Point to Point: The Fencer’s Heart | Chapter 20 | The Secret Kindness | Novela.app

Granny Zhao was carrying quite a lot of things. Aside from the cat food, there were various sizes of cardboard and a large bag of plastic water bottles. As she left the cafeteria, I saw her struggling to walk ahead alone, so I hurried to catch up. “Granny, let me help you with those!” I rushed forward, taking the cardboard in one hand and the bag of bottles in the other, then began striding ahead. “It’s so hot out. Do you go to feed the stray cats every day?” After walking for a bit, I realized there was no sound behind me. I turned around to see Granny Zhao standing there dazed for a moment before she caught up, smiling. “Yes. Thank you, young man. You’re from the fencing team too, aren’t you?” I nodded. “Granny, do you know Ling Xiao?” “Ling Xiao?” “The one who’s always leaving food behind~” I said with a grin. “Oh,” Granny Zhao said with a knowing smile. “So that child’s name is Ling Xiao.” For some reason, I particularly liked the way Granny Zhao called him “that child.” Thinking about it made me feel like I was getting one over on him. “That’s right, that child is Ling Xiao, our fencing team’s resident heartthrob!” “That child doesn’t say much, but he has a good heart,” the granny chatted with me as we walked. “I know he saves those portions specifically for me. Please thank him for me. You’re teammates, so you must be able to talk to him, right?” I agreed readily, thinking to myself: *You have no idea; I might be the only one in the whole team who can talk to him without being annoyed to death.* Behind the training base were the dorms, and behind the dorms were some old residential houses. Further back was a large stretch of woods, which was where Granny Zhao fed the cats. She led me inside, and from a distance, I could see the simple shelters she had built for the strays using wooden boards. As soon as Granny Zhao appeared, cats began emerging from everywhere. She didn't just bring leftovers; she had also prepared cat kibble. She handed me the bag of kibble. I had never seen so many stray cats before; it was a novel sight, and my heart swelled with affection. I grabbed a large handful of kibble, ready to start feeding. “Here, kitty, kitty~ Come get some delicious food~” Granny Zhao turned and saw how I was feeding them, unable to stifle a laugh. “Oh, young man, that’s not how you feed cats. You don’t scatter it like that. There are dishes over there; just put a few handfuls in the dishes and they’ll eat on their own. You’re not feeding cats, you’re feeding chickens.” My ears turned hot. It felt as if the group of cats was huddling together to mock me for not knowing the difference between a cat and a chicken. It was quite embarrassing. I followed her instructions and found two large dishes to fill with kibble. These cats, you see—don't let their harmless, fluffy appearance fool you. When it comes to feeding time, they’re something else. I came with good intentions to feed them, but they all hissed and bared their teeth at me. One even tried to scratch me. Was I really that disliked by cats? They were clearly bullying the newcomer. Even though Granny Zhao had food too, these feline overlords decided to pick on me. Seeing a wave of paws swiping at me—pink fleshy pads hiding claws like needles, not cute at all!—I managed to drop a couple of handfuls of kibble into the dishes whenever I saw an opening. “Don’t rush, don’t rush! Haste makes waste! I’m trying to serve you, aren’t I? Granny! Granny! Say something to them, they’re all swarming me… Whoa! You even know how to fence, you little rascal!” Granny Zhao turned out to be quite mischievous herself; she just stood there giggling, not lifting a finger to help call them off. After a monumental effort, I finally managed to get the kibble into the dishes. Only then did the feline overlords stop their assault, huddling together like a bunch of fur-balls to gorge themselves. Among the feline masses, there was one cat that stood apart—entirely pitch black with four snow-white paws. It didn't join the swarm, instead pacing elegantly in a circle nearby. I thought this cat was interesting, so I grabbed a handful of kibble and placed it in front of it. The black cat gave me a very cold, aloof look, then elegantly lowered its head and finished the handful of food. Compared to the chaotic dance of the other cats, you’re practically a breath of fresh air, I thought. Looking at its "clouds-covering-snow" coat, it looked like the heartthrob of the cat world. I smiled, thinking: *Very good, this is very Ling Xiao.* Thinking this, I leaned in and whispered, “Ling Xiao-er?” The cat glanced at me out of the corner of its eye. I had two handfuls of kibble left in my pocket, so I shook them all out for it. “Ling Xiao-er, here’s the good stuff!” Ling Xiao-er probably found me too annoying, as it raised a paw to swipe at my face. Fortunately, I was a fencer; I tilted my head and dodged it, then used a disposable chopstick to poke it under the chin. With a "meow," Ling Xiao-er tumbled backward off the bench. Watching it scramble up from under the bench looking all dusty and disheveled, I laughed. *Even if you turned into a cat, you’re still no match for me! Hahaha!* *** On the way back, Granny Zhao continued chatting with me. “My retirement pension is limited, and it’s not enough to buy that much cat food. That’s why I thought of going to the cafeteria to find some scraps for them. Sister Yuan said the base cafeteria has rules—they can only deal with leftovers after dinner. Young people nowadays are very frugal too; they don’t just leave food behind. I suppose that child must have overheard me talking to Sister Yuan. After that, almost every time I went, there would be food left for me. I know it couldn't have been a coincidence. But that child doesn't seem to like interacting with people; he’d probably feel awkward if I thanked him to his face. So, I’ll have to trouble you. If you get the chance, please pass on my thanks.” The more I listened, the more moved I became. It felt as if I were stepping into the unknown inner world of an Olympic silver medalist. “No problem, I’ll definitely pass it on.” Granny Zhao smiled at me, then suddenly sighed with emotion. “The fencing team is full of new faces like yours now. Are there any of the old members left in the national team this year?” “There are quite a few veterans. It’s just that our sabre team has more newcomers. The épée and foil groups still have many veterans,” I answered. Granny Zhao asked with some concern, “Then, is there a member named He in your sabre team this year?” There were twelve people in the sabre team in total, and none of them were named He. I shook my head. “Is it someone you know?” “Not exactly. During the first two years after I retired, there was a child in the fencing team who was just like me—he often came here to feed the cats and helped me a lot,” Granny Zhao said with a smile. “But that was a long time ago. I don’t remember which weapon he practiced, but I heard their coach say he was very talented. He’s probably six or seven years older than you. I wonder if he’s still fencing…” “Six or seven years older than us… he might have retired to do something else,” I said. In truth, a fencer’s career isn't that short; seven years later, it wasn't impossible to still be on the national team. From Granny Zhao’s description, I felt the person might have been a flash in the pan—someone who didn't develop well later on and retired early or changed careers. Besides, I couldn't recall any famous fencer named He. In seven years, the fencing team’s coaches could have changed several times. The team leader back then might not have been as harsh as Lao Hu; the talk of "talent" might have just been polite conversation. “Is that so?” Granny Zhao said thoughtfully. “Back then, he told me he couldn't leave fencing in this lifetime, saying he probably didn't know how to do anything else besides fencing… I don't know why, but I never saw him in the fencing team after that. I wasn't working in the kitchen anymore by then, and the fencing team changed leaders and officials later, so it wasn't convenient to ask. But I’ve always believed he wouldn't give up fencing easily. That child really seemed to love fencing…” As Granny Zhao spoke, her face was filled with nostalgic smiles. I listened quietly without speaking. Many people love fencing, but not everyone can become an athlete. Even if they become an athlete, not every athlete can stand on the stage of the Olympics or the World Championships. Even if they reach the international stage, not everyone has the chance to place, let alone win a medal. They say the Gaokao is like thousands of soldiers and tens of thousands of horses crossing a single-plank bridge, but being an athlete is like those thousands of soldiers and horses walking a tightrope. The world of competitive sports is very pure and very enchanting, yet the time spent immersed in that purity is only those few minutes or tens of minutes during a match. The moment of glory on the podium is even shorter, yet behind it lies decades of arduous sacrifice. Gradually, some people see no end in sight and give up. They might change careers to business, go back to school for further study, or even enter the entertainment industry. Those who truly find it hard to let go might become coaches… However, those who truly love it will never give up, right? I thought again of Ling Xiao, who was still practicing alone in the training hall late at night. His love for fencing couldn't be less than mine. I didn't think he would be so reckless without reason; there had to be a specific reason why he was participating in underground matches.