"Zhou Mu, you answer this question."
The teacher stood on the podium, looked around at the students, and called her name.
Zhou Mu stood up and answered fluently.
The teacher nodded approvingly.
"Sit down. Look at Zhou Mu. She transferred to our class midway through, but she hasn't fallen behind in her studies at all. And look at you guys."
The students stirred, some surprised, others disdainful.
Zhou Mu sat down and glanced out the window. The afternoon sun was shining brightly, and there were people playing badminton on the green field.
Summer has arrived, and everything seems to be back on track.
As a transfer student, she was unpopular, but not mistreated either. Nobody knew her, and she didn't have to worry about being pointed at or talked about when she walked down the street. She went to class, did practice problems, and read books as usual, but the difference was that she no longer had so many friends around her. It was as if studying was the only thing left in her life.
Until the first cicada chirped outside the window.
It was a physical education class.
As usual, she sat on the flower bed by the playground reciting English words, while her classmates played ball or games in groups of three or five on the green field.
"Hahaha, the ball is out of bounds, you lost!"
"No, no, it's not fair for you to fight two against one."
A badminton shuttlecock flew from a distance and landed at her feet.
Zhou Mu glanced down and was about to pick it up.
Someone else rushed over, and the two people's hands touched. Zhou Mu glanced at her and withdrew his hand.
The girl picked up the ball, hesitated for a moment, and then said...
"We're playing women's doubles, and we're one person short. Do you... want to join us?"
More than a month later, Cheng Zhen finally received his final verdict. At the moment the judge's gavel fell, he couldn't help but close his eyes and burst into tears.
"According to Article 20 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, the defendant Cheng Zhen caused serious injury and death to another person while trying to stop an unlawful infringement. He is over the age of eighteen and should bear criminal responsibility."
"Given that the defendant Cheng Zhen has a good attitude in admitting his guilt, and considering both legal principles and human considerations, in accordance with Articles 233 and 72 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, the defendant Cheng Zhen is guilty of negligent homicide and is sentenced to seven years and three months of imprisonment."
After the verdict was handed down, he was detained in Jiangcheng City Prison, where he was finally able to meet with his relatives.
Cheng's mother held his hand through the iron bars of the window, tears streaming down her face.
"Son... I'm so sorry... If it weren't for saving me... you wouldn't have..."
With a hoarse voice and red eyes, Cheng Zhen, still in handcuffs, slowly wiped away the tears from her face.
"Mom...please don't say that. After Dad passed away, you and Grandma are my only family. I would rather go to jail than lose you."
Since they had finally met, Cheng's mother couldn't bear to make him feel bad, so she sniffed and forced a smile.
"I haven't had a chance to tell you yet, but those loan sharks who drove your dad to his death have also gone to jail. If your dad knew this in the afterlife, he could rest in peace."
During his lunch break, Zhou Mu sat in the library reading the newspaper. The Legal Daily devoted an entire page to reporting that the Jiangcheng City Public Security Bureau had cracked down on a major gang involved in organized crime, money laundering, and loan sharking, and had even brought down several high-ranking officials.
The deputy director of the Jiangcheng Public Security Bureau in charge of investigating the case is surnamed Song.
Zhou Mu smiled knowingly upon seeing this, carefully folded the newspaper and put it back, then sat down, tore off a piece of letter paper, and wrote a letter to Cheng Zhen.
Before leaving, Cheng's mother handed Cheng Zhen another letter.
"This is from Zhou Mu. When you were in the detention center, it was inconvenient for you to receive letters, so she had to send it to your home."
Zhou Mu wrote stroke by stroke.
"Cheng Zhen, by the time you read this letter, I will have already transferred schools. The new school is great, the playground is huge, you can play soccer, the food in the cafeteria is delicious, and there's a swimming pool at school, so you have to go for swimming lessons every week. I think you'll like it, but I'm not as good at swimming as you. It's been so long and I've only just learned how to breathe properly. When you get out, you must teach me properly."
"Oh, right, I've made some new friends here and joined the school badminton team. I haven't told you yet, but Shi'an and Chang Nian went to play in the Asian Cup again. Although I couldn't go to the stadium, I saw them fighting hard on TV, and it inspired me. I'll definitely try my best to get into the top 50 in the school next monthly exam."
Zhou Mu smiled slightly as he wrote this.
Meanwhile, in a distant foreign land, twin stars are rising.
"Let's congratulate Xie Shi'an on winning the first leg of the Asian Cup!"
"Let's also congratulate the newcomer Jian Changnian on reaching the quarterfinals of the Asian Cup for the first time. They will travel to Yokohama, Japan in three days to participate in the finals!"
When Jian Changnian saw her ranking on the big screen, she raised her arms and roared in triumph. Yan Xinyuan also stood up and applauded and cheered for her.
The boy ran off the field excitedly, tears welling in his eyes, and hugged his coach and Xie Shi'an tightly.
The comments on the video website kept scrolling by.
"Xie Shi'an, awesome."
"Jian Changnian, awesome."
"The security check combination is simply unbeatable."
"I have a feeling that this Asian Cup will see both the champion and runner-up be Chinese..."
When he flew from Singapore to Yokohama, many fans came to the airport to see him off, bringing flowers, gifts, and light sticks, creating a grand spectacle.
Jian Changnian was a bit shy around strangers, so she unconsciously shrank behind Xie Shi'an, looking at the light boards they were holding with a puzzled expression, and whispered to someone.
"Is the security check team referring to us?"
Xie Shi'an pushed the luggage, shielding her in front, and also took a letter from a fan.
"Right?"
"Then why wasn't I in front?"
Xie Shi'an glanced down at her, a hint of mockery in his eyes.
"I guess I'm just better at it, in every way."
Jian Changnian: "..."
Something feels off, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
After passing through security, the fans who had come to see them off dispersed. With some time before boarding, the three of them found a seat and sat down. The days of competition had left them somewhat exhausted.
Xie Shi'an was wearing headphones and listening to music when, without realizing it, he tilted his head and leaned against Yan Xinyuan.
Jian Changnian also closed her eyes and fell over.
Sleepiness is contagious. Yan Xinyuan, sitting in the middle with his two apprentices in his arms, also dozed off.
Sunlight streamed through the airport's large floor-to-ceiling windows, while behind me, a cacophony of hurried travelers passed by.
In this corner alone, the scene of the three people nestled together was so tranquil, peaceful, and warm.
Reporters were also present to see him off today. Seeing this scene, they were slightly moved, raised their cameras, and pressed the shutter.
The medical conditions in major hospitals in Beijing are much better than in Jiangcheng City. Under the guidance of the doctor, Qiao Yuchu began to massage her mother for rehabilitation, moving her knees and leg muscles.
"Come on, Mom, try lifting your leg."
Under her expectant gaze, Qiao's mother laboriously lifted her right leg, slowly moving it a little distance away from the bed sheet.
Although it was only moved slightly before being put down again, it still
That was enough to make her cry tears of joy.
I don't know who turned on the TV in the ward.
The narrator spoke with great enthusiasm.
"Xie Shi'an smashed the ball!!!"
"That move again, the classic backhand shovel! It secured that crucial point for her once more!"
"Let's congratulate Xie Shi'an on winning the Asian Cup with an absolute kingly demeanor, undefeated and sweeping across Asia!"
Qiao Yuchu turned around and saw the young man standing on the highest podium, raising the trophy in his hand and gesturing to the audience.
As she looked at it, tears welled up in her eyes, but a smile spread across her lips. "That's wonderful, Shi'an, I'm so happy for you."
At the moment of victory, cheers erupted in the training room of the Binhai Provincial Team in Jiangcheng City. The team members hugged each other excitedly, and Coach Liang was among them. He watched the TV screen as Xie Shi'an pulled Yan Xinyuan onto the podium, and he felt a deep sense of emotion.
"Old Yan, you, Chang Nian, and Shi An are all heroes."
Those who dare to face their pain, break free from the past, and persist in what they love for decades are heroes.
In Cao Rui's small bar, the regular customers are mostly members of the Chenxing Club. On match days, everyone stares intently at the big screen.
The moment the five-star red flag was raised over Yokohama, they, like the audience, erupted in enthusiastic cheers.
The bar's DJ then interjected with music at just the right moment:
"The five-star red flag, you are my pride, I am proud of you..."
The atmosphere instantly ignited, and during the grand chorus, Cao Rui jumped onto the stage with a microphone in hand.
"Ladies and gentlemen, all drinks are free tonight! Let's cheer for our champion!!!"
***
“Cheng Zhen, look, everyone is trying their best to live their lives. You must not give up in there either. Listen to the prison guards, eat well, and take good care of yourself. We... are waiting for you to come back.”
As Cheng Zhen read this, tears streamed down his face. He wiped his face with his sleeve and let out his first sob in days.
The prison guard pushed the door open and came in.
"Visiting time is over, it's time to go back."
Cheng Zhen carefully folded the letter, smoothing out every wrinkle, and put it into the pocket of her shirt closest to her heart. She then stood up, wearing handcuffs and shackles, and followed the prison guard back to her cell.
Some are happy, some are sad.
"It is also a pity that another Chinese player, Jian Changnian, lost to Thai prodigy Natiya by a narrow margin of 1 to 2, stopping in the semi-finals and missing out on a medal."
She couldn't hide her disappointment as she walked off the field.
Xie Shi'an, who had already received his award, stood at the entrance of the athletes' passage waiting for her, with Yan Xinyuan also nearby.
She stopped in her tracks and opened her mouth.
"I……"
Before she could finish speaking, Yan Xinyuan patted her shoulder forcefully.
"It's okay, we can start over."