13 Joined the national team
◎To join the national team, I have one request.◎
My uncle was receiving a guest and greeted him warmly: "Qiqi, this is the coach and chairman of the national table tennis team. A great leader!"
In the era when my uncle and aunt lived, not many children received education. My uncle dropped out of school after junior high school and started driving a truck for the elderly. Later, after his grandparents passed away one after another, he shared a car with others and drove a large truck to transport goods. He supported his two younger sisters with his meager income.
The one who reads the most is Zhu Qi's mother, the second of three children.
In the end, he was still deceived by the little yellow-haired boy on the street.
The honest country people have never seen any leaders, and the highest official is only the village committee secretary.
Now looking at the two national civil servants, I feel that my family is honored.
In fact, Ren Xinhua and the others didn't arrive long, only ten minutes earlier than Zhu Qi. As soon as they told Zhu Qi their purpose, he arrived home.
Zhu Qi leaned back in his chair, unconcerned. "Leader? What can I do for you?"
This was Zhu Qi's first time meeting Coach Jiang Guangming. He had a round face, round eyes, a round nose, and large earlobes. His eyeballs were slightly protruding, and when he had a tense expression, he looked like a seated Buddha statue.
He Qianlu said that the women's team members privately called Jiang Guangming "Master Buddha".
Looking at it this way, the name really suits him.
Ren Xinhua likes the energy in Zhu Qi.
As rebellious as He Qianlu, as free and easy as Gao Xiaofeng, and as confident as Li Wanguang.
It simply combines all the perfect qualities of an excellent athlete into one.
"I think Da He has already informed you of the national team's situation. I'm here to formally inform you to report to the Table Tennis and Badminton Sports Administration Center at 9:00 AM next Monday. Here are your salary card, access card, suitcase, winter clothes, summer clothes, training clothes, cafeteria meal card, and transportation subsidy card..."
Looking at the cards arranged by Ren Xinhua and a large suitcase filled with various brand new team uniforms.
Just like the two guys I met on the plane, the only difference is the male and female version.
Zhu Qi thought he would be very proud to be picked up at home personally by the head coach and chairman of the national team. This was unprecedented since the establishment of the national table tennis team.
But when he really saw the team uniforms with his name printed on them, Zhu Qi's mood remained unchanged.
She was so unusually calm that even she was a little surprised.
Join the national team? Is that that simple?
Seeing Zhu Qi just looking at the things without saying anything, Foye coughed and said, "There was a communication problem between the National Second Team and the Provincial Team, which caused some misunderstandings on both sides. In fact, as early as when you won the World Youth Championship, these things should have been sent to your Provincial Team, but... you are a smart kid and understand the situation. Now you can directly skip the National Second Team and don't have to play the team's round-robin tournament to be promoted. The dormitory of the National First Team has been prepared for you. Because you have made special contributions to national honor, the national team has specially applied to the Sports Committee to waive your first year's accommodation fees..."
Although athletes will receive salaries after joining provincial and national teams.
However, the salary is paid annually, not monthly like other companies.
Moreover, you have to pay for accommodation, canteen meal cards, and bathhouse water cards yourself, but the price is cheaper than the market price.
This means that athletes have to pay for many things themselves in their first year on the national team. This is also to prevent some players who spend money to join the national team to just sit around and wait for a certificate to return to their province to become a high-ranking official. Therefore, generally, only after two years or more in the highly competitive national team can one become wealthy.
Renting a house outside costs about 800 yuan a year, and the national team's accommodation fee is also 400 yuan a year.
In this era, it is not a small amount of money.
"Wait a minute," Zhu Qi interrupted, looking up and pretending not to understand. "I don't understand the reasoning behind this. So why wasn't I selected for the national team after the World Youth Championship? Leader?"
The Buddha choked, his anger rising. He looked at Ren Xinhua, his face full of the expression "See, I knew it, he's just like that kid."
Ren Xinhua also smiled soothingly, then turned to Zhu Qi. "I know you're angry. I'm sure you know Da He's story. I've never questioned Da He's character, but everything happened so quickly, and many details don't stand up to scrutiny. If I were to delve into it, it would probably escalate to a higher level. At that time, the national team had only just been revived after being disbanded during the Cultural Revolution, and any slight disturbance would result in a suspension of the entire team."
Da He originally left the national team hoping to put an end to the incident with him, allowing the rest of the team to compete normally. Many people don't understand the truth of what happened. Those who have been brainwashed by foreign media include members of the national second team and provincial teams, as well as ordinary people who are unaware of the truth.
Zhu Qi, you've indeed surpassed the achievements of many players your age, and even many current national team members, but you still don't understand the difference between collective and individual honors. Every coach has his or her own considerations, and individuals must always compromise for the sake of the collective.
"So even if they know someone is being wronged, they still give up on them for the sake of the collective. Even the players he trained have to make way for those who are less capable than them. Isn't that cruel?" Zhu Qi was furious. She simply didn't understand. "What will become of his life? Where is his future? Who will be held accountable for the journey he's taken, the hard work he's put in? Can a simple 'the motherland will never forget' be enough to make amends for it?"
The uncle was dumbfounded and quickly pulled his niece's arm: "Qiqi, what's wrong with you? Why are you talking to the leaders like that? I'm so sorry, leaders, my child is not usually like this. She just came back from the game and was too tired..."
"It's okay." Ren Xinhua smiled and said slowly. "Child, can I ask you a question?"
Zhu Qi suppressed his anger and looked up at her.
"What were you thinking at the moment you won the World Cup?"
Zhu Qi lowered his eyes and said nothing.
"When I saw the replay, I saw you staring at the flag-raising railing for a long time. Let me guess - you were thinking, it would be great if the national flag could be raised and the national anthem played because of you at the Macau Palace, right?"
Zhu Qi's heart felt sore and swollen, and he groaned softly.
"Da He was willing to sacrifice himself just to have the national anthem sung in every country, leaving with all his resentment, even if that person wasn't himself. He's a tragic hero, a player the national team owes. As you just said, no one can make up for what he lost. But now there's someone who can continue his glory and make him remembered forever by the world. That person is you."
When people mention He Qianlu in the future, will they refer to him as the athlete with a bad reputation who was kicked out of the national team for soliciting prostitution? Or will they refer to him as the mentor who guided him to the Grand Slam?
Zhu Qi.
She carries the honor of two people on her shoulders.
Zhu Qi stood up and said, "To join the national team, I have a request."
"You have a request?!" Jiang Guangming subconsciously raised his voice, but after being glanced at by Ren Xinhua, he lowered it again. "What request?"
"I get to choose my own head coach."
"I've been teaching for over 30 years, and it's always been the coaches who choose the kids. This is the first time I've seen a kid choose his own coach." Jiang Guangming's face was trembling with fear, and he looked at Ren Xinhua. "Chairman Ren, what do you think?"
He felt that something was wrong.
Ren Xinhua liked this girl so much, and this feeling was even stronger than what he felt for He Qianlu back then.
Jiang Guangming felt that Ren Xinhua wanted to transfer his debt to He Qianlu, He Qianlu's unfulfilled ambitions, and his love for He Qianlu as his apprentice to this girl.
"I think it's reasonable." Ren Xinhua nodded.
“…” Jiang Guangming.
"Even a good horse needs a good horse trainer. I agree." Ren Xinhua stood up with a smile and stretched out his hand to Zhu Qi.
The two men, one big and one small, reached out and shook hands, and the deal was sealed.
Ren Xinhua asked: "Who do you plan to let be your coach?"
"The former captain of the national women's team and the current coach of the new national women's team is Xu Dong," said Zhu Qi.
【Author’s words】
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