Chapter 528: 527: The Ugly Duckling’s Transformation into a Swan (One Update)

All eyes in the room were focused entirely on God Joe and Luo Xiaolang.

Almost no one recognized Luo Xiaolang.

What everyone was curious about at that moment was, God Joe, who was always single, had never been seen with a female companion. So, how did a girl suddenly appear next to him? Moreover, this girl was quite beautiful, with a perfect figure. At this moment, standing next to God Joe, she seemed to be the center of everyone’s attention.

Ji Baixin and Yin Qin were also watching these two individuals who had successfully drawn everyone’s attention.

Ji Baixin had always been confident about her appearance, but she never flaunted it nor did she consider it as something worth bragging about. She had always believed that it is only worth being proud of something if she achieved it through hard work. Innate traits were not worth showing off, but at that moment…

She admitted,

She was feeling jealous.

She recognized Luo Xiaolang.

It seemed as if she was the only one in the room who did.

Even Yin Qin, sitting next to her didn’t recognize her.

Under the lights, Luo Xiaolang looked incredibly beautiful.

Not only that, her current appeal compared with her past was like day and night. In the past, Luo Xiaolang had always been a bit mischievous, like a boy, but the present Luo Xiaolang enlightened everyone with her sweet and charming smile.

Something was bothering Ji Baixin.

She had never imagined that one day, Luo Xiaolang could become so beautiful! Ji Baixin had never considered using her looks to attract someone, but at that moment, she felt a sense of defeat, as if she had been surpassed. It left her upset.

She turned to look at Yin Qin, his gaze was also on the two of them. She asked, “Is that Luo Xiaolang?”

She could clearly see Yin Qin stiffening up.

His eyes were wide.

His gaze was fixed entirely on Luo Xiaolang.

Yin Qin really hadn’t recognized her.

Even though the woman next to Joe seemed familiar, the possibility that she could be Luo Xiaolang hadn’t crossed his mind.

How could Luo Xiaolang possibly be this beautiful?

How could Luo Xiaolang have such a great figure?

How could Luo Xiaolang be so…captivating?

Wasn’t Luo Xiaolang that tomboy from the mountains who had an absurdly high combat power and was known for her brawling?

How did she transform into a swan?

How did her skin become so radiant and translucent?

How did her features become so exquisite?

And how did her figure become so enticing?

When did Luo Xiaolang change? When did she transform into this captivating beauty right in front of his eyes?

His heart started to race.

It was pounding relentlessly.

“Yin Qin,” Ji Baixin called out to him.

Yin Qin snapped back to reality and subtly shifted his gaze. Turning his head towards Ji Baixin, he smiled faintly, “I really didn’t recognize her.”

“Do you think Luo Xiaolang is beautiful?” Ji Baixin asked.

It seemed as if she was deliberately asking him.

Yin Qin responded, “Whether she’s beautiful or not has nothing to do with me.”

“Is that so?” So he didn’t directly answer, I think Luo Xiaolang is not as good looking as you.

Yin Qin said, “It’s a bit stuffy in here, I’m going out for a smoke. Do you want to come out and get some fresh air?”

“No, I’ll roam around.”

“Alright.”

With that, Yin Qin turned around and left.

Ji Baixin watched Yin Qin’s retreating figure.

She didn’t know if he was deliberately concealing his emotions.

Her gaze returned to Luo Xiaolang.

Instantly surrounded by their teammates, and some internet bigwigs trying to chat them up, the people interrupting God Joe and Luo Xiaolang were unceasing.

Luo Xiaolang was all smiled out at this point.

Joe had told her that she didn’t have to do anything at the banquet, just keep smiling.

She didn’t want to smile anymore.

Joe seemed to notice her discomfort, apologized to the people in front of him, and led Luo Xiaolang out of the banquet hall.

They sat on a swing in the back garden.

Joe asked, “Tired?”

“Just can’t seem to keep smiling.”

Joe was genuinely amused by Luo Xiaolang.

She really was a straightforward girl!

“Then you rest here for a while, I have to discuss a sponsorship deal tonight.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll accompany you back after the discussion is over.”

“Okay.”

Joe gave her a gentle smile and left.

Watching Joe leave, Luo Xiaolang was left alone, feeling a bit idle. She planned to take out her mobile phone from her handbag when Ahyuan, one of their teammates, came rushing over. It seemed he was looking for her. He said, “Xiaolang, I want to talk to you while the boss is not around.”

“Oh. Have a seat,” Luo Xiaolang offered him to sit beside her.

“I’ll stand. You’re too beautiful, I’m afraid it’ll make me anxious.”

“You say I’m too beautiful?” Luo Xiaolang was somewhat surprised.

“I didn’t know you were this beautiful. I always thought of you as a country girl, so plain and unremarkable. As expected, the boss has sharp eyes. He saw the swan inside you at once!”

This was a compliment to her, right?

No, no, no.

Perhaps, in the mind of a science and engineering man, the aesthetic standards are different from ordinary people’s.

She didn’t say much.

She just asked him, “What did you want to talk about?”

“It’s about you suddenly retiring.”

“Oh.” Luo Xiaolang’s eyes darkened, and her mood was visibly low.

“Why are you retiring? We just won the national championship, and you’re quitting before we even start competing internationally?”

“I have to take care of Little Tiger and can’t go abroad. I’ve spoken to Joe about it.”

“The boss told us about it and asked us to understand your decision. But could you empathize with us? We’ve competed for many years, always coming so close to the championship and not winning. Now, finally, we have a prodigy like you on our team, and you tell us you’re quitting? Do you know if you quit, it could literally kill us?! Look at our boss, he’s 30 and doesn’t even have a girlfriend. Do you really want him to grow old alone?”

Luo Xiaolang was baffled by Ahyuan’s words.

Ahyuan said, “Our boss once said, he will never retire until he has won the world championship with us, he will absolutely not marry or have children.”

“…” Can such a promise even be made?

Ahyuan wanted to say something else.

Luo Xiaolang interrupted him directly, “Ahyuan, I’m sorry, I know your thoughts, in fact, deep down, I really want to compete with you guys. It’s been a long time, since I left Wulin Temple, a long, long time since I felt this kind of passionate upheaval. I think the last time I felt this was when I single-handedly defeated all my senior and junior disciples in Wulin Temple. But when I competed with you guys, I found that feeling again. I really don’t want to let go, for a long time I didn’t know why I was living in Jin City. There were several times I wanted to take the little tiger back to Wulin Temple directly, but since joining you all, I feel my life has meaning!”

“But, in the case where taking care of the Little Tiger and competing can’t be done at the same time, I can only choose to look after the little tiger. Even though competing gave me a life purpose, little tiger is my whole world.”

Ahyuan wanted to say something else.

But facing Luo Xiaolang at that moment, he could not utter a word that might make her feel uncomfortable.

Because he could feel Luo Xiaolang’s sincerity.

Even though he doesn’t have children, he could understand the sacrifices that parents make for their children.

It might not seem worthwhile to others, but to the parents, they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Ahyuan said, “Alright, since you’ve made your decision, I seem to have said too much and troubled you.”

“Actually, you guys are all great, I firmly believe that you can break through and win the world championship.”

“With your blessings.”

Luo Xiaolang gently smiled.

Her smile was absolutely delightful.

Ahyuan was moved. He asked, “Xiaolang, even if you don’t compete anymore, you’ll still follow our boss, right?”

“Huh?”

“What I mean is… Will you wait for our boss?” Ahyuan said, somewhat cryptically.

Luo Xiaolang didn’t really understand, but she would continue to follow them.

So at that moment, she nodded, “Yes.”

“That’s good. I was really afraid our boss would be single forever.” Ahyuan said grinningly.

Luo Xiaolang chuckled again.

“I can’t keep seeing you like this. I’m afraid I’ll end up fighting with the boss over you. I better go in first.”

Saying that, Ahyuan rushed into the banquet hall.

Watching his disappearing figure, Luo Xiaolang wasn’t as relaxed as she appeared.

Her eyes grew dim.

She didn’t know when she started getting so sentimental.

Yin Qin was quietly watching Luo Xiaolang in the distance.

He had been in the back garden for a while, smoking one cigarette after another. He was afraid of seeing Luo Xiaolang and Joe being affectionate in the banquet hall and getting heartache. However, even when he came out for air, he still bumped into them.

First, there was that exchange between Joe and Luo Xiaolang which he didn’t want to talk about. He thought Joe was not a real man, too weak and sentimental!

And then there was Ahyuan, who forcefully linked Joe and Luo Xiaolang together.

He felt so frustrated.

But then he thought that he had no right to feel frustrated, so he stood there silently.

At that moment, he saw the sadness in Luo Xiaolang’s eyes.

It was a kind of, somewhat helpless feeling.

Luo Xiaolang loved competitive sports, right?

The competitive spirit in her eyes was self-evident.

He extinguished the final cigarette butt on him, walked straight out, and headed towards Luo Xiaolang.

Luo Xiaolang also saw Yin Qin.

When she saw him, she stood up and prepared to leave.

She really didn’t want to spare him a glance.

She felt irritated.

Yin Qin spontaneously jumped in front of Luo Xiaolang, blocking her way.

Luo Xiaolang looked at Yin Qin.

Wearing high heels, Luo Xiaolang was almost as tall as Yin Qin. It seemed that Yin Qin had never had a height advantage in front of Luo Xiaolang.

Thinking about how affectionate Luo Xiaolang looked in front of Joe…

He said, “Do you think you’re pretty?”

Luo Xiaolang frowned.

“Do you think that dressing like this, showing off your shoulder and thighs, and dying your hair yellow, you’re pretty?”

Luo Xiaolang really didn’t want to get into a pointless argument with Yin Qin, but she felt that if she didn’t speak up, he would keep mocking her.

She said, “I didn’t dress like this for you.”

“Then who is it for?” Yin Qin asked, blood rushing to his head, his eyes wide open.

“It’s for the people who like me.”

“Joe?”

“That’s none of your business.” Luo Xiaolang said, pausing between each word.

Yin Qin was so angry, he felt like spitting out blood.

All he could think about was that Luo Xiaolang dressed so beautifully just for Joe, just for Joe…

“Let go.” Luo Xiaolang had only a few seconds of patience for Yin Qin.

Yin Qin didn’t want to move.

He didn’t want to see Luo Xiaolang and Joe being affectionate, he didn’t want to see the beautiful Luo Xiaolang being with another man, he…he was indeed selfish.

But he finally stepped aside.

He tried to tell himself that he should be wishing Luo Xiaolang well.

Luo Xiaolang should have her own life, and not be tied down to him indefinitely.

Besides the Little Tiger, they had nothing else between them…

Luo Xiaolang saw Yin Qin move aside. She strode towards the main hall.

She suddenly thought of something, paused, and turned back, “Yin Qin, in your eyes, do I look bad no matter what I wear?”

Yin Qin was startled.

No, she doesn’t.

At this moment, she looked so pretty he felt his heart racing.

“On our wedding day, I dressed like this, spent a long time getting ready. Everyone said I was beautiful, just like how these people are praising me now. When I came from the mountains, I didn’t know what was considered beautiful, but at that moment I truly believed it,” she said.

Yin Qin looked at Luo Xiaolang.

His heart ached.

The image of Luo Xiaolang sitting there waiting for him in her wedding dress was all he could think about. She didn’t cry or make a fuss, she just sat there quietly.

“It turns out that everyone was just consoling me that day. Fortunately, you didn’t come that day, otherwise, I think I would have overthought. Because I know you like pretty girls,” said Luo Xiaolang lightly, “I thought that dressing like that, I could please you.”