"I am here. Do you dare to kill?"
Cai Lin looked at the young female opposite him like it was the first time, with eyes full of disbelief.
He was already accustomed to Oak Wood Academy and was spoilt as he grew up to almost the point that he could walk sideways. With regards to Jennie, he only wanted to teach her a lesson today. Who knew that not only was Jennie not afraid but to even go against him? To even say these kind of words at this moment, the one who would prevail would definitely be him.
Cai Lin, do you dare?
Not to mention if he had the guts, even if he dared, could he? The Young Master of the Cai family could do things in a moment of emotions, but how about the Cai family? If Jennie was really killed by him today, not to mention about paying a life with a life, there exist a possibility that Shen Xin would cut down every single person in the Cai family before apologising.
Furthermore, he did not dare to do so.
He was one who could show off with some smart words but had not entered a battle before, so much so that he has never drawn any blood before. His archery was certainly very good but the targets were always fruits or animals and never people.
But now how would there be a reason to withdraw? Jennie, a female, was not afraid, if he, a dignified man, withdrew then most likely he would have no face to step out of his residence at all.
Thinking of that, Cai Lin arrogantly said, "As what you say, whatever skills can be seen in the archery arena. You speak happily now but who knows if you would be so frightened that you pee yourself." His words were extremely rude, one did not know if it was said to cover up his own dismay. The calmer Jennie was, the more unsettled he became and he somehow wanted to see his opponent's panic as it seemed to calm his own heart down. Therefore, he hoped that his words would make Jennie feel embarrassed.
For an ordinary lady, if a male would speak that ruthlessly, one would naturally feel shame and fidget in embarrassment or most probably cry in a fit. But when Jennie heard him, she only shot a glance at him and that peaceful manner made Cai Lin feel that it was all his willfulness.
He was also somewhat baffled and suspected that he himself was somewhat muddled. How could he feel a guilty conscience when facing Jennie, this idiot?
Jennie had already gone to the examiner to get the fruit. That fruit was as big as an adult fist and it was square shaped at the bottom while its top was round. Jennie stood at the utmost east side of the stage and placed the fruit on top of her head.
The arena started to gradually liven up.
"At this moment she must be forcefully keeping herself calm but is actually frightened out of her gall." Yi Pei Lan smiled as she said, "I really cannot wait to see her so scared that her tears and mucus flows."
"Ever since Ming Qi examinations were established, there was never a time that a female would be challenged by a male in a military topic." Jiang Xiao Xuan stuck her finger up and crooked her head, "Shen Jennie can be considered the first. But to be made a fool in front of everyone, it would be terrible just thinking about it."
"Aiyo. Why is Fifth Lady still standing up in front? What if the Young Master Cai misses?" Ren Wan Yun said. She felt some predicament in her heart. If something really happened to Jennie, no matter how well Shen Xin treated the Shen family, he would also not let her off the hook.
"What is Second Sao worried about?" Chen Rou Qiu lightly said, "Anyways everything is just kids playing around. The Young Master of Cai family is not a child who does not know anything. As long as Fifth Lady soften up and ask for mercy, naturally he would not make things difficult for her. Now one can only hope that Fifth Lady would not fight back in a moment of anger."
She took this kind of life and death matter and used 'kids playing around' to describe it. After all Ren Wan Yun was the one managing the family and if anything went wrong, it would be her who would bear it. However her words went into Ren Wan Yun's heart. Everything was because Shen Miao's spur of emotions. If Shen Miao asked for mercy nicely and said a couple of nice words to Cai Lin, she naturally would not have fallen to this point.
"Rest assured." Chen Rou Qui said, "I see that gentleman from the Cai family most likely just want to scare Fifth Lady. In this academy examination, everyone is fighting for an elegant demeanour thus it would not be possible to stop now."
"Mother needs not to worry." Shen Qing also said to Ren Wan Yun, "Cai Lin's archery is very good and it would not be the case that the targets are not hit."
Shen Qing was thinking that since Jennie was blocking her dreams of being a Prince's wife, she could not wait to pull down Jennie's prestige to nothing. Hearing that some people could be so scared that at times they would wet themselves, she wanted to know what Jennie would do?
Shen Qing thought, if Cai Lin really missed... It would be good to have her face ruined.
Shen Yue did not go as far ahead as Shen Qing. She only wished to look at how Jennie would beg for mercy while kneeling, as if with that she could be able to gain back her self-esteem. She glanced at Cai Lin from afar but he did not seem to have seen her.
Cai Lin was holding the longbow in his hands as he faced Jennie, who was 300 feet away with his forehead filled with cold sweat.
Jennie stood there quietly as the wind blew her cloak. Between the rustling of the purple cloak, her brows were just like its surrounding but there was a type of majestic bearing, as if it was the calm after one had experienced storms and waves, and it coated a layer of dazzling brilliance all over her.
Cai Lin slowly pulled the bow as he thought: As long as Jennie begged for mercy. As long as one tear falls and she ask for mercy, he would then take the opportunity to humiliate her and he would not need to be in this dilemma anymore.
Unfortunately, his wishes were fruitless at the end. Jennie had a calm expression, as if he was not worth her attention.
Shen Yue frowned.
Why has the scene of Jennie crying for mercy not appeared? Why did Jennie look even calmer than Cai Lin?
There were already many people who had realized this point and their original impression of that idiot gradually changed. Not every young lady could stand with a bow and arrow pointing at her without having great waves of expressions. If that was inherited from Shen Xin who had an unchanging face of calm in front of the enemy, one can only say that when a father was a lion, the daughter could not be a dog (means like father, like daughter).
Cai Lin's hands started trembling and the fruit that was three hundred feet away was normally an easy feat for him, but today it was exceptionally difficult. That distance seemed to be very far away.
And Jennie words lingered by his ears, "I am here. Do you dare to kill?"
Did he dare? Did he dare? Did he dare?
With a swishing sound, the arrow streaked across fiercely.
But it only stayed in the air for a while before falling off.
So much so that it even dropped before it reached the hems of Jennie's clothes. It was as if not enough energy was used, much less able to hit the target which was the fruit.
The entire arena was filled with laughter.
Even some of his classmates laughed as they joked, "Cai Lin, do you have tender and protective feelings for the fairer gender, else why can you not even shoot at three hundred feet when your hundred feet targets will be hit accurately?"
He wiped the sweat on his forehead and immediately started to pull the bow again. The second arrow landed at Jennie's feet.
The third one brushed against Jennie's hairstyle and touched the fruit on top of Jennie's head. Jennie's hairstyle became undone and her black hair flowed down her entire shoulder.
However, even when the arrow brushed pass her , she did not changed her expression at all.
The black hair, purple clothes and the fair complexion of the young female, stood up straight in the wind.
Both Cai Lin's hands softened and the bow and arrows fell all around the floor. The entire arena was silent.
Even a fool could see that the person who was afraid was not Shen Jennie but Cai Lin.
I am here. Do you dare to kill?
You dare not.
I dare.
She smiled lightly and that bright pair of cub-like eyes had a trace of ruthlessness. Coupled with her currently slightly naive face, it was strangely beautiful.
"Now it's my turn."
CHAPTER COMPLETED & EDITED