If someone asked Zhang Jue whether he got a beating when he returned to the country, he could honestly say, yes, he did.

As a world champion-level athlete, Zhang Jue needed to file a report to his superiors before traveling abroad. This time, thanks to Sun Qian’s quick actions, Zhang Jue was able to legally and reasonably travel abroad and have some fun.

However, Zhang Jue sneaked off without informing the coaching team, though he did tell Sun Qian. This was enough reason for his uncle and Coach Lu to give him a good scolding.

Since Zhang Jue was recovering from an injury, the coaches didn’t go too hard on him. After the scolding, he was still calm enough to dust off his pants and share the dried fruits he brought back from abroad with his junior teammates.

Shen Liu sighed as he watched Zhang Jue walk away: “Luckily, this kid has understanding coaches like us. If he were in a stricter sport, he would have been formally disciplined for his behavior.”

Zhang Junbao grumbled: “He’s just taking advantage of the fact that he’s the only star in our program, acting recklessly.”

Fortunately, Zhang Jue only ran around aimlessly and didn’t cause any other trouble. Otherwise, Zhang Junbao wouldn’t have let him off with just a simple scolding.

Coach Lu, while biting into the horse jerky Zhang Jue had brought back, ripped off a chunk of meat and, from his motions alone, it was clear how angry he was.

Shen Liu noticed that Coach Lu still had a full set of healthy teeth, while Commander Sun already had three false teeth. Yet, Coach Lu’s teeth were still strong and intact.

Yang Zhiyuan chimed in: “Exactly! Zhang Jue had to get fillings from the dentist because of his cavities, and now he won’t even touch sugarcane, hoping his teeth will last him a few more decades. But Coach Lu, I saw him chewing ribs in the cafeteria just the other day!”

When Zhang Jue had his cast removed, he went for another check-up. The doctor’s conclusion matched that of the famous expert in Germany.

“You’re recovering very well, in fact, you’re one of the best-conditioned athletes I’ve ever treated.”

Zhang Jue humbly replied: “Oh, not at all, it’s all thanks to my coaches and nutritionists.”

The doctor responded: “Indeed, the national team’s care is remarkable. I’ve never seen a stress fracture patient recover so quickly. You even took a trip abroad and came back full of energy and progress, which amazed me.”

The doctor cleared his throat and added: “However, since you’ve had a stress fracture in the past, you’ll need to be more careful going forward. I know your nutritionist is very focused on calcium supplements, but you could increase the dosage a bit. Also, try to adjust your aerobic training routine. Swimming is fine, but it’s best to avoid running. Aerobic exercises on land cause more strain on the body than those in water.”

The doctor went on with his advice, while Zhang Junbao took frantic notes. Zhang Jue, on the other hand, just nodded and mumbled responses.

The doctor added: “Oh, and you’ll need to prepare for a performance.”

Zhang Jue was confused: “Huh?”

Zhang Jue’s singing talent wasn’t a secret. After all, he had managed to pull off a rock performance with a top-tier band at one of his commercial shows, something no other figure skater had done.

Plus, with China having successfully secured the bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and Zhangjiakou, there was a need to build up hype and attention for the event.

And with Zhang Jue being not only talented but also famously good-looking, especially within the ice and snow sports community, naturally…

Zhang Jue’s eyes lit up: “Am I going to be on the Spring Festival Gala?”

Sun Qian responded: “You’re dreaming. No Spring Festival Gala for you, but you will perform at the Lantern Festival Gala. You’ll sing Rising Against the Wind with the Zhuque band.”

Zhuque was currently the hottest rock band in the Chinese music scene, performing both at the Spring Festival Gala and the Lantern Festival Gala. The higher-ups didn’t think Zhang Jue’s singing was good enough to compete with professionals, so they arranged for him to perform with a powerful band. Luckily, Zhang Jue had worked with Zhuque before, so the collaboration made sense.

Zhang Jue was surprised: “Has Brother Run and his band gotten that popular?”

In fact, Zhang Jue knew about the bass player from Zhuque, who was supposed to have died from exhaustion in the past. But in this lifetime, thanks to the “butterfly effect,” not only had the bassist survived, but he also led the band to greater success. Last year, their popularity soared at a rock festival, and their albums even started selling overseas.

Not only that, but Zhuque’s wealthy owner, Wan Ze, had also made huge strides in the entertainment industry, even receiving financial backing from his parents recently, something that hadn’t happened in the previous timeline. Zhang Jue was sincerely happy for him.

Zhang Jue agreed to the performance but hoped it wouldn’t interfere with his training. Bai Xiaozhen readily agreed, assuring Zhang Jue that as long as he kept up with his training, he only needed to be present for rehearsals when called for.

As for the styling and social interactions, Zhang Jue didn’t have to worry about any of that—there were plenty of people to handle it for him.

As a top athlete, Zhang Jue’s strength was his biggest asset, and everyone was well aware of that by now.

However, his training progress wasn’t particularly smooth.

When Zhang Jue first returned to the ice, he was a bit unstable. After all, he had been in a wheelchair for quite some time, and during his recovery, all his weight had been placed on his uninjured leg. This caused a significant shift in his center of gravity. On top of that, he had gained weight during his recovery, going from 68 kg to 72 kg—four kilograms that he now had to shed.

His task wasn’t an easy one.

Everyone watched as Zhang Jue attempted a triple salchow jump. His takeoff was smooth, but he fell on the landing.

Fortunately, he wasn’t injured. He stood up, patted his pants, and tried the jump again, successfully landing it this time. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and his junior teammates—Min Shan, Meng Xiaolei, Qin Meng, and Lu Qiu—applauded him. Jiang Yihong, caught off guard, also joined in the applause.

Zhang Jue coughed: “It’s just a triple jump, no need for applause.”

Shen Liu asked how he felt, and after confirming that Zhang Jue’s previously fractured right ankle felt fine after the jump, he handed him over to Coach Lu with peace of mind.

It was clear to everyone that Zhang Jue’s issue was with his balance, plus the fact that he was overweight. Naturally, Coach Lu would be the one to whip him back into shape.

After just five days, when Bai Xiaozhen came to pick up Zhang Jue, she was stunned.

“…What have you been through?!”

Zhang Jue scratched his head: “I haven’t been through anything, just regular training. What’s wrong?”

Bai Xiaozhen stepped forward, measured his waist with her hands, circled around him, and then asked him seriously: “How much weight have you lost? Who’s your fat-burning and body-shaping coach?”

Zhang Jue replied casually: “I lost four pounds. Of course, it’s my uncle and Coach Lu. Aunt Ning also helped me with my diet. Why?”

Athletes burn thousands of calories a day like it’s nothing. As long as they increase their aerobic exercise and eat a little less, losing a few pounds is easy. Zhang Jue knew he still had a long way to go to reduce his body fat back to 7%, and he wasn’t even halfway there.

Bai Xiaozhen, however, gave a big thumbs up.

“Coach Zhang, Coach Lu, you guys are legends!”

She thought to herself: “I should bring those struggling with weight control at the company to see Zhang Jue’s results. Look at that collarbone, those pecs and abs that are visible even through a layer of clothes, and that slim waist and muscular arms.”

Pale skin, a god-like face, a cool demeanor, but a smile that’s warm like sunshine. Plus, that athletic figure—fit and toned, but not bulky. Perfect!

Zhang Junbao rushed out and threw a down jacket over Zhang Jue’s head.

“Kid, don’t you see what the weather is like? A sports jacket is useless. Also, zip it up properly! You’re going to catch a cold walking around like that!”

Zhang Jue responded with an “Oh,” and put on the red down jacket. His already fair and rosy complexion looked even more festive against the color of the jacket.

The person thought: “…such a handsome guy, and he’s even completely bare-faced. It’s frustrating! If it weren’t for Zhang Junbao’s strong arms making me think twice, I’d be tempted to steal him away.”

Zhang Jue was in a completely black Porsche with the air conditioning turned up high. Sitting in the back seat, it wasn’t long before he started tugging at his collar.

The manager, seeing this through the rearview mirror, reminded him: “When we’re outside, be careful not to take off your jacket.”

Zhang Jue replied: “I know, I won’t let myself catch a cold.”

Bai Xiaozhen said: “I’m not just telling you that so you won’t catch a cold. It’s also because… forget it, I won’t say more. Just keep an eye on things yourself. With Zhang Jue’s strength and Lan Run standing by, I doubt anyone will try to take advantage of him.”

Speaking of Lan Run, both he and Wan Ze seemed to be Zhang Jue’s die-hard fans. Whenever Zhang Jue had a competition or performance in the country, they would show up to support him. They even made sure to remind him to take good care of Zhang Jue and often looked out for Xu Dela as well.

When they arrived at their destination, a tall, handsome guy with purple-silver dyed hair tips and wearing a black leather jacket stood by the door. Beside him was Xu Dela, a classically beautiful youth of about 1.73 meters, holding a steaming hot corn cob. When they saw Zhang Jue, both flashed big smiles and waved energetically.

“Zhang Jue, over here!”

“Bro, you’re here!”

Zhang Jue jogged over: “Brother Run, Dela, why didn’t you wait inside? It’s freezing out here!”

In weather cold enough to see your breath, standing outside was definitely tough.

Lan Run said nothing, just smiled and handed him a bottle of mineral water. Xu Dela grabbed his brother’s arm, and the three handsome men headed inside together.

Up until this year, Zhang Jue’s life mainly focused on training and competing, so he hadn’t attended many large events. Back in school, he’d occasionally sing on stage, but Bai Xiaozhen and Lan Run were both prepared to help him adjust to the unfamiliarity of a big stage.

Surprisingly, Zhang Jue acted like he had performed on stage countless times before. Whether it was makeup or hairstyling, he didn’t hesitate. As an athlete, his look didn’t need to be overly glamorous, he just had to wear his national team uniform so people could immediately recognize him as an athlete. The makeup and hairstyle were just to make him look more presentable.

When he started singing on stage, his presence was calm and commanding. As soon as he opened his mouth, people by the stage gasped.

“Wow, this athlete can really sing! That’s professional-level singing!”

The director of the Lantern Festival Gala was one of the rare female directors in the industry, named Lu Xueyun. After hearing Zhang Jue sing, she patted her son’s shoulder.

“Yun Si, look, if you want to be a singer in the future, having this level of singing skill would definitely guarantee success. Yun Si?”

She called his name a few times, only to find that her son was staring dumbfounded at the handsome young man on stage, completely entranced.

This time, Zhang Jue performed with the Zhuque band, and Lan Run was on stage with him. Wan Ze stood off to the side, holding Lan Run’s jacket, constantly praising them.

“These two really are blood-related brothers. Zhang Jue looks like a star. If he had been around when Run was forming his band, I wouldn’t have had to go to the music academy to dig around for a lead singer.”

Bai Xiaozhen cleared her throat. “Mr. Wan, we can’t recruit him.”

Wan Ze laughed heartily. “Hey, I wasn’t planning to recruit him. There are thousands of singers out there, but China only has one world-champion figure skater in men’s singles. Who would try to steal talent from the country?”

He glanced around and lowered his voice. “You just make sure he writes more songs when he has free time from training. By the way, my dad’s company just finished designing a new high-end sports car that passed all tests. It’s one of the top-performing models, and we’re looking for someone to endorse it. Can you help me arrange a discussion about it?”

Bai Xiaozhen hesitated. “But recently, the Winter Sports Center said they’re not accepting solo endorsements. If they did, all the advertisers would only want Zhang Jue, which wouldn’t be fair. They want to package the other three champion-level athletes together with Zhang Jue, which might raise the price.”

Wan Ze didn’t mind at all. “That’s fine. My dad’s got money. Go ahead and negotiate. Everything’s open for discussion. Even if they want to include Coach Zhang in the package deal, it’s no problem.”

He seemed more than happy with the situation.

After singing his song, Zhang Jue came off stage, and Lan Run excitedly grabbed him by the shoulders.

“Hey, you kid! Your singing is really something. The way you sang just now sounded a lot like opera. Man, I was standing close, and my ears were practically buzzing from your voice!”

Zhang Jue replied, a bit embarrassed: “Well, I’m an athlete, you know. I’ve got a strong build and good lung capacity, so once I open up my throat, my voice just comes out louder.”

Lan Run lowered his voice. “Hey, Mr. Winter Breeze, have you had any new inspiration lately? Dela has been writing songs, but they’re all for the Earth Dragon Band to sing.”

They laughed and joked together, clearly pleased with how the performance went. As they chatted, Zhang Jue started looking around for water.

At that moment, someone handed him a bottle of cola. “Here, are you thirsty?”

Zhang Jue looked up and paused for a moment before smiling politely. “Thank you, but I don’t drink soda.”

 

 

Support translation: