Section 22: All the World's Literature is but Plagiarism

Sima’s life had fallen into a steady rhythm. His days were spent in a strict routine: he attended classes at Beizhi Foreign Studies University in the morning and underwent training at Beizhi Sports University in the afternoon. The two institutions had reached an agreement to jointly cultivate Sima, following the precedent set by Li Xiaozhi, with Zhao Ronghua and Lu Youyou taking charge of his training. Recognizing Sima’s natural talent, Zhao Ronghua secured him access to the athletes' mess hall. Although the meals at the sports university required a fee, they were subsidized and offered excellent value; Li Xiaozhi benefited from this arrangement as well, finally sparing them from the mediocre fare of the student cafeteria.

With improved nutrition and ample vitality, the "Psychic Gu" began to nourish Sima in return, subtly but effectively enhancing his physical constitution. His sprint times saw steady improvement. At the Beijing University Autumn Track and Field Games in October, Sima made his mark by winning both the 100-meter and 200-meter titles in the high-level athlete category. Although it was only a municipal event with limited prestige, his performance was commendable, exceeding the standards for a first-tier athlete in every respect.

According to the "Regulations for High-Level Athletes at Beizhi Foreign Studies University," a first-place finish at the municipal university games or a national collegiate individual championship could earn one elective credit, counted as an 80 in his academic record. A victory at the National University Games would grant two compulsory credits, while top honors at the National Games or the World University Games would award three. Sima calculated that if everything went smoothly, he wouldn't need to wait four years to graduate; he could finish early.

Li Xiaozhi also had success at the games, placing second in the women’s 100-meter hurdles in the high-level category. She also earned one elective credit, counted as a 75. Securing a credit so easily made her very happy. Credits at Beizhi Foreign Studies University were notoriously hard to come by—it typically took 18 to 24 hours of instruction to earn one—and failing an exam meant retakes, and failing those meant repeating the course. For Li Xiaozhi, the academic burden was immense. She planned to compete in as many municipal-level or higher events as possible over the next four years to offset her academic requirements, hoping to graduate smoothly so her father wouldn't have to beg for favors on her behalf anymore.

Yang She, an athlete coached by Tu Jianguo, made a last-minute adjustment to his events, dropping the 100-meter dash to focus on the 200-meter. His curve-running technique was solid; he established an early lead at the start and successfully advanced to the final, eventually placing fourth. He had narrowly missed a medal, but he had managed to save face. The track team had not expected much from him, so the result was a pleasant surprise. The head coach, Zhang Chongqing, sensing a win-win situation where he could gain both substance and status, stepped forward to "offer warmth," demonstrating his supposed magnanimity. Tu Jianguo saw through this clearly; he swallowed his resentment and bowed to Zhang Chongqing. He did not want to leave the university track team, and even less did he want to hinder Yang She’s progress, so he held his nose and played his part in the charade.

With Sima and Li Xiaozhi both off to a flying start, the leadership at both universities was highly satisfied. This joint cultivation was mutually beneficial: the prestige of a degree from the Foreign Studies University combined with the professional training of the Sports University attracted high-level athletes who might not necessarily pursue professional sports careers. Possessing a foreign language was an advantage, opening doors to careers as coaches, team leaders, or civil servants within the sports administration.

With his results from the autumn games, Sima became eligible to apply for a second-tier athlete certificate. Zhao Ronghua was full of high hopes and worked tirelessly on his ranking, yet he found himself unable to provide much technical guidance. To Zhao, Sima’s style was purely unconventional—a reckless dash. The 200-meter curve, in particular, was the ultimate test of technique, requiring precise body adjustment and leg-swinging skills to adapt to the curvature of different lanes. Sima, however, relied entirely on instinct and improvisation; no matter which lane he was in, he could consistently run excellent times, leaving observers with nothing to say and no room to coach him.

Zhao Ronghua and Lu Youyou treated him as an atypical research subject, recording every trial run and analyzing his technique frame by frame in an attempt to find ways to improve it. They ultimately concluded that while Sima had distinct characteristics, he had no formal technique. He ran differently every time, much like a cheetah on the African savanna chasing its prey; forcing him to adopt rigid techniques would only hinder him. Lu Youyou, not being an "academician" at heart, decided that since they couldn't decipher his method, they should simply let him run his own way. If he truly possessed the physical prowess of a cheetah, he would pull ahead of others regardless of his form. She turned her focus to his diet, rest, and recovery rather than "instructing" him on how to run.

Sima trained five days a week, resting on Saturdays and Sundays. His schedule was packed, and it was only on weekends that he had time to meet Lu Yuan to relax and enjoy each other’s company. As autumn arrived with crisp, clear skies—the best time of year in Beizhi—they often frequented the Western Hills. The area was vast, with plenty of secluded spots where they could talk and be close without interruption. In the realm of romance, Lu Yuan was a novice, completely led by Sima. In the throes of passion, she surrendered everything to him, save for the final boundary. In the dead of night, lying alone and unable to sleep, she couldn't help but miss him. When her thoughts grew intense, her face would flush, and she would chide herself for her lack of shame, blaming Sima’s overwhelming aggressiveness for leaving her no room for restraint.

"All writing is a form of plagiarism," and the standards for sports-related papers were even lower. Lu Youyou quickly cobbled together a piece titled "A Brief Discussion on the Impact of 'Clenbuterol' Residues on Athletes." She copied from this source and that, ultimately recommending that beta-agonists be added to the list of banned substances and that the meat procured for athletes' mess halls be strictly tested for clenbuterol residues to avoid "providing ammunition" to rivals in international competitions, which could lead to the loss of medals and national honor. The final few sentences were added by head coach Zhang Chongqing, which elevated the intent of the paper to the level of national pride—a finishing touch that significantly added to the weight of the work.

Lu Youyou submitted the paper to the *Journal of Beizhi Sports University*. With Zhao Ronghua’s help, the paper was published and soon caught the attention of the Doping Control Center at the Institute of Sports Medicine under the State Sports Commission. Experts were organized to deliberate on the issue of clenbuterol residues, eventually resulting in a regulation requiring all meat supplied to athletes to be tested by relevant laboratories to ensure it was free of residues before it could be consumed. Of course, the follow-up was of no concern to Lu Youyou. She graduated half a year early, successfully obtained her assistant coach qualification, and threw herself into her work with the university track team with great enthusiasm.

The winter in Beizhi was cold enough to make one question the nature of existence. Xia Ting sent a large package of old clothes, and Lu Yuan rushed over to help him organize them, even dragging him to the mall to buy a down jacket, keeping them busy until late. The young girl lacked the resolve to resist; the sparks flew, the forbidden fruit was tasted, and she stayed the night in Sima’s rented room.