Jiang Ran’s pass was delivered to her home in mid-to-late January, by which time all the snowboarding events had already begun halfway through the competitions.
Thanks to Shan Chong’s consistent performance and his increasingly impressive jumps from the qualifying rounds onward, the Big Air snowboarding event had gained significant attention and emerged as an unexpected gold medal hopeful, greatly boosting public enthusiasm.
According to insider reports, even Guangrong snowboarders flocked to the scene like clouds gathering, with many beginners who had just learned how to put on their boots at 1 p.m. lining up at the small park’s jump ramps by 1:30 p.m., leaving those “left-behind” snowboarders, who couldn’t go to the Northeast or Xinjiang for outdoor skiing due to work commitments, feeling quite frustrated.
In contrast to the thriving park riders, the situation in the parallel giant slalom was not so optimistic.
As Nie Xin had mentioned, since it was not considered a medal-contending event, there wasn’t even a proper TV broadcast announcement for it, and the only way to watch the competition was to search online for live TV resources…
As Jiang Ran thought about this, she searched the internet and found that, whether by bad luck or not, all the athletes from both the men’s and women’s teams had been eliminated in the round of 16 for the parallel giant slalom event.
Jiang Ran’s pass became valid two days after the parallel giant slalom competition ended, meaning the snowboarding parallel giant slalom venue was already empty by then.
According to usual practice, the venue would undergo routine maintenance after the competition ended, to allow athletes who had not yet left to train or play casually.
Hearing from Nie Xin that Jiang Ran was preparing to go to Chongli, teammates from the Heilongjiang Provincial Team naturally knew exactly what she was going there for, and the group chat exploded with reactions—
[Chun: Aaaaaaah! I really want to chop off my legs now! Why didn’t I stabilize my last jump in Finland!]
Chun was the only female team member who had gone with Jiang Ran to the World Cup stop in Finland, but she had slipped and flown off the course in the round of 16, resulting in an unimpressive final ranking.
Jiang Ran remembered how Nie Xin had stood at the bottom with his hands on his hips, sighing, shaking his head, and muttering curses under his breath, yet still managed to smile and say, “It’s okay, don’t take it to heart. We were just practicing.”
Though Chun wasn’t scolded, she had still missed a chance to leave the provincial team and move up the ranks… She herself felt very regretful, but Jiang Ran thought it wasn’t a big deal. After all, she was only twenty-two, with plenty of time ahead for countless international competitions.
Hearing Jiang Ran’s comforting words, Chun felt even more wronged, clinging to Jiang Ran’s arm all the way back on the plane like a baby needing milk, greatly damaging her image as team captain.
[Chun: I’m so angry QAQ The pain I thought was long gone has struck me again. Why did I go to Finland! Damn it! I just wasted the plane ticket!]
[Nie Xin, Not Easy: @Chun How touching, you’ve said out loud what I dared not say for over a month.]
[Chun: …]
[Galactic Beauty: I also want to touch the competition venue of the top-level event QAQ @Nie Xin, Not Easy We also want to go!!]
[Yuanyuan: Waaahhh! The national team is so heartless, taking our princess away and not even letting us slide on the Winter Olympics venue!]
[Galactic Beauty: @Nie Xin, Not Easy Exactly! You should talk to Manager Wang, our princess is still so young! Conservatively estimated, she can compete in the Milan Winter Olympics, win gold, and still hang around for four more years. Eight years in total, eight years! In exchange for three days of training pass for the Heilongjiang Provincial Team venue, it’s such a great deal!]
[Nie Xin, Not Easy: So detailed calculations, why don’t you just sell her by the pound.]
With so many people in one provincial team and so many similar-level teams, the suggestion of everyone going to Chongli to try out the Winter Olympics venue was naturally unrealistic. The most they could do was wait until after the Winter Olympics ended and all the athletes had left the Olympic Village, then submit an application report to try.
Nie Xin did his best, and everyone accepted this approach, beginning to chatter about the competition with mixed feelings. Most expressed regret, and after the regret came expressions of hope for Jiang Ran—
[Chun: @Whose Ran Ran Duck I’ll be waiting for you on the podium at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics.]
[Chun: The highest one is for you, I’ll just stand beside you.]
[Galactic Beauty: …Can I squeeze in with you two? Don’t we need three red flags to match the national flag when it’s raised?]
[Whose Ran Ran Duck: ?? You guys are setting me up for a fall.]
[Nie Xin, Not Easy: Setting up for a fall +1, why didn’t I see such ambition from you during training?]
The group chat was filled with laughter and joy.
Jiang Ran barely had a chance to speak.
As she was looking at her phone, Beijiao passed behind her holding a bowl of sunflower seeds. Taking advantage of his height, he openly read the chat content from behind her. After a while, he clicked his tongue with a “tsk.”
It wasn’t strange for him to suddenly act moody.
Ever since Jiang Ran received the pass in the mail three days ago, he had been wearing this expression.
The living room was playing an old TVB drama, and Jiang Huaimin was completely captivated by the beauty of Lizi, while Zhang Lingling obediently sat beside him peeling sunflower seeds. No one noticed the kitchen.
Leaning against the kitchen counter, Jiang Ran turned around and pinched the chin of the tall, black-haired young man behind her with two fingers, shaking it slightly, “I’m flying to Zhangjiakou in a couple of days. How long are you going to keep giving me the cold shoulder?”
He remained silent with a stern face.
Jiang Ran let go of his chin, climbed onto a high stool, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed his chin.
As she kissed, she felt his chin tightening more and more. She then licked his lower lip, and as her tongue tried to slip inside, he pulled her away, “Don’t tease me if you’re not serious, got it?”
Jiang Ran’s tongue left his lips, looking at his previously dry lips now slightly moist from her saliva, making a small area pinkish.
But he was unaware, his voice carrying a nasal tone, sounding very pitiful, “If you’re going to leave, just leave. Don’t come near me these few days before you go. I’ll lock my heart away.”
“…”
Lock my heart away, indeed.
“Stay away from Zhao Keyan, that nutcase. You’re not learning anything good from him.”
Jiang Ran said.
From what she heard in the circles, Zhao Keyan, a long-time player, finally met his match when he was turned around by a sister even more wild than himself. The sea king was defeated by the sea queen’s trident and turned into sea foam—
That’s the idea.
Suddenly acting so innocently pure.
Beijiao didn’t care about Zhao Keyan’s fate. He just resented Jiang Ran for not taking him to Zhangjiakou. He had already prepared himself, and even if he couldn’t get a pass, he could stay outside the Chongli area in Zhangjiakou and wait for her.
But she wouldn’t let him.
He pouted, “You’re leaving me alone with Zhang Lingling.”
His voice was as pitiful as if spending the New Year with his mother could make him miserable.
Besides, she was only going to Chongli for three days. It wasn’t even the New Year, she could come back before the big cleaning.
“I’m only going for three days. Why are you acting like I’m leaving for a lifetime?” Jiang Ran whispered, “Besides, you’ve been mad for more than three days already.”
Beijiao calculated and realized it was indeed true. He thought, “Oh no, how childish I am,” blaming her entirely.
He said with a tone that was unreasonable but defiant, “I don’t care. If you go, I’ll go too. I’ll go back to school for three days.”
Jiang Ran: “Go ahead.”
Beijiao supported himself with one hand on the counter behind her, pressing her between the counter and himself, looking down at her, “I’m going back to give lessons to the girls.”
Jiang Ran was even more confused. Why would he report this with a tone of “Don’t be ungrateful,” “Go ahead?”
Beijiao: “I’m going to give lessons to the big sis.”
Jiang Ran burst into laughter directly, lifting her hand to touch his earlobe, “Go ahead!”
Beijiao’s face darkened, he stared at her expressionlessly for a few seconds, realizing she was unaffected, his fierce look couldn’t hold up anymore, and suddenly collapsed.
“You have no heart,” he buried his face in her neck, “You don’t like me.”
Jiang Ran had no choice but to open her arms and hug this 1.85-meter-tall baby, patting his back which was as solid as stone…
He moved slightly, making a very exaggerated gesture as if he wanted to push her away.
Jiang Ran hugged him even tighter.
He paused for a moment, then condescendingly turned his head to kiss her ear.
It was the first time in three days that he had initiated something. The familiar breath kissed and nibbled her earlobe, then turned to her lips. Just as he lazily pried open her teeth with his tongue—
A sound from the living room indicated someone was getting up.
Beijiao softly “tsked” and let her go.
Jiang Huaimin went to the fridge to get an apple. Passing by Jiang Ran, who was fiddling with her phone and eating sunflower seeds, and Beijiao, who was cutting fruit to prepare juice, he casually asked, “You’re going to Zhangjiakou the day after tomorrow, do you need a ride? I’ll call the driver to take you.”
Jiang Ran said “Okay” and was about to speak when Beijiao stopped cutting fruit, “I’ll take her.”
Both father and daughter looked up at the same time. Beijiao’s face was very calm, almost flawless, “I have nothing to do anyway, I can take her.”
“Aren’t you going to Guangrong to give lessons to the girls?” Jiang Ran said, “I saw on your short video account, those little girls are already lining up for numbers.”
Beijiao: “…”
He had brought the stone down on his own foot?
Jiang Huaimin tapped his daughter’s forehead, “You’re done! Your younger brother will get married before you!”
Beijiao glanced at Jiang Ran and smiled, “Not quite like that.”
It would be on the same day, the time on the marriage certificate wouldn’t differ by a second.
The guy smiled so deceptively that he confused Jiang Huaimin, making the old man look at him as if he were obedient and sensible. After confirming that it wouldn’t interfere with his affairs, he reluctantly agreed to let Beijiao take Jiang Ran to the airport.
“You’re just adding trouble for others!”
That tone sounded as if she had caused him a great deal of trouble.
…
Two days later.
Jiang Huaimin probably never imagined that the “others” in his phrase “just adding trouble for others” didn’t drop her off at the airport parking lot but instead followed her all the way to the security checkpoint entrance.
“Wear your mask at the Olympic Village, it’s crowded.”
“Okay.”
“Put away those fancy patterned masks, I’ve put N95s in your suitcase. Even if they’re stuffy, safety comes first.”
“Alright.”
“Don’t stay up late.”
“Fine.”
“At the venue, everyone is world-class. You’re definitely not the best one there. Don’t feel disappointed if you’re not the top. You’ve been skiing for a long time, but you’ve only started formal training recently. It’s normal if you can’t keep up with others… If you feel unhappy, call me.”
“Okay.”
“Call me when you’re happy too.”
“Okay.”
“Call me every day.”
“Fine.”
“I heard the athletes in the parallel giant slalom are generally very tall. The Nordic guys are also handsome. Don’t talk to them just because you’re good at English.”
“I won’t.”
“Say you love me.”
“…”
Standing at the security checkpoint, Jiang Ran looked up at the person in front of her with an exasperated expression.
He impatiently scraped his shoe on the ground, as if urging her with his eyes to answer the most important question last.
Jiang Ran helplessly stood on her tiptoes and gently tugged his ear, “I won’t look at anyone else. You’re the best looking.”
He bent down to her level, his ears perking up.
“I only love you.”
As she spoke, he smiled.
From the moment he got up in the morning, the young man had been frowning as if someone owed him three million, but now his dark eyes behind the mask sparkled and slightly curved with his smile.
Quickly looking around, he noticed no security personnel were watching them, so he quickly took off one side of his mask and reached out to remove Jiang Ran’s.
He bent down and kissed her lips, then thought for a moment and kissed her again.
Then, reluctantly, he personally helped her put her mask back on—
Throughout all this, Jiang Ran just stood there with her face upturned, not moving an inch.
Looking at the black-haired young man’s long fingers slowly putting on his mask, “So annoying. If it weren’t for the mask, I’d have you weak in the knees right here.”
He muttered.
“Go.”
As Jiang Ran turned to walk toward security, her mind was filled with “Thank goodness for the mask, both literally and figuratively.”
…
The flight took off from Guangzhou Baiyun Airport at 11 a.m. and landed at Zhangjiakou Airport six hours later.
Zhangjiakou Airport is a dual-use military and civil airport, so the window shades had to be closed during the descent. Jiang Ran didn’t realize how dark it had become outside until she stepped out of the cabin.
Looking at the pitch-black sky, her first instinctive thought was whether Beijiao had eaten.
She was startled by her own motherly concern. She took out her phone and found that just about five minutes ago, as soon as the plane wheels touched down, Beijiao had sent her a message—
[Beijiao: Have you arrived?]
Jiang Ran walked toward the baggage claim area and replied with a “1”.
He didn’t mind her indifference at all, as if he had been holding the phone the whole time.
[Beijiao: I’ve already started missing you after only six hours of you being gone. I’ll take tonight’s flight to Zhangjiakou!]
He even sent her the flight number.
[Whose Ran Ran Duck: ………………………… Enough already, do you want to drink milk or something!]
[Beijiao: …]
[Beijiao: Who wouldn’t drink it if it’s available?]
Jiang Ran regretted herself for letting her brain get messed up from the radiation during the flight, actually personally building a ladder for him to make dirty jokes.
She changed the subject and asked what Beijiao was doing. He replied quickly—
[Beijiao: Thinking about you, and on my way to the airport.]
Jiang Ran thought he might be crazy, and even half-believed that the moment she left, he followed right behind her to the security checkpoint, buying the next flight.
After all, he was rich now, although usually stingy to the point of being frugal, he had always been willing to spend on her without blinking an eye, like how every time they went shopping together in Guangzhou, he always paid.
As Jiang Ran was lost in her thoughts, she even imagined looking back to see if he was haunting her like a ghost—
At that moment, a Guangrong “left-behind” friend she knew sent her a message, asking if she had gone to Chongli already?
Jiang Ran was surprised and asked how he knew. The other person snorted through the voice message, saying in disbelief, because he had seen Beijiao in Guangrong. If she hadn’t left, how could he have come to the fridge?
Jiang Ran sent him a question mark.
The other person sent her a short video—probably at the beginner’s slope, a young man in a black hoodie standing with his hands behind his back, wearing a teaching vest, following behind a shaky middle-aged man switching edges.
When the middle-aged man fell, he skied over and with one hand, lifted the man, who looked twice his weight, off the ground.
He was even considerate enough to bend down and brush the snow off the man’s clothes.
Jiang Ran was silent for a few seconds, hearing in her mind the sound of a certain dog’s image of rushing to Zhangjiakou by plane shattering.
“Earning money to support the family,” as one of the few people who knew their relationship, the relative sighed, “When are you going to give him a proper status?”
Jiang Ran expressionlessly replied—
[Whose Ran Ran Duck: When he stops running his mouth off.]
Rolling her eyes, she took her luggage from the conveyor belt and walked out of Zhangjiakou Airport alone. The small airport was nearly empty due to the lockdown in Chongli. As she walked out, she saw someone wearing Olympic Village staff clothing waiting at the exit.
They were waiting for her.
Jiang Ran didn’t have much emotional reaction when she got into the car.
Until the car reached the expressway tollgate.
Because of hosting the Winter Olympics, Chongli had been completely closed off to the outside. Sitting in the car, leaning against her snowboard bag, watching the driver hand the transportation pass to the tollgate manager at the Chongli expressway ramp, Jiang Ran suddenly felt a sense of unreality.
How to describe it?
It was as if her heart had suddenly trembled and then started beating strongly and violently. An indescribable sense of unreal happiness surged from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.
Jiang Ran had never had particularly grand ambitions since she was a child. Even though she skied very well, she had never imagined that one day she would be associated with the six words “national team athlete.”
It was like a pie falling from the sky, to the point that she still felt as if she hadn’t woken up yet—
How did she end up climbing to this height?
She couldn’t even remember anymore.
Once, she struggled with the gates in Harbin.
Coming home at night, taking off her clothes to reveal bruises as if she had been whipped.
The pain and frustration of being unable to progress, no matter how hard she tried, and the speed of passing through the gates that seemed immovable or even regressing…
At that time, the pain and the suffering from the inability to progress seemed distant and blurred.
She hadn’t told anyone that she had once thought she couldn’t get past that hurdle, feeling so desperate.
But now, she had actually reached a new crossroads.
Outside the car, staff in protective suits checked the pass and conducted a security inspection on the vehicle.
They checked Jiang Ran’s health code and travel code, and performed another nucleic acid test on her. After completing all the procedures, she returned to the car and sat back down, her soul seemingly having left her body the entire time.
Until ahead, the staff handed the pass back to the driver.
Behind the protective face shield, the previously serious expression turned into a smile as he waved at the person sitting in the back.
“Welcome to the Beijing Winter Olympics sub-venue. Chongli welcomes you.”
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