Chapter 31: Equally Matched

Mu Qingcheng walked alone on the way back to the competition grounds, her mind drifting back to the scene from earlier...

At that time,

After finishing their meal, Si Qingchen set down his utensils and looked up politely to ask,
“Are you finished?”

Mu Qingcheng had already put down her bowl and chopsticks, and was quietly sipping a glass of water. When she heard him speak, she nodded,
“Yes, I’m done.”

In truth, she had barely eaten anything.

Si Qingchen cast a silent glance at the plate in front of her, his brows knitting slightly. Nonetheless, he had the food cleared away and then, quite suddenly, asked,
“Miss Mu, do you drink milk?”

“What?”

“Milk. Would you like some?”

“…Alright.”

His attentiveness always seemed to come without warning, catching one completely off guard.

Mu Qingcheng couldn’t quite fathom Si Qingchen’s intentions, but she did begin to harbor some doubts about his identity. Strong build, well-developed muscles, a hearty appetite, eating quickly and quietly…

Mu Qingcheng maintained a calm exterior, but she studied Si Qingchen closely.

When the man turned back toward her, she quickly averted her gaze.

From a distance, Si Nan and Si Bei watched the exchange, their hearts racing with excitement. The two drew closer together, whispering softly,

“Si Bei, do you think Miss Mu has feelings for our boss?”

“Hard to say. What do you think?”

“What do I think? Hmm,”
Si Nan swept his eyes over the pair, adopting a mysterious tone,
“I’d say the two of them are evenly matched, neither giving an inch.”

Si Bei shot his companion a baffled look, frowning in disdain,
“Can’t you just speak plainly?”

But Si Nan only smiled enigmatically and uttered four words,
“An even match indeed.”

****

Meanwhile,

Back at the competition grounds,

When Mu Qingcheng returned, a crowd of students was already trickling out of the dining hall, each one drifting toward their chosen horse.

Upon seeing Mu Qingcheng, their expressions varied; only a handful nodded at her, showing the barest hint of goodwill.

Mu Qingcheng returned their gestures with a faint, serene smile, as calm as ever.

Just then, footsteps sounded at the entrance to the field. As soon as the newcomer approached, someone exclaimed with delight,

“Look, Miss Ran is here!”

“Wow, it really is Sister Ran Siya!”

“That’s great! Without her, there’s nothing worth watching.”

…

Amidst the excited and envious chatter, Ran Siya strode in, dressed in a specially tailored riding outfit, exuding an air of haughty confidence. She wore oversized black sunglasses and was accompanied by two servants carrying her bags, her face radiating smug self-satisfaction.

It was obvious she had caught every word of those flattering remarks.

But she seemed oblivious to the fact that the timing of her entrance and those effusive compliments… were conspicuously well-coordinated.

Mu Qingcheng was standing by the entrance to the inner grounds. At the commotion, she, too, turned with the others. Upon seeing the proud, almost petulant expression on Ran Siya’s face, she raised a hand and pushed up the black-framed glasses perched on her nose.

By now, Miss Ran had arrived in front of her “sister.” She lifted her chin arrogantly and flashed a slight smile. Noticing the dirt on Mu Qingcheng’s shoulder, her smile widened as she spoke with mock concern,

“Oh dear, Qingcheng, how did your clothes get so dirty?”

Ran Siya lifted her arm as if to help tidy Mu Qingcheng’s clothes, but halfway through, she withdrew her hand, feigning difficulty as she added,

“Sorry, I’m not feeling well—I'm especially sensitive to germs.”

Mu Qingcheng kept her gaze lowered and did not respond.

A wave of murmured comments swept through the crowd. But before half a minute had passed, a staff member hurried over, slightly out of breath, and called out in a clear voice,

“Miss Mu, your clothes have arrived. Would you please come with me to change?”

…