OHHACOM Chapter 18.2

At that moment, Mu Sheng picked up the pace. His footwork was springy, and he suppressed He Zheng’s offense with three consecutive strikes. His initial restraint gave way to an aggressive flair, and He Zheng’s three defensive counterattacks all failed. Mu Sheng decisively ended the first round of the practice match.

Jiang Nuan sighed inwardly. If it were her on the field, she would’ve charged straight in. Even if she lost in the end, she would’ve made sure Mu Sheng won with a good deal of anxiety.

In the second round, Xu Zitian faced off against another boy.

Jiang Nuan retreated back into the bathroom, thinking to herself that she couldn’t hide here forever.

She needed to get out!

If only she hadn’t eaten so much during the break—then her belly would be smaller, and she’d be less noticeable crawling on the floor, making it easier to sneak out… right?

Jiang Nuan’s gaze drifted toward the men’s changing room, where she saw a set of fencing gear on a bench. A smile crept onto her face. She had an idea!

She quickly went to the changing room door and called out softly, “Is anyone in there? Is anyone inside?”

Apart from the sounds of the match outside, there was no response from the men’s changing room.

Jiang Nuan quickly grabbed the fencing gear from the bench and rushed into the women’s changing room to put it on.

This set belonged to another junior member, Xiang Rong, who had taken the day off to attend his uncle’s wedding banquet.

Once Jiang Nuan had suited up and donned the mask, she chuckled to herself. Now that she was dressed like this, no one would recognize her!

The name on the back read “Xiang Rong” after all!

Jiang Nuan made her way to the entrance just as the current round of the practice match was ending. Everyone was focused on the match. Although Xu Zitian seemed like a fool off the field, he transformed completely during competition, using all sorts of sneaky tactics. For example, right now, Xu Zitian appeared to be retreating under the pressure of his opponent’s fierce attacks. But in a split second, after a block, he left his opponent’s arm exposed, decisively striking them for the final point.

Seeing this, Jiang Nuan couldn’t help but feel reluctant to leave.

Mu Sheng and Xu Zitian’s every move felt like a matchstick, striking her nerves and sparking a fire that she desperately wanted to catch but couldn’t.

They were experts, on a different level entirely, and Jiang Nuan longed to stand in the spotlight with them, experiencing those fleeting moments of intensity.

But now, she had to suppress her hopes, lower her head, and run out, as if she were fleeing the scene.

Just as she was nearing the exit, someone grabbed her by the arm. “Hey, are you playing cosplay now?”

Jiang Nuan looked up to see He Zheng’s teasing grin.

“Get lost!” Jiang Nuan tried to shove He Zheng’s arm away, but he shamelessly put it back.

“Don’t be like that. Can’t you see we’ve already lost two rounds? Coach Shen doesn’t look too happy.”

He Zheng’s voice didn’t convey any real concern for Coach Shen’s mood, though.

“How is that my problem…”

Just as Jiang Nuan was about to stomp on He Zheng’s foot, he lifted his foot, and instead, he ended up stepping on hers.

“Move it! Do you want me to beat you to a pulp?”

“If you want to beat me to a pulp, you’ll have to wait for a thunderstorm and point your sword at the sky—cosplay as She-Ra or something?”

At that moment, Coach Shen was arranging the third round of the practice match.

Since they were up against Lu Ran, even though everyone knew no one here could beat him, they still wanted to show their best. If they sent someone too weak, it would be a one-sided match, making it pointless to watch.

Coach Shen’s gaze drifted back to He Zheng. If He Zheng performed well in this year’s tournament, he had a good chance of facing Lu Ran again, so he needed more opportunities to spar with Lu Ran.

But before Coach Shen could speak, He Zheng patted the shoulder of the person next to him and said, “Coach Shen! Xiang Rong heard that Lu Ran was coming for a practice match, so he skipped his uncle’s wedding banquet to rush over! Look, he’s already changed into his fencing gear! Talk about dedication!”

Jiang Nuan couldn’t believe her ears. Was He Zheng serious? Did she really look like a boy?

Did he think Coach Shen was blind?

To her surprise, Coach Shen nodded and said, “Xiang Rong is here? Everyone should learn from him—always seize every opportunity to improve!”

Jiang Nuan wanted to shake her head in refusal, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she realized that if she spoke, Lu Ran and the others might recognize her. So, she had no choice but to suppress her growing fury and stomp on He Zheng’s foot again.

But He Zheng, with his thick skin, just leaned down and whispered, “You’ve grown taller, haven’t you? Almost as tall as Xiang Rong! But you’re still all flat in the front and back.”

Jiang Nuan was fuming. Xiang Rong was only in seventh grade! Was He Zheng mocking her for being as short as a seventh grader?

Coach Shen gestured for Jiang Nuan to come over. “Xiang Rong, come here. You’ll be facing Lu Ran in this round. You’ll be competing in the tournament this summer, so this is a good opportunity to learn from your senior.”

Jiang Nuan stood frozen in place.

She wasn’t Xiang Rong, and even though the mask hid her identity for now, Coach Shen would undoubtedly recognize her after just a few strikes!

“Xiang Rong, what’s wrong?”

Coach Shen furrowed his brow, and everyone else turned to look.

He Zheng continued to grin and joke around. “Xiang Rong watched my match against Lu Ran—he saw me get knocked flat on my butt, so he’s got a bit of a complex about facing Lu Ran.”

By this point, Lu Ran had already stood up. His tall, slender figure, even under the slightly bulky fencing gear, exuded a sense of firm power.

He calmly adjusted the tip of his sword, barely interacting with those around him. Yet, Jiang Nuan could feel an icy detachment and an almost insurmountable distance.

“Xiang Rong, is your mental strength really that fragile? Are you afraid of getting knocked to the ground by Lu Ran?” Coach Shen’s voice grew stern.

Jiang Nuan once again found herself the center of attention. She really wanted to find a hole to crawl into. She felt like, at any moment, everyone would discover that she wasn’t Xiang Rong.

Mu Sheng, sitting nearby and sipping water, chuckled and said, “Little brother, don’t worry! It’s not embarrassing to end up on the floor. The important thing is to get back up. Besides, the U16 division is on a whole different level than the U14s. If you can stand up to Lu Ran, you can stand up to anyone.”

“Yeah, yeah! Don’t be scared, little bro! Mu Sheng and I will be watching. If Lu Ran dares to go too hard on you, we’ll…”

Jiang Nuan thought to herself: What could you two Lu Ran fanboys possibly do?

“If Lu Ran goes too hard on you, just think of it as life experience. Once you’ve died once, you won’t be afraid of anything anymore.” He Zheng chimed in with a grin.

Jiang Nuan really wanted to give him a good beating: Yeah, ever since you took that tumble in front of Lu Ran, you’ve become completely fearless!

But now she was stuck in this situation. With so many people watching, Jiang Nuan had no choice but to nod her head.

Coach Shen’s furrowed brow relaxed, as if saying: Finally, someone brave enough to face the music.

He Zheng patted Jiang Nuan on the shoulder and whispered, “Hey, if you can land ten strikes on Lu Ran, I’ll call you big brother for the rest of my life and never go back on it.”

“Huh?”

Now she understood why He Zheng had pushed her into this. Turns out, last time when he faced Lu Ran in a tournament, he had only managed to score nine strikes before getting eliminated, earning a harsh scolding from Coach Shen.

In saber fencing, every match is short, and every clash feels like life or death.

Coach Shen had placed high hopes on He Zheng, but he hadn’t even scored ten points. Though He Zheng usually acted carefree, deep down, he must have felt pretty upset.

Jiang Nuan had faced off against He Zheng countless times, so he probably thought she’d share in his “shame” and help him bear the burden.

But Jiang Nuan wasn’t one to back down easily. The more people expected her to fail, the more determined she was to prove them wrong.

She marched up to Coach Shen, who said, “Aren’t you hot with that mask on?”

Just as he reached to lift her mask, Jiang Nuan quickly pressed it down.

Coach Shen didn’t think much of it and proceeded to give her a long-winded lecture about maintaining her rhythm, steadying her footwork, and staying calm. Jiang Nuan nodded along, ready to step up.

Coach Shen couldn’t help but ask, “Did you even listen to anything I said?”

Jiang Nuan flashed an “OK” sign, and in that instant, Coach Shen realized—this wasn’t Xiang Rong. It was Jiang Nuan! He was about to say something, but He Zheng stepped forward, pulling him aside, and whispered, “Coach, we can’t be sexist. Gotta give everyone a chance.”

Jiang Nuan was already standing on the piste, facing off against Lu Ran, who remained calm and composed, adjusting his gloves and mask.

Mu Sheng called out, “Lu Ran, go easy on him! Don’t give the kid a complex!”

Xu Zitian joined in, “Don’t crush the future of our country’s youth!”

I’m not that fragile, Jiang Nuan thought to herself. After all, Lu Ran’s sharp tongue had toughened her up plenty. She was still standing strong, wasn’t she?

So, to the two of you: just zip it!

Jiang Nuan and Lu Ran saluted each other. His posture, like his personality, was restrained yet elegant, as if all his emotions were tightly wound, ready to explode at the most critical moment.

Jiang Nuan exhaled, focusing on Lu Ran across from her. His sword gleamed coldly, and his tall frame seemed like a towering mountain, ready to shatter at any moment, bringing with it a crushing pressure.

Her heartbeat was deafeningly loud.

Maybe it was because she was used to her more playful practice matches with He Zheng, where she simply enjoyed the fun of fencing. But standing before Lu Ran, she knew… he was always serious.

Even if his opponent was someone much younger, his sword would never hesitate.

Jiang Nuan had watched Mu Sheng and Xu Zitian’s performances earlier and knew that her explosiveness and speed couldn’t match up to the boys. At least not yet. What she could do, though, was hold her ground and strike first.

After all, no one expected her to beat Lu Ran. Her only goal was to land ten strikes on him.

“Doesn’t this little guy look a bit shorter than Lu Ran? His arm length is lacking, and his movement range isn’t enough. I’m a bit worried.” Xu Zitian commented while sipping water.

“You’ve got it backward. Lu Ran has a bigger target area. The kid’s got a smaller frame, so it’s harder to hit him!”

What kind of logic is that?

At the signal to start, Jiang Nuan instantly tensed up, launching herself forward. Lu Ran’s transition from stillness to action was faster than she could’ve imagined.

“Even if your opponent comes at you like a tidal wave, you have to surge back at them.”

Those were the words her father had told her when she was little.

Even if you know you’ll be hit, never hesitate.

Like a crash where you don’t mind breaking yourself, Jiang Nuan felt Lu Ran’s sword slice through the air, striking her shoulder.

It was a blow that truly startled her.

Jiang Nuan froze for a moment. This speed was something He Zheng didn’t have. In fact, no one in practice had ever reached this level of speed.

This wasn’t just the difference in explosiveness between boys and girls—this was the difference between Lu Ran and everyone else.

When Coach Shen signaled that Lu Ran had scored the point, Jiang Nuan didn’t feel the fear of being overpowered by someone stronger. Instead, she realized just how powerful the person across from her really was.

Mu Sheng’s mouth curled into a smile. “This little guy’s footwork is impressive. Coach Shen must have sent his prized student to spar with Lu Ran.”

“Yeah, yeah! If his arms and legs were just a bit longer, he might’ve been able to hit Lu Ran.”

Before Xu Zitian could finish, Mu Sheng smacked him on the head.

“Idiot. There are plenty of short fencers who beat taller ones. Lu Ran won that point because of the speed difference.”

As they reset, Jiang Nuan could feel the air around Lu Ran growing colder.

Alright, Dad’s been training you all this time. Let me see just how far he’s pushed you.

Jiang Nuan took the initiative, attacking, but Lu Ran parried her easily. His sword was powerful, carrying a cold, deadly precision. His counterattack came just as Jiang Nuan had anticipated, but his speed caught her off guard. Her nerves were taut, her breath caught in her throat, but she lifted her sword with all her might, pressing down without giving Lu Ran any chance to strike again. She pushed forward with all her strength.

The fact that she managed to parry Lu Ran’s strike made Xu Zitian, who had been casually sipping water, jump to his feet. Mu Sheng, who had expected her to be struck again, widened his eyes in surprise. Everyone who had been eagerly awaiting Lu Ran’s performance now watched as Jiang Nuan, with quick, agile movements, forced Lu Ran back to the other end of the piste.

In the blink of an eye, before anyone could fully grasp what had happened, Jiang Nuan lunged forward and struck Lu Ran on the shoulder!

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