Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation Chapter 1752 - 962: Her Ambiguity
Previously on Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation...
Amidst the throng of onlookers, Yang Sheng stood with his arms crossed, a cold gaze fixed upon Cheng Xia.
Cheng Xia’s countenance had soured considerably, all traces of her prior haughtiness vanished. Her sole focus now was finding an escape route from the precarious situation.
A friend interjected, challenging, "When did you make a bet with him? Present the proof, if you dare!"
Cheng Xia seized on this, asserting with manufactured confidence, "You expect me to roll in the sandpit just because you say so? Who do you think you are? Did I actually agree to a bet with you?"
Yang Sheng remained impassive, inquiring, "So, will you roll or not?"
Cheng Xia retorted, "Show me the evidence first!"
Duan Shigang scoffed, believing integrity was paramount in their world.
He detested those who reneged on their promises.
"Yang Sheng, I possess the evidence," Duan Shigang announced. "If I present it, grant me three more chances!"
"Agreed."
Duan Shigang retrieved his phone and played a video, revealing the precise moment Yang Sheng and Cheng Xia struck their wager.
Liu Chuandao stared, astonished, thinking, 'He was actually prepared for this?'
Zhang Chi was overcome with deep regret, lamenting his missed opportunity.
Cheng Xia, who had been clamoring with feigned arrogance, fell into silence upon witnessing the irrefutable evidence.
Internally, she was filled with remorse, questioning her decision to make the bet in the first place.
The promising high jumper, Yan Muen, observed Cheng Xia's distress. As a classmate, he felt compelled to intervene.
Furthermore, Yan Muen harbored grand ambitions. He envisioned a future not merely as an athlete, but as a celebrated sports star!
During the previous New Year, an uncle involved in the burgeoning MCN industry had enlightened him about the transformative power of the mobile internet era. He explained how numerous online celebrities would rise, with sports stars being a significant avenue. His uncle had advised him to actively post on platforms like Weibo and KuaiShou, consistently engage with followers, and build a loyal fanbase through ample exposure. This, he was told, would pave the way for lucrative endorsements and event appearances...
Consequently, Yan Muen held himself to a rigorous standard. Witnessing a female classmate's humiliation, he reasoned that stepping in now would etch his good deed into public memory once he achieved fame.
Moreover, Cheng Xia was among his admirers!
'My athletic journey begins at this very moment!' he thought.
Yan Muen advanced, declaring righteously, "It's perfectly normal for classmates to tease each other, but surely you can't resort to bullying a girl like this?"
He felt a surge of moral righteousness.
The blunt Zhang Chi cursed, "Mind your own damn business! Haven't you ever heard of 'a bet's a bet'?"
Liu Chuandao chimed in, "Why didn't you step up when the bet was made? Jumping in now, what are you trying to prove?"
Their sharp words stung his pride.
Ultimately, Yan Muen was but a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy, and the berating immediately ignited his temper!
His face flushed crimson with indignation, sputtering, "How can you speak to me like that?"
Zhang Chi and Liu Chuandao advanced menacingly, while Duan Shigang maneuvered silently behind, effectively cornering Yan Muen.
Yan Muen suddenly felt a premonition: no matter his actions, he would be subdued within seconds.
This premonition proved accurate, much like his ability to anticipate the outcome of a jump just before executing it – a feeling he described as a romantic intuition unique to athletes!
Zhang Chi sized up Yan Muen, cracking his knuckles. He had never encountered an opponent this tall before!
"Are you going to roll or not?" Yang Sheng reiterated his question.
Confronted with undeniable proof, and seeing the very person she admired cornered, Cheng Xia's sense of shame intensified into a burning anger.
Yang Sheng remained impassive.
Unwilling to stand by while his female classmate was humiliated, Yan Muen declared resolutely, "I'll roll!"
Cheng Xia gasped, then was deeply touched. "No, Muen, let me do it!"
"You're a girl!"
Cheng Xia shook her head, her gaze filled with sorrow as she looked at him. "This is my debt, and I must be the one to pay it!"
Yan Muen’s heart ached. "Cheng Xia!"
"Muen!"
As a mere observer, Yang Sheng voiced his mockingly, "Why? Weren't you the one who agreed to the bet? Why are you acting so wronged now?"
His words cast her in the role of the villain.
Having steeled her resolve, Cheng Xia suddenly dashed forward a few steps. She glanced back, her eyes red, casting a lingering, heartfelt look at Yan Muen before launching herself into the sandpit, executing two clumsy rolls like a startled donkey.
Their P.E. teacher, Li Ying, recoiled in shock. "What are you doing?!"
...
During the break.
Cui Yu and his entourage sprinted from the academic building towards the playground entrance. "It's our scheduled training time now."
All students participating in the sports meet were granted one training period per day on the field. Their next class was taught by Gao Heshuai, so they opted to skip it.
“By the way, we never attend Fatty Gao’s class. Will our academic performance suffer?” Guo Kunnan voiced his lingering worries. Cui Yu dismissed his concerns with a wave of his hand, “What’s there to be afraid of? You’re not even at the bottom of the class!” Meng Gui, while idly fiddling with his prayer beads, chimed in, “According to the law of academic equilibrium, Pang Jiao’s grades will plummet at the same rate as ours.” “Then it’s all good then.” Guo Kunnan decided he would head to the sports field to admire the attractive girls and simultaneously fortify his unwavering Dao Heart. He intended to use his innate discernment for choosing a partner to cultivate his steadfast affection! “Look, isn’t that Xu Yan?” Guo Kunnan’s eyes suddenly brightened. “What the heck, your Xu Yan is being pursued!” Cui Yu exclaimed. Xu Yan was presently seated on the podium, and a rather good-looking boy was making his way towards her, clutching two cans of soda. Ever since Gai Shixun’s embarrassing encounter with a drag queen, he had returned to the football team, bearing the peculiar glances of his teammates, which left him simmering with resentment! He finally fixed his attention on a new potential target: Xu Yan. Xu Yan possessed striking beauty, with a graceful and refined countenance, undoubtedly marking her as a formidable challenge. Yet, Gai Shixun harbored no fear; aspiring to reclaim his dignity, he bravely advanced to strike up a conversation with her. Gai Shixun forced a nonchalant smile and approached Xu Yan, initiating the conversation with, “Are you here by yourself?” Xu Yan, not averse to making new acquaintances, responded politely, “Yes, why do you ask?” Upon hearing her melodious voice, Gai Shixun experienced an inexplicable sense of relief, a wave of indescribable excitement washing over him. He gestured behind his back, a silent signal to his companions: ’Brothers, she’s the real deal!’ Gai Shixun chuckled, “I noticed you earlier while I was playing soccer and thought you looked quite lovely.” Xu Yan didn’t display the typical shyness usually exhibited by a girl receiving a compliment. Having been showered with praise frequently, and having served as the class leader for Class 11 for a solid year and a half, she remained unfazed. This was quite unlike Xin Youling from Class 8, who seemed to be a temporary fixture. “Thank you,” Xu Yan accepted the compliment with a composed demeanor, her mindset remarkably steady. Gai Shixun presented her with the canned drink he was holding. “So, I’d appreciate getting to know you better. Do you happen to have a boyfriend?” Xu Yan replied with a simple, “Hmm? No.” Gai Shixun’s spirits soared inwardly. “Here, please have a drink. I noticed you out in the sun during class earlier.” “Thank you,” Xu Yan accepted without hesitation. She could easily manage Guo Kunnan’s awkward attempts at conversation, so this kind of interaction was child’s play for her. “Could we exchange QQ details? I’m on the soccer team, perhaps we could assist each other in the future,” Gai Shixun suggested with practiced smoothness. As he spoke, he retrieved his phone. Guo Kunnan cried out in alarm, “Brother Yu, Brother Quan, my Yanzi!” “Damn it!” Cui Yu reacted instantly. With a swift, almost spectral movement, he appeared beside the pair, exclaiming, “Yanzi, what are you doing?” Gai Shixun, on the cusp of success, was startled by the sudden intrusion. “Who are you?” Gai Shixun demanded. Cui Yu shot him a glare. “I’m her boyfriend, what do you think you’re doing?” He then turned to scold Xu Yan, “Yanzi, what are you doing behind my back?” Gai Shixun stood momentarily stunned before snatching the canned drink back from Xu Yan’s hand and turning to depart. Xu Yan was left bewildered. After Gai Shixun had put some distance between them, she finally questioned, “Cui Yu, what exactly are you doing?” Due to Cui Yu’s mischievous nature, he had garnered quite a reputation, making enemies throughout the grade, and many recognized him. Cui Yu flashed a sly grin. “What am I doing? I’m stirring up trouble!” With that declaration, Cui Yu quickly made his escape. Dan Kaiquan turned to Guo Kunnan, stating, “Brother Nan, you’re treating us to barbecue tonight, no backing out.” Guo Kunnan felt a wave of relief wash over him and grandly declared, “Sister Ma’s Barbecue Restaurant it is!” ... After the long jump event concluded, Jiang Ning received a call from Chen Siyu, offered some words of comfort to Tongtong, and then walked towards the edge of the gathering crowd, where Pei Yujing was waiting on the grass. Her dark hair cascaded down, reaching her waist and hips, and in the sunlight, it shimmered with a subtle reddish-brown hue. Her expression remained as cool and aloof as ever, deterring many boys from approaching. However, few were aware of the slightly awkward soul residing beneath that icy exterior. “Thank you for earlier,” Pei Yujing said, producing a bottle of drink with genuine sincerity. Jiang Ning glanced at it and remarked casually, “Grape juice, I see.” “Yes,” Pei Yujing confirmed. “And the other bottle?” Pei Yujing produced another bottle; it was also grape juice. “Both bottles are grape juice?” Jiang Ning inquired. “Yes,” Pei Yujing replied. “Why did you buy this for me?” Jiang Ning asked. Pei Yujing tilted her head slightly. “I saw you drinking this just now, so I figured you might like it.” “So you bought two bottles?” Jiang Ning pressed. “Yes.” In truth, there had only been one bottle initially, with the second intended for herself. However, Jiang Ning had taken them both. But fearing Jiang Ning might feel displeased, she chose not to mention it.Jiang Ning's gaze fell upon her, recalling their limited past interactions; Pei Yujing was indeed a kind person.
Even with the future societal narrative of gender conflict, during their infrequent meetings, Pei Yujing, a public servant from the city, consistently offered Jiang Ning a milk tea.
This gesture provided Jiang Ning, a man from the countryside employed in a private sector job without property or a vehicle, a glimmer of warmth in a harsh existence.
In this current life, Jiang Ning's remembrance of Pei Yujing was not solely attributed to her attractiveness, but rather to the deference she exhibited despite their significant disparity in status.
Nevertheless, with every encounter, she invariably procured the same variety of milk tea.
Jiang Ning's thoughts returned to the present, and he inquired with a touch of curiosity, "If you were to purchase drinks again, would you still choose grape juice for me?"
Pei Yujing contemplated for a brief moment. "Yes."
"And why is that?" Jiang Ning pressed further, his tone taking on a commanding edge, "Share a few more words on the matter."
Pei Yujing appeared initially perplexed; this was an unprecedented request she had encountered.
She responded with a hint of hesitation, "Because when I was younger, I had a fondness for grilled green beans. My mother would consistently grill extra beans specifically for me, ones that weren't intended for sale."
"Your mother possesses a wonderful character," Jiang Ning's praise was a rare occurrence.
At that time, he was exceptionally impoverished, yet Sister Ma demonstrated a willingness to introduce her daughter to him without any trace of condescension towards his lack of wealth. She even suggested that if a union were to form, Jiang Ning could apprentice under her to inherit her barbecue business upon her retirement, or conversely, continue in corporate employment if he preferred not to lead a life of constant labor.
Occasionally, in the quietude of late-night slumber, Jiang Ning found himself contemplating the potential trajectory of his life had he fostered a connection with Pei Yujing.
Pei Yujing responded, "Yes."
Jiang Ning's eyes fixed on her, and he unexpectedly voiced, "So, are you then attempting to assume the role of my mother?"
Pei Yujing was instantly taken aback and swiftly refuted the notion, experiencing a sense that the communication gap had dissolved. "I am not endeavoring to be your mother. I hold my own mother in high regard; I simply wish to emulate her approach towards you..."
As she concluded, she recognized the flawed nature of her reasoning and grew so flustered that her face flushed crimson, leaving her feeling even more disoriented.
Observing her embarrassed demeanor, Jiang Ning could not help but release a soft chuckle.
He remarked, "You are, in truth, quite endearing."