OHHACOM Chapter 19

At that moment, the entire room fell silent.

Jiang Nuan lost control of her momentum and stumbled forward.

Lu Ran could have easily sidestepped, but instead, he reached out and caught her in his arms.

“Nice!” Mu Sheng clapped.

The kids nearby started clapping as well.

“You’re clapping, but do you know what made Xiang Rong’s move so impressive just now?” the female coach beside them asked with a smile.

The kids nodded.

“It was the footwork!”

“Exactly. In foil, the focus is on rhythm changes, while épée emphasizes a single fatal strike after pursuit. But in saber, it’s all about the distance of your attack. Your footwork must be elastic and flexible. Xiang Rong’s footwork just now was seamless—three crossover steps into a long lunge without a pause, all in one fluid motion, leaving no room or chance for the opponent to counterattack.” The coach patted the kids on the head, explaining patiently.

The kids nodded, half-understanding.

Jiang Nuan finally managed to steady herself, but for some reason, Lu Ran’s arms tightened, pulling her back into his chest. Her head bumped against his chin.

“Ouch…” Jiang Nuan quickly stifled her voice, unsure if Lu Ran had heard her.

“Didn’t expect our Lu Ran to be so gentlemanly. We were worried he’d trample over the young seedlings of our country, but it seems we were overthinking it.” Xu Zitian joked.

Mu Sheng turned his head and smacked Xu Zitian on the back of the head.

“Are you an idiot?”

“Huh? What now?”

“Didn’t you notice? Xiang Rong had already steadied himself, but Lu Ran pulled him in closer—”

“To get revenge?” Xu Zitian asked with wide eyes.

Mu Sheng sighed. “Yeah, yeah. To get revenge.”

Jiang Nuan pushed Lu Ran away. As soon as he let go, she took a step back, but her mask started slipping. Just as it was about to fall off, Lu Ran reached out and caught it.

“Aren’t you afraid of suffocating yourself?”

His voice was still cool, but there was a hint of lightness to it.

Jiang Nuan swallowed hard and quickly secured her mask.

As soon as the next round began, Lu Ran closed in on her instantly, with two swift crossover steps into a lunge, striking her shoulder.

In an instant, Lu Ran had taken the point. He had mirrored the move Jiang Nuan had used to score against him earlier, only faster and more precise.

“Whoa! That’s some reversal!” He Zheng exclaimed.

“Reversal? What reversal?” Xu Zitian asked.

“Like in Gusu Murong’s Dou Zhuan Xing Yi technique—using the opponent’s move against them!”

Lu Ran had returned the favor in the exact way Jiang Nuan had scored on him.

“That’s too much! It’ll crush the poor kid’s self-esteem!” Xu Zitian said.

He got smacked on the back of the head again by Mu Sheng.

“Are you really that dumb? Middle school students don’t have footwork like that. They don’t have that kind of agility or technique. This kid might be from another province or city, someone with an athlete’s qualifications… though he’s a bit short.” Mu Sheng observed.

He glanced at He Zheng, who was covering his mouth, grinning mischievously.

Mu Sheng muttered under his breath, “Could it be one of the coaches stepping in?”

Even though Lu Ran had turned the tables on Jiang Nuan, she wasn’t upset at all. She bounced on her feet a couple of times, feeling an inexplicable excitement welling up inside her.

Lu Ran was like a treasure chest—every time she managed to crack it open just a little, it revealed something new and fascinating.

Jiang Nuan licked her lips, ready for the next round.

Once again, they both charged at each other, sparks practically flying between them. Facing Lu Ran was more exhilarating than riding a roller coaster.

Just as Lu Ran was about to corner her, Jiang Nuan felt a strange calm wash over her. It was probably because she clearly understood where the gap between her and Lu Ran lay. And with that understanding came a certain clarity.

In a critical moment, Jiang Nuan narrowly blocked Lu Ran’s fierce strike. Everyone expected her to adjust her footwork, but instead, she accelerated, her sword tip rising up to strike at Lu Ran.

Coach Shen froze, and both Mu Sheng and Xu Zitian stood up simultaneously. Jiang Nuan’s strike was decisive, leaving no room for herself to retreat. Lu Ran’s reaction was lightning-fast, but she still managed to land the blow.

Lu Ran took a step back, standing still.

Jiang Nuan paused for a second before jumping up in excitement.

She had struck Lu Ran again! She shot He Zheng a triumphant gesture.

“Whoa, that wasn’t something an ordinary person could pull off… This kid is definitely a master in disguise as a middle schooler.” Mu Sheng said, now certain of his suspicion.

“Really? Whose student could he be? I didn’t see him at last year’s tournament!” Xu Zitian said, his eyes glued to Jiang Nuan’s figure.

Some of the older students seemed to have figured something out and glanced toward Coach Shen, who simply gestured for them to wait until the match was over.

“I have a feeling that with the next strike, Lu Ran’s gonna make him cry…” Mu Sheng said.

“Uh… yeah, probably…” Xu Zitian sniffed.

But to their surprise, Lu Ran walked over to his opponent.

Jiang Nuan, still feeling the excitement of her recent success, watched as Lu Ran approached her step by step. He reached out his hand, and instinctively, she took half a step back. Lu Ran, through his mask, gently patted her on the head.

“That last strike was impressive.”

Jiang Nuan froze on the spot.

Was Lu Ran complimenting her?

Was it because that strike was truly perfect?

Or did he think she was a middle schooler, so he was being extra nice?

But the next round was going to be even more intense.

Jiang Nuan felt like she was walking a tightrope. Every strike from Lu Ran was a killer move, and she was desperately trying to disrupt his relentless pursuit. Her heart was practically on the tip of his sword. In a fleeting moment that everyone else missed, Lu Ran exploited the weakest point in her defense, delivering a flawless thrust to her ribs—a tricky angle that was nearly impossible to block.

When Coach Shen signaled that Lu Ran had scored, Jiang Nuan stumbled back, nearly sitting down on the floor. But Lu Ran reached out and caught her just in time.

“Scared?” His voice was soft.

Only Jiang Nuan, standing on the piste, could hear him.

Her heart pounded wildly.

As if sensing her lack of response, Lu Ran lightly patted her head, as if comforting a child much younger than himself.

Jiang Nuan gave him a light punch, the unspoken message being, “Scared? Yeah, right!” Then she turned around and confidently marched back to the starting line.

“This kid’s mentality is something else. Even if he gets knocked down by Lu Ran in a real match one day, I bet he’d still be grinning.” Mu Sheng said, starting to admire Jiang Nuan in Xiang Rong’s fencing gear.

“Hey, don’t you think our Master Lu is being unusually nice to that kid?” Xu Zitian nudged Mu Sheng with his shoulder.

“Wow, you’re finally catching on? That’s rare. Our Master Lu’s got this habit—hit them with the stick, then offer the candy, like he’s scared of being disliked. If they’re about to fall, he’ll catch them. If they’re knocked down, he’ll pull them up. If he smashes their counterattack, he’ll make sure to pat their head afterward. When do you think he’ll treat us with the same kind of tenderness?” Mu Sheng joked.

“So, in summary, he wants to win, but he also doesn’t want to be hated by his opponent?” Xu Zitian asked, still puzzled.

“How would I know what Master Lu is thinking? Just watch the match.” Mu Sheng replied, suddenly more curious about the mysterious kid facing Lu Ran.

Lu Ran wasn’t the easiest person to get close to. He tended to draw a circle around himself, keeping the people he valued inside.

Even among those he kept close, there were those who were placed further in and those on the outer edges.

Mu Sheng tilted his head, almost certain that Lu Ran knew the kid he was fencing against—knew them really well. But who could it be?

Every strike that followed was intense. Even though Lu Ran maintained his lead, with a four-point advantage over Jiang Nuan, everyone found themselves anticipating her performance even more, as if the pressure would spark a brilliant counterattack from her.

Jiang Nuan had already scored nine points—just one more and He Zheng would have to call her “big brother” for the rest of his life.

Wait, if she became his big brother, she couldn’t keep calling him a bastard. But then, wouldn’t the brother of a bastard still be a bastard?

Jiang Nuan exhaled, gazing at Lu Ran in front of her, feeling that every exchange was like a fateful reunion that couldn’t be undone.

Maybe… maybe this was the only time she’d ever get to enjoy facing off against someone like this, savoring the opportunity to experience the skills of a true master, as if she were unearthing treasure.

Jiang Nuan steadied her sword, as if she were steadying her heart, while Lu Ran had already prepared himself, waiting for her next move.

She adjusted her breathing. At this point, it didn’t matter how many points she could score against Lu Ran. She just wanted every strike she made to be perfect—even if she lost, she wanted to lose without any regrets.

The best way to understand someone is to watch their sword.

Lu Ran’s sword was serious.

He might not be the best friend, but he was the best opponent.

Jiang Nuan suddenly felt a wave of envy toward Xu Zitian and Mu Sheng. They could stand in the arena and openly face Lu Ran.

Breathing out slowly, Jiang Nuan looked at Lu Ran, feeling like she could see through his mask and straight into his gaze.

If she had hated Lu Ran ten thousand times before, then in this moment, her admiration for him was multiplied a hundredfold.

Because for the first time, someone had made her this focused.

Lu Ran’s sword came at her with a sharp precision, and Jiang Nuan felt her nerves tense in response. That sense of danger turned into a burst of energy, allowing her to parry Lu Ran’s attack at the last second. They traded blows, pushing each other’s defenses to the limit. Jiang Nuan felt like her heart was being strung along by Lu Ran’s rhythm. She sidestepped and swung her sword down, catching Lu Ran’s shoulder with a powerful strike.

Point!

“Impressive!”

“Excellent!”

Jiang Nuan jumped up in excitement and flashed a ten-fingered gesture toward He Zheng.

Her heart soared with pride, and the world seemed bright and beautiful.

He Zheng grinned and jokingly knelt in a mock bow.

Jiang Nuan was still looking at He Zheng when she felt something lightly tap the top of her head. She turned around and saw that it was Lu Ran’s sword tip.

Quickly refocusing herself, Jiang Nuan prepared for the next bout with Lu Ran.

Although Lu Ran ultimately won without much suspense, as soon as the match ended, Coach Shen couldn’t help but give Jiang Nuan a hug, saying excitedly, “I’m so glad you came back. I really thought you were going to quit, you troublesome girl!”

Jiang Nuan’s heart pounded. It was the first time someone had told her not to give up fencing.

At that moment, Mu Sheng also came over, smiling. “Hey, with skills like yours, you can’t be a middle schooler, right? I noticed you’ve been keeping your mask on the whole time. Even Lu Ran lifts his to catch his breath, but it seems like you’re really scared of us seeing your face.”

Jiang Nuan tensed up, and at that moment, He Zheng threw an arm over her shoulder and started joking with Mu Sheng. “You want to know who this really is?”

“Yeah! Who is he? There’s no way a middle schooler could be this good!” Xu Zitian chimed in, squeezing closer.

“This is my bro—my real bro!” He Zheng shamelessly declared.

Jiang Nuan shrugged her shoulders. When He Zheng didn’t respond, she nudged his foot with her sword, but he continued chatting away.

Damn it, are your arms made of lead? You’re crushing me here!

In the next second, He Zheng let out a muffled yelp, and when Jiang Nuan looked up, Mu Sheng and Xu Zitian both had surprised expressions on their faces—Lu Ran had twisted He Zheng’s wrist and yanked his arm away.

“What’s going on?” An assistant coach hurried over.

Lu Ran released his grip, and He Zheng stood there looking confused. “I was just chatting with Mu Sheng and the others, and out of nowhere, Lu Ran twisted my wrist!”

Jiang Nuan noticed that Lu Ran’s expression had turned cold. It was the same look he had that night when he lifted her onto someone else’s car hood. He was genuinely upset.

The assistant coach seemed a bit intimidated by Lu Ran’s demeanor and didn’t dare question him, so he turned to Mu Sheng and the others instead. Mu Sheng simply shrugged and said, “I guess He Zheng was chatting with us and didn’t include Lu Ran, so Lu Ran felt a bit lonely…”

The assistant coach was left speechless, unsure of what to say.

Mu Sheng and Xu Zitian, trying to lighten the mood, urged Jiang Nuan, “Come on! Let’s get you to the locker room for a shower! You’ve been keeping that mask on the whole time, so your neck must be drenched in sweat!”

With that, Mu Sheng and Xu Zitian began ushering Jiang Nuan toward the locker room.

Jiang Nuan was at a loss—what was she going to do now? They were taking her to the men’s locker room!

She kept glancing back at He Zheng, hoping that the troublemaker would pull her out of this mess, but he was still sulking over his wrist, oblivious to her predicament!

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