Pete watched as the three left the gym and jotted down a few words in his notebook: "The drug has a clear effect, but it can easily excite emotions leading to abnormal behavior."
Outside the gym, the sky was brilliant azure, the clouds cotton white.
"Xiao Xian, I’m sorry," Zhang Yiyi whispered an apology as she got into the car. Not only for that recent fall but also because she had wasted a chance that should have been Xiao Xian’s to play. And she had left the scene in such an embarrassing manner.
"What’s there to be sorry about? It’s not your fault. Anyone with eyes could see that Wang Ke was targeting you," Xiao Xian reassured her, gauging that Zhang Yiyi seemed alright and probably wasn’t hurt too badly.
Zeng Xuerou was surprisingly silent as the car drove away from Shunde Middle School.
"I didn’t score a single point," Zhang Yiyi seemed more concerned about this than anything else.
"Many NBA rookies don’t score on their first time on the court, it’s nothing to worry about," to everyone’s surprise, Zeng Xuerou was the one who spoke, and both Xiao Xian and Zhang Yiyi found it unexpected.
After taking her to the hospital, Zeng Xuerou demonstrated her efficiency as the student council president: from registering for a clinic visit to finding the attending doctor, and then to fetching the medicine, before long, even the X-ray results were out.
"It doesn’t look too serious, no concussion, just a minor fracture in the left leg. You’ll be fine with a medicated plaster, just come back in six days to change it," the doctor instructed after the check-up.
"Do we need to call your parents?" Xiao Xian thoughtfully considered.
"No, absolutely not," Zhang Yiyi didn’t want her dad to know she had embarrassed herself like that today. Besides, she was stubborn; with her leg bandaged up with medicated plaster, she insisted on not letting Xiao Xian and the others support her as they left the hospital.
"Parents would only make it more complicated," it was rare for Zeng Xuerou and Zhang Yiyi to share the same opinion.
On the way back, Zhang Yiyi rested her foot across the back seat of the car, trying to keep the medicated plaster from dirtying the seat.
"Xiao Xian, don’t you think that Wang Ke was very... perverted today?" Zhang Yiyi’s choice of adjectives was somehow funny, given she didn’t excel at language arts. Even though Wang Ke had made her fall flat on her face, she had actually performed quite well today.
"Maybe that’s her real level of skill. Everyone has a side they don’t show," Xiao Xian glanced cautiously at Zeng Xuerou, hinting that everyone might have a hidden side, just like if you only saw Zeng Xuerou driving now, it would be hard to connect her with the person who was crazily speeding down the alleys an hour ago.
"You’re right, I shouldn’t get disheartened over this. Starting tomorrow, I’ll run in the morning and step up my training. One day, I will pay back what happened today, with interest," Zhang Yiyi pounded her fist on the car seat.
It was fortunate that Xiao Xian had bravely saved her today, otherwise, she might’ve been lying in the hospital, her brain - which wasn’t very sharp to begin with - might’ve turned into mush.
"Okay, I’ll practice with you," Xiao Xian agreed readily.
Zeng Xuerou was silent the whole time. She had her own doubts about Wang Ke’s performance today. After all, sports are different from academic tests; luck may count for ten percent, but skill accounts for ninety percent. Wang Ke was a bit smart, but not smart enough to hide her skills. She had always coveted the titles of student council president and basketball captain—she was someone who loved fame and benefits. If she really had the capability, she would have shown it when she first entered the school.
"Let’s stop by my place first, and then the driver can take us back to the school," Zeng Xuerou didn’t share her thoughts with Xiao Xian and the others. It was partly because they weren’t close to Xiao Xian, and partly because the sense of harmony between Xiao Xian and Zhang Yiyi made Zeng Xuerou unwilling to disturb it.
Zeng Xuerou’s home was located within the Inner Third Ring, and although it was in the central business area, it was an Italian-style villa with a spacious garage, surrounded by other independent villas, clearly a wealthy enclave.
Zeng Xuerou had rushed out in the morning and forgot to bring her textbooks, so she went inside to grab her books first.
Xiao Xian remembered Zeng Xuerou’s mother and worried that it might be awkward to see her, so she waited outside. Zhang Yiyi, with her foot raised, looked around and pointed at one of the cars in the garage: "Oh my God, that’s a Ferrari, and it looks so unique."
"You must be Ah Rou’s classmates. Come in and have some mung bean cake, I made it myself," a kindly old woman came out of the house. She was introduced as Grandma Zeng. She looked somewhat like Zeng Xuerou’s mother but had softer features and appeared very friendly. She persuaded the two girls inside the house.
Although the villa’s exterior was decorated in a European style, the interior was classically Chinese. Xiao Xian even noticed a square table similar to the one used by the Zhu Family in Ge Village.
There was a dish of freshly made mung bean cake on the table. No one else seemed to be home, and it appeared Zeng Xuerou’s mother wasn’t around, which relieved Xiao Xian. Zhang Yiyi, after the physical exertion and having her plaster applied at the hospital, and missing lunchtime, couldn’t resist the food; she sipped a little tea and then dived in, proclaiming, "Delicious, Grandma, your cooking skills are amazing."
"If you like it, come over to eat often. Ah Rou doesn’t have many friends and always refuses to bring cakes to school," Grandma Zeng mistook them as close friends of her granddaughter.
Zhang Yiyi, with a mouth charmed by the food, mumbled in agreement.
Xiao Xian looked at the elderly grandmother and was reminded of Zhu Shijun back in Ge Village, nodding in agreement as well.
"Ah, tell me honestly, is Ah Rou somewhat of a loner at school? Ever since her father passed away, she has become . Then there’s today; she took the car out again. If her mother finds out, there will be more scolding," Grandma Zeng started on a sad note, wiping the corner of her eye with the back of her hand.
The old lady was usually alone at home, her granddaughter was taciturn, and her daughter was always out, leaving her solitary. Today, seeing the two young girls, she was overjoyed and began to talkative, sharing some past stories about Zeng Xuerou.
(To be continued. If you work, please head to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation ticket and monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation.)