Chapter 60 Overlapping Extroversion and Introversion
After the short program competition ended, Yang Yiyan brought Mengchuan Liya in from backstage.
Feng Simai had just finished a drug test and was sitting on a bench, applying an ice pack to her ankle.
Compared to the youth group, his ankle already has a noticeable scar and is somewhat deformed, which is a side effect of his constant practice of quadruple jumps.
If you land a quadruple jump during a competition, you must apply a cold compress afterward to relieve pressure on your ankle.
Meng Xin watched as the two children approached and spoke to Feng Simai. All three of them had smiles on their faces. She couldn't help but wonder, "I know that Meng Chuanliya and Xiaoyan are close, but when did she become close to Simai as well?"
The two coaches weren't too far from Feng Simai. Xia Yuezi looked up and, knowing exactly what had happened backstage, told Meng Xin what had happened.
“I see. I remember that Japan has a rule that people under the age of twenty cannot smoke or drink alcohol. But Mengchuan and Fujiwara are honest kids, and Xiaoyan and Simai know their limits. They shouldn’t go to places they shouldn’t.” Meng Xin said thoughtfully, glancing at the children again.
"Don't worry, the finals are right after the Japanese leg, so the kids won't cause too much trouble."
After the deal was settled, the coach took the two children back to the hotel, saying it was to let them get some rest, but in reality, he just wanted them to do some homework that night.
The Japanese leg of the competition coincided with a weekend in China, and the children flew over with pre-assigned tasks. Both parents had also reminded the coach to keep a close eye on them.
Xia Yuezi felt that she was not only a figure skating coach, but also a teacher in a winter vacation tutoring class.
Yang Yiyan's studies are going well. She's only in her first year of high school, and the knowledge she's learning isn't too advanced. Feng Simai can explain things to her when she doesn't understand them.
But things aren't going so well for Feng Simai. He's taking the college entrance exam next year, and his parents hope he can get into a good university and choose a good major based on his academic performance.
After the World Championships, Li Tan also talked to Feng's mother about this matter, hoping that she could let Feng Simai take a break from school for a while to prepare for the Olympics. After all, it was obvious to everyone that the two men's singles spots were basically decided between him and Lin Ye.
However, Feng's mother did not agree. She did not intend for her child to continue down the path of a sports student. Feng Simai had already missed a year of high school due to injury, and she was worried that if the college entrance examination was postponed again because of the Olympics, it would affect her child's academic plans.
Feng Simai also works hard. He spends most of his time away from school, and he takes many courses by finding tutors or studying on his own. The problem-solving methods he learns are simpler than those taught in class. It is said that he ranked in the top 100 in the grade in the last monthly exam, which puts him on the verge of getting into a 211 university.
The two coaches, who had transformed into tutors, finally couldn't stay awake any longer at 11:30 p.m.
"Alright, alright, you two have a pre-match music rehearsal tomorrow morning, go back and rest first, you can do your homework tomorrow."
Yang Yiyan was already drowsy when she saw the chemistry test paper in front of her. She had finished all her humanities homework on the plane, leaving behind a pile of science test papers that seemed like gibberish to her. Hearing the coach's words, she felt like she had been granted a pardon and couldn't wait to put down her pen.
Feng Simai held a pen in his right hand and worked out calculations on the draft paper. Xia Yuezi walked over, looked at the complex coordinate axes on the test paper, and patted him on the shoulder: "Take a break, don't push yourself too hard."
"It's alright, Coach. You take Xiaoyan to rest first. My chorus performance is at 10 a.m. tomorrow. I still have time to do two more problems." As he spoke, his pen continued to move.
Meng Xin stood at the door with two bottles of warm milk in her hands. She led Xiao Yan, who had packed her schoolbag, back to her room, leaving one bottle on the table before leaving.
Xia Yuezi waited for Feng Simai to finish the problem before whispering, "Simai, do you know what's most important in training and competition?"
Feng Simai raised his head, his eyes still showing lingering focus, and hesitated before asking, "Mindset? Or state of mind?"
“It’s time to rest,” Xia Yuezi snatched the pen from Feng Simai’s hand and lightly tapped him on the forehead. “If you don’t get enough rest, what kind of condition are you talking about? After we’re all gone, who knows how late you’ll be staying up?”
Feng Simai rubbed his head where he had been hit, looked up at Xia Yuezi, and noticed that although the coach looked serious, there was a hint of helplessness and concern in his eyes.
He held up three fingers next to his head as if making a vow: "I know, Coach. I'll finish the second question and then go to sleep. I promise."
Xia Yuezi stared at him, then sighed and put the pen on the table: "Then you write, I'll just watch you from the side."
Meng Xin left the door open for her and sat on the edge of the bed scrolling through Twitter. When Xia Yuezi came in, she casually asked, "Is the child asleep?"
Xia Yuezi hummed in agreement, recalling the ten-minute experience of accompanying the child to study, and sighed, "Nowadays, being a coach not only requires technical skills, but also a well-rounded approach. I feel like we're the mothers of these two kids now."
It's often said that the relationship between coaches and athletes is a business one, where they mutually benefit each other. But in the case of these two, it seems like they have to worry about everything, from the ice rink to their daily lives.
Meng Xin chuckled upon hearing this: "That's right. I ran into Lao Lu at the China Cup before. He said he doesn't know how to take care of new kids anymore. He can only use the experience he had with Lu Sheng back then. His hair has turned a few strands white."
Xia Yuezi nodded in agreement and lay down on another bed for a while.
The women's singles free skate began on the afternoon of the second day.
Once the scores for the short program were released, it almost dashed the hopes of other contestants to reach the podium, with the third and fourth place finishers pulling up by nearly five points.
According to Xia Yuezi's observation, so far, the judges' scoring is exactly the same as their attitude towards short programs.
Nanako Shirai suffered a major setback in the short program. Instead of attempting a triple A in the free skate, she switched to a different setup, performing two triple jumps in a combination, and completed the program steadily and solidly.
Before Yang Yiyan went on stage, Xia Yuezi reached out and hugged her, her voice tinged with worry: "Take it easy when you skate today."
The little girl nodded solemnly and then gave both coaches a hug.
Meng Xin relayed the feedback from the forum to Xia Yuezi, and Coach Xia didn't hesitate. After returning to China, she improved Yang Yiyan's makeup by adding silver glitter over gray eyeshadow, making it look more sophisticated.
The familiar clapping sound rang out, and Yang Yiyan slightly raised her hand, opening her eyes which had been closed, her eyes carrying a trace of calm and detachment.
This music sounds the same as the previous one, but those with a good ear for music can hear some clues.
Yumikawa Ria was slightly taken aback: "She turned down the accents in the music?"
Not only did Xia Yuezi reduce the intensity, but she even changed the beginning to a slower version. While the heavy musical moments can easily evoke the emotions of ice skating fans, they can also easily make athletes get caught up in the music and unable to get out of it.
Yang Yiyan's previous emotional displays were terrifying; she practically ripped out her heart. Releasing pressure appropriately is a good thing, but Xia Yuezi is worried that skating in this depressive performance style for a long time will create an even heavier psychological burden for her.
After gliding sideways, Yang Yiyan's body soared into the air, then instantly tightened, effortlessly drawing an arc on the ice.
The not-yet-fully-developed body appears exceptionally light in the air, and produces fewer ice shards when it lands on the ice.
Xia Yuezi kept a close eye on the figure on the ice rink. When the music transition began and she saw that the figure was no longer as frantic as it was at the Russian Grand Prix, her brows relaxed slightly.
Yang Yiyan's emotions are still outwardly expressed, but she has learned to suppress some of her more hidden emotions, transforming her prickly sharpness into a sense of alienation from others, which acts as a protective mechanism.
On the ice, she remained hysterical, yet she also kept her heart sealed away. This layering of emotions enhanced the performance, making it even more heartbreaking and moving.
Zhao Shuhua didn't dare to look up to watch the whole program. She could only repeatedly check her movements on the computer screen in front of her, afraid that she would be drawn into the emotions brought about by the program in the next second.
She recalled that Li Tan once described Yang Yiyan's performance to her: "This child's performance is not the best, but she has a strong emotional appeal. As long as there is a program that can touch her heart and resonate with her, even if no performance techniques are used, it is a program worth watching repeatedly."
Yang Yiyan positioned her legs in a V-shape, then raised one hand and jumped up, a 3S with a raised hand gesture.
To ensure the difficulty of the first half, Yang Yiyan only added a triple jump in the second half. She felt that she still had extra energy and could use difficult postures during the jumps to make the goe higher.
Zhao Shuhua gave her own athlete a score of 2 without hesitation, even though this score might be crossed out as the highest score later. She felt that the other judges would not hesitate to give this jump a score.
Before Yang Yiyan could even pull Berman up, her upper body was still leaning back, and the entire audience had already stood up and applauded.
During the Russian leg of the competition, this program received a standing ovation, which is the highest honor a skating athlete can receive from the audience. However, on that occasion, Yang Yiyan was so engrossed in her own emotions that she did not feel the enthusiasm from the fans.
At the moment it ended, Xia Yuezi looked at Yang Yiyan kneeling on the ice rink, worried that she might have another emotional problem.
Yang Yiyan supported herself on the ice with one hand and placed the other on her chest, silently feeling her heartbeat. It was as if she was having a conversation with herself again after the competition, telling the deepest part of her heart that she had done very well this time.
She stood up, bowed to all around, then bent down to pick up the nearest doll and waved to the two coaches.
Xia Yuezi breathed a sigh of relief: "Although the emotions were still conveyed quite directly, it was still smoother than the last stop. I can consider giving her extra food when we get back."
Meng Xin smiled with relief: "Then don't give too much, otherwise you'll be the one who feels bad when the child gains weight and has to lose it."
Xia Yuezi seemed to remember something, and couldn't help but laugh as she looked at the girl on the ice who was still waving and greeting the fans.
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