Chapter 21: More Practice if You Suck
Over the next few days, Shi Huaibai spent his time being teased by Shen Chuimian, inspecting security measures at the art museum, running around with Jiang Xinian, and dedicating his evenings to experiments and academic studies.
By the time of the equestrian group competition, Shi Huaibai hadn’t practiced even once.
His group consisted of only three people in total, without even a substitute.
Jiang Xinian smiled as he helped Shi Huaibai adjust his helmet, displaying a gentle and caring demeanor: “Don’t be nervous. Even if you fail this assessment, there are other ways to earn credits. I can also add your name to the Student Council list; you’ll get the credits one way or another.”
After tightening the strap for Shi Huaibai, Jiang Xinian coaxed him like a child: “Open your mouth.”
Shi Huaibai obediently opened his mouth.
Jiang Xinian then instructed: “Shake your head.”
Shi Huaibai tilted his head, then shook it.
His eyelashes, thick and fine though not curled, fluttered like small fans.
Jiang Xinian’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, but his expression quickly returned to normal: “How is it? Is the helmet loose?”
Shi Huaibai: “It’s alright.”
Song Chi suddenly appeared with a sour face, blocking the space between Jiang Xinian and Shi Huaibai provocatively. He glanced at Shi Huaibai, then quickly looked away as if unintentionally, yet his feet remained rooted to the spot, refusing to move an inch.
The System thought he was here for a alpha male competition, but forgot that Song Chi was someone who was bad with words.
Song Chi brewed his thoughts for a long time. Under the System’s expectant gaze, Song Chi finally spoke: “If you lose this time, don’t cry.”
System: [……]
Just as Shi Huaibai was about to spout some thunderous quotes, Qu You had already put on her equestrian helmet, pulled down her lower eyelid with a finger, and made a face: “The one competing in the same event as you is me.”
Chen Xin remained silent in the shadows, his gaze locked tightly onto Jiang Xinian.
He couldn’t believe that one day he would truly break away from Jiang Xinian to participate in a competition, and even compete against him.
The first to appear for Dressage was Jiang Xinian. With an elegant posture, riding “Snow Trace,” Jiang Xinian clamped the horse’s belly as the drum music began.
The initial drum beats were gentle and slow. His horse switched between a collected walk and an extended walk. As the music’s tempo accelerated, amidst the rapid and intricate rhythm, the movements of the horse under Jiang Xinian became increasingly complex—counter-canter, flying changes—and without any buffer time, he began the canter pirouette.
Chen Xin’s interlocked fingers tightened, a strange light in his eyes: No flaws whatsoever, difficulty maxed out. Jiang Xinian was thoroughly elegant from start to finish.
Excited as before, he poked the person next to him: “Xinian is so amazing!!! He’ll be first in this event again, right?”
But… he forgot that the person next to him was Shi Huaibai, and Shi Huaibai didn’t respond at all.
Shi Huaibai was looking at his phone at this moment; “Pretty Senior Sister” had sent him a new message.
Pretty Senior Sister: [Heard you guys are competing. Mind if I come to watch? (Finger heart)]
Shi Huaibai mumbled to the System.
System: [You can’t. o>_<o]
Shi Huaibai: [Why? Do you think I’ll lose? Am I that unpresentable?]
System: [It’s not that, anyway, you just can’t.]
It couldn’t imagine F3 coming in women’s clothing to cheer for Shi Huaibai, nor could it imagine Shi Huaibai’s horrified expression upon discovering that “Pretty Senior Sister” was actually a man.
But Shi Huaibai was disappointed in the System: [A guy who boosts others’ morale and destroys his own prestige.]
Watching Jiang Xinian’s retreating figure, he commented as if no one else was around: “Just like that, I guess.”
He spoke softly, but it was like a thunderclap that instantly woke Chen Xin up: Wait, what was I thinking subconsciously just now?
Why did I subconsciously feel that Jiang Xinian would be first in this event? Why can’t I be first?
Chen Xin clenched his fists; he was next.
Jiang Xinian’s group was seated right next to him. Before Jiang Xinian elegantly took his seat, he gently patted Chen Xin’s shoulder: “I remember you’ve been practicing that piece for a long time recently. Good luck.”
He spoke lightly.
But Chen Xin knew Jiang Xinian too well; the other party wasn’t simply here to encourage him.
The piece he had been practicing recently wasn’t as difficult as the set Jiang Xinian performed, and Jiang Xinian’s movements were flawless.
No matter how perfectly he practiced his own routine, at most he could only get second place.
He was still destined to be the shadow behind Jiang Xinian.
While Chen Xin was dazed, Shi Huaibai gave him a push: “It’s your turn.”
It was funny to say.
When he entered the arena, he heard people whispering:
“Isn’t that the one who always stays by the Chief’s side?”
“Isn’t he in the same group as the Chief?”
“What’s his name again?”
…
What’s his name again?
Chen Xin laughed dumbly, lifting his eyes filled with madness. As the music started, Jiang Xinian was stunned, his pupils constricting slightly: Chen Xin’s movements were different from what he had been practicing all along. Chen Xin had switched to an unfamiliar but higher-difficulty routine.
He… also wanted to devour him.
Neither Shi Huaibai nor the current Chen Xin were shadows meant to highlight his radiance anymore.
There were already new posts on the forum:
[Holy crap, I just realized the one always standing next to Jiang Xinian is called Chen Xin.]
[So weird, he’s always been on the list of top students but no one ever noticed him.]
[I always thought he became a top student by mooching off Jiang Xinian’s various competition groups. Turns out he has real skills?]
[Honestly, aren’t his movements more fluid than the Chief’s…]
Jiang Xinian suddenly looked up. In that instant, his gaze collided with Chen Xin’s. The other seemed to be smiling yet crying, lips moving slightly, mouthing indistinctly:
I won’t give up first place again.
For the final movement, the horse under Chen Xin used its haunches as an axis, performing a pirouette…
Flawless.
No, when the horse landed at the end, its four limbs weren’t together.
Jiang Xinian seemed relieved, but his mind remained tense: Chen Xin didn’t win this time, but what about next time? As long as Chen Xin opened this breach of “absolutely wanting to hand first place to himself,” one day, if he slipped up, Chen Xin would bite back like a snake.
Jiang Xinian shook his head, wanting to drive the dark thoughts out of his mind completely, but remained restless.
The mounted archery event in the second arena was about to begin. Shi Huaibai stood up, and Jiang Xinian squeezed out a forced smile: “Good luck.”
It’s fine.
Chen Xin didn’t win this time.
Shi Huaibai had no time to practice at all. In fact, before Chen Xin joined the team, Shi Huaibai had been learning Dressage, not mounted archery.
After thinking about it, Jiang Xinian still impatiently followed Shi Huaibai to the second arena. As Shi Huaibai entered the field, messages on the forum exploded instantly.
[Help, what did I see?]
[Don’t people usually shoot wherever they ride? Why did he hit all five targets as soon as he got on the horse? The arrows are finished, but the horse hasn’t even crawled to the finish line.]
[For real, this equestrian competition in our academy might as well just be the three-day event. Why add mounted archery? Mounted archery has lower requirements for riding skills anyway. Isn’t it just about accuracy?]
[Reply to above, Dressage shows how well a person has tamed the horse, making it dance, and Show Jumping is also a competition requiring rapport with the horse. But not everyone owns a horse. What do you expect poor students and other students to do? Besides, you can’t even hit the target standing on the ground. What’s wrong? Jealous?]
[You don’t even think about whose person Shi Huaibai is. Say that in front of the Chief if you have the guts.]
[Honestly, when did the Chief suddenly realize Shi Huaibai is so pretty, has good grades, and learns everything fast.]
On the field, Shi Huaibai raised his lean arm. His black hair fluttered slightly, eyelashes trembled lightly, unbelievably beautiful.
The arrowheads flew fast; he pressed his lips slightly, hitting every target.
Jiang Xinian suddenly smiled.
Chen Xin, who had stayed by Jiang Xinian’s side after finishing one round, frowned slightly.
No matter what, he was clearly the person who understood Jiang Xinian best, yet he couldn’t understand Jiang Xinian’s smile at this moment at all.
“What are you laughing at, Chief? Shouldn’t you be very angry right now?”
Jiang Xinian asked him: “Why should I be angry?”
Chen Xin lowered his voice: “Because Shi Huaibai stole all your thunder.”
“Chen Xin, it seems after he came to our side, you became like me, and I became like you.” Jiang Xinian continued to smile in that refined manner: “You became like me, wanting first place, and I became like you.”
“Like me in what way?”
Jiang Xinian chuckled softly, his gaze viscous as if tangible, greedily licking Shi Huaibai’s back, extraordinarily eerie: “Like you, after discovering a treasure, I can’t wait to let others see its preciousness.”
Jiang Xinian’s meaning was unclear, smiling yet not smiling: “I seem to have found a treasure.”
It was the first time Chen Xin saw Jiang Xinian unable to disguise his greed, and he felt a momentary palpitation: “Chief, what are you thinking now?”
Jiang Xinian narrowed his eyes, lenses reflecting slightly, the smile at the corner of his lips deepening, gentle yet paranoid: “Treasures are meant to be seen by everyone, to be envied by others, but treasures are meant to be exclusively possessed.”
Shi Huaibai in the center of his vision was unbelievably pretty and arrogant, his brows and eyes clear as a painting, brilliant in every glance.
In the final round of mounted archery, he maintained a perfect score. With the last arrow, Shi Huaibai narrowed his eyes, and the blunt arrow shot out like flying, hitting the bullseye.
Countless shutters clicked. Shi Huaibai extended his long fingers, making a “V” sign: “Stop taking photos, the album is full, I don’t accept disciples (tu).” (Pun on ‘tu’ meaning picture/disciple)
With an arrogant hook of his “V” fingers, Shi Huaibai smiled slightly at his defeated opponents:
“There are only nine lotuses left in the lotus pond behind the school.” (Cai jiu duo lian)
“Go pick nine lotuses (More practice if you suck)!” (Cai jiu duo lian / Cai jiu duo lian)
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