Chapter 1 Failed?

"Handsome, you failed?" Seeing Li Shuai had been downcast these past few days and wasn't even asking for leave to see Su Fei, his teammates guessed what had happened.

Li Shuai nodded.

"Wow! No way! Even the invincible Handsome fails?" The other teammates exclaimed.

"She has a boyfriend..."

"Boyfriend? So what if she has a boyfriend? You've snatched lovers countless times, it's practically your signature move. Why isn't it working this time?"

Li Shuai shook his head with a smile, but it was a strange smile.

One of his teammates said fiercely, "Damn it! So what if she has a boyfriend? I'll get someone to teach him a lesson. See if he dares to compete with Handsome!" His words were immediately echoed by most of the others.

Li Shuai stood up and waved his hand. "What are you talking about? Do you think I'm that kind of person? Have you ever seen me use such dirty tricks? Do you think girlfriends are won by fighting? Damn it! Don't anyone mention this kind of thing in front of me again, or I'll fall out with them!"

"Then..." The one who suggested teaching Zhang Jun a lesson hesitated, "So you're just giving up, Handsome?"

"I'll handle my own affairs." Li Shuai put on his coat and walked out of the court, ignoring the reactions of the others behind him. Just as he reached the edge of the court, the captain stopped him. "Li Shuai, I'm reminding you, the finals are coming up soon, you need to focus all your attention on that! This year is our last chance..."

Li Shuai patted the captain's shoulder. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing!"

Su Fei took a few steps back, looking at her still life sketch. The drawing teacher stood beside her, squinting at it, then nodded. "Su Fei, have you really never studied drawing before?"

Su Fei shook her head.

The teacher smiled. "I can't believe it, a beginner can draw so well. Perspective, contrast, lines, you've mastered them all very well." She finished speaking, took the painting off the easel, and clipped it to the blackboard. "Everyone can take a good look at Su Fei's painting, she drew it very well!"

While the other students were still admiring it, Su Fei changed the paper and started drawing again. This time, she was drawing Zhang Jun, entirely from the impression in her mind.

The teacher stood behind her again. "Su Fei, are you interested in making greater progress in drawing? I think you have a lot of talent."

Su Fei looked back at the teacher and nodded.

"I hold a drawing interest group here every Tuesday and Friday evening. There aren't many people, but they're all students who love drawing. You can come and listen."

Su Fei thought that she didn't have classes on Tuesday and Friday evenings, so there was no problem with the time, and nodded again. "Okay, I'll definitely come!"

Li Shuai decided to salvage this hard-won relationship. Su Fei was a very special girl, and it would be a pity to let her go easily. He arrived early outside classroom 709 of the Second Teaching Building, waiting for her. He knew that Su Fei should be having her sketching class here at this time.

After the bell rang, the door of classroom 709 opened, and the students of the Art and Design Department walked out one after another. Class was over. But Li Shuai didn't see Su Fei.

Su Fei and a few committee members cleaned the classroom together and asked the teacher about some things about the painting class before finally being the last one to walk out of the classroom. As she locked the door and turned to leave, she noticed Li Shuai standing by the window in the corridor.

Li Shuai tried his best to look as normal as usual and said to Su Fei, "I'd like to invite you to watch the semi-finals this afternoon."

"That, Li Shuai, I know..."

"I'd like to invite you to watch the semi-finals this afternoon, will you go?"

Su Fei shook her head firmly. "I'm sorry, I can't go."

At that moment, Li Shuai was a little agitated. "Why? It's just a game! What's so good about him? You... you two... I can't see any way he's better than me! He never comes to see you, doesn't go shopping with you, hasn't bought you anything! He's just a special recruit who only knows how to play soccer!"

As soon as he said it, Li Shuai regretted it a little. It was the first time he had lost his composure in front of a girl, but a man's self-esteem made him raise his head instead.

Su Fei listened quietly to Li Shuai's words, then put down the small bucket containing her paintbrushes, paint box, and palette, and leaned the drawing board on her back against the wall.

"You're right, he's just a special recruit who only knows how to play soccer, he rarely goes shopping with me, let alone buys me anything. Most of the time, soccer is everything to him. Besides playing soccer, he doesn't know anything. He's not handsome, his family isn't very rich, he doesn't have any big backers, his studies are average, he's lazy, gluttonous, and a bit silly... Sometimes, I can't even think of what his advantages are."

Su Fei looked at the drizzling rain outside the window.

"Sometimes, I wonder why I've been searching for five years for a person I only saw once during a soccer game in elementary school. At that time, I didn't even know what a dozen boys were doing fighting over a ball on the field. What I saw in elementary school can't prove anything, it's just a little girl's fantasy after watching too many fairy tales, right? But for five years, everything else has become blurred, only that shadow has never been forgotten. Later, I really got together with him – to be honest – there's nothing romantic about it. Almost every day is training, games, I'm the team manager, I have an endless pile of dirty laundry to wash every day, and we rarely go on dates, and there are always 'light bulbs' around." Su Fei smiled, "But I don't know why, I just like to watch him run on the field, I just like to see the expression on his face when he plays soccer. By the way, why did you choose basketball?"

Su Fei suddenly turned to look at Li Shuai, who was stunned by the question. "Ah? Me? Why did I choose basketball?"

But Su Fei didn't wait for him to answer, but turned her face away and continued to say to herself, "He asked me the same thing, asking me why I chose soccer. At that time, I didn't know how to answer him, so I said I liked soccer. Later, he asked me again, why would a girl who doesn't understand soccer like soccer? I said I like it because I like it, I don't necessarily have to understand it. You must think that answer is stupid, right?" Su Fei smiled again. "But for three years in high school, following him from the regional competition to the national competition, and then to the national championship, I realized that my answer at the beginning was the best answer. For me, like is like, no reason needed. I like soccer, and I like him. I think you're the same, right? You chose basketball because you like basketball, right?"

Su Fei bent down to pick up the bucket on the ground and put the drawing board on her back that was leaning against the wall. "Thank you for taking care of me these past few days, goodbye!"

She brushed past Li Shuai, who was still standing there blankly, and gradually disappeared around the corner of the stairs.

The semi-final was very intense. With just over three minutes left in the game, the scores were still very close. The coach glanced at Li Shuai. He wasn't in good shape today, scoring only 10 points in 23 minutes on the court, but at this crucial moment, they still had to rely on his experience.

"Li Shuai, get in there."

Li Shuai raised his head.

U made a substitution, number 14 Li Shuai re-entered the game. As soon as he came on the court, he scored a three-pointer for U, slightly widening the gap, and then another assist under the basket, the center captain scored two more points. The coach's smile returned to his face, it seemed that his substitution was the right one.

Soon after, the opponent responded with a three-pointer, closing the gap again, but the coach wasn't worried at all. With Li Shuai's performance just now, winning the game shouldn't be a problem.

Sure enough, the opponent attacked again, launching a strong attack under the basket, but the U captain slapped the ball away with one hand. The ball was caught by Li Shuai amidst the cheers of the U fans, and he dribbled the ball quickly towards the opponent's basket, which was only guarded by one person.

Fast break!

The cheers in the stadium almost lifted the roof.

Only the captain felt a trace of unease in his heart, he shouted at his dazed teammates, "Go up and support him! He can't do it alone..." Before he could finish speaking, Li Shuai suddenly faced the basketball hoop and jumped high, his right hand holding the basketball high, flying towards the hoop!

Dunk!

The cheers rose again.

The captain cursed in his heart, "Damn it! His knee..."

The only opponent guarding under the basket was 5 cm taller than Li Shuai, but his jumping ability was not as good as Li Shuai's. He jumped up with all his strength, stretching his hands upwards, trying to interfere with Li Shuai's dunk.

Li Shuai flew in the air, his legs curled up, gripping the ball with his right hand. At that moment, the wind was whistling in his ears, and the cheers in the stadium disappeared without a trace. In front of him were the hoop and the opponent's outstretched hands.

Suddenly, the opponent disappeared, leaving only the hoop, and Su Fei's figure appeared before his eyes.

"Why did you choose basketball?"

Everyone saw Li Shuai rise up, but then suddenly fell from the air like a deflated ball. Amidst the screams of the fans, his knees were the first to hit the floor...

Chaotic crowds, chaotic voices, chaotic scenes.

"Quick! Stretcher!"

"Damn it! Was it you kid who committed the foul!"

"Referee!"

"Call an ambulance!"

...

Li Shuai kept his eyes open all the time. He saw a butterfly fluttering in the sky above the stadium, waving in front of his eyes, and then slowly flying away, through an open window, flying to the outside world.

Since sending out the tape, a day had passed, and Zhang Jun hadn't received any news about Su Fei. He had a bad feeling in his heart, maybe he had already failed, and Su Fei was disappointed in him.

As soon as he returned to the dormitory, Zhu Hui said to him with a smirk, "Su Fei called, she's waiting for you at the entrance of the Art Center at 5:30."

Zhang Jun was stunned, then looked up at the clock on the table. It was already 5:45. He had eaten dinner and had been wandering outside for so long!

Without thanking Zhu Hui, Zhang Jun turned around and rushed out the door.

"Hey! Umbrella! He didn't even take the umbrella..." Zhu Hui looked at the drizzling rain outside the window and then looked at the open door, shaking his head.

Night had fallen, and the lights in the campus came on one after another. It was still raining, and there were few pedestrians on the road.

Zhang Jun ran wildly in the rain, clutching the Tibetan ornament he bought for eighteen yuan tightly in his hand. He was fifteen minutes late, hopefully Su Fei hadn't left, otherwise he would never forgive himself.

There weren't many people on the road, and Zhang Jun sprinted towards the Modern Art Center at the speed he used on the field.

...

The lights of the Art Center were on. There was a photography exhibition going on these days, but there weren't many people now. Su Fei, standing at the entrance of the center with an umbrella, heard a burst of rapid footsteps. She turned around and saw Zhang Jun running out from behind the trees, panting.

As soon as Zhang Jun ran out of the small woods, he saw Su Fei turn around. He suppressed the excitement in his heart and stopped. Then he took a deep breath and walked towards Su Fei again. He stopped when he was about two meters away from Su Fei, and didn't take another step forward.

Su Fei looked at Zhang Jun, who was soaked in the rain, took a big step forward, and stood face to face with him.

"You're sixteen minutes late!"

"Yes, I'm sorry, I..."

"I listened to that song, thank you..." Su Fei lowered her head.

Zhang Jun was a little panicked. He didn't understand what this "thank you" meant. He squeezed the necklace in his hand. "I..."

Su Fei looked up at Zhang Jun again.

"I... I'm sorry, I couldn't fulfill my promise on your birthday. However, I still want to ask you to forgive me. My temporary willfulness made you suffer." Zhang Jun opened his right hand, revealing the already wet Tibetan ornament pendant. "I bought this on Huangshan Road, it's very cheap, and the workmanship isn't very good, but this was the last one there. I wanted to give it to you as a birthday present, although your birthday has already passed, I still want to wish you a happy birthday! The meaning of this is very good, it's saying..."

"Praying that love will last forever, eternally as one."

Zhang Jun looked at Su Fei strangely, "How did you know, how did you know this meaning?"

Su Fei didn't answer this question, she smiled, "Zhang Jun, it's your birthday in four days, right?"

Zhang Jun nodded, not understanding.

"I also have a birthday present for you, close your eyes!"

During this time, Wakin Chau's new album "Forget Worry Grass" which had been anticipated for two years was finally released. The campus radio station had been introducing this warm and overflowing new album, and played one of the songs every day.

"Yesterday we broadcast "Is There a Song That Will Make You Think of Me", a song with a very long name, but very listenable. Today we recommend the last main song, a song full of warm warmth, and infinitely moving--Forget Worry Grass..." The female host introduced softly.

Zhang Jun obediently closed his eyes, wondering what kind of gift Su Fei was going to give him. So she hadn't come to find him these past few days because she was buying him a gift, and he was just guessing...

Zhang Jun was thinking wildly when he suddenly felt a heat on his cheek, and a warm thing pressed against his lips, his nose filled with a fragrant scent.

Let the weak of us understand cruelty, bravely face every cold in life.

Those who have loved reluctantly often have fate but no share.

Who takes whom seriously, who feels sorry for whom, who is the only one, who belongs to whom?

The wounded and innocent soul has long since denied that there is any god.

Beautiful life, kind people, heartache, sadness, and worries are too insignificant.

You, me, and him coming and going, meeting is not as good as a light smile...

The umbrella had fallen to the ground at some point, constantly swinging gently in the puddle.

Zhang Jun suddenly remembered a game in his second year of high school, when he and Su Fei hugged each other because of an accident, that feeling, he still hadn't forgotten it until now...

In the darkness, Zhang Jun stretched out his hands, tremblingly, slowly, forcefully embraced Su Fei in his arms, everything was like that day, it was raining too, and it was he who took the initiative to embrace...

...

Forget worry grass, just forget it!

How much do you know in your dreams?

Some corner of the world, some small island, some year, some month, some day, some embrace.

Green grass by the riverbank, quietly waiting for the end of time...

...