A brilliant basketball journey, a dazzling spectacle.

Chapter 83

"Can't you eat breakfast before you practice?"

Lin Feng shook his head: "Uncle Sun set it for six o'clock."

Cheng Yuxin opened her mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.

She turned and went into the kitchen, bringing out a bowl of porridge and two eggs.

"Eat quickly."

Lin Feng sat down and began to eat.

Cheng Yuxin sat opposite him, watching him eat.

After she finished eating, she cleared away the dishes.

Lin Feng stood up, wanting to help.

Cheng Yuxin stopped him.

"Go and rest. I'll take care of it."

Lin Feng looked at her.

Cheng Yuxin kept her head down while washing the dishes, without looking up.

But he noticed that her eyes were a little red.

He froze for a moment.

"Sister Yuxin?"

Cheng Yuxin didn't turn around.

"It's nothing," she said, her voice a little hoarse. "You should go and get some rest."

Lin Feng stood there for two seconds, then turned and went back to his room.

Lying in bed, he thought about the look in Cheng Yuxin's eyes.

Red-rimmed eyes.

Why?

He thought about it for a while, but couldn't figure it out.

Then he remembered his past life.

In my past life, there was an aunt in an orphanage who always had that kind of look in her eyes whenever he was sick.

It's not worry, it's heartache.

He rolled over.

Cheng Yuxin felt sorry for him?

Why?

He couldn't figure it out, so he simply stopped thinking about it.

Close your eyes and go to sleep.

I woke up at ten o'clock.

He has recovered his spirits.

He sat up and stretched his arms and legs. They were still a little sore, but much better than in the morning.

He opened the door and went out.

The living room was empty. Cheng Yuxin's bedroom door was closed.

He went to the kitchen and saw a note on the table.

"I'm going to the library to write my paper. I won't be back for lunch. There's food in the fridge, heat it up yourself. —Yuxin"

Lin Feng looked at the note and smiled.

He folded the note and put it in his pocket.

Then he opened the refrigerator, took out the leftovers from last night, heated them up, and ate them.

After finishing his meal, he sat back in his room, opened his notebook, and continued thinking about the Chinese translation.

PKZIP has been fully localized into Chinese and is being sold in the computer room.

What to do next?

After thinking about it, he decided to make WinZip.

WinZip is a compression software for Windows, more user-friendly than PKZIP, and has a larger user base. Localizing it into Chinese would further expand its market.

However, WinZip is a Windows program, making its localization more complex than that of DOS programs. It requires handling resource files, dialog boxes, and menus.

He needs a computer that can run Windows.

Liu Jian's computer runs DOS and cannot run Windows 3.2.

He needs his own computer.

He picked up the pager and looked at it.

No new messages.

He put down the pager and continued thinking.

money.

I have a little over 500 in my piggy bank, not enough to buy a computer.

I wonder how much of the software sold in the computer room will sell.

He needs other sources of income.

He thought for a while and came up with an idea.

Write articles.

At that time, many computer magazines, such as "Computer Weekly," "Computerworld," and "Software Weekly," accepted manuscripts. He could write articles about programming techniques, localization experiences, and the like and submit them.

The royalties aren't high, but every little bit helps.

He nodded.

feasible.

He took out paper and pen and began to write.

Title: Some Thoughts on Localizing Software

Content: This section introduces the basic steps of localizing software, how to handle encoding issues, how to replace strings, and how to test it.

He wrote for two hours and wrote more than three thousand words.

After he finished writing it, he read it over and corrected a few typos.

Then he found an envelope and put the manuscript inside.

I'll mail it at the post office next week.

At 3 p.m., the pager went off.

He picked it up and looked at it.

Liu Jian: Are you coming to my house today? My dad said he wants to talk to you.

Lin Feng thought for a moment and replied.

"Come."

He changed his clothes and went out.

When we arrived at Liu Jian's house, Liu Jian's father was reading the newspaper in the living room.

Seeing Lin Feng enter, he put down his newspaper and greeted him with a smile.

"Kobayashi is here, please have a seat."

Lin Feng sat down.

Liu Jian's father looked at him.

"Xiaolin, I heard from Xiaojian that you translated a piece of software into Chinese?"

Lin Feng nodded.

Liu Jian's father's eyes lit up.

"Can I take a look?"

Lin Feng took a floppy disk out of his pocket and handed it to him.

Liu Jian's father took it, went into the inner room, and put it into the computer.

He looked at it for a while and nodded.

"Not bad." He came out, looked at Lin Feng, and asked, "How much do you plan to sell it for?"

Lin Feng told them about the computer room incident.

After listening, Liu Jian's father remained silent for a few seconds.

Then he said, "Xiaolin, have you ever thought about starting your own business?"

Lin Feng looked at him.

Liu Jian's father said, "You can't sell many computers in a computer room. You need to find real users."

Lin Feng asked, "How do we find it?"

Liu Jian's father said, "Type 'GG' in the computer magazine. Leave your contact information. They'll contact you if needed."

Lin Feng thought for a moment.

Playing GG costs money.

He asked, "How much does GG cost?"

Liu Jian's father said, "Little GG isn't expensive, just a few dozen yuan per period. You can try one period first."

Lin Feng nodded.

Liu Jian's father added, "If you need money, I can lend you some."

Lin Feng looked at him.

Liu Jian's father smiled.

"Don't overthink it. I see you're really capable, so it's only right that I lend a hand."

Lin Feng remained silent for a few seconds.

Then he said, "Thank you, Uncle."

Liu Jian's father waved his hand.

"Don't mention it. Work hard, and if you become successful in the future, just don't forget Xiao Jian."

Liu Jian shouted from the side, "Dad, what did you say?!"

Lin Feng smiled.

When he got home that evening, he did some calculations.

There are 503.6 yuan in my piggy bank.

Computer Weekly is GG, one issue costs about fifty yuan. I'll buy three issues first, that'll be one hundred and fifty yuan.

Stamps, envelopes, paper, twenty yuan.

There are still over three hundred left.

That's enough to buy a memory stick or a hard drive.

He nodded.

Next week I'm going to the post office to mail the manuscript and send it to GG.

Chapter 20 First Income

After school on Monday, Lin Feng went to the post office.

He bought three stamps and three envelopes.

One letter was sent to the manuscript, and two to GG.

The article was sent to Computer Weekly, with the address in Chongqing.

GG sent it to Computerworld, the address is BJ.

He filled in the address, affixed the stamp, and dropped it into the mailbox.

The mailbox is green and has "Opening Time" written on it.

He stood there, looking at the mailbox, for a few seconds.

Then he turned and left.

On Friday night, he went to the New World Computer Room again.

The fat man was still sitting behind the counter, wearing the same floral shirt.

His eyes lit up when he saw Lin Feng come in.

"Lin Feng! We've been waiting for you."

He took a stack of money out of the drawer.

"Thirteen tickets were sold. Five yuan each, sixty-five yuan in total. You take thirty-nine, I'll take twenty-six."

He pushed the thirty-nine yuan over.

Lin Feng took the money and counted it.

Thirty-nine pieces.

First income.

He put the money in his pocket.

The fat man looked at him.

"Someone else wants your software. Bring a few more floppy disks, and I'll prepare a few more copies for you."

Lin Feng nodded.

He thought for a moment and asked, "Boss, can you print here?"

The fat man said, "Yes. One cent a piece."

Lin Feng said, "I'd like to print out a small GG (gift symbol) and stick it on the side of your counter. If anyone asks about it, I can show it to them."

The fat man thought for a moment and nodded.

"Okay. You write it, and I'll type it for you."

Lin Feng borrowed paper and pen and wrote a short passage.

"PKZIP Chinese version, compression software, Chinese interface, easy to use. Five yuan per file. Please contact the counter if you need one."

The fat man looked at it and nodded.

He took it, printed out a copy, and stuck it on the side of the counter.

Lin Feng looked at it and was satisfied.

He took out two cents and handed them to the fat man.

The fat man didn't answer.

"Never mind, consider it a gift. Sell it well."

Lin Feng smiled.

After leaving the computer room, he walked towards the bus stop.

After walking a few steps, the pager went off.

He picked it up and looked at it.

Cheng Yuxin: When are you coming back? Dinner is ready.

He smiled.

I quickened my pace and walked towards the bus stop.

I got home at 7:30.

Cheng Yuxin stood at the door, looking at him.

"Why are you so late?"

Lin Feng said, "I'm going to the computer room."

Cheng Yuxin let him in and closed the door.

"Wash your hands and eat."

The table was set with three dishes and a soup: braised pork, stir-fried greens, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and seaweed and egg drop soup.

Lin Feng sat down and picked up his chopsticks.

Cheng Yuxin sat opposite him, watching him eat.

After eating for a while, she spoke.

"Lin Feng, what happened to you today...?"

She paused.

Lin Feng looked up at her.

Cheng Yuxin blushed slightly.

"You look... quite handsome today."

Lin Feng was stunned for a moment.

Cheng Yuxin regretted her words as soon as she finished speaking, and her face turned even redder.

She lowered her head and pretended to eat.

Lin Feng looked at her and smiled.

"Sister Yuxin looks great today too."

Cheng Yuxin lowered her head even further, and her ears turned red.

The two ate in silence.

After finishing the meal, Lin Feng washed the dishes.

Cheng Yuxin stood at the kitchen doorway, looking at him.

After watching for a while, she spoke.

"Lin Feng".

Lin Feng turned around.

Cheng Yuxin said, "Your competition still has more than three months left. I... I'll make you a nutritious meal."

Lin Feng looked at her.

Cheng Yuxin said, "Aren't you going to train your strength? You need to supplement it. I'll make you more meat and eggs every day."

Lin Feng remained silent for two seconds.

Then he said, "Okay."

Cheng Yuxin smiled.

That was the first time Lin Feng had seen her smile so happily.

Lin Feng arrived at the stadium at 5:40 a.m. on Saturday.

Zhou Jianguo has already submitted his application.

Throw—swish.

Throw—swish.

Throw—swish.

Lin Feng stood on the sidelines and watched for a while.

Then he went inside and began his practice.

Sun Jianguo arrived at 6:30.

He held something in his hand and handed it to Lin Feng.

It's a jump rope.

Lin Feng took it and looked at it.

Sun Jianguo said, "It's for leg training. A thousand jumps every day."

Lin Feng nodded.

Sun Jianguo looked at him.

"Hey kid, who was your opponent in that match?"

Lin Feng said, "He's from the teachers' college team, plays shooting guard, and has a good shot."

Sun Jianguo thought for a moment.

"You're good at shooting?" he said. "Then you need to practice your defense."

He walked onto the field and got into position.

"Come on, you attack, I defend."

Lin Feng dribbles, trying to break through.

Sun Jianguo stepped forward and stood close to him.

Lin Feng is immobilized.

Sun Jianguo said, "See? Defense relies on footwork and anticipation."

He demonstrated several defensive moves.

Lin Feng followed suit and learned.

I studied for an hour and I'm exhausted.

Sun Jianguo stopped and looked at him.

"Alright, that's enough for today. Go back and practice your footwork more."

Lin Feng nodded.

Sun Jianguo is gone.

Zhou Jianguo had also left long ago.

Lin Feng sat on the cement platform, panting.

The sun rose and shone on the field.

He stared at the basketball hoop for a long time.

Then he stood up, picked up the ball, and continued shooting.

In the afternoon, he went to Liu Jian's house.

Liu Jian's father was in the living room. When he saw him come in, he smiled and waved.

"Kobayashi, come quick!"

Lin Feng walked over.

Liu Jian's father handed him an envelope.

"your."

Lin Feng paused for a moment, then took it and opened it.

Inside was a remittance slip.

The payment for this article was sent by Computer Weekly, 120 yuan.

He looked at it again and again, confirming that it was correct.

Liu Jian's father smiled and said, "Not bad, your first royalty payment."

Lin Feng nodded.

He carefully kept the remittance slip.

Then he sat down and began writing the second article.

Title: How to Localize Windows Software

I finished writing around dinnertime.

He packed his things and prepared to go home.

Liu Jian's father called him over.

"Kobayashi, when will your boyfriend be able to log out?"

Lin Feng said, "About one or two weeks later."

Liu Jian's father nodded.

"When you receive any news, I'll keep it for you."

Lin Feng thanked him and went downstairs.

When he got home, he showed the remittance slip to Cheng Yuxin.

Cheng Yuxin's eyes lit up when she saw it.

"One hundred and twenty yuan? You wrote that?"

Lin Feng nodded.

Cheng Yuxin looked at him with a complicated expression.

"Lin Feng, just how many things do you actually know?"

Lin Feng did not answer.

Cheng Yuxin didn't press the matter further.

She returned the remittance slip to him.

"Keep it safe. Don't lose it."

Lin Feng nodded.

That night, he lay in bed, thinking about the events of the past few days.

Basketball. Uncle Sun is teaching defense, and Zhou Jianguo is practicing with him. The strength training is starting to show results; his shooting accuracy has improved a bit.

Computer. Thirteen PKZIP copies sold, earning thirty-nine. Manuscript fee one hundred and twenty. GG hasn't logged out yet.

Cheng Yuxin. She said she would make him a nutritious meal. She smiled so happily.

He rolled over.

Looking at the moonlight outside the window.

Then he remembered something.

Zhao Lei.

He plays shooting guard for the teachers' college team and is a good shooter.

He didn't know how strong Zhao Lei was.

But he knew he had to win.

It wasn't because of Cheng Yuxin.

It's because of him.

43 years.

He wanted to win once.

He closed his eyes.

We'll continue practicing tomorrow.

Chapter 21 The Identity of the Mysterious Master

Lin Feng woke up again at four o'clock in the morning on Sunday.

He tiptoed out of bed, changed his clothes, grabbed the ball, and went out.

The street was still dark, but the streetlights were on.

When I got to the court, Zhou Jianguo was already there.

Throw—swish.

Throw—swish.

Throw—swish.

Lin Feng walked to the other side and began practicing.

Zhou Jianguo came over after practicing until 5:30.

He stood next to Lin Feng, watching him throw.

After watching for a while, he spoke.

"You've made great progress."

Lin Feng stopped and looked at him.

Zhou Jianguo asked, "How long have you been practicing?"

Lin Feng said, "A little over a week."

Zhou Jianguo remained silent for a few seconds.

Then he said, "You are the fastest improving person I have ever seen."

Lin Feng didn't speak.

Zhou Jianguo looked at him.

"You have talent."

Lin Feng said, "I just want to fight."

Zhou Jianguo nodded.

He was silent for a moment, then spoke.

"I used to be on the provincial youth team."

Lin Feng looked at him.

Zhou Jianguo said, "I got injured later and had to retire."

Lin Feng asked, "What injury?"

Zhou Jianguo patted his right knee.

"The cruciate ligament is torn."

Lin Feng remained silent.

Zhou Jianguo smiled, but it was a bitter smile.

"He was only nineteen years old then. He had only been in the youth team for a year when he was ruined."

He looked at the basketball hoop in the distance.

"After retiring, I returned to Beichuan and became a teacher at a sports school, teaching children to play basketball."

Lin Feng looked at him.

Zhou Jianguo withdrew his gaze and looked at Lin Feng.

"Practice hard. Don't end up like me."

Lin Feng nodded.

Zhou Jianguo turned and left.

Lin Feng stood there, watching his figure disappear into the morning mist.

Then he continued to throw.

After school on Monday, Lin Feng went to the post office.

He sent out the second article.

Then he went to the New World computer room.

The fat man saw him and waved.

"Lin Feng, you've sold eight more tickets."

He took out twenty-four yuan.

Lin Feng took it and put it in his pocket.

The fat man pointed to the GG next to the counter.

"This thing is useful. Several people asked about it after seeing GG's post."