Chapter 506: Celebration in the Alps

A local Swiss restaurant.

Xu Chen had brought Su Rong and Wu Feifei here first to grab some food.

As the world champion, Bing Ge had a packed schedule that afternoon.

From Coach Cheng Hong’s tone, there were supposed to be other plans for the afternoon, but she had cleared them all, giving Xie Bingran half a day off.

Xu Chen felt grateful and thought he should buy Coach Cheng Hong a small gift before leaving.

Watching the morning competition had been intense and draining; now they were all starving.

Xu Chen handed the ordering duties to Wu Feifei, who knew her way around menus.

In just a few minutes, the dishes started arriving.

There was a Bern sausage and meat platter, Zurich-style veal stew, shepherd’s pasta, and the famous local dessert, Graubünden nut cake…

It was a smart move letting Miss Wu handle the ordering—no doubt about it.

The three of them dug in with gusto, savoring every bite.

From yesterday to this morning, they had all been quietly anxious for Bing Ge.

Now that the competition was over and Bing Ge had unexpectedly won gold, they felt a huge weight lift off their shoulders.

Wu Feifei and Su Rong chatted away, planning where to take Bing Ge next.

Xu Chen listened half-heartedly, his mind wandering elsewhere.

He had only caught a quick glimpse of Xie Bingran earlier, and now he missed her more than ever, wishing he could pull her close and hold her tight.

Back in China, it was already around 7 p.m.

Work hours were over, but the Shanghai company group chat was still buzzing.

Especially at Ran Bing Sports, they needed to capitalize on the competition’s hype; Fei Jie was leading Jiang Yuze, Sun Lingfeng, and the team in overtime work.

Xu Chen scrolled through the messages; Sun Lingfeng and Jiang Yuze were updating everyone on promotions and store operations.

“Ran Bing X” launched today and opened for pre-orders.

Riding the wave of the International Athletics Grand Prix gold medal buzz, the current hype, traffic, and pre-order numbers far exceeded expectations.

It was even better than the early data for “Ran Bing 001,” and remember, “Ran Bing X” costs nearly double…

The university group chat was lively too.

They had been discussing Bai Miao’s competition before, but today it was all about Xie Bingran.

Bing Ge wasn’t from Tonghai University, but thanks to Bai Miao’s popularity, the students in the Creative Media College had all become her fans.

Xu Chen wondered just how excited things must be at Xie Bingran’s own school, Huahai Normal University…

And in the college’s main group, the conversation even touched on “Ran Bing X.”

[‘Ran Bing’ has a new shoe model—it’s even cooler and more advanced than the last one!]

[This one’s great; they have men’s and women’s versions.]

[It’s a bit pricey though; might be out of reach…]

[The materials are top-notch; check out the midsole tech!]

[It’s two hundred cheaper than the equivalent Adidas!]

[No way I’ll snag one; might have to wait a couple of months…]

Qian Xin, the ‘Jiang Zhe Little Prince’ from the dorm next door, jumped into the heated discussion as expected.

He was rallying people in the class group to help him grab pre-order spots.

Xu Chen couldn’t help but think about slipping a pair to the ‘Jiang Zhe Little Prince’…

[The new poster is absolutely killer!]

Some senior from who-knows-which year or class shared a new poster in the college group.

Xu Chen opened it and nodded in approval.

This “Ran Bing X” poster was just arranged by Young Xu Chen; he hadn’t expected Teacher Aimi to pull it together so quickly.

The image didn’t show the shoes; instead, it featured Bing Ge’s back on the track.

The caption drew from Duan Yong’s commentary on Five Star Sports.

Besides fitting the vibe perfectly, it was a direct way to tap into the current buzz.

[Step up and shatter the ordinary]

[Overcome the impossible…]

[Be brave when there’s only forward]

[Be resolute when there’s no turning back]

[—Ran Bing X]

Su Rong was chewing a piece of beef when she spotted the poster on her phone.

“That looks so cool!”

Wu Feifei leaned over for a peek:

“Yeah, it’s awesome! Send it to me—I want it as my wallpaper!”

The three of them scrolled through their phones.

In that moment, they all looked up at each other, having just seen the same message in the company group.

“This is insane…”

Bing Ge had made it onto the evening news broadcast.

Right then in China, it was prime time for the news.

Nie Fei had just shared a clip from the news broadcast about Xie Bingran’s competition in the group.

Wu Feifei said excitedly:

“Bing Ge is amazing—this is the evening news!”

Su Rong echoed:

“This is the evening news!”

Meanwhile, Xu Chen’s high school group chat exploded:

[Is that my eyes playing tricks? I was watching TV with my dad, and Bing Ge was on the evening news!]

[It’s really her! Bing Ge’s on the evening news!]

[After the Spring Festival Gala, now the evening news—oh my god!]

In the group,

Nie Fei had already clipped and shared the news segment video.

Xu Chen and the others quickly opened it, almost standing at attention to watch.

The anchor was Li Xiuping, one of the national faces:

[In the just-concluded International Athletics Grand Prix in Zurich, State Athletics Team athlete Xie Bingran claimed gold in the women’s 100-meter hurdles.]

[This marks China’s best result in this event and the best for any Asian or person of East Asian descent.]

[Xie Bingran set a personal best of 12.37 seconds, which is now the national and Asian record for women’s 100-meter hurdles.]

[Additionally, 12.37 seconds ties the gold medal time from the 2004 Athens Olympics…]

[State Sports Administration Director Liu Peng commented to the media:]

[This is a major breakthrough for China’s athletics and sports overall—a pioneering and unprecedented feat…]

[Today also marks the announcement day for the 2008 Beijing Olympics torch, and Xie Bingran’s gold in Zurich adds even more excitement for next year’s home Olympics in China!]

Xu Chen shook his head in amazement and repeated what Wu Feifei and Su Rong had said:

“This is the evening news!”

As they finished eating, Xu Chen got a message from Coach Cheng Hong.

He called for the bill and said to Wu Feifei and Su Rong:

“Let’s head to Bing Ge’s hotel; she’s just wrapped up and is on her way back.”

Wu Feifei: “Sounds great!”

Su Rong was already up, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.

The Swissotel was close to the morning’s competition venue.

When Xu Chen and the others arrived in the lobby, they saw athletes coming and going.

Clearly, this place was full of competitors from various countries.

“Let’s go up; Bing Ge said to come straight.”

On the sixth floor, in a suite, Xie Bingran opened the door.

She had changed into black athletic wear.

Wu Feifei and Su Rong beamed and greeted Bing Ge, tossing in congratulations.

The suite was spacious, originally shared by three people.

Besides Bing Ge, it was Coach Cheng Hong and Bai Miao.

“Where are they?” Su Rong asked.

Before Bing Ge could answer, Xu Chen said:

“They’re with the team in Baden, planning to have some fun there today.”

Su Rong blinked: “Wait, Bing Ge’s not going?”

Xu Chen smiled: “Bing Ge’s coming with us!”

Su Rong caught on: “Oh, perfect!”

The team was taking this European trip to enjoy some sightseeing.

They had already explored Zurich yesterday with Bai Miao and others.

Since they weren’t in the finals, it had felt like a vacation from yesterday.

As for Chen Lan, she had flown back to Beijing after losing her heat two days ago and didn’t stick around.

Wu Feifei and Su Rong were thrilled, discussing with Bing Ge where to go next.

“There are two big cathedrals we can check out with Bing Ge!”

“We could take a boat on Lake Zurich and have cheese fondue on board!”

“Or start with the Zurich Art Museum—it’s the best in Switzerland!”

“With Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, Rembrandt…”

Xu Chen remembered something and added:

“Later tonight, let’s hit Bahnhofstrasse; I need to pick up a few things.”

Wu Feifei: “Sure! We’ll grab some souvenirs too! And that box of chocolate you had today was delicious—I want one just like it!”

Bing Ge mentioned wanting to head down, and Wu Feifei seemed to catch on; she grabbed Su Rong and said they’d wait downstairs.

Su Rong was confused but let Wu Feifei drag her out anyway.

As soon as Xu Chen closed the door, Xie Bingran walked over and slipped into his arms.

“How’s the champion feeling—are you tired?”

“Not too bad; competition days aren’t as exhausting as training.”

“You’re incredible—way beyond what I expected.”

“Oh.”

“With Coach Cheng and Bai Miao gone, does that mean I can sneak over tonight?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Then I’ll help the champion with a foot wash tonight.”

“…”

Zurich’s Grossmünster and Fraumünster cathedrals faced each other across the Limmat River.

After some debate, Wu Feifei and Su Rong pulled Bing Ge toward the Fraumünster first.

Originally a convent, the Fraumünster boasted a striking blue spire and vibrant stained-glass windows; inside, it was peaceful and full of artistic charm.

Su Rong linked arms with Bing Ge and whispered:

“I thought it’d be one of those creepy churches, but it’s more like a beautiful art gallery.”

She leaned in closer, almost playfully, and murmured:

“Bing Ge, I really like you…”

Bing Ge didn’t say anything; she just hugged her back.

Xu Chen and Wu Feifei trailed behind, exchanging odd glances.

Wu Feifei looked puzzled:

“Do they always act like that?”

Xu Chen shrugged helplessly: “No idea when it started…”

The Grossmünster on the other side was easier to explore.

The main draw was climbing to the tower top for a panoramic view of Zurich.

At the summit, Bing Ge stood calm and composed, while the other three were a bit out of breath.

Xu Chen felt a twinge of regret, reminding himself not to skip morning runs or PE classes this semester.

Wu Feifei, ever the matchmaker, pulled Su Rong aside for photos, giving Xu Chen and Xie Bingran more space.

Xu Chen and Xie Bingran gazed at Lake Zurich in the distance and quietly held hands.

Lake Zurich curved like a crescent moon, its waters crystal clear and shores winding gracefully.

Wu Feifei mentioned it was a glacial lake, formed by ancient ice erosion or something like that.

Details didn’t matter; it was stunning anyway.

The lake’s surface was serene, with large boats gliding smoothly across it.

A gentle breeze blew in from the Alps, fresh and invigorating without a hint of irritation.

The four found spots on the deck and, as expected, ordered a cheese fondue.

Bing Ge tried a piece of bread dipped in hot cheese and frowned slightly—it wasn’t her thing.

Xu Chen chuckled, right on the mark with his expectations: “I’ll take you for some local veal tonight; the preparation’s a bit odd, but I think you’ll like it!”

Xie Bingran was still chewing the cheese and just gave a neutral “Oh.”

Su Rong snuggled up to Bing Ge and showed her the recorded clip of the evening news on her phone.

Xie Bingran already knew about making the news—they had notified the team right away—but this was her first time seeing the video.

She didn’t seem overly excited, but Su Rong was beaming with pride.

Wu Feifei snapped a photo with Bing Ge and joked:

“I’m sending this to Huang Qianqian to make her jealous!”

As dusk fell, the four wandered onto Bahnhofstrasse.

Wu Feifei dragged Su Rong away, clearly to stop her from clinging to Bing Ge anymore.

Xu Chen and Xie Bingran followed, finally getting a chance to hold hands again.

These spots were all new to Xie Bingran; she looked around with fresh eyes.

Xu Chen played tour guide, sharing all the tidbits he’d picked up from Wu Feifei and Su Rong yesterday—like the 15th-century guild buildings and the underground vaults of a dozen banks…

When they reached Paradeplatz, Wu Feifei pulled Su Rong off to buy chocolate.

Xu Chen led Xie Bingran into a watch shop.

“Are you getting a watch? Let me buy it for you,” Xie Bingran offered, her tone bold and generous.

Xu Chen smiled: “I’m getting one for President Xu.”

Xie Bingran: “Then I’ll buy it.”

Xu Chen squeezed her hand: “Nah, I’ll handle it as his son.”

Xie Bingran hesitated but agreed with a soft “Oh.”

The foreign shopkeeper, a German descendant, just smiled at them without interrupting.

He approached only when Xu Chen waved him over.

His English had a quirky accent, but they managed to communicate.

The watches were all Swiss brands, ranging from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands—or even millions—in yuan.

Xu Chen decided on Omega after thinking it over.

It was the brand Bing Ge would likely endorse, so getting one for Old Xu felt meaningful.

Xie Bingran helped pick, and they settled on a Butterfly series Omega.

Xu Chen examined it closely:

“This one’s perfect—President Xu will love it!”