Only after the gazes behind him disappeared did Kim Nam-ji slide down against the wall and burst into tears.
After she left, Yin Jiayi knelt in the green belt, searching through almost every patch of grass. She bruised her knees from the stones and cut her hands on broken glass. She didn't know how long she searched, but she finally found the ring. When she held the ring in her hand, she felt like she had found a lost treasure, and she laughed and cried at the same time.
***
Jian Changnian woke up in the middle of the night and glanced at Xie Shi'an's bed. It was empty. Her sleepiness immediately vanished. She reached for her phone on the bedside table and called her.
No one answered.
Where did you go so late at night?
She bit her lip and thought for a moment, then sat up, put on her clothes, and got out of bed. As soon as she opened the door, she met someone's gaze.
Xie Shi'an held the key in his hand, ready to open the door.
Where did you go? You didn't answer my calls.
"I didn't hear it."
Jian Changnian welcomed her in and, seeing that she was walking unsteadily, helped her up. When he got closer, he smelled alcohol on her.
"Have you been drinking?"
"Hmm." Xie Shi'an nodded, her eyes not as clear as usual, as she was helped to sit down on the edge of the bed.
Jian Changnian turned around and poured her a glass of warm water.
"With Captain Yin?"
Xie Shi'an held the warm glass and smiled.
How did you know?
"Besides Captain Yin, who else on the national team do you think is good enough?"
Xie Shi'an's smile turned somewhat bitter.
"I don't know why, but Senior Jiang and Qiao..." She paused, omitting the name.
"I wasn't this sad when I retired. Is this how cruel competitive sports are? From debut to peak and then to retirement, it's all over in a flash."
Xie Shi'an sat there, looked up and asked a question. His usually clear and bright pupils were covered with a layer of mist, making him look confused and vulnerable.
For their generation, Yin Jiayi is a benchmark and a role model. She is like a ruler, and the coaches use her standards to strictly demand things of them. The teenagers also regard her as a goal and a beacon.
During the national competition, after learning that his opponent was Yin Jiayi, Xie Shi'an trained until he was exhausted and fell asleep in the training room.
Of course she understands her.
So much has happened in the past few months. Friends have left one after another, and now even Yin Jiayi is retiring. For a professional player, having no opponents is an incredibly lonely thing.
Jian Changnian moved his lips, stepped forward, put his arm around her head, and hugged her tightly, his eyes also reddening.
"Shi'an, I will never retire, no matter who retires. I'll stay with you, I'll fight alongside you. We still have many, many years to play together."
Suddenly, someone hugged her and pressed her head against her chest. Listening to her clear heartbeat, Xie Shi'an was stunned for a moment, then chuckled. She was actually comforted by someone younger than her.
After a moment, she felt that the posture was somewhat unnatural, so Xie Shi'an pushed her away and looked away.
"That's so cheesy."
Jian Changnian wasn't annoyed; she looked at her from the left and right.
"Are you not sad anymore? Wait a minute, it was just a hug, you're not feeling shy, are you?!"
Xie Shi'an rolled onto the bed and threw a pillow at her.
"Are you crazy? You're so sticky and go to sleep."
Seeing that she had come out of her sadness, Jian Changnian smiled and took the pillow, then climbed into her own bed and turned off the bedside lamp.
Goodnight.
Xie Shi'an lay on the bed, glanced at her, then looked away and focused his gaze on the ceiling.
Goodnight, tomorrow's match... I'll play my best.
Before major international competitions such as the World Cup and the Olympics, warm-up matches are usually held. Sometimes these matches are against other teams, and sometimes they are matches between the participating players themselves. These matches serve as practice and are used to test the learning outcomes during the training period. They can also be considered a kind of departure ceremony.
Therefore, in addition to all competitions being conducted according to Olympic standards, television stations will also broadcast the events live.
Yin Jiayi had already announced that a press conference would be held after today's warm-up match, and the media arrived at the venue early in the morning to wait. By the time the match started in the afternoon, the venue was packed with people.
When Yin Jiayi finally appeared, the reporters swarmed around her, their flashbulbs going off everywhere.
"Captain Yin, what news are you announcing at this press conference today?"
"Captain Yin, you're just one Olympic gold medal away from becoming China's first female badminton player to achieve a Grand Slam. What are your expectations for the London Olympics?"
"Captain Yin, what are your thoughts on Xie Shi'an winning the Asian Cup and rising to seventh in the world rankings?"
"Aren't you worried that she puts too much pressure on you? After all, she is currently the youngest Chinese player in the world's top ten."
Wearing a mask and a baseball cap, Yin Jiayi, guided by staff, walked through the crowded area without looking back and entered the venue.
"Hey, Captain Yin, Captain Yin—" The reporters wanted to chase after him, but then they saw a bus stop at the entrance of the venue and Xie Shi'an got off. They all grabbed their cameras and rushed after him without stopping.
Could you share your expectations for the London Olympics?
Xie Shi'an stopped and took the microphone from the reporter.
"I have only one goal: an Olympic gold medal."
"Although the draw results haven't been released yet, we all know that both you and Captain Yin have individual events. Are you confident that you can beat her in the competition?"
Xie Shi'an raised his head and slightly raised his eyebrows at the camera.
"In the warm-up match later, I will show you who the real world number one is."
Chapter 100 Time
The venue was set up early, and the referees were already in place. Yin Jiayi glanced at the stands and saw that the coaching staff was all there, except for Wan Jing. She felt a pang of sadness, knowing that the person she felt most sorry for after her sudden decision to retire was him. It was no wonder he couldn't come.
High-definition cameras were set up around the competition venue.
Xie Shi'an, with the grip tape wrapped around his racket, walked over and said.
"Are you still able to fight?"
Yin Jiayi smiled, forcing back the tears welling up in her eyes.
"Yes, let's begin."
The commentator exclaimed excitedly as he watched the footage transmitted from the scene.
"Today's warm-up match was a fierce battle, very exciting. The last time I saw Yin Jiayi and Xie Shi'an compete on the same stage was during the national competition."
Commentator B: "These two players, one currently ranked number one in the world and a top-tier figure in women's badminton, and the other a rising star in the world badminton scene, have both climbed into the world's top ten in a very short time. Veteran versus rookie, who will emerge victorious? Let's wait and see!"
Hsieh Shih-an served first, and Yin Chia-yi defended at the net. The two exchanged shots for more than a minute at the start of the match.
The commentator was full of amazement.
"As expected of Captain Yin, she held her own against Xie Shi'an's continuous backhand smashes. As everyone knows, her ball speed is very fast, and if you're not careful, you'll lose points."
Commentator B: "I feel like Captain Yin is still somewhat suppressing her."
Commentator A: "The distance between the two players at the net has been widened!"
Commentator B: "Yin Jiayi is about to counterattack! Beautiful! A forehand smash down the crosscourt, hitting Xie Shi'an in the backcourt before he can get back to defend."
Commentators A & B: "Let's congratulate Team Yin on scoring the first point!"
Xie Shi'an was slightly out of breath.
Yin Jiayi smiled.
"Don't underestimate your opponent."
A carefree smile spread across the boy's face.
"Oh, I was letting you win just now."
Before she could finish speaking, she had already moved. Yin Jiayi's pupils contracted, and she only saw a white shooting star flying over. She didn't even see her starting gesture. In that moment of hesitation, the ball landed on the ground.
The commentator applauded, exclaiming, "Beautiful! A sudden counterattack!"
"Xie Shi'an's ball speed is just too fast!"
"Let's ask the live broadcast director to give us a replay."
When the slow-motion replay came out, everyone could see clearly that Xie Shi'an's smash, his quick move to the net, was a feint. It looked like he was going to push straight, but in reality, it was a backhand cross-court smash. He didn't give Yin Jiayi any time to react at all. The contest between top players often ends in the blink of an eye.
Yin Jiayi looked at her, her eyes filled with emotion.
"During the national competition, you weren't very good at using feints."
Xie Shi'an raised the corners of his lips.
"How much time has passed? People can't stay stagnant forever."
During the Asian Cup, she not only had to play matches during the day, but also train with Yan Xinyuan at night. Yan Xinyuan imparted his valuable experience accumulated over his more than 40 years of professional career to her without reservation, covering everything from on-field techniques to off-field tactics.
Feints were something she mastered at that time.
Yes, time keeps moving forward, how can people stay still forever?
Looking at her, Yin Jiayi felt as if she were seeing her former self, a genius girl who rose to fame overnight. Perhaps the more brilliant a shooting star is, the more dazzling its fall will be.
She treated this competition like the Olympics.
Xie Shi'an felt the same way, because she knew that this might be the last time she would face Yin Jiayi.
The first game ended with Xie Shi'an narrowly winning 21-19.
The second game was crucial for both players, so they were evenly matched from the start, with one player making a series of incredible saves.
They were sweating profusely on the field.
The crisp sound of the ball hitting the shuttlecock echoed throughout the stadium.
This was undoubtedly the most elite competition among active female badminton players, and the battle was extremely intense at one point.
Jian Changnian was sweating bullets for the two players on the field, and even the commentators kept exclaiming in surprise.