lovenovelstory Is this something a friend should do?
Is this something a friend should do?
5:30 p.m.
The setting sun cast long shadows on the playground, and with the sound of the head instructor's whistle, the first day of military training finally came to an end.
The once orderly green formation collapsed instantly, and cries of relief and wailing rose and fell.
There's still a queue for dinner, but students aren't rushing to the cafeteria like they were at lunchtime. It's not that they aren't hungry or don't want to go; it's just that their feet are sore and their calves are weak.
Wang Zhe, thanks to the protective gear on his feet, was in relatively good condition. He was about to call his roommates to go eat when his gaze was drawn to a figure not far away.
Song Zhiyi was walking with Huang Yue.
Song Zhiyi, who is usually elegant, looked rather disheveled at this moment. She took small steps, her brows were slightly furrowed, and she was clearly almost unable to walk.
Wang Zhe sighed inwardly.
Although her childhood sweetheart is beautiful and intelligent, she has never been good at sports. In high school, running 800 meters would kill her, so the high-intensity military posture and marching drills are torture for her.
"You guys go and grab some seats, I have something to do."
Wang Zhe gave Fang Gang and the others some instructions, then quickly walked over.
"Knowledge of Art".
Wang Zhe called out to her.
Song Zhiyi stopped and turned around. Seeing it was Wang Zhe, her previously pained expression instantly eased, and she forced a smile: "It's you. What's up?"
Wang Zhe pointed to her feet: "Does your foot hurt or your calf?"
Upon hearing this question, Song Zhiyi's expression became strained. She nodded with a pained look, "It hurts so much. My feet don't feel like my own anymore, and my calves are incredibly sore and swollen."
Huang Yue, standing next to her, also complained, "Yeah! Our instructor is too harsh. He just stands there without moving an inch. My feet are about to break."
Wang Zhe took out two unopened packs of Sofy nighttime toiletries from his pocket and handed them to Song Zhiyi.
"Take it."
Song Zhiyi paused for a moment, looking at the familiar packaging, her cheeks flushing slightly: "Why are you giving me this?"
"Use it as an insole," Wang Zhe succinctly shared his secret. "Put this in your military training rubber shoes. It's soft, absorbs sweat, and provides shock absorption. Try it tomorrow and you'll see, it's absolutely useful."
Huang Yue, listening nearby, stared wide-eyed: "Wow! You can do that? Wang Zhe, you're so knowledgeable! Do you have any extra? Could you give me two pieces?"
Wang Zhe shrugged. "That's all. I only brought these two packs. They sell them at the supermarket, go buy some yourself."
"Okay, okay, I'll go buy it right away!" Huang Yue said, winking at Song Zhiyi before quickly walking away.
I don't know if she left in such a hurry to buy sanitary napkins or to give the two of them some space alone.
Wang Zhe ignored Huang Yue and focused on Song Zhiyi in front of him, continuing to advise, "Putting on insoles is for tomorrow. If you don't want to feel too uncomfortable tonight, you need to stretch as soon as possible, especially your calves. It's best to massage them vigorously for at least ten minutes. Relax your muscles so they won't be sore tomorrow. Otherwise, you'll feel like dying when you wake up tomorrow morning, and..."
Song Zhiyi blinked: "And what?"
Wang Zhe paused, then added something that girls care about most: "If you don't stretch, your calves will easily become thicker."
Upon hearing this, Song Zhiyi revealed a sweet smile.
She said with a grin, "Thanks for the suggestion... By the way, during the break from military training this afternoon, I noticed that Su Xiaocheng would occasionally sneak glances in your direction. Did you notice?"
Wang Zhe was taken aback.
Was Su Xiaocheng secretly watching her?
He shook his head, looking completely at ease: "I really didn't notice. That instructor keeps hanging around me. If I turn my head to look around, he'll definitely find out and give me a good beating."
Song Zhiyi stared into his eyes for a few seconds, then a playful smile curved her lips: "Looks like you and her really have a thing going on. That girl is quite cute, and she's your sci-fi confidante. Why don't you consider it?"
Wang Zhe was speechless: "Stop joking. I've already said I'm not very interested in her, and she's even less interested in me."
Having lived two lives, Wang Zhe was no ordinary eighteen or nineteen-year-old boy. While boys his age often had the misconception that "she might like me," he didn't. In his previous life, besides Song Zhiyi, he had also encountered several girls who confessed their feelings to him. Although he didn't accept them, it was enough for him to have ample experience in discerning what a girl who truly liked him should do.
"Yeah?"
Song Zhiyi responded softly, then fell silent.
She lowered her head, looking at her toes, as if she was thinking about something.
"Alright, I'm off if there's nothing else. I'm starving, I still have to go grab some food."
After Wang Zhe finished speaking, he turned to leave, but Song Zhiyi called him back.
"Wait a moment."
A hesitant voice came from behind her. There seemed to be a hint of shyness in her voice.
Wang Zhe stopped and turned around to ask, "Is there anything else?"
Song Zhiyi bit her lip. Seeing that Huang Yue had already walked far away and there were no familiar classmates around, she whispered:
"Um... about massaging my calf muscles... I'm not strong enough, I don't know how to do it, and I don't have much experience. Could you... help me?"
Wang Zhe was taken aback, wondering if he had misheard.
"You mean... you want me to massage it for you?"
Although the calves are not a private part of the body, at this restless age of youth, when a boy massages a girl's calves, the level of ambiguity in the gesture is off the charts.
"Um."
Song Zhiyi gazed at him, her peach blossom eyes shimmering with a gentle, irresistible charm.
Wang Zhe fell silent.
Don't overthink it.
Seeing that Wang Zhe remained silent, Song Zhiyi seemed a little flustered and quickly added, "Aren't we good friends? Good friends helping each other out...it's normal, right?"
good friend?
My best friend is...
Which close friends would rub each other's legs in a corner of the playground?
Wang Zhe mentally complained.
But he did not call out her lame excuse.
Instead, he suddenly smiled.
That smile carried a hint of roguishness, as if he knew everything but didn't say it, and a touch of nonchalance, as if he wouldn't take advantage of something that was offered to him.
"Okay."
Wang Zhe nodded and pointed to the stands at the end of the playground. "It's crowded and noisy here. Let's go over there. There's a staircase there, and it's deserted."
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
Behind the stands of the playground was an area shrouded in shadow.
This is the stairwell leading to the upper level of the stands, a place rarely frequented. Now, with everyone rushing to lunch, it's so quiet you can only hear the wind rustling through the leaves.
In the dim light and cramped space, there was only this young boy and girl.
"Let's stay here."
Wang Zhe stopped and pointed to the wall.
Song Zhiyi obediently walked over and stood with her back against the wall.
Her heart was pounding, thumping so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her throat.
She didn't know why she had made that request so impulsively. Maybe it was the pang of jealousy she felt that afternoon when she saw Su Xiaocheng secretly glancing at Wang Zhe, maybe it was the real pain in her leg, or perhaps...
"Start with stretching," Wang Zhe's voice sounded somewhat low in the empty stairwell. "Turn around and face the wall. Place your hands on the wall."
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.