Volleyball Girl! A Sizzling Summer

Do you like playing volleyball?

At the school team tryouts, Li Qingtian missed out by just three balls.

That summer, she thought her dream of playing sports was over.

It was only after joining a volleyball training camp that she understood: passion isn't something you're born with. Bumping the ball left her arms red and raw, and the intense training pushed her to her limits again and again. Many people gave up after just two or three days. She wavered too, and grew tired, but amid all that sweat, something was quietly taking root.

The left hand that had once been corrected became the one shot on the court that the whole team was most afraid to receive.

There was more to the court than winning and losing. There were friends who understood one another, teammates who pushed each other, and the warm love of her family.

Volleyball is just the vehicle. This is a story of growing through adolescence: learning to face criticism, stand shoulder to shoulder with friends, and understand yourself through every fall.

Victory and defeat aren't the finish line. A young girl's summer of growth is only just beginning.