Morning Run Time, the Key Message to Break the Ice

Mao Ruirui noticed Lin Yu's gaze.

After greeting Lin Yu, she nervously clasped her hands behind her back.

Her outfit was simple—almost plain.

She knew full well that, from a male perspective,

her style wasn’t particularly attractive, let alone captivating.

So today,

she deliberately changed her look, taking inspiration from those trendy, sporty girls online.

Little did she know…

Everyone has their own unique aura, and what suits one person may not suit another.

After acquiring Little Fufu—after mastering all of Little Fufu’s skills—

Lin Yu’s sense of aesthetics had completely transcended the typical "clueless guy" perspective.

To be honest,

the usual clean, effortless "oxygen style" suited Mao Ruirui far better.

It was also more likely to catch a guy’s eye.

That said,

Mao Ruirui’s current outfit wasn’t unattractive.

It just didn’t quite resonate with Lin Yu.

Still,

the fact that she’d agreed to a solo jog with him and even changed her style for him deserved praise.

"Ruirui-jie, you look stunning today."

"Running with you is gonna turn so many heads—I might feel a little pressure, haha."

After his compliment, Lin Yu noticed Mao Ruirui’s gaze flicker toward him.

He quickly averted his eyes before she could meet them,

playing the part of an awkward, inexperienced college boy to perfection.

[Ding!]

[Masterful move! A heartfelt compliment that delighted your Dao Companion!]

[Reward: 50 Spirit Stones.]

"Lin Yu, it’s not that stunning…"

"It’s just… a normal outfit."

Mao Ruirui stretched her arms slightly behind her back, her toes lightly tapping the ground.

Her happiness was written all over her body language.

"Ruirui-jie, let me carry your bag?"

"I wanna see if a girl’s backpack really can hold the whole world."

Mao Ruirui burst out laughing:

"Hahaha, it’s just water, tissues, and a few small things."

"It’s not as ridiculous as the rumors say."

Only after handing the bag to Lin Yu did she suddenly realize—

Lin Yu had offered out of politeness.

How could she just accept so casually?

The bag wasn’t even heavy; there was no need for him to carry it!

But by the time she thought to take it back, it was already too late.

Somehow, Lin Yu’s words seemed to carry an irresistible charm…

The moment Lin Yu slung the bag over his shoulder,

he suddenly pretended to buckle under its weight,

exaggerating like his bones had been crushed.

Mao Ruirui giggled and swatted his arm:

"Lin Yu, you… hahaha… it’s not that heavy!"

Mid-laugh,

she noticed Lin Yu staring at her, utterly entranced.

"So beautiful when you smile…"

The words slipped out softly—like a dazed murmur or a whisper meant just for her.

[Ding!]

[Masterful move! A lovestruck confession that left your Dao Companion flustered!]

[Reward: 50 Spirit Stones.]

Mao Ruirui: "!!!"

Hearing Lin Yu’s words, she froze, unsure how to react.

It wasn’t that she never smiled, but she rarely laughed so freely.

Maybe it was because she didn’t have many close, humorous friends around.

But with Lin Yu,

she let her guard down completely, becoming a different person.

"Lin Yu, let’s… let’s go to the track?"

Not knowing how to respond, Mao Ruirui quickly changed the subject, pretending she hadn’t heard.

Lin Yu: "Sure, Ruirui."

Mao Ruirui: "…"

Wait—

Had he just dropped the "-jie"?

He’d never called her that before.

For a moment,

her heart raced, leaving her even more flustered.

Truthfully,

Lin Yu didn’t care how Mao Ruirui responded.

Boldness was one of his greatest weapons.

In this world, the brave seize the day!

Adjusting the bag strap to a comfortable length, Lin Yu and Mao Ruirui headed to Pingchuan University’s running track.

……

The track was quieter than usual today.

Mostly because the system’s timed mission alerts were absent.

As soon as they reached the entrance, Lin Yu scanned the area with his sharp eyes.

No familiar faces in sight.

Only a handful of runners.

Probably due to the recent rainy weather.

Puddles still dotted the grass and track, making it less ideal for morning jogging.

Hence the sparse crowd.

With no fellow cultivators around to help,

if he wanted to take things further, he’d have to rely on himself.

Mao Ruirui was intensely focused during her runs.

Matching Lin Yu’s pace stride for stride, she controlled her breathing and rhythm.

For the first few laps,

there was hardly any chance for conversation.

Even during water breaks, they only exchanged a few words.

In reality,

it wasn’t that Mao Ruirui didn’t want to talk to Lin Yu.

But the running speed they’d set yesterday was faster than her usual routine.

Slowing down now might seem like she wasn’t keeping up.

So she stuck to the same pace, pushing herself to match him.

Just maintaining his speed drained most of her energy.

She had no mental bandwidth left to think of conversation topics.

Just as Lin Yu thought today’s run would be uneventful,

a timely WeChat notification shattered the silence—

"Ding!"

The alert tone was unmistakably loud.

In the quiet of their run, it rang out crystal clear.

Mao Ruirui instinctively glanced over.

Lin Yu: "!!!"

No matter who sent it,

this message was a godsend.

A perfect icebreaker, handed to him on a silver platter.

Without hesitation,

he pulled out his phone and checked the message right in front of Mao Ruirui.

[Shen Buyao: You alive, Lin Yu? Just got back from work and heading to bed. Bet you’re having sweet dreams, huh? Hmph… kinda miss you!]

[Shen Buyao: (pouting) (pouting)]

So it was a sweet message from the antique shop sister!

Even after returning from Wubao Pavilion at dawn, she couldn’t resist texting that she missed him.

If this wasn’t falling for him, what was?

Since Shen Buyao assumed he was asleep,

there was no need to reply immediately.

The content of the message didn’t matter—

it was the "Ding!" that counted.

Now, it was time for Oscar-worthy acting…

Lin Yu’s expression darkened as he stared at his phone.

His running pace slowed, then stopped altogether.

Mao Ruirui, though confused, sensed something was off and glanced around nervously.

……

(Second update today! Just 21 more "powered by love" supports until the next bonus chapter. Off to write more—thanks for your support, bonus chapter coming soon!)