The next day, Weizhi woke up early to get ready, mindful of her group lesson. She wanted to look presentable for her boyfriend.
Just before leaving, she received a message.
[Chong: Heading out?]
Weizhi put down her snowboard and quickly typed a reply.
[Little Girl: Yep!]
[Little Girl: You?]
[Little Girl: Actually, never mind. It’s better if you pretend not to know me today. What if people realize you taught me and expect me to be really good?]
[Chong: …]
[Chong: You’re something.]
Weizhi didn’t feel she was being cowardly at all. It reminded her of having a classmate whose mother was the homeroom teacher – while everyone appeared friendly on the surface if that student ever failed a test or made a mistake, there’d be plenty of people secretly laughing behind their back.
As she was slowly typing out a response to explain her reasoning, he changed the subject.
[Chong: What color is your snow gear today?]
Weizhi glanced at herself in the elevator mirror – yellow hoodie and white pants. Her eyes darted around as she raised an eyebrow at her reflection.
[Little Girl: Yellow.]
[Little Girl: Why? Thinking of matching? Couple outfits?!]
[Little Girl: Your wardrobe is all black, navy, or white. Where would you even get yellow? Are you going to buy something on the spot?]
[Chong:? I just asked one question. Why so chatty?]
[Little Girl: I type fast.]
[Chong: …]
Weizhi shoved her phone back in her pocket, not holding out any hope that he’d show up in a matching couple outfit – that would be too cheesy for him.
When she arrived at the ski resort, some of her classmates were already there in small groups. There were both men and women, all strangers to each other. The one thing they had in common was that, as beginners, they were likely at similar skill levels –
They’d learned the basics of skiing for a while, could manage to slide down slopes, and were now starting to explore which style they might want to specialize in.
Aside from the exceptionally talented Jiang Nanfeng and Lu Xin (who were also quite skilled), Weizhi had never skied with so many people at her level before. She felt right at home and quickly joined in the conversation.
They were discussing how they managed to sign up for the class.
Classmate A: “I saw it on Lao Yan’s social media. He taught me basic skiing and some flatland tricks before… As soon as I saw it, I messaged him to save me a spot, and then added Shan Chong.”
Classmate B: “I was so worried Shan Chong wouldn’t accept my friend request!”
Classmate C: “You were right to worry. A lot of people still haven’t been accepted yesterday. I heard they’re letting people in batches as more class spots open up.”
Classmate D: “It was terrifying. My hand was shaking more when I clicked ‘Add Friend’ than when I checked my college entrance exam scores.”
Classmate E: “Even the college entrance exam wasn’t this scary!”
Classmate F: “My friend is so jealous that I got into the class. She didn’t manage to sign up in time… Even though it’s just basic box tricks that anyone could teach, the idea of paying 1500 to see Shan Chong on the features is so exciting!”
Classmate A summarized: “Shan Chong’s classes are just too hard to get into!”
Everyone agreed enthusiastically.
As they chatted, Classmate B turned to Weizhi and asked, “It seems like most of us found out about the class from Shan Chong’s students or friends. Was it the same for you?”
No, not at all.
I went straight to Shan Chong’s room, hugged his waist, and refused to let go until he agreed to teach me.
Weizhi suddenly felt like she was in a secret relationship with a superstar. She was about to say something when Classmate A announced, “He’s here!” Everyone’s attention immediately shifted to where he was looking –
Shan Chong was approaching from the entrance with Beici and Lao Yan.
Today, he was dressed casually in a sweatshirt and sweatpants. His light yellow hoodie matched perfectly with the new Burton Custom snowboard he was carrying. As he walked in, he was talking to Lao Yan…
He wore a mask, revealing only his naturally cold-looking eyes, but this didn’t diminish his ability to attract attention at all –
The mask didn’t detract from his good looks one bit.
As if sensing something, he paused briefly and looked up, immediately making eye contact with Weizhi in the crowd.
Though she was the shortest, he spotted her right away. She stood there obediently, looking in his direction. Today, she had half of her hair tied up in a small bun, giving her an innocent appearance.
The snowboard she was holding was the one he had gotten for her –
It was Weizhi’s first snowboard, this year’s new Nitro model. It was an all-mountain board with a grey and white base featuring a rainbow stripe. Shan Chong thought it looked gaudy, but she fell in love with it at first sight.
At 146cm, it was slightly long for her but manageable.
As Shan Chong approached, he greeted everyone. Once the group was complete, they headed towards the chairlift. True to his word, the first run would be on an advanced slope to assess their basic skiing skills and serve as a warm-up.
By now, he had handed his board to Lao Yan, claiming that his wound was scabbing over and the itching was bothering him.
Lao Yan didn’t dare refuse. He glanced at the bandage on the man’s palm, which now seemed to be there more for protection against infection or the cold than for the wound itself, and felt like kneeling before him.
As the group walked ahead, Weizhi and Shan Chong naturally fell to the back of the line.
As they walked, the young girl leaned in slightly and whispered conspiratorially, “Where did you find a light yellow outfit?”
“In my closet.”
“How do you even have clothes in such bright colors?”
“Sponsors gave them to me,” the man replied calmly. “I probably have more snow gear than you do.”
Shan Chong had a good build – at 178cm, he wasn’t too tall or too short, with a long, well-proportioned frame, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist. He was a walking clothes hanger –
So naturally, it wasn’t just traditional snow gear brands like boards, bindings, and helmets that sought him out for endorsements. Plenty of snow apparel brands did too. Besides the few Burton AK series pieces he wore regularly, he had a different outfit for every day of the season.
“Can I come over this afternoon and borrow a couple to wear?”
“Would my clothes even fit you? Wouldn’t they drag on the ground? Why are you always trying to take advantage of me?”
“How am I taking advantage of you?”
In response to her challenge, Shan Chong glanced at the students ahead, making sure they were all facing forward with their snowboards. He quickly removed his glove, grabbed one of her hands, pulled off her glove too, and held her still-warm, soft hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze.
“Like this.”
And just like that, Weizhi lost her voice –
In simple terms, she was rendered speechless.
She didn’t even bother arguing that he was the one taking advantage of her.
After all, what was there to argue about? At this moment, she’d willingly be arrested for indecent behavior if someone came to handcuff her.
Allowing the man to hold her hand, Weizhi watched helplessly as he calmly used his free hand to stuff both their gloves into his hoodie pocket…
One hand holding his board, the other held by him.
The young girl’s face turned as red as a monkey’s bottom.
It wasn’t just the hand-holding that was so thrilling; the casual way he had removed her glove was just too –
Too…
Ahhhhhhh!
Weizhi opened her mouth to speak but suddenly stopped in her tracks, unexpectedly turning her head to meet Beici’s piercing gaze, which he hadn’t managed to avert in time.
Weizhi: “…”
As if a cold wind had blown by, the redness in her face faded slightly.
Weizhi: “What’s wrong with you now?”
Beici was silent for a moment, then asked quietly, “Do you realize how red your face is right now?”
Weizhi instinctively shrank her neck and glared at him: “Is my blushing any of your business?”
Beici: “For a moment there, did you think of something strange? Like, let me emphasize that Boss Chong only pulled off your ski glove, not your under-“
Weizhi: “Stop, stop, stop! Do you think I’m like you?”
Beici: “…”
Pants.
Silently swallowing the words that had almost escaped, Beici maintained his ghostly demeanor and chuckled. He glanced at his confused master who had also turned to look at him, then at the righteous-looking “sister-in-law,” and sincerely told her, “No way! Comparing myself to you would be an insult to you!”
Weizhi was puzzled.
She didn’t understand where Beici’s high praise for her came from.
Shan Chong didn’t care to ask. He simply tugged on her hand, pulling her towards him. As she stumbled into his body, she heard the man above her head ask, “What are you two whispering about?”
His voice was low, and if one listened carefully, a hint of displeasure could be detected.
“Do I look like I understood what he was saying? … Wait, let go of me first. Someone might see us!”
“So what if they see?”
“If they see, your female fans might think you’re not pure anymore and stop coming to your classes!”
“…”
Shan Chong wanted to say that she was the impure one, not him… but he swallowed the words. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to say it, he was mainly afraid of being scolded for not being eager enough to make money.
“Let go!”
“Mm, in a bit,” the man replied lazily. “Let me hold it a little longer… Your hand smells nice. I noticed when I took off your glove.”
“…”
“Theirs all stink.”
“…”
“Want to smell?”
“Psh.”
…
On the chairlift, Weizhi and Shan Chong were separated by two lifts. When seated, classmate A asked her where her gloves were. She laughed awkwardly and said they were in her pocket.
— They were indeed in a pocket, just not hers but in the pocket of the man everyone revered.
At the top of the mountain, the man had already put on his helmet and goggles. As everyone bent down to put on their boards, he took Weizhi’s gloves out of his pocket and returned them to her without any hesitation.
… His nonchalant attitude made it seem as if he was possessed, or as if he had just picked up the gloves from the ground.
Weizhi took the gloves, glanced at him, and suddenly felt that the gloves in her hand didn’t feel quite right. She looked down —
The weather was nice today. They were all wearing thin gloves, pure black with distinct fingers, looking identical at first glance.
“You got the wrong ones!” She handed them back to him. “These are yours.”
But the man didn’t take them. Through his goggles, he said in an emotionless voice, “You wear these.”
“?”
“Wear mine,” he said. “They have my scent on them.”
They were speaking quietly, so no one around heard the usually serious and cold “God Chong” saying such outrageous things.
From a distance, it looked like he was standing with his hands behind his back, facing the young girl’s direction.
The atmosphere… to an outsider, it might have seemed like he was lecturing her.
Weizhi silently withdrew her hand.
The man left her and turned to walk towards the others. He stood at the starting point with his hands behind his back. “Go in groups of three. I’ll be at the back. We’ll meet at the equipment hall entrance… Let’s go.”
Some classmates had already started, and Weizhi slowly put on the glove that was one… maybe two sizes too big. By the time the last group of three set off, she still hadn’t properly fastened one of her bindings due to the ill-fitting glove.
After those three had gone down the first slope, Shan Chong turned around, took off his gloves, and came over. He bent down and, in a series of fluid motions, quickly and efficiently fastened Weizhi’s binding with a “click-click”: “It’s painful watching you struggle. Next year, I’ll get you a step-on system.”
Weizhi moved her foot, making sure the binding was secure, then shuffled towards the slope on her board. She heard the man say leisurely, “Take it slow,” as she set off.
Weizhi’s fundamentals were quite solid —
Maybe it was because she had practiced so much on the beginner slopes in Chongli, or maybe because Shan Chong was so meticulous, but her solid foundation had led to rapid progress…
She could transition from intermediate to advanced slopes in just two or three days of carving practice. After a day and a half on advanced slopes, she somehow seemed to grasp edge control and started learning to ride on edge.
Now, under the watchful eye of the man behind her, her giant slalom turns, both on the front and back edges, showed clear edge lines in the latter half of each turn. Her body had also developed an instinctive folding posture —
Folding is an advanced riding stance.
Skiing emphasizes stability. With bindings set in a duck stance, one can’t just stand straight. Instead, there’s an instinctive open stance (with shoulders slightly open) combined with folding. The body is lowered, using the hips to find the ground, locking in an angle, with the gaze following…
This is the entry to carving in a duck stance.
At the exit of each turn, Shan Chong could see the clear rise and fall of her body as she stood up and compressed, which pleased him greatly.
She was skiing quite fast, impressively without falling once, and soon caught up with the last group that had set off —
At first, when it was just her, her seemingly enlightened form might have earned a mere 70 points in Shan Chong’s eyes, barely passable…
But now, with a comparison group, the difference was stark. Compared to others who still showed some uncorrected beginner habits or ingrained flaws, Weizhi, though a late starter, was now flying quite gracefully.
She felt it too, so halfway down the mountain, she deliberately slowed down. Standing on her snowboard, she waited for the people not far behind her to catch up. As she inched along slowly, she kept glancing back at him, seeking praise.
Those blinking eyes almost blinded him through his goggles.
Behind his face protection, the man’s perpetual ice-cold expression thawed slightly, the corners of his lips curling imperceptibly… but when he spoke, his voice still betrayed no emotion.
“What are you looking at me for? Watch where you’re going. Move.”
“…”
Her attempt at seeking praise failed. This man’s eyeballs might as well be decorative in their sockets.
She glared at him and skied off, muttering complaints under her breath.
Finally, she channeled her frustration into energy, overtaking the remaining nine classmates, once again using them as a comparison group. This time, she still hardly lost to any of them.
Skiing relies most on fundamentals.
Anyone can ski, but skiing well is a different matter —
You can talk about carving, smooth edge transitions, bending low and sticking your butt out to touch the snow, about keeping your upper body stiff while smoothly changing edges…
But it won’t look good.
Steady progress and gradual improvement are crucial.
Geniuses are only a 1% probability. The vast majority of people, even the vast majority of accomplished experts, develop their awe-inspiring skills through countless repetitions on the slopes.
There’s a popular saying in the skiing community.
It applies universally —
[You just need to keep working hard and leave the rest to time. Time will give you a satisfactory answer.]
…
At the equipment hall below, everyone was informed that the first fifteen minutes of the group lesson would be basic flatland freestyle, focusing on nose and tail balance, and a few jumps in place, which is always safer than going straight to the features.
The flatland practice was taught by Lao Yan.
When the young man appeared again carrying his board, the group hadn’t expected this bonus —
Lao Yan’s flatland freestyle.
Shan Chong’s park riding.
That 1,500 yuan was more than a bargain; it was practically gold-plated.
For the flatland practice, the students didn’t need to take off their boards. Weizhi was crouching to the side, habitually checking her bindings, when a girl about her age came over and asked, “I saw you skiing earlier. You looked like you came straight out of a textbook… Who taught you your fundamentals?”
Weizhi looked back at Shan Chong.
She was about to say she got lucky in a lottery draw at the Chongli mountaintop ski school.
At that moment, he was bending down to take off his board. Either sensing her gaze or overhearing their conversation, the man straightened up, picked up his snowboard, and looked over.
After a three-second pause.
He said expressionlessly, “Me.”
The surroundings fell silent… or rather, dead silent for a moment.
Not just the other students, even Weizhi was shocked speechless —
Was the sky about to fall?
The man’s unhesitating claim was unprecedented.
He had pushed her wheelchair around, bragging to everyone about his student who could fly so well that she ended up in a wheelchair.
He had stood at the edge of the slope, gesturing for passing skiers to hurry along and not investigate what she was burying as she dug a snow hole with her butt in the air.
He had carried her snowboard without care while walking to the chairlift as she wore the turtle-shell protector typical of beginners.
But he had never before used such a matter-of-fact, even somewhat satisfied tone to say, look at her, I taught her, when someone asked.
This had nothing to do with their relationship or how close they were now. Shan Chong could say all sorts of nonsense to make her blush and her heart race until she wanted to dig a hole to hide in… but he would never lie about skiing to please anyone.
Weizhi knew this well.
So it made her heart leap to her throat, her heartbeat so strong —
Her girlish heart soared on the Versailles spaceship, flying to the heavens and diving to the earth.
Don’t ask.
If you ask, it’s because she was moved.
When the girl who had come to chat left, the young girl hugged her board and sneakily sidled up behind the man.
“I’ve realized that being praised by you as a teacher seems to make me happier than when you confess your feelings.”
Her voice didn’t sound like she was lying.
It even had a tremor of excitement.
The man, who was directing all the group lesson participants to find open spaces and stand about two meters apart, turned his head to glance at the young girl standing behind him when he heard this. His expression remained impassive.
“I advise you to watch what you say.”
“…”
“Go stand over there properly. I’ll count to three. Three—”
“…”