I'm pretty much writing to myself, I guess, but I'm having too good of a time to stop.

"Club room now, Asi," Ximen commanded. "You have some explaining to do."

Chapter 4

Huaze Lei was already waiting when F3 arrived. They encircled Asi with their chairs and pushed him into a seat. He gripped his chair arms.

"OK, spill it, Asi," Meizuo said. "You've been acting strangely since last Friday when you saw that video." He paused. "Did something happen between you and Shancai? You're not yourself."

"No," Ximen said, "you're more yourself than usual. What's going on? It's been over a week."

"Start from when you saw the video," Huaze Lei said.

Asi winced, and his friends grinned. He looked up the stairs at the door. He was fast and might make it.

"Don't try it, Asi," Ximen said with a smile.

Throwing up his hands, Asi took a deep breath and haltingly shared what happened between him and Shancai that day on the roof. His friends settled in and leaned forward.

"I asked her to give me a day to apologize, and she did. On Saturday, we went to the area around the new resort. We saw the sunrise, walked on the beach, swam, and strolled around town. We talked through everything, and whatever she wanted to do we did. Later, we watched the sunset. Then I took her home."

Meizuo and Ximen leaned forward with undisguised eagerness.

"So, how was it?" Ximen asked. Asi's face turned dreamy.

"It was perfect," he said. "The happiest day of my life. She's more than I ever could have guessed."

"What do you mean?" Meizuo asked. Asi hesitated, not sure that he wanted to share his memories, but his friends would not let up until he gave them something. Besides, Shancai had given him permission.

"First off, those clothes she wears? That's not her. Her figure is stunning."

"No!" Meizuo said. "Shancai?"

"Yes, Shancai," Asi said. "She looks like an athlete with curves and muscles. I broke into a sweat when she stripped to her bathing suit."

"How can that be?" Ximen asked, looking more interested. "She did have nicely toned arms and shoulders, but Jing's dress didn't show much else, and it was dark."

Slowly, Asi shared her history. His friends were astonished.

"That's terrible," Meizuo said. "How could anyone do something so awful?"

"It doesn't make sense," Huaze Lei said. "Why was Shancai always with this boy?" Asi shrugged.

"They went to the same school growing up and played the same sports."

"Clumsy Shancai?" Ximen asked looking doubtful.

"Anything but," Asi countered proudly, "and smart. She'd give you a run for your money, Ximen."

"But not as brilliant as you, eh Asi?"

"There's no one as brilliant as Asi," Meizuo said. "At least he doesn't think so."

"So, what happens now?" Lei asked. Asi ran his hands through his hair and checked his watch. It was time to go.

"I want her, but I don't know if she's willing to give me a chance. She asked for time to figure it out."

"Ah," Ximen said, "so that accounts for Asi on steroids. When does she give you her answer?"

"In ten minutes."

Shancai stood at a distance and watched Asi fidget on the bench. He rubbed his hands on his pants, twiddled his thumbs, twisted his ring, and rolled his shoulders. Every part of him was in motion. She smiled and started down the stairs to the garden. He jumped to attention when she approached. She wore a peasant blouse that cinched her waist and low-slung, flowing pants with trendy sandals. A medallion choker circled her throat, and sparkly drop earrings replaced the boring black studs. A light touch of make-up. Completely different from her former look, she looked chic and feminine. The butterfly had emerged. With chagrin and concern, Asi noticed several male students staring. He hurried and guided her to a shaded spot away from inquiring eyes.

Looking at him, she saw a nervous young man trying desperately to remain calm. During the last few days, she wrestled with her thoughts and feelings until she settled everything in her mind.

"You look stunning, Shancai," he said.

She shrugged and ducked her head.

"Thank you. This feels more like me. I was nervous about coming to Mingde and hid behind frumpy clothes, I suppose. My grandmother took me shopping before school, but I didn't have the confidence at first."

He said nothing, instead trying to find something to do with his hands. Despite his efforts to be nonchalant, a twitch in his cheek gave him away.

"Asi," she began, "I want to be fair to you. I appreciate your feelings for me, but what you want isn't something I can give you." His head dropped, and he nodded. "But what I can do is meet you halfway."

He looked up surprised. Cocking her head, she observed him with a smile.

"I will go as far as casual dating, but I am very busy for a while, so I won't be free after school or on weekends. I have an, uh, independent study project."

Asi blew out the breath he had been holding. She was being careful, and he could not blame her. He wanted to jump up and down on the bench and yell to the world that they were dating, but he settled for a toothy grin.

"Have breakfast with me tomorrow?" he asked.

She bumped him with her shoulder and nodded.

Breakfasts together became routine with Asi meeting Shancai at a variety of off-campus cafes. He always arrived early, wanting to make the most of their time and not waste any by coming late. While he ate whatever he wanted, she always ate high-protein, low-carb meals and drank water, a lot of water.

At first, he loved that she wanted so much time with him, but when she requested to keep their relationship as private as possible, he grew concerned.

Asi also tried to claim as many lunches as he could, but he was thwarted there as well when at least once a week Shancai refused him in favor of another handsome student. Asi knew that he should not follow them, but he could not help trailing them long enough to get a good look at the upperclassman.

"Who is he?" Asi asked Huaze Lei the next week when he saw the young man across the courtyard. Whoever he was, he was of medium height and build but very muscular. Asi scowled at his perfect posture and easy manner with the girls who angled to meet him.

"Who is who?"

"Who is he?" Lei looked over and shrugged one shoulder before returning to his book.

"That's Wan Buyi. He's captain of the gymnastics team."

"Oh." Asi scowled at the young man and was surprised to find his dirty look returned. Wan Buyi looked Asi over and sized him up with a scoff before waving to someone out of view. Excusing himself from his impromptu fan club, he strode past Asi, who turned just far enough around to see him meet Shancai at the corner. Wan Buyi motioned in Asi's direction, and Shancai pulled his arm down. Pushing off the step, Asi made to go after them, but Huaze Lei grabbed his arm.

"Don't do it, Asi. You'll ruin everything."

"But he's influencing her against me! I know he is."

"You meet with her every day, and he gets a couple of times a week. You're still ahead."

Fuming, Asi sat glumly on the step and remembered his time at the beach with Shancai. Why would she be interested in the handsome captain unless she wanted to join the team? If she did, she would be with him every day! Asi stood and walked back to the club room, waving off Lei's concern. He would not be beaten by a newcomer with moves. Whatever Wan Buyi could do, he could learn to impress her.

Huaze Lei, Ximen, and Meizuo stood on the spiral stairs leading down to the club room watching Asi try to recreate some of Shancai's balance beam routine but collapse against the table instead.

"Are you trying out for the ballet, Asi?" Lei asked. "That was, uh, very graceful."

"Very funny," Asi said, glaring at his friend. "How hard is it to do something like that?"

"That depends, Asi," Ximen said. "What you tried to do is very hard, but falling against the table is fairly easy."

Asi waved him off and sat down looking puzzled. "No, really. How hard is it to do something like this on a balance beam? Lei? Your sister did stuff like that when she was into gymnastics, right?"

Lei shook his head laughing. "No, Asi. What you were trying to do is something called a lay-back spin, but that's an ice-skating move."

Asi rubbed his mouth, deep in thought.

"But she did it on the balance beam."

"Who did?" Lei asked.

"Shancai did. That day we were at the beach."

"That's impossible," Lei said. "It was so long ago, but …." He trailed off, grabbed his phone, and punched up a video clip. The others huddled to watch a graceful, arcing spin. "She did that?"

"Yes," Asi said. "That's exactly what she did. There was an outdoor gymnastics event for kids at a hotel, and Shancai did some moves on the balance beam before things got started. She was amazing."

"Like you know those things," Ximen said. He punched Asi's arm lightly. "Do you know any sport besides basketball?"

Huaze Lei looked stricken. "Did anyone else see this?" he asked urgently.

Asi thought for a moment, and something occurred to him.

"Some commented how beautiful it was, but others …." He paused. Others scrambled for their phones, desperate to get her on video. By the time they left the hotel, he heard the crowd calling for the security footage. "Others were almost frantic. Why?"

Lei closed his eyes. "The name of the boy who hurt her. Is it Cheng Li?"

Asi's jaw dropped. "How do you know his name?" he demanded

Lei ran his hands over his head, unable to speak. The others waited him out.

"Asi," he said finally, "Dong Shancai is not Dong Shancai but Du Lei Shan. Do you know that name?"

Asi shook his head, but Ximen and Meizuo opened their eyes wide, and Ximen clapped his hand on his forehead.

"Du Lei Shan?" Ximen asked. "Dong Shancai is Du Lei Shan? Impossible!"

"Who is Du Lei Shan?" Asi asked, angry at being left out. Huaze Lei looked at Ximen and Meizuo, unsure how to proceed.

"Go ahead, Lei," Ximen said.

"About five years ago," Lei began, "Du Lei Shan was China's finest gymnast and national champion. She also won gold medals in the world championships even at her age. She was training for the Olympics when she suddenly disappeared. Cheng Li was her counterpart and together rose quickly through the ranks."

"Keep going," Asi said.

"Cheng Li was reigning national champion and all-around world champion when he also disappeared. All that was posted was a short announcement for each of them saying that due to unforeseen circumstances, they were withdrawing from competitive sports and to please respect their privacy. What you told us must have been the real reason for it, but their disappearance is still a national obsession. The country is going to go wild once it hears that she's back and competing at the national trials. The last trial is at Mingde next month. I assume that's why she's here now."

Asi's mouth fell open, but everything he said made a strange kind of sense. She was in her element on the balance beam and told him that she had something important to share, and she was concerned about cutting her feet. Her "independent study" was what? Training? His world turned on end.

"She's well-known then?" he asked.

Huaze Lei nodded. "Asi," he said, "you're used to being popular, but she's famous. It's a level even your mother can't touch. She and Cheng Li were once called the nation's son and daughter. Can you handle that?"

Ximen and Meizuo whispered and watched while Asi puzzled things out. Is that why she did not want to be seen with him in public?

"I don't care," he said finally. "I love her. She told me that what she wants most is someone to share her life with, and I want to be that man. She won't do gymnastics forever. I can stand the storm."

"She's using another name to stay hidden." Lei said. "We can't give her away." He looked around at the others with a stern frown. "We can't say anything."