Chapter 21 (1/2)
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Zhang Jun pushed away the textbooks in front of him in one swoop. He did not have the heart to keep going in the face of those mathematical formulas; it was intoxicating―everything seemed to swirl and his eyelids became heavier the more he looked at them.
His gaze then rose to the soccer ball on the wall. It had not been three days since he last played, but the ball seemed to have gathered decades worth of dust within that period. He ambled over, took it off its perch and played a few kick-ups with his left leg―it felt alright. Then, looking at his now less-swollen right ankle, he decided to test how far it had recovered.
But as soon he touched the ball, an agonizing pain struck, overwhelming his foot. Zhang Jun gritted his teeth as he suffered through the pain; the ball bounced a few times before it landed near the door, where a hand picked it up.
“Su Fei?”
The team manager held the ball in her arms as she entered. “Didn’t the coach say you’re not supposed to touch a ball without his permission?”
“My leg’s feeling an itch to touch it. Isn’t it okay to scratch it a little? Coach won’t see it anyway.”
“How’s the injury?”
“It’s almost recovered!” Zhang Jun smiled. “Anything you want from me?”
“Nothing.”
“Really?” He glared at his neighbor.
“‘It’s nothing. I’m just a bit tired from studying, so I came here for a spin.'”
Zhang Jun smiled.
Su Fei turned to the scattered books and papers atop his desk. “Can’t finish your homework?”
He nodded.
She sat down beside him, took up a pen and some scrap paper, then pointed at the questions on the book. “This is not the way. You need to set up z + 1 = y, and then return y into the original formula…”
Zhang Jun stared at Su Fei as she explained question after question; although he managed to keep up at first, his attention soon wandered away entirely.
In his mind, he was wondering why, in just two months of knowing each other, he had such a cozy relationship with Su Fei? Whenever they were together, there was a feeling of rapport. Why was that? Was it possibly God’s arrangement for such a coincidence that she would move into the house next door? But what did he feel about her? And what did she feel about him? Ah! It’s all so incomprehensible! Boy-girl relationships were so complicated and a much bigger headache than 10 Math problems.
“Zhang Jun! Zhang Jun!” His neighbor noticed that his attention had fled. “What’s in your head?”
“Me? Oh! Just some mental arithmetic.”
“Did you get the answer, then?”
“Nope.”
…
“Why aren’t you seeing your girl today?” Zhang Jun asked Yang Pan, who was beside him.
“‘Cos, I miss you!” His friend beamed.
“Go away! I’m not gay!”
“Neither am I!”
“Two more days.” Su Fei sighed.
“What’s in two more days?”
“The match. With his injury, it’s still not certain if Zhang Jun can play. Our opponents were runner-ups of the nationals last year! And Yang Pan, look at your silly, smiling face all day. Aren’t you worried at all?”
“Worried? What use is there to worry? I don’t believe that we’ll lose for certain; we may not be as good without Zhang Jun here, but there’s no guarantee that we’ll lose.”
“Only you believe that―even the coach has been smiling a lot less these few days; he usually smiles a lot.”
“As a coach, he has to be stoic anyway. If others can guess what he’s thinking, how can he be a coach?”
“Does that mean you know?
“I’m just guessing.”
“Tut…”
“I think Shu Guang’s not so bad! Ren Yu De’s technique, An Ke’s diving saves and our seniors are always so diligent, so hardworking. It’s been proven in the last few games.”
“You’re not wrong. But, I’m still feeling anxious.”
“Don’t worry!”
Zhang Jun suddenly felt a chill from the autumn wind.
“Hey! You guys… I’m not dead yet…”
…
The trio parted ways by the stairs to Zhang Jun’s home. Su Fei and Zhang Jun went up together while Yang Pan still had to walk three blocks to his home.
“How will you feel if you can’t play?” Su Fei asked Zhang, who had been quiet for a while.
“It’d be a pity.”
“That’s it?”
“Yeah. The opponents are good and I want to play against them. What’s wrong with that? I know what you’re thinking, but I won’t fall into despair.”
Su Fei turned towards him.
“Want to come by my house, there’s good food!” she smiled.
“Good food?” Zhang Jun remembered the occasion in which he visited her home last week. She cooked him some noodles when he got hungry. There was no way to link her beautiful expression to the taste of the noodles; it was as if the food was cooked by a demon. It was simply inconceivable. A good daughter in front of her parents, a brilliant student in the eyes of their teacher, a charming girl to her classmates yet, her cooking skills were simply horrible.
He shook his head frantically. “No thanks, my mom’s prepared something for me.”
But taking out his keys and opening his door, he found that the dining table was not filled with warm dishes. Instead, a single note lay on top of it and it read:
” Zhang Jun,
I’m heading to Guangzhou for a delivery and won’t be back for a week. I’ve discussed it with Su Fei’s parents; go eat with them for the time being.
Mom”
“Really?! Dad just left for two days and now Mom’s gone too. Fine, I’ll just eat at Su Fei’s. Auntie’s dishes are fine!”
Knocking on her door, the scene that greeted him was Su Fei, who held another note in her hand. “Mom and Dad just went off to Grandma’s,” she said. “They’re only coming back tomorrow.”