After Xie Shi'an finished showering, she opened the curtains to let in some fresh air. She glanced downstairs unintentionally, and Jin Shunqi opened the car door for her. Qiao Yuchu got out of the car, and the two said goodbye with a hug.
The boy immediately gritted his teeth.
The doorbell rang, and she went to open the door. Qiao Yuchu still had a smile on her face.
"I'm back."
"Mm," Qiao Yuchu responded, placing the plastic bag she was holding on the table.
"I bought some fruit, have a taste."
The boy's expression was somewhat cold. Looking at the food he had carried back for her from so far away, he felt extremely ironic.
"Weren't you still angry this afternoon? How come you're so happy after going out with Jin Shunqi? Is this what you meant by going shopping?"
Qiao Yuchu froze as she was changing her shoes, straightened up, and looked at her.
"You were following me?"
"The car is parked downstairs, are you afraid someone will see it?"
As soon as she blurted out these words, Qiao Yuchu frowned and raised her voice.
"Yes, I went on a date with Dr. Kim, so what? Can't I have other friends?"
Xie Shi'an looked at her, speaking sharply and sternly.
"Didn't you say you broke up with him a long time ago? Why are you going on dates with him again! He may be rich, but he's all smooth talk and silver tongue. He's obviously a seasoned player in the dating game. How could he not have plenty of women around him?! Even if you're going to find someone, you wouldn't choose someone like him!"
Xie Shi'an wasn't the type to speak tactfully. His words were partly out of jealousy and partly out of concern for her well-being. Even if it wasn't him, he hoped she could find a good match.
Unexpectedly, this hit Qiao Yuchu's sore spot, making her lose face. She had already lost the game today and had heard a lot of sarcastic remarks. Now, being criticized by her, she felt a surge of anger rising to her head.
"Xie Shi'an! What right do you have to interfere in my life? It's my freedom to be with whomever I want! Don't forget, we're not related by blood, and even if we were, it's none of your business to tell us what to do."
Her casual remark was like a knife stabbing into the young man's heart. Xie Shi'an took a half step back, his lips trembling, seemingly unable to believe that she would say such a thing.
"Yu Chu, I am..."
Qiao Yuchu turned away indifferently and went straight into the bathroom.
"Don't say anything more. I've spoiled you too much all this time. I'm going back to Jiangcheng tomorrow. You'd better take care of yourself."
The moment she closed the door, she heard a heavy thud outside. Xie Shi'an angrily swept all the lunchboxes she had brought back onto the floor and stormed out.
Hearing the commotion outside, Qiao Yuchu tilted her head back, turned on the shower, and tears silently streamed down her face.
Chapter 66 Resolute
Xie Shi'an had nowhere to go and didn't want to bother anyone, so he wandered aimlessly into the training room and found that the lights were still on.
She peeked inside with some curiosity.
A figure ran and jumped back and forth, swinging a racket to hit the ball while facing the wall.
The entire venue echoed with crisp, powerful thuds.
It's Yin Jiayi.
After finishing a set of balls, she stopped to catch her breath.
"Since you're here, come in and play some ball."
Although she was facing the wall when she spoke, Xie Shi'an knew that she was talking to herself.
The boy gently pushed the door open and entered.
Yin Jiayi took a racket out of her bag and tossed it to her.
Xie Shi'an held it in his hand and weighed it in his hand. Professional players are very sensitive to changes in the tension of their rackets.
"Did you change the poundage?"
She remembered that Yin Jiayi always used a 29-pound racket.
Yin Jiayi nodded and stood opposite her.
"Yes, I changed it after I lost to you last time."
Xie Shi'an slightly tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Looks like you've been studying me quite a bit lately."
Yin Jiayi smiled, looking eager to try.
"You're now a thorn in the side of all the provincial teams, and a hot commodity for the national team. I'm not the only one studying you. Enough talk, let me see how much you've improved recently."
No sooner had she finished speaking than Yin Jiayi raised her hand and served a tricky net shot, forcing Xie Shi'an to come to the net and face her opponent.
After several rounds, even Yin Jiayi could see that she was not in good condition and stopped.
"You seem to have something on your mind."
It's not a question, it's an affirmative statement.
Xie Shi'an neither denied nor confirmed it.
It's widely believed that Xie Shi'an refused to join the national team mainly because her teacher had been demoted from the national team. As a student, it's understandable that she wanted to stand up for her teacher. But for some reason, Yin Jiayi always felt that this was only one reason, and there must be other factors or key figures behind it.
She remembered the match that day.
Yin Jiayi was initially reluctant to say much, but as the team leader, she had to consider the team's performance. Moreover, her feelings towards Xie Shi'an were complicated; on one hand, she saw Xie as a formidable rival, and on the other hand, she felt a sense of mutual respect and admiration for her equal.
"Excuse my bluntness, but we've lost too much along the way. Tomorrow we're flying to Shanghai to begin our World Championship journey. I hope you can put aside any personal matters for now and talk about them after the competition."
Yin Jiayi took a bottle of water from her golf bag and put it in her hand.
Xie Shi'an sat on a bench in the rest area, looking at the water bottle in his hand, and remained silent.
Having said all that, the clock on the wall had already struck twelve, and Yin Jiayi packed up her golf bag and prepared to leave.
"Oh, right, remember to turn off the lights and lock the door when you go back."
She had barely finished speaking when Xie Shi'an suddenly spoke.
"Do you feel the same way about her?"
Yin Jiayi was taken aback.
"you--"
Xie Shi'an looked up and glanced at her.
"During the national competition, I unexpectedly ran into Kim Nam-ji one night, and she told me some things about you guys."
Yin Jiayi gave a wry smile.
"Ah, he's still just a child, he tells everyone everything."
Xie Shi'an also curved the corners of his lips slightly.
"She is quite naive."
But isn't it precisely this kind of simple, honest, and clumsy person who quietly treats her well that can move Yin Jiayi?
However, since we're on this topic, and there are no outsiders in the training room, we'll leave now.
Looking at her, who was also troubled by love, Yin Jiayi said earnestly.
"As professional players, and representing different countries, it was destined that we would have many interactions. But because of this, we could only be ordinary friends. People who are destined not to be together should not have any illusions or hopes in the first place."
"How heartless," the boy sighed, unscrewing the water bottle and taking a sip.
"But is it really possible to do that?"
Yin Jiayi didn't answer her question. After a moment of stunned silence, she turned and left, lowering her eyes and letting out a sigh.
Saying something and doing it are two different things.
For example, her relationship with Kim Nam-ji, or Xie Shi-an and Qiao Yu-chu.
***
After Xie Shi'an left, Qiao Yuchu lay alone in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep, and her wrists ached as if pricked by needles.
In the months since the surgery, this pain has occurred from time to time, but it has never been as intense as it was today.
She couldn't help but bite down on the pillow, the pain causing her to unconsciously start crying, and a suppressed growl escaped from deep in her throat.
Just then, she saw the bottle of medicine on the bedside table.
Jin Shunqi's voice echoed in my mind.
"I occasionally take this medicine when I have migraines, and it works very well."
“I’m really worried about you. Others may not know how much you’ve sacrificed to get to where you are today, but as your attending physician, I know it all too well.”
"Occasionally, please live for yourself."
The last sentence, like a demonic sound, echoed in her ears the moment the hammer fell.
Qiao Yuchu trembled as she reached out and, little by little, groped around until she grasped the bottle of medicine in her hand.
***
"Bang bang bang—"
In the quiet night, there was a knock on the door.
Jian Changnian's bed was close to the door, so she was the first to be woken up. She got up sleepily and went to open the door.
Who is it?
“It’s me, Qiao Yuchu.”
Jian Changnian rubbed his eyes and yawned.
"Sister Yu Chu, it's so late, is there something you need?"
Qiao Yuchu looked somewhat anxious, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
"I……"
The cold wind blowing in the corridor cleared Jian Changnian's muddled mind. The only thing that could make her come here so late at night was related to Xie Shi'an.