My Promotion Story Through Time Travel

Chapter 184 Chess Match

Hong Lao Er responded and stood up to run outside.

Lin Ziping watched his hurried figure and wondered whether he should follow him out.

The rules of this era were strict, especially for women.

It's not good for Li Qiongying to be alone in a room with a man and a woman like this now.

"I..." Lin Ziping prepared to take his leave.

“Young Master Lin, there’s no need to worry.” At the same time, Li Qiongying refilled Lin Ziping’s teacup and said, “Honghong is very obedient. The Sixth Prince’s guards all like him very much and think he is a martial arts prodigy. They are all happy to teach him.”

Lin Ziping glanced at Li Qiongying, then sat back down in his chair: "But how can I feel at ease constantly troubling Miss Qiongying?"

"It's alright, the Li family is large and powerful, we won't miss one more person," Li Qiongying said casually. "Would Young Master Lin like to play a game of chess with me?"

Playing chess?

Although Moshan Academy has set up a chess subject, Lin Ziping is a terrible chess player. He was able to pass the exam back then only because Zhang Mo let him pass.

"My chess skills are mediocre, how dare I embarrass myself?" Lin Ziping waved his hands repeatedly.

Li Qiongying smiled and said, "Moshan Academy is famous throughout the world for its 'books, chess, and arithmetic,' Young Master Lin is too modest."

Lin Ziping stated that this was a rumor.

Li Qiongying then asked, "Could it be that Young Master Lin doesn't find me attractive?"

This... they've even resorted to reverse psychology, it seems like they have no choice but to play along.

Lin Ziping clasped his hands in a gesture of apology and said helplessly, "I beg Miss Qiongying to show mercy."

Li Qiongying gestured for them to proceed.

Lin Ziping sat down opposite her.

Clean up the chess pieces on the board.

Li Qiongying holds several white pieces.

Lin Ziping casually replied, "Even numbers."

Li Qiongying opened her hand, revealing two white pieces.

Lin Ziping, playing black, made the first move.

Lin Ziping had almost completely forgotten all his knowledge of Go, and now, forced into this new role, he casually placed a black Go stone in front of him.

Li Qiongying pressed forward.

Lin Ziping quickly backed down.

The two exchanged blows more than ten times in the blink of an eye.

Just then, Hong Lao Er ran in with a pigeon, shouting, "Sister, I brought Xiao Hei in!"

As he spoke, he carefully presented the pigeon to Li Qiongying.

Li Qiongying took it from the pigeon, removed the thing tied to its leg, and handed it back: "Xiao Hei might be hungry. Honghong, would you like to feed it something?"

Hong Lao Er nodded, took the pigeon, and ran out again.

At this moment, Lin Ziping couldn't care less about the idea of ​​a "man" and a woman being alone in a room. His mind was racing, thinking about where to make his next move. Before he knew it, a thin layer of sweat had seeped out of his forehead.

"Young Master Lin, don't be in a hurry, it's just a game of chess," Li Qiongying said.

"Hehe," Lin Ziping awkwardly echoed.

Is this because they're in a hurry?

Every step he took was exactly what the other side had anticipated, causing them great alarm!

Lin Ziping had initially made the moves randomly, but he gradually realized that Li Qiongying seemed to be leading him by the nose with every step he took.

"Young Master Lin, you asked Honghong what he wants to do in the future, what about you?" Li Qiongying asked.

Lin Ziping casually replied, "Of course I know, in the future I..."

As he spoke, Lin Ziping ran out of things to say.

What do you want to do in the future?

When I was little, I wanted to study hard so I could go to the city and live with my parents.

When he got a little older, his parents came back, thinking that he should study hard and make a lot of money in the future.

Later, I wanted to get into a good university.

Later, I wanted to find a good job.

after that……

Lin Ziping seems to have realized his previous ideas, yet he also seems not to have.

He lives thousands of miles away from his parents and has earned money, but is still heavily in debt.

I went to university and got a job.

And then...

It seems like there's nothing I want to do anymore. I'm immersed in endless work every day, and the mechanical operation has extinguished all my thoughts.

Lin Ziping suddenly realized that he seemed to be no different from before.

A monotonous life, following the same routine, just getting by.

Li Qiongying pressed further, "Will you stay in Fuchun from now on? As a yamen runner?"

Lin Ziping stared at the chessboard in silence.

"This seems quite stable at the moment, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, it should be able to continue until old age," Li Qiongying said.

Stablize?

Work until you're old?

Lin Ziping thought of Mu Shaoying.

In his pursuit of stability, he ultimately collapsed at his workstation.

Is it stable?

It does seem quite stable.

But why do I feel so unwilling to accept it now?

The last memory of my life was that I could never finish my work, write all the plans, and submit all the reports.

Is this how my whole life is going to be?

But what can one do after leaving the Fuchun County government office?

And this is a government-affiliated position that was hard to obtain!

"I don't know what to do in the future. All people want is to be healthy and safe. I don't know what I can do either, so... I'll just stay in Fuchun for now and think about the future later."

Lin Ziping didn't look up, picked up the chess piece and casually put it down, saying, "Miss Qiongying, it's your turn."

Li Qiongying glanced at the chessboard and smiled, "Young Master Lin, are you sure you want to play here?"

Lin Ziping realized that his casual step had led him into Li Qiongying's encirclement.

"Once a move is made, there's no going back. Although my chess skills aren't great, there's no reason to take back a move," Lin Ziping said.

The two continued.

Given Lin Ziping's poor chess skills and unstable mentality, he was soon routed and surrendered.

"Miss Qiongying, I told you my chess skills weren't good, but you didn't believe me. I couldn't even last half an hour against you before I was completely defeated." Lin Ziping laughed it off.

Li Qiongying smiled but didn't reply, asking, "Why did Young Master Lin come to the backyard of Fuchun Tower today?"

"Just came to see...see..." Lin Ziping's voice trailed off under Li Qiongying's gaze.

For some reason, Lin Ziping felt completely exposed in front of Li Qiongying today.

It's as if everything I do and say is under her control.

Li Qiongying sighed: "Sometimes I really envy you."

Lin Ziping was taken aback.

What?

Envious of him?

Li Qiongying envies Lin Ziping?

What does he have to envy?

"Take a look at this." Li Qiongying handed Lin Ziping the thing that Hong Lao Er had just brought in, which had been taken off the pigeon leg.

Lin Ziping glanced at Li Qiongying and, seeing that she looked calm and showed no sign of testing him, accepted the gift.

This is a wrapped-up note.

Lin Ziping unfolded it, and inside were detailed records of what had happened outside, as well as a description of why he came here and how he got here.

Seeing the scene of "playing around with two young children" made me frown.

Do you even know what you're doing? That's a strategy. Otherwise, how could such a high wall fly over?

"Do you know why you arranged this place?" Li Qiongying asked.

Lin Ziping shook his head and honestly said, "Wang Changping arranged for me to protect you."

Li Qiongying burst into laughter upon hearing this: "Do you think I need your protection?"

Lin Ziping continued to shake his head.

The world is peaceful here, why would I need to protect myself? Besides, the fact that Li Qiongying was able to receive messages from the front means either this was all pre-arranged, or she is so capable that she has already arranged for her own people to keep an eye on things.