The Creatures that We Are

First match was Team A against Team 9.

Team A: X, Chen Ying

Team 9: Ronnie, Scarlet Fox

The others rested and spectated from where the beach loungers were.

Chen Ying kicked off the sandals she was wearing and tied her long hair into a neat ponytail with a rubber band. Bending down to pick up a bottle of water, she twisted off the cap to take a sip before closing it. Then she jumped on the spot and stretched her limbs, doing warm-ups.

“Miss Chen.” Vermilion Bird had a bad feeling about this. “You look quite experienced.”

Chen Ying smiled wryly. “To tell you the truth, I was a member of the volleyball club in college.”

“Seriously?” Wu Dahai lay on his side on a lounger, propping his head up with a hand.

He didn’t hide the fact that he was gawking at Chen Ying’s pronounced, healthy curves as she stretched her arms. “Can’t you go easy on us? Make a couple mistakes?”

“No, X will notice immediately.” Chen Ying responded seriously. “And once I get into a game, I forget everything else.”

“Still, beach volleyball is different from indoor volleyball. There are fewer players on court, and the indoor floor is different from a sandy beach. There’s also the environmental factors, including the wind and the sunlight…”

Chen Ying looked at X, who was waiting in the court, and sighed softly. “I hope that those factors will make me a worse player.”

Miss Chen, Gao Yang thought. Your analysis alone makes you seem like a grade A student playing down her ability before the exams. I’m pretty sure you’ll do better than you say you would!

Ronnie and Scarlet Fox were already dreading the game when they saw the way Chen Ying held herself.

“Have you played volleyball before?” Scarlet Fox turned to Ronnie and said frankly, “I haven’t. I rarely watch any sports, let alone beach volleyball.”

Ronnie thought for a moment. “Does a video game count?”

Scarlet Fox gave him a strange look and joked, “Is it an adult…”

“It’s a normal volleyball, game!” Ronnie hurried to explain.

“Forget it. It doesn’t matter.” Scarlet Fox smiled bitterly and turned to Vermilion Bird, looking like a martyr. “We’ll wait for you on the other side, Elder Vermilion Bird.”

“At least try to win, Little Fox!” Vermilion Bird chided. “Even if you’re gonna be cannon fodder, drag things on so that we can collect more information on our opponents.”

“Understood!” Scarlet Fox answered with renewed spirit.

Soon, Ronnie and Scarlet Fox entered the court, standing side by side with poor coordination.

Meanwhile, on Team A’s side, Chen Ying and X had each taken the front and the back without the need to talk to each other.

Standing before the net, Chen Ying crouched slightly with her feet apart, the muscles in her lower body taut, ready to take on the volleyball that would fly her way.

X, taking the position behind her, stood with a relaxed stance that exuded confidence, as if the whole outer court was under his control.

“Um.” Vermilion Bird pressed a hand to her forehead. “I can’t watch this.”

Ronnie took the volleyball and thought back to the way volleyball players served in televised games.

He took a deep breath and threw the ball, swinging his right arm to hit it.

No matter if it was out of nerves or his right heel sinking into the sand, though, he lost his balance and didn’t hit the ball as he had intended.

The volleyball flew weakly for a short distance before hitting the net.

—One point for Team A.

Vermilion Bird sighed and glanced at Green Tea. “Get ready. It’ll be our turn soon.”

Ronnie was a member of the fifth team, and as the fifth team captain, Gao Yang was hit with secondhand embarrassment.

He smiled wryly at Qing Ling.

Understanding his unspoken words, Qing Ling rose from the lounger and started warming up.

Wu Dahai lost interest in the game immediately and turned to the side, watching the captivating way Qing Ling’s body stretched and flexed.

White Rabbit had had enough of it. She grabbed a towel and dropped it on his head, covering his unwelcomed leering.

“Hey hey hey, what was that, White Rabbit?!” Wu Dahai snapped and yanked off the towel, but he had already missed the best part.

Meanwhile on the court, it was X’s turn to serve.

He made a powerful serve easily. Scarlet Fox took two steps back and held his arms together to carefully bounce the ball. Ronnie immediately rushed forward to get the ball up toward the net, which, clearly, was the most he could do.

Seizing the chance, Scarlet Fox stepped forward and leapt hard, making a killing smash.

Simultaneously, a slim figure leapt into action on the other side of the net. It was Chen Ying.

Having predicted that Scarlet Fox would go for a smash, she extended her arms and put up a block.

Bam!

The ball hit Chen Ying’s arms before bouncing onto the sandy beach.

Ronnie’s jaw dropped. He didn’t even have the chance to save the ball.

Two points for Team A.

Scarlet Fox turned around and glanced at Vermilion Bird. She was already coming to the court with Green Tea.

That bruised his ego, and a weight fell on his chest.

It was Ronnie’s time to serve again. He accidentally made a float serve.

X quickly moved and lowered his body with his arms tracking the ball, catching it deftly. And he made a pass to the most ideal position for a smash, right at the net.

Chen Ying didn’t let the opportunity go. She jumped up high and raised her arm to make a swing.

Having foreseen it, Scarlet Fox jumped up as well with his arms extended, aiming to block the ball.

He was a quick-learner. His lips curved into a smile, thinking he was going to score.

However, his smile soon froze.

Chen Ying had predicted the fact that he would have predicted a smash, and instead of hitting the ball with her right hand, she retracted her arm.

At some point, X had moved behind her—he was quick!

Bam!

He smashed the ball in another direction.

Scarlet Fox could only watch the ball fly the other way with his arms up like an idiot.

Caught off guard by the coordinated move of his two opponents, Ronnie hadn’t moved to defend the court, and thus he was too far to do anything as the ball hit the ground.

Three points for Team A. A perfect victory.

“Yes!” X landed and flashed Chen Ying a charming smile, lifting his hand to highfive her.

“Yes!” Lost in the joy of victory, Chen Ying almost did highfive him. She barely managed to stop herself halfway.

She quickly pulled a long face and turned to leave the court.

When she walked back to the loungers, Can said with admiration, “That’s so cool, Sister Chen!”

“Cool?” Wu Dahai snorted. “How are we going to win when you play like that, Sister Chen?”

Chen Ying was troubled as well. “I can’t help it. I can’t pull back when I’m in a game. It’s all instinct.”

Two minutes later, Gao Yang and Qing Ling from Team K entered the court with Vermilion Bird and Green Tea from Team 10.

Green Tea handed Vermilion Bird the ball. “I’ll take the front, and you the back.”

Which meant that Vermilion Bird would serve and save the ball when it got to the back of the court, while Green Tea would be in charge of the front, mainly blocking and smashing.

“You sure?” Vermilion Bird didn’t really get it.

Usually, with men’s larger frame and longer limbs, they would be more suitable for the backcourt. On the other hand, women were agile and were better at the front. That was how X and Chen Ying played.

“I promise it’ll work, Elder Vermilion Bird.” Green Tea smiled confidently.

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