Chapter 58: The Mysterious Card

The equestrian training grounds of St. Lanrt Boys' High School were located far away from the core teaching area. Surrounded by open space with no tall buildings nearby, the area felt remarkably expansive.

The outdoor riding arena was enclosed by a white fence, with several obstacle barriers set up inside for training purposes.

After classes, some students would come here on their own to practice equestrian arts. However, due to the limited number of school horses, advance reservations were required unless one was enrolled in a corresponding course, making it most convenient for students to stable their own horses in the campus stables.

Before even stepping into the training ground, Wen Xiao spotted a figure speeding across the arena from afar.

The rider was mounted on a black horse, holding the reins with one hand, his striking red hair making it practically impossible for anyone to miss him.

As the horse moved with violent undulations against the headwind, his hair whipped into the air, revealing a smooth, clean forehead.

In contrast to his usual haughty and untamed glare, his shockingly bright eyes at this moment were filled with a raw, natural wildness.

When the black horse suddenly accelerated, the onlookers gathered nearby could not help letting out a gasp, and Wen Xiao instinctively knitted his brows tightly together.

"The horse is out of control!"

In Wen Xiao's line of sight, the horse, appropriately named King, was running faster and faster, leaving a trail of dark afterimages across the field.

Yet the person riding on its back showed not a shred of fear, his falcon-like eyes fixed straight ahead.

Even at a time like this, his back remained nearly straight, sitting steadily in the saddle without being unseated by the violent bouncing.

Song Jingbai glanced over, letting out an ambiguous chuckle. "He's doing it on purpose."

Wen Xiao could see that as well, but apart from feeling anxious and helpless inside, there was nothing he could do.

Any unexpected situation encountered while riding could only be resolved by the person in the saddle. Sometimes a fall happened in the blink of an eye—the rider barely had time to react, let alone anyone else.

"Still loves to pull these reckless stunts." Wen Xiao gritted his teeth slightly.

On one hand, he felt that Huo Zhanyan was always eager to challenge these dangerous degrees of difficulty, constantly flirting with disaster.

On the other hand, he felt that Huo Zhanyan riding like this possessed an extraordinary, unbridled spirit. At seventeen or eighteen years old, wasn't that precisely the age of fearing neither heaven nor earth?

Just as Song Jingbai had said, the moment he looked at the expression on Huo Zhanyan's face, he knew the other was enjoying it—enjoying a moment thrilling enough to throw everyone else into a panic.

The horse's speed was too fast for most people to handle, and facing such a sudden turn of events, many would have been overcome with terror.

Yet Huo Zhanyan could manage it; not only was he unafraid, but he was fully capable of controlling the beast, and that alone was enough to leave everyone else far behind.

At this moment, the daring, wild figure galloping across the training ground on the black steed completely captured the attention and heart of everyone present, dancing on the edge of a blade and brushing shoulders with danger.

During equestrian training, various unexpected situations frequently arose that could cause a horse to bolt. Being skilled at riding did not guarantee one would never fall, as it was also tied to the horse's own temperament.

To many equestrian enthusiasts, mounting a horse meant greeting the unknown, embracing a challenge, and making the correct choice under extreme tension.

Therefore, equestrian training tested far more than just professional skills; it was an immense trial of psychological resilience.

Wen Xiao stepped closer to get a clearer view, unable to help muttering, "Idiot, don't lean your upper body forward..."

He had no idea if Huo Zhanyan had lost his mind to the adrenaline rush; leaning forward signaled the horse to accelerate further, and King was a spirited steed to begin with.

Only when he saw Huo Zhanyan snap out of his madness, straighten his torso, and lean back did Wen Xiao finally breathe a sigh of relief.

The black horse kept up that pace for a few more circles before its speed gradually began to ease.

Only then did Wen Xiao have the leisure to search for Huo Ya's figure, eventually spotting a small, sneaky-looking individual in the crowd creeping toward him.

"Huo Ya." Seeing her, Wen Xiao could not suppress a frown, lifting a hand to rub the bridge of his nose. "I've told you many times, you aren't allowed to sneak over here."

The person wearing a black duckbill cap lowered her head sheepishly and whispered, "Brother Wen Xiao, I know I was wrong."

It was only then that Huo Zhanyan pulled on the reins, riding the horse to a spot not far from Wen Xiao. He swung his long leg over and dismounted gracefully, still wearing the black tall boots that encased his calves.

His red hair was slightly messy from the wind, and a fine layer of sweat glistened on his forehead, making him look even more unruly and uninhibited. He walked up to Wen Xiao with a grin and said, "Wasn't I cool just now?"

Having vented his pent-up energy on horseback, he felt much less awkward facing Wen Xiao, and his spirits were vastly uplifted. He was eager to show off to Wen Xiao.

As Huo Zhanyan stood right before him, Wen Xiao noticed the other towered over him by a good head and a half. The buttons of his shirt were casually undone, revealing his collarbones and a fine sheen of sweat on his chest.

Moreover, because they were standing so close, the warm, hormone-laden aura radiating from the other youth rushed unreservedly into Wen Xiao's nasal passages, seeping into his senses with the predatory aggression of a wild beast.

He instinctively took a step back, nearly rolling his eyes at Huo Zhanyan. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? Have you got a death wish?"

"Xiaoxiao, are you worried about me?" The smile on Huo Zhanyan's face widened, tinged with a hint of complacency.

"No matter who fell off that horse, got a fracture, ruined their face, or risked being trampled, I'd be nervous," Wen Xiao retorted.

"So you admit it. You were just worried about me—worried I'd fall off, fracture a bone, ruin my face, or get trampled by the horse..."

As he spoke, Huo Zhanyan reached up to touch his own face, leaning closer to Wen Xiao. "I'm this handsome; it would be such a waste if I really ruined my face."

Huo Ya felt she simply could not bear to watch any longer. She nudged her way closer to Wen Xiao and finally addressed Song Jingbai, asking, "Brother Song Jingbai, could I speak with you about something in private?"

Song Jingbai glanced at her, his signature smiling fox eyes holding a glint of deep meaning, before looking back at Wen Xiao. "Alright."

Watching Huo Ya stand side by side with Song Jingbai, Wen Xiao could not help wondering if Huo Ya still harbored a crush on him.

She was even pushing everyone else away to have a private whispered conversation.

Wen Xiao could not quite describe the feeling in his chest. If the Song family truly intended to form a marriage alliance with the Huo family, or vice versa,

then with someone of Song Kaizhi's calculating, profit-driven nature, using his own son to trade for greater value would undoubtedly be a very profitable transaction.

As Wen Xiao lost himself in thought, the sound of hoofbeats reached his ears.

The tall black horse had walked right up to him. With slender limbs and a robust, muscular frame, the creature now looked as docile as a lamb, bearing no resemblance to the out-of-control beast from the training session moments ago.

Unable to resist, he reached out to stroke the black horse's head, gazing into its eyes with a smile. "King, long time no see."

The new semester had just begun, meaning he hadn't seen the black horse all summer. When the animal had first been delivered, it was merely a foal, but now it was already eight years old. He used to find the name a bit overly dramatic, but by now he had grown used to it.

The black horse nuzzled the palm of Wen Xiao's hand, as if soothed by the sound of his voice.

Huo Zhanyan crossed his arms and stood nearby, frowning. "You've never spoken to me like that."

Wen Xiao cast a sideways glance at him. "Are you an animal? Or are you only eight years old?"

Huo Zhanyan fell silent instantly, only managing to squeeze out a sentence after a long pause: "Humans are animals too, and as for whether I'm eight or eighteen, that doesn't matter."

Stroking the horse's neck, Wen Xiao asked, "When you say I've never spoken to you like that, what do you mean? My tone of voice?"

Before Huo Zhanyan could process it, he watched the youth in the form-fitting black uniform turn his head to look at him. The youth's brows and eyes were unimaginably gentle, his pupils clear and bright like a lake brimming with shimmering water.

"A-Yan?" the other called out softly.

Huo Zhanyan abruptly raised a hand to grab Wen Xiao's shoulder, lowering his head slightly while using his other hand to cover his nose. After a long moment, he choked out, "...Stop talking."

Wen Xiao couldn't help laughing, giving him a disdainful look before turning back to soothe the black horse, gently petting its neck.

"You're the one who complained I never used that tone with you. And now that I have, you find it cheesy, awkward, and nauseating. Huo Zhanyan, are you asking for a beating?"

Huo Zhanyan conceded in defeat. "Yes, I am. And... I don't find it nauseating."

He really was asking for it, digging a pit and burying himself in it.

When he heard Wen Xiao call him A-Yan, he had been so thrilled he almost pinned the youth to the ground and begged him to say it a few more times. It wasn't nauseating at all; he liked it so much it was driving him crazy.

Huo Zhanyan couldn't help casting covert glances at Wen Xiao's back.

From his slender neck to his slightly lean spine, down to his slim, taut waist, the rounded curve of his hips hugged tightly by black trousers, and finally his long, straight legs.

He felt as though every single part of Wen Xiao was seducing him, making his teeth itch and leaving him with an unbearable restlessness. Never before had he imagined he could act like such a sex-crazed maniac.

It was because he loved him, and loved every single part of him, adoring anything related to him. It was just like taking drugs—completely addictive.

Song Jingbai stood not far from Wen Xiao, his gaze never once leaving the youth.

Hearing Huo Ya call his name, he finally looked toward her. Before Huo Ya could even speak, he smiled and said, "You deliberately led me away? For Huo Zhanyan's sake?"

Huo Ya was struck speechless on the spot. For some reason, every time she faced Song Jingbai, her courage evaporated; she always felt that despite his smile, he kept everyone at a heavy distance.

Even people who had known him for a long time might not necessarily make him lower his guard.

Ordinarily, she would have shaken her head in denial, but her neck felt frozen, unable to move even an inch. She could only stare wide-eyed at Song Jingbai, looking somewhat pitiful.

Acting as if he didn't mind at all, Song Jingbai chuckled and changed the subject. Glancing at Wen Xiao and Huo Zhanyan standing not far away, he asked, "Tell me, Huo Ya, between Huo Zhanyan and me, who do you think is a better match for Xiaoxiao?"

Huo Ya's eyes widened in shock as her brain raced through countless interpretations of what Song Jingbai's words could possibly mean.

Vaguely, she felt as though she had stumbled upon a shocking scandal, yet a part of her refused to believe it. Surely, the phrase "a match" didn't mean what she thought it meant, did it?

Her own brother had admitted to being gay, so other people could be too. Besides, there was that guy named Wei Nanxing, whose gaze every time he looked at her gave her goosebumps.

Song Jingbai looked back at Huo Ya after speaking, as if quietly waiting for her reply.

Huo Ya blurted out instantly, "You, of course!"