1. Prologue: Zhao Ruirui, who is single, is full of concern for her parents
Late at night, Zhao Ruirui sat alone in the study, her eyes dim. She silently held up a photo frame in her hand, which treasured precious photos of her happy moments with her parents. Father Zhao Huaifu and mother Wang Shuying smiled brightly like flowers, looking like a harmonious and beautiful picture.
However, now, every time Zhao Ruirui faces her parents, she will always see them with a trace of melancholy on their faces, sighing helplessly in front of her. The reason is nothing more than that Zhao Ruirui is still alone, alone, and has not yet found the partner who fits her heart.
As a retired volleyball player, Zhao Ruirui has achieved brilliant results in her career, but she has always been lonely on the emotional road. She is tall and beautiful, and she should attract the attention of many suitors, but she is never able to meet the person who is destined for her.
Zhao Ruirui gently put down the photo frame and sighed deeply. She is well aware of the good intentions of her parents, who are so eager for their daughter to find her own happiness that they do not want this beautiful woman to waste her life.
She slowly stood up and walked to the balcony, looking out the window at the patchwork of residential buildings. Zhao Ruirui couldn't help but wonder that perhaps in these buildings, there are countless families immersed in warm embraces at this moment? How many people like her are also confused in loneliness? This is the concern and trouble that she and her parents share for two generations.
2. A talented girl
Zhao Ruirui's loneliness comes from her unique life experience. In October 1981, on a crisp autumn morning, she came to the world, destined that her life would no longer be ordinary.
His father, Zhao Huaifu, and mother, Wang Shuying, are both authentic volleyball players, so they naturally have high hopes for this lovely daughter. As expected, since childhood, Xiao Ruirui has shown an athletic talent beyond ordinary people, and her height far exceeds that of children of the same age.
Therefore, Rui Rui naturally stepped into the palace of volleyball. Every day in the Nanjing Youth Volleyball Training Base, sweat and listen carefully to the coaches' earnest teachings.
At a young age, her eyes are always shining and exuding an extraordinary temperament. "Little Rui Rui will definitely become a bright new star in the volleyball world in the future. "Looking at her excellent performances, the coaches have praised her.
The year 1994 was a very significant year for the young Rui Rui. At the age of 13, she went through many tests, rose to the challenge, and finally managed to join the honorary squad of the Beijing Bayi women's volleyball team.
This not only represents a recognition of her personal ability, but also means that she will leave her familiar hometown and embark on a journey full of unknown challenges - in the unfamiliar city of Beijing, she needs to face the pressure of studying and living independently.
However, Rui Rui did not let this determine. The harsh training environment did not break her will, but instead stimulated her fighting spirit. The cold and bitter north winds in Beijing didn't stop her, and she made a determined choice to practice an additional 10 serves a day to improve her skills.
The body of adolescence is already in the stage of development and is under great pressure, but Rui Rui does not give up because of this. On the contrary, she strengthened her convictions and determined to make herself stronger.
As it turned out, Ruirui's efforts paid off. With her outstanding talent and tenacity, she quickly rose to prominence in the team and became an excellent player. Her sturdy and nimble figure galloped across the field, almost unstoppable.
It seems that the new stars of volleyball are about to shine here!
3. A symphony of injuries and glory
In 1998, Zhao Ruirui, who was only 18 years old, won the favor of the national team. This is the highest honor that countless young athletes dream of, and for Ruirui, it is a supreme honor in life.
When she stared at the rising five-star red flag, tears couldn't help but welled up in her eyes, and the excitement in her heart was indescribable. She knows very well that she must go all out to fight for the highest honor for the motherland and live up to the expectations of the people.
However, the intense training soon put a heavy burden on Rui's body. The old illness recurred, and the severe pain was unbearable for her. Once, Rui Rui suddenly fell to the ground during training, and her painful expression made people feel distressed.
The results of the examination were heart-wrenching, and she had a severe meniscus damage to her knee. This was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue, and Rui Rui, who was in the World Cup qualifiers, had to say goodbye to the field for a while.
As she lay on her hospital bed, watching her teammates' performances through the TV screen, her inner pain beyond words. She longed to be able to jump right into the fight.
Her parents waited by her bedside, tears streaming down their eyes.
After half a year of treatment, Rui Rui finally got the chance to be selected again. In 2001, she returned to the national team with her tireless efforts, fighting alongside her teammates and fighting hard for the final title.
In 2003, Rui Rui's Chinese women's volleyball team was actively preparing for the Women's Volleyball World Cup, and she was recognized as an indispensable core force in the team. Her sharp attack and strong blocking are the team's main scorers.
After many hardships, the Chinese women's volleyball team successfully won the world championship again after a 17-year absence! Zhao Ruirui won the MVP of the finals with an indisputable performance and was honored as the "world's No. 1 vice attacker".
This glorious title indicates that she is about to usher in a glorious moment in her career.
Fourth, the road to recovery is full of obstacles
However, the arduous journey of Zhao Ruirui's life is far from over, and greater difficulties and challenges are waiting for her to face.
In 2004, as the core soul of the national team, Zhao Ruirui was successfully selected into the Athens Olympic team. This is undoubtedly the most desirable top-level event for every athlete.
On the first day of the competition, Rui Rui wore the national team jersey and sang the national anthem in unison with her teammates with awe and pride. Despite being against a strong U.S. team, she was scrappy and ready to make a splash.
However, the moment the smash hit the ground, Rui Rui's right leg suddenly felt a sharp pain - the familiar feeling of broken bones made her fall to the ground in an instant, and she had to be rushed to the medical room.
The diagnosis was as brutal as a bolt from the blue, and a comminuted fracture of the bone in his right leg brought an end to the Athens Olympics. At that moment, Rui Rui's heart was filled with endless loss, and all the careful preparations for the battle came to naught.
She could only lie quietly in the hospital, watching her teammates walk onto the field one by one, in stark contrast to her loneliness and helplessness.
The hidden dangers caused by long-term high-intensity training finally broke out in full force, becoming an insurmountable obstacle in Zhao Ruirui's career. In 2005, in order to speed up the healing of the bones in her right leg, she underwent a major surgery in Shanghai, implanting steel plates and screws into her body.
However, the results of the surgery were not satisfactory, and the wound never healed completely. Rui Rui can only rely on painkillers to relieve pain, and the road to recovery is full of twists and turns.
In 2007, at the suggestion of her mentor Lang Ping, Rui Rui embarked on the road to seek medical treatment in the United States. After careful evaluation, the doctors there decided that the steel plate in her right leg had to be removed and reimplanted to achieve a complete cure.
Upon hearing the news that another major surgery was needed, Rui Rui's parents, Zhao Huaifu and Wang Shuying, could no longer hide their inner pain. Through a video call, they tearfully pleaded with their daughter to retire, choking up and saying, "We just hope that you can be healthy and healthy, and no longer pursue those illusory championship honors."
When she saw her parents in such pain, Zhao Ruirui had already burst into tears. Although she deeply understands her parents' plight, for her, volleyball is all she has in her life, how can she let go of it so easily?
After countless times of repeated deliberation, Zhao Ruirui finally told Chen Zhonghe and coach her determination in an extremely firm tone: she decided to fight for the motherland for another four years!
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, the 2008 Beijing Olympics are coming. After a long and arduous recovery process, Zhao Ruirui finally went into battle again and represented the Chinese national team.
Although she failed to win the gold medal, it is a great achievement for Zhao Ruirui today. Being able to stand on the field again and win honor for the motherland, her fighting spirit has created a brilliant chapter.