Xie Shi'an suddenly stopped and turned to look at her: "What gift do you want?"
The wind carried her words in from the corridor, and every word fell into Jian Changnian's heart.
She gasped for breath, her hand gripping the velvet box tightly in her other pocket.
Her expression was obscured by the backlighting.
Xie Shi'an patiently asked again, "I'm asking you what gift you want. Come to think of it, we've known each other for so many years, but I haven't really given you any gifts."
Yes, we've known each other since childhood and been friends for many years, but precisely because we're so familiar with each other, there are some things we find hard to say.
Jian Changnian relaxed and spread her hands: "Luxury car, villa, swimming pool, airplane, you choose one."
Xie Shi'an gave a forced smile: "No luxury cars, villas, swimming pools, or airplanes, only a luxurious four-piece set of physical training equipment."
Jian Changnian screamed in agony, and the two of them walked away shouting, "Help!!! How can there be a coach who takes revenge on others for personal reasons?!"
***
"Look, it's Jian Changnian, she's out!"
Five minutes before the match officially started, the moment the group entered the stadium, cheers erupted. The left-hand stands were almost full of enthusiastic spectators, a sea of red.
Jian Changnian looked up at the cheers, flashed her signature smile, and waved to the stands. Before she could react, another door opened, and a team walked in. The woman leading the team was wearing a dark gold South Korean team uniform and was about the same height as Jian Changnian. She ignored her opponent as she passed by Jian Changnian and instead stopped beside Xie Shi'an, tilting her head slightly to look at her.
"Coach Xie, it's been a long time."
"I just saw her at the World Championships a while ago." Xie Shi'an was too lazy to pay attention to her, so her reply was a bit sharp. After speaking, she turned to leave.
Kim Nam-ji didn't back down, still smiling, but her words were clearly sarcastic.
"Ah, what a pity. It's not your opponent in the World Championships. Otherwise, we could have had a back-and-forth battle, and you wouldn't have been swept out 3-0."
Because they were close by, and Kim Nam-ji spoke fluent Chinese, Jian Changnian could hear him clearly.
She lost that match, but in competitive sports, victory and defeat are common occurrences. Who can guarantee that they will never be defeated?
Moreover, Xie Shi'an had her own tactical plans.
Even so, with the competition imminent, faced with this provocation, Jian Changnian's youthful spirit kicked in. He gritted his teeth, took a step forward, and stared intently at the other party. Just as he was about to say something, Xie Shi'an grabbed his shoulder.
To the audience, it was just an interaction between an athlete and a coach, but only Xie Shi'an himself knew how much force he used to hold her down.
Xie Shi'an remained calm and composed, much more so than Jian Changnian's impulsive personality: "The competition is about to begin, let's go."
Kim Nam-ji watched them leave, a hint of regret in his eyes, and murmured, "What a pity, the Rio Olympics four years ago was our last match..."
Xie Shi'an ignored her and kept dragging Jian Changnian to the coach's bench before letting go.
Slightly annoyed, Jian Changnian threw her backpack on the chair, sat down to drink water, gulped down half a bottle, and then wiped her lips.
"Why are you stopping me? Can't I at least yell at her if I can't hit her?!"
"Is the competition more important or personal grudges? Besides, you know that's just her personality; she deliberately tries to provoke you and mess with your mentality."
“I…” Jian Changnian choked, looking at her former partner, and slowly lowered her head.
"She's right, I'm also very sorry that I couldn't play another match with you."
“Jian Changnian,” Xie Shi’an called her by her full name, which was unusual for him.
Jian Changnian looked up, and Xie Shian raised his fist at her, just like the countless days and nights they had fought side by side.
“Although we can’t stand together, we…” She gently tapped her chest with her free left hand.
"Minds and intentions are in sync".
Because we share the same mindset, it doesn't really matter who's standing on the field.
Decades of tacit understanding have made them feel like one person.
And it is precisely because of this shared understanding that she absolutely cannot lose.
Jian Changnian finally smiled, stood up and exchanged fist bumps with her: "Go for it!"
***
Jian Changnian's roar ignited the audience, and cheers erupted like a tidal wave, shaking the heavens.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the next event is the women's badminton singles final. Please welcome the two players, Jian Changnian and Jin Nanzhi, to the court..."
As the announcement came over the loudspeaker, Jian Changnian picked up her racket and walked to the center of the court.
As is customary, athletes from both countries shake hands and exchange greetings before the match. Kim Nam-ji walked to the net with a smile, extended her hand to her in a "friendly" manner, and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear: "If I were you, I would retire and never play tennis again, so as not to embarrass myself in public."
After what had just happened, Jian Changnian knew that this person was deliberately trying to provoke her; it was just a common tactic.
Xie Shi'an's words of advice still echoed in her ears, and she was in a good mood because of that phrase "mutual understanding".
Jian Changnian revealed a carefree smile, gently grasped the other person's hand, and quickly let go.
"Not only will I not retire, but I will also defeat you and become the world's number one. The era of Kim Nam-ji has come to an end from this moment on."
Chapter 2 Nemesis
At the start of the match, Jian Changnian hit a tricky net shot with her backhand, but Jin Nanzhi was no pushover and easily returned it.
Jian Changnian took a few steps back, staring intently at the white tail feather in mid-air. Suddenly, he leaped up, his long arms outstretched, and executed a beautiful jump kill!
A cheer immediately erupted in the arena.
Wan Jing sat on the coach's bench, turned his head slightly, and said in a low voice, "You're in good form today."
Xie Shi'an watched the match intently. Kim Nam-ji used his exceptional reaction speed to defuse a crisis. The two fought back and forth, neither giving an inch.
"Just because he's in good form doesn't mean he can beat her."
While watching the game, Wan Jing still managed to chat with her: "That's true. At this point, you shouldn't be hiding your tactics anymore."
Jian Changnian lost a point due to a mistake, and Jin Nanzhi is temporarily in the lead.
There was a slight commotion in the audience behind him, but Xie Shi'an revealed a confident smile on his lips.
"No rush, let her win one game first."
As expected.
Jian Changnian lost the first round by a large margin. During the halftime break, Jian Changnian twirled his racket and walked to the rest area, where he picked up a towel to wipe his sweat.
So engrossed in talking to Xie Shi'an, she didn't notice that a gaze from the audience had been fixed on her the entire time.
What do you think of her current skill level?
The speaker was a middle-aged man who looked quite old, with a few striking white hairs mixed in with his black hair, but he was dressed in a suit and tie, making him look very energetic.
The woman sitting next to him pondered for a moment: "Top three in the world, if she beats Kim Nam-ji."
The man shrugged: "To be honest, losing a game before finding any weaknesses in your opponent and exhausting her stamina is indeed a good decision, but Jin is no pushover either."
Losing the first game means Jian Changnian has reached match point ahead of schedule. If she loses this game, she can pack her bags and leave. This will put a lot of psychological pressure on the player.
Halftime was approaching, and Xie Shi'an couldn't say anything more. She simply handed her a bottle of mineral water.
Jian Changnian took the bottle and gulped down a large mouthful. After wiping the water from the corner of her lips, she handed the bottle back to her. The two looked at each other and nodded at the same time.
Jian Changnian took a deep breath and strode onto the field.
As the second round began, just as the man had said, Kim Nam-ji was indeed no pushover. Despite the wear and tear of the previous round, his movements remained swift and agile.
The commentator in the commentary booth frowned deeply: "Kim Nam-ji has scored another point, making it 10 to 5. The situation is not good for Jian Changnian."
Another commentator chimed in, "In past matches, the two sides have faced each other fifteen times, with Kim Nam-ji winning nine and losing six, making him an extremely formidable opponent."
"Look at this shot, beautiful! Jian Changnian scores with a penalty kick! The score is now 10-6."
The director on the court gave Jian Changnian a slow-motion shot, showing her jumping high and making clean and neat movements. The badminton shuttlecock flew over the net with lightning speed and landed in front of Kim Nam-ji, passing between the racket and her body.
It was from this single fatal blow that Jian Changnian sounded the horn of her counterattack.
"Beautiful! Another flat drive! The ball lands, score!"
"Kim Nam-ji was not to be outdone, launching a series of attacks with his hooks to the opposite corner, but they were all thwarted one by one."
"After the loss in the previous game, Jian Changnian is now in hot form. He seized on his opponent's mistakes at the net and pressed his advantage, scoring one point after another!"
"Kim Nam-ji counter-attacks, a beautiful high ball, the ball lands, but unfortunately—it's out of bounds!"
"Jian Changnian scores another point!"
In just a few minutes, the two sides traded wins and losses, making it a close and evenly matched game. The score had reached 20 to 19. Jian Changnian not only tied the score but also overtook his opponent. If he could win this crucial point, he would have the victory in his grasp.
Xie Shi'an, sitting on the coach's bench, gripped his pen tightly, pursed his lips slightly, and sat upright.
Looking down from the stands, you can just see her delicate and beautiful profile.
Because she was attending an important event, Hsieh Shih-an wore light makeup today, looking more radiant than when she didn't wear any, making her hard not to attract attention.
"It's rare to see you like this, should we go say hello after the game?"
The woman looked away and gave a wry smile: "No, I think she... probably wouldn't want to see me."
The man took her hand and whispered, "How could that be? You two used to..."
The woman stopped him in his tracks: "Let's watch the game."
Having been entangled with Jian Changnian for so long, Jin Nanzhi's patience had long been exhausted. She thought she could finish the battle quickly, but who knew that at the beginning of the second round, Jian Changnian stuck to her like a piece of chewing gum, refusing to give an inch, and even the score was reversed.
Kim Nam-ji gritted his teeth, glanced at the electronic scoreboard, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes, and leaped high into the air, seemingly aiming for a jump kill.
Alarm bells rang in Jian Changnian's mind as she suddenly remembered something Xie Shi'an had told her during training: "You have to be careful of her feints. She's good at fast attacks and quick smashes, but that doesn't mean she can't play high balls..."
At that moment, Kim Nam-ji suddenly changed her move. No one could even see what she did. A wild feather grew larger and larger in her pupils.
It was too late to run back now, and a smug smile appeared on Kim Nam-ji's lips.
If this point is won, the score will be 20-20, meaning two more rounds will be needed to determine the winner.
However, the smile on her lips froze on her face the next second.
It's just a feint, anyone can do that.
The young man smiled slightly, full of vigor. She didn't take a step back, and quickly flicked her left hand behind her back, sending a super difficult and tricky backhand drop shot straight at her. It was too late to recover.
The director had to slow down the footage twice to see Jian Changnian's action clearly. The badminton shuttlecock landed, and the whole stadium cheered.