“Junior apprentice brother!” While Yang Wu and the others watching were still stunned by Xi Ming’s suddenly displayed quadruple jump skill, a plaintive accusation broke the silence.
Qi Yu the senior apprentice brother who had just declared he would teach Xi Ming the quadruple jump was now looking at Xi Ming with an accusing gaze. “Are you messing with me?”
“Yeah, it’s fun.” Xi Ming nodded, admitting it with utmost sincerity.
Qi Yu opened his mouth, then found himself at a loss for words. Fortunately, he was naturally playful by nature, so he quickly circled around Xi Ming cheerfully, rubbing his chin as if sizing him up.
“Didn’t expect you to have a hidden card, little junior apprentice brother. Doesn’t that mean you can do a quadruple jump in the finals too?”
Xi Ming shot Qi Yu a look that said “you’re overthinking it,” then, without further explanation, glided out and popped another 4T. Unlike the previous jump which, though flawed, had been an overall success this time Xi Ming twisted the full four rotations in the air but landed with a solid crash onto the ice.
Anyone could see that Xi Ming’s takeoff axis had been crooked from the start, and his airborne posture was a complete mess.
“It’s exactly what you saw.” Xi Ming got up, speaking in a remarkably calm tone, as if it hadn’t been him who just fell. “That’s what my 4T normally looks like. Success rate is under thirty percent. Putting it in an actual competition needs more thought.”
In truth, Xi Ming’s jumps were already fully rotated, so even if he fell, it would still be counted as a quadruple jump, significantly boosting his base value score. However, whether that fall would affect his subsequent performance and overall condition was something that needed consideration.
Compared to his 3A, which had a fifty percent success rate at the start of the season and had fortunately landed cleanly in every competition Xi Ming’s 4T was still just a reserve move in his training arsenal.
Moreover, he had limited opportunities to practice quads right now. Zhao Zhengchang kept a close watch on Xi Ming every day, not letting him do even one extra jump.
“None of that is a problem!” Qi Yu was now acting as if he were Xi Ming’s coach, confidently slinging an arm around Xi Ming’s shoulder. “Teacher Qi will help you improve faster. Beating Chris and Lanzik in the finals won’t be an issue at all!”
No one else would dare paint such rosy pictures.
Xi Ming glanced at Qi Yu. Just as Qi Yu expected him to give another vague refusal, Xi Ming nodded. “Alright, I’ll leave it to you, senior apprentice brother.”
Even after Xi Ming stepped off the ice and left with Yu Jinghui and the others, Qi Yu stood in place, lost in thought. Jiang Jun was genuinely curious, so he walked over and poked Qi Yu. “You.”
Before he could finish, Qi Yu suddenly reached out and hooked an arm around Jiang Jun’s neck. “Did you hear that? He called me senior apprentice brother. Now I understand why the coaches all think Xi Ming is so well-behaved and adorable.”
You’re already smitten just because he called you senior apprentice brother? Jiang Jun was speechless.
He knew the situation well Qi Yu liked Xi Ming, but Xi Ming didn’t appreciate Qi Yu’s habit of teasing him in that playful, child-baiting tone. So their dynamic was a constant push-and-pull: Qi Yu would always provoke Xi Ming, and Xi Ming would respond with cold indifference, leaving Qi Yu guessing.
Qi Yu had even complained to Jiang Jun that Xi Ming always acted aloof and unlovable around him.
And now, just because Xi Ming called him senior apprentice brother, Qi Yu thought Xi Ming was adorable.
Still, Jiang Jun didn’t mock Qi Yu. He just patted the arm Qi Yu had hooked around his neck.
“I know you’re excited, but that’s no reason to strangle me.”
“How nice. I want to learn the quadruple jump from Brother Qi too.”
That evening, Xi Ming lay in his new dorm room. His roommate, Song Yili, who wasn’t sleepy yet, was chatting with him, the topic being Xi Ming’s quadruple jump from that afternoon.
“You can learn it together. Brother Qi would be thrilled.”
Or rather, Qi Yu would love nothing more than to see all the promising young skaters step up their game. Xi Ming thought about Qi Yu as he turned over and sat up. “If you’re too shy to ask, I can talk to him as long as your coach approves adding quadruple jump training.”
“Really!” Song Yili was delighted. “I’ll go convince my coach!”
At this JGP, Song Yili had competed in one qualifier event and placed fourth a solid result for his first time. But with Xi Ming and Yu Jinghui ahead of him, Song Yili, being competitive, wanted to improve even further.
Having received Xi Ming’s assurance, Song Yili only then noticed Xi Ming sitting on the edge of the bed, putting on his shoes. “Aren’t you going to sleep?”
“Can’t quite fall asleep. I’ll go out for a bit.” Xi Ming stood up, and seeing Song Yili still staring at him, added, “Don’t worry, I’m not going to train. Just taking a walk. I’m a bit unused to a new bed, so I can’t sleep right now.”
“Oh, then go ahead. Come back soon.” Song Yili relaxed.
Honestly whether Zhao Zhengchang had recruited a little spy, or this fourteen-year-old kid just worried too much on his own. Xi Ming found it amusing as he leaned down and ruffled Song Yili’s hair, then walked out the door amid Song Yili’s indignant protests.
Xi Ming hadn’t lied to Song Yili he really was somewhat particular about his bed, which was why he couldn’t fall asleep. During overseas competitions, the pressure of the event kept him focused enough to fall asleep quickly and rest up, but now that he was in the national team dormitory where he’d be staying long-term, that little quirk of his had quietly crept back out.
Since it was the hour when most people were asleep, there was almost no one outside, which made the figure that had just passed by all the more conspicuous.
It was Qi Yu.
Xi Ming, who had originally planned to head back inside because the wind outside was making him a bit cold, changed his mind when he saw Qi Yu and followed him instead.
Then he realized Qi Yu had entered a very familiar place the ice rink where they trained every day.
The one doing extra practice late at night was someone else entirely.
When Xi Ming followed Qi Yu into the rink, Qi Yu, already on the ice, hadn’t noticed him and was skating on his own. Xi Ming sat down in a corner where he wouldn’t easily be spotted, watching Qi Yu on the ice.
Although Xi Ming hadn’t yet seen Qi Yu’s complete programs for the new season, he already knew from the federation’s materials that Qi Yu had two programs: the short program The Sound of Silence and the free skate The Godfather.
During the day, Xi Ming had seen Qi Yu practice the footwork for his short program, so from a familiar sequence of steps, he recognized that Qi Yu was skating his new short program.
The music, not particularly loud, was clearly audible in the quiet environment, and the expressiveness radiating from Qi Yu’s body was even more striking than the music itself.
That sound of solitude, voiced within the silence.
After watching for a while, Xi Ming understood that Qi Yu wasn’t doing extra practice it was more like what Xi Ming himself had done before, venting a momentary emotion on the ice. Qi Yu wasn’t jumping; he was just gliding across the surface with a series of steps, spinning to the music.
For people like them, whose memories for most of their lives were tied to the ice, the ice also carried their emotions and helped them calm down.
When the music began playing for the second time, Qi Yu stopped. He looked toward where Xi Ming was sitting even if he hadn’t noticed at first because he was too absorbed, once he calmed down, he could tell someone was there.
Still, when Xi Ming approached, he was a bit taken aback. “Little junior, what are you doing here?”
“Why can’t it be me?” Xi Ming rested his hands on the edge of the rink and spoke to Qi Yu. “I’m a bit picky about beds, so I couldn’t sleep. Then I saw you and followed you here.”
“You’re not doing extra practice again like during the training camp, are you?” Qi Yu didn’t believe it, leaning in with a grin to ask.
“I think the one doing extra practice is someone else.” Xi Ming gave Qi Yu a pointed look.
“Haha, I’m not really practicing extra either.” Qi Yu laughed and ruffled Xi Ming’s hair, making his already messy little curls stick up even more wildly. “Don’t worry, Coach Yang knows. I just get a bit stressed before competitions, so I come skate to calm down.”
Qi Yu didn’t seem to have any intention of continuing either. He got off the ice and sat down beside Xi Ming to talk.
“It might be hard to imagine, but I’m the type who gets really stressed before competitions, and I get nervous during them too.” Saying this, Qi Yu looked at Xi Ming. “Honestly, I’m a bit envious of little juniors like you who perform even better during competitions.”
“I’m not not nervous.” Xi Ming continued under Qi Yu’s surprised gaze. “It’s just that slight nervousness makes me excited.”
That racing heartbeat caused by nerves actually became a positive state for Xi Ming, helping him stay calm and bring out his best.
“Hearing you say that makes me even more envious.” Qi Yu shot Xi Ming a resentful look.
Qi Yu and Xi Ming didn’t stay at the rink for long. With Xi Ming there, Qi Yu used the excuse that kids needed more sleep to rest well, shooing Xi Ming out and heading back himself at the same time.
The two walked side by side on the way back to the dormitory. The autumn night wind was a bit cold, and Qi Yu insisted on lending his jacket to Xi Ming, who was dressed a little too lightly even though both of them were athletes with plenty of warmth and not afraid of the cold.
The atmosphere fell quiet for a moment. In that setting, Xi Ming’s voice seemed softer and more mature than usual. “The senior Grand Prix is starting soon, isn’t it?”
A few days earlier, the final stop of the Junior Grand Prix had come to a close, signaling that the senior Grand Prix with competition even fiercer than the junior level was about to begin.
“Yeah, but I signed up for the Chinese Cup (COC) and the NHK Trophy in Japan. The competitions don’t start until November.”
Unlike the junior level, where spots were determined by national rankings, senior Grand Prix entries were based on individual results. The top eleven skaters from last season’s World Championships each got two assignments, so Qi Yu, who placed third, and Jiang Jun, who placed tenth, both had two stops.
“Little junior, you’ll have to come cheer for me in person then.” Qi Yu said it casually, just throwing it out there.
The COC (Cup of China) would be held in Shanghai in November, but that was only one month before the Grand Prix Final. With all JGP events concluded, the final list of six skaters who would advance to the Final was confirmed.
Last season’s junior standouts Chris, Lanzik, and Lucas from Canada all entered the six-man list with event titles to their names, with Lanzik and Lucas each having won two events.
The newcomers Xi Ming and Mikhail also made it into the six, and the final spot fell to Takahashi Shohei.
Even the individual events had been fiercely competitive. To defeat the remaining five skaters, Xi Ming would need to devote himself fully to training in the coming days to hold his own in the Final.
“I’ll go.” Xi Ming’s words cut through Qi Yu’s thoughts.
“You don’t have to” Qi Yu instinctively tried to decline, wanting Xi Ming to focus on training, but Xi Ming interrupted him.
“I’ve never seen you compete in person, Shixiong.” Because it was late at night, the streetlights were dim, so even though they stood close together, Qi Yu couldn’t quite make out Xi Ming’s expression he could only hear his voice.
“Have I ever told you that I really love your free skate from the Olympics? I’ve always wanted to see it with my own eyes. So for your little fan, you need to skate well.”
“I also want to compete in the Grand Prix alongside you.”
As Xi Ming’s words trailed off, they finally entered the dormitory building. Under the corridor lights, Qi Yu could finally see Xi Ming’s expression his eyes held a gentle smile and a hint of encouragement, looking somehow mature in a way that felt unfamiliar.
“When the Final comes, Shixiong, you have to watch my free skate carefully. I think I’ve improved a lot since the qualifying rounds.”
Qi Yu didn’t say that he had already watched every one of Xi Ming’s competitions several times over. He always felt there was something unspoken hidden beneath Xi Ming’s words, much like the illusion he sometimes got when their eyes met as if Xi Ming could see right through his thoughts.
“I know ” Qi Yu tried to agree in his usual light, chuckling tone, but before he could finish, a stronger beam of light swept over them, flickering.
Then came the voice of the dorm matron: “What are you two doing up at this hour? If you don’t get proper rest, I’ll have a word with your coach.”