Chapter Nineteen: Something Feels Off

With Xu Jingyu absent, no one was there to spar with Qin Liubei, and he actually found himself missing those days filled with banter. So he turned his attention to teasing Shu Ran instead. Whenever he had nothing better to do, he would drape his arm over her shoulder; at first, Shu Ran resisted, but gradually she grew accustomed to it.

Twenty days slipped by in the blink of an eye. In just half a month, they would return home, and Shu Ran cherished every moment of training here.

Both sets of costumes for their programs were ready. Shu Ran emerged from the dressing room in her performance outfit. It was her first time wearing sequined attire, and she found it odd no matter how she looked at herself. Yet the instant Fu Yiqing and Qin Liubei caught sight of her, their eyes lit up.

Qin Liubei whistled, pressing his hands on her shoulders and surveying her from side to side. "As they say, a Buddha shines in gold, and a person dazzles in fine clothes. Tsk tsk, Shu Ran is a real dark horse."

Shu Ran narrowed her eyes. "So you used to think I was ugly?"

Qin Liubei scratched the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "How come you suddenly sound just like Xu Jingyu?"

"Because you can't get Xu Jingyu out of your head!"

Qin Liubei was momentarily speechless.

While the two joked and laughed, Fu Yiqing’s gaze drifted, and after a long pause, he urged with some displeasure, "Hurry up and get on the ice. Qin Liubei, no more fooling around from now on."

It was rare for Qin Liubei to be called by his full name, and he was even more baffled as to how he might have offended Fu Yiqing. He shook his head in resignation and returned to his spot. "Why are you suddenly upset?"

Fu Yiqing kept a cold face. "I just don't want you wasting precious training time."

"You really are the epitome of fairness."

Shu Ran skated through her routine and felt pretty good. When she reached the final jump, her stomach suddenly ached, causing her to misjudge her balance, and the jump ended with a stumble.

The music continued, and Shu Ran followed the rhythm to finish her performance with a flying camel spin.

As she came off the ice, Qin Liubei looked her up and down. "No problem with the costume?"

Shu Ran shook her head.

Fu Yiqing, however, noticed her hand pressed to her abdomen. He paused for a second and said, "That's enough for today. Go back to the hotel and rest."

Qin Liubei’s face was full of shock. "Are you testing Shu Ran, or are you serious?"

Shu Ran replied, "Coach Fu, let me practice a bit longer."

Fu Yiqing gazed solemnly at her lower abdomen. "Are you sure?"

Perhaps the cold from the ice had eased things; she dropped her arm. "It's nothing, just a slight stomachache earlier, but I'm much better now."

Fu Yiqing looked doubtful. "Are you sure? Don't need painkillers?"

Suddenly, Shu Ran understood what Fu Yiqing meant—he thought her stomachache was because her period had come.

But by her calculations, it was still about ten days away.

Qin Liubei interjected, "Come on, it's not a big deal. Why take painkillers?"

"Um—" Shu Ran looked away, her fair cheeks tinged with pink. She muttered, "It's not that, just a regular stomachache."

Fu Yiqing grew a bit embarrassed himself, his gaze evasive. "Rest five minutes, then continue."

Qin Liubei leaned in, his odd gaze flitting between the two of them. "What are you talking about? I feel like you both have something hidden in your words."

Fu Yiqing tossed out, "You're overthinking," and walked away.

Qin Liubei focused all his attention on Shu Ran.

Shu Ran gave him the same reply, "You're overthinking."

Qin Liubei bit his lip, arms crossed, utterly unable to figure out what secret suddenly existed between the two.

Training proceeded smoothly, but Shu Ran found herself distracted. For some reason, she felt Fu Yiqing was deliberately or inadvertently avoiding her lately.

What surprised her even more was how this avoidance left her with a sense of loss.

A suspicion crept into her heart, but she dared not face it; the harder she tried not to think of it, the more her mind wandered.

Perhaps it was psychological, but Shu Ran felt uncomfortable no matter how she skated.

With a sharp thud, Shu Ran fell on the ice again. She’d lost count of how many times she’d crashed during jumps that morning; even her 3T success rate had plummeted from perfect to fifty percent—her form was clearly off.

Fu Yiqing frowned from the sidelines and signaled her over.

His tone was calm, betraying no emotion. "What's wrong?"

Shu Ran lowered her eyes, unable to meet his gaze. "Something feels off."

"Hmm?"

Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz. "I think... it’s the shoes."

Fu Yiqing leaned in to hear her, and Shu Ran’s heart beat faster.

"Shoes?" Fu Yiqing quickly crouched, examining her skates, then looked up. "Are your feet sore?"

It was the first time she saw the top of Fu Yiqing’s head since the fireworks festival; last time, it was dark and she felt guiltless, so her mood was calm. This time, she realized she did not have a clear conscience.

"Yes." Shu Ran concealed her true feelings and replied in a low voice, "The balance feels off on the skates, like the blades are crooked."

"Take them off, let me see."

Shu Ran immediately felt guilty, but seeing Fu Yiqing’s serious expression, she had no choice but to comply.

Fu Yiqing inspected her skates carefully, comparing them side by side.

Shu Ran was awash with shame—he would surely realize soon this was just an excuse.

"How long has this been happening?"

Shu Ran thought back and realized it started before Fu Yiqing accidentally touched her thigh; the realization startled her.

Had she harbored impure thoughts about Coach Fu since then?

"Can't recall?"

Fu Yiqing’s words snapped her from her reverie. She answered, "About half a month."

"So long, and now you mention it?"

His voice carried obvious displeasure, which unsettled Shu Ran, leaving her at a loss for explanation.

Seeing her anxious and lost expression, Fu Yiqing was silent for a long time before rising and sighing helplessly. "There are still more than two months before the Grand Prix. You have time to break in new skates."

"Have to buy new ones?"

Fu Yiqing’s next words detonated like a depth charge in Shu Ran’s ears.

"To Japan."

*

When Qin Liubei learned they were going to Japan, he nearly lost his mind. "Brother, there’s only half a month left before the national team’s internal test, and you’re taking Shu Ran to Japan to buy skates? This isn’t funny!"

But once Fu Yiqing made a decision, no one could change it.

Shu Ran never expected that her casual complaint about uncomfortable skates would end their training early and send them to Japan.

She dared not attribute it to Fu Yiqing’s concern for her, for she knew how crucial skates were for figure skaters. The right pair could help an athlete perform at their best; conversely, uncomfortable skates could ruin a career.

Wearing ill-fitting shoes for a long time can injure the feet, and for athletes performing difficult moves, the risk is even greater.

They had no time to spare—upon landing, they went straight to the skate shop.

It was Shu Ran’s first time in Japan, and everything felt novel. The strict waste sorting here left her astonished.

After getting out of the car, Fu Yiqing followed the navigation and looked around, finally settling on a rather inconspicuous skate shop before them.

The shop was small but packed with skates of every kind.

Japan, a powerhouse in figure skating, had produced many Olympic medal contenders. The sport is highly valued here, making it a popular Olympic event, with numerous rinks and many shops selling skating equipment.

Shu Ran’s eyes lit up, and even her steps grew lighter.

Though the shop was small, it was crowded. As they entered, an adult led a four- or five-year-old girl out after buying skates.

Fu Yiqing conversed with the clerk in English, who nodded and led them inside.

They passed through a passage barely wide enough for one person; within, the space was even tighter, but everything was neatly organized, lending a cozy feel.

On a table lay various blades and mysterious tools. Behind it, an elderly man wore a magnifying glass over his right eye, absorbed in examining the skate blade, then carefully polishing it with a small tool.

The clerk said something, prompting the old man to finally put his tools aside and look up.

"How can I help you?"

Fu Yiqing tilted his head toward Shu Ran. "Give him your skates."

Shu Ran handed over her shoes. The old man gave her a brief glance, then focused entirely on the skates.

Fu Yiqing explained, "She says the blades are crooked. Would you kindly take a look?"

The old man examined them, then went to another machine, placing the blade side in the middle.

Shu Ran couldn’t understand the procedure and asked Fu Yiqing, "Aren’t we here to buy skates?"

"Of course not," he replied. "We’re here to fix them."

"His name is Jiro Yamamoto. He’s the most skilled skate corrector in Japan and probably the world. Many star figure skaters from home and abroad come here for him to check their skates."

Shu Ran had only seen a kindly old man before, but after Fu Yiqing’s explanation, she regarded him with respect.

No wonder Fu Yiqing had rushed straight here after landing—he’d planned it all along.

After the machine finished, Jiro Yamamoto picked up the skates. "The blades are crooked."

Fu Yiqing asked, "Can you fix them?"

Jiro Yamamoto nodded. "The fastest will be ten days. I’m sorry, but I have urgent orders from other skaters."

Everything depends on who comes first, and since he said so, they would have to wait ten days—just enough time before the internal test.

To ensure no further discomfort after repairs, Fu Yiqing had Jiro Yamamoto measure Shu Ran’s foot, confirming her pain was due to the crooked blades. Only then did they return to the hotel relieved.

After settling their luggage, Fu Yiqing did something unprecedented—he invited Shu Ran out, saying they should stroll around and change their mood.

Though autumn had passed, the weather was still hot. Accustomed to the cold, Shu Ran struggled with the heat; after just ten minutes outside, her face was flushed.

She was hoping to return to the hotel soon, but Fu Yiqing led her through the doors of a shopping mall.

Cool air greeted her, and Shu Ran wiped her sweat and regained her composure.

Then she realized this was no shopping mall—it was an ice rink.

Even when not training, Fu Yiqing couldn’t shake his professional habits, always preferring the ice rink.

At least Shu Ran didn’t have to suffer the heat anymore.

The vast rink echoed, and they could clearly hear the blades scraping "zzzz" against the ice. Energetic children performed simple skating moves; a few managed jumps, their short legs and chubby hands making them especially comical.

Fu Yiqing watched the rink with her and suddenly asked, "Two months until the Chinese Grand Prix—are you nervous?"

Shu Ran gazed at him for a moment, her heartbeat accelerating once more. Sensing he was about to turn her way, she quickly fixed her eyes back on the rink. "Not really."

Her hand by her side rubbed her palm incessantly.

What she didn’t say was, she wasn’t nervous about the competition—only nervous when she was with him.