Because it is to give back to the fans. No matter which of these two undefeated three-time champions loses, their fans will definitely feel bad and will not feel comfortable during the Chinese New Year... So now that two horse girls have crossed the finish line at the same time, the Horse Racing Association has done them a favor and announced that Maruzenski and Rudolph have symbolically won at the same time. As for the end, it is the winner's stage with the eighteen horse girls together, with Maruzenski and Rudolph as the main characters. It is also regarded as the most prestigious winner's stage every year... After all, the eighteen horse girls most loved by fans are selected. After the thank-you party, it was approaching the New Year. This year, Chihiro Higashino decided to go home for the New Year. Not only because he hadn't been home for a long time, but also because his parents told him that his grandfather hoped that he could... It’s been a long time since they last saw each other. Chapter 17 Returning Home During the Chinese New Year, the Tresen Academy usually gives trainers and horse racing girls a five-day holiday, from the first two days of the Chinese New Year to January 3rd... In other words, if you do not take extra leave, you will need to return to the college on January 4th to resume normal classes. Although such a strict system has sacrificed a lot of time for play...while other people of the same generation are still at home with their families, celebrating the New Year happily with their families, they have to undergo strict training from their trainers on the training ground, spending their youth and sweat.

But no horse racing girl would complain, because it’s all about winning. "I understand. Do you want to spend more time with your family? Okay, I agree. But please arrange the training of the horse girls in your team for the next few days." In Chairman Akikawa's office, Chihiro Higashino was standing in front of the chairman. He came here this time to ask for leave from Chairman Akikawa. As Chairman Akikawa said before, he wanted to spend more time with his family, so he applied to delay his return to the academy for a few days. This kind of thing is not uncommon, so Chairman Akikawa quickly approved it. It was just a few days of leave. Who works every day all year round without taking leave? Even she, the chairman, would slack off whenever she could. "Yes, I have already arranged the training for those few days, and I will ask Okino-senpai for help later." "Okay, just make the arrangements on your end." Chairman Akikawa picked up the seal and pressed it on the leave application on the table. "I won't go back with you this time. Let's stay in the academy with Xiaoli and the others." The horse girls in the team were all aware of the news that he would be going home for a few days, and they all supported it. They knew very well how much Higashino Chihiro had contributed to this team. If you count the time, he probably hasn't seen his family for more than a year, considering that he has only been working there for less than two years. In the past, whether it was the New Year, Christmas, or the free time during summer training, he always stayed in the academy. "By the way, Chihiro, are you planning to drive back or take the Shinkansen?" Higashino Chihiro thought for a moment and said, "I'd better take the Shinkansen back. It would take a little longer to drive... and I don't have that much stuff to bring, so the Shinkansen is more convenient." The things I had to bring back were just some gifts I bought for my parents and grandparents at the mall, and I could carry a schoolbag with me, so it was not too bad. Mejiro Altan also wanted to send some gifts to Higashino Chihiro's parents... But it would be inappropriate to ask his trainer to take so many things by Shinkansen, and it would not be appropriate to send them by express delivery... So I can only put this aside for now, and go to visit Dabao myself when I have time. "It's good to go home. Come to think of it, I haven't been home to see the old man and his family for a long time."

At night, Chihiro Higashino, Mitsuji Okino, and Minamisaka were sitting in the izakaya drinking. Anyway, they have a day off tomorrow, so they don’t need to worry about whether drinking today will affect tomorrow’s training. "Since I met Senior Okino, it seems like you haven't gone back to visit once." Chihiro Higashino had indeed never seen Mitsuji Okino ask for leave to go home. Even during the time when she went to travel to Ireland, Mitsuji Okino always lived in the academy, and it was Tojo Hana who took him to the United States. "It's because of some personal issues. Okay, let's not talk about this anymore. Let's continue drinking. The New Year is coming soon and you two have to go back home. Let's treat today as an early New Year's party." They did drink, but the only one who kept drinking was Okino Mitsuji. Higashino Chihiro and Minamisaka were more restrained and didn't let themselves drink too much. Looking at the somewhat drunk Okino Mitsuji, Tono Chihiro and Minamisaka looked at each other... After a slight laugh, they prepared to carry him back to the academy as usual... But I heard Okino Mitsuji muttering: "They left one by one, just like before, they all left, even Rokuhei left..." Higashino Chihiro didn't quite understand what Okino Koji said... But he thought that this might be related to the secret that Okino Mitsuji had always buried deep in his heart. As for Senior Liu Ping, when Maruzenski won the Satsuki Sho championship this year, he applied for retirement from the academy... After the horse girl on his team officially announced her retirement last week, he also announced his retirement news to the public. The day before yesterday, I had packed up my things in the academy and returned to Gifu. Although they didn't say it, whether it was Higashino Chihiro, Minamisaka, Okino Mitsui, or Kuronuma, they were all reluctant to see Rokuhei-senpai leave. But there is nothing that can be done about it. Senior Liu Ping is indeed quite old and has long reached the age to retire. It is understandable that he has decided to retire and go back to enjoy his old age. "Let's go back to the academy. We still need to pack our luggage and go home tomorrow..." After saying goodbye to the horse racing ladies who came to see her off at the station, Chihiro Higashino boarded the train home. This time going home was different from the last time. As soon as she got out of the station, Chihiro Higashino saw her father's car. "I am back!" "You've become darker, and you look a lot thinner. When you get home, your grandma will definitely nag you again." Higashino Chihiro smiled and said, there is a saying, outside, people care about how high you fly... but at home, they only care about whether you are tired from flying. "Although I don't have to run on the grass, I still have to stand in the sun frequently. Even with sunscreen and a sun hat, getting tanned is inevitable." If that's the case, why don't Mejiro Ardan and the others get tanned at all even though they run under the sun all day? "And compared to what I have achieved now, these are actually not worth mentioning... although it is mainly due to the efforts of Maruzen and Aldan." Tono Tsukasa did not refute Tono Chihiro. He was very proud that his son could achieve the pinnacle of horse racing at such a young age. "We should thank Maruzenski and the others, but let's not talk about that today... Let's go, we haven't seen each other for such a long time, and it's almost New Year's time, let's go back and have a couple of drinks." "Forget about it today. Let's save the drinking for when we get back to Grandpa's house. After lunch, I want to visit Uncle Dangshan." "Dang Shan?" Dong Ye Si's expression changed subtly: "Forget it, I didn't intend to hide it from you in the first place..."

"what happened?" "After lunch, go to Dangshan and take a look..." Chapter 18: Uncle Shan After lunch, Chihiro Higashino immediately got up and left her own clinic, running towards the not far away Osaka City First Hospital. Based on the information her parents had given her, Chihiro Higashino quickly found the ward where the uncle was. "Uncle..." I gently pushed the door open and saw Uncle Dangshan holding a mobile phone, not knowing what he was looking at. "Huh? It's Dongye kid, haha, it's been a long time since I saw you." Dang Shanran, who was half lying in the ward, burst into laughter when he saw Higashino Chihiro for the first time, and stretched out his hand to motion Higashino Chihiro to sit next to him. "Uncle, your illness..." Shan Ran did not hide what Higashino Chihiro said. Although he had hoped to hide it from Higashino Chihiro before, so that his reason would not affect him... but now that he has come to him, he can no longer hide it. “Yes, it’s cancer.” Even when talking about this disease that terrifies most people, the smile on Shan Ran's face remained unchanged. Chihiro Higashino pursed his lips. He had heard the news from his parents before. The cancer he had was lung cancer, and it was already in the late stage. This was when Shan Ran felt unwell and went to their clinic for a checkup... This was the result obtained after his parents realized something was wrong and took him to the First Hospital for a comprehensive examination. According to the current medical level, advanced lung cancer is a terminal illness. There is no medicine or method to treat it. We can only try our best to maintain the patient's life and let him live longer. "Don't worry about me too much." Dang Shanran reached out and touched Dong Ye Qianxun's head, and smiled and said: "People will always leave, I just leave faster." "And the doctor also told me that I will have no problem living for a few more years. I can also see Tamamo's performance in the Shining Series and see her realize her dream and become Japan's number one horse girl." At this point, Shan Ran remembered something, his expression became serious, and he warned Dong Ye Qianxun: "By the way, please don't tell Tamamo about my current situation. I don't want to disturb her training. This is very important. You must promise me." Higashino Chihiro opened her mouth, but seeing Dang Shanran's determined expression, she could only nod silently. Seeing Higashino Chihiro nodded in agreement, Shan Ran regained his smile and looked at Higashino Chihiro with a smile, "Don't be so dejected, be more energetic, I don't want you to show such an expression in front of me, and I don't want my affairs to affect you even a little bit... If this happens, I will feel guilty to death, do you understand?" Higashino Chihiro didn't say anything, but the smile on Shan Ran's face became brighter. He sat up, patted Higashino Chihiro's shoulder, pinched his arm, and nodded with satisfaction. "I haven't seen you for two years. You've grown up and become stronger." When Shan Ran picked up his phone, turned it on and turned up the volume, he heard a video of a commentator explaining this year's Chrysanthemum Appreciation Festival. "I've watched this video over and over again... not just Maruzenski's, but also the other horse girls on your team, Mejiro Altan, Sakura Chiyoou, Oguruma, Super Kobay... and of course, Tamamo. I've saved every one of their games and watched them over and over again." "To be honest, when I first brought you two into horse racing, I never thought that you would achieve what you have now... I also never thought that Tamamo would become a hot new star horse girl now."

Higashino Chihiro sorted out her emotions and smiled, "Without you leading us If they were in this industry, I might be studying at a medical university now... Xiao Yumo might not have the determination to apply directly to Tereson College... but would enroll in a local college here or go to an ordinary high school." It is for this reason that many talented horse racing girls do not receive the most professional training in the first place, so that their talents are not developed to the maximum extent and they can only stay in local competitions. Although Teresen College sends special personnel to various places every year to investigate whether there are any good seedlings... However, there are still many horse racing girls who never meet their own mentor in their lifetime, and there is nothing that can be done about it. Luck is also part of strength. Higashino Chihiro stayed in the hospital this afternoon, chatting with Uncle Dangshan... talking about what she saw and heard at Tresen Academy, and also about some of her feelings when she was training horse girls... It was not until Uncle Dangshan’s eldest son came to the hospital with food that Chihiro Higashino said goodbye and left. After walking out of the hospital, Chihiro Higashino couldn't help but look back, and finally sighed deeply. When I got home, my parents were still at get off work, and they needed to explain the closure of the store in the evening... Because I had to go home, I also gave the other doctors in the clinic a day off. After giving them instructions, I drove back to the small town the next morning. I opened the refrigerator and, as expected, there were almost no ingredients or seasonings in the house. I had no choice but to go out again and order a bowl of ramen at a ramen restaurant near my home. After returning home, Chihiro Higashino sat on the sofa motionless, and no one knew what she was thinking about. After sitting for a long time, he sat up, went to the bathroom to take a shower, changed into warm pajamas, and returned to his room. He took out a set of warm bedding and blanket from the cupboard, opened the window, climbed out, came to the roof of his house, spread out the blanket and bedding, lay on it, and looked up at the starry sky. This was something he would do whenever he felt depressed as a child. He would lie on the roof and look at the stars. No matter how depressed he was, he would slowly calm down. There was nothing he could do about Uncle Dangshan's affairs. This is the real world, not a novel. He doesn't have any system or golden fingers like in the novel, nor does he have the medical talent that can change the world. What he can do now is to try his best to make Tamamo Cross the number one horse girl in Japan... Of course, whether he can succeed depends on Tamamo Cross himself. He will not favor Tamamo Cross because of this and ignore the training of other horse girls. “Uncle, I’m sorry, I won’t tell Tamamo now. When Tamamo becomes the strongest horse girl in the eyes of the contemporary world, I will bring her here to see you…Uncle, I hope you can witness Tamamo Cross ascend to the throne of the number one in Neon…” Chapter 19 New Year's Eve December 31st is the last day of the year and also New Year's Eve. Today, Dongye Si and Dongye Qianning also took a rare day off and no longer stayed in the clinic to work. However, the family is not planning to celebrate the New Year at home this year, but will return to the small town to celebrate the New Year with their grandparents.

"Have you packed your things? If you have, we will set off."

Chihiro Higashino drove the car, slowly leaving the city and heading towards the countryside. His grandfather used to be a doctor at the Dongye Clinic, but he doesn't work in the clinic anymore... One of the reasons was that his grandmother was not used to life in the big city and she wanted to return to the familiar town. The second reason was that there were no good doctors in their hometown and people had to travel far to big cities when they were sick. His grandfather thought that he could go back and help treat the illnesses of people in his hometown, and since the clinic was now busy, they simply returned to their hometown together. Now the couple are very respected in the village. There are even people who help them to farm their own land. Whenever there is something happening at home, everyone is very willing to help. My hometown is quite far from the city. It took me four hours of driving to see its outline from a distance. Another hour passed before I finally arrived. "I'm home." As soon as they parked the car, they saw their grandfather walking towards them from not far away. It seemed that he was waiting for them here on purpose.