Qiao Yuchu held the warm plastic cup, hesitated for a long time, and then looked up at him and said.
"Coach Yan, please stop. I...I want to retire."
Yan Xinyuan was taken aback.
"Is it because of your family situation? I've already spoken with the leaders. As long as you still want to play, I'll do my best..."
Jian Changnian ran back in the pouring rain, completely soaked. She had intended to run to Yan Xinyuan and ask him to persuade Shi An, but as soon as she reached the office door, she overheard the conversation inside.
The boy paused, stopped, and looked somewhat bewildered.
Qiao Yuchu shook her head with a wry smile.
"That's not the whole reason. If it weren't for this family matter, I probably would have chosen to retire in a year or two. I don't have much talent, nor am I hardworking enough. Staying in the team would only hinder Shi'an and affect the team's performance. Besides, I don't want to put you in a difficult position."
"How can you call this difficult? You are my teammate, and as the head coach, of course I have to fight for every opportunity for you to play. Besides, you and Shi'an are so close, and you just retired like that. What do you think she will think? Where are we going to find a doubles player who is a good match for her in such a short time?"
Everyone knew they were close, and Qiao Yuchu was well aware that she had already rejected Xie Shi'an once. Choosing to retire again would undoubtedly be adding insult to injury, but she really had no other choice.
Qiao Yuchu stared at her wrist, her eyes slightly red.
"To be honest, ever since the last surgery, my wrist has been in unbearable pain on rainy days. I can't keep going like this anymore. Besides, my mother is now paralyzed in bed, and I can't stay away from home for months at a time for closed training or travel all over the country to compete. Coach Yan, I want to... live a more relaxed life."
Yan Xinyuan felt bad seeing her like this.
"We can see a doctor and do rehabilitation for your wrist problem. It can be resolved eventually. As for your family's financial difficulties, I can apply to the team to give you more subsidies. I can see that this decision was difficult for you. If you really love playing basketball, don't give it up."
Qiao Yuchu stood up, took an envelope out of her bag, and placed it on her desk.
"If I didn't really love badminton, I wouldn't have persisted until now. But it's true, I can't play anymore. I came here today to thank you in person and apologize. This is the money you transferred to me last time."
"I was really happy to train and play with everyone, and I will come back to see you again if I have the chance."
After Qiao Yuchu finished speaking, she bowed slightly to Yan Xinyuan, turned around and left. Just as she reached the door, she bumped into Jian Changnian.
She gave a wry smile. Now that things had come to this, she didn't want to say anything more. After nodding to the person, she prepared to leave.
Jian Changnian took a few steps and stopped the person, eager for an answer. She was asking on behalf of herself and Xie Shi'an.
"Sister Yu Chu! Why?! Why did you retire?! When I first joined the training team, my performance was at the bottom. You were the one who encouraged me, practiced with me, and told me not to give up. Have you forgotten?!"
"And Shi'an, she likes you so, so, so much. You two promised to win the championship together. You said you would witness every important moment in her life. The Olympics are coming up soon. How sad she must be if you do this!"
The boy's eyes were red, and his tone was urgent and rapid.
Qiao Yuchu grasped her shoulders and emphasized her words.
"Chang Nian, calm down! It's precisely because I consider her a friend that I can't hold her back. Only by completely cutting off her thoughts can she focus on playing ball without distractions. Otherwise, why do you think she's still on the Binhai Provincial Team after all these years, given her skill level!"
Jian Changnian broke free from the person.
"That's because she considers you a friend, her only friend, and more than just a friend. She doesn't want to leave you!"
As she finished speaking, her voice lowered, carrying a hint of pleading.
"Sister Yu Chu, if you do this, she will really be heartbroken..."
Qiao Yuchu's hand slid limply off her shoulder, and she said dejectedly.
“I know, but… how am I supposed to respond to her? My own life is a mess. I’m almost thirty and I don’t have any achievements to show for it, unlike you guys who are still so young.”
"Chang Nian, I see no hope left on this path, do you... understand?"
Jian Changnian glanced at Jin Shunqi, who had been standing not far away watching them silently, and her nose tingled slightly.
"Have you ever thought that Shi'an might never need your response? She just wants to stay by your side quietly. You have parents and family, and Dr. Jin, but Shi'an has nothing."
“Sister Yu Chu, there are athletes in the sports world who won world championships at the age of thirty. You have already persisted for so long, why not give it another try? From the moment I joined the training team, you have been taking care of me and giving me pointers. I... don’t want you to leave.”
Hearing this, Qiao Yuchu couldn't hide her heartache, and her eyes instantly reddened. But what's done is done, and they could never go back to the past.
“Chang Nian, please don’t try to persuade me anymore. My mind is made up. I’ve already sold the house and I’m going to move in the next couple of days. After my visa interview in Beijing, I’ll take my mother abroad for medical treatment. This bank card contains money that Shi’an transferred to me. You can give it to her.”
Having said that, Jian Changnian knew that her retirement was a done deal. She shook her head sadly and turned to leave.
"Go if you want, this is between you two."
She had only taken a couple of steps when a violent coughing fit came from the office, accompanied by the sound of something heavy falling to the ground.
Jian Changnian was stunned for a moment, then came to her senses, ran wildly, pushed open the door and rushed in, running to his side.
Yan Xinyuan lay on his back on the ground, his face deathly pale.
"Coach Yan, what's wrong?! Wake up, Coach Yan!"
Chapter 92 Awakening
"Doctor, doctor, please tell me what's wrong with Coach Yan!"
After taking the person to the hospital, Jian Changnian grabbed the doctor's sleeve and refused to let go, determined to get to the bottom of things.
Director Chen glanced at Yan Xinyuan, who was lying on the hospital bed. The old man had just been resuscitated and was receiving an IV drip. He weakly nodded to him.
Everyone in the room was watching him. Coach Liang, having heard the commotion, also rushed over from the training base.
Director Chen said without changing his expression.
"Emphysema is a chronic disease caused by years of smoking. As people get older, they need to pay more attention to it."
Upon hearing this, all three of them breathed a sigh of relief.
Qiao Yuchu was also there at the time. When she heard Jian Changnian shout, she ran in and, together with Jin Shunqi, managed to get the person to the hospital in time.
Yan Xinyuan smiled slightly as he looked at them.
"I already said I'm fine... cough cough... You've all made such a fuss, I'm just... too tired lately... I just need some rest."
"Coach Yan, it's good that you're alright. You should try to smoke less. It's getting late, so we'll head back now and come see you another day."
Qiao Yuchu was about to say goodbye when Yan Xinyuan called her back. He struggled to sit up a little from the bed and said earnestly.
"Yu Chu, it's easy to give up something you love, but you'll inevitably regret it later. If you insist on retiring—"
Yan Xinyuan changed the subject and called out to Coach Liang.
"Old Liang, did you bring that application form?"
Coach Liang nodded.
"I brought it."
"Give it to Yu Chu."
When Qiao Yuchu took it, she saw that it was an application from an active player to become an assistant coach. It seemed that he had prepared it for a long time. Her eyes immediately welled up with tears.
"Coach Yan..."
Yan Xinyuan waved his hand and said with a smile.
"Go ahead, go back and think it over carefully. Whether you want to play basketball or become a coach, the doors of our Binhai Provincial Team will always be open to you."
After they left, Director Chen seemed hesitant to speak.
Yan Xinyuan understood, knowing that Jian Changnian had something to say to him, so he beckoned Jian Changnian to come to him.
Jian Changnian leaned closer, took his cold hand in hers, and her eyes reddened slightly.
"Coach Yan..."
Yan Xinyuan raised his hand and touched her head; her hair was still wet.
"Silly child, why are you crying? Look at me, I'm perfectly fine. Did you go out without an umbrella today?"
Jian Changnian nodded.
"Um."
"Did you go to find Shi'an?"
Jian Changnian then sniffed and smiled through her tears.
"Nothing can be hidden from you."
"You always wear your heart on your sleeve. How's Shi'an doing lately?"
Jian Changnian originally wanted to ask him for help and ask him to persuade Xie Shi'an, but seeing him like this now, she didn't want to trouble him anymore.
So he smiled and told a white lie.
"It's great. I can sleep in every day at home until I naturally wake up, I don't have to train, and I can play games. I wouldn't want to come here either."
Yan Xinyuan raised his hand and slapped her.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Playing games will ruin your life. How can you stay at home playing games all day? You'll ruin yourself sooner or later. Once she recovers from her injury, she should return to the team as soon as possible. You've also been absent-minded in training lately. I think it's been a long time since I punished you guys. You're all itching for a beating."
Jian Changnian stuck out her tongue, looking a little embarrassed.
"Okay, Coach Yan, you should get some rest."
"You should go back too. Take a shower and change your clothes so you don't catch a cold. Next time you go out, remember to bring an umbrella when it's sunny and bring plenty of food."
When it came to asking her to leave, Jian Changnian was somewhat reluctant.
"Coach Yan, I..."
"Go on, go back. You can't be of any help here. I'll take care of things for Lao Yan."
Coach Liang also offered his advice.
"Go back and train hard, don't let me down," Yan Xinyuan said.
Jian Changnian then reluctantly got up.
"Then I'll come see you again tomorrow."
On the way back, Xie Shi'an's home was close to the hospital, so she made a special trip there. When she went up the stairs, she saw that the bag of snacks she had brought over at noon was still at the door, untouched.
She didn't know why she wanted to come find her, but she just wanted to talk to her, even if there was a door between them, and she didn't care whether Xie Shi'an could hear her or not, she just talked to herself.
"Shi'an, Coach Yan is in the hospital. The doctor said it's emphysema, and it's quite serious. We don't know when he'll get better..."
“I’m very worried about him.”
Xie Shi'an lay on the sofa with the TV on. The actor's mouth opened and closed, and she didn't know what he was saying. She just stared blankly at the TV background wall, with a pile of beer cans lying haphazardly on the coffee table in front of her.