"The selection of the head coach of the women's team has been delayed for a long time. We can't just let them play on the field like this. I thought, you are the right person for the job, you have the qualifications and experience, you are familiar with the national team players, and they all respect you."
"We can discuss the compensation if you're willing to come back."
Xie Shi'an's voice sounded calm and composed.
"You're joking. I only have experience as a player, not as a coach."
Wan Jing took another drag of his cigarette, his brow furrowed in worry.
"Don't try to hide it from me. The St. John's High School team, which recently won the National Grand Prix Gold, may not have your name on the roster, but do you think I wouldn't notice your obvious and strongly personal Chinese style of play? American coaches can't lead a team like that."
The American team has had so many coaches, yet they haven't achieved anything significant. Looking at the entire world, only Xie Shi'an possesses the ability to lead an unknown team to international competitions in such a short time. After all, her sensitivity to the game is beyond imagination, and her technical and tactical skills are exceptional. Even after retirement, her ranking on the Badminton World Federation's leaderboard remains unmatched.
This is one of the reasons why he wanted to ask her to come back.
Wan Jing stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray: "Whether you become a coach or not is another matter. Come back and see Chang Nian, she..."
"What's wrong with her?!" Xie Shi'an's voice finally betrayed a hint of anxiety.
My grandmother has passed away.
Xie Shi'an stood up abruptly, his phone slipping from his palm and falling to the floor.
***
After Wan Jing left, Jian Changnian drew the curtains again, and stayed in the dark room for an unknown amount of time.
Until there was another knock at the door.
She turned over and went back to sleep.
Xie Shi'an looked at the door panel and said softly, "It's me."
Jian Changnian suddenly opened her eyes, thinking she was hallucinating. She tried to close her eyes and go back to sleep, but she couldn't resist and got up. As she gripped the doorknob, she hesitated for a moment.
The two people were separated by a door.
Xie Shi'an was also waiting quietly.
As if realizing something, Jian Changnian's hand trembled as she slowly turned the doorknob, letting the sunlight stream into the corridor.
Xie Shi'an stood with her back to the light, wearing a trench coat, her hair curled and falling smoothly over her shoulders, wearing leather boots. She was slender and more mature and beautiful than she had been a few years ago.
Jian Changnian took a few steps back in disbelief, her eyes reddening, and a self-deprecating smile curving her lips.
"No...it's impossible...she won't...she won't come back...I'm drunk...I must...I must be dreaming."
Just as she was about to close the door, Xie Shi'an braced his hand against it, revealing a tattoo at the slightly rolled-up cuff, the brilliantly burning firework obscuring the original scar.
Jian Changnian's gaze moved from her hands to her face, and then down to look at the suitcase at her feet.
Xie Shi'an said softly, "I'm sorry I'm late."
Jian Changnian pursed her lips, and tears welled up without warning: "Shi'an..."
Xie Shi'an smiled slightly.
"Now you should call me Coach Xie."
Chapter 131 The Grand Finale (1)
"Coach Xie, Coach Xie, what happened next? Did Senior Sister Jian win? How exactly did she win?"
Later, Xie Shi'an stayed on to coach the national team. The second team consisted of 15- or 16-year-old kids who were lively, active, and very curious. Every time she came, they would pester her with all sorts of questions.
Xie Shi'an had a slight headache. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the training room door open and was secretly delighted. His savior had finally arrived.
"Here comes the protagonist of the story. Go and ask her."
Jian Changnian walked in carrying a ball bag, and was immediately surrounded by a group of children, who were not aware of what was happening.
"Senior sister, senior sister, please tell us, how exactly did you beat Kim Nam-ji in that match?"
"Hey, hey, let me go first..."
How else can we win? Of course, we have to risk our lives.
The moment she fell, she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head, her vision went black, and she frowned deeply in pain.
Jian Changnian could hear her own heavy breathing, like she was working a bellows. Her limbs were weak and she couldn't lift them up. A mysterious force was constantly pulling her down.
Just as he was about to close his eyes, Xie Shi'an's voice pierced the darkness, and a ray of dawn shone in.
"Jian Changnian, don't sleep! Changnian, wake up! I beg you... wake up!"
Something warm dripped onto her hand. She moved her fingers, turned her head away with difficulty, looked at her, and smiled.
"Don't... cry, I... am fine."
"He's awake! He's awake! Team doctor!" Xie Shi'an cried with joy, helped the person up, and roared as he turned around.
The team doctor rushed over, and Xie Shi'an pulled his hand away from the back of her head, only then noticing blood on his palm, which instantly turned his lips white.
"She fell so badly, with external injuries, and possibly a concussion. Coach Xie, she can't continue playing in this condition!"
After the team doctor disinfected her briefly, he tightly wrapped a bandage around her to apply pressure and stop the bleeding. The referee came over at this time and asked them whether they wanted to forfeit or continue the game.
Xie Shi'an looked at the white gauze on her head, bit her lip, and was about to get up when Jian Changnian grabbed her and looked up at the referee, saying, "Referee, I will continue the game."
"Jian Changnian!"
She would only unconsciously call her by her full name when she was angry or anxious, and besides, her status was now very different, so she had never seen her do that before.
Jian Changnian's face was pale, but her eyes were incredibly determined: "I must fulfill your and Coach Yan's dreams for you."
She stood up with Xie Shi'an's help, picked up a racket from the chair next to her, and the camera followed her back as she slowly but firmly walked towards the court from the crowd.
Kim Nam-ji looked at her, as if she were looking through her at someone else. The same Chinese team uniform, the same resolute eyes, never giving up even when they were seriously injured. She had only seen such an expression on two other people's faces in her life.
My memory was momentarily hazy.
At that very moment, Jian Changnian raised his hand to serve the ball.
Lights streaming down from the dome.
Figures intertwined.
The sounds of heartbeats and running footsteps mingled together.
He jumped up and smashed the ball again and again.
I fell down again and again, but got back up again.
She seemed to never tire.
The commentators exclaimed repeatedly, "That backhand stab—isn't that Xie Shi'an's signature move?!"
"She is paying tribute to her former teammates and Coach Xie in her own way. What could be more touching than 'After you left, I became you'?"
Cheers erupted from the stands, and the audience's eyes were red with tears.
"Keep it up, Jian Changnian! Don't let the regret of four years ago repeat itself!"
"Xie Shi'an's dream is now in your hands!"
"Even though the security team has disbanded, I still want to see you all stand on the podium together!"
Just before Jian Changnian fell, the score was 20-20.
These are the last two crucial shots.
The audience didn't dare to breathe, and Zhou Mu nervously pinched the thigh of the man sitting next to her.
Cheng Zhen was engrossed in watching the game when a sudden, sharp pain struck her, causing her to yell out, "Ouch... Why are you still the same as before, always pinching people's thighs when you're nervous!"
Jian Changnian scored a point on the court.
Zhou Mu jumped up from the chair, clapped the toy hand wildly, and turned around to shove him.
"Orange Juice, look! Chang Nian scored a point!!!"
It felt like stepping back into the national competition many years ago. The girl smiled radiantly, and Cheng Zhen smiled slightly as well. She picked up her megaphone, stood up, and shouted with full force, "Jian Changnian, go for it!!!"
The sound pierced through eardrums and reverberated through the sky.
"The score is now 21-20. Jian Changnian just took the lead by one point, but Jin Nanzhi has tied it again!"
"Whoever can reach match point first will be the key to winning this game!"
Kim Nam-ji was panting heavily, sweat dripping down his forehead and onto the floor.
Since Xie Shian retired, she hasn't had such a close match in a long time. Jian Changnian's playing style, movements, and personal style are all too similar to hers.
There were several moments when she was in a daze, and she thought that the person standing in front of her was not Jian Changnian, but her.
Otherwise, how could there be such a strong sense of oppression?
In that brief moment of distraction, the other side attacked again. Kim Nam-ji bit her lip, unwilling to be outdone, and flashed to meet them.
The two sides exchanged more than one shot.
They fought fiercely, each blow landing with brutal force. Every ball that hit the racket sparked – it was the ultimate in violent aesthetics.
Time passed second by second.
Jian Changnian's mind gradually went blank.
Xie Shi'an anxiously pressed the button on his ballpoint pen in the audience.
Another white meteor flew straight towards us.
Jian Changnian was almost out of strength. Her arms were so heavy that she couldn't lift them, and her steps felt like they were made of lead. She watched the ball fly towards her, her pupils constricted, but there was nothing she could do.
Just then, it felt as if an invisible pair of hands pushed her from behind, and she heard a familiar voice calling her name.
"This is just a national competition. One day, you will shine on the world stage."
"Finally, I wish Jian Changnian a bright future and a splendid life ahead."
"You should just focus on training and work with Shi'an to win more gold medals for our country."
"Chang Nian, Jian Chang Nian, keep it up!"
More and more people are calling her name.