Grand Finale: She Shines Brilliantly on the Ice

After the Winter Olympics concluded, new figure skating regulations were released in mid-August. During the new season, Shu Ran had been focusing on treating her foot injury and did not participate in any competitions. Having already secured an Olympic gold medal, the question on everyone’s mind was, naturally, whether she would choose to retire. However, the authorities had not provided a definitive answer.

This time, Fu Yiqing and Shu Ran traveled to Italy once more to meet with Lorraine, where they were photographed by reporters having a meal together. Afterward, they visited Joseph’s clinic, where he stated that Shu Ran’s foot had recovered significantly; as long as she rested well, she would have no problem competing again the following year. At this, Shu Ran beamed with joy, but Fu Yiqing merely lowered his gaze in silence.

As their plane ascended into the blue sky, the clouds were light and the breeze gentle. The sunlight outside the window was somewhat dazzling, so Shu Ran pulled down the shade. She repeated a few casual remarks, but receiving no response, she turned to look at Fu Yiqing.

"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing," he replied.

Shu Ran leaned down, trying to catch his expression from below. His eyes lacked their usual gentleness; he looked like he was sulking. Confused, she pressed, "You don't look like there's nothing wrong."

Fu Yiqing stared at her for a second, the gloom in his eyes revealing his deep concern. "You don't want to retire?"

Shu Ran blinked, looking at him, and nodded without much hesitation.

"Although Joseph said you could compete," Fu Yiqing began, "he also..."

"I know," Shu Ran interrupted. "He also said that if it flares up again, I'll have to endure everything I've already been through all over again."

It wasn't just the unbearable pain of a recurring injury, but also the unimaginable agony during the treatment process.

Fu Yiqing's eyes shimmered with complex emotions. "You know this, and you still won't retire?"

Shu Ran didn't speak. She withdrew her gaze and leaned back against her seat. She could feel his caring, worried gaze upon her, but she couldn't quite articulate what it was she was still holding onto. The two remained silent the rest of the way, the atmosphere dropping to freezing point. It was the first time they had experienced a cold war since they met, and neither knew how long it would last.

Upon landing, they went to collect their luggage together. As they turned the corner past the exit, they were stunned by a sea of people. The reporters in the front row locked eyes with Shu Ran and immediately swarmed them. Shu Ran was instantly surrounded, and Fu Yiqing, who had been a short distance away, was cut off from her by the crowd.

"Shu Ran, did you go to Italy specifically to meet with Lorraine?"
"Are you and Lorraine close? How did you meet?"
"There are rumors that you met because of a doctor; is that true?"

The barrage of questions came one after another. Shu Ran couldn't even hear them clearly; each question was drowned out by the next. She felt a headache coming on. Just as Fu Yiqing was about to reach her to take control of the situation, he heard Shu Ran let out an "Ah!" and saw her look down at her foot in pain. A reporter realized someone had stepped on her right foot and shouted to those still pushing behind, "Don't push! You stepped on her!"

Fu Yiqing’s expression darkened. He pushed through the crowd, displeased, shouting, "Move aside!"

His fury was evident, and the reporters scrambled back. Fu Yiqing broke through the path and finally reached her. Shu Ran looked up, startled by the intense hostility radiating from him. "Uh..."

Before she could say anything, Fu Yiqing scooped her up in his arms. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck as she heard his thunderous voice: "Get lost!"

Some reporters were frightened by his menacing demeanor, while others, even in this situation, didn't forget to film his outburst, waiting to make a big story out of it. This happened in the morning, and by the afternoon, it was in the headlines.

The trending topic was titled: *Fu Yiqing’s Anger.*

@BluePoleEntertainment: "[Fu Yiqing’s Fury for Love] Olympic champion Shu Ran returned to the country. A reporter accidentally stepped on her at the scene, and Fu Yiqing lashed out at the reporters. It seems the relationship between the two is not as simple as we imagined."

Even though a year had passed since Shu Ran won the gold, netizens were still very interested in her news. As soon as the report was released, they flooded the comments section. Blue Pole Entertainment had intended to capitalize on Fu Yiqing’s anger, using the video to have netizens criticize his bad temper and then mock the ambiguous relationship between him and Shu Ran, all to get revenge for him telling them to "get lost." Other media outlets also released footage of the incident.

However, their actions perfectly illustrated the concept of "the reality being quite different from expectations." The netizens' reactions were not what they had hoped for.

"So a reporter stepped on Shu Ran’s right foot?! Damn, who did it? Never mind Fu Yiqing, I want to yell at them too."
"Editor, you're only just realizing their relationship isn't normal? You must not have watched many of Shu Ran's competitions. If you had, you would have noticed long ago that Fu Yiqing’s eyes are filled with love whenever he looks at her."
"Once, when Shu Ran fell on the ice, Fu Yiqing immediately rushed onto the ice to scoop her up. After that, I knew their relationship was special."
"Reporters, please be professional. Don't keep reporting on these old, well-known facts. I hope the next time I see news about them, it's their wedding."
"Hey, is this for real? Actually, I think they look good together in terms of looks, but in terms of temperament... how should I put it? I always feel Fu Yiqing is too mature and Shu Ran is too fresh and youthful. He feels a bit 'old-fashioned'."

Qin Liubei read a dozen of the top comments, his laughter the loudest in the hospital room. Seeing Fu Yiqing's darkening expression, Xu Jingyu gently nudged Qin Liubei’s arm, signaling him to stop reading. But Qin Liubei was too engrossed in the comments to notice his wife’s well-intentioned warning. He continued scrolling, laughing uncontrollably.

"Fu Yiqing is a bit old! Even if he's handsome, in a few decades, won't he just be another old man dancing in the public square?"

Fu Yiqing pressed his lips together, his eyes narrowing slowly. Catching his expression out of the corner of his eye, Qin Liubei continued, "I actually think Shu Ran’s other coach, Qin, is quite handsome; he’s a good match for her too." His eyes lit up, and he deliberately raised his voice.

The next second, before Fu Yiqing could even move, Xu Jingyu grabbed Qin Liubei by the ear and dragged him out of the room for a sound thrashing.

Only Shu Ran and Fu Yiqing remained in the room. She was scrolling through her phone, bored, but her heart wasn't in it. Thinking about the disagreement they had earlier that morning regarding her retirement, she hesitated about whether to break the ice. Just as she organized her thoughts, something appeared in her field of vision: a peeled apple.

Fu Yiqing held it out further. "Not eating?"

Shu Ran watched him for a moment and silently took it. "Thank you."

After eating half the apple, she couldn't hold it back anymore. "Coach, I really do still want to keep skating."

Fu Yiqing’s hand, which was peeling an orange, paused. He lowered his eyes and gave a soft, "Mm."

This didn't sound like agreement, nor did it sound like opposition. Unable to read his mind, she tentatively called out, "Coach?"

He finally looked up, his expression calm. "Give me a reason."

Although she had won the Olympic gold medal, she hadn't performed at her absolute peak; the technical difficulty of her program hadn't been high enough. Even if figure skating was an art on ice, it could not escape the fact that it was a competitive sport. As long as she was capable of skating, the desire to surpass herself would never end.

"There is no reason," Shu Ran said. "I just want to skate." Her gaze was clear, sincere, and firm.

Fu Yiqing finally agreed to her decision to continue skating, with the sole requirement that she listen to him regarding which competitions to enter and how many. He was simply worried that if she competed too often, her right foot would be under too much strain.

Just as everyone thought her retirement was a certainty, Shu Ran made a comeback at the Grand Prix series and won the gold. The following year at the Four Continents Championships, she won and broke the world record she had set at the Winter Olympics.

Another season passed, and a new one began. As Shu Ran grew older, her form grew better with each year. She won the World Championships again, breaking her own world record once more. This championship served as the qualifier for the upcoming Winter Olympics in China, meaning her victory successfully secured three spots for the Chinese team.

The netizens' comments were like jokes:
"Competitor: May I ask, when is Shu Ran finally retiring? If she doesn't retire soon, I'm going to retire myself."
"Is Shu Ran actually planning to compete in next year's Winter Olympics in China?"
"Is she not retiring just so she can keep breaking world records?"
"Every time I see Shu Ran trending, I know she's broken another world record. It's not even surprising anymore."

However, at that moment, a new topic shot to the top of the charts: *#ShuRanRetires#*

@ShuRan_Ice: "I started skating at six. At seventeen, I was mediocre. At twenty-one, I missed the Winter Olympics. At twenty-five, I finally fulfilled my wish. Now I am twenty-eight; in women's singles, this age is practically ancient. Actually, after winning the gold, my injury was quite severe. The doctor told me I would likely end up with a limp. At that time, I thought, if I could just skate one more time on the ice, I wouldn't have any regrets even if I did limp. I want to thank the doctors who helped me; without you, I couldn't have broken the world records again. Secondly, I want to thank my family; it was your understanding that allowed me to reach this point. Finally, I want to thank @FuYiqing. If it weren't for you, I probably would have retired at seventeen."

@FuYiqing: "The same opportunity cannot create the same Shu Ran. This is what you deserve."

"I was moved by Shu Ran, but now I'm sick of their PDA."
"Athletes really don't have it easy. We will protect Shu Ran's smile!"
"Why do I feel like this Weibo post is Shu Ran urging Fu Yiqing to propose? She's twenty-eight, it's time to get married."
"To the person above, refresh your feed. You'll have a new discovery."

Everyone rushed to refresh their feeds, only to find that Weibo was glitching, failing to load the list for a long time. Seeing this, the netizens instantly understood: something huge had happened!

A few minutes later, the explosive news loaded: *#ShuRanFuYiqingMarriageLicense#*

@FuYiqing: "Off the ice, I listen to you. @ShuRan_Ice [Wedding Photo]"
@ShuRan_Ice: "On the ice, I listen to you. @FuYiqing [Wedding Photo]"

"Wait, let me calm down first."
"One second she's retiring, the next she's married. I'm crying. I hope all the couples I ship get married at this speed!"
"So, who do you listen to in bed?"
"Shu Ran usually calls Fu Yiqing 'Coach', right? Now she has to change how she calls him... whatever she says, it feels wrong."

Many celebrities and fellow athletes sent their blessings, though their wedding was kept very low-key.

A year later, at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in China, every department was nervously preparing to take the stage, determined to show the world the beauty of their homeland. In the audience, four people sat together, also feeling the tension.

A little girl sitting on a man’s lap said in a milky voice, "Daddy, why haven't they come out yet?"
"Wait a little longer, they'll be out soon."
"You said that half an hour ago," the girl complained.

Xu Jingyu touched the girl’s face and said gently, "Dou Dou, your daddy isn't lying to you. Auntie Shu Ran is coming on stage soon. Don't be nervous."
Dou Dou looked calm. "I'm not nervous. Daddy is so nervous his legs are shaking."

Qin Liubei, having been mercilessly exposed by his daughter, stiffened and twitched his lips. "What am I nervous about? It's not my wife. Look, Fu Yiqing is the one who's nervous."
Dou Dou opened her round eyes, asking curiously, "Uncle Fu, are you very nervous?"
Fu Yiqing glared at Qin Liubei and gave Dou Dou a slight smile. "Not nervous."
Dou Dou: "But, your palms are sweaty."
Fu Yiqing: "..."

Qin Liubei began to mock his friend mercilessly, flicking his daughter's nose. "Truly my good daughter, your critiques are objective and fair, and you never play favorites."

Fu Yiqing looked at the father and daughter, feeling outnumbered. He gave a light cough to hide his embarrassment, turned his head, and continued to gaze longingly at the stage.

Finally, the performers exited, and lights shone onto the ice rink. The surface shimmered with a deep blue glow, and a red figure appeared—clean and sacred. Shu Ran, wearing her skates, spun and leaped on the ice. Her footwork was so dazzling and breathtaking that it left everyone mesmerized.

Then came the torch relay segment. Shu Ran held the Olympic torch, was hoisted into the air by wires, and her water-sleeve dress danced in the wind. She seemed to tread on the wind itself as she lit the Olympic flame.

Fu Yiqing’s side was long since drowned out by Dou Dou’s excited cheering. The most memorable performance of the opening ceremony was undoubtedly that of the retired former Olympic champion, Shu Ran.

The remaining time belonged to the athletes, who gave their all to compete for Olympic gold. Because of Shu Ran, the event domestic audiences cared about most remained figure skating. Although Shu Ran, Zhu Hongzhe, Wu Xincheng, and Shen Yu had all retired, there were successors in every event. New stars emerged in men's singles and pair skating, achieving excellent results in these Winter Olympics. While the new star in women's singles had undeniable talent, compared to the illustrious Shu Ran, she still walked in the shadow of Shu Ran’s former glory.

The long-awaited Winter Olympics finally came to an end. After the closing ceremony, the venue was empty. On the massive ice rink, the familiar sound of blades carving the ice echoed.

Shu Ran’s gaze never left Fu Yiqing. She skated a circle around the rink and then back to him. "Why aren't you skating?"

Fu Yiqing’s eyes held a smile. "It's enough that you're skating."

Because Shu Ran had said she would never have the chance to stand on the Olympic stage again, Fu Yiqing had arranged for her to come to the arena after it had been cleared, so she could experience the atmosphere of the Winter Olympics one last time.

Shu Ran blinked. "If no one is competing with me, can it still be called a competition stage? There should be at least two people!"

Fu Yiqing couldn't help but shake his head helplessly. He took a long stride forward, and Shu Ran followed. As they skated, they held hands. The rink was cold, but the warmth in their palms was real. Fu Yiqing signaled for her to let go, then suddenly interlocked his fingers with hers.

Shu Ran felt a warmth in her heart. She looked at him deeply and tightened her grip on his warm, large hand. This was the hand that had given her warmth and pulled her back to heaven whenever she had fallen into the abyss.

Looking back on the past, Shu Ran felt a mix of emotions. From scoring points in the Challenger Series to making the Grand Prix Final, from being injured and withdrawing to finally fulfilling her lifelong wish—if half the reason she never abandoned her pure love for figure skating was her passion for the sport, then the other half was surely Fu Yiqing’s companionship.

Fu Yiqing’s presence taught her that while she might be alone on the ice, she was never lonely off it. Seven years and four months, over two thousand six hundred and seventy-eight days and nights, from China to Canada, France, America, and Russia... From beginning to end, the training had been monotonous. But fortunately, she had persevered through it all.

Shu Ran stared at his perfect side profile, lost in thought. When she came to, she found Fu Yiqing looking back at her with a smile. "Haven't seen enough yet?"

Shu Ran stopped skating and stood still to look at him. "Fu Yiqing."
He stopped too. "Call me Yiqing."
"Yiqing," her cheeks flushed. Though her smile was faint, her eyes were sincere. "Thank you for everything."

Fu Yiqing’s eyes flickered. "Skate *Secret*."
Shu Ran was stunned for a long moment. "Huh?"
He chuckled and flicked her forehead. "The music from your program when we first met."

Shu Ran knew it, of course, but was surprised he suddenly wanted to see that one. She didn't ask further. Recalling the steps in her mind, she took her starting position on the ice and waited for the music. Fu Yiqing started the track. "Ready?"

Shu Ran nodded. The music began.

Fu Yiqing’s eyes followed her constantly, never leaving her for a second. The footwork was simple, but Shu Ran was no longer the bottom-ranked skater facing expulsion from the team. She jumped again and again; the sound of the blades blended into the music, and for a moment, she couldn't help but feel a sting in her nose. Tears shimmered in her eyes, but her movements remained as precise as ever.

This was the last time she would stand on this ice. She was determined to meet her future—a future without skating—with the best possible grace. This ice was where her skating career had begun, and it was where it would end. Ending it was just to welcome a more beautiful beginning.

As the music faded, Shu Ran finished her performance. She had skated to her heart's content, her gaze meeting his tender, smiling eyes. They smiled.

From the bottom of the rankings to standing on the podium amidst the cheers of the crowd, Fu Yiqing’s eyes had always been fixed on only one person: Shu Ran.

He accompanied her growth from the sidelines.
She shone brilliantly on the ice...

—End of Full Text—