Chapter 70 Winter Olympics Qualification and Chinese New Year
◎He gave her a dream that would eventually come true◎
The audience was particularly lively at the 2013 Winter National Championships. Feifei, Ni Chuan, Wang Hao, Chen Yusheng, Liu Hui and Zhang Lilian were all present.
In addition to them, domestic fans of the other three figure skating events gathered together. Right in front of them, the final Winter Olympic athletes who will represent their country will be selected.
The ice dance event was also very lively, with as many as 28 pairs participating, mostly in the youth group.
There are currently three places for China in the World Youth Ice Dance Championships. Ji Tang has been promoted to the junior group, and the only ice dancers left in the youth group are Lin Aili and the Canadian-Chinese mixed-race brother and sister group.
The top players compete for the Winter Olympics qualification, while the youth group players need to compete for the third vacant spot. Whoever can rank among the top and show strength that is almost the same as Lin Aili's group and the mixed-race brother and sister group will be able to enter the national team and occupy the third spot.
After the competition started, the audience seats were unprecedentedly enthusiastic, and everyone was guessing who would qualify for the Winter Olympics.
"I think it's definitely Tiantian and Yi who will qualify this time." Ni Chuan said confidently, "After all, they are the champions of the World Youth Championships and they beat the fifth place in the World Championships!"
"They are not weak either, as they always smile. They qualified for the Winter Olympics." Chen Yusheng looked at the ice with a hint of melancholy. "And Tiantian's health hasn't been very good recently. I went to see her training. The injury she sustained in the China Cup has never fully healed." This time, Chen Yusheng, Wang Hao, Ni Chuan and Feifei sat together.
Zhang Lilian and Liu Hui sat together with other parents of figure skaters, anxiously discussing their children's current situations.
"How could this happen?" Wang Hao's face was gloomy. "Didn't she take a good rest?"
"During the Winter Olympics, athletes in ice and snow events have to go all out, and they can't rest well." Feifei's eyes were filled with sadness, "This is the most important moment in their lives."
Soon, the ice dance short dance competition began.
Ji Tiantian held Tang Yi's hand and arrived at the center of the ice amid the cheers of the fans. Before the National Championships, her pain had been increasing, but during this special period, she had to grit her teeth and play.
The fans' expectations, the leaders' instructions, the partners' efforts, and her own yearning for the Winter Olympics. At this moment, she has a lot on her shoulders.
Ji Tiantian still fell at the first key point of the second part of the pattern dance, but this time she had more experience than before and quickly got up and continued with the next steps.
Although there were still three mistakes in the entire pattern dance, and the pattern dance was downgraded to Level 1, there were no mistakes in other technical movements, and the twists and connecting steps were performed normally. In the end, her score was 62.45.
Wei Xiao and Chang Yu were next to play. They played normally, but still made three mistakes in the key points, and the total score was 57.81.
Then, it was the free dance competition on the second day.
After falling down again, Ji Tiantian still felt pain. However, in the long process of coping with the pain, her tolerance gradually improved.
Before warming up, Jiang Lin hugged Ji Tiantian tightly.
"Play well, you can rest after the game." Jiang Lin patted Ji Tiantian hard, "Good girl, try your best to hold on until the end."
Ji Tiantian nodded vigorously in Jiang Lin's arms.
Ji Tiantian was wearing a thin coat, with a slender body and a waist that looked thin. But Jiang Lin could feel her strong muscles through her delicate skin. For some reason, she firmly believed that the girl in her arms could overcome all difficulties.
Xu Chi and Tang Yi gave a few instructions, and then watched their players go on the ice to warm up. This time, Ji Tang still adopted a more conservative strategy and did not perform a five-week twist.
After the warm-up, the free dance competition officially began. Wei Chang's group, which ranked second in the short dance, started the competition before Ji Tang's group, which ranked first.
Wei Chang's group used "RAIN", the soundtrack of the movie "The Last Emperor", as the music for their free dance.
To the graceful and rapid sound of a violin that sounded like raindrops, Wei Chang took quick steps on the ice and then performed a turning lift.
Ji Tiantian sat quietly on the edge of the ice, watching them. Wei Chang's ice dance easily brought her memories back to three years ago.
At that time, she had just entered the world of ice dance. Looking at the only ice dance combination in the adult group, she felt infinite warmth in her heart and also developed a longing.
Although ice dancing has always been looked down upon in the past, Wei Chang has always stuck to her post. With a slender body and beautiful appearance, she is the toughest warrior in the world of ice and snow.
There is always warmth and firm strength in their eyes.
Perhaps in some mysterious way, they have become her guides.
After the twist and lift, Ji Tiantian and the audience applauded loudly.
However, perhaps due to the injury, Wei Xiao also fell when he landed on the ice.
Ji Tiantian could not help but feel her heart being pulled. She didn't feel anything when she fell, but when she saw someone she knew fall, it was a completely different state of mind.
"Come on!" Ji Tiantian shouted with the audience, giving encouraging applause.
Wei Xiao immediately got up and completed the next move. He did not make any mistakes in the other moves. The step sequence was level 2, and the lift was downgraded by 3 levels due to the mistake. Basically, there was not much difference from their usual level.
The free dance score of "Smile Always" was 84.81 points, including the short dance score of 57.81, for a total score of 142.62.
Next it was Ji Tang's turn to come on stage.
Their soundtrack, “When You Believe,” rang across the ice.
Just believe
As long as you believe
You will when you believe
As long as you believe in miracles, they will happen
Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi held hands and skated quickly on the ice. Their floating legs were like wings, slowly stretching out beside them. She and he stared at each other, with hardship and relief in their eyes.
Originally they chose this theme simply to show that they had always been sharing weal and woe.
As long as we walk side by side, don't give up, and believe sincerely, a miracle will happen.
But at this moment, Ji Tiantian suddenly discovered that pain could bring her more inspiration.
Miracles are born only in pain and sweat, and are flowers watered with blood and sweat. She annotates her free dance with her real experience, and every time she dances on the ice, it is a new interpretation.
Zhang Lilian couldn't hold back her tears as she watched her daughter dancing on the ice with injuries and smiling to her heart's content. Liu Hui held her hand tightly to give her strength.
In the end, Ji Tang received a free dance score of 97.62 points. There were no falls or mistakes, and the free dance action rating was similar to that of the Japanese station, but due to the injury, the action completion was not as high as that of the Japanese station, and the GOE was slightly lowered.
Including the short dance score of 62.45, Ji Tang's total score in the National Championships was 160.07.
"Tiantang's free dance looks better than her short dance." Someone in the audience commented.
"Tiantang has always been like this. She is better at free dance than short dance. In the past, they often used free dance to overtake others..."
"Oh, the difference in the step sequence seems to be a watershed, separating Wei Chang's group and Ji Tang's group..." Someone else spoke with emotion.
Ji Tang finished the competition, and the entire ice dance competition ended.
Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi won first place in the national championship with 160.07, while Xiaokou Changkai won second place with 142.62, Lin Aili's group won third place, and the mixed-race brother and sister group won fourth place.
Winning first place in the national championships means getting the only ticket to the Winter Olympics.
As the only pair of Chinese ice dancers, Ji Tang will represent the country.
"Great! We got the qualification for the Winter Olympics!" Ni Chuan stood happily in the audience, waving his arms vigorously.
However, unlike the sweet sugar powder in the cheers, Zhang Lilian's eyes hid deep anxiety.
She didn't know how Ji Tiantian's injury would develop during the Winter Olympics. In the torrent of fate, she could do nothing to stop it. She stood by the sea, watching her daughter like a small boat, going further and further, riding the wind and waves.
"Don't worry, look, Tiantian is smiling so brightly." Liu Hui pointed at Ji Tiantian on the ice and said to Zhang Lilian, "She and our Tang Yi are both doing what they like."
"I know." Zhang Lilian covered her face and choked up, "I know..."
She knew better than anyone that what she should do most at this time was to silently bless her daughter.
At this time, Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi were surrounded by a group of enthusiastic contestants.
"Come on! Come on Winter Olympics!"
"I've finally waited for this day!"
"Four years ago, our ice dance was still unknown! Because of you two, the whole world has become different!"
"Don't worry about anything else, just give it a try! If anyone else says anything bad about you online, we'll help you curse them back!"
Ji Tiantian thanked the contestants who congratulated her, then put away her smile and, accompanied by Tang Yi, walked towards Wei Xiao who was being cared for by the team doctor.
Chang Yu and their head coach Coach Feng were standing by and watching with concern.
Wei Xiao's injury was on the bones, more serious than Ji Tiantian's, and difficult to cure.
Wei Xiao saw Ji Tiantian coming over, so he slowly stood up and moved in front of Ji Tiantian step by step.
Ji Tiantian fell silent for a moment. China's Winter Olympics ice dance quota was won by Wei Xiao and Chang Yu at the World Championships. The national quota is not tied to the contestants who competed for it. Wei Chang got the quota from the world competition, and then the contestants within the country can compete, and whoever wins will go.
Ji Tiantian knew very well that Wei Chang went to the World Championships to compete for a place in the Winter Olympics, and she and Tang Yi competed for places for young players in the World Youth Championships, which was a deployment strategy within the team. But she still felt a little guilty for winning the Winter Olympics place that Wei Xiao and Chang Yu had worked hard to get.
She didn't know what to say for a moment, and just as she was about to speak, Wei Xiao took the lead.
"I'm sorry." Wei Xiao lowered his head and spoke.
Ji Tiantian was stunned for a moment.
"If I work harder and get two places, we won't have to face this kind of competition among our own people." Wei Xiao smiled bitterly, then looked up at Ji Tiantian, "You may not be familiar with it, but I am very familiar with this kind of scene."
At this time, Chang Yu came over to support Wei Xiao, and Wei Xiao took the opportunity to look around the entire National Championships venue.
"For a long time, we ice dancers have only had one spot in major competitions. It's been like this for the World Youth Championships, the World Championships, and the Winter Olympics. If we don't perform well, we always have to compete with our own people. Sometimes I feel bad about defeating those... young and talented players in our country and making them miss the world arena... But there's nothing we can do, there's only one spot." Wei Xiao looked at the smooth ice surface, tears gradually welling up in his eyes.
The long service life of ice dancing is both a blessing and a misfortune. It is a long, lonely and rugged journey, and also a dark battle between one's own people.
"Ji Tiantian." Wei Xiao suddenly turned around, looked at Ji Tiantian, and smiled extremely brightly, "You will put an end to this situation, right?"
Ji Tiantian was silent for a moment, then nodded vigorously.
"I know you can do it. Tang Yi can't do it alone, but with you here, he can do anything." Wei smiled and looked at Tang Yi who was standing beside him.
"Tiantian, let's go to the Olympics." Wei Xiao stretched out his hand and gently placed it on Ji Tiantian's shoulder. "Chang Yu and I have been there before, and we have no regrets. You guys go on to walk the rest of the way."
Ji Tiantian listened to the gentle and solemn words of her senior, and tears gradually filled her eyes. She clenched her hands into fists at her side.
She would, she thought, Bingwu's embarrassing situation would be changed by her. This was the meaning of her life.
"Why don't you say anything?" Wei Xiao nudged Chang Yu with his elbow, "Encourage the outstanding juniors."
"What else can I say? They are so amazing, why do they need my encouragement?" Chang Yu sighed helplessly, but quickly put on a serious expression and looked at Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi, "I won't say much, just...keep it up. Just like you said in the free dance, become the miracle of Asia."
There can be miracles, When you believe.
Ji Tiantian and Wei Xiao hugged each other tightly, and Tang Yi also hugged Chang Yu.
They met again at the 2013 National Championships and had a perfect ending.
This competition also decided the other three Winter Olympic athletes. Ning Huai, Ye Yidong, and Yu Shagaozhe won the national championship in singles and doubles respectively, and successfully obtained the qualification for the Winter Olympics.
After the game, everyone encouraged each other and then left with their relatives and friends.
Shortly after the National Championships ended, the head coach of the figure skating team called together the athletes from the four events who had qualified for the Winter Olympics and held a meeting with the coaches.
The theme of the conference is Winter Olympics team competition.
The 2014 Winter Olympics added the figure skating team competition for the first time. The International Skating Union ranked the top ten countries based on the performance of each country in the four events of figure skating during the Winter Olympics season. These ten countries are eligible to participate in the Winter Olympics team competition.
"Our country has already qualified for the team competition. In the team competition, we will compete with nine other teams from various countries in four events. We will first compete in the singles and pairs short program and the ice dance short dance. The top five countries will enter the finals, which is the free skating and free dance competition." The head coach of the figure skating team gave a brief explanation of the rules.
"I am here to talk about individual qualifications. The number of athletes participating in a country's team competition is locked together with the number of individual events. For example, in this single and double skating event, we have two Olympic quotas for each event. In the team competition, the single and double short program and free skating can be replaced. One person is responsible for the short program, and the other is responsible for the free skating. For example, in the ice dance event, we only have one quota, so the athletes participating in the team competition must be those who participate in the individual events, that is, Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi."
The head coach called on Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi: "You have to participate in both the team competition and the individual events."
Ji Tiantian nodded silently. Figure skating had obtained two Winter Olympic qualifications for the other three events, but only Ji Tang and his partner were in ice dancing. They had to complete the team and individual events, a total of four games.
Jiang Lin and Xu Chi, who were attending the meeting, looked at Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi with worry in their eyes.
Ji Tiantian and Tang Yi have to participate in both team competitions and individual competitions, and the pressure of participating has increased exponentially.
The Winter Olympics is the most grand ice and snow event, with many eyes watching. Group short dance, group free dance, individual short dance, individual free dance, if any one of them is not performed well, it will cause a lot of psychological pressure for the contestants. Not to mention that Ji Tiantian is still injured.
In every sense, this year's Winter Olympics is a daunting task for young athletes.
"Old Xu, Jiang Lin, you have to do a good job of preparing and psychologically preparing the athletes." The head coach instructed the two ice dance coaches, "Let the athletes perform at their best in the competition."
Xu Chi nodded in response, and then the meeting was disbanded.
At the moment, the physical and mental state of the players is the most important. Xu Chi has no other choice but to let Ji Tiantian have a good rest and put the training on hold for the time being.
Taking advantage of the reduced training volume during these days, Ji Tiantian returned to school. As the end of the semester approached, the atmosphere in the school was particularly tense.
Basically, as long as she doesn't skate or train, Ji Tiantian's leg injury won't be serious and won't affect her normal walking. But she has to put ballet practice on hold.
"Tiantian, what do you think about graduation?" The head teacher called Ji Tiantian to the office and asked her this.
"With your current grades, if you work hard, you should be able to graduate successfully and then join a better dance troupe." The head teacher said, "But can you take care of the training? You are still injured..."
Ji Tiantian is currently in the sixth grade of the Affiliated High School of Shouwu Dance Academy and is about to graduate. Outstanding dance school graduates will directly join the dance troupe after graduation, and of course some will sign with companies and enter the entertainment industry.
"Teacher, I want to go to college in the future." Ji Tiantian clenched her fist, "I want to study hard after the Winter Olympics. I will complete the graduation exam smoothly, please rest assured."
In her previous life, Ji Tiantian and Chen Yusheng founded a dance troupe after graduation. However, due to their lack of foresight and knowledge, they suffered a lot and took many detours. In this life, she wants to reverse this situation.
"Studying is indeed a way out. In the future, you can join a dance troupe and be a performer or a manager." The head teacher nodded, "But applying for university means taking the college entrance examination, so you have to prepare for it. Are you ready?"
"Yeah," Ji Tiantian nodded with a smile, "I've been prepared."
She walked out of the office with brisk steps and looked up at the sky. The warm winter sun fell on her face, and she vaguely saw that her future was bright.
Another year is coming to an end, and in the blink of an eye, a year has passed in busy competitions and training.
On the eve of New Year's Eve, the adult Category A competition, a four-continent figure skating competition involving athletes from America, Asia, Africa and Oceania, officially started in late January.
This competition is very close to the Winter Olympics in early February, and most countries will not send athletes to participate. However, Xiaokou Changkai and Ji Tang were injured, and both groups of ice dancers chose to give up the competition.
As Ji Tang's performance, world ranking and reputation gradually increased, ice dance gradually gained a voice in the country. The leaders could no longer say anything about their absence from the competition as they did in the past.
Then, right after that, it is New Year’s Eve.
The Spring Festival is right next to the Winter Olympics, so Zhang Lilian decided not to go back to South City and took Ji Tiantian to Tang Yi's house. Before the Spring Festival, Ji Ze would come to the capital to see the mother and daughter.
On the afternoon of New Year's Eve, Ji Tiantian left home before her parents. Tang Yi said he wanted to give her a surprise and asked her to meet him at a fork in the road near his home.
Ji Tiantian wore Melody earmuffs and a pink down jacket, got on the subway, and arrived at the designated location on time.
When she arrived, Tang Yi was already standing there waiting for her. When Tang Yi saw Ji Tiantian, he led her into a small alley without saying a word.
"Don't give me anything again." Ji Tiantian walked behind Tang Yi and whispered, "I won't accept it this time."
"How can it be the same every year?" Tang Yi smiled and led Ji Tiantian through the alley quickly.
The alley suddenly opened up at the end, and in front of them appeared a large shop that looked very old and even had a blurry sign.
Tang Yi led Ji Tiantian and continued walking, then pushed open the door of the shop and pulled Ji Tiantian in.
Ji Tiantian was shocked for a moment. What appeared in front of her was an entire indoor ice rink. Although it was New Year's Eve, the ice was not deserted at all, and many people were skating on the ice.
A staff member came over and respectfully asked Tang Yi if he needed anything, and Tang Yi replied that it was nothing.
"This is the ice rink where I skated when I was a kid. Old Xu also met me here." Tang Yi turned to talk to Ji Tiantian, who was a little stunned. "The owner of the ice rink is old now and doesn't have the energy to continue running the rink, so he transferred it to me."
Tang Yi said as he led Ji Tiantian around the entire ice rink.
Most of the people skating on the ice at this time were old customers of the ice rink. Many of them had seen Tang Yi when he was a child and knew about his career path. They greeted Tang Yi enthusiastically.
"Tang Yi, bring your dance partner!" A local grandfather from the capital who was skating smiled and waved at Ji Tiantian, "The little girl is so beautiful, so pretty. Good luck in the Winter Olympics!"
"Thank you Grandpa, Happy New Year!" Ji Tiantian smiled sweetly.
"The food delivery platform that Chuanzi and I built was sold, and I got 400,000 or 500,000 yuan. I used the money to buy this ice rink and hired people to manage it on a daily basis." Tang Yi stopped and looked around the ice rink. "The ice-making equipment can operate normally, but the facade and decoration are a bit shabby. I will redecorate it after the Winter Olympics."
"That's great, Tang Yi. You've accomplished a great thing just a few days after returning from Japan." Ji Tiantian said with emotion, envy evident in her voice.
Sometimes she would wonder what would happen if she could get a part-time job that could make her rich like Tang Yi after her rebirth.
But she soon realized that she didn't have the time. She didn't have as much energy as Tang Yi, who was an ice dancer in her previous life and still is in this life.
Ballet and ice dance took up too much of her energy. She would be satisfied if she could achieve good results in ice dance in this life and run the dance troupe she had with Chen Yusheng in her previous life.
"This ice rink looks quite large. It must be very expensive to maintain the ice surface." Ji Tiantian glanced at Tang Yi, "But you have money, so it doesn't matter if you lose a little."
I think if this ice rink really made money, the previous owner would not transfer it so easily.
"We are indeed losing money now. Once the renovation is completed and we do some publicity, the turnover should increase." Tang Yi looked at Ji Tiantian with a smile in his eyes, "Once we accumulate more popularity, we can recruit coaches, attract merchants, organize activities, and make more money."
"Yeah, that's true." Ji Tiantian was silent for a moment, and suddenly felt something was wrong, "Wait, you said, us?"
"Cooperate with me, Tiantian." Tang Yi looked into Ji Tiantian's eyes seriously, "Let's run the business together, and we'll split the money earned from the ice rink equally."
"But you are the one who fully invested in this ice rink. If I want to be your partner, I have to give you some money to join the partnership, right?" Ji Tiantian was stunned for a moment, then came to her senses, "I don't have that much money at the moment..."
"You don't have to give it." Tang Yi said immediately, "You don't have to share the profit of the ice rink in the next year. Consider it as the money for joining the partnership. After a year, we will divide the profits equally."
Ji Tiantian exhaled slowly. She knew that Tang Yi was taking care of her.
In the next year, Tang Yi could earn back his costs and would be lucky if he didn't lose money. How could he possibly make a profit?
She didn't like being taken care of.
"I still think this won't work." Ji Tiantian pursed her lips and said, "We are just working together on the ice. Off the ice, we are independent individuals. We don't need to do everything together."
"I was planning to promote the ice rink under our names." Tang Yi gently pressed his forehead, "If you don't join, I can't do that."
"Well... this isn't a good idea. We still have to make money." Ji Tiantian pondered and suddenly came up with an idea. "Then how about this? Give me 20% of the profit after you make it, as payment for the right to use my name. You run the business normally, and I won't interfere. How do you think?"
"30%." Tang Yi bargained with Ji Tiantian, "I'll give you 30%. Come over and show your face when you're free. This is my first time running a business, and I need your opinion."
"Okay, okay." Ji Tiantian nodded and quickly ended the bargaining with Tang Yi. She continued to walk forward, and suddenly her eyes lit up.
"Wow, there are spectator seats!" Ji Tiantian looked at the rows of seats beside the ice.
Because they had not been used for a long time, the seats were crooked and few people could sit in them. But it didn't matter, she believed that her reliable partner and dance partner would fix them.
"How many seats?" Ji Tiantian turned and asked Tang Yi.
"400." Tang Yi said, "But there is room for expansion."
"In that case, can we rehearse an ice dance drama here?" Ji Tiantian was delighted. She had wanted to do this in her previous life.
"Oh, sorry, you are the one who makes the decision about your ice rink." Ji Tiantian immediately calmed down after a moment of excitement and turned to smile at Tang Yi.
"This is also your ice rink." Tang Yi looked at Ji Tiantian with a faint smile on his face, "I will try my best to fulfill the partner's wish."
Ji Tiantian stared at Tang Yi in a daze.
This time, he didn't give her a bracelet. He gave her a dream that would eventually come true.
My heart was beating quite hard in my chest.
She didn't know if it was an illusion, but she felt that Tang Yi seemed... a little more charming than in his previous life.
No, no, we need to focus, the Winter Olympics are coming.
Facing Tang Yi's faint smile, Ji Tiantian pinched her palm hard.
The author has something to say:
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
