Volume 1 / Chapter 80: Mò Xuěyáo as a Cheerleader

It was Mò Xuěyáo's first time standing atop the school’s grandstand.

The first tier of the platform was reserved for the senior student commentators—one male, one female—while the second-tier was designated for the cheerleaders, tasked with energizing the crowd and encouraging their classmates.

All the cheerleaders were freshmen. While their presence lacked the polish of the older students, it radiated a refreshing, youthful energy.

Among them, Class 2 had sent the largest group.

Out of the thirty total cheerleaders from all classes, half were girls from Class 2.

Feeling the gazes of countless eyes from below, Mò Xuěyáo felt a deep wave of embarrassment wash over her.

She had assumed, from below, that faces on the platform wouldn’t be easily visible.

But now, under the spotlight—literally and metaphorically—she was beginning to panic.

Ah yes, the infamous “spotlight effect.”

In her ears, the relentlessly upbeat March of the Athletes played on a loop, as if no school sports day would be complete without it. Without that repetitive tune, the whole event might have felt… incomplete.

“Next, students in Group One for the Girls' 100-meter sprint, please report to the check-in area immediately.”

“Wáng—Jiā—lè—!!!” Mo Zhúyōu yelled breathlessly from the steps, “You’re in Group One! Hurry up!”

“Huh? Oh, right!” Wáng Jiālè snapped to attention. She hurriedly clipped the number sheet identifying her as an athlete to her chest. “Zhūzhū, which group are you in?”

“I’m in Group Three! Now go, it’s starting!”

“Got it, got it—!” Jiālè peeled off her jacket and tossed it to Mò Xuěyáo. “Xuěyáo, hold this for me!”

Then she took off at full speed after Mo Zhúyōu.

“Run fast! I’ll be cheering for you!” Mò Xuěyáo shouted, waving enthusiastically.

Mo Xiǎoxiào gently tucked her hair behind one ear. “But… you didn’t cheer for any of the earlier events.”

“I—I wasn’t used to it yet… Ahem, I’ll shout this time! It’s Wáng Jiālè’s race after all.” Mò Xuěyáo coughed awkwardly, flustered.

The truth was, she cared too much about what others thought. That anxiety made it hard for her to loosen up and shout freely for others.

A few minutes later, Wáng Jiālè was crouched down, palms planted on the soft rubber track, her posture taut like a drawn bowstring ready to release.

“Three, two, one! Bang!” With the sound of PE teacher Yè Rán’s starting pistol, Wáng Jiālè launched forward.

No one expected such explosive speed from someone with such a petite frame. She sprinted so fast that the elastic band holding her ponytail snapped off. Her hair flew loose, streaming behind her like a banner in the wind.

“Jiālè——go go go!!!” Mò Xuěyáo finally mustered the courage to yell at the top of her lungs.

Sometimes, things only seem scary before you actually do them.

The first step is always the hardest.

It was no different for her. Once she broke the ice, she started to relax, blending into the excited rhythm of the cheer squad.

Still, a hundred meters was far too short. In what felt like a blink, Wáng Jiālè had already crossed the finish line—first in her group.

That meant she’d have to race again later, to compete for the championship title.

As she returned, sipping water, it was already time for Mo Zhúyōu’s race.

Unlike Jiālè’s explosive speed, Zhúyōu’s run was much more leisurely. She was the last to finish.

Surprisingly, she looked relieved.

“Phew, that’s it. No more events for me today,” she sighed, collapsing onto the railing of the grandstand’s second tier, sunbathing lazily.

===

“Girls’ thighs… truly the pinnacle of beauty,” Zhōu Yǒng whispered reverently, hugging his digital camera. “Good thing I brought this. Otherwise, I couldn’t have immortalized such glorious scenes.”

“Ugh, stop sounding like a creep,” Gāo Yuán rolled his eyes.

“Oh please, like you’re any better. I call this art, okay?”

“First time I’ve heard a pervert try to sound so classy.”

“So what? What’s wrong with a guy being a little pervy?” Zhōu Yǒng retorted righteously, squatting down and firing off several shots of the girls on the grandstand.

“Quit obsessing over the platform. I bet there are plenty of cute girls elsewhere. Let’s get some close-ups.” Gāo Yuán nudged him.

“The prettiest first-years are all up there, come on.”

“Then how about the older girls? Sophomores and seniors?”

“Fatty’s got a point! Let’s go find some upperclassman goddesses!” Liú Xiǎowěi encouraged excitedly.

“…Fine,” Zhōu Yǒng said reluctantly, sneaking one last look at Mò Xuěyáo before finally leaving with his friends to hunt for other targets.

The morning’s events were mostly the lighter ones—short-distance sprints under 400 meters, plus shot put, high jump, and long jump.

While snapping photos, Zhōu Yǒng casually participated in the shot put and wrapped it up in just a few minutes.

Gāo Yuán, on the other hand, looked increasingly distraught.

“What’s wrong? Didn’t get a clear shot of anyone’s face?” Zhōu Yǒng asked.

“No, worse. I’m running the 1500 meters later!” Gāo Yuán wailed. “You think I can even survive that?”

“C’mon, you got this,” Liú Xiǎowěi patted his shoulder encouragingly. “We believe in you.”

“Yeah. We’re rooting for you.”

“Screw you guys,” Gāo Yuán flipped them the bird. “Easy to talk when you’re not the one suffering!”

“Be grateful it’s not 10,000 meters,” Zhōu Yǒng laughed. “That’d really kill someone.”

“Didn’t they used to have that?”

“Yeah, new principal scrapped it. Too brutal.”

“Still, 1500 isn’t exactly a stroll either.”

“Come on, think of it this way: the track’s 400 meters per lap. So four laps and a bit. Doesn’t that sound way easier?”

“Easy my ass. You run it then!”

“Appreciate the offer, but no thanks.” Liú Xiǎowěi grinned wickedly. “Look on the bright side—maybe you’ll lose three pounds.”

“If it worked that well, I wouldn’t be this fat in the first place!”

“Wow, he finally admits he’s fat. Historic moment,” Zhōu Yǒng declared.

“You jerk! Give me my camera back!”

“Big bro, please! I was wrong! You’re not fat at all—slim, dashing, perfectly proportioned…” Zhōu Yǒng immediately switched to groveling mode.

Next to the sports field, a small food stall had been set up.

Normally, the owner sold snacks outside the school gate, but today, they were invited inside by the administration to offer buns, sticky rice dumplings, and other treats.

If students got hungry, they could buy something. Prices were student-friendly—the cheapest being a tea egg for just 30 cents.

Even if you were broke, a quick walk around the school might net you a few stray coins on the ground—enough for a little snack.

Some boys even did it for fun, despite having cash in their pockets.

Boyish joy could be that simple and pure.

By noon, Mò Xuěyáo’s voice was hoarse from shouting.

She cleared her throat and sat down on a chair nearby. “Ugh, my throat’s killing me.”

“Drink more water.” Mo Xiǎoxiào handed over a sealed bottle of mineral water—part of the cheer squad’s perks, courtesy of Yè Wén .

“You shout way too hard,” she chided. “Try to pace yourself.”

“Seriously, you were practically screaming your lungs out,” Wáng Jiālè added. “It’s either total silence or full blast with you, huh?”

“Of course!” Mò Xuěyáo replied naturally, downing half the bottle in one go.

Even though she was just cheering from the sidelines, she was sweating all over.

It had been a long time since she’d felt this kind of excitement.

She wasn't competing, but as a cheerleader, she still got swept up in the heat of the moment.

Being a girl did bring plenty of inconveniences—but also, experiences she’d never had before.

And it had to be said: girls, especially the pretty ones, often received more consideration.

That said, out in society, it was a different story.

Women didn’t compete as strongly as men in many fields.

In that regard, school and society maintained a strange, subtle balance.

“Lunch’s here!” Lǐ Hóngrǎn called out, hauling a plastic crate up to the platform. “Class 2 girls, come get your food!”

“Ooh, finally! What’s for lunch today?” The girls swarmed around him, even attracting envy from girls in other classes still waiting for their food.

“Today’s lunch is three buns per person—one tofu, one pork, one red bean,” Lǐ Hóngrǎn explained, handing out packed bags. “Plus, your homeroom teacher bought you milk. And there’s ice cream coming after.”

“Ice cream in this weather?” Mo Xiǎoxiào tilted her head.

“Exactly because of the heat,” Wáng Jiālè beamed. “That’s when it’s most delicious! I wonder what kind they got us~”

“Probably just the basic stuff,” Lǐ Hóngrǎn answered, handing Mò Xuěyáo her food. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.”

As soon as she opened the bag, her stomach growled.

Just as she was about to dig in, Wáng Jiālè shouted, “Hey! Anyone not like red bean? I’ll trade you! I want the red bean bun!”

“I’ll trade you!” Mò Xuěyáo jumped in. “I want the meat one.”

Who wouldn’t pick meat? Missing that chance would be pure foolishness.

If there was meat to be had, Mò Xuěyáo wasn’t letting it go.

“Deal! Let me check… Okay, this one’s the pork bun. Here, and gimme the red bean one.”

“Mm, got it.”