"Because you came around this time last year."
"Do you still remember our promise from this time last year—"
When she arrived last year, the coach sent Yin Jiayi, a familiar face in the Chinese team, to pick her up at the airport, even though she was reluctant.
The two hadn't seen each other for a long time since their training camp in South Korea. As soon as Kim Namji got off the plane, he pestered her for a birthday present.
"Hey, Yin Jiayi, it's my birthday today! Aren't you going to do anything for me?!"
"It means you can leave or not, it's up to you."
Kim Nam-ji squatted on the ground, hugging her legs, almost throwing a tantrum.
"I don't know the way. You've left me at the airport, which is damaging the friendship between China and South Korea and undermining bilateral relations. You're a sinner for all time!"
Yin Jiayi was both amused and exasperated, unable to do anything about it.
"Then, Miss, tell me what you want to do. You didn't tell me in advance that it's your birthday today."
Kim Nam-ji got up from the ground and hugged her arm.
"My first game after joining the team is the day after tomorrow. Come watch me play. And for every game after that, come watch me whenever you have time."
Yin Jiayi sighed and rubbed her forehead.
Do you think I have nothing better to do?
"I know, world champion, busy man. If I weren't a world champion, I wouldn't even bother having you come to watch me. Just imagine, a world champion sitting in the audience watching me compete, how amazing would I be? With the champion buff, I'd be invincible!"
"Oh dear, I'm really scared of you. Okay, okay, I'll take a look."
A year ago, she went to pick her up empty-handed; a year later, she brought flowers to watch her competition, but she no longer had the courage to stand up and face her directly.
People with an open and honest heart are the most fearless.
Unfortunately, Yin Jiayi is not.
She struggled to speak: "Yes..."
Kim Nam-ji seemed to know what she wanted to say, and interrupted her with a forced, relaxed smile.
"Okay, I'm going to the airport now. Goodbye, Yin Jiayi."
She rarely spoke to herself in such a serious tone; the impression she left on her was mostly that she was coquettish, unreasonable, angry, or irrational.
"Nan Zhi." In that instant, Yin Jiayi felt her heart clench tightly, and she called her name urgently, then said it word by word.
"I will participate in the World Championships. Let's meet there."
Kim Nam-ji was taken aback, then burst into laughter through his tears, sniffing as he spoke.
"You won't lie to me this time, will you?"
“I never have…” Yin Jiayi paused.
"Nothing?" Kim Nam-ji pressed.
"Never mind, we'll see when the time comes."
Yin Jiayi smiled and hung up the phone.
It was late at night when she returned to the national team training center, where her teammates welcomed her in.
"Wasn't your flight in the afternoon? Why are you so late? And you wouldn't let us pick you up. Hey, why did you bring a bouquet of flowers on the plane?"
Yin Jiayi put her backpack on the bed and put the flowers in a vase.
"I saw it on the way back and thought it was beautiful, so I bought it."
Vast fields of violets are in full bloom, so beautiful and so vibrant, exuding a fresh and lively vitality.
As she rushed off the plane to the competition venue, passing by a flower shop, Yin Jiayi immediately fell in love with the flower in the shop window.
***
"Shi'an! Shi'an! Why are you walking so fast!"
Qiao Yuchu jogged for a while before catching up with her.
Xie Shi'an paused slightly, but didn't turn his head.
"Go back and rest."
Qiao Yuchu grabbed her wrist.
"Do you think I can't tell if you're angry or not? Why were you so rude to Dr. Kim? I can forgive you the first time..."
Before she could finish speaking, Xie Shi'an suddenly turned around and glanced at her.
"I was rude to him? He's just a stranger, what more do I have to do to him? Kneel and kowtow?!"
Even though the boy restrained his claws, he couldn't hide the sharpness in his bones.
"And why are you taking his side? Are you two that close? I've been rude countless times, and you've never said a word against me!"
She always speaks and sees things in such a sharp and incisive way.
Qiao Yuchu was speechless, her explanations futile.
"No... I just feel that Dr. Kim did his best to perform the surgery on me, giving me the opportunity to return to the competition. Even if you don't care about the doctor, you should at least be polite to him."
“I’m being polite to him? Yes, he did your surgery, but besides being your doctor, he’s also our rival, Kim Nam-ji’s uncle. How much more polite can I be to him!”
As the two engaged in a heated exchange, Qiao Yuchu's temper flared up as well.
"Xie Shi'an! Even though you're an opponent, didn't you save Kim Nam-ji's life?! You even came to see her off before she left. In your heart, you respect every truly capable opponent more than anyone else."
"So I just don't understand what you're angry about. I really don't understand you anymore!"
After she shouted those words, Xie Shi'an's eyes immediately dimmed. The young man pursed his lips, said nothing, and turned to leave.
The snow fell heavier and heavier.
She wasn't heading back to the training center.
Given Xie Shi'an's personality, who knows what she might do if she went out alone.
Qiao Yuchu was extremely anxious and grabbed her arm.
“Shi An…”
Before she could finish speaking, she was flung away, the blow landing squarely on her right wrist.
Qiao Yuchu winced in pain, staggered back a few steps, and hissed softly.
Those who had been blindly walking forward finally stopped.
Xie Shi put on a hard-hearted expression, but her slightly reddened eyes had already betrayed her.
"Don't follow me, I'll go back by myself."
Qiao Yu tentatively took a few steps forward and, little by little, took her arm.
"Shi'an, I was just... too anxious and said something without thinking. Please don't take it to heart. You know I didn't mean it that way."
"It's late now, and the snow is falling so heavily. We...we'll go back and talk slowly. Coach Yan is still waiting for us."
Qiao Yuchu pulled her a few steps, and perhaps out of consideration for the injury on her wrist, Xie Shian did not resist and followed her back to the car step by step.
At the hospital.
After finishing the match, Jian Changnian finally settled down to rest and receive an IV drip.
Yan Xinyuan sat on the chair by her bed, peeling an apple as he asked, "So, you didn't come home all night last night just to practice Shi An's special move?"
Jian Changnian sat up slightly, nodded, and looked excitedly expectant of being praised.
"Yeah, I practice with her every day, and I'm so envious of this move. I'm thinking that if I could use it in a match, it would definitely be a one-hit kill and win the game!"
"How long have you been training, Shi'an? How long have you been training?! Don't you know what 'forcing growth' means?! You even dared to stay in the training room at night instead of going home, and you caught a cold. I think you deserve a beating!"
Yan Xinyuan gave a forced smile, wanting to give her a good jolt to wake her up.
Jian Changnian stared at the gleaming knife in his hand, her face contorted in a mournful expression, and began to scream and yell.
"Ahhh, Coach Yan, have mercy! Please don't scold me since we won the game today!"
Yan Xinyuan snorted and handed over a peeled apple.
"It's only because you won the game today, otherwise I would have dealt with you. Let me tell you, once you're better from your cold, write an 800-word self-criticism and hand it in, and reflect on your actions!"
Jian Changnian nodded frantically, admitting his mistake.
"Write, write, write, even if it's eight thousand words."
A knock sounded at the door, and Yan Xinyuan got up to open it. As soon as Jian Changnian saw who it was, a smile appeared on her face.
"Shi'an, Yu Chu, what brings you here? Has Jin Nanzhi left?"
Qiao Yuchu placed the lunchbox she was holding on the table, reached out and touched her forehead; it wasn't as hot as before.
"Come and bring food to our hero, here, your favorite braised pork knuckle rice."
Jian Changnian excitedly opened the lunchbox, only to be immediately disappointed.
"Ah! How can it be called pork trotter rice without pork trotters?!"
Qiao Yuchu burst out laughing.
"The doctor said that during a cold, you should eat a light diet and avoid greasy and spicy foods. That's why I gave you some green vegetables. Eat up."
"Coach Yan, this is yours."
Qiao Yuchu took out another portion from the bag and handed it to Yan Xinyuan.
Jian Changnian ate while watching them. Xie Shian had been silent since she entered the room, which was unusual.
"Shi'an, aren't you going to eat?"
I'm not hungry.
Xie Shi'an coldly replied with two words.
Jian Changnian reflected on it and realized that she hadn't provoked her today. Could it be that she had secretly learned her special move?
"Um... well... I was just watching you play while I was sparring with you... so I wanted to try it out too. I was quite surprised that I succeeded today. If you're unhappy, I won't practice with you anymore."
Jian Changnian spoke cautiously, pushing her lunchbox in front of her.