Translator: dapotaturs
Release Date: 10/02/2023
Chapter 187: Su Bai's New Talent Selection (7)
Faced with Ding Ruihan's almost furious questioning, Su Bai had no intention of continuing to pay attention to him. He pointed at Ding Ruihan and said to Gu Cheng, "Make a call to the sports team in X province and inform them that Ding Ruihan violated training rules and should be sent back to his original team."
These athletes who were recruited for tryouts by the national team were under the spotlight of the entire nation. Everyone was looking forward to seeing what kind of talents would emerge from this group.
In a position where countless people's attention was focused, if someone like the three athletes on the first day, who simply didn't want to switch events and returned to their original teams, expressed a desire to stay in their current discipline, many could understand. But if someone like Ding Ruihan was sent back to his original team for violating training rules...
Even though Ding Ruihan was used to being arrogant and unruly while in the X provincial athletics team, he knew that he would undoubtedly face a lot of resentment upon returning.
Given his temperament, how could he tolerate such a situation?
Ding Ruihan was about to act out, and the surrounding athletes were taken aback by his aggressive posture. However, the physical training coach, who had been following closely behind, immediately restrained Ding Ruihan. His muscles, as hard as iron, pressed against Ding Ruihan's arm, rendering him immobile. The other coaches and tryout athletes around him also realized the situation. They couldn't wait for him to approach Su Bai and were already looking at him warily.
Su Bai frowned as he watched Ding Ruihan's attempt to make a move. The ice in his eyes grew colder, and he glanced at Ding Ruihan firmly before saying, "I will personally inquire with Coach Li from X province about how he has been coaching his athletes!"
In athletics teams and sports schools, there were indeed many young athletes, and some of them could be quite spirited. Occasionally, disputes would arise between athletes due to mutual disagreements. However, as athletes who had grown up within the system, they held a fundamental respect for their coaches, teammates, and the sport they were engaged in.
But the current Ding Ruihan, as Su Bai had previously mentioned, lacked any sense of reverence. Whether facing teammates, coaches, or the 400-meter discipline itself, in his eyes, nothing deserved respect.
Athletes who lacked this sense of reverence, no matter how talented they were, could never fully realize their potential. Even when faced with the challenge of not improving their performance, they wouldn't look within themselves for the problem but would instead blame others for their lack of progress.
From the current situation, Su Bai could already anticipate what kind of athlete Ding Ruihan would grow into.
Upon hearing Su Bai's words, Ding Ruihan appeared somewhat fierce but reluctant to admit his mistake. He continued to glare at Su Bai and said, "You dare!"
Su Bai had no intention of saying another word to Ding Ruihan. He waved his hand towards Gu Cheng, instructing Gu Cheng and the physical coach to take Ding Ruihan away.
"Today, make sure to escort him out of the athlete's dormitory."
A player like him would only be a disruptive influence if he were allowed to stay. Su Bai had no intention of further engaging with him and simply let Gu Cheng take care of it.
With a group of young and spirited athletes watching and a formidable physical coach behind him, Ding Ruihan couldn't do anything even if he wanted to cause a scene in the training facility.
In the end, he could only glower in Su Bai's direction and mutter bitterly, "You'll regret this!"
Su Bai: ...
Watching Ding Ruihan being led away by Gu Cheng and the physical coach, Su Bai couldn't help but wonder what he had to regret.
After Ding Ruihan had disappeared from sight, Su Bai turned to the surrounding players and said, "Alright, for those who haven't finished training yet, focus on your training. I came here today to inform you that the elimination mechanism for the trial team has been arranged. In one month, we'll have an internal competition, and based on everyone's physical test results and performance in the internal competition, we'll start eliminating individuals gradually."
Upon hearing Su Bai's words, the players who had been confused moments ago immediately snapped to attention. They returned to their training positions and resumed their unfinished training items.
Without mentioning anything else, the athletes who came to the national team for trials and didn't choose to return to their original teams like the previous three had thoughts about transitioning to the 400-meter discipline. In such circumstances, they would be interested in understanding the situation of their fellow competitors within the team.
This guy Ding Ruihan, although he really looks like he has no brains, his performance in the 400 meters is indeed among the best among young athletes in the country.
He was able to be so arrogant before, relying on this confidence, thinking that the national team would not really reject him.
But even a player like him, Su Bai said to send him away, and he was sent away.
The other players present didn't think they could have the same confidence as Ding Ruihan, nor did they think Su Bai would go easy on them for any special reason.
After finally making it to the national team for trials, they naturally intended to train hard and try to stay after the internal team competition!
After using the elimination rules of the trial team to change the mood of the players in the team, Su Bai walked out of the training field, contacted the team's staff, and got the phone number of the athletics team in Province X.
In the athletics team of Province X, when Li Gaoming received a notification from the team's staff that Su Bai had called the athletics team and wanted to contact him, he originally had some pleasant surprises in his heart. He thought that Su Bai might have noticed Ding Ruihan's talent and wanted to ask Province X's athletics team for him. But when he answered the phone and heard Su Bai say in person that Ding Ruihan had already been sent back to the athletics team of Province X due to training violations, his face turned pale.
"Coach Su, do you think there might be a misunderstanding here? While Ruihan may have a bad temper, training violations..." Li Gaoming tried to make Su Bai reconsider, but when it came to his mouth, he really didn't have much confidence. After all, he knew Ding Ruihan's character, and he himself had turned a blind eye to training violations in the past.
Su Bai, of course, had no intention of forgiving Ding Ruihan. He only said to Li Gaoming, "Coach Li, I can understand your attachment to talented athletes, but rules are rules, and principles are principles. I made this call to tell you that an athlete who cannot respect their coach, their discipline, and the efforts of everyone in the sport will find it difficult to make significant progress in the sport, even if they have talent."
These words, Su Bai was considerate of Li Gaoming's feelings, so he didn't say them too explicitly, but he believed that Li Gaoming would understand the implied meaning.
Indeed, as Su Bai had anticipated, Li Gaoming understood the underlying message in Su Bai's words. He was essentially saying that a player like Ding Ruihan didn't need to be further nurtured.
"..."
Li Gaoming himself had a mild and kind personality, known as a gentle coach in the athletics team of Province X. That was why he had taken such good care of Ding Ruihan, inadvertently shaping his character into what it was today.
Initially, when he heard that Su Bai wanted to send Ding Ruihan back, Li Gaoming was anxious and wanted to persuade Su Bai to reconsider. But after hearing Su Bai's implicit message, Li Gaoming instinctively developed a protective instinct towards his "cub."
"Su Coach, Ruihan isn't really that bad!" Li Gaoming's voice had a hint of urgency. "He's just young and impulsive. A little guidance is all he needs... He's actually a good kid!"
On the other end of the phone, Su Bai listened to Li Gaoming's words but ultimately didn't say much more. He understood that coaches like Li Gaoming, who treated their athletes like their own children, were unlikely to change their protective mentality overnight. No matter how much he said, Li Gaoming might not truly understand.
With this in mind, Su Bai didn't waste more words. He simply told Li Gaoming, "Coach Li, despite your experience as a coach, let me offer one more piece of advice: teaching athletes well isn't just about being good to them, pampering them, or taking care of them. If you genuinely want to help Ding Ruihan, you need to make him understand the importance of respect."
Having said that, Su Bai bid farewell to Li Gaoming and hung up the phone.
For Su Bai, every coach had their coaching philosophy and personal habits. Even he, as a coach, didn't like being overly harsh and severe with athletes during training. However, what he always emphasized was that his athletes needed to understand the principles and boundaries.
He was firm in enforcing the rules, and if he promised something, he would deliver. If he demanded something from his athletes, they were expected to comply. In his coaching philosophy, equality and principles coexisted, and the coach-athlete relationship was neither too tense nor too relaxed.
From the moment he arrived at the national team and used a thunderous approach to alert all the athletes, Su Bai had successfully coexisted with the athletes in the team, thanks to his coaching philosophy and methods. He believed he would continue to adhere to these fundamental principles in the future.
Regarding the sprinting group, Pei Jin'an quickly learned about Su Bai's decision to send Ding Ruihan back to his original team. However, Pei Jin'an didn't question Su Bai's actions. After briefly understanding Ding Ruihan's behavior, he promptly issued a written agreement for Ding Ruihan's return and called Su Bai to request a new list of replacement athletes.
In summary, although Ding Ruihan still had a scowling face, he was escorted by Gu Cheng and the fitness coach all the way back to his dormitory. After packing up all his belongings, they saw him off at the gate of the national team's athletics training base.
Inside the training hall of the trial team, after Su Bai had left, some of the athletes who were familiar with each other began to quietly discuss the recent events.
"Wow, it's the first time I've seen a living idiot... Impressive!"
Wu Tian exclaimed in amazement, while Qiu Mingjie and Zhuo Yutang agreed with astonishment.
Ding Ruihan's behavior had truly shocked them.
Beside him, Qiu Mingjie also expressed his astonishment in agreement.
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Chapter 188: Ding Ruihan's Final Outcome
Ding Ruihan's departure didn't have a particularly significant impact on the trial team members. Instead, it cleared up the training atmosphere within the trial team. Previously, Ding Ruihan's lax attitude during training had been observed by many athletes, and some felt that his behavior was inappropriate, but they hadn't taken a strong stance on the matter.
Now, within the trial team's training hall, the athletes were more focused and diligent in their training. At least on the surface, no athlete dared to slack off like Ding Ruihan did in the past.
Three days after Ding Ruihan was sent back to the athletics team in X Province, another athlete from the Y Province athletics team arrived at the national team to take his place. Meanwhile, on the internet, the news of Ding Ruihan being sent back to the X Province athletics team had caused a small stir over the past few days.
On the day Ding Ruihan was sent away from the athletics team, he posted a photo of the national team's training base gate and his luggage, along with a caption on social media.
Caption: 【What's the big deal with Su Bai? I won't serve the national athletics team anymore!"
Although this social media post was ordered to be deleted by the X Province athletics team less than an hour after it was posted, some athletics enthusiasts had already noticed it and captured screenshots. They discussed this information on social media platforms and athletics forums.
Topic: 【Does anyone know what happened with Ding Ruihan? He was sent back from the national team's trial training? (Attached: National Team's Announcement about Ding Ruihan 's training misconduct and return to the original team)】
Discussion: 【I remember Ding Ruihan had good results, right? Among the younger generation, he was one of the promising athletes. Was he sent back just like that? The announcement only mentioned training misconduct. What's the whole story behind this? It seems too harsh to send him back directly.
PS: I still trust Su Bai's judgment, but I think Ding Ruihan seemed to have some talent. Is it a bit of a waste to send him back like this?】
3: 【Don't really know the situation, waiting for the inside scoop.】
8: 【I don't know much either, but I've heard a bit about Ding Ruihan. He seems pretty arrogant, thinking he's the best among the younger generation. So, he never really respected other athletes. My buddy knows a member of the X Province athletics team, and he says that person's also quite arrogant. I guess Ding Ruihan brought that attitude to the national team. Su Bai, the coach, didn't tolerate it, so he got sent back.】
17: 【Let me quietly spill some tea. 8's brother got it almost right. Ding Ruihan was dragging his feet during training at the national team and even approached female trial athletes, trying to hit on them during training hours. One of the coaches gave him a lecture for this, but he had the audacity to argue with the coach. He relied on his talent, thinking no one among the trial athletes could replace him. He even wanted Su Bai to treat him like a king. But you know what? Su Bai didn't buy into that, and he told Ding Ruihan, 'Among the trial athletes, you're not the most talented.' Then Su Bai just sent him packing.】
Due to the current popularity of athletics, there were many spectators and casual fans in the Athletics Kingdom online community. When Su Bai gathered outstanding young athletics athletes from across the country for trials, it naturally generated a lot of interest. Upon seeing the topic, many people joined the discussion.
After reading the 17th floor comment, many people responded with shocked emojis and expressions of "I see now." Some criticized Ding Ruihan for not valuing his opportunities.
Originally, the whole thread had a fairly unanimous attitude towards Ding Ruihan. However, at around the 50th comment, a new account suddenly appeared, claiming to be Ding Ruihan's friend. This account began launching a tirade, using derogatory language and accusing Su Bai of being undeserving of his reputation. They argued that the athletes Su Bai ultimately selected would never achieve the same level of success as Ding Ruihan.
Although this new account claimed to be Ding Ruihan's friend, most people on the forum saw through this tactic of "I'm a friend of mine." While they recognized that professional athletes might frequent the forums, they hadn't seen someone like Ding Ruihan personally engaging in online disputes and arguments. Athletics enthusiasts tended to have a more forgiving attitude toward athletes, especially those with great potential, and they assumed that Ding Ruihan's actions might be attributed to his young age and inability to handle disappointment.
However, even though the athletics enthusiasts backed off, Ding Ruihan's alternate account didn't relent. This alternate account continued to make a scene in the thread, even going so far as to complain about the 17th-floor comment in the forum's management section, demanding that others admit they were wrong and kneel before him.
Initially, some forum members tolerated it, but when Ding Ruihan's alternate account began to make personal attacks and accusations against other users, some couldn't hold back and started engaging with him using their own alternate accounts.
The original user from the 17th floor also stepped in, saying, "You claim to be Ding Ruihan's friend? Well, that's a coincidence. My friend is one of the trial athletes this time, and he witnessed this personally. Why are you saying I'm spreading rumors? If I were really spreading rumors, should we send this conversation to the official social media account of the national team and ask if I'm lying?"
After this user from the 17th floor intervened, Ding Ruihan's alternate account finally quieted down, and many forum members realized that the 17th-floor user was likely one of the trial athletes, unafraid of confronting Ding Ruihan.
However, no one exposed the 17th-floor account, and they decided to bring the discussion back to the original topic, reviewing the details of Ding Ruihan's actions and behavior during his time at the national team.
X Province Athletics Team
In the past three days, Li Gaoming had called Ding Ruihan countless times. As soon as he received Su Bai's call informing him that Ding Ruihan would be sent back to the X Province Athletics Team, he immediately called Ding Ruihan, worried that there wouldn't be anyone to buy his plane ticket from B City back to the X Province. When he found out that the national team had arranged his return flight, he personally drove to the airport to pick up Ding Ruihan.
However, after Li Gaoming brought Ding Ruihan back that evening, the very next morning, Ding Ruihan didn't return to the team for training. Instead, he left without notice, and when Li Gaoming called him, he said he wasn't in the mood to train. He disappeared without telling anyone where he was going.
In the past, although Ding Ruihan was not easy to handle, he was still willing to stay with the athletics team. After all, for athletes, training and nutrition required careful attention, and there were many restrictions on what they could eat outside the team. It was more convenient to stay with the athletics team than to leave.
The situation took a turn for the worse when Ding Ruihan left the team again the day after his return, seemingly unable to tolerate the embarrassment of being sent back from the national team and not wanting to face ridicule within the provincial team. Li Gaoming, who was already feeling frustrated because of Su Bai's phone call, was hit with the news of Ding Ruihan leaving the team once more.
Li Gaoming genuinely cared for Ding Ruihan. Unlike some team members who had joined the provincial team later in life after attending sports schools, Ding Ruihan had a relationship with Li Gaoming that was somewhat similar to the one between Zhao Heping and Su Bai. They both had been identified by their coaches at the age of twelve or thirteen and brought directly into the provincial team, with Li Gaoming acting as both a coach and a father figure to Ding Ruihan during his development.
After listening to Su Bai's words, Li Gaoming felt conflicted. He wondered if he had spoiled Ding Ruihan too much, potentially leading to his current behavior. However, just as he had resolved to discipline Ding Ruihan properly, this young athlete left the team, leaving Li Gaoming more worried than angry.
By this point, Li Gaoming had started to acknowledge that he might have played a role in Ding Ruihan's actions, but he couldn't simply abandon his responsibilities towards him. Their six or seven years of mentorship and friendship made it impossible to just cut ties.
Li Gaoming tried to contact Ding Ruihan's family and asked for their help in locating him. He also continuously called Ding Ruihan, only to discover that he had been blocked, and his calls couldn't get through. Shortly after, someone informed him that Ding Ruihan's alternate account was causing trouble on the Athletics Kingdom forum.
Although Li Gaoming could endure these events to some extent, the leadership of the X Province Athletics Team could not. The director of the X Province Athletics Team issued an ultimatum to Li Gaoming: "Find Ding Ruihan and bring him back within today. We will give him a severe reprimand. Once he corrects his behavior, we'll remove the disciplinary record. If he refuses to return today, he's not welcome back to the X Province Athletics Team!"
This ultimatum caught Li Gaoming off guard and added to his growing concerns.
After all, Ding Ruihan's track record was there for everyone to see. Despite his past antics, the team had tolerated him, considering him a precious future star. This sentiment grew stronger, especially after the 400-meter event gained prominence in China. The provincial team's leaders had high hopes for Ding Ruihan, waiting for him to make it to the national team and bring glory to X Province in the 400-meter event, just like Qiu Wen from the S Province Athletics Team.
When the leaders of the X Province Athletics Team were driven to say, "If he doesn't return today, he's not welcome back," it was evident that they were extremely frustrated.
Li Gaoming nervously contacted Ding Ruihan's family and continued to call Ding Ruihan persistently. Eventually, he managed to reach one of Ding Ruihan's friends and convinced him to leave a high-end internet café.
Ding Ruihan's family had always believed in their son's potential as a future star, and his selection for the national team trials had only increased their expectations. They were shocked when he was sent back to the provincial team in just a few days, and they couldn't understand why this had happened.
Ding Ruihan's mother hesitated as she asked Li Gaoming, "Coach Li, could you speak to Coach Su from the national team? Maybe it's just because our Ruihan is young and a bit immature. Is it really such a big deal that he was sent back?"
His father shared the same sentiment, saying, "That's right, Coach Li. Our Ruihan has exceptional talent in the 400-meter event. Among athletes in his age group, who can beat him? Are you sure this isn't because that Coach Su has other intentions? How about I personally go to B City and try to use some connections to see if this can be resolved?"
Li Gaoming considered their requests once more and then said, "I understand your concerns and expectations, but the decisions of the national team are very strict and authoritative. Their selection criteria aim to ensure the overall quality and competitiveness of the team. Right now, it's crucial that we help Ruihan reevaluate his behavior and actions, allowing him to mature not only as an athlete but also as a team player."
"As for Coach Su, I will contact him. However, I hope you understand that his decisions are well thought out, and the national team has very high standards. We can't just focus on Ruihan's talent; we also need to consider his potential for development and his ability to work within a team. I will do my best to assist Ruihan in reintegrating into the team, but it will also require his own efforts and improvements."
Li Gaoming knew that calming Ding Ruihan's family's anxiety wouldn't be easy, but he also understood that the national team's requirements were strict and couldn't be ignored. He would do his best to advocate for Ruihan's opportunity, but ultimately, the outcome would depend on Ruihan's own efforts and changes.
After a day of turmoil, Li Gaoming finally met Ding Ruihan. However, when he pulled Ding Ruihan aside, he was met with a face full of impatience and a complete lack of any remorse. Furthermore, Ding Ruihan's parents were also speaking in his defense, not admitting any wrongdoing on his part. In fact, Ding Ruihan's father even suspected that Su Bai had sent Ding Ruihan back due to some unethical reasons.
This blatant refusal to acknowledge any wrongdoing and shifting the blame onto others made Li Gaoming suddenly realize the gravity of the situation. It reminded him of his initial reaction when he received Su Bai's call, where he had also thought that Ding Ruihan couldn't have done something significant and had tried to persuade Su Bai to forgive him with a light punishment.
But what exactly had Ding Ruihan done wrong?
Officially, the national team had stated that he violated training discipline. However, while waiting for Ding Ruihan's flight back to X Province, Li Gaoming had also contacted his friends within the national team, and he had learned about all the things Ding Ruihan had actually done.
After listening to the full account, Li Gaoming fell into a long silence. Even he, who had high expectations for Ding Ruihan's performance, couldn't justify keeping him in the national team after hearing the details. His old friend had advised him, much like Su Bai, that as a coach, he couldn't indulge an athlete without boundaries. Talented athletes needed discipline and couldn't be pampered excessively. Athletes required coaches to push them in training, or sometimes even use persuasion and promises of benefits—otherwise, they could end up squandering their potential.
Until this incident, Li Gaoming hadn't seen anything wrong with how he had treated Ding Ruihan. He had always believed that Ding Ruihan, being young, was just a bit immature and would eventually grow out of it. After all, he had undeniable talent. However, he now couldn't help but reevaluate his actions and decisions.
But...
When Li Gaoming really thought about it again, were these behaviors truly normal?
Now, facing Ding Ruihan, who had been brought out of the internet cafe, and looking at the attitude of Ding Ruihan's parents, Li Gaoming finally let out a sigh of relief that he had been holding in because he couldn't find Ding Ruihan.
He had indeed spoiled this child.
Although he had this realization in his mind, Li Gaoming still thought that he should bring Ding Ruihan back to the team first. He believed that if he had spoiled Ding Ruihan before, there was still time and a chance to slowly correct his personality. With Ding Ruihan's talent, as long as his personality was adjusted, there would still be opportunities and a future ahead.
With this in mind, Li Gaoming said to Ding Ruihan, "Come, let's go back to the team... Stop messing around and train seriously. Let's aim for good results next year!"
However, unexpectedly, Ding Ruihan, who had already been upset, had a change in his expression when he heard this. He said angrily, "Are you looking down on me too, just like them?!"
Ding Ruihan had an expression of betrayal, as if he had been betrayed by Li Gaoming.
At this moment, Ding Ruihan was like a lit firecracker, and Li Gaoming didn't say much. Even on the side, Ding Ruihan's parents didn't seem to agree with him.
"Coach Li, should we not go to the national team? How can we accept this? Look at Ruihan, he has such great talent, there's no way the national team would reject him!"
"Yeah, everyone says that Coach Su Bai is great and can train world-class athletes. Look at Zhang Ziyi now; his performance used to be ordinary, and now he's breaking 45 seconds. He's about to participate in the Tokyo Olympics. There's also Qiu Wen, Guo Dun, and Li Junhao; their results weren't that great initially!"
"These athletes, Coach Su managed to develop them to their current level. With Ruihan's talent, breaking 45 seconds should be no problem! And later, we can aim for gold at the Asian Games and Asian Championships. Moreover, in the national team's 4x400m relay team, that Guo Dun's performance isn't up to par. His personal best hasn't even broken 46 seconds, and he's not young anymore. Now that the 4x400m relay team has secured a spot in the Tokyo Olympics, imagine if we replace Guo Dun with Ruihan and train him properly. We can definitely achieve better results!"
"Our Ruihan is such a talented athlete, and the national team doesn't want him? I think Coach Su Bai might be intentionally making things difficult!"
Sometimes, there's no reasoning with certain people.
Li Gaoming stared blankly at Ding Ruihan's family and felt a bitter taste in his mouth.
He remembered what he had said to Su Bai on the phone earlier and realized that Su Bai might have felt the same way when facing him, just as he was facing Ding Ruihan and his family now.
Li Gaoming closed his eyes helplessly for a moment and then opened them, saying, "Ruihan, the team has given me an ultimatum. If you don't come back to the team with me today, then don't bother coming back at all."
"Think about it yourself. Do you want to come back with me?"
When he said this, Li Gaoming's voice trembled slightly. After all, this was his disciple whom he had been with for six or seven years, a child he had spoiled. How could he suddenly make up his mind like this?
But if he didn't make up his mind, what could he do?
He had already spoiled the child, and he hoped he could bring him back to the team, re-educate him properly. However, he had no certainty whether he could still correct Ding Ruihan's course.
As expected, when Ding Ruihan heard his words, he exploded, "Don't bother coming back to the team?! I don't even want to go back! Did they ever consider that besides me, is there anyone else in the X Province Athletics Team for the 400m event?"
Beside him, Ding Ruihan's parents also showed anger. They clearly had a lot of confidence in their child and felt that the X Province Athletics Team was insulting him.
"Coach Li, Ruihan is someone you personally brought up. You know his talent, and you also know the talent of the other athletes in the athletics team. There's no way the X Province Athletics Team would let go of Ruihan! Just think about it, Ruihan was inexplicably sent back from the national team because of some ridiculous reasons. He's just a child, feeling upset. Let him relax for a few days. His father and I will bring him back to rest. Why are the leaders scaring people with their words?"
"That's right! Among the athletes left in the X Province Athletics Team, who can compare to Ruihan? Coach Li, if you don't help us find a way to get Ruihan back to the national team, why don't you at least say something on our behalf to the leaders? In the future, who else in the X Province Athletics Team can excel in the 400m event without Ruihan?"
Faced with Ding Ruihan and his parents' questioning, Li Gaoming didn't even know where to start. "...It's impossible with the national team. Another athlete has already reported to the national team as Ruihan's replacement."
Upon hearing Li Gaoming's words, Ding Ruihan's parents immediately looked disappointed, thinking that the national team had no vision.
Li Gaoming moved his lips slightly but didn't know what else to say. He then said, "Ruihan, I'll ask you again. Do you want to come back to the team with me today? If not... then I'll consider myself as never having trained you as my disciple."
As he said these words, Li Gaoming's heart ached, but he also realized that he couldn't continue to pamper Ding Ruihan like before. Only if Ding Ruihan was willing to come back with him and listen to him could he slowly try to steer him back on the right path.
Unfortunately, when Ding Ruihan heard his words, he exploded. He had no intention of returning to the X Province Athletics Team, and he felt like coming back would be admitting defeat.
Ding Ruihan's parents, knowing that Li Gaoming was usually lenient, thought he was just trying to scare them and said, "Coach Li, Ruihan is still upset. He's young and has a thin face. Let him rest for a few more days and calm down. We'll bring him back once he's feeling better."
With that, Ding Ruihan's parents coaxed him away, completely ignoring Li Gaoming, who stood there with a glimmer of hope that they might change their minds.
That night, after Li Gaoming returned to the X Province Athletics Team, he stood at the gate waiting until midnight before finally returning to his coach's dormitory. He was red-eyed and spent the entire night smoking and pondering.
The next day, Li Gaoming received a call from the director of the X Province Team to confirm whether Ding Ruihan had returned to the team. After a long silence, he reluctantly told the director that Ding Ruihan had not returned.
On the other end of the phone, the director of the X Province Team understood Li Gaoming's deep attachment to Ding Ruihan. He offered some words of comfort before sighing, "Ding Ruihan has gone too far this time. Our team has been too lenient with our athletes in the past, allowing them to lack respect. That's why we have incidents like this."
"We had a meeting and discussed it. In the future, we can't continue this way. Regardless of the athlete, we won't allow any special treatment other than dietary preferences. Mistakes will be punished, and achievements will be rewarded. All athletes will be treated equally in their training and daily lives. We can't afford to raise another athlete like Ding Ruihan."
Li Gaoming didn't voice any objections to the director's words, only acknowledging them.
That day, the announcement of Ding Ruihan's expulsion from the provincial team was posted, and the necessary procedures for his expulsion began immediately.
All coaches and athletes of the X Province Team were called for a meeting, specifically discussing the case of Ding Ruihan. Ding Ruihan was already a well-known figure in the X Province Team, and when they heard that he had been expelled, it came as a shock. Even the few athletes who had been rather careless in their attitude quickly changed their behavior.
After this disciplinary meeting, some athletes who had maintained decent relationships with Ding Ruihan secretly messaged him to inquire about what had happened. Ding Ruihan only then learned that he had been expelled directly from the X Province Athletics Team when he saw a photo of the announcement.
Upon seeing the photo of his expulsion notice, Ding Ruihan first felt furious and then became somewhat panicked. He couldn't believe that despite his exceptional talent and the fact that no other 400m athlete in the X Province Team could match him, they had dared to expel him.
However...
Now that he might be expelled, what would he do in the future?
He had gained admission to the most prestigious university in the X Province based on his athletic achievements, and the university had hoped that his achievements and honors would bring glory to the school in the future.
But now that he had been expelled from the provincial team, at most, he could participate in some university-level sports events as an individual athlete. Even if he could sign up for competitions as an individual athlete, it wouldn't be the same as before.
Could he still expect privileges from the university?
What path would he take in the future?
Even if he obtained a degree in sports-related fields, with his records and qualifications as someone expelled from the provincial team, could he find a job at another provincial team or sports bureau?
A series of questions suddenly flooded Ding Ruihan's mind. He had been aware of these possibilities in the past, but he had always relied on his exceptional talent, thinking that others would surely value him highly. But now that things had reached this point, he felt a sense of panic. His parents were equally anxious upon hearing the news. However, when they tried to contact the X Province Athletics Team, it was already too late.
At the national team's training facility...
Su Bai was unaware of what had happened to Ding Ruihan after he was expelled from the X Province Team. At the moment, he was giving a theoretical lecture to the trial athletes, explaining the importance of the physical training program.
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