Chapter 30 – The Ordinary Road

Gu Yiming claimed he wasn’t tired, but the moment he arrived at Fang Xiao’s home and relaxed on the sofa, he unknowingly fell asleep after just a few words of conversation. The exhaustion from the competition and long-distance travel hit him all at once, compounded by the mental strain of facing Fang Xing. He slept soundly until evening before waking up.

Gu Yiming slept deeply and comfortably. When he woke, he found himself lying on Fang Xiao’s bed, already changed into a fresh set of pajamas. The blanket was warm and soft, carrying a faint hint of sleep-inducing fragrance. He knew Fang Xiao must have arranged all this, filling him with an inexplicable sense of contentment.

Gu Yiming rolled over and saw Fang Xiao sitting beside him, watching a replay of the Munich leg. The video was just playing his final shot. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he said, “You’ve already seen this.”

Fang Xiao removed his earbuds and teased, “True fan behavior—I have to watch the competition footage ten times.”

Gu Yiming buried his face in the pillow.

Seeing his shyness, Fang Xiao didn’t press further and simply asked, “Still sleepy? Let’s head out for dinner.”

Gu Yiming lifted his head. “Not cooking?”

Fang Xiao smiled. “I promised to treat you. If you’d maintained that scoring series performance throughout the match, I would’ve cooked. But you did so well—you deserve a nice meal out.”

Gu Yiming said, “Your cooking is pretty good too.”

Fang Xiao raised an eyebrow. “That’s not objective.”

Gu Yiming muffled his laughter into the pillow. Fang Xiao was self-aware—his bland, salt-averse cooking style was something Gu Yiming could tolerate, but he didn’t find it particularly delicious. Still, Gu Yiming wasn’t lying. After all, love made even plain water sweet.

Gu Yiming stayed in bed for a while before finally getting up. Normally, he adhered to a strict routine and never lazed around, but now he found himself enjoying this sluggishness. No wonder Fang Xiao struggled to get up in the mornings—he had made the bed far too comfortable.

When Fang Xiao asked where they should eat, Gu Yiming, who rarely dined out, couldn’t think of any trendy spots his friends frequented. Instead, he suggested a Cantonese restaurant in the southern part of the city: “It’s owned by a friend of Coach Qin. He sometimes takes us there to celebrate victories. The food’s really good—you’d probably like it.”

Fang Xiao seemed thoughtful. “Does the owner recognize you?”

Gu Yiming hesitated. “Not very well, but he might remember me.”

Fang Xiao snapped his fingers.

Gu Yiming went to freshen up in the bathroom. When he came out, Fang Xiao was already dressed and ready. He wore a light blue linen shirt layered over a white T-shirt, paired with light khaki pants—his outfit was a shade brighter than usual. His hair was also styled, his bangs swept aside to reveal his full forehead, making him look especially youthful.

Gu Yiming circled Fang Xiao once and praised, “You look great!”

Fang Xiao laughed at his reaction and joked, “You’re so young and handsome—if I’m going on a date with you, I can’t dress too shabbily.”

This was their first date. The realization struck Gu Yiming like lightning, freezing him in place. Fang Xiao had already walked to the entryway and put on his shoes. Seeing Gu Yiming still motionless, he tossed the car keys over and urged, “Let’s go.”

Gu Yiming reached out sluggishly—and missed. The keys hit his shoulder before landing on his shoe. He bent down slowly to pick them up.

Fang Xiao asked curiously, “What are you thinking about?”

Gu Yiming answered meaningfully, “Thinking about today’s date.”

He walked to the door, wrapped an arm around Fang Xiao’s waist, and let the keys slide into Fang Xiao’s pants pocket. Though he was usually clingy with Fang Xiao, such intimate gestures typically required Fang Xiao to make the first move. Fang Xiao looked up in surprise, but Gu Yiming didn’t let go, instead guiding him out the door with that embrace.

The possessive gesture made Fang Xiao suddenly understand Gu Yiming’s response. Day by day, he had been counting—waiting was never just passive waiting. Every moment held meaning, proof of affection and the process of growing together in life. Their chance encounter eight months ago, the promise half a year later—Gu Yiming had never forgotten. He had changed so much for Fang Xiao, yet never yielded.

Leaning against Gu Yiming’s arm, Fang Xiao thought, I really have no defense against persistent people.

The restaurant Gu Yiming suggested was somewhat remote, its interior clean and modestly decorated with few customers. The owner indeed recognized Gu Yiming and greeted him personally upon arrival, instructing a waiter to lead them to a quiet window seat deep inside.

Once seated, Fang Xiao pushed the menu toward Gu Yiming and said, “Order whatever you like—my treat.”

Familiar with the place, Gu Yiming flipped straight to the last page and said, “One signature couple’s set.”

The waiter’s gaze flickered between them as she repeated, “One signature couple’s set.”

Perhaps she was merely confirming the order, but Fang Xiao’s hackles rose under her scrutiny. He covered his forehead with his right hand to block her view and glared at Gu Yiming, who returned an innocent look.

After the waiter left, Fang Xiao lowered his hand but still felt unsettled. He shot Gu Yiming another glare, annoyed by the young man’s aggressive pettiness. With a sigh, he said, “I get your point—Xiao Gu, I keep my word.”

Gu Yiming smiled contentedly, pursing his lips.

He was so happy today that he had nowhere to vent his excitement. Under the table, he took Fang Xiao’s hand and traced circles on his palm with his thumb. Fang Xiao grew increasingly flustered, and even finishing a glass of iced tea did little to help. Pleading, he said, “Xiao Gu, let go—we’ll talk when we get back…” He glanced toward the kitchen. “This is your team’s turf—aren’t you afraid someone will report you?”

Gu Yiming replied, “Coach will find out sooner or later.”

Fang Xiao was stunned.

Though Gu Yiming dropped this bombshell, he only had a rough idea himself. Organizing his thoughts as he spoke, he explained, “I’ve been performing well lately. If I make it to the annual finals of the cup matches, I’ll probably be added to WADA’s out-of-competition testing list. WADA is annoying—they do surprise drug tests without warning, up to ten or twenty times a year. Even on vacation, I’d have to be available for testing with no exemptions. No matter where I am, my whereabouts and emergency contacts must be reported to the team… Others might not notice, but Coach Qin will definitely find out about you.”

At this point, he grew nervous himself and asked Fang Xiao, “Will you be unhappy about that?”

“Why would I be unhappy?” Fang Xiao replied blankly before realizing what he meant. His emotions were complicated—somewhat pained, yet unexpectedly calm.

“I don’t care. I came out long ago. But you…” He looked at Gu Yiming. “Aren’t you worried about being outed?”

Gu Yiming answered honestly, “A little, but only a tiny bit… Honestly, I wish I could announce it to the world right now.”

Fang Xiao chuckled. “So childish.”

Gu Yiming argued, “I’ve thought about it. Coach Qin doesn’t care about athletes’ private lives, but higher-ups might see my lifestyle as problematic… Right now, I don’t have the standing to say much. But if I reach Senior Xie’s level, the shooting team will need me. By then, things will be much better. Coach Qin is tight-lipped, so I probably still have some time…” He took a deep breath and declared, “I need to compete more and win more championships.”

Fang Xiao listened to these bold declarations with his chin propped on his hand, smiling faintly without rebuttal. Gu Yiming was still very young, prone to overestimating an individual’s importance in nationally backed sports programs. Even if Coach Qin didn’t mind, higher-ups might—not even someone like Xie Qingyun, or Li Na in tennis, could withstand systemic exclusion. Unlike commercially driven tennis, shooting offered no path for Gu Yiming to compete in high-level events as an independent athlete.

Even so, listening to Gu Yiming earnestly share his hopes and plans for the future was a beautiful thing. Xiao Gu was so endearing—Fang Xiao was more than willing to consider things from his perspective. Whether Gu Yiming chose to stay in the shooting team and carve out his own path, retire early to coach, or even compete internationally as a stateless shooter—it was all fine. As long as Gu Yiming chose the path he truly wanted, Fang Xiao would support him.

Not as a distant fan, but as his real, intimate lover.