Miyori Sanjo sat in the audience, eagerly watching the ice rink. For many figure skating fans, the upcoming World Championships in half a month might hold more value for live viewing. However, for her, as a Japanese, this commercial show carried special significance.

When the disaster occurred, everyone would make efforts to rescue those in distress. These ice dancers were also helping their fellow countrymen in their own way.

As a member of Japan’s famous figure skating enthusiast group, even more so during such times, it was essential to stand by their own people.

Mrs. Komai said: “I heard they invited many foreign athletes to perform this time. Those who can come here to perform at this time are all good people.”

Miyori Sanjo nodded in agreement: “Yes, I heard the organizers only reimbursed their travel expenses, they will not receive any compensation.”

Just then, Mrs. Aso exclaimed excitedly: “It’s starting!”

A deep male voice resonated throughout the venue.

“Thank you all for waiting. The 2011 Love on Ice Tokyo stop is about to begin. We sincerely appreciate the audience’s presence here, and the performers will strive to present you with a wonderful show.”

In the next moment, the entire venue went dark, with only a few small lights maintaining basic visibility. At this moment, a candlelight appeared.

It was a young man. His black hair was tied with a pure white hairband, and he wore a snow-white off-the-shoulder outfit, with long tassels swaying as he skated.

Miyori Sanjo recognized the figure: “Little Crocodile? They actually let a foreign skater perform the opening?”

Zhang Jue held a candle in one hand and skated to the center of the ice, placing the candle on the surface and kneeling with his back to the flame.

A piano melody started, and suddenly spotlights illuminated the young man. He opened his eyes, turned to look at the candle, stood up with slender arms extended, resembling a swallow and gliding across the ice in a swallow-like posture, carving a large oval on the ice with his blades.

The ethereal white bird gracefully executed a 3S jump, perfectly synchronizing with the piano music. Despite the hasty preparation, the program was still intricate and sincere, and the performer’s musicality was remarkable.

In fact, if not for concerns about making a mistake in the opening act, Zhang Jue originally planned to perform a 4S at this position. Like many young people who felt physically fit and had unlimited potential, he was currently in the phase of enjoying challenging himself with quadruple jumps.

Miyori Sanjo clasped her hands together and sighed: “God, he looks like an angel.”

At the end of the program, the candle still flickered in the air. Zhang Jue turned around, raised his hand in an inviting gesture, and Masaoka Megumi, wearing a white dress, entered the stage. The music immediately seamlessly transitioned to an electric guitar.

This was the representative song “Hitomi no Jūnin” by Japan’s most popular band, L’Arc-en-Ciel.

In the midst of preparations for the World Championships by top senior athletes, the opening act of this commercial show was performed by the men’s and ladies’ singles champions of the Junior World Championships.

Zhang Jue sneezed right after leaving the stage, possibly due to jet lag or the abundance of blooming cherry blossoms in Tokyo. His nasal pharyngitis hadn’t improved since he landed.

The child grabbed a bottle of mineral water, opened it, and drank hastily. A thin stream of water slid down his mouth, and Zhang Jue shook his head, wiping his slightly sweaty forehead and neck with a tissue.

Listening to the background music, he muttered: “Hyde changed his vocal technique at this time? His singing has gotten better.”

Indeed, the lead singer of the hugely popular Japanese band still had an excellent vocal condition, even in his forties. No, this guy seemed to have an excellent voice even at fifty.

Thinking so, Zhang Jue started singing along.

There were backstage cameras, capturing Zhang Jue’s singing appearance. Although his soft and clear voice sounded youthful, it gradually raised in pitch during the low singing, and there was no sharpness in the high notes, showcasing a thick breath. This was a typical Hyde-style singing technique, requiring a solid foundation in vocal skills.

Several people who heard him sing were surprised and watched him, but after finishing, Zhang Jue put his hands in his pockets, grabbed the water bottle, and walked away.

Not being aloof, but due to the language barrier, Zhang Jue couldn’t communicate with his peers. It was better to stand aside and not be a hindrance.

Unlike Zhang Jue, Zhang Junbao’s program was scheduled in the middle of the show because the total duration of this commercial performance was 70 minutes. By the middle, the audience would likely be fatigued, and that’s when someone like Zhang Junbao would be perfect to rekindle their excitement.

Indeed, Zhang Junbao was well-suited for this task.

He skated to “Memory,” a world-renowned classic, famously covered by several renowned singers. Although Zhang Junbao didn’t include high-difficulty jumps in the program, the visually appealing skating and emotionally invested performance were still moving.

A bald coach stood with folded arms at the edge of the rink, looking serious: “His performance is even better than before.”

Indeed, an athlete’s technical skills might decline with age, but their expressiveness tends to grow stronger.

Curious, Hayato Teraoka asked: “Coach, do you know Senior Jue?”

Coach Sonno nodded: “Certainly. I noticed this young man back at the Four Continents Championships ten years ago.”

At that time, Zhang Junbao appeared quite youthful, enough to pass for a middle schooler in terms of height. However, his performance left a lasting impression on Coach Sonno.

Perhaps Zhang Junbao’s jump difficulty wasn’t high, but the quality was excellent, his foundation solid, and he was one of the few male singles skaters in the neighboring country with these performance attributes.

At that time, Coach Sonno felt a bit regretful, thinking that if this boy attempted higher-difficulty jumps, he might become the first to challenge the top ranks in the realm of Asian figure skating. However, in just two years, Zhang Junbao had to retire due to injury.

In Coach Sonno’s view, the neighboring country’s male singles skaters had been quite exceptional in recent years. Despite the intense competition in pair skating, the resources were tilted toward pair events. They first produced someone like Shen Liu, who executed a standard quadruple jump like a template, and then there was the technically brilliant Zhang Xiaoyu. Anyway, no matter how barren the field might seem, there were always talented individuals emerging.

Unlike him, who coached Hayato Teraoka from early childhood until now, providing a pillar for the men’s singles event, Zhang Jue could be said to have been discovered by the coach from a young age. Coach Sonno didn’t just nurture from the seed, he had been cultivating these precious disciples with care, dealing with all their ups and downs over the years.

However, there was something that Coach Sonno found a bit puzzling. When Zhang Junbao performed, the screams from the audience never ceased. What was even more peculiar was that the reactions of many male spectators were even more intense than those of female spectators.

At this moment, many athletes who came to perform were wearing subtle expressions. Shizuka Shimizu looked at Zhang Junbao and struggled to say: “Should I praise Coach Zhang for being sexy, or should I praise him for his excellent expression?”

If you said Zhang Junbao’s program wasn’t provocative, you would be doing a disservice to his chest that could almost burst through the costume. If you said his program was provocative, his performance of “Memory” was genuinely emotionally expressive, almost moving.

Besides the chest muscles, Zhang Junbao’s limbs were well-proportioned. Despite being only 1.7 meters tall, his arm span reached 1.78 meters. Every time he waved his arms, the strong muscles on his powerful and lengthy arms would attract many eyes.

In LSP’s eyes, Zhang Junbao’s performance was 70% sexy with a touch of sentimentality, while in the eyes of regular people, his performance was 70% sentimental with a hint of sexiness. The combination of sexiness and sentimentality on Zhang Junbao was a strange and captivating spectacle.

After this performance, it was estimated that more people would want to invite Coach Zhang for commercial performances in the future. This guy had exceptionally advantageous physical conditions, coupled with a refreshing and young handsome face. No theme, no matter how sensual, could make him seem greasy. He was truly a rare find.

Zhang Junbao and Cha Hanbuhua programs were back-to-back. As soon as the old uncle finished, Cha Hanbuhua began preparing for his entrance.

Zhang Jue, wearing a large coat, stood by his junior brother with a box and a towel, handing tissues to his junior brother who was now as tall as him, and encouraging him continuously.

“Don’t be nervous, it’s just a regular performance on ice.”

As he spoke, Juventus frowned for a while and asked the coach for glasses before confirming that Zhang Jue wasn’t talking to thin air.

Cha Hanbuhua hugged Zhang Jue and said resolutely: “Senior Brother, I’m going!”

This declaration startled Alex next to him, finally realizing that there was another person beside him.

Not blaming them, after all, the waiting area had dim lighting, and Cha Hanbuhua skin color was too concealed.

Zhang Jue patted his junior brother’s back: “Hey, go, Senior Brother will always support you!”

So Cha Hanbuhua, with a solemn expression, stepped onto the ice, and those who didn’t know might have thought he was entering a battlefield.

As Zhang Jue expected, this kid became immediately conspicuous as soon as he stepped onto the white ice.

Cha Hanbuhua performance skate: “Mongolian Grassland Home,” was a typical piece with Mongolian characteristics. The background children’s voices and male vocals harmonized, combining strength and tenderness in the music. The melodious sound of the horsehead fiddle wafted through the arena.

This piece was recommended by a teacher from the H Province team. It was said that male students learning ethnic dances, especially Mongolian dances, had almost all danced to this piece. Cha Hanbuhua had also danced to it, and adapting it for a new program was easy, and the child adapted quickly.

After watching for a while, Cha Hanbuhua lived up to the title of the most stable domestic skater. Although it was his first time on the stage, his jumps and glides looked tight. In front of so many people, not making a single mistake already exceeded the expectations for a rookie.

It was said that Mongolian dance was one of the favorite dance styles for males who learned ethnic dances, and the reason was that this dance was both vigorous and tender, appearing quite handsome.

Males also liked to show off, after all. Zhang Jue leaned against the barrier and watched for a while, finding it indeed quite handsome.

As for Zhang Jue himself, in his previous life, besides practicing ballet, he was more into street dances like hip-hop and jazz. After all, he was an idol, and apart from that, he had to reveal a devilish and cool smile under the stage while dancing.

It didn’t even have to be said if your looks aren’t good enough, your makeup is too thick, your dancing skills are lacking, and you still think you’re cool with that devilish smile, it would be as greasy as it gets. Zhang Jue felt that when he smirked, he wasn’t scolded for being oily mainly because he had a good face to support it.

But at that time, the fiercest competition with him, Yunsi, and the mentor who created a CP with him all liked this explosive stage. One time during a mentor rap, Yunsi smirked and danced on the side, and a group of girls below shouted “Awesome!” Zhang Jue wanted to tell the girls holding the light boards: “Don’t pursue this guy. Go home and study hard. This guy doesn’t have much talent. Apart from using capital to hype CP and getting your money, he’s not good at anything else.”

He seemed to have really said something like “After watching the program, remember to go home and study hard” to his fans, and he was scolded by the manager later.

At the end of the commercial performance, there was also a group dance. Zhang Jue was ready to go to the waiting area but saw Shiratsuka Masako leaning against the wall in the corridor, covering her abdomen, looking painful.

He ran over to support the girl: “Hey, are you okay?”

Shiratsuka Masako’s lips turned pale, and she replied shortly: “Fine,” grabbing Zhang Jue’s hand and closing her eyes, taking deep breaths continuously.

Zhang Jue was especially worried: “Where do you feel uncomfortable?”

This girl seemed quite stubborn. Zhang Jue was afraid she would endure it and have problems. In his previous life, he was a model of enduring until he ascended to heaven.

Shiratsuka Masako opened her eyes, and in front of her was the concerned expression of the young man. She pursed her lips, revealing a smile: “I’m fine. I just ran too fast earlier, bumped into the wall, and bit my teeth.”

Zhang Jue didn’t understand: “Ah?”

Shiratsuka Masako knew that this guy was not good at foreign languages. Simple sentence structures were okay, but slightly more complicated ones were incomprehensible, including Hayato Teraoka standard English. Her Japanese-style English was even worse.

She opened her mouth and pointed to her bleeding gums: “See, it’s uncomfortable here, but it doesn’t matter.”

Zhang Jue made an “oh” sound, pointing to her lower abdomen.

Shiratsuka Masako felt awkward for a moment and said: “Uh, this is a common occurrence, I mean…”

Zhang Jue said in Chinese: “Miss, what I mean is you leaked, there’s a bloodstain on your skirt.”

Shiratsuka Masako didn’t understand Chinese, and Zhang Jue had no choice but to take off his coat and tie it around Shiratsuka Masako’s waist. It was only then that Shiratsuka Masako realized what had happened. A blush appeared on her beautiful face as she softly thanked him.

Zhang Jue understood this sentence and thought: “This girl indeed has health issues. With so many conditions right now, no wonder she retired two years later, disappearing for decades, not even showing up when her sister won an Olympic silver medal.”

She must be very uncomfortable, but she still insisted on continuing the performance. Zhang Jue didn’t say anything and silently followed the girl. When she reunited with her coach, he turned to find his uncle and junior brother.

The background music for their final group dance was Ayumi Hamasaki’s “My All,” a divine song created by Ayumi Hamasaki for her fans. Every performance of this song had the power to move hearts.

Even if the lyrics couldn’t be understood, the melody of the song, combined with the performers giving their all, made the entire performance shine brightly.

Performers have the task of achieving resonance with the audience through various forms such as singing and dancing. They resonate with those who struggle through difficulties and pain, bringing hope and reaching out as a helping hand to kindred spirit.

Jue Zhang was arranged in the first row of the group dance because of his height, and when he shook hands with the people around him and bowed to the audience, he was deeply touched.

Figure skating, known as a niche sport in winter sports, was a popular activity within that niche. Despite the limited power of athletes in this lesser-known sport, they gathered together with genuine kindness, doing things worthy of their hearts.

At the moment when the lights went out, Zhang Jue thought that today he seemed to like figure skating a little more.

Ice and snow – figure skating – men’s singles

[Hot~] Love on Ice live updates

1L

I never expected that the little crocodile would actually be the opening act for Love on Ice, truly the best male singles in our country! So impressive!

2L

At first, when I saw the list of performers for the exhibition, I was worried about the quality of Love on Ice, considering that the participants were either retired athletes or young kids. But it turned out to be so exciting.

3L

I really like Coach Zhang’s program. The audience was so enthusiastic when he perform, and many wealthy fans looked at him with shining eyes. Both the little crocodile and the Shiratsuka Masako performances are great. One is graceful and elegant, and the other is handsome and deep. The little crocodile’s costume is said to be hastily made, but it looks so good on him. Kudos to the tailor.

4L

The gold medalists in men’s singles at this World Junior Figure Skating Championship are all strong. Their technical skills are not weak even in the adult category, and they possess both technical and artistic qualities. The most surprising thing is that they are all Asians.

5L

It seems that Asian figure skating is really rising. Exciting!

6L

I don’t know if it’s just my perception, but it seems that the Shiratsuka Masako had an extra coat around her waist during the final dance. It made her look even cooler.

7L

The little crocodile sneezed several times while bowing, and it seems like he even sprayed snot. So, he kept covering his face. Kids should pay attention to keeping warm, haha.

8L

This kid is especially popular. At the end, many foreign athletes pulled him for photos, so he was looking for tissue boxes everywhere to wipe his nose. In the end, it was Keiko Mado who handed him tissues.

9L

Keiko Mado should be the only performer in the entire venue shorter than him, haha. Even his junior brother and the Shiratsuka Masako seem to be almost as tall as him.

10L

Little crocodile: Everyone around me is growing, and I remain the same forever. What to do, worried.

11L

In two more years, the country flower will probably be the only member in the Elementary School Body Size League.

…

Love on Ice will have a total of eight events. Zhang Jue, with academic commitments, participated in the Tokyo and Kanagawa events. Then under the urging of Zhang Qingyan’s relentless calls, he returned to China to study.

At the end of April, the World Championships officially began. At that time, Zhang Jue was busy with monthly exams and couldn’t watch the live broadcast of the World Championships. He only knew that his country pairs skating won a bronze medal, while the ladies’ and men’s singles finished 17th and 22nd, respectively.

Ice dancing continued to have no presence.

While he buried himself in his papers, at the Mega Sports Arena, Dong Xiaolong knelt on the ice, panting. Sweat dripped onto the ice, and he pounded the ice before slowly standing up.

When he sat down at the kiss & cry, he apologized to Sun Qian in a low voice: “Sorry, Coach Sun, I made a mistake.”

The senior men’s free skate had eight jumping elements, five single jumps, and three combinations. He fell on two single jumps and one combination. With too many mistakes, he probably wouldn’t even make it to the top twenty.

At this moment, the total score came out. Dong Xiaolong’s free skate scored only 129.15 points, adding to the short program’s 70 points. The total score didn’t even break the two-hundred mark, lagging behind Zhang Jue’s gold-winning 244.29 points by forty-five points.

Sun Qian comforted him, patting the young man’s shoulder: “It’s okay, you did your best.”

Dong Xiaolong smiled bitterly. He knew that when coaches said something like that, it meant they didn’t expect much from him at all. The real expectations were on the skaters moving up to the senior level, and he was just a placeholder to avoid making Chinese men’s singles appear lacking in talent.

There was a time when he was eagerly anticipated, one of the most promising candidates to complete the quadruple jump. However, since his knee injury, his jumping ability had declined sharply, and he could no longer bear the expectations of coaches and figure skating fans.

My figure skating career is only these two years. Once that kid moves up, I can leave.

After the World Championships, Dong Xiaolong got a two-week vacation. The coaches reminded him in the usual way not to eat indiscriminately outside and to follow discipline. Then they let him go.

Carrying his luggage, he boarded a flight back to H province. As soon as he got off the plane, he took a taxi to the provincial team.

Dong Xiaolong felt lost and wished he could get advice from his former coaches at this time.

When he entered the provincial sports team, a group of boys was running after a soccer ball on the field. One tall boy kicked the ball towards the goal.

At that moment, someone with a familiar figure rushed into Dong Xiaolong’s field of vision and executed a backflip kick on the soccer ball.

In the next moment, Zhang Junbao rushed out, yelling: “Zhang Jue! You dare to play football during lunch break. Do you really not want to grow taller?”

“Coach Zhang is here!”

The mischievous kids who were playing on the field scattered.

Zhang Jue didn’t hesitate and turned to run, but was blocked by Shen Liu. The former senior brother, who had always appeared refined in Dong Xiaolong’s eyes, was holding a broom and whipped Zhang Jue’s buttocks.

The mischievous kid cried out in pain.

“Ah! It hurts so much!”

The legendary handsome figure skater of China, Zhang Junbao, looked fierce, and in three steps, he rushed to Zhang Jue, grabbing the collar of the young man’s clothes and spanking him on the buttocks, clapping loudly with each strike.

“You have some nerve. Yesterday, you did a backflip on the ice, and now you’re doing a hanging kick.”

“Isn’t it because someone praised my spring-like legs too much, so I got conceited, thinking I really had springs under my feet.”

Shen Liu, with his sleeves rolled up, stood aside and sneered. His coat was loose, clearly having just climbed out of bed for a nap before coming over to deal with the mischievous kids.

In less than ten seconds of their reunion, the images of these two seniors, whom Dong Xiaolong had once greatly admired, disappeared amid the cries of the mischievous child in the thin air.

 

 

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