14 Wang Chuqin

The end of military training did not signal the arrival of the much-anticipated Spring Festival holiday for Duan Nanzhou. Due to the heavy competition schedule this year, the holiday was nearly cut short, leaving just a few days for celebration. The new year’s Spring Festival was also the time when Duan Nanzhou’s parents came to Beijing to reunite with her.

Duan Nanzhou was planning to take her parents sightseeing around Beijing, just as she had done the previous year, when someone suddenly joined them.

“What’s up? You want to come along too?” Duan Nanzhou asked, puzzled.

“Yeah, can I? I know Beijing well and can show your uncle and aunt around properly,” Wang Chuqin said enthusiastically, his mind filled with hopeful thoughts.

“Don’t you have to go home for the New Year?” Since Wang Chuqin’s family had moved to Beijing, returning home for the holiday was quite convenient for him.

“My uncle and aunt are visiting Beijing for the first time in a while, so I want to make sure they’re well taken care of. My home is nearby—I can go back anytime,” Wang Chuqin said earnestly.

Yet Duan Nanzhou’s suspicious gaze did not waver. Was this boy trying to tell her parents they were dating by being so eager? Such attentiveness seemed suspicious indeed.

This brought into focus Wang Chuqin’s thoughts. In truth, he had never heard of Duan Nanzhou introducing him to her family, so he wasn’t sure if her parents even knew she was in a relationship. If they didn’t, he felt a bit like an outsider without an official status.

On the other hand, Wang Chuqin’s own parents had known about the relationship for some time. Years ago, when he had a secret crush, his mother had sensed something and quietly kept track of her son’s romantic progress.

Regarding Duan Nanzhou, Wang’s mother had long been aware of her. Because of her son’s involvement in table tennis, she followed the sport closely and admired many strong players.

Duan Nanzhou, since joining the national team, had shone brightly—never losing in international matches and rarely losing in domestic ones. Early on, she had lost a few matches as a newcomer, but now she was a powerful and beautiful champion. How could Wang’s mother not like her? The more matches she watched, the more she grew fond of her, becoming somewhat of a fan.

Upon learning that Duan Nanzhou was her son’s crush, Wang’s mother paid special attention to their development, half annoyed that her son might not be quite “good enough,” yet secretly hoping they could become a couple. Once their relationship was confirmed, she openly supported it.

Since it was convenient to be in Beijing, Wang’s parents often visited the team to see their son, but Wang’s mother also took the opportunity to watch Duan Nanzhou. Every visit, she brought them lots of treats and looked at Duan Nanzhou with such affection that it was almost overwhelming.

So, when she learned that Duan Nanzhou’s parents were coming to Beijing, Wang’s mother encouraged her son to accompany them, at least to make a good impression and let them become familiar with him.

“Fine,” Duan Nanzhou said indifferently. Her parents had long known about her relationship and had even gossiped and followed their story. She just hadn’t told Wang Chuqin, so she wasn’t sure if he knew.

When Duan Nanzhou’s parents arrived in Beijing, they were warmly entertained by their daughter’s boyfriend. Looking at their daughter’s usual “cool” demeanor, the contrast made Wang Chuqin seem all the more likable.

However, it was mainly Duan’s mother who found Wang agreeable. Duan’s father still preferred his daughter, though the somewhat dismissive smile he gave Wang Chuqin suggested his loyalty had some flexibility.

A few days later, after seeing off her parents, Duan Nanzhou breathed a sigh of relief. Compared to past lives, her parents had become much more openly affectionate, often leaving her somewhat overwhelmed.

Duan’s parents: How could they not be? Their little darling trained daily and won championships, and they barely saw her at home. Of course they wanted to show warmth when they could.

---

Over these few days, Wang Chuqin successfully earned great favor with Duan’s parents and was elated by their approval.

Especially when they left, they told the two to train hard, win championships, and stay together happily.

Wasn’t this a clear sign of their blessing? Having secured the parents’ approval, Wang Chuqin felt more confident than ever.

Later, Duan Nanzhou went with Wang Chuqin to his home for dinner. It wasn’t her first time visiting, so she wasn’t very nervous.

Faced with Wang’s increasingly warm mother, Duan Nanzhou found it a bit hard to manage, though she masked it well.

Wang Chuqin, who had never seen his girlfriend act this way, gaped in disbelief as Duan Nanzhou coquettishly charmed his mother until she was beaming with joy.

This wasn’t new to Duan Nanzhou—she often acted sweetly to her own parents at home. However, with her parents visiting Beijing, Wang Chuqin had somewhat taken her place, so she had been more reserved.

Wang’s mother was genuinely delighted. This young lady was truly charming, and the more she saw, the more she liked her. She hoped her son would step up and keep the relationship going, and not break up.

“Baby, you hardly ever act cute toward me!” Wang Chuqin immediately pouted after his parents left. Why did he never get this kind of treatment?

“...” The silence was deafening. Duan Nanzhou wanted to say that she usually got all the chances to act cute, as Wang Chuqin was always the one being affectionate.

Having gradually realized his girlfriend might be a bit of a straightforward, no-nonsense type, Wang Chuqin had come to accept it more than before. He no longer fussed over minor things, but it didn’t stop him from using his charm to seek benefits.

“Head, you better behave,” Duan Nanzhou said softly, stroking Wang Chuqin’s head while delivering a less-than-gentle warning. He quieted down immediately.

---

Originally, 2020 was supposed to be busy, but due to certain reasons, many competitions were suspended.

As a result, the national table tennis team suddenly found themselves with the most idle training days. Since they couldn’t travel freely, most of the team was confined to the Beijing Sports Bureau.

Their daily routine became a simple loop: dormitory, training hall, cafeteria. Compared with usual intense training days, this was much easier.

Training sessions were significantly reduced, and the facility limited the number of people gathered, so everyone had more personal time.

Consequently, the team started finding ways to entertain themselves and enrich their daily lives.

For example, the women’s team suddenly surrounded Duan Nanzhou: small, helpless, and frightened.

“Sister Ding Ning, Sister Xiao Zao, what exactly are you planning to do?” After being surrounded for quite some time with no one speaking, Duan Nanzhou couldn’t help but ask. The smiles on their faces, directed at her, were a bit unsettling.

“Duan Nanzhou, here’s the deal. We’re thinking about developing some recreational activities,” Ding Ning, the spokesperson, finally said after some thought.

Seeing the question in Duan’s eyes, Ding Ning was exasperated. Usually such a clever girl—why wasn’t she getting it today?

Duan Nanzhou: ???

“We want to learn some dance. How about that?” Liu Shiwen added.

“Me? Teach?” Duan Nanzhou pointed to herself, double-checking.

Everyone nodded enthusiastically.

“Can I say no?”

“No way!” came the unanimous response.

Thus, the national women’s table tennis team’s dance group was born, along with various humorous incidents.

“Xiao Zao, hahaha, that move is all wrong!” Ding Ning shamelessly mocked Liu Shiwen beside her, oblivious to her own flawed steps.

“Sister Ding Ning, you’re no better than Sister Xiao Zao!” Chen Meng couldn’t help but interject.

“Why does it look so familiar?” The usually quiet Wang Manyu suddenly chimed in.

“Like morning exercise!” Wang Yidi confirmed, though she was just there to fill in numbers.

Duan Nanzhou: ...

One dance move after another, with each person having a different idea—how was she supposed to teach like this?

In any case, the women’s team’s chaotic dance lessons had officially begun and became a beloved tradition, practiced whenever they had free time.

Later, when forced to perform talents on a show, the women’s team showcased their dance skills, becoming part of the national table tennis jokes.

Though some had learned the moves well, the overall performance was disrupted by the hectic flailing of others, resulting in a “spectacular” display.

Duan Nanzhou thought to herself, luckily she had other things to do that day, or else she too would have become a new meme.