After leaving the cafeteria, I was walking along when I remembered that Yi Taitai had a class in the Old Hall today. I usually dropped by to see him whenever he was there, so after a moment’s thought, I detoured toward the building. To my surprise, I ran into Li Xin just as she was stepping out of her car.
Li Xin shut the car door and spotted me. She waved cheerfully. "Qiao Mai!"
It was too late to turn back now, so I forced myself to walk over.
"What's with you?" Li Xin looked me up and down. "You're usually such a chatterbox. Why the silence? Aren't you curious why I'm here?"
"Not really," I said. Right now, she looked like a kid flaunting a lollipop in front of me, while I was the kid who didn't even have a candy wrapper to his name—just a pair of pathetic boxers. If I couldn't have the candy, I at least had to keep my dignity.
"Fine then." Li Xin shrugged. I thought I’d dodged a bullet, but a second later, she blurted it out with sheer excitement. "I'm here to see Ling Xiao!"
I glared at her, fuming. *I thought you said 'fine then'!*
"Didn't Ling Xiao tell you?" Li Xin didn't seem to notice my sour expression at all. "I hired him as my coach. I'm learning fencing!"
I froze. "Learning fencing?"
"Yeah! I've become really interested in it lately. It's so stylish and elegant! My brother studied it for a few years back in the day, so he’s pretty supportive of me learning too..."
My mind was stuck on the words "learning fencing." I never expected those two words to sound so beautiful coming out of Li Xin's mouth! Learning fencing? Holy crap, so that was it?!
Li Xin looked at me with an amused expression. "What are you standing there smirking for?"
"Wait," I asked. "Does your brother know? About you hiring Ling Xiao as your coach?"
"He only knows I want to learn fencing. He doesn't know I hired Ling Xiao as a private tutor. Don't you dare tell him!"
So Li Rui didn't know. No wonder. If Li Rui had been the one to ask, there was no way Ling Xiao would have agreed. But seriously, Ling Xiao... why was he so tight-lipped about this? God, he nearly scared me to death!
"Don't worry, this is a good thing!" I said. "Oh, wait, actually it might be bad..."
"Huh?"
"Ling Xiao is incredibly serious. If he doesn't know how to go easy on a girl, don't blame him!"
Li Xin laughed. "I know. I don't need him to go easy on me." She spoke with such confidence, her eyes practically sparkling.
I could tell she was happy. Having just escaped a death sentence, I was even happier than she was. I tried to probe a bit further. "But given our Captain's status, how much are you paying him for training?"
Li Xin casually mentioned a number I hadn't even dared to imagine.
I was stunned. I knew rich people were rich, but I’d been fencing for years and only just managed to win a gold medal at the Universiade. Meanwhile, a rich person decides to pick up fencing as a hobby, and the fee they pay is comparable to the prize money for a world-class championship.
Li Xin continued, "I know Ling Xiao wants to pull out of that tournament, but the buyout fee is huge. If my brother offered to pay it, he’d definitely refuse. So I came up with this plan. Pretty smart of me, right?"
I was speechless. So Li Xin had hired him as a coach specifically for this reason. This way, she could help him out without worrying about him rejecting her. It was far more sophisticated than my approach. Even if I had the money, I wouldn't have known how to give it to him in a way he’d accept, yet Li Xin had considered everything.
"Actually, if he needed help, I... we would all help him," I said.
"But he wouldn't accept it, would he?" Li Xin said. "It's not easy being an athlete. Every cent of prize money is earned through sweat and blood. Given Ling Xiao's personality, could he really accept your charity?"
That was exactly it. I understood. But it felt terrible—that helpless feeling of loving someone so much you want to give them the world, yet realizing you actually have nothing to give.
Li Xin kept talking, but driven by a shameful sense of inadequacy, I couldn't help but ask, "You're still a student, aren't you? Where do you get that much money?"
"What's so strange about that? I have shares in the company too~"
I looked at her beaming face and thought: *Well done, Qiao Mai. You just had to ask, didn't you? Now you look completely pathetic.*
I didn't even know how to face Li Xin anymore. Was it envy or jealousy? I had to admire her thoughtfulness, yet I wanted to dislike her. But how could I dislike someone who was doing Ling Xiao such a huge favor? I wanted to like her, but I couldn't help but pity myself. Thankfully, a frantic series of calls from Yi Taitai saved me, ending the awkward conversation.
***
"Mai-zi, hurry up and give me some pointers! It's infuriating! That Zheng Jun is such a bully!"
Zheng Jun was the fixed training partner the fencing teacher had assigned to Yi Taitai. He was a massive guy, apparently a former special forces soldier who had retired after an injury. As soon as I arrived at the training hall, Yi Taitai started venting, saying the guy didn't use technique at all—he just used his physical advantage to steamroll everyone! This wasn't fencing; this was freaking sumo wrestling!
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "How is he steamrolling you? You have a sword, don't you? If he charges at you, just slash him."
Yi Taitai stole a glance at Zheng Jun, who was resting and drinking water nearby, then complained to me, "I don't know why, but whenever I see him coming at me, I think of those pecs and abs and that sheer bulk, and I lose all my strength to counter-attack! This coach is such an amateur. Our builds are so different; why would he pair us up?"
"Coaches all have a bit of a sadistic streak. Why else would they call it 'discipline training'?" I comforted him.
"Then teach me! We're friends; you have to let me feel the benefits of having a friend on the National Team. How do you handle opponents who are physically stronger than you?"
"I don't think that much about it. Physical strength is nothing. What I'm afraid of is the kind of person who is mentally powerful..."
As I spoke, I thought of Ling Xiao. My chest suddenly felt like a deflated ball, a hollow ache spreading through me.
"Someone like Ling Xiao?"
"Yeah." I didn't want to elaborate. "I'll spar with you. Let's see where your weaknesses are."
Yi Taitai was the type who looked decent when practicing drills alone, but as soon as he faced an opponent, he panicked and forgot every offensive and defensive move he’d ever learned. Whenever he lost his footing, I’d tap him with my blade. "Parry three! Parry one! Where did everything I taught you go?"
In the chaos, Yi Taitai actually managed a successful parry in sixte, blocking me. I was about to praise him when the brat took the opportunity to slash me in retaliation!
I wasn't wearing my fencing whites! I was just in a T-shirt!
A stinging pain flared up on my arm. I clutched it, seeing a vivid red welt.
Yi Taitai dropped his sword. "Mai-zi, are you okay?! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!"
I doubled over, clutching my arm and pretending to be in agony, leaning against the wall and gasping for breath. "My... my hand... I can't feel it..."
Yi Taitai panicked. "What do you mean you can't feel it? Is it numb? Let me rub it for you! Qiao Mai, don't scare me! You're a fencer; what will happen if your hand is ruined?!"
He started frantically kneading my arm. It tickled so much I couldn't take it. "Pfft—hahaha!" I burst out laughing.
Yi Taitai couldn't snap out of his shock for a moment. He stared at me for a long while before rolling his eyes, standing up, and giving me a kick. "Qiao Mai, screw you!"
"No swearing," I laughed. "Well? Am I better than Mr. Zheng?"
"No duh! You're a National Team athlete, okay?"
"Exactly. Look, I'm a National Team athlete and you still managed to land a hit on me. What's there to be afraid of with an amateur like him? Don't let him intimidate you! His only backup is the fencing teacher; your backup is a Universiade champion!"
Yi Taitai looked me up and down. "When you put it that way, I actually feel pretty proud~" Suddenly, his gaze drifted into the distance. "Hey, why is that girl here?"
I followed his gaze and saw Li Xin. "Oh, she's learning fencing too."
"What? Learning with us?"
I shook my head. "Ling Xiao is teaching her privately."
Yi Taitai’s eyes widened. "Qiao Mai, you're way too carefree. You're just going to sit back and watch this?"
I knew what he was thinking. As my 'gay bestie,' Yi Taitai was always worrying about me. "She told me herself. It's just fencing lessons, nothing else."
"It's nothing else *now*. What about later? Besides, why did Ling Xiao agree to teach her privately?"
I told Yi Taitai the reason behind it. This time, even Yi Taitai was understanding. "Sigh, you must be feeling pretty conflicted right now... Look at you, all that height and your brain still can't keep up with a young girl. By doing this, Li Xin helps Ling Xiao, earns his favor, and gets to spend time with him naturally to build a relationship..."
I went to sit on a bench nearby, watching Li Xin as she skipped around while warming up. She even gave me a cute little wave. I forced a smile back, but my heart felt sour and bitter. I tilted my head back to stare at the ceiling. "It must be nice to be rich..."
Yi Taitai sat down next to me and changed the subject. "How's the guitar coming along?"
I kept staring at the ceiling. "It's okay."
"Impressive. You're a fast learner!"
So what? Even if I practiced until I was blue in the face, it was just a song. It didn't give Ling Xiao anything he actually needed.
The fencing teacher called for the group to assemble. Yi Taitai stood up and gave my shoulder a sympathetic pat.
***
I headed back to the dorms alone. As luck would have it, I ran into Ling Xiao downstairs again. This time, before I could open my mouth, he spoke first.
"Why aren't you in your room?"
"Oh, a friend of mine is learning fencing at the Old Hall. I went over to hang out," I said. "Were you looking for me?"
A simple yes or no would have sufficed, but Ling Xiao remained silent. His expression was strange. Every time he stared at me like this without speaking, I felt like he was about to say something that would make my heart stop. This man always did that—he didn't need to say a word to make me feel like I was bungee jumping on my own heartstrings.
"I want to go see the cats," Ling Xiao said.
I was a bit surprised. He could have gone by himself, but the fact that he specifically came to ask me made me very happy.
The sun was out today. Ling Xiao-er was lazily licking his paws in the grass, while the gluttonous ginger cat was sprawled out beside him, fast asleep. Occasionally, the ginger cat would roll over, exposing its fluffy belly, then roll again, its hind legs kicking Ling Xiao-er in the back.
The black cat stumbled forward from the kick. He turned around, his paw poised to swat the ginger cat, hovering in the air a few times before pulling back as if nothing had happened. The ginger cat was allowed to continue its peaceful nap in the sun.
A moment later, Ling Xiao-er finished grooming and stood up to stretch his back. The ginger cat jolted awake and sat obediently to the side, yawning while admiring Ling Xiao-er’s elegant posture.
Ling Xiao and I sat on the bench by the grass, watching the cats. Ling Xiao-er and the ginger cat occasionally circled the legs of the bench. Ling Xiao reached out hesitantly, wanting to pet them, but he missed, and the two cats ran off one after the other. I chased them down, rummaging through the grass for a while before catching them. I brought them back, one in each hand, and sat back down.
"Here!"
Ling Xiao looked at me, then lowered his head, focused intently on stroking the backs of the two cats.
His right hand, the one that held a sword, was slender and powerful. As his fingers sank into the cats' fur, I watched his slightly arched knuckles and the slow expansion of the back of his hand. It felt as if my heart was being gently held.
I spaced out for a moment, and Ling Xiao-er let out a "meow" and escaped from under my arm. I clicked my tongue. "Runs fast, doesn't he?" I said, mostly to hide the fact that my ears were turning red.
"Qiao Mai," Ling Xiao suddenly said. "Back at the cafeteria, I wanted to tell you... about Li Xin and me..."
"Oh, that," I said, letting the ginger cat go too and dusting off my hands and pants. "Li Xin already told me. You're going to be her private coach. It's good. That way, your buyout fee won't be an issue."
I hoped my tone sounded okay—not like I was just putting on a brave face.
Ling Xiao looked like he wanted to say more, but after a heavy breath, he said, "Don't keep interrupting me. Can you just listen for a moment?"
"Okay." I straightened my back, looking like an attentive student. "What else did you want to say?"
"Today's match is the last one. After this, I won't be fighting anymore. You don't have to worry," Ling Xiao said. "Also... Li Xin is coming with me to the match today. You don't need to come."
I froze, bewildered and hurt. So what if Li Xin was going? Why couldn't I go?
"Ling Xiao..."
"Didn't you say you wouldn't interrupt?"
But why? For no reason at all, I wasn't allowed to go?
Ling Xiao fell silent for a long time. He didn't speak, and he wouldn't let me speak either. My mind was a mess of tangled threads. Why? On what grounds?! I—
"Her car only seats two."
"...Huh?"
Ling Xiao stood up and looked down at me. "That's all. In the future, listen to what people have to say."
A wave of relief washed over me. I watched his retreating back as he walked away alone, but then I felt *too* relieved. I couldn't tell if I had fallen into a bed of roses or a trap.
***
After Ling Xiao left, I didn't go back to the dorm. Instead, I went to the training hall to find Lao Hu.
"Coach Hu..."
Lao Hu was fixing his hair in the mirror. He jumped when he saw me enter without knocking. "Qiao Mai? What's with you? Why the long face? Tsk, whenever you call me 'Coach Hu' out of the blue, it's never good news..."
I said, "When can we sign the contract for that endorsement?"
"What's this? Weren't you unwilling before? Why the rush now?"
"I need the money." I wanted money. Lots and lots of it. Enough so that Ling Xiao wouldn't refuse my help, enough so he wouldn't feel like he was wasting my hard work.
"You're doing fine on the National Team. What do you need money for? Family stuff?" Lao Hu poured a cup of tea and sat down.
"Sort of. It's for a... future family member."
Lao Hu spat out his tea, grabbing a tissue to wipe his collar. "Well now, Qiao Mai, I didn't see that coming. You have a girlfriend? Since when? How come I didn't know?"
I wasn't in the mood for small talk. "So, when can we sign?"
"That endorsement still has to go through some procedures. It needs approval from the Sports Center before we can sign. It's not as fast as you think. You think you can just sign today because you want to?"
I felt utterly dejected. "So much trouble..."
Lao Hu tapped the table to remind me. "Qiao Mai, the Olympics are in the second half of the year. Ling Xiao is already a handful; you need to be the sensible one. Take it easy with the dating!" He took another sip of tea, looking puzzled. "Wait, you spend six days a week here at the base. How are you even finding time to date?"
I slumped onto the sofa. "Forget it. How can I date without money? Don't worry, I'm dedicating my life to the Olympics."
Lao Hu clapped his hands in praise. "Well said! A real man doesn't worry about finding a wife; the most important thing right now is the Olympics! If you win gold..."
I plugged my ears and walked out.
***
That night, I sat on the toilet playing my second-hand guitar. Lao Qi knocked on the door, sounding like he’d had enough. "What is wrong with you? You were playing so cheerfully a few days ago. Why is it all miserable songs now?"
"I'm playing the same song," I replied listlessly through the door, tightening a string.
"Stop it. It sounds like a funeral dirge. It's bad luck!"
He shut his door and left. I was the only one left in the dorm.
He didn't have to tell me; I couldn't keep playing anyway. I put the guitar back in the closet and leaned over the balcony, looking out at the Zishan Base under the setting sun. I thought: *Ling Xiao, you shouldn't be in a place like Fushan Villa. You belong here. If only all that mess had never happened, I could have pursued you as your teammate. Just a simple pursuit. But then I thought, a Ling Xiao without those secrets, without that story, wouldn't be the Ling Xiao I fell in love with today.* He had to be this way—mysterious, captivating, and frustrating. There was no other way.
So, did love require a certain qualification? For someone like him, was I simply not good enough? Not mature enough, not perfect enough, not strong enough.
Not qualified.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
旧馆 | Old Hall / Old Gym | A specific training building on the base.
防六 | Sixte / Parry Six | A standard fencing parry.
防三 | Tierce / Parry Three | A standard fencing parry.
防一 | Prime / Parry One | A standard fencing parry.
紫山基地 | Zishan Base | The name of the training facility.
富山山庄 | Fushan Villa | The wealthy residential area/club mentioned in previous context.
胡指导 | Coach Hu | "Zhidao" is a common way to address coaches/instructors.
凌霄儿 | Ling Xiao-er | The name of the black cat, named after Ling Xiao.
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Point to Point: The Fencer’s Heart | Chapter 42 | Qualified to Love | Novela.app | Novela.app
