The Golden Reflection

What does it mean to be an Olympic champion?

The highest goal for athletes in most sports? The greatest reward for years of hardship? A lifetime of financial security? Fame across the country, with countless flowers and applause?

Perhaps all of these.

Perhaps none of them.

At three, Ye Yijing entered a gymnastics hall for the first time. At nineteen, he stood on the highest Olympic podium for the first time.

Before that moment, he thought he would look back on all the hardships he'd overcome. Maybe, in a darker mood, he'd feel satisfaction at proving everyone who'd hurt him wrong.

But he felt none of that.

He gazed at the empty stands during this special time and thought of how the stands usually looked at artistic gymnastics competitions.

He wanted every seat here filled. He wanted everyone in the stands to come because they'd felt the beauty of artistic gymnastics.

It would be difficult, but he wanted to try.

The front of the gold medal faced the audience: glory, and a reward for years of hard work and training.

The back faced him: responsibility, and a chance to stop taking from his sport and try to give something back.

Reader's Note: This story shares a world with The Champion's Road. The male lead idolizes that novel's heroine, so please don't read if that bothers you.

Since artistic gymnastics involves named moves, moves named before the Tokyo cycle may be referred to directly for convenience. Competition rules are the same as in real life, but that doesn't mean the characters are based on real people.

Many characters besides the male lead will appear, but this isn't truly an ensemble story.

There will be plenty beyond the competitions. This is not a passionate sports story at all.

There is transmigration, but not by the male lead. There may be a System, but not for the male lead.

Theme: Purity leads to success