Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation

Brother Rui flicked his hair dismissively, "You're bound to lose."

He held up three fingers, "I'll settle this in three minutes."

With that, he lazily stepped forward, walking toward the lonely short-haired girl.

As Brother Rui walked, he assessed her; judging by her face, she was probably still a high school student. The black bag beside her likely held a skateboard.

Unfortunately for her, Brother Rui happened to be a skateboard club ace at their school. With his looks, a bit of chit-chat, wouldn't he easily seal the deal?

It's tough, but handsome guys always have a smooth life. Brother Rui could already envision the moment he starts flirting, and this junior girl won't dare to meet his eyes.

Brother Rui's steps grew steadier, and his smile turned more charming.

Not too far off, Jiang Ning parked his mountain bike and met up with Yang Sheng along the road. What he saw in his Divine Sense was precisely this scene.

The closer Brother Rui got, the more he realized this little girl was truly pretty. Her skin was flawless, her figure incredibly enticing, and without realizing it, he picked up his pace, already absorbed in the act.

If earlier he was just trying to win a bet with his roommates by showcasing his flirting skills, at this moment, the thought of wanting to date her was born.

His steps quickened, and he even began to jog slightly.

Behind him, Jiang Ning furrowed his brow, flicked his finger, and a strand of Spiritual Power shot out like a spiraling dragon.

Yang Sheng was sipping milk when she suddenly saw a guy running over, her face showing surprise.

The next second, Brother Rui's previously smooth stride abruptly tripped on something, and he instantly stumbled.

His face turned panicked, and he was a bit dazed. Losing his balance, he even struggled a bit before rolling forward diagonally.

Seeing that he was about to fall at Yang Sheng's feet, Yang Sheng didn't want to jinx herself and reacted quickly, grabbing the black bag and deftly dodging a few meters away.

Brother Rui's shoes, which weren't particularly tight to begin with, flew off due to his excessive movement, losing one of them.

His roommates laughed themselves silly.

Brother Rui felt immensely embarrassed, damn it, falling in front of a cute little sister, making him look so clumsy.

At this moment, Yang Sheng noticed Jiang Ning in the distance, grabbed the black bag quickly, and walked up to him, saying:

"You're here quite early."

Jiang Ning didn't look at the guy on the ground; he replied, "Not as early as you."

Yang Sheng: "I didn't arrive early either, it's just that the bus came sooner than I expected."

Big-hearted by nature, she didn't have the tardiness typical of other girls, and she herself disliked those who were often late.

Jiang Ning reached out and took the black bag from her hand; scanning it with Divine Sense, he saw it contained a skateboard. Bringing a skateboard for a mountain climb, were they planning to use it on the way down?

Knowing Yang Sheng's straightforwardness, she didn't hesitate, letting him take her bag without a fuss.

After all, she knew Jiang Ning was quite strong.

During this moment, Brother Rui, who had fallen, finally got up and saw the short-haired girl letting her boyfriend carry her bag, a look of an obedient lamb.

That moment, Brother Rui's expression was pained; the blow to his spirit hurt more than the physical pain.

The double hit forced him to clutch the nearby railing while covering his chest:

'Damn!'

This fall had traumatized Brother Rui, and from then on, any time he tried to flirt, he'd recall this encounter.

Brother Rui steadied himself, but somehow, he harbored an inexplicable hostility towards the short-haired girl's boyfriend, wishing that he'd take a tumble too, to understand the embarrassment and awkwardness he currently felt.

...

Jiang Ning found a spacious stone platform, sat down to rest.

Yang Sheng said, "Tang Fu and her friend's mom are on the way; she'll have us wait a little."

"Okay, no problem."

After a few words, Yang Sheng shifted the conversation: "I think with a couple more people around, even if Aunt wants to do something to Tang Fu, maybe she wouldn't dare."

Jiang Ning: "It's hard to say. If she's determined and goes to extremes, she could still muster some strength."

"That's true, especially since we're on a mountain." Even just a little push on the hiking steps could send someone tumbling down. Maybe not fatal, but breaking a bone is likely no problem.

"Let's follow behind them." Yang Sheng suggested.

However, in her heart, she felt uneasy. It's like having to guard against a thief every day—where's the logic in that?

'It's all because Tang Fu is just too oblivious, not knowing the malice in people.' Yang Sheng was frustrated with her.

...

Twenty minutes later, two figures appeared at the entrance of Yishan Scenic Spot.

"Yang Sheng, Yang Sheng!" Tang Fu stood on tiptoe, waving vigorously,

She wore a pink sports jacket, with pure black sports pants. The pants were slightly loose, and as she moved, the legs swung, making her appear not bulky but rather highlighting her long, well-proportioned legs.

Her height of 1.8 meters stood out, catching the eyes of passersby.

A girl with an elegant bearing, yet her eyes showed curiosity about the world, confusion, and a touch of foolishness.

One couldn't help but want to laugh after seeing her.

Tang Fu ignored decorum altogether, abandoning the aunt beside her, rushing forward.

The aunt was more elegantly dressed, her attire matched with a handbag. Seeing Tang Fu's back as she ran, she called out, "Slow down, slow down!"

Unfortunately, her voice wasn't very loud, and Tang Fu, running fast, didn't hear her.

"Slow down, slow down..." The aunt's volume gradually lowered, finally becoming a murmur, "If only my daughter could slow down a bit."

Her eyes turned desolate in an instant, an extreme sadness after losing a cherished loved one, leading to despair toward the world.

After a while, she managed to lift her head, forcing a slight smile that was chilling.

Tang Fu reached Yang Sheng's side, her soft voice sounding delightfully silly:

"Thank you for joining me on this hike."

Yang Sheng couldn't stand her airheaded mannerisms and replied with annoyance: "It's all because you're so dumb!"

If Tang Fu had simply refused, would there be this trouble now?

A perfectly good weekend wasted because of Tang Fu's nonsense!

Tang Fu just stood there grinning foolishly.

Yang Sheng looked at her, thinking how Tang Fu's pure heart must be why she's so gifted in sports.

The three chatted for a brief moment before the aunt in the brown coat caught up. She smiled warmly, watching the group.

Before Tang Fu could introduce her, Yang Sheng sized up the lady, noting her poor complexion and prominent eye bags, and thought of her daughter's passing...

Yang Sheng maintained courtesy: "Hello Aunt, I'm a classmate of Tang Fu, here to hike with her."

Aunt Tao was still warm: "More the merrier, more the merrier!"

She repeated it three or four times.

As Yang Sheng listened, the odd feeling inside her grew stronger; she resisted the urge to meet Jiang Ning's gaze.

After exchanging pleasantries, they headed towards the mountain path. This being a Sunday, many hiking groups of three or five were on the way.

The scenery at Yishan in November was uniquely captivating, with trees displaying golden yellow, ochre red, and dark brown colors, resembling a vibrant oil painting.

Sunlight spilled over the slopes, giving the vegetation a golden sheen.

The winding path was carpeted with fallen leaves, producing a continuous crunch underfoot.

"Jiang Ning, aren't you cold?" Around them, all the hikers wore jackets for warmth. Tang Fu noted his short sleeves, wondering if the mountain wind would chill him once they climbed higher.

If Jiang Ning caught a cold, it would be her fault.

Jiang Ning played along with her, "It is a bit chilly."

Tang Fu, hearing this, felt unbothered by the cold and promptly lowered her zipper, preparing to take off her jacket.

Jiang Ning was taken aback; for the first time in his life, a girl was offering him clothes. He quickly stopped her:

"It's not appropriate, not appropriate."

Tang Fu, with good intentions, said, "Don't worry, our clothes are about the same size, it'll fit you perfectly!"

She looked at Jiang Ning, her eyes sincere.

Jiang Ning couldn't bear to deceive her any longer, so he admitted, "No need, actually I'm not cold."

Tang Fu displeased: "Are you saying my jacket is too pink?"