Chapter 757: with translation of chapter title

NO. 126: Your idea is too ordinary.

Chao Cang Lu, holding his phone in both hands, watched the black-haired girl ascend the star‑spangled high platform.

The black hair and the dark‑purple dress blended into the simulated night‑sky background; only the small hat tilted to the right bore a blue rose that exuded a strong presence.

Like a blossom bursting forth in darkness, studded with countless stars, it was gorgeous yet chilling.

This is the Wastetime Association's Blessing Star Terrace, a place where astrologers give clients short‑term fortune changes through blessings.

He, who had never been to such a place, felt a little nervous, but he was the only one who was nervous.

The man sitting beside him was relaxed, holding his phone and looking at it, though his eyes held a hint of worry.

The video therein was set to silent, yet the images still seemed to make one feel tremors and hear gasps.

【Capital Cup Autumn Handicap Race】

As an early‑September race, more precisely, it was held two days ago in ZS City—a GIII short‑distance race that, to this day, has not attracted much attention.

Because after enduring the racing lull of August, September's horse‑girl races surged in number.

But the truly implemented reform that would become a world‑watched race is still the short‑distance horse‑girl championship at the end of September.

It can be imagined that once the news of the reform‑implemented racecourse is released, the other races of the same month will all become mere accompaniment.

Even if the specifications, standards, and even audience numbers haven't changed much, the change in atmosphere is still obvious.

This is like a skit‑level program placed before the main act in a stage performance.

—Ultimately, they are just used to warm up the crowd.

Everyone eagerly awaits the brand‑new system the Association will roll out after its reform, wishing they could fast‑forward to the 26th, but reality doesn't offer a 'heaven‑made' windfall for all; life must still progress step by step.

Formal races of other grades will proceed as usual.

As usual, whether it's sports lottery or betting pools from different bookmakers, they will all open steadily.

Of course, support for the horse‑girls into whom passion and affection are poured, as if even dreams are entrusted to them, will continue as before.

But GIII is already the lowest tier of official races, let alone that handicap races were once products of mile races remade into short distances.

Due to the long‑standing prejudice that 'short means weak', that 'short‑ and middle‑distance races are inferior to long‑distance ones', and that 'rising standards year by year prove it', the short‑distance races that originated from mile races are looked down upon even more.

However, this prejudice exists mostly among laypeople; it becomes an alternative filter for the audience, so those willing to buy live tickets are not merely gambling addicts but knowledgeable fans who have expectations—among them are also ardent supporters who come just to cheer a particular little girl.

GIII races have many such fervent fans, because the horse‑girls who enter GIII races are usually newcomers to the track who have just begun to show promise.

They are sufficiently raw and young, making it easy for their supporters to experience the joy of 'raising a daughter'.

It is like an idol otaku: starting from when the idol's fans numbered only a few dozen, supporting her step by step—the genuine sense of participation lets them share in her glory, and by then their mindset is not just about raising a child but about jointly creating dreams.

Thus a horse‑girl's debut performance is very important.

The accumulated early‑fan base will greatly affect whether your race schedule goes smoothly, unless the person's spirit is strong or numb enough to ignore any outside noise.

This is no different from managing an idol; even anti‑fans are fans, and if the person can withstand fearless criticism, turning things around or simply monetizing benefits is not difficult.

But obviously, the girl named Mi Bath does not yet have such a strong or numb spirit.

Moreover, at the same time, her early performance is not ideal.

She has never won a race; after several outings she's been lukewarm, even placing outside the top ten at times, so her fan accumulation, like her race record, looks worrying to behold.

Even her ups and downs can bring a noticeable drop in fans.

Contemporaries at this stage already enjoy high popularity hovering between GI and GII, and her close associate Bourbon once led the pack, whereas she and her trainer—actually still need to worry about meeting the fan‑count threshold for GI race entry.

To gather enough fans and ensure victory, they had already decided in August to pre‑register for the 'Capital Cup Autumn Handicap' race.

They did win, but the growth in fan numbers is not very optimistic.

At the end of that silent video, the screen displayed each horse‑girl's name with their margin in horse lengths, while the stands were filled with countless silent yet ferocious faces.

The smile that would naturally appear on a child's face from victory froze, and she lowered her head in silence.

"Mi Bath, is she all right?"

Having noticed James holding the screen, and also seeing the brief close‑up of the first‑place finisher bowing her head, Chao Cang Lu looked again at the girl atop the star terrace.

He could not help but voice a low‑voiced worry.

"No problem, this ritual has been performed many times already," James said softly, "and if we hadn't done this ritual…"

He fell silent for a moment, then sighed: "I also don't find it easy to truly see her."

"……Mr. James."

Chao Cang Lu looked at him, then turned his head to the girl who was now being surrounded by countless stars as the ritual had begun.

In that light, her already petite frame seemed even more delicate, giving an almost unreal feeling that she might vanish into the light at any second.

Before meeting him, James had already told him quite a bit.

Because that child is so sensitive.

Whether it's an unlucky encounter or others' sharp comments, even if spoken without malice, it's possible for the child to misunderstand.

James the trainer himself usually musters twelve‑percent effort to communicate with her, and besides, after the race two days ago, Mi Bath has been avoiding him altogether.

It is apparent that the girl has indeed been hurt.

In this situation, to introduce her to a stranger, one must tell that person everything that needs attention.

He trusts that Mr. Chao will perform well, even if the other party looks merely like a college student.

After all, Trainer Linton also appears as a college student, and since the other party is someone known to Linton the trainer, even that earnest side is similar.

To be frank, although I don't want to say things that would upset the child, Mi Bath is also quite well‑known among the trainers' circle.

In chat rooms, when people discuss the 'worrisome student' topic without malice, she is often mentioned.

Moreover, as a trainer who often ends up hospitalized due to injury, James has tried more than once to ask colleagues to help look after her, but the results have not been very good.

Linton the trainer's bluntness once led him to think the other party was out of the loop.

It seemed he lacked sufficient awareness of Mi Bath's condition.

But later facts proved he was mistaken; that young man is genuinely enthusiastic, yet he also seems truly busy.

As a newcomer, he was in charge of training three horse girls, and other horse girls would occasionally visit him; sometimes he wasn't even on campus, which even let the Qianming representative and Chengtian Bai Ren watch his subordinate horse girls.

At first glance this looks like slacking off and being lazy, to the point that a stubborn coworker who can't stand 'being so sorry to the horse girls' went to confirm with Miss Junchuan—

The relatively uniform response came back: Trainer Lindun was doing mercenary work with the chairman's permission, not slacking off.

It left those people speechless, and made other listeners sigh that youth is just good (x).

He seems to have inexhaustible energy, really a peculiar junior.

Clearly the trainer's job itself is busy enough, with many colleagues unable to stop frequently complaining about not understanding the worries of their adolescent female subordinates, and also complaining about how the tracks these days are getting more and more competitive……

He, however, had no particular movement.

He even went out running, fighting in monster form to protect the public on TV, and when colleagues shared and discussed it in their group, he even had time to come out and 'debunk rumors'.

Does this guy have 48 hours in a day?

But if one says it's the recklessness particular to hotheaded youths, which doesn't last long, Jiemesi would not agree.

Everyone says that those who can be central trainers have good vision and are good at reading people, but he doesn't have that feeling.

Except that he alone can see a kind of 'peer' in a certain sense.

Just as in the person of Trainer Aomo Lindun, seeing that maturity not matching his age, like looking at oneself in a mirror.

He even has an extra measure of steadiness compared to himself.

Someone with such a demeanor is not only unrelated to being a hothead, but may even have had an unhappy childhood.

By comparison, the young man named Chao Cang Lu, although lacking that steadiness, is more like looking in a mirror, having a higher degree of similarity.

That is the tenacity accustomed to opposing whatever, that is the enthusiasm not to give up on life, that is the kindness that makes him able to firmly believe in what is trustworthy.

He even volunteers when he mentions his own frequent injuries.

Saying something like 'I'm willing to help look after,' even though he's not a trainer and probably could hardly become one, but absolutely cannot just sit and wait for doom! — such words, quite imposing.

It made him feel, for once, that the Jidong language really has presence.

But speaking frankly, him being able to say that already makes Jiemesi very happy.

Being able to listen to him finish talking about the current state of the rice bath without showing rejection, but instead with a sad expression…… He is a good kid, Jiemesi is very happy to have met such a young person.

But saying what about studying now, or even asking Trainer Lindun to teach something……

Better forget it; the difficulties in life and those in profession are two different matters.

A boy his age, looking at those professional books, would probably fall asleep after less than ten minutes…… Trainer Lindun might be an exception.

But he also wouldn't agree to such a childish proposal.

He was specially recruited as a trainer for some other reason; how could he teach laypeople to become trainers?

He was thinking that, but then suddenly saw a light light up beside him, accompanied by a faint ding.

That was Xiao Lu's phone.

The lit screen showed a short message.

【Yuehuanshe: Okay, I'll teach you】

Then came another notification sound.

【Yuehuanshe: Forget it, I'll just come over directly; where are you? Report the coordinates】