She swallowed hard and spoke with difficulty.
"I……"
Before he could finish speaking, a pillow was thrown at his face.
"What do you mean 'you'? If you're not going to massage my shoulders, come massage my legs instead."
To avoid being attacked from behind again, Xie Shi'an lay flat on his back like an old man, stretching his legs out in front of her.
Jian Changnian gritted her teeth inwardly: So you're ordering around maids?
But unfortunately, I can't beat her yet, so I can only swallow my anger. After all, she was the one who suggested helping each other first. When it's her turn to press the button later, I'll have to think of a way to give her a good beating.
Jian Changnian made up her mind and started working on it.
Which leg should we massage first?
"Right leg, put some effort into it."
Jian Changnian smiled through gritted teeth.
"You have so many demands! Aren't you not used to it?"
Xie Shi'an realized that the more she tried to stop her from doing something, the more she wanted to challenge her bottom line.
How can we please her?
"I'm getting used to it now," Xie Shi'an said with a forced smile.
"Yes, Uncle Xie, I'll give it my all right away."
Xie Shi'an was still wearing the short-sleeved shirt and shorts she wore during training, her legs covered in bruises and scars—medals she earned during training or competitions.
Looking at her scarred skin, Jian Changnian didn't know why, but she no longer had the desire to tease her. Instead, she felt a pang of heartache and gently massaged her muscles to relax them while asking softly.
"How did you get so many injuries?"
"It happened either during training or during a competition."
Xie Shi'an didn't take it seriously. This is something every professional player goes through. Jian Changnian has only been in the team for a short time, so only she would make such a fuss.
The boy gently stroked her scars, his eyes filled with heartache.
"Try to protect yourself and don't fall again. Grandpa would be so heartbroken if he saw you fall."
"Besides, you're so fair-skinned, scars... won't look good on you."
Jian Changnian waited for a long time, but received no response. The only answer she received was the soft breathing coming from the bedside.
She leaned over and saw that Xie Shi'an was asleep!
What happened to the promise of mutual help?!
The boy was indignant and was about to shake her awake, but he pulled his hand back as fast as lightning when it touched her shoulder.
When she sleeps, she is very quiet, shedding her usual indifference and aloofness, like a pure and harmless angel.
Jian Changnian suddenly felt reluctant to disturb the tranquility, so she sighed helplessly, sat up, covered her with the blanket, and didn't forget to take off her shoes as well, put them by the door, turned off the light, silently said goodnight in the darkness, then gently closed the door and turned to leave.
***
Xie Shi'an's opponent in the singles semifinals was a 45-year-old veteran, Jiang Yunli from the Sichuan team.
The commentator also said this while they were doing their pre-match warm-up.
"Jiang Yunli is a national-level athlete in my country. In her more than 30-year professional career, she has won the World Championships, the All England Open, and the silver medal in women's singles at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She has rich experience on the field and has won many honors."
"Although she withdrew from the national team training in recent years due to injuries and returned to the provincial team, and gradually faded from the public eye, she still made it to the semi-finals of the national competition as soon as she returned, showing that her strength is still strong."
"In this match between veteran and newcomer, will Jiang Yunli, like an old horse still eager to gallop a thousand miles, or will Xie Shi'an, like a roc soaring into the sky, rise ninety thousand miles high? Let us wait and see!" [1]
Before the match, Jiang Yunli's coach applied kinesiology tape to her back and wrists, and repeatedly gave her instructions.
"Xie Shi'an defeated Yin Jiayi, her strength should not be underestimated. So far, no one has been able to take a single game from her, they have all been swept 2-0. If it really comes down to it, we can just forfeit, health is the most important thing."
Jiang Yunli smiled and stretched her shoulders.
"I'm a world champion, I can't just give up and become a laughing stock. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
The match officially began. Today, due to Jiang Yunli's comeback, the venue was almost full. The moment she stepped onto the court with her racket, the entire stadium erupted in enthusiastic cheers.
Amidst the roaring cheers, Xie Shi'an stepped forward to shake hands with the person, bowing slightly.
"Binhai Team, Xie Shi'an."
"I've heard a bit about you. I heard that you defeated Yin Jiayi, swept through the entire Eastern Division, and even shaved all your opponents in the singles. Jiang Yunli from Sichuan, I'm really looking forward to our match."
The two gently shook hands, and the kinesiology tape on Jiang Yunli's hand was particularly noticeable. Xie Shi'an quickly let go.
"Me too."
As the competition raged on, Qiao Yuchu's surgery began. Jin Shunqi stood beside her with an electrocautery scalpel, gently shielding her from the view of his wrist with his body.
"The anesthesiologist will be here the whole time. If you feel any pain, just let us know and we will readjust the dosage of the anesthetic for you."
When the electrocautery cut the skin, blue smoke rose up, and a faint burnt smell could be detected at the tip of the nose. There was basically no pain in the wrist, just a tingling sensation, like small insects gnawing at it.
However, this was still bearable for Qiao Yuchu. She moved her head, still somewhat curious and worried, wanting to see how the surgery went.
Jin Shunqi glanced at her while holding the electric knife, his amber eyes filled with a warm smile.
"Miss Qiao, don't you trust me? If you keep looking at me like that, I'll get nervous."
As soon as he finished speaking, the medical staff in the operating room chuckled softly. Qiao Yuchu's face turned red instantly, and she dared not look at him anymore.
"No... Dr. Kim's medical skills are excellent, please proceed with the surgery."
Jin Shunqi didn't even look up.
"Miss Qiao, close your eyes and get some sleep. If the pain starts again, I'm afraid you won't be able to sleep."
***
"Xie Shi'an's serve and return was really strong! Can Jiang Yunli return that ball? She did! Great!"
"Xie Shi'an retreated to the back field and pinned her head down."
"Jiang Yunli is indeed a veteran with rich experience. She is very patient. Knowing that Xie Shi'an is a fast-paced player, she kept trying to dodge the ball to the backcourt to make her move around and not give her a chance to smash."
"Xie Shi'an was under a lot of pressure and she didn't want to wait any longer; she wanted to take back control of the game herself..."
"A feint! Xie Shi'an suddenly changed his move, switching from a smash to a flat push to the net, which was really hard to defend against."
"Let's congratulate Xie Shi'an on winning the first game 15:21."
Jiang Yunli returned to her team's rest area, wiping away sweat with a towel in one hand and rubbing her right wrist. She looked somewhat uncomfortable.
"How are you? Are you alright?" The coach called the team doctor over to examine her, looking worried.
Jiang Yunli swallowed hard and glanced at Xie Shi'an across from her.
"She's alright, she can keep going. She's very strong, but I don't want to lose either."
"Here, Shi'an, have some water." Yan Xinyuan opened a bottle of purified water and handed it to her.
"How are you feeling? Are you confident you can win the second game?"
Xie Shi'an hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"If she were in her prime, I'm afraid I couldn't beat her."
Yan Xinyuan patted her on the shoulder and took the water bottle back.
"There's a saying that goes, 'Old ginger is spicier.' Don't underestimate your opponent, but don't be afraid either. Go all out and fight."
After the team doctor finished acupuncture and applied a plaster, everything was ready. Jiang Yunli stood up, full of energy, and walked towards the field.
Xie Shi'an looked at the plaster on her hand.
"Is it really necessary?"
"You're not trying to throw the game, are you? If you're playing against me with that in mind, you're definitely going to lose this round."
Xie Shi'an shook his head, preparing to serve.
"Even if you are my senior, I must give it my all in this match."
Jiang Yunli smiled, eager to try, her whole being radiant.
"Then I must take advantage of my size to bully the weak."
At the start of the second match, Jiang Yunli seemed like a completely different person, abandoning her conservative playing style from the previous game and becoming very proactive in receiving serves.
"If there is a ceiling in women's singles, it must be Jiang Yunli at her peak, whose fast attack and quick smash made her invincible all over the world."
"She's the originator of this kind of ball technique; she knows exactly how to deal with Xie Shi'an."
"Xie Shi'an's downfall was due to his lack of experience."
"The score is 19-20, with Jiang Yunli in the lead. It's the last point!"
"Jiang Yunli pushed forward, and Xie Shi'an kept his distance, not giving her a chance to get close."
"They exchanged blows for more than a minute, it was a back-and-forth game."
"Xie Shi'an can't wait any longer. She wants to finish this quickly. She takes a crossover step back, jumps up, and smashes the ball!"
"Jiang Yunli can't get back to defend in time! Can she catch this ball?! Can she catch it?!"
As the commentator spoke excitedly, the audience in the stands held their breath and stood up nervously.
Jiang Yunli turned sideways, gritted her teeth, and lunged forward with all her might. Before the ball hit the ground, she scooped it up and threw herself and the racket heavily off the court.
The ball flew over the net at a very tricky angle and landed in the midfield.
Xie Shi'an didn't make it in time.
The audience cheered, accompanied by the commentary.
"Jiang Yunli is risking her life! She has shown us what the perseverance of a veteran truly means!"
"Let's congratulate Jiang Yunli on winning a game and reaching match point. She is also the only player in the national competition to have won a game against Xie Shi'an. Let's congratulate her again on breaking Xie Shi'an's undefeated curse!"
The commentator's words ignited the atmosphere, creating a sea of excitement.
The live stream platform was also flooded with comments:
"Jiang...Yunli, awesome."