Chapter Eighteen: I Will Defeat Him
“Let’s go.”
An Xingcai crossed his arms and stood before Ning Huaizhi, his head slightly raised with a condescending air.
No different from a peacock displaying its feathers, he thought silently.
“Let’s go.”
An Xingcai led the way, glancing back occasionally at the others. “If you want to quit now and admit defeat, it’s not too late. You won’t lose too much face.”
“You should worry about yourself instead.”
Ning Huaizhi stepped past An Xingcai without lingering on him, walking forward briskly.
An Xingcai was momentarily stunned, then hurried to catch up.
He felt a surge of frustration.
Why bother giving a considerate warning? Did she seem like someone who needed his kindness? She deserved to lose face once, so she could realize just how ridiculous she looked pretending in front of him.
Settling his resolve, An Xingcai quickened his pace.
When they reached the golf cart, An Xingcai fixed his gaze on Zhou Jiajia.
“Aren’t you here to apply as a caddy? Then drive the golf cart and take us to the course.”
“Me?” Zhou Jiajia shook her head anxiously. “I don’t know how to drive.”
“Seriously? You can’t even drive the golf cart—how can you have the nerve to apply as a caddy?”
Zhou Jiajia lowered her head, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
“I’ll do it,” Ning Huaizhi offered to save her from the predicament.
“You?” An Xingcai looked skeptical. “Are you sure you can?”
“If the young master doubts me, how about someone else?”
“No need, you do it.”
The golf cart wasn’t fast; even if it bumped into a tree, it wouldn’t cause much harm. Driving it wasn’t difficult. Since she volunteered, she must have some skill.
Ning Huaizhi sat in the driver’s seat, Zhou Jiajia squeezed beside her, and An Xingcai took the back.
The gentle breeze caressed their faces, easing their tension.
Zhou Jiajia whispered, “Huaizhi, thanks for helping me out.”
“No problem. It’s normal not to know how to drive a golf cart if you’ve never seen one before. It’s easy to learn; if you try, you’ll get it in two minutes.”
Zhou Jiajia smiled faintly.
Then someone behind them cast a gloomy remark.
“You’re applying to be a caddy without knowing anything? What were you thinking? The salary I offer isn’t for someone who can’t do anything.”
Zhou Jiajia’s smile faded; silence followed, likely from feeling embarrassed.
Ning Huaizhi responded, “Even if you hire a caddy, training is necessary before they can start. It doesn’t matter if they don’t know before; they can learn. The young master isn’t just hiring without training, is he?”
“Of course not. But not everyone can be trained. I think you’re quite suitable to be a caddy. After I beat you, how about coming to work for me?”
“Hmph, what if the young master loses?”
An Xingcai instinctively said, “I won’t lose.”
Ning Huaizhi smirked but said nothing.
Soon, the three arrived at their destination and got off the golf cart.
Zhou Jiajia stuck close to Ning Huaizhi, while An Xingcai refused to walk with them, striding ahead to keep some distance.
Zhou Jiajia then whispered, “Huaizhi, why didn’t you agree to him just now? His status is obviously not simple. If you became his caddy, you’d definitely earn a good salary every month.”
“That’s because I’m going to win.”
Zhou Jiajia fell silent.
Ning Huaizhi smiled and reached out to pat her head.
“Alright, just watch quietly.”
The soft touch on her head surprised Zhou Jiajia. When she came to her senses, they had already walked ahead, and she hurried to catch up.
Standing at the tee box, An Xingcai gave Ning Huaizhi a challenging glance. “Need me to explain the rules to you?”
“If you need me to explain to you, I’d be happy to,” Ning Huaizhi shot back.
An Xingcai found it boring and stayed silent.
Ning Huaizhi instead explained to Zhou Jiajia.
“There are eighteen holes on the course, each marked by a flag. My job is to swing the club and get the ball into the hole with as few strokes as possible. Whoever uses fewer strokes wins.”
“The eighteen holes must be played in order, and each is different, so different clubs are needed. Each club has its own purpose...”
Zhou Jiajia listened, confused but trying hard to remember every word.
An Xingcai sneered, “Looks like you know a bit. But telling her so much is a waste of time since she won’t understand. Are you trying to drag this out until I get impatient? If that’s the case, congratulations, you’ve succeeded—I’m already getting annoyed.”
Ning Huaizhi straightened and stopped explaining.
She winked at Zhou Jiajia, “Alright, just watch quietly. Don’t disturb us or step onto the course—that’s part of golf’s rules.”
After the briefing, Ning Huaizhi stood firm beside An Xingcai.
Switching from casual to serious, her expression darkened instantly, eyes sharp and focused, radiating confidence.
An Xingcai kept watching her, nearly blinded by the aura of self-assurance.
But he quickly recovered.
“Hmph, all just posturing.”
The match began with little exchange between them, both fully concentrating on the game.
An Xingcai agreed to the match, clearly no amateur. His movements and posture were impeccable.
Zhou Jiajia couldn’t tell exactly, but she sensed that without professional training, it wouldn’t look so smooth and graceful.
Her anxiety grew.
Could Ning Huaizhi really win?
She crossed her fingers over her chest, silently praying.
As time passed, they completed the first hole.
Initially, Zhou Jiajia tried to keep score mentally, but soon lost track.
They were playing stroke play, adding the strokes used on all eighteen holes to determine the winner.
This meant they had to give their best on every hole, no carelessness allowed.
Zhou Jiajia’s counting was unnecessary; others kept score.
Their expressions shifted from relaxed to serious, then they exchanged glances.
At first, they were confident An Xingcai would win, so no pressure.
But now, it seemed otherwise.
How could this be?
How could she beat the young master?
The course was not especially difficult, quite standard, so the game wouldn’t take too long.
After more than an hour, they both stopped.
The match was over.
The staff began tallying the scores, hands trembling slightly.