Cycling: Racing into the Headwind

Chapter 174: Chapter 125: A Year and a Half of Hard Training, Finally on the Best Stage

As the saying goes, it is human nature to appreciate beauty.

Everyone has an innate desire for all things beautiful.

Beautiful people, of course, fall into this category, and there is nothing derogatory or frivolous in acknowledging it.

For a girl like Chen Junyi, her natural assets were simply too good. Even without makeup, she was stunning, having inherited the best of her parents’ features. So, even when surrounded by women armed with the transformative power of makeup—one of Asia’s so-called "great sorceries"—Chen Junyi still stood out. Her unadorned, orchid-like elegance, combined with the straight, poised posture honed by years of athletic training, allowed her to outshine everyone in any room.

Even Wu Fang, another woman, couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy and jealousy upon seeing her.

After the dinner party began, she and Chen Junyi, who was sitting beside her, maintained a warm and lively conversation.

For one, she knew the other woman was Huang Chong’s private coach, so she felt she had to take the initiative to be friendly.

For another, Chen Junyi had started serving Huang Chong food and soup right from the beginning. These ambiguous actions, so much like those of a girlfriend, made Wu Fang wonder if that’s what she was.

Things got a little awkward when her best friend from work suddenly called around dinnertime and asked to have dinner with her.

She thought about it for a moment. They were all acquaintances, and Dewey knew her friend too, so she simply invited her to join them at the party.

But her friend had barely sat down and taken two bites before she saw how close Chen Junyi and Huang Chong were. She quickly made a flimsy excuse and left early.

Wu Fang could, of course, guess what was on her friend’s mind, but she pretended not to notice.

Because she knew all too well that some opportunities, once missed, are gone forever.

While Huang Chong and Dewey were in the restroom, Wu Fang spun the lazy Susan on the table, enthusiastically serving Chen Junyi some food as she asked with a smile:

"Coach Chen, forgive me for being forward, but I’d like to ask you something. I hope you don’t mind if I’m out of line."

Chen Junyi was very sharp. The moment Wu Fang opened her mouth with that kind of preamble, she knew exactly what was coming.

But she had always been an upfront person who never shied away from things, so she replied with a smile as well:

"Not at all. What did you want to ask me?"

Wu Fang was a bit surprised by her frankness, but she still pressed on with a smile:

"I’m just a little curious, are you and Huang Chong dating?

I saw you serving him food and all that.

It would be wonderful if he were lucky enough to end up with you, though.

To be honest, Dewey and I were his college classmates, so we know his personality well. He’s the type who isn’t very proactive when it comes to romance, so we’re all worried he’ll never find someone!"

Chen Junyi had already expected this kind of question, so she had nothing to hide and answered directly:

"We’re not. I serve his food because as a professional athlete, there are many things sold commercially that he can’t eat. They might contain things like clenbuterol, so this is to prevent him from testing positive for banned substances during competitions."

"Oh? So that’s why!"

Hearing this answer, Wu Fang was deeply disappointed. Her expression turned a bit awkward, and she quickly apologized:

"I’m so sorry, I completely misunderstood!"

Hearing this, Chen Junyi just smiled reassuringly.

"It’s fine, don’t worry about it. The way an athlete and their coach interact often looks very intimate to outsiders. Even my parents thought Huang Chong and I were dating. I’m used to it by now!"

"Huh? Your parents think so too?"

Wu Fang was stunned speechless by this answer. Her inner gossip was instantly awakened, and she pressed on eagerly:

"Huang Chong has met your parents?"

Chen Junyi nodded.

"Yes, many times. Huang Chong has been to my house, and my parents even went to Chun’an to watch his competition the day before yesterday and yesterday."

"Ooooh—so that’s how it is—"

Wu Fang was thrown off by Chen Junyi’s straightforward answers, but she thought to herself:

’So that’s your game, Huang Chong. And here I was, worried you didn’t know the first thing about romance. Turns out your passive personality is just an act?’

’You haven’t even won the girl over yet, but you’ve already met the parents—’

She mulled it over for a second, then chuckled and asked:

"So, your parents have a good impression of Huang Chong, then?"

Seeing Wu Fang bombard her with one question after another, Chen Junyi felt a little exasperated.

But really, she knew perfectly well that Wu Fang just wanted to know if she and Huang Chong could actually become a couple.

She thought for a moment and decided she didn’t want to beat around the bush with Wu Fang anymore—it was too exhausting. So, she asked directly:

"I think they’re satisfied with him. But what you really want to know is whether Huang Chong and I will end up together, right?"

Wu Fang froze.

She’d never encountered this style of conversation before. It was so direct!

But she still nodded blankly and said:

"Yes—I was just wondering what you think? Huang Chong is a really great guy, right?"

Chen Junyi hummed in agreement, then continued:

"He is great. But he’s in a rising phase of his career right now—you could even say the most critical period. I don’t want to affect him with things like this.

Besides, feelings have to be mutual. It’s useless if it’s just me. If he doesn’t like me, then we can only ever be colleagues!"

When Wu Fang heard this, she felt a wave of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted.

As a fellow woman, she could now read Chen Junyi’s attitude clearly: she didn’t dislike Huang Chong. In fact, she might even like him.

It was just that, as Chen Junyi had said, Huang Chong was at the most critical point in his career right now, and it wasn’t a convenient time to get involved in a romantic relationship.