Zhang Chuxi saw Qing Jun’s face, which looked puzzled yet adorably vigilant, and couldn’t help but feel secretly angry.
How could such a foolish person actually beat her!
However... she is indeed much simpler than the others at Baopu Peak.
"It’s my first time coming to find someone to play with," Zhang Chuxi answered blandly, without any discernible emotion in her tone, but it was the truth.
"Huh?"
Qing Jun looked up at her master, then at the elegant little girl in front of her, her little brain struggling to process,
"It’s your first time... Are there no friends at Baopu Peak?"
This question was straightforward and hurtful.
Yet Zhang Chuxi felt nothing; she dismissed it: "Those people are too weak. You’re quite good, barely qualified... As for Zhao Guanhai, he’s both ugly and boring."
Chen Ye finally understood why Zhang Chuxi would obediently listen to Xu Henshan; it seems she had taken an interest in Qing Jun.
Undoubtedly, Qing Jun was likely the only one of her generation that could overpower her.
"Hmph!" Qing Jun listened and refused to feel grateful. She placed her hands on her hips, "I’m not interested at all! My master is the most remarkable! Why don’t you seek him... No, no, don’t go after my master!"
Zhang Chuxi glanced quietly at Chen Ye, a bit disappointed.
Obviously, Chen Ye looked impressive that day, but today he appeared to be concealing qi, seeming utterly ordinary, no intrigue whatsoever.
Ordinary means ugly.
She likes pretty things, and Xu Qingjun is... quite pretty.
"Alright, alright."
Chen Ye mediated, gently patting Qing Jun’s head,
"Since you’re here to play, don’t stand by the door. Qing Jun, take your friend inside the yard. You can try playing Master’s Gomoku..."
"I don’t want to play with her..." Qing Jun just wanted to play with her master.
"Don’t you want to use Gomoku to thoroughly bully her?" Chen Ye chuckled.
The little girl brightened up, she turned around, quickly grabbed the wrist of Zhang Chuxi, who hadn’t reacted yet, and dragged her unceremoniously toward the stone table in the yard:
"Come on! I’ll show you what it means to be a Chess Saint!"
"Let go! I can walk by myself!"
Zhang Chuxi furrowed her brow, caught off guard by this sudden rude act; she came from a high noble background, never had she been tugged like this.
She tried forcefully to withdraw her hand, but Qing Jun’s small palm was surprisingly strong, making it momentarily difficult to break free.
Chen Ye watched behind them, struggling to hold back laughter.
This was part of his intention for bringing Qing Jun to Baopu Peak; he hoped Qing Jun would make more friends.
The little girl had a lively nature, only her fondness for her master made her able to patiently stay in the yard.
In the original storyline, Qing Jun managed to stir chaos in the world mainly because she had many followers.
The stone table already had a carved chessboard on it. Qing Jun, like a treasure, presented two cans of smooth jade chess pieces with a "pop", placing them on the table, boldly declaring, "I’ll let you go first!"
Zhang Chuxi rubs her reddened wrist, a spark of competitiveness igniting in her heart: "Go? I read chessboards fluently when I was three."
"Ignorant fool! This is Gomoku!"
Qing Jun never heard of Go, it certainly couldn’t be as fun as her master’s Gomoku,
"Forget it, I’ll teach you..."
The two little girls then began exchanging moves.
At first, Qing Jun relied on her proficiency to indeed catch Zhang Chuxi unprepared, winning several rounds consecutively, her little face full of pride.
However, Zhang Chuxi was, after all, a child of destiny; after a brief adaptation, she quickly stabilized her position.
She began to dismantle Qing Jun’s offense step by step and quietly set up her own killing move.
Seeing Zhang Chuxi’s black pieces already forming a line of three with open ends, only two moves away from completion, the little girl suddenly panicked.
Absolutely not!
Losing in front of her master was more painful than death!
Qing Jun watched the black pieces about to align, her face reddening, tears almost forming in her big eyes.
She looked at the chessboard, quickly glanced at the composed Zhang Chuxi, and finally pitifully looked at her own master.
Chen Ye simply smiled at her, showing no intent to help.
Finished!
Even her master couldn’t aid her!
In the blink of an eye, countless thoughts coursed through the little girl’s mind, eventually she steeled herself, making a move against the rules.
"Oh no!"
With a surprised cry, her small hand "accidentally" swung, causing the entire board to scatter as black and white jade pieces clattered everywhere.
"..."
Zhang Chuxi’s elegant seated posture suddenly stiffened, looking incredulously at the emptied board, then at the culprit still clumsily "picking up" pieces, mumbling:
"How did the pieces fall... Oh dear, blame this uneven table!"
"You... what are you doing?! Losing and resorting to cheating?"
Zhang Chuxi finally reacted, unable to fathom that someone would actually cheat!
"I’m not cheating!"
Qing Jun immediately jumped up from the ground, hands on hips, aggressively refuting,
"Besides, the game isn’t over yet, how do you know you won!"
"Qing Jun!"
Chen Ye helplessly interjected; Qing Jun simply wouldn’t reason with others,
"The outcome is decided, no more nonsense."
"Boohoo... Master!"
Qing Jun’s little face drooped instantly.
Zhang Chuxi watched, her anger subsiding more than half.
She initially thought Chen Ye would favor Qing Jun... Could it be that day was just her illusion?
Slowly, Zhang Chuxi organized the chess pieces, her slender white fingers holding them, quipping:
"Not convinced, do you want to try again?"