Chapter 25
He Xi once saw a sentence on the Internet: Don't cry over spilled milk.
But in the long course of life, everyone faces far more than just spilled milk. There are countless more serious and heartbreaking things. Yet, the march of time never stops for such unexpected events.
Since that was the case, all he could do was look forward. He Xi pulled himself out of the sadness of failing the physical education exam and immediately plunged into the mountain of papers he had piled up.
I try to dispel a little bit of confusion about the future and life through my unstoppable writing.
She had tried very hard, but every once in a while, frustration would chase after her, like a ghost hiding in the corner under the bed in a horror movie. He Xi knew she couldn't go on like this.
She remembered that Bai Shu's sports individual recruitment exam was coming up, so she raised her head from the desk at home and called Bai Shu.
At the beginning of March, Bai Shu logged onto the China Culture and Sports Education website and carefully filled out two applications, both for sports training (basketball): Beihai University as a sprint, and Ansan University as a backup.
In mid-March, He Xi's physical education test results came out, and He Xi told Bai Shu to pay more attention to academic subjects.
Bai Shu listened. With only about two weeks left until the physical education exam in early April, even with the tight schedule, he still had to set aside time between training and preparation to memorize lessons, do exercises, review his lessons, and carefully correct his mistakes.
It was a very uncomfortable feeling to just relax from the intense training rhythm and pick up the textbooks and test papers. But when Bai Shu thought of He Xi, her serious expression and earnest words instantly calmed his restless heart after beating wildly.
He thought of the midnight snacks and fruits that Chen Xiufang had left on his desk;
Thinking of the usually lively and active Xiao Baitang deliberately lowering her footsteps when passing by his room, and her caring expression at the dinner table;
"Brother! Eat this big chicken drumstick and the wound will stop hurting!"
Thinking of the taciturn Bai Zheng's sudden clumsy comfort...
"You've been training and studying lately, haven't you? When you get to college...it'll be easier for you."
"You have to be dedicated to training and take good care of your body."
"Especially before the exam, you have to be careful when exercising and walking. Don't be careless. If something goes wrong, it will be too late to cry..."
Bai Shu quickly interrupted, "Okay, okay, Dad, you don't need to say anything more."
"I want to tell you something!" Bai Zheng's bespectacled face was even more serious than usual at work. "Son, I'm not being nagging."
"You'll be going to college in the second half of this year. I've been asking a lot of old friends lately, and I heard this—"
This was probably the daughter of a friend of Bai Zheng. She was chosen for the school's women's soccer team in fifth grade. From elementary school through high school, she participated in numerous soccer tournaments, both large and small, and won numerous accolades. However, she was injured during a match in her sophomore year of high school, ultimately forcing a premature end to her brilliant but brief playing career.
"...So, Bai Shu, do you understand? Competition honors are certainly important to young players like you, but protecting yourself from injury is even more important!"
"Son, I'm not telling you this to upset you. I don't want you to go through this, and I don't want you to regret it later because you didn't listen to me."
Bai Zheng sighed, patted Bai Shu's shoulder and left.
Bai Shu turned around and suddenly noticed the white hair on his father's head. When did it become so many?
Bai Shukai realized that he was no longer just someone else's son, but began to grow up and become an adult.
And that was just three years later. From fifteen to eighteen, Bai Shu's burdens grew, yet his back grew straighter: unknown challenges, his parents' expectations, his friends' promises...
He began to feel a little breathless, but more importantly, he wanted to use his efforts to bear all of this well and not let down anyone who cared about him.
Bai Shu rubbed his eyelids, slapped himself without hesitation, turned to the next page of the test paper, picked up the pen and lowered his head to study.
But at this moment the phone rang.
It was He Xi calling. A faint smile played on Bai Shu's tired lips, his voice a little dry. "Hello?"
"Bai Shu, are you still studying at this time?" He Xi paused, "You have an exam tomorrow, you should go to bed early tonight."
Bai Shu: "But what if I promised someone that I would study hard?"
"You can't go back on your word."
"It's not like one more night is too late!" He Xi was a little worried about Bai Shu's irresponsibility towards himself. Fortunately, she called him tonight. "Hurry up and take a shower and go to bed early."
Bai Shu responded with three "yes"s in a row, his tone becoming more doting and helpless with each one.
He Xi said again, "Good night."
"Good night." Bai Shu replied to her immediately.
The two hung up the phone tacitly.
The soft light of the desk lamp cast a shadow on Bai Shu's hard-edged face. He recalled how Wei Mo had told him in junior high school that the pinyin for "good night" was an abbreviation of the three words "I love you." He hadn't thought much of it then, but now he felt a subtle, inexplicable feeling of emotion.
"Good night." He murmured again, "He Xi."
_
The morning light poured down and the sound of water sweepers could be heard on the streets.
Bai Shu walked down the street, backpack on his back and sandwich in hand. He had checked into a hotel near Beihai University a day in advance; otherwise, given the distance from his home to the exam center, it would have been too late to leave now.
My first physical education test is coming up soon, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. But I've done what I need to do, and the rest is... well, let's just make the best of it.
He was in the group that arrived at ten in the morning. It was rush hour on a weekday, and Bai Zheng had accompanied Bai Shu there in advance. The Huimei breakfast shop where Bai Shu was staying was three blocks away from Beihai University.
He had already passed an intersection.
After going straight for a while, they arrived at the next traffic light. The narrow intersection was crowded with passers-by, some on their bikes rushing to work, others rushing to take their children to school. Bai Shu had set out several hours in advance and was in no rush.
He just concentrated on biting the sandwich in his mouth.
"Dad, dad, what should I do? I'm going to be late." The little boy with a schoolbag on his back said while wiping his tears. His father's perfunctory comfort was obviously useless to him, and he burst into tears.
"The teacher is going to make me stand outside again later! I don't want to... wuwuwu——"
"Noye, dear, we're definitely in time. The red light will be over soon."
The little boy waved his father's hand away and said, "I don't want to listen. You're not the one who will be scolded for being late. Waaah!" The little boy stretched his feet out from the curb and ran out with most of his body in the air.
At this time, a car on the road honked its horn and rushed straight towards them. The little boy opened his eyes wide in fear, and his father stood by in a panic, not knowing what to do.
At the critical moment, Bai Shu bit his sandwich and pulled the little boy who had just narrowly missed the front of the car. The skylift horn honked, and Bai Shu breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of the little boy who was unharmed.
"Didn't your textbooks teach you 'Stop at red lights, go at green lights'?" Bai Shu said, taking the sandwich out of his mouth. "Kid, don't be so bluffing next time. There aren't always brave men like your brother who will rush to your rescue."
The little boy listened without saying anything, and finally made a face at Bai Shu and hid behind the parents who came over to thank him. Bai Shu shook his head, remembering Bai Zheng's advice to take good care of his body, and decided not to be so impulsive next time.
By the time they reached the last intersection, Bai Shu had finished his sandwich and opened a bottle of juice. It was a small bottle, and it was quickly empty.
When he looked up again, the red light had turned green, and Bai Shu followed the crowd forward. The first half of the journey was uneventful, but in the second half, a car suddenly rushed out, ran a red light, and slammed into the last-remaining junior high school girl in her school uniform.
Bai Shu's pupils dilated instantly. He weighed the pros and cons countless times in his mind, but his body had already rushed out...
This time he was not so lucky. He pushed the girl across the street and knocked him to the ground.
He felt a dull pain in his lower body and clutched the flying bag strap tightly. "Admit card..." He still had to take the exam and couldn't be late!
His body slammed heavily to the ground from mid-air, pain seeping through his limbs and bones. Bai Shu was in so much pain that he saw stars and fell into a coma...
After He Xi learned the news from Chen Xiufang, she lied about being unwell and asked for leave from school. She knew that the exams were approaching and time was tight. She knew that after failing the unified exams, she should focus more time and energy on reviewing for the exams.
But she couldn't calm down. She didn't know how Bai Shu could have encountered such a thing. She couldn't figure it out.
Bai Shu was both talented and hardworking in basketball. Along the way, she had witnessed his achievements, his sweat, his blood, and his tears. He had already given 99 percent of his effort to basketball...
How could this have happened? It wasn't fair! Even more frightening was the fact that she had no idea how he was doing. Was he dead or alive? Was he suffering from a serious internal injury or a broken bone? Did he need rehabilitation, or was it just a superficial wound that could heal with some medication?
You have to see it with your own eyes to know everything. He Xi took the high-speed train to Beihai.
Bai Shu opened his eyes from the hospital bed and saw his parents' eyes.
Chen Xiufang covered her mouth and nose and cried. Bai Zheng's face turned ashen.
"...Dad, Mom." He forced a smile.
Bai Zheng was furious: "Didn't I tell you that the exam is coming soon, the exam is coming soon, you must take good care of your body?"
"Why did you end up like this, half-human, half-ghost? Why... do you insist on interfering in the fate of others?" Bai Zheng grew increasingly angry as he spoke. "This is the price!"
"You saved others, but what about you? You deserved it for missing the exam!"
Bai Shu lowered his eyes: "I know, I still have a chance to postpone the exam."
"Bullshit! What's the use!" Bai Zheng's chest was buzzing with anger. He turned around and said unhappily, "Xiufang! You go and tell him..."
Bai Shu raised his eyebrows in surprise at his mother. Tears welled up in her eyes, and the hands covering her mouth and nose seemed to be pouring water. "Son, the doctor said your injury is very serious. You may never be able to play basketball again..."
"What do you mean?" The smile disappeared from the frail-looking boy's face, and his black pupils were filled with fear and disbelief.
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