Jian Ming’s words hit on exactly what had been troubling Jiang Nuan for days.
Indeed, studying liberal arts wouldn’t necessarily be easier, and it didn’t mean her ranking would improve compared to staying in the science class.
The academic office, after carefully considering her situation, decided to give her a month to adapt. If she still found it difficult to keep up with the pace of the science class, she could switch to the liberal arts or even drop down to the first-year level.
Jiang Nuan returned to her little room and opened the liberal arts mock test papers. But not long after, she fell asleep on her desk.
“Jiang Nuan! Jiang Nuan! Come answer the phone!”
Hearing her mother’s voice, Jiang Nuan jumped up instantly.
“Huh? Who’s calling?”
“Jian Ming! He’s calling from the capital! Hurry up and answer, don’t waste his long-distance call!”
Jiang Nuan stood up, ran out, and nearly slipped on the floor. Regaining her balance, she dashed to the phone.
Staring at the receiver, she swallowed nervously before picking it up.
What should she say? How should she greet him?
As her mind raced with thoughts, a deep yet pleasant chuckle came from the other side.
“You’re just answering my call, no need to rush like you’re flying across the stars.”
He must have heard her running.
“Uh…” Jiang Nuan didn’t know what to say.
“Warmie, why aren’t you saying anything? Have you forgotten me?”
The way he called her “Warmie” was like a gentle breeze whispering through the mountain forests, leaving behind a vast expanse of open sky.
“Of course, I remember you! How could I forget?”
“I only remember you as a little girl with a round face and big eyes, always wanting to duel with me.”
Jiang Nuan wanted to cover her face in embarrassment. “Back then, you probably had to let me win. It must have been so awkward for you…”
“Not at all. You were already doing quite well. Every time I teased you, you always surprised me. You were such a tiny little girl.”
Jiang Nuan’s heart swelled with warmth, like something inside her was gradually expanding.
In Jian Ming’s eyes, she was still that little girl.
“Your dad told me you’re struggling to decide between science and liberal arts, so he asked me to chat with you.”
“Yeah. I passed the entrance exam at the start of the semester, but I’m still unsure. I feel like the liberal arts class might suit me better, but my science grades aren’t terrible either, and Dad hopes I’ll stay in the science class.”
“Warmie, many times it’s not about doing what we think we like that leads to success. It’s about understanding and learning to love what we’re already doing. Do you understand history, geography, and politics better than physics, chemistry, and biology? Or are you considering liberal arts because science seems too mentally taxing and you’re imagining that maybe liberal arts isn’t as tough?”
Jian Ming hit the nail on the head regarding Jiang Nuan’s mindset.
“Warmie, your math would be a strong point in the liberal arts class, but on the flip side, your science scores, while not top-notch, are complemented by your English and Chinese, which are stronger than many other science students. Imagining what you might be good at won’t help. What matters more is whether you genuinely enjoy or understand it enough.”
“Yeah, I get what you’re saying. I’ll take this opportunity to reconsider my choice carefully.”
“That’s right. You’ve got your own thoughts now. Chocolate can’t easily sway you anymore.”
Jiang Nuan blushed immediately. That was from when she was little and refused to leave the fencing club, insisting on staying with the older boys to practice fencing. Her mom had tricked her into going home with chocolate. Jian Ming still remembered it.
“Thank you, Brother Jian Ming.”
Jian Ming laughed again, and every time he laughed softly, Jiang Nuan felt like pressing her ear against the receiver to hear it more clearly.
“Good thing you didn’t call me ‘Little Ming.’ Next month, I have a practice match between B University and Haichuan University. Would you like to come watch?”
“Really? I’d love to! I’ll be there!”
“Alright, I’ll be waiting for you.”
The words “waiting for you” fell gently, sinking into her heart. Even after hanging up the phone, she couldn’t quite snap out of it.
That night, while doing her homework, Jiang Nuan found the science problems surprisingly easier on the eyes than before.
When her dad returned from fencing practice and learned that she had passed the entrance exam, he seemed much more relaxed. He sat on the couch, looking over Jiang Nuan’s test papers again and again, as if some unbelievable miracle had just occurred.
“Dad, there’s a team practice match next month between Haichuan University and B University. Can I go watch?”
“Next month? If your midterms go as well as this exam, I’ll let you go.”
“…Why are you like this! This is a legitimate interest, much more respectable than reading comics!”
“How do I know if this exam wasn’t just a fluke? Prove your abilities in the midterms.”
Jiang Nuan mentally rolled her eyes at her dad.
When the weekend arrived, after being cooped up in the hospital and idle for so long during the winter break, she was itching to go do something she enjoyed in secret.
On Saturday morning, she used the excuse of going to sign up for a tutoring class with Rao Can, grabbed her backpack, and headed out.
But in reality, she went to the Ningrui Fencing Club.
Jiang Nuan had practically grown up alongside her father. After school, Jiang Huai would always rush to pick her up, carrying her on his shoulders as he coached others in fencing on the sidelines.
She had been immersed in it since she was little. According to Ningrui’s star coach, Shen Zhou, compared to her peers, Jiang Nuan’s technique was precise, and her fundamentals were solid. She had natural talent but lacked consistent practice due to her limited time at the club and insufficient physical training.
But when you love something, you don’t stop just because of someone else’s opinion, whether that person is your father or your coach.
As soon as Jiang Nuan appeared at the club, the others practicing there paused. A few of the younger kids even ran over and hugged her.
“Hey! Isn’t this Xiao Nuan! You’re okay now! Before the New Year, two of your classmates came by to take leave for you, saying you were seriously ill and couldn’t come for a while!”
“Well, I’m all better now and reporting for duty!”
“You don’t know how grumpy Coach Shen was while you were gone! He thought you were making excuses to skip practice!”
A few of the older boys gathered around her.
Fencing in Nanshi wasn’t nearly as popular as basketball or soccer, and most of the students at Ningrui Fencing Club were kids, with more boys than girls. Among the members eligible to compete in tournaments, there were almost no girls.
Jiang Nuan, on the other hand, had become something of a treasure here—not just because she was the only girl, but also because she was… technically the best. At the club, aside from a few professional athletes, not many could beat her.
“Oh, Jiang Nuan, you’re here?”
Hearing the playful voice, Jiang Nuan turned around to see a boy in fencing gear, holding his mask by his side.
It was He Zheng, her classmate. He seemed to have grown even taller since she last saw him. At Shida High School, He Zheng was a headache for the teachers, but at Ningrui Fencing Club, he was comfortably one of the top three boys. With his striking, sharp features and slightly European look, He Zheng had attracted a lot of interest from girls when they first started high school. Unfortunately, his roguish attitude disappointed the more conservative girls at Shida High. Still, girls from other schools liked him, and he had plenty of support at competitions.
Sadly, at last year’s National Youth Fencing Championships in the U16 category, He Zheng was eliminated by Lu Ran.
In class, Jiang Nuan hadn’t interacted much with him because their seats were far apart. And at the club, she didn’t like He Zheng’s flirtatious behavior with the female coaches, so whenever they had practice matches, Jiang Nuan made sure to give him a thorough beating. But during that particular tournament, Jiang Nuan had proudly held up a sign with the others, cheering for him.
In return, He Zheng had given Jiang Nuan a box of butter cookies as thanks for her tough training, which had prevented him from being completely destroyed by Lu Ran.
But Jiang Nuan hadn’t expected the cookies to be three days past their expiration date! Furious, she had chased He Zheng around the club with her sword, threatening to cut him to pieces.
“Of course, I had to come! Otherwise, with no tigers around, the monkeys would take over the mountain!” Jiang Nuan raised her eyebrows playfully.
“Good timing. Someone’s here to challenge the club today!” He Zheng said, sitting arrogantly in the coach’s chair.
“Challenge the club?”
Was this some kind of kung fu movie moment?
“You know Huai Feng Fencing Club, right?” He Zheng raised his chin.
Jiang Nuan froze. “Huai Feng” was where her father, Jiang Huai, coached. But He Zheng and the others didn’t know that Jiang Nuan’s father was Jiang Huai.
“So… so what?”
“Coach Shen made a call to Huai Feng. They’re sending over the guys who competed in last year’s Youth Fencing Championships.”
Jiang Nuan had a bad feeling about this.
“Who… who exactly are they sending?”
“Come on, the only ones worth mentioning in their men’s saber category are Xu Zitian, Mu Sheng, and Lu Ran, right?”
“They’re just ‘worth mentioning’? You can’t even beat one of them! And Lu Ran… last year you…”
Before Jiang Nuan could finish her sentence, He Zheng almost hit her with his fencing mask.
“That was last year. This year, I’m a whole new person.”
“Yeah, right. You still can’t win against me half the time during one-on-one matches.”
“That’s because I’m a gentleman. I can’t bring myself to hurt our club’s only little flower…”
He said “little flower” with particular reluctance.
“Well, I’ve just recovered from a major illness, so I’m not fit for intense exercise. I’ll head home now. Next week, I’ll definitely get back to training and have you begging for mercy!”
Oh no! Although her dad probably had some idea that she was secretly practicing fencing somewhere, getting caught by him in front of Lu Ran and the others would be way too embarrassing!
If she didn’t escape now, when would she?
Just as Jiang Nuan was about to turn and leave, He Zheng grabbed her by the back of her shirt collar.
“Where are you going? Even if you can’t compete, you should at least stay and cheer us on, right?”
Ugh! What’s the point of cheering you on when you’re just going to get crushed! I’m doing you a favor by not watching you lose!
“My head hurts… Watching you guys practice so intensely will only make it worse…”
Jiang Nuan wriggled out of He Zheng’s grip and ran toward the door.
“What are you, a slippery eel? Can’t even hold onto you!”
He Zheng’s voice called out behind her, amused.
But just as Jiang Nuan reached the club’s entrance, she saw Lu Ran, Mu Sheng, and Xu Zitian walking in, chatting and laughing.
Too late now!
Jiang Nuan immediately turned around and ran back.
“Hey, didn’t you say your head hurt? Why are you back?” He Zheng asked.
“My stomach hurts! I need the bathroom!”
“Why are you hurting everywhere? Does your heart hurt too?”
“Once I’m better, I’ll make sure you’re the one hurting everywhere!”
Jiang Nuan dashed into the bathroom.
Outside, Coach Shen was greeting Lu Ran and the others, then began arranging the practice match order.
He Zheng immediately spoke up, “Don’t pair me against Lu Ran again! We already faced off at the Youth Fencing Championships…”
Coach Shen let out a small snort. “Exactly, you lost so badly last time. Shouldn’t you take this chance to gain some experience?”
“Coach Shen, facing Lu Ran is such a rare opportunity! It should be shared with everyone, not just me. My junior brothers should get a chance to experience it too…”
Before He Zheng could finish, Mu Sheng, standing beside Lu Ran, teased, “I think you’re just traumatized from last time when Lu Ran made you fall flat on your butt.”
He Zheng shrugged it off with a laugh. “Hey, you’re absolutely right! I just want everyone else to experience that butt-hitting-the-floor feeling too! My heart hasn’t recovered yet!”
As he spoke, He Zheng dramatically clutched his chest, feigning pain.
“You’re such a drama king!” Coach Shen smacked He Zheng’s head. “You’ve never faced off against Mu Sheng before. You two will have a practice match.”
Mu Sheng, warming up, chuckled. “When would we have had the chance? He Zheng got knocked out by Lu Ran early on.”
Xu Zitian and the other students laughed along.
The younger students gathered in the front row, sitting cross-legged on the floor, while their coach explained the practice match to them.
Jiang Nuan stayed in the bathroom for quite a while. When she finally peeked out, she saw He Zheng facing off against Mu Sheng.
Lu Ran stood off to the side, dressed in his fencing uniform, holding his mask. The worst part was that his gaze was directed right at the entrance. If she tried to sneak out while everyone was focused on the match, Lu Ran might spot her.
How could she be so unlucky!
Jiang Nuan crawled out quietly, staying close to the floor, inching her way forward.
But she hadn’t made it far when a seven or eight-year-old student turned around, saw her, and squatted down to ask, “Jiang Nuan-jiejie, what are you doing? If you don’t watch the practice match, Coach Shen will scold you!”
Jiang Nuan quickly covered his mouth, pulled out a piece of Dove chocolate from her pocket, and handed it to him. “Shh! Pretend you didn’t see me! Or no more chocolate for you in the future!”
The kid nodded.
Seeing that Coach Shen’s gaze was about to shift over, Jiang Nuan quickly retreated back into the bathroom.
Once inside, she let out a deep breath. She couldn’t even imagine how Lu Ran would react if he saw her here. Would he block her way, grab her wrist, and pin her against the wall, asking, “What are you doing here?” Ugh, stop it! This isn’t some cheesy romance novel!
Or maybe he’d just give her a cold look, turn away, and then casually mention it during dinner with her parents to expose her secret.
Either way, nothing good could come of it.
Jiang Nuan peeked out again, watching He Zheng’s match against Mu Sheng through the gaps in the crowd.
Cheers of “Good!” rang out occasionally. Jiang Nuan stretched her neck. She knew how skilled He Zheng was, but she didn’t know much about Mu Sheng, who was her father’s student.
Mu Sheng’s footwork was solid. Despite He Zheng’s aggressive attacks, he seemed cornered at first, but in less than a second, Mu Sheng suddenly parried He Zheng’s sword, lunged forward with explosive power, and struck He Zheng squarely in the face for a point.
“Tsk tsk tsk…” Jiang Nuan clicked her tongue and shook her head. If she were in He Zheng’s shoes, she wouldn’t have hesitated at that distance, pressing the attack without giving Mu Sheng a chance to adjust his footwork. She would’ve caught him off guard.
“He Zheng, He Zheng, why do you always mess up at the crucial moment?”
Jiang Nuan’s gaze drifted over to Lu Ran.
His expression was calm. While everyone else was tense, their fists clenched in anticipation of the match, Lu Ran’s eyes betrayed no emotion, like a seasoned general who had seen it all.
Jiang Nuan couldn’t help but feel curious. She really wanted to know what it would be like if Lu Ran attacked with a saber.
Would his opponent be on edge the entire time?
And what kind of satisfaction would come from landing a hit on Lu Ran?
Unfortunately, she was a girl. Even if her dad allowed her to compete, she wouldn’t get a chance to face Lu Ran.
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