53. If Love Has Providence

When the sophomores first heard about Xu Wenqiang joining the competition, they thought that the freshmen were just fooling around, but Fang Zishuo made the final decision: let her play!

The high school students passed by Xu Wenqiang one by one. Isn’t this bullying?

This tomboy in front of me is neither tall nor strong, with thin arms and legs. I wonder if something will happen to her...

Xu Wenqiang looked up, watching the tall and strong men passing by. She knew they didn't take her seriously, but she didn't take them seriously either.

Xiao Cheng came over and pulled Xu Wenqiang, who was busy glaring at someone, aside and said, "Xu Wenqiang, you don't have to play under the basket. Just wait outside for the shot."

"Another shooting game. Boring." Xu Wenqiang pouted. "I want to play with him, too."

Xiao Cheng: "Aren't you afraid that someone will knock you away?"

Xu Wenqiang: "If they dare to crash, I dare to fly."

Xiao Cheng: “…”

Xiao Cheng looked at Xu Wenqiang, who he didn't know whether to be brave or reckless, and made a decision, "You shoot a few balls first to open their eyes. Once the score is widened, you can go to the basket and play."

Xu Wenqiang pondered Xiao Cheng's words for a moment. "From the sound of it, you're counting on me to score?"

Xiao Cheng said: "Yes, everyone is counting on your hit rate."

At first, the sophomores didn't take Xu Wenqiang seriously. She wasn't tall or strong, so there was no need for anyone to guard her.

But Xiao Cheng, Gao Zhe, and everyone in Class 4 of Grade 1 all knew how good she was. So, if they couldn't get to the basket for a long time, they would pass the ball to Xu Wenqiang.

Xu Wenqiang was unguarded, with nothing around her. After she got the ball, she performed like a solo act, using standard movements and graceful posture to effortlessly throw the ball into the basket.

The first few shots were a bit surprising to the sophomores, but they didn't take it seriously. A girl was playing with them, so I joined in the fun, making a few shots to cheer her up.

But after a few shots, especially after Xu Wenqiang scored two three-pointers, the basketball court was boiling.

Because the cheers from the basketball court were so loud, the students in the classroom became restless.

Chen Yang was dozing off in the last row of the classroom when his deskmate poked him, "Look! It's so accurate!"

He sat by the window in the classroom, with a view of the basketball court in front of the restaurant. If he wasn't sleepy, he would watch the people in the physical education class play basketball with his deskmate.

"What's the fuss?" Chen Yang straightened up lazily. He had never seen anyone more accurate than Xu Wenqiang.

"That's a girl! Everyone is looking at her." My deskmate said in a low voice.

Chen Yang looked up and saw that many people in the classroom were craning their necks to look out the window.

"Don't look outside, just listen to the lecture!" the teacher knocked on the blackboard.

Under the teacher's intimidation, the stretched necks all shrank back.

Having already guessed who the girl was, Chen Yang lay back down on the table. Everyone could watch Xu Wenqiang play basketball, except him.

On the football field, which was separated from the basketball court by a campus road, Su Xiaoshan stopped and looked at the basketball court.

"I just went to the restroom and heard someone say our class was playing a match against the sophomores, and Xu Wenqiang was also there."

"Well, some have seen it, so let's go join in the fun."

"Su Xiaoshan, are you going?"

"I'm not going. You guys go."

The people around him went to the basketball court one after another, and Su Xiaoshan was playing football alone on the football field.

Xu Wenqiang had been moving further and further away from him, Chen Yang, and the farmers' market... This was what he had always wanted, but had never achieved. But Xu Wenqiang had done it.

On the basketball court, Xu Wenqiang made another three-pointer, and the audience on the sidelines almost shouted themselves hoarse.

The girls on the sidelines have already started shouting: "Xu Wenqiang, I love you! Akagi Haruko, I love you..."

Lin Tong also shouted a few times, but then she stopped.

"Lin Tong, why don't you shout?"

"I think calling Xu Wenqiang Akagi Haruko is no longer appropriate."

"Why?"

"Her movements, her techniques, and her eyes all belong to Xu Wenqiang, not Akagi Haruko. And Xu Wenqiang is much better than Akagi Haruko."

Lin Tong's eyes were always following Xu Wenqiang.

The score gradually widened, and the sophomores bumped heads. Finally, Fang Zishuo walked up to Xu Wenqiang, bent down, and took a defensive stance: "I'll guard you!"

Fang Zishuo's attitude is very high, and his aura is like, "I am on guard against you because I respect you."

Xu Wenqiang smiled and said, "Thank you, Brother Shuo, for your appreciation."

But Fang Zishuo's next sentence was, "I must beat you today."

Xu Wenqiang still had a smile on her face, but she wasn't going to cooperate anymore. "But Brother Shuo, don't get it wrong, we're not playing one-on-one. You're coming over here to defend me. Is there anyone on your team who can defend Xiao Cheng and Gao Zhe?"

As if to applaud Xu Wenqiang's words, Xiao Cheng and Gao Zhe cooperated and scored a beautiful goal.

"Brother Shuo, I've already told you, this isn't a one-on-one fight."

After Xu Wenqiang finished speaking, she ran to the team of Class 4, Grade 1.

After Xiao Cheng and Gao Zhe high-fived, he looked for Xu Wenqiang. He had just seen her talking and laughing with Fang Zishuo.

Before he knew it, Xu Wenqiang was already in front of him: "Xiao Cheng, the cooperation you just had with Gao Zhe was so advanced, I want to try it too."

Gao Zhe heard this and pushed Xu Wenqiang away: "The tacit understanding between Xiao Cheng and I is based on our eye contact and body language. How can we just try it whenever we want?"

"As for the eye contact." Xu Wenqiang thought for a moment, walked up to Xiao Cheng, and raised her head: "Xiao Cheng, let's look into each other's eyes and get familiar with each other's eyes."

Xiao Cheng looked down at Xu Wenqiang in front of him, his eyes clear, sweat on the tip of his nose, and his lips slightly parted, as if he was waiting for him...

"No need to look at each other." Xiao Cheng didn't let himself think further.

"Then let's get familiar with the lower limbs?" Xu Wenqiang looked like she wanted to hug Xiao Cheng.

Xiao Cheng was a little agitated by Xu Wenqiang. He took a deep breath and said to Xu Wenqiang, "I have already promised you that I will take you to play under the basket. So, there is no need to look at each other or get familiar with each other's body movements." After that, Xiao Cheng glared at Gao Zhe fiercely.

"I'm right!" Gao Zhe looked innocent. It was obvious that someone was overthinking it.

"Xu Wenqiang, come with me to the basket and I'll play with you. Gao Zhe, help me."

“Here I come!”

Xu Wenqiang jumped up and down to follow.

Gao Er's shot missed, Gao Zhe grabbed the rebound and gave Xiao Cheng a look.

Xiao Cheng walked around behind Xu Wenqiang and said two words, "Go to the basket first, then retreat." Then he went to support Gao Zhe.

Xu Wenqiang immediately understood and for the first time, she bravely rushed to the basket.

"What are you doing under the basket?" Fang Zishuo asked behind Xu Wenqiang.

Xu Wenqiang didn't bother to pay attention to him and ran actively, pretending to do something under the basket.

Fang Zishuo relaxed his guard. No matter what Xu Wenqiang was going to do, as long as she got to the basket, she would no longer be a threat. This allowed him to focus on defending Xiao Cheng and Gao Zhe.

When Xiao Cheng and Gao Zhe arrived at the basket, everyone's attention instantly turned to them. No one noticed that the unguarded Xu Wenqiang found the best shooting position.

"Gao Zhe, go!" Xiao Cheng shouted and passed the ball to Gao Zhe.

Gao Zhe took the ball and took a few steps back, looking like he was about to shoot. But he suddenly turned around and threw the ball to Xu Wenqiang.

Xu Wenqiang caught the ball and shot.

"Fuck you!" Fang Zishuo cursed and watched Xu Wenqiang throw the ball in.

After pitching, Xu Wenqiang rushed towards Xiao Cheng, "Xiao Cheng, I want one more."

…

The game ended with the teacher's long whistle to assemble the crowd.

Unlike the arguments before the game, after the game, no one mentioned the result, regardless of whether they won or lost. Everyone greeted each other in a friendly manner and promised to play together again next time.

After exchanging pleasantries, the students from Class 4 of Grade 1, who had been watching the game on the sidelines, came over.

Xu Wenqiang was surrounded in the center and felt very uncomfortable.

She was used to their polite and distant indifference to her, and also used to them whispering those unpleasant rumors behind her. She was not used to them surrounding her at this moment, looking at her with gleaming eyes, nor was she used to them getting so close to her.

"Let's gather first." Gao Zhe did not forget his duties as the sports committee member and called a group of people to line up.

"Let's talk as we walk." Xiao Cheng helped to greet people.

A group of people walked forward laughing and making noise.

Xu Wenqiang deliberately walked slowly, slowly falling behind the bustling crowd. She was still used to being alone, used to watching others having fun.

Lin Tong realized Xu Wenqiang was missing and looked around for her, but she couldn't find her in the crowd. She looked back and saw Xu Wenqiang walking behind her with her hands in her pockets, head down, and a swaying look, like a child accustomed to loneliness.

Just as Lin Tong was about to walk over, she saw Xiao Cheng walking past her and towards Xu Wenqiang. Lin Tong turned around and followed the bustling crowd.

Xiao Cheng walked up to Xu Wenqiang and asked, "Why are you walking so slowly?"

Xu Wenqiang said, "I'm tired."

"I'm a little tired too." Xiao Cheng slowed down his pace and started strolling with Xu Wenqiang.

The two walked forward a few steps, and Xu Wenqiang stopped, "Xiao Cheng, you should go with them."

"What's wrong?" Xiao Cheng also stopped.

They happened to be walking on the main road that ran through No. 1 Middle School. There was no one on the road, only the poplar trees on both sides of the road, standing quietly like the sets in a movie.

Xu Wenqiang lowered her head and said, "You come with me. I'm a little uncomfortable."

Xiao Cheng didn't say anything. After a while he said, "Walk more and you'll get used to it." Then he continued walking forward.

After walking a few steps, he realized Xu Wenqiang hadn't caught up with him, so he turned back and said, "Xu Wenqiang, we've hugged and held each other, and now you're shy about walking together?"

Xu Wenqiang breathed to the top of her head and walked towards Xiao Cheng, "Who's shy?"

"If you're not shy, just walk slowly." Xiao Cheng pulled the impetuous Xu Wenqiang back, "Didn't you say you were tired?"

Xu Wenqiang slowed down again and walked forward step by step with Xiao Cheng.

She looked down at her toes, and also at Xiao Cheng's toes. She watched their toes touch the ground together, then rise together, touch the ground together, then rise together again... over and over again, like a story.

Later, when Xu Wenqiang watched the Korean love movie "If You Were Me," when she saw the hero and heroine running in the rain, the two of them stepping in the rain step by step, their toes always landing together, rising together, then landing together again, and rising together...

She cried like a baby.

The people around her hold her in their arms. It's such a sweet scene, why are you crying?

Xu Wenqiang shook her head. She would not tell anyone that she had once walked a distance with a boy like this.