I'm Ah Xu, 35 years old, working as a mid-level manager at a design company in Taipei. In short, I'm still just another corporate drone.
Every day I wear a suit and tie, attend meetings, write reports—my life is as regular as a clock. I've been with my girlfriend Xiao Wei for six years. Our relationship is stable, like an old married couple, but so stable that the bed never shakes at all.
For the past six months, she's always been "tired," "have to get up early tomorrow," or "on my period." But I genuinely suspect she just has no libido. My bros laugh at me, saying "The price of stability is that little Ah Xu has to stay frozen." I can only force a couple of laughs, but inside I'm frustrated—until I joined triathlon training, and the story finally took a subtle turn.
The story began half a year ago at a barbecue gathering.
That day Xiao Wei dragged me to a meetup with her college classmates. I only planned to say a quick hello and mainly just stuff myself with food. Unexpectedly, I met her college classmate Xiao Ting.
He's 28, with a slightly muscular build and wheat-colored skin. When he smiles, his white teeth flash, and he speaks in a direct, roguish way. Chatting with him felt like we'd known each other for years. I heard he was really into triathlon—swimming, cycling, and running were all very serious for him.
I also shared that I'd always had a decent sports foundation since childhood. As we talked, he said, "Ah Xu, want to ride the mountain roads next Saturday? Got plans? Come join." I figured since weekends at home with my girlfriend were basically doing nothing—just watching our own TVs and scrolling our own phones—might as well try something new I'd never done before. As for Xiao Wei and triathlon, her disgusted expression meant I didn't even need to invite her; she quickly faded out of the conversation.
From then on, Xiao Ting and I went from "newbie and coach" to close brothers who talked about everything. Once we got familiar, I learned Xiao Ting was a standard playboy—changing women faster than clothes. One time riding, there'd be a new girl beside him; next time swimming, it'd be Qiqi instead.
But because Xiao Ting was genuinely passionate about triathlon, being able to train with him through mountains and seas naturally put my status above his other girlfriends. Like army buddies who served together—sweating and sprinting side by side. Who would've thought that years after discharge, I could still have such a close sworn brother.
Xiao Ting told me all his secrets. I also gradually realized I loved this feeling of sweating together, panting together, conquering mountain roads together. Cycling, swimming, running—I already had a foundation, and now training with Xiao Ting felt like finding a second self. It was a huge contrast to my original life. The usual gym on weekdays and lazy weekends were replaced with mountain and sea running schedules. The full workout load gave me dopamine every day of the week.
This time we arranged to cycle to mountain roads in another county for practice. We set off early, rode 80 kilometers, and our jerseys were soaked with sweat, sticking to our bodies. That day, Xiao Ting and I coincidentally wore the new blue one-piece cycling jerseys we'd just bought. People who didn't know might've thought we were a couple.