Point to Point: The Fencer’s Heart | Chapter 7 | The Direct Approach | Novela.app

Lao Qi and I had it all figured out. He was going to stall for time while I wandered around for about twenty minutes. When I returned, I’d claim I was finished with my errand. Then, according to plan, Lao Qi would announce that his girlfriend had an emergency, allowing me to "graciously" take his place and clean the training hall alongside Ling Xiao. I wasn't worried about the conversation drying up during the cleanup. I could bring up Teacher Zhao or talk about stray animals. Once we hit it off, I’d seize the moment and get that photo. Then, I could finally make my grand return to Weibo. Getting close to anyone else would have been a piece of cake for me, but cracking a silent nut like Ling Xiao was a different story. I felt the weight of the national team’s image on my shoulders; if word got out that the fencing team was plagued by internal discord, it wouldn't look good for anyone. After my shower, I sat in the hallway for a while playing *FIE Sword Play* on my phone. Once I figured enough time had passed, I headed back to the training hall, ready for action. I pushed open the heavy doors, only to find the massive hall completely empty. It was as silent as a tomb. "Where is everyone?" I asked, my voice echoing through the space, sounding utterly clueless. "Over here." I turned toward the voice and saw Lao Qi sitting by the door, also engrossed in *FIE Sword Play*. "What’s the deal?" I looked around. "Did Ling Xiao go to get water?" Lao Qi sat on the floor and jerked his chin toward the hall. "Use your eyes, man. It’s already done." I finally took a proper look. The equipment was neatly stacked, and the floor was buffed to a mirror shine. Dammit, this level of efficiency was practically supernatural. What happened to stalling for me? "Stop playing," I said, sitting down next to the gaming-addicted Lao Qi with a heavy sigh. "Lao Qi, I am deeply disappointed in you." Lao Qi finally deigned to put his phone down, looking rather helpless himself. "I couldn't help it. Your brother Qi tried every trick in the book to stall, but none of it worked on Ling Xiao. No matter how much I dragged my feet, he was like a whirlwind. You should’ve seen him—didn't say a word, didn't take a break. I even spent my own money to go downstairs and buy him a drink just to get him to stop for a second." "Did he drink it? Did he rest?" I asked. Lao Qi pointed to the unopened can of Red Bull beside him. "What do you think? Look, while I was over here messing around, he was single-handedly hauling equipment and mopping the floor. He did more than half the hall by himself. I started feeling guilty, you know? So, in the end, I had to pitch in. Before I knew it, the whole place was clean. It caught me completely off guard..." Well, there went my chance for a photo. I slumped against the wall, thinking that Ling Xiao’s personality was truly impenetrable. He didn't leave a single opening. "Mai-zi, this isn't working," Lao Qi remarked. "With a guy like Ling Xiao, you have to throw a straight ball. A very, very straight ball is the only way to break through." "How much straighter can I get? Should I just walk up and say, 'Hey man, I want to take a picture with you'? Like he’d actually say yes." I stared at the banners hanging in the hall, feeling more pathetic by the second. Lao Qi cracked open the Red Bull, took a couple of swigs, and started teasing me. "You could always get down on your knees and beg. I think Ling Xiao is actually a decent guy deep down. I mean, he was generous enough to switch shifts with you last time, wasn't he? Maybe if he sees you looking all pitiful, he’ll let you take a photo with him while you're kneeling." "Am I the kind of person who just kneels for anyone?" "Aren't you? Didn't I hear you shouting about wanting to kneel for Yakimenko during his last match?" "That was just the excitement talking!" "If you actually met the Great God Yakimenko, would you kneel?" "............" Dammit! I actually had to stop and seriously consider that for a second! Lao Qi was already losing it, laughing as he slapped my shoulder. "Mai-zi, of all the idiots on the fencing team, you’re the only one I truly respect!" I brushed his hand off. "Unless I’m proposing in the future, I am not kneeling for anyone." Lao Qi stroked his chin. "Oh, alright then. I’ll just wait for the day you get down on one knee to propose to Ling Xiao." Back at the dorm, I opened Weibo with a heavy heart. I’d promised to return today, and I couldn't break my word. I quickly posted a photo of the blue sky and white clouds over the training base, adding a few words: — *Cold is gone. Even the sky at the base looks bluer today.* Then I tossed my phone aside and sprawled out on the bed like a corpse. I refused to believe it. It was just one photo—how hard could it be? Not only was I going to get that photo, but I was going to make him give me a wide, sunshiny smile for it too! *** Early the next morning, as Lao Qi, Big Fat Gao, and I headed downstairs, we spotted Ling Xiao ahead of us. He was wearing a white athletic jacket with black stripes, a pair of headphones hanging around his neck. That devious Lao Qi gave me a hard shove from behind and hissed an encouragement: "Straight ball!" I couldn't afford to lose face in front of my bros, no matter how nervous I was. I stumbled to a halt, puffed out my chest, and shouted at the retreating back: "Ling Xiao!" His ears were still free when I started the "Ling," but before I could finish the "Xiao," he’d already clamped the headphones over his ears! Tell me that wasn't on purpose! I was practically ready to drop to my knees in frustration. Big Fat Gao tried to comfort me. "That guy is always lost in thought when he walks. He probably just sees us as background noise. Don't bother trying to chat him up." "How can he see *me* as background noise?!" I accidentally put a bit too much emphasis on the "me," which didn't sit well with Lao Qi. "What’s that supposed to mean? It’s normal for him to treat us like background noise, but it’s wrong when it’s you?" "Hey, Lao Qi, that’s not what I meant! Wait, let me explain!" In the end, I couldn't come up with a coherent explanation. I realized that, subconsciously, I might actually have a deep-seated habit of looking down on my teammates. That was really shitty of me. I skipped my nap that afternoon and went to the track to run laps and reflect on my behavior. Halfway through, I caught a glimpse of a figure by the side of the track. Under the scorching sun, that figure stood as still and straight as a pine tree. It looked exactly like Ling Xiao. In all my life, he was the only person I’d ever met who could look as beautiful as a tree, whether he was sitting or standing. But when I finished another stretch and looked back, the spot was empty, as if no one had ever been there. Did I see wrong, or was I hallucinating? I wiped my neck with a towel, thinking, *Whatever, I’ll just assume it was you.* Secretly keeping an eye on a fellow genius like me? Big brother, could you be any more of a closet softie? This bit of Ah Q-style optimism hit the spot. The more I thought about it, the funnier it seemed. You know what? Between one closet softie and one narcissist, we’re bound to become great friends eventually. *** **Glossary** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation ---|---|--- 《FIE Sword Play》 | *FIE Sword Play* | A real mobile fencing game licensed by the International Fencing Federation. 直球 | Straight ball | Slang for being direct or straightforward, especially in a romantic or social context. 阿Q精神 | Ah Q-style optimism | Derived from Lu Xun's "The True Story of Ah Q," referring to a method of seeking "spiritual victory" through self-delusion. 闷骚 | Closet softie / Low-key | Slang for someone who appears cold or quiet on the outside but is passionate, quirky, or sensitive on the inside. 露出八颗牙 | Eight-tooth smile | A Chinese idiom for a perfect, wide, and professional-looking smile. 亚基列夫 | Yakimenko / Yagilev | Likely a reference to a famous fencer (possibly Aleksey Yakimenko). Transliterated here as Yagilev for a natural Russian-sounding name.