Chapter 129, 1000m Ren Xiyao...

In the 1000m, another major event for Ren Xiyao, the Chinese women's team included Ren Xiyao, Lin Shan, and Wang Lu. Lin Shan was eliminated in the semifinals and is now nervously biting her hand on the sidelines. Wang Lu, on the other hand, advanced to the B final. At this point, the Winter Olympics are already halfway through. As the home team and the host country, China's performance at this Winter Olympics has been outstanding. They performed well in all events, achieving a record high in gold medals. This Winter Olympics has brought more attention to short track speed skating and Ren Xiyao. Her two gold medals and her pursuit of a third gold medal have been trending on social media for two days. Marketing accounts have consistently featured her in their videos, whether related to sports, women's empowerment, or the Winter Olympics; her topic has generated considerable discussion. It's rare to see such high levels of attention from female figure skaters at the Winter Olympics.

The 1000m final. The starting gun fires.

Confident in her physical abilities, though perhaps her line control was a bit rough, the technical improvements and intensive training over the years have made Europeans increasingly adept at and enthusiastic about this "aggressive lead" style of skating. But at this moment, Ren Xiyao possessed more refined line control and comparable physical abilities. Therefore, she chose this more risky approach. With all the advantages in place, she was giving it her all this time.

The captain's voice cracked with excitement as he commented: "Confident, assertive, and remarkably clean and decisive, giving you no chance to overtake!"

In the last half lap, Park Min-hee tried to come up from the inside lane. Ren Xiyao caught a glimpse of the dark figure out of the corner of her eye, and suddenly lowered her center of gravity to take the turn. Her ice blade grazed the marker block, and the ice shards that splashed up scattered like diamonds.

After crossing the finish line, she fell directly off the ice. Lying on her back, she covered her face, tears streaming down her face—a mixture of excitement and joy, but mostly a profound sense of relief. She participated in two individual events, winning gold in both, plus a gold medal in the mixed relay with her teammates. In this Winter Olympics, she alone amassed three gold medals. With this, her total number of Winter Olympic gold medals is now equal to that of her team captain.

Lying on the ice, she thought she would be content even if she had to retire.

"Was it treated with a painkiller injection?" the reporter pressed in the mixed zone.

Ren Xiyao looked at the camera and said, "Many athletes compete with injuries."

That evening, #RenXiyaoThreeGolds# and #QueenOfShortTrackSpeedskating# both trended on social media.

During the award ceremony, Ren Xiyao pushed her youngest teammate, T, to the center.

On the bus back to the Olympic Village, the little girl sobbed uncontrollably, "I'm so sorry, if only I hadn't made that mistake on that bend..."

Ren Xiyao hung the gold medal around her neck: "It's already great. I was 28 when I finally got to host the Olympics. You're only 19. What's the rush?"

The Ice Cube outside the car window was lit up, much like a heart that, even when frozen, still beats with fiery passion. The competition had ended, and so had Ren Xiyao's second Olympic campaign.

That night, she lay in bed unable to sleep, as did Lin Shan. At this Winter Olympics, she won a bronze medal in the 500m and a bronze medal in the women's relay. She also won a gold medal in the mixed relay. For Lin Shan, there was regret—the lack of an individual gold medal—but more than anything, she felt a sense of relief. She knew the 500m competition was extremely fierce, and the rise of European and American teams made her feel powerless. She was no longer the spirited young girl she once was. She clearly understood the gap. But with sheer determination, she gritted her teeth and persevered.

It would be a lie to say she didn't envy Ren Xiyao. But she knew better than anyone how difficult Ren Xiyao's journey had been; if it were her, she might have given up in 2017. This might already be the end of her ice skating story; she had made her decision. But on this quiet and peaceful night, she hadn't yet told this decision to the girl who had fought alongside her for 14 years.

That night, Ren Xiyao seemed to sense the atmosphere of parting. Winning the gold medal didn't bring the ecstatic joy she had imagined. Four years ago, she won the gold medal with a fierce determination, fueled by youthful arrogance. Now, even with three gold medals, she felt an indescribable sadness of separation. For the first time, she felt lost about her future. She didn't know where her path lay.

On the day of the closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, Ren Xiyao, as the flag bearer, walked at the very front of the procession. As she passed the South Korean delegation, she heard someone call her name.

The Korean pronunciation of "Ren XiYao" sounded unfamiliar. She turned her head and saw several South Korean athletes taking pictures of her with their phones, their expressions a mixture of awe and resentment.

Lin Shan chuckled behind him and teased, "You're the international big boss now."

This time, she didn't need any gestures. She simply stood there, using all her gold medals to tell those who wanted to crush her spirits: She had never lost!

For a long time after the Winter Olympics, Ren Xiyao went home. At home, she lay in bed for three days. She did nothing but lie down. She was exhausted; before, she had been on edge, and this was the first time she realized that age was catching up with her.

At the Pingcheng Winter Olympics that year, even with eleven injections and such a serious injury, she didn't feel this mentally exhausted after the competition. But today, she won three gold medals and one bronze medal, making her arguably the biggest winner of the entire Winter Olympics, yet she still feels very tired, even lacking the energy to savor the joy of winning the gold medals. She's rarely home these past few years. But only at home can she feel peace; the sounds of her family's conversations and the warmth of everyday life are things she can only experience here. Only here can she truly appreciate the beauty and tranquility.

After staying home for a while, I accumulated some gigs. Post-Winter Olympics promotion is also part of the task, so it's a win-win situation. I received some variety show offers, but in the end, I only went on one slow-paced variety show; I found the other shows too tiring.

Meanwhile, the arrival of a new life brought joy. Kwon Ji-yong's sister's child was born. It was a truly magical feeling to become a parent for the first time, to watch a child of your own blood grow up. The newborn lay in the cradle, its fists clenched tightly. Kwon Ji-yong touched the baby's hand with his index finger, which was then grasped firmly.

"So strong?" He laughed.

The older sister handed over the warmed baby bottle: "All babies are like this."

She suddenly lowered her voice: "That Chinese athlete... did you contact him again?"

Kwon Ji-yong paused, "Who?"

"Don't play dumb." His sister looked at him with a complicated expression: "The third drawer in your study is full of her news clippings. And that room you never let anyone in."

The baby suddenly started crying, and Kwon Ji-yong seized the opportunity to change the subject: "Is he hungry?"

The older sister didn't press the matter, but while breastfeeding, she suddenly said, "Mom asked me last week why you don't want to get married."

The water level in the baby bottle dropped steadily. Kwon Ji-yong looked out the window at the cherry blossoms fluttering in the air and said, "It's fine like this now."

On his way from home to YG, Kwon Ji-yong was watching a variety show featuring Ren Xiyao, translated from Korean online sources, on his tablet. She was wearing a loose hoodie and sitting in the gazebo of the Mushroom House, holding a blade of grass in her hand, listening to several idols working in Korea talk about the training system.

Ren Xiyao nodded thoughtfully, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

When the conversation turned to music, he heard her voice: "I don't know much about music... but someone played me a dozen or so demos before, and I think they're all the same."

I was busy at YG all afternoon, and then had dinner with Taeyang and the others in the evening. Ever since Taeyang got married, not only has his lifestyle become frighteningly regular, but he also has less time to go out. Most of the time, when asked, he says he's spending time with his wife and kids. Today was a rare opportunity for a few of us to get together.

"You really aren't going to see her?" The sun picked up a piece of roasted meat, the grease dripping onto the grill pan and sizzling.

Kwon Ji-yong swirled his wine glass: "In what capacity will you go?"

"My old flame."

"And then she got criticized by netizens and became a trending topic?" He scoffed, "She just won an Olympic gold medal, and on my side, besides a barrage of scandals, there are countless legal cases in the company, and even the boss almost ended up in jail."

Sun sighed and changed the subject, "You really went to see that gallery curator?" He loudly piled pork belly onto the grill.

Kwon Ji-yong brushed sauce onto the lettuce wraps with meat: "It was introduced by a senior, so I couldn't refuse and had a meal with him."

"How about it?"

"She asked me if I was depressed after I was discharged from the military." Kwon Ji-yong stuffed the wrapped meat into his mouth: "She said I kept spinning a ring."

Hyorin brought over kimchi soup: "Because you really have been spinning around."

The dining table fell silent. The dark jade ring was now on Kwon Ji-yong's hand, gleaming with a faint green light under the lamp.

"Has Old Yang given in yet?" Sun changed the subject.

"It's not that easy. The market situation isn't good right now." Kwon Ji-yong traced the rim of his bowl with the tip of his chopsticks. "There's a lot to discuss."

The TV was showing sports news: "...Ren Xiyao has been named Female Athlete of the Year and may compete in the Milan Winter Olympics..."

Taiyang suddenly became serious: "Actually... if you had really found a steady girlfriend all these years, public opinion would be much better now, and no one would say anything."

Kwon Ji-yong stared at his reflection in the wine glass: "Boring."

It wasn't that he "didn't want to," but rather that it was "meaningless." The sun understood and didn't ask any more questions. The loud voice beside him also sighed. Even if he did end up with the person he truly wanted to be with, it would likely be a bloody and chaotic affair.

Twenty-two years have passed in the blink of an eye. With the arrival of the winter sports season, Ren Xiyao has resumed training. Before she's figured out her next move, sticking to what she's familiar with for now is a viable option. Lin Shan, although deciding to retire, wants to finish the 2014 Winter Games before doing so, so she has also resumed training.

A new cycle has begun. A new trajectory will also start a new story.