Chapter Sixty-Five: Will You Leave?

Dr. Liu arrived half an hour later.

He examined Shu Ran’s foot with great care and seriousness. His conclusion matched Shu Ran’s own: “There’s nothing wrong. It’s likely just muscle soreness from overtraining or a cramp. Soak your feet in hot water and massage for at least half an hour. By tomorrow morning, the soreness should be gone.”

Shu Ran immediately shot Fu Yiqing a look that clearly said, “See? I told you so.”

Dr. Liu added, “But try not to overexert yourself in training tomorrow.”

Fu Yiqing’s gaze swept over Shu Ran, and she coughed awkwardly, guiltily dropping her eyes.

Once assured that Shu Ran was truly all right, Fu Yiqing’s tense expression finally relaxed. “Check her ankle and calf again, just to be sure.”

Dr. Liu carefully examined both, then departed after confirming there were no further issues.

The two of them sat in silence in the living room, exchanging glances.

Shu Ran blinked her eyes. “Now do you believe me?” she asked, a hint of triumph in her tone.

Fu Yiqing raised his eyebrows slightly and nodded. “Sit still and don’t move.”

“Huh?” Shu Ran replied.

He tossed her a quick, “I’ll get it,” then disappeared into the hallway on the first floor.

Puzzled, Shu Ran was about to hop over and see what Fu Yiqing was up to when he returned, carrying a basin of steaming water.

She understood at once.

The basin was filled with hot water, steam rising from its surface, the heat almost palpable.

Fu Yiqing took hold of her foot again and lowered it into the hot water. The heat made Shu Ran’s whole body tense, her back arching and her leg jerking reflexively.

She looked at Fu Yiqing.

Time seemed to stop in that instant.

He, the favored child of fortune, was splashed with water, droplets clinging to the stray locks on his forehead. His shirt, especially, was soaked, clinging to his firm chest and outlining the muscles beneath.

Shu Ran swallowed hard and pressed her lips together. “Um… Coach, I didn’t mean to, it was just too hot.”

Fu Yiqing replied quietly, “Dr. Liu said the water needs to be hot.”

Shu Ran couldn’t help but glance at his broad chest, then lowered her gaze. “Why don’t you go change clothes? I can do this myself.”

But he grabbed her foot again. “I don’t trust you.”

“…”

Was her credibility with him so completely lost, all because she’d hidden her jump training?

Fu Yiqing knelt in front of her, his movements gentle as he massaged her foot.

The water swirled around her foot, flowing and shifting, yet the two of them stayed in place, unchanged, as if neither had ever moved.

Fu Yiqing bent his head, intent on his task.

“Lift up,” he said.

He went to the kitchen, fetched a bottle of hot water, took the towel from the basin’s edge, soaked it, and wrung it out, steam rising as he worked. His hands, fair and defined, were reddened by the heat.

Shu Ran felt a pang of guilt. “Let me do it, it’s too hot.”

Fu Yiqing kept massaging. “If you do it, won’t it be just as hot? Sit still.”

“Then at least change your shirt, or you’ll catch cold.”

He was serious. “No need, I’ll just get wet again.”

“Oh.”

For the first time, Shu Ran had the chance to observe Fu Yiqing up close, in good light.

The steam blurred his handsome features, softening the lines of his face as he bent over her foot. His long lashes, thin lips pressed in concentration—he looked as if he were engaged in something of great importance, drawing her in without effort.

Lost in thought, she suddenly felt the sofa sink beside her.

Fu Yiqing wrapped her right foot in the hot towel and massaged it with his fist.

His pressure was much stronger than before, and Shu Ran cried out, “Ow!”

Fu Yiqing paused. “Does it hurt?”

Shu Ran nodded fearfully and tried to pull her foot back, but he held it firmly.

“If you know it hurts, why didn’t you follow my training plan?” he asked.

Shu Ran was at a loss for words and turned her head away.

He pressed again, making her jerk her leg in pain.

“Bear with it,” Fu Yiqing said, frowning.

The sharp sensation shot from every nerve in her foot straight to her brain. Shu Ran bit her lip, unable to hold back the tears, her eyes reddening. “It really hurts.”

He heard the catch in her voice.

Fu Yiqing’s brow twitched, but he showed no sign of it, only pausing for a moment before softening his touch considerably.

“Does it still hurt?” he asked gently.

Shu Ran’s tightly knit brows slowly relaxed, and she shook her head.

They fell silent.

The weather was rare and fine today, sunlight streaming through the window and bathing Fu Yiqing in a gentle glow.

Shu Ran searched her memory, realizing she’d never experienced such a peaceful moment—just the two of them, quiet together, saying nothing.

Their memories were mostly of the ice rink—she on the ice, he on the sidelines—cold and distant.

The hot water was changed again and again, until the soreness in Shu Ran’s foot finally eased, a warmth spreading through her veins to her heart.

“There’s something I’ve said many times,” Fu Yiqing began, his voice calm and patient, as if telling a story. “I know you’re practicing jumps for the competition, and I know how much you want to win. But if you injure your foot, all your previous efforts will be in vain. I don’t want you to become the next Lorraine.”

The clock on the wall ticked steadily.

“And besides,” Fu Yiqing continued, “have you forgotten why I sought you out in the first place?”

He turned to look at her, his gaze gentle, tinged with reluctant pity.

Suddenly, Shu Ran remembered—two years ago. His bet with Quentin.

“To this day, I believe that artistry is the soul of figure skating. That’s why I made that bet. When you first started training with me, you might not have understood the importance of artistic expression. Even now, you still don’t. If you could understand that, you’d give the audience a truly unforgettable performance.” He added, “So there’s no need to focus on improving your technical skills at this stage.”

Shu Ran lowered her head, frowning, silent.

Fu Yiqing sighed, a trace of helplessness in his voice. “You still care so much about the outcome of the competition?”

“How could I not?” she said, her voice muffled.

“What?”

Shu Ran didn’t answer.

Fu Yiqing was at a loss, about to change the water again, when Shu Ran stopped him.

“You’ll leave, won’t you?” she asked quietly.

“What?”

“If I lose to Christina, you’ll leave, won’t you?”

At last, she said it. She had originally planned to keep this buried until after the Winter Olympics, after making Fu Yiqing stay. But she couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Who told you that?”

“It doesn’t matter who. What matters is… If I lose, you’ll leave.” Shu Ran forced a smile, though it was tinged with bitterness. “I know, Coach Fu, you don’t have to pretend.”

Fu Yiqing glanced at her, then went to the bathroom to fetch fresh hot water. He returned, settled back into his place, and resumed massaging her foot.

Shu Ran had grown accustomed to his familiarity, letting him tend to her.

By the end, both his hands and her feet were tinged pink.

“Who told you that?” Fu Yiqing asked.

Shu Ran raised an eyebrow. “You did.”

He looked at her in surprise, then, noticing her evasive gaze, suddenly understood, and laughed aloud. “You overheard, didn’t you?”

Shu Ran neither confirmed nor denied it.

“What exactly did I say? Honestly, I can’t remember saying anything that could give you that impression.”

The clouds over Shu Ran’s head parted a little, letting in a sliver of light. Bathed in the shifting glow, her eyes brimmed with doubt, eager for clarification.

Fu Yiqing’s gaze was inscrutable. “I never knew you wanted me gone so badly. Otherwise, how could you imagine a conversation I never had?”

“That’s not it!” Shu Ran hurried to explain. “I really did hear you tell Qin Liubei that if I lost, you’d leave.”

Fu Yiqing truly couldn’t recall saying so. “I didn’t say that, or maybe you misunderstood the context.”

Seeing her confusion, Fu Yiqing smiled. “What’s wrong? I’ve explained, but you still don’t believe me?”

She seemed caught in self-doubt. “But… how could that be?”

“I’m not leaving.”

Shu Ran unconsciously held her breath. She looked up to see Fu Yiqing’s gentle eyes, as warm as peach blossoms in spring, chasing the winter from her heart.

“Failure is just a stumble, nothing more. No matter what, I’ll stay by your side until you achieve your dream.”

Once, Shu Ran had rushed toward the summit, unwilling to pause even for a minute. Fu Yiqing’s words were the perfect medicine.

She gazed out at the sunlight, a smile slowly blossoming on her face.

Suddenly, pressure returned to her foot.

“Coach, that hurts!” Shu Ran cried.

Fu Yiqing tapped her brow, poking her forehead. “Will you listen to me from now on?”

“I will—” she drew out the word, a hint of playful teasing in her tone.

Fu Yiqing was clearly pleased, pinching her cheek. “If you behave, my job will be much easier.”

“Mm. Hey, Coach! Did you wash your hands? You just touched my feet!”

Fu Yiqing’s smile vanished. “They’re your own feet.”

“I know.”

“So are you disgusted with me, or with yourself?”

“Well, if you want to discuss it seriously… Either way, Coach, you’d better wash your hands first.”

Fu Yiqing ignored her, deliberately pinching her cheek again.

Shu Ran leaned back, dodging his “attack,” and in doing so, slipped her foot from his grasp.

Fu Yiqing instinctively reached out, leaning in the same direction. Just as he was about to land on her foot, he reacted in time and veered toward the floor.

The basin of hot water was still there.

Shu Ran’s eyes widened, her heart leaping into her throat. She instinctively grabbed Fu Yiqing’s hand, and with that pull, she tumbled with him to the floor, landing squarely atop his body.

Startled, Shu Ran let out a cry from the depths of her soul. “Oh my god!”

The basin toppled over, spilling the now-lukewarm water over them both. But it was Fu Yiqing who bore the brunt—his shirt was soaked through, and even his face was kissed by the water.

Their eyes met, and the warmth of their skin where they touched began to rise.

Fu Yiqing’s heart raced wildly, repressed emotions threatening to break free.

Shu Ran burst out laughing. “Coach, does this count as you indirectly drinking my foot bath?”

She pointed at a stray droplet clinging to his lips, laughing uncontrollably.

Her trembling body, light as a feather, set Fu Yiqing’s heart adrift and his thoughts in disarray.

He leaned forward, his hand slipping around her back, pulling her into his arms, and kissed her with all the passion he had held back.