Section 17: Apply Some Eye Drops

Out of consideration for Lu Yuan, Lu Youyou decided to lend him a hand. She told Sima that track and field is not like a gym; there are no "personal trainers." She explained that she used to train for the 100-meter dash, but after realizing she couldn't achieve competitive results, she switched to the 100-meter hurdles, and she could spare some time to guide his training. Sima went with the flow and accepted. He suspected that Lu Youyou had mistaken him and Lu Yuan for a couple and was acting out of kindness. He had originally intended to offer some payment, but now that he owed her a favor, it would be rather awkward if things didn't work out with Lu Yuan in the future.

He set a time with Lu Youyou and casually asked about her plans after graduation. She mentioned she would likely stay at the university as an assistant coach or team leader for the track and field team. Sima thought for a moment and asked if he would be forced to follow Coach Tu once he joined the team, or if he could have her as his professional coach, just like Li Xiazhi. Lu Youyou raised her eyebrows, pondered for a moment, and suddenly had a breakthrough. It was clear that Coach Tu didn't think much of Sima, and since she desperately needed to produce results as a new assistant coach, it wouldn't be difficult to talk to the head coach and "snatch" Sima away.

She didn't give him an immediate answer, telling him to go back and rest, and that they would discuss it in a couple of days.

That evening, Lu Youyou sought out Zhang Chongqing, the head coach of the track team, to present her idea. She argued that as an assistant coach, only training Li Xiazhi was too little, and she hadn't been able to recruit any promising talent for the women's 100-meter hurdles. Since Coach Tu was unwilling to train Sima, she offered to take him on, provided he passed the assessment in a month. Zhang Chongqing saw right through her intentions. He had a tense relationship with Tu Jianguo, so he was more than happy to stir the pot. After confirming that she really saw potential in Sima, he gave his approval on the spot: as long as Sima officially made the team, he would be hers to train. Competition breeds pressure, pressure creates motivation, and motivation leads to results.

Lu Youyou thanked Zhang Chongqing and mentioned that her father had recently returned from abroad with some foreign spirits, inviting the "Uncle" to taste them. She left behind a heavy handbag before taking her leave. Zhang Chongqing stood up to see her off, and after she left, he opened the bag to find two bottles of French wine that were clearly expensive. He sighed deeply, a lump forming in his throat; if his son were still alive, he would likely be at the stage of discussing marriage with Lu Youyou by now.

Lu Youyou didn't hide the fact that Sima had sought her out for "private tutoring" from her cousin. Since it was hard to explain over the phone, she invited Lu Yuan out to share her plan. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she decided to bet on Sima, even if it meant falling out with Coach Tu. Lu Yuan felt it was all rather strange. Why was her cousin telling her this? Sima wasn't her boyfriend, so why would she need her consent? Besides, the person involved hadn't said a word, yet her cousin was so eager to coordinate with her. It left a sour taste in her mouth. She didn't voice her thoughts in front of Lu Youyou, but back in her room, she lay on her bed, feeling an inexplicable sense of grievance.

However, her cousin's decision was significant, as it concerned her future standing on the track team. Just as Lu Yuan wondered if she should call Sima, her phone buzzed with a text from him, asking if she was free to grab a meal and discuss something. If she hadn't known he was conspiring with her cousin to "carve out his own territory" and "snatch food from the tiger's mouth" to spite Coach Tu, she might have let her imagination run wild. Now, it was purely a matter of pros and cons.

Knowing Sima’s family didn't seem wealthy, Lu Yuan didn't suggest meeting outside, but instead invited him to Haidian University to try the school cafeteria. After a few messages back and forth, they settled on Thursday afternoon, as the track team had no training and neither had classes. Once the time was set, Lu Yuan scrambled up, grabbed pen and paper, and began "planning the strategy"—what route to take, where to visit, finding a quiet place for dinner to talk, and then seeing him off. She chewed on her pen, making revisions, meticulously arranging this "date" without even realizing why she cared so much.

On Thursday afternoon, Sima arrived at Haidian University by bus, and Lu Yuan was waiting at the gate. Sima had gotten a haircut and changed into a fresh outfit, looking spirited. Lu Yuan was pleased with his new look and pulled out her camera, asking him to stand at the gate for a photo. It was a red Phoenix T981 special-edition camera with a retro design, featuring a mechanical shutter from the Japanese Kobold Electronics Company, complete with a rangefinder and light metering. Its design was inspired by the Leica M, and while its performance was based on 60s and 70s technology and the build wasn't particularly refined, she loved it. It had been her 18th birthday gift.

Film cameras are cumbersome; you have to consider sensitivity, shutter speed, depth of field, aperture, and focal length. You couldn't see the results immediately, only after developing the film. Sima followed her instructions perfectly, acting as a good model. Lu Yuan took several shots, satisfied, and then skipped over to his side, saying she would deliver the photos in person once they were developed—and take the opportunity to see the beauties at the North Beijing Foreign Studies University! Was this considered setting up the next date? Sima smiled in welcome.

The two walked side-by-side into Haidian University, Lu Yuan leading him on a tour of the campus—the Second Gate, Xichun Garden, Jinchun Garden, the University Hall, the auditorium, the museum, and the library. They spent the afternoon chatting and walking. For dinner, they ate at the student cafeteria. Sima waited in line with her, using her meal card to pile their trays high with food, like little mountains. Sitting across from each other, Lu Yuan took a soup bowl, scalded it with hot water, and set aside some food for herself before pushing the rest to Sima, asking with a grin if it was enough. Sima said it was plenty, noting that eating too much at night wasn't good for one's health.

The cafeteria was bustling. Lu Yuan’s roommates passed by, peeked at Sima, and whispered something into Lu Yuan’s ear. Lu Yuan blushed, looking both annoyed and flustered, which only added to her charm. Sima, used to high-stakes situations, ate calmly, occasionally looking up to offer a polite smile without interjecting. It took a while for Lu Yuan to shoo them away. She poked at her food, trying to keep the conversation going by asking how Sima was getting along with his classmates. Sima explained that he didn't live on campus, renting a "dilapidated little place" outside, so he didn't know everyone well. The only person he could really talk to was the sports representative, Zuo Lin, who had also passed the test and was training with the team.

Lu Yuan was very interested in the house he rented, asking questions like a curious child. Sima tentatively invited her to visit, but she just smiled and didn't answer. What was he thinking, a lone man and a woman in one room! Sima changed the subject to the track team, mentioning he had run 12.10 seconds in the 100-meter and 24.35 seconds in the 200-meter during the test. It wasn't bad, and with some effort, he might reach the standard for a second-tier athlete. Lu Yuan had no concept of sprinting; she remembered that the men's 100-meter on TV was around 10 seconds, so 12 seconds seemed a bit slow. Sima couldn't help but laugh; the "flying men" on TV were world-class athletes—as a university freshman, how could he compare to them?