Hunter and Hussar

Chapter 113
"Mr. Huang, can we ask you a question?"

"Of course, go ahead."

"Why do some people know that something is doomed to fail, and they will do it without hesitation?"

"'Is it 'knowing what you can't do'? That's a good question. It depends. Some people may just be reckless and ignorant, not really seeing things for what they are, and not thinking independently about doing it. However, some people are different. After understanding the price he has to pay, he still feels that it is necessary and responsible to do it. The significance of that thing to him surpasses any interests, successes and failures. Measured by his rationality or emotion. In other words, his life guides and urges him to go to a certain place unswervingly and recklessly. In this way, he also finds the value of his own life. Therefore, he can Accept that no matter how hard you work, you may end up with nothing, and you are willing to bear the suffering and torture that others can't avoid. The reason why people are so great is probably because they have this noble and tragic spirit.

"However, it must be clear that independent and careful consideration must be made before making such a decision, and one must be able to take responsibility for one's own choices. A person's choice will not only affect himself, but also affect everything around him. Reckless and fanatical Abandoning yourself and others hurts everyone, including yourself. Besides, sometimes what seems to be a rock-solid belief does not necessarily stand up to the test. Always reflect on yourself and must determine whether the goal is so worthwhile. Joseph Heller once wrote, "Anything worth dying for is certainly worth living for."[1]
"Well, teacher, compared with what I just said, if something has a high chance of success, we are willing to work hard for it, strive for self-improvement, and never give up halfway, but it also has certain risks, and we are also aware of it , shouldn’t we persevere to the end?”

"The two of you seem to have something to say. If you have any questions, just talk about it. You don't need to beat around the bush." ​​Teacher Huang smiled and folded her arms on her chest, seeing our small thoughts.The sunshine in June penetrates the glass, dancing warmly and rhythmically with the shadows of the green plants in front of the office windows.

The final was postponed to late June, a full month later than before, and it was said that it was the result of Aceh's injury.His operation went well, but according to Mingming's father, it will take several months before he can return to normal walking.The best news should not affect his future life.The impact of this incident is greater than we imagined, and it is not just one or two people who bear the pressure.It is said that the organizing committee and parents were afraid that such an accident would happen again before the junior high school entrance examination, and it was also to allow the students to devote themselves to the preparations for the high school entrance examination. After repeated negotiations, the event was postponed until after the examination.This should not surprise us, after all, examinations are the most important thing in school life, and other things have always had to make way for it.At that time, Mi Le had several nightmares, saying that Aqi only scored 17 points and 16 points in biogeography in the dream. In the end, when he filled out his application for the senior high school entrance examination, he was just a few points behind, and he didn't get into the middle school he wanted to go to.Mi Le cried when I dreamed it for the first time, and woke up crying and crying, and I was shocked when I climbed out of bed to find me.This might be the worst nightmare Miller has ever had.

We often visit Aqi on Friday or Saturday, at first we were embarrassed a few times, then we gradually relaxed, talked and laughed like friends, played with his crutches, and watched Zhao Benshan’s film several times according to his suggestion skit.I still remember that he joked that he wanted to change the crutch into a stretcher, and let us carry him to the exam, so that the smart IQ can completely occupy the high ground.But... such a description is a bit frivolous, the truth may be much heavier, but Aqi didn't tell us at that time.Years later I found out why he didn't have any of his friends visit him the day of the surgery - he cried for a long time, not because he was scared, but because it hurt.The pain was so painful that I couldn't eat or sleep, let alone read and study, it was simply impossible.Perhaps Mu Zheng also experienced it, this was the only positive thing he thought of that day.

And what about us?You can only circle around the periphery of this pain, and you can't really experience and share it at all.What we encounter is just an unreal nightmare, but the situation of others is no different from hell.

The days are still moving forward, we piled ourselves into biogeography lectures, paralyzed ourselves with test papers and back twitches.The exam was held at our school, and the day it came was a normal one.We didn't suffer from insomnia, and we didn't have much anxiety. Before the exam, we went to the sink at the end of the corridor to wash our clothes.Kneading, rubbing, twisting, over and over again, the water splashes everywhere, and there is no expression on the face.After confirming that every pair of shorts and socks were hung on the balcony one by one, we picked up our schoolbags and went out without haste.There is nothing worth describing in the whole process, it was just an ordinary afternoon that would be repeated countless times in life, and there was no disturbance after the bell rang, it seemed not so solemn and sacred.

A week before the exam, something heartbreaking happened.In the early morning, Mi Le opened the long curtains, and the sunlight made our eyes sour, as if orange juice had pierced into our eyes.At that time, we didn't know what happened to the girls' dormitory diagonally opposite us under the rising sun as usual.My sister told me that she is our elementary school junior, one level lower than me, and only in the first grade of junior high school.As long as I want to know, I can definitely know her name.Xian Xian might have seen her, after all, he has worked in health checks and eye exercises, and knows many people.We suffered for a long time, and we wandered under that building, counting floor by floor, counting as we walked - we couldn't stay, because we felt that someone was watching us.In fact, this kind of gaze may also be a kind of protection.And the scariest thing is that we really counted it clearly. This dormitory building does have seven floors.

What have we done, and what can we do?

The junior high school exam ends in mid-June, and the final exam is three weeks away.We continue to prepare for the upcoming finals, and the third and fourth place competitions start a week earlier.The foreign school defeated the High School Attached to Polytechnic with a score of 3:2. Shi Zhenhua made the first move and Aniwal equalized with a header. After that, Li Tiancheng scored a single-handed goal. His calm push and goal gave Polytechnic a 2:1 lead to end the first half .Afterwards, Yin Rirong was replaced by the foreign school. After returning from injury, he tore through the defense of Polytechnic twice with a somewhat unreasonable speed. First he scored a goal by himself, and then made a free kick in an excellent position.Pu Yun's shot hit the lower edge of the crossbar, and Yin Rirong made up the ball in the chaos in front of the goal.With two goals and a bronze medal, Arong, who came off the bench, bid farewell to the Mayor's Cup in this way in the usual silence, and bid farewell to Jiang Yuan a year later.

We didn't go there.The students of science and technology may be a little sad that they failed to earn a medal for the injured captain.The only consolation is that Aniwal scored the 10th goal. Although he missed Mu Zheng's record, he basically locked up the Golden Boot this season, unless Qiao Li, the second top scorer, can stage a "big four" in the final.There are still many opportunities for STEM, and next year they can continue to achieve better results under the leadership of Aniwar.

But Aceh had no chance.Only by training more diligently can we be worthy of the opportunities he gave us.It seems that luck has always been good, and we have encountered postponements on several occasions, and finally achieved the results we wanted.A whole month's delay gave our wounded ample time to recuperate.Except for Xiaoqi, who was suspended due to a red card, after more than half a year, we have gathered a neat lineup.Miller's red card was canceled as he wished. To some extent, the organizing committee also wanted to revoke it - "the influence is not good". They are also willing to believe that it was an accident rather than a violent foul, and show this truth to everyone people, and that is indeed the truth.Yan Xi's waist and Xuexue's nose are also slowly getting better. The latter is still wearing his mask, saying that he is used to it, and it cost a lot of money.He earned the money himself, so he was naturally reluctant, so he just wore it all the time.As for how he earned it, he didn’t say anything, maybe he can make a lot of money by putting a hat on in a square or an underground passage and playing guitar for an afternoon——if he doesn’t get driven away.

What is even more gratifying is Mu Zheng.He is surprisingly thin now, the original plump face is now skin tight with bones, reminiscent of a thin but extremely stretched drumhead.The outline of his body has also been shaved in half, like a sketch that has been revised repeatedly, and the lines are still very shallow.

His shooting skills have not deteriorated due to the illness. Although he is still training and recovering alone, and the movements he can make are extremely limited, as long as his feet touch the ball, the feeling of shooting will naturally cheer me up.It won't be long before his forehead will start to sweat slightly. At this time, he will go to the side for a short rest, lift up the long-sleeved inner lining he still wears in June and wipe it off.Maybe it's because it's too hot, maybe it's because he's focused and active, those sweat beads glistening under the light are healthy, they're no longer cold sweat from pain, and they're no longer damp when you can't move under the quilt.

"I have this hunch that one or two minutes before the end of the game, you will become our last ace and score a lore goal at the last second without any reason. Then you are like a world-class player. Heroes, wearing colorful holy clothes, stepping on seven-colored auspicious clouds, running heartily on the green field, covered with sunshine."

"Have you watched Zhou Xingchi too much? How about asking Xuexue to sing you a piece of "Shaolin Kung Fu Good" next time?"

"Don't, don't, I still want to live for two more days. I really sang, before Xu Mu does it, everyone will blow my head off!"

I really don't want to leave.Although I don't seem to like football as much as my peers, and regard it as my ideal (although none of us really wants to be a professional player), it is these joking and laughing between training sessions that make me feel good about this land. So nostalgic for my body running on the land.

But Mu Zheng may still be far from reaching the state of the last game.The two of us have practiced the goalkeeper to find the striker's quick counterattack several times alone, just like our connection in the first game in No. [-] Middle School (maybe I pass better and more accurately than before, my pass is getting better and better ), but he couldn't catch up once, so he could only turn around embarrassedly and give me a thumbs up for my pass.If we really want to play, either we have a big lead or we are preparing for a penalty shootout.Maybe it will become a fact, the court is infinite and has all possibilities, and Mu Zheng has proved this in his life outside the court with his beating heart.

However, with less than a week before the final, the question of whether to appear on the stage stumped another person.Because of this, Xuexue came to ask me and Mi Le to intercede for him.Perhaps it was another impact of Aqi's injury. Xuexue's mother made it clear to the coach that she did not want her son to continue competing. I will pay attention to safety when I go up, but my mother's attitude is so decisive.

"I can't make sense to my mother, and my father doesn't say a word. Now I can only count on you two. You are my father's favorite student, so just help me. I can do whatever I want in the future."

"Is your nose really all right?"

"Really, it's been two months. If you don't believe me, go to the hospital for another checkup! And I will continue to wear the mask, so nothing will happen. I beg you, the final battle is over, so I should fight on the field! Mu Zheng, okay? It’s easy to come back, how can you leave me alone in the stands?”

"Isn't Xiaoqi also in the stands? You're not alone. Okay, just kidding. The two of us will go after school."

So Mi Lezhen and I went to Mr. Huang's office, and we thought about a set of excuses in advance.

"Well... so, teacher, can you allow Xuexue to play in the final?" I showed my hole card with some anxiety.

Teacher Huang smiled slyly, seemed angry and funny, and shook his finger at us.

"Ke Peiwei, Mi Le, you two have developed skills, and you will still trick the teacher? You are not small!"

It didn't sound like he was angry, but rather amused.But the two of us still didn't dare to ask further questions, we shrugged our shoulders as if we had made a mistake and were waiting for the teacher to reprimand us.

"Why didn't he say it by himself? At such a young age, he has learned to ask others to intercede. It's really him!" Teacher Huang stood up from his seat, pretending to shave our hair vigorously, more like an elder caring for a younger generation that kind of action.

"Teacher, it's my fault. Don't scold them, scold me if you want to scold." The door outside the language group creaked open, and Xuexue came in from behind, really like a little electric mouse.

"I didn't want to scold them, but you, don't you have a mouth? Don't know if you can say it yourself?" Teacher Huang put on a gloomy face.To be honest, I have never seen a teacher scolding his own children in school, even in front of his classmates.

"I know I was wrong. Teacher, I shouldn't be playing tricks." Submissive, those who don't know him think this is a very smart, well-behaved and sensible child-in fact, Xuexue in my heart is indeed like this.

But maybe I shouldn't be watching a play. Teacher Huang is not happy. Doesn't it mean that there is no chance to learn like this?

"Teacher, please forgive him. We only have this one chance. The No. 100 Middle School has a history of more than [-] years, and this is the first time that the junior high school has entered the city finals." It was Mi Le who reacted quickly, before I thought of opening my mouth. I spoke before.

"I figured it out, teacher. I understand why my mother doesn't want me to play anymore, and I don't want to worry you anymore. Like you just said to them, I have thought about it independently. I know that standing on the court There will be risks, and I know that if I get hurt, you will be very sad. But, I have grown up. I can protect myself, and I can protect others. One day, I will live on my own. I don’t No more that kid who wails at the first sign of trouble and wakes up everyone on the first floor. Forgive me."

"Grow up? When you grow up, you learn to ask people to find relationships? Huh?" Teacher Huang's eyes swept over him, making him almost shorter.

"No, teacher, Mi Le and I did it voluntarily! No, spontaneously! Xuexue never approached us!" I was busy trying to smooth things over.

"No need, captain, don't lie for me. You can't make the same mistake again and again. Teacher, I told you what I think. It's like the words in that book you like to read, 'An immature person's The mark is that he is willing to die heroically for a cause, and the mark of a mature man is that he is willing to live ignominiously for a cause'. The game is not that dangerous, nor is it that great - at least not worth the sacrifice of one's life. But I want to kick. I won't die from it, I won't be humbled, but I will live heroically."

"Good boy, can you still memorize this sentence? Did you make a draft before?" Looking at Xue Xuexue's rattle-like head, Teacher Huang still laughed, "Do you still remember the three chapters of our agreement? Study in school Don’t call me Dad, call me teacher. But now we have neither class nor study, what should you call?”

"Ah, Dad." Xuexue's hands trembled a little, as if he heard the hopeful sound of the sun rolling the green leaves.

"Actually, I've been waiting for you to take the initiative to tell me about this. Now that you have made your own choice, go ahead unswervingly, no matter what the result is, you must accept it without complaint or regret." Teacher Huang patted He patted Xuexue on the head, and looked at us with a smile, "Son, I will go and talk to your mother as hard as I can."

The three of us almost stopped cheering in the office and went out bouncing and jumping in the hallway.The moment the wish is fulfilled, the child will be so happy that he wants to lose the effect of gravity, throw himself high in the air, and knead every cloud into a group of colorful cotton candy.

"So happy, what's the matter?" At the corner, we almost bumped into Yue Yin and Lao Ye head-on.They each carried a large bundle of posters, curled up like medieval knight's lances.We immediately passed on the good news that Xuexue was able to make an appearance. "That's great, the big money this time is really not in vain!" Yue Yin said, snapped his fingers, threw his bundle of posters on Lao Ye, and opened them one by one calmly like taking clothes from a hanger , showed us well.Boss Yue's "combat power" is so strong that he not only produced seven posters within ten days, but also applied for funding from the Community Management Association to print the posters, presenting them all before our eyes. "It's as fast as the wind, it's as slow as the forest, it invades like fire, it doesn't move like a mountain, it's difficult to know like the shadow, and it moves like thunder." The six sentences from "Sun Tzu's Art of War" were made into six posters, each with a The figures of the squadron members.Yan Xi, Mi Le, Luka, and Xiao Qi are looming among the strong wind and strong grass, and the mobile Great Wall of Ye Ruiyang, He Mingming, Li Baichuan, and He Honghui is the fortified and impenetrable wall, and Mu Zheng is jumping under the raging fire. , Le Ben and Huang Minxue led the attacking combination, and the unmoving surrounded by mountains naturally belonged to me, Zhao Rui and Xu Mu wearing sunglasses. On the piece of "It's Difficult to Know", Mr. Wang is meditating on the sidelines with his chin in his chest, planning strategies and winning thousands of miles.And Thunderbolt, who is "moving like thunder", are several other juniors - ashamed to say, in order to pursue results, we have not given them 1 minute of playing time, but they have basically never missed any of our games training or competition.Even though they knew they had no chances, they stayed with us until the last second of every game.This is an era when time (especially personal time) is more precious than anything else. They are always giving and sacrificing. Posters and medals are far from enough to thank the no regrets behind that persistence.

Although we have always known that it is enough to be polite to Yue Yin, we don’t need to be enthusiastic, but when we see her engraving everyone into these pictures full of memories, we still cannot restrain our deep emotion.In fact, she should also add herself to the poster.If she can win the championship, she also deserves that glittering medal.Maybe we can break off all the medals and put them together to give her a complete one?Both Mi Le and I thought about it before the game, and I believe it's not just the two of us who thought about it. [2]
"Come on, what's the matter? It's a trivial matter. I just don't want to lose to that little girl Peng Jingbai. Before the finals start, I have to hold down my opponents! Don't give them a chance!" Boss Yue said in her great achievements. Very humble.She showed us the posters posted on the WeChat official account in No. 54, and there were only two of them.One was changed from their family photo, with the inscription "Hundred generals are united, the three armies work together"; the other has a slightly stronger sense of design, it is a star shining in the bright milky way, dazzling blue Behind the brilliance is the burning outline of the wolf's head, and the stars just become the colorful and twinkling eyes of the wolf.The theme of the latter poster is "Sirius, the eternal star", and our response to it is a simple two words - "will hunt". "Hunting together means a war between two parties," says the dictionary.And what meet on the seventh poster is not us and our opponents, but a cavalry on a white horse and a hunter in a fleece cap.They met under the deep blue night sky, like long-lost friends, waiting for the arrival of battle in the silent night.In the dense forest in the distance, it seems that the green eyes of the pack of wolves can be found, as if the will-o'-the-wisp are flying and burning.But the muskets on the backs of the cavalry and the bows and arrows in the hands of the hunters aimed at an obscure star in the distant night sky without exception.

Chasseurs against coyotes, the final battle has finally begun.Who is the hunter and the prey is unknown, and before rising the summer sea of ​​constellations will witness in the distant universe that we small and short beings struggle day after day for goals that are neither high nor low. Try and struggle.

Will pull the eagle bow like a full moon, look northwest, and shoot Sirius! [3]
[1] Joseph Heller "No. 20 Catch-[-]".

[2] Qian Zhongshu's "Fortress Besieged".

[3] Su Shi's "Jiangchengzi Hunting in Mizhou".

　2021.4.8 Something happened in the school.

　　do not forget.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)