Until Xie Shi'an reached out his hand.
She could hardly believe it.
"You won?"
Xie Shi'an smiled slightly: "We won."
She blinked, tears welled up in her eyes, sniffed, smiled, grabbed her hand, and stood up.
The national flag was raised in a foreign land, and powerful music echoed throughout the venue.
Amidst flowers and applause, Jian Changnian took out the photo of Yan Xinyuan, held the gold medal in one hand, and raised the other high, standing on the highest podium with her teacher.
Seeing this, even the commentator was somewhat moved.
“She also took out this photo when the last World Junior Championship ended. I happened to be there to interview her at the time.”
"I asked her, 'Why do you always bring this photo with you when you receive your award after a competition?'"
"Jian Changnian said that the person in the photo is her mentor. Not only when she receives an award, but also when she plays in a major competition, she will put this photo in her pocket, as if Coach Yan is still watching her on the spot."
"This photo means more than just an ordinary photo to her; it's her talisman."
"Just like Coach Yan is not only her mentor, but also her guide and beacon, leading her and Xie Shi'an to continue moving forward."
"In any case, I want to congratulate them today, and also congratulate the Chinese team. The most dazzling duo in the world of badminton has been born. If Coach Yan could see this, he would be very gratified."
***
After the doubles ended, the singles competition began. Xie Shi'an was unstoppable, advancing to the finals as the top scorer in her group. In the finals, she defeated Kim Nam-ji 2-0 to win the championship. She was so angry that she left without even giving a post-match interview.
It caused quite a stir.
South Korean media outlets have been referring to her as a "cashier".
"A weakling in the competition."
"I can't play when I face the Chinese team."
...
It is worth mentioning that Jian Changnian also defeated Thai prodigy Natiya to win her first World Championship bronze medal.
Needless to say, the team competition was even more impressive. With the addition of Jian Changnian, the Chinese team was even more formidable, successfully avenging the defeat suffered by the South Korean team at the World Championships that year and winning the gold medal with great force.
With this, the World Championships came to a close.
The Chinese women's badminton team swept all the gold medals, creating a new historical record.
After all the matches were over and the crowds dispersed, Kim Nam-ji, who had already left, returned to the stadium alone and sat in the empty stands for a long time. The light spots cast from the ceiling gradually shrank at her feet until the entire stadium went dark.
She buried her face in her palms.
Xie Shi'an left a racket on the court. After finishing his media interview, he told everyone to leave first and went back to get it.
When she pushed the door open, she didn't expect there to be someone there, and the slightest noise she made startled Kim Nam-ji.
She suddenly looked up, almost blurting out the person's name, but after seeing who it was, her face returned to its usual sarcastic expression.
"Yin... what are you doing here?"
"I forgot my racket."
Xie Shi'an picked up his racket from the chair in the rest area and was about to turn and leave when Jin Nanzhi also stood up.
"Incheon, I will definitely beat you at the Incheon Asian Games."
Xie Shi'an remained noncommittal, his steps unwavering.
"You've said that many times."
After leaving the venue, you have to walk through a quiet path to reach the parking lot. Xie Shi'an didn't expect to run into his old friend here.
"Come watch the game?"
Yin Jiayi was also taken aback when she saw her, but then a smile appeared on her face.
"Yes, I haven't congratulated you yet."
Xie Shi'an also curved the corners of his lips slightly.
"Thanks."
Since Yin Jiayi retired, many things have happened, and the two haven't seen each other for a long time.
Yin Jiayi also knew that she had been caught in a public opinion storm and had been forced to undergo psychological treatment for quite a long time.
"how are things?"
Xie Shi'an smiled.
"That's great. I'm so grateful to you for helping me clarify things back then. How are you doing?"
After retiring, Yin Jiayi lived a secluded life, disappeared from the public eye, and never contacted them again.
"I opened a sports hall in Hangzhou, so I guess I'm still playing. You can come and play when you have time."
Xie Shi'an was also very happy to be reunited with his old friend.
"Okay, after the Incheon Asian Games are over, you can take a good vacation. By the way, it's rare to see each other, how about we all get together and have a meal? Chang Nian and the others miss you a lot too."
She left the national team in a hurry, which hurt Wan Jing's feelings, and he must still harbor resentment.
"No, Teacher Wan doesn't like me. It would be awkward for me to sit with everyone else."
Xie Shi'an glanced in the direction of the venue.
"What about her? Aren't you going to go see her?"
When Kim Nam-ji was mentioned, a hint of sadness crept into her smile.
"I'll just be an ordinary fan. I'll know that she's safe, healthy, and still working hard for the badminton she loves. It's not easy for her to finally have a peaceful life."
If he didn't want to see her, why did he come to watch the game alone, and why did he stay here after the game ended, unwilling to leave?
Xie Shi'an didn't expose her, but simply said, "Then I'll go first, they're waiting for me."
Okay, see you next time.
See you next time.
The South Korean team's rest area.
The team members were also preparing to leave, packing their things, with a lot of support items sent by fans piled up on the sofa.
There was also a bouquet of violets on the table, with a card that read "Signed" and was for Kim Nam-ji.
Some teammates teased him.
"I don't know which of Nan Zhi's die-hard fans she is, but she always sends her violets before her matches."
It has been going on for more than three years without interruption.
"Stop talking, just throw it away. Nan Zhi hates violets the most. She'll get angry again when she comes back and sees it."
***
The three of them finally reunited, and the competition was over. Jian Changnian barely ate anything during the meal. After everyone left and her grandmother went to sleep, she secretly brought up the takeout.
She went to knock on Zhou Mu's door.
Zhou Mu welcomed the person in and peeked behind her.
"Where is Shi'an?"
Jian Changnian pulled something out of the insulated bag as if by magic.
"I'm going to buy some wine. I'll be right back. Here, I ordered barbecue, crayfish, stir-fried clams, and three servings of fried rice. What Western food? My Chinese stomach can't handle it."
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.
The knocking started again.
Zhou Mu went over and opened the door.
Xie Shi'an brought up a case of beer.
"These are all the convenience stores have."
Zhou Mu was dumbfounded.
"Oh, so many! Coach Wan won't scold you, will he?"
Jian Changnian answered for her.
"Coach Wan has been turning a blind eye for a long time. Otherwise, why do you think he went back so early? You should let her have a couple of drinks. She's happy today because she won the championship."
The intimacy conveyed in those words, and the extent of her understanding of Xie Shi'an, made Zhou Mu's heart skip a beat.
However, she didn't think too much about it. Anyway, their relationship had always been very good, and he was almost catching up with her.
Xie Shi'an: "I didn't eat much tonight, I'm hungry."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get started!"
Jian Changnian put the food on the table and chairs on the balcony, and the three of them enjoyed the barbecue while catching up on old times.
"Oh, right, I haven't asked you yet, which exam did you take?"
"Directing Department of Shanghai Theatre Academy"
Jian Changnian ate one crayfish herself, peeled three for Xie Shian, removed the shrimp veins cleanly, and placed them on the plate in front of her.
Didn't you say you wanted to study law?
Zhou Mu smiled.
"After visiting Cheng Zhen in prison once, I changed my mind. I originally thought that since no one was willing to defend him, I would do it and protect him instead.
"Later, he persuaded me, and I didn't want to be a burden to him or put pressure on him. He had already had a hard time inside. Although I felt some regret, I went back and thought about it for a day and a night. I really shouldn't have let down my dreams and efforts."
Jian Changnian clicked his tongue.
“You really listen to Orange Juice. Before, you were crying to me on the phone about how you were suffering every day in order to prepare for the law school at H University. I advised you to choose what you like, but you didn’t listen.”
"What did they tell me back then? They said I wouldn't turn back until I hit a brick wall, and that I could always try again next year."
Zhou Mu blushed and was about to smear the red oil all over her body when Jian Changnian screamed and dodged away.