Chasing the Wind Episode 17 Recap
> Chasing the Wind Recap
Lin Ge questioned why Mr. Li hadn't directly informed Wei about her grandma's passing, instead telling her so she could step in as the main force. She felt it might cause unnecessary issues and needed to be clarified. Mr. Li explained that Wei's grandma's last wish was for her family not to tell her until after the competition so she could focus.
He planned to give Wei time to process later, but needed Lin Ge to know about the team's decision. Since Wei's condition meant she couldn't compete, Lin Ge would take her place in the next tour stop, with support arranged to help her achieve good results. Mr. Li asked if she was ready to take on the challenge. Lin Ge hesitated, concerned for Wei, but Mr. Li stated it was a necessary part of her growth as an athlete.
Fang Chao, seeing Lin Ge and someone else together, felt uncomfortable and told them to leave. Shortly after, Jinting, a senior sister, gave Fang Chao a pendant she had worn since childhood, saying it brought her luck in all her exams. Fang Chao was nervous about his upcoming 1500m final, especially facing a strong opponent named Daniel. He wore the pendant for the race. During the race, Fang Chao accelerated in the final half lap, catching up to Daniel.
They crossed the finish line almost simultaneously. The results showed Fang Chao finished third, defeating his rival and setting a personal best. He thanked Jinting, saying her blessing was effective. Lin Ge checked the final list for her race and found she was in the outermost lane, while Yang Xiaofei was in the first. She worried about Yang Xiaofei possibly interfering during the race. Mr. Li encouraged Lin Ge before her 500m final.
He told her not to be nervous, emphasizing her starting speed advantage. He instructed her to stay steady even if she didn't get the lead at the start, expressing full confidence in her ability to handle Yang Xiaofei based on her knowledge of her opponent's technique and strategy. In the women's 500m final, Yang Xiaofei took the lead with her explosive start, followed by Li Jiawen of Hungary, with Lin Ge in third.
Lin Ge pushed hard, overtaking a competitor on the straight track to move into second place. She then focused on closing the gap with Yang Xiaofei. In the final lap, the two skated neck and neck around the curve. Yang Xiaofei unexpectedly fell, taking other skaters with her. Lin Ge managed to stay upright and skated across the finish line, winning the gold medal.
Her coach noted how she came from third place to win and forced her rival into disarray, causing others to fall. After the race, Lin Ge's teammates congratulated her but kept mentioning her "good luck," which she found slightly annoying, feeling it downplayed her effort. She said luck was part of strength and that she would skate even better next time, confident she could beat her opponent even if she tried to interfere again.
Later, she discovered her victory had gone viral online, with videos edited and shared, leading to her gaining over a hundred thousand followers overnight. Mr. Li visited Lin Ge, acknowledging her being on trending topics and her sudden popularity. He advised her that popularity and fans were fleeting and that an athlete's true foundation was their performance. He told her to focus on the upcoming relay and avoid distractions, even offering to hold her phone until after the competition.
Lin Ge assured him the competition was her priority. Her teammates also flocked to her room, jokingly asking to touch her for "good luck," calling her a "lucky star." Nie Chi also came to Lin Ge's room to congratulate her. Lin Ge noticed his presence and her teammates quickly left.
Nie Chi didn't believe in luck and told Lin Ge she shouldn't either, suggesting they maintain distance until after the next day's race to prove their success was based on strength. They agreed to focus on the relay. Meanwhile, Lin Feng was engrossed in his phone. His aunt arrived and informed his grandma that Lin Ge had become famous for winning the championship after others fell, and people were calling her a "lucky star" who could bring good luck.
His grandma excitedly talked about the prize money Lin Ge must have won. Lin Feng, tired of being called "granny's boy" and feeling like a burden, decided he would go to Beijing to make money himself. Despite his grandma's pleas, recounting the difficulties of raising him alone and worrying about his safety, he left to play games.
At the internet cafe, others recognized him as Lin Ge's brother and started harassing him, calling him "granny's boy" and demanding he pay for their games because his sister was rich. Later, Lin Feng's grandma went looking for him, discovering he had taken the train to Beijing with a friend named Wu Jie that afternoon. She seemed distressed. Alone at her small shop, she suffered a coughing fit and discovered she was coughing up blood.
Back at the dorms, Wei was in a deep state of sadness, lying in bed with the covers over her head, crying. Lin Ge entered the room, seeing Wei seemed unwell, and quietly left. Wei had always relied on others and felt her gold medal was significant, but her closest bond was with her grandma. She was waiting for news. Lin Ge picked up a package for Wei that had been sent to the wrong building.
She brought it back to the dorm. Inside, Wei found numerous colorful ropes braided by her grandma, meant to be replaced yearly and intended to last for 100 years, wishing Wei safety and a long life. There was also a message from her grandma, delivered posthumously, explaining she wouldn't recover and expressing her last wish for Wei to be happy, train hard, and win a championship.
Wei broke down in tears, processing the news of her grandma's passing and her final message. Lin Ge, understanding her grief, was there for her. Meanwhile, Gao Kai was observed acting strangely by his teammates, including Chen Mingyuan. He was unusually cheerful, showing a "fake smile" even towards Nie Chi, who had just won a silver medal and set a national record in the men's 500m, with fans speculating he would become Gao Kai's successor.
Gao Kai's teammates noted his behavior was very different from his usual sarcastic and reserved demeanor. Later, Gao Kai asked Chen Mingyuan to go with him for a bike ride late at night. Gao Kai admitted he was anxious because he didn't feel he had Nie Chi's talent, worrying about being surpassed. Chen Mingyuan, an Olympic champion himself, reminded Gao Kai that many talented athletes came and went, but those who persevered were the ones who reached the end. He urged Gao Kai to cheer up and show his strength, getting him to continue cycling to work through his anxiety.
