The young people of Xu Dela’s generation all liked playing on Weibo. Plus, he himself was a rock singer, and with his verified account, it was normal for him to post updates from time to time on social media.

This also meant that he would browse his older brother’s Weibo super-topic and even like posts with his alternate account.

The most popular tweet on Zhang Jue’s super-topic at the moment came from an artist and Weibo star.

Weibo Star-V

He was the world’s top male singles figure skater, with unparalleled artistic expression among active athletes. He constantly challenged himself and developed new styles, and this season, he paid a great price to portray the perfect “Lovely Bones.”

Below this tweet was a drawing by Weibo Star, showing Zhang Jue kneeling on one knee after his short program, his upper body weakly slumped, with a pair of blood-stained wings drawn on his back.

The tweet received countless likes.

How should I put it? This picture wasn’t about battle damage, but it felt even more compelling than that. It looked both captivating and made people want to embrace this bloodied angel tenderly.

Shocked by the talent and passion of the ice-skating fans, Dela placed his phone on the bedside table, lay down neatly on the bed, and placed his clenched fists on his abdomen.

Ah, the world was so wonderful, yet as a legitimate member of the entertainment industry, the visual representative and drummer of his band, he couldn’t even match up to the popularity of his older brother. This made him full of admiration for his older brother, and he became determined to catch up and stand side by side with him.

However, the topic of “Lovely Bones” suddenly disappeared after the performance at the Russian competition, as everyone’s attention was quickly diverted to “Farewell My Concubine.”

Everyone knew that Zhang Jue had specifically sought out a Peking opera teacher for his performance this year and had even ordered a very professional costume, but no one expected that after putting it on, he would look so stunning.

He didn’t choose the song “When Love Becomes a Past” from the movie ‘Farewell My Concubine’ as the theme song; instead, he went with the Peking opera tune “Night Deeply,” and performed a traditional sword dance as the character of Consort Yu.

Zhang Jue already had a good figure and a solid foundation in dance, and with Mr. Xu guidance, his sword dance didn’t just compare to others but looked very authentic.

Mr. Xu style was traditional, although it had lost some of the grandeur and unique charm of the earlier generations, some of the essence had been passed down. His ancestors were very meticulous about their art, paying attention to every gesture while performing. Mr. Xu taught Zhang Jue for several months, and Zhang Jue benefited greatly.

To put it simply, his portrayal of the female role was so convincing that no one could tell he was performing a role.

The Russian sisters, Serina and Kateryna, who had come to watch, were both stunned.

“Wow, what a beautiful lady.”

Zhang Jue’s appearance as Consort Yu was truly beautiful and noble. If you called this great beauty “peerless” or “the most enchanting,” no one would dispute it. What was rare was that his beauty was elegant and noble yet fierce, and his extraordinary bearing was captivating. He had a flirtatious charm, yet nothing about him seemed common.

Moreover, Zhang Jue’s eyes, known for their beauty, added to the effect. The way his gaze moved subtly gave a sense of bringing the elegance of Consort Yu, a historical beauty, into the 21st century.

When Mr. Xu taught Zhang Jue, he mentioned that Zhang Jue had great talent. However, Zhang Junbao didn’t want to let him go, and Zhang Jue wasn’t interested in switching careers. Otherwise, anyone who saw his potential would be eager to see what he could do.

When Zhang Jue finally placed the sword at his neck, many people stood up and reached out their hands.

“No, no!”

Perhaps because Zhang Jue had been so immersed in “Lovely Bones,” everyone was also caught up in it. When they saw him place the sword like that, many feared his hand might actually tremble.

However, the sword was actually not sharp. Zhang Jue placed it down, bowed to the audience, and then left the ice.

He pointed at his face and complained to Shen Liu: “This makeup is too heavy. I don’t feel comfortable. Can I take it off now?”

When he spoke, his northeastern accent ruined the illusion of a flawless beauty.

Shen Liu reached out to pat the back of his head but realized he was still wearing a wig and jewelry. He had no choice but to stop and said: “Wait until the group dance is over before we can take it off, okay?”

After the group dance, Zhang Jue still couldn’t remove his makeup in time. There were just too many athletes coming to take pictures with him—not only athletes from the same competition but also judges and coaches from other countries. One by one, they would ask for pictures, and David even knelt on one knee with a bouquet of flowers, reciting a love poem to him. Zhang Jue didn’t even know when he had developed an interest in women.

Zhang Jue, having lived two lifetimes, had never been treated so warmly. He thought, could this be the treatment reserved for beauties

Others: No, this is the treatment reserved for handsome men.

Three hours later, he finally managed to wash off his makeup and reveal his original bare face.

Zhang Jue rubbed his face: “This feels much better.”

Shen Liu looked at him and suddenly sighed: “You know, if Sister Yan had made you a girl back then, you would have been quite beautiful.”

Zhang Jue didn’t get angry. He smiled brightly: “If I were a girl, figure skating would have lost me forever. Have you ever seen a female skater over 1.8 meters tall?”

If he were a girl, he wouldn’t be skating, but walking on a runway or even playing football would be good. Zhang Jue always thought he was a rare football talent, but unfortunately, he had committed to figure skating for life, so football could only be his dream at night.

Shen Liu fell silent, thinking to himself, Why do I feel like you’ve actually imagined what life would be like if you were a woman

However, seeing Zhang Jue smile with his mischievous grin, Shen Liu relaxed. From the way he looked, it seemed like he had managed to reset his emotions.

What he didn’t know was that after Zhang Jue returned home to Beijing, he sat on the sofa for a long while, lightly tapping his head with his hand. He then got up and went to his bedroom, burying his face into the soft mattress.

Zhang Jue still couldn’t fully detach from the emotions of “Lovely Bones.”

“Lovely Bones” was the most emotionally intense program he had ever performed, even more so than the “Heavy Burden” program from his past life.

He had put all his emotions and even his soul into it, and now, he wasn’t sure how to let go. But he didn’t want others to worry about him, so he hid these feelings.

That night, Zhang Jue didn’t sleep well. He usually exercised, ate healthily, and had a great physique, so he normally slept soundly, but this time, his dreams were filled with chaotic images.

He felt like he was running through a fog, being chased by someone, but he didn’t know how to escape. There was a hand about to grab his ankle.

The seasons around him changed rapidly as he ran from one place to another, unable to escape the nightmare or find his family.

Just then, someone grabbed his hand, and it felt warm.

Someone lifted him up. Zhang Jue leaned into their broad embrace, tightly closing his eyes and murmuring: “I’m going to be caught.”

Qin Xuejun held him and whispered: “No one can catch you, because you are the flying bird on ice.”

Zhang Jue wasn’t fully awake; he just groggily followed the other person’s words: “Birds can’t fly forever.”

“Then land. I’ll catch you, I’ll always protect you by your side.”

The embrace was tight, but it gave Zhang Jue a great sense of security. His breathing gradually became even. Qin Xuejun, holding him, was in turmoil.

When he saw the luggage in the living room, he knew Zhang Jue had come home. But who knew this person wouldn’t sleep in his own room and instead went to lie on his bed? When Qin Xuejun looked at the time, it was two in the morning. He couldn’t bear to wake him, so he was about to go to the living room to sleep for the night when Zhang Jue had another nightmare.

Now, the child was tightly gripping his hand, and Qin Xuejun couldn’t bring himself to let go. However, the bed wasn’t big, and Zhang Jue was lying across the middle, making it inconvenient to sleep.

In the end, Qin Xuejun could only find a spot at the edge of the bed, lying sideways in the small space, holding Zhang Jue, who hadn’t even changed out of his clothes.

It must be because of Lovely Bones. That show’s emotional intensity was so strong it could make someone feel oppressed even through the screen. Zhang Jue must have given so much to it.

How could I help you? What can I do to prevent you from being pulled into a swamp by negative emotions while you chase after the art you want?

After thinking for a while, Qin Xuejun closed his eyes.

Zhang Jue later woke up to the alluring scent of fried eggs. He opened his eyes, looking at the room that was both familiar and unfamiliar—blue plaid curtains, deep blue bed linens and blankets, a bookshelf occupying an entire wall full of books, and on the computer desk opposite the bed was a picture frame with a small, chubby Crocodile in it.

Someone opened the door, holding a small wooden table with two plates on it—one with vegetables and fruit, and the other with sandwiches containing eggs and chicken, along with a large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

Qin Xuejun looked at Zhang Jue and smiled slightly, saying something in English.

“Hey, sunshine.”

Zhang Jue instinctively replied: “Hey, snow.”

He coughed, scratched his hair, and awkwardly said: “Uh, sorry, I slept in the wrong room…”

“It’s fine, I’m actually happy you slept here,” Qin Xuejun said as he placed the small wooden table on the bed and patted Zhang Jue’s hair: “I know you like to eat breakfast before brushing your teeth. Go ahead.”

Zhang Jue blinked and ate, looking somewhat adorably obedient.

Qin Xuejun quietly sat beside him, watching. Zhang Jue couldn’t hold back anymore, laughing as he threw the pillow behind him onto Qin Xuejun.

“Stop staring at me.”

Dr. Qin caught the pillow and hugged it: “Hey, how long has it been since you had a dental check-up or cleaning?”

Zhang Jue took a bite of his sandwich, thought for a moment, and mumbled: “Uh, probably eight months since the last check-up. Last time I had a cleaning was in October, so it’s been a year.”

Dr. Qin asked: “Do you have time today?”

Zhang Jue met his gaze: “Yeah, why? Are you taking me to the dentist?”

Qin Xuejun nodded seriously: “Yeah, let’s go together.”

The words “together” felt like they were about to go on a date. Zhang Jue thought, but no one would consider going to the dentist as a date, right?

Qin Xuejun continued: “Also, I have the afternoon off. After the dentist, do you want to go for a drive? I’ll take you to see the sea.”

Zhang Jue confirmed it was a date!

His brain was moving faster than ever. He quickly finished his breakfast, held Qin Xuejun’s hand with both of his, and stared at him with focus.

“Peijia, let’s go for a drive. When we get to the sea, I have a lot to tell you.”

Zhang Jue had always been a stubborn and strong-willed child. For a long time, he’d been used to bearing all the pain in his life by himself. He didn’t want his unhappiness to affect others’ mood.

But Qin Xuejun was different. Zhang Jue really wanted to tell him about his difficulties. It wasn’t that he wanted to get help from him, but just speaking it out would make him feel so much lighter.

Because Xuejun was his… he was his…

He was the surprise in his second life, as beautiful as the first snow of the New Year. He was the partner he hoped to have in the future.

While everyone else was worried about Zhang Jue’s emotional state, he had quickly managed to regulate his emotions in a way that no one else knew, and even wrote a new song—surprisingly, it was a love song.

Then, in the French competition, Zhang Jue broke the world record for the 14th time with Lovely Bones, becoming the first athlete from the Zhang school to enter the finals of the season with two gold medals.

Unfortunately, Zhang Jue’s free skate still had mistakes, but his performance score climbed back to 95. The reason for his mistake wasn’t injury, but because the ice at the French competition was too slippery. Male and female singles, as well as pair skaters, all made mistakes at this event, and Zhang Jue was actually the one who fell the least.

Young athletes like Min Shan, who lacked experience, fell on their 3A in free skating. If not for landing the other jumps, this girl who had beaten North America’s number one, Olivia, in her first major competition might have missed out on the finals.

Cha Hanbuhua only fell on a 4T, but in today’s men’s singles, even one fall on a quadruple jump couldn’t place him in the top six of the world, so it didn’t affect his qualification for the finals.

Zhang Jue still had trouble distancing himself from his emotions, but fortunately, Dr. Qin was always there with him. Whenever Zhang Jue needed it, Dr. Qin would hold him while they slept, stay up late watching movies, sing karaoke, or drive to the beach to watch the sunrise.

In late November, the list for the 2015-16 men’s singles finals was announced.

Zhang Jue (China), Hayato Teraoka (Japan), Ilya (Russia), David (Belgium), Carlson (Canada), and Alexis (France).

At the same time, Min Shan made it to the women’s singles final, Huang Ying/Guan Lin entered the pairs final, and Jiang Yihong, Jiang Xiuling/Luo Mi also reached the youth finals.

Their inclusion wasn’t surprising to domestic figure skating fans, but the most surprising young Chinese skater of the season was the youth ice dance pair, Sai Peng/Sai Qiong, who also made it to the Grand Prix final!

When Chinese figure skating enthusiasts heard this news, they were stunned. This was incredible! After decades of failure, ice dance was finally thriving this year!

 

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