"General Manager Bai, I won."
I glared at Bai Ling to provoke her.
General Manager Bai who was passionately discussing martial arts with me just a moment ago grunted softly. Her eyes that looked like the most breath-taking mountain and river on an autumn day looked beautiful no matter how I looked at them. Even though their owner was furious, there was still a tinge of gentleness in her eyes.
General Manager Bai turned her head around, revealing her ice-cold beautiful face. In her unique yet unhappy tone, she said: "Yeah, you won, but do you need to be so satisfied with yourself? Shame on you for being a man." But Eunuch Bai held her two hands with her back to me. The only thing she had yet to do was puff her cheeks while stamping her feet while telling the whole world she was using aegyo.
She was passionately and excitedly talking to me about each and every move before. It was the happiest I'd seen her be. But now that she was no longer smiling, I felt it was a real pity.
I asked: "You want to make another bet?"
"Bet again?" She sounded gleeful. I could virtually see two cat ears appear on her head. Bai Ling turned her head around to look at me, pointed at my chest with her spring onion-like finger and said: "No lie? You're not going to be under-handed?"
"I'm a professional better that does not swindle children or the elderly." I smiled helplessly as I said: "As long as you're happy."
That was when the referee from the ring next door could be heard making his announcement: "Qilin Guards' Yi Yixian versus Liu Shan Men's Su Xiao!" After the announcement was made, voices cheered out like a wave. Su Xiao had established himself as the top-idol of many girls in the palace these last few days.
I looked over to the ring and blankly said: "It's Su Xiao's turn."
"Let's bet on him then!" A sly look appeared in Bai Ling's eyes, "Su Xiao is your friend, right? When you heard he was in trouble the other day, you ran for dear life. I'm betting on Yi Yixian winning. You wouldn't bet on your brother losing now, would you?"
Hey! That was on purpose, wasn't it?! Having supervised the venue here for the last few days, you've seen Su Xiao's skills, and that's why you're making that call, am I right?!
"Glad we agree! Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Bai Ling quickly dragged me and ran to the other side of the ring. The maids and eunuchs all made way for us as if they'd encountered a ghost.
Hey, hey! Who's Liu Shan's Plague, huh?! Can you people please stop listening to bullshit?!
But then I slowly realised that they weren't looking at me, but General Manager Bai who was holding my hand. It seems that people fear approaching General Manager Bai. Everybody turned cold when they saw her. Of the ten people I asked, all of them said that she wasn't an approachable individual. But since she's holding my hand and walking intimately with me, I guess it's only normal she scared off the group of people……
But I'm a happy chappy.
General Manager Bai shouldn't be angry with me anymore nor should she still want to send me to the castration room. My proof is that someone as meticulous as her didn't state what was on the line for this bet. Based on people's reactions, everybody is afraid of her and kisses up to her. My guess is that she usually doesn't have any friends. Having somebody who would talk to her about something she was interested in, even if it were about martial arts, or even if it was just her talking while I listened was enough to put a smile on her face. Since that's the case, I might as well go along with her.
It's my fault for kissing her after all. Men sure have a fate of suffering.
Both competitors were finished with their preparations on the other ring.
Real weapons are not permitted in the imperial martial arts tournament. Su Xiao had a wooden sword in head. He stood in crooked fashion and blushed like a child that met a stranger for the first time.
What's wrong with Su Xiao?
I looked at Yi Yixian who was in position standing opposite him and finally understood why.
I remembered that after Su Xiao arrested Yi Yixian, he said something like: As long as I, Su Xiao am around, you can forget about seeing the sun outside!
But only two days later, not only had he been released, he was in the imperial city competing in the ring. I guess you can't win against fate in the end. I can't blame Su Xiao for being red in the face. He must've recalled his line and felt ashamed.
Bai Ling looked at the two of them with interest: "Yi Yixian is an iron ring fist specialist. What's Su Xiao's specialty?"
I looked at Su Xiao's distressed look and absentmindedly said: "Sabre=play."
"Sabre-play?" Bai Ling looked at Su Xiao again and in a confused tone said: "But he's holding a sword."
I didn't hear her response, nor did I reply.
Bai Ling is extremely knowledgeable about martial arts. She couldn't help but shake her head, laugh and say: "The iron ring fist is style that's great for countering sabre styles. They battle against their opponents' weapon with their flesh, so they must study the methods for countering different weapons, otherwise they'd be throwing their life away. If the sabre practitioner isn't masterful, he will be helpless against the iron rings fist style. Further, sharp weapons are forbidden in competition today while Yi Yixian's iron rings can be used. Your office's Su Xiao wants to win against his iron rings with a wooden sword? Hey, do you think……"
I looked at Su Xiao's face that looked like it was on fire and felt extremely amused. I shouted towards the ring: "Xiao! Fight on! Do your best! You'll win for sure!" When he heard me, Yi Yixian looked at me and shook. I gave him a mocking smile. He swallowed his saliva and nodded in a panicked manner.
Hmph, at least he knows his place. When I gave him a beating I intended to warn him not to get back at Su Xiao. I never expected it to be effective now.
I think Bai Ling said something before. I turned my head around and asked: "What did you just say, General Manager Bai?"
Bai Ling looked like she wanted to say something but stopped herself. Her smile was a bit sly. In a somewhat unnatural tone, she said: "I said…… Whatever, their skills were at different levels to begin with. He won't have an advantage just by having a weapon. I'm winning this bet. Get ready to lose to……"
Su Xiao found me in the crowd because I shouted out and waved at me cheerfully. His smile was as bright as the sun shining down on the imperial palace. He really is a little angel~
I waved back at him and indicated that Tang Ye and I had won our matches. Su Xiao seemed to understand my mysterious hand gesture and jumped up-and-down like a rabbit. He then finally winked at me and pulled a very shoujo hand gesture as if to say: I'll definitely win!
It looks like he's been cured~
I think General Manager Bai just said something again. I asked: "Hmm? What did you just say?"
"…… I asked why he's holding a sword."
I then replied: "Oh, he's been learning swordplay recently."
"…… Oh."
After that, she stopped speaking, and focused on what was happening on the ring. The gleeful Bai Ling that looked like she could fly without wings a while ago had returned to her usual cold self.
Yi Yixian and Su Xiao's match began. While Yi Yixian didn't dare to act up, he couldn't just dodge either, so he decided to use his iron rings to guard against Su Xiao's attacks.
"Start!" I continued chatting with Bai Ling: "Do you know what sort of style Yi Yixian's iron rings fist style is, General Manager Bai?"
"……"
Bai Ling's attention was on the ring and clearly had no intention of giving me time of day.
I awkwardly asked: "Hey uhh…… General Manager Bai, now that you've seen Su Xiao use a sword, that looks like Liu Shan Men's swordplay, right?"
"Uhm."
"C-Could that technique be Autumn Leaf Metal Wing?! I never expected him to learn it so fast."
"Uhm."
"My, my, Yi Yixian's evasion skills look terrible. He makes the Qilin Guards look bad."
"Oh! Look at that technique. That was close. He was so close to getting stabbed."
"General Manager Bai, what style was that fist move from?"
I made exaggerated comments and Bai Ling finally replied: "Quit your rambling and look for yourself!"
Bai Ling borderline shouted aloud. The fire in her breath was strong, but it revealed her mood.
After she spoke, she seemed to somewhat regret it. Her white face and pretty lips that looked like she was holding flowers in between looked like she just swallowed a mouthful of a bitter tea. She frowned and exclaimed: "SHUT UP!"
"….. Okay."
I hurriedly turn back to look at the ring.
What the heck is this all of a sudden?
All was well just a moment ago and now it's all cloudy.
Bai Ling wore a stern look that signalled not to offend or bother her, yet cold as a statue. She wore her beautiful yet ice-cold demeanour that ran through to her bones, refusing to interact with anyone.
Why does she look like that…..?
I made a silent decision to myself. I must send a letter to the Black and White Reflection to ask them the correct position to be in, I mean, method for communicating with a eunuch.
Glossary
Aegyo is a Korean word for a cute display of affection often expressed including but not limited to through a cute/baby voice, facial expressions, and gestures.