"Captain Yin, I was just saying I was going to beat you, and before we even fought, you're already leaving."
...
Yin Jiayi let go of them, her eyes glistening with tears, but a smile appeared on her lips.
"Good luck to everyone at the Olympics, and...we'll meet again someday."
As the car started moving, her teammates' figures and the training center gate behind her receded into the distance.
Yin Jiayi finally couldn't hold back her tears.
Chapter 101 Departure
No sooner had Yin Jiayi left than it was time for them to head to the Olympic Village. Before boarding, Xie Shi'an made a video call to Yan Xinyuan.
The old man sat on the hospital bed, squinting at his phone for a long time, not knowing how to answer it, until Coach Liang snatched it away from him.
"Hey, let me do it, let me do it, press this—"
Before he finished speaking, Yan Xinyuan made a move to snatch it.
"Hey, don't answer yet! I'm still wearing my hospital gown!"
"Okay, okay, I'll hang up for you now."
Jian Changnian looked at her phone with anticipation.
"So, did it go through?"
Xie Shi'an shook his head: "No, I guess he's busy."
After hanging up the phone, Yan Xinyuan, with Coach Liang's help, changed into his usual clothes. He was a terminal cancer patient and looked haggard, but upon hearing news of his students, he couldn't hide his smile.
"Judging by the time, it's about time to go to London."
"Alright, I'll call Shi'an back now."
Just as Coach Liang was about to call the number back, Yan Xinyuan glanced again at the large white wall behind the hospital bed and the monitoring equipment beside it.
"No, no, I have to get down. This place looks like a hospital."
"Hey, why do you have so many problems?" Coach Liang complained, but still reached out to help him up.
Yan Xinyuan glanced around the ward and smiled.
"I was just worried about affecting their performance in the competition, so let's sit by the window, draw the curtains, and lock the door."
Coach Liang dragged the only chair in the ward to the window, helped him sit down, and then went back to lock the door.
"You're making a video call like you're moving house."
"Hurry up, how do I press the button? Don't keep people waiting."
"Here it comes, here it comes, are you trying to kill me? Want it yourself or should I carry it for you?"
"I'll take it, I'll take it. You stand to the side a bit, you're blocking the camera."
The video call was quickly connected as the two were talking.
Jian Changnian's face came into view, and she gave him a big smile and waved to greet him.
"Coach Yan, we're about to board the plane. We've been in intensive training for a while now and haven't had a chance to call and say hello."
Yan Xinyuan also laughed.
"Why are you alone? Where's Shi'an?"
Jian Changnian turned the camera to Xie Shi'an, who arrived late, holding two cups of coffee: "Look, she went to buy drinks."
Xie Shi'an appeared in the frame and smiled slightly.
How have you been feeling lately?
"I'm fine, I have a good appetite! But when I get to the Olympic Village, it's different from competing in our country. I have to be careful about what I eat, and I can't drink anything like coffee. It would be a problem if they found out I was using banned substances."
While I'm happy to see my apprentice, I still need to give him some advice, as there have been instances in Olympic history where athletes have been framed and harmed.
Xie Shi'an nodded.
"Understood, Coach Yan."
Jian Changnian stood on tiptoe, tugged at her hand, and lifted the lids of each coffee cup to take a look.
"Shi'an, I want to drink the one with cream."
Xie Shi'an laughed and scolded, "Why are you making things so complicated? Didn't you say you wanted sugar-free?"
"But this looks delicious."
Even so, Xie Shi'an still gave her his cup. Jian Changnian took a satisfied sip, her lips covered in cream.
Yan Xinyuan couldn't help but chuckle.
Xie Shi'an turned around and noticed the green curtains in the background of his video. He felt like he had seen them somewhere before, but he couldn't remember where.
"Coach Yan, it's so late, aren't you home?"
"Oh, I'm at Coach Liang's house. We had a day off today, so everyone thought we'd get together and play some mahjong. Old Liang—" Yan Xinyuan deliberately raised his voice and shouted off-screen.
Coach Liang's voice came from afar, and he also revealed half of his face.
"What's wrong? I called you to eat. You've been waiting for ages."
The two people greeted him as well.
"Hello, Coach Liang."
"How's the training camp in Beijing going?" Coach Liang turned around and smiled at them.
Before Xie Shi'an could speak, Jian Changnian had already answered for her.
"You all have no idea how amazing Shi'an is in the national team. He's practically invincible, even against Yin—"
Xie Shi'an nudged her just in time, and she finally shut up.
"Sure, we're about to board. We'll call you when we get to London."
"Okay, sure."
Despite undergoing chemotherapy, his condition has not improved much. He will be transferred to the intensive care unit tomorrow, and it's uncertain whether he will be able to sit up and answer their calls next time.
Thinking of this, the old man's eyes reddened slightly, but he held back and didn't let them notice anything amiss.
"It's cool in London, so wear an extra jacket when you get there to avoid catching a cold. Also, remember what I said: use your brain when you play, don't be too aggressive, be brave but also strategic."
"There are many top athletes at the Olympics. We can't be afraid of them, but we also can't underestimate them. After the Olympics, Changnian, you should start preparing for next year's World Junior Championships."
He said a lot in one breath, and the two of them were a little stunned. Jian Changnian, who was a soft-hearted person, started to shed tears as soon as he heard him say these things.
"Coach Yan..."
"Crying again, crying again, how old are you?"
The boarding announcement came on, and Yan Xinyuan heard it too, deliberately puffing out his beard and glaring.
“Let me tell you, my goal for Shi An Ding is an Olympic gold medal. As for you, let me not say too much, you should at least get a medal at next year’s World Youth Championships. Get out of here, and don’t come back to see me if you don’t get one.”
For some reason, Xie Shi'an felt a strong sense of reluctance, as if she would never see him again once she boarded this plane. She wanted to say something more, but the team leader was already urging her to leave.
She had no choice but to say goodbye hastily and hang up the phone.
"Coach Yan, don't worry, I will definitely make you an Olympic champion coach."
***
After returning home that night, Kim Nam-ji stayed in her dorm room alone for two days. Since it was school break and her roommates had all gone home, she was happy to have some peace and quiet. During those two days, she didn't want to do anything. Even when she heard the shouts from the basketball court downstairs, she didn't even have the desire to pick up a racket.
That day, she ordered takeout, brought it in, and just as she sat down in the living room and turned on the TV, she saw that news report.
"Recently, Yin Jiayi, a well-known badminton player and former captain of the national team, announced her retirement, causing a great uproar."
The camera focused on two people. One was Xie Shi'an, who was being interviewed and said, "You all saw the result of the match just now, didn't you? Stepping down and making way for someone more capable, isn't that the right thing to do?"
One of them was Yin Jiayi sitting on the stage, looking calm and composed.
"I'm already engaged. After retiring, I plan to marry my fiancé and live a normal life."
Kim Nam-ji gritted his teeth, swept the lunchbox on the table to the ground, and rushed out of the dormitory with red eyes.
Yin Jiayi must have some hidden reason for suddenly retiring and breaking up with her. She wants to see her again, to try one last time.
With a sliver of hope, she bought a plane ticket to Hangzhou and, following the route she remembered, arrived at the building where Yin Jiayi lived.
In July, Hangzhou is unpredictable, with torrential rain that can start suddenly. She was in a hurry and didn't bring an umbrella, so she just hugged her arms and squatted under a tree to take shelter from the rain. Before long, she was soaked to the bone.
"Are you leaving again now that you're back?"
"I'm not leaving. I'll stay home and spend some quality time with Dad and Mom."
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Kim Nam-ji was overjoyed and stood up, only to freeze in place.
"Yin—"
Yin Jiayi got out of someone else's car, and the boy considerately opened the car door for her, carrying her things in one hand and holding an umbrella for her in the other.
The two were chatting and laughing, looking very close.
Kim Nam-ji unconsciously took a step back. So, this was the answer she had been looking for.
She smiled sadly, her lips curving upwards, not wanting to stay here any longer, not even for a second. But Yin Jiayi heard her, turned around abruptly, and looked at her intently through the rain.
Kim Nam-ji longed for her to say something more to him, even if it was just... even if it was just calling his name again.
"Do you know her?" The boy's gaze swept over them, and he asked curiously.
Yin Jiayi shook her head stiffly.
"No, I don't know him."
"Then let's go back quickly, the rain is getting heavier."
"good."
Yin Jiayi turned around and followed the boy into the stairwell, never looking back at him again.