People are in the magic card, instigating rebellion against the world.

Chapter 145 Knowing the World: Ye Hui is certainly a friend, but more importantly, someone worth cherishing.
“Yes!” Sakura nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling.

The girl in uniform smiled and handed over a question card, a pen between her fingers, her tone light and cheerful: "This is the third question. Please answer it, all three of you!"

Sakura took the question card, read out the question, and her brows gradually furrowed: "There is a bucket that contains at least five liters of water. You are only given a three-liter empty bucket and a four-liter empty bucket. How can you accurately measure out two liters of water?"

After reading it aloud, an invisible question mark seemed to appear above her head. She tilted her head and muttered, "This question sounds so familiar... Oh! It's a word problem the teacher talked about in math class!"

The thought of math made her face fall instantly. She pouted and handed the worksheet to Xue Tu: "Math... ugh, I'm terrible at these convoluted problems... Xue Tu, bro!"

Yukito smiled as he took the question card, gently placed his palm on Sakura's shoulder, patted her back, and spoke in a gentle tone, as soft as an afternoon breeze.

"Don't worry, Sakura, let's figure it out together. Even if we try slowly, we'll eventually figure it out."

"Yes!" Sakura nodded immediately.

With Snow Rabbit around, even those dreaded math problems don't seem so difficult anymore.

—Anyway, she doesn't need to answer.

Sakura moved closer to Yukito, and together they stared at the numbers on the question card.

Ye Hui stood next to Zhi Shi, his gaze fixed on the question card. He spoke slowly and quietly, discussing with Zhi Shi: "There is a large bucket containing five liters of water, and two empty buckets containing three liters and four liters respectively. The goal is to measure out two liters of water."

He paused, then turned to look at Tomoyo. "Five, three, four—how can we combine these three numbers to get two?"

Tomoyo gently tapped her palm with her finger, following his train of thought as she softly repeated, "Five minus three equals two, but it won't work if you just pour it out... Three plus four equals seven, and seven minus five equals two."

At this point, she blinked, then her eyes lit up as she looked at Ye Hui, a faint smile already playing on her lips. "Could we use the total capacity of the two small buckets, minus the water in the large bucket?"

"The approach is absolutely correct!"

Ye Hui smiled and praised her generously, "Zhi Shi is amazing."

As expected of Tomoyo-chan, she gets it right away!

【Daodaiji Chiyo’s Emotion Value +6】

[You're trying to use this despicable and shameless method to display your pathetic, almost nonexistent wisdom in front of Tomoyo, the Goddess of the Daoist Temple, hoping to make her worship you! Your intentions are as clear as day!]

Ye Hui rolled his eyes inwardly.

He was clearly trying to build rapport and deepen his relationship with Tomoyo...

Tomoyo held the question card, her fingers tracing it lightly. She spoke a little faster as she explained the solution step by step: "First, fill the four-liter bucket, then pour it into the three-liter bucket. That way, there will be one liter left in the four-liter bucket."

"After emptying the water from the three-liter bucket, pour the remaining one liter from the four-liter bucket into the three-liter bucket."

She paused, glanced at Ye Hui, and seeing him nod encouragingly, continued, "Then fill the four-liter bucket again and pour it into the three-liter bucket. Since there's already one liter in the three-liter bucket, you can only fill it with two more liters. After filling it, there will be two liters of water left in the four-liter bucket!"

After speaking, she looked up at Ye Hui, blinking her eyes, her cheeks slightly flushed, probably from being warmed by the afternoon sun.

“Absolutely correct.” Ye Hui smiled, pausing for a moment as he raised his hand.

This was the first time he had ever wanted to touch Tomoyo's head.

When his fingers gently touched the girl's soft black hair, he moved with exceptional gentleness, as if afraid of messing up the ends of her hair.

Ye Hui gently stroked the top of Zhi Shi's head.

It feels softer than I expected, and has a pleasant, light shampoo scent.

Tomoyo's cheeks instantly turned even redder, and her earlobes also turned slightly pink.

Nevertheless, she did not dodge, but simply lowered her eyelashes and smiled faintly, almost imperceptibly, at the corners of her mouth.

"Thank you, Ye Huijun," she said softly, her voice even lower than usual.

【Daodaiji Chiyo’s Emotion Value +17】

Ye Hui withdrew his hand, feeling a surge of pleasure.

It feels really nice, soft and gentle, just like Zhi Shiren.

This was the first time he had ever touched Tomoyo's head...

Hmm, maybe I can be bolder next time, like touching it.
cheek.

Ye Hui turned to look at Sakura and Yukito, who were still pondering the question, and raised his chin: "Sakura, Yukito, we've got the answer."

Sakura leaned closer, and after listening to Tomoyo's solution, her eyes widened in amazement: "Wow! Tomoyo, you're amazing! How come I never thought of turning it back and forth like that!"

Snow Rabbit smiled and nodded, "This solution is very clear, but we've also figured out how to solve it. Let's go."

After hearing Tomoyo's answer, the staff member smiled, stamped her entry certificate with the official seal, and handed her a new clue slip: "Congratulations on passing! This is a clue to the next destination. Good luck!"

"Arigato." Tomoyo took the clue slip and smiled.

On the other side, Sakura and Yukito also submitted their solutions.

However, their solution was indeed quite different from Ye Hui's.

"First, fill the three-liter bucket with water, then pour it all into the four-liter bucket. Now the four-liter bucket will have three liters of water! Then fill the three-liter bucket again and pour it into the four-liter bucket, since the four-liter bucket can still hold one liter. After pouring it all in, the three-liter bucket will have exactly two liters of water left!"

After saying that, she looked up at the snow rabbit, her eyes sparkling.

Yukito couldn't help but laugh, reaching out to gently ruffle her hair, and softly praised, "Sakura is so clever! Your solution is even clearer than I could have come up with!"

"Hehe..." Sakura blushed slightly from the praise and lowered her head shyly.

The staff also gave him approving looks: "Both of your solutions are correct."

She picked up the stamp and stamped the third Dianthus chinensis stamp on Sakura's competition certificate.

Then a new clue note was handed over.

"This is a clue to our next destination. I wish you all the best for the future."

After obtaining the clues, the two groups said goodbye with smiles and set off in different directions to carry out their respective tasks.

Sakura held Yukito's hand, her steps light and quick, as if she were walking on the wind.

Ye Hui walked side by side with Zhi Shi, occasionally stopping to wait for her to compare the signs on the roadside.

……

After overcoming numerous obstacles, Ye Hui and Zhi Shi quickly reached the ninth level.

After checking the answers, the staff smiled and nodded: "Congratulations, you answered correctly."

He took out his stamp, stamped the ninth stamp on their competition certificates, and handed them the last clue slip of paper.

"This is a clue to the final destination. Good luck, you're just one step away from the championship!"

"We only have one last hurdle left! The championship is within reach!" Sakura took the clues for her group and cheered excitedly.

She eagerly unfolded the note, and saw a familiar school building drawn on it, with a wide playground in front of it, and the lines of the running track clearly visible.

"It's our school! Tomoeda Elementary School!" Sakura recognized it at a glance, grabbed Yukito's hand, and ran towards the school. "Let's hurry up and set off! This time we must be the first to arrive and win the championship!"

The clues held by Ye Hui and Zhi Shi also had the same pattern.

Ye Hui looked at the teaching building on the note and couldn't help but laugh: "I didn't expect the last stop to be the school, which is the place we are most familiar with."

“Yeah, maybe the clues are hidden in the places we frequent.” Tomoyo nodded in agreement.

The two quickly arrived at the playground of Yuzhi Elementary School.

From afar, I could see a familiar figure standing in the center of the playground.

It was their teacher, Kanzuki Kaho.

She wore a light purple dress, her long hair draped over her shoulders, and held a stack of question cards in her hand, still looking gentle and elegant.

"Ms. Mizuki! What are you doing here?" Sakura ran over and was pleasantly surprised to see Mizuki Kaho.

Kaho Mizuki turned around and smiled, "Because many students from our school are participating in this riddle contest, the organizers invited me to help take charge of the last round, which is also a way to cheer everyone on."

As she spoke, her gaze inadvertently fell on the snow rabbit.

Yukito also noticed Mizuki Kaho's gaze.

He nodded slightly with a polite smile, which was his way of greeting him.

However, his smile lacked its usual ease and instead showed a subtle distance.

Ye Hui and Zhi Shi also came over, and seeing the interaction between the two, they understood.

These two individuals have special identities, so when they meet, there will inevitably be a different atmosphere.

[You keenly sensed the undercurrents between Elder Guanyue Gefan of the Moon Goddess Palace and the protector Yuecheng Xuetu! You deduced that an earth-shattering battle was inevitable between them! You decided to watch the show from the sidelines, and incidentally learn their fighting techniques to prepare yourself for dominating the cultivation world in the future!]

Ye Hui sighed.

He even dominated the cultivation world...

All he wants now is to live a good life with Tomoyo and Sakura.
Well, for example, go to school properly, eat well, and live a good life.

Kaho quickly looked away and turned to the four people in front of her, smiling as she said, "Alright, this is the last round. Good luck, everyone! If you answer the questions correctly, you can get the final Dianthus carnelian relief, and the championship is within reach."

Kanzuki Kaho took out a uniquely shaped glass bottle from behind her.

The bottle is transparent, with a narrow opening that gradually widens towards the bottom, resembling a miniature gourd. At the bottom lies a small, cherry-red ball with a smooth surface that gleams faintly in the sunlight.

"This is the final question."

She gently placed the bottle on the stone table in the playground, touched the bottle with her finger, and calmly stated her request.

"Please take out the small ball inside without putting your hand inside the bottle, without breaking the bottle, and without turning the bottle upside down."

"Huh?!" Sakura approached the stone table, stood on tiptoe, and stared at the bottle for a long time, her brows gradually furrowing.

You can't put your hand in.

It cannot be broken.

It can't be turned upside down yet.
How do I take this?

This question... is way too difficult!

She subconsciously touched the Clow Cards in her pocket, then quickly withdrew her hand, muttering to herself.

We can't just use magic directly.
Just as Sakura was worrying, Kaho Mizuki added another rule: "This time, the two people in each group will play rock-paper-scissors, and the winner will answer the question about how to solve it."

Sakura and Yukito started playing rock-paper-scissors.

Sakura chose scissors, and Yukito chose paper.

The little girl jumped up and down excitedly: "I won! Let me think of a way! Uh, let me think of a way."

Sakura snapped out of her reverie and glanced at Yukito, who was still smiling, with her eyes: "Of course, if you think of anything too, Yukito-nii, you can tell me too."

Seeing Yukito nod with a smile, Sakura squatted in front of the stone table, resting her chin on her hand, staring at the bottle. She would tilt her head to look at the mouth of the bottle, and then go around to the back of the table to look at the bottom of the bottle, beginning her deep thinking.

"Then let me think about it carefully."

On Ye Hui and Zhi Shi's side.

Ye Hui deliberately slowed down, playing the same paper as Zhi Shi, and won the second round by playing scissors.

Ye Hui walked up to Guan Yuegefan and explained his solution.

[Moon-Viewing Song Sails' Emotional Value +5]

A hint of appreciation flashed in Kanzuki Kaho's eyes, and she nodded: "You got it right. Ye Hui is indeed very smart, and his thinking is very flexible."

She took out the stamp and stamped the last Dianthus chinensis flower stamp on Ye Hui and Zhi Shi's competition certificates.

The red mark, overlapping with the previous one, appears exceptionally complete.

While Sakura was still slowly pondering, Ye Hui walked over to Yukito and quietly listened to his conversation with Mizuki Kaho.

“You are…” Mizuki Kaho spoke first.

"Moon City Snow Rabbit." Snow Rabbit nodded politely, her smile still gentle.

"You cleaned for me before, didn't you?" Guan Yue smiled slightly.

"You remember? Yes, I happened to be passing by and helped out." Yukito nodded again.

"When did you move to Tomoeda-cho?" Kaho Mizuki asked again, her fingers gently tracing the edge of the stone table.

"The third semester of the first year of high school." Snow Rabbit answered every question.

Do you live with your grandparents?

"Yes, but they love to travel and are often not at home. I'm usually home alone."

Snow Rabbit answered honestly, with no particular expression on his face, seemingly unaware of the probing questions in the series of questions.

Ye Hui listened from the side and understood clearly.

Kaho Mizuki is confirming Yukito's identity.

It seems she already knew that Yukito was the Judge Yue.

But it's the Snow Rabbit itself.
He doesn't seem to realize his other identity yet; he's still that gentle and cheerful ordinary high school student.

I just know a little bit of everything.

Just then, Sakura suddenly cheered, "I know! I know how to get the ball!"

She glanced around and sure enough, she saw a small watering can on the flower bed next to her.

She quickly took it, then ran to the stone table and carefully poured the water into the bottle through the neck.

As the water level slowly rose, the small red ball at the bottom of the bottle also floated up and finally got stuck firmly on the edge of the bottle opening.

Sakura reached out and gently squeezed the ball, holding it up in her hand with a bright smile: "Yukito-nii, look! I got it out!"

"Oh? Sakura is amazing, she actually thought of using the buoyancy of water, I never thought of that." Upon hearing this, Yukito walked over, smiled and ruffled her hair, his eyes full of admiration.

"Hey hey~ I'm not that smart, I just saw the kettle and it suddenly came to mind." Sakura blushed at the praise and scratched her head shyly.

"Congratulations, you answered correctly." Kaho Mizuki smiled and picked up the stamp, stamping the last stamp on Sakura and Yukito's competition certificates.

Then he took out a clue note from his pocket that was exactly the same as the one he had given Ye Hui, and handed it to Xiaoying.

"Alright, now your competition certificates are all stamped with ten stamps. You can go find the final Dianthus carnelian relief, which is located where it is written on the slip of paper."

"Thank you, Ms. Mizuki!" Sakura said, turning to walk out of the playground.

"Wait a minute." At this moment, Mizuki Kaho suddenly called out to them, her voice still gentle, but with a hint of seriousness that was hard to detect. "Everyone, please be careful on the road, because today is a full moon."

"Be careful? Full moon?" Sakura stopped and turned back to look at her, puzzled. "Is there anything special about a full moon? Mizuki-sensei, why do we have to be careful?"

"It's nothing, I just thought the moon would be exceptionally bright and beautiful tonight, and I wanted to remind you not to stay out too late looking for clues, and to go home early."

Kaho Mizuki's expression remained gentle, and her tone was as natural as a simple instruction, showing no sign of anything amiss.

"Oh...I see, thank you, Mizuki-sensei!" Sakura thought this was a bit strange.

Finding the relief shouldn't take too long, right?

There's no need to specifically remind them not to stay out too late.

Sakura didn't think much of it and obediently nodded in agreement, then grabbed Yukito's sleeve and prepared to leave.

Ye Hui understood that Guan Yuegefan was deliberately saying this to them.

The night of the full moon.

The magic of the Judgement Moon will reach its peak.

She was implying that the final test was coming soon.

It seems that Mizuki already considers him one of her own, on Sakura's side, which is why she gave him such a reminder.

Ye Hui chuckled inwardly.

That makes sense, after all, he's been their arch-rival for so long.
At this moment, Kero, who was invisible, floated over, poked its head out, gave Tomoyo an "OK" sign, and patted the miniature camera on its head with its little paws, indicating that it would continue to film Sakura. Then it quietly retreated back to continue its filming mission.

Sakura opened the last clue note, which still featured the same adorable penguin, but the background was different from before.

"Penguin Park again?" Tomoyo leaned closer to look, a hint of surprise in her eyes. "We've already been there once, and the staff even stamped our passports."

"Do we have to go back again? But we've already passed the third level."

Sakura frowned, poked the penguin on the note with her finger, and looked confused.

She remembered that she had explored all the attractions in the penguin park, but she couldn't find any place where the reliefs were hidden.

“It shouldn’t be the same area.” Snow Rabbit took the note and gently tapped the pattern next to the penguin with her finger. “Look, there are a few trees drawn next to this penguin, and the background lines are also dark. It looks like it’s in a forest, not the game area we just went to.”

"Are there small groves in Penguin Park?" Sakura tilted her head, trying hard to recall any memories of Penguin Park.

She had been there so many times, but each time she was only focused on playing on the slides and swings, and never noticed that there were any woods deep inside the park.

Tomoyo added from the side, "Yes, there is a grove of trees at the northernmost part of the park, near the wall. Because it is in a remote location, not many people go there, so many people don't know about it."

"Huh? Really? How come I've never noticed before!" Sakura exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Because every time Sakura goes to the park, she focuses all her energy on the amusement facilities, like dragging me and Tomoyo to swing on the swings, and never goes any deeper into the park," Ye Hui laughed.

Tomoyo covered her mouth and chuckled: "There's also a slide, or you can walk on a very low log bridge."

Upon hearing this, Ye Hui blinked and couldn't help but smile.

Tomoyo-chan is even teasing Sakura now. Looks like she's caught it from spending so much time with him?
Indeed, one is influenced by one's surroundings!
This side of Zhi Shi made him seem more lively than usual.

But it's even cuter now.
The four walked deeper into the penguin park along the path, passing through the lively play area. The laughter and cheers around them gradually subsided, and a dense forest came into view.

The ground was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, which made a soft rustling sound when stepped on.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled patterns of light on the ground.

It's so quiet here that you can only hear the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves; it's like a completely different world from the hustle and bustle outside.

"Is this... the grove that Tomoyo mentioned?" Sakura looked at the somewhat secluded woods in front of her and unconsciously slowed her pace.

She rarely comes to such quiet places and always feels a little uncomfortable.

And this place is so gloomy.
"This should be it. Look over there, on the tree trunk, there's a little penguin mark just like the one on the note."

Tomoyo pointed to a tree not far away, on which a small penguin pattern was drawn in red paint, exactly the same as the one on the clue note.

"I've never been this far inside the penguin park before. I had no idea there was such a place," Sakura muttered to herself, looking around at the trees.

"Don't be afraid, Sakura." Yukito noticed Sakura's nervousness, gently patted her back, and said softly.

Ye Hui walked at the front, subtly scanning the surroundings with his divine sense.

The only sound in the woods was the rustling of leaves in the wind; there was nothing unusual about it.

That's true, it seems that the Clow Cards didn't actually appear in this part of the story, otherwise he would definitely remember it.

Ye Hui pursed his lips and muttered to himself.

It's all his fault for always skipping the slice-of-life scenes without Clow Cards when he watched anime.

If I had known I would time travel, I should have memorized every single episode back then.

"The Dianthus chinensis relief we are looking for should be somewhere in this forest."

Ye Hui snapped out of his thoughts and turned to the three people behind him, saying, "The organizers wouldn't hide the clues too well, after all, this is just a guessing game, not a real adventure."

However, despite this, Mizuki Kaho's final reminder about the full moon was certainly not unfounded.

Something special is bound to happen during today's full moon.

Ye Hui looked up at the sky.

A bright, clear moon was hanging above their heads.

The moonlight was clear and bright, yet it stood out starkly from the bright sunlight around it, hanging high in the azure sky.

Is this a full moon during the day?
"Ye Huijun, look!" Zhi Shi suddenly tugged at his sleeve and pointed to a large, bluish-gray rock not far away.

Ye Hui looked in the direction she pointed, and a faint light brown corner was visible on the back of the boulder, which looked exactly like the Dianthus chinensis flower on the competition certificate.

"Found it!" Tomoyo's purple eyes reflected the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves, and the corners of her mouth curved into a smile.

"Looks like we're in luck, we found it so quickly." Ye Hui smiled and walked towards the boulder with Zhi Shi.

Just then, a shout came from Sakura's side: "We found it! The relief is here!"

Ye Hui and Zhi Shi went over to take a look and saw that Xiao Ying was holding a Dianthus carnelian relief that was exactly the same as the one behind the boulder.

Snow Rabbit was helping her hold onto the edge of the relief sculpture so she wouldn't lose her grip.

It seems that the organizers prepared several identical reliefs to ensure fairness and avoid unnecessary disputes over who would claim them.

"Let's hurry! If we get to the plaza now, we're sure to win the championship! Charge!" Sakura, carrying the relief sculpture, took the lead and ran towards the edge of the forest, protecting the sculpture tightly in her arms.

Ye Hui and Zhi Shi also picked up the relief sculpture and followed behind.

Yukito walked at the back, occasionally reminding Sakura to slow down and not to run too fast and fall.

Before she had run more than a few steps, Sakura suddenly stopped.

She stopped, looked up, and stared blankly at the sky. Her initial excitement faded, replaced by an indescribable sense of bewilderment.

"What's wrong, Sakura?" Yukito was the first to notice her unusual behavior, and quickly stopped and went to her side.

Tomoyo also looked up at the sky and saw the full moon that seemed so out of place in the daytime. Her brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of worry flashed in her purple eyes.

She remembered the reminder that Ms. Mizuki had given her before she left. So this was what the teacher meant by being careful?
Sakura's gaze was fixed on the full moon, and a familiar dream suddenly flashed through her mind.

Under the pitch-black night sky.

The towering iron tower pierces the sky, and the full moon hangs atop it.

There was also a mysterious figure with long hair standing under the Eiffel Tower, his face obscured by the moonlight, making it impossible to see clearly...

The images from her dream overlapped with the bright daylight and full moon before her eyes, making it difficult for her to distinguish whether she was in reality or had stepped into that recurring dream.

"Sakura? Sakura?" Yukito noticed her staring blankly at the sky and gently waved his hand in front of her eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Huh?!" Sakura suddenly snapped back to her senses, but her body involuntarily took a step back.

She was standing on the edge of a small hill, with no support under her feet. She instantly lost her balance and fell towards the bushes below.

Ye Hui reacted swiftly, subtly hooking his finger, and the shadow on the ground instantly materialized, catching Xiaoying's falling body steadily, and then silently dissipating the moment she regained her balance.

To Yukito, who was rushing over, it looked as if Sakura herself had managed to steady herself in time.

Shadow control is Ye Hui's "Wind Card".

They are all model workers who regularly go to work but receive no salary.

"That was close..." Sakura leaned against the tree trunk beside her, her heart still pounding, her palms sweating slightly. She rubbed them against the tree trunk.

The momentary feeling of weightlessness left her somewhat shaken.

She genuinely thought she was going to fall.
"Thank you, Ye Huijun!" She turned her head and exhaled a breath of stale air.

[Kinomoto Sakura's emotional value +10]

Tomoyo also breathed a sigh of relief. When she saw Sakura fall, she subconsciously clenched her hands, but now that she saw that Sakura was alright, she breathed a sigh of relief, and the worry in her eyes gradually faded away.

【Daodaiji Chiyo’s Emotion Value +5】

"I told you to focus more and stop daydreaming, Sakura-chan." Ye Hui shook his head helplessly, but there was no blame in his tone. "Luckily you reacted quickly, otherwise your beautiful new coat would be covered in mud."

This is so upsetting!
"I didn't mean to," Sakura said shyly, sticking out her tongue and gently tugging at the hem of her coat to brush away any dust.

She was just looking at the moon during the day and got too lost in thought.

[You remained calm and collected in the face of danger, saving Kinomoto Sakura, a disciple of the Heavenly Spiritual Root who was seeking an opportunity but was about to fall off a cliff! Not only were the Heavenly Spiritual Root disciple deeply grateful to you, but the guardian deity Daidoji Tomoyo's feelings for you also deepened! And yet, your true ultimate goal was indeed to seize the treasure at the bottom of the cliff! You truly are a treacherous and despicable cunning fellow!]

Ye Hui ignored the self-talk of the mentally challenged system.

At this moment, Yukito quickly walked over, gently took Sakura's arm, and looked her up and down: "Are you alright, Sakura? Did you bump or hurt yourself anywhere?"

"No, no, I'm fine, Yukito-nii!" Sakura picked up the Dianthus figurine from the ground again, holding it even tighter, a serious expression on her face. "Let's go! This time I promise I won't get distracted again!"

The brief incident just now completely jolted her awake from the daze of her dream.
All I can think about right now is getting back to the square.

Let's win the championship together with Snow Rabbit!
Ye Hui and Zhi Shi followed behind, the wind in the forest blowing gently, carrying the fragrance of leaves.

"Ye Huijun, thank you for earlier." Zhi Shi walked beside him, her voice soft, like a leaf falling beside his ear.

"I've already said we're friends, there's no need to be so polite about such a small thing." Ye Hui turned his head to look at her.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves and fell on her face, making Tomoyo's skin glow and giving her a demure and gentle appearance.

Tomoyo wore a faint smile, her purple eyes shining like crystals submerged in water, and she nodded gently.

"Ah."

They are friends, but more importantly, they are worth cherishing.
Tomoyo silently added a sentence in her mind.

【Daodaiji Chiyo’s Emotion Value +20】

Ye Hui sensed the change in her emotions and felt happy as well.

The hero-saves-the-damsel-in-distress trope is a surefire way to boost your popularity, no matter the world.

Although he didn't save Tomoyo herself.

But the results seem to be about the same.

Even more effective?
"Charge! The championship is just ahead!" Sakura's cheers echoed along the forest path.

She hugged the relief sculpture and ran forward with light steps, her two little pigtails swinging behind her.

The snow rabbit followed beside her, occasionally reminding her to slow down and not fall again.

Only then would Sakura slowly slow down, but she would soon find herself quickening her pace again.

Ye Hui and Zhi Shi walked slower, side by side as if taking a stroll, their pace neither hurried nor slow, but they were able to keep up steadily behind Xiao Ying and the others.

"Sakura seems very happy." Tomoyo looked at the cheerful figure ahead, a gentle smile curving her lips and amusement in her eyes. "It's so nice to see her like this."

"Yes, after all, it's about working towards a common goal with someone you like, so of course you'll be happy."

Ye Hui echoed, his gaze falling on Zhi Shi's profile.

Looking at the tenderness in her eyes, I felt a warmth in my heart.

On a quiet afternoon like this, walking through the woods with someone you like, listening to your friends' laughter, is probably the most comfortable time.

Ye Hui turned his head and looked at Sakura and Yukito walking side by side in front of him, without the slightest hint of jealousy in his eyes.

After all, this isn't some perfect couple, but rather a pair of old men and young women.

He knew very well that Yukito only had brotherly affection for Sakura.

However, the person Yukito truly cares about is someone else entirely.

Compared to the previous Jin Lao Yu Xiao, Ye Hui is now more concerned about and cares more about the gentle and lovely Tomoyo-chan beside him.

"Ye Huijun, should we... still compete with Sakura for the championship?" Tomoyo was unusually conflicted.

She actually wanted to win the championship with Ye Hui.

But what if her opponent is Sakura, her best friend whom she has always cherished?
This made her somewhat reluctant to give it her all.

Ye Hui saw the hesitation in her eyes and his heart softened.

Tomoyo always puts her friends first, forgetting that she also deserves what she wants.

In his heart, even Tomoyo should be number one.

He spoke softly, "Of course we should fight for it."

"Huh?" Tomoyo paused for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

【Daodaiji Chiyo’s Emotion Value +7】

"You have to give it your all in a competition; that's the greatest respect you can show your opponent."

Ye Hui looked at her seriously, his voice firm, "If we deliberately throw the match just because our opponent is Sakura, it would not only be disrespectful to this match, but also to Sakura and Yukito's hard work all the way. Don't you agree?"

He paused, his voice softening slightly, with a hint of barely perceptible expectation: "And... don't you want to stand with me on the highest podium, and receive that prize together?"

【Daodaiji Chiyo’s Emotion Value +15】

"Of course I want to." Tomoyo didn't hesitate much, looking up at Ye Hui with sparkling eyes, like stars falling from the sky.

Of course she wanted to share the joy of winning the game with her friend and create more memories with her partner.

"Then don't think too much about it." Ye Hui reached out and naturally took her small hand.

Tomoyo's hands were very soft, and her fingertips were slightly cool, making them very comfortable to hold.

"We just need to do our best in the competition and strive for it. As for the result... let nature take its course."

—It would be strange to just let things take their natural course.

He already had a plan in mind.

Only children make choices.

He decided he wanted both!

【Daodaiji Chiyo’s Emotion Value +14】

Tomoyo's cheeks flushed slightly, but she didn't let go of his hand; instead, she gently squeezed it back.

[You successfully persuaded the wavering Dharma Protector Daidouji Tomoyo with your persuasive words! You convinced her that fighting alongside you was the only right choice!]

Ye Hui smiled.

How could someone as smart as Tomoyo be so easily swayed?

She simply chose to believe him.

Ye Hui felt a surge of relief.

He gripped Tomoyo's hand and quickened his pace: "We should speed up too, or they'll really leave us behind."

"Hi!" Tomoyo nodded gently and followed his steps.

Their shadows clung together in the sunlight, their steps quick and synchronized.

……

After walking through the forest path, you'll see the square ahead.

Ye Hui pulled Zhi Shi along and rushed out from a nearby side road.

They bumped into Sakura and Yukito right in front of them.

"Ye Hui-kun! Tomoyo!" Sakura's eyes widened instantly as she looked at the two who had suddenly appeared beside her. "How did you two get here so fast?"

[Kinomoto Sakura's emotional value +7]

"Hi~ Sakura-chan."

Ye Hui waved at her, "Looks like we'll be crossing the finish line together!"

Sakura: Oo
Before Sakura could react, Ye Hui had already grabbed Tomoyo and, together with Yukito and Sakura, ran towards the red finish line in the center of the plaza.

As four pairs of feet crossed the line simultaneously, the surrounding crowd erupted in cheers.

"Who... is number one among us?" Sakura looked up, glanced at Ye Hui, then at Yukito, her face blank.

She ran too fast and didn't see who was first or last.

Ye Hui shrugged.

Should we leave some room for Sakura's experience?

The host in charge of timing the finish line stared at the two stopwatches in his hands, his brows furrowed, looking troubled.

The stopwatch on his left hand recorded Ye Hui and Zhi Shi's finishing times, while the one on his right hand corresponded to Sakura and Yukito's.

The numbers on the two dials are exactly the same, down to the second, and even the milliseconds are identical!
He had never encountered such a situation in all his years of hosting competitions.

After a full day of competition across ten checkpoints, two groups of contestants managed to cross the finish line in exactly the same amount of time.

The odds of winning that are even lower than winning the lottery jackpot!
The host wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and couldn't help but look up at Ye Hui not far away.

The other person was calmly holding Tomoyo's hand.

Hidden strength and name.

—A master of score control is here!
The surrounding spectators also gathered around, and whispers rose and fell: "Who won? It was too fast, I didn't see it clearly!" "It looks like they arrived at the same time, right? I think they crossed the line at almost the same moment!"

"And even at the same time, there must be a sequence, right?"

Upon hearing this, Sakura nervously gripped the relief sculpture in her arms, staring at the host with her fists clenched.

Ye Hui remained calm.

Who would expect results from something they control?
He had already made subtle speed adjustments to ensure that both groups could cross the finish line at the same time.

He wanted to neither disappoint Sakura nor disappoint Tomoyo, and also share the joy of winning the championship with her.

Controlling the score was a piece of cake for him.

Tomoyo stood beside him, feeling the warmth of his palm. Her gaze slowly fell on Sakura's tense profile, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

【Daodaiji Chiyo’s Emotion Value +7】

After the host finished speaking quietly with the judges, he picked up the microphone, cleared his throat, and his voice carried throughout the square through the speakers.

"After final confirmation by the judging panel, and combining stopwatch timing with on-site observation..."

He paused deliberately, and the square fell silent instantly.

Sakura's heart was pounding, and she bit her lower lip.

"The champions of this Tomoeda Town Riddle Adventure Contest are—a tie for first place! The teams of Ye Hui and Daidouji Tomoyo, and Kinomoto Sakura and Tsukishiro Yukito, crossed the finish line at the same time and jointly won the championship!"

Sakura was stunned for a couple of seconds, then reacted and jumped up happily: "Great! We're both number one!!"

She hugged Snow Rabbit tightly, her voice jubilant: "Snow Rabbit Bro! We won! We're the champions!"

Yukito patted her on the back with a smile, his eyes full of affection: "Yes, we're number one! Sakura is amazing~"

(End of this chapter)