Chapter 14 He Must Be Strong

Zhang Jun staggered and fell onto the track. Unlike usual, he didn't immediately get up and continue running. This time, he couldn't even stand. He lay on the track until the physical trainer found him, his body curled up, head buried in his arms, hands clutching his left ankle.

Commotion arose from all directions. Footsteps, shouts, sighs, then the wail of an ambulance siren.

Before a crowd of reporters, Zhang Jun was once again carried into an ambulance. The doors closed, and it sped away, leaving the uproar behind him.

※※※

"Bullshit miracle doctor!" It was the same doctor. He slammed the medical chart onto the desk, sending the X-ray inside rattling. "Some poultice can cure a ligament tear! Completely healed in three weeks! Where did that old man find this swindler?! What doctor guarantees results like that to a patient? Does he even know what doctors fear most? Promising results! What kind of treatment is that!"

He questioned angrily, but no one in the room dared to breathe. Even the hospital director remained silent, letting the doctor vent his spleen. Who could argue with the hospital's most authoritative orthopedic expert? But sadly, the expert's authority was rendered useless by the so-called miracle doctor.

"Not only was the treatment delayed, but the injury was further aggravated! Now, the ligament isn't completely torn, but it's in a dangerous state. Even with the most advanced techniques, the patient will definitely not be able to continue playing the soccer you all want to see! Call a press conference!" He pointed at the door. "Tell everyone, Zhang Jun is announcing his retirement!"

His words landed with a thud, each syllable like a heavy hammer blow to the listeners' hearts.

※※※

The director stopped Chen Wei outside and said, "Director Xie was just speaking in anger. It's not as serious as retirement. I'm an orthopedic doctor myself. Don't take it seriously. If our hospital can't cure him, it doesn't mean other places can't. The Football Association can consider other places..."

Chen Wei nodded. Of course, he wouldn't believe Zhang Jun's possible retirement. Zhang Jun was the hope of Chinese soccer. What would Zhang Jun's fall mean? He knew better than anyone.

Zhang Jun cannot retire...

※※※

When Yang Pan learned that Zhang Jun had been injured again by that quack doctor, he called Zhang Jun again, but it was still, "The number you have dialed is currently switched off..."

"Bang!" He punched the wall, a muffled thud. If he were in China, he would have beaten that quack doctor to a pulp, even if it meant being suspended. But he was in Italy now, so he could only treat the opposite wall as that quack doctor. Yang Pan punched the wall again and again with all his might, as if trying to break through it.

He and Zhang Jun were brothers. Zhang Jun's injury was his pain too!

※※※

Zhang Jun was admitted to a private room, the best in the hospital. But unfortunately, the level of the room couldn't help heal his injury, and the comfortable environment didn't help Zhang Jun's mood. When he fell again, when he was sent back to the hospital again, he broke down. Fate had played a joke on him, a big joke.

When he fell the first time, he thought he was finished.

But the appearance of the "miracle doctor" made him think he still had hope.

Everything was developing in a good direction, and he began to think that it was just an ordinary game injury, and that the report from the Milan laboratory had just made everyone a little paranoid.

However, when he fell the second time, the same part, the same feeling, made Zhang Jun's last remaining hope turn to ashes.

Two consecutive injuries in such a short period would never be a coincidence. The Milan laboratory was right. Everything last summer was not a conspiracy as some people suspected. It was indeed because there was a major hidden danger in Zhang Jun's left ankle.

In short, everything was over. The Milan laboratory's prediction was completely correct. Now he should seriously consider the issue of retirement, right? Robbie announced his retirement a few days ago, and he was following closely behind. They were really destined! Zhang Jun smiled bitterly.

But Sophie's arrival surprised Zhang Jun.

"So...Sophie?" Zhang Jun looked at the familiar face in front of him with a hint of surprise. She was so tired, so anxious, so worried, so melancholic...

"Shouldn't you be at school?"

"I asked for leave after seeing the news."

"I'm sorry, Sophie." Zhang Jun lowered his head.

"Why are you saying sorry?"

"I, I can't play soccer anymore, and I can't give you that birthday present anymore. I, I think I should retire. I don't want to play soccer anymore. It's so tiring, really, and it hurts so much... I want to go back to school with you to continue studying, graduate, and find a job..." The more Zhang Jun said, the more choked up he became. He wanted to cry. After enduring for so long in front of everyone, he now wanted to cry like a child in front of Sophie without any restraint.

"Raise your head and look at me, Zhang Jun," Sophie said, her tone calm and firm.

Zhang Jun raised his head. He looked at Sophie's beautiful face, and then he saw Sophie raise her hand, as if to wipe away the tears from the corners of his eyes.

"Slap!"

Zhang Jun's face turned to the side, but his eyes looked at Sophie's angry face in surprise.

What a loud slap!

Zhang Jun's mother, who happened to be walking to the door of the ward, heard the noise and wanted to push the door open to see what was going on, but her husband stopped her and shook his head at her.

"I didn't even ask for leave, I skipped class to come to Wuhan, just to hear you say such useless things? Isn't it just an injury? Ronaldo was injured for two years, and he still won the Golden Boot and the Golden Cup at the World Cup! Baggio has been having surgeries since he was seventeen, and he is still respected and playing now! Are you so easily scared? Scared by that bullshit medical report?" Sophie said angrily.

"Sophie, you don't understand! I'm not the same as them..."

"What's different? Don't you like soccer, Zhang Jun? But now the game has just begun, and you're clamoring to give up the game and take the initiative to leave the field because of a foul by the other side! What are you thinking?"

"I, even if my foot can be healed, I won't be able to play soccer as flexibly as before. This is science, science!" Zhang Jun's voice also became louder.

Sophie stared at Zhang Jun for a long time, her expression as if this Zhang Jun was not the Zhang Jun she knew. "Science... I'm working hard alone in China, and I thought that Zhang Jun would work hard and be strong on the field even if he was alone. But today..." Her voice was very soft, like a murmur. "Maybe the injury is really serious, but there are so many people supporting you, why are you saying such frivolous words about retiring? Have you forgotten so many things from the past?"

Sophie stopped talking, just standing by the bed looking at Zhang Jun. She gasped for breath, her heart not yet recovered from the excitement. Zhang Jun lowered his head, looking at the bed sheet without saying a word.

※※※

Li Yongle decided to visit Zhang Jun. He must be very lonely in the hospital alone. So after dinner, he asked Qiu Suhui for two and a half hours off and took a bus to the hospital where Zhang Jun was staying.

Zhang Jun was alone in the ward. His parents were not there. The door was ajar. Li Yongle knocked a few times and pushed the door open.

Zhang Jun seemed to be thinking about something. It wasn't until Li Yongle came in, put the flowers in the vase, and then dragged a chair to sit next to Zhang Jun and coughed softly that he seemed to return to the world and discover that there was an extra person next to him.

"Are you feeling better?" Li Yongle really didn't know what to say, so he asked a useless question.

Sure enough, Zhang Jun didn't answer him. Instead, he said to himself, "Sophie came."

Li Yongle was taken aback: "She came? When did she come?"

"...But she hit me and left." Zhang Jun didn't seem to be saying it to Li Yongle. After saying these words, he fell silent again, sitting on the bed alone, not knowing what he was thinking. The ward was dark, and everything was the same as when Li Yongle had just entered.

The impact of these successive blows on Zhang Jun was huge. This could be seen from the fact that he often fell into silence for no reason or talked to himself. The former Zhang Jun often joked, and always had a bright smile on his face, whether he was in the team, or in the eyes of fans and reporters. While truly enjoying the joy of soccer, he also spread this joy to everyone around him.

But now...

Li Yongle sighed softly. He was not an expert on the extent of the foot injury, and he didn't know whether it had reached the point where he needed to retire. But he also knew that for a player who was in good condition, popular, and scoring goals constantly, the expert's diagnosis was a hundred times more painful than the foot injury.

And that "Hu miracle doctor," a fraud who deceives the world and steals fame. He didn't know where he jumped out from, making fun of Zhang Jun, the national Olympic team, and everyone who cared about Zhang Jun. This kind of torment was undoubtedly rubbing salt into the wounds of Zhang Jun, who was already physically and mentally exhausted.

But unfortunately, he, Li Yongle, was just an ordinary player and couldn't do anything. He could only bring a few bouquets of flowers and say some comforting and encouraging words when he came to see Zhang Jun. As for whether Zhang Jun listened, Li Yongle couldn't control it, and he couldn't know.

He decided to go back. Although he had asked Qiu Suhui for two and a half hours off, there was still plenty of time, but it was really... to stare at Zhang Jun in the ward like this. He couldn't, and he didn't want to see Zhang Jun like this.

Furthermore, if he was seen by reporters wandering outside, and they said some nonsensical things in the newspaper, then the national Olympic team, which already had a lot of trouble, would be completely restless.

"Zhang Jun, I'm going back. Take good care of your injury. Everyone is still waiting for you to come back!" Regardless of whether Zhang Jun heard him, Li Yongle got up to say goodbye, and then turned and walked out.

※※※

When he passed the bathroom, Li Yongle went in. When he came out after relieving himself and was washing his hands outside, he heard someone crying in the women's bathroom next door. Although the sound of running water covered up the crying, Li Yongle still heard it from the intervals of the water sound. It was indeed a woman's crying.

Maybe someone in her family died? Li Yongle thought, turning on the faucet. In the sound of rushing water, the crying was even more intermittent. Li Yongle put his hands in the water and stared blankly at the large mirror on the wall.

He was going to be Zhang Jun's rival for life, but now God was making Zhang Jun retire for no reason. So what about himself? He picked up soccer again because of Zhang Jun; he got into college because of Zhang Jun; he trained hard every day, rain or shine, because of Zhang Jun; he joined the national Olympic team because of Zhang Jun; and he would go to Europe to play soccer because of Zhang Jun in the future... Now the goal was suddenly gone, it collapsed suddenly. In this vast sea, he suddenly lost his reference point. Should he go left? Right? Continue forward? Or turn back?

What are you playing soccer for? Li Yongle put his hands on the edge of the sink, put his head close to the mirror, and looked at himself in the mirror and asked. Your family is well-off, you don't need to play soccer to make a living. You don't like the fame and fortune sought after by those reporters and fans either. So why did you pick up the soccer you had abandoned for four years from the corner in ninety-eight, wipe the dust off it, and then train hard every day, not daring to slack off in the slightest?

Was it because of Zhang Jun, the leader who had always been ahead of you? Giving you a desire to surpass and defeat him, a desire of a passionate man.

Or did you simply like soccer and were willing to give everything for it, even if it meant breaking your arms and legs?

"Bang!" A big hand slapped the mirror. Li Yongle looked at the water still rushing out, and suddenly realized what he was here to do. He came to relieve himself, and came out to wash his hands after relieving himself, but he heard the inexplicable crying next door, which made him feel inexplicably sad.

Li Yongle shook his head, then scooped up a handful of water and poured it on his face. He scooped up another handful of water and poured it on his face with his eyes closed. He didn't rush to open his eyes, but bent down, letting the water on his face drip down one drop at a time. He heard the door of the women's bathroom next door open, someone walked out, and then that person walked to the sink, turned on the faucet, and washed his hands and face like Li Yongle, the water rushing.

Li Yongle shook his head gently, shaking off the water droplets on his face. Then he opened his eyes, but what he saw in the mirror made him stunned. The girl next to him had just washed her face, opened her eyes and saw Li Yongle in the mirror, and was also stunned there.

Neither faucet was turned off, the water rushing.

"Li Yongle?" It was the girl who called out first.

"Sophie?" Then it was Li Yongle.

It was really unlucky that the two met here.

"I came to see Zhang Jun. He told me about you." Li Yongle, who had returned to normal, turned off the faucet and said to Sophie.

"I came by train yesterday. I just arrived at noon today." Sophie also lowered her head and turned off the faucet.

"You asked for leave?"

"No, skipped class. I didn't have time to ask."

Then there was an awkward silence. Sophie lowered her head and rummaged through her bag for a tissue, while Li Yongle looked at himself in the mirror. Occasionally, someone would come in to use the bathroom. Although they were surprised that the two were standing still at the entrance of the bathroom, no one dared to glance at them too much, given Li Yongle's height.

"Um, you... go see him. Did he say anything to you?" Sophie asked with her head down. She was wiping her hands, which had already been wiped dry, with a tissue.

"No, he just said that you came to see him, then hit him, and then left. The rest of the time he was silent." Li Yongle said truthfully.

There was another silence. In order to avoid making the atmosphere awkward, Li Yongle decided to say something, "How long do you plan to stay in Wuhan? Have you booked a hotel room? If not, I can help you book one in our hotel. I'll pay for the room..."

"No need." Sophie shook her head and said softly. "I'm going back to Hefei tonight. There's no need to book a room for me."

"Going tonight?" Li Yongle was very surprised. "You came all the way here. Why are you in such a hurry to leave? Why don't you spend more time with Zhang Jun, more time with your aunt and uncle?"

"..." Sophie didn't say anything.

"Sophie, Zhang Jun is very depressed now. He needs your encouragement." Li Yongle said seriously. He didn't know what had happened, why Zhang Jun would say that Sophie hit him, and then he wouldn't say anything else.

Sophie finally raised her head. She smiled slightly at Li Yongle: "You also know that I hit Zhang Jun. That was the first time I hit him. I gave him a slap. Even when we had a fight when we first entered university, I never thought that I would hit him, hit Zhang Jun..." Under the fluorescent light, her smiling face was pale. "But I didn't even ask for leave, and took the train overnight. If there were no tickets, I stood all the way to Wuhan. Do you think I came all this way just to give him this slap? I also wanted to comfort him and encourage him. But when I came, I found that Zhang Jun was too weak, he was too dependent on me. Maybe this injury is really serious, but as soon as he saw me, he told me that he wanted to retire. He's only twenty-two years old, and he's already saying such things!"

After a slight pause, Sophie looked at herself in the mirror and continued, "Now it's not about whether he can play soccer or not, but whether he still wants to play soccer. There's still a long way to go in the future. I can't always be by his side every moment, and it's impossible for me to appear in front of him immediately to comfort and encourage him whenever he has a problem. He always has to face these problems alone. I have always believed in him, but he has to believe in himself. I want him to understand this point. He must truly become strong, and he can't say discouraging things at every turn. I think I used to be too close to him, which is why he has this kind of dependence. Maybe I should walk away and leave him for a while, and he will slowly become strong..."

Sophie was strong. Li Yongle looked at Sophie and thought, in order to make Zhang Jun stronger, she first became stronger herself. But, besides Zhang Jun himself, the harm suffered by everyone combined is not as great as the harm suffered by Sophie alone when Zhang Jun can't continue to play soccer. Zhang Jun's pain is on his body, but Sophie's pain is in her heart. And she can't mention this kind of pain to anyone. When she is sad and helpless, she can only run to the bathroom alone and cry with the sound of flushing water. Then, when the door opens, she is the Sophie she usually is. Unlike Zhang Jun, when he is injured, there are fans sending flowers, and leaders coming to comfort him, and even Sophie skipping class to comfort him.

Compared to Sophie's, what is his little bit of sadness! What is it about this seemingly weak body of a girl that has such a strong heart?

Li Yongle looked at Sophie, who was not speaking with her head down, and then decided to go find Zhang Jun again and tell that idiot Sophie's words. But Sophie stopped him. "Wait, I have something I need you to give him. I won't go. I have to catch a train..."

"I'll take you to the train station." How could he let a girl go alone?

But Sophie refused his kindness. She smiled at Li Yongle and said, "No need. You're out on leave, too, right? You'll probably get into trouble if you go back late. I can go alone, don't worry about me." Then she took out an ultra-thin Walkman from her bag and handed it to Li Yongle, "Give this to him and let him listen."

"This..." Li Yongle looked at the cassette player, not knowing why.

"I've been listening to this these days. Let him listen to it, don't say anything, and he'll understand. Some things are hard to say directly."

"Okay, I'll give it to him. You should wipe the water off your face first..." Li Yongle took out a pack of tissues from his pocket and handed it to Sophie. There were really two lines of "water droplets" on her face, which were very glaring in the light.

※※※

It wasn't until he watched Sophie get into a taxi, wave goodbye to him, and then disappear into the vast traffic of Wuhan that he couldn't tell her apart anymore, that Li Yongle took the things Sophie gave him, with her instructions, and turned back to the hospital.

When he stepped into this ward again, the dim wall lamp was on in the room. Zhang Jun's parents were sitting on the side, looking at their dispirited son, not knowing what to say. Seeing Li Yongle coming, the two "old people" nodded to him, and Li Yongle nodded in return.

Zhang Jun also noticed Li Yongle's arrival. He turned his head to look at Li Yongle.

"I forgot something, so I came back again." Li Yongle said to Zhang Jun.

Zhang Jun's parents saw that the two seemed to have something to say, so they got up and went out, leaving them with a space to be alone.

Turning his head and seeing the door closed, Li Yongle walked closer to Zhang Jun. Just as he was about to open his mouth, he saw that he was in a state of decay again, and he was very angry, especially since Sophie's strong image was in contrast. He frowned, then suddenly grabbed Zhang Jun's collar and pulled Zhang Jun hard in front of him.

This sudden attack made Zhang Jun a little flustered, but he still didn't say anything, just widened his eyes and looked at Li Yongle, but in this eye contact, he quickly lost and turned his head to the side again.

Li Yongle didn't care so much. He brought his face closer to Zhang Jun, so that Zhang Jun could clearly feel the heat he was spraying out. "I forgot to tell you that before I came to see you, Coach Qiu asked me to tell you. The domestic medical level is not developed enough, but Belgium and France have the best orthopedic experts, neurological experts and sports injury experts in the world. If there is no hope of healing here, it does not mean that there is no hope there. He can help you contact, but first you need your consent." Li Yongle gritted his teeth, saying every word to Zhang Jun's ears. "If you keep silent like this and don't do anything, then no one can help you! I'm not in a hurry for your answer, you can call me when you've thought about it." These were actually all made up by Li Yongle. Coach Qiu didn't tell him these things at all. He is now troubled by the incomplete lineup for the next game against Iran, and on the other hand, he has to accept unreasonable questions from above. How could he think of so many things? But Li Yongle decided to go back and find Coach Qiu. This might be a good way.

After saying everything, Li Yongle pushed Zhang Jun back hard, and then put a Walkman on Zhang Jun's bedside: "Sophie asked me to give this to you. She wants you to listen to it. I don't know what's inside, but she said that she has been listening to it repeatedly these days, and you will understand when you listen to it."

As soon as he heard the word "Sophie", Zhang Jun moved, and his lifeless body seemed to have a little vitality. "Sophie? Where is she? Where is she now?"

"She's gone, back to Hefei." Li Yongle said coldly. Maybe Sophie is right, too much care has made this kid dependent, and it's also for his future to be cruel to him now.

"Ah? You, why didn't you stop her?" Zhang Jun became excited. Sophie came specifically to see him and accompany him. How could she just leave? "Don't joke, Li Yongle! Tell me where she is?"

Li Yongle looked at his watch: "She should be getting to the train station soon. She wanted to leave, she said you..." Looking at Zhang Jun, Li Yongle smacked his lips, "You should listen to it first! Sophie has indeed left, as for whether she can come back, it depends on you. Okay, my mission is completed, I'm leaving." After saying that, he didn't look back, turned around and strode out.

Zhang Jun was still sitting quietly on the bed, holding Sophie's Walkman in his hand.

Sophie left, why did she leave? Doesn't she love me anymore?

What does she mean by leaving this behind? Is there something that can't be said in person?

Despite the questions, Zhang Jun still put on his headphones and pressed the "PLAY" button. After a "swish" of the tape turning, the piano sound rang, the piano sound changed from weak to strong, from fast to slow, gradually becoming clear.

What a familiar melody, kind, warm, like a murmur, singing softly, the song is like a warm breeze, blowing towards Zhang Jun.

Zhang Jun turned off the machine and took out the tape. The green cover, the unknown grass, is so familiar. This is obviously Zhou Huajian's latest album "Forget Worries Grass" that Zhang Jun gave to Sophie when it was Sophie's birthday in the freshman year. At that time, in order to express his heart, Zhang Jun specially let Sophie listen to the fifth song on side A, "I Love You Now." And now, Sophie returned it, and specially let Zhang Jun listen to the first song on side A, "Forget Worries Grass".

Does this also represent Sophie's intentions?

Zhang Jun put the tape back in the Walkman, rewound it, and then pressed the "PLAY" button again.

……

Let us weak people, understand cruelty, face every coldness in life hard
The people who were loved reluctantly, often have fate but no part
Who takes whom seriously, who feels sorry for whom
Who is the only one, whose person
The wounded and innocent soul has long refused to admit that there is any god
Beautiful life, kind people, painful, sad, trivial things
The you and me who come and go know each other as well as we look at each other
Smile faintly Forget Worries Grass, forget it
How much do you know in your dreams?
Somewhere at the end of the world, on a small island
Once hugged on a certain day, month, year
Green riverside grass quietly waits for the end of the world...

(Zhou Huajian, "Forget Worries Grass")

※※※

"Let us weak people, understand cruelty, face every coldness in life hard... Who takes whom seriously, who feels sorry for whom... Beautiful life, kind people, painful, sad, trivial things... Green riverside grass quietly waits for the end of the world..." Zhang Jun couldn't help but hum softly.

Is this what Sophie wants to tell herself?

When you encounter misfortune, or when you are confused and helpless, please dry your tears and learn to be strong. Crying is useless, and losing confidence is the behavior of a coward. It's better to face them head-on, to face every coldness in life.

Is Sophie trying to make me strong? Face this injury strongly?

Robbie is his idol, his good teacher and friend. He learned free kicks from him, but why didn't he learn the most important thing?

Strong, strong! He kicked with two scarred legs for twenty years, and dedicated such a wonderful soccer to the fans. The thin and weak man was so strong, why couldn't a young man like himself be strong?

Choose to be strong, everything has not reached the end of the road! Didn't Li Yongle also say that if it can't be cured in China, it doesn't mean it can't be cured abroad! Foreign soccer has developed for hundreds of years, and they must have leading research on various injuries caused by soccer. Ronaldo had two such serious injuries, almost no soccer to play for two years, didn't he still get cured? Didn't he still lift the World Cup and win the Golden Boot?

It's not a question of whether it can be cured, but whether he will cure it. At first, he thought everything was too pessimistic, and that's why he fell into that heart demon. Now, I didn't expect a song to open up the knot in my heart, and suddenly I felt that the room was so bright even with just the wall lamp on.

Zhang Jun put down the Walkman, he pressed the call button for the nurse on the bedside.

After a while, a messy and hurried footstep sounded from far to near in the corridor. Zhang Jun couldn't help frowning: Which nurse is so rude, doesn't she know that other people need to rest?

The door was almost knocked open. Zhang Jun saw eight or nine people pouring in through the door, doctors, nurses, the director, and his parents. They were all panting, gasping for breath, looking at Zhang Jun sitting on the bed. The head nurse rushed to Zhang Jun's bed before she could catch her breath, and asked very concerned: "Do you need anything? Is there anything I can help you with? I am the head nurse here, my name is..."

But Zhang Jun interrupted her excited self-introduction, he just pointed to the closed window: "I just want to call someone to help me open the window."

Everyone looked at me, I looked at you, and couldn't believe what they heard.

"Didn't I say it clearly?" Zhang Jun decided to repeat it again, "I just want to call someone to help me open the closed window, I can't get out of bed..."

"No, you said it very clearly!" The head nurse rushed to the front of the window quickly, but for some reason, her hands were shaking a little, and she opened a window only after three attempts.

This is the eleventh floor, and the night wind lingering outside the window poured in, blowing the curtains, blowing the flowers in the vase, blowing everyone's hair and clothes, and blowing away everyone's depressed and worried mood.

Zhang Jun took a greedy breath of the night air. No matter what, the inside of this room is indeed not as good as the outside, even the air is different.

Did Sophie get on the train at this time? Take care of yourself in Hefei, I can't contact you often, because I'm going abroad for surgery. Whether it succeeds or not, I, Zhang Jun, will not escape. Thank you, Sophie, thank you for your slap and your song. You are so gentle, so beautiful, so understanding, so strong... I am not even one-tenth as good as you, but I love you, no one can love you more than me, Sophie. Wait for me, I will be back!

※※※

"Ah! It's raining?" Someone stretched their hand out of the car window to see if raindrops fell on their hand.

"It should have rained a long time ago. Wuhan has been abnormal these days, it's been too stuffy for too long. It should rain!" The companion on the opposite side also stretched out his hand to try, and raindrops did hit the palm of his hand.

Sophie raised her head slightly and looked at the night sky outside the car window. In fact, she couldn't see anything. The night sky was red with the lights of the train station.

A drop of water hit the car window, then slid down the glass, and finally disappeared from sight, leaving a long mark on the window, proving that something had passed by.

The train trembled slightly, and it was about to start. Sophie withdrew her gaze, put her hands on the small coffee table, and buried her head deeply into her arms. After a day of fatigue, maybe she should get a good night's sleep.

The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and more raindrops hit the window, then slid down the glass, leaving streaks of slanting white light.