Chapter Sixteen: Deepening Ties with Niji

  The next day was the semifinals, and whether it was Rikka's match against Nagoya or Seigaku's match against Shitenhoji, both were heart-wrenching to watch. Yafang, who had been privy to all that had transpired, chose to avoid it all on this day, hiding alone under a large tree in the park from the start of the matches. Her emotions had already gotten the better of her after spending time with them, and she couldn't just stand by and watch, especially when it came to Rikka's team and the Niou brothers. As for the upcoming finals, she didn't have the courage to just be a spectator.

  "Yafeng is really good at enjoying himself, this place is quite comfortable."

  Just as Ya Feng was stunned, a warm voice sounded beside her.

  "Master Fujii!"

  "Hehe, Yafeng, you look surprised to see me?" Niji sat down beside Yafeng.

  "Shouldn't seniors be in the competition?"

  "Hehe, it's over, I lost." Niji's smile was a bit forced.

  "Seniors seem to not care about it." Yafeng said lightly.

  It's no surprise that Yafeng didn't mind coming in second, and just continued to smile: "Hehe, losing is losing, what's the use of minding it?"

  "Seniors are really open-minded."

  "Hehe," Niji smiled and then changed his tone, "It seems that Yafeng's mood is even heavier than mine."

  "Yes, I'm in a great predicament now." Yafeng replied with a bitter smile.

  "Oh, what's going on? Can you tell me about it? Maybe I can help."

  Looking at Ou Er's smiling face, Ya Feng suddenly felt that maybe he could teach himself how to do it. "It's just that I know some things, these facts are about the people I care about. Before, I thought I could be a rational bystander, but now I find that I can't do it. But I also can't tell them, and now I don't know if I can continue to watch without doing anything."

  Looking at Yafeng's worried appearance, Erxi couldn't help but feel a little unbearable. "Since I can't just watch and do nothing, and I also can't say anything about it, then I won't look anymore. With this bitter face, you really don't look like the Yafeng I know."

  "Didn't you see?" Yafeng was like grasping a floating wood in a vast ocean.

  "Right, if you can't bear to watch it, then don't watch it. You can take the opportunity to go out for a walk and clear your mind."

  "Yes, I won't look, it's fine if I don't look, haha." The elegant wind suddenly cleared up.

  Looking at Ya Feng's face, a smile bloomed again, and the gloom of losing the ball also dissipated.

  "Huh? Senpai, is your match against Shitenouji over?" asked Gajou.

  "Not yet, I'm just out to clear my head, didn't expect to run into you here feeling down. Sigh, and now I, the loser, have to comfort you instead. How did I end up thinking that I'm the one with a tough life?" Not Two said in an intentionally downtrodden tone.

  "Hmph, Nii-san, this trick won't work on me, I have a record of your dark past in my files."

  "Hehe, is that so? Can't deceive Yafeng after all." Not two's embarrassment of being seen through didn't show at all as he continued to smile.

  "Hehe, that's right, I'm very clever, and I have the same interests as my seniors." Yafeng said with a pleased and mysterious tone.

  "Oh, what are Yafeng's interests and hobbies that are the same as mine?" Nifang also became interested.

  "For example, I like spicy food but not sour, I like cacti and succulents, I like photography, music and so on. Of course, the most important thing is that I and my senior both like hitting icebergs, it's just that we're not hitting the same one."

  Yahiko's eyes opened a little more with each word, and by the time he finished speaking, his eyes were wide open. However, he immediately narrowed them again, "Hehe, it's really true, Yahiko and I are very similar."

  After that, the two of them began to constantly exchange their insights on their commonalities, and of course, they talked the most about how to crash into icebergs. Moreover, combining their experiences, they made an upgraded plan, but it's unknown what kind of reaction the two people who are currently competing in the arena will have towards this already successful plan.

  "Hmm, Nii-san, I have a feeling that we met too late." Yafeng said with a very crooked smile.

  "Haha, I think so too, Yafeng's plan is more interesting than mine." Niji smiled brightly.

  "Haha, I think so too. Actually, if we play together when they're together, it would be the most exciting. But I'm afraid that if we really do that, we'll also end up dying gloriously."

  "Haha, no worries, we can play a few more times and get our money back." Niji burst out laughing, looking like the Virgin Mary.

  "Haha, that's true." Yafeng also laughed brightly, "Hey, senior, we should communicate more in the future. I'm really curious to know how two icebergs react when facing unexpected events."

  "Hehe, exactly, I'm also very interested in knowing who has stronger resistance against darkness."

  "Alright then, Senior Ni Er."

  Bu'er smiled and nodded, "Yafeng, from now on we're partners, why are you still being so formal?"

  "Well then, Zhou Zhu, I'll be relying on your guidance from now on." Yafeng took a small advantage.

  "Hehe, I thought Ya Feng was going to call me Zhou Zhuo Gege."

  "Haha, we're partners, no need to be so polite." Yafeng smiled in a rather flattering manner.

  "Hehe, Zhou Zhu is also good, very intimate."

  Yah Feng's mouth twitched involuntarily at the corner, okay, she admitted defeat, she wasn't better than him.

  After the semifinals, due to venue issues, the final had to be held three days later. As soon as Yafeng returned to Kanagawa, she began preparing for her escape plan.

  At night, the Sanada family had dinner together.

  "Grandfather, I have an idea and I hope you can support me," said Yafeng politely to Mr. Sanada after dinner.

  The Sanada family is a bit bewildered by Yagyu's sudden politeness.

  "What's on your mind, Masamune?" asked the old man with a gentle tone.

  "These days, the school gave a holiday to the tennis club for the finals, and now I'm actually not much help, so I thought of using these few days to go out and have a look around. After all, when I come back, apart from Kanagawa and Tokyo, I haven't been anywhere else."

  "Yah, this is a good thing. China has an old saying 'Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles.' It's good to go out and take a look." Makoto Shinoda nodded in agreement.

  "Hehe, yeah, what's wrong with that? If you want to go, just go! Where does Yafeng want to go?" Tiana Kōko also agreed.

  Masayuki didn't relax at all, instead he looked at Sanada's increasingly dark face and became more tense. "I want to go see Mt. Fuji and the sea in Chiba."

  "Hmm, as a subject of the Yamato people, it's indeed worth going to Mount Fuji." Old Man Sanada said in agreement.

  "Yes, but is Yasaka thinking of going alone or with classmates?" asked Soichiro.

  One person.

  "I also want to go, Sasuke said excitedly, "How about I accompany Auntie?"

  "Sasuke still has school tomorrow." Natsumi said as she hugged Sasuke.

  "Oh." Sasaki suddenly wilted.

  "Sasuke, don't be disappointed. How about Sasuke goes on a trip with Auntie during the holidays?" Yafeng coaxed Sasuke and said.

  "Alright, Auntie should remember." Sasuke's spirit was immediately restored.

  "Yahiko, you can go out alone but be careful and don't let your guard down." The old master Shinoda gave his final instructions.

  "Yes."

  After they left, Sanada let Kaze follow him to the sword training room.

  "Is Yafeng hiding something?" Masuda directly asked.

  "No, I just wanted to go out for a walk. Doesn't Akio-niichan believe me?" Yafeng's small mouth pouted and tears seemed to be welling up in her eyes.

  "No." Tadokoro Koushirou barely squeezed out these words.

  "Hehe, I knew Oniichan would be the most concerned about me." Yafeng immediately turned from being gloomy to cheerful and hugged Sanada's arm, rubbing against it twice.

  It's really helpless, no matter what questions are asked, nothing can be gotten out of him, it's really unknown whether he is saying to himself that he was too slack.