In order to get his body back into competitive condition, Zhang Jue created a detailed schedule. He woke up at 5 a.m. every day, ate breakfast, and then swam 10 kilometers at the pool. After that, he spent 90 minutes on the ice, practicing basic skating skills and spins, followed by 90 minutes of jump training. Next, he had an hour of massage and moxibustion treatment.

After lunch, he would take a two-hour nap, then get up to practice choreography and rehearse his new programs. When dancing, Zhang Jue usually wore a tight black vest and shorts, showing off his collarbones, shoulder blades, and defined muscles. Because of this, not only Francis but the entire female team members would often “coincidentally” pass by while he was practicing. Even his two junior female teammates were interested, and if it weren’t for Madam Mia stopping them, they would probably have taken pictures and posted them online.

It wasn’t entirely their fault though—Zhang Jue was tall and handsome. Just when the public thought he had reached his peak attractiveness during last season’s World Championships, he managed to become even more stunning. He grew from 1.74 meters to 1.80 meters tall, and his muscle training made his body more toned. His baby fat had disappeared, revealing his sharp bone structure, and his strict ballet training had enhanced his elegant presence.

After massage and moxibustion, Zhang Jue ate dinner and hit the gym for strength training before going home to finish his homework and sleep.

He meticulously planned and strictly followed this 24-hour schedule, feeling like he used up all his self-discipline over two lifetimes on this regimen. He even had to delegate the joyful task of feeding his pet, Saori, to Xu Delu. Every time he thought about how they lived under the same roof yet he didn’t have time to cuddle her, Zhang Jue felt heartbroken.

Still, all the hard work was worth it. On Christmas Eve, Zhang Jue raised his arms and launched into a perfect triple Axel, jumping 60 centimeters into the air and spinning three and a half rotations before landing smoothly. The jump was flawless—great height, distance, and rotation, with a stable axis. Even the strict Coach Lu couldn’t help but applaud.

Zhang Jue had finally regained the triple Axel he had lost during puberty.

Song Cheng was thrilled and clapped along, saying: “This year’s National Championships will be held in J Province, C City. I’ve already bought my train ticket. Coach Lu, are you going?”

Coach Lu, leaning on his cane, responded: “Of course! I’m Zhang Jue’s coach, I’ll definitely be there to see the qualifiers.”

Min Shan reminded them: “Before we leave, don’t forget to pick up your performance costume from my dad.”

Zhang Jue was always picky when it came to his performance outfits, with many demands but little time. So Min Shan’s father, a wealthy Korean businessman named Min Laoshuai, who specialized in fabric and clothing, stepped in to help.

The costume designs were drawn by an esteemed professor from the Central Academy of Fine Arts. Min Laoshuai had seven highly skilled seamstresses working for him, each earning over 100,000 yuan a month and boasting prestigious craftsmanship.

Moreover, Min Laoshuai had imported a batch of Japanese fabric called “Heavenly Maiden’s Robe,” worth over 10,000 yen per foot. The fabric was soft, flowing, and shimmered like water in motion.

Zhang Jue hesitated for a long time, stroking his savings account, before finally deciding to make one costume using the “Heavenly Maiden’s Robe.” The other two costumes were primarily made of spandex, polyester, and chiffon, and altogether, the three costumes cost him 100,000 yuan. They were decorated with rhinestones and beads, making the outfits for the short program, free skate, and exhibition program all glitter.

Since it was the Olympic season, he knew he had to perform his best programs in the best costumes.

With new skates in hand and three brand-new costumes on his back, Zhang Jue boarded the train to C City along with teammates Cha Hanbuhua and Min Shan, who were competing in the junior division, as well as their coaches, team doctor Yang Zhiyuan, Grandpa Qin, choreographer Madam Mia, and Francis Miller.

There were five elderly people in the group, so when it came time to board, Zhang Jue helped Coach Lu, Yang Zhiyuan helped Mrs. Lu, Zhang Junbao helped Grandpa Qin, and Shen Liu helped Coach Song.

Coach Lu and his wife had a close relationship, and since their only daughter was off helping the poor in the mountains, rarely coming home, Mrs. Lu joined her husband on this trip.

Mrs. Lu, a former nurse, used to treat Zhang Jue’s childhood injuries when he was naughty. When she saw him, she affectionately pinched his cheeks, speaking in her Fujian-accented Mandarin: “Little fatty, you’ve lost so much weight! Grandma made a banner for you with a big crocodile on it. When you compete, I’ll wave the flag and cheer for you. I also made you some noodles, and your cousin pickled some radishes. They’re all-natural, just for you!”

In Grandma’s memory, Zhang Jue was always a big eater. When she brought treats for the kids, Zhang Jue not only ate his share but would also snatch a piece from his chubby cousin.

Zhang Jue, his cheeks pinched, muttered: “Thank you, Grandma.”

Coach Lu called out: “Wife, stop pinching his cheeks. Let’s get on the train.”

His junior teammates tried hard to suppress their laughter.

Only Madam Mia refused anyone’s help. If someone tried, she would shoot them an icy glare and stride gracefully up the steps like a proud swan.

As Grandpa Qin put it: “You won’t find anyone within 500 miles as beautiful and proud as Madam Mia.”

Early December marked the height of the first half of the figure skating season, with the prestigious Grand Prix Final taking place. The latter half of December was reserved for national championships in various countries.

Fans who followed figure skating would pay close attention to the Russian and Japanese Nationals during this time.

The Russian championships were packed with talent, while the Japanese championships showcased beautiful performances. If Zhang Jue hadn’t taken half a year off due to injury or growth issues, international fans might have jumped through hoops to watch the Chinese Nationals.

Athletes like Dong Xiaolong, Jin Zixuan, Shi Mosheng, and Fan Zhaoying usually trained with the national team, and recently, Liu Yeming joined them.

Meanwhile, Mi Yuanyuan and Lu Xiaorong, along with pairs skaters Huang Ying and Guan Lin, were also part of the national team, and they had all booked flights to Changchun. Half the plane was filled with athletes and coaches.

From Shunyi Airport to Longjia Airport, it took less than two hours.

Liu Yeming, although older than Zhang Jue by one year, was also a high school senior. He used the travel time to study, as he still aimed to attend a second-tier university after retirement.

Jin Zixuan nudged him and asked: “Hey, are you nervous?”

Liu Yeming was confused: “Huh?”

Jin Zixuan continued: “The Nationals will determine who goes to the Olympics. If you don’t make it this time, it’ll be another four years. Who knows where we’ll be in four years?”

After a moment of silence, Liu Yeming replied firmly: “If I make it, great. If I don’t, that’s life. If I don’t succeed this time, I’ll work harder next time.”

Fan Zhaoying turned around and asked: “Is Zhang Jue really coming back?”

Liu Yeming shrugged: “If you check the fan forums, you’ll see the top post by ‘Hazelnut Tree’ announcing that Zhang Jue is taking time off school.”

Given how important senior year is, he wouldn’t skip school unless he was aiming for the Olympics.

On the other side, Mi Yuanyuan seemed down, and Lu Xiaorong quietly comforted her.

“There are trolls everywhere. Even positive videos get criticized. Why waste your energy on them?”

“In competitive sports, it’s all about who skates better and who scores higher. Whoever gets the highest score stands on the podium. Xu Chuo was unlucky and stumbled during her growth spurt, but that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve your current position.”

Whoever wins the competition becomes the top skater, as victory defines success in the world of competitive sports.

Mi Yuanyuan gave a bitter smile: “I’m not sad about that; I’m sad about my body.”

She glanced back to make sure Coach Zhao was talking to Chen Zhu, then quietly said to Lu Xiaorong: “You know about my legs — so many issues. I don’t even know how much longer they’ll hold up. If Xu Chuo had made a comeback, I could have peacefully returned to my studies.”

Lu Xiaorong’s highest difficulty in jumping was the 3F+3T combo, but she had ankle injuries, which made her 3Lz takeoff flat. This had been flagged numerous times during competitions, and she felt the weight of being the top female skater. Since Xu Chuo had dropped out, Mi Yuanyuan had no option but to continue. However, maintaining her jumps required very low body fat, leading to irregular periods, only occurring once every two to three months. This worried her more than her leg injuries.

She added: “And my back hasn’t been good lately. I can’t even do a Biellmann spin anymore.”

Lu Xiaorong shook her head: “Xu Chuo leaving isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Coach Zhang is one of the best single skating coaches in the country. He only stayed with the provincial team because of Zhang Jue. Who knows if he’ll take Xu Chuo back?”

While many athletes aspired to move from provincial teams to the national team, Xu Chuo’s mother had sabotaged her daughter’s future by blocking her exit options.

Lu Xiaorong thought about it and said: “If I had trained a student with all my heart, only for the student’s mother to slander me online after switching coaches, I would be furious too.”

Mi Yuanyuan quietly agreed: “In terms of single skating coaching, H province is the best in the country. Coach Zhang is excellent at strength training and refining performance, and Coach Shen can teach both rotation-type and power-type jumps. Plus, he helps athletes manage their mental state through conversations.”

If those coaches were willing to take Xu Chuo back, even if she couldn’t return to her peak form, she could at least recover her health.

Up front, Sun Qian and Jiang Chaoshen were discussing stealing Song Cheng’s student.

Sun Qian said: “If Zhang Junbao can really bring a male skater from 1.6 meters to 1.8 meters and lead him back to the top from the bottom, no matter what the public says, he’ll become the top single skating coach in the country! Every kid who wants to pursue single skating will want to be his student.”

Once a coach’s reputation is established, talented students will flock to them. As those talents are developed, a positive cycle will begin, and eventually, the coach will become a legendary figure.

“Oh, by the way, Brother Lu is also back to help Zhang Jue adjust his techniques, right? If Zhang Jue and Xu Chuo both make comebacks, Brother Lu and Zhang Junbao will be legends. Even that amazing cook from the cafeteria will be part of the story.”

Sun Qian slapped his thigh: “I’m just waiting for Zhang Jue to finish his college entrance exams, so I can bring the whole Zhang clan to the national team!”

Jiang Chaoshen replied: “… You should be glad Coach Song has a good temper.”

If it were any other coach having their students poached like this, there would have been a fight with Sun Qian by now.

At Beijing Railway Station, Lan Run sat in the waiting room with his bass guitar. At 1.98 meters tall, he looked cramped no matter which seat he chose, and his long legs always seemed out of place.

Next to him was a man with a stern face, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, a wool coat, and a suit. He stood at 1.8 meters tall and looked like a CEO straight out of a romance novel who had just stepped into reality.

When Lan Run pulled out a pack of cigarettes, the man stopped him and handed him a lollipop instead: “Your throat just recovered, no smoking.”

Lan Run tilted his head back and sighed: “Why is the national figure skating competition being held in J province this year? Wouldn’t it be better in Beijing? It would save me the trip.”

The rich second-generation boss, or rather Wan Ze, chuckled, his voice soft and warm: “This is your cousin’s comeback competition. As family, it’s only right to go and cheer him on. Your uncle and the others didn’t dare go, so it’s up to you.”

“Plus, your cousin is tall and successful. Many parents want him to endorse their brand of Ladder Mountain Milk. My mother also wants him to endorse her protein powder.”

Wan Ze spoke as if asking for credit: “My mother originally only wanted to offer 2 million for the endorsement, but I said since little Jue is so good-looking and attracts a lot of female fans, and if he wins a medal in Sochi, his value will rise. So, she raised it to 2.5 million. I said ‘2.5’ doesn’t sound good, so she raised it to 3 million. That’s 3 million before taxes.”

Lan Run twitched his lips and patted Wan Ze’s head: “Boss, I appreciate your help, but don’t be so extravagant. Save some money for your parents.”

Despite his boyfriend’s CEO-like appearance, his personality was more like that of a wealthy but naive son. No wonder his parents insisted that if Lan Run wanted to marry Wan Ze, he had to first get a degree in business management.

At the C city ice training base, Coach Ma watched as his youngest pair of figure skaters practiced their spiral sequence.

This pair of young athletes were the junior teammates of Huang Ying and Guan Lin.

The male partner, Jiang Xiuling, was 17 and stood at 1.75 meters. While not particularly tall, he had a large frame and was muscular. He had started as a singles skater but switched to pairs after realizing he couldn’t land jumps beyond 3Lo. However, his skating skills were excellent, and his gentle personality, combined with his emotional sensitivity, made him one of the most promising junior pair skaters in terms of both technique and performance.

The female partner, Luo Mi, had also started in singles skating. Her highest jump was also the 3Lo. Although she wasn’t as petite as most pair skaters, she was slender and beautiful. Before switching to pairs, she and Jiang Xiuling had spent three years together in a classical dance class, so they both had a strong foundation in lifts and choreography.

In Coach Ma’s eyes, this young pair had tremendous potential, comparable to Huang Ying and Guan Lin. Though they had only entered the junior category this season, they were not expected to qualify for the Sochi Winter Olympics, but the Pyeongchang Games four years later would be their time to shine.

At that moment, Jiang Xiuling sneezed, nearly falling face-first onto the ice. Luo Mi quickly caught him, worriedly asking: “Xiuling, are you okay?”

Jiang Xiuling shook his head: “I’m fine.”

He just suddenly felt a chill.

Strange, why did he get this cold shiver, the same feeling as last time when Zhang Jue tricked him into farting at Coach Lu’s office door during his nap, only to be caught red-handed by Coach Lu afterward

On the train, Zhang Jue munched on an apple while Coach Lu slowly peeled an orange for his wife. There were still two hours left until they reached C city.

 

Support translation: