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"It's so great to be on summer break!"
Standing atop the Great Wall, which he had long wanted to visit, Lance, wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, shouted toward the mountains.
In that moment, he felt this was a genuinely good way to relieve stress.
While Lance was making a scene, Chloe stood beside him, watching with a wide smile. He was being ridiculous, and she was beaming. Summer break is peak tourist season, and people moving along the Great Wall turned their heads one after another, grinning at him.
His disguise was decent enough. Besides, no tourist would dare imagine that this tall, handsome young man, accompanied by a beautiful short-haired foreign girl, was the same Lance who had just caused a worldwide sensation at the European Championship.
Only a small number of young people recognized him. Suppressing the excitement rising in their chests, they quietly approached.
"Excuse me, are you God Lance? Can we take a photo together?"
"Shh." Lance put his index finger to his lips. He had no interest in becoming a human tourist attraction on the Great Wall. "Be natural. Don't make a scene."
"Mhm, mhm, mhm!!"
A few college student fans, barely holding it together, crowded around and pulled out their phones for selfies. One of them was just about to take advantage of the closeness and grab Lance's arm when Chloe calmly stepped forward and took it first.
The fan pulled back, about to say something. Then she got a good look at Chloe and felt the complaint die in her throat. The natural, makeup-free face in front of her made her own powdered look feel suddenly inadequate.
Click!
"Wow!! Thank you, God Lance!!"
"Thank you! Keep winning championships!"
"We'll be cheering for you at the World Cup too!"
"Are you staying at Atlético Madrid next season?"
"Follow my Weibo. I'll post updates when there's news. Thanks for the support."
Lance glanced around. Some tourists had already noticed, a few clearly itching to rush over. Once a crowd formed, even people who had never watched a match in their lives would join in for a photo. Getting out of that would be a nightmare.
He grabbed Chloe's hand and walked quickly forward.
"Hey! Wait!"
Chloe was startled for a moment, then a warmth spread through her chest, her heart fluttering.
Since agreeing to travel with Lance, the two of them had been living like a perfectly ordinary couple. Holding hands, arms around each other's shoulders in photos, gentle hugs. They had even shared milk tea and swapped straws while shopping. By any reasonable measure, they were one step away from the real thing.
Lance had been waiting for the right moment. He had no experience, and he wasn't sure exactly where the line was. Like every youth drama and school anime he had ever seen, the more you cared, the harder it was to say anything. With ninety-nine percent certainty, that one percent chance of getting it wrong could cost him even the friendship.
So he kept waiting. For summer fireworks, or something even more perfectly timed.
"We'll see. Actually, right now isn't bad at all."
He glanced back at Chloe. She was behind him, holding his hand, looking at him with that same wide smile.
He was content.
...
"Go sit in the lounge for a bit. I'm going to record the show."
"Okay. Don't worry about me. Good luck! Don't be nervous."
"I'm not nervous."
"Liar."
Chloe covered her mouth and laughed. His expression and stiff posture had already given him away.
Lance had done exclusive interviews for the Tianxia Football program before, back in Germany and Spain. Those were private settings with the production crew, relaxed and comfortable. He could talk naturally and at length. But today was different. He had come to the CCTV building to record a live special episode of Tianxia Football on CCTV5, with nearly a hundred fan representatives in the studio for live interaction.
He hadn't been nervous in an 80,000-seat stadium. He hadn't been nervous in a European Championship final. Yet here he was, slightly flustered at the thought of recording a show in front of a studio audience, worried his performance on television wouldn't be perfect.
Chloe had seen through him immediately. He even wanted to win at recording a show. He really was a boy who refused to grow up.
Her eyes were full of him all the same.
...
"Let's go. Follow me."
Ma Fanshu glanced at Lance, then at the girl whose eyes had been full of quiet affection, and her lips pressed together almost imperceptibly.
No wonder Lance had stayed completely unmoved back when she had given him those hints. She had even wondered at one point whether he simply had a different type, or whether she had somehow lost her appeal. Only now did she understand. Lance already belonged to someone.
Ma Fanshu had always been the center of attention. Confident, surrounded by admirers, never short of interest from any direction. With Lance was the first time she had ever felt a quiet sting of losing out.
She led him out of the lounge toward the studio hall. Not long after they stepped out, Chloe's smile faded slightly, and her lips gave a small pout.
"Hmm... something's up."
She thought it over.
"But fortunately, he's a little dummy. Hee hee."
She had been a little worried at first about whether Lance might feel closer to someone who shared his background. But then she thought about how long she had been dropping hints with no response. No matter what that pretty, slender girl did, Lance probably wouldn't even notice.
...
"Good evening, everyone! Welcome to this special episode of Tianxia Football. With the European Championship just concluded, the capital has also entered its hottest stretch of the year."
Inside the studio, nearly a hundred audience members were buzzing with barely contained energy, waiting.
Host Zhang Bin was a seasoned veteran. He knew he didn't need to say much. Ma Fanshu, on the other hand, looked a little nervous.
"Today's program has invited two very special guests, players you all know and love. Without further ado, let's give a welcome even more passionate than this midsummer heat. Please welcome to the stage, De Bruyne, and..."
Before Ma Fanshu could finish the name, the audience erupted in unison.
"Lance!"
"Ohhhh!! God Lance!!!"
Thunderous applause filled the studio as Lance and De Bruyne walked out from the side, waving to the crowd.
Lance hadn't expected this. De Bruyne, this guy, had also been invited. They had left the Belgium training base together, celebrated the championship together. How had he ended up in the capital?
"You were going on a trip with your girlfriend. I didn't want to get in the way, so I figured I'd give you a surprise while I was at it. Happy?"
"Happy my foot! Just get up there!"
De Bruyne climbed up looking slightly awkward, like an elementary school kid called to the front of class, a faint smile on his face. Lance forced himself to keep a straight face.
De Bruyne took his place beside Zhang Bin. Lance stepped up and stilled. Then he noticed Ma Fanshu standing almost directly against him.
He blinked.
We're recording a show, sister.