The Gold is Yours, You Are Mine

In the third year she went to the United States, she led the St. John's High School team to win the National High School League Championship, and at the same time qualified for the US Badminton Gold Grand Prix. She is the only non-governmental team from the school among the many participating teams.

The following month, the graduate student also graduated successfully, preparing to study for a Ph. D. The future will not only get better and better, but at least there is a glimmer of hope.

In the Golden Grand Prix, the St. John's High School team upset the Asian powerhouse Japan and became the defending champion.

After the game, the US Badminton Association also cast an olive branch on her.

"We would like to invite you to be the new head coach of the national team to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics starting next year. You can trust our sincerity enough. Whether it is salary or which player you want to sign, we can meet any of your requirements. "

"But I'm a former member of the Chinese team."

She wants to go.

"During the Incheon Asian Games, you said in an interview after the game that sports has no borders. I think it should be pure."

Xie Shi'an paused.

The official stepped forward and handed her the business card with both hands: "Badminton is not our strong point, and the US team has never achieved better results in international competitions. You made history today. I think you choose to change your career as a coach." , must still be reluctant to part with this field, so why not stay with us and write the legend that belongs to Coach Xie again?"

"Also, we are very tolerant towards LGBT and will not interfere with your private life too much, please think about it."

Xie Shi'an held the business card in his hand and returned to the apartment, the TV was still on.

"It is reported that a new round of training for the Chinese badminton national team has begun. Jian Changnian, who just won the World Championships, has also returned to the Beijing training base. In order to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics that will start next year, this training will be fully closed. For a period of three months, if Jian Changnian wins the gold medal at the Eastern Olympics, he will become the fastest player in badminton history to win a Grand Slam."

…

The Olympics, the Grand Slam, how time flies. It has only been three years since he left the arena. It sounds like a product of the last century. Xie Shi'an smiled wryly and put his business card on the table.

＊＊＊

"Chang Nian, when will you come back? And Shi'an, it's time to come back and have a look after so many years. Grandma made braised pork and fried meatballs today. I'll pick you up at the station in a while."

It's no wonder she called. Jian Changnian usually goes home the day before New Year's Eve. This year, in order to prepare for the Olympics, she was training and couldn't leave and was so busy that she forgot to call her.

Her voice on the receiver was still the same as usual, with a slight smile: "Grandma, I won't be going back this year, I'm training."

Grandma was stunned: "Oh... training camp... training camp... work hard... try to get a gold medal next year."

"Hey, okay, the coach is calling me, so I won't tell you more, grandma, happy new year, take care of your body!"

"Often..." Grandma wanted to say a few more words, but she had already hung up the phone.

A beeping busy tone came from the handset, the old man sighed, put down the phone, leaned on crutches, and slowly moved from the back room to the stove.

There are still many ready-made meals on the table.

Shun Cai circled around Grandma's feet.

The old man scooped up the meatballs, a smile appeared on his ravine face, but his tone was somewhat sad.

"Never come back, it's fine if you don't come back, the business is important, it's just that we have cooked so many dishes, we can only eat it, prosperous money."

Jian Changnian received the call in the early morning, she turned over from the bed, staggered and ran out without putting on her coat.

"What did you say?!"

"Grandma is in the hospital for emergency treatment, come back quickly!"

On New Year's Eve, during the Spring Festival travel season, the train tickets were sold out, and the nearest flight was on the next afternoon.

Jian Changnian had no choice but to drive thousands of kilometers overnight to return home, and when he arrived at the hospital, it was already early morning the next day.

Grandma was covered with a white cloth and lay there quietly.

"We tried our best. The patient had a cerebral hemorrhage. When he was sent, he was already dead. Sorry."

It was the hospital where the village cadres sent people.

"Shuncai ran for a few miles on the mountain road, and the caller in the clinic, your grandmother was still knitting when she left... She was very peaceful, she didn't suffer any troubles, you... oh, let's go with my condolences."

"The old man is getting old, so it's a happy funeral. Let's deal with the funeral affairs quickly."

The first time she faced these things, like a marionette, she was led to the police station to issue a death certificate for her grandmother, and then she was sent to the crematorium to be cremated, bought a cemetery, returned home with an urn, buried, and set up a banquet , invite the whole village to eat, busy feet do not touch the ground, there is no time to grieve.

Until all the guests are sent away.

Only then did she slump down on the chair her grandmother had sat on before her death. On the low stool next to her was a ball of wool and a half-knit sweater, bright red and dazzling red.

"Grandma, why is it red again? I want a different color."

"Silly boy, you have to wear red in your natal year, so that you can be safe and secure, and all evils will not invade you."

Jian Changnian picked up the sweater and sniffed it at the tip of her nose. There was the familiar woody scent of grandma, as if she was still by her side. All this was just a dream of her own.

In a trance, she really saw grandma walking out of the house against the light.

Her eyes were red in an instant, and she got up and ran after the kitchen.

"grandmother!"

Pushing open the door, there are meals on the table, including fish and shrimps, roasted meat, and fried meatballs. There is a faint smell of food in the room. Everything is as usual, except that grandma is gone.

Her tears came down in an instant, and she sat down on the chair. Looking at the food that had been sitting in front of her for several days, she suddenly picked it up and stuffed it into her mouth.

"Chang Nian, when will you be back? Grandma made braised pork and fried meatballs. I'll pick you up at the station soon?"

"Grandma, I won't be back this year for Chinese New Year."

"Last time you said the chili sauce was delicious, but before you could make it after eating it, grandma pickled some pickles and put shredded pork in it. I'll decorate it for you and give it to your classmates."

"Come on, take it. If you don't have enough living expenses for next week, you can call and grandma will send it to you."

"When I make money in the future, you don't have to stay up late every day to wear the soles of your shoes and hurt your eyes. We will move to the city together and live in a big house. I will buy you a lot of beautiful clothes and a car. I will take you to play around when you are on vacation, you don't have to worry about anything, just enjoy the happiness..."

"Okay, grandma, wait for that day."

"The elderly have many underlying diseases, and they have high blood pressure and high blood lipids. Have you had hemangioma surgery before? If you have the conditions, you still need to take someone with you to take care of them."

"Grandma, why don't you go back, I want to rent a house in Beijing, so it's convenient to take care of you."

"Can you train and study with peace of mind while I'm here? Besides, I'm not used to living in the city, and I can't even press the elevator. How can I feel free in the countryside?"

"Big child, don't cry, you can train with peace of mind, and together with Shi'an, bring back a few more gold medals for our country."

She has been dependent on each other since she was a child, caring for her grandmother in every possible way, always supporting her grandmother no matter when and where, even at the last moment before she died, she was thinking about the grandmother who would knit a red sweater for her when her birth year came.

It's her grandmother who loves her so much, and what is the last word she said to her grandmother?

It's because she won't come back for Chinese New Year this year.

She hung up the phone without even listening to what she had to say.

When preparing this table full of sumptuous meals, grandma was as disappointed as she wished she could come back for the New Year.

The sadness that had been dull for several days finally came late, and it was at this moment that Jian Changnian really realized that grandma was gone, her only relative in this world was gone.

The big tree in her heart collapsed, and she once again became a child without roots. From then on, she had nowhere to go in life, only the way home.

Big tears fell into the bowl, Jian Changnian choked up while eating, finally couldn't help it, bent down and cried loudly.

Coach Yan's death didn't knock her down, neither did Xie Shi'an's departure. Grandma's death became the last straw that broke the camel's back.

After Jian Changnian came back, she seemed to be a different person. She locked herself in the dormitory all day and didn't care about training. Even Zhou Mu tried to persuade her, but she was rejected.

She slapped the door hard: "Jane Changnian, you open the door, I know grandma is gone, you are sad, but you shut yourself at home, what's going on?!"

The door was locked, and the key was still inserted in the keyhole inside, shaking slightly under Zhou Mu's movements.

She was so angry that she kicked the door hard.

"Okay, if you don't come out, then I won't go!"

As soon as the voice fell, the door was opened from the inside.

Jian Changnian appeared at the door, her bangs were so long that they could cover her eyes, she glanced at her, and walked back without saying a word.

Zhou Mu followed in, and then backed out holding his nose. There was nowhere to set foot in the room. Clothes were thrown all over the floor, and the trash cans were full and overflowing. There were instant noodle buckets and empty wine bottles scattered on the table, and The mountain of dirty dishes in the sink mixed into a foul smell in the air.

She picked up the clothes one by one and threw them on the bed. She rushed over and opened the curtains, opened the windows for ventilation.

The dazzling sunlight came in, and Jian Changnian sat on the sofa, squinted her eyes and subconsciously covered them with her hands. Seeing her like this, Zhou Mu became angry.

"Have you had enough trouble?! How long are you going to be so self-defeating? Do you know that the Olympics are coming soon... If Coach Wan didn't call today, I wouldn't know you..."

Jian Changnian turned on the TV, held a can of beer in his hand, and leaned back: "No more fights, whoever loves to fight."

Zhou Mu grabbed the beer and put it on the table.

"Do you know what you are talking about?! Coach Yan is gone, and Shi An has retired. Now the only person who can complete the dream of the Grand Slam is you!"

As soon as she mentioned Coach Yan and Xie Shi'an, Jian Changnian's eyes turned red, and he muttered: "Yeah...not here...grandma is not here...no fun..."

"Jian Changnian, you have liked badminton since you were a child. No one would play with you, so you hung the ball from a tree and played alone. Now there is only half a year left before the opening of the Olympic Games. Do you want to fight hard? You can see for yourself. Let's do it!"

Zhou Mu was also very angry, turned his head and walked away, seeing her sloppy look, he couldn't be more angry, turned back when he walked to the door, picked up the bottle of beer and threw it at her.

"I see you are really drunk!"

After Zhou Mu left, Wan Jing also came.

Jian Changnian lay on the bed with her back to him.

"Get up! Follow me to training!"

Jian Changnian lay there, indifferent.

"I do not feel well."

"Then let the team doctor come and take a look at you."

"No need, just get some sleep."

Wan Jing couldn't help but rushed in and threw off the quilt.

"How long are you going to lie down? If you are absent from work without reason, according to the rules and regulations, you will be fired!"

"Then fire me, it's meaningless anyway." Jian Changnian said, pulling off the quilt again and covering her body.

"You..." Wan Jing pointed at her, trembling with anger, wishing to go up and give someone a second blow.

"If it wasn't for my brother's sake, do you think I wouldn't fire you?! Let me tell you, I'm going to leave soon after the transfer order from my superiors. I will no longer be the head coach of the women's team. You Do as you like, no one cares about you!"

Jian Changnian closed her eyes, a line of tears slid across her face: "Let's go...all go..."

Wan Jing came out of her room angrily, returned to the office, frowned, paced back and forth for a long time, after smoking a pack of cigarettes, stood in front of the window, and dialed the familiar number.

Xie Shi'an looked at the jumping numbers on the phone, was taken aback for a moment, and then picked up: "Hello, Coach Wan."

It has been three years since the two last spoke on the phone.

Wan Jing smiled wryly.

"Shi'an, it's been three years, have you ever thought about coming back?"

Xie Shi'an was silent for a moment: "I..."

"If it wasn't a last resort, I really wouldn't call you this way."

Wan Jing's voice in the receiver sounded a little heavy, and Xie Shi'an's heart tightened.

"Did something happen to the team?"

"The head coach of the national team, Lao Jiang, has retired from illness. I have to go over to take over from him. The women's team has no leader, and the Olympics are about to start. I'm really... at a loss."

"The candidates for the head coach of the women's team can't be decided for a long time. They can't just go on the field like this. I think, you are a professional counterpart. You need qualifications and qualifications. You need experience and experience. You are also familiar with the children of the national team. , they also obey you."

"As long as you are willing to come back, we can talk about treatment."

Xie Shi'an's voice sounded calm.

"You're joking, I only have experience as a player, not a coach."

Wan Jing took another drag on his cigarette, frowning deeply.

"Don't hide it from me. The St. John's High School team that just won the National Gold Grand Prix not long ago, although your name is not on the roster, is so obvious and has a strong personal style of Chinese style of play. Do you think I can't see it? American coaches can't lead a team like this."

He has changed how many coaches the US team has, but none of them can make a name for themselves. Looking at the whole world, Xie Shi'an is the only one who has the ability to bring a little-known team into the game in a short period of time. in the international competition. After all, her sensitivity to the game is beyond imagination, and her technical and tactical level is also very good. Even after retiring, her performance in the IBF rankings has so far been unsurpassed.

This is one of the reasons why he wants to ask her back.

Wan Jing extinguished the cigarette **** in the ashtray: "Whether you want to be a coach or not is another matter, come back and watch Chang Nian, she..."

"What's wrong with her?!" Xie Shi'an's voice revealed a hint of anxiety at this moment.

"Grandma passed away."

Xie Shi'an stood up in a jerk, the phone slipped from his palm and fell to the floor.

＊＊＊

After Wan Jing left, Jian Changnian closed the curtains again, and he didn't know how long he stayed in the dark room by himself.

Until there was another knock on the door.

She turned over and went back to sleep.

Xie Shi'an looked at the door panel and said softly, "It's me."

Jian Changnian suddenly opened her eyes, thinking that she was hallucinating, and wanted to close her eyes and continue to sleep, but finally couldn't hold back, got up, and the moment she held the doorknob, she hesitated.

The two are separated by a door.

Xie Shi'an was also waiting quietly.

As if realizing something, Jian Changnian slowly turned the doorknob with trembling hands, and the sunlight in the corridor shone in.

Xie Shi'an stood backlit, wearing a windbreaker, curled hair, hanging softly on his shoulders, stepping on leather boots, with a slim figure, more mature and beautiful than a few years ago.

Jian Changnian took a few steps back in disbelief, her eyes were red, and the corners of her lips curved into a self-deprecating smile.

"No...impossible...she won't...won't come back...I drank too much...must...must be dreaming."

The moment she was about to close the door, Xie Shi'an put his hand on the door, a tattoo was exposed at the slightly rolled up cuff, and the bright burning fireworks covered the original scar.

Jian Changnian's eyes moved from her hands to her face, and then looked down at the suitcase at her feet.

Xie Shi'an said softly, "Sorry, I'm late."

Jian Changnian pursed her lips, tears welled up without warning: "Shi'an..."

Xie Shi'an smiled slightly.

"Now it's time to call Coach Xie."