[???] [???] [What lightning rules? This round is seriously cryptic!] [My verdict: not as good as the Tang Sect Thirteen Needles.] [How is that the same? Those are needles. This isn't!] [???] [How do you know Tang San isn't one?] [Awesome, why couldn't it be condensed from four-hundred-year lone bamboo?] [Gangzi got to enjoy himself again and again and again.] [True.] [What a shame Gu Xingzhou is still little. Otherwise, wouldn't this be a reward for Bibi Dong?]
"..."
When Bibi Dong saw the new precautions, her heart fell into turmoil.
Although Gu Xingzhou looked young, he was much taller than Tang San, the very picture of a handsome youth. If they really followed the livestream room's rules, she could hardly keep her thoughts from straying and her imagination from running wild.
She had wanted to say something, but after glancing at Gu Xingzhou, she ultimately said nothing.
Meanwhile, Tang San...
He was staring into Yu Xiaogang's eyes. Neither spoke, each inwardly recoiling from the other.
Especially Tang San, whose transmigrated soul had belonged to an adult. How could he not understand just how lethal these squats would be?
But there was no helping it. Even if he refused, the livestream room would forcibly control his body.
Despite his utter reluctance, he could only walk behind his teacher and press himself against his back.
If the livestream room controlled him, it would defeat the point of racing. At this moment, his heart and his teacher's beat as one: they both wanted to see Bibi Dong receive another punishment.
So he had to control his own body. Only then could he control his speed.
As Tang San took his position,
Gu Xingzhou also walked behind Bibi Dong and pressed himself against her back. Although he was tall for his age, standing together like this, he was still a head and a half shorter.
"Mom, you're too tall. I don't think I can put much strength into it like this."
Gu Xingzhou pointed it out.
Bibi Dong's brows knitted tightly. On the other side, Tang San had noticed the same thing. The difference in height between him and his teacher was too great; there was no way they could move quickly like this.
Just as both teams were considering a solution, the Ink Painting Scroll refreshed again.
[As the height differences between Gu Xingzhou and Bibi Dong, and Tang San and Yu Xiaogang, severely hinder their racing speed, Gu Xingzhou and Tang San will temporarily be made taller to facilitate the performance. Their appearances will also become those of their future adult selves. Their original heights will be restored after the performance.]
As the announcement appeared,
Two beams of golden light enveloped Gu Xingzhou and Tang San. A second later, both grew taller, and their appearances changed as well.
Bibi Dong glanced back at Gu Xingzhou, a flicker of surprise crossing her eyes. The grown-up Gu Xingzhou was even more breathtaking, his face like that of an immortal in a painting. She actually found herself staring, a little entranced.
At the same time,
The spectators couldn't take their eyes off him either. All their gazes settled on Gu Xingzhou. Beside him, Tang San was reduced to a stalk of ten-year solitary bamboo by comparison, attracting neither interest nor attention.
Tang San stood in the arena like some insignificant lackey. Watching the spectators all around him praise Gu Xingzhou left an increasingly bitter taste in his mouth.
Yu Xiaogang seemed to sense his dejection and comforted him. "Little San, you-you need to understand something. Only a tiny handful of people know the right path. That's why the right path is so often deserted. You must endure loneliness and bear the stares of those who don't understand."
"Thank you for your guidance, Teacher."
Comforted by Yu Xiaogang, Tang San adjusted his mindset.
[Elite Livestream Room] [Ning Rongrong: Wow, Gu Xingzhou is even more handsome all grown up!!] [Shui Yue'er: +1! So handsome!!!!] [Bai Chenxiang: +1!] [Liu Erlong: ...That really was a little unexpected...] [Xiao Wu: Hmph, well, he is my roommate!] [Ma Hongjun: Actually, I'd originally planned to look like that too.] [Oscar: Tell us something we don't know.] [Shui Yue'er: I'm so jealous of His Holiness the Pope!] [Shui Yue'er: o(╥﹏╥)o] [Shui Yue'er: Honestly, I think if it's Gu Xingzhou, this punishment isn't entirely unacceptable...] [Shui Bing'er: Yue'er, don't talk nonsense. Keep jokes like that private. Don't embarrass yourself in the livestream room.] [Shui Yue'er: But he's really so handsome...] [Ning Rongrong: Ahem... (blushing.jpg)] [Xue Qinghe: Heh, nothing but a pretty face.]
In the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, Qian Renxue had made a disdainful remark under Xue Qinghe's identity, yet her eyes were also fixed rather dreamily on Gu Xingzhou in the scroll.
There was no denying it: Gu Xingzhou's face truly struck a chord deep in her heart.
After her anger passed, Qian Renxue had calmed down considerably.
Her feelings toward Gu Xingzhou were growing increasingly complicated.
At first, she had envied the affection Bibi Dong showered on him. Later, she had felt embarrassed and furious that Gu Xingzhou had seen her body.
But in the end, those Tang Sect Thirteen Needles had never pierced her. The anger she had spent so long building up had never broken through its critical threshold. Instead, it had slowly ebbed away. Now, seeing Gu Xingzhou's grown-up appearance, she had lost her anger altogether.
People were drawn to beautiful things. Good-looking people naturally inspired affection and lifted one's mood.
Thinking it over carefully, Gu Xingzhou had never had a choice from beginning to end...
He was also an orphan, with neither father nor mother. In that respect, he was rather like her. She had lost her father too, and her mother didn't love her. It was hardly different from having no parents at all.
Ultimately, the one she hated was Bibi Dong, not Gu Xingzhou...
As for him having seen her completely naked, once Qian Renxue saw how many people in the livestream room were willing to perform that peace-sign-and-eye-rolling scenario for Gu Xingzhou, she wasn't quite so angry anymore. With looks like his, it almost seemed as though she was the one getting the better end of the bargain...
Gu Xingzhou's eyes looked so innocent, so pure. Perhaps he hadn't had any indecent thoughts at all...
"No, Qian Renxue, you can't keep thinking about this."
Qian Renxue hurriedly reined in her thoughts, afraid she would talk herself into falling for him.
Meanwhile,
After seeing Gu Xingzhou's grown-up appearance, Bibi Dong in the arena actually forgot that she still had to make a peace sign.
Her embarrassment hadn't disappeared in the slightest. If anything, it had intensified.
Only now, the reason was no longer having to make a peace sign before a hundred thousand spectators, but having Gu Xingzhou as her partner...
At the thought of Gu Xingzhou behind her, Bibi Dong actually grew nervous. Beneath that nervousness lurked a faint anticipation...
Naturally, Bibi Dong's bashful demeanor did not escape the livestream viewers.
[Tsk, tsk, Bibi Dong really is horny beyond belief!] [Now the punishment's turned into a reward!] [Damn it, this old woman got to enjoy herself again and again and again!] [Suddenly, making a peace sign doesn't seem like much of a punishment!] [Then how about having Tang San or Gangzi behind you?] [Ew, get lost. I'll have nightmares!]
[All teams of performers are in position!] [Performers, please prepare within ten seconds!] [The competition will officially begin in ten seconds!] [The time limit is one minute. Whoever completes the most squats wins.]
Before you continue