"Don’t worry, I’ve made it clear with Se Se that we’ll stop at once we make contact, I won’t get hurt."
"It’s really just sparring, not an actual fight."
"Se Se is quite skillful—neither Meng Zhuqing nor Meng Lanqing can match her, so sparring with her should help me understand and clarify my own shortcomings."
Suddenly, An Jing’s voice became very low, audible only to her and him: "Back in my world, I truly never lost a fight; I have a very strong competitive spirit. But this time, I can also see the gap between Se Se and me, so even if I lose, it’s okay." She didn’t want to beat anyone; she just wanted to better understand her deficiencies.
"You should know why I want to improve my martial skills, right?"
"Mhm," he paused, "I do."
"Good to know." An Jing smiled. "Last night, I even dreamed about fighting alongside you on the battlefield."
In her dream, she did not hold him back at all.
And she hoped that in reality, she wouldn’t hold him back either.
Whether or not they truly went into battle in the future, it was always better to be prepared.
When Xiao Changyi heard An Jing mention her dream from the night before about fighting together on the battlefield, his cold eyes briefly flashed with surprise. Coincidentally, he had the same dream last night.
However, Xiao Changyi did not mention that he had the same dream, nor did he say anything else. Instead, he reached out his hand towards An Jing, took one of hers, and enveloped it in his own, holding it tightly.
He used to want to die on the battlefield; now, if he were to go to battle again, he wanted to return alive with her.
The next day, as agreed, Gong Juese came to An Jing’s place. It was not just Gong Juese who showed up; Meng Lanqing came along too.
Seeing that the courtyard had ample space, An Jing and Gong Juese chose it as their sparring ground.
Xiao Changyi watched from the side with the four children.
Having been bedridden for four days, Wild Goose Jade could now get out of bed and move around. Hearing that An Jing and Gong Juese were going to spar, she also came to watch.
Gong Jue Chen shamelessly followed by Wild Goose Jade’s side.
Fearing that Gong Jue Chen might do something inappropriate to Wild Goose Jade, An Jing had Meng Zhuqing keep an eye on him, ready to nip any untoward action in the bud before it could commence.
Therefore, Meng Zhuqing stood dutifully by Wild Goose Jade’s side, his eyes locked on Gong Jue Chen, looking ready to knock him out if he dared to make a move.
This was Meng Lanqing’s first time seeing Wild Goose Jade, and even though he had heard from Gong Juese how extraordinarily beautiful she was, the moment he actually laid eyes on her, he felt a sudden sense of relief.
At last, there was someone who could rival his beauty.
At last, he was no longer prettier than any woman.
If there were a woman who surpassed his beauty, he would feel even more relieved.
Seeing that An Jing and Gong Juese were about to begin, Meng Lanqing shifted his focus from Wild Goose Jade to the two combatants.
He came today for two reasons: to watch the match and to worry that his wife might accidentally injure their mistress; thus, he needed to pay close attention, just in case his wife really hurt their mistress, which could enrage their patriarch enough to kill his wife.