"Is it because of your friend?"
"Well, I don't know if it will work, but we have to try it first."
My friend thought for a moment, then turned around and tore a page from his notebook.
“I also think Xie Shi’an wouldn’t be that kind of person. Count me in, I’ll join too.”
Zhou Mu looked up at her and a smile appeared on his lips.
"You've never even met her, how can you trust her so much?"
"Because she's your friend, I trust you. No one understands a friend better than a friend."
The badminton association investigated for more than a month but found nothing. Instead, Xie Shi'an was doxxed, cyberbullied, and harassed by unscrupulous reporters.
The law of conservation of mass applies to everything. There are those who hate her and those who like her. Letters from people all over the country, expressing their grievances on her behalf, are flying into the Badminton Association's mailbox like snowflakes.
***
This wasn't Xie Shi'an's first time facing the camera, but it was her first time holding a press conference.
Before going on stage, Xie Shi'an looked at the huge crowd below and the long guns and short cannons set up. The images of being interrogated in those days flashed through his mind again. He unconsciously took a step back, and then someone supported his back.
Jian Changnian nodded vigorously at her.
"Shi'an, good luck! I'll be waiting for you in the audience."
"And me too."
In the distance, a figure walked quickly towards them.
A hint of surprise welled up in Jian Changnian's eyes.
"Coach Wan, what brings you here?"
"I came on behalf of the Badminton Association."
The fact that he was able to arrive here at this time means that the Badminton Association has already reached a conclusion regarding her case.
Fortunately, it was him who came, not someone else.
Jian Changnian breathed a sigh of relief, and Xie Shian's eyes also showed a rare, long-lost smile of gratitude.
"Coach Wan, I'm sorry to trouble you again."
Wan Jing put his arm around her shoulder.
"Hey, I promised my senior brother I'd take care of you. Come on, I'll go in with you."
Xie Shi'an isn't particularly eloquent; he answers the reporter's questions concisely and directly, without beating around the bush, which makes him seem exceptionally sincere.
When asked about his relationship with Kim Nam-ji.
She just said...
"There are no friends on the field, only opponents."
At this moment, a reporter raised his hand to ask a question.
"Ms. Xie, did you accept money from the South Korean team to fix the match?"
Xie Shi'an looked over.
Have you watched my World Championship matches?
The reporter paused for a moment.
Xie Shi'an said calmly.
"Our opponent was also the South Korean team. Unfortunately, the day before the match, I had an appendicitis attack and my fever reached almost 40 degrees Celsius. I still stood on the court and insisted on finishing the match. If I had thrown the match, I would have withdrawn at that time. Appendicitis would have been the best excuse. I didn't even qualify for the World Championships, let alone the Olympics."
“If you don’t believe me, the medical records from that time are still there, and Coach Wan is here too. You can ask him.”
"How do you explain your father's accusations of domestic violence and refusal to fulfill his support obligations?"
Did he come today?
The reporters looked around the room, whispering among themselves.
"Isn't his absence enough to explain things? I'd really like to ask him myself if, in the past eighteen years, he has fulfilled his responsibilities and obligations as a father even for a single day?"
"Regarding his defamatory, rumor-mongering, maliciously edited video, and distorted facts statements, as well as his extortion of me, I reported it to the police yesterday and submitted all relevant evidence to the police. I believe that the Jiangcheng police will give me justice."
Is it true that you accepted endorsements privately?
"It's true. A friend of mine had a family emergency and urgently needed money. I wanted to help her, but I didn't have any other way to earn money, so I accepted an endorsement privately, which violated the Badminton Association's regulations. It was my fault, and I apologize to everyone. I will bear all the losses myself and accept any punishment from the Badminton Association. But please give me another chance so that I can continue to stand on the court I love and win glory for the country."
Xie Shi'an answered all the previous questions about the controversies and doubts surrounding her. However, when asked why she lost 1-2 to Kim Nam-ji at the Olympics, she pointed out that her mistake in the final game was obvious to everyone.
Xie Shi'an knew, of course, that a loss was a loss. She had played so well before, so it was no wonder that people suspected her of throwing the game.
She was silent for a few seconds, then spoke.
"Because before the final game, I learned that my mentor, Yan Xinyuan, the former head coach of the Binhai Provincial Team, was suffering from a terminal illness and was being treated in the ICU."
“During training, Coach Yan is my guiding light and mentor; in life, he is like my father.”
At this point, a reporter raised their hand to ask a question.
"Is Coach Yan out of danger now?"
Xie Shi'an lowered his eyes, his eyes slightly reddening.
"He died in the hospital on the same day I returned to China, despite all efforts to save him."
The reporter who had just asked the question was moving his lips, seemingly not expecting this outcome.
Xie Shi'an looked around and saw that no one else had raised their hands, so he stood up and bowed deeply to the camera.
"I am an athlete, but I am also just an ordinary person, an ordinary person with flesh and blood, who can feel sadness and pain."
"I am sorry for losing the game and letting everyone down, but I will always be proud to be an ordinary person."
The entire room fell silent. The reporters looked at her, some with tears in their eyes, some forgetting to take notes. They were stunned for a few seconds before sparse applause broke out, which eventually turned into a continuous clapping.
When Xie Shi'an walked out of the TV station, she never expected that her mother would be there too. Dressed in a formal suit, she looked so out of place among the group of kids who were supporting her.
Mrs. Xie would hand out hand-drawn flyers to everyone she met.
"My daughter is really not like what they say..."
Her words also caught the attention of reporters, one of whom asked her, "Are you really Xie Shi'an's mother?"
She had no idea that her mother, who was always submissive and had a weak temper at home, could be so brave.
Her face flushed, she explained to the reporters who questioned her true identity again and again: "I really am Shi'an's mother. Her father and I divorced when she was very young. Here is the divorce certificate, you can see it. Her father never cared about her when she was little. He smoked, drank, gambled, and did all sorts of bad things. He owed a lot of money, which is why he asked Shi'an for money. Don't believe him..."
Xie Shi'an called out in a hoarse voice, "Mom."
The woman turned around abruptly; she hadn't called her that in many years.
Mother Xie's eyes reddened, and she pulled the person into her arms.
"Hey, it's alright, child, Mom will take you home."
Xie Shi'an took two steps, but then seemed to suddenly remember something, turned around, and saw Jian Changnian standing in the crowd.
Her eyes were slightly red, and she was looking at her with a relieved smile on her lips.
Xie Shi'an walked over step by step and pulled her over.
"Let's go."
This was Xie Shi'an's second visit to her mother's house. As soon as they entered, Xie's mother busied herself getting them slippers and pouring them water.
"Just leave the shoes here. Please have a seat. I'll cook. I bought the groceries yesterday, and the meal will be ready soon."
"No need to bother, Mom, I... I'll leave after sitting for a while."
The man also got up from the sofa.
"There are no drinks in the fridge, I'll go to the supermarket to buy some."
"Okay, sure."
Mrs. Xie responded from the kitchen, then turned around and smiled, "Please sit down, please sit down, don't be shy. Youyou, turn on the TV for your sister."
Having one child in the family is just a nuisance, but having two would surely cause chaos. Xie Shi'an sat to the side, watching Jian Changnian and Youyou, this pair of "friends despite their age difference," and his lips twitched.
Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The image of the girl holding a toy airplane and leading Youyou around the room was so beautiful. Their giggles carried far. It has to be admitted that Bean Sprout was indeed better at making children happy than she was.
Mrs. Xie brought out the dishes.
"Quickly, wash your hands and eat!"
After dinner, Xie's mother planned to have them stay overnight, but Xie Shi'an shook her head.
"No, I need to go to the hospital to pack my things. Tomorrow... I'll go back to the training base for training."
Now that the Badminton Association has lifted her ban, it's time for her to start rehabilitation and prepare for the national tournament at the end of the year.
Since she said that, Xie's mother didn't insist that she stay.
"Then I'll drive you there."
Before leaving, Youyou ran over and tugged at her clothes, and Xie Shi'an lowered her head.
The little girl slipped a piece of candy into her hand and whispered.
"Sisters, please come and play with me again next time."
Xie Shi'an finally curved his lips into a smile.
"good."
Back at the training base, Wan Jingye was still there, seemingly waiting for her. At the press conference just now, Wan Jingye announced the Badminton Association's decision: her competition training would resume immediately, but her salary would be reduced, half a year's bonus would be deducted, and she would be banned from participating in any evaluation work for a year.
"I left in a hurry and haven't given you the contract yet. I went through a lot of trouble to get this, so you have to make up for it."
Xie Shi'an knew, of course, that there was no such thing as a free lunch. Wan Jing had been lobbying for her in various ways, hoping that she could join the national team and take on the responsibility of women's singles after Yin Jiayi left.
She smiled and took the contract.
"No problem, but could I come a little later..."
Before she could finish speaking, Wan Jing continued.