"Who said that? Look, you're playing against the world champion in your first match! That's Yin Jiayi!!! It's not unfair that you lost to her."
That's a really unique way to comfort someone.
Jian Changnian felt a warmth in her heart and turned back to smile at her.
"Yes, thank you."
"Are you happy now? If you are, do me a favor~" Zhou Mu shook her shoulders wildly from behind.
Jian Changnian had a bad feeling.
"What kind of help?"
Zhou Mu looked at Yin Jiayi with a hint of shyness in his eyes.
"I want..."
Jian Changnian immediately refused loudly: "Impossible, no way, I've already lost the game, don't even think about making me beg her for an autograph."
"Oh, Chang Nian, my dear Chang Nian~ please help me~ please~~" Zhou Mu said as she snuggled up to her, hugging her arm and acting coquettishly.
Hearing the commotion, the staff came over to chase people away.
"The spectator over there, please go back to the stands and do not approach the railing."
Zhou Mu stuck out her tongue and ran off: "Then I'll be going now. I really can't skip my afternoon tutoring class. Good luck! I'll come watch your match another day. And don't forget my autograph!!"
Her witty remark lessened the disappointment of losing the game considerably.
Jian Changnian grinned at her retreating figure.
"You wish."
Chapter 38 National Competition (2)
That being said, after the day's competition, Jian Changnian still went to the Zhejiang team, found Yin Jiayi in the crowd, mustered up her courage, and handed her a notebook.
"Um... I have a friend who really likes you, could you sign an autograph for her?"
Yin Jiayi seemed surprised that she would come to find her, and her expression was slightly stunned. Logically speaking, she had beaten the person quite badly, and it was difficult for a young person's pride to make him lower himself to beg his opponent.
Her teammates pulled her away.
"Jiayi, let's go. She's from the Binhai Provincial Team. Don't pay any attention to her."
Jian Changnian looked a little hurt, and was about to withdraw her outstretched hand when Yin Jiayi stopped, took out a pen from her backpack, walked back to her in a few steps, took the notebook from her hand, and quickly signed a line.
It reads: Keep going, the future is bright.
Signed: Yin Jiayi.
Jian Changnian smiled knowingly as he looked at the line of text.
"Thank you, senior."
Yin Jiayi smiled.
"I hope I'll have the chance to play against you again next time."
Jian Changnian nodded firmly.
"Yes, if there's a next time, I won't lose again."
Yin Jiayi nodded without comment, then turned and left.
***
After the autograph session, the group returned to the training base. Both the boy group and the girl group had won today. Yan Xinyuan was so happy that he ordered the canteen to prepare some good food so they could have a meal together that evening.
After a long day, everyone was starving, and they sat down in the canteen early, even before the meal was served.
Qiao Yuchu was distributing tableware to everyone.
"One, two, three, four, five... Wait a minute, there's an extra set of chopsticks and a bowl. Who's missing?"
The group exchanged bewildered glances. Jian Changnian's roommate looked around and, seeing no one beside her, said, "Changnian isn't here."
Where is she? Have you seen her?
Everyone shook their heads.
"They disappeared when they returned to base."
Just as the dishes were being served, Yan Xinyuan put down his chopsticks.
"You guys eat while it's hot, I'm going to find her."
As he got up to leave, Xie Shi'an added a comment.
"Coach Yan, if someone isn't in the training room, they're on the small playground."
Yan Xinyuan nodded and left the cafeteria.
Qiao Yuchu elbowed her.
"Wow, you know people so well."
Xie Shi'an, without changing his expression, picked up the large chicken leg from the basin and put it into his own bowl: "I just don't want anyone to delay my meal."
Seeing her pick up her chopsticks, Qiao Yuchu was not to be outdone.
"Hey, hey, save one for me."
***
As soon as Yan Xinyuan reached the door of the training room, he heard the sound of balls being hit coming from inside. He peeked out and saw Jian Changnian practicing receiving serves repeatedly by himself.
As her shoes slid across the floor, drops of sweat from her hair fell onto the floor.
Yan Xinyuan knocked gently on the door.
"Xiao Jian, dinner's ready."
Upon hearing this, Jian Changnian glanced back, but didn't stop what she was doing.
"Coach Yan, I'm not hungry, you guys eat first."
"Man is made of iron, food is made of steel, and there's a competition tomorrow."
He walked over and patted her on the shoulder. Jian Changnian then put down her racket and followed him out. As she watched Yan Xinyuan's slightly hunched back walk ahead, she felt a pang of unease for some reason.
"Coach Yan, I didn't play well today."
Yan Xinyuan didn't hide it from her.
"To be honest, I never thought you would win today."
"Then why did you..." Jian Changnian was a little puzzled. Since she knew that the outcome of the competition was a foregone conclusion, why did you still arrange for her to be in the first match?
"Sometimes learning from the strong is more important than winning or losing a game."
Yan Xinyuan turned around, his gaze seemingly full of meaning.
Jian Changnian's eyes lit up, as if she had been suddenly enlightened.
"Coach Yan, Coach Yan, has the video of today's game been released yet? I... I'd like to borrow it to watch."
Yan Xinyuan also laughed.
"That's possible, but we need to finish our meal first."
Jian Changnian readily agreed, and a bright smile returned to her lips.
"Great! I could eat ten cows right now!!"
"If you don't run faster, they'll pick all the meat."
Upon hearing this, Jian Changnian, still just a child, ran away screaming.
"Ahhh, Coach Yan, I'm leaving now! Xie Shi'an, Sister Yu Chu, please leave me a bite!!"
There was no way she could leave any for her. Before she arrived, Xie Shi'an stuffed several more pieces of meat into her own bowl. If Qiao Yuchu hadn't prepared her food in advance, there might have been no rice left if she had arrived any later.
While wolfing down her food, Jian Changnian mumbled, "Waaah, thank you, Sister Yuchu."
After finishing his meal, Xie Shi'an, who should have gone back to rest, did not return to his dormitory but went to Yan Xinyuan's office.
She knocked gently on the door.
"Coach Yan."
"Come in, what is it?"
Xie Shi'an hesitated for a moment before speaking up: "I'd like to borrow the videotape of today's match from you."
Yan Xinyuan was sitting at the table writing something when he heard this and looked up at her.
"That's really unfortunate, Chang Nian just came to borrow it."
"Is that so..." Xie Shi'an nodded and was about to turn and leave.
"Then I won't bother you any longer."
Yan Xinyuan capped the pen and smiled.
"Don't you have anything to say to me?"
"I..." Xie Shi'an choked for a moment, knowing that he was referring to the incident during the competition today when the other person confronted him in front of so many people, and said in a low voice.
"I have apologized to you, and... we won the game."
Yan Xinyuan shook his head, his gaze behind his reading glasses peaceful and sincere.
“That’s not what I meant. I meant trust.”
The boy paused for a moment, then gradually tightened his lips.
"I know you want to win, and as the head coach, I feel the same way. I hope you can trust me, not question any of my decisions, and see me as a comrade-in-arms, not an enemy, because my goal is the same as yours: to stand on a higher podium."
“Coach Yan…” The boy’s indifferent expression softened slightly.
The longer Yan Xinyuan spent with Xie Shi'an, the clearer he became that Xie Shi'an was like the opposite of Jian Changnian—an innocent, pure, and flawless person whose heart was always bright and cheerful, like a little sun that could infect others unintentionally.
She was taciturn and rarely smiled. Perhaps her childhood experiences made her sensitive and suspicious. She disliked being disciplined or advised, and was not the kind of person who would stick to the rules. She also kept many secrets in her heart.