Chapter 368 - 222: Lu Fan: Yixia, Let’s Take a Couple’s Bath... You Agreed?

Chapter 368: Chapter 222: Lu Fan: Yixia, Let’s Take a Couple’s Bath... You Agreed?

She’d played all afternoon. Her arms were so tired she could barely lift them, but she was ecstatic.

She nodded. "Okay, but I’ll have to buy a racket first. The one I have at home broke ages ago."

Lu Fan chuckled and pulled open the passenger side door. "Get in. I’ll take you."

The car didn’t head toward a sporting goods store. Instead, it turned onto a road that was somewhat familiar to her.

Jiang Yixia looked at the buildings outside the window and suddenly realized. "Isn’t this the way to the gym?"

Lu Fan answered with a smile, "We’re going there to get a good racket."

The car stopped at the entrance to the gym.

Jiang Ming was at the front desk, looking at a computer. When he heard the door, he looked up and was taken aback for a moment to see Lu Fan and Jiang Yixia walk in together.

"Sis? President Lu?" he asked, quickly standing up with a look of surprise.

Lu Fan nodded to him and explained, "We came to get a racket. I’m taking your sister to play badminton."

Jiang Ming’s eyes lit up, and he turned and ran toward the equipment room.

A moment later, he came back cradling several rackets, all of them top-of-the-line.

He picked one out and handed it to Jiang Yixia. "Sis, this one has a great feel. Give it a try."

Jiang Yixia took it and tested its weight, asking curiously, "How much does this cost?"

"A little over a thousand. It’s pretty good," Jiang Ming said casually.

"Don’t use that brand. Go get one from my office," Lu Fan said nonchalantly from the side.

Jiang Ming froze for a second, glanced at Lu Fan, then turned and ran back again.

The racket he brought out this time was clearly different. Even the box was custom-made. When he opened it, the carbon fiber weave on the frame was fine and exquisite. A single glance told you this was no ordinary piece of equipment.

Jiang Yixia took it, ran her fingers over the frame, and tested its weight again before asking Jiang Ming, "How much is this one?"

Jiang Ming hesitated for a moment before saying in a low voice, "Sixteen thousand."

Jiang Yixia’s eyes widened, and she quickly tried to push the racket back. "No, no, that’s way too expensive! I’m not used to playing with something this pricey. One that costs a few dozen is fine. It would break my heart to scratch this."

"It’s fine, Sis. They all belong to President Lu. Whether you use an expensive one or a cheap one, it doesn’t cost us anything," Jiang Ming replied with a smile.

Lu Fan smiled too and pushed the racket back into her hands. "Rackets are meant to be used. If it gets scratched, it gets scratched. Didn’t you play just fine with that racket of yours that cost a few dozen? This one just has a slightly better feel to it, that’s all. There’s no real difference."

Jiang Yixia was still hesitant.

A sixteen-thousand-dollar racket. It felt like it was burning her hand just holding it.

Jiang Ming chimed in to help. "Just use it, Sis. It’s just collecting dust anyway. President Lu doesn’t have time to play."

Jiang Yixia looked at Jiang Ming, then at Lu Fan. Finally, with a sigh, she accepted the racket.

Jiang Ming was quick and efficient. He swiftly arranged for a private court and closed the doors, ensuring no one else would come in and disturb them.

The gymnasium was huge, and the lights were blindingly bright.

Jiang Yixia stood on one side of the court, gripping the sixteen-thousand-dollar racket. She suddenly felt a little nervous.

She hadn’t touched a racket in years.

Lu Fan stood on the opposite side, flexing his wrists. He grinned. "I could never beat you back in the day, but I’ve been practicing hard all these years. I’m definitely going to win today."

Her competitive spirit was instantly ignited. She snorted. "Your badminton skills were terrible back then. You couldn’t even serve properly. You hit it out of bounds every single time."

Lu Fan chuckled, tossed the shuttlecock into the air, and sent a beautiful clear shot flying. It arced high and deep, landing steadily just inside the baseline.

Jiang Yixia took two steps back and swung her racket to return the shot.

The shuttlecock clipped the top of the net and dropped into Lu Fan’s forecourt.

Lu Fan feigned a miss, acting surprised. "Going for the kill right from the start?"

Jiang Yixia laughed, and the knot of nervousness in her stomach loosened.

The two began to rally back and forth.

Lu Fan’s technique was indeed much better than before. His footwork was agile and his shots were decisive, each one packed with power.

But Jiang Yixia was no slouch either. Even though she hadn’t played in years, she still had the touch.

Her shots were crafty, aimed precisely at the corners. She made Lu Fan dive and miss several times.

The score crept up, with both of them neck and neck.

By the time the score was tied at ten, Jiang Yixia was drenched in sweat, but she was only getting more fired up.

"Didn’t you say you were going to beat me?" she taunted, wiping the sweat from her brow as she looked at Lu Fan.

Lu Fan just smiled and said nothing.

Over the next few points, he started making errors.

Hitting it out of bounds, or into the net. Slowly, Jiang Yixia pulled ahead.

On the final point, Jiang Yixia hit a backhand push. Lu Fan dove for it but couldn’t reach it in time, and the shuttlecock landed at his feet.

"21 to 19! I win! Hmph~" Jiang Yixia held her racket high, smiling so broadly that her eyes curved into crescents.

Lu Fan stood on the other side of the court, catching his breath. "Incredible, incredible," he said with a laugh. "I still can’t beat you."

"That’s right. All that practice was for nothing," Jiang Yixia said, flicking her racket smugly.

It was clear that in this moment, Jiang Yixia wasn’t a woman in her thirties, but had reverted to the spirited young woman she’d been eighteen years ago.

They played another game, and again, Jiang Yixia won.

She felt like she was in peak form today. Her touch was unusually good.

Lu Fan was always just one or two points behind, never quite able to close the gap.

After they finished playing, Lu Fan led her to the VIP showers upstairs. He pointed inside. "Go on, wash up. You’re covered in sweat."

Jiang Yixia pushed the door open, and the luxury within stunned her for a moment.

Marble walls, a thermostatic showerhead, and a row of exquisite toiletries.

Lu Fan leaned against the doorframe, a sly grin on his face. "Want to shower together? We could conserve water."

Jiang Yixia shot him a glare, her face instantly turning red. "Pervert."

With that, she slammed the door shut.

The sound of running water came from inside, and steam carrying the scent of shower gel wafted out from under the door.

Meanwhile, Lu Fan leaned against the hallway wall and waited.

While he was waiting, Chen He saw that they had finished their game and sidled over to whisper, "Boss, wasn’t it a little too obvious that you were throwing the match?"

Lu Fan smiled calmly. "As long as your lady boss is happy."

Chen He chuckled and said no more.

He turned and went to clean up the court.

After a while, the door opened.

Jiang Yixia walked out, her still-damp hair spread across her shoulders.

The steam had left her face flushed and her eyes dewy.

She was wearing a simple white T-shirt and track pants, but the fabric clung to her body, outlining her curves.

A thin waist, long legs, and a few stray water droplets still glistening on her collarbones.

Lu Fan took one look, and then another.

His staring made Jiang Yixia uncomfortable. She glanced down at herself. "What are you looking at?"

Lu Fan chuckled. "Looking at your great figure."

Jiang Yixia’s face flushed red. She snatched the towel she was holding and threw it at him. "Pervert!"

Lu Fan caught the towel and laughed even harder.

Jiang Yixia ignored him and strode quickly away.

Lu Fan just chuckled. He loved teasing her.

"You played well today," he praised.

It was rare for her to be better than Lu Fan at something, so she snorted softly. "That’ll teach you to underestimate me."

"I would never dare underestimate you," Lu Fan teased back.

Jiang Yixia paid him no mind, picking up her racket to leave.

As she reached the doorway, she couldn’t resist a final glance back.

On the electronic scoreboard, a line of text glowed brightly.

[Lu Fan’s Singles Winning Streak: 133 Matches.]

She froze.

’One hundred and thirty-three matches?’

Suddenly, Jiang Yixia understood everything.

’Those mistakes, those near-misses, that "I still can’t beat you"... it was all an act.’

’How could someone with a 133-match winning streak possibly lose to me?’

’Keeping the score so tight, always losing by just a point or two... he was doing it on purpose.’

She lowered her head, unable to stop the corners of her mouth from curling into a smile.

’This man... he went to all this trouble just to let me win.’

A sudden sweetness filled her heart, but she said nothing. She just put her racket away and followed him out.

One after the other, they walked out of the gym.

On the way back, Jiang Yixia was quiet.

She was still looking out the window.

Soon, the car pulled up in front of Jiang Yixia’s apartment building.

Night had fallen. The residential complex was quiet, illuminated only by the streetlights.

Jiang Yixia unbuckled her seatbelt, but her hand lingered on the door handle. She didn’t get out right away.

She was silent for a couple of seconds before speaking, her voice even. "Drive safe."

With that, she opened the car door and walked away without looking back.

Lu Fan sat in the car, watching her figure disappear into the building’s entrance, a slow smile spreading across his face.

He thought of her triumphant expression when she was playing, and her "Drive safe" just now.

’Women. Tough on the outside, soft on the inside.’

He leaned back in his seat and looked up at her window.

A light flicked on, and her blurry silhouette appeared on the curtains.

He suddenly laughed out loud.

’It won’t be long now. One day, my wish will come true.’

’Not the wish to beat her at badminton, or to hear her say "Drive safe."’

’Sooner or later, my wish for the two of us to share a bath will come true.’