Although Jian Changnian had already performed beyond his usual level, Jin Nanzhi was not to be outdone. After being stopped, he adjusted his mindset in time and his playing style became much more stable.
The two sides traded blows.
Kim Nam-ji served, and Chien Chang-nian flew to receive it, making an almost impossible save.
Even if Jin Nanzhi falls to the ground, she will still send the ball back to Jian Changnian when she lobs the ball.
Even the commentators couldn't help but exclaim, "Both teams aren't just playing at their best; they're fighting for their lives!"
18:19.
19:19.
19:20
20:20.
The audience held their breath, waiting for the final two crucial points.
Both players on the court stopped at the net, panting heavily, sweat streaming down their faces. Jian Changnian's back was already soaked, and Jin Nanzhi was in no better shape, frantically swallowing and trying to catch his breath.
This is a showdown of physical strength, endurance, technique, and mentality, and it is also the fateful battle between Jian Changnian, Xie Shi'an, and Jin Nanzhi.
She will personally make up for the regret of the Rio Olympics four years ago.
Jian Changnian straightened up; it was her turn to serve.
Strangely enough, in the final moments, she wasn't nervous at all, as if she had returned to her training days with the Binhai Provincial Team, repeating the mechanical movements of serving, swinging the racket, and hitting the ball.
The sky was just as blue back then as it is now. It was also the height of summer in July, with the sun blazing down. The training was tough, but Jian Changnian felt very happy.
At that time, she was surrounded by Xie Shi'an, her best friend Zhou Mu, Lao Yan, and other friends.
Although we've all drifted apart on this long journey called the passage of time, in this moment, it's as if we can still hear them calling her name in her ear, encouraging her to keep going.
A smile appeared on Jian Changnian's lips. His movements became increasingly light and agile, even lacking in technical skill, using simplicity to deflect Jin Nanzhi's repeated attacks.
Another high clear from the backcourt.
The commentator's voice grew increasingly excited: "Jian Changnian's counter-attack was absolutely brilliant, but I have a feeling the ball is going out of bounds..."
A white swan feather streaked across the sky like a falling meteor.
Everyone held their breath. The director showed a slow-motion replay, revealing the ball landing steadily inside the line, while Kim Nam-ji misjudged the situation and failed to get back to defend in time.
"Beautiful! Jian Changnian's ball didn't go out of bounds!! She's just one point away from the world championship!!!"
Amid cheers from the crowd, the electronic display lit up: 21:20, Jian Changnian was just one step away from the world championship!
Xie Shi'an's brows relaxed slightly, and his tense body finally relaxed, only then realizing that his palms were sweaty.
When it was Jin Nanzhi's turn to serve, she glanced at Jian Changnian on the other side. At this moment, both of them had the same do-or-die attitude in their eyes.
Kim Nam-ji gritted his teeth, jumped high, and planned to use a beautiful jump shot to open the curtain on the final battle.
Jian Changnian noticed her movements, took a few steps back, jumped high, stretched out her long arms, and prepared to receive the ball. However, perhaps because of the excessive speed, she only heard the soft sound of her shoes hitting the ground before she lost her balance.
Xie Shi'an stood up abruptly, the ballpoint pen in his hand flying out of his hand due to the force he used.
The ballpoint pen fell to the ground with a dull thud. Jian Changnian collapsed heavily, landing on the back of her head. Her racket slipped from her hand, and a white shuttlecock landed beside her. The entire stadium fell silent.
For a moment, Xie Shi'an's vision went black, and scenes from the Rio Olympics flashed through his mind.
How familiar this scene was! Except that the one lying on the ground with her eyes closed was Jian Changnian, while the one shouting her name at the top of her lungs on the sidelines was herself.
She finally heard her own voice.
"Xiao Jian, Jian Changnian, wake up, stand up! Doctor! Doctor!"
The team doctor rushed out first, while Xie Shi'an pushed aside the others' obstruction, stepped over the railing of the rest area, and ran straight over.
The woman sitting in the stands was also stunned: "How could this be? Just one point difference... is it going to be...?"
Sitting on her other side was a young girl who, upon seeing this scene, muttered in a tearful voice, "Four years ago at the Rio Olympics, Jian Changnian and Xie Shi'an, as a women's doubles pair, also faced Kim Nam-ji and her teammates. During the match point game, Xie Shi'an's leg injury flared up and she suddenly fell, forcing them to stop the match and win the silver medal with bitterness. Is history going to repeat itself?"
After a moment of silence in the audience, someone holding the banner shouted, "Jian Changnian, stand up!"
The girl next to him also shouted at the top of her lungs, "Jian Changnian, get up!"
The woman glanced at the man beside her.
The man shrugged. "Honestly, I don't think she can continue the match. Her knee is injured, and she landed on the back of her head. It's likely to be badly damaged. An athlete's physical condition is their greatest asset; if they don't win this time, there's always next time. Even if she does get up, it's not certain she can..."
Before he could finish speaking...
The woman cupped her hands into a megaphone shape and called her name again after many years.
"Jian Changnian, stand up!"
"Jian Changnian, stand up!"
"Jian Changnian, get up!"
"Jian Changnian..."
Recite it often.
Often remember...
Chapter 3 School Team
Let's rewind to the summer of 2011.
"Chang Nian, Chang Nian, please help me, I'm begging you, okay? We can split the bonus if it works out, right?"
Unmoved by the girl's sincere plea, Jian Changnian wiped the sweat from his face with a clean piece of clothing from the shoulder area, picked up a car tire from the ground, and placed it on the wheel.
"I won't help. Can't you see I'm in class?"
The girl circled around her, looking somewhat sullen.
"What kind of class are you attending! The teacher isn't here, all the other students have run off, and you're the only one left doing all the dirty and hard work!"
"Vocational schools are all like this."
Jian Changnian has gotten used to it.
She has been here for half a semester. In this semester, fights, romances, jealousy, and teachers being late or leaving early are commonplace. It is completely different from the strong learning atmosphere of a normal high school. In addition, she is majoring in auto repair and is the only girl in the whole grade. Although things are valued for their rarity, she is still somewhat self-aware.
In terms of family background, she couldn't compare to her classmates from the city; in terms of appearance, she was short, didn't know how to dress, dressed in a very unfashionable way, and had a dull personality.
Perhaps her only advantage was her strong adaptability. If the teacher didn't come, she would proactively ask questions and figure things out on her own. Among her classmates who were late, left early, or missed class, she was the one who spent the most time in the workshop. Jian Changnian thought that if she could just endure it for two years, it would pass. Once she learned a skill, her grandmother wouldn't have to work so hard during the day in the fields and at night making shoe soles to supplement the family income.
Hearing this, Zhou Mu got even angrier: "I said, why did you suddenly decide to apply to this school? Your grades are so good, it would have been so much better if you went to high school with me, you would have had a companion!"
Hearing her talk about this, Jian Changnian was also a little annoyed. Although she and Zhou Mu were from the same village and grew up together, Zhou Mu's parents were both alive and earned two jobs, so his family's financial situation was much better than hers.
"Aren't you annoying? Don't you have classes at a top-tier high school? Did you sneak in by climbing over the wall again? I'm going to find our teacher right now..."
Jian Changnian threw down the tools in her hand and turned to leave.
Zhou Mu quickly chased after her and grabbed her clothes, afraid she would leave. He spoke in a rapid-fire manner: "Hey, hey, hey, no! I really, really, really want to ask you for help!!"
"This Friday, our school is having a friendly badminton match with Jiangbei No. 2 Middle School, sponsored by a sporting goods company in the city. The winner gets a 1,000 yuan prize and a free racket! I had already arranged to play doubles with someone, but she fell off her bike on her way home yesterday and hurt her leg, so she can't even stand up. I've already registered, and the match starts tomorrow, so I can't just withdraw..."
Zhou Mu shook her arm, looked at her pitifully, and forced out two tears: "I'm begging you, please come with me. You're so good at badminton, we're sure to win first place as a team!"
Although Zhou Mu is a bit gossipy and sometimes quite carefree, he has been genuinely good to her since childhood, and she really can't resist a girl's coquettishness.
"Alright, alright, stop crying, it's so cheesy. What, do you look like someone who's short of money?"
The Zhou family only has one daughter. Let alone a thousand yuan, even if she asked for a hundred thousand or eighty thousand, they would do everything in their power to get it for their precious daughter.
"I..." Zhou Mu choked, his face turning slightly red. He stomped his foot and pulled off her clothes.
"Just tell me if you're going or not!!"
"You can withdraw from the competition even if you've registered. If you can't play doubles, you can play singles. If you can't win, friendship comes first and competition second. Why do you have to win the championship? If you don't explain it clearly, I won't go."
Since there was no one in the workshop at the moment, and they were just sitting around doing nothing, Jian Changnian, unusually, felt like playing a prank and watched her with amusement.
"You..." Zhou Mu was furious and pounced on her to tickle her. Jian Changnian couldn't dodge in time and was caught red-handed. She couldn't stop laughing and finally managed to push him away.
"Okay, okay, I'll go, alright?!"
Zhou Mu only let go after receiving a satisfactory answer.
"That's more like it."
"However, you still have to tell me, what is the reason that you absolutely must go?"
After playing around for a while, they were both a little tired, so they sat on the ground leaning against the car to rest. The large fan above their heads was spinning, sending a cool breeze through them.
Jian Changnian was her good friend, and she didn't want to hide it from her.
Zhou Mu's face was still a little red. She lowered her eyelids and said in a very soft voice, "Senior will also be watching the game."
"I understand, you want to get his attention."
Zhou Mu, who had just been blushing, was almost ready to pounce on her and choke her.
"How come she suddenly has a mouth?!"
"Alright, alright, stop fooling around, it's so hot." Jian Changnian finally managed to pull the person away.
What time on Friday?
"It starts at seven o'clock, at the No. 2 Middle School gymnasium. I'll come find you after school and we'll go together."
"Won't it be discovered that I'm taking your classmate's place?" Jian Changnian was still a little worried.
"Don't worry! It's just a friendly match. I've already talked to our team. The No. 2 Middle School badminton team has some history with us, and they really want to win. Besides, when we go to No. 2 Middle School to compete, nobody knows anyone. How would they know you're impersonating someone else?"
"That's fine, but if we win, the prize money has to be split in half, plus the racket..."
"Alright, alright, as long as you're willing to go, here you go, all of it!" As he spoke, Zhou Mu glanced at his watch, suddenly exclaimed, and dashed out of the workshop.
"Oh no, PE class is about to end, I have to hurry back, see you on Friday!"
Before she could reply, he had already disappeared.
Jian Changnian sighed, thankfully the two schools were right next to each other and she could just climb over the wall; otherwise, if she had come a few more times, she might have become a running champion.
On Friday afternoons, vocational schools usually let students off early because some students who live far away need to take a bus home.