Chapter 20

When Luo Xi saw Cheng Qing, she was naturally overjoyed. 

She felt both pride and excitement, lifting her chin slightly as she pointed towards Feng Qiuyi and shouted, “Hey Feng Qiuyi, my teacher Cheng is here! You’re going to lose for sure now!”

The barrage immediately burst into laughter.

【Hahaha, look at the proud expression on our princess.】

【Do you really believe Cheng Qing can play volleyball?】

【This is the original Luo Xi, so tsundere.】

【Just wait, brother Feng will make you cry.】

【Hahaha, look at my professional wife-protecting Teacher Cheng.】

【Damn, but can she protect her? It’s beach volleyball! Isn’t she a fencer?】

Feng Qiuyi stood with his arms folded and asked, “Can your teacher even play volleyball? Why should I lose just because she’s here?” he scoffed, raising his eyebrows in disbelief.

Luo Xi was surprised by the question and quickly turned around to ask, “Qingqing, can you play?”

Cheng Qing smiled softly, not wanting to disappoint her, “Just a little, I played with the volleyball team during team breaks before.”

Luo Xi’s eyes lit up with excitement as she turned back to Feng Qiuyi, her hands on her hips in a confident pose. “My teacher is capable, if she says she can win, she can win.”

Feng Qiuyi’s expression darkened when he heard her remark, “Did I ask for your opinion? I’ll make sure your teacher Cheng loses.”

Luo Xi snorted, her voice unimpressed, “I’m not afraid of you!”

Feng Qiuyi gritted his teeth in anger, “Just wait and see!” 

Liu Suoyu and Lin Shandie were also very happy that their teacher had joined and said, “Teacher Cheng, let’s work together to defeat the other side!”

Cheng Qing nodded, feeling determined. “What’s your situation now?” she asked, her eyes scanning the court.

Liu Suoyu rubbed his forehead, slightly anxious, “We couldn’t hold on so the other side has already scored 12 points.”

“And now it’s 3 to 12,” added Lin Shandie, her tone regretful.

Cheng Qing took a deep breath, surveying the opposing team with a strategic eye, “That’s quite a gap.”

Lin Shandie complained, “Those two guys on the other side are really not polite. Both Luo Xi and I have been hit several times.”

Cheng Qing was puzzled and asked, “You two girls are playing against two guys?”

“No, it’s actually three of us against three of them.”

Understanding the situation, Cheng Qing nodded. She realized that the program had modified the rules to make the game more entertaining for viewers, as beach volleyball is traditionally played with only two players per team.

When Lin Shandie complained about being hit by the opposing team, Luo Xi saw an opportunity. 

She brought her arm close to Cheng Qing’s face, pouted her lips, and said in a whiny tone, “The other side is really bullying us, teacher. Look, it hurts.” Luo Xi hoped that Cheng Qing would see her pain and come to her aid.

As Luo Xi brought her arm closer, Cheng Qing noticed it was red and covered in fine, soft sand from receiving the ball. It was clear that Luo Xi had been hurt, and Cheng Qing felt a pang of concern.

She gently rubbed Luo Xi’s arm to soothe the discomfort, and looked at her with clear eyes to ask, “Do you want me to take revenge for you?”

Delighted, Luo Xi nodded and said, “We have to beat them!” 

Liu Suoyu also agreed, cheering, “Yes! Let’s go, Teacher!!!”

Amused by their enthusiasm, Cheng Qing happily smiled. She was only away for a morning, but it seemed like her team was already being bullied.

Li Mingyao sneered as he watched the excitement on the other side, “That woman hasn’t even played yet! They act like they’re going to win.”

Feng Qiuyi also looked at the other side and nodded in agreement, “Yeah, I’ve played this game before, watch me crush them.”

And so, the match resumed with Cheng Qing playing on defense. The dessert team had won the point, so they took the serve first. 

When the whistle started, Feng Qiuyi tossed the ball up into the air and jumped to spike it. The ball soared high over the net as he shouted, “Let’s see who can pass this!”

Luo Xi couldn’t resist the challenge and turned around to chase the ball flying backward. However, when she ran, Cheng Qing grabbed her around the waist to stop her from getting to the ball.

Luo Xi tried to push her away, but Cheng Qing held her firmly. “Don’t worry,” she said, her voice calm and without any hesitation.

“But it’s going to go in!” Luo Xi replied anxiously.

Cheng Qing smiled reassuringly and said, “It’s okay, the ball won’t go in.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the ball landed outside of the blue boundary line. 

Out of bounds!

Luo Xi turned her head in surprise and looked at Cheng Qing. 

Under the warm sun, the cotton-white clouds filtered the sunlight, casting a gentle, silver halo around Cheng Qing’s figure. Her black hair formed a graceful arc behind her as she tilted her head and smiled. 

Withdrawing her hand that was holding onto Luo Xi’s waist, she gently said, “Don’t be in such a hurry.” 

Her voice was like a mountain stream, calming Luo Xi’s anxiety. 

A broad smile spread across Luo Xi’s face, making her skin glow in the sunshine and her eyes sparkle like clear water.

She followed closely behind Cheng Qing and asked excitedly, “How did you know the ball would be out?”

Cheng Qing chuckled and turned to her, “Depth perception is very important in fencing.”

In fencing competitions, the size of the field is limited, and every step taken must be precise. 

Knowing the exact distance between herself and her opponent is essential for avoiding their attacks and launching her own. 

It’s an instinct developed from years and years of practice.

“Though…” Cheng Qing stretched her arms and said, “I’ve also played volleyball with others before, and relatively speaking, I feel that I am stronger than Feng Qiuyi, so…” Turning her head to look at Luo Xi, her gentle eyes exuded a comforting softness, “Don’t worry, I’ll help you win,” she said with a smile.

Luo Xi lightly giggled to herself and looked up at Cheng Qing with an admiring look, “Yes, I believe in you.”

Upon being looked at with such an admiring gaze, Cheng Qing was momentarily stunned. For some reason, she felt a huge amount of pressure, as she knew the fencing team would be serving next.

Cheng Qing walked behind the line and got into position, her serving form was much more standard than Feng Qiuyi’s. 

The whistle sounded, and Cheng Qing steadied the ball in her hand before tossing it into the air.

Her eyes suddenly became sharp, and she leaped into the air at the right moment, spiking the ball with all her might toward the opponent’s court.

The ball sliced through the air like a rocket, immediately capturing the attention of everyone in the vicinity and the viewers in the live broadcast room. [1]

The director, however, was still ruthless and cut off the live broadcast at that moment. He didn’t care that the audience in the broadcast cursed him as he watched the game seriously.

After the ball flew over the net, the four people on the opposite side saw the direction of the ball heading straight toward Ye Lingyun.

Ye Lingyun was the weak point of the dessert team, and Feng Qiuyi and Li Mingyao hurriedly sprinted over trying to get to the ball. 

However, Cheng Qing had aimed for the middle of the court, right in front of Ye Lingyun. 

Ye Lingyun wasn’t able to receive it, and Feng Qiuyi and Li Mingyao weren’t able to get to the ball in time. 

With a resounding thud, the ball collided with the sand, leaving a deep mark beside Ye Lingyun’s foot. 

Cheng Qing successfully scored a point and smiled smugly as she twisted her neck. She had been watching TV all morning and didn’t move much, so her neck was a bit stiff.

After a moment of stunned silence from the fencing team, cheers broke out. Even Luo Xi couldn’t help but jump up and down when she saw their team score a point.

“Ahhh, we won!!!! We won! We won!” Even though it was just a small game, she was as happy as a child, and her face lit up with a smile like a blooming peach blossom, brilliant and beautiful.

“Qingqing!!!” Unable to restrain herself, she rushed over to hug Cheng Qing.

Luo Xi was jumping and spinning with excitement as her arms were wrapped around Cheng Qing’s neck.

It was a bad habit of hers to always hug Cheng Qing whenever she got excited, but she was already used to it. 

Cheng Qing caught her firmly this time and asked with a smile in Luo Xi’s ear, “Are you happy?”

“Very happy!” Luo Xi exclaimed eagerly.

Cheng Qing smiled and looked at Liu Suoyu and Lin Shandie, “Now, it’s time for the fencing team to counterattack.”

Liu Suoyu raised his hand, “Yes!”

Lin Shandie also raised her hand, “Yes!”

Luo Xi also raised her hand happily, “Yes!”

Cheng Qing shook her head with a helpless smile. Although it was just a game, since everyone was so happy, she would do her best to win this match.