Hold her
After one game, Zuo Xiao won with 21:14 in a state of full firepower.
"How is it? You've made such rapid progress. Do you feel a sense of accomplishment?" Zuo Xiao said with a smile as the two of them sat on the sidelines to drink water.
"Of course!" Zhuang Jinghao said with a giggle. "Growing up, I always thought I had a cerebellum defect, but I didn't expect I actually have quite a bit of athletic ability! By the way, when can Chen Liqing come over?"
"Haha, can't wait to show off your skills in front of him?"
"hold head high!"
"Okay, then I'll drag him here."
“Thank you, Master!”
Turning his gaze towards the two men fighting on the court, Zhuang Jinghao said with a wry smile, "I suddenly understand how you felt when you played basketball with me a while ago. If this continues, I feel like Brother Chen Quan will die of exhaustion, and my brother will die of boredom..."
"Why, you only remember to thank me for letting me go now?"
"Woo woo, Master, you are so kind..."
After a while, she said again: "This is my first time watching my brother play badminton, and I don't know how good he is. Hey, I'll go meet him, just in time to give Brother Chen Quan a break!"
Zuo Xiao felt a dull ache in her right foot, probably because she hadn't fully healed from the sprain she'd sustained last month, so she simply sat on the sidelines to watch the siblings' performance. Chen Quan sat next to her, panting heavily.
The match was close, and it was unclear whether the siblings were of equal skill or if the older brother was intentionally letting them win. In the end, Zhuang Yu'an narrowly won with a score of 21:19.
Zhuang Yu'an followed his sister to the sidelines, and Chen Quan immediately handed him water and a towel.
Zuo Xiao saw Zhuang Yu'an's face flushed, but his breathing was steady. It was obvious that he had just fought with ease. Then he heard Zhuang Jinghao say beside him, "I'll play with Brother Chen Quan later. You can play with me, right?"
Zuo Xiao also wanted to test his depth, so he smiled and said, "Okay."
The brother and sister rested for only two minutes before returning to the battlefield. Zuo Xiaozhuang stood opposite Yu An and served the first ball.
She didn't go all out right away, and neither did he. After a few rounds, they found themselves evenly matched. Zuo Xiao, consumed by a desire to win, intensified his attack, but his opponent held on firmly.
After winning the game, Zuo Xiao curled his lips, raised his head and said loudly: "Don't let us win!"
The man opposite was stunned for a moment, then smiled slightly.
"What? You look down on me?" Zuo Xiao sneered and threw the badminton into the air.
The battle intensified. The sharp scraping of shoes against the floor echoed. The thud of the ball was sometimes dull, sometimes loud, like a drumbeat. Running, swinging the racket, jumping, sprinting... Zuo Xiao and him exchanged blows, playing with full force and complete oblivion. All she could see was the ball, all she could think about was the determination to win.
The score is 19:18, and Zhuang Yu'an is temporarily leading.
Zuo Xiao bent over, gasping for air, his entire trachea feeling as if it were on fire. He raised his hand to wipe away the sweat on his forehead, and his burning palm became slightly cooler.
When I stood up, I saw that the person opposite me was also flushed, his chest heaving, and beads of sweat on his forehead and hair reflected the light, flashing.
It was okay. Although she was beaten to pieces, she didn't let the other party have an easy time.
"Bang!" Zhuang Yu'an sent a ball, and Zuo Xiao caught it steadily. Then the opponent hit a fierce smash, and she rushed to the net. The moment her racket was about to touch the ball, her right ankle suddenly twisted, and she felt a lightning-like pain.
Caught off guard, she fell to the ground. Severe pain shot through her right ankle, and sweat instantly drenched her entire back.
She felt her eyes burning and bit her lips, refusing to reveal a word.
The other three rushed over. Zhuang Jinghao held her shoulders and asked, "What's wrong?"
Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. Zuo Xiao's face turned red and pale. He said in pain, "I sprained my ankle."
"Ah?" Zhuang Jing was so anxious that she was at a loss. She subconsciously looked up and looked at her brother.
Zhuang Yu'an squatted down and observed seriously: "Is this the same spot where you sprained your ankle last time?"
Zuo Xiao nodded. Zhuang Yu'an asked her sister to remove her shoes and socks, exposing her right foot. From the outside, there was nothing unusual.
"Try to move your ankle and see if it works."
For some reason, Zuo Xiao felt that there was a trustworthy power in his plain words. Without thinking too much, he did as he said and tried to move his ankle.
"Ah!" Along with a scream of pain, tears burst out uncontrollably.
Whether it was because her pain receptors were more sensitive than most people's or for some other reason, Zuo Xiao had always been intolerant to pain. It was just that she had a strong sense of self-esteem and was used to pretending to be strong in front of others. That sudden attack had caught her off guard, and the pain had shot up like a rocket to the top of her head, and she couldn't hold it back for a moment.
Once the tears started flowing, they couldn't be stopped. Zuo Xiao bit her lip, saying nothing, and just kept crying. Zhuang Jing had never seen her like this before, and her eyes were red with anxiety: "What should I do, what should I do..."
"Go to the hospital." Zhuang Yu'an said in a deep voice.
"Yes, yes!" Zhuang Jinghao wiped her tears, "Let's go quickly!" Then she put her hand through Zuo Xiao's armpit to help her up.
"Stop!" Chen Quan hurriedly stopped him. "You're too small to hold on. Be careful not to twist it again." He turned to Zuo Xiao and asked, "Shall I carry you?"
Zuo Xiao was about to nod when he suddenly heard a steady voice: "Let me do it."
The three of them looked at Zhuang Yu'an in unison. He frowned and looked at Zuo Xiao solemnly: "Can you do this?"
May I? ?
Zuo Xiao roared furiously in her heart: What nonsense! I'm in so much pain and you're still nagging?!
She nodded with tears in her eyes. Then, Zhuang Yu'an knelt on one knee and stretched out his hands to her...
The next second, her body flew into the air and was unexpectedly picked up by him sideways.
Her heart started to panic, and she subconsciously took a breath, while stretching out her hands and hooking them tightly around his neck.
Zhuang Jinghao and Chen Quan didn't react for a moment. They both squatted on the ground, looking up at them with their eyes wide open. Until Zhuang Yu'an reminded them in a deep voice: "Pack your things and go."
The two of them hurriedly packed up their things and followed Zhuang Yu'an out.
The shock of Zhuang Yu'an's princess-carrying embrace briefly overshadowed the sharp pain in his foot. Zuo Xiao stared at his face from a very close distance. He clenched his teeth, his face flushed, beads of sweat still lingering on his forehead, and his neck was even more sweaty.
His gaze was fixed on the narrow eyes beneath the sword-like brows: the black pupils were deep, looking straight ahead, with a solemn expression, as if what he was holding in his arms was not a woman, but a cultural relic to be handed over to the country.
Despite being treated like an inanimate object, Zuo Xiao felt inexplicably ashamed. She lowered her gaze, avoiding his face, her gaze inadvertently landing on his Adam's apple. The distinct shape of his Adam's apple was slightly rolling, with a few veins bulging beside it, bulging and falling with his steps, making her dazed.
Suddenly, a hot breath hit his skin, and then the sound of rain poured clearly into his eardrums. Zuo Xiao came to his senses and found that he was already outside.
The walk from the entrance to the parking lot took five minutes. Zuo Xiao held an umbrella with one hand, shielding both of their heads. Chen Quan tilted it to shield her legs from the rain. Zhuang Jinghao, holding an umbrella all by herself, hurried behind.
Zuo Xiao held the umbrella, feeling the weight of the raindrops hitting her ears and palms simultaneously. Zhuang Yu held her steady, seemingly effortless. The arch of his head and his body seemed to form a barrier, protecting her in peace and tranquility.
Although I felt relieved, the pain in my ankle became even worse, like waves crashing against the shore, each wave heavier than the last.
"Does it hurt?" A soft voice suddenly came to my ear.
Zuo Xiao's heart softened, and when he opened his mouth, his voice unconsciously carried a tone of "seeking comfort": "It hurts..."
However, the other party just frowned and said nothing more, not even a word of "be patient".
Half an hour later, the vehicle drove into the nearest Grade A hospital.
While waiting for the CT scan results, Chen Quan bought some bread and drinks, and the four of them ate together. Zhuang Yu'an sent Chen Quan home first, while the brother and sister stayed with him. Zhuang Jinghao, still reeling from the remorse, kept her head down and remained silent.
In the emergency room, the doctor reviewed the X-rays and diagnosed a fracture and soft tissue swelling. He prescribed medication and told me to apply ice three to five times a day and wear a brace for a month. "You can buy the brace and crutches online—they're cheap and arrived the next day."
Zuo Xiaogang nodded, but Zhuang Yu'an said, "If the hospital has the ankle brace and walking boots you mentioned, buy them at the hospital."
Zuo Xiao immediately looked up at him and glared at him: "Does this guy know what he's doing? The things sold in the hospital are several times more expensive than online!"
"We can't open the emergency room, and even if we do, we can't use medical insurance." The doctor looked at him, then at Zuo Xiao. "It won't take a day or two. Just take care of yourself. If you're really in a hurry, see if there's any takeout."
"I understand, I understand!" Zuo Xiao said hurriedly, "I'm determined not to move this foot! Thank you!"
Oh my god, it’s so lucky to meet a conscientious doctor like this who is genuinely trying to save patients money!
"Rest well and come back for a checkup in half a month," the doctor advised. "If you don't take good care of yourself and develop a habit of spraining your ankle, it will be a serious problem."
"It's all my fault..." Zhuang Jinghao stood by and rubbed his red eyes, "If only I hadn't forced you to play basketball..."
"What's it got to do with you, idiot!" Zuo Xiao forced a smile. "If anyone should be blamed, it should be Chen Liqing. If he hadn't caused me to sprain my ankle last time, how could I have sprained my ankle while playing basketball? I haven't sprained my ankle in years."
"When was the last time you sprained your ankle? Was it also your right foot?" the doctor suddenly asked.
"It was my right foot, about a month ago," said Zuo Xiao.
The doctor shook his head, his expression serious. "After spraining your ankle, it's best not to do strenuous exercise for six months, otherwise it's easy to sprain again. Take good care of it this time, and don't do it again."
“Is badminton considered strenuous exercise?”
“…What else?”
Zhuang Yu'an carried Zuo Xiao out of the clinic and placed him on a chair. After a while, he returned with the medicine and said, "You can go home now."
Zuo Xiao was not used to being carried around by him, especially in a bright place like the hospital with so many eyes watching her.
"I can walk by myself, you just need to support me." She said calmly before Zhuang Yu'an took any action.
The brother and sister helped her to her feet. She lifted her right foot and hopped on her left, like a lame sparrow.
A minute later, Zhuang Jinghao couldn't help but say, "Why don't you let my brother hold you? It will be faster."
Zuo Xiao was also feeling very tired, so he nodded in agreement.
She once again hung on Zhuang Yu'an. Now she understood why technology companies were competing to develop humanoid robots. Some things really needed robots with hands and feet to do well.
When the car arrived at the entrance of the community, the rain had stopped.
The house that Zuo Xiao rented was in an old residential complex, and the parking spaces had long been full. The security guard wouldn't let anyone drive inside, so Zhuang Yu'an had to look for a parking space outside. After driving around for a long time, he finally found a parking space.
With a "click", the front seat belt was unfastened.
"Well..." Zuo Xiao acquiesced that he wanted to carry me again, "It's a bit far from the community, I'm afraid I can't carry you. How about you carry me on your back?"
"I can carry you." Zhuang Yu'an still said nothing. Zhuang Jinghao said, "Let's just carry you! Carrying you on my back will easily move my ankles, so it's better to hold me."
Zuo Xiao thought that the little girl was talking without any hesitation. Maybe she was too confident in her brother's physical strength?
Zhuang Yu'an held her in his arms, while Zhuang Jinghao walked beside her and said, "Don't go to work tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, right? I'll also take some time off to take care of you."
Zuo Xiao was very grateful that she brought up the topic, otherwise the long journey would have been a bit awkward.
"Well, I'll take two days off and see how things go next week," she said. "But you better not come. I don't need to move much at home, and I have a cane."
"Hmm..." Zhuang Jinghao responded absentmindedly.
"You should pay attention too." Zuo Xiao made small talk. "Do a thorough warm-up before playing basketball, and tie your shoelaces tighter. I suspect mine weren't tied tight enough..."
"The problem might be with your shoes," Zhuang Yu'an suddenly said, "Your shoes aren't professional badminton shoes, and they don't hold up well enough."
He uttered the longest sentence of the day, but Zuo Xiao was speechless. Fortunately, Zhuang Jinghao was just as clueless as she was: "So you need to wear special badminton shoes? I thought ordinary running shoes would be enough!"
"Ordinary sneakers, even high-top ones, are fine," Zhuang Yu'an explained. "They're mainly for preventing sprains when moving laterally."
"Ah!" Zhuang Jinghao exclaimed, "No wonder you bought me this pair of shoes. I was saying they feel different from the sneakers I usually wear!"
Tsk, just like who doesn’t have badminton shoes… Zuo Xiao said in his heart: I have one too, Chen Liqing gave it to me, but I didn’t wear it because I thought it was ugly.
"Besides shoes, your pace and center of gravity are also very important," the man who likes to teach others continued. "Mastering the correct way to exert force and movement can reduce the probability of spraining your ankle. You found a good coach, and he taught you good things."
"Wow, brother, how do you know so much? Have you also learned badminton specifically?"
"Yeah, I joined the badminton club in college."
Haha… What you mean is that you brothers and sisters all graduated from professional schools, and I’m the only one who came from a different background? Zuo Xiao snorted.
"What's wrong?" Zhuang Yu'an lowered his head. "Does it hurt?"
"Not bad," she said indifferently, letting go of his neck. Her arms were aching. This guy really had great stamina. Didn't he get tired holding her for so long? After all, she was a 90-pound artifact!
As they were talking, the three of them entered the residential complex. Zhuang Yu'an looked around and asked, "Which way?"
Zuo Xiao showed him the way and they arrived downstairs soon.
As the three of them were waiting for the elevator, Zuo Xiao's name was suddenly called. Turning around, he saw Eric, wearing a floral shirt and shorts, holding a bag of snacks and beer in one hand and a milk popsicle in the other.
"What's going on with you?"
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