Chapter 93

Xia Xi and Zhou Du have known each other for many years; she always speaks directly, no false pleasantries: "Do you know anyone who plays golf well? I want to learn."

Zhou Du: "?"

Zhou Du didn't quite understand: "How did you suddenly think of learning that thing?"

Xia Xi frankly explained: "It's not anything else; I just want to get closer to Xu Yanfeng. I heard he goes to the golf course with friends every two weeks. I don't know how to play, so how can I get in?"

Zhou Du teased her: "Yo, you haven't caught him yet. Someone once boasted they'd get him in three months."

Xia Xi refused to dwell on that dark history: "Let's talk about the real matter, don't go off on tangents. Just tell me if you'll help or not."

Zhou Du didn't dare give her a definite answer: "Wait, I'll ask for you first."

Xia Xi's attitude toward him did a complete 180: "You're really my brother."

Zhou Du: "Forget it, I don't need such a worrisome sister."

Xia Xi smiled, put her phone aside, focused on her homework, and waited for Zhou Du's good news. She believed in his ability; he said he'd ask for her, so there would surely be a way.

At half past nine in the evening, her homework was mostly done; Xia Xi called her roommates and headed back to the dorm, and on the way she received Zhou Du's reply.

Zhou Du: "A classmate's older brother runs a sports club that offers golf training; reportedly they recently hired a top golf coach at great expense, and I've booked you a lesson—go when you have time."

Zhou Du pushed the golf coach's business card to Xia Xi, telling her to seize the opportunity and study well; the coach's lessons are hard to book, currently fully booked, and he had negotiated for a long time to free up some extra time for her.

Xia Xi was moved to tears and sent him several big red envelopes.

Zhou Du didn't accept them.

The three roommates walking with Xia Xi saw her smile, asked what good news she had, and wanted to share the joy; Xia Xi openly told them.

The roommates expressed admiration; since Xia Xi started her plan to chase the male god, she has boundless energy—her coursework is already busy, yet she also joined the Student Union and the basketball club, occasionally goes swimming, and now she even manages to squeeze in time to learn golf.

Just listening to them made them feel exhausted.

"No way." When they asked Xia Xi if she was tired, she shook her head, stuffed her phone into her bag, spread her arms in the cool early-autumn night breeze, walked a few steps ahead to create distance, then walked backward facing them, wind blowing from behind, her long hair tangling across her face, her eyes shining brightly: "Don't look at the many difficulties now; once I catch up to Xu Yanfeng, I can proudly say, 'A light boat has already passed ten thousand mountains!'"

Zhao Lei: "Mm, I hope it's not that the light boat has already hit an iceberg."

Wang Qiuyu: "I hope it's not that the light boat has already done a backflip."

Xia Xi was both angry and amused, wanted to smack them with her bag, but restrained herself: "Can you still be my solid support? Not giving me encouraging chicken soup is fine, but don't keep pouring cold water on me."

The roommates unanimously made a zipping motion across their mouths, refraining from hurtful words, and wished her luck.

*Xia Xi is indeed busy; the time she squeezes out for golf practice at the club is like wringing water from a half-dry sponge.

The coach Zhou Du booked for her is indeed impressive; surnamed Li, around forty, skin slightly dark, muscles well-developed; even in slightly loose sportswear, you can see the defined muscle contours.

Xia Xi rarely fears anyone, but she is a bit wary of this coach; after politely greeting him, she asked: "Coach Li, do we have any quick-fix methods? Ideally I'd be able to swing freely within half a month."

She isn't aiming to become a golf expert; just learning the basics is enough.

Coach Li was bending over to pick a suitable golf club from the ball bucket for her; hearing this, he turned his head to glance at her, his already dark complexion looking even darker, and he repeated her words slowly: "Half a month to swing freely?"

The coach didn't need to say more; Xia Xi already read his mockery from his expression and eyes, and immediately stood straight, behaving properly, and stopped talking nonsense.

Coach Li handed her the club, didn't start teaching right away, first explained golf's rules and how to record scores, plus some course knowledge, giving her a basic understanding of the sport. Xia Xi listened attentively, occasionally asking about things she didn't understand, and Coach Li answered each; then he began teaching her the first step of hitting the ball—the swing posture.

"Two elements: one is the grip posture, the other is the body posture." Coach Li paused there, then asked her, "Are you left- or right-handed?"

"Right hand." Xia Xi said.

"Then grip the shaft with your left hand, thumb resting on the shaft." Coach Li said while demonstrating, "Put your weight on the last three fingers of your left hand, then grip the shaft lower down with your right hand, the hands overlapping slightly. As for body posture, feet apart, torso leaning forward, knees slightly bent, swing your club and hit the ball."

Following the coach's guidance, Xia Xi felt she had grasped the essentials and swung the club.

The motion was fairly standard, but the ball didn't move from its spot.

Xia Xi: "……"

Coach Li's expression showed no ripple, as if he had anticipated this; he comforted her: "This is normal; as a beginner, just keeping your posture correct already means you're halfway there."

Xia Xi let out a breath; this coach looks stern and unsmiling, but actually has a nice personality.

Over the next two hours, Xia Xi repeatedly practiced her swing, lifting her arms again and again without tiring. When the day's lesson ended and she set down the club, her arms felt as if they weren't her own.

While practicing she felt nothing, but once she stopped, the aftereffects all hit her.

After leaving the club, Xia Xi first went to a pharmacy to buy plasters and spray, then found a nearby restaurant to eat ramen; she could barely hold her chopsticks, trembling as if she had Parkinson's, and when pouring vinegar she almost tipped the whole bottle into the bowl.

Having filled her stomach, Xia Xi took a taxi back to school; before she even stepped into the dorm building, she received a task assigned by Zhou Xiaoyu.

Zhou Xiaoyu: "Do you remember the debate competition the Chairman mentioned at the last meeting? Go to Huai Xi Bu Xing Jie to seek sponsorship; there are many sports brands there, plus some gyms and optical shops."

Zhou Xiaoyu: "I've sent you the electronic version of the form; print it out and make sure the sponsors we're working with fill in their information correctly."

Zhou Xiaoyu: "Try to talk to as many as possible; the more the better."

Xia Xi glanced at the time; it was already past six. With autumn arriving, it doesn't get dark as late as midsummer, and besides, the weather was poor—the sun had already disappeared, the sky a dull gray, thick clouds rolling.

Xia Xi replied: "I'll make time tomorrow."

Zhou Xiaoyu: "Are you serious? Several nearby schools are recently holding events; they'll definitely go to Huai Xi Bu Xing Jie to seek sponsorship. Those brands have sponsored other schools—do you think they'll still sponsor us?"

Xia Xi: "It's a bit late today."

Zhou Xiaoyu: "What's late about it? It's only six. The dorm locks at 10:30, giving you over four more hours—others can do it, so why can't you, precious? Why did you even join the External Relations Department? Running sponsorship is tough; you should have known that when you joined. I don't know who recruited you. If you can't do it, just say so; I'll find someone else, but I'll report your situation truthfully to the Student Union Chairman."

After reading Zhou Xiaoyu's long message, Xia Xi let out a low "tsk"; she had been put on the spot, but she hadn't said she wouldn't do it—she was just postponing it to tomorrow.

Xia Xi: "Have you considered that it's unsafe for a lone girl to go out late at night?"

Zhou Xiaoyu: "What a joke; there are plenty of people on the street even after midnight—how could it be unsafe? Besides, couldn't you find someone to accompany you? All this back-and-forth just means you don't want to do it."

Xia Xi: "Fine, fine, fine—I'm going right now."

Could she not see that Zhou Xiaoyu was just using a feather as a token to deliberately give her a hard time? Since this was a legitimate task, she couldn't find fault, so she could only go along with it for now.

Zhou Xiaoyu seemingly anticipated that Xia Xi would outwardly comply but inwardly resist, so she added: "All right, then report to me at ten sharp which sponsors you've secured."

(End of chapter)