Chapter 190 183: Encountering an Immortal

In the early morning, the bustling city of Beijing welcomed a rare moment of tranquility, and the royal garden, Yihe Garden, welcomed its first guests of the day.

The elderly, out for their morning exercises.

In small groups, they passed through the South Ruyi Gate, chatting and laughing as they walked into this imperial garden that, a hundred years ago, still belonged to the Imperial Family, admiring the beautiful scenery that once only royalty was qualified to enjoy.

In this picturesque Royal Garden, even the air was filled with a faint fragrance.

The scent of flowers and plants.

This was Yang Yang's first visit to Yihe Garden, and he was completely awestruck by the magnificent and beautiful Royal Garden.

He was currently standing at a fork in the road on the West Embankment. To his east, the surface of the lake shimmered under the morning glow. Gazing at the distant scenery, Yang Yang couldn't help but gasp in admiration at its beauty.

The lake to his right was covered in lotus leaves. He could just make out the pointed tips of young buds poking through, which couldn't help but remind him of an old poem he memorized as a child: *The tender lotus just reveals its pointed tip / A dragonfly has already perched on top.*

Behind him, the elderly were in the middle of their leisurely morning exercises. Some wielded large calligraphy brushes, dipping them in water to practice writing on the stone pavement. Others gathered in the shade of a tree to slowly practice Tai Chi, while still others sat to the side, chatting in low voices.

Yang Yang was suddenly touched by the tranquility of the scene. He sensed the profound beauty of life emanating from the elderly folk.

After standing at the fork on the West Embankment for a little while, Yang Yang started juggling the ball and began his morning workout.

...

...

It was his third day back in the country.

Wei Zhen's family owned an apartment in a residential complex south of Yihe Garden, which they had bought just four or five years ago. The entire family had originally lived there, but they later moved out for work or to go abroad, leaving the apartment vacant.

This time, Yang Yang had returned to China intending to stay in Beijing for a while to properly prepare for the upcoming Asian Cup. The brothers, Wei Zhen and Wei Zheng, suggested he stay here. It was close to Yihe Garden, perfect for Yang Yang's daily morning workout habit. It was also quiet, and the residential complex had a pleasant environment and good property management, allowing him to escape the outside world and focus on his training.

When Yang Yang moved in, a cleaning service had already tidied up the apartment. Over the next two days, Wei Zhen drove Yang Yang around the area to familiarize him with the surroundings, bought a refrigerator full of groceries, and even helped him get an annual pass for Yihe Garden. Only after giving him a long list of reminders did Wei Zhen finally head back to work.

Yang Yang didn't mind living alone at all; in fact, he greatly enjoyed this kind of tranquil life.

Frankly, he wasn't used to being constantly surrounded by the media and public opinion.

Seeing all the praise and compliments for him on the internet, in newspapers, and on television, he felt almost overwhelmed. He knew very well that he wasn't as good as they made him out to be.

But it was also a source of motivation. He didn't want to disappoint everyone who liked and supported him, so he had to work even harder.

...

...

There were few people in Yihe Garden in the morning, mostly seniors. Yang Yang jogging while juggling a ball was an odd sight, but no one came up to bother him. Even when people occasionally recognized him, they would only exchange a few words about it.

Yang Yang could faintly overhear their conversations from a distance, saying things like how hardworking he was. This satisfied his little bit of vanity, but what he truly wanted was not to be disturbed.

Following the West Embankment northward, it was as if Yang Yang were running through a traditional landscape painting. He would often be captivated by the beauty around him and pause to admire it.

Entering this Royal Garden for the first time, he was filled with curiosity for everything and was deeply awestruck, feeling much like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden.

And so he continued, juggling the ball, stopping and starting, thoroughly enjoying the sights along the way.

"Little girl, can you run a little faster?"

A resonant, elderly voice suddenly called out from behind him.

Yang Yang jumped in surprise. 'I'm obviously a guy, how did I become a little girl?'

He spun around, only to discover that a young woman about his age had been jogging behind him at some point. Further back was a white-haired old man, panting and out of breath.

Hearing the shout from behind, the young woman immediately turned and apologized several times to the old man, quickly moving out of the way. When she turned back and saw Yang Yang, her beautiful, delicate face blushed, and she seemed a bit flustered.

The first time he saw the young woman, a single word flashed through Yang Yang's mind: *Goddess*.

Meeting a goddess in a place as magical as Yihe Garden... this truly felt like a fated encounter.

Looking at her again, he was stunned by her exquisite beauty, the kind that could make one's heart flutter with a single glance.

Then, he felt as if he'd seen her somewhere before, but he couldn't place where.

"My apologies, sorry to get you caught up in that," Yang Yang said apologetically, quickly stepping to the side.

The young woman kept her head lowered shyly. She gave him a slight nod, as if to say it was nothing, and then, carrying a faint, fresh scent with her, she quickly ran past him. She ascended an arched bridge up ahead and soon vanished from sight.

She had appeared as suddenly as she had left. Yang Yang really felt as if he had just had an encounter with a celestial being.

When he thought back to how he'd found her so familiar, he couldn't help but laugh at himself.

'Guys... we see a pretty girl and immediately think she looks familiar. Typical,' Yang Yang thought, mocking himself with a wry smile.

Without giving it further thought, Yang Yang continued jogging forward, juggling the ball.

It was still early, anyway. He ran at a leisurely pace, admiring the beautiful scenery of the lake and mountains. There was a unique charm to it all. He even felt as though his ball-juggling skills had improved significantly.

Of course, that was purely psychological.

Jogging and sightseeing, Yang Yang spent some time at the Fuxiang Pavilion and Longevity Mountain to the north, marveling at the artistry of ancient Chinese gardens. He then headed south from the eastern side of Kunming Lake, crossing the famous Seventeen-Arch Bridge toward South Lake Island.

To Yang Yang's surprise, he met the same young woman from earlier again on the Seventeen-Arch Bridge.

She was wearing a short-sleeved workout outfit, revealing flawless arms and long, slender legs. Her dark hair was tied back in a ponytail, exposing a face so delicate and perfect that seeing her again, Yang Yang couldn't help but be impressed.

'She's absolutely beautiful!'

Whether from the long run or from the shyness of seeing Yang Yang again, her cheeks were flushed crimson all the way to her earlobes, a truly endearing sight.

This time they were face-to-face, and he could see her more clearly. The sense of familiarity was even stronger, but he still couldn't for the life of him remember where he had seen her.

'Is she some online celebrity?'

As they passed each other on the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, Yang Yang offered a polite smile and a nod. The young woman nodded back slightly.

Afterward, Yang Yang picked up his pace, juggling the ball as he jogged onto South Lake Island.

South Lake Island and Longevity Mountain complemented each other across the water. The scenery around the island was breathtakingly beautiful, leaving such a deep impression on him that he found it hard to leave.

...

...

As he walked out of Yihe Garden through the South Ruyi Gate, Yang Yang felt a pang of reluctance.

'It really lives up to its name as a Royal Garden!'

Outside Yihe Garden, large tracts of land to the south were undergoing redevelopment. Construction had begun on some plots, while others remained temporarily vacant.

According to Wei Zhen, the new Metro Line 10 was set to pass through here, and property prices in the surrounding area were already on the rise.

However, Yang Yang had no money right now and couldn't afford a place here. Otherwise, it would be incredible to live right next to Yihe Garden. At the very least, getting to go for a morning run in the Imperial Family's own Imperial Garden every day would be a delightful pleasure.

The local amenities were still underdeveloped. Plus, before leaving Ajax, Yang Yang had specifically requested a meal plan from the team's nutritionist, and he followed it strictly every day. As a result, he had to go home for breakfast.

Back in the lobby of his apartment building, he saw an elevator arriving and hurried to catch it.

But just as he reached the elevator doors, he was stunned yet again.

"How is it you again?" Yang Yang blurted out, but he quickly realized how rude that sounded and hastily corrected himself. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I just mean, what a coincidence."

Meeting three times in one morning was, indeed, quite a coincidence.

The young woman didn't seem to mind his slip of the tongue. Blushing, she nodded slightly. "I live next door."

"Huh?" Yang Yang was shocked again. "You live next door?"

'You've got to be kidding me.'

But the young woman nodded very seriously and pointed to the already-lit floor button in the elevator. It was indeed the fifth floor.

"How do you know where I live?" Yang Yang asked, puzzled. He hadn't pressed the button for his floor yet.

"I've seen you play."

'So she's a fan,' Yang Yang thought. 'But how does that explain her knowing where I live?'

"I mean, I saw you play live. At the Champions League final."

As soon as she said that, it all clicked into place for Yang Yang. He finally remembered where he'd seen her before.

Wasn't she the girl from that photo on Wei Zhen's blog?

The difference was that in the photo, she was wearing a school uniform with her hair down, whereas now she was in workout clothes with a ponytail.

'No wonder she looked so familiar, but I just couldn't place her.'

'So I really had seen her before. It wasn't just because I go weak in the knees at the sight of a pretty girl.'

Yang Yang suddenly felt completely vindicated.

"So you're the Su Xiaomei my mom mentioned," Yang Yang recalled instantly.

Back in Amsterdam, his mother had mentioned her a few times, saying she was beautiful and had a wonderful personality.

"My name is Su Ye."

"Hi, I'm Yang Yang. Thanks for taking care of my mom before," Yang Yang said with a smile.

"It was nothing. Auntie was the one taking care of me, really." Su Ye was already beautiful and had a sweet voice, but her dazzling smile was even more captivating.

Yang Yang didn't pay attention to much else. "My mom told me you went to Germany for a play?"

"Mhm, it was an exchange program organized by my school's drama club. I've been back for some time now," Su Ye replied with a gentle smile.

Yang Yang nodded.

The elevator ride from the first to the fifth floor was over in a flash.

After they got out of the elevator, Su Ye explained that there were two apartments per floor. Her family lived across the hall from Wei Zhen's place. The two families had been neighbors for a long time and were very close; a few years ago, they had even specifically bought apartments in the same building of the same complex to remain neighbors.

"My dad is a huge fan of yours," Su Ye said with a laugh. "He'll be ecstatic when he finds out you've moved in. He'll definitely ask for your autograph."

Yang Yang felt a little awkward, not knowing what to say.

Even now, he still wasn't used to being praised to his face.

"You just moved in, so you're probably not familiar with everything yet. Brother Wei and Second Brother Wei aren't around, so if you need anything at all, just come over to our place. I'm usually home when I'm not at school, and my parents are home after work."

"Okay, I will. Thank you," Yang Yang said sincerely.

"Don't mention it. You gave me the ticket for the final and made my dad's dream come true. If anything, I should be the one thanking you."

Yang Yang didn't stand on ceremony any longer. He said goodbye and went into his apartment.