"Eating happily?"
Feng Xiaoxiao, dressed in a plain dress, ca over and stood behind Lin Fan’s chair, leaning her body directly on his shoulder, an intimate gesture seemingly oblivious to those around them. If it weren’t for her relatives sitting beside them, Lin Fan would have really hated not being able to pull her into his arms right there.
"The wedding banquet is, of course, joyful."
Lin Fan lifted his head, gazing at Feng Xiaoxiao’s stunningly beautiful face. As their eyes t, his face was etched with endless tenderness.
"You still have the nerve to say that."
Feng Xiaoxiao lowered her head and whispered into Lin Fan’s ear, "You didn’t lift a finger to help with our wedding banquet, and you’ve left with weak knees from all the work—I’m nearly dead from exhaustion."
"It’s okay, next ti I’ll take care of the official wedding banquet."
The sweet nothings exchanged quietly between the lovers seed to stir a sense of panic in the others, who turned away their gaze, looking instead at Jiang Chun Nian, who was still toasting with his relatives. After what happened that night, everyone at the table had co to accept their relationship. And the looks they gave Jiang Chun Nian were full of pity.
"I don’t want that, it’s so tiring. Didn’t you have an appointnt to play chess with the teacher? I’ll just book a room to catch up on so sleep, or I won’t be able to eat Qingyi’s dinner tonight," Feng Xiaoxiao said with a smile, understanding Lin Fan’s likes and dislikes all too well.
"No need to book one, the room from that day hasn’t been canceled; it’s still available. You go rest, and I’ll play chess with the teacher."
Lin Fan said with a smile, looking at Xia Hongye who was walking back, "Hong Ye has also been working hard all day. Why don’t you join her for so sleep?"
"Sure."
Feng Xiaoxiao turned to Xia Hongye and said, "Your buddy decided to reward you by having the bride sleep with you. Aren’t you lucky?"
"Go to hell, I’m a woman who likes n, I’m not sleeping with you," Xia Hongye retorted with her usual foul mouth, but it was this hearty character that made her even more popular. However, when she looked at Lin Fan, her eyes carried a unique tenderness that others simply couldn’t detect.
"Alright, that’s enough, let’s go."
Everyone had almost finished eating, and the eager Mr. Gu was already standing up. Lin Fan naturally followed suit, and Feng Xiaoxiao, against expectation, also walked out arm in arm with Xia Hongye.
"Is it okay for the bride to leave this early?"
Seeing Feng Xiaoxiao joining them, Lin Fan said with a smile.
"Isn’t it better to let him show his strengths on his own? Plus, we just ntioned traveling for the wedding, and we won’t need to go back for the tea ceremony afterwards. With this, it’s all over. From this mont, he’s on his own, and I’m on mine, there’s no need to save face for anyone."
Feng Xiaoxiao said triumphantly, winking at Lin Fan. The farce was finally over, and taking a deep breath, she could now joyously be herself.
"Okay then, off to play chess, to see if we together can beat the teacher."
The walk to the chess room was accompanied by Chang Wanyun serving hot tea and fruit platters, and she had thoughtfully lit a plate of sandalwood incense. anwhile, Lin Fan and Mr. Gu had started their black-and-white duel on the chessboard.
Amidst the intense concentration of the two n, Feng Xiaoxiao and Xia Hongye chatted with Master about amusing past events. On this tranquil afternoon, it was as if they were transported back to those verdant days of youth. Lin Fan would often chat with Mr. Gu for an entire afternoon; had it not been for Feng Xiaoxiao and Master’s presence, the two n might have even forgotten to eat.
"Teacher’s amazing... I’ve lost again!"
With Mr. Gu’s Heizi piece landing, Lin Fan, staring at the crowded chessboard, had to admit defeat, "Master, your chess skill is really too good. Can you see five moves ahead?"
"Do you think being able to see five moves ahead makes you a master?"
Mr. Gu lit a cigarette with a smile. The ga had lasted over three hours, and he was indeed a bit tired.
"Isn’t five moves enough to be called a master? I can barely see three moves ahead. No wonder Master has never lost a ga in our school over the years. Isn’t that almost being too high above the rest?"
Lin Fan began picking up his chess pieces, resigned to the fact that the teacher’s chess prowess was the strongest in the whole school.
"Who says I’ve never lost? I lost terribly just a few days ago."
Mr. Gu’s words imdiately piqued Lin Fan’s interest.
"When did such a great master appear in our school? Could he foresee ten moves ahead in a chess ga?"
"It’s Lao Li, our college security guard. What ten moves ahead? He doesn’t even know where to play the next move. But he has a surefire way to win. Let tell you, no one in this world can defeat him."
Mr. Gu laughed and stretched out his finger, pushing the chessboard abruptly. As the pieces scattered, Lin Fan was stunned.
"He wins by flipping the chessboard?"
"Right, it’s proudly called ’if I lose, you can’t win either.’ Just ss it up and start over. Therefore, he’ll never lose at chess because the instant he’s about to lose, he flips the chessboard and nobody gets to play. But you know, by that single ’rule’ of his, he can’t lose."
Mr. Gu looked at Lin Fan with a smile, as if he was only talking about eting a player with poor sportsmanship. But at the sa ti, he seed to impart to Lin Fan a simple yet overlooked principle—if you don’t want to lose, you have to redefine the rules.
"I understand!"
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