Chapter 45

While Jian Li was busy rushing to finish her manuscript, Xia Liu dragged her into signing up for a ping pong competition.

This year was the Olympic year, and the fever for ping pong swept through the streets and alleys of Peach City. Xia Liu often dragged Jian Li to play ping pong, calling it preparation for the sports meeting.

As winter turned to spring, Jian Li, who had weighed 130 pounds during the Chinese New Year, recently lost about 10 pounds. With her height, her weight finally fell back into the “slightly plump” range.

Wang Mengmei was naturally pleased and, in her spare time, bought Jian Li a few new outfits.

She wore a top with ear-shaped lace trim, paired with a knee-length dark blue pleated skirt. The small section of her fair calves that was exposed caught the attention of many people on the ping pong court.

Xia Liu envied Jian Li’s fair skin: “I also want to be fair. Why is it that we’re both playing ping pong outside, but you’re so much whiter than me?”

Jian Li replied, “Maybe it’s genetics.”

Wang Mengmei is fair, and so is Jian Feng. The entire family doesn’t have anyone who lags behind in height or skin tone.

Xia Liu sighed, “Then there’s nothing I can do, my dad is so dark.”

Jian Li thought about Xia Liu’s dad and agreed, he was indeed dark. Xia Liu’s skin wasn’t bad, but her undertone was slightly yellow.

“Try some pearl powder.”

Recently, there had been a lot of commercials on TV promoting pearl powder, claiming that just a spoonful every day would make you whiter in less than a month.

Jian Feng had quietly bought two large bags of it last month when he got his paycheck.

Jian Li rubbed her cheek and showed Xia Liu, “I used to have acne, but it’s getting better these days.”

When Xia Liu heard it could help with acne, she was even more intrigued and decided to nag her mom to buy some.

The young girls were finally at the age where they cared about their appearance, and magazines circulating in the class had also included a few issues of “Zhiyin,” which someone had apparently stolen from home.

As the new semester began, three couples in the class were already in “early relationships.”

Xia Liu whispered to Jian Li, “Our class’s sports representative is dating the study representative from Class 3.”

Yesterday, she saw the sports representative secretly folding stars under the desk.

For just one penny, a big bunch of colorful plastic tubes could be folded into stars, layer by layer, and placed into a jar. If someone received such a jar, they would become the center of attention.

Xia Liu bought a bunch of tubes and dragged Jian Li to fold them. Jian Li quickly became bored and started folding a little dog with the tubes.

In the end, she didn’t even fill Xia Liu’s glass jar.

Xia Liu pointed discreetly at the people on the ping pong court, whispering to Jian Li about who was dating whom.

“That one, Liu Dajun, he’s dating the cultural representative from Class 4.”

Jian Li was a bit surprised. After Liu Dajun and his brother Xiao Jun had given her the nickname “Chopstick Brothers” last year, they had avoided her and walked around her. She didn’t even know Liu Dajun was chasing after the class beauty from Class 4.

Xia Liu added, “Liu Dajun is now hanging out with some older guys outside school.”

Jian Li understood immediately. At this age, having an older “big brother” outside school gave you a sense of superiority.

Although Xia Liu had dragged Jian Li along to prepare for the sports meeting, the two ended up talking for an hour and fifty minutes of nonsense during their two-hour practice.

Finally, on the day of the sports meeting, Jian Li spotted her older sister in the high school team from a distance.

Qian Ping had signed up for the relay race this time, and after reconciling with her desk mate, they took on the third and fourth legs of the race.

The relay race was scheduled later, so Qian Ping went to watch Jian Li’s match.

Then Jian Li magnificently lost.

She didn’t even make it past the group stage, but at least she participated. Xia Liu lasted longer than Jian Li, but still stopped before the top three.

Jian Li wiped the sweat off her face and ran to Qian Ping’s side, “Sis, did you sign up? What are you competing in? I’ll cheer for you later!”

Qian Ping patted her head, “Sure, I’ll race in the relay later.”

The relay race started with the middle school students. This year, there were two middle school teams, so the competition atmosphere was even more intense, with students shouting loudly to cheer for their school, hoping the opposing school would fall.

Even the teachers were getting into it, with younger teachers shouting alongside the students.

After timing, Jian Li’s school won first place in the junior high second class.

The field erupted in cheers.

After the junior high race, it was time for the high school competition.

The evening sun was golden, like an egg yolk.

Qian Ping stood at the fourth leg of the race, her heart pounding.

After watching Jian Li’s race, she ran over to cheer for her sister. Encouraged by her, the students in the repeating class stood by, shouting loudly.

“Bang!”

With the sound of the starting gun, Qian Ping saw the first runner of her team fall behind.

The cheers on the field were deafening, with the loudest coming from the repeating class.

The second runner improved a little, but they were still in third place.

Qian Ping’s desk mate ran the third leg.

Usually carefree and playful, the girl’s face was now filled with determination.

Gradually, she surpassed the second place runner.

Qian Ping held her breath, running while receiving the relay baton.

And then, it was a hard sprint.

At this moment, all distractions disappeared. In the vast space, she had only one goal in mind.

She automatically blocked out the surrounding noise, and the long-suppressed desire to win surged within her. It felt like a little person, beating a drum in front of her, urging her forward, as the wind brushed past her.

Qian Ping crossed the finish line almost at the same time as the first-place runner.

The PE teacher at the finish line picked up the stopwatch.

“The third group was 0.08 seconds faster than the second group!”

Qian Ping, who was at the back of the third group, was still catching her breath, while her classmates had already gathered around her.

“We won, we won!”

Qian Ping was lifted up and thrown into the air.

Her deskmate cried loudly, feeling out of place.

Jian Li couldn’t squeeze in, so she took the opportunity to grab a teacher holding a camera she didn’t know.

“Teacher, quick, take the picture!”

The young teacher didn’t react in time before the shutter clicked.

Fortunately, the picture turned out well, so the teacher didn’t mind Jian Li.

Qian Ping and her deskmate, both with red eyes, went up to the makeshift podium.

The repeat class had won two first places: one in the relay race and the other in tug-of-war.

The certificates issued by the school were hung on the back wall of the classroom. This eventful sports meet finally allowed these kids to shake off their pressure.

The photo of Qian Ping, center of the crowd, was published in the school newspaper, and Jian Li cut it out to give to Qian Ping.

Qian Ping tucked the photo into her textbook. The once empty feeling in her heart was now relieved, as though a heavy stone had dropped.

The blackboard read, “59 days until the college entrance exam.”

—-

After the sports meet, Jian Li faced another round of mid-term exams.

This time, Jian Li still took first place, but Xu Yan was down one place, becoming fourth in the class.

After the results were posted, Xu Yan kept her head down on the desk, unsure whether she was crying or feeling down.

Their homeroom teacher, Mr. Fang, felt for her, and when summarizing the exam results, he gave a pointed remark.

“The questions this time were relatively difficult, especially in math, with a few bonus questions. So, everyone’s scores may have shifted. What matters is not your usual grades but the final exam results. Don’t be discouraged by a temporary setback or put too much pressure on yourselves. There’s still plenty of time, and improving your scores requires consistent effort.”

Xu Yan didn’t listen to a word of it.

By the time school was over, she was still slumped at her desk.

It was a coincidence that Jian Li was on duty that day.

Xia Liu, standing by the door, mouthed at Jian Li, “Is she leaving or not?”

Jian Li gently tapped Xu Yan’s desk. “It’s time to leave, Xu Yan. Are you feeling unwell?”

Xu Yan wasn’t physically unwell; she just looked pale and glanced up at Jian Li before shakily getting up and leaving.

Xia Liu only complained once Xu Yan was gone. “Look at her, it’s like someone owes her!”

Xu Yan’s look was certainly not kind.

Of course, Xia Liu stood by her friend and, after a brief sympathy, lost all of it. “If she didn’t do well, it’s not your fault. Otherwise, how come she didn’t take second place?”

Jian Li shrugged. She felt sympathy for Xu Yan, but truly had no guilt.

“Let’s not talk about her. Let’s go.”

Xia Liu nodded, following Jian Li to the small restaurant.

Her mother, Li Lijuan, had gone back to her family’s place for a few days. Xia Liu’s maternal grandmother lived in a different province, and it would take at least ten days for her to return. Before she left, Li Lijuan had paid Wang Mengmei for half a month’s worth of meals, so Xia Liu would eat at the small restaurant for lunch and dinner.

At the restaurant, Wang Mengmei prepared two bowls of noodles for them, with seaweed and bean sprouts at the bottom, topped with chewy hand-pulled noodles, a scoop of meat sauce, and a spoonful of chili oil.

The spicy aroma was tempting, enough to make anyone’s mouth water just from the smell.

Wang Mengmei also brought out two side dishes.

As the weather warmed, the sales of clay pot dishes had started to decline. So Wang Mengmei added cold dishes to the menu, including tofu with scallions, cold tofu skin, and century eggs with cucumber.

Each dish was prepared before mealtime, and they were sold as small plates for 1.5 yuan or large plates for 2.5 yuan.

Xia Liu’s favorite was the cold tomato salad. She would eat one bite of tomato and one bite of noodles, finishing it off with a satisfied burp. After cleaning the table, Wang Mengmei shooed them away to go do their homework.

The restaurant was getting busier, and Jian Li found it hard to do her homework there.

After a quick discussion, they decided to go to Xia Liu’s house to do their homework, and afterward, they would watch TV.

As they were almost to Xia Liu’s house, they passed Xu Yan’s place. Xia Liu grabbed Jian Li’s arm.

“Look, it’s Xu Yan!”

Jian Li looked in the direction Xia Liu was pointing and saw Xu Yan standing at the door of her home, head lowered. Xu Yan’s mom, Sun Yan, was trying to comfort a young boy.

Xia Liu was a bit surprised. “I thought her mom would be scolding her.”

After all these years, everyone knew Sun Yan’s temper.

Jian Li stayed silent, watching Xu Yan, who was quietly standing there, without speaking.

Sometimes, ignoring someone is a form of violence too.