As the plane touching down for Italy taxied to a halt, snow was already falling over Riva del Garda. The bus wound through roads flanked by towering pines, and the drifting snowflakes enveloped the quiet, picturesque town in a transparent snow globe, exuding an exotic, tranquil charm.
Compared to the biting wind and snow outside, the indoor sports arena at the center of town was comfortably warm, thanks to powerful air conditioning. Floodlights illuminated the center of the venue as bright as day, where three matches were being played simultaneously. Bursts of exclamation and cheers from the audience kept the atmosphere inside heated.
After three days of intense competition, the World Junior Championships had entered a white-hot phase. Aside from the team events which had already concluded, the singles, doubles, and mixed doubles events had all reached the semi-finals. Due to the age and quota restrictions of the tournament, coupled with the large number of events the Chinese Team participated in, everyone had to juggle multiple events. For young athletes, doubling up was a common occurrence.
Chapter 31