Yan Xinyuan smiled and said, "We're getting ready to go back now. You go ahead with your work."
Not long after Yan Xinyuan left the training room, someone else stood by the window.
The three of them were focused on their work, but the atmosphere was quite pleasant, not at all like they were being punished.
Qiao Yuchu and Jian Changnian chatted and laughed, while Xie Shian, though taciturn, would occasionally utter a sentence that would make Jian Changnian grit her teeth in anger.
Sun Qian was also holding a rag and wanted to go in to help, but for some reason, looking at the atmosphere, she lost the desire to go in. It was a space and tacit understanding that belonged only to the three of them.
She couldn't get it in.
She was the one who met Xie Shi'an first, and Cheng Zhen too, so how did they end up getting mixed up with Jian Changnian?
Sun Qian gave a self-deprecating laugh, threw the rag into the trash can next to the training room, and turned to leave.
Chapter 22 Friendship
From that day until the following week, Xie Shi'an's punishment, which was originally a solitary act, became a group activity involving three people.
Jian Changnian and Qiao Yuchu stayed with her cleaning until late at night, and the three of them went back to the dormitory together. Although Xie Shian could not participate in training, she was often the first one to get up in the dormitory. While others were still washing their faces and brushing their teeth, she was already running downstairs.
When the whistle for morning exercise blew, she couldn't participate in the training camp, so she went back to her dormitory alone and used her bunk bed to practice some physical fitness and core strength.
The plasters that someone had given him on the table were dwindling, and by the time Xie Shi'an could move his right hand freely again, a week had passed.
Weekend off.
Jian Changnian was going to have an interview at Chenxing Club, and Qiao Yuchu planned to go with her, so she came over and asked her, "Are you going or not?"
Xie Shi'an pulled himself up with the bed frame while doing pull-ups.
"I'm not going."
"Alright then, anyway, I haven't played many scrims this week, and I'm really itching to play. If someone doesn't want to go, that's fine."
Xie Shi'an paused, her body sank down, and she pulled herself up with all her might.
Someone who said they wouldn't go but was actually itching to do it still showed up at the Chenxing Club on time for the weekend.
While playing ball with others, Xie Shi'an kept a close eye on Cao Rui's situation.
Jian Changnian exchanged a few blows with the person and decisively defeated them 2-0, taking them away cleanly.
Cao Rui wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel: "You're quite something, not very old, but very capable. You've got the same flair as Shi An back in the day."
Although Cao Rui is an amateur player, he has been in this field for more than ten years and has sparred with many experts. Through this experience, his skills have become quite good. There are not many players in Jiangcheng who can beat him 2-0.
Knowing that the sparring partner arrangement was secure, Jian Changnian happily grabbed her racket and jumped around in a circle.
"That's great! Thank you so much. I'll definitely work hard from now on!"
"Hey, no need to be so polite. You're Shi'an's friend, so just call me Brother Cao."
Jian Changnian called out crisply, "Okay, Brother Cao!"
When Cao Rui returned to the rest area, Xie Shi'an was also drinking water there: "Who's friends with her?"
"Hey, you brought someone to a job interview even though you're not friends, and then you took them home because they had nowhere to stay..."
Before he finished speaking, Xie Shi'an got up and walked towards the court.
"boring."
Xie Shi'an was taking a break after a game and wanted to put on his headphones to listen to music, but the two people in front of him kept chattering.
Qiao Yuchu stood with her arm around Jian Changnian's shoulder, holding a racket and occasionally pointing at the customers playing in the court.
"Look, that slightly overweight uncle in black is a physical education teacher at Jian'an Middle School and a retired professional athlete."
"And that one, the one in the blue shirt, from the city team."
"That girl in the white dress is one of the team champions in the Jiangcheng City University League."
Qiao Yuchu pointed around and recognized almost everyone with a bit of fame.
Jian Changnian was dazzled and dumbfounded.
Wow, that's amazing! How do you know so many people?
Qiao Yuchu turned around and winked at Xie Shi'an.
"We'll have to ask our classmate Xie about that."
Jian Changnian understood; it must have been Xie Shian who led her around "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" to find people to play ball with.
Xie Shi'an put the earphones in his ears, thinking that not being able to hear anything would ease his mind.
Qiao Yuchu turned around and patted her on the shoulder, speaking earnestly.
"If you could fight all these people, you would definitely benefit a lot."
Before he could finish speaking, the girl in the white shirt answered the phone and left, leaving him bored as he twirled his racket.
Qiao Yuchu pushed the person forward and gave her a thumbs-up: "Go for it! I believe you can do it!"
"Huh? I...can I do it?" Jian Changnian was still a little hesitant.
Qiao Yuchu kept gesturing to her: "Go, go! Isn't this a great opportunity? You can make money and practice your skills at the same time."
Their commotion finally caught the attention of the girl in white, who peered over with a look that was both kind and slightly curious.
Seeing that she had been discovered, Jian Changnian had no choice but to bite the bullet and walk over, extending her hand to the person and mustering her courage.
"Hi, can I play ball with you?"
"Sure, my friend left, and I'm bored. Let's hang out together."
The girl accepted Jian Changnian's invitation with a smile and chat.
Xie Shi'an got up, slung his bag over his shoulder, and walked out the door.
Qiao Yuchu: "Hey, where are you going?"
"I'm hungry. I'll take a shower and then find a place to eat."
"Why not recite it regularly?"
"She's still early."
Qiao Yuchu thought for a moment, and seeing how fiercely the two were fighting, she guessed it wouldn't end anytime soon.
She ran over and greeted Jian Changnian: "Shi'an and I are going to get something to eat first. Wait for us at the club when you're done."
"Okay." Jian Changnian waved his racket at her.
The girl was about the same age as her and was considered quite skilled among amateur players. They played back and forth until the third game, when Jian Changnian won the match 2-1.
After the fight, the girl came over and shook her hand: "You and Qiao Yuchu seem to know each other quite well, you two are..."
Jian Changnian smiled and squeezed her hand back: "We're teammates."
The girl smiled, her expression a mixture of envy and melancholy: "No wonder you're so good, you're a professional player too."
Jian Changnian scratched his head and smiled somewhat embarrassedly.
"No... I'm still in training camp, I can't be considered a real professional player yet."
"Just being able to go to the training camp is already a great achievement. I want to go too, but..."
The girl's smile was somewhat bitter, and her voice lowered.
Seeing that she looked a little sad, Jian Changnian asked softly.
"I heard from Sister Yu Chu that you are one of the champions of the Jiangcheng City University League team competition and are qualified for the training camp. Why don't you go?"
Those who can play for clubs probably come from families with decent financial situations.
The girl packed her backpack, her voice light and cheerful, trying to hide the sadness on her face.
"The college entrance exam is coming up soon, but my parents won't let me go, so I haven't been able to. I'll be taking extra classes this winter break, and today is the last time I'll be playing basketball..."
The girl tidied her backpack, slung it over her shoulder, and looked up with her bright smile back.
"Okay, I really enjoyed playing with you today. I hope you can become a true professional player."
The girl turned and left, while Jian Changnian remained standing there, stunned. Cao Rui patted her on the shoulder: "You did a good job today, here's your pay."
She looked down at the hundred yuan, then suddenly came to her senses. Before she could thank Cao Rui, she grabbed the money and ran, chasing him all the way out of the venue.
"Please, please wait a moment," Jian Changnian stammered.
The girl turned around and looked at her curiously.
On the crowded street, the bus slowly drove by.
Jian Changnian ran to the vending machine by the roadside, selected the most expensive drink, paid for it, walked over to her, and stuffed it into her hand.
“I also wavered and gave up at the time. My coach told me that no matter whether I play badminton in the future or not, I hope I can find my own value in life, and so can you.”
The small beverage bottle has the words "Go for it!" printed on it.
The girl stared for a long time, her eyes gradually welling up with tears, but a wide smile spread across her lips. She called out to Jian Changnian, who was running away, "Hey, what's your name?"
"Jian, Chang, Nian." Jian Chang Nian turned around and waved.
"Keep it up! I'll definitely come watch your games in the future!"
The two children's innocent voices were carried far away by the wind.
On the way back, Jian Changnian was skipping around, clutching her first earnings. She saw a milk tea shop on the roadside with a lot of people around it, so she stopped and said to the two people behind her.
"Let me buy you some drinks."
Knowing about her family situation, Qiao Yuchu quickly refused.
"No, no, we just ate and can't drink anymore."
Xie Shi'an didn't stand on ceremony: "I want ice cream."
The milk tea shop's poster reads: Winter Special Offer, Buy One Get One Free on Ice Cream.
Qiao Yuchu also realized what was going on: "Then I'll have one too."
"good!"