The Sweetness of the Seventies
Chapter 1036 - 1005: Special Recruitment

Chapter 1036: Chapter 1005: Special Recruitment

He Tiantian nodded, satisfied with Coach Wu’s attitude.

"Hehe, that’s good." He Tiantian smiled, "But as you’ve seen, I’m married, with a child, and a husband; my family is an inseparable part of my life. I want to go home every day."

Coach Wu found it a bit difficult and said, "If you train in Yanjing City, you can go home every day. However, if you have to train elsewhere, then you won’t be able to go home every day. Before the big competitions, everyone has to do centralized training, and there can be no exceptions."

He Tiantian thought for a moment and said, "Hehe, alright, I’ve noted that."

"So, will you join our swimming team?" Coach Wu asked, as he had the power for special recruitment.

"Uh uh!" He Tiantian hesitated, "Although you have the privilege of special recruitment, I think it’s best to take it step by step. For example, I could first join the Yanjing City Sports Bureau and then participate in some competitions. If the results are good, I can then be transferred to the national team. This process would be fair to me and to others, and it would also give me more opportunities to train."

Hearing what He Tiantian said, Coach Wu’s eyes lit up and he nodded, "Alright, Zhu, you handle this. Take full charge of matters concerning Teacher He, and by the way, take responsibility for her training."

"Yes, Coach." Zhu Zhitao smiled, never having expected Teacher He to be so easy to talk to.

But still, Coach Wu was impressive, one step ahead of the rest.

Afterward, the three of them chatted about some humorous incidents from past competitions.

He Tiantian laughed heartily from time to time, in a very good mood.

At noon, He Tiantian invited Coach Wu and Zhu Zhitao to stay for lunch, but they declined, citing prior obligations.

Leaving He Tiantian’s home, Zhu Zhitao, pushing his bicycle, asked Coach Wu, "Coach, do you think Teacher He has a chance at competing in the ’88 Olympics?"

"It’s possible," Coach Wu replied. "Zhu, this is your opportunity, you must seize it."

"By the way, Coach, how did we manage to persuade Teacher He so easily today? Do you have a secret?" Zhu Zhitao asked, having been quite nervous before arriving.

Coach Wu laughed and said, "Zhu, you’re still young and may not be able to see it. But in my many years in the sports industry, I can feel He Tiantian’s love for swimming, otherwise, she wouldn’t be at the swimming hall every day. Also, when she competed, I felt a strong fighting spirit from her, so I thought we’d be able to persuade He Tiantian. After all, her only concern was not wanting to be confined by the team and not being able to go home. We promised her she could go home every day, so there were no obstacles. As for training trips, they’re not that frequent."

"But Teacher He is bringing a life assistant, that’s not a treatment other team members have," Zhu Zhitao said worriedly, "Won’t that affect the team’s unity?"

"Ah, I noticed that. The Huo Family Old Mansion always has someone standing guard; moving around with only one person is certainly not feasible for her. Calling it a ’life assistant’ is really just a bodyguard. Since the recruitment is special, a little extra privilege is also fine. What I’m after is performance, the rest doesn’t matter much."

"Indeed, Coach, your insight is unparalleled," Zhu Zhitao flattered, aware that he couldn’t compete with the coach in various aspects.

He hoped to gradually improve in the learning and coaching process to come.

A week later, He Tiantian had become a specially recruited member of the Nan City Sports Bureau’s swimming team.

As He Tiantian had only participated in one amateur competition, no one in the Sports Bureau recognized her.

On the weekend, she went to the Huo Family Old Mansion.

Old Madam Huo was taken aback upon hearing He Tiantian’s words and asked, "Tiantian, do you really want to become an athlete? That’s very hard work, you know!"

Zhao Huanhuan smiled and said, "Tiantian, as the saying goes, ’A layman is on the other side of the mountain from an expert,’ but you’re really impressive. Studying Chinese and then becoming a swimmer."

"Yeah, Tiantian, training is so hard, and there’s no guarantee of winning a medal," Song Chunli advised, "Your business is doing so well now, why not stay at home and take care of the kids, go shopping, and manage the business? Aren’t you having a good life?"

Although Elder Auntie Song Chunli disapproved, He Tiantian knew she meant no harm. She was just trying to persuade He Tiantian from her perspective.

Hearing this, He Tiantian said with a smile, "Hehe, I just like swimming, so I joined. As for the rankings and medals, it’s fine whether I get them or not."

"If you like it, go for it," Old Madam Huo said, knowing that He Tiantian was determined. If she opposed it, she might just make He Tiantian resent her.

Moreover, participating in sports was positive and uplifting—there was nothing wrong with that.

Over the years, the state had done a lot of promotion to develop sports.

Especially during the ’84 Olympics, Xu Haifeng’s gold medal broke the new China Olympic gold medal drought and the entire country gained more recognition for athletes.

"Tiantian, be careful during your regular training. If you get hurt, you’ll suffer when you get older," Zhao Huanhuan advised, "If you’re interested, there’s a traditional Chinese medicine clinic opened by a retired doctor over here. His tuina massage and acupuncture are quite good. If you need it, you can look for the Boss."

"Thank you, sister-in-law," He Tiantian said gratefully, thankful for Zhao Huanhuan’s kindness.

Even though Song Chunli disapproved, she didn’t interfere with the decisions made by He Tiantian, as she ultimately wasn’t her real mother-in-law. These past years, she had made so much money doing business with He Tiantian and was quite pleased; naturally, she hoped He Tiantian would be happy too.

"Tiantian, don’t worry about things at home; we’ve got it covered," Song Chunli said, "It’s nice to be able to do what you love. When I was young, I loved to sing, but I never had the chance. Now I’ve joined a senior choir, we meet three times a week, and I’m so happy each time I go. I put myself in your shoes, and since you like swimming, you should go ahead. Whether you win a ranking or not, as long as you’re happy, that’s good."

"Hehe, Tiantian, your elder auntie is right, you should remember that," Old Madam Huo added, "As long as you’re happy, it’s fine. We Huo family don’t have too many rules. If there’s a competition in Yanjing next time, we’ll definitely come to watch."

"Thank you for all the elders’ understanding," He Tiantian smiled, exceedingly happy.

She had called her mother-in-law a couple of days ago and talked about this.

Her father-in-law and mother-in-law were not against it, and her mother-in-law even very much agreed.

So, with the understanding and blessings of the whole family, He Tiantian packed her bags and came to the Yanjing City Sports Bureau swimming team.

Wei Yuanyuan was He Tiantian’s bodyguard, protecting her every step of the way.

Another person was Cui Ying.

Cui Ying, together with Huashan, managed the antique shops in Yanjing and Nan City.

After Cui Ying had a child and raised him until he was three years old, the father, Cui Yong, took him to the sect to start his training.

Cui Ying excelled at massage and tuina.

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I recommend Little Turtle’s "Female Soldier’s Flirting Daily". Reborn into her past life, Yang Liu intended to stay lowkey and wealthy by her mother’s side, but unexpectedly stumbled into a military camp. A female soldier up against a faux-celibate god, the banters of flirtation or being flirted with, it’s something to look forward to.