The Physical Training Scam
The rubber track, softened under the scorching sun, gave off a sharp, pungent smell mixed with rubber and dust, clinging to the skin like an unshakeable thin film.
I suddenly snapped my eyes open to the deafening chants ringing in my ears—"One two one! One two one!"
I looked down at myself: the faded camouflage uniform sleeves rolled up to my forearms, the exposed skin burnt red, even tingling with a faint heat.
The soles of my military boots were as hard as wooden boards, and my heels throbbed with a dull ache.
This isn't a dream—I've really returned to the first-year physical training scene from three years ago.
Memories of my past life rushed through my mind like a flood breaking through a dam.
The dimly lit rental room had its curtains drawn tight, not letting in even a sliver of sunlight.
On the table sat a half-finished bottle of mineral water; next to it, an empty bottle of sleeping pills, the bitter taste still lingering on the tip of my tongue.
The mobile phone screen was glowing, and under the campus forum post, vicious comments like "sl*t," "shameless," and "breaking training discipline" flooded in—each word stabbing into my eyes like needles.
At that final moment, clutching my phone, my consciousness sank slowly into darkness, overwhelmed by the feeling that my entire life had been lived so unfairly.
"Lydia! What are you spacing out for? Instructor Lewis's already looking this way!" My arm was suddenly poked, and Windy Lynn's voice came with an annoyingly sweet tone.
I turned my head and saw her high ponytail swinging, fine bangs brushing her forehead, lips curved in an innocent smile, but the pink nail polish on her fingers was glaring against the camouflage uniform — the very same hands that, in my past life, had secretly grabbed my mobile phone while I was in the shower.
"Nothing much, just a bit sunburned." I tried to keep my voice calm, but my fingers clenched tightly inside my pocket.
In my past life, I was fooled by her innocent act for a whole year, treating her as my closest confidante, confiding all my secrets, only to be stabbed in the back by her in the end.
Instructor Lewis was walking toward us from the front of the line, his physical training uniform crisp and sharp, the stars on his shoulder insignia shining, but the smile on his face held unmistakable malice.
As his gaze swept across the formation, it lingered noticeably longer on Windy Lynn, the calculating look in his eyes impossible to hide.
"Instructor Lewis, you look more refreshed today than yesterday!" Windy Lynn immediately brightened her smile, raising her voice a bit deliberately so everyone nearby could hear.
Instructor Lewis paused, the smile at the corner of his mouth growing deeper. "Windy, you look pretty today, too. This camouflage uniform suits you better than anyone else."
He hesitated, then pretended to be concerned. "If you're tired, go rest under the shade of a tree. Don't push yourself too hard."
"Not tired at all!" Windy Lynn straightened her chest and deliberately pulled her collar down a little. "Training with Instructor Lewis makes me really happy. I'm not tired at all!"
A few low chuckles came from around me; someone quietly nudged their companion with an elbow, their eyes full of sly meaning.
In my past life, it was at this moment that I foolishly defended Windy Lynn, insisting everyone was overthinking it, completely unaware that those two had long been secretly involved.
A wave of humiliation surged up my throat. I clenched my fists so tightly my nails nearly dug into my palms — this time, I absolutely won't let them run wild like that again!
"Lydia, why do you look so pale? Are you suffering from heatstroke?" Windy Lynn moved closer again, reaching out to touch my forehead, but there was a faint hint of unease hidden in her eyes.
I jerked my head away from her hand, my tone turning cold: "No need, I'm fine. Maybe I just got a little dizzy from the sun. I'll rest for a bit and I'll be okay."
Windy's hand froze in mid-air, the smile on her face faltering for a moment before she quickly regained that innocent expression: "Then you have to be careful. If you don't feel well, you must tell me. I'll ask Instructor Lewis to excuse you."
"No need to trouble yourself." I avoided her gaze and quietly pulled out the old mobile phone from my pocket—this was the secondhand phone I bought when I first started university. The pixel quality wasn't great, but it was clear enough to capture faces.
Taking advantage of no one paying attention in the line, I lowered the phone with the lens aimed at Windy Lynn and Instructor Lewis, who were chatting not far away, and pressed the shutter.
With a soft "click," as the photo saved, I felt a surge of power spread from my fingertips throughout my body.
This was not an ordinary photo—it was the first step of my revenge and the beginning of rewriting my destiny.
Instructor Lewis seemed to sense something and suddenly looked over in my direction.
I immediately stuffed my mobile phone back into my pocket, lowered my head, and pretended to be tying my shoelaces.
I heard Windy Lynn saying goodbye to Instructor Lewis. When I looked up again, Instructor Lewis had already walked away, and Windy was standing next to me, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
"What were you looking at just now?" Windy asked.
"Nothing, my shoelace was loose." I stood up, brushed the dust off my pants, and said, "The instructor called for us to continue training. Let's get back to the group quickly."
Windy Lynn stared at me for a few seconds, then stopped questioning and turned away to run back to the group.
I watched her retreating figure, silently clenching my fists in my heart—Windy Lynn, Instructor Lewis, everything you owed me in that past life, this time, I will take back piece by piece.
As soon as the lunch break started, I grabbed my water bottle and ran to the banyan tree in the corner of the playground.
That banyan tree spread its branches wide and dense, casting a vast shade—it was the most popular resting spot during physical training.
I found a quiet corner to sit down, took out my mobile phone, my fingers trembling slightly with nervousness.
When I opened the Campus Forum app, the screen still showed those hotspot posts from my past—"Ranking of the Most Handsome Physical Training Instructors in Freshman Physical Training" and "Goddess List of All Departments in First Year."
I took a deep breath, navigated to the "Register Account" page, entered the username "Physical Training Romance Expose," chose a solid black blurry silhouette as my avatar, and deliberately set a complicated password with a mix of letters and numbers. Even the linked email was a temporarily registered anonymous address.
When the registration success notification appeared, I hesitated for a few more seconds.
The shadow of my past life still haunts me; I'm afraid of being thrust back into the spotlight, afraid those cruel comments will drown me out again.
But when I think of the despair I felt lying alone in that rented room in my past life, and the shattered sobs my parents let out when they got the news, I grit my teeth — I can't be afraid. If I can make them pay, this risk means nothing.
I clicked on "Post New Thread" and uploaded the photo I took at noon.
In the photo, Windy Lynn stood beside Instructor Lewis, tilting her head back with a smile. Though Instructor Lewis's hand didn't directly touch her, his body leaned slightly toward her in a familiar, intimate way.
I titled it, "During a freshman's physical training, Instructor Lewis openly shows intimate interactions—where's the training discipline?" In the post, I didn't name anyone directly, only wrote "a freshman from a certain department" and "Instructor Lewis in charge of a certain company's training," deliberately leaving some ambiguity.
Right after posting, I logged out instantly, closed the forum app, and slipped my mobile phone back into my pocket.
My heart was still pounding hard, and my palms were drenched in sweat.
I leaned against the Tree, watching classmates fooling around nearby, feeling both anxious and hopeful—I had no idea what kind of reaction this photo would spark.
"Lydia! So you're here—I've been looking for you everywhere!" Windy Lynn's voice suddenly came from behind me. Startled, I whipped around.
She was holding two bottles of ice-cold mineral water, smiling as she handed me one. "Just bought these at the convenience store. Drink up, cool down a bit."
I took the bottle, feeling its coldness against my fingertips, but it brought little comfort.
"Did you need something from me?" I asked.
"Nothing major. Everyone's over there playing that idiom chain game. Instructor Lewis's there too—he asked about you, said you were especially serious during training this morning, and told everyone to learn from you." Windy Lynn blinked, her tone deliberately boastful, "How about we go over too, chat more with Instructor Lewis? Maybe later at school he'll look out for us more."
I sneered inwardly — 'Look out for us'? In my past life, you used that same line to brainwash me, getting me to cozy up to Instructor Lewis with you, only to dump all the dirt on me in the end.
"No thanks, I'm a bit tired, just want to rest here for a while." I shook my head, deliberately avoiding her gaze, "You guys go ahead and have fun, don't worry about me."
Windy Lynn's smile faltered for a moment, as if she hadn't expected me to refuse.
"You're really not going?" She tried to persuade me, "Instructor Lewis's a good guy. He even said just now that if we ever need help, we can always reach out to him."
"No, thanks." I lowered my head, pretending to twist the cap off a bottle of mineral water, avoiding her eyes.
Windy stood silently beside me for a few seconds, then finally said, "Just don't get heatstroke," and turned to leave.
After she walked away, I pulled out my mobile phone again and logged into the anonymous account.
I clicked on the post I just published; there are already dozens of replies.
"Whoa! Isn't that Windy Lynn from our company? I even saw her talking to Instructor Lewis this morning!"
"No way! Looking at this photo, their relationship seems unusual. They dared to be so brazen during physical training?"
"Isn't Instructor Lewis already married? This is way too outrageous!"
"Could it be a misunderstanding? Maybe it's just normal teacher-student interaction?"
Reading these comments, my tense nerves finally eased a bit.
Although some people were still defending Windy Lynn, more and more had begun to doubt her.
I didn't reply anymore, turned off my mobile phone, and leaned against the Tree with my eyes closed.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the leaves, casting dappled shadows across my face.
This time, I won't let anyone bully me again.
Early the next morning, just after the physical training assembly, gossip about the forum post spread across the entire playground.
Standing in line, I could clearly hear whispered rumors from the classmates around me.
"Have you seen the forum? That 'Physical Training Romance Exposure' thread hasn't been updated, but yesterday's post already topped the trending list!"
"It has to be Windy Lynn. Someone dug it up yesterday—the physical training instructor in charge of their company is Instructor Lewis, and the clothes in the photo are exactly the same as Windy Lynn's!"
"Oh my God, I never thought she was like that. She always seemed so innocent."
Windy Lynn was just two seats ahead of me. She must have heard all those whispers, but she pretended not to listen, standing tall with her back straight, even wearing a faint smile as if none of those rumors concerned her.
As soon as break time started, Windy Lynn was immediately surrounded by a few girls.
"Windy, have you seen the posts on the forum? Those people have gone way too far. How can they just spread rumors like that?" A girl with glasses said indignantly. She was Mia Clark from our dormitory, and in her past life, she was also one of the first to believe in Windy Lynn.
Windy lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly, looking utterly wronged. "I saw them... but I don't understand why this is happening. Yesterday, I just said a few words to Instructor Lewis, asked about the training precautions. How did it end up as photos posted online...?"
She said, her voice trembling with tears as she wiped her eyes, "I don't even dare look at my mobile phone anymore; it's flooded with messages insulting me..."
"It must be someone jealous of you!" Mia Clark immediately comforted her. "You're beautiful and train hard, so obviously someone resents you and is deliberately spreading rumors to ruin you!"
"Exactly, Windy, just ignore those people. If you're innocent, you have nothing to worry about!" another girl added. "If things get really bad, we can go talk to Instructor Lewis and ask for his help to clear this up!"
Windy Lynn shook her head, tears falling harder: "No... I'm afraid the more I explain, the more confusing it gets. What if the Physical Training Instructor misunderstands... And everyone's talking about me now; even if I explain, no one will believe me..."
She lifted her head, eyes red, looking around at everyone, "Thank you for believing me, but I'm really scared right now..."
Seeing her looking so pitiful, I almost forgot how she had framed me in her past life.
The girls around her were moved, comforting her one after another, and some even volunteered to help fight back for her.
I stood outside the crowd, watching it all coldly—Windy Lynn's acting was still just as good.
During the afternoon training, I deliberately kept an eye on Windy Lynn's movements.
Sure enough, taking advantage of the physical training instructor turning away to organize the formation, she quietly pulled out her mobile phone and swiftly tapped a few buttons.
I immediately took out my own mobile phone, turned on the recording function, and aimed it in her direction.
Though a bit far, I could clearly capture her looking down at the phone, even catching that fleeting, smug smile at the corner of her mouth.
Back in the dormitory at night, I edited the video I recorded in the afternoon, only keeping the part where Windy Lynn was secretly using her mobile phone. Then, I logged into an anonymous account and posted the second wave of expose.
The post's title was "Suspected participant openly violating discipline during physical training by secretly using a mobile phone—was the previous 'misunderstanding' really just a misunderstanding?" In the main text, I didn't directly say the person in the video was Windy Lynn, but anyone with eyes could tell.
Just minutes after the post went up, the replies exploded.
"No way! Isn't that Windy Lynn? I saw her playing on her phone during training this afternoon, but I thought I was mistaken!"
"She used to claim she was innocent, but now she's been caught sneaking on her mobile phone. That's so hypocritical!"
"Maybe she's been in contact with Instructor Lewis—no wonder she didn't want anyone to know!"
"I used to sympathize with her, but now it looks like what's been said on the forum might actually be true!"
In the dormitory, Windy Lynn lay on the bed, clutching her mobile phone, pretending to sob as she muttered, "How could this happen?" "I really am innocent."
Mia Clark and two other roommates gathered around her bed, endlessly comforting her.
I sat at my desk, pretending to read, but my ears were tuned to their conversation.
"Windy, stop staring at your mobile phone. Those people are just deliberately picking on you!" Mia said.
Windy sniffled, "But I can't help it... I want to know what exactly they want from me..."
She paused, then suddenly looked at me. "Lydia, do you think... maybe someone's deliberately targeting me? I don't think I've offended anyone..."
I lifted my head, met her gaze, and said calmly, "I don't know. Maybe someone just has too much time on their hands."
But the innocent have nothing to hide, so don't take it too personally.
Windy Lynn stared at me for a few seconds, said nothing, then turned away to keep crying to Mia Clark and the others.
I lowered my head and flipped a page in the book, but I knew deep down — this was only the beginning. I would make her pay, little by little, the price she deserved.
Over the next few days, I spent almost all my free time following Windy Lynn and Instructor Lewis.
Before morning training, I'd get to the playground half an hour early, hoping to catch a glimpse of their secret meetings.
During lunch break, I pretended to take a walk, circling around near the instructors' dormitory.
After the evening dismissal, I stayed a little longer, watching their movements.
Hard work pays off—on the evening of the fourth day, I finally spotted them in the small woods behind the playground.
I had just come back from the cafeteria after dinner when, from a distance, I saw a girl in a camouflage uniform and a man in an instructor's uniform standing in the woods. As I got closer, it was Windy Lynn and Instructor Lewis.
Instructor Lewis was holding a plastic bag with several packs of snacks and a bottle of milk tea. He handed it to Windy Lynn: "Training was tough today, right? I brought you something to eat."
Windy Lynn took the bag, her eyes crinkling with a smile: "Thank you, Instructor, you're really so kind!"
She paused, then said with some worry, "But the posts on the forum still haven't been taken down. Today, someone even asked me if I really have a relationship with you..."
"What's there to be afraid of?" Instructor Lewis laughed it off, casually patting her shoulder. "I've already spoken to the forum admin; the posts will be taken down in a few days."
Besides, even if someone knows, so what? As long as you don't say, I don't say, who can produce any evidence?
Windy Lynn still felt uneasy. "But during today's training, someone said they saw me playing with my mobile phone, and even posted it online..."
"So what?" Instructor Lewis shrugged it off. "Just a crappy video, what does it prove? Just say you were contacting your family—who's going to care?"
He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "When physical training's over, I'll take you to the city, buy you new clothes, and then you won't have to worry about these annoying things anymore."
Windy's eyes brightened immediately. "Really? Instructor, you're so kind!"
She reached out and hooked her arm around Instructor Lewis's in a familiar, intimate gesture.
I hid behind the tree, my mobile phone already recording all their conversations and actions.
Watching the two of them so close on the screen, I felt a wave of nausea.
In my past life, they kept me in the dark like this, and only when the photos were exposed did I realize I had been completely played.
I took a deep breath and kept holding the phone up to record.
Instructor Lewis pulled out a thick stack of cash from his pocket, probably over a thousand, and handed it to Windy Lynn: "This is your pocket money. Buy yourself something you like."
"Instructor, why are you giving me so much money...?" Windy Lynn feigned hesitation but still accepted it, slipping it into her pocket. "Thank you, Instructor. I promise I'll behave well from now on."
"That's better." Instructor Lewis smiled, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "It's getting late. You should hurry back to the dormitory—don't let anyone see you."
Windy nodded, grabbed the snack bag, and skipped away cheerfully.
Instructor Lewis stood there, watching her retreating figure, a smug smile spreading across his lips.
I waited until they all left, then slipped out from behind the tree and immediately logged into the anonymous account to post the third expose.
This time, I not only uploaded the video but also compiled their conversation into text, titling it "Smoking Gun! Freshman Secretly Dating Instructor Lewis, Accepting Cash and Gifts—Conversation Exposed!"
Once the post went live, the forum instantly blew up.
Those who had been on the fence before now fully believed it; Even those who had defended Windy Lynn before switched sides, starting to accuse her of hypocrisy.
"Oh my God! This is so disgusting! Not only dating but also taking money from the instructor!"
"Isn't Instructor Lewis already married? Using his wages to support students—this is just shameless!"
"Windy Lynn pretended to be so pitiful before, but now it's clear it was all an act. We really wasted our sympathy on her!"
"The school must conduct a thorough investigation! People who tarnish the school's morals and training discipline have no business staying here!"
The comments refreshed faster and faster; some even began tagging the school's official account, demanding an explanation.
I watched the comments, but instead of feeling the excitement I expected, a quiet calm washed over me—this isn't the end, just the first step toward the truth coming to light.
Just then, my mobile phone vibrated suddenly. It was a text from an unknown number: "Don't meddle in things that aren't your business. If you keep sending nonsense, it won't end well for you."
I stared at the message for a few seconds—no need to guess who it was from.
I didn't reply. Instead, I took a screenshot and saved it—another piece of evidence.
I took a deep breath, opened my contacts, found the Academic Affairs Office number the counselor had told me earlier, and dialed.
"Hello, this is the school's Academic Affairs Office." A calm male voice answered on the other end.
"Hello, Teacher. I'd like to report something about inappropriate conduct between the physical training instructor and the students." I tried to keep my voice calm yet clear, "I have photos, videos, and chat logs I want to submit to the school."
"Hello, student, please be specific—which physical training instructor and which student are you talking about?" The teacher's tone instantly grew serious.
"It's Instructor Lewis, who is in charge of a certain company of first-year students, and the student Windy Lynn from his company." I gave their information: "I have videos of them meeting privately, Instructor Lewis giving Windy cash and gifts, and conversations where they admit their relationship. Also, I've received threatening text messages."
Alright, classmates, we have it all recorded. Can you come to the Academic Affairs Office? We need to verify the evidence in person, and we will protect your personal information so you won't be harmed.
I'm in the dormitory right now; I should be there in about half an hour. I said.
Okay, we'll wait for you in the Academic Affairs Office, room 302. Just knock when you arrive.
After hanging up, I organized all the evidence, saved it onto a USB drive, then pocketed both my mobile phone and the USB drive and quietly slipped out of the dormitory.
The hallway was eerily quiet; most students were still inside the dormitory discussing the Forum.
I quickened my pace, stepping out of the dormitory building and heading toward the Academic Affairs Office.
As I reached the entrance of the teaching building, I suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure—Instructor Lewis.
He stood by the flower bed beside the building, holding his mobile phone, his face dark and brooding.
My heart skipped a beat. I hurriedly lowered my head, slipped around to the other side, and rushed inside.
Fortunately, Instructor Lewis didn't notice me.
I entered the Academic Affairs Office, found Room 302, and knocked on the door.
"Please come in."
I pushed the door open to find two Teachers inside—one was the male Teacher who had just taken the call, and the other was a female Teacher who looked very kind.
"Hello Teacher, I'm the student who just made the report call." I said.
"Hello, student. Please have a seat." The male Teacher gestured to the chair beside him. "Don't be nervous. We just want to verify the evidence, and we promise your information will remain confidential."
After I sat down, I handed the USB drive to the male teacher. "Teacher, this contains all the evidence—photos, videos, chat logs, and screenshots of the threatening text messages."
The male teacher took the USB drive, plugged it into the computer, and began reviewing it together with the female teacher.
As the evidence was gradually opened, both teachers' expressions grew increasingly serious.
"This evidence is crucial. Thank you, student." After reviewing it, the male teacher unplugged the USB drive and handed it back to me. "We will launch an immediate investigation. Instructor Lewis will be suspended starting tomorrow, and we will reach out to Windy Lynn to get her side of the story."
"Rest assured, the school will handle this matter with utmost seriousness and ensure your safety."
"If you receive any more threatening messages, be sure to notify us immediately or report them to the police."
"Thank you, Teacher." I took the USB drive, finally letting out a sigh of relief.
"Is there anything else you would like to add?" The female teacher asked.
"I hope the school can handle this as soon as possible to prevent more students from getting hurt." I said, "Also, I suspect Instructor Lewis might be involved in other violations, like abusing his position for personal gain, but I don't have any evidence at the moment."
"Alright, we will investigate everything thoroughly." "You can go back for now. Once we have results, we will announce them promptly."
I stood up, thanked the two teachers, and walked out of the Academic Affairs Office.
The sky outside had already darkened, the streetlights flickered on, casting a gentle glow across the pavement.
A heavy weight in my chest finally lifted, and my footsteps grew lighter.
When I returned to the dorm, it was deathly silent inside.
Mia Clark and the other two roommates sat silently in their spots. Windy lay on the bed, turned away from us, lost in her own world.
I walked back to my spot and sat down. Then, Mia Clark suddenly spoke up: "Lydia, where did you go today? We've been looking for you for ages."
"I need to step out for a bit." I said, without saying more.
Mia Clark glanced at me, hesitating to speak, but in the end didn't ask again.
The dormitory fell silent again, with only the occasional sound of Windy Lynn turning over.
I knew it wouldn't be long before this calm was broken.
Download the SnackShort app, Search 【 119462 】reads the whole book.
My Fiction
SnackShort
Booklite« Previous Post
Beneath the Landslide
Next Post »
After I Met Him in a Car Accident