Chapter 124 Shu Ran, are you willing? Yes…

The bowl of mare's milk wine handed to Lidezi drew everyone's attention to Chen Yuanjiang, who awaited his response.

Chen Yuanjiang's gaze did not linger on Lidezi for long. He didn't even look at the bowl of wine, but turned his head to look at Shu Ran's face beside him.

His eyes held a questioning look.

Shu Ran's heart did tighten when Li Dezi appeared. But when she met Chen Yuanjiang's gaze, that subtle emotion vanished instantly, replaced by a sense of reassurance that she felt valued.

She knew what he was worried about—his status, the impact, and her feelings.

She also knew that he had the blood of a herdsman flowing in his veins, and that this grassland, this competition full of power and wildness, might awaken his distant memories.

More importantly, she remembered his old chestnut horse that had died. She longed for him to have another good horse.

Shu Ran nodded, meeting his gaze. "Go ahead, be careful, I'm here."

Having received her tacit approval, the last trace of hesitation in Chen Yuanjiang's eyes vanished. Only then did he turn back to look at Lidezi, who was holding a wine bowl in front of him.

He didn't accept the bowl of wine, but responded in the local dialect, roughly meaning: Thank you, respected young lady. The wine is unnecessary. However, to respect the ancestral rules, I can participate in wrestling and spar with my friends, regardless of winning or losing.

His fluent and authentic Minnan dialect surprised the herders present, who then erupted in even more enthusiastic cheers.

Lidezi was also taken aback for a moment. Looking at Chen Yuanjiang's calm and composed demeanor, her admiration remained, but her overly direct enthusiasm was slightly toned down. She readily took back the wine bowl, drank it all in one gulp, and laughed, "Alright! Let's see who's the best on the field!"

Chen Yuanjiang stood up, took off his military jacket, revealing an old, close-fitting military green shirt underneath, which outlined his strong and powerful figure, and walked steadily into the field.

His movement quieted the previously noisy area, and many experienced herders nodded slightly—it looked like a wonderful wrestling match was about to unfold.

Shu Ran looked at his tall and straight back, feeling both nervous and expectant. She knew he was skilled, but this was, after all, traditional wrestling of a minority group, and his opponents were all strong men who had grown up on horseback.

Chen Yuanjiang left the frontier at a young age; can he win?

The match began. Chen Yuanjiang's first opponent was a sturdy young herdsman who lunged at him with a low growl, trying to grab Chen Yuanjiang around the waist and flip him over. Chen Yuanjiang didn't try to block directly; instead, he shifted his weight to the side, grounding himself, and simultaneously blocked with his arms, trying to find his opponent's center of gravity.

However, his opponent's lower body was extremely stable. When his first strike failed, he immediately changed angles, and the two became entangled, locked in a battle of strength. Chen Yuanjiang managed to evade his opponent's takedowns several times, but he couldn't bring him down for the time being.

Chen Yuanjiang's movements carried a trained fighting technique, yet subtly echoed the essence of grassland wrestling: using an opponent's force against them.

Shu Ran watched intently. She noticed that Chen Yuanjiang's gaze was calm, as if he had returned to his most familiar surroundings. She suddenly recalled the scattered memories he had once mentioned of his childhood on the pastures at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains.

Perhaps this contest of strength and skill is inherent in his blood.

After several rounds, the burly young man missed his target several times and began to lose his breath. Chen Yuanjiang seized an opportunity, cleverly tripped his opponent with his foot, and used his arm to throw him to the ground with a skillful leg trip combined with the power of his waist and abdomen. However, he was also slightly out of breath himself.

The opponent got up, brushed the grass off his body, gave Chen Yuanjiang a thumbs up, and retreated in complete submission.

"Good!" The herdsmen erupted in cheers, both for the bravery of their own people and for Chen Yuanjiang's skill.

Shu Ran breathed a slight sigh of relief, but her heart was still in suspense.

The second opponent entered the ring. He was an extremely tall man with long arms and astonishing strength. Learning from the previous opponent's experience, he did not rush into close combat. Instead, he used his reach advantage to repeatedly try to grab Chen Yuanjiang's shoulders or arms, hoping to use his absolute strength to lift him up.

Chen Yuanjiang dodged several times, but his sleeve was grabbed by the other party. A tremendous force came and made him stagger.

Shu Ran's heart leaped into her throat. Chen Yuanjiang remained calm under pressure, sinking down with the momentum, breaking free of control with a standard escape move, though sweat beaded on his forehead.

He realized that he couldn't get bogged down with this kind of opponent. He changed his strategy, no longer dodging, but instead, when the opponent pounced again, he would seize an opening, close in suddenly, and use his shoulder to block the opponent's chest while simultaneously hooking his foot swiftly.

"Bang!" The tall man lost his balance and fell heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

This was a brilliant victory, but it had also taken a toll on Chen Yuanjiang's energy. He stood there, his chest heaving, trying to catch his breath.

After taking down two skilled opponents in a row, the atmosphere became even more intense, but the challenger also became more cautious.

The third person to take the stage was a young man who didn't look particularly strong, but was agile.

As soon as he entered the arena, he circled around Chen Yuanjiang, making feints from time to time in an attempt to disrupt his judgment.

Chen Yuanjiang focused intently, not daring to be careless. Sure enough, his opponent seized the moment when Chen Yuanjiang's reaction was slightly slower due to the continuous fighting, and with a swift low lunge, grabbed his left leg and lifted it up sharply, which is an extremely dangerous move in wrestling.

"Watch out!" Shu Ran couldn't help but whisper.

Chen Yuanjiang lost his balance and was about to be overturned when he suddenly pushed off the ground with his left leg, which was being held, and spun around. He swept his right leg towards the opponent's ankle, and at the same time, he used his waist to forcefully reverse the downward trend in mid-air.

With a soft sound, the agile young man loosened his grip on Chen Yuanjiang's leg, and Chen Yuanjiang took the opportunity to break free. The two fell to the ground almost simultaneously, but Chen Yuanjiang rolled to the side under control and quickly stood up, while his opponent fell rather awkwardly.

According to the rules, a player loses if they land on their back. This was a draw, but it was clear to everyone that Chen Yuanjiang was the better player. The young man got up, rubbed his ankle, clasped his hands in a respectful bow to Chen Yuanjiang, his eyes full of admiration, and voluntarily withdrew from the match.

After these three rounds of fierce fighting, Chen Yuanjiang was extremely exhausted, and his forehead was soaked with sweat. For a moment, no one dared to step onto the field again.

Just then, Lidezi, who had invited him earlier, stood up. She took off her red outer dress, revealing a neat riding outfit underneath, strode into the arena, and said loudly, "Brother PLA, you are indeed amazing! I, Lidezi, have also practiced wrestling for a few years, and I would like to challenge you to one last round! If you can still beat me, then that horse will truly be a prize you won with your skill!"

The crowd gasped. While it's uncommon for women to wrestle, it's not unprecedented in some open-minded tribes, especially for a feisty girl like Lidez.

Chen Yuanjiang frowned slightly as he looked at Lidezi in front of him. Fighting with a woman was even more inconvenient for him.

Shu Ran's heart tightened again. She could tell that Chen Yuanjiang was exhausted, and Li Dezi was obviously trying to take advantage of this opportunity, especially since the rules for women's wrestling might be different.

Chen Yuanjiang looked at Shu Ran. Shu Ran understood the question in his eyes, and she nodded gently again, her eyes conveying: Win or lose, you are my hero.

Having received her response, Chen Yuanjiang turned back and said to Lidezi, "Please."

Lidzi's wrestling style is just like her personality: fierce and fast, and she pays more attention to technique and flexibility.

Unlike her previous opponents who engaged in direct confrontations, she constantly tried to close the distance, using techniques such as tripping and locking. Chen Yuanjiang was wary of his opponent being a woman, and many of his moves were off-limits. For a moment, he felt somewhat constrained, and Lidezi almost managed to exploit his weaknesses several times.

The situation became deadlocked for a time. Lidezi skillfully circled around Chen Yuanjiang, launching attacks; Chen Yuanjiang, on the other hand, proceeded cautiously and defensively.

Suddenly, Lidezi found an opportunity, moved closer again, grabbed Chen Yuanjiang's arms with both hands, and lowered her body, about to perform a back throw. If she succeeded, given Chen Yuanjiang's current physical condition, he might not be able to defend himself.

A glint flashed in Chen Yuanjiang's eyes. He followed the direction of Lidezi's force, slightly shifted his body, and twisted and shook the arm that was being grabbed, using a technique similar to Tai Chi. Instantly, he dissipated most of Lidezi's force. At the same time, he gently supported her waist with his other hand, helping her stabilize her body, which had become somewhat unbalanced due to the excessive force.

Lidezi felt a force come through her, her back throw came to an abrupt halt, and she was spun around half a circle before landing steadily.

Chen Yuanjiang also took this opportunity to escape her control.

After they separated, Lidezi paused for a moment, then understood. Chen Yuanjiang could have easily used a more forceful approach to break the ice or even retaliate, but he chose the method that best preserved her dignity.

The competitive look on Lidezi's face faded, replaced by admiration. She clasped her hands in a fist salute and said loudly in Chinese, "Brother PLA soldiers, what skill and grace! I, Lidezi, have lost!"

At that moment, applause and cheers erupted throughout the stadium.

Chen Yuanjiang stood in the center of the field and nodded to those around him. His sweat-drenched face showed both exhaustion and a sense of relief.

The white-bearded old man walked forward with a smile and loudly announced that Chen Yuanjiang was the winner of this competition.

The prize horse was led to the center of the arena; it was a white horse with a glossy coat and long limbs.

Everyone was looking at Chen Yuanjiang.

Chen Yuanjiang did not immediately reach for the horse. He stood in the center of the field, calmed his breathing slightly, and made a pause gesture.

The scene gradually quieted down, and everyone looked at him with confusion.

Chen Yuanjiang's gaze passed through the crowd and landed on Shu Ran, saying, "Thank you for your generous gift, Master."

He first expressed his gratitude, then changed the subject, his tone becoming extremely solemn, "However, before accepting this generous gift, there is something more important to me than winning the game."

He paused, his gaze lingering on Shu Ran's eyes, and continued, "I would like to take this opportunity to solemnly express my respect and...gratitude to a comrade."

"In my heart, she is like a guiding star. I am able to stand here today because of her support and trust."

Everyone's gaze involuntarily followed his line of sight and fell upon Shu Ran at the entrance of the yurt.

Shu Ran's heart was pounding; she fully understood what Chen Yuanjiang was doing.

He wasn't being reckless in making it public; he was building a platform, a platform that she needed to climb up herself and stand shoulder to shoulder with him.

He completely handed the choice over to her.

He was asking her in his own way: "Shu Ran, are you willing? Are you willing to acknowledge our relationship in front of these people?"

The scene was completely silent.

Looking at Chen Yuanjiang's respectful gaze, and then at Shu Ran, who was shy but had clear eyes, Li Dezi seemed to understand something, and a hint of admiration flashed in her eyes.

Shu Ran looked at her own heart: should she continue to maintain a comradely distance, or...?

Shu Ran looked at the man in the arena, drenched in sweat, and saw the cautious expectation in his eyes. Her hesitation vanished.

She stood up under everyone's gaze and nodded to Chen Yuanjiang.

This action speaks louder than a thousand words.

It is permission, it is a response, it is the courage to face everything alongside him.

When Chen Yuanjiang saw her nod and the smile on her face, the tension in his heart completely relaxed. A smile appeared on his usually cold and hard face, a smile that even had a bit of foolishness, making him look like a completely different person.

Without further hesitation, he turned around, took the reins of the white horse from the old man, and strode towards Shu Ran, leading the horse.

He walked up to her and handed her the reins. "This horse, we won it together."

Shu Ran understood that this was both a response to her nod earlier and the most accurate description of their relationship—they were comrades-in-arms, partners, and people who would walk hand in hand together.

Shu Ran smiled and reached out to gently pat the horse's neck, then looked up at him, "From now on, it will have to carry the two of us on our journeys, Deputy Director Chen."

These words deepened the smile in Chen Yuanjiang's eyes. He gave a heavy "hmm".

"Oh—!" Only then did the herdsmen around, who had been holding their breath, begin to jeer.

The women of the grasslands are known for their free-spirited nature, and they responded to such direct and sincere expressions of emotion with the utmost kindness and understanding. Many people smiled and looked at Shu Ran with friendly eyes.

The white-bearded old man stroked his beard and laughed, saying to those around him in Kazakh, "So the eagle's heart already belongs to another bird that soars high!"

Lidezi also picked up a bowl of wine, smiled and gestured to Shu Ran, and said loudly in Chinese: "Teacher Shu, Brother Chen, blessings to you! May you be like the blue sky and white clouds on the grassland, always together!"