Chapter 17: The Man Who Lassos Horses
International equestrian competitions include: Dressage, Show Jumping, Eventing, Endurance, Driving, Vaulting, Reining, Barrel Racing, Polo, Horseball, and Tent Pegging.
Equestrianism was just an elective at LB Noble Academy. Choosing one of the above items to learn and demonstrate results was enough to pass.
Jiang Xinian chose Dressage, which requires guiding the horse to coordinate and complete a series of complex movements while maintaining elegance and rhythm.
Song Chi chose Show Jumping, testing the horse’s jumping ability and the rider’s control over takeoff timing and competition rhythm.
Jiang Xinian glanced lightly at Shi Huaibai, who had been following behind him. Seeing the other’s hesitant look, he naturally knew what Shi Huaibai wanted: “You’re just a few cultural/sports points away from the academy scholarship, right?”
Shi Huaibai nodded like a chicken pecking rice.
Jiang Xinian smiled knowingly, maintaining that considerate appearance: “The assessment in equestrian class uses a group format. You can be in my group. You don’t have to do anything, and I can get you an A.”
The format of the assessment competition was that each group sent members to participate in three events: Dressage, Show Jumping, and Mounted Archery. Each event earned points based on ranking, and the points were summed up. In the end, all members of the top 3 teams would get an A, while the members who actually competed would get an A+.
Competitors who took first place in individual events could also break away from the team score to get an A+.
Jiang Xinian patted Shi Huaibai’s hair: “How about it?”
The other’s lively, small-animal-like eyes drooped obediently. He slowly raised his head, his eyes revealing a trace of imperceptible confusion: “Then can I actually participate in the competition? OxO.”
Although getting an A was enough, an A+ was the only thing that could satisfy Shi Huaibai!
Shi Huaibai’s eyelashes trembled lightly, and Jiang Xinian was slightly stunned.
Since taking Shi Huaibai home, Jiang Xinian had rarely seen such a well-behaved, cold yet stubborn Shi Huaibai.
Chen Xin couldn’t help but recall the first time he saw Shi Huaibai: Misty rain wove a dense net, the beauty with damp clothes gently stroked the white cat in his arms in the rain, a crystal-clear raindrop condensed on his curled eyelashes. Shi Huaibai’s skin was white as snow, lifting his eyes timidly.
He looked shy, tenacious, kind, and docile.
But, the next second…
The feeling Shi Huaibai gave him now was exactly the same as back then.
Chen Xin instantly became alert. As expected, Shi Huaibai was definitely going to do something shocking next.
Shi Huaibai looked at Song Chi galloping on the horse, controlling the horse’s head high, leaping over obstacles of various sizes one after another, with girls screaming beside him!
He said with longing: “So envious.”
Jiang Xinian naturally knew what Shi Huaibai implied: “Then do you want me to teach you? Equestrianism.”
He placed Shi Huaibai’s hand on his horse’s head: “You can touch it. Its name is Snow Trace. It’s very well-behaved.”
The gentle white horse lowered its eyes, elegant in posture, seemingly completely tamed, waiting for its master’s command at any time.
Shi Huaibai was moved: “Then if I learn it, can I invite you to join my team? I will lead you to victory. What do you think?”
Jiang Xinian: “…”
Here it comes again! Reversing the natural order!
Chen Xin spoke for Jiang Xinian: “Xinian himself is the captain of a team. Actually, there are only 20 horses in the academy’s stable. These 20 horses are the only ones available for arbitrary use by others. Xinian and Song Chi are different; they have exclusive horses in the stable. Every competitor has cultivated tacit understanding with their own horse for several years. Learning equestrianism isn’t hard, but developing enough rapport with a horse to compete is the problem.”
Chen Xin laughed, patting Shi Huaibai’s shoulder, just like comforting others who were destined to be Jiang Xinian’s foil: “Isn’t it fine if we just join Xinian’s team? What’s so fun about going on the field to compete? Anyway, Xinian will definitely get us an A.”
Shi Huaibai was unwilling: “That’s a pity. We’re competitors this time.”
Jiang Xinian’s gaze stagnated slightly, but soon returned to his usual gentleness: “Fair competition. What’s pitiable about it? Even if we are opponents, it won’t affect our relationship.”
He knew clearly that if Shi Huaibai stayed by his side and continued to be more dazzling than himself…
He was petty, he was calculating; he would darkly compare his relationship with Shi Huaibai.
This was good too. Letting Shi Huaibai leave him was a form of liberation.
It was time for Shi Huaibai to return to that state of being “pretty but not upstaging the host.”
It was also the perfect time to prove: Who is the one truly shining?
Chen Xin thought Shi Huaibai must be crazy. Ignoring a perfectly good chance to lie down and win an A, he insisted on showing off.
Leaving Jiang Xinian, Shi Huaibai wouldn’t be able to show off at all; he would only make a fool of himself.
The System was also anxious, busy negotiating with Shi Huaibai: [No, why did you refuse F1? This is an A delivered to your hand.]
F1 even actively offered to teach Shi Huaibai. Shi Huaibai could get an A without even competing. What was the difference between this and picking it up for free?
Shi Huaibai said firmly: [My fate is determined by me, not by Heaven. I am the Savior. I want to form my own team to defeat F1 and F2.]
The System didn’t understand: [Is the mission to get an A or to defeat the two of them?]
Shi Huaibai: [It’s to get an A.]
System: [Then what’s the difference between defeating them and directly using them to get an A?]
Shi Huaibai: [It makes me look cooler!]
System: [……]
There were still a few weeks before the competition. During this time, the academy’s stable was open for self-study.
Jiang Xinian was truly a hypocrite to the core. He was clearly rejoicing that Shi Huaibai would become his foil this time, yet pretended to be a good-natured person: “Little Qian Xuesen, look over here.”
“The academy’s horses are old and weak. I happen to know a nearby horse farm. I’ll take you to borrow a horse. Even if you can’t build much rapport in a few weeks, it’s better than the academy’s horses.”
Jiang Xinian led Shi Huaibai to a famous horse farm in the suburbs.
Log fences circled spacious stables, and the air was filled with the clean scent of hay and leather. Each steed had glossy fur and a sturdy build, obviously well cared for.
This horse farm specialized in high-end hobby classes, hosting mostly children from wealthy families, so the horses here were exceptionally docile and friendly.
Jiang Xinian’s white horse, “Snow Trace,” was selected, raised, and trained at this farm.
Jiang Xinian turned his head with satisfaction, just about to demonstrate his generosity and magnanimity, only to find his carefully selected “audience,” Shi Huaibai, had vanished without a trace.
Jiang Xinian: “…”
He knew it…
He should have put a leash on Shi Huaibai.
Seeing that Shi Huaibai was lost, Chen Xin said calmly: “It’s fine. The horses here are all domesticated. Walking on the street, the probability of me biting someone is higher than these horses hurting someone. Just give Shi Huaibai a call.”
Jiang Xinian, like a nanny dad, took a messenger bag off his shoulder.
It was Shi Huaibai’s.
He tremblingly opened the bag: Shi Huaibai’s phone was inside.
Jiang Xinian: “…”
This was the largest horse farm in City A. The boundless mountain trails scorched under the blazing sun; an egg cracked on the ground could be fried sunny-side up.
Jiang Xinian said helplessly: “It’s fine, let him play by himself. He’ll come back when he’s had enough.”
The owner of the horse farm next to him suddenly spoke up: “Although the horses here are domesticated, but…”
The owner sweated: “Not all the horses have been successfully domesticated.”
In that moment… Jiang Xinian’s world collapsed again:
“What are you standing there for? Search!”
…
It was already the tail end of autumn. The pasture grass had long turned scorched yellow and bald.
The fodder fed to the horses was hay stored from the summer.
The food wasn’t good, so the horses were in bad moods, and trampling incidents occurred frequently.
So everyone split into several groups, searching all over the mountains and plains for Shi Huaibai.
“Finally… found him!”
The sun hung high, bathing everything in gold. The separated groups finally converged.
On the highest point of a slightly protruding small mound, Shi Huaibai was half-squatting. The fine fuzz on his cheeks was dyed gold by the sunlight, a healthy blush spreading from under his eyes to behind his ears, with a fresh, sun-kissed strip of orange-pink across the bridge of his nose.
Beside him was a majestic high-legged horse. Although its front hooves were clamped together by an iron chain, and its hind hooves likewise, its mane flowed loose and swaying, pitch-black and dense. It looked like a king looking down on all living things, only showing a hint of docility when looking at Shi Huaibai.
Jiang Xinian’s breath hitched slightly. He saw Shi Huaibai squat down, the cold wind pouring into his thin clothes. As he knelt on one knee, he lovingly stroked the horse’s bound hooves with his fingertips.
The cool, exquisite Oriental beauty lifted his eyes and finally saw Jiang Xinian’s group.
His eyes seemed able to speak, staring firmly at Jiang Xinian, his hands ceaselessly comforting the horse.
“Xinian, can I take it home?”
In that moment, Jiang Xinian’s breathing calmed for a second.
Shi Huaibai, bathed in clear sunlight, was dazzlingly intense, beautiful beyond compare, like the only pure white jasmine flower.
Maternal instinct and kindness blended together in Shi Huaibai.
Chen Xin was also a bit touched: Although Shi Huaibai caused trouble every day, he was still very kind. Seeing a horse with its freedom bound, Shi Huaibai must be distressed and pitying it.
Looking at the bound horse legs, Chen Xin couldn’t bear it: “Why are the horse’s legs tied up? How pitiful.”
Jiang Xinian said helplessly: “That horse, how much to take it away?”
In a place they didn’t notice, the horse farm owner’s soul had already left his body for a while: “No, you can’t take it away.”
Jiang Xinian was determined to buy the horse for a thousand gold, looking unkindly at the boss, his tone threatening: “Why? Just name a price.”
“Guess why we tied it up?” The boss cried injustice, “It’s called Da Hei (Big Black), the most stubborn horse here! Once released, it kicks!!! Who led it out?”
The untamed horse mentioned just now… was this one!
“Come down quick! Stop hugging it! Run!!!” He shouted hoarsely.
Wait, that aesthetic movement of Shi Huaibai squatting down just now—was he petting the little horse?
Clearly, he was picking the lock with a small black hair clip!
Shi Huaibai patted the horse’s head, as if expecting this: “I don’t want my horse to be ridable by just anyone on the battlefield!”
Pity the horse? NoNoNo!
Love the stubborn ones! Gogogo!
Under the terrified gaze of the boss, Shi Huaibai pulled the reins, brave and fearless. The horse howled hoarsely, muscles stiff, breathing shallow, looking very afraid of Shi Huaibai, a picture of docile submissiveness.
Only the System, visible to Shi Huaibai alone, spun around in circles: [I beg you, stop abusing the horse. You’ve been abusing it all morning.]
Shi Huaibai: [This is horse taming! I was a General! I am professional, okay!]
The next second, the person most capable of causing trouble rode the horse most capable of causing trouble, galloping down from the small mound.
Shi Huaibai sang loudly what he thought was the most majestic song:
“The man who lassos horses~” (Tao ma de han zi~)
“You… pfft, I am mighty and majestic~”
Author’s Note:
Beagle Keeper: [Cracking apart][Cracking apart][Cracking apart] Another day of losing face!
Recommended Reads
