Point to Point: The Fencer’s Heart | Chapter 14 | A Midnight Discovery | Novela.app

According to Tian Ai, it was Ling Xiao who had helped bring me back to the base that night. She’d even managed to squeeze some intel out of him: apparently, he worked part-time at that bar every Sunday, single-handedly boosting their occupancy and mending the broken hearts of countless lovelorn women. Over the phone, "Auntie" Tian even reminded me to seize the opportunity. Regardless, by the time I woke up, I was already in my own bed. My quilt had been kicked onto the floor, and the entire floor knew that Ling Xiao had carried me back. "Did he really carry me back on his back?" I grabbed Lao Qi, asking with sheer horror. "Fake news," Lao Qi said, tugging his collar out of my grip. "He carried you in his arms." I didn't understand. Why didn't he use his back? Carrying me like that—how was I supposed to show my face around here ever again?! "Did he say anything after he brought me back?" I asked. "Nothing. He put you on the bed, fished two hundred yuan out of your pocket for the taxi fare and a tip, and then he left." We’re teammates! Does he really need money that badly? And since when is a tip that expensive? "None of you asked him to stay for a bit?" I asked. Lao Qi and Gao Dapang replied in unison, "We didn't dare." *** I was at a total loss. I even started to suspect that Ling Xiao hadn't used his back on purpose. Carrying me in his arms, hauling me around like a woman—it had to be revenge for what I’d said in front of Tian Ai about him never being able to surpass me. The thought of him carrying me like this, then like that, and then like this again all through the night just to make a fool of me... I didn't know whether to thank him or his ancestors. On Monday, the moment I stepped into the training hall, the massive room fell deathly silent. Dozens of eyes fixed on me; the atmosphere was bizarre beyond belief. I steeled myself and walked over to join the lineup. Even Lao Hu was sizing me up. I thought to myself: *Surely he won't make me do frog leaps for 'indecent behavior' just because I got carried by someone...* "Qiao Mai, why is your jacket on inside out?" Lao Hu demanded. Lao Qi and Gao Dapang finally burst out laughing. My face burned hot as I hurriedly stripped the jacket off and flipped it the right way. Truly, my luck had run dry; Mercury must be in retrograde! At lunchtime, while waiting for the elevator, I happened to see Ling Xiao walking out of the training hall downstairs. Immediately, I remembered how he had caught Tian Ai’s falling phone with that god-like reflex. I wondered: if my phone fell, would he instinctively catch it too? Then, when he handed it back, I could take the chance to apologize for my big mouth the other night. Just as I was lost in these wandering thoughts, a loud "Yo!" sounded behind me. Gao Dapang lunged forward and bumped into my back. My grip loosened, and as a choir of angels seemed to sing in my ears, I watched with a mix of thrill and nerves as my phone plummeted exactly as planned— *Thud.* It landed right in the flowerbed. Ling Xiao seemed to hear something and glanced back. My phone was lying in the dirt. I quickly grabbed Gao Dapang’s phone and dialed my number. My phone began to sing and flash in the flowerbed, finally catching the attention of the "Team Heartthrob." He was just about to walk over when someone else stepping out of the main doors picked it up. It was Zhang Ting. I covered my face, utterly disappointed. Zhang Ting looked at the phone, then looked around for the owner, his gaze landing on Ling Xiao. At that moment, Gao Dapang poked his head out from beside me and shouted downstairs, "Hey! Zhang Ting! Thanks, man!" Ling Xiao glanced up at the window, then naturally turned and walked away. *** In the blink of an eye, the Saturday ranking match arrived. Ling Xiao had definitely heard my boastful declaration, so now I was torn: should I win or lose? If I lost, I’d lose face; if I won, I could forget about ever making peace with him in this lifetime. After tossing and turning for several nights, I finally decided to lose. So what if I lost face? I’d won the first two matches anyway, so my reputation wouldn't suffer too much. Besides, I’d peeked at his night practices so many times that I knew his style and moves inside out; winning would feel a bit like cheating. And so, carrying the firm conviction that I must lose, I stepped onto the strip for our third duel... Then, somehow, I muddied my way into winning again! Oh, cruel fate... The process was miserable to even think about. I held back at every critical moment, practically baring my chest for him to hit. He still managed to dodge beautifully, only for me to accidentally thrust my blade right in front of him. With his reflexes, he clearly could have avoided it, yet he insisted on leaning in to take the hit. After three rounds, he’d lost to me without even breaking a sweat. When the match ended, I watched him take off his mask, revealing that face as cold as an iceberg. I wondered if this guy had telepathy and was doing this on purpose! After this match, Ling Xiao’s "genius" image hit rock bottom. His fans were heartbroken, and his haters were having a field day. I felt like I could finally give up on that tiny shred of hope I had. Becoming friends? It was a miracle we weren't enemies. If Ling Xiao didn't have telepathy, then I was simply too strong—so strong I couldn't even control the "Soul of the Sabre" within me. I thought my ill-fated connection with Ling Xiao would end there, but I never expected it was only the beginning. *** Although the fencing team lived in a closed training camp and was only allowed out on Sundays, as long as Lao Hu wasn't at the base, there were always a few restless souls who would sneak out at night for some fun. I was one of those souls. That night, Lao Qi, Gao Dapang, and I sneaked out to an internet cafe. It was nearly midnight by the time we returned. We were familiar with the route and prepared to climb the wall back into the base. I was responsible for keeping watch. While standing under the wall, I suddenly spotted a figure leaving the base. Even though he was sneaking out, his silhouette was as upright and steady as a pine tree. He didn't even have the decency to look suspicious. One look and I knew it was Ling Xiao! I sensed something was off. If he was going out to play, it was far too late, and he was surprisingly alone. I turned and told Lao Qi and Gao Dapang to go back first, claiming I’d left my phone at the cafe, and then I quietly tailed Ling Xiao. Once he was a safe distance from the base gates, I saw a mountain bike he’d parked there in advance. Ling Xiao hopped on and immediately went into racing mode. There was no way I could keep up on foot. I shook my head, ready to give up, when I turned around to see a yellow taxi blinking its friendly "eyes" at me. If Heaven wants me to give chase, how can I refuse? I told the driver to follow Ling Xiao. Where was this guy going all by himself in the middle of the night? Full of questions, I watched the road signs as we went. The figure on the bike cut through the city center and entered the liveliest "sleepless" district in town. The entire street was lined with bars and clubs. I suspected he was going to his part-time job, but Ling Xiao’s bike didn't stop at the previous bar. Instead, he turned into a small side street. I stared at that street, dumbfounded. That was a famous gay bar district. Although I hadn't "tasted meat" yet, I did have a "gay soul" inside me; I was at least aware of—no, I longed for—this place that every local gay man knew about. My mind went blank. What was going on? Was Ling Xiao a closet case just like me? If he was gay, he was way more hardcore than me. I hadn't even been to a gay bar yet, let alone in the middle of the night. You couldn't even call him a "closet case"—he was practically entombed! Under the driver’s complicated gaze, I paid and got out, chasing after him into the narrow street. Ling Xiao’s back was just too eye-catching; I found him instantly like a paparazzi tailing a celebrity. I watched him enter one of the gay bars. Even though he didn’t talk to anyone on the way—coldly sidestepping anyone who tried to approach him with a chill that made my teeth ache—his practiced ease was hard to believe. What should I do? Should I follow him in? I was terrified that the moment he pushed those doors open, he’d switch from "Iceberg Mode" to "Wild Wave Mode" and start acting all flamboyant. I didn't want my illusions shattered so soon! My brain was thinking one thing, but my body seemed mesmerized by Ling Xiao’s silhouette. I walked straight into the gay bar. *** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation --- | --- | --- 深柜 | Deep closet | Slang for a person who is very much in the closet about their sexuality. 棺柜 | Entombed / Coffin closet | A play on "deep closet" (深柜), implying someone is so deeply closeted they are practically in a coffin. 队草 | Team Heartthrob | Literal: "Team Grass." The most handsome guy in the group/team. 浪里个浪 | Wild Wave Mode / Flamboyant | A playful expression for being wild, flirtatious, or "extra." 佩剑之魂 | Soul of the Sabre | A dramatic way the protagonist refers to his fencing skills (Sabre is his specific weapon). 老七 | Lao Qi | "Old Seven," a nickname for a teammate. 高大胖 | Gao Dapang | "Tall Big Fatty," a nickname for a teammate. 章庭 | Zhang Ting | A teammate's name.