69. Pushing the Limits Again and Again

Bai Haonan’s talents didn’t extend far beyond two things: courting women and playing football.

To others, the mountain retreat hotel seemed a place of ethereal beauty, but to Haonan, that roughneck, it was simply remote and inconvenient. Dragged out early in the morning by Chen Sufen to the terrace to watch the sunrise, he should have been transfixed by the spectacle of golden serpents dancing across the horizon. Instead, he found it annoyingly dark, the meadow just beginning to brighten as several protected migratory birds arrived for winter, fluttering across the grass. Bai Haonan was too lazy to even open his eyes. No one had gotten up yet, so why bother caring about the animals? It would be much better—yes, much fresher—to indulge in some morning excitement on the terrace.

That was about the only thing that could lift his spirits. What else was there to do? Despite over a decade of martial arts training and consistently robust health, Chen Sufen was still a novice, and couldn’t quite handle Haonan’s relentless Teddy-bear-like enthusiasm. After just two days of his frequent advances, she retreated from the protected reserve back to the central town of the scenic area.

The town itself was nothing more than two or three artificial “ancient” streets, a couple hundred meters long. They looked quaint and old-fashioned but were all newly built in recent years. Bai Haonan never cared about such details. The streets were lined with music bars, guesthouses, coffee shops—features now ubiquitous in domestic tourist spots. For someone like him, who had never experienced the charms of a scenic area, the real attraction lay in the female tourists seeking a touch of sunshine. With them around, he acted like a boar let loose from its pen!

That last metaphor was Chen Sufen’s comment.

Even with one hand wrapped in bandages, Bai Haonan swept through the streets from end to end. These nightspots, which relied almost entirely on tourists, attracted plenty of women pretending to seek scenery or healing, or simply coming out to play the part of cultured young ladies. In truth, they just wanted to let loose—to shed their usual dignified, virtuous facade and feel attractive when confronted by a skilled flirt. Bai Haonan, with his wild Teddy-bear ways, was completely in his element. No sooner had they returned to town than he picked up a northern girl in a bar that very night and didn’t come home.

If Chen Sufen had tolerated this for the past two or three months, it was only because out of sight meant out of mind; in previous years, they were rarely together anyway. But things were different now, weren’t they? Just last night they were together—how could he immediately turn around and chase after someone else?

She might speak breezily, but the psychological impact was intense. Chen Sufen was on the verge of losing control, and in the early morning, she searched everywhere for the bastard. The town was small, but with twenty or thirty guesthouses and fifty or sixty family-run inns during peak season, it was still a bit troublesome to comb through. Moreover, the local residents were of a minority ethnicity, so communication wasn’t always easy or polite. Chen Sufen’s irritation grew, and she developed road rage while driving along the narrow stone streets, barely wide enough for two cars to pass. By chance, she spotted a crowd of local youths cheering loudly on the grassy bank beside the winding river that ran through town. She thought they were entertaining themselves with song and dance, but then saw a football soaring through the air. Instinctively, she pulled over and strode over, furious.

Sure enough, there he was, imitating the locals by tying his jacket around his waist and wearing only a T-shirt, looking both carefree and roguish as he played football with a group of local kids!

She was so angry she felt her hormones out of balance, yet he was having the time of his life. Chen Sufen couldn’t hold back; after all the Tai Chi and yoga she’d practiced, none of it helped when confronted with this infuriating man. When they’d been apart, she could remain composed—didn’t she always know what kind of person he was? But now, living together, especially after breaking through that last barrier in their relationship, it was unbearable. Suddenly, she shouted, “Bai Hao—” but then remembered she couldn’t just call his name aloud. Anyone who liked football might know the domestic league and recognize the name. She swallowed her words and yelled instead, “Get over here!”

Even if her tone lost some force, it worked. Bai Haonan grinned, juggling the ball before passing it off with a flashy move that drew cheers from the crowd. He strolled over, his face glowing, steam rising from his hair, and smiled brightly. “What’s up?”

At last, Chen Sufen understood what Qiao Yingna had told her. Or perhaps she realized her previous nonchalance was just an act; how could she not care if her man acted like a boar, chasing after other women? Just imagining him on top of someone else drove her mad. The feeling had never been so intense, probably because she had only just become a woman herself, and was now more sensitive. “What’s up? You tell me! Since last night—”

Bai Haonan simply watched Chen Sufen rant, waited for her to finish, and then said, “I told you not to fuss with me. Just go do your own thing, read your books, take your own path.”

Chen Sufen’s eyes widened, locking onto his until he looked away. Suddenly, she hummed in realization, “Is that what you want—to disgust me until I leave? Well, I won’t! Let’s eat!”

So, after breakfast in broad daylight, Bai Haonan returned to the grassy field where the locals played ball. It wasn’t that the locals were passionate about football; it just happened that some children brought a ball, and he turned it into a spectacle. The locals preferred shuttlecock—a game similar to a kickball, but more accurate and with greater force.

Since it involved kicking, Bai Haonan quickly got hooked, fully immersed in the game. The style of the town, with its lazy minority residents lounging in the sun and playing all day, suited him perfectly.

After breakfast, Chen Sufen seemed to forgive him again. She sat on the riverbank railing, holding a bottle of local yogurt, watching the man play so gleefully. Almost thirty, he was still a big boy, absorbed entirely in play.

If she claimed not to be disappointed, it was a lie. Yet she kept persuading herself with other emotions and beliefs. Gradually, her expectations lowered—there’s nothing wrong with enjoying games, as long as he stopped chasing women. What harm could there be in playing football, right?

But in truth, after several years of not witnessing Bai Haonan’s romantic escapades up close, Chen Sufen underestimated him. Even playing football, he found ways to stir up trouble. By noon, he was already on brotherly terms with several local youths and, unsurprisingly, accepted their invitation to visit their home.

At first, Chen Sufen was wary, wondering if the locals had ulterior motives. But as she followed Bai Haonan into their little courtyard, saw the beautifully ethnic house, and was greeted by a stunning girl with long, flowing hair and elaborate dress, she immediately knew he was targeting something specific.

The bastard had an uncanny instinct for beautiful women!