201 Extras (17)
◎Carve the shadows of two people on the ground.◎
The dining area is in the cafeteria.
Six large round tables were specially rented.
Three on each side.
There is a rectangular dining table in the middle, which is the seat reserved for coaches.
Because there are athletes present, it is not convenient to eat out, so the cafeteria aunties have to work overtime.
The players and parents took their seats in turn, and those who had good relationships naturally sat at the same table.
The men's and women's teams counted the number of people and found that there was just enough space for everyone to sit, so they sat down according to their respective teams.
As a result, it’s better to sit together than to sit alone.
The round tables were very close to each other, leaving only a path for people to pass through.
I don't know who arranged the position for him, but Zhu Qi arrived late because he had to stay in the national team to help reporters organize various videotapes.
When she arrived, her uncle and aunt had already taken their seats, leaving a seat in the middle for Zhu Qi.
The table on the west side was for the men's team, and sitting behind Zhu Qi was Song Linzhou.
Zhu Qi and Song Linzhou stood back to back, with the space between them only as wide as a fist.
Zhu Qi could hear the men's team at the table next to him praising Song Linzhou's performance.
Song Linzhou could also hear the women's team praising Zhu Qi's composure during his speech.
Zhu Qi knew what was going on immediately and glanced at Ah Shui who was sitting opposite him. Ah Shui lowered his head guiltily and ate the bowl of rice in front of him.
After all, Ah Shui's mother was a strong woman with a background in business, so she was well-versed in the ways of the world. She raised her glass to Zhu Qi and said, "Thank you, Captain Zhu, for taking care of us kids on the national team. Our Fang Miao said that the captain devotes his utmost to the training and support of each of the kids. Let's toast to the captain first."
The other parents also raised their glasses, and the players at the table followed suit.
Zhu Qi felt a little embarrassed, but embodying the demeanor of the oldest active player on the national table tennis team, he poured himself a glass of boiled water. "Thank you, parents! I'm just doing what I should do in my position. The players' achievements are the result of their own hard work. I'm drinking tea instead of wine. I hope the national table tennis team will continue to improve."
Zhu Qi doesn't drink.
Because alcohol is bad for motor nerves.
She is very self-disciplined in this regard.
In fact, some athletes do drink a little, especially male players. After all, they are old and can't avoid bragging to each other. Occasionally, they will buy some low-alcohol drinks and have a few drinks in the dormitory.
But the athletes sitting at the same table with Zhu Qi didn't dare to drink alcohol, and the cups they held up were either filled with water or juice.
All the adults at the table drank it.
My uncle and aunt sat on either side of Zhu Qi, talking excitedly and helping him pick up food.
Zhu Qi had never seen them so happy before. Maybe it was because they found out that their daughter had become a small leader when they arrived in Beijing. They couldn't control their pride and became flattered when they heard others praising them.
The four adults in the Zhu family were like this when Zhu Qi was a child.
As soon as they heard others praising Zhu Qi, they couldn't stop talking and could chat with each other for seven days and seven nights.
I can't wait to tell others what Zhu Qi ate for three meals a day when he was a child.
Zhu Qi could also understand.
After all, everyone wants others to praise their children.
In his previous life, Zhu Qi was an assistant coach at a club and was often dragged into this drinking culture, so he was familiar with some of the rules.
The little girl was well-spoken and not at all nervous in front of a table full of elders.
In fact, ten years ago, Song Linzhou's father felt that this little girl would have a bright future.
Parents of this generation are actually more or less concerned about their children's marriage.
Especially since there is a son at home who is excellent in all aspects.
Mr. and Mrs. Song are also a couple who have been through thick and thin together.
The two of them experienced large-scale layoffs together, went hungry for a period of time, and worried about their livelihood.
When they were homeless, the couple looked at the young Song Linzhou and made up their minds in those days when they didn't even know what the future would hold.
As long as he can survive, Song Linzhou doesn’t care what happens in the future.
Mr. Song is actually also an avid table tennis enthusiast, but his level is only at the park level.
Since his son started playing, he strongly supported him. Later, when he had some spare money, he invested in some domestic table tennis competitions and served as an award presenter several times.
Song's father's impression of Zhu Qi also came from a phone call from his son, who said that a teammate wanted to buy a house and wanted him to help go over and take a look and recommend a suitable house.
After meeting Zhu Qi, Song's father felt that this little girl had a clear mind and spoke and acted very maturely. After returning home, he talked about it with Song's mother as a funny story.
The couple both had a good impression of the girl.
After all, no one doesn't like outstanding children.
And this is in the highly competitive field of sports.
Mother Song didn't pay much attention to table tennis matches, but when she accompanied her husband to watch her son's match, she was also attracted by this little girl.
Some people play ball just for the sake of playing ball.
Some people play to exude charm.
Every gesture, every swing of the racket, every run, and every shout of victory are so eye-catching that one can't take their eyes off them.
It's a wonderful feeling, I can feel the endless energy from this player.
After that, Mr. and Mrs. Song would specifically choose to watch the games between their son and Zhu Qi, and then secretly ask for a few autographs.
But as Zhu Qi gradually stopped playing in domestic competitions, Song's father and mother could only see Zhu Qi's competition achievements in newspapers and on TV.
This is also the charm of sports competition.
Maybe I don’t understand the game, but I really enjoy watching people play it.
Originally, Song's father and mother thought that Song Linzhou and the other party were just ordinary teammates. After all, the national team has a clear ban on male and female players from dating.
But it would be a lie to say that I'm not anxious.
The era of Mr. and Mrs. Song.
Men and women start talking about marriage as soon as they turn 18.
Getting married in your early 20s is considered late marriage.
So when Song Linzhou was 25 years old, Song's father and mother became anxious.
Anyway, my home is in Beijing, and the national team can also play on Sundays, so I want to call Song Linzhou home to introduce him to my relatives and friends.
But when this matter was mentioned, Song Linzhou called and said he would not go back.
Once or twice, maybe the team is busy.
After three or four times, the couple started to have doubts.
Later, when they were replacing furniture at home, the couple planned to sell the bedside table next to Song Linzhou's bedroom. As a result, when they opened the drawer, they saw a very exquisite small box inside.
The box was filled with a pile of golden medals.
All mixed doubles...
Song Linzhou placed it closest to his bed in his bedroom, like the boy's thoughts, hidden closest to his heart.
The couple respects their son's privacy. When Song Linzhou goes to the national team, the bedroom is closed. At most, they just sweep the floor when they come back occasionally.
If I hadn’t changed the bedside table this time, this small box would probably never have been discovered.
Father Song reached out and looked through the medals, only to find that they were all gold medals he had won in mixed doubles with Zhu Qi.
The back of the gold medals are still covered with sticky notes with the date and event.
From the first one to the most recent one.
Father Song understood.
The reason why I don’t want to go on a blind date may not be because of the national team’s regulations, but because I already have someone I like.
From then on, the couple never mentioned helping Song Linzhou find a girlfriend again.
When all relatives and friends asked, they also said there was no rush.
In the past, the two of them had actually thought that Song Linzhou might have someone he liked in the team, but the thought only flashed through their minds.
Because I feel that if there are any signs of this, the coaches will definitely find out.
If the coaches didn’t notice it, maybe this situation wouldn’t exist.
But then I thought about it carefully, it might be that the girl hasn't thought about it in this way yet.
And then the time came to now.
While drinking, Zhu Qi began to arrange his uncle and his friends' upcoming trip to Beijing.
The national team only covers hotel fees and round-trip tickets, but you still have to pay for your own travel.
"The wildlife park, the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square..." Zhu Qi said as he arranged the dates and asked his uncle to write them down.
My aunt asked from the side, "Aren't you going with us?"
Zhu Qi shook his head: "I don't have the time to go. You guys go have fun. I still have to lead the team in training."
"Don't you even have time to go out for a day?" my uncle felt sorry.
"The Los Angeles World Games are next year, so the past two years have been quite intense."
My aunt added, "Just now your aunt said that she would set up a table of wine in Chaojing and invite your brother and his girlfriend to have a meal with the two families. You have to come too."
Zhu Qi was drinking water and almost spit it out.
So fast?
Are you going to be officially engaged now?
Come to think of it.
A Shui's mother has been busy in Shanghai, and it is rare for my aunt and others to come to Beijing. If we have time to sit down and have a meal, we must seize the opportunity.
but……
Zhu Qi was a little worried: "We still have to compete next year. Starting to rush to get married now... isn't it too early?"
"Get engaged first," my aunt said. "According to our customs, we first pay the three golds, then set a date for the wedding banquet, pick up the bride, get the marriage certificate, and move into the new house..."
Zhu Qi was confused after hearing this. Although Qin Xiaoba and A Shui grew up together, how long had they actually been boyfriend and girlfriend?
She muttered softly, "What a hassle." Fortunately, she was not the one getting married.
My uncle laughed foolishly: "It is troublesome, but it is a great joy. Anyway, it is only this once in a person's life that one should have trouble. You will have to do the same in the future..."
Zhu Qi's mouth twitched, and she was about to say "What does this have to do with me", but the guy sitting behind her suddenly choked on the water.
When Zhu Qi looked back, Song Linzhou's cheeks were red, perhaps from being choked by the water, and the redness spread all the way to his ears and neck...
“…” Zhu Qi.
Oh, right.
She also promised Song Linzhou that she would consider their relationship after the Los Angeles match.
People seem particularly busy when they are embarrassed.
Song Linzhou felt that everything in front of him was wrong. The chopsticks were placed in the wrong place, the cup was placed in the wrong place, and the plate was a little dirty and wanted to wipe it...
The aunt sat next to Qin Xiaoba and glanced back at her greedy son who was only focused on eating. She pinched Qin Xiaoba's arm and asked softly, "Oh, you only know how to eat! Look, your sister is chatting with your uncle and aunt over there. Can you please talk to me, your mother?!"
Qin Xiaoba put down the chicken leg and wiped his mouth: "What are you talking about?"
The son's problem has been solved, but the eldest daughter's problem has not been solved yet.
She is the aunt and is equivalent to half a biological mother. If Zhu Qi is unhappy in the future, how will she face her second sister in the underworld a hundred years later?
Think of this.
My aunt then asked, "What does your sister think?"
"have no idea."
"Has she told you or Xiao Fang about this?"
"have no idea."
"Did your sister ever tell me what type she likes?"
"have no idea."
My aunt glared at me and said, "If you dare to say you don't know again, I'll beat you up."
Qin Xiaoba took another bite of beef and muttered, "I really don't know. My sister never told me, and I didn't dare to ask."
Seeing his mother's disbelief, Qin Xiaoba could only say, "The competition is so intense right now. My sister spends 20 hours a day preparing for competitions, watching videos, and training. She hates being pressured into getting married. Please stop bringing it up."
"Aren't I just telling you this?" Of course, the aunt knew that Zhu Qi didn't like being urged to get married, so the four people in the family never asked Zhu Qi.
But if the eldest brother can’t ask, can’t the second brother ask?
Anyway, I’m tired of asking, and the second one is the one who gets beaten.
But seeing Qin Xiaoba like this, his aunt became even more anxious: "You are talking about your sister's affairs, and you, as a younger brother, don't care at all? Do you have a conscience? Your sister is so good to you..."
"Oh my dear mother," Qin Xiaoba cried. "I do want to care about her, but you know her temper. Do I have the right to control her? I asked her about it last time, and my sister threatened me to find an 18-year-old boy and call him brother-in-law..."
My aunt didn't back down. She even thought about it seriously: "At 18... it's not impossible. He can marry into our family. We don't discriminate against sons-in-law. But the problem is that he has to be good-looking, tall, healthy, educated, and have a high degree. Such a man has good genes, and of course, most importantly, he has to have a good personality..."
“…” Qin Xiaoba.
When the parents' dinner was over and everyone was about to leave the hotel, Song Linzhou's parents found an opportunity to say a few words to Zhu Qi's uncle and aunt.
But we didn’t actually talk about anything else.
They just talked about their children's performance in the mixed doubles table tennis competition.
Zhu Qi and Song Linzhou are a world-renowned mixed doubles pair, and have won the most mixed doubles championships to date. Many teams use the Kirin combination's game videos as training videos when practicing doubles.
As parents of both parties, it is normal for them to talk and chat with each other.
When A Shui first came to talk to my aunt, he was a little shy, reserved and embarrassed.
Zhu Qi was much more normal, mainly because she didn't think this occasion was too important.
I had a brief chat with Mr. Song when I was looking at houses in the early years.
Mother Song took the initiative to extend her hand and shook hands with Zhu Qi, then greeted Zhu Qi in a very gentle voice.
Ah Shui was watching from a distance, envious of Zhu Qi's condition.
Zhu Qi's character of remaining calm even in the face of a catastrophe is truly ingrained in his DNA.
On the contrary, Song Linzhou looked a little nervous. When standing in front of his uncle and aunt, he could only smile politely and answer whatever was asked.
"What year was the boy born?" asked my aunt with a smile.
"Born in 1974, three years older than Zhu Qi." Song Linzhou felt his answer was a little off the mark. No one had asked how old he was compared to their own child. He quickly added, "Four years older than Qin Shang."
My uncle did the math.
Oh, counting cows.
Zhu Qi was born in 1977, and his zodiac sign is dragon.
It’s okay, the zodiac signs don’t fight.
Zhu Qi stood nearby, interested.
She felt that this kid had never been so nervous even when he was playing in the World Games.
The sound even sounded... a little bit harsh?
"He looks quite tall, about the same height as Qin Shang, right?" my uncle asked again.
Song Linzhou continued to answer: "Slightly taller than him, about 2 centimeters, net height 187."
He looked so serious as if he was reporting to his superiors, which made Zhu Qi want to laugh even more.
My uncle and aunt actually have a good impression of Song Linzhou.
Putting aside the fact that the two had played many games together in mixed doubles before, Qin Xiaoba praised Song Linzhou to the skies when he was at home, and the two elders were also very curious about the handsome young man.
"Where did you read the book?"
"How many people are there in your family?"
"An only child?"
Song Linzhou answered questions politely, telling Zhu Qi everything he knew. But he sensed a smirk in his eyes, so he leaned over slightly, pleading for help, hoping for a response.
Zhu Qi pretended not to see and looked at the scenery in the distance while waiting for the bus.
This kid is shy, so Zhu Qi sometimes finds it very interesting to tease him and see him scratching his ears and cheeks and blushing.
In the end, it was Qin Xiaoba who came to rescue Song Linzhou.
"The car to the hotel is here. If we don't leave now, it will be too late." Qin Xiaoba urged and pulled his uncle and aunt out.
Father Song came prepared and said cheerfully, "It's okay. My car is parked outside for a while. You can take my car over."
"Really? Thank you for your help then." My uncle, who comes from an honest farmer family, seldom deals with businessmen, but for the sake of his daughter, he has to find more opportunities to communicate with them.
Zhu Qi and Song Linzhou could only send the adults to the entrance of Tiantan East Road, and then watch them get on different cars to return to the hotel.
Song Linzhou was a little nervous at first, but after communicating face to face with Zhu Qi's family, he became more and more relaxed.
Song Linzhou had been to Jianghuai once before and stayed at Qin Xiaoba's house for one night.
Zhu Qi's family members are simple, honest and outspoken.
Such quality is hard to find in Beijing nowadays.
But Song Linzhou also knew.
What Zhu Qi meant when she said that to Song Linzhou was that after the World Games in Los Angeles were over, she would consider whether the relationship between her and Song Linzhou could be taken a step further.
But Zhu Qi didn't say that she must be his boyfriend or girlfriend.
The road ahead is long and arduous.
Still need to work harder.
But Qin Xiaoba and A Shui's "road" has come to an end.
This time they met at Tiantan East Road, and my aunt and A Shui's mother had a great conversation.
The parents of both sides agreed on a time and met up for dinner on the weekend.
As Qin Xiaoba's elder sister and A Shui's good friend, Zhu Qi should go and witness this moment both morally and logically.
My aunt stocked up on the three golds and bought an 88-gram gold necklace, gold earrings, gold ring and gold bracelet, with the main slogan being "Fa Fa Fa".
Qin Xiaoba also saved some money after the battle in Riyadh, and A Shui also took out his bonus to buy a house in Chaojing as a new home.
A Shui's mother gave an Audi as a dowry and handed the keys directly to the young couple.
The atmosphere of the entire engagement party was very good.
Qin Xiaoba and A Shui plan to settle in Chaojing in the future. In this case, my uncle-in-law will definitely move his family to Chaojing after he retires.
After the Riyadh World Games ended, the General Administration of Sports transferred the houses allocated to the World Games champions to Zhu Qi and others.
Originally, the athletes only had the right to use the house, but since the fighting at the Riyadh World Games was so fierce and almost everyone was injured, in order to reward and encourage meritorious athletes, the house was directly given to them.
It can be sold or inherited by children.
If my aunt and uncle come to Beijing, they can directly move into the house awarded to Qin Xiaoba.
Zhu Qi also has one. It just so happens that the houses awarded to athletes are all in the same residential complex, so his uncle and aunt can move in and live there directly.
The five adults chatted happily and ate happily, and A Shui's mother was even happier. Although she was busy with business, she was most worried about her daughter.
After drinking too much, A Shui's mother started talking about her ex-husband.
I don't know whether to invite my ex-husband to the wedding ceremony.
Nowadays, people tend to be somewhat prejudiced against children from single-parent families, so Ah Shui's mother had always been very worried about this... But Ah Shui was very resolute. She said, "Don't call him. Don't make things difficult for me. That day was so important to me that I didn't want to see him."
My aunt and uncle were also very open-minded about this matter and agreed: "The protagonists of the wedding are the two children. It is up to them to decide who to invite and who not to invite."
That's pretty much it for everything.
After that, I’ll just wait for Los Angeles to finish, and then put the follow-up content on the agenda.
The five adults were all satisfied and relieved that the two children had a secure future. Zhu Qi was also very happy watching from the side. Suddenly, he felt that the two people around him had started their own families and careers.
My mood changed instantly.
After the dinner, Zhu Qi also made a solemn handover and said to Qin Xiaoba, "You will have someone to take care of you from now on. Don't come and bother me for no reason. Understand?"
Qin Xiaoba suddenly felt that his personal status had changed. In the future, he would also start his own family, and from being a son, he would become the husband of his wife and the father of his children.
This also means that he has to work harder to support the family.
As the most pressure-resistant man in the national table tennis team.
Qin Xiaoba is ready to turn pressure into motivation.
At this World Games in Los Angeles, he won half of the men's singles championship.
After all, opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared.
Another person who was well prepared also began to make his presence felt in front of the parents.
After playing in Chaojing for a few days, the four adults were actually quite curious and worried about the training of their own children.
Many things about the national team can only be learned from newspapers, including the last time Qin Xiaoba was sent back to the local team. By the time his family found out, Qin Xiaoba had already been sent back to the second team.
They also wanted to know what Zhu Qi and Qin Xiaoba’s usual training was like.
Are you busy or tired?
After communicating with the coaching staff individually, the four adults got the opportunity to observe the national team training in Tiantan East Road in the afternoon on the first day before leaving Beijing.
When Qin Xiaoba went to the gate to pick up his uncle, aunt and parents, he was still wearing a wet jersey.
"What's so interesting about training? Everyone is playing basketball together and no one is talking. You said you were all going back soon, why don't you rest well in the hotel..." Qin Xiaoba said a lot of things in a babble.
My aunt patted his head and said, "You've seen this before, haven't you? You train together every day, so you must be used to it."
There is a large glass wall outside the training hall with a row of windows in the middle for ventilation, so the four adults could only lie outside and watch.
When I first came here, I was full of curiosity.
I especially want to see the place where my children have lived for so many years and what kind of work they do every day.
When I actually saw it, it was actually quite different from what I imagined.
That is, no one really spoke during training.
All I could hear were the sounds of footsteps, the sound of the ball hitting the ground, the panting of people running, and the sound of the ball hitting the floor.
Looking around the empty stadium, there were more than 40 players and more than 20 tables.
In the crowd, four adults saw Zhu Qi's position.
She was doing mixed doubles training with Song Linzhou for Xiao Lingdang and Jinzi.
Many times, the tacit understanding between partners can be seen in their gestures.
The two people rotate their positions.
There seemed to be a thread connecting them, and whenever there was a gap, the other person would take over.
It looked like ballroom dancing.
The most exciting thing was that in the silent moment, her eyes wandered a little, and he responded immediately as if he had heard an order.
Da, bang!
Da, bang! ...
Even my aunt, who doesn't really understand football, felt the special aura between the two.
What you see on TV is indeed different from the atmosphere you feel offline.
"Are your sister and Xiao Song still participating in the mixed doubles this time?" asked my uncle.
Qin Xiaoba shook his head: "No, Da Ling is going to take the new men's doubles, Lao Fang and I will play mixed doubles."
In fact, Zhu Qi and Song Linzhou can still play for another term in this state, but the coaching staff felt that Qin Xiaoba was not capable of leading the newcomers, so they did not allow Song Linzhou to take on four tasks and abuse the veterans.
While a few people were talking, the training ended.
Zhu Qi was also sweating. When she walked to the side to find a towel, Song Linzhou had already come over with a prepared towel and handed it to her.
The two people stood face to face, talking about some problems that had just occurred during training.
The sunshine is just right.
It spilled in from the glass on the other side.
Carve the shadows of two people on the ground.
In fact, their presence is everywhere.
Tiantan East Road is a sacred place that has witnessed many stars rising.
For table tennis players, it is a place more important than home.
/
The four elders in the family have returned to Jianghuai.
Zhu Qi and Qin Xiaoba took half a day off to go to the train station to see them off.
Originally, A Shui was also going to come, but Zhu Qi felt it was not good to have too many senior team members ask for leave at once, so he did not let A Shui come.
This time when we came to Beijing, the four adults also wanted to see their children, have a meal and travel.
The engagement of Qin Xiaoba and A Shui was also resolved.
Now that their children are living well in Chaojing, they are relieved.
My uncle-in-law will be able to retire in five years.
Then the whole family can live together in Chaojing permanently.
In the past, parents watched their children board trains and leave their hometowns.
Now it was Zhu Qi's turn to watch his family leave Chaojing.
Zhu Qi and Qin Xiaoba stood at the ticket gate of the train station, watching four adults carrying their luggage enter the platform one by one.
They waved to each other and said goodbye.
After bidding farewell to his family, he headed for Los Angeles.
【Author’s words】
The fight in Los Angeles went very fast. After all, the extra chapter is mainly about the love story, so I'll try to finish it in one chapter [scatter flowers]
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