Chapter 15: Fragrant Mountain City Sports School

After packing his luggage, Su Shen’s parents went to the school in the morning to handle the necessary paperwork. Since the school was generally aware of Su Shen’s situation and his recent record-breaking performance in the 100-meter sprint at the middle school city games, they were very enthusiastic. The paperwork had been prepared in advance, and everything was completed as soon as they arrived. After all, for a school to produce a university-bound athlete is a point of pride.

Seeing the school’s warm reception, Su Shen’s parents finally realized that their son’s situation was likely not a fabrication. Thinking of this, the elderly couple felt a surge of warmth in their hearts. Although parents always worry when their children travel far, they were genuinely happy for the sake of his brighter future.

After finishing with the school, Su Shen’s parents returned home to prepare a special, elaborate meal for that evening—the final proper dinner at home before his departure. Su Shen stayed behind for a simple reason: to say goodbye to his classmates.

"Damn, Xiao Tian, you’re something else. You quietly went and set a 100-meter record at the track meet; that’s just incredible!" his best friend, the chubby Chen Cai, said while patting Su Shen on the shoulder. At this age, friendship is unadulterated; joy is simply joy, and well-wishes are purely sincere. It was one of the most beautiful periods of their lives.

Yet, his own life trajectory was about to shift, moving onto a different path.

"If you don't make it into the provincial team, don't you dare come back. I’ve been bragging about you to everyone, and I can't afford to lose face like that." The chubby boy shoved a box of chocolates into Su Shen’s hand, looking somewhat reluctant to part. "This is high-quality stuff. I think it was brought over from Switzerland. I haven't been able to bring myself to eat it, but it’s yours now. Consider it a farewell gift from your best buddy."

In these days, the "Young and Dangerous" films were very popular, and beyond the fighting, the sense of brotherhood and loyalty they portrayed was something many students imitated. As a foodie, for Chen Cai to give such a prized possession away, Su Shen felt genuinely touched. He patted the chubby boy and said, "Study hard and try to get into college. Though I know you have other talents."

Su Shen wouldn't say exactly what those talents were, but he knew for a fact that the chubby boy would eventually become a food critic and influencer. Even so, if he could make it to college, that would be great too.

"My only talent is eating, what else is there?" Chen Cai laughed foolishly, unaware that eating itself could be a profound profession.

After bidding farewell to his friends, Su Shen waited for her by the school’s small grove. Because this transition seemed so sudden on the surface, no one was truly mentally prepared—including Lin Yanfang.

Watching her walk over in a hurry, she intentionally slowed her pace once she saw Su Shen, trying not to appear too anxious. To the current Su Shen, however, it was impossible to miss.

"Xiao Tian, are you really going to stop studying and go to the sports school for running?"

"Yes, the coach says I have talent in this area and shouldn't waste it. My parents agreed."

"But I heard professional sports schools are very tough." Although she didn't say it outright, Su Shen could see the reluctance in her expression. He was curious as to why he hadn't noticed it in his previous life.

"I know, Xiao Fang, I’m not afraid of hardship. Besides," Su Shen added, "this is the only way I might be able to keep up with you, our class beauty and brilliant talent. Otherwise, if I just tried for college, I’d have almost no hope. How would I ever become your 'Professor Su' then?"

"What 'my Professor Su'?" This half-joking remark was quite lethal in 2004. Truth be told, even though they had mutual feelings, they hadn't even held hands. Would you believe it?

"Anyway, I’m determined to be a man who becomes a professor. If I don’t head out now, I’m afraid I won't have much of a chance." Su Shen didn't push the joke too far. After all, she was his person; what was the rush?

"Well, if you really can make it to college, that would be nice. It’s just... it’s just..." Lin Yanfang stammered, unable to finish. Su Shen stepped in to save her from the awkwardness. "Our training is closed-off; we won't even be able to watch TV. So, how about we exchange diaries? We can read about each other's state and events every day. What do you think?"

In his previous life, Su Shen had been too dense to understand the implication, leading to a very awkward moment. But this time, he navigated it perfectly, successfully resolving a small "knot" from his youth.

"Exchange diaries?" Lin Yanfang seemed surprised that Su Shen had the same thought as her. She paused for a moment before nodding slightly. You could see a faint blush spreading across her beautiful, youthful cheeks.

"I’ll use the pen you gave me to write in it, and you should too. Don't let it be that you don't get into college while I do; that would be embarrassing." With this remark, Su Shen lightened the mood. Although he nearly received a playful punch in return, this marked the temporary conclusion of their final campus days of middle school.

"Remember to come back for a haircut. I’ll tell my parents to give you a discount."

"Mm. Alright, I know. You do your best too, Xiao Fang."

...

Back home, on his final night, Su Shen felt his mother had prepared the most lavish feast he had ever seen—dishes that were usually reserved for the Lunar New Year were all served. Even though Su Shen was "old at heart," he couldn't help but feel a slight sting in his nose at his mother’s efforts.

The meal lasted a long time, and eventually, his father chased him off to shower and sleep, as they had to wake up early the next morning to catch the bus.

After saying goodbye to his younger brother and getting some sleep, he rose early the next morning to head to town with his father.

"Xiao Tian, take care of yourself. If anything happens, call home. Eat well, take it easy with the training, and don't get hurt."

His mother’s instructions filled his ears. It was the first time in his fifteen years of life that he was truly leaving the place he called home.

Although the small town wasn't huge, the passenger traffic was decent. Su Shen sat on the bus in a daze. His father noticed and lit a cigarette. "Xiao Tian, if you're going to do it, do it right. Your mother and I haven't accomplished much, and we can't offer you much guidance, but remember one thing: once you've done it, don't regret it."

"Regret is the most foolish thing."

The atmosphere on the bus was heavy; the father and son exchanged only a few words, mostly sitting in silence. Once they reached Xiangshan City, they got off and quickly found the address provided by Ning Debao.

Xiangshan City Sports School.

Founded in 1986, it was nearly twenty years old. It was the only comprehensive school for competitive sports training in Xiangshan City.

Seeing that the school gate was quite large—much larger than the schools in their town—Su Shen’s father nodded. Generally, better conditions meant more effort was put into the facilities. In these days, that was the standard. At least regarding the facade, his father was satisfied; it didn't seem like a scam.

As soon as they arrived, Ning Debao was waiting at the gate. Seeing her waiting specifically for them, Su Shen’s father and Su Shen walked over with their luggage.

"No rush, no rush, Brother Su, take your time." Ning Debao said, then turned to a staff member behind her. "Xiao Zhang, please help take Xiao Tian’s luggage to the dormitory. I’ll take them for a tour of the school."

"Brother Su, look here. This is our school. It covers 57,669 square meters with a building area of 20,775 square meters. We offer everything from primary school to technical secondary school, integrating academics and athletics. Since '91, we have been continuously rated as a 'Civilized Unit' of Xiangshan City, and this year, we were just named a 'National High-Level Sports Reserve Talent Base'."

"This is our cafeteria, where Xiao Tian will be eating."

"This is the gymnasium."

"This is the track and field."

"This is the teaching building."

...

For Su Shen, who had seen all kinds of schools in his past life, nothing felt new. But for his father, who had rarely traveled, it was quite an impact. Compared to the middle schools in the city, the infrastructure here was superior, let alone compared to the schools in their town.

The tour put his father’s mind at ease, confirming that they weren't being deceived, which would allow him to be more supportive of his son’s future.

However, the accommodation conditions made his father frown.

Because they would be living in an eight-person room, which seemed cramped to his father, who was used to the spacious living arrangements in Guyi Village, it didn't seem ideal.

But there was no way around it. It wasn't that the school didn't have better rooms, but... those were reserved based on performance.

Although Su Shen had broken the Xiangshan City 100-meter middle school record, such an honor was still at the junior level and required more significant achievements to earn better treatment. After all, this was a professional sports school, and such a record didn't count for much. Ning Debao explained the situation, and Su Shen’s father understood. Since they had been so patient and enthusiastic in showing them around, he knew they weren't being deliberately difficult.

Since it was the policy, his father had no further complaints, only worrying that Su Shen might not be used to it.

To be honest, Su Shen himself had struggled to adapt when he first arrived, even wanting to quit after a month. But in this life, he was already used to it, and he was only focused on starting professional training immediately.

Seeing that his son didn't mind, his father patted his shoulder, a gesture that seemed to say, "The boy has grown up."

"Brother Su, do you have any other thoughts? Please feel free to share them." After the tour, Ning Debao asked again. His father shook his head; he had seen enough. Knowing it was a legitimate school was enough.

"Let’s go to the cafeteria for a meal. There’s a stir-fry section on the second floor; I’ll treat you to welcome you." Ning Debao insisted. Su Shen’s father tried to decline, wanting to treat her himself, but he couldn't win against her, so they enjoyed another grand meal.

The school’s food was actually tiered, but Ning Debao promised that she would ensure Su Shen received enough nutrition to support his growth. Hearing this, his father’s final concerns vanished. Then came the typical repetitive conversation between parents and coaches:

"If this kid is disobedient, please discipline him properly. Don't be afraid to punish him; don't spoil him."

"If he has any bad temper, just let me know, and I’ll come deal with him myself."

Times were indeed different from the future. Back then, parents held this mentality, a far cry from the modern era where parents wouldn't allow their children to be touched or scolded. Ning Debao nodded along, as she was a parent herself and understood the sentiment.

After the meal, his father checked the time; he had to catch the bus back to town. Before leaving, his father suddenly pulled 100 yuan from his pocket. It didn't seem like much, but in 2004, when a typical city wage was only a few hundred yuan, this was a "huge sum." Su Shen remembered that in his previous life, when he wanted to quit, his parents had used this 100 yuan to "steady" his resolve.

At that time, a 15-year-old kid rarely had control over 100 yuan.

Su Shen wanted to push it back, but his father was firm, stuffing it into Su Shen’s pocket. "This is for emergencies. If you want to buy something to eat, go ahead. We aren't by your side, and your mother and I wouldn't be at ease if you didn't have any money on you."

After tucking the money away, his father straightened Su Shen’s collar. "I don't have much else to say. Just train hard. Don't let your studies fall off completely; if the sports don't work out, you'll have a backup plan. Don't cause trouble at school. Take care of yourself while we're not around."

"Like I said, since you like this, do it well. Alright, go on in. I’m heading home; your mother is waiting." His father looked "carefree," but as Su Shen walked away and turned back, he saw his father still standing there, lingering for a long time.

Leaving home meant that Su Shen’s own struggle had officially begun.

He would do everything in his power to fulfill the regrets of his previous life.