Chapter Fifteen: Once Weak but Now Strong

  A week passed quickly in preparation for both sides, Wen Qing attended classes with the cat in the back row, and after school, he went to practice ball with two beauties. The days were calm and peaceful. On the day when Wen Qing had an appointment with Mu Shan, as soon as the afternoon class was over, Wen Qing saw Mu Shan leading a group of people including Bai Huan, Meng Hao, Hong Hou, and Hou Qiang standing by the flower bed in front of the teaching building, each with their hands clasped behind their backs, looking arrogant. Seeing Wen Qing come out, they simultaneously let out bursts of cold laughter, as if they could trample Wen Qing underfoot at any moment - although last time they didn't suffer any losses, but their faces were lost completely clean, everyone had made up their minds that today, they must regain the face they lost.

  The classmates of the third class obviously felt the eerie atmosphere in the air, pointing and whispering from a distance, but no one dared to stand beside Wen Qian. Ren Yi, although full of worry on his face, also didn't dare come over.

  It's only been ten days since school started, and this group of people has already gained notoriety. Yesterday, they even beat up the son of a deputy director from the Construction Committee, and in the end, nothing came of it. Qingyi Middle School has many children of officials, and although the deputy director of the Construction Committee is not a big shot, he's still from a department with real power. The fact that he can't even help his own son get revenge shows that something is off. Those who understand the situation immediately realize that Qingyi Middle School is here to stir up trouble, and Mu Shanshan's group is really not easy to mess with.

  Mu Shan raised his hand, pointing at Wen Qian's nose with a virtual tap, then shook his head and turned to walk towards the small playground. He didn't say a word, but his expression and actions showed extreme contempt and insult.

  Meng Ke and Ji Su stood behind the crowd, naturally seeing Mu Shan's provocation. Meng Ke said in a low voice: "Mu Shan is too much, it's just Wen Ze saying a joke, why can't he let it go?" She still thought that Mu Shan was looking for trouble with Wen Ze, but it was actually because of what he said when adjusting seats, "It's not good for my reputation".

  Ji Su shook her head, a thoughtful look in her beautiful eyes. "Mu Shan may seem reckless, but he's not that boring of a person. Maybe they had some past dealings!"

  Meng Ke suddenly smiled mischievously and crawled to Ji Su's ear, teasingly saying: "Gu Wenyan is close friends with Mu Shanshan, maybe it was someone who lost their temper in a fit of rage..." This statement was close to the truth.

  Ji Su's face was flushed with anger, but her ears were slightly red, and she reached out to pinch Meng Cuo's waist, Meng Cuo dodged and counterattacked, for a moment the atmosphere was lively and joyful.

  Wen Ze turned his head, and the corner of his eye happened to catch this scene. He was in such a situation, even people he had just met in class looked worried, but only Ji Su was still enthusiastic. Although he knew he couldn't ask others to do anything, his heart suddenly felt cold. But on his face, he wore a smile and made a bow with his fists: "Everyone wants to watch the show early, if you go late there won't be good seats, don't blame me for not being kind..."

  The classmates of the third class burst into laughter, and Meng Ke also started laughing. Wen Jian gave people a feeling that seemed to be going out for dinner and tea as casual, you know, he was facing a rising tyrant in Zhongyuan Middle School.

  "I think Wen Cen is not as despicable as you said, is there some misunderstanding between you two?" Meng Ke has always had a good impression of Wen Cen.

  Ji Su didn't respond, her eyes fixed on Wen Qian's back, thinking that this boy was really a bit different.

  Arriving at the playground, Mu Shanshan and others were already waiting on the basketball court. He pointed to the three people beside him and said: "This is my teammate Shi Chengcai, Guan You, this is our senior brother Lü Qinghua from high school, who is also the referee for this match. Don't say I'm bullying you, Shi Chengcai and Guan You are both classmates of mine in first year of high school at No. 1 Middle School, Grandpa doesn't need to find outside help, we can still crush you."

  If it weren't for Ning Xiaoying, this intelligence broker, Wen Ze would have been deceived by Mu Shanshan's ambiguous words. He might have even thought that Mu Shanshan was a decent person. Now he knows how fake his words are - being in the top grade is not bad, but MB found a semi-professional team member and still has the nerve to speak?

  He put down his hands and smiled, "Swearing is useless except for making yourself look more foolish."

  Mu Shan was so angry that he was almost suffocating, his fists clenched and veins bulging. He didn't know when it started, but one sentence from Wen Xiao could make him breathless. Mu Shan felt a lump of air stuck in his chest, if he couldn't vent it out today, he might really spit blood. He could beat the director's son without blinking an eye, or scold Feng Jianjun, the toughest fighter in school, with his finger pointed at his nose. But facing Wen Xiao now, he was like a virgin visiting a brothel - nowhere to start.

  "Kid, I hope you play ball as smoothly as your mouth, otherwise, hum, after today, when you see us, you'll have to call us grandpa!"

  The two monkeys, Red Monkey and Black Monkey, didn't need to be said, were sneering and jeering on the side, their intention was very clear, just wanting to make Wen Qian lose his temper and perform abnormally. Although they didn't think Wen Qian had any level worth performing, it didn't stop them from showing off with their mouths, satisfying their addiction.

  Wen Cai ignored them, for people like this, ignoring is the best contempt. But Bai Huan, who had been silent beside him, suddenly said: "Wen Cai, do you want to challenge our circle? I'm afraid you'll be crushed to pieces!"

  "This is extremely ridiculous. Wen Qing couldn't help but sneer: 'A group of second-generation rich kids, pretending to be more authentic than the real thing, impressive!' "

  Bai Huan's face remained unchanged, with a hint of cold smile hanging on his lips.

  As they spoke, a crowd had gathered around them. Although Mu Shan's notorious reputation had just begun to spread, the Chinese people's favorite pastime was excitement and bustle first and foremost. The onlookers were numerous, with the saying "good show, no watching, idiot" being put into practice. In this short span of time, there were no longer any good spots left around the basketball court to watch from, and latecomers could only stand at the side stairs, also known as the spectator seats. There were still people arriving from afar who had heard the news and were inquiring about what was happening, a constant stream of them.

  Mu Shanshan had already changed into his uniform, unexpectedly it was the Chicago Bulls jersey, this was Jordan's heyday, but what made Wen Qiang's eyes widen in shock was that Mu Shanshan coincidentally wore the same number 45 as Jordan.

  He slowly unbuttoned his shirt, revealing the jersey underneath, and sneered: "Haven't you heard a saying? The 45th Jordan is not as good as the 23rd Jordan. With this kind of skill, you're just waiting to be called grandpa."

  Wen Chao surprisingly wore a Bulls jersey as well, but unlike Mu Shanshan, he was even more shameless and wore the number 23.

  Mu Shan was a rough and tumble type, he didn't understand anything too delicate, and looked around at his teammate Guan You with suspicion. Guan You, who had semi-professional experience, suggested that Mu Shan wear the number 45 jersey. Originally, Mu Shan didn't want to be too flashy, after all, wearing the number 23 would be an insult to the great Jordan, but under Mu Shan's strong request, they compromised and chose the new number 45 that Jordan wore when he came back this year. But unexpectedly, someone else was even more shameless and wore the number 23. Guan You explained to him in a low voice, but Mu Shan got angry again, spitting blood, and couldn't help but punch the basketball hoop, pointing at Wen Qiang and saying viciously: "You wait, you wait..."

  Lu Qinghua, a second-year student with a mole at the corner of his eyebrow, spoke up: "Wen Cheng, where is your teammate? If you don't show up in less than three minutes, you will lose this match."

  The stone that had been silent beside him suddenly let out a cold hum: "Isn't it too miserable to mix, can't even find one teammate?"

  The rules of bullfighting were not well understood, anyway, who cares about the rules in this kind of competition? Ning Xiaoyin said, what's the point of talking about rules or no rules, as long as some basic things are not violated, everything else is fine. Moreover, Wen Cang had no confidence in the referee Mu Shanshan had brought, and was just about to mock him a few times when suddenly there was an uproar from the crowd around them, like tens of thousands of giant drums being beaten at the same time, stirring up a huge wave that surged forward like a tide.

  She turned around and saw a heart-wrenching scene. Many years later, when recalling this moment, what remained deep in her heart were the two vibrant figures of youth and the faint smiles on their faces.

  Not far away, on the shaded path, Xu Yao and Ning Xiao Ying walked side by side, their long hair tied back, swaying to the rhythm of their steps. Their pale pink custom-made basketball uniforms accentuated their slender figures, making them appear delicate and transparent. The short shorts exposed their smooth, straight legs, two centimeters above the knee. Their fair skin seemed to be shrouded in a thin layer of red mist under the evening sun's rays, as if they were celestial beings.

  The dense crowd automatically dispersed a path, and the two women walked slowly through the countless people who were either panting or holding their breath. They came to Wen Qian's side, standing on both sides, and the two poetic faces simultaneously smiled at Wen Qian.

  The joys of life are short-lived, and a thousand pieces of gold are lightly spent on a single smile.

  What more can one ask for in life?

  Wen Qian looked at Mu Shanshan and others who were staring blankly, still with a faint expression that made Mu Shanshan vomit blood, and said: "My teammates are here!"

  Innumerable classmates who still held onto their illusions suddenly felt a chill, as jealousy, admiration, disdain and curiosity filled the air, locking Wen Qiang and his two companions firmly in the center of public opinion.

  "Really? Xǔ Yáo ah, Xǔ Yáo!"

  "Even if Ning Xiao Ying can pull it off, you'd better not refuse!"

  "Too awesome, idol, I think Wen Chao is going to win."

  "Hmph, you've got some guts, huh?"

  It started with a few people whispering, then the voices gradually grew louder, and slowly the entire small playground was in an uproar. Even Wen Qian himself hadn't expected that Xu Yao and Ning Xiao'ning would cause such a big commotion. However, seeing Mu Shanshan's face across from him, this feeling wasn't bad at all.

  Ji Su couldn't withstand Meng Ke's persistent persuasion and was dragged to the small playground, where the basketball court was packed with people. The two of them stood on the high steps, overlooking the crowd below. Suddenly, Gu Wenyan appeared out of nowhere, squeezed in beside Ji Su and laughed: "I just went to Class 3 looking for you but couldn't find you, didn't expect you'd also come over. What's going on, did you make a bet or something? You seem a bit nervous?"

  It must be said that Gu Wenyan's demeanor is excellent, and the temperament cultivated by his superior family background far surpasses that of his peers. When speaking, he is neither hasty nor slow, with a humorous and interesting tone, exuding an elegant demeanor that has captivated countless young girls. However, he treats others with courtesy but not excessive familiarity, especially towards Ji Su, where he maintains a polite distance without being overly friendly or aggressive, always within the bounds of tolerance. Facing such a person, anyone would find it difficult to ignore him.

  Moreover, although Gu Wenyan is hypocritical and has a sharp tongue towards those who offend him, no one dares to spread rumors about him to Ji Su's ears. Meng Ke had vaguely heard some rumors and told Ji Su, but how could such hearsay shake the impression he had always left on Ji Su?

  So, although Ji Su didn't have any romantic feelings towards him, she thought it was okay to be friends and didn't intentionally keep her distance or get close, everything went naturally, maintaining a slightly more intimate relationship than ordinary classmates. Hearing his joke, she couldn't help but laugh: "Ah, so you made a bet, huh? Gu classmate, I finally found a flaw in you!"

  Gu Wenyan burst out laughing and was about to speak when he heard a huge commotion from the crowd below, turned his head to look, and his face instantly turned iron-gray!

  The crowd was like a sea, but he saw Ning Xiaoying standing beside Wen Qian with one glance. Her tall and slender figure stood out, and her delicate face was filled with a gentle smile!

  This smile, he had never seen before, nor had he ever thought that one day, the cold Ning Xiaocong would have such a smile!

  "Look, look! Xū Yāo from Class 1 and Níng Xiǎo Níng from Class 7!" Mèng Kē pulled Jì Sù along, bouncing up and down as she gazed at the two girls who seemed like elves, her face full of astonishment and unreserved admiration.

  Meng Ke's loveliness lies in her not having the usual petty thoughts of girls, she likes what she should like, praises what she should praise, and won't be jealous just because someone is prettier than herself, nor will she belittle herself because of someone else's beauty. She knows her own strengths and weaknesses, neither being complacent nor self-deprecating. Being able to become friends with Ji Su, such a beautiful girl, without any reservations, Meng Ke's character is an important reason.

  Ji Su first noticed the expression on Gu Wen Yuan's face, then saw Xu Yao and Ning Xiao Nian standing beside Wen Qiang. She naturally knew that the boring people in her grade compared herself to these two girls, although they had different personalities and temperaments, but in the small Class One, they were undoubtedly the three most eye-catching people.

  Now, there are two standing beside the unobtrusive and ordinary boy Wen Qian, one on the left and one on the right. This combination that should be very incongruous, at this moment, in this space, under the blue sky and white clouds, amidst the rustling of leaves and chirping of birds, actually gives people a very harmonious picture.

  Ji Su smiled and said softly: "Gu classmate, maybe you should go there!"

  Gu Wenyan knew that Ji Sulian was extremely clever and must have seen something from his expression, but now he couldn't care less about anything. No matter what, Ning Xiaoyan's appearance here was a severe slap in the face for him. This wasn't just a slap in the face, it was like being stripped naked and thrown into a group of men, with his butt up in the air, humiliated like a flower. He could imagine that Mu Shanshan, including other people who knew about this, must have had colorful expressions on their faces at this moment, perhaps even mocking the green hat on his head!

  "Susu, I'll be right back, don't worry about it," and with that, he left without a care, despite Meng Ke's astonished gaze.

  "Hmph, men are all no good!" Meng Ke muttered discontentedly. Although she didn't like Gu Wenyan clinging to Ji Su, seeing other beauties made him wave his hand and run away, making her so angry that she was soaked through.

  Ji Su smiled and said: "Other people's grudges, you care about which aspect? Meng Er, I just thought of Gu Wen Yuan as a classmate, nothing more. You can rest assured."

  Meng Ke hugged Ji Su's slender waist and shouted: "Good Susu, give me a kiss."

  Ji Su Jiao smiled and dodged, her eyes quietly drifting to a distance, where there was a boy who used to be weak but had become strong.

  A 4,200-word grand chapter, congratulating you on Mid-Autumn Festival, wishing everyone a happy reunion and good health!