Chapter 594: NO．176：There Are Few Normal People Around Aomo

NO. 176: There aren't many normal people left around Aom.

Zhouri Ningjing has four people she least wants to see in Trensen.

The four people's statuses, from highest to lowest, are Thus we output: Thus we output: QiuChuan Chairman, JunChuan JiangSheng, Ludaofu Xiangzheng, and Qianming representative from the infirmary.

Thus we output: Thus we output: QiuChuan Mingsheng and the Qianming representative are both unpredictable, full of whimsical ideas, while JunChuan JiangSheng is known for integrity and honesty, also well-versed, and naturally possesses a sincere willingness to help.

And that Ludaofu Xiangzheng, deliberately left until last to mention……

Trensen's student council president, the Emperor among Horse Girls.

She is not in officialdom, yet already bears a bureaucratic demeanor; even if she does not enter politics, she is destined to rise steadily within ura's system, and more importantly——it is her background.

She is the future head of the Symbol family.

She is the future head of that ancient family which, though afflicted with illness, stands against the backdrop of horse racing history.

She has been entirely cultivated as a rising figure of the new era, aware of the dark side, yet holding ideals in her heart.

On the racecourse as a legendary eight-time champion, she rules with absolute dominance; in Trensen, she governs the students with her excellent mind.

Before the Emperor, many Horse Girls feel ashamed and inadequate, even the black Zhouri is no exception; the difference lies only in that, while everyone notices the gap, they focus on different aspects.

Students look upon the President's legendary deeds with admiration, while Zhouri Ningjing gazes upon Ludaofu Xiangzheng's life trajectory thus far, and inevitably feels a sense of wariness.

Especially since she actually had contact with the other party quite early on, when the Speed Symbol invited her to the Symbol family's residence.

Was it the little girl oppressed by the obstinate old woman?

No, that should not be how it is calculated.

She clearly remembers that the child's eyes held light.

A dim, pallid light—certainly not normal.

Even now, looking again at the brightness in the other's eyes, she never feels it is a positive change; instead, she feels chilled to the bone and again curses in her heart the fact that the Symbol family is afflicted.

Yet she cannot ignore her own past envy.

She has no dream that could be called great; on the racecourse she once had spirited vigor, but ultimately did not depart with much elegance.

Her parents are not particularly outstanding, nor is their affection particularly deep.

Zhouri Ningjing can easily erase their memories of her, let alone consider what help their respective resources and abilities might offer her.

She has always only cared about her younger sister, not thinking further, and only striving to win that narrow peace belonging to the two sisters, in light and in shadow, she often feels exhausted.

Even in the end, exhausted, she joined the official department she most disliked during her active years——the ura Association.

Many people have opinions about ura; usually it is a Horse Girl or a trainer who is displeased, because it is the maker and keeper of rules, adhering to those commonly called rigid and outdated.

But even so disliked, attaining this position is not easy.

She exerted herself fully to become Heizhouri, and likewise exerted herself fully to sit in the position of the ura Association's Inquiry Committee members.

She has nearly reached a limit.

As a stubborn woman who struggles and fights in the mire relying solely on her own strength, her achievements in light and shadow are already beyond what ordinary people can attain.

But in many cases, value is demonstrated through comparison.

And in many more cases, the highest point you can reach is merely someone else's starting point.

You may of course comfort yourself with differences in family background and talent, but when you encounter those who are equally stubborn, equally persisting to this day through their own strength, and yet possess abilities far surpassing yours……

Then you ought to rise with reverence.

Add a bit more negative emotion, and it becomes hatred.

But perhaps, compared to hating the other, it is more that you hate your own lack of resilience.

She stubbornly and irritably interferes with whatever world she can touch, whether on the racecourse or off it, seeking to overwhelm through force.

But in the end she failed to do so, and instead curled up in gradual frustration.

Becoming part of that world which once annoyed her.

She has lost her resilience, clinging to her own world, while Ludaofu Xiangzheng, however, can do what she cannot: grow up from that terrible family, leave an unsurpassable legend on the racecourse, and change everything around her off the course.

Just as the now widely discussed confrontation between Maruyama Sukii and her trainer with the Inquiry Committee, that debate held to register for the Derby, also featured Ludaofu Xiangzheng as an assisting participant.

That was the 17-year-old Ludaofu Xiangzheng, speaking eloquently before the Inquiry Committee's chairperson, already bearing the Emperor's demeanor.

Moreover, possessing a dream that could be called grand.

That supreme dream has always hung in the Emperor's heart, making her eyes shine brightly, then reflecting her own black self.

Naturally, the Emperor's side is not lacking in retainers, not lacking in beneficial friends; she appears utterly different from oneself, yet Zhouri Ningjing can sniff out their kind.

That stubbornness, that irritability—Ludaofu Xiangzheng is undoubtedly of the same kind, while she possesses even greater resilience than oneself, to become Emperor and imprint her distinct self upon the whole world.

Making her undoubtedly envious, yet also rejecting their encounter.

The black shadow meeting the blazing sun only adds to the inner displeasure.

But the ura Association's assignment ultimately also aims to have her meet face to face.

As one of the Association's representatives handling the handover with the Central Student Council, and also needing to prepare for the subsequent press conference.

Also in this, she found an opportunity to push part of her work onto colleagues, slipping away during busy moments to run to the place where Chazuo comes, only to see yet another person she most does not want to see.

Aomo's guess is naturally not accurate enough.

Nowadays, Zhouri Ningjing has five people she least wants to see in Trensen, Aomo Lindun is undoubtedly a newcomer.

Whether it is that gaze, more blatant than the Qianming representative's, direct to the point of sharpness, or his obstinacy identical to Ludaofu Xiangzheng's, deformed, it makes Zhouri Ningjing unable to refrain from baring her own similarly dulled fangs.

But regrettably, he is also the trainer of Chazuo.

This is not saying that Zhouri Ningjing's hostility will be reserved, merely saying——his understanding of Chazuo may perhaps surpass her own view of it as the entire world, on certain levels.

Just like now, when Chazuo's voice sounds from behind, the frozen her cannot help but consider the other's proposal.

——

"A somewhat overly aggressive joke, just like me saying our relationship is always not quite right."

Adjusting her collar, retying the tie's knot, Aomo shrugged at the girl who was staring at Zhouri Ningjing.

Even if I were supposed to cover for Zhouri Ningjing, I couldn't possibly say something like "brothers being close" — Aomo's words were as usual, exactly what could let the tea-seat watching Zhouri Ningjing relax a little.

Then he turned his dissatisfied gaze toward Zhouri Ningjing: "'Friends'… is a bit too much."

"Sorry…" The sister who is always gentle in front of her sister lowered her gaze slightly.

"You should……"

"No need to have her apologize to me," a sentence cut in, making Zhouri Ningjing turn and glare at Aomo, who was just gripping a hand exerciser with one hand and scrolling through a light screen appearing in midair with the other: "That would only make everyone awkward."

"How about we chat about something lighter, like new semester classmates meeting — wouldn't many classmates gather around you praising that match?"

This isn't from speculation, but the classroom where the tea-seat is located is just two floors down diagonally; if the doors and windows aren't closed tight, Aomo can hear far too much.

"Hmm…" This topic also made the girl's expression somewhat subtle, her ears twitching slightly.

"And… many classmates are also curious about the trainers."

"I hope they aren't curious because of all those random rumors."

"Indeed, there are many…" The tea-seat fell into a subtle silence, glanced at that friend in formal attire who seemed somewhat unfamiliar and novel, then turned back to look at Aomo: "Did 'Friend' come back to life?"

"…This remark is truly subtle; I think she merely made a body using her own method."

Even without lifting his head, Aomo could feel the glare, thinking the other party was truly troublesome — having to speak for them and still get glared at; better to chat lightly with Xixi.

The latter had sent him several campus photos, even taken a few group shots with new classmates.

Never mind the uncle's comment about which classmate is cute or pretty; just looking at that photo rich in JK vibe, the transfer experience seems not bad.

"'Friend'?"

"This… making a body now isn't difficult, right? As long as you provide legal proof."

"But… the body of 'Friend' is very natural."

"Ah, uh, the craftsmanship is indeed good — I've been working part-time at the URA Association, and their materials on Umamusume are, well, quite complete!"

When did the URA Association start hiring part-time artificial horse girls? This is bound to cause a huge backlash… Aomo listened to the tea-seat 'interrogating' the sister, staying silent, pleased to see it succeed.

Although her methods are singular, Miss Chazuo can still let the black Zhouri suffer repeated defeats.

Always wanting to vent something, irritably interfering with everything she can reach — the sister always wants to suppress the whole world.

Always silently hiding something, quietly getting along with everything around her — the sister is accustomed to staying in her own world.

These two sisters are thus utterly opposite; when together, the sister is the proactive interfering curious one, while the sister would rather everything remain stagnant so she can stay calm and quiet.

She seems to have become another kind of child, positions reversed with her sister, full of restraint and unease.

Even that near-obsessive stubbornness has slightly faded, leaving Aomo helplessly smiling as he stood up, saying, "I'll go out for a walk," leaving space for this sister pair.

Just as he pulled open the door, he was stopped by Chazuo.

"By the way… trainer."

"The classmate mentioned earlier… also has someone who shouldn't be curious because of rumors."

"For example?"

"Rongjin Tongxue and Aimù Tongxue… they don't seem like people who'd follow gossip."

"…Indeed so."