Tormented by a sense of shame, Yi Pin was in a dilemma, not knowing whether to go back to sleep or get up. It still seemed to be dawn outside.
"Shall we go for a morning run?"
Shen Yu's cold yet magnetic voice rang out, with a faint smile playing on his lips.
Yi Pin pondered for a while. As he watched Shen Yu turn on the light, which was blindingly bright, he couldn't help but squint his eyes, feeling a bit dazed.
Shen Yu, dressed in a black sports suit, had a slender figure and a cold, haughty face, looking as if he was perpetually impatient.
"Then... I'll go change into my sportswear first!" Yi Pin rubbed his eyes. These days he had been living a rather unrestrained life, eating and drinking to his heart's content. Maybe due to lack of exercise, his resistance had declined, which was why he caught a cold.
He changed into a handsome pure - white two - piece sports outfit, put on a pair of loose sweatpants, and wiped his sneakers. He was all set and looked extremely energetic.
"You look like a spirited young man!" Shen Yu said with a smile on his lips. "How about we have a little competition?"
"What kind of competition?" Yi Pin asked, looking confused and a bit dazed. He frowned. This goading tactic was like a fatal blow to someone with such a strong competitive spirit.
"The flag over there is the starting point. Whoever finishes running around the lake first wins!" Shen Yu said, his lips curled up in a challenging smile as he looked at Yi Pin. "The winner can ask the loser to fulfill one request. No matter what it is, the loser can't refuse!"
"Fine, let's go!" Yi Pin said with a hint of aggression.
He was once the long - distance running record - holder in his school. Although he had been busy since his senior year in college and thus rarely exercised, he still retained some of his former prowess.
Ignoring the strange looks from passers - by, the two young men, one in black and the other in white, with contemptuous smiles on their lips and full of confidence, walked to the starting point.
"A real man should keep his word!" Yi Pin said, a bright smile on his face as he looked at Shen Yu, who seemed so calm.
"Likewise!" Shen Yu snapped his fingers, swaying from side to side, with a smile on his lips.
The two stood at the starting line, glanced at each other, and both had smiles on their lips.
Yi Pin rubbed his hands, ready to go.
"Do some warm - up exercises first. You're still sick!" Shen Yu said, looking worried.
"Don't be so fussy. Even my step - mother isn't as naggy as you!" Yi Pin said impatiently, but his body obediently started doing warm - up exercises.
Shen Yu was taken aback for a moment. Yi Pin's mother had divorced his father when he was very young. She later went abroad and never came back. There were many wild rumors about the reason for their divorce, but none of them could be verified.
"You..." Shen Yu was rendered speechless.
"Okay, get ready. 3, 2, 1... Go!" Yi Pin shouted, concentrating all his energy.
The two took off like arrows shot from a bow.
Yi Pin dashed out first, and Shen Yu followed closely behind. The distance between them was just right for Shen Yu to quietly observe Yi Pin's profile.
Then, Yi Pin quickened his pace, a mischievous smile on his lips.
He thought to himself, "It seems I can't hold back any longer. I must go all out."
He thought that since Shen Yu had reached his limit and he quickened his pace, he would surely leave Shen Yu behind. But he didn't expect Shen Yu to still follow him steadily at the same pace.
Yi Pin gradually felt tired. He felt as if his body was trapped by something, and his head was throbbing.
Both of them were gasping for breath and sweating profusely as they looked at the finish line.
When they were only a short distance from the finish line, both of them summoned all their strength and rushed forward.
Their competitive spirits erupted at the last moment.
Shen Yu pulled himself together and no longer looked at Yi Pin's profile. Instead, he stared directly at the finish line.
In the end, they were separated by a single step. Shen Yu was just a bit faster than Yi Pin.
Yi Pin fell to the ground in a fit of rage, lying on his back and looking blankly at the vast sky.
Shen Yu sat beside him, a mischievous smile on his lips.
"Tell me, what do you want me to do?" Yi Pin swallowed hard, looking as if he had lost all hope. He regretted underestimating himself. He had always thought he would win, after all, he was once a long - distance running record - holder. But he was defeated by Shen Yu, and he couldn't help but feel ashamed.
"Well... I haven't thought of it yet. I'll tell you when I do!" Shen Yu said with a smile. "But don't be too sad. I'm also the long - distance running record - holder in my university!"
Hearing this, Yi Pin looked contemptuous. It always seemed as if he was in the open while Shen Yu was in the dark, always keeping a low profile. He didn't know which side of Shen Yu was the real one.
"Fine then!" Yi Pin sighed helplessly. He knew he should learn from his failure and exercise more in the future. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to satisfy his competitive spirit when it mattered, and he would only end up feeling resentful.
"It's almost dawn. Let's go quickly!" Shen Yu said, looking at the sky with a smile on his lips.
"Okay!" Yi Pin turned his head and saw Shen Yu's cold and handsome face. His side profile was so charming, with a hint of temptation. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, and the sweat trickled down his fair neck, which made people's imaginations run wild.
On their way back, they didn't say a word, but the atmosphere was quite harmonious. The two young men, one in black and the other in white, looked extremely handsome and eye - catching.
When they got back to the community, the security guard greeted them with a warm smile. Yi Pin politely returned the smile, while Shen Yu remained cold, looking as if there was a layer of ice on his face, intimidating anyone who came near.
"Are you two back, sir?" The security guard nodded, with a White Rabbit milk candy in his mouth.
Shen Yu nodded coldly without saying a word. Yi Pin, however, started chatting enthusiastically. He walked up to the window of the security booth and had a lively conversation with the security guard.
Shen Yu looked at him in confusion from behind, a smile that he couldn't hide appearing on his face.
"I'll go up and make breakfast first. You can come up later after chatting!" Shen Yu whispered in Yi Pin's ear.
Yi Pin nodded without looking back and continued to talk warmly with the security guard.
Shen Yu frowned. He had never seen Yi Pin be so enthusiastic before. He had never talked so much about trivial matters with him.
Shen Yu left, looking a bit depressed.
"By the way, young man, what's your relationship with Mr. Shen? He hardly says a word throughout the year. I once thought he was a mute disabled person!"
The enthusiastic security guard looked at Shen Yu's back and said thoughtfully, with a gossiping smile on his lips.
Yi Pin couldn't help but burst out laughing. It seemed that in everyone's eyes, Shen Yu was always so cold, heartless, and expressionless.
"To tell you the truth, uncle, Mr. Shen... He has depression, and there's something wrong with his head!" Yi Pin said seriously, pointing at his own head, with a mischievous smile on his lips.