As Wei Zhi and the others queued for the cable car, Shan Chong’s skis once again drew attention. Two ski instructors teaching a class were the first to strike up a conversation. They exclaimed “Oh!” upon seeing Shan Chong, and then again upon noticing his skis.
“What’s this about, Chong-god?” one of the ski instructors asked cheerfully. “Not giving others a chance anymore?”
“Just for fun,” the man replied concisely. After a moment’s thought, he added, “My wife wanted to see it.”
Shan Chong’s response was quite modest, and not without reason. No one could be a master of both skiing and snowboarding, and he was no exception. His skiing skills, if placed among average snow enthusiasts, would at best be considered technically correct and capable of carving turns, nothing more.
He had told Wei Zhi exactly this, hoping she wouldn’t expect too much from him, lest she be disappointed when she saw the truth and find his aura dimmed…
In reality, he was overthinking it. With only three seasons of skiing experience, she couldn’t yet distinguish between an expert and someone who was “somewhat competent” on skis.
“Why are you explaining so much?” she asked.
“Hmm,” Shan Chong leaned back in the cable car seat, emitting a muffled sound from his nose. “Because it won’t look good.”
“So what if it doesn’t look good?”
“What’s the point of skiing if it doesn’t look good? In this cold weather, even squirrels don’t want to leave their nests… Wouldn’t it be more comfortable to stay at home?”
“You’re quite concerned about your image, aren’t you?”
At these words, the man sitting opposite her lazily lifted his eyelids and glanced at her, remaining silent for a few seconds—
He was probably pondering whether his concern for his image was indeed a bit excessive. Eventually, he thought, it probably wasn’t…
After all, in the two years between his retirement and her appearance, he had been as unwelcome as a stray dog in the rain, yet he still lived well and skied as he pleased, didn’t he?
After some consideration, he concluded: “It’s only like this in front of someone I like.”
Wei Zhi was left speechless.
After all these years, with their child now three years old and able to run around calling “Mama,” it didn’t prevent her from still being easily moved by the man’s words. Her toes involuntarily wiggled inside her ski boots. She removed her goggles, fixing her deep brown almond-shaped eyes on him.
The man felt her gaze and returned it for a few seconds.
Then he raised his hand and expressionlessly patted his leg.
The cable car was empty, and the people queuing outside, out of some miraculous (sensible) instinct, hadn’t come up to squeeze in with their idol. At this moment, it was just Wei Zhi and Shan Chong. He gestured for her to come sit next to him.
As the cable car door was about to close, Wei Zhi lifted her bottom, just about to move over—
At that moment, a person wearing a red ski suit walked in carrying skis.
The newcomer walked with heavy steps, muttering “Why isn’t anyone getting in?” as he forcefully entered, breaking the atmosphere in the cable car. After he placed his skis down and sat next to Shan Chong, no one spoke.
The newcomer was an old man, his beard gray and visible outside his face mask.
Wei Zhi, who had just lifted her bottom, sat back down. She glanced across and, for once, saw a hint of bewilderment on Shan Chong’s face. She wanted to laugh, her lips twitching slightly before she composed herself.
By now, Shan Chong had come to his senses. He lifted his eyelids, giving her a warning glance.
Wei Zhi coughed, barely managing to hold back her laughter.
Unexpectedly, the old man in the cable car spoke first: “Young man, you ski on two planks, eh?”
The boots for skiing and snowboarding are different, to begin with, not to mention that Shan Chong’s skis were right next to him.
Before Shan Chong could answer, the old man continued: “These days, not many young people are willing to ski. I’ve hardly seen any on the mountain or in the cable cars… You should persevere, don’t just follow the crowd as you go along.”
“…”
“That’s no fun, something that can blend in after just a month or two of practice.”
The old man finished speaking and glanced at Wei Zhi. “Ah, of course, I’m not talking about you. You can’t use that board after just a month or two.”
Wei Zhi’s red snowboard was stuck in the snow outside the cable car, which the old man had noticed when he came in—
This old man was truly extraordinary; he even recognized snowboard brands.
Wei Zhi shifted her position and put on her face mask, not feeling attacked at all. Behind the mask, her mouth split into an uncontrollable grin as she stared intently at the “trendsetter among the mainstream.”
Shan Chong gave a muffled and honest “Mm”—
He probably thought of the countless comments under his short video account: “Picked this up after watching the Beijing Winter Olympics,” “See you this snow season, Brother Chong,” “I want to learn snowboarding too,” “Already looking at ski equipment, Brother Chong, do a video teaching us how to choose suitable gear”…
Thinking of this, he felt a bit uncomfortable: “Skiing and snowboarding are both snow sports, no need to distinguish so clearly.”
The old skier, hearing this, snorted with laughter, showing his disagreement with this statement through his actions.
Wei Zhi saw the man raise an eyebrow, figuring that if the person sitting next to him wasn’t old enough to be his grandfather, he might have already grabbed him for a good debate.
However, after his burst of mockery, the old man didn’t engage further. He took out his smartphone, fiddled with it for a bit, and then a mechanical female voice sounded—
[Current Beijing time is 10:30 AM. Up to now, you have skied 7 times. Total distance: 13km, duration: 120 minutes. Average speed: 55km/h. When skiing this season, pay attention to safety, follow FIS rules, ski safely, and stay heal—]
The voice was abruptly cut off with a click.
Wei Zhi: “…”
Shan Chong: “…”
Usually, ski resorts open from 8:30 to 9:30 AM. Not-so-young young people like Shan Chong and Wei Zhi typically enter the resort around 10 AM to start skiing. At 10:30, they were just getting on the cable car for the second time…
Yet, there were already elderly people prepared to buy a ski pass and ski until the resort went bankrupt, having completed seven runs in two hours.
“Grandpa, you’ve already done seven runs this early morning, and you’re skiing quite fast. The exercise routines for the elderly are quite trendy nowadays,” Wei Zhi said with a smile.
“Well, it’s the national call for 300 million people to participate in ice and snow sports, isn’t that why you’re here too?” The old skier’s humble bra was on point. Hearing this, he just nodded calmly and said, “I ski like this every year.”
Every year, he says.
The old man meant that he was no novice.
Wei Zhi was about to say something when her phone vibrated.
She looked down.
[Chong: When we get to the top, he’ll straight-line it. Who wouldn’t be fast then?]
Wei Zhi: “…”
[Chong: If I straight-line it, I’d be even faster.]
Wei Zhi: “…”
[Chong: Did you hear his speed? 55km/h. Add a bit more and he could be shoulder to shoulder with cars on the highway on his skis.]
Wei Zhi: “…”
[Full Moon Chirp: Using WeChat to badmouth the old grandpa behind his back, let me see, which mature and successful man is pulling this stunt?]
[Chong: Stop being sarcastic. Are you looking for a fight?]
[Full Moon Chirp: Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!]
[Chong: He talked badly about snowboarding first.]
[Chong: Now skiers and snowboarders get all riled up when they see each other on the mountain. It’s becoming a trending topic for internet drama every day. It’s because people like him don’t teach properly.]
[Chong: What are you laughing at?]
Wei Zhi raised her hand to press down on her face mask, making sure it hadn’t slipped to reveal her grin that stretched to her ears.
[Chong: When we get to the top, stay away from him a bit. If he straight-lines it and crashes into you, he could flip you three meters.]
[Full Moon Chirp: Alright, alright.jpg]
…
The cable car reached the top of the mountain, and they got off.
Shan Chong and the others were preparing to enter the small park halfway down the advanced B trail. Mainly because just gliding on skis wouldn’t be interesting, and the small park would allow for some jumping. With the mature man’s psychology of showing off like a peacock spreading its tail, Shan Chong was ready to display all his skills.
As they got off the cable car and were heading towards the advanced B trail, Wei Zhi was pulled back by the scruff of her neck.
Looking back, she saw the expressionless man behind her pointing ahead—
The old skier had already put on his skis and was heading towards the advanced B trail.
By the time they reached it, he was already preparing to go down.
Shan Chong, with a silent expression as if preparing to watch an advanced torpedo performance, held Wei Zhi back and didn’t let her move. The two stood at the edge of the trail, watching as the old skier put on his skis and set off—
Shan Chong drawled, “Watch this, he’s going to straight-line it…”
Just as he finished speaking, the old man lowered his hips.
He pressed down on the left side.
Then on the right side.
His speed was incredibly fast, but it wasn’t a mindless straight line. His skis left deep marks on the snow—
This was the carving turn of alpine skiing.
Something that couldn’t be mastered without three four five or six years of practice.
These days, people his age probably need to hold their backs just to climb stairs, but this old man’s body was in great shape, as agile as a thirty-year-old…
Skiing does strengthen the body.
Wei Zhi watched for a while, then turned to look at the man beside her. He was silent for a moment, then reached out to pinch her chin, turning her face back, not letting her look at him.
“Don’t you want to consider straight-lining it to catch up and apologize to him?” Facing the mountain, she said softly, “I’m afraid you might not be able to catch up if you don’t straight-line it.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the man’s gaze shot over like a knife—
Oh my, in the past, Wei Zhi would never have dared to speak like this.
But now it’s different…
They’re married now, he can’t tear up the certificate, can he?
They have a daughter too, he can’t put her back in the womb, can he?
Being a bit bolder, shouldn’t she be bolder when speaking too?
She smiled sweetly, feeling the man’s gaze sweeping across her face. Then, as she bent down to put on her board, the man beside her “whooshed” away on his skis.
Wei Zhi let out an “Ah,” straightening up with a bewildered look of disbelief that he had left without waiting for her.
After expending a herculean effort to chase him down the mountain, she finally caught sight of Shan Chong halfway down, crouching at the edge of the trail chatting with the old man—
The old man was smoking.
He offered one to Shan Chong, who waved it away without explaining why. When Wei Zhi finally managed to slide over and get close enough, she heard the man say, “Old man, you ski well.”
The old man laughed: “I could see you were holding back a lot of dissatisfaction in the cable car. Watching you chase down, your posture, and the ski suit you’re wearing don’t match. You’re a snowboarder, aren’t you, kid?”
Shan Chong lowered his head, smiled, and rubbed his nose, giving an “Mm” in response.
Like a Bernese Mountain Dog, a bit fierce but also a bit honest.
Wei Zhi loved seeing this atmosphere he exuded, rebellious yet having to bow his head to a senior. She went over and squatted down next to him, just in time to hear the two agreeing to enter the park.
That afternoon, the ski park at the top of the mountain welcomed two unusual visitors.
…
The young snowboarders who were originally jumping around on the rails looked up to see Shan Chong. Initially, they were excited, but when they saw the skis on his feet, their excitement turned to shock, their jaws dropping.
Then they saw the white-bearded old man following their Brother Chong, old enough to be the grandfather of their grandfathers, and they were collectively dumbfounded.
Shan Chong came up, both to familiarize himself and to warm up. He did a 720° flat spin on the small jump—
Skis are different from snowboards.
Snowboarding is full of casual, youthful street sports vibes. Whether it’s spinning on the axis or various board grab moves, it’s just cool, hip, and youthfully invincible.
But skiing, when spinning in the air, the two skis cross, not as clean and crisp, but carrying a professional atmosphere unique to competitive sports…
In a situation where the name “Shan Chong” had long been synonymous with “snowboard big air,” at this moment, as the mist cleared and fine snow fell from the sky, the sun came out. Under the sunlight, the edges of the man’s skis reflected a dazzling light—
At this moment, “Shan Chong” seemed closer to the phrase “athlete Shan Chong.”
The crossed skis rotated under his feet like a helicopter’s propeller, fast and stable.
When the man landed, stopping sideways on the buffer slope, and lightly tapping his ski pole on the snow, the park was silent for a few seconds. Someone cursed “Damn,” and started leading the applause.
Just as they were conveying their jealousy to Wei Zhi about “how did you snag such a divine being, even today’s skiing Chong-ge is so charming”—
Someone let out an “Aiyoh.”
Everyone followed his terrified gaze to see the small jump that Shan Chong had just flown over. A silver beard fluttering in the wind, holding ski poles unique to skiing, the old man took to the air, skis crossed, body curled…
As everyone watched in astonishment, the old man landed a cleaner, crisper 1080° flat spin. Amidst the flying snow dust, he leisurely skied to Shan Chong’s side.
“Oh my, my back still hurts a bit,” he said, holding his waist. “I guess I have to admit I’m getting old, right?”
Shan Chong: “…”
That day, the park’s features were thoroughly used by four skis.
The young snowboarders huddled to the side, watching the old and young pair fly over barrels, grind rails, and do tricks on and off boxes with their skis, not daring to make a sound—
Finally, everyone raised their phones.
The old skiing grandpa who outshone Shan Chong in the mountaintop snow park became an overnight sensation that day.
People spread the news far and wide. Countless young people who had just entered the circle for various reasons watched the video and cried out in the comments section, “Mom, I want to learn skiing,” exclaiming, “Damn, after watching them grind rails on skis, I realized that I thought ski rail grinding didn’t look good before not because of the skis, but because I didn’t look good”…
On this day, the harmony in the snow sports circle reached an unprecedented level. Skiers and snowboarders huddled together trembling in the comment sections of various platforms, crying out, “It’s not the equipment that doesn’t look good, it’s me.”
…
Until lunchtime.
The man who had been jumping around the park all morning squatted at the edge of the trail, chatting idly with the old man who was also squatting and puffing on a cigarette.
They added each other on WeChat. The old man’s WeChat name was quite trendy, called “Tommy Zhao.”
Staring at the phone for a while, Shan Chong asked three times, “Is this your WeChat?” After receiving affirmative responses, he snickered and said, “The old man is quite trendy.”
The old man patted Shan Chong’s shoulder and asked, “Will you go to the next Winter Olympics?”
Shan Chong turned to look at him, silent, but his dark pupils gleamed slightly.
“If I were you, I’d keep jumping until I couldn’t anymore. Can you ever have too many medals? The biggest regret in life is leaving things unfinished.”
Shan Chong remained silent.
“Oh, right,” the old man added.
Shan Chong: “?”
The old man: “Two planks rule the world.”
Shan Chong: “…”
After saying this, the old man spoke no more. Just as impolitely as he had been on the cable car, he stood up without a word and glided out of the park. He then skillfully swayed his hips left and right, executing a graceful short turn down the mountain.
After he left, the young man crouched in place for a long while, saying nothing.
Until, from not far away, Wei Zhi came stumbling towards him, hugging her skis, trudging through the snow like an awkward, chubby bird flapping its wings—
She left a trail of footprints behind her.
Excitedly, she called out, “Ah, ah, ah, Brother Chong, I know! Do you know who that old man was? Zhao Zhen-chuan! That Zhao Zhen-chuan! Thomas Zhao! The first medal in freestyle skiing for Chinese people in history!”
She dropped her skis with a “thud” next to him and crouched down, nudging his waist with her elbow. “Have you heard of him?”
Shan Chong stared at his shoes for a moment before grunting an affirmative “Mm.”
She nudged him again with her elbow. “Isn’t he amazing?”
Shan Chong: “Mm.”
Wei Zhi: “What did he say to you before he left? Did he leave any advice or teachings from a senior in the snow circle?”
Shan Chong: “Yeah.”
Wei Zhi: “What? What?”
Shan Chong: “‘Two planks rule the world.'”
Wei Zhi: “?”
Turning his head, seeing the bewildered look on her face as her pale lips parted slightly, the man chuckled. Maintaining his crouched position with his arms around his knees, he leaned to the side, turned his head, and lightly pecked her lips.
The snow had stopped.
Sunlight shone on the snow, reflecting a dazzling white light.
In the park, the occasional “clang” of ski edges hitting props could be heard. Looking up, there were both snowboarders and skiers… Everyone gathered together, discussing techniques, laughing and joking. There had never been, and should never be, any discord. It was a perfect scene of “all snow sports enthusiasts are one family.”