Chapter 11
"Are you still not going to have breakfast today?"
He Xi shook his head, walked across the dining table, stopped at the locker, picked up the vitamin bottle on the table, poured out one or two pills of each, put them in his mouth, chewed them mechanically, and swallowed them.
The fried dough sticks on Zhang Chaomei's plate suddenly lost their aroma. "...You're not eating lunch either?"
He Xi yawned: "...Yeah." She had just woken up and felt listless. This was how she usually spent her weekends.
"Where's dinner? You're not going to eat dinner?" Zhang Chaomei had a mouthful of soy milk stuck in her throat.
"Have some...an energy drink." It was okay now; she'd been able to hold on even longer. She'd just drink water, and the more she drank, the hungrier she got. The hungrier she got, the more she drank. Then she'd lie down on the bed and sleep, not moving a muscle. She was practically exhausted.
"Bang!" Zhang Chaomei slammed the glass of soy milk down on the table. Feeling uneasy, she started to act irritated. "You're sick. I really need to find time to go see a doctor some other day."
"No." In a landlord tone.
Here we go again, He Xi thought. She subconsciously resisted seeing a doctor. When she was little, her family was very poor. She couldn't afford medical treatment for headaches or fevers, so she could only buy medicine on credit from the village doctor. She'd often run into the doctor while out and about, and the first thing he'd say was, "Chaomei, look at the money you owe me..."
My father worked on the construction site, and things got much better. Unfortunately, he died young. Otherwise, when He Xi unexpectedly became famous as a child model and became wealthy, he would have been able to relax a little.
Zhang Chaomei was actually more afraid of seeing a doctor. She always thought that if she didn't see a doctor, her health would be fine. She couldn't treat major ailments, and she had to bear the minor ones.
Just carry it, it will pass...I have been carrying it until now.
"No! I'll ask you to see a Chinese doctor someday. I heard there's one near the north of the city..."
"don't want."
He Xi refused without a second thought. It was not like she hadn't tried it before, so it must have worked. But it was too bitter and difficult to stick with. She had never drunk American coffee, but she felt that if she could stick with Chinese medicine, she wouldn't need milk or sugar in her American coffee.
That taste... Even now, He Xi's face wrinkles into a ball whenever he thinks about it.
"I think I've spoiled you..." This doesn't work, and that doesn't work either. Zhang Chaomei was completely defeated by He Xi. "You don't want to eat? I think you're not hungry yet."
"...Yes, you haven't moved enough!" Zhang Chaomei slammed the table. "No, there's a basketball game in the city today, and we're short of people checking tickets. Come with me."
“No——” anymore, right?
"You have to do whatever you say today!" Zhang Chaomei glared at him, clearly saying that there was no room for negotiation.
If he continues to be stubborn, He Xi will suffer the consequences.
Just go.
What was there to be excited about? He Xi shook his head helplessly, went into the room to change clothes, and let out a long "Okay".
…
The autumn rain is drizzling.
He Xi was wearing a thin blue knitted round-neck long-sleeved top with a ticket inspector badge hanging around his neck. He looked quite respectable, but in fact, he was almost frozen to death.
He Xi and Zhang Chaomei arrived at around seven o'clock and waited until nine-thirty in the morning for ticket checking. This was a city-level basketball championship, divided into two games a day, the first half was the semi-finals, and the second half was the finals.
There were many problems during the ticket checking process.
Some people squeezed in, some wanted to watch the first half with the second half tickets, some missed the ticket check time and didn't want to watch it anymore and asked for a refund... even though the ticket price was only 9.99.
He Xi was tense throughout the whole process. He appeared calm on the surface, but was actually very panicked inside.
The first half of the semi-final officially began at ten o'clock, and by eleven fifteen, almost no one had entered. He Xi stood at the door in a daze.
The person in charge of the game came over and said, "Okay, ticket checking is over this morning, but you can't leave yet. You can play on your phone, or you can go inside and watch the basketball game without disturbing the audience."
"Once the morning competition is over, there's no need to gather again, just go straight to lunch. Then, come early this afternoon so you don't get late."
Zhang Chaomei turned around and asked, "Are you going?"
He Xi: "I don't want to go. I'm not interested in this kind of competition." Not only this kind of competition, but in fact all competitions, she basically doesn't like to watch them.
The only thing that interested her was the Chef King Competition. She liked the peace that the hustle and bustle of flipping spoons and stirring pots brought to people.
"I don't know who you take after." Zhang Chaomei muttered and went in to watch the game by herself.
The cold wind at the ticket gate was so strong that He Xi simply ran into a corner inside where the wind was less severe to play with his phone.
At half past twelve, Zhang Chaomei came out with a beaming face, and she kept sighing, "Young men nowadays, I don't know what they eat, they have such great bodies."
“It looks really exciting!”
He Xi: "..." I originally wanted to ask if the game was interesting, but now it seems there is no need to ask.
But she obviously thought too superficially of Zhang Chaomei.
Then she said, "They played well, too. Especially in the last few seconds, there was a tall, strong boy who coordinated really well with his teammates! He caught the ball thrown by his teammate, made a beautiful jump shot, and guess what, the ball fell steadily into the net as if it had eyes!"
"Right away! The whole audience was in an uproar—"
Seeing that He Xi still didn't seem interested, Zhang Chaomei paused and suddenly said, "You should know that boy too."
"who?"
"The guy in your class, what's his name? Bai, Bai... Bai Shu? I remember him from the last parents' meeting."
"Bai Shu." His name came out of his mouth naturally.
The image of him eating with big mouthfuls flashed through his mind again. What did he look like during the competition? He Xi had never seen him like that before.
Now... she was a little curious.
"Oh yes, Bai Shu, just call it Bai Shu."
As they chatted, they walked into a Hunan restaurant. He Xi still had no appetite and only ordered a drink. Face to face, He Xi didn't eat much, and Zhang Chaomei couldn't eat much either.
He Xi sighed softly, "Mom, why don't you just say a few words to me and stop being like this."
Zhang Chaomei became even angrier when she heard this and put down the spoon: "%&@......!" She started yelling with full force.
The afternoon finals will start at 3 o'clock, and ticket checking will begin at 2.50 taels.
At 4:20, there were basically no spectators left. This time, there was no need for the person in charge to notify them. Those who wanted to play with their phones could find a place to do so, and those who wanted to watch the game could go into the venue to watch the game.
He Xi was a little hesitant at first.
But as soon as Zhang Chaomei pulled her arm, she followed her obediently. She was very obedient and had no opinion of her own.
However, only she herself knew that she was happy with it.
…
As soon as he entered the competition venue, He Xi felt like he was pushed into another world.
The roar of the crowd when a goal is scored, the scraping of sneakers on the floor, the whistle of the referee, the thud of the ball hitting the net...
The players of the red and blue teams on the field stared closely at each other's hand movements, competing silently with undercurrents surging.
A prominent red banner was hung on the court: 2017 Toyoo City Junior High School Basketball Championship (High School Division)
The electronic screen opposite was scrolling fiercely with the real-time status of the game:
Xiaohai High School VS Ansan High School
Bar 4.
52:55.
"Yeah!"
“Woo——”
There was another round of passionate shouting from the audience. He Xi's head hurt because of the noise. He blocked his ears with two fingers, but he couldn't help but look at the field where the game was in full swing.
She slowly turned her head and finally found Bai Shu among the team members who were wearing red and blue clothes and had similar body shapes.
Blue clothes. Ansan High School. Number 4. White tree.
Next to him is number 1. Wei Mo.
Wei Mo passed the ball to Bai Shu, who jumped up and took it.
Bai Shu bent down to dribble the ball, and the No. 3 player of the red team kept a close eye on him, and the two sides were in a stalemate.
Suddenly, Bai Shu slid to the left and dribbled towards Wei Mo, and the attention of Red Team No. 3 was immediately diverted.
The opportunity had arrived! Bai Shu immediately slid to the right, charging towards the basketball hoop. Red Team No. 3 and his teammates reacted quickly and turned around in time... but they didn't see Wei Mo, who was already quietly running towards the basketball hoop, behind them!
Just as they jumped up to intercept the ball in mid-air, just as everyone in the audience thought the outcome of the game was already decided...
Bai Shu spun nimbly, stretched out his long arm, and the ball in his hand passed right between two members of the red team.
It was accurately thrown into Wei Mo's hands! Then Wei Mo's starting, jumping, and dunking movements were done in one go, which made people feel refreshed and happy!
"……pretty!"
"Wow!!!"
“Ahhhhh——”
The cheers, applause and shouts from the audience were like thunder, one after another, penetrating the entire stadium and instantly igniting the atmosphere to its highest point.
"Come on, kids—"
Zhang Chaomei was cheering and shouting with all her might in her ears, but He Xi couldn't make a sound. She quietly watched the young man who was fighting on the court, and felt that the whole world around her had quieted down.
Only white trees.
The sound of his shoes scraping against the floor, the gasp in his throat, the echo of the ball hitting the floor beneath his hands.
She saw the thin layer of sweat on his tan skin, the smooth and graceful lines of his muscles as he moved, the slightly damp hair on his forehead, and when he raised his eyebrows, his eyes, wet with sweat, were so dark, yet so bright...
So focused, so determined...
It seemed as if the only thing in his world was the game in front of him.
He will definitely win.
He Xi thought to herself, she had a 100% premonition that he would win.
The sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy is not yet old enough to confront the world head-on, but he already has the courage to make himself unstoppable and kick away all external voices for his love.
How could such a person... lose?
He Xi's heart was pounding along with the boys on the field. It was the first time she realized that watching a football game was such an exciting thing.
The days are dull and boring, and the wins and losses in life are invisible and intangible, but no one will ever bow their head on the court, and no one will ever... admit defeat to the world first.
…
At the end of the game, the blue team won the championship as expected.
Bai Shu stood on the podium, nodded slightly, took the trophy from the presenter, and faced the camera pointed at them, still smiling calmly.
The event ended with applause, flowers, hugs and cheers, and the audience stood up and left.
He Xi and Zhang Chaomei were the only ones left in the huge auditorium.
The ticket inspectors did not have seats, but after the results of the game were announced, some spectators left in a hurry, leaving seats empty for them to sit down and relax their knees.
He Xi was about to leave.
But Zhang Chaomei might have fallen asleep because she was too tired. She has a serious bad temper when waking up, and is the kind of person who would rather get enough sleep even if she is hungry.
He Xi didn't call her, thinking that he would leave after she woke up from sleeping for a while. However, he ended up falling asleep while waiting.
"Come on, the celebration party won't start until 7 o'clock, there are still two hours left. The coach ordered lunch boxes for us."
"One per person, line up and get one."
"...What? Do you have extra? You kid! Yes, yes, yes."
"Everyone can find a place to sit and eat nearby, but let me be frank, please make sure to clean up the trash and have some manners!"
"Pah!" The sound woke He Xi, who was still dreaming, a little clear-headed. What was that sound? "Pah, pah, pah!" He Xi frowned slightly and tried to distinguish it carefully, when suddenly, a rich and fragrant smell of rice filled her nose.
Why is there a smell of food in the gym? He Xi suddenly woke up and opened his eyes in a daze.
A group of basketball team members holding lunch boxes came into view. They sat on the bench, talking and laughing while stuffing their mouths with food.
He Xi saw Bai Shu at a glance.
He may not know that there are stars in his eyes when he eats.
The young man was using chopsticks to pick up a piece of sauce-covered, round, braised lion's head. He took a bite and half of it was gone. He didn't know what the people around him were saying. He puffed out his cheeks and smiled, then continued to listen attentively.
He Xi pushed Zhang Chaomei, and she opened her mouth slightly, obviously sleeping soundly, so he gave up.
She stood up, her head still a little dazed from sleep, and decided to go to the bathroom before returning home. She needed to wake up.
She stood up from her seat and walked down. Bai Shu stuffed the other half of the lion's head into her mouth and chewed it with her cheeks puffing up.
He Xi subconsciously touched his pocket. Oops, I didn't bring my vitamins for this afternoon. I'm so hungry... Forget it, I'll just go get some water from the tap first, otherwise, otherwise -
The scene in front of her eyes shook, she stumbled, and was helped up by a pair of warm hands.
He Xi's dilated pupils gradually focused, and Wei Mo's face appeared in front of him.
She took a step back as if she had been electrocuted, "Thank you, thank you."
Wei Mo looked at He Xi and smiled: "He Xi? Why are you here?"
"I... am the ticket inspector for this game. I came here with my mother." He Xi held his head, which was still a little dizzy.
"Oh." Wei Mo nodded in understanding, "I can see you're so busy that you forgot to eat."
"We just happen to have two extra boxes of lunch here, so I'll give them to you." He waved his hand and said it casually.
"This..." He Xi stared at the lunch box in his hand, a little unsure of what to do.
"Eat, eat. Don't be polite." Wei Mo said with a smile, "After all... I am your squad leader. This is my responsibility."
A warm feeling came over He Xi, and he stopped being pretentious. "Thank you."
"What's the big deal?" Wei Mo touched his head and smiled.
He Xi returned to his seat, opened his lunch box with a click, looked at the lion's head lying quietly in the lunch box, and imitated Bai Shu, picked it up with chopsticks, took a light bite, and his eyes lit up.
She raised her eyes and subconsciously looked at Bai Shu, but Bai Shu had turned his head away the moment she came over.
But she didn't miss the flash of doubt and dissatisfaction in Bai Shu's eyes. ...Why?
Bai Shu picked up a piece of scrambled eggs with tomatoes with chopsticks, stuffed a mouthful of rice into his mouth, and chewed with his cheeks puffed up.
She was a little depressed, refused to accept his bread, and spit out the kebabs he gave her, but now she easily accepted the lunch box given by Wei Mo. Did she really hate him that much...?
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