Chapter 20: A Boy’s Reckless Courage
After dropping Lu Li off, Uncle Long had added him on WeChat, telling him to reach out if he needed anything. Lu Li couldn’t imagine what kind of trouble a high school student like him could possibly get into. He wondered what Uncle Long meant by “anything.”
Once home, he sent a message to his sister. She didn’t reply right away. She was probably busy with her practice match. He wondered how she was doing. He opened the laptop bag and took out the brand new computer. There was no way this wasn’t a gift from Chu Xiaodong. Although new, the laptop had a cute bear sticker on the back. Could it be that Chu Jingyi had chosen the computer and had her father deliver it?
Chu Xiaodong had been thorough. The bag also contained a slim keyboard and a simple mouse. The laptop was clearly expensive, its craftsmanship exquisite. The logo was barely noticeable, and beside it was a small inscription:
“XXX Official Order, Custom Made.”
Despite being a laptop, its specs were better than most desktops, more than enough to handle his game. He installed the necessary software and tested the game engine. It ran smoothly. Perfect! This laptop was ideal for independent game development.
Of course, he couldn’t neglect Chu Xiaodong’s task. He knew exactly how many children in his low-rent district shared his unfortunate fate. Even if Chu Xiaodong hadn’t asked, he would have volunteered to help. He made a list, planning to visit each child personally. Many had already dropped out of school to work. Some had even disappeared, rumored to have been abducted.
His heart felt heavy as he wrote, his mood somber. The world always seemed to target the most vulnerable, lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike. He thought of the Chu family’s doghouse, then of the missing children. Could he say that people like the Chus deserved to be punished? Perhaps not. The world was too complex. He didn’t want to dwell on it.
He opened his web browser and searched for information about the Six-Province Tournament. He navigated the website with ease and voted for the most popular player – his sister, of course. Zou Yameng was quite popular, not necessarily for her skills, but for her beauty. She was a crowd favorite.
He scrolled down and found a recent news report.
A reporter had interviewed the athletes during their practice session, asking them about their rivals.
Reporter: What are your thoughts on the upcoming tournament?
Unknown Player: What do you mean “thoughts”? I’ll be watching with my eyes, of course.
Reporter: (laughs) How confident are you in your chances of winning?
Unknown Player: I’m just here to make up the numbers. If you want a real interview, go talk to He Ping.
That player was brutally honest. Lu Li chuckled.
Reporter: Hello, He Ping. May I have a moment of your time?
He Ping: …
Reporter: How confident are you in your chances of winning?
He Ping: 100%.
Reporter: (gasps) That confident?
He Ping: Not confident. They’re just weak.
Reporter: Some people are saying you’re the next Pan Xiaochun. What do you think?
Pan Xiaochun was a national-level table tennis player, a dominant force on the world stage.
He Ping: I’ll surpass her.
Reporter: (gasps again) As expected of the tournament favorite. What are your thoughts on the other top-seeded players? Zou Yameng seems to be just as popular as you.
Lu Li’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of his sister’s name. If he remembered correctly, it was He Ping who had crushed Zou Yameng in his past life. Could the butterfly effect of his rebirth change her fate?
He Ping: Zou Yameng has a weak mentality. She’s no match for me.
Lu Li clenched his fists. How could she say such arrogant things with such nonchalance? And about his sister, no less!
Reporter: Oh? So, if you were to face Zou Yameng, what would your chances of winning be?
He Ping: 10 to 0.
Lu Li frowned. It seemed that fate hadn’t taken pity on them. Was his sister destined to experience another devastating defeat?
What could he do? How could he help her? He didn’t want to see her heartbroken again. Perhaps her suicide in his past life had been triggered by this very loss? He felt so powerless. All he could do was sit here, clenching his fists in frustration.
He hated his own weakness. A man’s weakness wasn’t just about physical strength, but also about wealth, status, and power. He was filled with a burning ambition, but his time hadn’t come yet. He was just an ordinary student. What could he possibly do?
Ding, ding, ding.
Sister Yameng had replied.
[Sister Yameng: Sorry, I was training this afternoon…]
No emojis. That meant she was feeling down. He typed, “Did you play against He Ping?” He hesitated, deleted the message, and sent a different one instead.
[Lu Li: I miss you.]
As expected, she responded with a happy face.
[Sister Yameng: Hehe #laughing, How much do you miss me?]
[Lu Li: As much as you miss me.]
She sent three laughing GIFs in a row. He had successfully cheered her up.
[Sister Yameng: #smirk, But I don’t miss you at all. Not even a little bit.]
[Lu Li: I feel the opposite.]
[Sister Yameng: Hehe, good boy. I’ll bring you back a present~]
Lu Li sighed in relief. It seemed she hadn’t been crushed by He Ping. He had been worried that a defeat at the hands of her rival would send her spiraling.
[Lu Li: When are you coming back?]
[Sister Yameng: After the tournament. Your big sis will at least make it to the quarterfinals~]
[Lu Li: When are your matches?]
She didn’t reply for a while. He knew she was hesitant. She wasn’t confident in her chances of winning and didn’t want him to watch her lose, especially not against He Ping. She wouldn’t be able to face him if that happened.
[Zou Yameng: Focus on your studies. Don’t worry about me.]
He had fallen for that line in his past life. When she returned, she had locked herself in her room, sobbing uncontrollably, her dreams haunted by her defeat. Sister Yameng was incredibly competitive. She always strived to be faster, stronger, better. He couldn’t even begin to describe the impact that loss had had on her.
Never believe that suffering is a gift. No one deserves pain.
He and his sister had suffered enough. They had seen the world’s cruelty firsthand. Sometimes, detaching oneself from society wasn’t about being cynical, but about acknowledging one’s own powerlessness. He could find solace in art, in his sunflowers, but he couldn’t live a life of dignity, couldn’t claim his rightful place in the world.
It was after that incident that he realized his sister wasn’t a superhero. She had weaknesses, she cried, she felt pain, she was just a girl. She should have been enjoying her youth like the other girls at Chuanhai No. 1 High School, discussing the latest makeup trends, trying out new drinks, and basking in the admiration of talented young men.
[Lu Li: Okay. Come home soon. I’ll be waiting.]
He closed his phone and stared at the computer screen, lost in thought. Finally, he closed the laptop, turned off the mobile hotspot, and began searching for train tickets to Lingyue City.
A burning desire, a surge of reckless courage, filled him. He had to go to Lingyue City. He had to be there for his sister. Even if he couldn’t do anything else, he could offer her comfort during her time of need. They could cry together, laugh together. That was one of life’s most precious treasures.
This overwhelming urge consumed him, pushing aside all other thoughts. He had one goal: to be with his sister.
This wasn’t a rational decision, not something a mature adult would do. But this time, he didn’t try to control his emotions. He let his heart lead the way, his passion a wild horse galloping across an open field.
The earliest train departed at 8 am the next day. It wasn’t a direct route, the journey taking 27 hours. A standing ticket cost 223 yuan.
Standing tickets on slow trains were notoriously grueling. He had experienced it once during his early entrepreneurial days. He had spent the entire journey clutching his belongings, squeezed into a cramped compartment, wary of pickpockets and jostled by the relentless crowd. The stench of sweat, urine, and bad breath filled the air. People cursed and complained, children screamed, as if the world was ending.
But what was a little discomfort compared to seeing his sister?
Unfortunately, it wasn’t his apprehension that stopped him, but a message that popped up on the ticketing website: “Please complete real-name authentication.”
His ID wasn’t a regular ID, but a special document linked to his school enrollment, valid only until he graduated high school. He couldn’t buy a ticket. He hesitated for a moment before contacting customer service. After navigating a series of automated menus, he finally reached a human operator.
The phone blasted a distorted, low-quality ringtone. It was hard to believe anyone in this day and age would use such a ringtone.
“All operators are busy. Please try again later.”
He gave up. Relying on customer service was a recipe for frustration.
His gaze fell on the newly added contact on WeChat. Was it time to call in a favor?
He didn’t bother with a “Are you there?” and typed directly, “Uncle Long, I need to buy a train ticket to Lingyue City!” There were only two types of people who asked “Are you there?”: those who needed to borrow money and those you wanted to avoid. Lu Li was neither.
Uncle Long’s reply was swift. “Is it urgent?”
“It’s crucial!!!” He added three exclamation marks for emphasis and began typing a lengthy explanation, hoping to convince him. There was no such thing as unconditional love. Uncle Long wasn’t obligated to help him. He couldn’t guilt-trip the man, but he had to try.
He hadn’t even finished his carefully crafted plea when Uncle Long replied:
“The earliest flight is tomorrow at 8 am. Will that work?”
His mind went blank. He was speechless. He deleted his lengthy message and simply replied:
“Thank you!”
Chu Jingyi, I owe you one.
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