Yun Duo felt that she might have been teased by Tang Yi-Bai again, but she had no idea how to get back at him for it. Her little heart pattered wildly, like a fawn which had just learned to run. And then there was that final loaded gaze. Hmph, hmph, hmph! Just you wait! This sister will eventually get even and tease you back someday! You get a pa.s.s for today... Just like that, the two"s brainwaves diverged once again. That night, Tang Yi-Bai waited for a good long while by the west wall carrying a box, but Yun Duo did not come. Inside the box was the coolest and latest model of a voice recorder which he had asked Xiang Yang-Yang to buy. It was to be a belated birthday present for Yun Duo.
In the end, she still did not come.
At this point, Tang Yi-Bai had no choice but to admit that he and Yun Duo really had very little mutual understanding.
It must be because they haven"t yet become an official couple.
So he should hurry up and confess.
To confess is a major event in one"s life. One must choose a good time, a good place, and a romantic atmosphere.
However, as an athlete, there was not much free time available for him to choose from.
No matter, he would be returning to China tomorrow. As far as he knew, Yun Duo did not have much work left in j.a.pan after this either, so she should be going back tomorrow as well. At that time, they would be able to see each other back at home.
Back on his territory, he would be able to do as he pleased...
This flight of imagination quelled his regret at not being able to see Yun Duo tonight, and so he happily went back to his room.
The next day, the flight the national swimming team was on landed at City-B at 10 in the morning. Tang Yi-Bai kept his head down as he focused on perfecting his confession plan in his mind, unknowingly falling behind to the very back of the group. Qi Rui-Feng was busy joking around with Xiang Yang-Yang at the front and so did not notice.
As Tang Yi-Bai stepped out of the entrance to the airport at the tail end of the team, a torrent of camera flashes pounced on him out of nowhere like continuous bolts of lightning. Tang Yi-Bai squinted, slightly turning his head away, and waited for the discomfort in his eyes to dissipate.
The reporters swarmed forwards, almost surrounding him. Many microphones were thrust before him, like sprouting bushes in the wild. Immediately behind the microphones were quite a few voice recorders — due to the limitation of distance, they were the secondary option, and there were even some who were trying to interview him just by using their smartphones.
Tang Yi-Bai saw the reporters jostling before him and then looked at the black lenses of the flock of cameras behind them. Even as perpetually calm as he was, he was honestly a little frightened right then.
Reporter A: "Tang Yi-Bai, did you know that you"ve become a national idol? May I know how you"re feeling about that right now? Is there anything you"d like to say to your fans?"
I don"t know.
Reporter B: "Tang Yi-Bai, what do you think helped you obtain the results that you did? What are your next plans?"
I plan to confess.
Reporter C: "Tang Yi-Bai, asking on behalf of your vast number of female fans, do you have a girlfriend?"
I will soon.
Reporter D: "Tang Yi-Bai, what"s your ideal woman like?"
Like Yun Duo.
Reporter E, F, G...
Even though Tang Yi-Bai had reflexively answered all these miscellaneous questions of the throng of reporters around him in his mind, he did not say a single word in reality. Before they had returned to China, Wu Yong had cautioned him not to simply accept interviews from reporters after disembarking from the plane. As his coach, Wu Yong would arrange suitable exclusive interviews for him later on. Back then, Tang Yi-Bai had thought that this time would be like all other times before — that the reporter"s main target would be bro Feng, and that those who settled for interviewing him, Tang Yi-Bai, were just grasping for anyone they could get.
Now it looked like he had been too naive.
The reporters surrounded him on all sides, cutting him off from the rest of his team. Tang Yi-Bai could not stay like this and wait them out, so he gave the reporters an apologetic smile and said, "I"m sorry, I can"t accept any interviews right now."
The reporters acted like they did not hear him and continued to make noise.
Tang Yi-Bai thought, "These reporters are not at all as cute as Yun Duo."
Fortunately, Coach Wu came to his rescue. The two of them joined forces to break out of the seige, and when they saw Qi Rui-Feng being similarly besieged along the way, they valiantly helped him to escape as well.
After much trouble, they were almost about to board the team bus when a band of fans came out of nowhere to surround them once again, begging for autographs and photos and hugs. Tang Yi-Bai already considered himself a taken man, so he could not hug other women. Thus, he refused anyone who asked for a hug. However, he could not refuse giving out autographs and requests for photos. He almost broke his hand signing autographs; the fans were just that pa.s.sionate and enthusiastic. One female fan even asked Tang Yi-Bai to sign his autograph on her chest, but Tang Yi-Bai only smiled without making a move to do so. "Your boyfriend will beat me up." Everyone else around laughed, and the female fan was too embarra.s.sed to ask again.
Finally, after they were done appeasing the fans, they managed to get into the team"s bus.
Tang Yi-Bai and Qi Rui-Feng actually were not planning to return the the team"s base today. Qi Rui-Feng was going to transit and take a flight home, but the flight he needed to board was departing from a different airport, so he needed to travel through City-B. Right now, he was just hitching a ride with the team to the city centre. Tang Yi-Bai was in a similar situation. He wanted to go home, but the current circ.u.mstances did not allow him or Qi Rui-Feng to wait for a separate taxi. Escaping from the airport was the first priority now.
When he finally arrived home in the afternoon, Tang Yi-Bai"s footsteps were brisk but his feelings were unsettled. He pushed the door open, but he did not see the lady he wanted to see — all he saw was an idiot dog, running eagerly towards him with a pair of slippers in his mouth.
He really felt like kicking this fool aside with one kick...
Clearly, Er-Bai"s thoughts were running on a similar path. When he saw that it was Tang Yi-Bai, he braked sharply and then turned tail with the slippers and walked off.
Tang Yi-Bai: =.=
Er-Bai put the slippers back into his den and concealed them before coming back, tail wagging, to pretend and make nice with Tang Yi-Bai. Tang Yi-Bai ignored him and walked into the living room. He found his mother reading a magazine on the sofa, and there were sounds coming from the kitchen which should be his father cooking.
No Yun Duo.
Frankly, it was already clear from Er-Bai"s reaction. If Yun Duo was around, Er-Bai would never hide her slippers.
Madam Lu looked up to see her son and asked, "You"re back?"
"Yes, mum." Tang Yi-Bai put his luggage back into the study. As he pa.s.sed by Yun Duo"s room, he hopefully pressed his ear to her door. There was no sound at all coming from inside the room.
Sigh.
Daddy Tang walked out from the kitchen with an ap.r.o.n on and just so happened to catch a glimpse of this scene. He frowned and chided, "Doudou, you"re becoming sleazier and sleazier!"
Tang Yi-Bai: =.=
Even though his son was becoming sleazier, he was still his dear biological son at the end of the day. So Daddy Tang still prepared a sumptuous lunch to welcome him home. Seated at the dining table, Tang Yi-Bai asked, "Yun Duo"s not back yet?"
Madam Lu blinked, and then quirked a brow at Daddy Tang with a bright smile. "I win."
Daddy Tang meekly handed her a {一张毛爷爷: In the original text, this bit is literally "one sheet of Grandpa Mao". The image of Chairman Mao is on China"s 100-yuan bill.}100-yuan bill.
Tang Yi-Bai was befuddled. "What in the world is going on?"
"Nothing," explained Daddy Tang, "Your mum and I have a bet over how long you could last before asking about Yun Duo. I bett that you"d only ask after an hour or more, your mum bet that you"d ask within half an hour. Now, you"ve held out for..." So saying, he looked at his watch and continued, "You held out for 15 minutes."
Tang Yi-Bai shook his head. "So pointless."
Madam Lu: "You"re not into pointless things like we are, so you must not want to know something as pointless as where Yun Duo has gone."
"Mum..."
"Alright," Daddy Tang could not stand to see this go on any longer, "Yun Duo has of course gone home. She did not have a break during National Day, so her company gave her replacement leave. She has gone straight home."
Tang Yi-Bai felt a little let down, "Why didn"t she tell me?" She even told his parents but not him... it looks like he needed to increase his ranking in her heart.
Daddy Tang said, "Daddy Tang, we saw the live broadcast of your race."
"Really?" Tang Yi-Bai was rather surprised, looking first at his father then his mother.
Madam Lu continued to pick at the food with her chopsticks, not even sparing him a glance, but she also said, "Yes, you swam pretty well. You brought pride to the Chinese people."
Tang Yi-Bai smiled. He had always hoped to receive encouragement from his parents.
"However," Daddy Tang suddenly lowered his voice and stared at him inquisitively, "It was like you had been jolted by a live wire inside the pool. Was it because Yun Duo was watching you from the side?"
"Dad, you"re overthinking this." Tang Yi-Bai affected a nonchalant look, gobbling down food.
"Oh," Daddy Tang seemed thoughtful, "Looks like I"ve been reading too much into things. Very well, when Yun Duo comes back, I"ll introduce him to Liu at my office, that young man is —"
"Dad!" Tang Yi-Bai urgently interrupted his father. Sternly, he looked at Daddy Tang and said, "You can only introduce Yun Duo to me."
Daddy Tang raised his chopsticks and grinned broadly. "Ahahaha, you finally admit it!"
Madam Lu was also unable to stay reserved, breaking into laughter.
Since he had already admitted to it, Tang Yi-Bai decided to be completely shameless and said solemnly, "Dad, Mum, you need to help me look after her when I"m not around. Don"t let her be stolen by other men. You especially need to guard against a man called Lin Zi. I"m counting on you!"
"{Here the author uses different characters to spell Lin Zi"s name.}Lin Zhe? Relax, this name sounds like that of a minor character. He"s destined to never become the main character."
Tang Yi-Bai facepalmed. "I hope your theory actually works."
After lunch, Tang Yi-Bai sent Yun Duo a message: Home?
Yun Duo: Yep. You? Back already?
Tang Yi-Bai: Yep.
Yun Duo: Were you stopped by reporters? As soon as I turn on the tv now, you"re everywhere. [snicker]
Tang Yi-Bai: Oh leave it alone.
Yun Duo: You need to get used to it. After this, you are going to be a famous person. Remember to wear sungla.s.ses and a face mask when you go out.
Tang Yi-Bai: =.=
Tang Yi-Bai: Today, a reporter asked me what kind of girl I like.
Yun Duo: (⊙_⊙)
Right then, Yun Duo"s mood was definitely not as easy and relaxed as the emoji she used would suggest. Her heart was beating wildly and her fingers trembled as she typed. Her eyes were glued to the screen of her phone as she carefully typed out word by word: So how did you answer?
Tang Yi-Bai: I didn"t answer.
Yun Duo: -_-
Yun Duo: Stoking up my fire for gossip for no reason.
Tang Yi-Bai: My coach told me not to answer rashly.
Yun Duo: I don"t care. You lit the flame, now you need to douse it. So, what type do you like?
After she sent this message, Yun Duo stared at the screen with bated breath. Her heartbeat was erratic — she could imagine his eyes and brows, his lovely smile, his gentle gaze.
She suddenly missed him very much and yearned to hug him, to rest for a while in his broad and warm embrace.
She looked at the "typing..." status displayed on the chat window, and when that status disappeared, she saw his reply.
Tang Yi-Bai: I"ll tell you when you come back.
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