Chapter 123: One Heart, One Mind

Shu Ran stayed in Canada for two months before returning home to participate in the team trials. Unsurprisingly, she took first place once again. Although her foot injury could flare up at any time, she had to compete this season to practice her new short program.

Fu Yiqing only registered Shu Ran for the Grand Prix. Considering her condition, he ensured the interval between her two assigned stations was not too short, ultimately choosing the China and Russia stops. With half a month between them, it was just enough time for Shu Ran to recover.

In addition to Shu Ran, Chen Jiahe was also registered for the China stop, while Wu Huihui was signed up for the France and USA stops. Wu Huihui placed seventh at the USA stop; although her results showed slight improvement, she still failed to qualify for the Grand Prix Final.

The China stop, usually an unpopular event with little viewership, saw a rare sell-out on ticketing websites. "Hard to get a ticket" became the biggest issue for skating fans. If the emergence of Zhu Hongzhe had made people start paying attention to the men's singles, the primary reason fans continued to support him was his appearance. Even though Zhu Hongzhe had ushered in a new era for men's singles and his bronze medal was an achievement deemed impossible, people are creatures who value results.

Shu Ran was different. Her presence allowed the audience to see the true strength of women's singles, and they were unwilling to miss a single moment of this new era champion’s rise. Shu Ran did not disappoint the fans who had paid high prices for tickets; she easily secured the gold at the China stop. Everyone could see that she was in excellent form; at this rate, an Olympic gold medal was not out of the question.

In this climate, Shu Ran became one of the hottest sports stars in the country. Requests for interviews flooded in, but Fu Yiqing turned them all down. Firstly, with the Winter Olympics approaching, training was more important than interviews; secondly, he was concerned about Shu Ran’s injury. The Skating Association also issued a statement, asking the media not to over-exploit the athletes during the Olympic season. Netizens expressed their understanding and lashed out at the media, which finally forced them to behave.

However, at the same time, another matter quietly rose to the top of the trending topics. A newspaper in a certain country published an article on the 3rd, claiming that frail Asians, no matter how hard they work, could never compete with the robust and physically superior Westerners. Although the article did not mention Shu Ran by name, every word was a mockery of her, suggesting that her sudden comeback after a two-year hiatus due to a serious injury was likely due to performance-enhancing drugs.

This newspaper was discovered by an overseas Chinese student who posted it on Weibo, noting that the country's media had published several similar hit pieces mocking Shu Ran. This quickly enraged netizens, sparking a heated war of words. Netizens protected Shu Ran as they had before, flocking to her Weibo to offer comfort and serve as her strongest backing. Some netizens even took the fight to international platforms, hitting back in the comments section of the offending media outlets.

Thus, the unsuspecting local public and Chinese netizens engaged in a fierce battle. The foreign media even dug up comparison videos of Shu Ran before and after her injury to "prove" her doping. This video gave the foreign public confidence, pushing the verbal war to a new climax.

However, Chinese netizens found a new strategic weapon: meme warfare. No matter what harsh words the other side used, netizens would simply post a meme. The English on the memes was clear enough for the opponents to understand the mockery. The foreign public was furious; their carefully crafted insults failed to provoke their opponents and were instead met with dismissive memes that left them deeply frustrated. As the fighting continued, many began to find the memes amusing, saving them even while they argued.

Just as the situation was escalating, the ISU released a statement declaring that Shu Ran’s drug tests before the World Championships were completely clear, and that she had undergone another test a week ago, which was also clean. At the same time, professionals pointed out that the comparison videos had been digitally altered and spliced. The foreign public finally realized they had been manipulated by the media.

Consequently, netizens from both countries joined forces to condemn the media outlets that had incited conflict and distorted the truth. Many locals even felt that the media had intentionally misled public opinion and vowed to cancel their subscriptions. Two days later, the two media outlets, unable to withstand the pressure, finally slunk out to apologize.

The relevant Weibo post was reposted by the official state account with the caption: "Shu Ran: Say no to rumors. Go athletes! Your country stands behind you!" More and more celebrities followed suit, cheering on the athletes heading to the Winter Olympics and offering encouragement to Shu Ran.

Shen Yanqing, known as the "God of Exams," also reposted the message, saying: "Everyone on Weibo has reposted my posts, but @ShuRan_ice never did. That was when I knew this girl was no simple person—she relies entirely on her own strength!"

Her post quickly reached tens of thousands of comments.
"Reposting the God of Exams gets you a good grade, but what happens if the God of Exams reposts you?"
"Replying to the above: It probably means on a 100-point test, Shu Ran can score 101."
"I don’t ask for Qingqing to repost me, just a reply would do. I’d be willing to stop reposting your content for a year if it meant passing all my exams for the whole year."

As the comments started to veer off-topic, the God of Exams' husband, the famous actor Mo Sijia, suddenly appeared in the comments section. Mo Sijia replied: "Out of memes, requesting reinforcements." Netizens gasped—was the superstar Mo Sijia also helping out on international platforms?

People flocked to scale the internet firewall, and the ranks grew even larger. The absurd verbal war suddenly changed in tone, becoming a platform for netizens from both countries to exchange memes.

Shu Ran did not get involved in this battle herself. However, after this fight, people in both countries knew the name of the figure skater Shu Ran. Jokes about the war even circulated online. For instance, one netizen asked another: "You’re pretty capable, aren't you? If you're so smart, I'll only be impressed if you can read Chinese!" The other replied: "Brother, are you Chinese too?" " [Stunned.jpg] Teammate?" "…Retreat, the 'front line' needs firepower." Others even struck up a friendship through the fighting, arranging to go watch Shu Ran’s competition together. Netizens jokingly remarked: "China-X friendship depends on Shu Ran."

Everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction, with only three months left until the Winter Olympics. But at this critical juncture, Shu Ran’s foot injury flared up again.

After completing her exhibition gala at the Russia stop, Shu Ran felt something was wrong with her right foot. Once she got into the car, a sharp pain shot through her right ankle. She bent over, clutching her leg, her face turning deathly pale. The team doctor looked at her foot with a grave expression: "Get her to the hospital immediately."

It couldn't have flared up at a worse time. Shu Ran panicked. Although she told herself to stay calm, the past was still fresh in her mind; the worst-case scenario had likely arrived. Fu Yiqing grabbed her hand. As warmth flooded her, she only felt that the back of her own hand was even colder.

Fu Yiqing said gently, "Don't be afraid."
"Coach," Shu Ran whispered, "what if this time..."
"Don't talk nonsense. Maybe it's not as bad as you think." His voice held a hint of reprimand, but his tone remained gentle.
Shu Ran asked, "What if it really is that bad?"
Fu Yiqing remained silent.

Shu Ran felt as if she were at sea, helpless, with a storm approaching, losing her direction while trying to return home. Fu Yiqing tightened his grip, drawing her focus to him. "Even if you lost a leg, you would still compete, wouldn't you?"
"Of course." Even in her panic, the answer had long been rooted in her heart.
"Good." Fu Yiqing tightened his brow, his eyes firm. "Cortisone shots, painkillers—there will be a way. No matter what, I will be with you the whole way!"

Her intuition told her he still had something to say. She stared at him, and after a long moment, his lips moved as he added three words.

Shu Ran’s heart jolted, her pupils constricting.

The airport was already packed with fans, all there to welcome Shu Ran home after her first-place finish in Russia. They held up banners, their spirits high, chatting with each other about when they first started following her. But then, a sudden scream erupted in the crowd. Cheers died on their lips as they froze at the sight before them.

Someone asked blankly, "Why is it only Zhu Hongzhe?"

Because of the suddenness of the situation, Shu Ran had returned home earlier than scheduled and had already finished her examinations at the hospital. The situation was not optimistic.

Dr. He said, "The condition is the same as before. If we perform surgery, we can restore it to 80% of its former state, but you won't be able to do any strenuous exercise for at least half a year after the operation."

A silence fell over the office. Shu Ran stared blankly at the X-ray, and Fu Yiqing lowered his eyes. Everyone in the country knew that Shu Ran wanted to win glory for the nation at the Winter Olympics. This was her last chance, and her best chance to win gold. She rested her hands on her legs, slowly curling them into fists. Just as she looked up to meet Dr. He's gaze, he shook his head helplessly. "But that is unlikely for you."

Dr. He continued writing in the medical record, "Then we will adopt conservative treatment. You must have surgery immediately after the Winter Olympics."

Shu Ran hung her head like a child who had done something wrong. Fu Yiqing hooked his arm around her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze, pulling her into his embrace to offer more comfort and encouragement.

The national team immediately formed an expert treatment group, with Dr. He included. They unanimously decided to let Shu Ran undergo treatment for half a month to observe the results while looking for even better specialists. Although Shu Ran had taken first place in both the China and Russia stops, it was clearly impossible for her to continue participating in the Grand Prix series under the current circumstances.

Drawing on past experience, the national team's official account immediately released a statement informing the public of Shu Ran's injury and announcing her withdrawal from the Grand Prix series. This news caused a massive stir online. While netizens regretted that Shu Ran would miss the Grand Prix gold, they were deeply worried about the women's singles event at the Winter Olympics in three months. But more than anything, they were concerned for Shu Ran herself.

History was repeating itself. The next morning, Shu Ran pulled herself together. To prevent the fans from worrying, she posted on Weibo:
@ShuRan_ice: "It's not a major issue. No matter what happens, I will definitely participate in the Winter Olympics."

Following that, she completely withdrew from the internet, dealing with pre-Olympic training in her own unique way. If she couldn't move her legs while lying in bed, she worked her upper body; if she couldn't train on the ice, she simulated the training in her mind. Fearing that she would let her mind wander if she were idle, she listened to her competition music over and over again. "Libertango" and "Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major" played on a loop; when she grew tired of those, she moved on to other works by Yo-Yo Ma.

Half a month of treatment passed, but her condition did not improve. One morning, Shu Ran sat by the hospital window, staring blankly. The low, lingering sound of the cello wandered through the room, as if shrouding it in a haze that wouldn't dissipate, blocking the sunlight from entering.

"Shu Ran?" Fu Yiqing’s voice was soft, fearing he might startle her, yet also afraid she was drowning too deeply in her own world.
She didn't turn around. "Yes." She was listening, but her heart was in turmoil.
"Someone is here. He says he wants to see you."
Shu Ran sighed softly. "Coach, I'm not in the mood."
"Aren't you curious about who it is?"
She shook her head again.

Seeing her like this, Fu Yiqing became even more certain of his decision. He turned and walked out, leaving the door ajar. Half a second later, he led the visitor into the room. "Shu Ran, he's here."

Shu Ran felt a sudden flash of irritation and turned her wheelchair. "I really am not in the..." mood.

She stopped mid-motion, forgetting to think as she looked into a pair of kind, smiling eyes. Her pupils constricted violently. "How... is it you?"