Chapter 27: Aside from the Olympics, I Generally Don't Get Nervous (Bonus chapter for hitting 300 votes—we actually pulled it off!)

It was him, his old rival.

Zhang Peimeng.

For a long time, Su Shen had lived in the shadow of this Beijing native. He was also the first Chinese man to clock a flat 10.00 seconds.

Calculating the time, it was inevitable that he would run into him. Zhang Peimeng had just been recruited into the Beijing team this year, and his head coach was likely bringing him along to invitational meets to gain some experience.

If nothing else, those long legs were enough to make Su Shen envious. Zhang Peimeng already stood at 182 cm and would eventually reach 186 cm—the perfect, golden height for track and field.

However, Zhang was still vacillating between the 200m and the 100m, not yet specializing in the latter. That was why he was here to compete in the 200m. Athletes rarely entered many events in a simple invitational; since there were no "five-dimensional points" or similar rewards for winning, their primary concern was physical load.

Zhang Peimeng’s physical condition had been average lately, so he had opted out of the 100m. Su Shen wouldn't be facing him in the shorter sprint today. In his past life, Su Shen had only competed in the 100m, but this time, he had signed up for the 200m as well.

That meant he had a chance to cross paths with Zhang Peimeng in the 200m.

...

Seeing Ning Debao exchange pleasantries with the opposing head coach made it clear that this middle-aged man was no ordinary figure.

And indeed, he wasn't. Li Qing was a pioneer in domestic sports training and biomechanics, having earned his PhD from the University of Göttingen in Germany between 1989 and 1991. Zhang Peimeng’s rapid early progress was largely credited to this Western-educated coach. He was one of the most prestigious academic leaders among the current young generation of coaches in China.

"So these are the students you've brought? Not bad, not bad. Hmm? This kid here, he’s not very tall. Is he following Yuan Guoqiang’s approach?" Li Qing glanced at Su Shen and remarked. In the increasingly selective world of Chinese track and field, it was rare to see an athlete of his stature.

"You could say that. Come, Xiao Tian, say hello to Coach Li. Coach Li is one of the few sports PhDs in the country who studied abroad, and he was already a coach for the national men's sprint team back in the 80s." Su Shen, who was well aware of who Li Qing was, stepped forward to greet him. To his surprise, Li Qing reached out and squeezed his upper body, then looked astonished. "Such a solid upper body. Xiao Ning, are you trying to train him in the Western style?"

There was no helping it. Because the "racial theory" was prevalent both at home and abroad, many domestic experts had fallen for it. They believed that if Chinese people wanted to run fast, they had to take a different path, thinking that the muscular, Western-style approach wouldn't work for them.

But in reality...

High-speed arm swings and maintaining high-speed movement against air resistance required immense strength as a foundation. Otherwise, the form would flutter, limiting the athlete's potential.

Su Shen had gone through this phase himself. After switching coaches in 2013, he began to pack on muscle, eventually getting faster and faster until he reached his peak in Tokyo. But this was not the place for a young kid like him to speak; he could only let Li Qing poke and prod at him.

"No, we’re just testing some new training concepts," Ning Debao replied. Li Qing nodded. "Innovation is good, but it must be based on reality. We are of the yellow race; our natural white-muscle fiber content is insufficient. One should be cautious about following the Western path." It wasn't that they didn't understand; this was the mainstream view, and it did, in fact, have scientific backing.

The white-muscle fiber content of the yellow and white races was indeed lower than that of the Black race.

Unfortunately, the "testosterone theory" hadn't become popular yet. Otherwise, Su Shen would have loved to retort that their testosterone levels were nothing to scoff at either.

Furthermore, aside from the Black race, everyone generally felt that it was impossible for Chinese athletes to even beat the white athletes. At the time, the West was using this "red/white muscle theory" to engage in a form of "racial PUA" against Asians, even claiming that a person of the yellow race would never break the 10-second barrier.

A familiar theory, wasn't it? It was extremely popular back then, and everyone from professionals to grassroots PE teachers had been brainwashed by it.

Su Shen knew clearly that these shackles couldn't be broken with words; only facts could wake everyone up. Words required logic, but facts did not.

The ridiculous thing was that even as Li Qing spouted this "racial theory," no one present felt angry or depressed. It was as if, at that moment, the Chinese people had internalized this set of beliefs.

There was no point in denying it. In 2004, "racial theory" was treated as "truth," and with the influence of public intellectuals, the general public had been thoroughly hoodwinked. The eyes of the people were sharp, but they were also prone to lag.

Ning Debao didn't say much more. Her status was far below Li Qing’s, so she had to listen to whatever he said.

As they were about to leave, someone suddenly said to Su Shen, "Why do you keep staring at me? Is there a flower on my face?"

Su Shen looked over. It was none other than the hot-tempered Zhang Peimeng.

If he were still a young boy, Su Shen might have retorted thoughtlessly—*I'll look at whoever I want, what's it to you?* But this time, he couldn't be bothered to argue with a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old kid. He said nonchalantly, "Because you're quite handsome."

Zhang Peimeng: ...

Once that was said, even if you were hot-tempered, there was nothing you could do. After all, what could you say to someone who was complimenting you? He could only awkwardly reply, "Oh, is that so? Thanks."

Seeing Su Shen resolve the crisis so easily, Ning Debao gave him another mental thumbs-up.

Once the two groups separated, Zhou Bing was the first to express his annoyance, feeling that the Beijing boy was too arrogant.

Su Shen comforted him, "That’s why I tell you to read more. Otherwise, you’ll easily be led by your emotions instead of controlling them. As a top-tier athlete, managing your mindset is a major part of the craft." Zhou Bing was stunned for a long time. The more he interacted with Su Shen, the more he felt...

This Su Shen was just too steady. Sometimes, he was so steady it felt unreal. Many things that would have made Zhou Bing furious didn't seem to stir the slightest ripple in Su Shen. And he could defuse situations so casually that the other party felt like they were punching cotton—frustrated with nowhere to strike.

As cold and emotionless as a robot.

Could this... be the world of a top student? Was their brain just wired differently from theirs? If it were possible to open a human brain without consequences, Zhou Bing would have really wanted to open Su Shen's just to see what made it different.

When they reached the waiting area, Ning Debao looked at Su Shen and asked, "What's wrong? Xiao Tian, do you know that kid from Beijing?"

"Yes," Su Shen said. Just as Ning Debao was about to ask more, Su Shen added—

"I’ve seen him in my dreams."

Ning Debao: ...

...

"While we still have some time, let me review your main opponents for today." Ning Debao, having done her homework, pulled out some photos and notes. "These are the main rivals for the 100m in this invitational."

"Liu Haibo, 16. He’s likely the weakest opponent. His personal best is 11.64, run at the Chaoyang Sports Center in Beijing. It’s rumored he’s switching to long-distance running. If you lose to him, you might as well pack your bags and go home."

The boys chuckled, knowing this was Ning Debao’s way of helping them relax and relieve the pressure of their upcoming first competition.

"Zhu Huanjun, 16. He hasn't had an official race, but it’s said that at an invitational in Liaoning, he broke 11 seconds—specifically 10.96. Zhou Bing, he’s likely your biggest rival for first place. Pay attention to him. His specialty is his mid-race running; he has a very long acceleration phase."

"Yi Xiaoqiang, 16, from Hong Kong. He’s the biggest name in this invitational. He ran a 10.89 in Hong Kong back in January 2004. However, he’s currently recovering from an injury, and this is his first race back. His specific condition is unclear."

...

"Did you both memorize that?" Ning Debao asked. Su Shen and Zhou Bing both nodded.

Zhou Bing looked at Su Shen, feeling that he was even calmer than himself. It didn't look like his first invitational at all. Zhou Bing remembered that it had taken him three attempts to reach such a level of composure; the first time, he had been so blank he almost forgot his own name.

Could it be that being a top student meant not only having a good brain but also ironclad mental strength? Zhou Bing felt as though meeting Su Shen had opened up a whole new world. He had never seen a newcomer like this.

"Tian, what are you thinking about? I didn't think there would be such strong competitors here; this invitational is much more prestigious than the last one I attended. If you have any questions, as your senior, I might be in a good mood and give you some pointers, rookie." Having grown familiar with Su Shen, Zhou Bing started joking around. They were both fifteen or sixteen, and they had warmed up to each other quickly. Besides, he had been feeling crushed by Su Shen’s "top student" aura for the past half-month and wanted to find a way to make Su Shen "humbly" ask him for advice.

This invitational was the perfect opportunity. Zhou Bing had imagined at least fifty scenarios where Su Shen would humbly ask for his guidance, but instead...

Su Shen lifted his eyes and looked at Zhou Bing, as if seeing right through his plans, and smiled faintly. "It’s just an invitational. Just run it the same way you usually do."

Zhou Bing was stunned, then couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you nervous at all? This is your... I mean, this is your first invitational ever, right?" He almost let slip, *I was so nervous my first time.*

Could he really be that different? Aren't they all just two eyes and a nose?

"Oh, that."

"I generally don't get nervous unless it's the World Championships or the Olympics," Su Shen said with a straight face, leaving Zhou Bing dazed for several seconds, unable to recover for a long while.