Embedded Files
Psst! We're moving!
“Missing bottoms?”
“Yes, where it’s not obvious that you’re wearing anything underneath.” Chi Suisui lightly blinked. “You can’t tell?”
The term “missing bottoms” was self-explanatory.
Even if He Xingwang hadn’t heard the phrase before, he could understand its meaning. His gaze lingered on her legs for a moment.
He asked seriously: “Do you want to wear my pants?”
Chi Suisui almost retorted with, “Why can’t I?” but suddenly remembered that his size would be too large for her.
If she wore them, they’d fall right off.
What if, while tucking the shirt up, the pants slipped down? That would truly become “missing bottoms.”
“No.”
Chi Suisui decisively changed her mind.
He Xingwang didn’t comment, only subtly raised his eyebrows twice as if he had already anticipated her answer.
Chi Suisui took the shirt and went inside to change.
There was no full-length mirror in the room, so she didn’t know how she looked, but given her figure, she assumed it wouldn’t look bad.
He Xingwang’s clothes carried a pleasant scent.
Subtle, yet she inhaled deeply a few times.
Chi Suisui recalled a theory—people could detect pheromones in others’ scents, and the smell of someone they liked would be more appealing. Different scents for different people.
Getting used to someone’s scent often meant getting used to the person themselves.
Had she gotten used to He Xingwang?
Chi Suisui tugged at the shirt, leaving the top button undone, revealing a delicate collarbone that exuded an unintentional allure.
“Are you done?”
“Yes.”
Chi Suisui responded, opening the door and stepping out. “Why are you rushing me?”
She abruptly stood in front of He Xingwang, who finally saw what “missing bottoms” looked like. Undeniably, it was a great temptation for any man.
“Does it look good?” Chi Suisui asked.
“It looks good,” He Xingwang confirmed without hesitation.
Only then was Chi Suisui satisfied. She sat back down and got to the main topic: “The thing I wanted to talk to you about—I originally didn’t plan to tell you, but something unexpected came up.”
Zhou Xucheng’s involvement had surfaced in the doping incident.
He Xingwang sat across from her and softly hummed.
Chi Suisui rested her hand on the table. “A few days ago, someone online spread rumors that you used performance-enhancing drugs. Quite a few people know about it, though it hasn’t spread widely yet.”
He Xingwang’s brows immediately furrowed.
For athletes, performance-enhancing drugs were a lifelong taboo—top of the list of prohibited substances. Because of this, even their diets were meticulously controlled.
Spreading such rumors was the gravest insult to an athlete.
“Don’t worry about it. The He family will handle it,” He Xingwang reassured her, his expression softening. “There will be official doping urine tests.”
Chi Suisui, of course, knew this.
Urine tests weren’t limited to competition periods. Surprise inspections during non-competition times were common, just to ensure nothing slipped through.
Moreover, the personnel conducting the tests had to be certified, with multiple parties present. Each person was responsible for their specific role, and recordings were made.
It was extremely strict.
Many who narrowly escaped detection in earlier years were later caught, and their past achievements were directly nullified.
In He Xingwang’s view, spreading doping rumors was a very foolish act.
Both families weren’t sitting idle either. While investigating, they had already cleaned up all related screenshots to prevent the matter from escalating.
Chi Suisui paused for a few seconds. “Rumors like these have already been dealt with. The investigation just concluded, and there’s one more person you know involved.”
“…”
The room fell silent.
After a long pause, He Xingwang lowered his eyes and spoke: “Him.”
It was a declarative tone.
Chi Suisui’s expression grew complex. She nodded. “Zhou Xucheng.”
A name no one would forget.
At thirteen, He Xingwang was discovered by Coach Zhu at a shooting range due to his remarkable talent. Coach Zhu firmly believed he would achieve outstanding results in the future.
At the time, Zhou Xucheng was fourteen and had been in the Shooting Sports Center for half a year.
He was brought in by the previous coach, also recognized for his talent. However, just a few months later, that coach left the center due to health issues, and Coach Zhu became the new coach.
Back then, China had won quite a few gold medals in shooting, but not excessively.
Coach Zhu was young and ambitious, wanting the Shooting Sports Center to achieve better results under his guidance, so he was strict.
He Xingwang, personally discovered by him, was both cherished and held to higher standards.
When he first entered the Shooting Sports Center, He Xingwang’s identity wasn’t disclosed. He joined as an ordinary athlete.
He and Zhou Xucheng were close in age and competed in the same 10-meter air pistol event, so they quickly became acquainted and exchanged knowledge.
Zhou Xucheng, having arrived six months earlier, was considered his senior and initially taught He Xingwang some professional techniques earnestly.
He Xingwang was quick to learn, grasping concepts effortlessly.
His progress at the Shooting Sports Center was rapid—from initial discomfort with the air pistol to consistently hitting 9 rings within a week.
In this field, He Xingwang was a true prodigy.
Meanwhile, Zhou Xucheng, once hailed as the youngest prodigy at the Shooting Sports Center, gradually found himself overshadowed by He Xingwang.
Coach Zhu’s strictness became a double-edged sword.
From Zhou Xucheng initially teaching him to He Xingwang surpassing him, Zhou Xucheng’s mindset began to shift day by day.
Not long after, the doping incident occurred.
Chi Suisui learned about this from Jiang Huiyue. After leaving the Shooting Sports Center at thirteen, the matter was kept hidden.
The room was brightly lit.
Chi Suisui gazed at the man across from her. “Back then, you let him go.”
She didn’t know the real reason, but the only explanation she could think of was that Zhou Xucheng was still a minor, not even sixteen yet.
“I never told you about what happened back then, did I?” He Xingwang didn’t respond to her statement but instead raised his eyes to look at her.
Chi Suisui’s expression was unusually serious.
“You don’t need to be so solemn.” He Xingwang’s somber mood lightened significantly as he reached out and pressed her forehead.
“Don’t touch me. Speak properly.”
“Alright, speaking.”
Recounting events heard from others always lacked the authenticity and detail of firsthand accounts.
He Xingwang asked: “You and my parents probably thought it was because he was a minor, which is why I didn’t pursue it further, right?”
Chi Suisui countered: “Isn’t that the case?”
Such a malicious act—she could only think of that reason for now.
“Not entirely.” He Xingwang’s gaze was clear, his dark eyes like a deep pool. “At first, he genuinely helped me.”
At the beginning, he was truly kind.
Born into the He family, He Xingwang’s friends were all from wealthy backgrounds. The Shooting Sports Center was a circle he had never experienced.
Under these circumstances, Zhou Xucheng, as a senior, diligently helped him resolve his initial confusion.
Though He Xingwang quickly mastered everything, Zhou Xucheng’s contributions couldn’t be denied.
“He indeed fell into this vicious cycle because of me. Being a minor was one reason,” He Xingwang said earnestly. “Another reason was that he had been friendly to me, and I didn’t want to appear in a scandal.”
Thus, the matter was privately resolved.
The Shooting Sports Center took the issue seriously because drugging a teammate was a heinous act with severe repercussions.
Though Zhou Xucheng hadn’t succeeded.
It happened the day after a competition ended. That day, He Xingwang was in a bad mood because he made a mistake during retraining and scored a rare 6-ring shot.
The water Zhou Xucheng handed over was left untouched.
The results of the urine test, naturally, showed no issues.
Coach Zhu had immense trust in He Xingwang, so a thorough investigation was conducted. Zhou Xucheng, young and inexperienced, grew nervous after committing the act.
He Xingwang was the one who discovered it.
Without much questioning, Zhou Xucheng admitted.
It was fortunate that he was still a minor.
Jiang Huiyue and He Minghua were furious at the time—how could their pride and joy be treated this way? But Zhou Xucheng’s elderly grandmother came to apologize, even kneeling before them.
No matter how they wanted to handle it, they couldn’t involve his family.
“This matter was very serious for us, but legally, he couldn’t be punished. My demand was that he be removed from the Shooting Sports Center.”
And never allowed to return.
If someone wished to compete as a shooter, not entering the Shooting Sports Center meant disqualification from competitions.
This incident wasn’t made public—to protect the reputation of the Shooting Sports Center and because He Xingwang didn’t want his name associated with scandal.
But he was indeed shocked at the time, which ultimately led to his departure from the center. The next day, Zhou Xucheng was sent away.
No media ever learned of this.
The He family privately blacklisted him. Zhou Xucheng later left Nancheng, and what he was doing now, He Xingwang didn’t know.
He Xingwang’s demeanor remained calm, his tone indifferent. After so many years, he could recount the events with great composure.
The calmer he was, the more Chi Suisui’s heart ached.
Just a teenager, suddenly facing such a thing.
What if he had actually drunk it? He would’ve been immediately flagged for doping, forever branded with the stigma.
Even if he achieved outstanding results later, he’d be endlessly doubted.
And even if He Xingwang gave up being an athlete to inherit the He family business, the accusation would follow him, ruining his life.
Chi Suisui couldn’t bear to imagine such a scenario.
She was grateful for that failed training session.
Years ago, Zhou Xucheng was fourteen—a minor—but now things were different.
“He’s an adult now,” Chi Suisui slowly said. “Though I don’t understand his mindset, he clearly got involved.”
It was very likely that he had spread the rumor himself.
Or perhaps he stumbled upon the rumor and, unable to contain his resentment over He Xingwang standing atop the world, decided to fan the flames.
Either way, since he acted, he must bear the consequences.
Chi Suisui even entertained a thought: What Zhou Xucheng hadn’t faced punishment for back then, he would face now.
“He claimed that all this happened because of me,” He Xingwang lowered his gaze.
“You’re not at fault here,” Chi Suisui’s clear eyes locked onto him. “Don’t overthink it, and don’t blame yourself.”
Was being exceptionally talented now considered a flaw?
Chi Suisui scoffed at such thoughts. She had always been envied by many young ladies of high society in Nancheng—it was innate.
She drew a parallel: “By his logic, given how many banquets I’ve attended, wouldn’t I have been poisoned hundreds of times by now?”
“…”
The previously somber mood was abruptly shattered.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of He Xingwang’s lips. “Yes, everything you say is right.”
“Of course it’s right,” Chi Suisui tilted her chin proudly.
“I know, and I don’t think I’m wrong either.” He Xingwang finally added: “But he changed, and I hold some responsibility for that.”
Chi Suisui only found him pitiful.
She remembered the He Xingwang of the past—proud but not arrogant, with strong self-esteem, though he often ended up following her lead.
The He Xingwang before thirteen was a proud boy.
Now, he had become a mature man.
How he emerged from that incident, trusted others again, re-entered the Shooting Sports Center, and achieved such brilliance—no one knew.
Seeing her suddenly grow somber, He Xingwang tapped his fingers on the table. “I’ll handle it properly.”
Chi Suisui suddenly felt they shouldn’t be discussing such a heavy topic.
She wasn’t here as a journalist but as his fiancée. She should bring up something lighter.
Chi Suisui’s tense nerves suddenly relaxed. She realized she was taking Zhou Xucheng far too seriously—it wasn’t worth it.
Why should she remember such a petty person?
Chi Suisui sighed softly and glanced at the time—it was already 11 p.m. “He Xingwang.”
“Hmm?”
“It’s 11 p.m. Where am I staying tonight?” Chi Suisui asked the crucial question.
She had rushed here without booking a hotel, so unless she went to stay at one of the He family’s hotels nearby, she had nowhere to go.
He Xingwang suddenly felt like sighing too.
“Stay here,” he said.
“Do you realize what you just said?” Chi Suisui’s usually cold and striking eyes now carried a hint of playfulness.
Coach Zhu would kill her.
“It’s fine. Family members are allowed to stay overnight,” He Xingwang explained calmly, adding: “Briefly.”
The word “briefly” was quite clever.
Chi Suisui pondered how long “briefly” might last. One night could be considered brief; three to five days could also qualify.
She teased: “Is this your rule?”
He Xingwang raised an eyebrow. “Is that what you think?”
Chi Suisui said: “It’s just a reasonable guess.”
He Xingwang neither confirmed nor denied but casually remarked: “If it were me, it wouldn’t be brief.”
“…”
Classic He Xingwang.
Chi Suisui was stunned for a moment before regaining her voice, continuing along his line of thought: “Then, with just one bed here, won’t my staying affect you?”
She tilted her head slightly, feigning coquettishness.
He Xingwang looked at her meaningfully, then glanced at the oversized shirt she wore. “Possibly.”
Chi Suisui asked: “Then what should we do?”
He Xingwang replied: “There’s nothing we can do.”
Google Sites
Report abuse