Wang Chuqin

At the singles final, the entire audience shared one sentiment: she was simply too powerful! The brilliance of the match kept everyone glued to the action, leaving them no time to worry about their expressions.

Everyone noticed that Duan Nanzhou was different in this tournament. There was a newfound intensity in her performance, and as a result, her opponent was completely unable to fend her off.

On the court, Duan Nanzhou felt exhilarated. No wonder everyone loved the explosive style of play; it truly felt different, and once she tried it, she found it quite addictive.

Duan Nanzhou’s obvious change sparked heated discussions online. People were debating why she was playing so aggressively, a stark contrast to her usual calm persona.

Only the national table tennis coaching staff understood why. Before coming here, Duan Nanzhou had dropped a hint: she didn't want to continue playing after these Olympic Games.

The coaches felt they could understand her perspective if they put themselves in her shoes. Having won almost every match in her professional career and claimed every possible title, she found no rivals at home or abroad. The greatest challenge for her had been those early years when she was still gaining experience; ever since then, it had been a process of completely dominating everyone in her path.

Duan Nanzhou was more than just a table tennis player. She served as an unofficial coach, a sparring partner, and held several other roles. There was no one busier than her in the national team.

Being such an iron-willed person, the coaching staff couldn't understand where she found the time when she first started dating Wang Chuqin. They even considered putting an end to the relationship, not wanting Duan Nanzhou’s career to stagnate because of romance.

To their surprise, Duan Nanzhou balanced her career and love life perfectly, even helping her boyfriend improve rapidly. The coaches had no choice but to stay silent. Seeing that there was nothing to fault in Duan Nanzhou’s performance, they turned their focus to Wang Chuqin, fearing he might hinder her progress—or his own.

This scrutiny lasted for years, yet thanks to Duan Nanzhou’s level-headed management and Wang Chuqin’s devotion, they arrived where they were today—a result few had anticipated.

The men’s team coaches, in particular, had dealt with many "problem children" over the years. They initially thought Wang Chuqin would be another handful, but he turned out to be a "girlfriend-obsessed" player who would listen to anything as long as Duan Nanzhou’s name was mentioned. Coach Xiao and the others found this both a relief and a headache.

As for Duan Nanzhou’s intention to retire, almost no one knew except for Liu Guoliang and a few others, as they feared it would affect everyone’s morale during the games.

When they first heard her plan, the coaches’ immediate reaction was shock, disbelief, and opposition. There had been predecessors who retired while at the peak of their careers, but to have another one now left the coaches exhausted.

Unfortunately, once Duan Nanzhou made a decision, she would not change it. No matter how much the coaches pleaded, she remained as immovable as a mountain. Eventually, they gave up, deciding to let it be.

The reason for her decision was clear. Since joining the team, she had been spinning like a top, balancing her own matches with analyzing the techniques of others. She was spread too thin.

Now that she had won everything, and with the Paris Olympics being the moment she and her boyfriend reached the summit together, she felt it was the perfect time to step down. She wanted to enjoy her own life. Just as she had felt at the beginning of this life, she wanted to "lie flat." This wish had been postponed for over twenty years, and now, it could finally be realized.

The coaches, especially Liu Guoliang, were devastated to learn that her retirement meant completely stepping away from table tennis. They argued that she could stay with the national team as a coach! They had never seen anyone better suited for the role—someone who could analyze both opponents and teammates. She was a natural coach.

The coaches surrounded her, trying to persuade her by appealing to both her career development and her feelings, hoping she would stay to guide the team.

Duan Nanzhou sat there with an "indifferent" expression, surrounded by several excited coaches who wouldn't stop talking. They even coordinated, taking turns to speak so that each person could stop to catch their breath or drink some water.

Duan Nanzhou, feeling the constant buzzing in her ears, thought, "So annoying, I want to run away."

Finally, during a brief pause, Duan Nanzhou replied, "Fine, fine, fine, I’ll stay," which stopped the coaches from continuing their lecture.

Duan Nanzhou was genuinely afraid that if she didn't agree, she wouldn't be able to leave today. At worst, she would stay for a while and then leave later.

Liu Guoliang and the others wore enigmatic smiles, thinking, "Once you’ve stayed, do you think you can still leave?"

The matter was essentially settled, though the coaching staff realized that once the news of her retirement broke after the Olympics, the internet would likely erupt in chaos. It was truly a difficult situation.

Duan Nanzhou didn't tell her boyfriend, fearing it would distract him from his matches. She chose to act as if nothing had happened.

After the singles final, Duan Nanzhou went to check on her boyfriend, only to be surrounded by an aggressive mob of reporters.

The reporters were relieved to finally catch her. Ever since the mixed doubles, they had been dying to ask about the gossip, but she had always brushed them off, claiming she needed to focus on her singles matches. Now that the match was over and she had won the gold, they were determined to get some answers.

After the standard questions about her thoughts on the match and future prospects, they began to probe about the hand-holding during the mixed doubles award ceremony.

"The podium was too high. Datou was just helping me so I wouldn't fall!" Duan Nanzhou said with a perfectly straight face. Looking at the absurdity on the reporters' faces, they clearly didn't expect her to tell such a blatant lie with such sincerity.

"What about after you stepped off the podium? Everyone saw you two holding hands the whole time," a reporter asked, unable to hide a knowing smile. He was determined to get something out of her!

"Did they? I didn't notice," Duan Nanzhou replied, employing her signature deflection technique. She didn't provide a single useful piece of information.

By the end of the interview, the reporters looked completely defeated, knowing they had gained nothing. Seeing their gray expressions, Duan Nanzhou patted a reporter on the shoulder, said "Gotta go," and walked away. The netizens watching the livestream found it both funny and infuriating.

On one hand, the reporters' failure was hilarious; on the other, Duan Nanzhou’s refusal to address the relationship status was frustrating.

Refusing to give up, the reporter decided to go stake out Datou, certain he could get something out of him!

Since the women’s singles match ended earlier, the men’s match was still at a fever pitch. When the reporter arrived at the men’s side, the match was still ongoing.

While waiting for Wang Chuqin to finish, the reporter glanced at the stands and saw Duan Nanzhou watching the match—the very person who had just deflected his questions. "And she says there’s nothing going on? Who is she kidding?"

Duan Nanzhou had indeed come to watch her boyfriend’s final. She looked at his handsome figure on the court with stars in her eyes, but a second later, she saw him tapping his racket and his own head in frustration, muttering to himself. Sure enough, the handsomeness wouldn't last, but the silliness was permanent.

On the court, Wang Chuqin was busy coaching himself. The final was intense, and he had to keep his head in the game to win.

"Wow..." The cheers of the entire arena erupted, witnessing Wang Chuqin’s victory as the men’s singles champion. Duan Nanzhou applauded from the sidelines, offering her boyfriend her best wishes.

As soon as it ended, Duan Nanzhou joined the coaches to greet her boyfriend, giving him a big thumbs up.

"That was amazing, Toutou!" Duan Nanzhou said with a sweet smile. The nickname made the coaches nearby pause; why was Nanzhou starting to act as affectionate as Datou?

Wang Chuqin was surprised that his girlfriend had used their private nickname in such a public setting, but he was even more pleasantly surprised.

"Of course it was!" Wang Chuqin’s cocky expression was so cute that Duan Nanzhou couldn't help but pinch his cheek, only stopping when the coaches coughed to remind them of their surroundings.

The coaches felt exhausted by the pair’s boldness. Couldn't they be more careful in public? Already imagining their phones blowing up with questions about the relationship, the coaches felt truly drained.

Wang Chuqin talked to his girlfriend while slowly packing his little red suitcase, the two of them even discussing where to go for fun after the tournament.

As Wang Chuqin prepared to leave, he was cornered by the same reporter. Seeing the familiar face, Duan Nanzhou, who had been trailing a few steps behind, turned on her heel and walked away in big strides.

Wang Chuqin, who was still chatting with his girlfriend, saw his "Zhouzhou" turn and vanish without warning, leaving him and the reporter staring at each other.

The reporter couldn't stop her in time, so he had to settle for questioning Wang Chuqin.

Wang Chuqin didn't have Duan Nanzhou’s skill for deflection. Although he tried to be careful, under the reporter’s persistent questioning, he couldn't help but let a few things slip, or he would just giggle when he didn't know how to answer. It was clear to everyone that they were in a relationship.

The reporter was satisfied; he had gotten the answers he wanted. Even if it wasn't a formal confirmation, it was enough to fuel the imagination!

Netizens watching the interview couldn't stop smiling, feeling it was all too sweet.

[Sister Duan: I turn and leave~ Datou: So I guess I’ll just say it?]

[Reporter: Sister Duan, are you being polite? You run the moment you see me? Am I some kind of monster?]

[Sister Duan’s exit was so smooth, I didn't even see her leave, hahahahaha.]

[Sister Duan is basically saying: Don't cue me, I'm busy, I'm off.]

[Datou looking confused as his girlfriend vanishes is hilarious. He’s probably wondering what just happened!]

[Datou: Baby, if you're leaving, take me with you!]

[As expected, Datou is lost without Sister Duan. One question and he spills everything. Sister Duan is the anchor!]

[Sister Duan’s strategy is to say nothing; Datou’s strategy is to tell you everything.]

[I’ll ship this sweetness first; real couples are the best! The Double Wang CP!]

[They really reached the top together. First the mixed doubles title, now both are singles champions. Just the team gold left! (Dog head)]

[Let’s go for the Olympic triple crown!]