Chapter 1 — Medals Are Not For You

The night Luc Thua Da won the championship, the whole stadium chanted his name. He rushed down to the podium to receive his award. I thought he would do as he promised three years ago: bring me the first gold medal after returning. But he passed the front row, went straight to Tong Han - the team doctor, took off the gold medal and hung it around her neck. Tong Han was stunned. The medal hit the business card in front of her chest, making a sharp "click" sound. The floodlights above the stadium immediately followed, and several large screens simultaneously cut to a close-up shot of the two of them. Luc Thua Da had just run 100 meters, his chest was still heaving violently, sweat was dripping down his cheeks. He patted Tong Han's shoulder and smiled brightly as if he had never suffered the trauma of three years ago. The reporters crowded in, pointing their microphones between the two people. "Doctor Tong, Luc Thua Da, who has been absent for three years, has regained the national championship. Are you the greatest hero to help him return to the track?" Tong Han raised his hand to take off the medal. Luc Thua Da held her hand. “Just wear it.” Having finished speaking, he took the microphone from the reporter. “Without her, there would be no me today.” The cheers in the stands exploded another level. I sat in the middle of the family area, still holding his recovery notebook in my hand. 217 pain assessments, 436 muscle strength tests, and MRIs of every bone marrow swelling over the past three years, all fit in a document bag on my lap. Tong Han has only been on the team for seven months. She is indeed very hard-working and her expertise is good enough. But at the time Luc Thua Ye couldn't get out of bed, she was still studying for her Master's in Sports Medicine abroad. The TV director's lens suddenly swept towards me. My face appeared on the big screen. The scene MC quickly walked over and brought another microphone in front of me. "Miss Kieu Tranh, as Luc Thua Da's wife, witnessing this scene, you must also be very moved, right?" I saw the club's Communications Director Phuong Kha standing outside the field, winking and signaling me. Her mouth moved without a sound: *Say a few words.* I took the microphone. Luc Thua Da also looked this way. The smile on his face faded a bit, perhaps now he remembered I was still sitting here. “Of course it's emotional.” My voice rang out from the stadium's sound system. "Doctor Tong joined the team for seven months and worked very diligently. The pre-match assessment and emergency injury treatment for Luc Thua Da in a recent season have really been hard on her." Tong Han looked at me, her fingers unconsciously touching the gold medal. The MC didn't seem to hear the time limit implied in my statement, so he still smiled and asked: "So what do you want to say to them most right now?" “Congratulations Luc Thua Da.” I put the document bag on the empty chair next to me. “The past three years of practice have not been in vain.” Applause rang out. The lens finally left my face. When the MC went to interview the middle distance running champion, I stood up and left the family area. When passing by the edge of the yard, Director Phuong Kha stopped me. "Miss Kieu, the celebration party will start at eight thirty, don't forget." "I know." She lowered her voice: "The question just happened temporarily, without communicating with me in advance. Don't take it to heart, the media just likes to capture frames like this." I looked not far away. Luc Thua Da is surrounded by staff and reporters. Tong Han stood to his right, still wearing that gold medal in front of her chest. “Nice frame.” Phuong Kha gasped. I gave her the recovery notebook: "This is the document for his next phase, which was planned to be held with the coaching staff tonight. Could you please take it to the medical room for me?" “Didn't you bring it over yourself?” "After the celebration party, we'll figure it out." I walked into the athletes' aisle, the cheers behind me were blocked by two soundproof doors

retort. On the bench outside the locker room, there was the training bag Luc Thua Da had just changed into. Your locker is far from the pre-match warm-up room, so you let me hold it for you. The zipper was slightly open, revealing a sweat-soaked towel. I zipped up my bag and called an assistant passing by. “Tieu Duong, this belongs to Thua Da.” Tieu Duong ran over and instinctively asked: "Sister-in-law, aren't you waiting for Mr. Luc?" “He's busy.” I handed the bag to him. "After the match, remind him to drink another 150ml of electrolyte water in half an hour, don't let him drink it cold. Don't drink alcohol at the celebration party tonight. The back of his left leg showed signs of slight muscle strain before the match. When you get back to the hotel, remember to apply a cold compress for 15 minutes." Tieu Duong nodded vigorously. I spoke halfway then stopped. He had followed Luc Thua Da for two years after these words, he should have remembered them a long time ago. I searched my bag and took out a blue-covered handbook and gave it to him. "The process is all written down here. From now on, just follow that." Tieu Duong did not dare to accept. “Sister-in-law, what do you mean by that?” “It doesn't mean anything.” I stuffed the notebook into his hand, turned around and walked out. The phone in my bag vibrated. Luc Thua Da sent a text message. *[Where have you gone?]* I texted back two words: *[Hotel.]* He immediately called. The signal in the aisle is not good, the voice is broken. "Why did you leave first? We'll take a group photo later." “Everyone just keep taking pictures.” “Kieu Tranh.” He called me both my first and last name. The jostling noise behind him entered the phone, he had to cover the microphone a few steps away. "The matter of the gold medal, Tong Han was also conveniently brought over by me. She has been with the team for several months. Today, before running, she came back to help me deal with a small muscle twitch in my leg. At that time, I was influenced by emotions so I did that." "OH." “Don't talk like that in a weird yin and yang way.” “What did you say?” The other end of the line was silent for two seconds. "Just now in front of the media, you emphasized that she had only been on the team for 7 months. What did you mean?" I leaned against the wall, watching a mineral cart pass by, pushed by stadium staff. “Presenting the facts.” “Today is my first final after coming back.” Luc Thua Da's voice lowered. “Do you have to decide who has the big credit and who has the little credit at this time?” “Haven't you already decided?” Around him suddenly became quiet. Maybe someone was calling him, his tone became hurried. "Let's talk later tonight. Don't be late to the celebration party, there are some club sponsors there, sit next to me." After speaking, he hung up the phone. Like countless times in the past, he was confident that I would show up on time, putting aside all inappropriate emotions to go home and resolve it internally. At eight o'clock sharp, I went to the banquet room. The position in the middle of the main banquet table was left to Luc Thua Da, on his left was the Head Coach, the nameplate on the right read Tong Han. My name tag was on table number two, along with a few family members of other athletes.