Chapter 378: Waves of Celebration
by xennovelAl Khalifa International Stadium parking area.
Nie Fei puffed on a slim cigarette while chatting with Teacher Fang Jun.
Maybe it was the white wine from the VIP stands earlier, but the usually aloof Fang Jun was chattier than usual.
Their lively conversation? The renovation of the new office in Shanghai.
Fang Jun kept a straight, serious face, offering detailed and practical advice.
Before wrapping up, Fang Jun added specifically:
“Old Xu’s heading to Shanghai to see his son by month’s end. It’d be perfect if we finish the renovations before then.”
Nie Fei thought for a moment and smiled.
“That should work out.”
……
Wu Feifei and Su Rong sat on a bench by the road.
The two young ladies seemed to have used up all their energy from earlier excitement and antics.
They leaned against each other’s shoulders, like deflated but adorable balls.
……
A sightseeing car pulled up from a distance, and out stepped Xu Chen and Xie Bingran.
“Starving, aren’t you? Let’s go grab some food!”
Xu Chen said with a grin.
Wu Feifei and Su Rong sprang up, excited, and linked arms with Xie Bingran.
Nie Fei and Fang Jun politely greeted ‘Bing Ge’.
Xu Chen looked on, speechless:
“Am I invisible? You all just skipped right over me.”
Wu Feifei glanced at Xu Chen and casually said:
“Hey, Young President Xu.”
……
Su Rong noticed the shoes on Xie Bingran’s feet and whispered:
“Those are stunning…”
Everyone glanced down at the pair of Ran Bing 001 shoes.
They all chimed in with admiration.
Nie Fei smiled and said:
“Vice President Zhou’s arranging production. I’ll set some aside for you all first.
Just send me your sizes…”
“Thanks so much, Fei Jie!”
……
……
Xu Chen had reserved the buffet at the Century Grand Hotel where they were staying.
They’d had breakfast there, and the food was top-notch.
As for value for money…
“Young President Xu” wasn’t worrying about that, especially when hosting Asia’s top athlete, Bing Ge.
……
They snagged a window seat with a sea view, gazing past the luxurious modern buildings to the Persian Gulf.
The sea sparkled under a clear sky.
Maybe because it was a bit late, the restaurant wasn’t crowded.
Three buffet lines offered Arabic dishes, South Asian and Indian cuisine, and European French fare.
Once they grabbed their food, they noticed Bing Ge’s plate was the ‘cleanest’—hardly any colorful spices or sauces.
Everyone marveled at how athletes were so picky with their meals.
The outgoing Wu Feifei raised her glass first, and they all clinked together:
“Cheers to Bing Ge!”
“Congratulations, Bing Ge!”
……
During a break in eating, a server approached, looking like they had something to say.
Nie Fei took charge of the conversation, whispering with the server.
It turned out some guests in the restaurant had recognized Xie Bingran and wanted a photo.
But they were polite, asking the server to check if it was okay first.
Xie Bingran didn’t refuse and nodded lightly.
……
A tall young couple walked over, pressing their palms together in greeting.
They were clearly from South Asia, with Aryan features.
Folks like them in a fancy buffet were likely from India’s higher castes with money.
Xie Bingran stood up and posed for photos with them.
The girl in the couple chatted with Bing Ge in accented English.
Nie Fei jumped in to translate.
It was basically about expressing admiration and fandom.
The couple was from India, there to cheer for their ‘slum hero’ Rohana.
Even though Rohana lost to Xie Bingran, these two fans adored her.
Their openness and sincerity contrasted sharply with Xu Chen’s stereotypes of people from India.
……
After the Indian couple left, Fang Jun said flatly:
“Bing Ge might need to wear hats and masks whenever going out from now on.”
Wu Feifei thought about it:
“Yeah, back home, she’d get recognized even more easily.”
Xu Chen felt a bit troubled—taking Xie Bingran out for fun could get complicated with all the autograph requests.
It sounded like a hassle everywhere they went.
……
Wu Feifei checked messages on her phone and suddenly lit up with excitement.
She looked ready to spill something but then hesitated and stayed quiet.
Fang Jun asked, “What’s up?”
Wu Feifei paused, then burst out excitedly:
“It’s confidential news…
My dad says the city is working on a reward plan for Bing Ge!”
Fang Jun: “So, a big bonus?”
Wu Feifei lowered her voice:
“My dad mentioned…
The plan they have is to reward Bing Ge with a house!”
……
Surprise and envy rippled through the group.
Houses in Tiancheng weren’t too pricey, but a property like that carried real weight.
From Wu Feifei’s words, Su Rong and Nie Fei got a sense of her family’s influence.
Xu Chen thought rewarding Bing Ge with a house made perfect sense.
Many Olympic and Asian Games champions got houses as prizes.
Compared to cash, a house had that local pride vibe.
Tiancheng giving Bing Ge a house tied her more to the ‘champion’s hometown’ label.
It boosted the city’s image subtly.
Fang Jun asked:
“Which district’s house?”
Wu Feifei knew but hesitated:
“It’s still in the planning stage, not final…
But it seems to be in the West New City area.”
Fang Jun nodded:
“That’s a smart move by the city!”
Fang Jun sounded like she was critiquing the city’s decisions from on high…
West New City was Tiancheng’s future development zone, the next big urban hub.
Wealthy folks were scrambling to buy property there.
Xie Bingran getting a house in the new area was a real prize.
Bing Ge’s family home in Tiancheng was that rundown old place in South River Village left by her grandmother.
It was dilapidated, and the village probably didn’t hold many fond memories for her.
A fresh new home would be a welcome change, and Xu Chen was genuinely happy for her.
Xu Chen joked:
“I’m jealous of Bing Ge—we don’t even have a house in Tiancheng’s downtown yet.”
Wu Feifei: “But your family has that huge industrial park!”
Xie Bingran blinked her big eyes, unsure how to respond, and glanced at Xu Chen.
Fang Jun suddenly perked up and said to Xie Bingran:
“That new house will need decorating, right?
Like a wedding home…
I can design it for you!”
Xu Chen: “……”
Xie Bingran: “!”
Su Rong: “?!”
Wu Feifei: “……”
……
……
Tiancheng.
Chenfeng Electric Vehicles direct store.
The storefront and inside were plastered with huge posters of Xie Bingran.
The store manager, Liu Zhen, was a twenty-something guy and actually Guo Liang’s subordinate, working as a market manager at Chenfeng Technology.
As evening fell, he looked at the empty store and smiled wryly.
They’d restocked dozens of vehicles at noon, but they sold out in a flash.
Not a single one left…
A middle-aged couple walked in:
“Boss, do you have any Chenfeng electric vehicles in stock?”
Liu Zhen: “Sorry, we’re completely out.”
“When will you get more?”
We need another electric vehicle and really like yours!”
Liu Zhen: “Probably in one or two weeks.
If you can wait, leave me your number and I’ll hold some for you when they arrive!”
“Great, thanks!”
“Mind if I ask how you heard about our electric vehicles?”
“I work nearby and noticed your store before.
Then I saw the ads—said it’s from the old Bright Factory…
And today I watched the Asian Games, so I figured we’d support our hometown champion!”
……
Yangcheng, Jiaduobao Distribution Headquarters.
Vice President Gong Ming was still running the conference call for Kunlunshan Mineral Water’s market launch.
On the line, the colleague handling channel expansion couldn’t hide their excitement:
“A few big local supermarkets that wouldn’t stock us before…
Today, after our spokesperson won, they called us asking when we can supply!”
Gong Ming was thrilled but grew serious.
He thought for a moment and said to his secretary:
“I should visit East Morning Star Advertising soon,
and meet that teacher, Xu Chen.”
……
……
City Sports Bureau.
It was Sunday, a rest day, but Director Gao Guangya had arranged for staff to hang up the ‘good news’ banners.
The announcements celebrated Tiancheng athlete Xie Bingran’s Asian Games gold medal…
Meanwhile,
at the City Publicity Department, Director Feng Siliang was working overtime.
That evening’s Tiancheng Evening News had Xie Bingran’s victory as the front-page headline.
It paired with TV, radio, and other local media promotions.
……
Shandong Provincial Sports Bureau, Provincial Sports University, Tiancheng No. 1 High School, Town Middle School…
Shanghai Huahai Normal University, Shanghai Track and Field Sports Center…
All had quickly put up banners or posters.
The messages varied slightly but all centered on ‘Xie Bingran’.
……
The national athletics team competing in Doha, led by head coach Sun Mouping, had received congratulatory messages from various sources.
They celebrated Xie Bingran’s Asian Games win and record break.
These official greetings came from the Shandong Provincial Party Committee and government, the Sports Administration,
and even China’s embassy in Qatar, plus higher-level ones.
Sun Mouping had coached the national team for years; he’d trained previous Asian Games champion Feng Youping too.
But he’d never seen such a flood of messages—it made him uneasy the more they piled up.
Cheng Hong said beside him, “Congratulations.”
Sun Mouping’s face was grave as he replied seriously:
“We’re just lucky to have Xie Bingran…”
……
……
Century Grand Hotel, 56th-floor buffet.
Xu Chen and the group’s lunch was finished, so they had the table cleared.
Everyone grabbed coffee, drinks, or tea and relaxed, chatting casually.
Su Rong sipped her lemon pear drink while checking her phone.
She suddenly smiled brightly and said:
“My dad saw Bing Ge’s race and the news!
He’s messaging me, saying he’s glad he listened to me and partnered with Ran Bing Sports!”
Her tone was full of joy and pride.
“He wants to visit Ran Bing Sports when he comes to Shanghai!”
Nie Fei smiled:
“That’s fantastic!
If your dad comes, let me know ahead—I can handle the hosting!”
Su Rong added:
“My dad wants to thank you in person, Fei Jie!”
……
……
Wu Feifei checked the time and suggested they head out together for some fun.
Nie Fei thought about it and said:
“Let’s go out on the sea!”
Wu Feifei exclaimed excitedly: “Out on the sea?”
Nie Fei: “We’ll hit the old Doha port.
There’s the Mina district, or ‘Macaron Town’.
We can rent a yacht and watch the sunset on the Persian Gulf.”
The plan sounded perfect, and everyone agreed.
As they were leaving, that server from earlier approached Nie Fei.
After a quick chat, it was the restaurant manager and staff wanting photos with Xie Bingran.
“The manager said it’s an honor to have hosted Xie Bingran…
So they’ve given us a 40% discount on the meal.”
Xu Chen couldn’t help but laugh:
“Eating with Bing Ge really boosts your status!”
……
Soon, seven or eight people from the restaurant crowded around, excited, for photos with Bing Ge.
Then they lined up with their phones for individual shots.
Bing Ge turned into a photo-taking machine, though her cool expression never shifted much.
Xu Chen borrowed Wu Feifei’s Fujifilm camera and snapped a few.
These photos had another purpose.
They accidentally captured Bing Ge’s Ran Bing 001 shoes, perfect for PR material.
……
……
“Macaron Town” referred to the colorful Arab buildings painted in soft pastels, like macarons themselves.
It sat on the western shore of the Persian Gulf at Doha’s old port, often called the ‘Middle East Santorini’.
A must-visit spot in Doha.
The young women were thrilled; Xie Bingran got pulled along by Wu Feifei and Su Rong.
Xu Chen was glad to see Bing Ge hanging out with these upbeat girls.
Her early life had been so tough, full of shadows and chill.
Spending time with sunny types like Wu Feifei and Su Rong might melt away some of that inner gloom.
Bing Ge’s life had already transformed on the track.
But building a happier outlook would take time.
Beyond Xu Chen, people like Wu Feifei, Su Rong, Coach Cheng Hong, and Bai Miao could offer her warmth.
He was all for it.
……
……
As evening approached, they wandered to the dock.
Nie Fei rented a white yacht; the captain was an older Arab man.
The yacht cruised into the Persian Gulf, with the girls chattering at the bow.
Xu Chen, Nie Fei, and Fang Jun sat in the back, sipping cocktails or soda.
……
Xie Bingran sat at the front, with Wu Feifei and Su Rong beside her.
She suddenly turned and blinked at Xu Chen…
The wind from the Persian Gulf tousled her hair.
She blinked her big eyes and smiled at Xu Chen.
The sunset-painted sky and deep blue waters framed her in a warm, poetic glow.
……
……