Chapter 284: Whispers in the Foreign City

After lunch, Xu Chen, Xie Bingran, and Wu Feifei thanked Fei Jie.

Wu Feifei had already hit it off with Nie Fei and they were even planning to go out together.

This was one of Wu Feifei’s strengths—outgoing and generous, she made friends easily and charmed everyone around her.

Wu Feifei had to stay in Japan for a couple more days, and Nie Fei was taking the chance to use her annual leave, so they teamed up.

Xu Chen was genuinely happy about it.

As the daughter of a leader, leaving an eighteen-year-old girl alone in Japan didn’t feel quite right.

Now with Fei Jie looking after her, he felt a lot more at ease.

……

On the street, Wu Feifei linked arms with Fei Jie and glanced at Xu Chen and Xie Bingran:

“We’ll leave you two lovebirds alone……”

“I’m heading out with Fei Jie this afternoon!”

Xu Chen laughed and said, “Great, just reach out if you need anything!”

Nie Fei remembered some work matters and added:

“The Kunlun Mountain project should move forward soon, and we’ll need your help again, Teacher Xu Chen.”

Xu Chen replied, “Don’t mention it, Fei Jie. I’m the contractor here, so I’ll make sure everything’s taken care of for you!”

Nie Fei beamed with a smile and waved at the stoic-faced Xie Bingran:

“See you, Bing Ge!”

Xie Bingran blinked her big eyes and said, “See you, Fei Jie!”

With that, Nie Fei and Wu Feifei turned and walked away.

Wu Feifei looked back, sticking her tongue out playfully at Xu Chen and Xie Bingran.

……

……

Xu Chen hailed a taxi and took Xie Bingran back to the hotel first.

Bing Ge had come off the track that morning still sweaty and needed to freshen up.

In the cramped back seat of the Toyota Corolla, they sat in comfortable silence.

Their hands intertwined, fingers laced together.

……

The hotel where the national team stayed was near Nagai Stadium.

Xu Chen had wanted to book there too, but when Wu Yue arranged it through the travel agency, rooms were already gone.

Xu Chen brought Xie Bingran to the lobby.

He thought for a moment and said to her, “Wait here a second.”

Xu Chen went to the front desk alone, while Xie Bingran sat on the lobby sofa for a bit.

A few young athletes passing by spotted Xie Bingran and quickly greeted her respectfully as ‘Bing Ge’.

Xie Bingran didn’t say much, just nodded coolly.

This East Asia Youth Games mostly featured young athletes.

As a full-event competition, it was a great training ground for them, so the turnout was impressive.

Besides the national athletics team that Xie Bingran was on, other teams stayed elsewhere in Osaka depending on their events.

Those nearby were mostly athletics-related, and the young athletes had heard all about ‘Bing Ge’ from the women’s athletics squad.

It wasn’t just her dominance on the track; her icy personality and tales of taking down guys or making coaches cry added to her legend.

A moment later, Xu Chen came back with a smile:

“I just checked, and a room opened up, so I booked it.”

Xie Bingran blinked her big eyes, her face lighting up with joy.

Xu Chen added, “I’ll have to sweet-talk Bai Miao later so she doesn’t report us to Coach Cheng.”

Xie Bingran didn’t speak, but she looked thrilled.

……

They headed up to the 17th floor first, to the room Xie Bingran shared with Bai Miao.

Bai Miao wasn’t there; she and the others were still at the venue.

Besides watching and learning, they had to support the athletes still competing.

Just as Coach Cheng had mentioned at lunch, they gave Xie Bingran the afternoon off—a special perk for Bing Ge.

In the room.

“Have a seat while I pack my things,” Xie Bingran said.

Xu Chen agreed and sat quietly in the chair.

Xie Bingran emptied her backpack, which held her spiked shoes and a few clothes.

She pulled out some clean clothes from the suitcase and stuffed them into her backpack.

As Xu Chen glanced into Xie Bingran’s bag, he spotted something familiar.

It was the Peace Talisman his father Xu Zhiquan had gotten from the mountain and asked Bai Miao to bring during the school welcome event.

Xie Bingran had tied it with its red string to the inside pocket of her backpack.

Xu Chen pulled out his mobile phone and said with a grin:

“Hold on, I need to snap a pic for my dad!”

He took a photo of the Peace Talisman and prepared to send it as a message to his father Xu Zhiquan.

“He’ll be so proud, saying his talisman really worked!”

Xie Bingran said, “I haven’t properly thanked Uncle Xu yet!”

Xu Chen suggested, “When we go out later, you can pick up a small gift for him.”

Xie Bingran beamed, “Sounds good!”

……

On the sixth floor, in Xu Chen’s room.

They stepped inside; the room was smaller than Xie Bingran and Bai Miao’s, but it cost 1,500 yuan a night.

Of course, for the now-wealthy ‘Little President Xu,’ it wasn’t a big deal.

Xu Chen flashed a mischievous smile and said:

“No other rooms available—just this one… a king-size bed room.”

Xie Bingran didn’t seem to mind and just replied with an ‘Oh.’

……

A few minutes later, the sound of running water echoed from the bathroom.

Xu Chen turned down the AC a bit more, but still felt warm.

Blame it on being eighteen—full of youthful energy.

Soon, Xie Bingran called from inside:

“Come help me dry my hair!”

Xu Chen answered and stepped into the cozy bathroom.

Xie Bingran wore a white robe, her hair damp, her face fresh and clean.

She turned her back to him and handed over the hair dryer.

The dryer hummed to life.

His fingers wove through her soft, wet strands, tiny droplets falling.

Once her hair was half-dry, Xie Bingran swept back her bangs and checked the mirror, looking pleased.

Xu Chen set the dryer down, breathing in her fresh scent.

Without a word, he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

Xie Bingran stiffened for a second but then leaned back against him.

Xu Chen gazed into the mirror and whispered:

“So that’s the look on your face when I hold you.”

True, he could never see it before when he hugged her.

Now, from behind, the big mirror showed her flushed cheeks.

Xie Bingran bit her lip, clearly embarrassed.

She wriggled to turn around and buried her face in his chest.

Xu Chen held her waist, his hands wandering a bit…

But Xie Bingran pushed him away firmly.

Her eyes turned icy.

Xu Chen scratched his head, “Not wearing anything underneath?”

Xie Bingran shot him an angry look, “I haven’t had time.”

Xu Chen said, “I could help you put it on.”

Xie Bingran snapped, “Are you asking for trouble!”

Xu Chen pressed, “So when then?!”

Xie Bingran clutched her robe with one hand and shoved him out of the bathroom with the other.