Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation
Chapter 397 - 283: Contact Information

April 20, 2014.

Fourth Middle School.

Under the setting sun on the green grass, Dan Kaiquan ran repeatedly, constantly challenging the 100-meter dash record.

On the west side of the track, Guo Kunnan sat on the edge of the podium, holding two cans of Red Bull, gazing at the figure of Dan Kaiquan on the playground.

Guo Kunnan had two cell phones in his trouser pocket, one for him and one for Dan Kaiquan.

Dan Kaiquan had said that before running, it was best to rid oneself of all burdens.

They arrived very early today, immediately after lunch in the countryside, reaching the school just after 2 p.m.

Yet, there were quite a few students on the track.

Some students, like Dan Kaiquan, ran repeatedly, among them quite a number of athletes.

The news of the rich rewards for this sports meet had spread far and wide, and the number of students who had registered was said to be the most in recent years, likely filled with many skilled competitors.

Guo Kunnan planned to sign up for the 4×100 relay, the 100 meters, and the 800 meters.

With only one more day left before registration closed, he intended to submit his entry to Huang Zhongfei that evening.

Most of the adequately strong boys in his class had registered, like Zhang Chi, Dong Qingfeng, Dan Xiao, and even the usually solitary Miao Zhe had signed up for high jump.

Including students he knew from other classes, Yan Tianpeng had registered for shot put and Shi Qianjin for the 100 meters.

The only person he knew was capable but hadn't registered was Jiang Ning.

"He really doesn't care about the prize money, does he?" Guo Kunnan wondered.

But the sports meet wasn't only about the prize money, there was also the honor of the class.

Guo Kunnan set down the Red Bulls on the podium, stretched his arms back, and finally clasped his hands behind his head, thinking over these matters.

Unwittingly, he had thought too much.

Lately, life had been comfortable for Guo Kunnan; free from love, he had more than enough to live on, even happily treating his friends to pies and earning their praise.

Yet deep inside, there was an inevitable void, not sadness, just emptiness.

His heart was like a jigsaw puzzle, missing a piece.

Guo Kunnan searched without knowing exactly what he was missing.

On the field, Dan Kaiquan finished another lap, coming over with a head full of sweat and grabbed a Red Bull, gulping it down fiercely.

The time on the cell phone was already past five.

Dan Kaiquan suggested, "Brother Nan, let's stop training. Let's go to the field to get our clothes, I'll treat you to a bath!"

The dorms at Fourth Middle School were simple, lacking a bathing area. Students typically hooked up a kettle of hot water and bathed in the utility room.

If willing to spend three yuan, one could enjoy a comfortable bath in the large bathhouse behind the playground.

Faced with Dan Kaiquan's invitation, Guo Kunnan agreed:

"Sure, let's do it together."

Saying so, they left the playground together. Dan Kaiquan was tired from half a day of exertion, but his mood was quite good. Training every day and then progressing bit by bit, this feeling was exhilarating.

Every improvement made him tell himself, "You're one step closer to becoming Bai Yuxia's boyfriend."

However, Dan Kaiquan wasn't just concerned with himself; he noticed something different about Brother Nan beside him.

Brother Nan had been living too comfortably lately. Dan Kaiquan hadn't seen him enjoy himself in a while.

"Brother Nan, do you remember at the beginning of the term, I said I would chase after Bai Yuxia, and you said you would pursue Shen Qing'e?" Dan Kaiquan reminisced, "Remember that night, you even treated me to a pie."

Guo Kunnan felt nostalgic, "Yeah, but it's all in the past now."

They had been through a lot together, he had been attracted to many people but had long forgotten his original intentions.

"We can't go back!" Guo Kunnan was no longer the naïve freshman he once was; he had reached the ultimate state of a clear heart.

The road to growth inevitably came with pains. Guo Kunnan had loved and hurt, and that made him who he was now.

As Dan Kaiquan walked through the campus, the flowers and trees along the path were in full bloom.

He had seen flowers bloom and fade before, and now, the flowers were blooming again.

He had veered from his path, having set a target but still flirted with Gong Xuan, marked by her butterfly tattoo, which led her brother Deng Xiang to show up.

If it weren't for Jiang Ning stepping in, it would have caused much more chaos.

Yet, in the end, Dan Kaiquan's affection for Bai Yuxia remained steadfast.

After wandering half his life, he had returned to being himself.

Suddenly, Guo Kunnan said, "Kaiquan, I sometimes really envy you."

Dan Kaiquan was puzzled, "Envy me for what?"

He thought Guo Kunnan envied his grades, the dedication and perseverance.

What he didn't expect was for Guo Kunnan to sigh deeply, melancholically saying:

"I envy that you can still like someone."

"I, on the other hand, can't seem to like anyone anymore." His tone was indescribably lonesome.

Guo Kunnan watched as Kaiquan's passion for Bai Yuxia grew, feeling not ridicule but genuine envy.

Once, Guo Kunnan could also love a girl selflessly, but now, he had lost that ability.

A person with a fulfilled heart could no longer fall in love with someone else.

Dan Kaiquan was stunned, "Brother Nan, can you stop pretending, acting as if you've gone through huge hardships."

Guo Kunnan spoke meaningfully, "You wouldn't understand."

Dan Kaiquan, tired of arguing, scanned the campus, ready to find a new prospect for Brother Nan.

Suddenly, he caught sight of a graceful figure.

In the distance on an open space, a tall girl on roller skates, her long hair flowing and skating towards them, looking extremely cool!

"Holy shit, Brother Nan, look!" Dan Kaiquan exclaimed.

Hearing that, Guo Kunnan looked ahead. That fleeting glance stirred his icy heart suddenly, like cold firewood ignited into a blazing flame.

She was getting closer, even closer.