Chapter 43: A Roomful of Tenderness

The boxer’s name was Roel. At only twenty years old, he was in the prime of his youth, vigorous and untamed like a newborn calf. Having burst onto the scene just a few years ago, he had rapidly defeated many seasoned champions, earning him immense fame and a global legion of fans.

Gu Yao initially had no idea why he was here, until the foreigner strode over and enthusiastically greeted her first: "Are you Su’s girlfriend? A very beautiful Oriental woman!"

He spoke in English, so Gu Yao naturally responded in English: "Hello, I am Gu Yao. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Gu... Yao?" The man repeated awkwardly. He failed to grasp the correct pronunciation, making his tone sound rather strange, and then he reached out a large hand, intending to shake hers.

Gu Yao did not reach out; she simply nodded politely.

The foreigner didn't push the matter, but with a cheerful laugh, he continued, "My beautiful lady, do you know your boyfriend's true identity?"

Gu Yao raised an eyebrow. "If you mean his identity as a professional boxer, I know. He is an excellent athlete."

"Better than me?" The foreigner stared at her excitedly.

"You are not as good as him." Hearing his question, Gu Yao pondered for a moment before smiling and answering with full confidence.

She had her reasons for saying this; it wasn't just idle boasting. When this boxer first rose to fame, Su Yu had analyzed his match footage. At the time, Gu Yao had asked him who would win if the two of them ever faced off.

Su Yu had answered then, after a moment of contemplation, with a confident smile: "Although it would be difficult, I would win."

Gu Yao understood this man; if he said it, it was because he had judged it to be true.

When Roel heard her answer, he became visibly excited, his mouth curling slightly to reveal white teeth, much like a beast baring its fangs.

"I think you have misjudged your boyfriend's strength. In the East, there is a saying: 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.'"

Gu Yao was surprised; it was quite rare for this man to know anything about Chinese culture.

Roel then switched to broken Chinese, speaking word by word: "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. I want to fight Su."

Su Yu walked over, having changed his clothes. He draped an arm around Gu Yao’s shoulders, leaned down to kiss her cheek, and said with a relaxed smile, "He had his first professional match right around the time I retired."

Gu Yao finally understood. "So he has always viewed you as his rival, but never had the chance to meet you in the ring, and thus chased you all the way to China?"

In that case, this foreigner was truly a battle-crazed maniac. Looking back at Su Yu, her eyes betrayed a hint of worry.

"It’s fine," Su Yu said, laughing. He turned to Roel and said loudly in Chinese, "Then have you heard this saying? 'Soldiers come to block, water comes to earth.' Since you have come to challenge me, I accept."

The foreigner paused for a moment, and to her surprise, he actually understood. He grinned and unleashed a torrent of English.

Gu Yao frowned after hearing a few sentences. Was this man truly so arrogant? Although his speed made it hard to catch every word, she understood the gist of it.

The man had boasted that he would knock Su Yu out within a minute and used an insulting slur to refer to Asians.

At this, Su Yu didn't need to say anything more; anger ignited in her eyes. Had she been capable, she would have wanted to rush up and beat the foreigner until he cried.

Roel took a giant stride onto the boxing ring, waving his fists toward them with an expression of extreme arrogance.

Glancing at him, Gu Yao walked over to help Su Yu put on his gloves. She raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "I agree. Go up there and beat him."

"Alright." Su Yu nodded. Suddenly, he raised his hands and waved at her with a smile. Gu Yao realized what he meant and reached out to tap his gloves together.

It was impossible not to be worried, but all Gu Yao could do was offer him her absolute trust. Zhou Hei stepped up to act as the referee, while she stood to the side, watching with a cool head.

After all, Su Yu had been retired for three years and was older than the foreigner; he certainly didn't have the advantage in terms of physical prime. Yet, he possessed a steady, composed aura that the cocky youth across from him lacked.

Boxing was a cruel sport that drew blood; Gu Yao had always known this. But watching her man take a direct punch to the face, she couldn't help but tremble, her right hand clenching into a tight fist.

A man of such stature suddenly crashed to the floor, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Across from him, Roel wore a look of triumph, his white teeth bared. He placed his fingers at the corners of his eyes, pulling them into narrow, slanted slits.

It was a form of discrimination against Asians common among Westerners. Gu Yao gritted her teeth, ready to rush forward, but Zhou Hei grabbed her arm.

"Watch," Zhou Hei smiled, seemingly unfazed by such things, and gestured toward the ring with his chin.

Gu Yao looked up just in time to see Su Yu slowly standing up. His gait remained steady. Despite his injuries, he slowly closed in on his opponent again, the light in his eyes like that of a lion just waking from slumber.

Roel was stunned. That last heavy blow had used the full extent of his strength; hardly anyone could have withstood it, yet this Oriental man had taken it head-on and stood back up.

As a racist, Roel had always looked down on Asians, believing them to be physically weak and inherently fragile. He had always dismissed the Chinese boxing champion, even suspecting his past victories were due to some "Oriental sorcery."

He had hoped to one day knock him down, and Su Yu’s early retirement had been a great regret. But facing him now, he realized this man possessed power that shocked him; his record in the ring was fully earned.

Masking his shock, Roel brought his fists up near his cheeks, assuming his signature stance, but his footwork grew erratic, and beads of sweat broke out on his forehead.

He didn't even react until he took a heavy punch to the chin. He had been knocked down by someone who had been retired for three years and was no longer in his prime!

The blond, blue-eyed foreigner stared in disbelief as he finally collapsed heavily to the floor.

When they left, Gu Yao turned to look at the man beside her. The corner of his eye was bruised, but paired with his sharp facial features, it didn't look out of place; he was still incredibly handsome.

She stood on tiptoe, carefully pressed against the bruise, and blew on it softly.

Su Yu caught her hand, looked down at her with an inquisitive gaze, and chuckled. "What are you doing?"

He had been too focused on the match, but after stepping down, he saw her teary eyes and realized she must have been worried. His heart ached for her, and though he had been coaxing her for a while, she remained silent.

Gu Yao suddenly let out a giggle and pointed behind him. "Look there."

At the entrance of the gym, Roel was walking out, head hung low and looking dejected. His steps were unsteady, and he limped with a look of utter defeat. As soon as he saw the two of them, he quickened his pace, scurrying away like a mouse with its tail tucked between its legs.

Su Yu glanced back and smiled silently. As Gu Yao turned her attention back, she heard a voice tinged with jealousy: "So, tell me now, whose physique is better—mine or Roel's?"

"Let me think..." Gu Yao couldn't help but laugh as she drew out the words.

Before she could finish, her lips were sealed by his warm ones. After a lingering and gentle kiss, he reluctantly let her go, tapping her lips with his finger. "You are not allowed to praise other men again, understand?"

"Oh." She answered honestly this time, her voice sweet. "In my heart, you are the most perfect one. How could I ever praise anyone else?"

Su Yu felt deeply satisfied, wishing he could pull her into his arms and never let go.

"Let's go home." He held her hand as they got into the car, which sped forward. He had been looking forward to a wonderful evening with her, but midway through, his phone rang, and his expression turned serious.

When the car stopped outside the villa, he touched Gu Yao’s head. "Go in and wait for me. I’ll be back in an hour."

She didn't ask questions and went inside.

After reaching the destination, Su Yu was led by a waiter to a private room. He opened the door to find Qin Manfeng already waiting. Her makeup was exquisite, and she was sipping tea with elegant movements.

"Auntie." Su Yu greeted her politely and sat in the seat opposite her.

"What happened to your face?" Qin Manfeng scrutinized him, her brow furrowed. "You didn't go out fighting, did you?"

Su Yu smiled. "Please don't worry. It was just a boxing match. A foreign friend came to challenge me, and I couldn't let our country lose face, could I?"

Qin Manfeng nodded, sipped her tea, and remained silent for a moment before asking, "What stage is your relationship at?"

She had asked this last time they met, though this time she seemed calmer. Su Yu raised an eyebrow and answered with a smile, "The stage where we will eventually marry."

"You..." Qin Manfeng hesitated. She was no longer aggressive, and a hint of worry appeared in her eyes. After all, she was getting on in years; under the lights, fine wrinkles were visible on her face, though she usually kept her expression so taut that they were hard to notice.

"Forget it. You can go." After a long time, she sighed and said nothing more.

Ultimately, she was a mother who truly loved her daughter. This time, she had finally compromised; after all, her daughter had found someone she loved. She had seen that much from the way they hugged outside the hotel.

Su Yu didn't move, looking at the woman who would soon become his other elder. His gaze was earnest. "I know what you want to say, Auntie. Yaoyao and I will continue to be happy. Please rest assured. She is my soulmate, and she is the life partner I have chosen."

Returning to the villa, the living room was quiet, with only the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. Su Yu took off his jacket and had just entered the bedroom to change when the door clicked, and someone walked out.