Chapter 434: Chapter 434: Shoulder to Shoulder

Gu Xinyan took another step forward, as if using all her strength, crossing a chasm she thought impossible to cross, reaching a new milestone, tears of joy streaming down her face.

Tears and sweat had already mixed together, making it hard to distinguish between them on her face. Her white gauze dress was soaked with sweat, revealing the vivid color of the cute BRA underneath. Gu Xinyan finally walked sixteen steps before her legs spasmed, causing her to fall onto the bed. The severe pain from cramps made her scream, and Xu Xiangbei quickly applied the magical eight needles to the inner side of her thigh.

This wasn’t taking advantage, but to relieve her cramp pain.

Gu Xinyan’s thighs, like carved jade, were long, white as snow, crystal-clear, soft and smooth, yet covered in sweat.

After a while, the pain of the cramps finally subsided. Her face was pale, hair disheveled, with tears continually seeping from the corners of her eyes, looking pitiful as if she had just been ravaged, yet her expression remained steadfast.

Her sister, including Lu Xiaomei, shed tears of sympathy for her.

With the magical eight needles, Xu Xiangbei examined the meridians in Gu Xinyan’s legs, shaking his head helplessly: "You’re too stubborn. Your meridians are fragile and are in recovery. You’ve walked too much. You need at least three days of rest before continuing to exercise, otherwise it will injure your meridians."

Gu Xinyan didn’t care at all, still immersed in her success, clutching her sister’s hand tightly like a devout believer, babbling loudly: "I walked sixteen steps! Six months ago, I could only sit in a wheelchair and couldn’t even stand, but today, I can walk sixteen steps!"

Her sister advised sympathetically: "Sister, take it easy, don’t overdo it, it will hurt."

Gu Xinyan maintained her determined expression, her face flushed with excitement: "Three days later, I want to walk my seventeenth step, eighteenth step."

The sisters reunited, chatting endlessly from the moment they met until dinner, where they continued chatting at the table. After eating and returning to the bedroom, they kept talking, with cheerful laughter constantly heard from the room.

At midnight, Gu Xiangyi’s laughter could still be heard, and Xu Xiangbei went to Gu Xinyan’s room door and tapped lightly: "Ladies, get some rest early, big sister, we have to catch a flight tomorrow morning."

Gu Xiangyi’s mocking laughter came through: "Little brother, you go to sleep first. Sister will be up early in the morning."

Gu Xiangyi had developed a habit over the years. Although she slept late at night, she would get up early in the morning to exercise and prepare breakfast.

Gu Xiangyi got up bright and early. She loved the artificial lake at the Purple Gold Villa, like a crystal green screen, pleasing to the eye.

Especially the clean, marked paths along the lake, like a high-grade rubber track. Running on them felt soft and comfortable, with strong grip.

She encountered Ah Rong, who was out for a morning run.

Ah Rong was wearing a blue tight sports outfit, with earphones on, listening to strong hip-hop music. Her running posture was more like dancing, elegant and unhurried, effortlessly running like the wind.

Gu Xiangyi barely kept up with Ah Rong, to ease the conversation, she applied the praise rule, as proposed by Carnegie for quickly establishing friendships with strangers.

Gu Xiangyi smiled and praised: "Ah Rong, you have a great figure."

But Ah Rong didn’t show satisfaction because of her praise, with a cold expression: "In foreign countries, praising a woman’s figure easily makes people think you’re a lesbian. Are you a lesbian?"

Scared by Ah Rong’s words, Gu Xiangyi awkwardly explained: "Ha, I was just voicing my opinion. I’m not a lesbian, you misunderstood."

Seeing Gu Xiangyi’s embarrassment, Ah Rong smiled smugly like a winner: "I was just saying it casually, don’t be nervous. Knowing that we’ll be sharing a room in Yanjing, I just wanted to test you."

Feeling tricked, Gu Xiangyi was at a loss whether to laugh or cry: "So that’s it. I thought you were serious."

Ah Rong returned to her previous coldness: "Couldn’t you see I was joking?"

A bit flustered by Ah Rong, Gu Xiangyi felt the praise rule was failing, opting for another tactic — the resonance rule, widely used in social interactions, by mentioning something the two were about to experience to resonate with the other.

Gu Xiangyi kindly reminded her: "We’re catching an 8 o’clock flight. Is your luggage ready?"

Glancing at Gu Xiangyi, Ah Rong commented meticulously: "My luggage? Are you talking about guns, grenades? They won’t let me carry such luggage on the plane."

Gu Xiangyi was startled again by Ah Rong, inwardly smiling bitterly, feeling talking with Ah Rong was more unpredictable than talking with Lu Xiaomei.

She pretended unable to keep up with Ah Rong: "I’m tired, can’t keep up with you, I’ll slow down."

Evidently, Gu Xiangyi’s friendship strategy worked. Ah Rong began to enjoy chatting with Gu Xiangyi and slowed down, running beside her.

"No problem, I can slow down. You look so weak, of course, you can’t match my speed, I won’t laugh at you."

Gu Xiangyi inwardly called out for calamity, unable to shake Ah Rong off, could only run alongside her and to ease the awkwardness, she smilingly brought up a new topic: "I saw you hitting the sandbag yesterday, you’re stronger than most boys, really impressive."

Yet her praise again prompted Ah Rong’s suspicion. She looked suspiciously at Gu Xiangyi: "Are you sure you’re not inclined towards lesbianism?"

Gu Xiangyi chuckled awkwardly: "I’m sure I’m not inclined towards lesbianism. I’m not running anymore, too tired, I’m heading out to see if there’s breakfast to buy."

Gu Xiangyi was utterly beaten by Ah Rong and fled, watching Gu Xiangyi’s distant figure with sympathy. Ah Rong continued to wear her earphones.

"These people are so lazy, just a few steps and they’re tired. That’s why their bodies are so weak. It’s still comfortable to run alone."

Ah Rong heard the sound of boxing from the villa’s yard and saw Lu Xiaomei’s fists like lightning. The Lu Family Fist was powerful, creating vortexes of air, striking wildly at the sandbag.

Ah Rong’s eyes flashed with a trace of surprise; she coughed softly.

Seeing someone coming, Lu Xiaomei stopped hitting the sandbag, tilting her head curiously at Ah Rong.

Lu Xiaomei cautiously asked: "Who are you? Is this sandbag yours?"

Ah Rong looked coldly at Lu Xiaomei: "I’m Ah Rong, President Xu’s bodyguard."

"Can I hit this sandbag?"

Ah Rong raised her head, cracking her knuckles: "You’re President Xu’s friend, of course you can hit this sandbag. But what’s the point of just hitting the bag? Would you like to spar with me?"