Chapter 82 - The Ending Is Still the Beginning (1/2)

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

As Zhang Jun ate his breakfast, he could feel the insecurity in his father’s eyes. His smiles were pretentious too. Even his strict and solemn mother was adorned with a mysterious smile. This was the same smile Uncle and Auntie had when they saw him at their house. Zhang Jun could not help but shiver.

In the end, after he was done with breakfast, Zhang Jun was kicked to Su Fei’s house.

“Off you go for your tuition! Your college entrance examination’s coming soon!” His father could say those words with such righteousness even though “soon” was actually still half a year away.

When Zhang Jun arrived at Su Fei’s house with his bag, Auntie instantly said to Uncle, “Let’s go. Accompany me shopping!”

“Oh? Are you two going out?” Zhang Jun asked as he noticed Uncle and Auntie wearing their shoes outside their house.

“Hehe! Yes, we adults need a break from parenting!” Uncle smiled as “happiness” was written all over his face. Auntie gave him a punch, but her face was also filled with the same sense of “happiness”.

“Father, Mother, enjoy yourselves!” Su Fei smiled. She sent her parents out of the door and closed it. After that, she turned around and smiled at Zhang Jun. “Alright, let’s get started!”

It was 9.00 am and Yang Pan just ended his five-kilometer jog. He was covered in sweat as he arrived at the courtyard to have breakfast.

“Is tomorrow the finals?” The uncle who sold noodles smiled and gave him a bowl of chicken noodle soup. There was also a piece of freshly fried scallion cake. Yang Pan was his regular customer. He would always have breakfast at the uncle’s place after he was finished with his morning jog. Yang Pan did not even need to say anything, he already knew what Yang Pan wanted. No matter rain or shine, Yang Pan would have his morning jog every day, and this food stall was the same as well.

“Mmm.” Yang Pan took a bite of the tasty scallion cake and the aroma instantly filled the place. The uncle’s fried scallion cake had been around for eight years and its taste never changed.

“Looking at how the both of you are working so hard every day, will you be getting to the championship?” During this time, there were not many customers around having their breakfast, so the uncle could sit down and have a chat with Yang Pan.

“That’s… Both of us?” Yang Pan lifted his head to look at the uncle, who was smiling.

“Hehe! That’s right! That kid, Zhang Jun jogs every day too. But, he wakes up really early when the sky isn’t even bright yet. When he gets back, he would greet me.” The uncle’s breakfast stall had already been set up in front of the courtyard for eight years. They often went to him for breakfast when Zhang Jun and Yang Pan were still in elementary school, because his scallion cakes were the best in the neighborhood. After one or two visits, everyone was familiar with each other.

Yang Pan looked thoughtfully in the direction of Zhang Jun’s house.

That uncle added, “I’ve never seen him working so hard before, jogging every morning. He’s different from you, in a sense that he does have a bit of laziness. But now, he’s become very serious. That’s why I said the championship won’t escape you!”

“I didn’t know…”

“Huh?”

“I didn’t know he’s been jogging every day…”

“He wakes up early and it’s different from your jogging time, so you two have never bumped into each other. He’d be running back even before the sky becomes bright and the streets are still empty. He’s even earlier than me! I’ve never seen him working so hard before, tsk tsk!” The uncle rubbed his bearded chin as he replied.

…

“Li Yongle, I knew that your physical fitness was good, but I never thought it would be this good!” Zhang Yang lay down on the basketball court and watched as soccer balls flew across his line of sight. They slammed into the basketball post, where some went in while some did not even hit the edge. He was already tired just from picking up the balls, but Li Yongle was still running around, launching his big kicks…

“Tomorrow’s already the finals! If you keep tossing around like that, will you still have the strength for tomorrow? There’s only three hours between now and 7.00 am!”

As Zhang Yang commented, Li Yongle trained. He had tossed his jacket aside earlier on and also taken off his trousers. On that early winter morning, he only wore a long-sleeved sweater and a pair of sports shorts. Yet, he was covered in sweat.

Zhang Yang was helpless and all he could do was lay on the ground as he watched the soccer balls fly across the sky like birds. Beside him were all the soccer balls that Li Yongle had kicked over. Before long, he would have to kick them back.

…

Shu Guang High School’s Teachers Apartment, Building 4, Unit 701.

It was a very messy apartment with a messy living room, bedroom and dining area. Diligent women would not have been able to suppress their urge to clean as soon as they saw it.

In front of a messy bed, there was an extremely untidy table, and on that table there were leftovers. It was uncertain how long the food has been there. On the right, there was a row of sofas and in front, there was a television. The television had been switched off and this was seemingly the most valuable item in the house. In addition, the owner’s clothes were left on the sofa.

The sunlight shone into the house and onto the owner’s face too, but it did not disturb him from his dream. Who knew what he was dreaming of, maybe victory? Or, was it defeat?

In front of the sofa, many video tapes were scattered across the floor and they had different colored labels. The only feature they had in common was the three words neatly written on them: Zhongyuan High School.

…

An Ke gently opened the door and exited like a thief.

“An Ke,” his mother’s voice sounded from the back.

An Ke sighed and turned.

“Where are you going?”

“Me? Hehe! I’m going to go for training!” An Ke rubbed the back of his head and smiled.

“Training?” His mother slapped An Ke on the head. He was dressed in a shiny leather jacket, a pair of jeans and leather shoes, which could have doubled as mirrors. In addition, his hair had obviously been moussed. An Ke that he had no skills when it came to lying. He sighed again and closed the door, taking his shoes off and replacing them with slippers.

“Wash your bed sheets and quilt!” After his mother threw these words to him, she returned back into the house.

An Ke looked at the tub and whined. A preschooler could have used it as a bathtub. It was filled with bed sheets and quilts.