Jiang Yi decided not to dwell on the awkwardness with Jiang Sixian. She stood up and headed for the lounge exit. “Alright, I’ve rested enough. I’m going back to practice.”
As she rose, Qin Miaomiao chimed in, “I’ll go with you.” She looked at Jiang Sixian with hopeful eyes. “Xianxian, are you coming too? If you’re done resting, come with us. The instructor just taught me, but I’m not very good. I feel so clumsy. If you’re free, could you teach me?”
Jiang Yi, already a few steps ahead, turned back to look at Qin Miaomiao, speechless. Hold on, “us”? When did we become “us”? Did we come here together?
But seeing the look of pure admiration and anticipation in Qin Miaomiao’s eyes as she gazed at Jiang Sixian, Jiang Yi suddenly understood: Qin Miaomiao genuinely liked Jiang Sixian!
Wasn’t this a perfect opportunity?
Countless thoughts raced through Jiang Yi’s mind. There were many ways to avoid her destined demise. Besides avoiding Jiang Sixian, the most important thing was to change their intertwined fates. More precisely, as long as she could alter Jiang Sixian’s life trajectory, wouldn’t that solve everything?
Unfortunately, the smutty novel offered very little detail about Jiang Sixian’s life before the age of twenty-four. Jiang Yi only knew she was Jiang Sixian’s first love and white moonlight, destined to die at twenty.
Therefore, if she could prevent herself from becoming Jiang Sixian’s white moonlight or first love, Jiang Sixian’s fate would change.
This meant that, besides avoiding Jiang Sixian, she could also prevent Jiang Sixian from falling in love too early, or even set her up with someone else! Anyone else wouldn’t be her, and therefore wouldn’t die at twenty!
After all, wasn’t that the standard trope in most transmigration novels? Change the female lead’s fate, and everyone involved gets a happy ending.
Jiang Yi, you’ve been thinking too narrowly!
After much deliberation, Jiang Yi made up her mind. She looked at Jiang Sixian. “Yeah, if you’re not resting, come and teach Miaomiao. You’re such a good rider. Share some tips with her.”
Qin Miaomiao quickly added, “Yes, yes, yes! Share some tips with us.”
Jiang Yi choked. “Us”? It’s just you, okay? Just you!
Jiang Sixian, under Qin Miaomiao’s intense gaze, glanced at Jiang Yi and said, “Alright, I’ll go with you.”
Jiang Yi felt like she’d lived her sixteen years in vain. Every recent action felt like shooting herself in the foot. This feeling intensified as she followed Jiang Sixian back to the riding grounds.
Having agreed to teach Qin Miaomiao, Jiang Sixian took her role seriously. She helped Qin Miaomiao mount the horse, instructing her, “Sit up straight, keep your back straight, don’t be afraid. Gently squeeze your legs to make the horse walk…”
Qin Miaomiao had already learned the basics, but with Jiang Sixian guiding her, she instinctively followed her instructions.
Squeezing her legs, she urged the horse into a trot.
Seeing that Qin Miaomiao had grasped the basic techniques, Jiang Sixian turned to Jiang Yi, who was holding Da Huang’s reins, and asked, “Aren’t you riding?”
It was already afternoon, and the sun was less intense, but Jiang Yi still felt lazy. She didn’t answer. After a moment, Jiang Sixian asked, “Or are you… afraid to get on?”
Jiang Yi bristled. “Who says I’m afraid?” She then clumsily attempted to mount the horse.
Seeing her struggle, Jiang Sixian stepped forward and placed a hand on her waist to help her. The moment Jiang Sixian touched her, Jiang Yi froze, one foot hooked in the stirrup, and turned to look at her incredulously. “What are you doing?!”
Her expression was one of pure shock, as if she’d been touched by a ghost. Jiang Sixian, stung by her reaction, stepped back. “I was just helping you. If you mind, I won’t touch you.”
Jiang Sixian lowered her head, her lips pressed together, looking slightly hurt.
Jiang Yi couldn’t stand seeing girls upset, even if that girl was Jiang Sixian. She felt a pang of guilt.
After all, Jiang Sixian hadn’t done anything wrong. She was just trying to help. Jiang Yi’s reaction was clearly over the top.
Embarrassed, Jiang Yi thought for a moment before saying, “Thank you, but I don’t like being touched. Don’t do that again.”
With that, she swung herself onto the horse, grabbed the reins, sat up straight, squeezed her legs, and slowly followed Qin Miaomiao.
Jiang Sixian watched her go, replaying Jiang Yi’s words in her mind. Although Jiang Yi seemed hostile, it was clear she was afraid, or more accurately, afraid of being close to her. But why?
Moreover, Jiang Yi had apologized after realizing her reaction was hurtful, which meant her fear wasn’t rooted in disgust. It was more like she was afraid…something bad would happen.
Jiang Sixian’s curiosity was piqued. She desperately wanted to know the reason behind Jiang Yi’s evasiveness.
After a moment’s thought, Jiang Sixian mounted her horse and followed.
She rode alongside Jiang Yi and Qin Miaomiao, correcting their posture and gradually encouraging them to increase their speed.
Soon, Jiang Yi was urging Da Huang into a gallop. As the horse picked up speed, Jiang Yi, leaning forward, felt a sense of exhilaration.
She leaned into the wind, shouting, “So fast! I feel like I’m flying!”
Jiang Sixian, following close behind, couldn’t help but laugh. “Once you’re more experienced, you can go even faster. It’ll be even more exhilarating.”
She even offered a suggestion: “You should come every week. You’ll improve much faster.”
Jiang Yi’s joy was uncontainable, though she tried to maintain a calm facade. “We’ll see.”
After riding for a while, they dismounted, handed their horses to the staff, and walked side by side across the field. Jiang Yi walked between Jiang Sixian and Qin Miaomiao, listening to Jiang Sixian’s riding tips.
Jiang Yi, eager to learn, listened attentively. Just then, a young rider on a spirited horse galloped towards them, clearly out of control.
“Get out of the way! Get out of the way!”
The sound of thundering hooves approached rapidly. Jiang Yi and Jiang Sixian turned to look. Seeing the horse heading straight for Jiang Sixian, Jiang Yi’s eyes widened. Without thinking, she instinctively reached out, pulled Jiang Sixian towards her, and threw herself on top of her.
Her quick action pushed them both towards Qin Miaomiao, narrowly avoiding the galloping horse.
The horse thundered past. Qin Miaomiao, shaken, stared at the two girls on the ground. After a moment, she knelt beside them, asking anxiously, “Are you okay? Are you okay?”
Jiang Sixian, shielded by Jiang Yi, her head protected from the impact, was still processing what had happened. She looked at Jiang Yi, who was grimacing in pain. “My hand…ah…my hand is broken…”
Jiang Sixian quickly got up and turned to Jiang Yi. “Are you alright?”
Jiang Yi sat up, clutching her left arm, taking several deep breaths before finally saying, “I think my hand is broken.”
This was truly disastrous!
Author’s Note:
Luckily, Yi doesn’t use her hands much later on.
(Hmm?)
