The Taekwondo coach stood to the side and blew his whistle.
"It's time for our biannual sparring tournament. As usual, the first-place winner will receive a prize of their choice worth five hundred yuan. Second and third place will get special gifts prepared by the gym. Now, let the matches begin!"
The students, lined up neatly in rows, began sparring with one another based on the coach's random draw. Lin Zhengran watched as Xiao Heqing defeated her opponents one by one. She was completely different from the girl who used to get bullied all the time just a few years ago. Her aura, strength, and even her gaze had undergone a fundamental transformation.
[He Fairy's arena battle before her departure. With Immortal Sword in hand, she stands against a thousand, her aura fierce! It seems she wants to tell you that even if she returns to her sect, she will never forget the time spent with you, nor the days you cultivated together. Her powerful spirit now is proof of that.]
[However, right before the final victory, you noticed a strange hesitation in her expression. This might affect the ultimate outcome.]
Xiao Heqing had already made it to the final round. Only four people were left on the mats. During her match with the penultimate boy, she was suddenly thrown to the ground. Although she ultimately defeated him, she had clearly been in some pain.
When the coach asked if she was okay, Xiao Heqing shook her head, indicating it was not a problem. Seeing that she was indeed fine, the coach blew his whistle. "Take a break, and we'll start the final match shortly! Xiao Qing against Long!"
Taking advantage of the break, Lin Zhengran walked over to her. Xiao Heqing pursed her lips and reported her results, "I won again."
Lin Zhengran checked her over as well and asked what had happened. "You won, sure, but why did you suddenly zone out in the middle of the fight? What were you thinking about?"
Whenever she faced Lin Zhengran, Xiao Heqing always spoke in a soft, timid voice. Half-lowering her head, she muttered, "It's nothing, just... do you remember when we were in kindergarten..." Her last few words trailed off into an inaudible mumble.
Lin Zhengran had a face full of question marks. "What are you muttering about?"
Rubbing her arm, Xiao Heqing mustered her courage. Blushing, she asked, "I mean... do you remember what you said to me when we made that pinky promise in kindergarten?"
"I wondered what it was. Of course I remember." Lin Zhengran looked utterly speechless. "You mean the time I told you to follow me for the rest of your life?"
Xiao Heqing's pupils trembled, her eyes shimmering with disbelief. "You actually didn't forget?"
As soon as she spoke, Lin Zhengran lightly flicked her forehead. Xiao Heqing closed her eyes and let out a soft yelp.
"I've only ever made a pinky promise with you that one time," Lin Zhengran said in exasperation. "I wouldn't forget it that quickly, would I? Besides, you're in the middle of a tournament. You zoned out over something so trivial? You almost got yourself hurt!"
Xiao Heqing thought to herself that it wasn't trivial at all. She looked up at him timidly and explained, "I'm sorry. I don't know why, but it just suddenly popped into my head and distracted me... It definitely won't happen in the next match."
Feeling mentally exhausted, Lin Zhengran didn't reply, but he didn't continue scolding her either. To Xiao Heqing's absolute shock, he reached out and patted her on the head.
It was the very first time.
"Do your best. Beat Long, and today's championship is yours. I believe you can win."
Xiao Heqing had never felt such clear, direct encouragement before. Her face flushed bright red, and goosebumps broke out all over her body. In her memory, this was the first time Lin Zhengran had ever cheered her on like this. Her heart raced as she nodded vigorously like a chick pecking at grain. "Okay! I'll definitely win!"
At this moment, Xiao Heqing was simply too powerful. Her aura was easily twice as intense as usual. When she stepped onto the mat, even the tall and sturdy Long was taken aback. "What's with that expression?"
Xiao Heqing pursed her lips. While radiating a powerful aura, she also kept in mind the instructions Lin Zhengran had given her before the tournament: "When fighting Long, don't smile and don't show any emotion. Just stare at him! Keep staring until he feels guilty! Only then can you overpower him with your aura!"
However, even after a month of hellish training, Xiao Heqing still hadn't learned how to look fierce. Down in the audience, Lin Zhengran covered his eyes, too embarrassed to look at her adorably silly appearance.
But who could have known what would happen under that cute expression of hers?
During the bout, Long managed to strike Xiao Heqing's arm, but he was stunned to see her maintaining that cute, stubbornly tight-lipped, and unyielding expression. Her adorable demeanor actually made the chubby Long feel shy, and he completely lost his footing. He thought, "She... she's so cute... how can she be this cute?"
Pretending to be domineering, Xiao Heqing shouted in a sweet voice, "Again!"
Long lunged forward with a blushing face. He Qing clearly noticed that his punch had suddenly lost all its strength; it was soft and weak. Seizing the opportunity, she grabbed him, executed a clean shoulder throw, and pinned Long to the ground, winning the match just as the coach blew his whistle.
Xiao Heqing was astonished, while Long, lying on the floor, blushed furiously. "I lost... You're really cute and amazing."
"I won?" Xiao Heqing threw her hands in the air excitedly. "I won!"
She waved enthusiastically at Lin Zhengran below the stage. Her sparkling eyes seemed to say, "Your method really worked! He instantly lost all his fighting spirit in the second half. What a formidable tactic!"
Of course, Lin Zhengran had seen exactly why she won so quickly and didn't even have the energy to comment on it. Still, even if her opponent hadn't been defeated by her cuteness, He Qing would have undoubtedly claimed the final victory anyway. The little girl's aura in this last round was simply too overwhelming; there was no way Long could have beaten her.
After the tournament ended, Xiao Heqing received her long-awaited reward. She gave the coach an address and led him to a shopping mall.
Seeing He Qing approaching, the young woman at the dessert shop waved from afar. "You're back, little girl? It's already the end of the month. Are you just looking this time, or are you taking it home?"
Xiao Heqing was ecstatic. "I'm going to buy it!"
"Oh? Looks like you really won!"
"Mhm!"
The coach took out his phone to pay, and the shop assistant packed up the item, handing it to Xiao Heqing. "Here you go. The total is four hundred and ninety-nine yuan. We hope to see you again."
"Thank you, miss!"
Cradling the chocolate dessert carefully in her hands, Xiao Heqing's face was brimming with happiness.
As the night deepened, Xiao Heqing and Lin Zhengran sat on the steps beneath the residential building in their neighborhood. The fading evening glow cast a dim, golden hue over their surroundings. She placed the chocolate cake on her lap.
"Lin Zhengran, this is the champion's prize!"
"Chocolate?" Lin Zhengran was unimpressed. "It really is a prize meant for kids."
Holding the cake with both hands, Xiao Heqing offered it to him. "This is for you."
"Huh? For me?"
"Mhm. I chose this specifically to give to you. That time my dad gave me some chocolate, you didn't take any. I know it's because you saw how reluctant I was to part with it, so you didn't fight me for it. This time, I picked out a really pretty one to give you as compensation."
Lin Zhengran's expression went blank. When someone reached the absolute peak of speechlessness, all they could do was laugh. "There really is something wrong with your head. That chocolate of yours was spoiled back then, how could I have wanted it?"
Instead of rejecting her goodwill, Lin Zhengran simply opened the packaging. He broke off one of the swan's wings and handed it to Xiao Heqing, keeping the other wing for himself. "Here. Let's eat it together."
Xiao Heqing took it with her small hands. She waited until Lin Zhengran took a bite before she began to eat hers.
It was sweet.
She chewed the chocolate happily, her little heels lifting and dropping in a rhythmic tap, making her ponytail bounce along.
Lin Zhengran asked, "Do you really plan on coming back here for middle school? There aren't exactly any good schools around here."
Xiao Heqing swallowed her bite of chocolate. "It's mainly so I can come find you. Oh, right! When I go back to my hometown, can I call you on the phone?"
[The fairy won the tournament and unexpectedly gifted you a piece of delicate Top-Grade Black Blood Ointment filled with her earnest feelings. You shared it with He Fairy, gaining +3 Strength, +2 Charm, and +1 Level.]
Lin Zhengran replied, "Up to you. Call if you want, but I might not pick up."