Chapter 151: So what do you say?

Ten minutes later, Yan Hui Er and Aomo Lindun sat opposite each other, while Kongzhong Shen Gong, who should have been the main character of this meal, had already gone to fetch dishes with a plate in hand.

Although on the winners' stage, the sight of second and third place accompanying the champion with dance and harmony looks rather embarrassing, second place is still a respectable ranking, especially since this is a G1 race, the second leg of the classic Triple Crown.

Aomo guessed that the two had come here to eat, likely to encourage or celebrate, or perhaps both.

Just running into him was truly awkward, especially since I couldn't pretend not to know him, and the other party straightforwardly invited me.

Should I refuse now?

Of course I should refuse!

You and the person opposite aren't familiar, let alone that the other party's combination is a rather delicate 'pair'.

A pair signifies either intimacy or confrontation, and in any case it's not suitable for him to intervene.

But how should I refuse?

Say I have another appointment?

Or say I just like eating alone? Uh, wait… — Aomo suddenly realized something.

And I also understood why the other party was looking at me with pity.

The initial silence, the indescribable embarrassment, his embarrassment, was the 'despicable act' of barging in on a colleague who brought a horse girl to swipe the buffet.

Bringing a horse girl with an astonishing appetite to eat at the buffet is somewhat lacking in virtue, in line with Aomo's original intention.

And the colleague's embarrassment seems to stem from seeing through the fact that I was eating the buffet alone.

Someone once ranked loneliness, and the result was turned into pictures with many variations; although the top rank keeps changing, 'eating hot pot alone, eating buffet alone' and such always stay near the top.

…In that case, I'm about to get a new label on the legend of solitude at the border gate.

Although Aomo was already quite used to that gaze in school, if it's the same in the workplace, it wouldn't be conducive to the social development I had previously resolved upon.

So you should make use of your strengths, Aomo—first, observe!

Quick observation!

Are Mr. Yan Hui Er and Miss Kongzhong Shen Gong a couple?

Naturally not; the two stand apart from each other like strangers from the moment they come into view.

They maintain a non-infringing safe distance.

Are there any mutual or one-sided hints of affection?

I can't tell, but I can see Kongzhong Shen Gong's obvious rejection, directed at me as well as at Yan Hui Er.

In conclusion, the relationship between the trainer and the horse girl… seems a bit stiff.

Moreover, it's not the kind of short-term squabble like Suzi's occasional sulking; the two have their own accustomed equilibrium, as if this is how they ought to be.

They have mutual contradictions that have persisted to this day, yet they haven't considered terminating the contract…

Although saying this might be a bit lacking in virtue, if that's the nature of their relationship, then I don't need to refuse.

It doesn't really matter; no matter what they talk about, it won't interfere with my eating. Possibly they'll start arguing midway, and then I'll turn to comfort the colleague with drinks, even going to an izakaya to continue the night.

According to Aomo's understanding, the corporate drones in the Jidong region are all like this.

At company meals they eat cautiously; after dispersing, two or three groups go to an izakaya to continue the evening, and then… and then of course they go home to sleep!

What else can you do? Do you want to be late for work tomorrow?

Tomorrow is Monday!

Of course, a trainer's working hours are actually based on the training plan, so they appear relatively free, but this doesn't prevent some Jidong trainers from still having this corporate-drone lifestyle habit.

However, that would only apply if they truly parted unhappily.

Better to get along well than to reach that point… Aomo, who did not go to the scene to pick dishes like Kongzhong Shen Gong, activated the projection screen at the seat.

The buffet restaurant's automatic ordering system is still quite necessary, after all the quality of buffets is roughly the same, and there's really no need to meticulously select discounted ingredients as if they were premium.

"Lindun… Mr. Lindun."

"Please speak." Hearing the other party's work-habit title when ordering, Aomo slightly increased the screen's transparency from above to see the other's face, which could truly be described as full of worry.

A formally hired trainer who passed the regular assessment must be at least 22 years old, and if a senior veteran, they'd be straight into their mid‑twenties, 25 or 26.

Yan Hui Er indeed has the face of a 26‑year‑old.

Juvenile air has long faded, yet he's still a bit shy of maturity; only when he frowns in dejection can one faintly see the hollow fatigue that comes with approaching thirty or forty.

As a senior veteran, he seems to have burned out all his energy prematurely.

"Later, I and Shen Gong might say some things not convenient to make public, uh," he seemed to have thought of an ambiguity, then quickly added, "Not about personal life."

"Understood, I won't repeat what I saw or heard today; please rest assured, I'm just here to eat," Aomo said, demonstratively swiping the menu in front of him, "Can we go Dutch later?"

"No need, I'll treat, after all it's our first meeting."

Such a remark should have evoked admiration for his generosity, but the prematurely corporate‑drone complexion made Aomo's first thought skew to: 'Is this how a veteran corporate drone conducts himself?'

Or perhaps looking after a few peculiarly styled horse girls inevitably leads to this point?

Aomo recalls that the other party's horse girls under his charge are Kongzhong Shen Gong, Shen Ying, Da Shu Kuai Che, and Mu Bai Lai En… Hmm… this lineup might be able to match that of the colleague whose chat‑room handle is 【Life, Just Participate】, who regularly frequents an izakaya.

That colleague, although having only one horse girl under him, seems to have really put that horse girl named Chun Wula La through her paces.

Everyone is basically doing the job of looking after teenage girls; all we can say is to bear with it.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony." His fingers moved to submit the order, waiting for the automated food cart to arrive; Aomo glanced at the empty seat of Kongzhong Shen Gong, recalling that gangster member from yesterday evening.

Young people involved in the underworld often try to package their behavior, and even more so seek recognition and personal satisfaction by supporting those they deem similar.

Kongzhong Shen Gong's supporters largely include a segment of gangsters, both because of her appearance and because of her straightforward personality.

But if one were to investigate along this line, it would perhaps be overthinking.

Bringing trouble to students is not something adults should do, but if students stir up trouble and then seek out adults… that's another matter.

【By the way, the best app for listening to audiobooks right now is Wild Fruit Reading; install the latest version of. yeguoyuedu.】

Just as a few minutes later, Kongzhong Shen Gong returned to her seat carrying a large plate of various dishes, in the midst of silently eating for not long.

Aside from the initial greeting when we first met, upon sitting down and seeing each other again, she merely gave a cold, indifferent glance.

This delinquent horse girl obviously had no interest in Aomo and also didn't want to speak up first, so in the end it was up to her trainer to break the silence.

But the moment he spoke, Aomo's dining knife halted.

"Jingong, as we agreed at the start. Since this time the method of correcting the calculation result failed, just listen to me and get your condition back in shape. The doctor said you have some bone fractures this time; although you got emergency treatment, you still need to recuperate. Don't listen to what that voice says. Even if the Triple Crown is broken, there's still the Three History Hua Crown. Winning first place in the October Autumn Hua Award is the urgent priority—you can't keep training yourself according to that voice's saying!"

"That voice?"

"That's my own voice! I lost this time only because that Emperor guy had good luck! If I had maintained my speed, I could have crossed that 7 cm——" "Originally? Any sentence that adds 'originally' is just a daydream."

Indeed… but the necessity of a review can't be denied…… Aomo, who slowly moved his dining knife again, agreed, but only on one point.

At the same time, he also believed that a hot-tempered horse girl would generally be unable to accept this denial.

Too direct.

"No way! I'm just a little bit away from that place!"

"

As expected.

Before other customers could notice, Aomo moved smoothly and swiftly enough to leave an afterimage, pulling up the private room service in the tabletop functions, refining, the soundproofing function.

Come to think of it, there was no time to choose a style; the default East Yan ancient-style elegant pavilion illusion was constructed in a few seconds, and maple-leaf-like talisman paintings fluttered about, establishing a separation of sight and volume.

East Yan autumn-style private room style…… Aomo was somewhat surprised.

The trainer sitting opposite him also didn't have time to be amazed by his colleague's just-bursting hand speed; he could only first give a grateful look, then look back at his subordinate, the 'rebellious' horse girl.

The latter, aware that his volume was too loud, had just instinctively glanced around but his view was covered by maple color, and only then did he notice the figure diagonally opposite.

Then he also heard the trainer in charge say:

"A little bit off—how much off? We've already watched the video on the way; it's two horse lengths, 5 meters—this isn't a nose or neck difference!"

Nose difference, 20 cm.

Neck difference, 80 cm.

Like the horse length, it's a distance unit used in horse racing; as the name suggests, its standard is based on the build of a normal fine horse, but consequently the actual distance of the unit varies across Terra's regions.

But that's just like the role-playing village rules—only for a small circle.

The larger circle obviously has to look to the central unit.

By the way, the source of a horse's length also has a legend: 'It is said to be the length when the horse girl, who is said to have turned into the goddess statue in front of the central square, opens her arms.'

What the three goddesses of this horse girl are actually up to, we'll leave aside for now.

Even the Jidong Derby didn't notice whether those three were there or not; Aomo just continued to calmly 'eat melons'.

He wanted to hear more about that mysterious 'voice' topic, after all, he had previously heard Zhouri Ningjing say that the Triple Crown horse girls have ghosts residing in their bodies, and that description is essentially something driven by an extreme desire to win.

It's the kind of thing that could be placed in a P-series set and have a hall of personality, not quite schizophrenia, but when severe it can indeed destroy oneself.

At the same time, the feeling would also be a major source of negative energy.

But this colleague of mine, every sentence a straight jab, emphasizing a quick resolution, directly silenced the delinquent girl who firmly believed in herself and that 'voice,' and she began to grit her teeth at the slightly cool food before her, emphasizing a transfer of hatred.

Brother, this way you haven't solved the problem…… How come you've also started eating and drinking normally?

Aomo, who often pointed at the watermelon, was about to continue the splendid moment, but seeing the two of them lower their flags and stop their drums, he felt a bit hesitant.

Feeling a bit lost inside, I then heard the trainer who had swallowed food suddenly say: 'This way, you tell me everything that voice said, and also tell it to Trainer Linton, and then hear what we two trainers with roughly different training policies think of it.'

"This also saves you from always thinking I'm targeting you."

"Who knows if this guy showing up alone is whether he's colluding with you."

? Grandpa, can't I come eat alone?!

Aomo felt indignant, setting aside loneliness indices; besides dinner, he ate the other two meals alone, but that was already his accustomed way of life!

If it were Morrison occasionally working overtime or on a business trip, then he truly ate all three meals by himself.

"Shinomiya!" Not only Aomo, but even Iwaki Ni, who had previously tried to keep his voice calm and quiet, was visibly angry: "Don't casually speculate about others' thoughts and actions based on assumed gender!"

Ah… Aomo fell silent.

"Damn annoying! I said it's fine, that guy called Lin Dun..." "Linton." Aomo felt he should at least clarify his own name.

But the effect was minimal.

"No matter what you're called, just listen!"