Chapter 94 Salt Lake City in December, the air…
In December, Salt Lake City's air is cold and sharp, with a refreshing stinging sensation when inhaled. Inside the Olympic Speed Skating Oval, however, a wave of heat emanates from the crowd. The deafening roar of the crowd, the hissing of skates scraping against each other, the shouts of coaches, and the crisp crack of the starting gun create a unique and bustling backdrop for the second leg of the Short Track Speed Skating World Cup.
Ren Xiyao stood at the starting line, adjusting her goggles. The women's 1500m final was her first tough battle of the day.
The moment the gun fired, she shot off like an arrow. She could feel the tense muscles and suppressed breathing of her opponents. Every one of them who made it to the finals was a tough nut to crack. But that didn't matter; she wasn't one to back down either.
"Go straight to the venue?" The agent jogged to catch up.
"Hmm." Kwon Ji-yong pulled his hat brim down even lower. "How long will it take to catch up?"
"45 minutes, including the time to pour ice, should be enough."
As the car entered the highway, Ren Xiyao, who was watching the live broadcast, suddenly accelerated from the outside lane, perfectly overtook her opponent on the last bend, and crossed the finish line first, successfully advancing to the A group final of the 1500m. Cheers erupted from the stands. She skated to the sidelines, took off her goggles, her face expressionless, but her eyes shone with an astonishing brightness.
Kwon Ji-yong unconsciously curled the corners of his mouth.
It's been half a year.
The moment the gun fired, she shot off like an arrow, securing second place. South Korean skater Park Min-hee was right behind her, her skates almost scraping against her leg guards.
Kwon Ji-yong clenched his fists. He sat in the far corner of the stands, his hat pulled low, but his eyes were fixed on the red and black figure on the field.
On the seventh lap, Ren Xiyao suddenly accelerated from the outside lane, and Jin Shuyan immediately blocked her way. Just as the two were about to collide, Ren Xiyao changed lanes and overtook her from the inside!
"Beautiful!" Kwon Ji-yong almost shouted out loud, then quickly pulled his hat brim down.
In the final two laps, Ren Xiyao skated faster and faster, ultimately crossing the finish line with a half-body length advantage. In the second leg, Ren Xiyao retained her title as the women's 1500m champion.
The entire venue erupted in cheers. Kwon Ji-yong sat in a corner, his heart still pounding. He quickly pulled out his phone, aimed it at the figure making a "W" sign at the camera, and pressed the shutter.
After finishing the second day of competition, Ren Xiyao returned to the hotel to wash up. As she dried her hair, she walked out of the bathroom, and her phone screen lit up with a message from Kwon Ji-yong: "Look out the window."
She drew back the curtains, and in the parking lot downstairs, a familiar figure leaned against a car, holding a cup of hot drink and waving it at her.
Ren Xiyao was stunned.
It's been half a year.
Since the incident, they could only meet via video and phone. Although they communicated, this tangible, almost unreal feeling had been a long, long time ago. And now, he stood in the cold December night in Salt Lake City, like an unreal illusion.
The phone vibrated again: "I won't come down."
She threw on her down jacket and rushed out the door, completely ignoring Lin Shan's voice behind her. The elevator was moving at a snail's pace. She dashed out of the elevator. As she turned into the first-floor corridor, a hand suddenly pulled her into the fire escape stairwell.
Kwon Ji-yong took off his mask, his eyes curving into two crescent moons: "Player, can I have an exclusive interview?"
The kiss, delivered after six months apart, was fierce and urgent, Kwon Ji-yong's hand gripping the back of her head. This kiss, carrying the longing and desire suppressed for half a year, was more intense than ever before. Lips met, breaths mingled, as if trying to melt away the emptiness and unease of the past six months in this deep kiss. When they parted, both were panting heavily.
Silence spread between the two, broken only by soft breathing echoing in the empty hallway. After a while, Kwon Ji-yong reached out and rubbed the back of her neck: "Are you tired?"
"It's alright." Ren Xiyao's gaze never left him. "When did you arrive?"
"This afternoon." He waved his phone. "I saw you broke your personal best with 1500m."
"I learned this recently." Kwon Ji-yong smiled and leaned closer. "What score would Coach Im give it?"
She neither backed down nor took a step forward, but simply gazed at him and then reached out to hook his chin: "Passable."
The fire escape was dimly lit. Kwon Ji-yong suddenly grabbed her hand and stroked the scar on her palm with his fingertips: "You've lost weight."
"That's normal, everyone in 'The Wandering Earth' will lose weight."
Did you miss me?
Ren Xiyao glanced at the surveillance camera in the corner and narrowed her eyes slightly: "Mr. Kwon Ji-yong, be mindful of your image."
She covered his mouth with her hand. He took her hand in return. His palm was warm, and the dark jade ring on his ring finger pressed against her knuckle. The first touch in half a year felt so real that it brought tears to her eyes. There was a competition the next day, and she couldn't stay too long. But the reunion after half a year seemed like a gentle spring breeze, soothing the anxiety that had been lingering in their hearts.
On the second day, in the 1000m and women's relay, Kwon Ji-yong sat in a corner of the stands, his hat brim pulled low when the camera panned across him. In the 1000m, Ren Xiyao attempted a "violent lead" for the first time, leading from the third lap to the tenth, giving the following skaters no chance whatsoever. She finished the race with an overwhelming advantage. In the relay, Ren Xiyao skated the second leg, performing with tremendous power, her inner excitement barely contained. However, this gold medal in the 1000m alone was far from enough.
"That Chinese girl is terrifying," commented an American audience member in the front row. "She's like she has a turbo engine."
In the final leg exchange, Ren Xiyao and Lin Shan's coordination was extremely seamless. Lin Shan's powerful push combined with his superior acceleration made it seem as if he was "thrown" into the corner, a very smooth performance that immediately created a significant gap between them and the other teams. The South Korean and Canadian teams tried desperately to catch up, but the Canadian team made a mistake on the last corner and crashed off the track.
The cheers of the Chinese team echoed throughout the stadium. Ren Xiyao was embraced by her teammates. She took off her helmet, her black hair soaked with sweat and clinging to her flushed face. Her smile was dazzlingly bright. Kwon Ji-yong didn't even want to blink, wanting only to remember her spirited and radiant self.
After the awards ceremony, a reporter in the mixed zone asked, "Ren! Three gold medals in a row, how did you manage to maintain your form?"
She wiped her sweat and replied briefly in English, "Focus on each game."
"There are rumors that you will break the world record?"
"I'll try."
When asked by a reporter if her good condition was related to the ice in Salt Lake City, Ren Xiyao jokingly replied, "Maybe it's because the ice in Salt Lake City is sweeter."
Back in the locker room, she took out her phone; Kwon Ji-yong had already sent a message: "Is it sweet? Can I try some?"
Ren Xiyao felt a burning sensation in her ears and threw her phone into her bag, pretending she hadn't seen it.
That evening, Salt Lake City Sports News used this photo: Chinese short track speed skater Ren Xiyao stood on the podium, his gaze passing over the cheering crowd and looking towards a corner outside the camera's view.
Only a very few people noticed that she was wearing a plain band ring on the ring finger of her left hand.
After all the matches were over, the team gave everyone two hours of free time. Ren Xiyao put on a hooded short down jacket and went out. Kwon Ji-yong's car was parked at the entrance of the alley.
The car door had barely closed when he grabbed the back of her head and kissed her. The taste of mint spread between their lips and teeth, and Ren Xiyao clutched his collar, her breathing becoming erratic.
"Is it sweet?" he asked, pressing his forehead against hers.
Ren Xiyao, panting, said, "...So-so."
Kwon Ji-yong took her to a restaurant; athletes shouldn't eat out too much during the season. However, some vegetables are okay to eat after a competition. Kwon Ji-yong put some stir-fried broccoli into her bowl: "Eat slowly, no one will take it."
Ren Xiyao swallowed her food, glared at him, and said, "Why don't you check what time it is?"
"Okay, okay, I got it." He laughed, "I saw your pre-match interview, you said you were 'going on a killing spree' this time?"
"That wasn't the original quote."
“But that’s what you think.” Kwon Ji-yong looked at her, resting his chin on his hand: “In today’s 1000m final, that change of course was unbelievably beautiful.”
Ren Xiyao paused, her chopsticks still on the table. "You've seen it all?"
"Hmm. Which of your games have I missed?" he said casually. "It takes ten hours to fly from Tokyo, which is perfect for reviewing all your game footage this season."
The warm yellow light of the restaurant fell on his eyelashes, casting dappled shadows. Ren Xiyao suddenly remembered those video calls from the past six months, all near the early hours of the morning, and the dark circles under his eyes that would never fade.
"Does YG know you're coming?" she asked.
Kwon Ji-yong shrugged: "It's a legal break between tours."
That's a lie.
Ren Xiyao didn't expose him, but simply pushed a plate of meat in front of him. She picked up a piece of beef and put it in Quan Zhilong's bowl: "Aren't you leaving today? Will you make it to the next rehearsal?"
"I changed my ticket. I can make it." He didn't even look up. "I'll see you at the airport tomorrow."
The hotel was very warm, and she was only wearing a loose sweatshirt, the red marks on her collarbone visible at the neckline. Kwon Ji-yong reached out and rubbed the mark with his thumb: "Does it hurt?"
What do you think?
"It's my fault." He apologized insincerely, then leaned in to kiss her earlobe: "Keep it up for the next stop!"
Ren Xiyao pushed his face away: "Eat properly."
Kwon Ji-yong obediently sat back down, but his legs remained pressed tightly against hers, occasionally rubbing against her. After not seeing her for half a year, he was like a large dog that had finally found its owner, wanting to be with her all the time.
"How's things going with your club president?" she suddenly asked.
Kwon Ji-yong's smile faded slightly: "The same as always."
"You'll probably be quite busy before the military's white-collar period begins, won't you?"
"It doesn't matter, he won't let us be idle even if there's no military leave." He brushed it off casually, picking up a piece of tofu for her: "Let's not talk about that, eat more, it tastes pretty good."
"I'll give you a gift, considering... how well you've behaved."
Kwon Ji-yong's eyes lit up, his anticipation impossible to hide. Ren Xiyao took out a gold medal from her pocket and hung it around his neck: "It's for you."
Kwon Ji-yong raised an eyebrow: "So generous?"
Have you ever heard the saying?
"What?"
"Love is a legal doping agent on the field."
Kwon Ji-yong grabbed her wrist, and Ren Xiyao lost her balance and fell into his arms: "Say it again!"
Ren Xiyao smiled like a fox, but her eyes were filled with innocence: "What did I say?"
Amidst the interplay of light and shadow, lips and tongues intertwine, transforming the act from a one-sided giving and taking into a contest of equal strength.
But what relationship doesn't have problems? As long as there's an opportunity to resolve them, and a willingness to do so, the relationship will definitely continue well. Now, with over a month of continuous communication and greater honesty, things are stabilizing, and this meeting has become a solid pillar, supporting them through all the shaky moments. While there are many things they can't change, at least their love for each other is unwavering, and this unwavering love provides the confidence to face any difficulties.
The first snow of 2016 fell in the Salt Lake City night sky. Romance and beauty were also imbued in the story.
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