Uma Musume: From Being Knocked Ten Meters Away

Chapter 633 "The Whirlwind of Ingenuity"

"oops!"

Meiling immediately turned her head and looked at Yasui Makoto with a hint of reproach:

"Xiao Zhen, really, why are you assigning homework and doing spot checks during the New Year? It's too serious! Xiao Bei already works hard enough in training and competitions."

Yasui Makoto sighed helplessly: "Mom, you didn't say that when I couldn't memorize my lessons as a child..."

Before he could finish speaking, Meiling, as if she hadn't heard him, turned around and affectionately took Kita Genko's hand:
"Xiao Bei, let's ignore him. Come on, tell Mei Ling, what's troubling you?"

"Don't let my current status as a housewife fool you, I used to be a racehorse girl who ran races!"

"Although my grades are just average, I might still remember some of the basics, which could be helpful."

Upon hearing this, Kita Genko's eyes lit up, while Alimee and Alice nodded with smiles.

They had heard Yasui Makoto mention this part of her mother's experience before, but when Chunqiu Fen heard it for the first time, her eyes widened in surprise, and she exclaimed softly:

"Eh?! Was Mi-Rin-neechan a Uma Musume (horse racer) before?"

Seeing Chunqiu's surprised expression, Meiling seemed to have discovered something interesting. Her eyes curved into crescents, and she deliberately leaned closer, lowering her voice to say in a mysterious tone:

"Yes, yes, it's quite a surprise, isn't it?"
"Back in the day, I was quite the 'Kibo whirlwind' on the Nagoya circuit!"

"Although I have this reputation... well, it's mainly because I always inexplicably accelerate on curves, making myself dizzy, and that's how I got the nickname..."

She laughed as she spoke, her friendly yet self-deprecating manner instantly dispelling any sense of distance.

Upon hearing this, Alice's eyes lit up with interest: "Oh? A unique running style case in a local race? Kukuku... that's interesting."

Yamato Akaki smiled in a friendly manner:

"It shouldn't be just these, right? Meiling's talent must be quite impressive. We were saying before that Yasui's knowledge of horse racing is something he inherited from his mother."

Meiling waved her hand with a smile: "Oh, what talent or not, it's just an interesting memory."

As she spoke, she looked at the Northern Black Horse again, "How about it, Little North? Do you need a little help from your 'senior'?"

Beifang Xuanju felt a warmth in his heart and nodded vigorously: "Yes! Thank you, Aunt Meiling... oh no, I mean, Sister Meiling!"

Upon hearing this, Misuzu nodded in satisfaction, while Makoto Yasui paused for a moment before rubbing his forehead in surprise.

"Sister...? No, this generational relationship is completely wrong, isn't it? This..."

Before she could finish speaking, Misuzuki turned around, bent her index finger, and flicked his forehead lightly with precision.

"Honestly, Xiao Zhen is not cute at all."

Looking at her son, who was clutching his forehead and looking speechless, Meiling glared at him with feigned displeasure, then smiled and looked at the girls:

"That's why I said, let's ignore this old-fashioned guy who's just like his father, and work together to help Xiao Bei with his studies!"

Now, even the girls who were initially a bit reserved couldn't help but laugh, and the atmosphere instantly became relaxed and lively.

Amidst Meiling's enthusiastic greetings and laughter, the group decided to stay at the wagashi shop a little longer.

True to her word, Misuzu sat down next to Kita Genko and started helping her with her notes in a very professional manner. Every now and then, she would use her experience from local competitions to explain a term or two in a humorous way. Although her professionalism was questionable, it made the atmosphere very relaxed.

Alice and Yamato Akari also joined the discussion with great interest, offering ideas from a more scientific perspective. Even Yasui Makoto put aside his helplessness and patiently added key points.

Northern Xuanju is naturally the type to thrive in lively environments. Surrounded and supported by everyone, she seemed to receive a "learning boost," becoming highly focused and exceptionally clear-headed.

She was surprised to find that she was actually digesting and absorbing the knowledge points that she had initially found to be obscure and difficult to remember, thanks to the lively discussions and vivid analogies of the crowd.

In less than an hour, she had remembered most of the parts she had previously gotten stuck on.

Yasui Makoto, Alice, and Yamato Akaki exchanged approving glances. They all knew the difficulty of those professional materials, and Kita Genko's sudden high efficiency was truly remarkable.

Alice abandoned her casual and playful demeanor, revealing the serious expression characteristic of a researcher:

"It seems that... specific environmental stimuli can indeed significantly improve memory efficiency."

Upon hearing this, Yasui Makoto and Yamato Akaki nodded slightly, almost simultaneously thinking that they might be able to refer to this discovery in future training and matches.

Almond and Spring and Autumn were much simpler; both of them were marveling at the Northern Black Horse, their eyes filled with admiration.

Misuzuki was clearly the happiest, as if it wasn't Kita Genko who had memorized the knowledge points, but rather that she herself had won a competition.

She smiled and got up to go to the counter, returning shortly with a small dish of delicate water yokan (a type of sweet bean jelly), which she placed in front of the Northern Black Horse with a beaming smile.
"This is a reward! When Xiaozhen was little, I would buy him this whenever he did well on a test or helped someone. This shop's Mizuyokan was his favorite when he was little; it's sweet but not cloying, and the texture is especially good."

Yasui Makoto stared at the familiar dessert for a moment, then unconsciously smiled, revealing a gentle smile as he reminisced.

Looking at the plate of crystal-clear water yokan, and then at Yasui Makoto's unusual expression, a surge of indescribable joy welled up in his heart.

She not only received a reward, but also seemed to glimpse a sweet corner of his childhood that he had never participated in through this small dessert.

"Thank you, Sister Meiling!" she said happily, carefully scooping up a spoonful and putting it in her mouth. The sweet aroma of soybeans instantly melted in her mouth.

……

The group departed from Tokyo around 1 p.m., and after arriving in Nagoya, they spent some time at a wagashi (Japanese sweets) shop before finally arriving at Yasui Makoto's house around 5 p.m.

This is a traditional two-story wooden building with a small courtyard. The white walls and black tiles, the bright windows and clean tables, and the pine and holly trees planted in the corner of the courtyard are full of a simple and peaceful atmosphere.

Compared to the sprawling mansion of the Genko family in the north, which requires a car to drive around, this place feels exceptionally compact and cozy.

"Our home is quite small, so please don't mind and feel free to sit anywhere."

As Yasui Makoto and his mother led everyone through the courtyard and into the house, he said:
"I've already arranged accommodation at a nearby hotel. It's very clean and only a few minutes' walk away. I'll take you there later."

Nodding along with the others, Beibu Xuanju curiously looked around.

The furnishings inside were clearly quite old; the edges of the wooden furniture were worn smooth, but everything was spotless. The green plants on the windowsill were thriving, and a soft woven blanket was casually draped over the sofa. The air was filled with the faint aroma of tea and the scent of sunshine.

During the visit, she couldn't help but glance at Yasui Makoto beside her from time to time.

So, Ah-Zhen... grew up here...

(End of this chapter)