“Alright, now on the rink is our country’s renowned athlete Zhang Jue. He was 18 years old and was already a Sochi Winter Olympics silver medalist, having won gold medals at the previous two World Championships. He was also the athlete who had broken the world record the most times in the figure skating discipline.”

“His short program was ‘The Lovely Bones,’ and it was the first time this program was performed this season.”

Zhang Jue lowered his gaze.

He had great body proportions. When he built muscle, it made him appear very hormonal, but when he lost weight, he became slim and delicate, radiating youthful energy. He looked good no matter how you viewed him.

The music began with a woman’s chant—deep and ominous—accompanied by wind and footsteps. This marked the start of the program.

The performer seemed to run from a cemetery into the mist, like running from a cellar that symbolized death to the boundary between heaven and hell. It was a very surreal segment of footwork, and the athlete seemed completely immersed in the emotion.

Zhang Jue’s body expressiveness and edge work were excellent, making the performance beautiful from the start. Yet, despite this beautiful ice dance, it somehow left a feeling of discomfort.

It felt as if the soul was being pressed and submerged in the deep sea, suffocating and wanting to break free. The artistic nature of the performance was high, but it was impossible to truly enjoy it.

Seated in the audience, Iliya held his chest.

He felt quite uncomfortable and clearly realized one thing: if he, as a spectator, felt this way, then Zhang Jue’s emotions as the performer must be…

The skate blades hit the ice with a crisp sound as Zhang Jue completed a 3A.

Next, he did a 4Lz.

Shen Liu nervously gripped the small crocodile in his hands. From the perspective of a jumping coach, Zhang Jue’s 4Lz landing was forced, to the point that the slide-out after landing was almost nonexistent.

It was all very strange. Zhang Jue’s condition should have been good; otherwise, it was hard to explain why his emotional impact was so incredible. But the quality of his jumps didn’t match the quality of the performance.

It wasn’t until Zhang Jue entered a flying spin, followed by a squat spin, and finally tore the ribbons from his shoulders in an upright spin, revealing a red-diamond embroidered, blood-colored inner costume, that things took a turn.

This exquisitely made costume by Costin could actually change style and color!

From that moment on, the heavy atmosphere of the program lifted, as if a breeze and sunlight had swept over the rice fields, bringing warmth back to the world.

When the young man was dressed in white, his interpretation seemed filled with sin and resentment, as if he had truly become a ghost killed at 14, lingering between life and death due to his unwillingness and attachment to his family. But when he switched into the blood-colored costume, his performance gained tenderness.

The movie The Lovely Bones wasn’t about a soul seeking revenge but was the story of a murdered girl choosing to let go, forgive, and walk toward salvation. Zhang Jue’s interpretation was just like that.

Now 18 years old, Zhang Jue successfully conveyed the youth and innocence that a 14-year-old should have through his footwork, making many ice skating fans realize why this year, he appeared particularly slim.

This was because young people often appear slender in many people’s hearts. They don’t have the full body of an adult but are light and agile.

This was why he looked more youthful after losing weight.

Next, he did a light 4T+3T sequence. By this point, the program seemed to have let go, but when Zhang Jue completed the final set of spins and knelt on one knee, his upper body slumping as if in death, it created a sense of someone who shouldn’t leave so early—a feeling of regret.

At that moment, the whole venue went silent. People were unsure how to react to such a program. It was so beautiful yet so melancholic that it made people wonder whether they should clap in appreciation of the beauty or find a place to vent their melancholy.

The only certainty was that the first place for the short program was already decided.

Zhang Jue appeared more exhausted than ever. He was still panting when he left the rink. Shen Liu draped a jacket over him and asked softly: “Didn’t you skate well? For the season’s first competition, this level is pretty good. Did you hurt yourself? Why do you look so pale?”

Zhang Jue shook his head, signaling that he wasn’t injured. He bent down to put on his skate covers and walked with his head down to the Kiss and Cry area.

For this athlete, who had once again amazed everyone with his artistic expression, the judges were generous, giving him the highest score of the competition—106.77.

David, who placed second, scored 98.52, over 8 points lower than Zhang Jue, and unless Zhang Jue messed up in the free skate, this gap was insurmountable.

Zhang Jue demonstrated his absolute strength, yet his emotions were not as high as usual.

Vasily looked at Zhang Jue’s figure, furrowing his brow. He thought to himself, something was off with the little crocodile’s condition.

Iliya also wondered aloud: “Isn’t he the type who never shows his negative emotions, even if he makes mistakes during a performance? Why is he acting more upset after winning than if he had lost?”

Iliya felt a bit worried. He was a very action-oriented person, so after leaving the competition, he immediately called Zhang Jue. Then, he grabbed a bunch of bananas and a laptop, went to the hotel, and knocked on Zhang Jue’s door, intending to check on him.

When Zhang Jue opened the door, he was still dripping with moisture. He wore a deep blue bathrobe, a towel over his head, and his eyes looked a little wet.

He exclaimed in surprise: “Ilyusha, what made you think of coming to see me?”

Zhang Jue looked as though he was fine now, and Iliya suppressed his worry, holding up the bananas and phone.

“Let’s play some games together.”

Zhang Jue twitched his mouth. “I don’t play games.”

Iliya decisively said: “It’s okay, I’ll teach you. Do you have your computer with you?”

Zhang Jue stared at him for a moment, then turned and pulled out an Alienware laptop from his suitcase.

He somehow played with this bear for almost four hours in Left 4 Dead, finally calling it quits and saying he was too tired to continue. Only then did Iliya leave.

Zhang Jue caught on in just half an hour, and then led the whole team. He even turned Left 4 Dead into The Killing Road in a way. Iliya confirmed that this friend’s state was definitely as good as it could get.

The only thing that puzzled him was “Why is it that someone who is top-level at ice skating also has great gaming awareness?” But that didn’t matter. If Zhang Jue weren’t in China and it weren’t inconvenient to play games internationally, Iliya would’ve wanted him to lead every game they played.

Newbie players who often die or drag down teammates really appreciate those experts with good temperaments who are willing to carry the team.

Iliya left the hotel in high spirits and drove back to his apartment, unaware that after he fell asleep, a journalist had posted a photo they took backstage at the competition venue on their secondary account.

In the photo, Zhang Jue sat on a bench, looking weary, with an aura of gloom and silence.

Above the photo was a caption guessing: “After the short program, Little Crocodile sat in a corner for half an hour, looking exhausted. Only after that did he seem to regain some energy. He got up and left with his coach. Honestly, The Lovely Bones is an extremely artistic program, but he seemed unable to detach himself from the emotional state of the performance.”

This sentence reflects the reporter’s doubt about Zhang Jue, wondering if the depressive nature of his program had caused him to slide into a depressive state.

In fact, many people saw Zhang Jue sitting in the corner, lost in thought that day, and while not everyone expressed concern, Zhang Jue’s status as one of the top figure skaters gave him an air of distance, making it difficult for most people to approach him.

Moreover, his coach was always by his side, so people didn’t dare to approach him, feeling that it wasn’t their place.

David, as Zhang Jue’s friend, had the qualification to check on him, but he had injured his knee ligament while practicing a new jump and was unable to take care of himself. Despite finishing second in the short program, his expression after the competition wasn’t any more cheerful than Zhang Jue’s.

Jiang Yihong also saw these types of comments, but the senior’s expression returned to normal the next day. He even had the mood to teach his junior how to enjoy a rye bread with nuts.

He said: “It would be delicious if you put burdock root, tomato slices, fried eggs, and beef between two slices of rye bread.”

Shen Liu laughed and asked: “Did Vasily teach you this, or did Ilya?”

Zhang Jue replied: “Neither, it was Sergey who taught me.”

Sergey?

Shen Liu and Jiang Yihong were surprised, and even Yang Zhiyuan and Jiang Yihong’s mother were stunned. Wasn’t Sergey the recently retired Russian figure skater who was known for his sharp tongue? How was Zhang Jue on such good terms with him?

Zhang Jue explained: “I endorsed a pet product and canned food before. Then when Sergey came to China for a commercial event with his cat, I gave him a box of cat food.”

The secret to getting along with Sergey was to win over his cat first.

Shen Liu, Jiang Yihong, Yang Zhiyuan, and Jiang Yihong’s mother all fell into silence.

Even Sergey could be dealt with like that—truly impressive!

Despite the public’s speculations about Zhang Jue’s mental state, he remained quite calm. Before the free skate began, he met with Daria’s father, Mr. Solenkov, one of the original performers of “Requiem for a Dream,” at Daria’s recommendation.

Before the meeting, Zhang Jue secretly asked Daria: “Isn’t your mom coming? I only invited your dad for dinner to discuss the performance of ‘Requiem for a Dream.’ Is that awkward?”

Daria replied calmly: “Oh, they’re getting remarried for the sixth time. My mom’s busy picking out a wedding dress, so she’s not available for anything else. Just ask my dad.”

Zhang Jue was stunned.

Mr. Solenkov, in his youth, was a famous handsome man, strikingly similar to the current popular Hollywood actor Sebastian Stan, with incredibly long legs. Unfortunately, many Russian heartthrobs share the same flaw: they don’t age well, with receding hairlines after 30.

Fortunately, Mr. Solenkov had aged gracefully, maintaining his elegant demeanor. He gave Zhang Jue useful advice, which made Zhang Jue feel relieved.

This was great! Before the meeting, he had thought Mr. Solenkov might be difficult to deal with. After all, rumors said that in the past, he had driven his car and knocked a wealthy heir off his feet. Zhang Jue had prepared himself for a more difficult experience than dealing with Sergey.

The most important help Mr. Solenkov offered was sharing the thoughts and plans behind the creation of “Requiem for a Dream.”

“In 1995, a mutual friend of Oksana and I, a pairs skater named Glin, passed away from a heart attack. ‘Requiem for a Dream’ was created in his memory, as a tribute to the deceased, filled with remembrance and blessing. Some said the program looked like a struggle to escape despair.”

“But originally, Oksana and I thought we could perform the program in a more sacred, solemn, and divine manner.”

While speaking, Mr. Solenkov examined Zhang Jue’s appearance.

Zhang Jue’s looks were widely admired in China as “immortal beauty,” and foreigners saw him as possessing an angelic, noble, and pure aura.

Just by looking at Zhang Jue, Mr. Solenkov could tell that choosing “Requiem for a Dream” as Zhang Jue’s program was an excellent decision.

Zhang Jue appeared thoughtful.

Initially, he had planned to perform “Requiem for a Dream” as a struggle for a person to break free from despair, ultimately moving toward hope. But after the emotional strain from “The Lovely Bones,” he found it too taxing to do another despair-filled performance for “Requiem for a Dream.”

Perhaps he should approach the emotion for the free skate with a lighter touch.

Even Zhang Jue, before expressing an emotion in his program, had practiced it countless times in training. If he were to change his performance emotion on the spot, without prior planning or practice, he would make mistakes, just like anyone else.

Thus, during his free skate, his performance and jumps felt mismatched with the music, as if his performance and technique were separated, lacking the smooth fusion of artistry and technicality that he usually achieved.

He still won the gold medal in the competition, but his free skate performance score was only 88 points.

Zhang Jue was very aware of the reason for this and had already figured out how to improve it, but no one else knew his thoughts. As a result, discussions started to appear online.

“Top 1 figure skater Zhang Jue’s new short program, ‘The Lovely Bones,’ is a highly artistic classic. However, the emotional weight of the program led to an inability to detach from the emotions, which affected the top skater’s free skate performance.”

 

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