The atmosphere inside the stadium gradually became lively, reaching its peak as both sides made their entrances.

Shi Xing lowered her eyes, focusing intently on the scene below. The crowd around her was noisy and bustling, but Season Yu’s gaze remained dark and unreadable, fixed ahead, his thoughts hidden behind his black eyes.

She silently sent him encouragement from her heart, waiting until the referee’s signal brought the arena to a hush.

Because the two of them had faced each other in previous matches, and since Season Yu had once lost to his opponent due to a back injury, the public and media had extremely high expectations for this game—would An Shen successfully defend his title, or would Season Yu reclaim the championship?

Shi Xing’s attention stayed glued to the court, completely unaware that Ying Xiaoxiao and Xie He were scheming something behind the scenes.

As the match began, the atmosphere gradually settled into a tense rhythm. At first, An Shen’s attacks were fierce, clearly aiming to quickly take the early sets and secure victory. Season Yu, however, remained calm and steady, focused on defense.

By mid-match, An Shen had taken a slight lead. Season Yu’s coach furrowed his brow, his expression tense. On the other side, celebrations seemed already planned. Shi Xing’s breathing grew faster, and she bit her lip nervously.

As the decisive set began, An Shen served first. He paused, hitting a forehand into the middle of the court, softly pressing the shuttle to the opposite diagonal. Season Yu reacted quickly, returning with a head-top push. The rallies continued, fast and precise.

Shi Xing watched the match intently, her fingers tightening involuntarily, until the momentum shifted. Season Yu pushed the shuttle deep into the backcourt, eyes constantly tracking its landing. An Shen leapt sideways to intercept, aiming for a cross-court drop shot while leaving room for a return.

Season Yu employed his usual tactics—making his opponent chase, keeping his own rhythm, hooking diagonal shots into the net, forcing An Shen to lift the shuttle and maintaining control of the game.

Though his purpose was achieved, the shots required precision: a step and lunge for the perfect return, moving to the shuttle’s landing spot, hooking a backhand to the baseline, controlling the pace, blocking the middle to restrict angles, and pushing to the net to create scoring opportunities.

An Shen began to falter under the pressure. Season Yu pushed an overhead shot, positioned himself in the middle, forced a one-shot delay, faked a move to trick the opponent into a second reaction, seized the net’s high point, and continued attacking seamlessly.

As An Shen made repeated errors in the latter half, the result became inevitable. Yet Shi Xing’s heartbeat continued to race; her mind blurred, as if she had entered another dimension.

When the arena announcer’s voice finally cut through, she snapped back to reality. Ying Xiaoxiao excitedly patted her shoulder, barely coherent: “You won!”

The crowd erupted, yet Season Yu lowered his eyes, his expression calm, almost indifferent. To him, this seemed like just another match. Shi Xing pinched her nose, tears forming at the corners of her eyes as she thought of the hardships he had endured.

Amid the cheering crowd, she inadvertently met his gaze. In that instant, the air seemed to freeze, leaving only the two of them in silent understanding.

After the match, a crowd of reporters rushed to interview Season Yu. The footage was broadcast on the big screen, allowing Shi Xing in the stands to clearly see his expression.

The recent match had left a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead. As he raised his arms, the muscles flexed, veins visible along his wrists and forearms.

The reporters’ initial questions were routine: reflections on training, feelings about the victory. Season Yu answered each politely, until one reporter shifted gears, asking with a hint of gossip, “We heard your girlfriend is here watching today?”

Immediately, the audience’s attention turned to Shi Xing. Cameras began focusing on her, and her face flushed crimson under the crowd’s gaze. The director quickly broadcast both their faces on the big screen.

The cheering and playful hoots filled the arena. Shi Xing felt embarrassed but could not hide, giving a sheepish smile, tears still lingering in her eyes.

Season Yu’s dark, unreadable gaze lingered on her image on the screen. His lips curved slightly, and he nodded faintly.

The reporter, pressing further, asked, “Did she fall for you first?”

Season Yu’s expression softened. He pursed his lips and smiled lightly, looking toward Shi Xing in the stands, his tone playful yet confident: “No, I was the first to fall for her.”

The crowd erupted in screams. Shi Xing, dazed by suddenly appearing on the big screen, instinctively tried to hide, but no matter where she moved, the camera followed.

Ying Xiaoxiao tapped her shoulder, guiding her down the steps. Only then did Shi Xing realize something was about to happen. Surrounding cheers left her mind temporarily blank.

Season Yu waited below, prepared. In his hands were flowers and a ring.

Familiar faces surrounded them. Reporters snapped photos, yet Shi Xing felt the world slow down, the only sound her name on his lips.

He looked into her eyes, his expression unreadable: “Shi Xing, thank you. If it weren’t for you, I might never have won today’s championship.”

Tears welled in Shi Xing’s eyes, but she shook her head quickly. She knew his journey, his hardships—he would have reclaimed the title even without her.

Season Yu handed her the roses and slowly knelt on one knee, his burning gaze overflowing with love, presenting the ring before her. His voice softened: “Shi Xing, will you marry me?”

Though she had imagined this scene countless times, her heart raced as she faced him in person. Seeing his slight nervousness, she couldn’t help but laugh softly and nod, extending her hand.

At that moment, the crowd erupted in applause. Season Yu slipped the ring onto her finger, pulled her into his embrace, and kissed her forehead.

News of the proposal quickly dominated trending topics online. Fans, once skeptical, showered them with blessings:

“Ahhhh, so sweet!”
“I didn’t expect Season Yu to actually propose!”
“They just reconciled and already getting engaged?!”

After leaving the stage, Shi Xing whispered to him, curious, “How long did you prepare this?”

“Long ago,” he said, lips pressed lightly, a rare smile of happiness on his face.

“You planned it for so long… weren’t you afraid something might go wrong?” she teased.

He lowered his voice, firm and confident: “There may have been surprises, but I knew no matter what, you’d say yes.”

“You narcissist,” she murmured.

His lips curved with a faint smile. “Just like you always believed I’d propose to you.”

Shi Xing recalled all her previous awkward antics. He wasn’t unaware of the meaning behind her words—he just liked teasing her. She let out a soft hum, eyes sparkling with a playful pride, lips curling: “Nope, that doesn’t count. You’ll have to propose again next time.”

Season Yu leaned closer, petting her head, “Fine. Next time, I’ll prepare even better.”

She hadn’t expected her offhand remark to be taken seriously. Before she could say more, staff approached, offering their congratulations. Ying Xiaoxiao and Xie He rushed over as well.

“Congratulations!” Xie He said seriously for once, though seconds later returned to his usual playful tone: “I’ve reserved my spot as best man.”

Ying Xiaoxiao interjected, “No way! I’ll be the maid of honor. I want a handsome best man.”

“Why?”

“You just can’t be the best man.”

Listening to their familiar bickering, Shi Xing smiled wryly. Season Yu whispered in her ear: “Let’s go first.”

She nodded, though someone behind them called out: “Why don’t you hold two weddings?”

Shi Xing froze.

Time flew. In the blink of an eye, the Olympics had concluded.

What pleased Shi Xing most was that Liu Yu and her team finally achieved their dream, winning the championship. The media also highlighted their inspiring story, bringing unprecedented attention to race walking.

Ying Xiaoxiao successfully enrolled in the doctoral program at Jinggang University of Chinese Medicine, choosing to settle in Jinggang City, still playfully teasing Xie He.

Yu Jing, thanks to her excellent work performance, was promoted to the leadership team, gaining more influence, while her past emotional entanglements with Coach Su faded along with the rumors.

Six months later, Shi Xing and Season Yu’s wedding took place on a famous small island. She didn’t worry about a single detail—Season Yu handled everything himself.

The wedding was attended almost exclusively by familiar faces. Media attempts to sneak in for first-hand coverage were all blocked by Season Yu’s team.

Shi Xing sat in the dressing room, wearing a haute couture wedding gown, staring at her reflection, her mind drifting.

Familiar voices outside brought her back—Wei Shufen and Shi Bohua, marveling at the scene.

As the ceremony neared, Shi Bohua led her gently to the venue. The hall was adorned with pale gray roses dusted in silver, sunlight forming a mosaic on the floor.

Season Yu stood in the center, lips curving slightly. When their eyes met, they understood each other completely.

Soft violin and piano music began to play. All eyes were on them.

Guided by the MC, they exchanged vows. While placing the rings on each other’s fingers, Shi Xing whispered, teasing, “It’s the first time I’ve seen you so serious.”

Season Yu replied softly, for her ears only: “You just haven’t seen enough.”

Suddenly, the big screen displayed Shi Xing’s past photos: sleeping on a plane, sipping coffee at a café, sneaking snacks while hiking. Though ordinary, Season Yu had annotated each picture, making them all endearing.

Shi Xing realized he had been photographing her for this day. By the last image, her nose tingled, voice soft: “You’re making me feel like a novel is about to end.”

Season Yu smiled faintly, lowering his voice: “Novels may have endings, but we won’t.”

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