Free Web NovelChapter 43: Ch 43: Threads of Rivalry and Gentle Care
The alphas stood lined up at the starting point of the backyard obstacle course, the morning sun casting long shadows across the grass. Each of them stretched their bodies with varying degrees of seriousness—rolling shoulders, loosening hamstrings, and shaking out their arms. The air buzzed with a mix of anticipation and playful tension.
"Hey, if we get to eat, it ain’t breakfast no more, right?" Qin Yuran suddenly piped up, her voice carrying a dramatic lilt as she bent forward to touch her toes.
Su Wanyan laughed lightly and nodded, the sound warm and easy. "It would be brunch at least," she responded, adjusting the hem of her shirt.
Qin Yuran let out a long, theatrical sigh. "Haaa... That PD is playing us for a fool," she muttered softly, just loud enough for those nearby to hear.
Zhao Yichen, positioned on her right, nudged her with his elbow and grinned teasingly. "Hey, if PD heard you, you’re done."
Qin Yuran pouted, rolling her eyes with exaggerated flair. "Let him be. At most he’ll just make me run again," she complained, though a spark of mischief danced in her eyes.
Su Wanyan and Zhao Yichen both chuckled at her antics, the lighthearted exchange easing some of the pre-competition nerves. Meanwhile, Gu Chengze stood on Su Wanyan’s left, his posture rigid as he stared straight ahead toward Mo Xingxue. His gaze burned with intensity, almost possessive.
Mo Xingxue looked up and met his eyes for a brief moment. Disgust flickered across her features before she skillfully masked it, her expression returning to calm neutrality so seamlessly that Gu Chengze noticed nothing amiss. freewёbnoνel.com
"Are you all done with your stretching?" PD Xu Cui called out, clipboard in hand. frёeωebɳovel.com
The group responded with thumbs-ups. The PD nodded sharply. "Get ready!" He walked backward a few steps, raising his hand. "On the count of three. One.. two.. three!"
The sharp blast of the whistle cut through the air. Su Wanyan exploded forward instantly, her body moving with powerful grace thanks to the Perfect Foundation Potion and the fluid instincts granted by Flowing Steel.
The omegas on the sidelines cheered enthusiastically, especially Lin Xuanyu, who bounced on his toes with unrestrained excitement.
Mo Xingxue cheered too, but her gaze remained fixed on one person in particular, a small, soft smile playing on her lips as she followed Su Wanyan’s every move.
The first obstacle—rows of tires laid out across the grass—came quickly. Su Wanyan breezed through them, her feet alternating right to left with precise, rhythmic steps.
She didn’t stumble once, her enhanced balance and agility making the challenge feel almost effortless. Behind her, Gu Chengze gritted his teeth and accelerated, his competitive fury pushing him harder.
After clearing the tires, Su Wanyan sprinted toward the monkey bars. She leaped, latching onto the first bar with strong hands. Using her momentum, she swung forward, skipping two handles at a time in smooth, athletic arcs. The motion was fluid and confident, her body adapting instinctively.
Gu Chengze reached the bars moments later, his face twisted with irritation. Who are you trying to show off for, inferior alpha?! Gu Chengze thought angrily. The rage seemed to fuel him, and he began closing the gap noticeably.
Su Wanyan, however, was simply enjoying herself. It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten to play like this, she thought, a quiet thrill running through her as she powered through the course.
Mo Xingxue watched with growing tension. When Gu Chengze started catching up, her displeasure showed in the subtle cooling of her eyes, though her face remained composed.
Su Wanyan swung through the final bars and landed firmly on the padded platform. Without pausing, she sprinted toward the next challenge. Mo Xingxue let out a small sigh of relief. Go, Yanyan! Mo Xingxue cheered silently, her eyes shining brightly as they tracked only one competitor.
The live chat, of course, picked up on every detail of Mo Xingxue’s focused attention.
[Mo Xingxue, if you keep staring at Su Wanyan like that she might melt.]
[Mo Xingxue: I’ve got my eyes on you~]
[Why does this give off the vibes of an Olympian gf and her number one fan gf?]
[OH. MY. DWARF. I NEED THAT ASAP.]
[On it, boss!]
[Good, I’ll send you your salary later.]
[Thank you so much for your grace, boss!]
[Gang Boss x Underling? Dang, I’m fed.]
[Am I the only one still single here??]
While the viewers spiraled into playful chaos, the race continued.
Su Wanyan dropped to her back for the barbed wire crawl, pushing herself across the grass in a reverse crawl. At first she moved too aggressively, scraping her knees against the rough wires. A sharp sting flared, but she barely registered it. She adjusted her pace slightly—still fast, but more controlled—navigating the low clearance with determination.
Mo Xingxue noticed the micro-change in Su Wanyan’s expression immediately. Worry clouded her features as she fidgeted with her hands. "Oh my, it looks like Teacher Su injured her knees," Lin Xuanyu exclaimed dramatically, his voice sounding almost tearful. Song Meiyu and Han Jiho exchanged amused glances and shook their heads at his over-the-top performance.
Mo Xingxue didn’t spare him a glance—her attention remained locked on Su Wanyan. Is she okay? Mo Xingxue thought anxiously. In her stroller nearby, little Mo Yan watched the scene with wide eyes, letting out happy gurgles and laughs as if cheering along.
Halfway through the crawl, Gu Chengze finally caught up. He dropped down and began powering through the obstacle, his gaze filled with humiliated hatred.
Su Wanyan noticed him closing in from the corner of her eye and instinctively sped up, a strange wave of claustrophobia urging her forward. Grass and dirt clung to her clothes and hair by the time she emerged from the barbed wire.
She pushed to her feet quickly and sprinted toward the final obstacle: the thick rope climb. Gu Chengze, still crawling, looked up with a glare, silently wishing she would trip.
Su Wanyan maintained perfect running form until something suddenly grabbed her left ankle, yanking her in place. She stumbled forward, flying a few inches before her injured knee scraped against the ground.
Su Wanyan cried out, her clothes and hair became even more disheveled. What just happened? Su Wanyan thought, stunned, but there was no time to dwell—Gu Chengze was nearly finished with the crawl, an arrogant smile spreading across his face.
Shaking it off, Su Wanyan gathered herself and continued running.
The spectators were equally confused. Su Wanyan had been running smoothly and then suddenly stumbled? Even Mo Xingxue, who had barely blinked while watching her, couldn’t understand what had caused it.
Su Wanyan reached the rope, jumped, and latched on firmly. She climbed with steady, powerful pulls, her enhanced strength and Flowing Steel making the ascent look skillful and controlled. Gu Chengze caught up midway, while Qin Yuran and Zhao Yichen were just finishing the barbed wire.
Su Wanyan smirked and accelerated her climb, still maintaining balance. Gu Chengze gritted his teeth, hatred burning in his eyes as he pushed harder.
Just as Su Wanyan neared the top, her hands inexplicably loosened. There it is again! Su Wanyan thought in disbelief. "Woah—" She fell back to Gu Chengze’s level but quickly recovered, pulling herself upward with renewed determination.
Gu Chengze’s momentary glee at her fall vanished as he sped up too.
"What is with those two monsters?!" Qin Yuran shouted, finally reaching the rope.
"Hey, you’re a monster yourself too! Why the heck are you so fast?!" Zhao Yichen yelled back.
Su Wanyan and Gu Chengze raced neck-and-neck. At the last moment, Su Wanyan pushed harder, reached the top, rang the bell with a resounding clang, and dropped down. She sprinted toward the finish table.
Gu Chengze rang his bell seconds later and chased after her, his heavy footsteps thudding behind. Su Wanyan heard him and she poured on more speed.
She finally reached the table and slammed her hand on the desk bell, panting slightly as she tried to steady her breathing. Her gaze instinctively drifted toward Mo Xingxue.
"Help," Mo Xingxue said simply, her voice carrying clearly.
Su Wanyan blinked, momentarily confused, before her eyes brightened with understanding. "2! I want number 2," she declared steadily.
The PD nodded. Gu Chengze arrived moments later, ringing the bell with force. He panted heavily, looking wild-eyed like a rabid dog. He glanced hopefully at Mo Xingxue, but she didn’t spare him a single look, instead turning and walking back into the villa. Gu Chengze’s face burned with embarrassment and rising anger.
Su Wanyan averted her eyes from him and glanced at Lin Xuanyu, who watched Gu Chengze with open heartache. Su Wanyan looked at Gu Chengze again, then back at Lin Xuanyu. This partners stink of poo, she thought with an internal laugh before walking over to Mo Yan’s stroller.
"1," Gu Chengze growled, barely suppressing his fury.
The PD nodded. Then, Qin Yuran finally arrived, shouting "4!" before slumping dramatically onto the table. Zhao Yichen followed shortly after, equally exhausted.
"1," he tried.
"It’s taken," the PD replied with a smirk.
"What? Then 4!"
"Taken too."
Zhao Yichen groaned. "Again? Then just give me whatever isn’t taken yet," he said, collapsing onto the grass.
"Then 3 it is," PD Xu Cui announced, laughing at his misery.
Mo Xingxue returned shortly after, carrying a clean towel and a first aid kit. She walked straight to Su Wanyan’s side and gently patted the sweat from her face with the soft towel. "Are you okay?" she asked, worry evident in her voice.
Su Wanyan smiled brightly. "Never been better."
Mo Xingxue’s expression turned amused for a moment before her eyes darkened. She pressed her fingers lightly against Su Wanyan’s scraped knee. "Better, is it?"
"Ouch, ouch!" Su Wanyan cried out, though the pain was mild. She exaggerated her reaction anyway, hoping it would satisfy Mo Xingxue.
Mo Xingxue sighed. "Give me your knee," she ordered gently but firmly.
"I can do it myself," Su Wanyan protested, not wanting to burden her.
Mo Xingxue simply pressed a little harder. The real sting finally made Su Wanyan wince and surrender, extending her injured knee.
Mo Xingxue sighed again, her tone sharp but laced with unmistakable worry. "If you’re going to do it, just do it. Why are you making it hard for me?"
Su Wanyan smiled stupidly at her. "Sorry, Xuexue," she muttered playfully.
Mo Xingxue rolled her eyes but began tending to the wound with careful, tender movements. The two were wrapped in such a warm, lovey-dovey atmosphere that the others nearby couldn’t help but feel awkwardly out of place.
"Wow," Qin Yuran said, still catching her breath. "First time being an air. Kinda nervous," she chuckled, then choked slightly.
Zhao Yichen sat up and looked at her. "Idiot."
Meanwhile, Su Wanyan and Mo Xingxue remained blissfully unaware of the ambiguous, slightly envious atmosphere surrounding them.
