Chapter 10
The next training camp was at least in the local training centre. So for a while , Mai Wei Zhe could go home every day. Naturally, his mood improved.
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The training camp lasted two weeks and they trained a group of teenagers.
Since almost practically all the team had been selected from such youth groups, it was mandatory to attend these training sessions for each and every player. On the fifth day, in the afternoon, the ice machine broke down. Some maintenance work needed to be carried out. The condition of the skating rink was not good so the scheduled practice could not continue. The players decided to take the rest of the day off.
Mai Wei Zhe refused to go to the bar to relax with his team mates and instead went straight home.
When he reached, there was n.o.body at home.
He found Grandpa gardening in the backyard.
“Why did you come back?” Wearing a sunhat, with a shovel in his hand, Grandpa looked at him in surprise.
“ This is my home. Why can’t I come back?” Mai Wei Zhe asked with a confused expression, “Where is Xuan Xuan ?”
Grandpa looked guilty when he was asked this question. Then he closed his mouth, turned back and continued digging. He refused to speak anymore.
Although Grandpa usually spoke very little, there was something wrong with his expression.
Moreover, what was wrong in asking where Li Yongxuan was? Why wouldn’t he answer this simple question ?
He could just say , “ She went to buy something” or “ she went to the library” or something like that, couldn’t he ?
“Where is Xuan Xuan?” Mai Wei Zhe asked again, “ Isnt she at home?”
“You are an adult, don’t get so involved in your wife’s life like this”, Grandpa decided to advise his grandson, “ Let Yongxuan go where she wants to go, why are you worried about this?”
What Grandpa said was true, but how could he explain how his whole being felt like something wasn’t rightwhen he couldn’t see Li Yongxuan?
She was so defenceless and gullible, what if she met the big bad wolf when she was outside?
After eating , Mai Wei Zhe felt uneasy sitting around in the house. Bored for a long time, he murmured to Grandpa, “The a.s.sociation wants me to become a coach.”
Grandpa heard him and nodded, “ What do you think?”
Twenty five, twenty – six was an embarra.s.sing age.
In terms of this sport, the heroes were mostly teenagers. He himself won his first world championship when he was nineteen. Over the past few years, he had won all the championships he could win, and had continued to train, but this could not go on forever.
Being a coach was indeed a stable career. Moreover, as a coach, he could stay at the training centre for longer and would not need to run around to partic.i.p.ate in various commercial activities.
Earlier, he had absolutely not considered this option, thinking that the time was not right, that he was not yet ready to retire. But now…
“As a player, there is a lot of pressure, but I earn more money. As a coach, its a more stable profession but less money.”
The two generations of Mai were silent
Grandpa knew that money was an important consideration. Apart from his grandson, Grandpa himself had retired and was partially reliant on Mai Wei Zhe for any additional requirements.
Now they were comfortable, but in the future…
“However”, Grandpa suddenly chimed in, “you don’t need to worry about the money. Over the years, we have quite a bit saved away and also you’ve married a good wife.”
What did that mean? He looked suspiciously at Grandpa.
“After you married, I have done some investments in deposits and properties based on Yongxuan’s advice. She has spoken to me about investing herself, and also about looking at opportunities to work as a sports agents, which should be..”
Mai Wei Zhe suddenly stood up, his handsome face full of anger, “She would rather say all this to you, but not bother discussing with me? Why?”
Grandpa was completely unmoved. He looked coldly at him, “ You get upset if you cant even find her for one afternoon, how could we expect you to let her go out to work. You are such a fool! Cant you see that?”
What he said was correct, so Mai Wei Zhe had no way to refute this. He felt nauseated and could not keep sitting any longer. He barely managed to utter an excuse, “ Ok, I am going for a run.”
He changed his clothes and went for a run to cool his temper.
As he ran , he had no idea where to go. He just wanted to use the run to vent his anger!
As a result, he happened to run all the way to the foot of the nearby hill near the park. He was just planning to turn around and take the steps when a shiny SUV caught his eye.
It was a luxury European car, and such a car was rarely parked in the open in an isolated parking lot. This made him curious. As he looked carefully his heart jumped. Li Yongxuan was standing nect to the car. Beside her was Liang Wenhe.
Mai Wei Zhe felt a sudden sharp pain in his chest. With his other hand, he reached out to hold the railing and steady himself. It was as if his eyes were stuck to the scenario playing out in front of him.
She was wearing a white shirt and dark suit. Her hair was up. She was looking like the time he first saw her, a neat office lady.
It seemed to him as if time had turned back. He had gone back to being a mere athlete who could only look at her from a distance. And she was a white collared aristocrat, smart and powerful, who held the world in her sway. That world had shiny sports cars, rich directors, professional success…