Volume One: High School Days Chapter Fourteen: My Father's Hot Pot Restaurant Opens

The next day.

Everyone who had already arrived at the competition venue was listening to Teacher Han explain the schedule for today’s events. At that moment, Xiaoya walked over from a distance, her steps slightly unsteady, as if she were still feeling dizzy. Yusheng’s eyes followed her intently, and Teacher Han, noticing his gaze, glanced in Xiaoya’s direction as well. He then turned back and said, “Enough, listen to me first before you stare.”

All the team members noticed Xiaoya and began to tease, shouting, “Here she is! Yusheng’s right here!” Xiaoya stopped, waved to everyone, then walked dizzily up to the stands.

Once Teacher Han finished his briefing, Yusheng quickly ran to the stands. One of the other teachers remarked, “Wow, he’s running faster than he did in the hundred meters yesterday,” causing everyone to burst into laughter.

When Yusheng reached the stands and saw Xiaoya, she looked even more exhausted than yesterday, clearly not feeling well. He asked, “Are you unwell?”

As Xiaoya opened her mouth, the strong smell of alcohol wafted out, but she insisted, “I promised you I’d come, so I’m here.”

Yusheng suddenly felt a pang of concern and asked again, “Did you drink?”

“Yes,” Xiaoya replied enthusiastically, “A friend had a birthday yesterday, and I drank until four in the morning. I was afraid I’d miss this by falling asleep, so I just stayed up.” Her excitement made it plain the alcohol hadn’t yet worn off.

Yusheng took Xiaoya’s hand and said gently, “Go home and rest; you’re too tired.”

Xiaoya looked at her hand in his, then staggered to her feet and hugged Yusheng, whispering in his ear, “I just want to be with you.”

Yusheng, at a loss, took out his phone and called Liu Meng, explained the situation, and Liu Meng reluctantly agreed to come. Half an hour later, as the competition was about to begin, Yusheng anxiously awaited Liu Meng’s arrival while Xiaoya remained drunkenly confused. Just then, Liu Meng called.

Yusheng answered immediately, “Where are you?!”

“I see you, wait for me there!” Liu Meng hung up and hurried over. Upon seeing Xiaoya unable to stand steadily, Liu Meng’s resentment faded. Not wanting Yusheng to be embarrassed in front of so many people, she wrapped her arm around Xiaoya and led her away.

Suddenly, Yusheng remembered something and said, “Let’s have dinner at my family’s hotpot restaurant tonight. Did Ren Xiadong tell you?”

Liu Meng, still supporting Xiaoya, replied without turning, “He did, and he gave me the address.”

“Good, bring Xiaoya along.” With that, Yusheng went to join the other team members.

The morning event was Yusheng’s specialty—long jump. Each athlete had six jumps: the first three were qualifiers, the last three the finals. Yusheng’s first jump in the qualifiers measured 6.78 meters, and he skipped the remaining two, sitting quietly to await the finals, as no one could surpass his mark. He was certain to advance.

In the end, eight athletes reached the finals, and seven of them discussed who would take second place, as everyone knew first would go to Yusheng from the Seventh High School.

As expected, Yusheng won first place with a jump of 7.31 meters, breaking the Hedong District record and astonishing everyone with a performance worthy of a first-class athlete.

After the event, several sports club coaches approached Yusheng, urging, “Come train with us! At the club, you’ll have strong teammates, systematic training, and opportunities to compete. You might even become a sports star one day.” Many schools’ athletes trained at these clubs, and the coaches had come to watch their protégés perform, only to see Yusheng steal the spotlight. They noticed his exceptional physical abilities and all hoped to recruit him.

Teacher Han watched the scene unfold, feeling uneasy but wanting Yusheng to have a bright future, so he kept quiet, suppressing his own feelings.

Yusheng glanced at Teacher Han and replied to the coaches, “I love track and field, but I’m the top student in my grade, so I don’t have much time for club training. Thank you all for your interest.”

Disappointed, the coaches left.

Yusheng then approached Teacher Han and said, “You’re my first coach. I won’t leave you before I go to university.”

Teacher Han, maintaining composure, replied, “Enough with your clever words! Come have lunch—the 4x200 relay this afternoon still depends on you!” In truth, Teacher Han was delighted but didn’t show it. Yusheng understood. Before his return to the present, in similar circumstances, he had chosen the sports club, leaving Teacher Han heartbroken. This time, he stayed by Teacher Han’s side, remembering that in the end, he had left the club and returned to school training, and it was under Teacher Han’s guidance that he gained admission to university through athletics.

The afternoon’s events concluded swiftly. When Yusheng appeared for the 4x200 relay, the crowd erupted in excitement. At that moment, Yusheng was every athlete’s idol, and with him on the team, Seventh High School inevitably claimed first place in the relay.

At the closing ceremony, all athletes gathered on the green field to hear the final team rankings.

After announcing the elementary and middle school results, the high school team rankings were next.

The district leader took the stage again, first announcing the second through fifth places, since only the top five schools received certificates.

“I hereby announce: the winner of this year’s Hedong District Track and Field Meet, high school division, is Xinghai City Seventh High School!” At the announcement, Yusheng and all the athletes from Seventh High School cheered loudly.

After Yusheng, as representative, received the certificate on stage, all the teachers and athletes boarded the school bus to Yusheng’s father’s hotpot restaurant.

They arrived at what had once been his father’s company, now transformed into Spicy Hotpot Restaurant, lavishly decorated with a banner at the entrance reading, “Grand Opening—Half Price All Day! Free for teachers and students of Xinghai City Seventh High School!”

Seeing such a grand hotpot restaurant, Yusheng himself could hardly believe it belonged to his family. Though he was the behind-the-scenes owner, he didn’t receive a salary. It took him a moment to process; then he announced, “Eat your fill today!”

Inside, they found all the students from Class One of Grade One already waiting. As all the students stood and applauded, they called out, “Congratulations to Seventh High School for winning first place at the sports meet!”

Yusheng’s father came out, greeted the teachers, and said, “Please sit, tell me whatever you’d like to eat—if we have it, it’s yours; if not, I’ll find a way to get it for you.”

At his father’s invitation, everyone sat down, and soon every table was laden with food.

“Yusheng’s father, you’ve worked hard—let’s have a drink together.” Teacher Han pulled Yusheng’s father over. Yusheng’s father loved drinking, and he gladly sat down to toast with the teachers, saying, “Next time you all come, let me know in advance—everything’s on the house.” Teacher Han, a man of principle, replied, “We’ll let you know, but don’t waive the bill—just give us a discount, ha ha ha.” Yusheng’s father and the teachers chatted and laughed as they ate and drank together.

Yusheng went around each table, telling everyone, “Eat well, drink well, don't hold back.” When he reached Ren Xiadong, who was eating fervently, he slapped him hard, causing the fish ball he'd just picked up to drop back into the pot. Ren Xiadong grumbled, “I’m adding a rule: never interrupt me when I’m eating!”

Yusheng ignored him and said, “Why didn’t you notify the homeroom teacher and the other substitute teachers? Did I forget, or did you?” Ren Xiadong paused, then replied, “If you didn’t remember, how could I? Besides, except for the PE teacher, I can’t remember any of the others.” Yusheng nodded, “You’re right—eat up, you’ll be running around with me again soon.” Ren Xiadong didn’t respond and continued eating.

At noon, Yusheng received a call from Chief Editor Hao of Senhai, informing him that his animated feature film was scheduled for release on the first day of the Lunar New Year, 2012. Voice work was underway, and he’d be needed for post-production promotion and other tasks, so he’d be traveling frequently. They agreed he would go to Jing City every weekend, since it was only about three hours from Xinghai City, and he could make the round trip in two days. Not wanting to travel alone, Yusheng decided to bring Ren Xiadong along.

As everyone was enjoying themselves, Liu Meng arrived with Xiaoya. The entire sports team saw Xiaoya behind Liu Meng and exclaimed, “Yusheng’s girlfriend is here!” Liu Meng assumed they were referring to her and replied coyly, “Oh, stop it!” But the team members clarified, “Dream on—we’re talking about the gorgeous girl behind you!”

Yusheng’s father quickly stood up, looked at Xiaoya, and said to Yusheng, “I’m very satisfied!” Yusheng was left speechless.

Teacher Han said to Yusheng’s father, “The school doesn’t allow early relationships.”

Yusheng’s father raised his glass to the teachers and replied, “I don’t care about early romance—as long as he doesn’t become a lifelong bachelor, I’ll be content. Besides, such a beautiful girl choosing my son is his good fortune.”

At this, all the students applauded, finding Yusheng’s father very open-minded.

Liu Meng seemed a bit unhappy but said nothing in front of everyone, simply finding a seat. Yusheng and Xiaoya also sat beside Liu Meng, at Ren Xiadong’s table, where Ren Xiadong was still deeply engrossed in his meal.

During dinner, Xiaoya’s phone rang on the table. She glanced at it but didn’t answer, then set it to silent and put it in her pocket, though it kept lighting up. Yusheng noticed but said nothing.

By half past ten, all the teachers and students had left, leaving only Yusheng, Ren Xiadong, Xiaoya, and Liu Meng. As Ren Xiadong was about to leave, Yusheng pulled him back and said, “I didn’t want to say this in front of everyone, but actually, I’d like a drink.”

Ren Xiadong immediately sat down and said, “So what are we waiting for?”

But Xiaoya protested, “No, I have to go home,” and left without looking back.

Yusheng felt that Xiaoya was hiding something from him, but he didn’t dwell on it—after all, he only had a crush on her and wasn’t yet at the point where he couldn’t live without her.

With Xiaoya gone, Liu Meng sat down, but remembering Liu Meng’s previous drunken episode, Yusheng and Ren Xiadong quickly sent him on his way, despite his obvious annoyance.

At last, only Ren Xiadong and Yusheng remained. Yusheng drank while discussing his animated film with Ren Xiadong, who agreed to all his requests, knowing he’d make money by following Yusheng.

They drank until half past midnight, after which Yusheng took Ren Xiadong to his new home—a four-bedroom apartment: one for his parents, one for his brother, one for himself, and the spare room for Ren Xiadong.

So the night passed.