"Sit still, you're so unruly."

Ikeba Shizuka glanced at Yuzuru Hanyu, who had suddenly approached, and with a hint of indulgence, pretended not to notice and continued to focus on her tea-making. Then she said quietly, "What agreement? I don't remember it."

Upon hearing this, Yu Sheng Nan immediately became anxious, "Master~"

He drawled out the words, his voice full of coquettishness, "You can't play dumb, you promised that if I won the kendo tournament, you would..."

"Just what?"

Chibo Jinghua interrupted him, raised her hand to smooth a loose strand of hair at her temple, turned her head away, and deliberately avoided looking at her disciple.

Yuzuru wasn't about to let such a good opportunity slip by. Taking advantage of his master's inattention, he quickly leaned close to her ear, his warm breath gently brushing against her earlobe: "Just grant me one small request that can be excessive."

? ? ?

Ikeba Shizuka was taken aback at first, then suddenly stood up: "Nonsense! I clearly said I would grant you a small, not unreasonable request."

However, she forgot that she was still kneeling. As soon as she stood up, she lost her balance and fell to the side.

Yu Sheng Nan reacted quickly and grabbed her waist.

"Master, be careful."

Ikeba Shizuka fell into her disciple's arms, the hem of her kimono coming undone from the fall, revealing a section of her fair, jade-like calf. She tried to get up, but was held firmly by Yuzuru Nan.

"open!"

She scolded him in a low voice, but a faint blush rose on her face, spreading from her cheeks to the tips of her ears, adding to her charming and delicate appearance.

"I won't let go." Yu Shengnan stubbornly refused to let go, looking down at her so close that their noses were almost touching her eyelashes: "Unless Master promises me that he will keep his promise if we win the competition."

Chibo Jinghua turned her face away, trying to avoid his burning gaze: "You win first."

"So that means you agreed?" Yu Shengnan's eyes lit up.

"I......"

Ikeba Shizuka was both annoyed and amused by him.

She knew her apprentice was insatiable, so she had always tried to keep a distance between them, but he still managed to take advantage of her.

"Okay, okay, I promise you, alright?" She sighed softly, as if giving in.

A gentleman's word is as good as a swift whip!

Having received a clear answer, Yu Sheng Nan finally released his grip with satisfaction, even though he hadn't explicitly asked Master Jing Hua to agree to that particular promise.

Whether it's excessive or not, aren't they all requirements?

There is no difference.

"Master, just wait and see. I'll definitely bring you the championship in this competition. We'll display it at your house; I think that cabinet in the bedroom would be perfect. The trophy will definitely stand out..."

Yuzuru spoke with an air of confidence, going on and on.

Looking at the young man's spirited and ambitious appearance, Ikeba Shizuka was slightly stunned, and in a daze, she seemed to see her younger self.

At that time, she made the same promise to her parents with full confidence.

At that time, she believed that she was invincible and that everything in the future was under her control.

However, after getting married, in order to take care of the family, those once shining dreams gradually dimmed and were sealed in the depths of memory. The lofty ambitions of childhood have long been left in the past.

She lived a mundane life for many years, and life did not go as smoothly as she had hoped.

Until I met the boy in front of me...

Perhaps infected by the boy's unrestrained and carefree spirit, Ikeba Shizuka felt her originally calm heart ripple and become active again.

"Master? Master? Master, what's wrong?"

Yuzuru's voice suddenly rang in her ears, and a handsome face instantly appeared in front of her. Ikeba Shizuka snapped out of her daze and subconsciously pressed her folding fan against his chest, pretending to be serious as she said, "You have no manners and are becoming more and more unruly."

"That's not right!" Yu Shengnan tilted his head and began to spout his fallacious reasoning with great conviction. "We, master and disciple, are one. If we talk about rules, it will only create distance!"

As she spoke, she revealed her signature grin again, nuzzling against Ikeba Shizuka like a clingy puppy.

Chibo Jinghua smiled, her eyes full of tenderness, but she also gave him a playful push, saying, "You smooth talker."

She poured Yuzuru another cup of tea, and then took a sip herself. For some reason, she suddenly felt her lips were a little dry.

Perhaps it was the atmosphere under the corridor, or perhaps it was the enthusiasm of the young man in front of me that warmed me up.

The two sat down again. After calming herself down a bit, Ikeba Shizuka asked seriously, "The competition is tomorrow. How are your preparations going?"

"I guarantee we'll win!"

Yuzuru answered without hesitation, his tone resolute.

"Never underestimate your opponent!"

Shizuka Ikenami frowned, her expression serious. "Your opponent tomorrow is Okita Souji from Izumi Academy. Heiji lost to him last time."

Her expression became somewhat complicated when she spoke of the name.

Yuzuru noticed this and, after a moment's thought, understood the reason.

It was quite a coincidence.

The only match that Shizuka Ikenami lost when she was young was to a junior named Michiko Tsubaki. This junior now has a son named Tetsuken and a daughter named Tetsukuro.

Even more coincidentally, Okita Souji's beloved was none other than Tetsuroha.

In a sense, after thirty years, Shizuka Ikenami once again "lost" to her junior in a special way, except this time it was her son, Heiji Hattori, who lost to the other's son-in-law.

"Tsk~"

Thinking about the plot of the anime in his previous life, Yuzuru clicked his tongue.

Tragic, so tragic! Master is truly suffering; she's being chased and killed by her junior sister!

But this time is different, because he's here.

"Master, don't worry, I will definitely win this match for you!" Yu Shengnan patted his chest confidently as he made his promise.

System, add points!

He, Nan, is about to unleash his full potential.

Suppress the traitors within your sect, win the sect duel, and don't let a single one of them escape.

"You're still as impulsive as ever."

Ikenami Shizuka's beautiful eyes gleamed with an unusual light, but she still earnestly admonished him: "Underestimating your opponent is a major taboo in swordsmanship. Even if you have the strength, you cannot be careless. Okita's swordsmanship is not to be underestimated. His swordsmanship style is quite unique."

As she spoke, she suddenly stood up and extended her delicate hand to Yuzuru Hanyu.

"Come, while there's still time, let your master teach you two ways to break this..."

Just then, the evening breeze swept through the courtyard, and the startled deer fell down with a "thud".

........

It was already dark when I left Master Jinghua's house.

The streetlights gradually came on, their dim yellow glow spreading across the night like tiny suns blooming in the darkness.