The selection competition came to an end, and with it, the national team’s training camp concluded.
Team members from all over the country gradually returned to their respective homes. Little Han Wen even shed a couple of tears as he left, because he realized that after this departure, the next time he would see Xi Ming would be at the National Championships.
Fortunately, Xi Ming promised to call him, which finally satisfied Han Wen, who had cried himself into a little mess.
Back with the provincial team, Xi Ming still on summer break as a student was right in the middle of pre-season training. Life seemed to have returned to the same calm routine as before.
But whether it was Xi Ming, Zhao Zhengchang, or those who had been watching this selection competition, everyone knew that many things had changed.
For Xi Ming, this was a step forward in his figure skating career he had earned a ticket to the international stage, a chance to challenge a broader arena. And for those who had witnessed this event firsthand, they had unexpectedly seen a duel between two rising stars before the season even began, gaining a new understanding of Xi Ming.
However, for most people, especially teenagers in school life, the world of figure skating was very distant.
Xi Ming’s friends knew about the recently concluded JGP selection competition because of Xi Ming, but they didn’t know much about the Junior Grand Prix he was about to participate in.
Since everyone in his family his parents and his older brother was away on business trips, Xi Ming simply stayed at the provincial team for training. But on his days off, he would spend time with Gu Fu and the others.
“So, is that Junior Grand Prix thing, like, a big deal?” Qiao Chengyu curled up on the sofa in Gu Fu’s room, having listened to his friend’s account of the training camp, and blurted out this question.
Qiao Chengyu blinked, looked at Xi Ming, and added, “Super impressive?”
Qiao Chengyu admitted that although he had followed some figure skating because of Xi Ming, he was a complete basketball brain he only really kept tabs on his friend’s situation and couldn’t make heads or tails of figure skating competitions.
Besides, little Xi had only participated in domestic competitions before.
“At least it’s more impressive than your inter-school basketball tournament.”
Gu Fu, who had been seriously watching Xi Ming’s competition footage at his desk, turned around and answered on Xi Ming’s behalf. He also said to Xi Ming, “After all, he’s a single-celled organism who thought your training camp was a summer camp. It’s normal that he doesn’t know.”
“Hey, at least I know the national team training camp is a big deal, alright?” Qiao Chengyu defended himself. “It’s just that this is the first time little Xi is participating, and I’ve never paid attention to it before. It’s normal not to understand!”
“Yu Jinghui participated last year, and the school newspaper introduced it in detail,” Ouyang Hao chimed in from the side. “Considering he’s kind of a little star at our school, I thought you’d at least check out his interview in the school paper.”
“Besides, there’s an interview with A-Xi in there too.”
Ouyang Hao had only read that interview because Xi Ming had a small section right after Yu Jinghui’s.
Qiao Chengyu first glanced nervously at Xi Ming, and only relaxed back into his lounging position when he saw that Xi Ming was indifferent to the fact that he hadn’t read the interview.
“If we’re talking about campus stars, I’m one too,” Qiao Chengyu said, sprawled out like a starfish taking up the entire double sofa, chatting casually with his friends. “The only reason I pay attention to figure skating is because of little Xi. I don’t understand those competitions at all.”
“Anyway, the gist is that little Xi will be competing abroad in the second half of the year, and if he does well, he’ll participate in the finals at the end of the year.”
Qiao Chengyu said that at least he had understood Xi Ming’s earlier explanation. “You gotta do your best, little Xi. Hopefully you can beat Yu Jinghui this time. I believe in you.”
“Come on, during the Junior Grand Prix, little Xi’s opponents aren’t just Yu Jinghui they’re those foreign skaters, from Russia, France, and stuff. He and Yu Jinghui aren’t even at the same competition venue before the finals.”
Ouyang Hao rebutted Qiao Chengyu, and Xi Ming glanced at his search history but didn’t expose that he was just showing off what he’d just learned.
“Huh, he’s not going head-to-head with Yu Jinghui? What a shame last time it was only off by a few tenths of a point.” Qiao Chengyu was very disappointed. “If Yu Jinghui were my opponent, I’d definitely challenge him to a rematch. I wouldn’t be able to sleep until I beat him.”
“Do you think little Xi is like you? Besides, figure skating and basketball are completely different.”
“They’re both sports. Pretty much the same.”
As the center of his friends’ conversation, Xi Ming hugged a pillow and lay face-down on Gu Fu’s bed, laughing nonstop at the mindless back-and-forth between Qiao Chengyu and Ouyang Hao.
Sure enough, even if the world and the style had changed, his friends were still the same.
Spending his days off with friends who came to see him was definitely a good way to pass the time.
After chatting for a while longer, Ouyang Hao checked the time and made a request to the room’s owner, “Gu Fu, make us lunch, will you?”
Gu Fu’s family did have a part-time cook who prepared three meals a day, but clearly Ouyang Hao and the others didn’t come to Gu Fu’s house for the auntie’s cooking.
Gu Fu, fifteen years old, a first-year high school student, and vice president of the student council at Private SK Middle School. At the same time, he was a quality homebody teenager with exceptional cooking skills.
“I thought you were my friends, not my ancestors.” Gu Fu shot a glare at his friends who had barged into his home, taken over his bedroom, and even had the audacity to demand he cook for them. Qiao Chengyu, who was closest to him, got an innocent kick for his trouble.
“Hey, I’m the only one who said not to bother you and let your mom cook,” Qiao Chengyu waved his hand in protest.
Gu Fu ignored him, glanced at Xi Ming who was still all smiles, then addressed Ouyang Hao and Qiao Chengyu, “I can cook, but you two go buy the ingredients.”
“I’ll help you.” Xi Ming squeezed into the kitchen, speaking to Gu Fu who was wearing an apron and chopping vegetables.
“Go play games with them. I’m used to cooking for the three of you.”
Although Gu Fu always came across as cold, one reason Qiao Chengyu and Ouyang Hao could confirm he was actually decent to them was that Gu Fu still had the patience to feed them.
Though most of the time, Gu Fu’s excuse was that he had leftover food from practicing cooking that no one else would finish.
“Letting the host entertain us without helping would make me feel guilty.” Xi Ming sidled up to Gu Fu, reaching out to take what was in his hands. “Unlike Ouyang the young master and Chengyu, I actually know how to do things.”
Gu Fu raised his hand to dodge Xi Ming’s, then set down what he was holding, pulled a box from the fridge, and handed it to him.
“Then help me eat this.”
Xi Ming instinctively took it and looked down it was a chocolate cake, much smaller than the ones he usually bought, but to Xi Ming’s eyes, it radiated an irresistible allure.
“It’s chocolate cake! How did you know I’ve been craving this lately!” Xi Ming excitedly leaned in, pressing against Gu Fu.
Gu Fu tried to dodge but couldn’t, so he just let Xi Ming crowd him, continuing his work while explaining, “Last time, your eyes were practically glued to the chocolate rolls Ouyang bought.”
Xi Ming was actually a foodie, and luckily he had the kind of metabolism that didn’t gain weight easily, so as an athlete, besides the diet his coach arranged, he could eat a bit extra.
But to maintain his competitive form, he rarely ate things from outside.
Naturally, he hadn’t eaten that tempting chocolate roll that day either.
“I made it casually yesterday.” Under Xi Ming’s sparkling gaze, Gu Fu rubbed his nose, unusually self-conscious. “Since there’s nothing much to do during summer break, I made it at home yesterday.”
Don’t think Xi Ming didn’t know, despite his busy training schedule Gu Fu had arranged foreign language and cello lessons for the summer, and at least yesterday, he’d been busy.
“Hehe.” Xi Ming let out two ambiguous laughs. “Anyway, thanks, Gu Fu.”
“Mm.” Gu Fu paused in his movements, actually wanting to ask what Xi Ming’s smile meant, but he figured Xi Ming wouldn’t tell him anyway, so he didn’t ask.
Instead, he shifted to another topic. “Which event are you planning to sign up for?”
Unlike Qiao Chengyu and Ouyang, Gu Fu was the one among the three who understood figure skating best. While the other two only knew that JGP was impressive, Gu Fu not only knew the rules for earning a JGP spot but also knew where all seven events were this year.
“Slovenia and Japan.”
The first JGP event started in mid-August, and it was already the end of July, so it was practically right around the corner.
“Then you’ll run into Takahashi Shohei,” Gu Fu said. “He won the Junior Grand Prix in the ’12 season and also made it to the Grand Prix last season, placing fourth.”
Xi Ming had signed up for the Japan event, so he’d definitely face Japanese skater Takahashi Shohei. Japan wasn’t particularly dominant in the junior division these days, but Takahashi Shohei was still one of the favorites for the title, because his poor results last season weren’t due to technical issues but to a foot injury.
“I just wonder which event Lanzic will sign up for.”
Adam Lanzic, the Czech skater who turned sixteen this year, should be one of the most watched skaters in the junior division right now, as he was last year’s Grand Prix champion and the silver medalist at the World Junior Championships.
The other was American skater Chris Blake, who had taken the World Junior gold from Lanzic, though he’d only placed third at the JGP Final.
Then there was Canadian skater Lucas Ozer, last season’s JGP runner-up and the bronze medalist at the World Junior Championships.
Those were the three most dazzling male singles skaters from last year, and since they hadn’t yet reached the age to move up, they’d continue competing in the junior division this season.
Domestically, Yu Jinghui, the top junior skater in China, was naturally a step below them, but he was still a first-tier competitor in the current junior field.
“And right now, I can’t even beat Yu Jinghui.” Xi Ming joked. Though he’d scored close to Yu Jinghui at the selection trials, he didn’t think he’d receive the same scoring treatment as Yu Jinghui at his JGP debut.
“When the trials ended, Brother Qi said he’d teach me the quad if I made it to the Grand Prix Final. Looks like the odds are stacked against me.”
“If you perform as well as you did at the trials, you’ll have a chance.”
Gu Fu didn’t say anything like “you’ll definitely win,” but spoke very pragmatically instead. Figure skating is a precise and challenging sport no one can guarantee that every jump will land perfectly every time.
And Xi Ming’s performance in the qualifying competition was clearly him at his best. Gu Fu believed that if Xi Ming competed in that state, he would win.
Even if it was Xi Ming’s first time on the international stage.
That was what Gu Fu told Xi Ming, and in return, he received a smile from Xi Ming. “You have that much faith in me?”
Before Gu Fu could nod, Xi Ming pulled a photo out of his pocket. “Then here’s a reward a signature from the short track speed skating team from the training camp next door.”
Gu Fu froze for a moment, then took it, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes when Xi Ming wasn’t looking.
“I really like it. Thanks for getting me the signature.” Xi Ming himself had absolutely no interest in speed skating, so of course, he’d gotten the signature for Gu Fu, who loved the sport.
At least, that’s what Xi Ming believed that Gu Fu was a fan of speed skating.
“Hey…” Suddenly, two heads stacked on top of each other appeared at the kitchen doorway. Qiao Chengyu asked plaintively, “When are we eating?”
They’d originally come down to check if it was time for dinner, but after overhearing Xi Ming and Gu Fu chatting in the kitchen about figure skaters they didn’t understand, Qiao Chengyu and Ouyang Hao had crouched by the doorway for a while.
But sure enough, when A-Xi and Gu Fu got together, they could talk endlessly they still had to be the ones to interrupt.