Yun Duo felt that she might have been teased by Tang Yi-Bai again, but she had no idea how to get back at him for it . Her little heart pattered wildly, like a fawn which had just learned to run . And then there was that final loaded gaze . Hmph, hmph, hmph! Just you wait! This sister will eventually get even and tease you back someday! You get a pass for today . . .
Just like that, the two's brainwaves diverged once again . That night, Tang Yi-Bai waited for a good long while by the west wall carrying a box, but Yun Duo did not come . Inside the box was the coolest and latest model of a voice recorder which he had asked Xiang Yang-Yang to buy . It was to be a belated birthday present for Yun Duo .
In the end, she still did not come .
At this point, Tang Yi-Bai had no choice but to admit that he and Yun Duo really had very little mutual understanding .
It must be because they haven't yet become an official couple .
So he should hurry up and confess .
To confess is a major event in one's life . One must choose a good time, a good place, and a romantic atmosphere .
However, as an athlete, there was not much free time available for him to choose from .
No matter, he would be returning to China tomorrow . As far as he knew, Yun Duo did not have much work left in Japan after this either, so she should be going back tomorrow as well . At that time, they would be able to see each other back at home .
Back on his territory, he would be able to do as he pleased . . .
This flight of imagination quelled his regret at not being able to see Yun Duo tonight, and so he happily went back to his room .
The next day, the flight the national swimming team was on landed at City-B at 10 in the morning . Tang Yi-Bai kept his head down as he focused on perfecting his confession plan in his mind, unknowingly falling behind to the very back of the group . Qi Rui-Feng was busy joking around with Xiang Yang-Yang at the front and so did not notice .
As Tang Yi-Bai stepped out of the entrance to the airport at the tail end of the team, a torrent of camera flashes pounced on him out of nowhere like continuous bolts of lightning . Tang Yi-Bai squinted, slightly turning his head away, and waited for the discomfort in his eyes to dissipate .
The reporters swarmed forwards, almost surrounding him . Many microphones were thrust before him, like sprouting bushes in the wild . Immediately behind the microphones were quite a few voice recorders — due to the limitation of distance, they were the secondary option, and there were even some who were trying to interview him just by using their smartphones .
Tang Yi-Bai saw the reporters jostling before him and then looked at the black lenses of the flock of cameras behind them . Even as perpetually calm as he was, he was honestly a little frightened right then .
Reporter A: "Tang Yi-Bai, did you know that you've become a national idol? May I know how you're feeling about that right now? Is there anything you'd like to say to your fans?"
I don't know .
Reporter B: "Tang Yi-Bai, what do you think helped you obtain the results that you did? What are your next plans?"
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I plan to confess .
Reporter C: "Tang Yi-Bai, asking on behalf of your vast number of female fans, do you have a girlfriend?"
I will soon .
Reporter D: "Tang Yi-Bai, what's your ideal woman like?"
Like Yun Duo .
Reporter E, F, G . . .
Even though Tang Yi-Bai had reflexively answered all these miscellaneous questions of the throng of reporters around him in his mind, he did not say a single word in reality . Before they had returned to China, Wu Yong had cautioned him not to simply accept interviews from reporters after disembarking from the plane . As his coach, Wu Yong would arrange suitable exclusive interviews for him later on . Back then, Tang Yi-Bai had thought that this time would be like all other times before — that the reporter's main target would be bro Feng, and that those who settled for interviewing him, Tang Yi-Bai, were just grasping for anyone they could get .
Now it looked like he had been too naive .
The reporters surrounded him on all sides, cutting him off from the rest of his team . Tang Yi-Bai could not stay like this and wait them out, so he gave the reporters an apologetic smile and said, "I'm sorry, I can't accept any interviews right now . "
The reporters acted like they did not hear him and continued to make noise .
Tang Yi-Bai thought, 'These reporters are not at all as cute as Yun Duo . '
Fortunately, Coach Wu came to his rescue . The two of them joined forces to break out of the seige, and when they saw Qi Rui-Feng being similarly besieged along the way, they valiantly helped him to escape as well .
After much trouble, they were almost about to board the team bus when a band of fans came out of nowhere to surround them once again, begging for autographs and photos and hugs . Tang Yi-Bai already considered himself a taken man, so he could not hug other women . Thus, he refused anyone who asked for a hug . However, he could not refuse giving out autographs and requests for photos . He almost broke his hand signing autographs; the fans were just that passionate and enthusiastic . One female fan even asked Tang Yi-Bai to sign his autograph on her chest, but Tang Yi-Bai only smiled without making a move to do so . "Your boyfriend will beat me up . " Everyone else around laughed, and the female fan was too embarrassed to ask again .
Finally, after they were done appeasing the fans, they managed to get into the team's bus .
Tang Yi-Bai and Qi Rui-Feng actually were not planning to return the the team's base today . Qi Rui-Feng was going to transit and take a flight home, but the flight he needed to board was departing from a different airport, so he needed to travel through City-B . Right now, he was just hitching a ride with the team to the city centre . Tang Yi-Bai was in a similar situation . He wanted to go home, but the current circumstances did not allow him or Qi Rui-Feng to wait for a separate taxi . Escaping from the airport was the first priority now .
When he finally arrived home in the afternoon, Tang Yi-Bai's footsteps were brisk but his feelings were unsettled . He pushed the door open, but he did not see the lady he wanted to see — all he saw was an idiot dog, running eagerly towards him with a pair of slippers in his mouth .
He really felt like kicking this fool aside with one kick . . .
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Clearly, Er-Bai's thoughts were running on a similar path . When he saw that it was Tang Yi-Bai, he braked sharply and then turned tail with the slippers and walked off .
Tang Yi-Bai: = . =
Er-Bai put the slippers back into his den and concealed them before coming back, tail wagging, to pretend and make nice with Tang Yi-Bai . Tang Yi-Bai ignored him and walked into the living room . He found his mother reading a magazine on the sofa, and there were sounds coming from the kitchen which should be his father cooking .
No Yun Duo .
Frankly, it was already clear from Er-Bai's reaction . If Yun Duo was around, Er-Bai would never hide her slippers .
Madam Lu looked up to see her son and asked, "You're back?"
"Yes, mum . " Tang Yi-Bai put his luggage back into the study . As he passed by Yun Duo's room, he hopefully pressed his ear to her door . There was no sound at all coming from inside the room .
Sigh .
Daddy Tang walked out from the kitchen with an apron on and just so happened to catch a glimpse of this scene . He frowned and chided, "Doudou, you're becoming sleazier and sleazier!"
Tang Yi-Bai: = . =
Even though his son was becoming sleazier, he was still his dear biological son at the end of the day . So Daddy Tang still prepared a sumptuous lunch to welcome him home . Seated at the dining table, Tang Yi-Bai asked, "Yun Duo's not back yet?"
Madam Lu blinked, and then quirked a brow at Daddy Tang with a bright smile . "I win . "
Daddy Tang meekly handed her a 100-yuan bill .
Tang Yi-Bai was befuddled . "What in the world is going on?"
"Nothing," explained Daddy Tang, "Your mum and I have a bet over how long you could last before asking about Yun Duo . I bett that you'd only ask after an hour or more, your mum bet that you'd ask within half an hour . Now, you've held out for . . . " So saying, he looked at his watch and continued, "You held out for 15 minutes . "
Tang Yi-Bai shook his head . "So pointless . "
Madam Lu: "You're not into pointless things like we are, so you must not want to know something as pointless as where Yun Duo has gone . "
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"Mum . . . "
"Alright," Daddy Tang could not stand to see this go on any longer, "Yun Duo has of course gone home . She did not have a break during National Day, so her company gave her replacement leave . She has gone straight home . "
Tang Yi-Bai felt a little let down, "Why didn't she tell me?" She even told his parents but not him . . . it looks like he needed to increase his ranking in her heart .
Daddy Tang said, "Doudou, we saw the live broadcast of your race . "
"Really?" Tang Yi-Bai was rather surprised, looking first at his father then his mother .
Madam Lu continued to pick at the food with her chopsticks, not even sparing him a glance, but she also said, "Yes, you swam pretty well . You brought pride to the Chinese people . "
Tang Yi-Bai smiled . He had always hoped to receive encouragement from his parents .
"However," Daddy Tang suddenly lowered his voice and stared at him inquisitively, "It was like you had been jolted by a live wire inside the pool . Was it because Yun Duo was watching you from the side?"
"Dad, you're overthinking this . " Tang Yi-Bai affected a nonchalant look, gobbling down food .
"Oh," Daddy Tang seemed thoughtful, "Looks like I've been reading too much into things . Very well, when Yun Duo comes back, I'll introduce him to Liu at my office, that young man is —"
"Dad!" Tang Yi-Bai urgently interrupted his father . Sternly, he looked at Daddy Tang and said, "You can only introduce Yun Duo to me . "
Daddy Tang raised his chopsticks and grinned broadly . "Ahahaha, you finally admit it!"
Madam Lu was also unable to stay reserved, breaking into laughter .
Since he had already admitted to it, Tang Yi-Bai decided to be completely shameless and said solemnly, "Dad, Mum, you need to help me look after her when I'm not around . Don't let her be stolen by other men . You especially need to guard against a man called Lin Zi . I'm counting on you!"
"Lin Zhe? Relax, this name sounds like that of a minor character . He's destined to never become the main character . "
Tang Yi-Bai facepalmed . "I hope your theory actually works . "
After lunch, Tang Yi-Bai sent Yun Duo a message: Home?
Yun Duo: Yep . You? Back already?
Tang Yi-Bai: Yep .
Yun Duo: Were you stopped by reporters? As soon as I turn on the tv now, you're everywhere . [snicker]
Tang Yi-Bai: Oh leave it alone .
Yun Duo: You need to get used to it . After this, you are going to be a famous person . Remember to wear sunglasses and a face mask when you go out .
Tang Yi-Bai: = . =
Tang Yi-Bai: Today, a reporter asked me what kind of girl I like .
Yun Duo: (⊙_⊙)
Right then, Yun Duo's mood was definitely not as easy and relaxed as the emoji she used would suggest . Her heart was beating wildly and her fingers trembled as she typed . Her eyes were glued to the screen of her phone as she carefully typed out word by word: So how did you answer?
Tang Yi-Bai: I didn't answer .
Yun Duo: -_-
Yun Duo: Stoking up my fire for gossip for no reason .
Tang Yi-Bai: My coach told me not to answer rashly .
Yun Duo: I don't care . You lit the flame, now you need to douse it . So, what type do you like?
After she sent this message, Yun Duo stared at the screen with bated breath . Her heartbeat was erratic — she could imagine his eyes and brows, his lovely smile, his gentle gaze .
She suddenly missed him very much and yearned to hug him, to rest for a while in his broad and warm embrace .
She looked at the 'typing . . . ' status displayed on the chat window, and when that status disappeared, she saw his reply .
Tang Yi-Bai: I'll tell you when you come back .