Point to Point: The Fencer’s Heart | Chapter 34 | Like a Tango | Novela.app

The day after tomorrow was another internal ranking match. I was a little worried that Ling Xiao’s body wouldn’t be able to take it. Over the last two days, his training seemed as intense as ever, and he appeared to be fine, but recovering from a match as brutal as that underground one wasn't something that happened in just a few days. Usually, during training breaks, I’d sit with Lao Qi, Big Fat Gao, and the others. This time, as soon as the break started, I began plotting how to nonchalantly and naturally sit next to Ling Xiao. After finally "excusing" my way over to him, he didn't even look up. He was in his usual state: headphones on, eyes closed, leaning quietly against the wall. However, I noticed a small movement—he shifted his left hand from the floor to his knee. For a "closet romantic" of Ling Xiao’s Olympic caliber, that gesture was practically the equivalent of him patting the floor next to him and shouting for someone to come sit down. So, while internally grumbling about how someone could be so low-key intense, I boldly took my seat. The moment my butt hit the floor, I sensed a strange hush fall over the training hall. Lao Qi, Big Fat Gao, and the rest were all staring at me with subtle, knowing looks. Honestly... Ling Xiao and I were the two top seeds of the fencing team; what was so "subtle" about us sitting together to talk shop? I turned around, fully prepared to chat with Ling Xiao, but since he was listening to music, I didn't want to force an interruption. I just rested my chin on my hand and stared at him, waiting for him to finish. To my surprise, Ling Xiao, eyes still closed, suddenly spoke: "I’m not listening to anything." "Huh? You’re not? Then why are you wearing headphones?" Ling Xiao replied, "For the quiet." After another period of silence, Ling Xiao opened his eyes suspiciously. "Why aren't you saying anything?" "Huh?" I was busy drinking water and wiping sweat, quite surprised he was the one initiating. "Didn't you want quiet?" "...I shouldn't have expected that from you." He shot me a glance and closed his eyes again. I leaned in a bit closer and whispered, "Captain, it hurts my feelings when you say things like that..." "I can't tell." *Sigh.* I swear, it’s one thing to be cold and heartless, but could you at least open your eyes and look at me when you speak? Aren't you afraid I’ve already run off? I shrugged. "The internal match is the day after tomorrow. Can your body really recover by then?" "I just won't go all out." I sighed inwardly. Now I finally knew why my wins always felt so inexplicable; this guy didn't take the internal matches seriously at all. As if reading my mind, Ling Xiao added, "The internal matches and the underground ones often fall on the same day. I can't give it my all here." "Then how much effort do you actually put in? Ninety percent? Eighty?" I actually cared about this. Even though I was the one winning, Ling Xiao wasn't trying. If he was holding back ten percent, we were roughly equal. But if he was holding back twenty, didn't that mean I was a step behind him? "You’re very strong," Ling Xiao said. "Even if I went all out, I might not necessarily beat you." "Really?" "Really." He actually turned to look at me. He didn't seem to be lying. Hearing this, my mood instantly brightened. Liking him was one thing, but wanting to lose to him was another. I laughed and patted his shoulder. "Good, good. We’re evenly matched. We really are a perfect pair!" Ling Xiao closed his eyes. "Is 'perfect pair' your catchphrase?" I figured it was a good sign that he was thinking that way; it meant he was starting to analyze and understand me. "Actually, if you’d told me sooner, I wouldn't have been so serious during the previous matches. I could have just played along to make things easier for you before your other fights. Let's just go through the motions for this next match. Although... I really do want to have a serious bout with you one day." To be honest, finding out he hadn't been giving his best against me was disappointing. But this was a good start. One day, we would face each other at full strength. We rested side-by-side in silence for a while. I thought he was tired of talking to me and wanted to listen to his music in peace, but then I heard him speak out of the blue again. "I’m not very good at small talk. If you’re bored, you can talk to me." Seeing him sitting there with such a stoic, unshakeable posture while saying something like that made me want to howl with laughter, but on second thought, it was actually quite cute. "Do I seem like a total chatterbox to you?" "It’s not that you 'seem' like one; you are one," Ling Xiao replied. He paused. "But it’s not a bad thing." "Yeah, yeah, it’s not bad at all. You’re a man of few words, and I’m a chatterbox. We’re a perfect pair!" For once, Ling Xiao didn't correct me. He just leaned against the wall, his breathing slow and steady. *** The ranking match the next day was exceptionally "harmonious." I went out of my way to let him have openings, and naturally, I lost. When I stepped off the strip, the looks Lao Hu, Lao Qi, and Big Fat Gao gave me were beyond bizarre. "What?" I asked Lao Qi. "I’m not allowed to lose to Ling Xiao?" "It’s not that," Lao Qi said, scrutinizing me. "It’s just... we feel like the two of you weren't exactly 'competing' out there on the strip..." I blinked. "If it wasn't a competition, what was it?" Big Fat Gao chimed in, "It looked like a dance!" Lao Qi nodded. "Exactly. Like a tango. Especially you—why did you look so much like a playboy flirting with a beautiful woman at a ball?" "Flirting my ass! I’m exhausted as a dog, stop talking nonsense!" I indignantly covered my face with a towel. Big Fat Gao "interviewed" me: "So, how do you feel after losing to him?" I looked at Ling Xiao at the other end of the line-up and gritted my teeth. "It’s agonizing! I’ll definitely get him back next time!" Lao Qi shook his head. "I don't sense any agony. I sense a level of happiness that makes *us* feel agonizing." Big Fat Gao waved a hand in front of my eyes. "Can you stop staring at the Captain like that? I feel like you’re about to pounce on him and start mauling." I swatted his hand away. "Isn't that what anger is? Wanting to maul someone?" "Not mauling the Captain—mauling the Captain’s *clothes*. Mai-zi, if I’m being honest, you have a bit of a predatory look in your eyes..." I choked on my water. Dammit, are you guys really straight?! *** That afternoon, I ran into Yi Taitai at the fencing club in the old gym. I didn't expect him to have made so much progress in just a week. However, the partner the coach had assigned him was a hulking, broad-shouldered man. When I arrived, Yi Taitai was swinging his sabre at his opponent like a Hobbit trying to take down an Attack on Titan giant. The giant partner frequently forced Yi Taitai to fall back onto his butt. The big guy looked quite embarrassed and would proactively pull Yi Taitai up. At first, Yi Taitai maintained his grace, saying things like "It’s fine," "Don't worry about it," and "It’s just practice, it happens." But after it happened too many times, he started glaring. During the break, he complained to me, "I clearly hit him first, so why am I the one who ends up on the floor every time?" "As long as you win, it doesn't matter if it looks pretty." "How does it not matter? I only took up fencing because it’s cool! Otherwise, why would I bother? I could have just taken up Sanda!" I thought to myself: *With your physique, if you tried Sanda, you wouldn't be practicing it—you’d be the one getting dismantled.* "Hey, you seem to be in a good mood lately. Things going well with Ling Xiao?" Yi Taitai still couldn't help his gossiping nature. "Heh, thanks for asking. It’s alright." "Tsk tsk. You haven't even confessed yet and you’re already this intoxicated." "It’s called being smug, not intoxicated!" "So, when do you plan on telling him?" "Telling him what?" "What else? That you like him, obviously!" I froze. I really hadn't thought about that. How could I? I hadn't forgotten about Ling Xiao’s brother. "What’s wrong?" Yi Taitai saw right through me. "No way... you don't plan on telling him?" "What about the situation with Ling Xiao’s brother? I still don't know how he feels about what happened..." "Can't you ask him indirectly?" "How? 'Hey, I saw some gossip about you online and heard you were ostracized by your classmates back in school'?" I said. "I can't bring myself to ask." In truth, "can't bring myself to ask" was just an excuse. The real reason was that I was afraid to ask. I was afraid of getting a negative answer. What if Ling Xiao really did have a problem with his brother? What if he really didn't like gay people? I had finally managed to get close to him; did I really want to trigger the end of the world? "Let’s just leave it at this," I said. There was no solution to this problem, so I could only comfort myself with a smile. "The current status quo is fine. More than friends, less than lovers. It’s good!" That’s right. I was happy enough right now. Why go and dig my own grave? No one can predict the future. A person should just cherish the present and let nature take its course! *** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation ---|---|--- 闷骚 | Closet romantic / Low-key intense | Describes someone who appears cold or reserved on the outside but is passionate or suggestive on the inside. 队内对抗赛 | Internal ranking match | A competitive match held within the team to determine rankings. 撸啊撸 | LoL / League of Legends | A transliteration of "LoL" (League of Legends). 姨太太 | Yi Taitai | Literally "Concubine." A nickname for Qiao Mai's flamboyant or gossipy male friend. 友达以上，恋人未满 | More than friends, less than lovers | A common phrase describing a "grey area" relationship. 散打 | Sanda | Chinese kickboxing or free combat.