Chapter 19

Returning to the familiar training ground, Ruan Ning felt a knot of unease in her stomach.

She had expected RQ's security to be tighter after the last incident, but visitors still wandered in freely. Tourists from every corner of the globe crowded the grounds, filling the air with that lively, pre-season buzz.

No sooner had she stepped inside than she ran into a young foreign couple pushing a stroller. In halting A-country language, they asked her to take a photo of them.

The couple had been devoted fans for over a decade, having met while watching matches together. This year, after their daughter was born and deemed old enough to fly, they had traveled ten hours just to visit the RQ training ground.

Ruan Ning smiled at their genuine joy. She had always admired people who could stay passionate about something for years. She thought back—she couldn't recall a single hobby she'd stuck with that long, except gaming, which she'd played for over ten years.

She did her best to snap a series of photos of the family by the gate. The couple beamed at the results, praising her photography, and even gifted her a team scarf to wear.

After politely declining at first, she finally accepted, then gently said goodbye and welcomed them to visit A-country again.

There was still a while before Jiang Yihao's break, so Ruan Ning wandered over to the side of the training field to wait.

The vast green training ground was divided into separate zones by chain-link fencing. Tourists could only watch from outside, but a large crowd still held up their phones, snapping excited photos.

Jiang Yihao's first-team training ground was at the back, closed to visitors, so Ruan Ning had to settle near the youth team's area to pass the time.

A large sign stood at the edge of the pitch, with bold red letters: "No Walking on the Pitch!"

Ruan Ning smiled knowingly.

She watched a group of teenagers with youthful faces charging around the field, dribbling, passing long balls, and letting loose volleys. The ball seemed to have wings as it flew through the air, whistling past, drawing cheers from the onlookers.

Students at Iya preferred low-impact sports like swimming and rowing. Ruan Ning recalled the last time she had seen boys playing soccer with such vigor was back in public high school.

Back then, the annual school soccer tournament was the most awaited event. On match days, the entire school would gather at the field to cheer, and the atmosphere rivaled an A-League match.

She remembered the brightest star on the pitch was a senior—good-looking and talented, the school's acknowledged heartthrob.

Every time he played, the girls in the stands would scream their lungs out. When he scored, the roar could nearly lift the roof off the stands.

But he never glanced at other girls; he would only run to the stands to celebrate and make hearts with his girlfriend, the school beauty, causing everyone to groan and choke on a big scoop of dog food.

Still, that was someone else's idol drama, and it had nothing to do with Ruan Ning, who had been studying herself ragged.

After transferring to public high school, she had sworn to get into Iya. She almost never participated in any extracurricular activities, pouring all her energy into studying. While others remembered their high school days with sunny fields and grand auditoriums, all she could recall was relentless studying, catching up on missed coursework, and the endless, bleak grind.

A surge of indescribable emotions suddenly welled up in Ruan Ning, like damp fog blurring her memories. She couldn't help staring at the grass, lost in thought.

When the break bell rang, Jiang Yihao was the first out of the training ground. His teammates called out behind him: "Hey, grind king, aren't you going to practice 100 penalty kicks before you leave?"

Jiang Yihao laughed, cursed them for being crazy, and jogged off whistling, disappearing from view.

When he had gotten Ruan Ning's call that day, he thought it was a scam. He had been so happy he couldn't sleep that night, a strong sense of unreality washing over him.

He had planned to polish the dragonfly brooch a bit more before returning it, but she had beaten him to it. The words "heart connected" flashed through Jiang Yihao's mind. He was glad he wasn't the only one putting in effort; clearly, she thought of him too.

Jiang Yihao couldn't explain why just thinking about seeing Ruan Ning made fireworks explode in his heart.

As the match drew closer, the coach kept asking if they were confident. Jiang Yihao shouted "Yes" loudly, but inside, a trapped beast paced restlessly, unable to be contained.

Hearing that Ruan Ning was coming was like a winter-frozen river melting under warm sunlight, bringing a cozy spring feeling back into his life.

Jiang Yihao figured it was because Ruan Ning was the only girl who knew his secret, making her feel closer than others. The pressure he couldn't share with anyone else, she would surely understand.

He weaved agilely through the crowd, scanning the visitors, and spotted Ruan Ning at once.

She wore a white hoodie, light blue jeans, with long black hair draped over her shoulders. Her large, clear eyes were bright, and her nose was delicate and pointed. She had wrapped the RQ signature black-and-green scarf around her neck.

Jiang Yihao's gaze paused. "Not bad taste," he muttered.

He waved from a distance. "Hey, over here!"

But Ruan Ning didn't respond. Instead, she was staring intently at the training match.

Jiang Yihao wondered what she was so absorbed in, and followed her gaze—she was cheering for his U16 juniors!

His smile vanished instantly. He kicked a pebble in frustration and sent it flying toward her. "Who are you looking at?!"

"Ah—"

Ruan Ning heard a whoosh by her ear and thought a bullet had grazed her. She jolted back a few steps, heart racing, only to see it was just a pebble.

Jiang Yihao stormed over, shoving a drink into her hands. "Here!" he snapped.

"Th-thanks. What's this?" Ruan Ning fumbled to catch it, still dazed.

Jiang Yihao's face was long with displeasure, but he didn't answer.

The crowd around noticed a first-team player appear and excitedly turned their cameras on him. Jiang Yihao grabbed Ruan Ning and hurried toward the building, waving and shouting, "No photos, no photos!"

Ruan Ning obediently followed Jiang Yihao, not daring to speak.

Jiang Yihao's face was sour, his dark green jersey making his skin look even darker, yet his impressive physique was undeniable. With long legs, black socks pulled up to his knees, and a glimpse of white, toned thigh, he exuded a footballer's particular allure. Even passersby who didn't know who he was couldn't help but be drawn to his striking looks.

But the fury in his eyes was enough to make people wary.

"Jiang—Zhang Hao, wait up!" Ruan Ning almost bit her tongue at the near slip, panting as she pleaded for him to slow down.

Professional footballer speed was something else. Ruan Ning had to sprint at her hundred-meter pace just to keep up. She chased him for a few minutes before recognizing the drink he'd given her—RQ's famous soccer-ball iced coffee.

The warm coffee was topped with a black-and-white soccer ball ice cream and the letters "RQ," a perfect treat for a crisp autumn day, a hit with fans who always bought one for photos.

Jiang Yihao had given her two huge scoops, double the usual amount. Ruan Ning, who had brought nothing today, thought he was being quite generous.

But she still had no idea what she had done to upset him now.

"Can you slow down? What's wrong? I was waiting for you..."

"Are you angry? Say something, please."

Jiang Yihao stopped abruptly and boomed, "No!"

Ruan Ning tried to lighten the mood. "Thanks for the ice cream, but you gave me too much. I can't finish it alone. Want a bite?"

She held up the coffee ice cream, offering it to his lips with a coaxing smile.

"I don't eat junk food," he blurted out.

"..."

Ruan Ning froze, words stuck.

His expression softened a little. "We athletes have our own diet rules. Can't eat random stuff."

"Haha, quite disciplined," Ruan Ning laughed awkwardly, failing to ease the tension.

She thought, Jiang Yihao is so unpredictable and hard to deal with. Better just get to the point.

"By the way, the reason I came is to—"

"I know. You don't need to say anything." The angry master of the house suddenly brightened at the mention of it, straightening up as if he were a dog wagging its tail, waiting for praise. "Don't worry, I can handle everything."

Ruan Ning's heart skipped a beat. "You know why I'm here?" she pressed.

Jiang Yihao's lips curled, confidence gleaming in his eyes. "What else could it be but to thank me? No need to be shy."

Ruan Ning's pupils shrank. She couldn't believe it. She racked her brain for where the leak had been—how could he have found out her purpose in advance?

Jiang Yihao, now in good spirits, finally slowed his pace. "Just a verbal thank you? No real show of gratitude?"

Ruan Ning scooped a big bite of ice cream, avoiding his gaze. "If you help me settle this, I'll definitely thank you properly."

"Alright, I want it now!" Jiang Yihao stared at her with a sly grin. "You're not going to weasel out, are you?"

"What are you talking about?" Ruan Ning was baffled. She had already returned the two million; she couldn't think of anything she owed him.

Jiang Yihao asked, "Aren't you here for the brooch? I've almost got it fixed. I even had your name engraved on it. Pretty cool, right?"

"When did you—You actually found my brooch? And whose name did you engrave?" Ruan Ning's expression changed. She stepped in front of him, demanding an answer.

"Isn't it your grandmother's?"

"Your name is Liu Zihan, right? With the name on it, no need to worry about losing it..."

Jiang Yihao suddenly realized something. His eyes flickered from shock to fury, his sharp gaze scanning every inch of Ruan Ning's face as if trying to see through her.

Ruan Ning's face went pale. She lifted the ice cream to hide, unable to face his piercing stare.

"Don't tell me... the name is fake too? You lied to me again!" Jiang Yihao's voice thundered, startling nearby tourists.

In her hands, the ice cream trembled under the heat of his anger, beginning to melt. She stammered apologies to the onlookers and begged him to keep his voice down.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! It was a misunderstanding."

"That day you cornered me, I was just so scared."

"I never thought you'd actually find the brooch. I misjudged your kindness. I apologize—please forgive me."

Jiang Yihao's angry, reddened eyes clouded over. He clenched his fists. "So in the end, you never trusted me at all!"