"Yes, the same as always."
After leaving the stadium, Jian Changnian followed her all the way back to the entrance of the residential area and watched her go into a snack shop next door.
"I know, one bowl of spicy rice noodles, extra spicy, and a braised egg too. Please sit down, it'll be ready in a minute!"
The roadside stall that used to be located at the entrance of the residential area has finally been rented a storefront in the shops downstairs after two generations of operation. It now sells not only rice noodles and spicy noodles, but also various barbecues, home-style dishes and snacks.
Summer has arrived, and there are still many people coming out to cool off in the evenings. Several tables have been set up on the sidewalk, and they are almost all full.
"Your business is doing quite well."
The man first served the braised eggs.
"Hey, it's all thanks to you. Now that you've become famous, everyone knows you come here often, so they all want to come and eat... the same rice noodles as the world champion!"
Xie Shi'an smiled slightly and remained silent.
The woman, wearing an apron, was busy in front of the grill.
"Honey, the food for table number 2 is ready. Could you take it over to them?"
"Hey, here it comes."
The couple spoke in hushed tones as they worked.
"Didn't you see the news?! You don't know... and you still bring it up!"
"Oh dear, I was so busy I completely forgot!"
"If we add two more dishes for them later, we won't charge them."
"Okay, whatever you say."
Before long, the rice noodles were served, and the man also prepared two plates of crayfish, some grilled beef skewers, and vegetables.
Xie Shi'an was taken aback: "This is..."
The man scratched his head: "Um...we...we're thanking our loyal customers..."
Xie Shi'an didn't expose him.
Do you have any wine?
Several bottles of beer were placed on the table.
"Yes, you can drink as much as you want tonight."
As the moon gradually set in the west, everyone who had been enjoying the cool evening air went home.
The shop owner moved the table into the store, and when he looked back, Xie Shi'an was still lying there, with a bunch of empty wine bottles lying haphazardly beside him.
"What...what should we do?"
"Go ahead and call out, try waking me up."
Just as the couple was about to wake her, Jian Changnian walked in: "Let me do it."
“You…” The boss looked at her with some confusion.
"I'm Jian Changnian, her friend, have you forgotten me?"
The boss slapped his forehead, finally remembering.
"You've all changed so much in the years we haven't seen you! We're so glad you came, otherwise we wouldn't know what to do."
Jian Changnian squatted down, preparing to carry her on his back.
"Thank you for your help tonight."
"Hey, no need for thanks, we're old acquaintances."
Jian Changnian wanted to give them money, but the couple insisted on refusing. Xie Shi'an was too drunk, so he had no choice but to take her away first.
I only remember the feeling of her carrying me on her back; her small frame seemed to contain immense energy, both warm and resolute.
Now that she's carrying her, she realizes how light she is. Her injuries have taken their toll; she looks like she could be blown over by the wind.
As Jian Changnian thought of this, her eyes reddened again. She lifted Xie Shi'an up a little, knowing that Xie Shi'an couldn't hear, so she kept talking to him.
"You said you were coming back, but you should at least have told Coach Wan. I was afraid he would have a stroke on the spot."
"And me... If I can't find you again, I'm going to go to Coach Yan's and your grandfather's graves to atone with my death."
"I understand you're in a bad mood and want to drink, but how could you drink so much by yourself, right?"
"You should at least have invited me."
"Look, even though you're drunk, I'm the one who has to carry you home."
She carried her on her back, walking along the sycamore-lined path at the entrance of the residential area, with Xie Shi'an resting her head on her shoulder.
The summer night was quiet except for the chirping of insects. The shadows of the trees were dappled, and under the dim streetlights, their figures huddled together.
Jian Changnian wished this road could be longer.
But even the longest road eventually comes to an end.
Jian Changnian took her home, helped her onto the bed, took off her shoes, wet a towel with hot water, and gently wiped her face. When he saw the tear stains that had not yet dried at the corners of her eyes, his heart ached again, and he became even more careful.
She looked at her carefully once again.
She's lost weight; even her chin is sharper now.
She had long eyelashes, her brows were furrowed, and she looked like she wasn't sleeping soundly.
She was still so pale, her lips were also pale, and her whole body was covered with a sickly look.
Oh, right, the wrist.
Jian Changnian put down the towel, looked at her, bit her lip, and gently removed her wristband, revealing a shocking sight.
Both new and old scars are present.
The newest ones still have a bloody tinge.
Jian Changnian covered her lips with her hand to stop herself from crying out loud, but some soft sobs still escaped.
"Even if she recovers from her injury, an athlete who can't pass the psychological evaluation can't compete!"
"Xie Shi'an's retirement was out of necessity, and more importantly, it was to protect you! Your future is so bright, how could she just stand by and watch you ruin it because of these things!"
Wan Jing's words were still ringing in my ears, and my mind was buzzing.
Jian Changnian could no longer bear it. She stumbled to her feet, rushed outside, closed the door, and then slid down to the ground, her shoulders shaking violently as she sobbed uncontrollably.
When she returned, she was holding cotton swabs and gauze, and she was gently disinfecting the wound with iodine.
Xie Shi'an, still asleep, frowned and flinched.
Jian Changnian gently patted her and coaxed her softly, but as she spoke, tears fell again.
"It's okay, it's okay, Shi'an, it doesn't hurt anymore, it doesn't hurt anymore..."
Xie Shi'an's tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed.
Jian Changnian wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, wrapped the disinfected wound with gauze, and finally put the wristband on her.
As she stood up, her gaze fell on her face again.
Xie Shi'an was so peaceful when he was asleep.
Her eyelashes trembled, her chest rose and fell with her even breathing, and her lips were slightly pursed; she seemed truly drunk.
She slowly leaned closer and tentatively began, "Shi'an..."
The person lying in bed showed no reaction.
Jian Changnian looked at her lips, slowly leaned down, and stopped less than a centimeter away from her.
She still pressed a kiss to her forehead and whispered.
"I like you."
Chapter 129 Study Abroad
The next morning, Wan Jing flew over from Beijing to take her to see a doctor.
"There's nothing we can do about her leg injury. Let's take her to a major hospital in Beijing or abroad."
"If someone has depression, they should stay away from stimuli and ideally, change their living environment. Does the patient engage in self-harm?"
"Shi'an, let the doctor take a look at your arm."
Xie Shi'an sat there without saying a word, and there was no response even after calling her several times. The doctor and Wan Jing exchanged a glance, shook their heads, and gently took her left hand and removed the wristband.
A pretty bow was tied around the gauze.
Xie Shi'an's head buzzed for a moment, and she frowned. She couldn't remember who had taken her home or who had bandaged her wound. Perhaps she was drunk, and her memory was blank.
As she thought about it more deeply, her head began to throb with pain.
"Wow, this is wrapped quite carefully."
As the doctor was about to open it, Xie Shi'an jumped up, pulled his hand back, and turned to leave.
"Hey, Shi'an, Shi'an, you haven't finished your treatment yet!"
Xie Shi'an ignored him and kept walking forward regardless.
Wan Jing had just put his hand on her shoulder when he was pushed away.
When Xie's mother heard the news, she rushed over. Seeing her from afar in the corridor, she jogged over and hugged her tightly: "Shi'an, my good child..."
Xie Shi'an paused for a moment, as if just emerging from that dazed state, and called out in a hoarse voice, "Mom... I want to go home."
"Okay, okay, let's go home."
Wan Jing escorted the person to the apartment building.
"This is Shi'an's medicine, three times a day. Make sure she takes it on time, and also..."
He glanced at Xie Shi'an and pulled him aside.
"Put away all sharp objects in the house, like fruit knives, scissors, and craft knives, and tidy her up..."