Jian Changnian stuck out her tongue: "Okay, Coach Yan."
"By the way, what were you guys talking about just now?" Yan Xinyuan was still a little curious, thinking about what he had seen when he came in. After all, caring about the physical and mental health of each team member was also part of his job.
"Let's talk about that game at the stadium that day." Jian Changnian relayed everything Sun Qian had told her to Yan Xinyuan.
Yan Xinyuan sighed and said, "She didn't hide anything from you about her family situation. She's in a similar situation to you. She does have a seriously ill mother who is bedridden. Because of this, although I have some reservations about her, I still let her into the training team. I wanted to give her a fair chance to compete. As for whether she can seize this opportunity, that depends on herself."
"Is that so..." Jian Changnian listened to his words and looked at the chocolate on the pillow. She seemed to understand something.
"I understand, Coach Yan. As her teammate, I will get along well with her."
Yan Xinyuan patted her on the shoulder: "Making friends depends on fate. I just hope that you can all have a happy and fulfilling time during this training camp. Even if you all go your separate ways after the training camp, it will still be an unforgettable time when you look back on it."
"Alright, that's all I wanted to say. I was going to bring you some food, but it looks like someone has already given you some. You should rest now, I'll head back first."
Despite saying that, Yan Xinyuan still took two oranges out of his pocket and placed them on the table.
Jian Changnian sat up slightly to say goodbye to him.
Goodbye, Coach Yan.
***
After finishing her IV drip, Jian Changnian went to the cafeteria for a bite to eat. After returning to her dorm and taking a shower, she lay in bed tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep, perhaps because she had slept too much in the afternoon.
The clock on the table struck twelve. Jian Changnian opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling. After thinking for a moment, she tiptoed out of bed, grabbed a racket, and prepared to go to the training room to play some tennis. To her surprise, even at this hour, the training room was brightly lit and there were still people there.
Jian Changnian was a little curious. Who could it be?
She walked over quietly and peeked through the crack in the door.
It was actually... Xie Shi'an!
She was all alone in the huge venue. Badminton shuttlecocks were scattered all around Xie Shi'an's feet. Like a tireless machine, she kept swinging her racket to practice serving. In the empty training room, there was only the thud of the racket hitting the shuttlecock.
Jian Changnian's eyes widened.
She hadn't seen her play since the last time she played against her in the gymnasium of Jiangbei No. 2 Middle School. The past few days she had been given only the most basic physical fitness and footwork training.
After so long, watching her play again, Xie Shi'an's footwork was still so light, like she was dancing, but her swinging arm was so powerful. The racket in her hand was like a sword that would take a life once it was drawn.
When I played against her last time, I was so focused on how to defend myself that I didn't notice how beautifully she played.
Jian Changnian thought to herself silently.
The other person stopped moving. Xie Shi'an put his hands on his knees, buried his head, and gasped for breath, trying to catch his breath.
"I know you're there, come out."
"Wh...what...she saw me?" Jian Changnian's breathing became tense, and she clung to the crack in the door, not daring to move.
Xie Shi'an chuckled.
"You've been watching for ages, aren't you coming out yet?"
Oh well, she's already found out anyway, so I'll have to thank her in person sooner or later.
"I……"
Jian Changnian swallowed hard, preparing to push the door open and enter.
Another clear and pleasant female voice came from the training room.
"Oh dear, does it have eyes in the back of its head? I didn't make a sound at all."
Xie Shi'an turned around and gestured in her direction with his lips.
"When you came in, the door wasn't closed, and there was a breeze. The breeze changes the trajectory of the badminton shuttlecock, and my shuttlecock always landed a little bit off from what I expected."
Qiao Yuchu turned around and saw that, sure enough, the small door she had come through was wide open and swaying in the wind.
"Then how did you know it was me?"
Xie Shi'an smiled, did not answer the question, and squatted down to pick up the badminton shuttlecocks scattered all over the ground.
That scared me to death.
Jian Changnian breathed a sigh of relief, her forehead almost dripping with cold sweat. She gently removed her hand from the doorknob and tiptoed back to the wall. Just as she was about to leave, she heard Qiao Yuchu ask.
Are you still angry?
"No." Xie Shi'an tossed a badminton shuttlecock into the basket, his voice devoid of emotion.
“Shi’an…” Qiao Yuchu called her name again.
A shadow fell over them. Xie Shi'an raised his head slightly and saw a lollipop lying in Qiao Yuchu's palm. The familiar wrapper was her favorite strawberry flavor.
“I used to use this to cheer you up when you were unhappy, and you would always smile at me after eating the candy. Is it still the same now?”
When Xie Shi'an was a child, she was not loved by her parents. Only this older sister next door took care of her the most. Whenever she was bullied outside, it was Qiao Yuchu who would coax her, comfort her, and even go to confront those thugs on her behalf.
This candy was the one Qiao Yuchu used to coax her when they first met.
"Eat it, and the pain will go away."
So many years have passed in the blink of an eye, and she has long since passed the age of loving sweets, but Qiao Yuchu still remembers this matter.
Xie Shi'an concealed the tremor in his voice very well.
"I haven't liked sweets for a long time..."
Qiao Yuchu's eyes darkened, and her smile became somewhat bitter.
"Is that so? I thought you..."
Unable to bear seeing her sad, Xie Shi'an interrupted her.
"However, it's been a long time since I've had it."
Qiao Yuchu's eyes immediately lit up, and she tore open the wrapper and handed it to her.
"Then try it quickly. I know you love this. My mom specifically asked me to buy it and send it with her last time when she said she was going to send me something."
How could anyone possibly be angry with her when she takes her preferences to heart and has been kind to her, caring for her, and protecting her for decades?
Xie Shi'an took the lollipop, licked it, and found it tasted just like it did when he was a child. The sweetness slightly dispelled some of his worries.
Qiao Yuchu's expression softened slightly upon seeing her, and she deliberately took advantage of her kindness.
"So you're not angry with me anymore?"
It's always been like this since we were little; even when we argue, we make up very quickly. Xie Shi'an turned his face away and said, "If you help me pick up all these balls, I won't be angry anymore."
Qiao Yuchu put her hands on her hips, deliberately looking fierce.
"Well, look what you've done, now you've made me work for free."
Xie Shi'an used his badminton racket to scoop up a ball and accurately tossed it into the basket.
"Have you done this kind of thing countless times since you were a child?"
"Hey—why do I hear a hint of shamelessness, or even pride, in your voice?"
That being said, if she were to clean up all these badminton shuttlecocks on the ground by herself, she'd be up until the wee hours of the morning.
Qiao Yuchu resignedly rolled up her sleeves and worked with her. She held a basket in her arms and kept looking at Xie Shi'an as she picked things up.
"You're really not angry anymore?"
Despite Xie Shi'an's seemingly invulnerable appearance, he is actually a person who is very good at keeping secrets. Once when he was a child, he had a fever of 38.9 degrees Celsius, but he endured it without telling anyone until he fainted at school. Only then did the teacher find out and rush him to the hospital.
Qiao Yuchu was afraid that she would hold a grudge, after all, she had spoken too quickly and hit a nerve.
Xie Shi'an shook his head and threw another ball into the basket.
"You're not wrong."
"You know, that's not what I meant."
"Yes, I know, but I also hope that sometimes you can think more about yourself."
Xie Shi'an squatted down to pick up the ball, and because he had a lollipop in his mouth, his speech was a little unclear, which made him inexplicably cute.
Qiao Yuchu sidled over and patted her head.
"I know you're just worried about me. I misspoke today, but I just wanted you to make more friends so that if I'm gone someday, you won't have to worry about me..."
Xie Shi'an looked up, her eyes slightly red.
"Is your aunt urging you to go home again?"
Qiao Yuchu is different from her. She only went pro because it gave her extra points on the college entrance exam. Moreover, she is already 25 years old. Her best achievement is only winning the runner-up title in a national competition. Due to injuries and other factors, an athlete's golden period is very short. Someone like Qiao Yuchu, who has no outstanding achievements and no popularity, will most likely retire and go back to school or find another way out.
Qiao Yuchu paused for a moment before picking up the last ball and putting it into the basket.
"Yeah, it's all the same old story. Now that we've finished picking them up, let's go back."
Xie Shi'an straightened up and looked at her back.
"Together, we can definitely win the championship – the National Games, the Asian Games, the World Championships, the Uber Cup, and even the Olympics. Trust me, I will definitely lead you to victory."
"You like badminton, and so do I, so... don't go, okay?"
Qiao Yuchu curved her lips slightly, and tears streamed down her face. She tilted her head back, sniffed, and forced back the remaining tears. Then she turned around and walked towards her, pulling her into her arms.
"Okay, I won't leave. I'll stay with you until we win the championship."
Xie Shi'an finally breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, embracing her tightly like a weary bird returning to its nest.
"Okay, it's a deal then."
"You stingy little thing, pinky swear, never to change your mind for a hundred years, is that alright?"
Unbeknownst to her, Jian Changnian had been standing outside the door for quite some time. She couldn't tell whether it was out of curiosity or something else, but her steps were inexplicably held back as she had intended to leave.
Jian Changnian thought to herself:
So the cold and aloof Xie Shi'an has this side to her too? And her relationship with Qiao Yuchu is actually this good?
The two people in the training room were still chatting and laughing when Jian Changnian turned around and left alone outside the door.
The wind and rain outside were heavy, and fallen leaves drifted in from the corridor. Jian Changnian rubbed her arms. She missed the boisterous Zhou Mu a little. It felt so good to have friends around.
***
Before returning to her dormitory, Jian Changnian went to a public phone booth to call Zhou Mu, wondering if she would answer at this hour.
Just as she was thinking this, the phone was answered: "Hello, who is it?"