Chapter 150

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye another year had gone by.

Wang Dashan was in his third year of high school, Wang Erhai in his second.

And Wang Xiaohua had entered his third year of junior high.

His grades remained at an above-average level within the Special Elite Class, neither at the bottom nor at the top.

The days when he used to rank first every year seemed like a long time ago.

He no longer had the same sharpness in his studies as before.

When the teacher asked questions in class, he almost never raised his hand to answer.

Even if he knew the answer in his heart, he was too afraid to say it out.

There were far too many classmates better than him.

Especially the students in the top five—their grades were all very good, very stable, and they didn't favor one subject over another.

Wang Xiaohua felt that no matter how hard he tried, he could never catch up with them.

Also, Wang Xiaohua's height still hadn't grown much; after more than a year of growth, he had only reached 1.6 meters, and among the boys in his class, he was still one of the shortest.

His eldest brother had already grown to nearly 1.8 meters when he was in his third year of junior high.

He was only 1.6 meters now.

This made him feel very inferior in his heart.

He was very worried in his heart whether he would stop growing taller.

He didn't want to be a short person for his whole life, and he knew very clearly in his heart that being too short would bring him lifelong harm.

He heard that the Big City Hospital in the city could test bone age and see whether he could still grow taller.

He wanted to go take a look.

So when he returned home this weekend, he told his mother Li Xiulan about this matter.

He knew Li Xiulan would very likely refuse his request, but he still said it.

He just wanted to try his best to fight for it.

As expected, Li Xiulan, after hearing his words, indeed refused him:

"Xiao Hua, just focus on your studies now; don't pay attention to other things. You're not tall now because you just haven't developed yet. Once you enter high school, you'll grow taller. Besides, what's the use of testing bone age? Even if you get the result, what good does it do?"

After hearing these words, Wang Xiaohua felt a deep sense of helplessness in his heart.

This time he didn't throw a tantrum, but accepted reality.

Because he knew his mother was right.

Right, even if the result was tested, what good would it do?

He heard that growth hormone shots cost several thousand yuan per shot, had to be taken every week, and had to continue for one or two years. The entire course would cost over ten thousand, even two or three hundred thousand yuan.

He knew his family's situation.

Although his parents had saved some money doing masonry work these years, how could they come up with several hundred thousand?

Even if they could come up with it, would they really spend all their money on his height?

That was obviously unrealistic.

His two older brothers needed money for high school, and the family's daily life needed money.

"Mm, Mom, I know."

Wang Xiaohua didn't argue or make a scene; he just lowered his head and ate his meal, feeling somewhat downcast.

Wang Zhanggen said with a stern face:

"Worrying about all these useless things all day—no wonder your grades are hard to improve. Back in primary school, you ranked first every time, but now you can't even make it into the top ten. If you don't focus on your studies, I'm afraid you won't even make it into the top hundred in the future!"

Wang Zhanggen was just like that—with his three sons, he only knew how to verbally suppress and scold them, never putting himself in their shoes to understand their situation.

Wang Xiaohua didn't want to say a word to Wang Zhanggen. Although Wang Zhanggen was his biological father, he looked down on him from the bottom of his heart. In Wang Xiaohua's heart, Wang Zhanggen was just a useless coward who only knew how to throw his weight around at home!

When he was young, he gave his wife a cold face; now that he was middle-aged, he gave his children a cold face.

Wang Xiaohua thought in his heart: once he and his two older brothers were all grown up, who else would he be able to give a cold face to?

Seeing Wang Xiaohua's unhappy face, Wang Dashan comforted him:

"Little brother, don't be sad. When I have time, I'll take you to play basketball. Plenty of exercise will definitely help you grow taller. I think you just bury your head in studying all day, overuse your brain, and lack exercise—that's why you haven't started growing yet."

Wang Erhai also comforted him:

"Right, you should exercise more. I have a classmate who was only 1.5-something meters in junior high. He often went to play basketball with me in high school, and now he's already grown to 1.75 meters—taller than me!"

Wang Erhai himself was only about 1.7 meters tall.

Wang Xiaohua said half-believing, half-doubting:

"Can exercise really make you grow taller?"

Wang Dashan and Wang Erhai nodded in unison:

"It really can!"

Wang Xiaohua said: "Then I'll make time to exercise every day from now on!"

Wang Dashan laughed:

"Not from now on—do it now. I'll take you to play basketball at Shangou Primary School later!"

Wang Erhai also said:

"I'm going too, let's all go together!"

This afternoon, Wang Dashan borrowed a basketball from a friend in the neighboring village, and then the three brothers went together to Shangou Village Primary School to play ball.

The village didn't have a basketball court, but the primary school did have one.

That basketball court was terrible; the ground hadn't even been paved with cement, it was still a dirt surface, but the three brothers played in the school with great enjoyment.

Wang Xiaohua hadn't felt this kind of happiness in a long time.

That feeling of a racing heartbeat was just like when he got a piece of sugar in his childhood.

This made him instantly fall in love with the sport of basketball.

"Big Brother, Second Brother, thank you. From now on, whenever I have time, I'll go play basketball with you!"

Wang Xiaohua quickly collapsed on the ground exhausted, he said laughing and panting heavily.

Wang Dashan and Wang Erhai hadn't even broken a sweat yet.

Wang Erhai laughed and said:

"Sure, I'll teach you how to dribble past people... watch this move, a turnaround fadeaway, isn't it handsome!"

Wang Erhai did a turnaround fadeaway and shot the basketball, *clang* — it hit the rim.

This made him let out an awkward laugh, feeling he had embarrassed himself.

Wang Xiaohua, however, praised sincerely from his heart:

"It really is handsome, if only I could master this move too!"

Wang Dashan spoke up at this moment:

"I'm afraid I won't be able to accompany you guys to play ball anymore in the future."

As soon as these words left his mouth, the atmosphere on the scene changed abruptly.

"Big Brother, what do you mean by this?"

Wang Xiaohua hurriedly asked.

Wang Dashan bared his teeth and laughed, pretending to be radiant:

"I've already signed up to enlist, going for the physical exam next week!"

Wang Xiaohua and Wang Erhai were both stunned.

"Big Brother, why didn't you discuss it with Mom and Dad first?"

Wang Erhai asked like this.

Wang Dashan sneered:

"Hey, what's the point of telling them? They don't understand anything. I'm already an adult, I'll make my own decisions about my own affairs!"

Wang Xiaohua couldn't help but sigh, feeling the same way:

"Indeed, they don't understand anything yet act like they do, then point fingers at us, it's really terrible."

Wang Erhai joked at this moment:

"Big Brother, don't be so pessimistic either. Saying you can't accompany us to play ball anymore, what kind of talk is that? If by some chance you don't get selected, then you can play ball every day from now on, play until you puke!"

Wang Dashan was immediately provoked into laughing angrily by Wang Erhai's words:

"How much do you look down on your Big Brother me? Your Big Brother me is a sports talent student, nearly 1.8 meters tall, eight-pack abs, both eyes 5.2 vision, with these conditions how could I fail to get selected? Come come come, I'll go one-on-one with you, let you know what's called a physical talent crush!"

Wang Dashan held the basketball, about to go one-on-one with Wang Erhai.

Wang Erhai laughed and accepted the challenge:

"Bring it on, who's afraid of who? Getting past me is as simple as crossing a morning road! Little Brother, you come help keep score!"

The two brothers started going at it, playing with great enjoyment.

"Okay, Second Brother!"

Wang Xiaohua watched from the side, and unknowingly a radiant smile appeared on his face.