Love Affair Revealed

"Zhang Guan's Girlfriend Exposed!"

A very enticing headline, but the content was just about Zhang Guan and Sharapova having dinner together at a certain restaurant. In the end, the media speculated that the two might already be in a romantic relationship.

However, this report attracted a lot of criticism instead. People who read the article scoffed at it, questioning how having a meal together could equate to being in a relationship. They found the reasoning absurd. Isn't it normal for celebrities to have a meal together? Moreover, Sharapova didn't seem to know any other Chinese athletes. Since she was visiting China, Zhang Guan inviting her to a meal seemed like a perfectly normal thing to do.

"Another clickbait! And speculating they're a couple? What's the use of speculation? I could speculate there are aliens on Mars! Besides, Zhang Guan and Sharapova together is just too far-fetched!" A seasoned netizen, Lu Feifei, shook his head and criticized the media, then continued with his WAR3 game.

However, a few minutes later, his screen suddenly went black, and then the news app popped up, showing a new headline: "Zhang Guan and Sharapova Heading to the Airport Together".

Lu Feifei immediately clicked on the news. It was a repost from another media outlet, with several photos showing Sharapova walking ahead, and Zhang Guan pushing a cart behind her. The two were walking one after the other into the airport's security checkpoint.

"This doesn't mean much. Maybe they just happened to meet at the airport, or perhaps they are taking the same flight?" Lu Feifei thought to himself, but he already had a hint of suspicion in his heart.

A couple of hours later, another notification popped up at the bottom right corner of his screen: "Irrefutable Evidence of Zhang Guan and Sharapova's Romance".

"Irrefutable evidence? This better not be another clickbait!" Lu Feifei clicked on the news. The article had an enlarged photo of the necklace pendant on Sharapova's neck, followed by a zoomed-in picture of the diamond pendant Zhang Guan received at the Golden Grand Prix. The two pendants looked remarkably similar in appearance.

"No way! Maybe it's just a coincidence!" Lu Feifei thought, but he was already 80% convinced. The article further explained that the pendant was specially made for the athlete who broke the world record at the Golden Grand Prix, sponsored by the most famous jewelry company in the country and designed by a professional designer. There was only one such pendant in the world!

The price of a one-carat diamond pendant might only be around 100,000 yuan, and even with the addition of a renowned jewelry brand and designer, the price wouldn't increase by much. A unique design could further raise the price of the jewelry, but the most critical aspect of this diamond pendant was the significance it held—it was a reward for breaking a world record at the first Golden Grand Prix. This diamond pendant was not just a testament to the Golden Grand Prix but also a witness to the world record.

For Zhang Guan, this diamond pendant obviously represented his honor and was a significant part of his athletic career. In this sense, it was invaluable, much like an Oscar statuette for an actor. No Oscar-winning actor would easily give away their statuette.

Yet, Zhang Guan gave the pendant to Sharapova, clearly indicating a very close relationship between the two. This pendant could indeed be considered irrefutable evidence!

"Remember when I first arrived in the U.S., my biggest wish was to go to Disneyland. At that time, I was attending a tennis school in Miami, and there was a Disneyland in Orlando. Both Miami and Orlando are in Florida, and the distance wasn't too far. However, we didn't have any money then; my father worked several jobs to support me and fund my tennis training," Sharapova let out a long sigh, then continued, "It wasn't until several years later, when I had my first sponsor, that my father took me to Orlando's Disneyland for the first time. I remember being so happy that day."

"Yes, every father is great," Zhang Guan said as he looked at the densely packed crowd around them.

Hong Kong Disneyland had just opened this month, so there were many visitors, mostly locals.

Being an international metropolis, Hong Kong is no stranger to foreigners with blonde hair and blue eyes, so Sharapova did not attract much attention. However, Zhang Guan and Sharapova's height made them stand out, and from time to time, people would glance at them. Zhang Guan didn't know how many people might have recognized him and Sharapova. Public figures like them usually shouldn't be holding hands in public, but since Sharapova didn't mind, Zhang Guan was puzzled by her thoughts.

"Maybe we should find the right time to go public with our relationship," Zhang Guan suddenly felt a pleasant sensation in his heart.

Just then, Zhang Guan's phone rang; it was a call from He Yiming.

"Brother He," Zhang Guan answered the phone.

"Are you in Hong Kong now?" He Yiming first confirmed Zhang Guan's location, then asked, "Are you with Sharapova?"

"Yeah, that's right." Zhang Guan admitted straightforwardly. Zhang Guan's management team had long known about Sharapova, and Sharapova's agent also knew about Zhang Guan.

If it were an entertainment agent, they might intervene in a celebrity's love life, especially for idols whose relationships are strictly controlled by agents or companies. But sports agents are much more lenient in this regard. After all, sports stars earn their living based on their skills; as long as they perform well in competitions, they won't lack for sponsorships and a large fan base. Of course, there are some exceptions, such as certain domestic management centers that have strict regulations prohibiting young athletes from dating to avoid affecting their performance.

Hearing that Zhang Guan was indeed with Sharapova, He Yiming seemed relieved and then said, "Some media in the country have exposed your relationship."

"Oh," Zhang Guan responded calmly, as if he had already anticipated this or was prepared for it.

"At first, the media only captured you two dining together and going to the airport, which could be easily explained. The main issue now is the diamond pendant—the one you received for breaking the world record at the Golden Grand Prix. That pendant appeared on Sharapova's neck, which is hard to explain," He Yiming continued. "This pendant was specifically created for the first Golden Grand Prix, so there's no second one available on the market. I don't know how the reporters noticed, but they managed to identify from an airport photo that the pendant was the one you received for breaking the world record."

"They must be excellent reporters to notice such details," Zhang Guan said somewhat helplessly.

On the other end of the line, He Yiming said, "Zhuge and Hong Zinan are with me. We haven't started discussing a response plan yet, mainly because we're waiting for your opinion. Regarding your relationship, if you want to make it public, we will figure out a way to do that. If you don't, we'll come up with a plan to keep it private. There are pros and cons to both. Going public means you can be together openly and face fewer hassles, but it may bring some interference. Keeping it private means you'll have to be more cautious when you're together."

"I don't have any problem with it, but I'm not sure about her side. Hold on for a moment; I'll ask Maria's opinion and get back to you," Zhang Guan hung up the phone.

"What's the matter?" Sharapova asked.

"My agent said our relationship has been exposed by the media," Zhang Guan said, while secretly observing Sharapova's reaction.

"Then I need to notify my agent," Sharapova's first reaction was to call her agent. She then explained, "My agent has always claimed that I don't have a boyfriend, don't drink, hardly attend parties, and focus solely on tennis. So I need to inform him to be prepared."

But this wasn't the answer Zhang Guan was hoping for. He hesitated for a moment before finally asking, "Actually, I meant, do we want to make our relationship public?"

Sharapova's face immediately darkened. She put down her phone and looked seriously at Zhang Guan, then emotionally asked, "Why are you asking me this question? Do you want me to be your hidden girlfriend, meeting you in secret like some mistress having an affair, sneaking into bed with you? Then you can leave without any responsibility, as if nothing ever happened? And one day, if you meet a better woman, will you dump me like trash?"

Zhang Guan did not expect such a strong reaction from Sharapova. He just wanted to get her opinion. He then realized that Sharapova's strong reaction stemmed from an underlying insecurity she had been hiding.

In public, Sharapova presented herself as a tough woman, showing her strongest side to everyone. But Zhang Guan knew that she wasn't as strong as she appeared; she was still just an 18-year-old girl, bearing pressures far beyond her age, pressures she had been dealing with for seven or eight years.

Now, Zhang Guan realized that she, like other women, was fragile and needed someone's care.

Perhaps she had long hoped to let everyone know that she was not alone, that she had someone by her side.

Maybe, by choosing to come to Disneyland, she had already decided to make their relationship public, thinking Zhang Guan would understand her intentions.

However, Zhang Guan, being clueless, had been cautious and only now understood her feelings.

At this moment, Zhang Guan felt touched. He suddenly hugged Sharapova and whispered in her ear, "Maria, I'm sorry for not understanding your feelings sooner. I didn't know you felt this way! Actually, from the day we got together, I've wanted to tell the whole world that I have a girlfriend. And today, I can finally proudly say to the world: Maria Sharapova is my girlfriend…"

Tears rolled down Sharapova's cheeks. She leaned on Zhang Guan's shoulder and cried tears of joy.