At this point, she was still unaware of the seriousness of the problem.
"What happened to Shi'an?"
"She just went out and hasn't come back yet. I guess she doesn't want to see me anytime soon." Qiao Yuchu breathed a sigh of relief, but was also a little embarrassed to trouble her.
The last time Xie Shi'an argued with Sister Yu Chu, it was the same thing.
Jian Changnian yawned again, muttering "What a hassle," but prepared to go back to her room to get dressed.
"Why this time?" she asked, somewhat curiously.
Qiao Yuchu's expression was somewhat evasive, and she forced a smile.
"It's just some... trivial matters. With her personality, I really can't rest easy about her."
Jian Changnian nodded, took her coat off the hanger, and without even changing her pajama pants, stepped straight onto the slipper path.
"Right, right, this is terrible. I'll go find her. Yu Chu, go back to sleep."
"Then I'll have to trouble you."
Jian Changnian gently closed the door and went to the brightly lit corridor. Only then did she see that Qiao Yuchu's face was very pale and her forehead was covered in cold sweat, as if she had just recovered from a serious illness.
She was a little worried.
"Sister Yu Chu, are you alright? You look terrible."
Afraid that she would find out that she was secretly taking painkillers, Qiao Yuchu smiled and perked up.
"No, I just ate a bit too much tonight and my stomach is upset."
"Then you should go back and rest. Don't stand here. Although I don't know why you two were arguing, I will definitely bring her back."
The boy smiled and made a firm promise.
Qiao Yuchu took a few steps forward, then turned back to look at her and said.
"If you see Shi'an, please tell her for me that I'm taking a flight back to Jiangcheng tomorrow morning. Please ask her—"
She hesitated for a moment, but still spoke.
Good luck in the game.
"Hey, going back so early?"
Jian Changnian was somewhat surprised, as she was supposed to be able to rest for a few days after the selection competition.
"Aren't you going to Shanghai to watch Shi'an's game?"
Qiao Yuchu shook her head and turned to leave.
"I'm not going."
For some reason, Jian Changnian felt a sense of loneliness as she watched her departing figure.
She had exhausted her last bit of strength to get up and go find Jian Changnian. When Qiao Yuchu returned to her room, she collapsed weakly onto the bed. The medication relieved her physical pain, but the side effects made her head spin and the whole room spun around.
Just as her consciousness was about to fade into darkness, she gritted her teeth, reached out, pulled the medicine bottle off the bedside table, and stuffed it under her pillow.
***
The elevator arrived, and she pressed the button for the first floor. If Xie Shi'an was still at the training center, he was most likely playing badminton in the badminton hall.
Jian Changnian walked to the training room, and as she expected, it was brightly lit. She approached step by step, wanting to push the door open, but then withdrew her hand as if moved by the sight of the room.
The entire venue echoed with the clear, powerful sound of hitting the ball, as well as the sound of shoes rubbing against the floor.
Jian Changnian had seen her play ball before, but he was still captivated every time. She spun and jumped under the lights, and although it was basic footwork, she managed to make it look beautiful.
The person's hair fluttered slightly in the air, their sharp eyebrows and eyes, their fluttering clothes, and the beads of sweat that dripped from their arms as they swung their racket.
The rhythm of my heartbeat gradually merged with the sound of the ball hitting the ground.
Bang bang.
One strike after another, clear and powerful.
After finishing hitting the ball, Xie Shi'an squatted down to pick it up, facing her direction.
Jian Changnian stood under the window, then suddenly turned around, hid in the shadows, covered her mouth, and tried her best not to make any noise.
The footsteps faded into the distance.
The sound of the ball being struck rang out again.
Jian Changnian breathed a sigh of relief, but for some reason, her palms were sweaty from nervousness.
She waited outside for as long as Xie Shi'an practiced inside until the sound of shoes scraping the floor stopped, and then Xie Shi'an picked up a towel to wipe her sweat.
Jian Changnian knew she was leaving, so he hid in the shadows of the training room corner and watched her close the door, lock it, and return to her apartment. The elevator numbers stopped at her apartment's floor.
Jian Changnian finally felt completely relieved, covered her mouth and yawned, then pressed the elevator button.
When Xie Shi'an returned to the room, the trash on the floor had been cleaned up, and Qiao Yuchu was asleep on the bed, breathing evenly.
She felt a little disappointed that her friend hadn't come looking for her, but also relieved that she was asleep, otherwise she wouldn't know how to face her.
Xie Shi'an walked over, pulled up the blanket that had fallen to the ground and covered her with it, then sat down on the edge of the bed, pressed his head against her palm, and murmured.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that to you. I just... just wanted to be with you a little longer, much longer."
"Qiao Yuchu, I like you."
Only at times like these does she dare to reveal her true feelings.
Xie Shi'an murmured as if in a dream.
The clock hands turned silently.
the next day.
The medication tore at her body, causing her to drift into a deep sleep only to wake up prematurely.
Xie Shi'an had already returned to the room and was sleeping with his back to her.
The first rays of dawn peeked through the curtains.
Qiao Yuchu sat up, the blanket slipping off her body. She stared at Xie Shi'an's back for a while, and finally chose to tiptoe out of bed to pack her things.
Xie Shi'an was a late sleeper and a light sleeper, so even though she moved very quietly, she still woke up.
She closed her eyes, too afraid to turn around.
Qiao Yuchu showed no intention of speaking.
The two remained silent until she finished packing her things, dragged her suitcase, and gently closed the door.
"Click—" The door locked.
Xie Shi'an gripped the blanket tightly, tears welling up in her eyes.
Chapter 67 First Battle
When it was time to depart, only Yan Xinyuan and Coach Liang came to the airport to see him off, because he was only the head coach of the provincial team, and he could not accompany them to such an international event.
Yan Xinyuan looked at his two prized students. Today, they were both wearing the national team's uniform, with a red and gold base and dark dragons embroidered in gold thread on the white cuffs, which was both grand and elegant.
The words "Binhai Provincial Team" were no longer on the back; instead, the five-star red flag was embroidered on the front of the chest.
He patted Jian Changnian's head, still feeling a little reluctant to part with her.
"Don't embarrass me when you go."
Jian Changnian lowered her head, letting him knead and shape her as he pleased, muttering under her breath.
"Can't Coach Yan come with us?"
“Once you arrive in Shanghai, someone will arrange your food, lodging, and training. I won’t worry about that.”
After he finished speaking, he gave Wan Jing a deep look.
Wan Jing understood and nodded.
"Don't worry, senior brother, I will take good care of these two children."
Since joining the Binhai Provincial Team, Jian Changnian has never been away from Yan Xinyuan for such a long time. He would watch from the sidelines every time there was a match, and the thought of turning around after the match and never seeing him again was heartbreaking.
Jian Changnian's eyes reddened, and she threw herself into his arms.
"Coach Yan, why can't you come with us? You're our head coach. I'm afraid I won't perform well without you."
Yan Xinyuan was taken aback, and gently patted her back.
"Child, these are the rules."
"What kind of ridiculous rule is this? Can't I even go watch the game?"
"There are so many things to do within the team. Besides, do you think I'll just watch over you guys and ignore everyone else? Just wait until you become the president of the Badminton World Federation, then you can act recklessly and do whatever you want."
Yan Xinyuan meant it as a joke, something he said casually to tease her.
Who knew that Jian Changnian sniffed and remembered it.
"If I become the president of the Badminton World Federation, I will definitely bring you to the national team so that the whole world will know that you are my teacher."
"This silly child..." Yan Xinyuan was amused by her innocent words and couldn't stop smiling. He let her go and said earnestly.
"You're already a substitute on the national team, don't cry. Listen to me, even though you're a substitute, you can't let your guard down. Being a substitute doesn't mean sitting on the bench. Seeded players can often raise the team's ceiling, but substitutes are the ones who can hold the team's bottom line. This is also a great opportunity to communicate face-to-face with the world's top professional players. Watch and learn carefully, I'll be testing you when you get back."
After Yan Xinyuan finished speaking, he lowered his voice again.
"Also, since your sister Yu Chu isn't here, keep an eye on Shi An. Make sure she's not bullied, and don't let her bully others either."
That last half-sentence is the key point.
Jian Changnian finally stopped crying and smiled, nodding emphatically.
"Coach Yan, don't worry, I guarantee I'll complete the mission!"
"Shi'an—" After arranging everything, Yan Xinyuan waved and called Xie Shi'an, who was standing next to him, over.
“Coach Yan.” Xie Shi’an took off his headphones.
Yan Xinyuan patted her head again; his palm was broad and warm.