Why didn't you tell me your old injury had flared up again?
"It's a minor issue. Every player has some injuries."
As they talked, they entered the elevator. Jian Changnian pressed the floor button, intending to take her back to her room.
"As your partner, don't I have the right to know? Besides, this isn't a minor injury. I know how serious your injury was back then, after all..."
In her haste, she blurted out the London Olympics, which was a sore spot for Xie Shi'an.
The woman suddenly raised her head, their eyes met, and her voice was unusually cold.
"So what? Anyone can persuade me to withdraw from the competition, but you can't."
“I…” Jian Changnian was speechless. As Coach Yan’s apprentice, her junior, friend and partner.
She really couldn't bring herself to say it, and she couldn't bring herself to speak.
The elevator has arrived.
Xie Shi'an brushed the person aside and sneered.
"You don't need to worry about me dragging you down on the field. At worst, I'll play with painkillers, and I'll still win."
That's not what I meant.
Seeing that she was about to leave, Jian Changnian grabbed her wrist and said urgently.
"What I meant was that I would play as the main attacker in tomorrow's game."
Suddenly pulled back, Xie Shi'an lost her balance, and Jian Changnian quickly supported her waist.
The elevator doors opened.
Their national team teammates were standing outside the elevator, all their sharp eyes fixed on them.
Looking at it from this angle.
Jian Changnian gripped her wrist.
Xie Shi'an leaned against her.
The group of people were immediately stunned.
Lu Xiaoting let out a scream that pierced the night sky.
"Oh, I'm sorry to bother you!"
After saying that, he immediately pressed the button to close the elevator door.
Jian Changnian: "..."
Xie Shi'an: "..."
Something's wrong with this!!!
After this farce, the two could no longer continue arguing, and Xie Shi'an glanced at her still holding his wrist.
"Aren't you going to let go?"
Jian Changnian snapped out of her daze and sprang away like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, rushing out of the elevator without looking back.
"Then...it's settled! I'll be the main attacker tomorrow...you...you should get some rest!"
Jian Changnian ran back to her room in one breath, closed the door, and leaned against it, panting heavily, as if some ferocious beast was behind her.
Her teammates were startled by her commotion.
"What's wrong? Why is your face so red?"
"Huh? Is there?"
Jian Changnian touched her face; it felt a little hot, and she didn't know why, but her heart was pounding.
"If you feel unwell, go see the team doctor."
Under the probing gazes of her teammates, she became increasingly uncomfortable, her face burning hot. She had no choice but to rush into the bathroom and splash water on her face to cool down.
"No, it's nothing. I just got back from playing ball and I'm a little hot."
After Xie Shi'an returned to his room, Lü Xiaoting also returned from the convenience store a short while later.
"Here you go, Sister An, here's the fruit you wanted."
"Thanks, you can leave it there."
Xie Shi'an was sitting at the table watching Kim Nam-ji's match video when he turned around and replied.
Lu Xiaoting washed an apple and handed one to her, then dawdled and sat down on the bed behind her.
"Hey, Sister An, what were you and Chang Nian doing in the elevator just now?"
I knew she'd ask; she's such a gossip.
Xie Shi'an didn't even turn his head.
"They're arguing."
Lü Xiaoting took a bite of the apple and then gestured wildly, imitating their movements.
"No, when you two are arguing, you can do all sorts of things, like holding hands and putting your arms around each other's waists."
Hey, why are you getting more and more excited as you talk about it?
"..."
Xie Shi'an took a deep breath and was about to turn his head.
Lü Xiaoting immediately jumped back three zhang (approximately 10 meters).
"Just kidding, I'm just kidding. I just think that if Sister An really does that, Chang Nian would be pretty good."
Xie Shi'an is outstanding in appearance and has excellent skills. Over the years, she has never lacked suitors. Even the male team coach has been trying to match her with a promising young male team member. Dating is not a big deal. After all, it is natural for men to marry when they are of age and women to marry when they are of age.
But she never had that kind of interest, and she never had any scandals with anyone, remaining as clean and pure as a blank sheet of paper.
As an athlete, she's truly in a class of her own. As they spent more time together and developed a better relationship, many teammates jokingly speculated about her sexual orientation.
Xie Shi'an raised his hand and threw a cushion at her.
"Are you crazy? Even rabbits don't eat the grass near their burrows."
***
The doubles final on the second day.
Before the match.
While Kim Nam-ji wasn't paying attention, South Korean head coach Park Min-heon pulled her partner Choi Hye-hee to the other side.
"You only have one task in today's match: keep an eye on Jian Changnian and disrupt her offensive rhythm by any means necessary."
“But…” Choi Hye-hee was still young and unsure of what to do. She glanced at the camera set up on the sidelines.
"What about the referee..."
Park Min-heon patted her on the shoulder.
"Just focus on playing, leave the rest to me. Don't forget whose home court this is."
Chapter 111 The Uncrowned
The audience entered, and the cheers were deafening.
The large screen inside the venue has already lit up.
Xie Shi'an and Jian Changnian were also making their final preparations.
Jian Changnian was holding a roll of grip tape, intending to wrap it around his racket. He had only wrapped it halfway when, for some unknown reason, he froze there, and the grip tape rolled onto the ground.
Xie Shi'an bumped her arm.
"What's wrong with you? You seem distracted."
Jian Changnian snapped out of her daze and jumped up from her seat as if she had been electrocuted, startling Xie Shi'an.
"No, nothing."
Xie Shi'an thought she was still holding a grudge about yesterday's argument, and the competition was about to begin.
Her tone softened, which was unusual for her.
"Let's play the match first. You take the lead, and I'll support you."
Jian Changnian composed herself, watched her retreating figure as she walked towards the court, took a deep breath, picked up her racket, and followed her.
Kim Nam-ji's gaze fell on her legs through the net.
Xie Shi'an is still wearing knee pads today.
A sarcastic smile curled at the corner of her lips.
"Your injury came at the worst possible time."
Xie Shi'an twirled the racket between his fingertips and pointed it directly at her.
"Enough talk, let's get started if you're ready."
The referee's whistle blew.
She took a step back, letting Jian Changnian step to the front of the net.
"Don't worry about playing, I'll defend the backcourt."
Jian Changnian nodded solemnly, watching Jin Nanzhi's movements intently, not daring to be careless.
"good."
A person who is used to attacking is also very good at defending, because she knows where Kim Nam-ji will hit the ball.
The tacit understanding between her and Jian Changnian was beyond words, even without eye contact or gestures; it was often a matter of instinctive physical reactions. Her superior racket gave Jian Changnian an advantage at the net, and Jian Changnian had another advantage over her.
She participates in few major competitions, so she is not studied much, and occasionally her methods are quite unexpected.
And so, the first game ended 15-21, with her and Jian Changnian taking the lead temporarily.