The Gold is Yours, You Are Mine

After the game, there was no need to train any more. After leaving Qiao Yuchu, Xie Shi'an suddenly felt that he didn't know where to go.

The boy sat on the edge of the flower bed downstairs for a long time, his down jacket was covered with snowflakes, until he opened an umbrella above his head.

She raised her head with joy in her eyes.

"Yuan... Coach Yan."

Yan Xinyuan let out a long sigh and pulled him up.

"Come on, kid, I'll take you back to the apartment."

Xie Shi'an reluctantly followed him for a few steps.

"I'm here…"

When he was held by his generous palm, the boy felt a long-lost warmth from the elders, and he could no longer speak the rest of the words.

Seeing his hunched back and staggering steps, for some reason, Xie Shi'an thought of his grandfather for a moment.

The boy took the umbrella from the old man's hand.

Seeing the figures of the old and the young gradually walking away in the snow, Qiao Yuchu upstairs closed the window with confidence.

Jian Changnian looked at her with some puzzlement in her eyes.

"If you care about it, why don't you go down?"

Qiao Yuchu sat back by the bed, staring at her wrist, her voice was extremely soft.

"Shi'an has grown up, I can't be with her forever."

It was not far from the hospital to the apartment, and Yan Xinyuan saw that she had no intention of taking a car, so he accompanied her through the journey.

The two walked and chatted.

"Shi'an, look at the heavy snow tonight, maybe it will be sunny again tomorrow morning."

He meant something, and the boy closed his eyes.

"Everything is like this. If there is a profit, there will be a loss. If there is a meeting, there will be a parting. No one can escape this natural law."

"Although I don't know what happened between you and Yuchu, learning to let nature take its course is also one of the compulsory lessons in life."

When he said this, the boy raised his eyes.

"From childhood to adulthood, no matter how stupid I am, she never hit me."

When that slap lightly landed on her face, even if she won the bet, she still felt like a knife was twisting her heart.

Especially since the focus of their quarrel still revolves around another man.

Yan Xinyuan looked at her kindly, and the open-mindedness and calmness of the old man also infected her.

"If you are just a stranger, I think no matter what you become, she won't be angry, but you are Xie Shi'an, who grew up with her. I think her thoughts sometimes may be It’s about the same as me, and I would hate iron for not being steel.”

The boy lowered his head, looked at the road under his feet, and stepped on the snow in a series of footprints.

"Is that right?"

"The night you won the singles final, she came to me and begged me not to remove her from the squad, Shi'an, she also wants to play many, many matches with you."

Xie Shi settled down, and the apartment building arrived.

The old man took the umbrella and stood under the street lamp.

There is always a calming and convincing force about him, both in training and in life.

Xie Shi'an has seen many pedantic teachers, but she doesn't dislike his preaching, because she knows that Yan Xinyuan is sincere to each of them.

"Yuchu really put in a lot of hard work in order to return to the game, and Chang Nian insisted on winning the game with a fever."

"We are a group. They will be very sad after hearing your last words."

The boy's straight spine finally loosened a bit.

"I...I will apologize to Chang Nian."

Yan Xinyuan smiled, seeing clearly.

"Actually, I can also see that, apart from the quarrel with Yuchu, do you feel that Chang Nian has learned the tricks that you have practiced for several years, and Chang Nian has learned them in a few nights, so there is a little sense of gap."

The boy raised his head, wanting to justify something, then let it hang down in a slumped manner.

"I...Although I won the game, I don't seem to be very happy. Yin Jiayi, Jiang Yunli, Jin Nanzhi, and even Chang Nian, they are all very strong, and I haven't opened a big gap with them yet."

"How can there be a general who wins in competitive sports?" Yan Xinyuan sent her to the steps, patted her on the shoulder and said.

"Your generation is the backbone of our country, and you and Chang Nian—" the old man looked at her with loving eyes and laughed.

"I have a hunch that he will be the future twin star of badminton in the world."

The feeling of being expected and encouraged gave Xie Shi'an a little warmth in his empty heart.

The boy finally showed a smile.

Yan Xinyuan patted her on the shoulder.

"Go, go back and get a good night's sleep. When Chang Nian recovers, I'll show you around Beijing."

Xie Shi'an walked up the stairs, turned around and said something again.

"Coach Yan, I will definitely not let you down."

＊＊＊

Jian Changnian watched Qiao Yuchu staring at her wrist all the time. In order to cover up the scars left by the operation, she wore a wrist guard, which she never took off even during the competition.

She sat on the bed, cupped her hand with some distress, and blew gently.

"Miss Yuchu, is it still hurting? You came to play the game right after the operation. It would be fine if I didn't get sick."

At first, Qiao Yu looked at her as if she were a younger sister. Of course, it was Doha who was more at ease than Xie Shi'an, so he reached out and touched her head.

"It's been gone for a long time, and you don't want to get sick. Everyone is working hard for the same goal, so don't take what Shi'an said just now. She is angry with me."

Jian Chang nodded with a vague understanding.

"Sister Yuchu just said that Shi'an has grown up and doesn't need you anymore, but no matter how old a person is, they still need relatives."

She counted with her fingers.

"I have my grandmother, Sister Yuchu has her parents, Coach Yan has us, there is only Shi'an, nothing."

Qiao Yuchu was startled, and she clenched her lower lip slightly. Before Xie Shi'an left, the disappointed look in her eyes came to mind again.

She looked at Jian Changnian, and suddenly felt a little envious. She envied her outspokenly, and said whatever she had. It turns out that ignorant people live the most transparent lives.

"I know. She and I have seldom quarreled like this. When we both calm down, I will apologize to her."

Qiao Yuchu helped her to lie down and tucked in the quilt for her.

"Go to sleep for a while, and we'll go back when the fever subsides."

＊＊＊

It was rare that there was no game on the second day, and Xie Shi'an suffered from insomnia for the first time on a night when he could have had a good rest.

She tossed and turned on the bed, got up and did a whole set of ground exercises, but still couldn't fall asleep.

Looking at the empty bed on the other side, the young man sighed silently. She probably won't come back to sleep tonight.

Xie Shi'an thought for a while, picked up the keys and wallet and went out.

She swiped her card and exited the gate under the eyes of the guard. After a while, she came back with a bag of beer and snacks.

The doorman opened his mouth to stop her several times, and Xie Shi'an, wearing earphones, entered the apartment without seeing her.

Go back to the room and lock the door.

Xie Shi'an sat down against the edge of the bed, dragged a chair, put the appetizers on it, took out beer from the plastic bag, one can, two cans, three cans...opened one after another and put them at hand.

Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, she quietly admired the night view of Beijing in the distance, enjoying this rare but somewhat lonely time alone.

The hour hand is ticking, I don't know how long it has been.

Xie Shi'an's beer cans were all empty.

There was a soft knock at the door.

Before Qiao Yuchu walked in, she smelled the pungent smell of alcohol. She turned on the wall lamp, was shocked, threw her bag on her bed, and flew over.

"Shi'an! Shi'an! Why did you drink so much wine?!" Qiao Yuchu was angry and distressed, shaking her shoulders, trying to wake her up.

Xie Shi'an still held an empty can of beer in his hand, tilted his head on the edge of the bed, frowned, and seemed a little uncomfortable.

Qiao Yuchu took the beer can from her hand away, and the moment it touched her fingertips, it was freezing cold, and she didn't know how long she had been sitting here.

She sighed and picked him up from the ground with all her strength.

"I really can't do anything about you, Xie Shi'an, when will you save me some trouble?"

The person lying on the bed was unconscious, except for a few tears from the corners of her eyes. Qiao Yuchu took off her coat, covered her with the quilt, turned on the air conditioner, and then picked up the key and went out.

There was no one in the infirmary at this point, and besides, it's not a glorious thing for an athlete to drink too much late at night. Qiao Yu thought about it for a while, and went to a pharmacy a little further away to buy hangover medicine.

She hurried back with a plastic bag. The water had been boiled before she left, and the temperature was just right.

She lifted him up a little, leaned into her arms, and carefully handed the glass to her lips.

"Come on, Shi'an, you won't feel bad after drinking it."

Under her urging, Xie Shi'an took a sip, then frowned: "Bitter..."

Qiao Yu picked it up and tasted it by herself. It was a little bit. Fortunately, she was prepared. She picked up the white sugar left over from drinking coffee from the bedside table, poured a little into it, stirred it with a spoon, and brought it to her lips.

This time Xie Shi'an didn't refuse again.

Qiao Yuchu watched her finish the drink one gulp at a time. Although she was already an adult and a great champion, she always had a childlike attitude to her, as if she didn't grow up.

"You, I shouldn't have let you come back alone. If Coach Yan finds out, let's see how he punishes you. Fortunately, the game is over. Otherwise, if you are suspended, you won't have time to cry."

She said, put down the cup, and was about to get up, when someone suddenly hugged her neck, Xie Shi'an hugged her hard, like holding a piece of treasure that would be completely lost if she was not careful.

She closed her eyes, but tears welled up.

People whose brains are dominated by alcohol speak incoherently.

"Qiao Yuchu! My heart hurts...my heart hurts...I was so naughty when I was young, you are most afraid of bugs, I grabbed earthworms and put them in your schoolbag, but you never hit me."

"Why...why...you want to kill me for an insignificant person, I don't...understand..."

Hot tears splashed into the pit of the neck.

Xie Shi'an choked up.

"I do not want you to leave me…"

"They don't want me..."

"Only you...only you."

At that moment, Jian Changnian's words flooded into her mind again.

"But no matter how old a person is, they still need relatives."

"I have a grandmother, Sister Yuchu has her parents, Coach Yan and us, there is only Shi'an, nothing else."

Qiao Yuchu should have thought of how insecure a person who was once abandoned by their parents must have been.

Also because of this reason, Xie Shi'an was reticent since he was a child, he was not good at expressing himself, and he didn't have many friends. She had never seen her cry a few times, let alone her face full of tears now.

Qiao Yuchu had mixed emotions in her heart, her eyes felt hot, she gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and hugged her in her arms.

"I'm sorry... All I said was angry words, how could I ignore you, you are also one of the most important people in my life."

The boy buried his head in her arms and sobbed, and Qiao Yuchu patted her on the back again and again until she slowly calmed down.

The medicine finally took effect, Xie Shi Anshu frowned, breathing evenly, Qiao Yu moved a little at the beginning, wanted to get up, but was hugged tightly again.

Two more tears welled up from the corners of her eyes.

"Don't...don't leave me..."

"Alas..." Qiao Yuchu sighed helplessly and patted her head.

"Then you go over there."

Xie Shi'an obediently moved back.

Qiao Yuchu lay down and covered herself with the quilt.

Two people squeezed into a small single bed.

She reached out and turned off the desk lamp.

"I'm satisfied now, go to sleep, good night."

＊＊＊

When Xie Shi'an woke up, it was already daylight.

She struggled to open her eyes, her head was still groggy, and her temples were aching, so she closed her eyes again.

But soon, she realized that something was wrong. She was held in someone's arms.

Qiao Yuchu's arm was around her waist, and her face was close at hand. In the early morning light, even the tiny hairs could be clearly seen.

Xie Shi'an's breathing became rapid all of a sudden.

This distance is really too close.

The young man was a little embarrassed, but there was also sweetness growing in his heart. She just stared at her for a long time, from her forehead to the arch of her eyebrows, to her slender eyelashes, her straight nose bridge, and her lips as pale as cherry blossoms.

Little by little with his eyes, he depicted the appearance of his sweetheart.

When his eyes fell on her lips, Xie Shi'an swallowed.

Like a ghost, he moved a little closer.

Breathing is close, close at hand.

Qiao Yuchu moved and turned over.

Xie Shi'an immediately closed his eyes, his heart beating like a drum.

Until there was a rustling sound from the other side of the bed, Qiao Yu seemed to have woken up at first, sat up and shook her shoulders, and said softly.

"Pick up..."

Xie Shi'an froze and did not dare to move.

Seeing that she was still awake, Qiao Yuchu gently lifted the quilt, got out of bed and went to wash.

Xie Shi'an breathed a sigh of relief. He wanted to sleep more, but the doorbell rang.

There was the sound of splashing water in the bathroom.

Qiao Yuchu should be taking a shower.

She got up and went to open the door.

It's Jian Changnian.

"Coach Yan asked me to call you..."

Before she finished speaking, she saw the beer bottles scattered all over the floor, and she exclaimed, "Shi'an, you're actually drinking in the apartment—"

It's too courageous.

Xie Shi'an covered her mouth and pushed her against the wall.

"Don't say anything, or—"

Jian Changnian frantically nodded her head.

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, let me go!!"

Qiao Yu poked her head out of the bathroom when she first heard the movement.

"This early in the morning, why are you fighting again?"

Xie Shi'an withdrew his hand resentfully.

"No, I'm just..."

Jian Changnian's fever subsided, and she still had a cold, so frightened by her, she coughed a few times and was almost out of breath.

"Ahem... Xie Shi'an, you murdered me!"

Xie Shi'an turned back to tidy up the house.

"Who told you to yell as soon as you came in."

"Coach Yan said that in the afternoon we will go for a stroll around □□. The plane will return to Jiangcheng tomorrow morning. I kindly came to call you. Who would have thought that I would be beaten up as soon as I entered the door? It is so kind to treat you like a donkey."

Jian Changnian muttered, but still helped her pick up the wine bottle on the ground and threw it into the trash can.

Qiao Yuchu said loudly in the bathroom.

"Shi'an, you'd better pack up the garbage quickly and take it down by yourself, or the cleaning lady will come in a while."

Xie Shi'an **** the garbage bag and threw it to Jian Changnian.

"Take it, come with me."

"Hey, why am I going too!" Jian Chang couldn't understand.

Xie Shi'an pushed her from behind.

"Didn't you see that I can't get it? It's useless."

Two people went downstairs.

Jian Changnian walked ahead, Xie Shi'an kept remembering what he said to Yan Xinyuan last night, if he wanted to apologize to her, he hesitated for a while before opening his mouth.

"Is your cold better?"

"The fever is gone, and I still have a little cough, just take some medicine."

Facing her rare concern, Jian Chang wondered.

"You called me out, didn't you just want to tell me this?"

Xie Shi'an: "..."

He threw the **** into the trash can, turned around and left without saying a word.

Jian Changnian threw away the things in his hand, and chased after two steps, feeling happy in his heart, if there was a tail behind him, it would have been up to the sky long ago.

"Oh, Miss Yuchu is not an outsider. If you care about it, you care about it. It's fine to say no openly, and you don't need to be so secretive."

Xie Shi'an suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Jian Changnian thought that she was going to make a move again, and she subconsciously moved aside. The man just stood on the steps and looked at her seriously.

"Although my tone of voice yesterday was not very good, but—"

"You can really trust me, I don't want the victory of the game to be based on the pain of my teammates, whether it's you or Yuchu."

Jian Changnian was taken aback, a warm current poured into his chest.

Just as she was about to say something, Xie Shi'an turned around and left.

"Also, I don't mind if you imitate me, I just..."

Jian Changnian chased after her.

"Just what?"

"nothing."

Xie Shi'an shook his head.

Just a little amazed at her growth rate.