Chapter 50 Genius Girl, Did You Hear That? They Say I… God…
The moment I learned that Cheng Mingdu was about to set off again, the whole world, along with the air, seemed to sink into the sea, and the gap between heaven and hell was filled with seawater.
Ye Yuying felt a slight bitterness in her breath. She only knew that her expression was normal and her lips were moving slightly, but she couldn't remember what she said. However, she should have been polite and proper, without revealing any of her inner feelings.
It wasn't until she returned to her room, completely disoriented, that she belatedly realized she had regained her voice.
The voice she spoke to Cheng Mingdu, she tried to make it sound less disappointed, "Then... then have a safe journey."
After many emotional shocks, her heart was slowly filled with a new, more specific, and heavier sense of bitterness.
Cheng Mingdu watched her change in mood, and saw her lower her head again, reverting to her somewhat taciturn self. His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
So he spoke, his tone carrying a hint of reassurance:
"Focus on the game. If you encounter any problems that you can't solve, whether it's related to studying or training, you can email me."
She then flashed a huge, somewhat unrestrained smile.
"It's good that you're gone. Now your homeroom teacher can't call you whenever she wants, and I can..."
As she spoke, her voice trailed off, the passage like a pale sky washed white by clouds, pure white covering the sky above, stealing away the golden, dazzling sunlight.
I wanted to say, "I can do whatever I want again."
I wanted to use the most rebellious and indifferent attitude to hide my heart that was about to shatter. But when the words reached my lips, I just couldn't say them.
He was about to travel to another country, to a distant place she couldn't reach yet, separated by the entire Pacific Ocean...
Just as I was feeling lost, Cheng Mingdu's voice came through, filled with determination and complete trust.
“Yu Ying, from now on, every day you live will be for yourself…”
This time, you shouldn't fall into depravity again.
Ye Yuying kept her head down the whole time, making it impossible to tell her attitude towards those words.
"..." She opened her mouth, but all the surging emotions were stuck in her throat, and she couldn't say a word.
Despite the height difference, Cheng Mingdu looked at her slightly flushed yet stubborn expression. He had originally intended to leave it at that, but after witnessing her complex yet clear gaze, his eyes flickered.
When she looked at him cautiously, like a puppy waiting to be rescued, filled with hope yet afraid to make a move...
She seemed to be waiting for comfort.
Cheng Mingdu's eyes flashed, and he reached out his hand. His large palm, slightly cool yet incredibly gentle, covered her head, rubbing it softly as if comforting a poor, wet puppy.
"Alright," his voice finally carried a hint of warmth, very faint, yet enough to envelop her, "It's late, go to sleep."
Ye Yuying lay on the headboard, in the room where she was all alone, hesitantly reaching out to touch the top of her head, as if trying to confirm whether his real warmth still lingered there.
But that warmth had long since vanished; only her mind remembered it.
She suddenly felt a chill on her chin, and when she raised her hand to wipe it, she found it was covered in tears that had been flowing for some time.
She thought she was crying for his impending departure, and also for the budding feelings that had to be buried deep in her heart.
But more than anything, people cried because of his last words.
"From this day forward, every day will be for yourself..."
Yes, for myself.
Through her teary eyes, Ye Yuying slowly raised her head and looked up at the cold, bright moon in the night sky.
For the first time in her life, she felt such a clear sense of loneliness, yet she knew it was the only way out of her predicament.
After that day, Ye Yuying's life seemed to return to its usual tranquility, a routine of training and studying.
Cheng Mingdu is preparing for her long journey; she attends training and classes every day, leaving early and returning late.
Although we haven't parted ways yet, it's as if we've already gotten used to the thought of separation.
In order not to affect her mindset, she didn't even dare to ask what time the flight was.
She no longer felt anxious about being a novice in sports, but instead focused all her energy on preparing for the competition.
Three days before the competition, Ms. Yang had her wear the spikes in the final. She had almost no break-in period with the spikes. Although she hadn't mentally adapted to them yet, her feet had already.
The moment she stepped off the starting blocks and her body shot forward, Ye Yuying felt as if she had been pushed hard from behind by a tremendous force.
That unparalleled grip on the ground transformed all the extra physical strength she had previously expended to compensate for her disadvantages into an unstoppable forward propulsion.
The 200-meter finish line was reached in the blink of an eye.
When Ms. Yang pressed the stopwatch and looked at the number frozen on it, even this former provincial team athlete, who had seen it all, couldn't help but gasp, her eyes filled with disbelief.
This result is almost 1.5 seconds faster than Ye Yuying's previous best time when running in ordinary running shoes.
For sprinting, this is an insurmountable gap.
Teacher Yang remained outwardly calm and continued to train Ye Yuying as usual, doing her best to help her adapt to the new equipment.
The day before the competition, as the sun set and bathed the entire stadium in a warm orange-red hue, Ye Yuying, carrying her bag, left the stadium, her shadow stretched long.
The sprint coach from another school, surnamed Li, was an old friend of Teacher Yang for many years. He had been watching from the sidelines for a long time before slowly walking up.
Coach Li watched Ye Yuying's light and quick steps as she walked away, his eyes filled with undisguised amazement and admiration. He spoke thoughtfully:
"Old Yang, where did you find this talent? Her legs are simply made for track and field..."
He clicked his tongue and analyzed with a more professional eye: "Her Achilles tendon is clear and long, she has naturally springy legs. Her ankle strength and elasticity are top-notch... Didn't you notice? When she pushes off the ground with spikes, there is almost no energy loss, and the power is transferred very smoothly."
"And then there's her running feel. She's only worn those spikes for three days, but they already feel like they're part of her feet. She and the shoes are one. This kind of thing... can't be taught. It's a top-tier talent that God seems to have fed her."
Teacher Yang didn't say anything, but simply asked, "Did you bring any cigarettes?"
Coach Li took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lit them for the two of them.
She took a deep breath, and the smoke she exhaled quickly dissipated in the cool evening breeze. Her profile, shrouded in smoke, revealed a complex expression—a mixture of relief and a deep-seated worry that was difficult for others to detect.
Seeing that she remained silent, Coach Li leaned closer, his tone filled with unwavering excitement: "Teacher Yang, your student is probably really going to accomplish something."
Teacher Yang flicked his cigarette ash, looked up at the darkening sky in the distance, and slowly spoke, his voice carrying the calm and vicissitudes of someone who has been through it all: "The road ahead is still long. It's too early to talk about these things now."
Coach Li disagreed: "How can it be early? With the results she achieved in today's test, the championship in tomorrow's city finals is practically hers. She definitely has the ability to disrupt the provincial middle school games next month, and even go straight for the gold medal! Once she wins the provincial championship, her 'National First-Class Athlete' certificate at the end of the year will be a sure thing."
"We haven't seen students like this in years. It's like they've already got one foot in the door of a top university in the country. This is the dream of so many kids who train in sports!"
Ms. Yang remained silent, taking another drag of her cigarette. She understood perfectly well what Coach Li was saying. This was precisely the safest path of "integrating sports and education" that she had initially hoped Ye Yuying would take.
But everything progressed too quickly, deviating from her initial expectations.
Judging from this trend, Ye Yuying's life will definitely not be as simple as becoming a teacher after entering a sports school.
"This is just the beginning," Coach Li said, getting more and more excited. "She's only in the second year of junior high school. Her bones haven't fully developed yet, and her technique still has a lot of room for improvement. If we send her to the provincial professional team now and give her the best systematic training, in two or three years, it's not impossible for her to challenge for the podium at the National Youth Championships, or even... to try and get a chance to join the national team! Old Yang, if it weren't for that injury you suffered back then, her talent would be a carbon copy of yours..."
"Old Li," Teacher Yang suddenly spoke, interrupting him.
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable weight.
Ms. Yang stubbed out her cigarette in the nearby trash can, her eyes shining with unwavering determination in the twilight. "My injury was entirely fate. She wasn't here to fulfill my dreams, and no one can make these decisions for her."
She didn't want to talk about those grand narratives about the "national team" that were too far away, and she didn't want to place those heavy expectations on this girl who had just found a glimmer of hope.
She has experienced the cruelty of that path and knows that talent can sometimes be vulnerable in the face of injuries and accidents.
All she has to do now is protect this precious seedling and ensure that it takes every step toward the future in the safest and most secure way, within the scope of her control.
*
On the day of the city finals, Ye Yuying woke up earlier than usual. She wasn't nervous; instead, she felt an unusual calm.
She methodically checked her sports gear—the pair of spiked shoes Cheng Mingdu had given her, still brand new and almost dazzling, lay quietly in her bag, polished to a shine. Her gaze unconsciously drifted to the window, towards the main building across the courtyard, towards Cheng Mingdu's room. The curtains remained tightly drawn, revealing nothing.
Has he... left?
The thought flashed through her mind for a moment, but she quickly suppressed it, slung her bag over her shoulder, and walked out of the room.
She had to suppress her curiosity, otherwise she wasn't sure if she could still focus on the competition.
The city sports center was bustling with activity; the atmosphere on the final day was far more grand and enthusiastic than during the qualifying rounds. A huge electronic screen scrolled through the list of participants, and the stands were filled with students and parents from various schools, as well as some local sports media reporters carrying cameras.
Ye Yuying met Teacher Yang in the rest area; her expression was as calm as ever.
“Remember the tactics we discussed yesterday,” Teacher Yang helped her check her bib one last time. “For the 400 meters, stick with the leading group for the first 200 meters, and start pushing hard when you enter the straight from the curve. For the 200 meters, just one word: sprint. Don’t hold back at all, unleash all your speed. Don’t think about the result, focus on the process.”
"I understand." Ye Yuying nodded, her eyes clear and firm.
When she sat down and put on those brand-new spiked shoes, her entire aura changed.
Check-in for the women's 400m final has begun.
When the announcer called out Ye Yuying's name, a murmur rippled through the stands. Clearly, this "dark horse," who had miraculously achieved success in the qualifying rounds while wearing ordinary running shoes, had captured everyone's attention.
She walked to her lane, squatted down in front of the starting blocks, and adjusted her breathing.
Bang!
The starting gun fires!
Her reaction at the start was extremely fast, and she instantly gained the lead.
This time, the struggles and disarray of the qualifying rounds were gone. Instead, there was a fluid and powerful run. The rhythm was perfectly controlled, the posture was graceful and light, and every arm swing and every push-off showed a significant improvement in professionalism compared to the preliminaries.
It's hard to believe she's a new face.
On the last straight, none of her opponents were at a significant disadvantage; everyone was highly skilled.
Ye Yuying, however, entered an even better state and began to accelerate wildly, crossing the finish line first with an indisputable and absolute lead!
Her achievement was immediately displayed on the electronic screen—an astonishing number that not only broke the city's middle school student record but also reached the national second-level athlete standard!
The entire venue erupted in cheers!
Everyone cheered for this prodigy who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Teacher Yang stood on the sidelines, her eyes a little red, but she quickly regained her composure.
After a short break, the 200-meter final followed. Emboldened by her 400-meter victory, Ye Yuying was brimming with confidence. She completely unleashed her potential, reveling in the ultimate thrill of speed.
Another two-way champion!
When Ye Yuying stood on the highest podium, with two gold medals around her neck, facing countless flashes and applause, she felt the weight of the gold medals for the first time.
As soon as Ye Yuying stepped off the stage after the award ceremony, Teacher Yang quickly walked over, her expression more serious and solemn than ever before.
"Yuying, pack your things and come with me."
"Where are you going, teacher?"
Teacher Yang looked at her, took a deep breath, and said slowly, "Several coaches from the provincial team have been watching from the stands. They want to see you now."
The provincial team... wants to see her? Now?
She subconsciously looked down at herself; her sports vest and shorts were still damp with sweat, and the two heavy gold medals around her neck seemed to still be warm.
She felt like a soldier who had just fought a tough battle and hadn't even had time to take off his armor, about to be taken to meet the highest-ranking general.
Three middle-aged men were sitting in the lounge. One of them looked to be around fifty years old, with a dignified and imposing demeanor. He was probably the head coach of the provincial team.
When he saw Teacher Yang, a smile appeared on his originally serious face: "Old Yang, long time no see. I didn't expect you to continue to bring us surprises after you retired."
Head Coach Wang's gaze fell on Ye Yuying, his eyes so sharp they seemed to penetrate her body, revealing the skeletal structure and muscle fibers of a future athlete.
Without any unnecessary pleasantries, he got straight to the point: "Congratulations, Ye Yuying, you ran beautifully in both finals today."
He paused, then dropped a bombshell: "We would like to formally invite you to join the provincial track and field training team directly and receive national-level systematic training. We have reviewed your file; you are only in the second year of junior high school, which is the golden age for focused development."
"As long as you are willing to work hard, you will stand on the podium of the National Championships, and even... win glory for the country."
Ye Yuying's brain went blank, and she could barely think.
The national...podium? For her, those words were a more distant and illusory concept than "provincial team".
But at this moment, she wished that someone else could hear this news.
Did you hear that? They say I'm...exceptionally talented...
That evening, Ye Yuying and Teacher Yang went to a restaurant together for dinner. By the time she returned to the Cheng family home, night had fallen.
She subconsciously glanced upstairs; the curtains were drawn, and not a single light was on in the darkness. The entire mansion seemed like a sealed-away gift under the night sky.
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Author's note: 50 red envelopes!
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