Beautiful and strong... miserable
It suddenly started raining.
It was only a ten-minute drive from the hotel to Liu Jianchun's gym. The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and the raindrops hitting the car windows were the size of green beans.
Liu Jianchun rushed to get out of the car without waiting for it to stop. It was not until she rushed into the building that she seemed to remember something and turned around to look back. Through the rain, Jian Zhaonan was sitting in the car and waving goodbye to her.
He didn't seem to want to stick with her any longer.
She suddenly felt a little lost, but remembered that Dalin was still waiting for her in the gym, so she turned and left.
The gym is located at the entrance of an old residential complex near an elementary school. The building is a bit old, but the rent is not cheap at all, and the monthly income barely covers the rent. Among the children who practice with her year-round, several come from less fortunate families. During her winter and summer training camps, she lets them stay at the gym, free of charge, with only tuition charged.
Liu Jianchun walked into the gym and saw that all the players except Yunxiao and Dalin were training as she asked. Her wounded heart finally found a little comfort, and she strode up to the second floor.
Seeing her come back, Yunxiao, who was standing at the door of the toilet, took the initiative to make way, and Liu Jianchun could see Dalin lying beside the toilet at a glance.
She grabbed Dalin's collar and pulled him up. He was exhausted from vomiting and couldn't stand up straight. He had pale lips but his cheeks were strangely flushed. When she touched his forehead, it was burning hot. Liu Jianchun then understood why Yunxiao had insisted on taking him to the hospital.
She pondered for a moment, then looked up at Yunxiao: "Go to the door and see if the Land Rover parked outside has left?"
Yunxiao didn't quite understand, but he still did as he was told.
There was nothing outside the door. She walked around outside the building and then ran back, shaking her head at Liu Jianchun: "There are no cars at the door."
"Okay, it's okay." She forced a bitter smile, seemingly trying to comfort Yunxiao, but actually comforting herself. If she had given in earlier, perhaps Jian Zhaonan would still be her free driver now.
Unfortunately, she woke up too late.
She called Yunxiao for help, and the two of them helped Dalin out of the bathroom. When they reached a more open place, she patted her shoulder and motioned Yunxiao to help Dalin onto her back.
Dalin was a slender boy, but he still weighed over 100 pounds. Yunxiao wanted to ask the coach to help him, but she soon realized she couldn't persuade him, so she just obeyed.
Liu Jianchun carried Dalin on his back, Yunxiao was responsible for holding an umbrella for the two of them, and the three of them quickly walked downstairs.
Many people hail taxis on rainy days, but few drivers are willing to drive cars. Yunxiao tried three different apps but still couldn't get a taxi. When he was at a loss, Dalin, who was squatting in the corner, suggested not going to the hospital. He felt that he would be fine after lying down for a night.
Yunxiao bit her lip and said nothing, but handed the umbrella to the coach and plunged into the rain.
The streets that were bustling with people in the past are now deserted. Not only are there few taxis, but even private cars are scarce.
Yunxiao stood by the road with a sad face, looking out, hoping that the next taxi coming from the intersection would be one with the "empty" light on.
She didn't wait for a taxi, but a black Land Rover stopped in front of her.
The car window rolled down, revealing the true face of the owner.
The man driving the car had an eye-catchingly handsome face and affectionate eyes that made people afraid to look into his eyes.
Yunxiao recognized him at first sight, but it took him three full seconds to finally shout out, "Jane...!"
Jian Zhaonan!
He is the number one main player in the current team and also the men's singles champion of the just-concluded World Table Tennis Championships.
Yunxiao had heard that her idol Jian Zhaonan and her coach were from the same school, but she never imagined that she would see him here.
Jian Zhaonan nodded, but his eyes turned to behind Yunxiao: "Tell them to come over, I'll take you to the hospital."
Yunxiao took a long time to recover from the shock and stood stiffly on the side of the road. It was not until he was reminded again that he turned around and ran towards his coach.
"Coach...Jian Zhaonan!" Yunxiao's cheeks turned red with excitement and his voice trembled a little.
When Liu Jianchun heard the words "Jian Zhaonan", the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, "I saw it."
When Dalin heard that Jian Zhaonan was right in front, he insisted on walking by himself. Liu Jianchun and Yunxiao helped him get into the car, one on each side.
Liu Jianchun sat in the back seat to take care of Dalin, and Yunxiao sat in the passenger seat. The girl was close to him and took advantage of the situation, stealing glances at Jian Zhaonan from time to time.
Jian Zhaonan was unrestrained with Liu Jianchun because he knew that no matter how much he flirted with her, she probably wouldn't take him seriously. But when facing Yunxiao, he became much more reserved, not even daring to turn his head.
But Yunxiao’s real intention was not to drink.
She stared at Jian Zhaonan for a long time, until her ears turned red, and then she timidly asked, "Brother Zhaonan, what was our coach like before?"
It turned out that he wanted to ask Liu Jianchun.
Jian Zhaonan smiled slightly. "What's that like? Just search for two photos of her when she was young and you'll know. Your coach used to be the most beautiful girl on the team."
Yunxiao curled her lips. What she wanted to hear was the coach's past stories: "So...did she hang out with you guys before?"
"Of course. Your coach can hold her liquor well. She always takes the lead in every party. She won't let us go home until we're drunk."
As Liu Jianchun listened to Jian Zhaonan's increasingly outrageous remarks, he couldn't help but pat him on the shoulder. "What nonsense are you and the kid talking about? Do you think I'm deaf? Yunxiao, don't listen to his nonsense. It's not true."
"If I tell even one lie, I'll be single for the rest of my life."
"Does this count as a poisonous oath?"
While waiting for the red light, Jian Zhaonan turned around and glanced at her: "Don't you really want to get married?"
She met his gaze: "Not really, it's just that I can't find any handsome guys. It's better to be free and alone than to just marry someone you don't like."
Yun Xiao said weakly, "Coach, aren't there a lot of handsome guys? The owner of the internet cafe next door is also quite handsome, and he's actively pursuing you..."
"What do you know about handsome? Can a little gangster dressed like a handsome guy?"
Yunxiao grumbled aggrievedly, "Your standards are too high. According to your standards, Brother Zhaonan isn't even handsome."
"He..." Liu Jianchun suddenly choked.
Normally, it was nothing to mock Jian Zhaonan, but today he had really helped her a lot, and repaying kindness with resentment was not what a gentleman did.
"He has thick eyebrows and big eyes, so of course he's a handsome guy."
Jian Zhaonan supported his head with one hand and looked straight ahead. After listening to Liu Jianchun's words, he deliberately turned his head to look out the window to hide the smile that could not be suppressed on the corner of his mouth.
A few of them chatted casually and soon drove to the hospital entrance.
The car stopped.
Jian Zhaonan put his hands on the steering wheel and had no intention of getting out of the car: "I'll wait for you in the parking lot. I won't go in."
"Why?"
A trace of imperceptible loneliness flashed in his eyes: "My mother is hospitalized in this hospital."
Liu Jianchun was a little surprised. She had known Jian Zhaonan for ten years and rarely heard him mention his mother on his own initiative.
Jian Zhaonan said calmly, "She was in a car accident, and her son called me and asked for medical expenses. I didn't give it because it might be embarrassing if someone saw me."
He just gave a simple explanation, but Liu Jianchun could guess the reason.
Jian Zhaonan's parents divorced when he was three, leaving his mother virtually no trace in his life. When he first joined the provincial team, he was so poor he had no money for food. He asked his mother for money, but she refused to give him a cent. How could a mother, who had failed to fulfill her responsibilities as a parent, expect her son to be filial when he grew up?
"It's okay, it's okay, I can do it alone..." she said as she got out of the car.
The road was slippery on rainy days and the pedals were also slippery. Liu Jianchun stepped on it carelessly and twisted her ankle, which hurt the old injury that had not healed for many years and caused her to roll off the car.
Hearing someone fall, Jian Zhaonan, who had originally agreed not to get out of the car, rushed out without hesitation. He first helped her up, then picked up Dalin, and without waiting for Yunxiao to come and hold an umbrella, he strode towards the hospital.
Looking at Jian Zhaonan's back, Liu Jianchun, who was dizzy from the fall, could only get up from the ground, pull out the key that was still inserted in the car, lock the car for him, and then limp to chase him.
When she rushed into the emergency room, Dalin had already been pushed away by the nurse for examination, and only Jian Zhaonan was standing outside the emergency room.
She trudged over to his side and saw that his shirt was wet from the rain, giving it an awkward, half-transparent texture. Even as she walked in front of him, she was too embarrassed to look at him. "Didn't you say you wouldn't come in?"
"How can I just ignore you when you're like this?" He glanced down at her. "How's your foot? Can you ask a doctor to check it out?"
"Just go home and recuperate."
"Don't take yourself too seriously."
Seeing a doctor heading towards the emergency room, Jian Zhaonan took the initiative to wave: "Doctor, she sprained her ankle."
The doctor walked up to Liu Jianchun with his hands in his pockets and, while examining her ankle, he complained to Jian Zhaonan, who was standing there: "Family members, don't just stand there and stare. Remember to register."
Jian Zhaonan laughed in silence, but didn't argue. He turned and went to pay the bill. Liu Jianchun didn't try to be stubborn and sat in the emergency room waiting for him to come back.
There should have been few people in the payment hall at ten o'clock in the evening, but Jian Zhaonan never came back and had not returned for a full twenty minutes.
Liu Jianchun was getting a little annoyed waiting, so he asked Yunxiao to go over and take a look.
Not long after, Yunxiao came running back: "Coach, Brother Nan is being blocked at the consultation table by several people."
Her heart was pounding. "Is that the one he just mentioned, the stepbrother his mother gave birth to?"
"I don't know, but there is indeed a young boy."
Liu Jianchun asked Yunxiao to borrow a crutch for him and walked there with the crutch.
Before I even got close to the consultation table, I heard several voices—
"What an unfilial son! My mother has been in the hospital for two months and I didn't even come to see her."
"You earn so much every year, what's wrong with spending some money to treat your own mother's illness?"
"Your mother didn't raise you, but she didn't give birth to you?"
…
Even though they weren't scolding Liu Jianchun, her heart ached. These people could only see Jian Zhaonan's current glory, but couldn't see how much hardship he had endured.
She used her crutch to push through the crowd and saw Jian Zhaonan. He had his hands in his pockets and looked indifferent, and he hardly looked angry. It was because of this that those ignorant relatives surrounded him and scolded him non-stop.
She knew that if it weren't for her, he wouldn't have come here today, nor would he have been involved in this dispute.
She limped over to Jian Zhaonan's side. Before she could say anything, the man who claimed to be Jian Zhaonan's second uncle rushed to ask, "Who are you? We are dealing with family matters. Outsiders, please stay away."
She straightened her back and said seriously, "I'm his aunt."
The second uncle looked at her repeatedly with suspicion: "How come you and Jian Pengfei don't look alike at all... And their family has been a single-line family for three generations, so when did a younger sister appear?"
Her mind raced, but before she could explain, Jian Zhaonan covered her mouth. Someone's deep voice rang in her ears: "Don't listen to her nonsense. She's my girlfriend, and the money I earn is in her hands."
"If you really want the surgery fee, just ask her. If she's willing to pay, I'll have no objection."
Jian Zhaonan lied without blinking, then he let go of his hand, pushed his second uncle away, and turned to leave.
Before she could react, she was surrounded by several people who had recovered their senses earlier than her. She quickly pointed at Jian Zhaonan who was walking away and said, "You have the wrong person. I am not his girlfriend."
"Not a girlfriend? A relative is fine."
It was really difficult to deal with them. These people didn't listen to any explanation and just attacked Liu Jianchun without hesitation.
If she had not just witnessed them besieging Jian Zhaonan, she would probably have thought these people were his hired accomplices, deliberately trying to trip her up.
She had to order Yunxiao to call security, and with the security escort, she escaped from Jian Zhaonan's relatives.
She sat outside Dalin's ward, still in shock, her mind full of the chattering sounds just now.
No wonder Jian Zhaonan didn't want to get off the bus. These people weren't relatives at all; they were clearly blood-sucking leeches.
They knew better than anyone that, given the relationship between Jian Zhaonan's mother and him, even if they went to court to sue, all they could get was a few hundred yuan in alimony a month. On the contrary, if they cheated and blackmailed others, they might be able to get some money from Jian Zhaonan.
While Liu Jianchun was in a daze, Yunxiao walked around the emergency room, but could not find Jian Zhaonan anywhere. Even the Land Rover parked outside the door had disappeared without a trace.
She sat down next to the coach: "He's gone."
Liu Jianchun responded without saying anything else. The two of them just sat on the bench in the corridor, waiting for Dalin to finish the infusion.
They waited for a long time, their eyelids drooping. Liu Jianchun could still hold on, but Yunxiao had fallen asleep on top of her, only awakening when Dalin suddenly shouted, "We've lost!"
The two stood up, one in front and the other behind, one walked into the ward and the other went to find the nurse.
Dalin's face was much rosier and he looked more energetic than when he first came to the hospital. When he saw Liu Jianchun come in, he just grinned and said nothing.
Liu Jianchun sat down on the empty bed, yawning from sleepiness: "What are you laughing at?"
He opened his hand and showed the small piece of paper in his hand to the coach: "Brother Nan left me his contact information before he left."
She was a little curious at first, but after hearing what Dalin said, she was filled with disdain: "It's just a phone number, what's so special about it?"
Dalin didn't take her sarcasm seriously at all, and continued to be excited: "Coach, this is not an ordinary phone number. This is our chance to make a comeback. If we can get his traffic, maybe we can also start a live broadcast, and you don't have to worry about money every day..."
Liu Jianchun frowned: "Why do you worry about money? Just focus on practicing well. Achieving good results is more important than anything else. Don't think about those crooked ways."
"We all know you've been going out early and coming back late to solicit sponsorships recently. I just don't want to see you so tired."
"If you don't want to see me tired, come back with a championship."
Dalin was so insecure that he didn't even dare to raise his eyes. "But...what if we don't win the championship?"
"You don't dare to compete for the championship, but you dare to become an internet celebrity? If you practice basketball to become an internet celebrity, get out of here now! If you don't want to learn, there are plenty of people who can. Stop occupying the toilet without doing anything!"
Liu Jianchun was really angry. If she hadn't been sick, she would have definitely beaten up the boy.
"Oh." Dalin's voice was nasal.
Hearing Dalin sobbing, her heart trembled slightly. She subconsciously wanted to say a few words of comfort, but after thinking about it, she held back: "This little scolding is nothing. When you become famous, there will be plenty of people scolding you."
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