Chapter Twenty-Three
Ten months passed in the blink of an eye. A very soft cry came from the delivery room, and then silence fell.
Mina gave birth to a healthy baby boy, named Tezuka Yufeng. The little guy didn't cry much from birth; he just stared at the people around him with his round eyes, his eyes bright and clever, a real little rascal.
Yuzuru Hanyu and Yukimura rushed to the hospital to visit him. Looking at the baby Yuzuru, whose features resembled Tezuka's, Hanyu couldn't help but exclaim, "Tezuka's genes are too strong! This is simply a miniature version of Tezuka!"
As she said this, her gaze remained fixed on Xiao Yufeng, and she carefully took the baby from him.
Her fingertips gently touched his soft cheek. Who could resist the allure of raising a child? This cuddly little life completely captivated Yuzuru.
In the days that followed, Yuzuru would frequently visit the Tezuka family under the pretext of visiting Mina, but in reality, his heart and eyes were filled with Yuzuru.
I would hold him in my arms and tease him, accompany him as he babbled, and wish I could buy him all the cute toys in the world.
Mina saw this and pretended to be jealous: "You treat Xiao Yufeng much better than you treat me now!"
She complained, but her eyes were full of doting affection—she herself had given all her tenderness to this little guy.
The trip we had planned to take after the baby was born was repeatedly postponed because we couldn't bear to leave Xiaoyufeng.
Time flies. A year later, Yukimura graduated with honors from the Department of Finance at the University of Tokyo, becoming an outstanding graduate of the University of Tokyo. His photo was hung on the alumni wall, capturing another dazzling moment in his youth.
Two years later at the US Open, the sun was blazing and the crowd was deafening.
The increasingly mature and capable Yukimura Seiichi stood in the center of the arena, facing his opponent whom he had not seen for seven years—Echizen Ryoma.
"The last time we fought was seven years ago," Yukimura said first, his tone carrying a sense of composure that came with the passage of time.
"Yes, Yukimura." Echizen pulled down his hat brim, still with that smug look on his face. "I wonder if you'll get old."
"I have no blind spots." Yukimura's lips curled into a confident smile, his eyes revealing a sharp edge.
"You're still far from it." Echizen's response was brief and powerful, and the battle was about to erupt.
The match was intense from the very beginning. Both players knew each other's tactics inside and out, and they fought with all their might to return every ball. The court was filled with sweat and running figures, and the sound of rackets whistling through the air and the shouts of the audience mingled together.
The score was tied at 15-15, then tied at 30-30. The score went back and forth, and it was always difficult to determine a winner. Finally, it went to a tiebreaker!
The green tennis ball flies swiftly across both sides of the net, carrying the vibrant spirit of youth and unwavering perseverance.
The spectators had long forgotten their fatigue, their eyes glued to the ball's trajectory, their hearts pounding with every return.
"The serving side has the advantage!" "Echizen Ryoma has tied the score!" "Yukimura Seiichi is leading by one point!" "Are they nearing their physical limits?" "Echizen almost tripped!" "Yukimura actually missed the ball!" Exclamations of surprise and regret rose and fell, this epic battle gripped everyone's attention.
As the tennis ball gently rolled into Ryoma Echizen's half of the court, the arena fell into a brief silence, followed by a deafening roar of cheers—by a single point, Seiichi Yukimura had won the US Open! He became the second Japanese player, after Kunimitsu Tezuka, to achieve a tennis Grand Slam!
The setting sun bathed the tennis court's synthetic surface in a warm gold hue. The net swayed gently in the evening breeze. After the cheers faded, only their clear breathing remained.
Echizen and Yukimura stood in the center of the court, sweat trickling down their foreheads and soaking the collars of their sports uniforms, but it couldn't hide the bright light in their eyes.
They raised their hands simultaneously, and the moment their palms touched, they embraced each other with a steady force—it was a mutual appreciation between the strong, and also a magnanimous acceptance of victory or defeat.
"Congratulations." Echizen's voice was slightly hoarse from the match, but gentle and strong, and his hand patted Yukimura's back lightly but firmly.
Yukimura's lips curved into a familiar smile, his voice as clear as ever: "Let's fight again next time we have the chance."
The embrace was brief, yet it was enough to become the most touching scene on the field. The wind brushed past their sweat-dampened hair, carrying the scent of grass and sunshine, as if gently cheering for this exhilarating match and for this friendship that transcended victory and defeat.
After the interview, the backstage lights softened considerably. Yukimura hugged his assistant, coach, and manager in turn, then turned to Yuzuru, who was waiting nearby. He strode forward and embraced her tightly, his voice trembling with barely suppressed excitement: "I did it, Yuzuru, I did it!" He spun her around in his arms, joy and glory shining brightly in their eyes.
After the celebration banquet, in the hotel room late at night, the two, exhausted, fell asleep in each other's arms, finding the warmth of each other the most comforting solace.
After the competition, Yukimura promptly applied for a long leave. After years of preparing for the competition, he felt he owed Yuzuru too much companionship. This time, he wanted to adjust his mindset and stay by her side.
They stayed in Country A, traveling from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, enjoying the magnificent scenery of the West and spending precious time together. But Yuzuru always had a little one on his mind—Xiao Yufeng's third birthday was coming soon, and she didn't want to miss it.
When he returned to Tokyo, Xiao Yufeng was already eloquent and dressed in a little suit. His upright appearance made him look like a delicate little boy, so cute that it was hard to look away.
Mina always liked to tease him, deliberately making Xiao Yufeng's eyes red, and then quickly coaxing him in a soft voice.
“It’s so boring,” Mina often complained to Yuzuru. “The old folks are so old-fashioned, and the kids are so old-fashioned. It’s so hard for me!” As soon as she finished speaking, Tezuka would give her a serious lecture: “It’s not right to tease children like that.” This would make everyone burst into laughter.
The dust of their long journey had been washed away, and Yuzuru and Yukimura lay in their familiar bedroom, jet lag keeping them wide awake.
In the quiet night, an ambiguous atmosphere filled the air. The kisses gradually became more passionate, and clothes slipped off one by one.
As Yukimura reached for the bedside table drawer, Yuzuru gently grasped his hand, his voice tinged with shyness and anticipation: "You don't have to, do you?"
Yukimura was taken aback for a moment, then realized what he meant, and a deep tenderness welled up in his eyes as he softly replied, "Okay."
Two weeks later, Xiao Yufeng's birthday party was a lively affair. Yuzuru smiled and handed over a gift: "Happy birthday, Xiao Yufeng! This is a Transformers toy I brought you from Country A. Do you like it?"
Xiao Yufeng accepted the gift, but his gaze fell on Yuzuru's belly. He reached out his chubby little hand and gently touched it, saying in a childish voice, "Auntie has a little sister in her belly."
Yuzuru was taken aback, and Mina immediately leaned closer, her eyes full of curiosity: "I've heard that children's predictions are the most accurate. You're not pregnant, are you?"
Yukimura also looked surprised and immediately pulled Yuzuru to the hospital. The moment the test results came out, the two looked at the word "positive" on the report and hugged each other tightly with excitement—their little baby was really coming.
The sycamore leaves outside the car window were swept by the wind, and the white hospital building gradually disappeared into the distance. The faint smell of disinfectant still lingered in the car, but it was quietly diluted by a sudden gentle warmth.
Yuzuru had just hung up the phone with his parents-in-law, the receiver still holding their choked-up yet joyful words of advice, when he turned around and saw Yukimura slumped over the steering wheel, his back slightly tense.
His hands, resting on his knees, trembled slightly, his knuckles turning white from the effort, and his shoulders swayed slightly as if he were trying his best to suppress surging emotions.
Yuzuru didn't speak, but slowly leaned over and gently placed his palm on Yukimura's sweaty hair.
Her fingertips gently caressed his hair, her movements so light as if afraid of disturbing something. She quietly stayed by his side, the only sounds in the car being their steady breathing and the occasional sound of traffic outside the window.
After an unknown amount of time, Yukimura's shoulders stopped trembling. He slowly straightened up, and when he turned his head to the side, his eyes still held a lingering redness, yet they were filled with a burning light.
He reached out and grasped Yuzuru's hand tightly, his palm warm and firm, his voice slightly hoarse: "Thank you, Yuzuru."
Yuzuru grasped his hand in return, gently tickling his palm with his fingertips, a soft smile playing on his lips: "This is our baby, let's cheer each other on."
Upon hearing this, the emotion in Yukimura's eyes gradually transformed into familiar confidence. He smiled with relief, his tone carrying a hint of sly pride: "I told you I have no blind spots, and I'm no worse than Tezuka."
Yuzuru was taken aback at first, then both amused and annoyed. He reached out and gently patted the back of Yuzuru's hand, scolding, "What kind of strange competitive spirit do men have! Even at a time like this, they're still competing like this!"
Yukimura took her hand in return, his eyes full of doting affection, his deep, bright laughter echoing in the small carriage and dispelling all unease.
The car smoothly entered the familiar residential area and stopped downstairs. Yukimura got out first and walked around to the passenger side, opening the car door as gently as if he were handling a fragile treasure.
He bent down and supported Yuzuru's waist, his fingertips steadily supporting her elbow. "Slow down, be careful on the steps."
Yuzuru was both amused and exasperated by his cautious manner. He let him help him out of the car and open the door to his home. As soon as he sat on the soft sofa, he couldn't help but mutter, "Don't treat me like I'm made of glass. I was just diagnosed. I'm not that delicate."
Yukimura didn't refute her, but simply picked up a cushion from the side and placed it behind her back, then poured her a glass of warm water and handed it to her, his eyes filled with undisguised tenderness.
Yuzuru took the water glass, took a sip, and skillfully dialed Mina's number.
"Mina~" Yuzuru's voice was filled with barely suppressed joy, "I have great news for you, I'm really pregnant!"
A delighted scream immediately came from the other end of the phone: "Really? That's wonderful! Congratulations!"
“It’s all thanks to Yu-feng,” Yu-sheng said with a smile, his tone full of regret. “I just couldn’t attend his birthday party. Could you apologize to him for me?”
“Oh, there’s nothing to apologize for,” Mina’s voice was as cheerful as ever. “You don’t need to worry about Xiao Yufeng at all. He loves the birthday present you gave him. He’s been studying that Transformer toy, taking it apart and putting it back together all afternoon!”
The two chatted warmly, with Mina giving detailed instructions on precautions during pregnancy, from dietary restrictions to regular sleep patterns, sharing her experience in every detail. Yuzuru listened patiently, occasionally responding with "Okay" or "I'll remember."
As I hung up the phone, I could still hear Mina repeatedly saying, "You must take good care of your health."
Meanwhile, on the other end of the phone, Tezuka was already standing silently at the bedroom door, having overheard the entire conversation between the two.
His face showed little emotion, but a barely perceptible smile flickered in his eyes. He then quietly moved to the living room carpet, sat down next to his son who was engrossed in playing with his Transformers toy, picked up a loose part, and said softly, "This needs to be inserted into the slot first."
Xiao Yufeng's eyes lit up, and he immediately came over. The father and son huddled together, intently studying the toy in front of them. Sunlight streamed in through the French windows, casting long shadows of the two men, filling the room with warmth.
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