To You, My Beloved

Chapter 58: Let Her Be Happy for a While Longer VI

Since Gu Qingcheng wasn’t going to join in the fun on the other side of the room, Siyue and Su Nianhua would naturally not leave her on her own.

The sharp-sighted Su Nianhua, who had spotted a set of Gomoku on a side table, brought it over to their table. Clearing some space, he announced, “I’m feeling a tad tired today myself, so I’m not going to bother to go socialize. Qingqing, how about a game of Gomoku?”

“Qingqing and I will play against you,” Siyue suggested.

“Okay. Your Young Lord here has excellent Gomoku prowess and will welcome any challenger!” Su Nianhua opened the Go board and pushed the white stones to Siyue and Gu Qingcheng, leaving the black stones for himself. He then started the game by placing a black stone on the board.

Although Gu Qingcheng seemed a bit distracted, Siyue joined in the game with enthusiasm and soon engaged Su Nianhua noisily.

Since no technical or intellectual skills were required to play a simple game of Gomoku, Su Nianhua and Siyue simply blocked and tackled, eventually using up all their respective stones and ending the game without a clear winner.

They then started a new game.

Gu Qingcheng, who had been feeling depressed because of Tang Shi’s attitude toward her, slowly began to take an interest in the Gomoku game that was in progress. Gradually, her brain became engaged with the positions of the stones on the Go board and she began to strategize with Siyue.

The second game also ended with all the stones being used up and no winner.

“Two against one and you’ve still not managed to beat me.” Su Nianhua scoffed, making TSK! TSK! sounds of disdain, as he collected the stones, looking smug.

Perhaps it was Su Nianhua’s smugness that had piqued Gu Qingcheng’s interest because she did indeed pay a lot more attention to the third game.

Noticing that Gu Qingcheng had finally regained some of her spirit, Su Nianhua played competitively for a while and then intentionally set himself up, paving a way for Gu Qingcheng, which ultimately led to her and Siyue’s winning that game.

Gu Qingcheng’s face was instantly transformed, blossoming into a radiant, enchanting smile.

Smirking, she collected her white stones and raised her eyebrows at Su Nianhua. Sticking her chin out, she scoffed, reminding him of his earlier remark and said, with arrogance in her voice, “You, the defeated!”

“Your Young Lord here refuses to admit defeat. One more game!”

So, they started a fresh game.

Compared to her earlier state, Gu Qingcheng seemed a lot more cheerful, energetic, and chatty.

In the previous game, Su Nianhua had lost because he had intentionally set himself up and given Gu Qingcheng an opportunity to win. In this game, to egg Gu Qingcheng on, Su Nianhua concentrated fully on the game and, after a few badly played rounds, Gu Qingcheng was clearly on a losing streak.

With the stones in their trays fast disappearing and no clear winner in sight, Gu Qingcheng had assumed that this set would be another draw. At that moment, Su Nianhua placed another black stone on the board.

It was a brilliant move because Gu Qingcheng was left with the impossible situation of having to defend two positions.

It was a done deal that Gu Qingcheng would lose this game.

Since it was clear that he was the winner of this set, Su Nianhua mimicked Gu Qingcheng by raising his brows at her, sticking out his chin, and saying, “Earlier on, your Young Lord let you win on purpose. If I so wish, I could also make you lose at any time!”