"When did you get back? Why didn't you tell your mother? She could have come to pick you up."
"He came back with Chang Nian; they just returned on New Year's Eve."
Jian Changnian also peeked out from behind her.
"Happy New Year, Auntie!"
"Happy New Year! Happy New Year! Come in and sit down. You've come all this way, why did you bring so much stuff?"
"These were all specially bought for you by Shi'an."
“Your uncle is on duty today, so it’s just me and Youyou at home. I was thinking of just having some noodles for dinner, but oh, there’s no food left in the fridge. You guys sit down, I’ll go to the supermarket to buy some groceries and I’ll be right back.”
Mrs. Xie busied herself getting them water and fruit, but when she opened the refrigerator, she found there was no food left. She quickly changed her shoes, grabbed her keys, and headed out.
Jian Changnian quickly stood up.
"Auntie, don't bother, just do whatever you have at home."
“That won’t do. It’s rare for you and Shi’an to come back.”
The two men, seeing that they couldn't persuade her otherwise, looked at each other in bewilderment.
Xie Shi'an also stood up.
"Let's go together then."
Mrs. Xie was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter.
"Okay, sure."
The supermarket was located in a shop not far from the entrance of the residential area. In the past twenty years, this was the first time Xie Shi'an had gone to the supermarket with her. The smile on Xie's mother's face never stopped the whole way.
"YuYu's mom, out buying groceries? What's going on here...?"
"This is my eldest daughter. She only comes back for Chinese New Year. She usually trains in Beijing."
"Wow, you've grown so tall! I almost didn't recognize you. Isn't that the badminton world champion from TV?!"
"This child is really promising! Does he have a boyfriend? How about Auntie introduces you to someone?"
"Hey, we're not in a hurry to talk about this..."
Xie Shi'an had a smile on her face more today than she had in the entire previous year. Jian Changnian couldn't help but chuckle, nudged her from behind, and whispered.
"It seems that all elders in the world are the same; they all want to be matchmakers."
Xie Shi'an remained expressionless, his smile gentle and tender, as he reached behind her and twisted her back slightly.
Jian Changnian's face immediately scrunched up like a bitter gourd.
"Then I won't talk to you anymore. I'm in a hurry to get home and cook for the kids. Youyou, say goodbye to Auntie."
After exchanging pleasantries, Xie's mother finally finished.
Youyou called out sweetly, "Goodbye, Auntie."
Xie Shi'an smiled and nodded at the person.
When the group returned home, Xie's mother was cooking in the kitchen while the two girls played with Youyou outside. Laughter could be heard from the living room from time to time. Seeing that Xie Shi'an and Youyou got along well, Xie's mother smiled and felt relieved.
Before long, the food was served, including fish, meat, and shrimp, all of which looked, smelled, and tasted delicious—all of Xie Shi'an's favorite dishes.
Jian Changnian praised sincerely.
"Wow, I'm really lucky to have Shi'an's help today! Auntie's cooking is like a Manchu Han Imperial Feast!"
Mrs. Xie couldn't stop smiling.
"It's rare for you to come all this way, so of course we should make more. You can come back often in the future. Just tell Auntie what you want to eat, and Auntie will make it for you."
The atmosphere at the dinner table was harmonious and joyful.
Although Xie Shi'an was a man of few words, he answered almost every question.
Looking at her daughter, who had grown into a graceful young woman with a successful career, Xie's mother felt a sense of satisfaction. However, she couldn't help but recall the question from the neighbor aunt earlier. Although she had politely declined on behalf of Shi'an, she was still a little curious.
"Shi'an, you're in Beijing, are you... dating anyone?"
Jian Changnian couldn't help but choke on a grain of rice.
Xie Shi'an also stopped eating.
Mrs. Xie quickly put another shrimp on the person's plate, trying to smooth things over.
"Eat your vegetables, eat your vegetables. Don't misunderstand. Mom doesn't object to you dating. On the contrary, I think it's a good thing to have more relationships while you're young, so you won't regret it after you get married."
Advice from a neighbor and advice from one's own mother are not the same thing.
Jian Changnian felt a little uncomfortable. She looked at Xie Shi'an, whose face remained as indifferent as ever.
"knew."
Seeing her like this, Xie's mother knew that she hadn't found the right one yet, so she put another piece of meat on Jian Changnian's plate.
"Chang Nian, you should eat too. You and Shi An are close. If you meet any suitable guys around you, help her think about them."
Jian Changnian found the words tasteless, but since her elders said so, she could only muster her spirits and smile in agreement.
"Actually, it's not Shi'an's fault. She's very popular in the team, it's just that she's too busy with training..."
Xie Shi'an slightly tugged at the corner of his lips, but said nothing more.
During the rest of the meal, Jian Changnian ate somewhat absentmindedly, and Xie Shian left without staying long after finishing his meal.
As they lay in bed together that night, she couldn't fall asleep, tossing and turning, thinking about what her mother had said earlier that day.
Even though they were under the same blanket, she kept moving around, so Xie Shi'an couldn't sleep well either.
"You have lice on your back?"
Hearing her speak, Jian Changnian simply turned around.
"Shi'an, I have a question for you."
"If you're asking me silly questions like why I don't have a boyfriend, then there's no need to answer."
"..."
She knew she had high standards and high aspirations, and looked down on ordinary people, but among those who pursued her were also girls with good qualities.
Jian Changnian's eyes held a hint of caution.
"Shi'an, is the reason you haven't been in a relationship because of... Sister Yu Chu?"
Xie Shi'an remained silent for a while before speaking.
"I almost forgot about her if you hadn't mentioned her."
That's a lie. If that were the case, she wouldn't fall silent whenever that name is mentioned.
"Isn't it said that time and a new love are the best cures? I think Auntie is right, maybe you can..."
Her words carried a hint of probing.
Did you think she wouldn't notice?
Xie Shi'an's gaze suddenly turned over, a playful smile appearing on his lips.
"What, are you going to introduce me to someone? Or...?"
The two were already very close, and when she spoke, her tone was light and airy, and her breath was on her face.
It felt like it was about to stick to me any second.
Jian Changnian rolled up the blanket and turned over. In the darkness, her ears were burning red.
"Your friend is my friend too. The national team is all straight women. Where am I supposed to introduce you to someone? Besides, if you want to date, don't do it within the team. It's not a good thing."
Watching her back, Xie Shi'an also turned over and lay flat on his back.
Yes, being gay and having a romantic relationship within the team—either one of these would be devastating for a professional athlete. Yin Jiayi is a perfect example of this.
After a long while, she spoke softly.
"Just kidding. I won't consider dating until I win a Grand Slam, neither men nor women."
Time flies, and the long holiday passed in the blink of an eye. Before leaving, they visited Cheng Zhen in prison and also visited Coach Liang at the Binhai Provincial Team Training Base.
After not seeing him for several years, he had become the head coach of the provincial team. The once energetic middle-aged man now had gray hair at his temples. As soon as he saw them, he kept patting their shoulders and praising them.
"Good, good, Lao Yan... I didn't teach you for nothing."
The three of them strolled along the playground. The original rubber track had been expanded, extending all the way to the base of the wall.
The small playground, which Jian Changnian used to frequent as a secret base, has been renovated and transformed into a real fitness center.
There were still team members training on the playground. Occasionally, someone would run past them, turning back to cast curious and envious glances.
Coach Liang blew his whistle, his face stern.
"What are you looking at? This is your senior sister. Train hard so you can be like them in the future!"
Finally, he laughed again.
"Aren't you going to spend a few more days here?"
Xie Shian said, "The holiday is only a few days long, and I also have to go back to prepare for the World Championships and next year's Olympics."
They came in a hurry, and even though Coach Liang was reluctant to part with them, he knew the competition was important, so he saw them all the way to the gate.
"In addition to regular training, you should also pay attention to rest. Don't overwork yourself, or it will be counterproductive."
Jian Changnian smiled.
"Coach Liang, don't worry. We'll balance work and rest. But you, don't worry too much, or you'll get gray hair."
"Sigh, I can't not worry. I only realized how tedious this job is after becoming the head coach. By the way, if you come back this year, you should stay a few more days and give you junior teammates a good lesson."
“Okay, no problem.” Jian Changnian readily agreed.
Xie Shi'an: "Then please take care of yourself, we'll be going now."
"Okay, goodbye."
Coach Liang watched their retreating figures, his eyes slightly reddening. To his surprise, the other team members who were training also ran out and shouted in unison, "Senior sisters, keep it up!"
"Senior sisters, you are our role models!"