Chapter 42: Chapter 42

C42 – Is This Horse Serious?

Since returning from Walden Village, Lin Luqin had developed a habit: she would often find herself unconsciously checking her phone for updates on Zhao Yuegu.

Even at work, she’d catch herself drifting off, lost in thought about him.

Her heart sank when she saw a photo of Zhao Yuegu on Everbreach’s street food strip, a girl nestled protectively in his arms.

​”Why didn’t you want to leave there?”

“Why go to Everbreach after all?”

“You could have at least called me.”

Lin Luqin’s emotions were a tangle of sweet and sour.

While she was fixated on her phone screen, a missed payment notification popped up, snapping her back to reality. She clicked on it, only to be bombarded with a slew of ads.

​”So annoying.”

She was about to delete them all when an unfamiliar message caught her eye, buried among the promotions.

Zhao Yuegu, this is my number.

The date indicated it had been sent some time ago.

Lin Luqin covered her face, a small smile breaking through her frustration.

Seizing a moment of free time, she dialed Zhao Yuegu’s number. To her relief, the call connected.

​”Lin Luqin?”

The voice on the other end was a welcome surprise.

“How did you know it was me?”

“I memorized your number. What made you call?”

“Hmph, you had my contact information. Why didn’t you call to let me know?”

“I tried, but couldn’t get through, so I texted you.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“People use WeChat these days, who even texts anymore?”

They chatted for over ten minutes until her assistant interrupted, reminding her it was time to shoot. Reluctantly, she ended the call.

Meanwhile, Sun Ying had finished packing her luggage into the car.

“My father seems to have run off to your village again.”

“I’ve heard that some big shots from the capital are looking for you. The whole county is buzzing about it.”

Zhao Yuegu pondered for a moment, then nodded in understanding.

“It’s probably about the rapeseed issue. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

“Do you know where to buy cows and horses?”

“I wouldn’t know where to start…”

Zhao Yuegu felt a twinge of regret.

They had tractors for sale, but what good would that do? Without enough fuel, it was pointless.

Raising a cow or a horse would make farming a breeze.

No need to constantly borrow one.

Though the villagers wouldn’t mind lending one to him.

“Have your brother keep an eye out for me when he’s free.”

Zhao Yuegu, skeptical of the Qin family’s good-for-nothing son, figured he might as well use Sun Ying’s help if it was free.

Whether it panned out was another matter.

It wasn’t right to burden Sun’s father, who was already swamped, with buying livestock.

​”I’ll ask him.”

Sun Ying was quick to phone, and soon enough, she got a response.

“My brother doesn’t know anyone selling cows, but he might know a place for horses. He sent me the address; it’s close to the county town.”

Zhao Yuegu’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

“Let’s go check it out.”

“People in the village might be waiting for you.”

“I can’t let this trip go to waste.”

They followed the GPS and quickly reached the destination.

The sight of the vast racetrack and the dust kicked up by galloping hooves made Zhao Yuegu’s lips twitch.

“These are racehorses! They’re not cut out for farming!”

Sun Ying looked puzzled.

“Aren’t they all just horses?”

Zhao Yuegu was at a loss for words.

Could she really not see the difference?

Racehorses were bred for speed.

Farming required stamina.

Not to mention, farm horses needed to be trained from a young age.

These racetrack horses, raised to run, wouldn’t know the first thing about tilling soil.

“What a rip-off.”

Zhao Yuegu realized he couldn’t fault the Qin siblings for their lack of common sense.

City kids like them had no clue about farming.

“Since we’re here, might as well look around.”

“With all these horses, there might be one that suits your needs.”

“Alright, let’s have a look.” Zhao Yuegu relented.

What man doesn’t enjoy the thrill of riding?

Be it a motorcycle, a horse, or anything else…

Among the many international breeds at the racetrack, the horses were tall and majestic, albeit a bit too pampered.

In ancient times, they would have been hailed as the Heavenly Horses of the Western Regions, coveted and fought over by many.

Today, they’re simply known as western horses.

Yet, it’s not middle-aged men tending to these horses, but a foreign woman with golden locks and sapphire eyes.

There’s a certain ‘noble steed meets beautiful rider’ vibe about it.

He could see numerous female instructors and students sharing a ride, an air of worldly companionship about them, carefree and unrestrained.

This made Sun Ying blush.

She realized her brother had set her up.

This place hardly qualified as a legitimate racetrack.

It was merely masquerading as a stable, in reality, some sort of club.

“Seems like your brother is a regular here,” she remarked.

Sun Ying’s expression soured.

“He’s always like this. Maybe we should just go.”

“We’ve already bought the tickets. Let’s stay a bit longer.”

The female coach who greeted them was strikingly beautiful, her attire crisp and efficient, her form-fitting clothes accentuating a flawless figure.

Removing her helmet to shake out her blonde hair, she exuded a dashing elegance.

Those who enjoyed horseback riding carried a distinct aura, incredibly appealing.

As the equestrian coach here, Zhang Xuan was in a league of her own, renowned nationwide.

She drew the admiration and pursuit of many horse enthusiasts.

Of course, some came to this stable solely to woo her.

If Zhao Yuegu hadn’t been so strikingly handsome, his eyes brimming with a wild allure, she wouldn’t have bothered to meet him personally.

And it certainly had nothing to do with him driving a Lamborghini!

“I notice you’re new here. Is this your first visit?”

“Just here to check out the horses.”

“Let me give you a tour.”

“Thanks, that would be great.”

“Over here is the professional racing stable. The horses have a history of excellent performance in competitions.”

Zhao Yuegu was taken aback.

She made it sound so legitimate.

But really, who came here for that?

Was it Sun Ying’s presence that restrained the coach’s usual flair?

Curiosity swelled within Zhao Yuegu.

Next time, he resolved not to bring her along.

Zhang Xuan’s by-the-book rundown left Zhao Yuegu feeling somewhat let down.

He almost believed he had stumbled upon a genuine racetrack.

Before long, his attention was captured by a small black pony.

The pony, appearing to be around one year old, was jet-black except for its snow-white hooves.

It was quite the specimen!

What mattered most was that the pony was fed a basic diet, suggesting it wasn’t costly.

Plus, given its young age, it could be trained for cart-pulling work.

“Is this one for sale?”

Zhao Yuegu eyed Zhang Xuan, his gaze conveying a hidden message.