“Are you dancing?”
Suddenly, a clear and elegant voice entered Su Cheng's ears.
Su Cheng turned abruptly to look at the speaker.
In the pavilion stood a girl exuding an icy aura. Her long, jet-black hair swayed in the wind, and especially her eyes, which were as deep as the vast starry sky, were so profound they were almost unsettling.
Next to her, a maid-dressed girl was arranging tea sets on the table, seemingly preparing tea for Ji Qingyi.
The girl wore a black dress and pants, her maid attire giving her a cold and aloof appearance. Her eyes carried a hint of chill, making one instinctively want to keep their distance.
This was the first time he had seen someone resembling a bodyguard by Ji Qingyi's side.
“Step aside.”
Ji Qingyi said calmly.
“Yes.”
The maid respectfully bowed and then disappeared from the pavilion in an instant.
Su Cheng thought to himself, *I was careless. I didn’t expect this place to also be under Ji Qingyi's domain.* Fortunately, he had just been messing around and hadn’t done anything strange.
“President, I was just warming up.”
Su Cheng said with a smile.
“Mmm.”
Ji Qingyi nodded slightly, signaling him to come over and sit down.
After a moment of hesitation, Su Cheng slowly walked over and sat across from Ji Qingyi.
Ji Qingyi began brewing tea and poured a cup for him.
Su Cheng inhaled the fragrant aroma of the tea, feeling instantly invigorated.
“Thank you.”
He thanked her, picked up the cup, and took a gentle sip. The sweet flavor spread from his tongue throughout his body, making him feel as if he had been cleansed, incredibly comfortable.
He didn’t hold back, as it was his second time and being overly polite would only seem insincere.
“What a fine tea.”
Su Cheng praised.
After the last time Ji Qingyi had subtly mocked him, he decided to drink the tea without any restraint this time.
“Your warm-up movements were a bit comical.”
Ji Qingyi said after taking a sip of her tea.
Su Cheng was momentarily stunned, then his face flushed with embarrassment. “Oh, I just learned it randomly online. Nothing presentable.”
“Learned it online?”
Ji Qingyi raised an eyebrow, her distaste evident.
Clearly, she had a strong aversion to the term “online.”
“I mean, I just picked it up casually.”
Su Cheng quickly corrected himself, fearing he might expose something.
Ji Qingyi didn’t press further, merely saying lightly, “Be more careful in the future. It would be embarrassing for me.”
“…”
Su Cheng was momentarily speechless but eventually nodded. “Yes, I’ll remember that!”
After all, Ji Qingyi was personally teaching him, and if anyone saw, they might mistakenly think she was teaching him some ‘Hunyuan Taiji’ (a playful reference to a martial art).
Though the name sounded nice, the movements were somewhat unsightly.
…
At 3:30 PM,
Su Cheng finished his shower, changed into his school uniform, and arrived at the Archery Club to begin his training for the day.
However, after shooting two arrows, he noticed something was off.
He had adjusted his strength and speed to a reasonable level, yet the arrows had deviated from their intended path.
Both arrows had completely missed the target.
The truth was clear: the side effects of his sudden increase in stamina had kicked in.
All the progress he had made before was now lost, and he had to start over.
But the next words from Ji Qingyi sent a chill down his spine.
“Your strength has increased significantly overnight.”
Ji Qingyi, who was still sipping tea nearby, glanced at him with a knowing look.
Su Cheng: “……”
Ji Qingyi had immediately noticed, and Su Cheng felt a sinking feeling in his heart.
“Continue practicing.”
Ji Qingyi said calmly before turning and walking into another room.
Fortunately, Ji Qingyi didn’t press him for an explanation. While relieved, Su Cheng also felt a growing sense of confusion.
How could such a shocking thing not warrant any questions?
Was this kind of thing normal for her?
“Is this what someone with a stamina level of 8 is like?”
Su Cheng scratched his head, feeling that Ji Qingyi was truly terrifying. She was so composed, with an air of calm indifference.
After Ji Qingyi left, he continued his practice. Without her presence, he no longer had to hide anything and felt no burden. He quickly regained the feeling he had before and, thanks to his improved physical abilities, his speed, strength, and accuracy all increased.
…
Su Cheng practiced without stopping.
Time passed quietly.
Ji Qingyi returned to the tea table, sipping tea and reading a book. Occasionally, she glanced at Su Cheng, her gaze calm and unwavering.
There were ten minutes left until the club ended.
Su Cheng tidied up and went to the rest area to wipe the sweat from his face with a towel.
“President.”
He approached Ji Qingyi, ready to say goodbye.
“Mmm.”
Ji Qingyi responded, placing her book aside. Then she said, “Sit, we have something to discuss.”
Ji Qingyi’s expression revealed no hint of emotion, making it impossible to guess her true thoughts.
“Alright.”
Su Cheng nodded and sat on the stool opposite Ji Qingyi.
“I won’t be participating in the archery competition this time.”
Ji Qingyi suddenly said.
Hearing this, Su Cheng’s heart skipped a beat, and an ominous feeling washed over him.
“The reason I’m personally teaching you is so that you can win the championship for me, not just to be an ordinary club member.”
Ji Qingyi said calmly.
Su Cheng’s heart tightened, and his hand holding the tea tray trembled. He picked up the teacup, which also shook, spilling tea onto his clothes and wetting a corner of his shirt. Still, he took a slow sip and forced a smile. “President, you must be joking. I’m just a newcomer who joined the club not long ago. How could I possibly win the championship?”
“I never joke.”
Ji Qingyi glanced at him, her tone calm but carrying immense pressure.
Su Cheng’s smile froze, his heart racing. “President… I really don’t know what I’ve done wrong to deserve such a decision from you?”
“If you can bring back the championship for the Archery Club, I can fulfill one condition for you.”
Ji Qingyi said.
“A condition? What kind of condition!”
Su Cheng’s eyes lit up instantly, his handsome face filled with disbelief.
“A reasonable reward that suits your needs.”
Ji Qingyi said coolly.
In the next moment, Su Cheng’s demeanor suddenly changed. He exuded a strong confidence and aura of dominance, his eyes gleaming with determination as if he were staring at his prey.
“President, I am deeply honored by your expectations.”
Su Cheng said, his expression serious and earnest. “This time, I will spare no effort, no matter the cost, to win the championship for the Archery Club and live up to your expectations.”
Ji Qingyi was momentarily taken aback. Just a moment ago, Su Cheng had seemed humble and timid, but now he spoke as if the championship were already within his grasp.
This transformation made her frown, yet she couldn’t say anything. The confidence radiating from Su Cheng was genuine, something she could see clearly.
However, she also knew that mere confidence wasn’t enough to win the championship.
“It’s good to have such resolve.”
Ji Qingyi said coldly before returning to her book without further comment.
Su Cheng stood up, bowed respectfully, and said, “President, I’ll take my leave now.”
“Mmm.”
He turned and walked out the door, his mind racing as he recalled Ji Qingyi’s promise.
If he could fulfill this wish, he would directly ask the Ji family to sponsor the orphanage, ensuring that all the orphans in the county could enjoy a comfortable life.
This was a dream come true for him, a debt he owed that he would repay at all costs.
This was a matter he was willing to use his one and only “Deus Ex Machina” skill for.
Su Cheng’s heart raced faster and faster.
His steps quickened.
Finally, he reached the outside, went to the parking lot, and rode his bicycle to a bookstore.
He needed to buy something.
A mountain of practice problems!
"The Workbook!"
Also known as the "Sacred Textbook!"
He bought a dozen of them.
He was determined to outshine his classmates at the academy who could afford private tutors!
In the past, he often saved money by skimping on meals, choosing to go hungry just to buy these sacred books.
This was also one of the reasons for his exceptional test-taking abilities.
If he wanted to showcase his exam skills, he had to show those wealthy students what it meant to achieve monster-like scores!
His foundation was already solid, and his problem-solving skills were top-notch.
Since he couldn’t afford private tutoring for in-depth explanations and practice, this was the only way he could push his scores even higher.