Chasing the Wind Episode 1 Recap
> Chasing the Wind Recap
Lin Ge, a short track speed skater with promising results, suffered a sudden fall mid-competition. From this unexpected perspective, she reflected on her journey. Growing up, she saw the sport primarily as a means to earn prize money and salary, a path she took out of necessity as her only option for survival. Despite this initial motivation, she found herself deeply loving the sport. She recalled a challenging encounter on the ice.
Having sneaked into the sports school rink, she competed with a boy and won. He remarked on her outdated skates, not designed for speed skating. He was Nie Chi. She had fallen during that time, which caused an injury to her face, and her hair was also damaged in a fall.
Later, he asked her why she wasn't home so late, hinting at family concerns, but for Lin Ge, home was a painful memory; she had lost her mother and her relatives treated her like a burden, believing she had hidden money her mother left behind. They made it clear she wasn't welcome. Nie Chi recognized Lin Ge's potential and fighting spirit. He pleaded with his Master to take her in at the sports school.
Initially skeptical, the Master used a metaphor of a single flower in a vast grassland to describe true talent, calling everyone else "soil blocks." Nie Chi argued that Lin Ge was like a "fish slipped through the net," a rare talent overlooked. Convinced by Nie Chi's persistence and seeing Lin Ge's endurance on the ice, the Master agreed to train her. Lin Ge was overjoyed.
Nie Chi had his teammate, Fang Chao, deliver a pair of proper skates to Lin Ge. Shortly after Lin Ge joined, Nie Chi had to move to Beijing. His father insisted he go, leaving Lin Ge feeling lost. She settled into life at the sports school, practicing diligently under her new Master's guidance. The Master and his wife, Mrs. Fang, were incredibly kind to her.
One night, while Lin Ge was crying quietly, thinking of her mother, Mrs. Fang saw her. The Master explained to Mrs. Fang that Lin Ge's mother had passed away, her father was a gambler deep in debt who had disappeared, and her relatives treated her like a burden, leaving her nowhere to go during holidays. Mrs. Fang took Lin Ge under her wing, treating her like her own child and calling her their "number one baby."
She gave Lin Ge a red envelope for the Spring Festival and shared warmth and food, creating a sense of home for her. Lin Ge continued to train hard, constantly improving. Fang Chao and Lin Ge's bond grew as they spent time together. For Mrs. Fang's birthday, the Master planned a surprise. Fang Chao, Lin Ge, and the Master embarked on an elaborate adventure to a hot spring using coupons, followed by an all-you-can-eat buffet.
They strategized to maximize their consumption, even bringing digestive tablets and hawthorn pills, much to Fang Chao's amusement and slight disgust. They presented Mrs. Fang with a small birthday cake, which she deeply appreciated. Fang Chao also brought Lin Ge a lunchbox filled with food his mother had prepared, emphasizing it was full of her love.
During their conversation, Fang Chao mentioned his father went to the airport to pick someone up and speculated it might be scouts from the provincial team. He also recalled the difficulty Nie Chi faced convincing Lin Ge's superstitious grandmother to allow her to train in short track speed skating, as she believed Lin Ge brought bad luck to her cousin Lin Feng. One day on the rink, Lin Ge saw someone skating incredibly fast.
Driven by her competitive spirit, she chased after him. It turned out to be Nie Chi, back from Beijing. Lin Ge was ecstatic to see him, noting how much he had grown. Nie Chi explained he was back permanently to train at the sports school and aim for the provincial team. Lin Ge thanked him for recommending her to the school years ago and promised to have his back now that she was doing well.
Just then, Fang Chao appeared, startling them. Their playful reunion was interrupted by Mr. Ou, the security guard, but Fang Chao managed to smooth things over. Fang Chao revealed to Lin Ge that Nie Chi was staying in the warehouse because his family was struggling financially and he chose not to stay in the crowded dormitory. Lin Ge was upset by this and immediately went to the warehouse with cleaning supplies.
She insisted on helping Nie Chi clean the dusty, equipment-filled room, stating they needed to make it habitable. Nie Chi felt it didn't need much effort as he was only there temporarily, but Lin Ge felt it was important to improve his living conditions. As they cleaned, Lin Ge questioned him spending money on small items if he was short on funds, but Nie Chi believed in making his current life better and saving little by little for the future.
He also gave Lin Ge a small flower he had been growing, telling her it was a resilient type that thrived with little care. Later, the Master gathered them to announce the registration for a training camp, which would serve as a selection event for the provincial team. The registration fee was two thousand yuan, and the announcement would be made the next day.
The Master encouraged them to see it as a direct competition against provincial-level skaters and demanded they train with all their might. Fang Chao visibly flinched at the fee, suggesting he could save the money for his family, expressing doubt about competing against the provincial team. Nie Chi confirmed he would participate.
The Master handed out registration forms, telling Lin Ge to take hers and consider it carefully, as the Jiangnan team had also begun their recruitment process and would send a reply in about half a month. During dinner, Lin Ge announced her decision to go to the Jiangnan team. She explained that she had stayed in Jiangnan before and wished to return. Mrs. Fang was surprised by her choice to go so far, but Lin Ge assured them she would visit during holidays.
