Pre-match ripples
The atmosphere of the provincial competition was like a constantly tightening bowstring, finally reaching a critical point two days before the competition. Shixu and Yunxi practically lived in the lab, repeatedly debugging and optimizing, polishing the project to near perfection. There was an unspoken understanding between them; a single glance was enough for them to understand each other, and their efficiency was astonishing.
However, beneath the calm surface, the undercurrents never cease to surge.
First, Shixu received a call from the competition organizing committee, informing them that a core module of their project was suspected of "technical controversy" and that they needed to submit more detailed technical specifications and proof of originality, with a deadline of 24 hours before the competition. This news came abruptly and was highly targeted, clearly an artificially created obstacle.
When Shi Xu received the call, his eyes instantly turned cold. He didn't argue, but calmly replied, "The relevant materials will be submitted within the specified time."
After hanging up the phone, he looked at Yunxi, and both of them understood what had happened.
"Is it Shi Zhiyuan?" Yunxi asked, his voice filled with suppressed anger.
"Or perhaps it was my father, or more likely, a joint effort." Shi Xu's voice was calm, but his tightly pursed lips betrayed his emotions. He immediately turned on his computer and began organizing the vast amount of technical documents. "They wanted to exhaust us and disrupt our rhythm in this way."
“I’ll help you!” Yunxi immediately sat down next to him without hesitation. “Leave the document organization and format proofreading to me. You focus on writing the core instructions.”
There was no time for complaints, no time for anger. The two immediately plunged into a new round of battle. Working through the night, the lab lights shone again until dawn. When the last piece of evidence was successfully uploaded and the notification sounded that it had passed review, the first light of day was already appearing outside the window.
Yunxi was so tired he could barely stand up straight, but he gave Shixu a weary yet cheerful smile: "Done!"
Shi Xu looked at the dark circles under her eyes, his heart softened, and he reached out to ruffle her hair: "You've worked hard." The gesture was natural and intimate, carrying a tenderness that he himself was unaware of.
This is just the first ripple.
The following afternoon, Yunxi received a call from her counselor, who asked her seriously whether she had engaged in any "unfair competition" or "disruptive team harmony" with her classmates recently, and subtly mentioned that there were "anonymous reports" that her relationship with Shixu was affecting the project's progress.
Yunxi gripped the phone, her fingertips trembling with anger, but she forced herself to answer in the calmest tone: "Teacher, my collaboration with Shixu was entirely based on project requirements, and our project's progress and completion are evident to everyone in the lab. As for anonymous complaints, I am willing to confront anyone face-to-face to clarify the facts."
Her composed and assertive attitude softened the counselor's tone. The counselor simply reminded her to be mindful of the impact of her words before ending the call.
"They've started targeting you," Shi Xu said in a low voice after she hung up the phone, her eyes filled with a chilling coldness.
"Just clowns." Yunxi snorted, shaking his head as if trying to shake these dirty tricks out of his mind. "If they're so capable, they should beat us on the field in a real fight. These underhanded tactics only make me despise them even more!"
Her resilience acted like a shot of adrenaline, dispelling the gloom in Shi Xu's heart. Looking at her, he suddenly realized how fortunate he was to have such a partner who could fight alongside him and quickly adjust her mindset no matter what happened.
On the last night before the match, the two didn't stay up all night but returned to their apartment early. Yunxi cooked two simple bowls of noodles, and the steaming vapor filled the small dining table, dispelling the fatigue of the past few days and the chill from the outside.
"Tomorrow," Shi Xu said, looking at Yun Xi sitting opposite him, raising a glass of water, "no matter what the outcome."
Yunxi understood, and clinked her glasses with him forcefully, making a crisp sound:
"Give it your all, and you'll have a clear conscience!"
The night was deep, and the city remained bustling, but in this small apartment, two young souls clung to each other, gathering their final, and most powerful strength for their shared battle. All the obstacles and sabotage became the flames that tempered their will and their relationship.
Tomorrow, we'll see who wins on the field.
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