"If I remember correctly, the wet market is far from here."
"I'm used to waking up early, and I'll treat it as a morning exercise. Come and eat, or it'll get cold."
Jian Changnian laughed carelessly, not taking the matter to heart at all.
In her understanding, most friendships between girls start with "going to the bathroom together after class," and one of the important milestones that gradually deepens is inviting the other person to her house. If the other person can stay overnight, then they must be very good friends.
Xie Shi'an had helped her many times and had taken her in when she had nowhere else to go. Jian Changnian wanted to do something for her, even if it was just a small thing.
"I'll go wash up first."
After washing up, Xie Shi'an returned to the dining table. Her half-length hair was unusually loose, hanging down her shoulders. She was wearing loose loungewear and slippers with bunny ears. She lazily yawned, her usual aloofness gone, revealing a hint of cuteness.
Jian Changnian stared at her for a while.
Xie Shi'an was somewhat confused: "Is there something on my face?"
Jian Changnian shook her head: "No."
Sure enough, her first words shattered that cute impression.
Jian Changnian felt a chill run down her spine. Good heavens, how could she find this person somewhat cute? She must not have slept well last night.
Xie Shi'an took a sip of the soy milk: "No sugar in it?"
"Oh? I noticed you always add chili to your rice noodles, so I thought you didn't like sweet ones."
Xie Shi'an got up and went to the kitchen, rummaging through drawers and cupboards: "Where did you put the sugar?"
Jian Changnian turned around and pointed out the location to her.
"It was in that cabinet on the right. I saw it when I was cooking."
When Xie Shi'an found the sugar jar, he was still thinking: How did this person know so much about her kitchen?
So much happened last night, and we got back so late, that we finally have time to sit down and have a proper meal.
Jian Changnian also had many questions she wanted to ask her.
for example.
Do you go to the club often?
She seemed to know her boss quite well.
"Yeah, I was a sparring partner there when I was in junior high."
Back then, Cao Rui wasn't the owner of the Chenxing Club yet.
"Then you and Qin Yang..."
Xie Shi'an scooped up the rice grains in the bowl with a spoon: "He provoked me, saying something similar to what that person in the park said that day, all vulgarities."
However, she really didn't expect that Qin Yang, a former national team player, could play so dirty and be so vengeful. No wonder he was expelled from the national team.
At this point, Xie Shi'an looked up at Jian Changnian. It seemed that she also had some kind of grudge against Qin Yang, otherwise there would be no need for her to fight a match that seemed to have little chance of winning at the time.
"Then what happened between you and Qin Yang...?"
“Before I went to the training camp, I worked part-time at a KTV. On my first day at work, he said to me…” Jian Changnian paused in her hand holding the spoon, remained silent for a long time, and then her eyes reddened.
She tried her best to restrain herself, forced a smile, and then continued speaking.
"Later, they dumped me at the entrance of the KTV and beat me up. They also took a lot of photos. At the time, I only knew that everyone called him Young Master Qin. I didn't know his real name until I saw him at the club yesterday."
Outside the KTV, they were punching and kicking each other.
Fragments of that day flashed through Xie Shi'an's mind.
Which karaoke bar?
Jian Changnian will never forget this name in her entire life.
"At Yuanju KTV, thankfully a kind person called the police for me, otherwise I don't know what would have happened."
Jian Changnian gave a wry smile, then noticed that Xie Shi'an's eyes seemed a little strange, as if he was struggling or holding back. Just as she was about to probe further, Xie Shi'an's face returned to its usual calm and composed expression.
"What's wrong?"
"nothing."
Xie Shi'an didn't say anything at the time, keeping the matter to himself and never intending to tell her.
It was only many years later that Jian Changnian learned from others that she was one of the people who called the police at the time.
It turns out that their fates had already intersected when they knew nothing about each other. And if we trace back to the distant past, even Xie Shi'an, who came later, couldn't help but sigh.
The wonder of fate lies in the fact that it can arrange the ending while you are still ignorant and unaware.
To avoid her pressing him further, Xie Shi'an changed the subject.
"Then what are you going to Chenxing for?"
"One of Zhou Mu's senior classmates is also a friend of Chenxing's boss, and I'm thinking of applying for a sparring job there."
Before he could even exchange a few words with the boss, he started fighting with Qin Yang.
Xie Shi'an finished eating the rice in his bowl.
"That's easy, I'll just tell Cao Rui."
Jian Changnian's eyes lit up immediately. Seeing that she was about to start washing the dishes, he hurriedly stood up obsequiously and took the bowls into the kitchen.
"Really?! That's great! Hey, don't move, I'll wash it, I'll wash it."
"Oh well."
Since she was so enthusiastic, and my hand was really inconvenient, even moving it hurt.
While she was washing the dishes, Xie Shi'an went back to her room to change her clothes.
When she finished tidying up and came out, Jian Changnian had also finished washing up.
Before leaving, Jian Changnian watered the plants on the balcony one last time and packed up all the trash to take downstairs to throw it away.
Xie Shi'an blew out the candles on the offering table and placed the steamed bun he hadn't eaten on the table.
Jian Changnian looked at her, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke: "Well, there's something I'm not sure if I should say, but I think Grandpa would be quite happy to see you back."
The boy's back was as straight as a pine tree, but for a moment it wavered. She pursed her lips, silently turned around, and left, closing the door behind her.
Qiao Yuchu received a call while she was walking down the street.
"Coach Yan is urging us to go back."
Did you ask him for leave?
"I've asked them to come, but I suspect I'll be punished when I get back."
Xie Shi'an rubbed his temples: "Okay, see you at the station."
Chapter 21 Punishment
It was already past nine in the morning when they returned to the training base. Jian Changnian had just poked his head into the training room when he was chased out by a roar.
"You three actually know how to come back?! Get out here and stand at the door!"
The three of them had no choice but to stand stiffly outside the training room. It was the first time Jian Changnian had been punished by standing, and she was a little uneasy. In contrast, Xie Shi'an and Qiao Yuchu both looked calm and composed.
Qiao Yuchu had received many punishments from Xie Shi'an since she was a child, so she was used to it.
Xie Shi'an didn't think he had done anything wrong. He put his hands in his pockets, leaned his head against the wall, and closed his eyes to rest.
The morning training session ended quickly, and the crowd filed out, with many people casting curious glances at them.
"Hey, isn't this Xie Shi'an, who's ranked first in Group A? How come he's ended up standing as punishment too?"
"Shh, keep your voice down. Don't you know? Fighting is strictly prohibited in the training camp. What happened at the Chenxing Club yesterday has spread far and wide."
...
Sun Qian followed the crowd out, looked at Jian Changnian, and seeing the bruises on her face, asked with concern, "Are you alright?"
Jian Changnian shook her head: "It's nothing, just a superficial injury."
Sun Qian wanted to say something more, but someone behind her said, "Let's go, Coach Yan is coming out."
She turned her toes and headed towards the dormitory building.
"It's alright, then I'll head back now."
"good."
Sun Qian hadn't gone far when Yan Xinyuan closed the training room door and came out. He had a hard-covered notebook tucked under his arm, and without even glancing at the others, he only said one sentence.
"The three of you come with me to the office."
The office door was tightly closed. In winter, a heater was burning inside, and a heavy curtain was hung at the door to block the wind, so you couldn't see or hear anything.
Jian Changnian and Qiao Yuchu stood at the door, somewhat worried.
"Why have you been inside for so long and still haven't come out?"
Qiao Yuchu was older than her, so she was more thoughtful and more mature.
"Although fighting does violate the training team's rules, it's understandable, and Shi'an should be fine."
Only Yan Xinyuan and one of their teaching assistants were in the office.
Yan Xinyuan slammed his pipe on the table with a deafening roar: "What do you mean 'excusable'? The police even called me yesterday! Do you know how bad the impact of this is?! You're different from the other members of the training team. You're a formal member of the Binhai Provincial Team. I don't expect you to bring glory to the Binhai Provincial Team, but it would be a blessing if you didn't tarnish my reputation!"
Xie Shi'an stood there, like a straight pine tree outside the window, unyielding and unbending, without even frowning.
"If we win, then it's not a smear campaign."
Yan Xinyuan was so angry he felt like vomiting blood: "So you all think this is something to bring glory to your ancestors?"
During daily training, Yan Xinyuan, who was already short-tempered, got angry when he saw her unrepentant and unruly appearance. He grabbed the documents on the table and was about to throw them at her.
The teaching assistant quickly stopped him: "Old Yan, Old Yan, calm down, calm down, let's talk this out."
"How can I stay calm?! The document from higher-ups came down this morning, ordering me to fire you. Look at it yourself!"
As he spoke, Yan Xinyuan flicked his wrist, and the white paper flew out of the folder and landed at Xie Shi'an's feet.