My Demon Friends-Chapter 509 - 488: This Time I Admit Defeat in This Move
The sports field was buzzing that afternoon. All sorts of noises floated in the air, carried far away by the wind.
It was the peak season for physical education exams.
Little Cousin still wore the school uniform pants issued during last year’s military training. These pants were loose and comfortable, ideal for use as sportswear. Indeed, Little Cousin had always treated them as such, donning them for her weekly physical education classes, except when required during ceremonies like the flag-raising, thus saving the cost of another pair of sweatpants.
The downside was that they were unflattering and made her legs look short, especially when paired with her round, Baozi face. Even if her legs weren’t naturally short, the pants made them look that way.
But Baozi didn’t mind. She walked calmly to the edge of the sports field, found a patch of grass to sit on, hugged her knees, and quietly surveyed her surroundings.
Soon, two familiar figures approached from a distance.
Baozi kept a close eye on them.
Almost at the same time, they spotted her too, since they were headed her way anyway. Upon seeing her, they quickened their pace.
"Hi," Baozi greeted them as they approached, even lifting her hand for a wave, her expression still calm.
"What a coincidence," Zhou Li said. "Are you also taking the exam this afternoon?"
"No."
"Then what are you doing here? And why are you sitting on our field?"
"Bored."
"Aren’t you a rather lazy person?"
"Is your Tai Chi really that bad?" Baozi asked, her expression serious. She didn’t answer Zhou Li’s question but chose to ask one in return.
"...Yes."
Why did he hesitate? Shouldn’t the answer to something like this be obvious? A hint of confusion flashed across Baozi’s face, but she didn’t dwell on it. "And you’ve also missed quite a few Tai Chi classes," she continued.
"Yes."
"You also get embarrassed easily," Baozi continued, her expression certain. "Messing up in front of all those people must have been really embarrassing for you!"
"Yes."
"Well then," Baozi nodded, her expression serious. "I’m here to watch you make a fool of yourself."
"What a weird hobby..."
For a split second, Huai Xu actually thought Zhou Li’s Little Cousin had come to help him with the exam. After all, Zhou Li’s name didn’t clearly indicate gender without checking the class roster. So, if Little Cousin were a secret master of Tai Chi, the idea had some merit. It turned out Huai Xu was overthinking things.
The spot Baozi had preempted offered a great view. She remained in her position, knees hugged and immobile, patiently waiting for the Tai Chi exam to begin.
As class time approached, more and more students gathered. They discussed which movements followed which, and some engaged in last-minute practice, creating a noisy scene. Even Brother Nan performed a set on the spot to refresh his memory, hoping to avoid getting stuck during the exam.
Zhou Li, however, remained standing where he was, not moving an inch.
Baozi watched him intently. Her face was expressionless, but her mind was racing.
Even now, he’s not willing to do any last-minute cramming. What a slacker. He’s definitely going to blush later. I need to watch closely.
PHEEWT!
A piercing whistle cut through the air, and a slightly overweight, middle-aged female teacher walked over. Everyone gathered to listen as Teacher Huang explained the exam rules, scoring criteria, and various other details.
The examination began.
One by one, students stepped forward to be tested.
The exam was relatively lenient. Students were tested in groups of three, and if someone performed poorly or forgot a movement, they could sneak peeks at their classmates. Those confident in their abilities could volunteer to go first, finishing early and heading straight back to the dorms. If no one volunteered, they would proceed by student ID numbers. Many wanted to leave early, so they eagerly volunteered. Those who were less prepared or had missed many classes chose to stand back and learn by watching others perform.
Nevertheless, the exam was time-consuming. Each routine took several minutes to perform, and with so many students, time trickled away as they waited.
Baozi yawned quietly, nonchalantly using her hand to brush away a leaf that had fallen on her head.
Neither Zhou Li nor Brother Nan showed any inclination to step forward. In fact, Zhou Li almost did, even taking a step out, but Brother Nan gave him a look, and he stepped back.
Baozi couldn’t understand why Zhou Li, the slacker, wanted to go first, while Brother Nan, the ’top student,’ was actually trying to dissuade him. She noticed that although Zhou Li was standing still, he wasn’t taking the opportunity to watch others practice their routines. This reassured her.
"Aahh..."
Baozi yawned, growing tired from the wait. As evening approached, clouds obscured the sun, and a chill settled in. She pulled her clothes tighter around herself, thought for a moment, then slowly took out her phone. She sent Zhou Li a message and then waved her phone at him.
Just then, Zhou Li and Brother Nan were also watching her.
Ji Ran: Cousin, hurry up and perform. I want to go back and lie down after watching.
Zhou Li: Aren’t you getting dinner at the cafeteria?
Ji Ran: Nope.
Ji Ran: Cousin, hurry up.
Zhou Li: I want to make you wait a bit longer.
Ji Ran: Okay.
Baozi put away her phone and continued watching intently.
It was getting later and later.
Zhou Li and Brother Nan’s student numbers were somewhat at the end of the list.
The sun emerged from behind the clouds, only to be blocked by the adjacent dormitory building. It cast slanted golden rays on the side of the building. The wind from Dian Lake blew over, bringing an even stronger chill.
Baozi hugged her legs even tighter.
Finally, it was Brother Nan and Zhou Li’s turn.
Brother Nan went first. His performance was as smooth and flowing as water, earning high praise from the teacher.
Next up was Zhou Li.
Baozi perked up a little.
Zhou Li stood in the middle of his group of three. His Tai Chi routine, from start to finish, was not only fluid and graceful, with precise movements, but he also moved like a Master who had practiced for many years. Every gesture seemed to emanate tremendous hidden strength, making his performance captivating to watch.
Expressionless, Baozi silently got up, patted her bottom, which was cold from sitting for so long, and walked to the side.
This guy is pretty sneaky, Little Cousin thought.
Before long, she began to ponder other matters, her fair brow furrowing slightly.
Something isn’t right here. How could this be?
By the time Zhou Li and Brother Nan came over to her, she had already figured it out. She turned her head, looked straight at Zhou Li, and asked with certainty, "Cousin, you and Brother Nan didn’t come back last night. Were you practicing Tai Chi at home all night?"
Zhou Li grinned.
Baozi’s expression turned stern.
Even though she’d only known this cousin for a little over a year, she felt she understood him quite well due to their similarities. This cousin rarely smiled like that. So... she had guessed right!
Baozi nodded to herself, her face expressionless, and let Brother Nan put his arm around her shoulder as they walked off the sports field.
"It’s the end of the term, so the cafeteria doesn’t need extra help anymore, but they’re still paying my salary. They’ve already given me this month’s," Baozi said calmly, enduring Brother Nan’s hand playfully pinching her cheek. "To thank you for taking care of me, and as a way to return the favor, I’ve decided to treat you to a meal in the cafeteria. Um, we can get stir-fry on the second floor."
After saying this, she didn’t forget to add, her expression serious, "I don’t earn much, and I still have debts to pay. Stir-fry is also quite expensive, you know."
"Really!?"
"So you came here to treat us to a meal?"
"Mhm," Baozi said politely. "It’s a bit simple, but please don’t mind."
"How rare!"
Brother Nan felt a twinge of regret. It was a pity the Zhou Li beside him was the fake Zhou Li; it would have been great if it were the real one. Getting Baozi to treat someone to a meal was no easy feat; it was a rare experience indeed.
