, aching body home. Father had gone with the secretary to inspect county-level work and wouldn't be back until next week. Mother had dinner ready. After eating, she changed clothes and put on makeup. Qi was too spent to care why she was going out. By the time she left, he was snoring face-down on the bed. She merely tucked him in and slipped out.
He slept until near nine, when Aunt's reminder text arrived right on time. For some reason, Qi had never told Aunt about Beigong. Perhaps he felt it unrelated to her.
He replied that he would go run immediately, then smacked his forehead. "I'm stupid! I always run around the block of course that witch knows my route. No wonder she keeps intercepting me! Not tonight. I need a new route."
With that thought, he perked up. He left the complex and began jogging, eyes scanning around no sign of Beigong. He turned east.
"It's about three kilometers to the north section of the Seaside Boulevard. There and back is over five more than enough," he calculated, planning his route and adjusting his breath. He was diligent about conditioning, and the breathwork Daoist Pingshan had taught him was paying off. With breath well-regulated, he could push his limits further.
But he didn't know that as soon as he left the complex, Beigong had slipped after him. And this time, she seemed determined to make it hurt she'd brought a wrench.
Given the longer route, Qi wanted a bit of preparation. Passing a supermarket, he planned to go in for water but in the reflection of the glass doors, he spotted the figure he now most hated and feared.
He couldn't go in he'd be cornered. Qi bolted, legs pumping at full speed. Beigong realized she'd been spotted and gave chase.
After days of this "duel," they knew each other well: her endurance far outstripped his; his explosive speed trumped hers. He'd pull away; after a while, she'd close the gap; he'd surge again.
They reenacted the scene along the road toward the Seaside Boulevard. As he ran, Qi shouted back, "Don't you have anything better to do? Chasing me all day…!"
"Damned right I'm chasing you! I'll catch you and beat you to death!" she yelled as she ran.
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