Chapter 281 - 281 There's No Way She'll Win This Time
281 There’s No Way She’ll Win This Time
When Miss Du witnessed how good Zhao Chuchu was, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of fear swelling in her heart.
She truly did not expect that Zhao Chuchu would have such levels of prowess in combat skills.
Initially, Miss Du had some other thoughts and malicious schemes, but after seeing Zhao Chuchu’s skills, she had to abandon all those thoughts.
It wouldn’t be worth it if she ended up harming herself instead.
Miss Du forgot about those thoughts and walked toward Zhao Chuchu. She pretended to congratulate her happily. “Miss Lin, you’re amazing. You’re the first girl to win against guys at the poetry and literature gathering. You are the pride of us women!”
“Thank you,” Zhao Chuchu said as she nodded slightly. Although she knew exactly what Miss Du was actually thinking, she didn’t bother to expose her.
“I wonder what else you are good at besides horse riding and archery.”
“I probably don’t know anything that you people are good at. I grew up on the farms in the countryside, and there weren’t many things that I could learn.”
“That’s too humble of you, Miss Lin. I’m sure you have other talents.”
“What are you trying to say, Miss Du?” Zhao Chuchu smiled and looked at her. “If you have something to say, you can just say it directly.”
Miss Du said with a gentle expression, “All of the girls who can come to attend a poetry and literature gathering are extremely gifted. At home, I like to play the Guzheng and chess. May I have the pleasure of learning from you?”
Zhao Chuchu was speechless.
This person is really coming to her and asking to be humiliated.
If they were competing in poetry or literature, she would definitely lose. But Guzheng and chess—unfortunately, Zhao Chuchu had never lost in those things before.
“Miss Du, I don’t really like Guzheng or chess.” Zhao Chuchu pretended it was too difficult.
“It’s just a friendly match, not a competition. I just want to learn more about our common interests,” Miss Du held Zhao Chuchu’s hand passionately and walked toward the garden. She said, “Miss Lin, you don’t know this, but I felt like I just met an old friend when I saw you just now.”
“Really?” Zhao Chuchu appeared rather surprised.
“Of course, it’s real. You can ask Miss Yuan if you don’t believe me.”
Yuan Hui snorted inside when she heard that, but when she saw that Zhao Chuchu was still talking to Miss Du, she didn’t expose her.
“Yuan Hui, is that true?”
“Probably, there aren’t many people who are good enough for Miss Du’s standards.” Yuan Hui took a jab at Miss Du casually.
Miss Du’s expression changed slightly, but she felt a little better when she thought about how she could win against Zhao Chuchu later and help Hong Xulin and herself regain their pride.
“Miss Yuan always likes to joke like that, and sometimes I don’t even know how to reply. Don’t mind me, Miss Yuan,” Miss Du said with a smile.
Yuan Hui said, “Why would I mind? Don’t worry about it, Miss Du. I’ve always been quite frank and straightforward. You’ve known this for quite a while, right?”
Miss Du felt like something was stuck in her chest. It made her feel very agitated and rather angry.
Yet, she didn’t show any of her emotions and continued to keep up her facade as Yuan Hui’s good friend.
“Miss Du, Miss Lin won against Mr. Hong and the other guys. She’ll probably start looking down on us girls. After all, we don’t know how to play with weapons. All we know are things like calligraphy, poetry, and maybe embroidery. We really can’t do those brutish things.”
“I mean, regardless of how good Miss Lin is at archery, she’s still a girl, right? So she can’t be playing with the men all day. She still has to return to the female group. Miss Lin, am I right?”
“Actually, Guzheng and chess aren’t that difficult. You only need a while to learn them. Perhaps Miss Lin’s talents are all in martial arts and combat sports. She’s really not familiar with elegant stuff like this. Miss Du, how about we just call this off?”
“You people kept saying that Miss Lin was worse than Mr. Hong and the others, and who won in the end? If you don’t know the full extent of other people’s abilities, I suggest you speak less and control your mouth. Otherwise, you’ll become the joke yourself.”
“Miss Lin won against the men. She should be our pride. Yet, certain people just insist on speaking for the opposite gender. I wonder who was the one who couldn’t stop fawning over the men by belittling us, women.”
This time, some people finally started speaking out for Zhao Chuchu and flaming the girls who kept making snarky remarks.
Based on the clothing of the girls who were mocking her, Zhao Chuchu could tell that they weren’t nearly as wealthy as Yuan Hui. They were probably jealous, which was why they kept trying to deride her.
Zhao Chuchu glanced at the girls who spoke out for her and remembered them.
Zhao Chuchu always remembered the people who tried to do her harm and those who tried to help her. Even if they just helped her once, she would remember it.
“We were talking amongst ourselves. What’s it got to do with you? Why are you in such a hurry to fawn over a person you don’t know?”
“Are you not afraid of getting scammed and deceived? If you don’t have a brain, you shouldn’t come out here and make a fool of yourself.”
“The people from small, insignificant backgrounds are always so foolish. What does her victory against Mr. Hong have to do with you? Do you think you can get Mr. Hong’s attention by saying things like that?”
Zhao Chuchu really didn’t know why these women were so hostile toward her.
“Who would be so blind to get attracted to men worse than women?” Zhao Chuchu said with a sarcastic smile. “Girls, your eyes are so pretty. I’m sure you aren’t blind, right?”
The other girls almost exploded from anger after hearing that.
But if they tried to rebut Zhao Chuchu, they would be admitting that they were blind.
If they didn’t rebut her, they would be admitting that they had made the wrong decision to like Hong Xulin.
Zhao Chuchu felt like laughing when they saw how those girls couldn’t say anything in return.
These girls were too young and too naive to quarrel with her.
Miss Du felt somewhat agitated as well. Zhao Chuchu was dominating them in almost every aspect, and this whole event was almost like a joke at that point.
Fortunately, they had arrived at the garden.
Miss Du had ordered someone to prepare the Guzheng and chess set in advance.
“Miss Lin, please,” Miss Du said as she sat down and pointed at the Guzheng opposite her.
Zhao Chuchu said, “I really don’t like playing the Guzheng. Can we get someone else to do it?”
“Miss Lin, it’s fine. It’s just a friendly jam session, not a competition, so don’t worry about it. However, given your performance on the racecourse just now, you are worthy of participating in the poetry and literature gathering.” Miss Du could scarcely hide her pride and arrogance.
She was confident that no one was better than her at playing the Guzheng or chess. She was convinced that she would be able to embarrass Zhao Chuchu this time.
Zhao Chuchu looked like she sat down unwillingly because of Miss Du’s insistence.
A smile flashed across Miss Du’s face, but she quickly hid it.
“What pieces do you like, Miss Lin?”
“Me? Can I play anything I want?”
“Yes, please do.”
Miss Du thought that regardless of what Zhao Chuchu played, she would be able to follow up. After practicing the Guzheng for many years, she knew every popular piece in the Wei Dynasty.
She wasn’t worried that Zhao Chuchu would overwhelm her.
She was absolutely confident that she would be able to make a fool of Zhao Chuchu.
Playing the Guzheng was different from horse riding or archery. If one didn’t have talent and years of practice, she wouldn’t be able to play anything decent.
Zhao Chuchu would definitely lose this time!