The team members were rotated in round after round, and soon it was Losi's turn.
Losi stepped forward and half-squatted in front of the mat. Unlike the others who complained, she carefully examined the pins opposite her, confirming their orientation before allowing the staff to blindfold her.
She first carefully bent down, slowly rolled around, and tilted slightly to the right.
In the pitch black, a single roll can completely disorient you.
Losi felt the same way; in the silent darkness, she didn't know if the path she was on was the right one.
But she still had to keep going, so she rolled forward another circle.
After rolling three times, laughter suddenly erupted around them.
Losi paused, startled. She reached out and touched the area around her, finding the edge of the mat.
Rossi breathed a sigh of relief; thankfully, she had noticed something was wrong in time. She turned around, and laughter erupted around her again.
Losi was taken aback. Even with her bright eyes covered, she still managed to convincingly portray a bewildered expression.
Because she was so confused, the laughter around her grew even louder.
Losi could only roll and touch things as she went, and amidst everyone's increasingly cheerful laughter, she felt like a headless fly.
Time ticked by, but she hadn't even touched the edge of the bottle. With the ticking sound in her ears, Losie grew anxious. She kept changing directions, trying to find her way back, but the constant laughter of the onlookers made her completely disoriented.
The laughter around her suddenly stopped when she turned to a certain place.
Losi: "Huh???" What's going on?
Because it was quiet around her, she rolled around in that direction suspiciously, and sure enough, the laughter stopped. In the tranquil environment, Losie suddenly heard a "ding" sound. Could it be that there were pins ahead in that direction?
Thinking this, she excitedly rolled forward twice. Until a pair of hands caught her on her back, her face bumped into a familiar embrace, the familiar fragrance filling her nostrils. Luo Xi was momentarily stunned; the scent was Cheng Qing's, so who was holding her now…?
A helpless laugh came from above: "Fool, don't you even think about why they suddenly stopped laughing? It's because you're coming towards me!"
The mischievous group burst into laughter. Luo Xi blushed, reached out and pulled off her blindfold, and sure enough, she saw Cheng Qing looking down at her.
A helpless gaze gently enveloped her, and Luo Xi choked. She hurriedly rolled to the side, leaving the heart-pounding embrace, before glaring fiercely at everyone around her.
Everyone laughed even louder, and Cheng Qing shook his head and smiled helplessly.
Seeing Luo Xi in front of him, seeing the surprise on her face as the laughter around them disappeared, and seeing her suddenly coming towards him, Cheng Qing still reached out and caught her.
It felt like catching a precious treasure!
Author's Note:
Happy New Year everyone!!! Wishing all my lovely friends a healthy, safe, and happy new year, and of course, lots of good fortune! (#^.^#) Leave a comment for a New Year's red envelope!!!
Updates will be irregular during the Chinese New Year holiday, but I'll try to update daily. However, I doubt everyone will have time anyway? ╰(*°▽°*)╯
Chapter 62
Feelings are often beyond our control.
It's like a person who overthinks; they know perfectly well that thinking too much is bad for their health. But knowing that doesn't stop their mind from thinking!
The same applies to her relationship. Cheng Qing repeatedly distanced herself from Luo Xi, even after Luo Xi explicitly kissed her and she responded, she still chose to stay away.
Cheng Qing was aware of her mistakes and could feel the wavering in her heart, but she couldn't act without restraint.
Whether near or far, whether in mind or body, one will break free from the framework one sets for oneself.
As Luo Xi rolled away from his arms, Cheng Qing could feel the sudden emptiness in his embrace.
The bleakness of autumn embraced me, and the sadness of impending departure spread from the depths of my heart, even reaching the back of my throat.
People laughed, but it was just good-natured teasing.
After the laughter subsided, the game continued. Everyone took turns playing, and the final scores were only slightly different.
The game ended quickly, but the training had to continue. Everyone got up, and the staff packed up the props.
Cheng Qing then had the three students put on fencing uniforms and prepare for training. Luo Xi looked back at her several times, but Cheng Qing never looked back. Frustrated, Luo Xi went to make a cake with Zhang Lingling.
With the experience gained the previous day, Losi and the others made some progress in making cakes the next day.
Zhang Lingling didn't expect her team to win, but seeing that the three fencing students were quite skilled, she put even more effort into teaching them.
In just two weeks, the autumn chill has deepened. Cheng Qing could wear a short-sleeved shirt when she first arrived, but now she needs a jacket.
Although the trees outside are covered with withered leaves, the sun is still warm. Wearing long sleeves and sneakers, strolling in the courtyard at this time of year offers neither the scorching heat of summer nor the chill of winter.
It's just the right amount of warm and comfortable lighting.
Luo Xi looked up outside, but the person following Cheng Qing was no longer herself.
In the courtyard, Cheng Qing demonstrated his fencing skills, defeating each student who challenged him and demonstrating the importance of speed in fencing.
She had just taken off her mask, her face beaming with a smile, her hair slightly disheveled from the movements.
Strands of hair clung to her cheeks, swaying gently in the wind, brushing against her skin, eyebrows, eyes, and captivating lips.
I still remember the softness of Cheng Qing's lips when she lowered her head to respond...
"What are you looking at?" Liu Suoyu asked from beside him.
Losi quickly looked away and shook her head.
Liu Suoyu narrowed her eyes, and finally couldn't bear it any longer and said directly, "What are you afraid of? Go up and say it outright! The final competition is the day after tomorrow, and she will leave after the competition."
Losi's breath hitched, and she looked up at him, her eyes full of confusion.
Liu Suoyu turned to look at the cameraman, who, being sensible, said, "I'm going to the restroom, I'm not recording anymore."
As expected, he picked up the camera and left.
Liu Suoyu then frowned and looked at Luo Xi: "The saying 'the emperor isn't worried, but the eunuchs are' probably a perfect description of us bystanders. These past few days, seeing your eyes glued to your teacher, we've occasionally laughed at you, but we also hope you get what you want."
Losi turned her head away, her face cold: "I know you can tell." Especially these past two days, everyone has become increasingly casual, almost to the point of being explicit. For example, in that game we played this morning, they wouldn't laugh unless you rolled towards Cheng Qing.
Lin Shandie sighed: "Speaking of which, it's because Teacher Cheng is too charming. I couldn't help but want to pounce on her several times."
Losi immediately glared at her and said, "Forget about it! Even I refused."
Lin Shandie chuckled: "Why are you so nervous? If it weren't for the fact that Teacher Cheng has been so biased towards you these past two weeks, I would have already passed the exam."
Hearing this, Rossi was happy again.
Cheng Qing had been very attentive to her from the very first day she arrived, reminding her of the little game they played together for the first time. When she bumped into Cheng Qing and landed on the ground, Cheng Qing wasn't angry at all; instead, she caught her and hugged her tightly.
After confirming the winner with her, she smiled warmly, her smile as gentle as a spring breeze or a winter sun. She said with a helpless yet clear tone, "Lossie, you won."
From then on, she protected, helped, and smiled at him, creating an illusion that made him feel heartbroken and devastated when he was rejected on the Ferris wheel.
The one who falls in love first loses—that's a golden rule. Losi gathered up her shattered love and heart, pieced them back together, and then kept them hidden in her heart.
Then, she started to get closer to him again, step by step. In just two weeks, who knows how Losi went from liking him to confessing, to failing, to getting back on her feet?
Liu Suoyu looked at Luo Xi and asked, "Why don't you just confess your feelings yourself?"
Losi finally said, reluctantly, "How do you know I didn't?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the living room fell silent. The sounds of sword practice outside the courtyard, coming through the thick floor-to-ceiling glass doors, were clear even in the quiet environment.
Lin Shandie finally snapped out of her daze and looked at her in shock: "You confessed your feelings? Teacher Cheng didn't agree? Should I cut off my head and use it as a football?"
Lossie frowned slightly, then asked somewhat uncertainly, "Does it count?"
Liu Suoyu: "..."
Lin Shandie: "..."
Losi: "...I guess it counts?" They already kissed!
Another silence fell over the room. Zhang Lingling, who had finally snapped out of her shock, looked at Luo Xi and asked incredulously in a low voice, "You like Cheng Qing?"
Zhang Lingling has always lacked presence, so people often forget about her. But the fencing team, having been with Cheng Qing for some time, has been so impressed with her that they've forgotten they're celebrities, and their attitude towards Zhang Lingling is quite amiable.
Losi: "...Is it not allowed?"
Zhang Lingling sighed, glanced at Luo Xi again, and then said, "It's only been two weeks, and you still don't know anything about her."
Liu Suoyu found it amusing and retorted to Zhang Lingling, "If you like someone, you like them. Can't you get to know them after you're together?"
The spirited young man was full of ambition and high spirits. Zhang Lingling was stunned for a moment before smiling and saying, "Of course you can. After all, you are different from us. What we are worried about is probably just a small matter for you."
These words struck Losi like a thunderbolt. She couldn't understand Cheng Qing's thoughts. Was it because she and Cheng Qing were never on the same side?
His gaze then fell on Zhang Lingling, and he wondered if Zhang Lingling and Cheng Qing had come together, and that their situations were probably similar. Was Cheng Qing's concern similar to Zhang Lingling's?
With that thought, Losi perked up and looked at Zhang Lingling, asking, "What are you worried about?"
It was rare for Zhang Lingling to get along with these three students, so she started by saying, "Ordinary people's worries are actually just the same things: finances, family, and values."
Lossie: "What do you mean?"
"Economics refers to whether the two people have the financial foundation to live together; family refers to whether the partner can get the support of their parents; and values refer to whether the two people will quarrel over small things after living together." Zhang Lingling said with the air of someone who had been through it all: "I admire Miss Luo. There are not many people who are truly sincere and affectionate these days. When I get to my age, there are too many concerns about interests when two people are together."
Losi stared at her blankly. She remembered that the production team had mentioned that Zhang Lingling was 29 years old and owned a dessert shop.
Having considerable social experience, it's normal for them to consider personal interests when making decisions.
"If..." Losi wasn't sure if she was asking the right question, but she couldn't help asking Zhang Lingling, "If someone like me confessed to you, and you rejected me, what would be the reason?"
Zhang Lingling was stunned, and Liu Suoyu and Lin Shandie on the side were also shocked, turning their heads to look at Cheng Qing outside.
I had my doubts, but I also felt it was unlikely.
Zhang Lingling also began to think seriously. She had a gentle personality, shoulder-length short hair, and bright, lively eyes.
Time ticked by, and as Losi waited, she could almost hear the passage of time.
Fortunately, Zhang Lingling quickly gave an answer. She looked at Luo Xi and said, "You are very beautiful. I don't think there is any need to reject you under normal circumstances. If I had to say there is, there are only two situations: one is that I don't like you."
That's right. It's normal to refuse if you don't like it; everyone understands that.
"There's another reason, they probably don't want to be a burden to you!"
Losi stood there, forgetting the half-whipped cream on the island beside her, and unable to hear the dinging of the oven.
Does Cheng Qing like me? She kissed me, so I guess that counts as liking her?
Is she afraid of being a burden? Why?