Translator: dapotaturs
Release Date: 10/20/2023
Chapter 303 Extra: After the Olympics (7) 《Super Sports》Conclusion & Love Variety Show Recording
After the General Administration of Sport completed a series of public announcements and resolved external issues, behind the scenes, known to few, including the GAS and some project management centers, some personnel quietly retired ahead of schedule.
Regarding the 《Super Sports》 variety show incident, some within the GAS raised doubts during the internal review. Why did no one notice that Wang Hesheng's team was the same team as the one behind 《The Strongest Challenger》 in the past? Could it be that the restructuring and reorganization of Wang Hesheng's team whitewashed their history and allowed the team to slip through unnoticed?
Moreover, the Athletics Center had previously provided a risk assessment, but the results did not receive sufficient attention. Now, the program had not even reached the level of risk identified in the Athletics Center's assessment, and yet it had already resulted in even worse consequences.
Understanding why this outcome was reached was not something that could be resolved simply by issuing external announcements and statements.
Internally, the GAS, including Chen Shen, conducted a self-examination after the incident. They followed the line of investigation and uncovered that some individuals had some questionable relationships with Wang Hesheng, including deceitful practices and some coaches covering up, all involving inappropriate financial interests.
The GAS was furious upon discovering this series of incidents and quickly followed the trail, removing a significant number of individuals involved. Although Chen Shen had not participated in any inappropriate financial activities, his oversight and misjudgment were crucial factors in creating the current situation.
As a result, Chen Shen also appeared on the list of early retirees, quietly and ingloriously leaving the position he had worked hard to achieve over the years.
While the GAS was handling this series of events internally, although still feeling that Su Bai's involvement in the rehabilitation plans of athletes from other projects was somewhat excessive, out of regret for the loss of promising talents and empathy, Wang Zhengsheng still hesitated and, in a casual manner, passed on the information about "Su Bai's expertise in drafting rehabilitation plans" to acquaintances in other project management centers, albeit in a personal capacity.
These old acquaintances of Wang Zhengsheng almost instantly understood his intentions. Many of them had been working hard to appease the coaches and injured athletes within their projects during this time. Not only the injured athletes but also other athletes, although not injured, had been somewhat affected in their condition. Dealing with these follow-up matters had been giving them headaches. Upon hearing Su Bai's name, they all brightened up.
Clearly, for Wang Zhengsheng to call them with such a message, it must have come from Su Bai.
Over the years, although their fields were different, being in the sports circle, they had more or less understood Su Bai's character and capabilities.
One of the descriptions of Su Bai's personality was "reliable."
—Any word spoken by Su Bai was as good as a signed contract. He only made promises for things he believed he could deliver.
Now that Su Bai had the confidence to involve himself in the rehabilitation plan, it suggested that even across different sports, he was capable of achieving a high level of expertise in this area.
Due to the particular and severe nature of the current situation, orders had been issued by both the various sports centers and the General Administration of Sport to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured athletes.
Under these circumstances, Su Bai's willingness to take charge indicated his capability to devise top-notch rehabilitation plans domestically.
Upon realizing this, many leaders from different centers promptly extended invitations to Su Bai to join the rehabilitation expert group, with the task of devising customized rehabilitation plans for different athletes based on their individual needs.
However, for most of the athletes, given their young age and the relatively minor nature of their injuries, they could be expected to recover to their optimal states through treatment and rehabilitation. Yet, one particular athlete, whose injury had been initially deemed likely to affect their future career, was ultimately concluded, after repeated consultations by the expert group, to be unable to sustain the high intensity demanded by competitive sports.
After reviewing the examination report of this athlete, Su Bai consulted coaches proficient in rehabilitation within the system, and their consensus was that the injury would significantly impact the athlete's future potential. Consequently, Su Bai had to reluctantly abandon the plan to help this athlete return to the arena.
What surprised Su Bai, however, was that this 14-year-old athlete, during his treatment, requested his coach to convey a message to Su Bai. He had heard about Su Bai's plan to select and train coaching talent specifically for young coaches and students, and he wanted to know if he could apply to attend the classes remotely.
Upon hearing this request from the young athlete named Ye Yichen, Su Bai made time to visit him in the hospital, still undergoing treatment, and inquired about the reason behind his request.
Although Ye Yichen was only 14 years old, perhaps due to the recent string of unfortunate events, his face, still somewhat youthful, now bore a serene and mature composure that belied his age. Yet, in his eyes, there remained a hint of innocence and hopefulness.
"I know that my injury this time was entirely due to the presence of some terrible coaches on the show. Among those people, even though some were not genuine coaches, I know that among them were those who served as assistant coaches in some regional teams."
Ye Yichen spoke to Su Bai, each word simple yet conveying a clear meaning: "Coach Su, as you know, as ordinary athletes, we often cannot choose our own coaches. However, the moral character and integrity of a coach can determine the fate of many athletes."
"I can no longer continue on the path of a professional athlete, but I love sports and my discipline. I want to learn to be a good coach and, like you, help more athletes have better careers."
After listening to Ye Yichen's account, Su Bai fell into a brief silence before saying, "But you are a member of the swimming team, and I am a coach for the track and field team."
Ye Yichen gazed at Su Bai with clear and bright eyes. "But you are the most talented coach I know. I want to learn from you how to be an excellent coach!"
Although Ye Yichen's request was somewhat unconventional, and the swimming and track and field teams operated in completely different domains, Su Bai eventually agreed after some consideration. He promised to send Ye Yichen an assessment questionnaire as well.
Su Bai said, "If you can pass the questionnaire assessment, then I will agree to your request."
Ye Yichen immediately transformed his mature expression into a smile, revealing the cheerful innocence befitting his age. "Okay, I will definitely fill out the questionnaire well! Thank you, Coach Su!"
At that moment, no one knew that this conversation would pave the way for another legendary story of a talented coach in the sports world.
After the removal of the 《Super Sports》variety show, the online criticism subsided following the General Administration of Sport's public announcement. Some netizens even discerned a different taste from the latest list of departures from the General Administration of Sport, allowing many onlookers to grasp the follow-up and conclusion of the 《Super Sports》 incident.
While the team behind 《Super Sports》, including Wang Hesheng, was struggling, the production team of the show 《Awkward Daily Life of New Lovers》, which had previously signed contracts with Su Bai and Cui Luoheng, finally found a time when Su Bai was available for filming.
The team of《New Lovers》 immediately stormed the national track and field team training base with their crew, beginning to shoot Su Bai and Cui Luoheng.
When it came to this variety show, the most interesting aspect was the couples who had just become lovers. Unlike the long-term couples who were too familiar with each other, these new lovers often tried to conceal certain aspects of themselves that they felt were not good enough in front of their partners, leading to awkward and inexperienced moments, potential silly arguments, and various other comedic points in the show.
With the established filming schedule, Su Bai and Cui Luoheng maintained the disciplined routines of athletes, starting their filming preparations as early as three or four in the morning. As a result, the entire crew sported a "cold indifference" expression for the whole morning.
The cameras had been following Su Bai since he woke up in the morning. The recording device installed in his room showed that his phone screen lit up by his pillow. After looking at the content on his phone, a distinct smile appeared on his face.
Just by looking at that smile, the crew members could tell that the message was probably sent by Cui Luoheng.
If one were to judge based on this segment alone, the crew members would be quite pleased with Su Bai's sweet demeanor.
However, the situation took a sharp turn afterwards... or rather, it deteriorated rapidly. Well, not quite that, but in any case, as Su Bai finished getting ready and left to meet Cui Luoheng, the latter would eagerly request a "morning hug" with bright eyes when they met for the first time that day.
Then.
The two of them went to the training ground together.
Yes, they went directly to the training ground, where Cui Luoheng started warming up by running laps, while Su Bai began discussing new training plans with the coaching staff.
Their actions were not for show. The crew members of the show could only watch as Su Bai consulted with the coaching staff about Cui Luoheng's training plan, occasionally also discussing with the other 400-meter athletes who hadn't participated in the Olympics and inquiring about Su Bai's teaching schedule and personnel selection for the next two months.
Meanwhile, Cui Luoheng trained alone for the most part, with an assistant coach by his side to assist during strength training exercises, preventing any potential injuries.
Throughout the training process, apart from brief moments of technical training, there was not much interaction between Cui Luoheng and Su Bai, despite their roles as coach and athlete.
After watching the entire process, the expressions on the faces of the crew members were marked by two big words: Is that it?
"We've gone this far, and this is what you give us to see?!"
Although there were occasional smiles exchanged between Cui Luoheng and Su Bai during the training, the material captured by the crew was clearly not enough for the show.
The head of the crew couldn't help but feel a headache looking at this footage, silently lamenting: This is supposed to be 《Awkward Daily Life of New Lovers》 not 《Daily Life of a Coach and His Familiar Disciple!》
During Su Bai and Cui Luoheng's training, the crew members didn't dare to disturb their serious work. Finally, after the morning training session was over, the head of the crew, feeling immense pressure, found Su Bai and Cui Luoheng.
"Coach Su, Ah Heng, um, I just want to ask, is this your daily love life today?"
Su Bai & Cui Luoheng: ?
Su Bai: "Yes? Is there a problem?"
Because the crew had requested to present the purest form of their daily love life, Su Bai and Cui Luoheng had brought the crew directly to the track and field team.
In fact, currently, after the Olympics, and just a few days ago, Cui Luoheng's Diamond League final had already ended. Having just won the annual final championship, he was currently on vacation and didn't need to train at this stage.
When the head of the crew learned this, he felt as if the ground was slipping from beneath him and he was about to pass out right then and there.
So, in reality, they didn't need to film Su Bai and Cui Luoheng's training schedule at the track and field team. However, Su Bai and Cui Luoheng personally arranged the training schedule to meet the requirements of the crew?!
The head of the crew was about to burst into tears in his heart and couldn't help but think, "Thank you for 'helping' us!"
But looking at the two before him, they truly didn't understand that they were "trying to be kind but making things worse." Therefore, the head of the crew endured and endured, took a deep breath, and cautiously suggested, "You two can consider having a normal romantic routine."
For example, playing together, going to an amusement park, and so on...
In his mind, the head of the crew carefully considered what arrangements could be made.
Su Bai and Cui Luoheng glanced at each other and then turned to look at the head of the crew.
Su Bai: "A normal love life?"
Cui Luoheng furrowed his brow. "What's that like?"
Head of the crew: ...
The head of the crew, whose vision was now darkening, quietly turned to talk with the crew members of his team:
【Aren't athletes so clueless about how to have a normal romantic relationship?】
【Well, not all athletes are like that. Some have very sweet daily romantic lives! Like, you see Zhang Shuai and her partner?】
【So, is it that we just chose the wrong subjects for our show? QAQ】
【Emmmm, yes, but the popularity of Su Coach and Cui Luoheng is higher!】
【You're right.】
After reluctantly accepting this explanation, the head of the crew grimaced and turned to Su Bai, asking if they had any "less ordinary" romantic arrangements.
After hearing the head of the crew's words, Su Bai also understood that although their daily love life did indeed revolve around the training field, it was not the smooth and uneventful routine the crew was looking for.
After understanding the crew's requirements, Su Bai thought for a moment and said, "Let me contact my master. I promised to take A Luo back to meet him, as well as my master's wife and my martial brother."
The head of the crew initially thought this seemed quite ordinary, not realizing the significance of Su Bai bringing Cui Luoheng to meet his master and his master's wife.
But then, suddenly, Cui Luoheng became visibly nervous and somewhat stiff on the spot. He earnestly said to Su Bai, "I'm willing!"
The head of the crew and the crew members: ????
Did they hit the engagement switch for the master and his wife? Why did he suddenly say "I'm willing"?
After hearing Cui Luoheng's response, Su Bai smiled and ruffled his hair. "Hmm, I'll make a call to see if my master can arrange it."
While Su Bai made the call, Cui Luoheng became visibly anxious until Su Bai hung up and nodded in Cui Luoheng's direction, at which point Cui Luoheng's tense face relaxed into a smile.
During this time, the crew continued filming, and the cameraman quickly captured this heartwarming scene of the "trainer and the big wolfhound."
After Cui Luoheng confirmed that Su Bai could take him to meet the Zhao family, he suddenly furrowed his brows and hesitantly asked Su Bai, "Xiao Bai, can I also take you home?"
!!!
The head of the crew, who was nearby, immediately realized the situation. So it turned out that when Su Bai took Cui Luoheng to meet his master, it meant meeting his parents!
What the heck!
Isn't this moving a bit too fast?
But this is much better than the "daily routine on the training ground"!
After meeting Su Bai's master and parents, Cui Luoheng would also take Su Bai to meet his parents... Just thinking about this, the crew members' eyes lit up - great, this episode is finally going to have some substance!
Su Bai was slightly taken aback by Cui Luoheng's request. He looked at Cui Luoheng, who was obviously nervous, pondered for a second, then nodded and smiled, "Okay."
After the two finished discussing, they both turned their gaze to the head of the crew, as if asking whether this arrangement met the requirements of the show.
The head of the crew, who was now beaming, immediately exclaimed, "No problem! That's great!"
The director of the follow-up shooting, watching the scene in the lens, couldn't help but laugh quietly. He immediately decided that in the final cut, this segment must be included and that the silhouette of the person in charge should be given an animated special effect transitioning from 'deep shadow of the abyss' to 'beaming with joy.'
Meanwhile, in S City, at the home of Zhao Heping, an emergency impromptu meeting had been convened with his wife, son Zhao Changsong, and daughter-in-law Dou Jingwei.
"Su Bai is going to bring that rascal here. Just wait and see how I'm going to teach that brat a lesson!" Zhao Heping declared.
Xie Yi, his wife, exchanged a glance with her son and daughter-in-law, all wearing amused expressions.
Xie Yi smiled as she glanced at her husband and nodded. "Alright, let's see how you're going to 'teach' him later."
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Author's note: (: з」∠) Ahem, welcome Su Bai's young disciple Ye Yichen.
However, this young disciple seems to be caught between two worlds...
In the future, there might be some strange situations that give Su Bai a headache, such as:
Su Bai: Yichen, where are you?
Ye Yichen: 0.0 Ah, Master, I'm on my day off today...
Su Bai: Where are you?
Ye Yichen: 0.0... Uh, I'm at the swimming team.
Su Bai (rubbing his forehead and sighing): My disciple is very obedient and talented, but he always wants to go to the swimming team. The swimming team also wants to recruit him. What should I do? Online and urgent.
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 304 Extra: Post-Olympics (End) Meeting Parents & Broadcasting of Variety Show
Even though the new filming plan had been set, the program team needed to make urgent preparations, including arranging vehicles and other logistics.
Typically, the simplest way to travel from City B to City S would be by plane or high-speed train. However, this would inevitably affect the filming schedule. Considering that the driving distance between City S and City B was manageable, the program team ultimately decided to drive to City S.
Coincidentally, during the communication between the program team and the Athletic Center's Liao Jie, it was learned that an automobile brand had specifically invited some members of the track and field team for a promotional collaboration, including Su Bai.
The production team of 《New Lovers》 immediately contacted the marketing team of the car brand through the Athletic Center. After discussions, the two sides quickly reached an agreement, effectively resolving the program team's transportation issue.
Although the travel plan for Su Bai and Cui Luoheng's return to City S had been finalized, it didn't mean there was no need for further filming in City B.
Understanding the program team's requirements, Su Bai didn't let Cui Luoheng continue his training. However, he had committed to conducting a series of coaching sessions. Considering the time needed for the trip to City S, Cui Luoheng, although technically on break, was still busy.
As Su Bai was busy, Cui Luoheng remained silent, sitting on the side of the training ground not far from Su Bai, quietly observing his figure.
Occasionally, when Su Bai finished talking to the assistant coach and the athletes, there would be some idle moments. During these times, Cui Luoheng's eyes would visibly light up, and he would silently move closer to Su Bai, much like a well-behaved big dog quietly seeking attention from its busy owner.
In fact, it was not just Cui Luoheng.
The accompanying photographer had also noticed during the filming process that when Su Bai relaxed, his eyes would instinctively look towards the spot where Cui Luoheng would appear. When Cui Luoheng showed up, the corners of Su Bai's eyes would unconsciously curve into a smile.
The photographer felt that especially when the camera captured the close-up shots of the two, just an inadvertent eye contact was enough to convey the understanding and sweetness between lovers.
Their interactions had long ceased to be as awkward as those of ordinary new lovers. As a coach and his athlete, Su Bai and Cui Luoheng had been meeting regularly for almost three years. Particularly during the training periods, their encounters were even more frequent. After spending a long time together, they had become familiar and attuned to each other.
Strangely, despite their familiarity and understanding, their relationship hadn't lost the freshness of new love or the sweetness that comes with it, even as time passed.
Not far away, the program director watched Su Bai's hand ruffling Cui Luoheng's hair with a slightly dumbfounded expression before bursting into a smile moments later.
It was precisely this kind of unintentional warmth and sweetness in their daily lives that the program aimed to capture.
However, the accompanying photographers of the program team also captured moments when Cui Luoheng occasionally picked up his phone and appeared to be browsing or selecting something during his time waiting for and accompanying Su Bai.
Unable to resist his curiosity, the accompanying director couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing there?"
Cui Luoheng looked at the screen of his phone with a serious expression. He lifted his head towards the direction of the camera and said, "Choosing gifts."
The accompanying director was puzzled and asked, "Choosing gifts??"
Cui Luoheng furrowed his brows and responded, "Yes, we are going to meet Su Bai's master, his master's wife, his senior brother, and sister-in-law."
Pausing for a moment, Cui Luoheng added, "I also want to take Su Bai to meet my family."
Implying that both sides were going to meet each other's parents, it was necessary to choose appropriate gifts.
The director's eyes lit up, "Right! You should go shopping together!"
Shopping together was a common scenario in the program 《New Lovers》. When two new lovers went shopping together, it tested their relationship and level of understanding about what to buy, what appearance to choose, and what price range to consider.
Surprisingly, Cui Luoheng still frowned and looked disapprovingly at the director, "Su Bai is very busy."
The director was confused, "But aren't you supposed to choose these gifts together with Coach Su?"
Cui Luoheng fell silent for a moment, then gave the director a somewhat strange look. He operated his phone, navigated to a certain interface, and then handed it over to the director and the camera. It was a food delivery platform.
......
............
..................
The accompanying director looked at the food delivery platform and fell silent for a full 5 seconds. There was a moment when she was sure Cui Luoheng was looking at her as if she were an alien.
Well, he was right.
They all knew how busy Su Bai was. Relying on him to take time out just for some TV show effect, even if Su Bai agreed, the program team themselves would feel awkward.
So, let it be the food delivery then.
Even though she said that, the accompanying director already had an image in her mind.
When the program aired, the scene of Cui Luoheng handing over the phone with a puzzled look was bound to be captured by netizens, accompanied by a caption of confusion: "What's with the food delivery service?"
After the schedule to S City was confirmed, the program team spent less than 2 days in preparation and communication. During this time, Su Bai arranged his work and the program team managed to capture more of the daily interactions between Su Bai and Cui Luoheng.
It is worth mentioning that during these two days of filming, Su Bai finally found some time one evening and took Cui Luoheng to the back kitchen to prepare a late-night snack for him, a bone soup noodle that Su Bai often cooked for Cui Luoheng and Qiu Wen when they were at the S Provincial Athletics Team.
This simple noodle soup was the first memory of their initial acquaintance and early interactions.
In a corner of the canteen, under the dim yet warm light, sat Su Bai and Cui Luoheng.
This scene, captured by the accompanying photographer, appeared warm and intoxicating.
Of course, the photographers and the accompanying director on site did not think so. They had heard about Su Bai's cooking skills, but the matter of good cooking was often subjective. They had assumed that Su Bai's reputed cooking skills, along with some scenes from the "Field Couple" era and feedback from athletes, were mostly for the show or exaggerated effect.
Until that evening, when they followed behind Su Bai and Cui Luoheng, and personally smelled that aroma, tears involuntarily flowed from their eyes.
That night, after the filming was over, the accompanying photographers and the director, despite the late hour, gritted their teeth and ordered takeout from a delivery service more than ten kilometers away. There was no choice. The national athletics training base was in a remote area, and with strict dietary restrictions for the athletes, there were hardly any shops open late at night around the training base. They could only reluctantly order takeout from a distance of ten kilometers to soothe their poor stomachs after being tempted all night.
After two days of routine shooting, the program team, along with Su Bai and Cui Luoheng, finally moved from B City to S City. Zhao Heping, who had long been ready to "slaughter the pigs and sheep," had already risen early on the day when Su Bai was supposed to bring Cui Luoheng to visit. He went out alone to buy breakfast, then brewed a pot of tea, sat in the living room, and sipped tea one after another.
When Zhao Changsong and his wife hurried over from their own small home, they saw their father sitting there, seemingly lost in thought, sipping tea. Their mother had already bought various fresh ingredients and was calculating the time to make a delicious meal for Su Bai. Even though Xie Yi was well aware of Su Bai's culinary skills, that didn't stop her maternal instinct to cook a good meal for Su Bai.
Before 9 o'clock in the morning, the advance team that had arrived in S City the day before had already visited Zhao Heping's house and started arranging various equipment needed for filming. By a little after 10 o'clock, Zhao Heping finally received a call from Su Bai. They had arrived in S City and were on their way to the house.
Upon hearing that Su Bai was about to arrive, Zhao Heping calmly responded with a "Hmm" on the phone. After the call with Su Bai ended, he didn't drink any more tea and went to the kitchen, saying to his wife, "Don't do anything. That scoundrel is coming too, right? Let him cook when he comes!"
Xie Yi: ???
Hearing this in the busy kitchen, Xie Yi didn't need a second to understand that this was definitely one of her husband's attempts to "show that boy a lesson."
However, Xie Yi, the chef of the day, firmly refused. Without turning her head, she said, "You've been thinking about this lesson for two days? After Su Bai finally comes back home, you want him to go hungry?!"
Zhao Heping was choked up, "Uh... But you made so much food! How could Su Bai go hungry? Let that boy cook his own share!" Xie Yi sighed. She could already tell that her husband had no feasible plan when it came to "disciplining" Cui Luoheng.
"But it's Su Bai bringing him over. Are you going to use such means to torment him?"
Implying that Zhao Heping's so-called lesson was really out of line.
Hearing this, Zhao Heping choked up, then turned back to the living room, feeling annoyed, and resumed drinking his tea alone.
He did want to teach Cui Luoheng a lesson, but he had been agonizing for two whole days and still couldn't figure out how to deal with this little rascal.
Usually, when a son-in-law... no, when a son-in-law visits, shouldn't the father-in-law have a good drink with him? It would be best to make the other party dizzy and confused. When someone is drunk, their true self is more likely to be revealed. A person's taste in alcohol reflects their character, and a lot can be seen from it.
But he couldn't possibly drag Cui Luoheng, a top 110-meter hurdler in the world, to drink, and even he had given up drinking due to health reasons.
So the idea of getting him drunk was out of the question.
Without the option of getting him drunk, should he talk about career, achievements, and broaden his horizons?
Even though Zhao Heping had previously shouted that Cui Luoheng hadn't even broken the national record, he couldn't really say such things to someone who had won an Olympic gold medal and was the champion of the Diamond League.
Can't get him drunk, can't talk about careers, and all he could do was to threaten the little rascal not to change his mind... but this kind of threat didn't sound very convincing.
His disciple was good-looking, highly capable, and had a great personality. Was there really a need to worry that no one would like that little rascal if he changed his mind? That was impossible!
He was just...
Zhao Heping bet on a breath and thought about his disciple's character. He couldn't help but sigh helplessly. Given Su Bai's sensitive and resistant personality, if he really missed this one, he didn't know when he would find another partner.
Every time he thought about this, Zhao Heping felt the veins on his forehead throbbing. However, when he wanted to make things difficult for Cui Luoheng, to help his own disciple figure out the other person's true intentions, he couldn't think of any way to do it.
Watching his father's headache, Zhao Changsong tentatively offered a suggestion, "Then... let Cui prepare a set of houses in S City?"
This was a regular topic when someone's child had a significant other visiting. It could be considered one of the standards to see how much the other party valued their child.
Upon hearing his son's words, Zhao Heping looked expressionlessly at his foolish son. "You know, right?"
Zhao Changsong: ?
Zhao Heping continued with no expression, "A 110-meter hurdler, an Olympic gold medalist after 16 years, and now the champion of the Diamond League year-end finals. Do you think this guy would be bothered by just a house?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Changsong cleared his throat and looked at his wife, Dou Jingwei, with helplessness as they both smiled.
Over the past two days, their father had considered every idea that could and couldn't be thought of, but he had indeed not found any way to make things difficult for Cui Luoheng.
What could they do in this situation?
Sigh, they could only wait for the guests to arrive first!
At half-past eleven in the morning, Su Bai finally knocked on Zhao Heping's door with Cui Luoheng.
Inside the Zhao household, besides Zhao Heping sitting in the living room alone, looking quite imposing, even Xie Yi from the kitchen poked her head out.
Su Bai greeted Zhao Changsong and his wife and Xie Yi in the kitchen with a smile, "Senior Brother, Sister-in-law, Master, Mistress."
Following Su Bai into the house, Cui Luoheng had large and small bags hanging from his hands and a pile of things in his arms. Upon hearing Su Bai calling everyone, Cui Luoheng also solemnly called out, "Senior Brother, Sister-in-law, Master, Mistress"
Seeing Cui Luoheng's nervous appearance, Zhao Changsong was reminded of his first visit to his wife's family. He couldn't bear to embarrass him and kindly responded.
Xie Yi looked at Cui Luoheng, who was carrying so many things, and then at Su Bai, who basically had nothing in his hands, and nodded with a smile, "Ah."
They all happily greeted each other at the door, but they heard Zhao Heping's cold snort from the living room, "Master, what Master! Call me Shīgōng!"
dapotaturs note: 师公 (Shīgōng) - Master-Grandfather/ Grandmaster
The Zhao family and the crew: ...!
The crew almost wanted to ask on the spot: Wait, what's your generation?
Zhao Heping coldly snorted, "What's wrong? Can't Su Bai be considered your master?"
Cui Luoheng stood there, holding a bunch of things, and for a moment, he didn't know how to answer that question.
Zhao Changsong and the staff who were originally waiting in the Zhao family's house all wanted to ask: Weren't you just unsure of how to trouble someone? Now it seems you're pretty good at it, huh?
In terms of reason, Su Bai had personally guided Cui Luoheng from the S Province Athletics Team to his current Olympic champion status. Of course, it was fitting for Cui Luoheng to call him master. However, if Cui Luoheng were to call him "master," then how would their seniority be determined?
Zhao Changsong glanced at his father and then at Cui Luoheng. He was about to find a way to ease the situation, but he saw his junior brother pat Cui Luoheng's head and say to him, "Call him Shīgōng."
Cui Luoheng looked at Su Bai, blinked, and then resolutely turned towards the living room, saying clearly, "Shīgōng."
...
...
snicker
Zhao Changsong almost burst out laughing on the spot, but considering his father's dignity, he barely managed to hold back his laughter.
In the living room, Zhao Heping had almost choked on the sip of tea he had in his mouth upon hearing the term "Shīgōng." He struggled for a while before finally swallowing it down, as if he had swallowed a breath that had been stifling him.
He raised his eyes to look at his junior brother and understood that his junior brother had Cui Luoheng call him that out of consideration for his feelings. He himself didn't mind how Cui Luoheng addressed him, and their relationship wouldn't change because of this "Shīgōng."
Thinking this, Zhao Heping put the teacup on the table with an annoyed expression, stood up, and said to the people at the door, "You've come back, so why did you let the guest carry so many things?"
He then asked Zhao Changsong to help take the things from Cui Luoheng's hands, and was just about to add something like "No need to be so polite, take them back later."
But this time Cui Luoheng preemptively and seriously said, "This is my first visit, it's only appropriate."
It seemed that Cui Luoheng didn't understand the meaning of "guest" at all. Zhao Heping couldn't pick a fight this time, so he harrumphed and turned back to the living room.
When Su Bai and Cui Luoheng entered the living room, Zhao Heping, even if he didn't have a good impression of Cui Luoheng, had no other way for the time being, so he just glanced at Cui Luoheng with a harrumphing expression from time to time, then turned his head and started listening to Su Bai talking about various Olympic preparations and details of the Olympic events this year.
In short, the conversation was all over the place, but Zhao Heping refused to bring up Cui Luoheng's matter. On the other hand, after finishing the Olympic topics, Su Bai took advantage of his master's seemingly good mood and paused before seriously saying, "Master, I am with A Luo now. You, as my master, and mistress have watched me grow up since I was young, and to me, you are like my parents. So I brought him home today to let you both see him."
Zhao Heping, who was about to drink the tea in his hand, was caught off guard by his disciple's opening. He hesitated, holding the teacup in midair, not knowing whether to drink or not.
But while he could be cold to Cui Luoheng, he couldn't be cold to Su Bai. So after glaring at Cui Luoheng again, he drank the tea in his hand unenthusiastically and responded with a muffled "Hmm."
Just like Zhao Heping understood his disciple, Su Bai actually knew what his master was worried about. He thought for a moment and was about to speak when he suddenly heard Cui Luoheng next to him speak first.
"Shīgōng, I like Xiao Bai. I hope you can rest assured and let Xiao Bai and me be together." After a pause, he added eagerly, "I want to be with Xiao Bai forever!"
Su Bai turned his head slightly and could see that Cui Luoheng straightened his back. His face still wore the usual seemingly serious and indifferent expression, but his hands were clenched into fists, and his entire body exuded a tense vibe. If one looked closely, even in the air-conditioned room, there were beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
Although the words he spoke to Zhao Heping were ordinary, anyone could tell how much weight these words and the request held in his heart.
After all, Zhao Heping had been a coach for many years, and when it came to reading people, he had at least a 90 percent accuracy if not a full 100 percent.
Seeing Cui Luoheng's tense demeanor and then glancing at Su Bai beside him, Zhao Heping swallowed back the sharp refusal he had been about to blurt out.
The scene was being captured by the camera, with all eyes focused on the family in the living room. After stewing in his frustration for a while, Zhao Heping finally growled fiercely at Cui Luoheng, "I can't wait to see how far your 'forever' will go!"
?
At first, Cui Luoheng didn't quite grasp the meaning of the statement. After running the words through his mind, he suddenly broke into a pleasantly surprised smile and nodded, saying, "Thank you, Shīgōng!"
Once the words "Shīgōng" left his mouth, Zhao Heping's fists almost clenched again.
—This brat, why is he still so good at provoking people?!
Seeing Zhao Heping glare at him again, Cui Luoheng's expression was rare in its confusion. He turned to look at Su Bai beside him, as if seeking some assistance.
The nearby photographer almost burst into laughter—look at the innocent and bewildered expression of the new hurdle king in the 110-meter hurdles event.
The photographer suddenly had an epiphany: Could it be that Cui Luoheng captured Su Bai's heart with those puppy eyes?
While Zhao Heping's fists were clenching again, in the dining room, Xie Yi also smiled and called for everyone to come and eat. Cui Luoheng was initially hesitant about what to call Xie Yi, but Su Bai decisively instructed him, "Call her 'Shi Niang' (Mistress)."
Cui Luoheng then turned to Xie Yi and said, "Thank you, Shi Niang."
Everyone couldn't help but turn their heads to look at the sulking Zhao Heping.
After the meal, Zhao Heping finally continued to glare and made Cui Luoheng change his address back to "Shi Fu" (Master). While changing it, he also glared at Su Bai.
As Su Bai and Cui Luoheng bid farewell to leave, Su Bai, who usually wasn't one for overly affectionate gestures, took the initiative to hug Zhao Heping, Xie Yi, and Zhao Changsong.
In Zhao Heping's ear, he softly said, "Thank you, Master."
These four gentle words left Zhao Heping frozen in place.
Su Bai knew that whether Zhao Heping was angry, troubled by Cui Luoheng, or ultimately compromised, it was all for his own good.
After Su Bai left with Cui Luoheng, Zhao Heping raised his hand to wipe his slightly reddened eyes. The child he had personally discovered, who seemed lonely and sensitive back then, now dared to joke with him. He also had someone by his side now.
Xie Yi glanced at her old man and then smiled, saying, "It's alright, don't worry. This child Cui, today, from the moment he stepped in, I've been watching him. He never takes his eyes off Su Bai. If there's anything Su Bai needs, he's the first to notice. Haven't you seen that Su Bai has completely gotten used to having him around? He often goes to find Cui's location."
"The two kids really like each other. Let's not play the villain here."
After leaving Zhao's house, it was naturally Cui Luoheng's turn to take Su Bai back to his own house.
Cui Luoheng's family conditions were good, and they also lived in a high-end villa area in S City. However, this didn't stop his entire family from showing visible expectations for Su Bai.
Completely different from the situation when Cui Luoheng went to Zhao's house, starting from Grandpa Cui, Cui's parents, and Cui Luoheng's brother, they all diligently strived to create the best and most comfortable environment for Su Bai, fearing that he might feel uncomfortable in their home.
Earlier, when Su Bai was just Cui Luoheng's coach, the entire Cui family was extremely grateful to him. Not only had Su Bai helped Cui Luoheng rise from a low point to his current height, but he had also taken care of Cui Luoheng's diet, which had earned him immense gratitude from the Cui family.
Cui Luoheng had always been a picky eater since he was young. Initially, the family thought it was just a child being selective with food. Later, because a coach mentioned Cui Luoheng's good athletic talent and inspired him with various phrases about bringing glory to the country, they sent him to a sports school.
However, initially, Cui Luoheng complained to them that he couldn't eat. They thought it was due to his adjustment to the school's environment and diet. After checking the school's menu and ensuring it was nutritious, they resolved to let him continue training at the sports school.
As Cui Luoheng grew older, they felt that he seemed increasingly solitary, with a cold personality. Fortunately, besides his tough temperament, he didn't go astray, so they didn't think too much of it.
The sensitivity of Cui Luoheng's taste buds was only discovered after he joined the national team. Cui's family got to know about it from someone they knew at the S Province Sports Work Team when they inquired about Cui Luoheng's situation in the national team. They coincidentally heard from the national team's chef, Jin Manjiang.
At that time, Jin Manjiang kept marveling, "It's not easy for this child to train to this level. Before Su Bai discovered it, I don't know how much suffering he endured."
After the Cui family learned about this, their home remained gloomy for almost a month. Cui's mother secretly cried for two days, regretting why she hadn't realized that Cui Luoheng didn't have a picky appetite but an unusual sensitivity to taste. Such a young child was sent to the sports school and had to endure eating food that he couldn't bear, all for the sake of his physical fitness.
Thinking about these things, the Cui family felt suffocated.
As the one who had decided to send Cui Luoheng to the sports school, Grandpa Cui also stayed in a sulky mood for about a week before mustering up the courage to personally make a phone call to apologize to his grandson.
In summary, now that Su Bai and Cui Luoheng had come together, although the Cui family was initially somewhat concerned about their teacher-student relationship, they still welcomed the news with joy.
After Su Bai and Cui Luoheng arrived at Cui's house with gifts, they received an extremely warm welcome. Compared to the treatment Cui Luoheng received at Zhao's house, it was like night and day.
After observing Su Bai and Cui Luoheng's interaction in secret, the Cui family let go of their initial concerns. When their second son was with Su Bai, he no longer exuded the same sense of aloofness and loneliness. Now, he seemed to embody the resilience of an athlete, especially when facing Su Bai, he melted like ice, soft as water.
Good, it was just perfect!
Seeing Su Bai and Cui Luoheng together, the Cui family finally wore joyful smiles.
A month later, 《Awkward Daily Life of New Lovers》 was officially broadcast. Although the enthusiasm for the Olympics had faded somewhat by then, the names of Su Bai and Cui Luoheng still aroused great enthusiasm among the audience.
—【Great! Sob sob, finally waiting for the release of the variety show featuring Su Lao and Cui Shen! Previously, there were only some team interviews. Now, we can finally enjoy the sweetness of their love!】
Since the relationship between Su Bai and Cui Luoheng became public, the fanbase of the "Hé Tú Luò Shū" CP quickly grew. Despite the fact that the main couple was indeed together, the sweetness between them was still scarce. Now, after a month of waiting, they finally had some sweet content to enjoy.
So, what were they waiting for?
Turn on the computer, tablet, phone, and TV — and go for the sugar rush!
However, the production team of the variety show 《New Lovers》 played it cunningly. They started with Su Bai and Cui Luoheng's training routine, with the two of them having very little interaction throughout the entire segment.
As soon as this part aired, the barrage of comments in the chat was filled with confused question marks from the viewers.
—【Huh? Isn't this the Awkward Daily Life of New Lovers? Is this it? Is this it?】
—【=皿=+ Program team! You promised us sweet love! Come out and speak!! I promise not to kill you!】
There were also some old-time CP fans who were used to picking up sugar until they cried. For them, being in the same frame was sugar, and eye contact was high/quality. Some comments on the public screen also shouted 'so sweet,' leaving later CP fans and ordinary viewers perplexed.
—【Wait, they are just training, right? Where is the sweetness if they haven't trained together?】
Finally, when the audience realized that Su Bai and Cui Luoheng were deliberately presenting this 'daily' scene for the program, almost everyone burst into laughter.
—【Hahaha, help, Su Lao and Cui Shen, you owe me a new screen!】
—【Hilarious, how can there be such a silly couple!】
—【(:з)∠] Cough, actually, seriously speaking, it is because of their serious training that they have achieved their current results... (Pff, but no matter what, it's still super funny!)】
During the rest of the program, when the audience saw that Su Bai and Cui Luoheng were going to meet the parents, they were all stimulated, expressing that this was the most thrilling plot they had seen in "The Awkward Daily Life of New Lovers."
When they saw Zhao Heping threatening to teach Cui Luoheng a lesson, a group of onlookers on the public screen cheered for Zhao Heping.
When the program showed Cui Luoheng obediently calling Zhao Heping 'Shīgōng' under Su Bai's instruction, the public screen was completely flooded with laughter, with comments like:
—【At this moment, what's the surface area of the shadow in 'Shīgōng's' heart?】
—【=w=! Zhao Heping is truly the number one expert in dealing with difficult sons-in-law. He should come out and teach a class!】
—【The one who suggested Zhao Heping to come out and teach, are you trying to die?】
—【Hahaha, Zhao Heping is the best, the way he said 'I'm just waiting to see how far your forever will go!' is so damn hilarious!】
—【Can't handle it, 'Shīgōng' is awesome, the invisible humor is the most lethal.】
Zhao Heping, who was also watching the variety show, learned to read the barrage under the guidance of his son Zhao Changsong. At this moment, he looked at the barrage with a livid expression. He took a photo of the barrage on his phone and posted it on his Weibo—
Zhao Heping: 【Why call me 'Shīgōng'? Who are you calling 'Shīgōng' to?! Can you just call anyone 'Shīgōng' at will!!! (furious) (furious) (furious)】
Meanwhile, the melon eaters who were browsing the variety show and Weibo simultaneously immediately rushed to comment under Zhao Heping's Weibo, all calling him 'Shīgōng'.
These onlookers and passersby were completely fearless of Zhao Heping's 'anger,' maintaining the mentality that calling someone 'Shīgōng' once isn't enough, but twice is a profit—calling it a few more times might even get Su Bai to take them under his wing? (Daydreaming)
In short, what made people both laugh and cry and made Zhao Heping's temples throb was that suddenly, Zhao Heping seemed to be assuming the position of a 'national mentor.'
As the onlookers and CP fans watched 《New Lovers》, there were both laughter and a slight bitterness. When they saw Su Bai and Cui Luoheng leaving the house and heard Zhao Heping occasionally mention some of Su Bai's sensitive traits, their hearts also felt a slight ache.
In the final scene of the show, the screen returned to the national track and field team training base.
Cui Luoheng escorted Su Bai back to his room. In the sweet moonlight, Su Bai smiled gently at Cui Luoheng, and Cui Luoheng bent down to embrace him, gently kissing his lips.
Under the bright moonlight, there was the graceful figure of a loving couple embracing each other.
As the curtain fell on this scene, the bittersweet laughter between Su Bai and Cui Luoheng in the program 《New Lovers》 also came to an end.
A fan who had finished watching the show posted a message on Weibo—
【After watching the program, I was initially very excited, but gradually I settled down. I wanted to say something, but I didn't know what to say.
Su DaLao and Cui Shen, perhaps their love is not the most intense and passionate love, but I think they will be the most suitable lovers for each other. The last scene of the show gave me a sense of eternally engraved beauty and anticipation.
I hope they will be forever happy in the future.】
This Weibo post was reposted tens of thousands of times after the show, including two posts from Su Bai and Cui Luoheng respectively.
Su Bai said: 【Thank you, we will be. ^^】
Cui Luoheng then reposted Su Bai's post, and he also said: 【Yes, we will definitely be forever happy.】
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Chapter 305 Extra: Afterwards Four Years Later
Time flies, years pass like yesterday.
Four years later, as the Paris Olympics was about to open, the domestic track and field events had long departed from their previous state of being overlooked, becoming a highly anticipated popular event.
At the Tokyo Olympics four years ago, the Chinese national track and field team achieved unprecedented success. Athletes entered the finals for the first time in the men's 100 meters, 200 meters, and 400 meters sprints. Surprisingly, they secured two inspiring medals in the men's 100 meters and 400 meters sprints.
Apart from the sprint events, the men's high jump, men's 4x400 meters relay, and the 110-meter hurdles had also created a stir in the domestic track and field community.
Of course, the romance between the illustrious coach of the track and field team, Su Bai, and the Olympic gold medalist in the 110-meter hurdles, Cui Luoheng, had been the talk of the town for a long time since the award ceremony of the men's 4x400 meters relay final.
Since that Olympics, or even earlier, China's track and field events had been undergoing an astonishing transformation step by step.
In the year of the Tokyo Olympics, not only did Cui Luoheng win the Olympic gold medal in the 110-meter hurdles and the annual championship at the Diamond League finals, but Wang Shen also made it to the year-end finals of the Diamond League in the men's high jump and clinched the gold.
Besides these two, Zhang Ziyi also successfully entered the year-end finals of the Diamond League that year, although it was slightly regrettable that he did not win a medal in the final.
Nevertheless, even so, it was enough to amaze everyone.
For a long period of time, China's track and field project has been limited to its strong events, making the expansion of weaker events very difficult. It can be said that the achievements in expansion have not been too ideal for a long time.
However, starting from those years, China's track and field project seemed to be taking large strides and making significant progress.
The reason behind this, no matter how one discusses it, cannot bypass the contribution of China's esteemed coach, Su Bai, and the Chinese track and field coaches trained through the "General Outline of Track and Field Coaching Philosophy" personally written by Su Bai and a series of courses developed by him.
Indeed, following the 'Super Sports' that occurred after the Tokyo Olympics, Su Bai directly developed two series of courses that year, not only with corresponding general outlines but also detailed specific course certifications.
Su Bai's teaching and certification approach also drew on the training school mechanisms of world-renowned coaches abroad. He personally wrote and developed the courses, categorized the series of courses for certification, and the coaches who studied under him needed to complete his certification one by one through examinations and practical exercises, ultimately obtaining the corresponding qualifications.
Su Bai initially chose this approach mainly to verify the learning outcomes of his newly acquired disciple, Ye Yichen. However, with the increase in his training courses and various lectures, in order to confirm whether his teaching had achieved the desired effect, he also adjusted the specific certification and assessment and implemented it on a large scale.
As the coaches who received his certification shone and achieved excellent coaching results in track and field teams nationwide, the 'Su Track and Field Coach Certification System' gained complete popularity within the country.
Including various levels of track and field teams and sports schools, they all started another round of the 'Su Bai Course Quota Battle'.
The most well-known event in this series of courses was in the second year of certification, when Ryuunosuke Arakawa, a coach of the Japanese track and field team, sent an application to the Chinese Track and Field Association through the Japanese Athletics Association, hoping to come to China to participate in Su Bai's courses.
???
This news, once exploded by the sports media, was simply eye-popping—could this really happen? A Japanese coach coming to China to learn from a Chinese coach?
However, soon there were athletics enthusiasts who came out to explain that many top coaches abroad have their own coaching schools, not only training athletes but also coaching coaches. Coaches who obtain their training qualifications are also highly sought after—just like how coaches certified by Su Bai are highly sought after in China.
It's just that in the past, only Chinese coaches went to learn from internationally top coaches, and there had never been foreign coaches coming to China for study, so many people in China were unaware of the existence of such an arrangement.
To support the credibility of these statements, these athletics enthusiasts dug up many coaches' resumes from the internet, all of which had labels such as "Studied at XXX Coaching School" and "Obtained XXX Certification."
So it was just a normal practice for Ryuunosuke Arakawa to come to China to learn from Su Bai.
After reading the explanation, the athletics enthusiasts and spectators in China suddenly understood that this was indeed a very common and normal thing.
It's just that before this, they hadn't realized that Su Bai was already at the world-class level as a coach, or rather, some might have thought of it, but no one dared to say it out loud.
But then they thought about it again—Su Bai had not only trained Olympic gold medalists but had also brought the Chinese 400-meter sprint project to the current level in such a short time.
A coach of this level and caliber could indeed be called a 'world-class coach.'
With the spread of these coaches instructed by Su Bai throughout the country and the increase in the popularity of athletics, more and more promising young talents in athletics have been discovered in China.
Now, compared to the past, the U16 and U18 youth competitions in China have become much more competitive.
Especially in short-distance and jumping events, the national records in the U16 and U18 series competitions in China have been continuously refreshed year after year in recent years.
With the continuous emergence of talents in recent years, the selection of talents for the national team has become more convenient. Of course, the performance threshold for entering the national athletics team has also become increasingly higher.
In the current situation of gradually abundant talent, the improvement in the performance and strength of the national team is no longer limited to the men's team as it was before.
For the women's 400 meters sprint team, after Chen Yadang retired from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she began to study coaching work, and Lin Yao gradually took on the responsibility of the team captain after Chen Yadan's retirement.
Lin Yao, who once cried and said she was not competent enough, has made significant progress through training time and time again.
However, among the women's team, the one who has made the fastest progress is still not the current team captain Lin Yao, but Yang Yi and Lu Xiaolu, who were selected from the trial team in previous years.
Especially Lu Xiaolu, she is a talented young sprinter that Su Bai has also praised.
Although Lu Xiaolu looks very delicate, when she is on the track, she really is like her name, like a galloping deer, agile and fast.
When Lu Xiaolu first participated in the national championship, she was less than 17 years old and directly crossed groups to compete in the Z City station of the national championship, which was primarily composed of adult athletes.
Athletics fans knew that Lu Xiaolu was a member of the national team's reserve squad, and initially, they thought Su Bai had sent her out to experience the atmosphere of the national championship.
As a result, in that year, with the level of performance in the national championship station competition already on the rise, Lu Xiaolu, still under 17 years of age, won the women's 400-meter sprint championship in the station, stunning the audience.
【Is this the talented young sprinter?=口=】
【Wait, what? How did this happen? How old is Lu Xiaolu? This performance and strength... I also want to ask, is this the talented young sprinter?】
After that competition, domestic athletics fans and bystanders decisively crowned Lu Xiaolu with the title of the talented young sprinter. However, in the post-match interview, they saw the adorable and innocent side of Lu Xiaolu and affectionately labeled her as "Little Deer Sister," a popular national nickname.
With Little Deer Sister, there was naturally also Little Lamb Sister (？)... oh no, it was Little Lamb Goddess.
Similarly, Yang Yi, another talented female sprinter selected by Su Bai, was not only a star in terms of athletic performance but also in terms of appearance, matching the charm of an entertainment industry starlet. Along with Wang Shen, the two were hailed as the two most eye-catching figures in the athletics team.
Occasionally, some infatuated bystanders shipped this athletic duo, but in a certain interview, Yang Yi candidly stated that the two had no interaction or chemistry, and this ship wasn't worth it—Little Lamb Sister shut down the ship online, swiftly and decisively.
Wang Shen, the guy who still holds the title of high jump god, continues to challenge new records. The reason people ship him with others is also due to his mysterious love life, which sparks curiosity.
However, whether or not he's in a relationship doesn't affect the fact that the athletics team members aren't reliant on their looks to make a living. Besides his appearance, Yang Yi is the only athlete in the country who can compete with Lu Xiaolu in terms of talent.
Since joining the national team, Yang Yi has emerged in the 2020 Olympic year, sweeping all the station championships she participated in the women's 400-meter sprint at the national championship.
Unfortunately, she made some mistakes at the year-end finals of the national championship that year, resulting in less than ideal results in the finals.
However, this cannot overshadow her outstanding talent and ability.
With Lu Xiaolu and Yang Yi leading the new generation in the women's 400-meter sprint, the men's 400-meter sprint is also thriving.
Qiu Wen, in particular, needs no introduction; his incredible rhythm-breaking ability is a game-changing advantage, even if foreign athletes have made special preparations against him, they still cannot stop Qiu Wen's disruptive presence on the field.
Moreover, Qiu Wen's personality is completely carefree; the more critical the competition, the more excited he gets. As he becomes more excited, his destructive and rhythmic infectiousness become stronger.
In recent years, any international athletes competing with Qiu Wen have suffered more or less from his destruction. Even Fernandez once expressed in an interview that the one athlete he least wants to compete against is Qiu Wen from China.
After seeing the translated content of the interview that someone shared from the returnee, athletics enthusiasts in China couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Qiu, the rhythm-breaking demon king, the terrifying opponent, Wen's personae remains intact today."
After the Tokyo Olympics, Chen Yadan, one of the top athletes in the men's and women's 400-meter sprint in the athletics team, retired, while Zhang Ziyi continued to race on the track.
In an interview on a talk show, Zhang Ziyi mentioned that initially, Su Bai told him that if he wanted to qualify for the Olympics, excessive training could possibly end his career prematurely. Fortunately, he didn't encounter the worst-case scenario.
After the Olympics, Su Bai spent a long time adjusting his condition, bringing his body back from the strain of overtraining for more than a year.
According to Su Bai, modern scientific training methods have become increasingly advanced, and there are now better ways to maintain an athlete's condition. As per Su Bai's guidance, Zhang Ziyi volunteered to become his "guinea pig." With Su Bai's help, he not only maintained his condition but also improved his personal best at the 2021 World Championships, setting his career-best in the 400-meter sprint at 44.56 seconds.
In that World Championship, unprecedentedly, both Zhang Ziyi and Qiu Wen entered the final round of the men's 400-meter sprint, causing astonishment among 400-meter sprinters worldwide.
Although the national record in the 400-meter sprint in China is still far from breaking the 44-second mark and entering the 43-second realm, the stability of Chinese athletes has amazed these world-class competitors.
While marveling, many foreign coaches and athletes finally turned their attention to China, seeing not only Zhang Ziyi and Qiu Wen, the two kings of the Chinese men's 400 meters, but also the massive reserves behind these two athletes.
In the World Junior Championships and Youth Championships in Athletics, young Chinese athletes have also shown their prowess.
Wu Tian and Jing Feibai achieved commendable results in the Youth Championships, with Jing Feibai making it to the finals in both the men's 400-meter sprint and the 100-meter sprint.
After noticing Jing Feibai, athletics enthusiasts in China were surprised by his dual-event performance, followed by excitement and jubilation.
While the 400-meter event already boasts several outstanding athletes and reserves, the 100-meter sprint event still relies solely on Fang Yu. Although the athletics team has identified and trained many young athletes, there is still no genius capable of taking over Fang Yu's mantle.
That is until Jing Feibai ran the 100 meters in 10.10 seconds at the Youth Championships, prompting athletics enthusiasts across the country to spread the word immediately - Jing Feibai is bound to be the next prodigious athlete capable of breaking the ten-second barrier in the 100 meters!
In addition to Jing Feibai and Wu Tian, Zhuo Yutang and Qiu Mingjie initially didn't receive much attention. After all, they were too young, and the World Youth Championships had much less influence compared to the World Junior Championships. Although both performed well in the World Youth Championships, it was three years later at the Athletics Nationals that they truly shone, defeating the already famous Wu Tian and Jing Feibai as young athletes.
In the athletics team, from the 2020 season to the 2024 season, the most brilliant champion remained Cui Luoheng in the 110-meter hurdles.
Starting from the Tokyo Olympics cycle, Cui Luoheng swept various awards, securing the Diamond League's annual championship that year and obtaining the title of "2020 World No. 1 in the 110-meter hurdles" accredited by World Athletics.
In the following year, Cui Luoheng claimed the 110-meter hurdles title at the 2021 World Athletics Championships.
Since the 2020 season until the 2023 season, for these four years, the title of the world's top 110-meter hurdler shifted completely from Vladimir to Cui Luoheng.
If we were to say that in the initial two years, Vladimir and Cui Luoheng had their share of victories and defeats, as Vladimir aged and Cui Luoheng entered his prime, the gap between their performances began to widen.
In these years, while new talented athletes emerged from various countries, they still found it difficult to secure a win against Cui Luoheng.
Internationally, several athletics commentators have dubbed the current season phase as the "era exclusive to Cui," and many are waiting for when a fresh prodigy will emerge to end this era belonging to China's "Cui."
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the results achieved by the Chinese Athletics National Team had surpassed those of the past in all athletics events. Yet, on this day, at this moment just before the start of the 110-meter hurdles final, the hearts of thousands of Chinese spectators remained high-strung.
People watched the figure on the track belonging to Cui Luoheng, silently hoping - could Cui Luoheng achieve the grand slam of breaking the world record, winning the World Championships, and Olympic gold in this Olympic arena?
In the stands, Su Bai's gaze followed Cui Luoheng on the track, watching him raise his hand and kiss the ring on his left ring finger.
Su Bai subconsciously grasped his own left hand with the ring on it.
As the starting gun sounded on the track, the entire stadium turned into a boiling sea, and Cui Luoheng was the most anticipated focal point in this boiling sea. Each running movement, each clean leap over the hurdles, each explosive action and posture fully showcased his speed and power.
There were attempts to surpass him, but none could surpass the guy from China.
Around him, athletes from other countries could only barely chase after him, while the one running in the forefront was always the legendary figure from China.
Amidst the gaze of the masses, Cui Luoheng crossed the finish line with ease, welcoming a roar of cheers and screams for the champion.
When the final result appeared on the big screen, the time of 12.78 seconds (a new world record) drove the entire world into a frenzy. Everyone celebrated the birth of a new Grand Slam champion in the 110-meter hurdles event.
In this moment of wild celebration, in the calm footage recorded by a camera on the scene, Cui Luoheng on the track immediately turned to look in a certain direction in the audience.
At the position in the audience, there was someone who had been tenderly watching Cui Luoheng the whole time - his lover, Su Bai.
In this ecstatic world, their love remained gentle and timeless.
At this moment, despite the distance between them, love continued to connect them.
Author's note: Finally, the whole text has come to an end today... Tears are shed.
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