chapter 10

A little after five in the morning, when the sky was just beginning to lighten, I was already up.

There was only me left in the small courtyard.

Liu Qingqing’s parents ran a tiny breakfast shop. Every day, they would get up at two or three in the morning to start work, and by a little after four, they were already out setting up their stall.

I washed my face, changed my clothes, pushed open the courtyard gate, and began to brisk walk along the road.

This body is too fat; I simply can’t run. Even just walking fast nearly took half my life.

Panting and gasping, I walked for half an hour, then returned to the courtyard to start strength training.

Calling it strength training is a bit much-really, it was just doing some high knees, lifting my arms, and then doing a bit of step training on the stairs.

Liu Qingqing’s body is so weak that even just lifting her arms makes her muscles tremble and ache, let alone doing push-ups.

After half an hour of serious training, my clothes were soaked through with sweat, turning from light gray to dark gray.

I glanced at my watch-it was already 6 a.m. I went back to my room, took a shower, changed my clothes, and slung my backpack over my shoulder, ready to take the bus to school.

Breakfast prepared by Liu Qingqing’s Mother was warming in the pot, and thirty yuan of pocket money was left on the table.

A bowl of boiled eggs, five big meat buns, and two cartons of milk.

Liu Qingqing’s parents doted on her; no matter how tired they were, they always made sure she had breakfast ready every morning.

On weekends, they would go to the market to buy beef and shrimp to supplement her nutrition.

She actually had her own kind of happiness.

I rarely ate with my parents, and I had never tasted a meal cooked by them.

I packed breakfast into my backpack. After thinking for a moment, I ran out to the courtyard to pick two fresh green cucumbers and a few bright red tomatoes.

Liu Qingqing’s Mother is very diligent; the courtyard is kept spotless, and she even built a small vegetable garden on the south side, where the daily vegetables are picked fresh.