Chapter 251 Starlight (Part Two)

Xu Xinghe held Ji Wanqing tightly, unwilling to let go for a long time, as if he wanted to forever engrave the joy and warmth of this moment into his body.

It wasn't until a staff member passed by and took a curious look that Ji Wanqing gently nudged him, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Okay, let go now, you're still wet."

Xu Xinghe reluctantly released his embrace, but still held her hand tightly with one hand, looking at her with a silly grin, his eyes shining brightly as if he owned the whole world.

"Wanqing." He called her name, his tone filled with novelty and affection, "I'm... your boyfriend now, right?"

"Otherwise what?" Ji Wanqing looked at his silly appearance and asked with amusement, "The award has been given and the kiss has been received. It's too late to back out now."

"Anyone who wants to back out! I will never back out in this lifetime!" Xu Xinghe immediately declared loudly, attracting the attention of several athletes who had not yet left. He not only did not feel embarrassed, but proudly puffed out his chest and held her hand even tighter.

That evening, Xu Xinghe's swimming teammates teased him about celebrating his victory in the final battle of his university career and also wanting to meet his sister-in-law.

Ji Wanqing originally wanted to decline, but seeing Xu Xinghe's eyes that seemed to want to announce it to the whole world, she smiled and agreed.

The gathering was held at a lively barbecue restaurant near the school.

When Ji Wanqing and Xu Xinghe appeared together, the previously noisy private room fell silent for a moment, and then erupted into even more enthusiastic cheers.

Wow! Xinghe, that's impressive!

"Is this Sister Wanqing? She looks even better than in the live stream!"

"That Xinghe kid has been hiding his true abilities well!"

While keeping Ji Wanqing by his side with his ears turning red, Xu Xinghe glared fiercely at his group of bad friends.

"Shhh, all of you! Don't scare my girlfriend!"

The word "girlfriend" was spoken with exceptional loudness, tinged with undisguised pride.

Ji Wanqing, on the other hand, was poised and greeted everyone with a smile.

She was already beautiful and had a great temperament. Coupled with the aura of her career success, she quickly won over the crowd and became one of the group of energetic young people.

Xu Xinghe acted like a loyal guard dog the whole time, sitting next to her, pouring her drinks and picking out skewers she might like, his eyes almost never leaving her.

"Alright, I can do it myself. You take care of your teammates," Ji Wanqing whispered to him.

“They don’t need me to take care of them,” Xu Xinghe said matter-of-factly. “It’s only natural for me to take care of my girlfriend.”

His teammates burst into good-natured laughter, teasing Xu Xinghe for forgetting his friends for the sake of a pretty girl, creating a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

After the dinner, Xu Xinghe escorted Ji Wanqing back to her hotel.

The campus was peaceful and beautiful at night, and the streetlights cast long shadows of the two people.

"Are you happy today?" Xu Xinghe held her hand and gently shook it.

"Yes, I'm very happy." Ji Wanqing nodded, looking at his short hair that was slightly ruffled by the night breeze. "Your teammates are all very cute."

"Of course!" Xu Xinghe answered cheerfully, then asked somewhat nervously, "So... how did I do? I wasn't too childish, was I?"

He was always afraid that he wasn't mature enough in front of her.

Ji Wanqing stopped and turned to face him, reaching out to straighten his collar with a gentle gaze.

"No, you are very sincere and lovely. I like you as you are, there's no need for you to deliberately change anything."

Xu Xinghe's heart was instantly filled with emotion. He lowered his head, his forehead gently touching hers, his voice deep and earnest.

"Wanqing, thank you for choosing me. Trust me, I will treat you very well, better than anyone else."

"I know." Ji Wanqing chuckled and placed a brief kiss on his lips. "My little champion."

Afterwards, Ji Wanqing returned to Beijing to continue managing the guild, while Xu Xinghe also joined the national team training camp to prepare for the upcoming Asian Championships.

Long-distance relationships did not become an obstacle for them; on the contrary, they made every reunion all the more precious.

Xu Xinghe's training is intense and strictly managed, so he cannot use his mobile phone at any time.

But he would always seize every opportunity to send messages to Ji Wanqing.

Sometimes it's a simple "Good morning" after waking up in the morning, accompanied by a photo of the training hall in the morning light.

Sometimes, during lunch break, they would complain about the food in the cafeteria, then take a picture of their empty plate to prove they were eating properly.

More often than not, after evening training, I would drag my tired body to video chat with her, share my training progress, or just look at her and listen to her talk about the interesting things that happened in the guild.

His presence was like a ray of sunshine that never fails to shine, piercing through distance and warming Ji Wanqing's busy life.

When he encounters a bottleneck, she will encourage and support him in her mature way, helping him analyze problems and relieve stress.

Time passed in this way for a while. Ji Wanqing came to the city where the training base was located on a business trip and took the opportunity to visit him.

Xu Xinghe asked the coach for a few hours off, and like a puppy finally released from its cage, he excitedly pulled her for a walk near the base.

It was late autumn, and the ginkgo leaves along the roadside were a golden yellow.

As they walked, Xu Xinghe suddenly stopped, took something out of the pocket of his sports jacket, and carefully pinned it to Ji Wanqing's sweater.

Ji Wanqing looked down and saw that it was the gold medal he had won in the competition where he broke the record.

"What is this...?" she said, somewhat surprised.

"This is for you." Xu Xinghe looked at her, his eyes clear and firm. "This is the first championship of significance in my life. It was because you came to see me that I was able to perform exceptionally well. It should belong to you."

The gold medal was heavy, still warm from his body.

This gift moved Ji Wanqing more than any piece of jewelry.

It represents an athlete's highest honor and carries his unreserved love and trust.

"You should keep this important thing for yourself." Although she was touched, she felt it was too precious.

“No.” Xu Xinghe shook his head stubbornly and held her hand. “I will win many, many more gold medals in the future, and half of each one will be yours. But this first one must be placed here with you. That way, even if I can’t be by your side every day, it can protect you for me.”

Looking at the man in front of her, who was a few years younger than her but always loved her in the most direct and pure way, Ji Wanqing felt an overwhelming tenderness in her heart.

She no longer declined, gently stroking the gold medal on her chest and smiling.

"Okay, I'll keep it for you. I'll return it to you when you stand on a higher podium."

"No need to return it." Xu Xinghe grinned, revealing his white teeth. "I'll give you the new one later!"

The time spent together always seems too short.

On the way to the airport, Xu Xinghe held Ji Wanqing's hand tightly the whole time, like a child afraid of being left behind.

At the security checkpoint, he pulled her into his arms again, ignoring the people around them, and whispered in her ear.

"I'll come see you after the Asian Championships. You need to eat well, rest on time, and not overwork yourself."

"You too." Ji Wanqing hugged him back and patted his back. "Be careful during training, don't get hurt."

The announcement urging boarding came over the loudspeaker, and Ji Wanqing had no choice but to leave his embrace.

After taking a few steps, she turned around and saw Xu Xinghe still standing in the same spot. His tall figure looked somewhat lonely in the bustling crowd at the airport, but his eyes were filled with reluctance and determination as he looked at her.

She waved to him and mouthed silently, "Good luck."

Xu Xinghe nodded vigorously and waved to her until her figure disappeared at the end of the security checkpoint before reluctantly turning to leave.

Sitting on the plane, Ji Wanqing touched the cool gold medal on her chest, a gentle smile always on her lips.

So this is what it feels like to be in love with someone.

Even though we are thousands of miles apart, my heart is full, filled with anticipation for our next meeting and boundless longing for the years to come we will spend together.