OSTF - 41

In truth, Li Huaiming and the others hadn’t heard much of Chi Suisui’s voice before—only that one time when their coach forced them to watch an interview video and write a reflection.

However, their memory was excellent.

Though it was only three words, the voice had been close to the phone, so they heard it clearly—a female voice, somewhat familiar.

At the shooting sports center, there were only so many people. The female athletes were limited, and after hearing their voices repeatedly over time, they could recognize who was who.

As for He Shen’s fiancée, their initial thought was that they didn’t know her because she and He Shen had known each other since they were seven years old, and they weren’t part of He Shen’s circle.

Who would have thought the female voice they heard belonged to someone they’d encountered before?

“Do you feel like you’ve heard this voice before?” Li Huaiming whispered to Su Zhi beside him. “Doesn’t it sound familiar?”

“Not that familiar.”

After pondering for a long while, Su Zhi finally gave four words.

“…” Li Huaiming shot him a glare.

“But we definitely heard it before.” Su Zhi nodded again. “What I mean is, we might have only heard it once or twice—not many times.”

“We’ve heard so many people; it’s hard to recall.”

Someone from behind chimed in: “Yeah, yeah. Just think about all the post-match interviews with journalists we’ve done—there’ve been so many reporters that if we grouped them together, they could form a football team.”

Journalists?

Interviews?

Li Huaiming, reminded by his teammates’ comments, felt like he had grasped something but quickly lost it again.

He glanced at the video screen. He Shen wasn’t looking at them; he was clearly talking to someone on his side.

“This one’s for making soup.”

He Xingwang took away the tomato that had been bitten into.

“A tomato for soup can’t be this sour, can it?” Chi Suisui didn’t even want to look at it, let alone care about the bite mark.

In the end, she still took a knife and cut out the part she had bitten.

Her face showed distaste, but she still insisted on doing it herself.

He Xingwang watched as her wrinkled expression accompanied her swift hand movements. In the next moment, she placed the carved tomato on the kitchen island.

“I’ll be back in a few hours.”

Hearing him speak to the person on the other side of the video call, Chi Suisui remembered he was still on a WeChat video call and quieted down.

She gave him a meaningful glance and then went upstairs.

On this side of the video, Li Huaiming fell silent for a moment and then said, “Then we’ll hang up. Wish you a pleasant dinner, He Shen.”

“…”

He Xingwang seemed not to hear their last sentence and directly ended the call. The screen went black before Li Huaiming even finished speaking.

What a heartless man.

Li Huaiming stared at the screen, returning to the original interface.

The people around him quickly dispersed. They had just finished training, so they had some time to make the call.

As Li Huaiming walked back, he finally figured out what he had been trying to grasp.

He searched for He Shen’s previous interview videos online. There were plenty on Weibo. Opening one and scrolling to the middle section, he found the journalist’s question.

The voice was clear and penetrating.

It sounded just like the voice from the video earlier!

Although the tone seemed slightly different—the voice from earlier sounded a bit better—it was unmistakably the same.

Li Huaiming wore a puzzled expression.

Had He Shen fallen in love with Reporter Chi at first sight and gotten engaged so quickly?

He vaguely remembered He Shen mentioning wanting to specifically request Reporter Chi for an interview… No wonder he had been subtly hinted at—He Shen had done it on purpose.

What a heartless man!

Li Huaiming couldn’t help but sincerely question.

________________________________________

Bai’an Mansion

He Xingwang had bought several tomatoes. After cutting the others, he noticed the one Chi Suisui had carved out. Inside, it looked underripe.

He picked it up and took a bite. Even by his standards, it was a bit sour, let alone for Chi Suisui, whose face had scrunched up so much.

He Xingwang hadn’t seen Chi Suisui make such an expression in a long time.

Nowadays, whether at her house or his, the housekeepers always avoided making sour dishes, so she hadn’t tasted anything sour in a while.

He Xingwang finished it in just a few bites.

It seemed like a casual action. His expression remained calm, and after finishing, he continued to prepare the other ingredients.

Chi Suisui took a shower upstairs and changed into loungewear. During this time, she also had a phone call with Song Miaoli.

Dr. Song was working overtime tonight and wanted some home-cooked food, but private kitchens were expensive. Gu Nanxuan had just returned today, so she didn’t dare ask him to go buy anything.

“Suisui, you’re my only hope, wuwuwu!”

—The perks of having a true bestie.

“Alright, you only have me,” Chi Suisui responded quickly. She had nothing else to do tonight anyway. “I’ll bring it over later.”

“You’re the best, Suisui!” Song Miaoli sighed expressively and added, “Dating someone poor has its downsides.”

“Then break up.”

“His good looks make me want to endure a little longer.” Song Miaoli sighed again. “Gu Nanxuan was on a business trip for a week and just came back tonight. Poor employees have it rough.”

Chi Suisui was forced to listen to the tragic tale of Xiao Gu being sent on a business trip by his boss.

Only after Dr. Song hung up to attend to her matters did Chi Suisui exhale. Other people’s relationships were truly troublesome. Hers was much simpler.

When Chi Suisui came downstairs, it was just in time for dinner.

“How punctual.”

Chi Suisui complimented lightly.

She wasn’t picky about food. Today’s meal was relatively light, but the pairings were based on the nutritionist’s recommendations, which were beneficial for her.

After eating, she proactively took her bowl to the kitchen.

The kitchen had already been cleaned spotlessly.

Chi Suisui didn’t see the tomato and assumed it had been thrown away. However, upon checking the trash bin, she found it wasn’t there either. Turning her head, she asked:

“What happened to that super sour tomato?”

“It was eaten.”

He Xingwang replied indifferently.

Chi Suisui made a soft noise of acknowledgment, seeing no issue with it. Not wasting food was important, and she had even carefully carved out the part she had bitten.

With just the two of them at home, there was no need to be so particular.

“Are you going to wash the dishes?” Chi Suisui asked.

“Do you want to wash them?” He Xingwang raised an eyebrow at her.

Chi Suisui felt he was questioning her ability to wash dishes. Although she was a young lady, it didn’t mean she did nothing.

“You’re underestimating me.”

With a smile, Chi Suisui directly took the plate from his hand. “How hard can washing dishes be? If you can do it, so can I.”

“I never said that.” He Xingwang chuckled and took the plate back. “You don’t need to lift a finger today.”

“It’s your own words.”

Chi Suisui was more than happy to enjoy the moment.

The man slightly lowered his head, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing beautifully pronounced wrist bones. His hands were showcased perfectly under the running water—long and strong fingers.

Chi Suisui often saw comments online praising celebrities’ hands.

But she thought his were the best.

She suddenly remembered something: “After eating, are you heading back?”

“Mm.” He Xingwang looked up.

“Then you might as well take me to the Second Hospital on your way.” Chi Suisui smiled sweetly. “Thank you, fiancé.”

He Xingwang neither agreed nor disagreed.

After drying his hands, he calmly added, “After this trip, I probably won’t be able to return until late at night in the future.”

“Not returning is fine too,” Chi Suisui poured herself a glass of water while speaking. “There’s only a month left until the World Cup. Training is more important.”

She hoped He Xingwang would achieve better results.

He had become famous at a young age by breaking records and showcasing exceptional skills. As a top shooter, nothing spoke louder than achievements.

The sports world was unforgiving.

It always judged victories and defeats solely based on results.

He Xingwang gained fame through his achievements, which placed him in his current position. He had never made a mistake, but if there were any issues in the upcoming competitions, forgiveness wouldn’t come easily.

High expectations could lead to deep disappointment.

As a journalist, Chi Suisui had seen it all too often. Some Olympic champions faltered in the next tournament, and the international stage showed no mercy when people were disappointed.

Disappointment bred impulsiveness, and impulsiveness led to harsh criticism.

“The competition is more important,” Chi Suisui set down her glass and stared at him. “I think you should stay at the shooting center. It’s practically the same as being at home anyway.”

“Don’t you want me to come back?”

He Xingwang raised his eyes and gazed at her quietly.

“Rather than wanting you to come back,” Chi Suisui paused mid-sentence and revealed a beautiful smile, “I’d rather see you on the field.”

Radiant, bold, and proud.

That was another side of He Xingwang.

The discussion about whether or not to return eventually came to an end.

Song Miaoli’s desired private kitchen meal was conveniently along the way. Chi Suisui called ahead to inform them, only to discover Song Miaoli had already placed the order.

It seemed she was truly craving it.

Chi Suisui knew being an emergency department doctor was busy, but witnessing the real-life scenario made her realize just how overwhelming it was.

Eating halfway through a meal only to leave and return with cold food.

At least Song Miaoli was doing alright. Though she had strained relations with her family during her school years, after coming to the Second Hospital, a housekeeper cooked for her.

And there was also Song Chengrui who occasionally brought her food.

Now that she was dating, Gu Nanxuan frequently brought homemade meals—not bought from outside—and the dishes varied daily.

For this reason, Song Miaoli even pitied Gu Nanxuan for spending money on groceries.

She even considered giving Gu Nanxuan a card as compensation for this period when they eventually broke up.

Chi Suisui refrained from commenting.

As they spoke, Dr. Song’s call came through: “Suisui, where are you now?”

“I’m on my way to buy your food,” Chi Suisui patiently replied. “Wait another twenty minutes.”

“Twenty minutes feels so long!”

Song Miaoli had just returned to the department and could rest for a while unless another emergency arose.

After some comforting words from Chi Suisui, she hung up and opened a video to watch.

Not even a few minutes passed before a knock sounded at the door.

Gu Nanxuan entered, elegant and sharp, carrying a bag with some desserts in his slender hands.

As soon as he walked in, he saw Song Miaoli reaching for tissues.

“What’s wrong?” Gu Nanxuan frowned.

“The plot is too heart-wrenching,” Song Miaoli wiped away imaginary tears and pouted. “The female lead got fifty yuan stolen.”

Gu Nanxuan was momentarily speechless.

After a while, he furrowed his brows and said, “It’s all fake—it’s what the screenwriter wrote.”

Song Miaoli blinked and asked, “But doesn’t it make you feel sorry for the female lead? Wouldn’t you feel sad if you got robbed?”

Gu Nanxuan: Not sad.

He had no money to steal—he didn’t carry cash.

“Yes, sad,” Gu Nanxuan reluctantly lied after a brief pause.

“See, even you feel sad.”

“…”

Gu Nanxuan took a deep breath and diverted her attention: “But with technology advancing so quickly, in the future, we might not even need phones.”

“I know.”

“Let’s eat something first.”

“Alright. I’ll stop watching.” Song Miaoli cursed at the drama’s characters and decisively abandoned the TV show, happily digging into the desserts instead.

Though she didn’t know where Gu Nanxuan had gotten the no-brand desserts—or if he had made them himself—the taste was exquisite.

Song Miaoli surrendered to the deliciousness.

Far away on the road, Chi Suisui didn’t know that Dr. Song’s acting skills were inversely proportional to her self-control, and she was still contemplating whether to bring other food.

As soon as she got out of the car, He Xingwang followed her down.

“Why are you getting out?” Chi Suisui turned her head. “Do you want to be on the trending searches tomorrow for having dinner with an unknown girl late at night?”

“It fits the news from last time,” He Xingwang said calmly.

“...”

In the eyes of the public, this was indeed the case.

Chi Suisui pulled out a mask from somewhere and insisted on putting it on him, not forgetting to remind him: “Celebrities should be mindful when they go out.”

He Xingwang sat by the car, allowing her to do as she pleased.

Having not had a haircut for some time, his black hair had grown longer. Though he had shaved his beard, one could still feel the stubble if they touched his chin.

The strands of hair tickled slightly against the back of her hand.

He Xingwang lowered his gaze to look at Chi Suisui below him. Her attention was entirely focused on the mask. Today, she wore a high-waisted suit that swayed with her movements, her face like a painting.

Her long, curled lashes occasionally fluttered.

He Xingwang suddenly felt an urge to touch them but after a moment, restrained himself, patiently waiting for her to finish adjusting the mask.

The car was parked not far from the shop.

A few people nearby saw Chi Suisui’s profile and couldn’t help but take a second glance. Then, looking inside the car door, they saw a man partly hidden in shadow—his long legs prominent.

“Done.”

This mask was originally bought by Chi Suisui for herself to protect against smog, but while it was too big for her, it fit He Xingwang perfectly.

He Xingwang accompanied her over.

The shop owner had prepared everything on time, delivering the food to Chi Suisui and asking if they needed help delivering it to the hospital, which she declined.

If they delivered it, it would draw even more attention.

“You carry this, and I’ll take this.” Chi Suisui assigned tasks to He Xingwang, but before she finished speaking, he had already taken everything.

The tall, silent man stood beside her.

Many customers in the store glanced over.

As they passed a table with four girls seated, Chi Suisui heard their exclamations: “...he’s super handsome!”

“I don’t chase stars; I chase He Shen.” Another girl quickly chimed in: “It’s much easier and happier than when I used to stay up all night defending my idol.”

“If only I were He Shen’s fiancée.”

“Who doesn’t wish for that? But just look at the photos—it’s better to just dream about it.” The person opposite replied: “The little princess is truly beautiful.”

Chi Suisui paused briefly, unsure how to react to what she heard.

It wasn’t like Su Mian, a hardcore fan of fictional couples, talking. This was the first time she personally heard other girls say they wanted to become her.

And then they called her “little princess.”

Chi Suisui had heard this term before—some gatherings used to call her that—but no one had called her that since she grew up.

After leaving the store, Chi Suisui found herself increasingly amused.

“What are you laughing about?” He Xingwang asked.

“Did you hear what they said just now?” Chi Suisui turned her head, smiling brightly. “An interview question for the main character—how does it feel?”

He Xingwang opened the car door and responded: “You mean ‘little princess’?”

The word he repeated made Chi Suisui’s heart skip a beat.

Chi Suisui said: “You know that’s not what I’m referring to.”

He Xingwang thought for a moment: “Troubled.”

Chi Suisui asked: “What’s troubling you? Is it the sweet burden of being admired?”

“The thing troubling me—” He Xingwang turned his head to look at her: “Is that it might trouble my fiancée, like asking this question.”