Help! The Frosty Noble's Son Is in Love With Me!-Chapter 294: The Sky Has Fallen
Without further ado, Second Uncle Pei did not refuse and agreed to set up the chess scenarios for them to solve. ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ธ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ต.๐ฌ๐ค๐ข
The hall was quite large, with several chessboards set up on the left side, where Second Uncle Pei went to arrange the game scenarios.
It was the most fair and impartial approach, as if setting the questions under everyoneโs watchful eyes. Once the scenarios were set up, they were brought over for the three of them to solve, leaving no room for cheating.
Setting up the questions required some skill. While Second Uncle Pei meticulously arranged the chess scenarios, others sipped tea, ate snacks, and had no worries since it wasnโt their concern. Instead, they were eagerly anticipating the upcoming competition.
Even Pei Lan couldnโt help but feel schadenfreude. As events unfolded to this point, everyoneโs attention shifted away from respecting teachers and elders, and it seemed that everyone might have forgotten what she had done, sparing her from accountability.
Yao Xing felt secretly glad and even prayed in her heart that the final outcome would be Qu Fulanโs loss, which would be spectacular. As for the Pei Mansionโs reputation and honor, what did that have to do with her?
Third Madam also maliciously hoped for the eldest house to lose face, which would allow her to finally vent her years of pent-up anger, perhaps even make her appetite grow.
Ren Hua was worried. She didnโt know what purpose Heir Peiโs approach served or how the outcome would unfold. Although Heir Pei probably wouldnโt let Qu Fulan lose face, nothing was absolute, causing her anxiety until Pei Yuan pushed some snacks towards her, which slightly eased her tense expression.
"Eat, donโt let yourself go hungry," Pei Yuan said quietly as he leaned closer.
Ren Hua couldnโt eat, but not wanting to disappoint his intentions, she took a bite of a cake but found it tasteless.
By this time, Second Uncle Pei had already set up a chess scenario and had it moved in front of everyone, while he stayed behind to arrange the next scenarios.
The chess scenario was brought in front of everyone, and then Pei Yuan, Pei Lian, and Pei Jiโan went over together to examine it. Once they confirmed it was something they had never seen before, they allowed Qu Fulan and the others to begin solving it.
Solving it under everyoneโs watch, all were witnesses.
Qu Fulan knew from the first glance at the chess scenario that it was challenging.
Master Lu and Ning Xin felt the same.
They were only given the time of one incense stick to think. After that time passed, regardless of whether the scenario was solved, the match would end.
It wasnโt just one chessboard, but three identical scenarios were set in front of each of them.
The three were seated with some distance between them, unable to see each otherโs methods of solving the scenarios.
But many gathered around to watch the spectacle, inevitably adding pressure to them.
However, this pressure wasnโt much for Master Lu, as her age meant she had a steadier disposition than the younger ones.
Qu Fulan was initially a bit uncomfortable, knowing this was a normal psychological state. Some pressure in everything was normal, but she quickly adjusted her mindset and began seriously thinking about how to solve the scenario.
Ning Xin was in the worst state, having gone through various humiliations before, and now had to solve a difficult scenario in public. All kinds of pressure overwhelmed her, leaving her mind in a daze, with beads of sweat rolling down her forehead.
It wasnโt only these three who found it challenging; even Pei Yuan found it difficult. It was even harder for Pei Lian, who, although not skillful in chess, knew the toughness of the scenario.
As for Pei Jiโan, his expression was unusually calm. Others couldnโt discern anything from his face.
Finally, the time of one incense stick passed.
Master Lu solved it.
Qu Fulan also solved it.
Ning Xin couldnโt solve it, ultimately due to excessive nervousness.
Seeing Master Lu and Qu Fulan solve it, Pei Yuan couldnโt help but nod. The scenario was not simple, and although he had some ideas, solving it wasnโt easy for those two, especially for Qu Fulan, who progressed remarkably.
Pei Jiโan still showed no expression, neither happy nor sad, as if unconcerned.
Marquis Peiโs gaze, however, seemed contemplative.
Regarding the others, they mostly didnโt understand, like Madam Pei, whose expertise in martial arts allowed her to see prowess at a glance, but in these aristocratic pursuits, she had always been lacking.
Mrs. Ning had also learned the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting when she was young. But even in chess, she wasnโt as good as her daughter. Now, seeing her daughter unable to solve it, she naturally couldnโt identify any flaws and began worrying for her daughter, who was too competitive, and now with this loss...
Ning Xin looked incredulously at Qu Fulan. It didnโt surprise her that Master Lu won, but sister-in-law... why?
Before she could figure out why, the second match began.
Again, Master Lu and Qu Fulan successfully solved it, but Ning Xin couldnโt, feeling as if her mentality was collapsing.
When the third match started, Ning Xin looked at the chessboard, feeling as if she no longer knew how to play chess.
Again, Qu Fulan and Mr. Lu solved it.
With two out of three wins, as it was a tie, another round was necessary.
The final round likely had a higher difficulty level, so the time was extended to two incense sticks.
Both struggled to solve it immediately.
Some people couldnโt help but feel gloating, even without understanding the scenario, they enjoyed seeing others embarrass themselves.
Failing to solve it would be a disgrace, right?
Just as they were thinking that, someone solved it.
It was Qu Fulan.
Yet Master Lu couldnโt solve it.
As for Ning Xin?
After todayโs events, she probably developed a psychological block against chess.
But she no longer had the energy to care about whether others won or not. She always thought herself skilled in chess, but today she couldnโt solve a single scenario...
Unlike Ning Xin, who was immersed in despair, Master Lu felt as if the sky had fallen.
How could it be that the scenario she couldnโt solve, Qu Fulan managed to?
And how could Ning Xin, whom she believed had a solid foundation, not solve even one scenario... how could this be?
Could it be that Heir Pei had secretly communicated with Second Master Pei, leaking the scenarios to Qu Fulan and teaching her how to solve them in advance?
After all, they were family...
Pei Jiโan seemed to see through Master Luโs thoughts and said, "Next, please play a game with my wife."
Saying so, he discreetly gave Qu Fulan a glance, which she understoodโgo all out.
Master Lu felt that this was the fairest part of the day. She surely wouldnโt lose to Qu Fulan, but what would it prove by then?
After all, until the last moment, no one understood the significance of Heir Peiโs arrangements.
While they were talking, the two began playing.
It was played under the two-out-of-three-win rule.
In the first match, Qu Fulan took less than an incense stickโs time to defeat Master Lu.
Master Lu widened her eyes, but before she had much time to feel shocked, the second match began.
Qu Fulan had gauged Master Luโs level and strategy. After all, a person progresses over the years; she couldnโt judge Master Lu by her past standard. The first match was for probing, while the second match was the true duel.
Going all out, this time, Master Lu lost even before an incense stickโs time had passed.
"Thank you for letting me win," Qu Fulan said with great modesty.
The chess piece in Master Luโs hand fell to the ground.
