Cold’s Close Guidance

“Stand straight,” Cold instructed. “Your legs must be fully extended.”

Cold’s delicate hands steadied his waist, occasionally giving his thighs a light tap.

“Mm, just like that…”

Naturally, Chen Ran wasn’t clad in an archery uniform. The club possessed no male uniforms, given its status as an all-girls school, and even his own school uniform had been a rush order, custom-tailored for him.

Consequently,

Chen Ran remained in his boys’ high school uniform, which comprised a pristine white short-sleeved shirt, long suit trousers, and a neatly tied necktie.

Upon first impression, the ensemble appeared somewhat unsuited.

Yet, garments invariably acquire an enhanced appeal when donned by a handsome man.

The inconvenience, however, lay in this:

Such an outfit was indeed ill-suited for physical activity. As Chen Ran spread his legs, adopting the preparatory archery stance under Cold’s meticulous guidance, he distinctly felt his trousers straining, as if on the verge of ripping apart at any moment.

With one foot positioned forward and the other trailing behind,

He turned his body sideways, extending his bow-holding arm, while keenly aware of Cold behind him, her hands ceaselessly adjusting his current posture.

Her focus was absolute.

Consequently, a delightful, fresh aroma, reminiscent of shower gel, mingled with a subtly sweet, milky note—’Could it be that Cold and Jiang Zilin share the same brand of shampoo?’ he mused.

Periodically, this scent would drift over his shoulder from behind, gently wafting towards his face.

With a slight turn of his head, Chen Ran shifted his gaze.

There, he could perceive the pretty, expressionless face of the girl, whose stature barely reached below his shoulders.

😶😶😶.

Even now, amidst a throng of spectators and teasing girls, her composure remained unshaken. ‘Truly, it could only be Cold,’ he thought.

Yet, Chen Ran also discerned a subtle divergence.

The girl’s pristine, delicate face, along with her alabaster neck, was now suffused with a vibrant blush, akin to the romantic cherry blossoms that burst forth in spring.

Hmm.

‘It appears even Cold finds it impossible to maintain her stoicism,’ he realized.

Chen Ran stifled a laugh, only to be met with an exasperated glare from Cold.

Subsequently, the girl grasped his right hand, initiating the bow-drawing motion, much like seasoned members guided novices.

Throughout the entire process,

Chen Ran could distinctly feel Cold’s entire form pressed intimately against his.

While the girl’s youthful body lacked the yielding softness of her elder sister’s, which distinctly conveyed the presence of two substantial forms, it nonetheless offered a profoundly unique sensation.

Chen Ran found his heart’s rhythm accelerating, beating even more rapidly than before.

This was an essence imbued with an intensely youthful aura, interwoven with the girl’s inherent, subtle body fragrance.

Moreover, there were the fervent gazes cast by the other girls, who continued to playfully egg them on.

‘How peculiar, utterly peculiar!’

Chen Ran, with his strength stat already at 15, would ordinarily have no difficulty drawing a bow. Not only could he easily manage the composite bows typically used by girls, but even the formidable greatbows wielded by ancient warriors would pose him no challenge.

Yet, he intentionally feigned a lack of strength.

He allowed Cold to grasp his hand, reveling in the sensation of her palm covering the back of his own. With a concerted effort, she drew the entire bow, then meticulously guided his fingers to secure a firm hold on the bowstring.

“Just like this,” Cold’s voice murmured, “relax your mind, aim for the target, and do not rush…”

Cold’s characteristically calm words drifted from behind him.

While the girl’s voice remained as placid as ever, Chen Ran discerned a subtle tremble in the hand she placed on his shoulder, a gesture she mimicked from their teacher, intended to soothe his beginner’s nerves.

Indeed, her touch was not entirely steady.

Evidentially,

Cold’s inner world, at this very moment, was anything but tranquil.

After all, for the young girl, this marked her inaugural experience of such intimacy with the opposite s*x—and in full public view, they had nearly… no, they were already practically entangled in an embrace!

For Cold, whose usual displays of affection amounted to, at most, resting her head on his shoulder for a brief afternoon nap, this level of closeness was overwhelmingly unprecedented!

Chen Ran, conversely, remained remarkably composed.

He even went so far as to deliberately ease his bow-drawing strength, all while intentionally misaligning his aim.

With a soft “whoosh,” the arrow was released.

The arrow soared from the longbow, unerringly plunging into a pond situated a full meter away from the intended target.

Perfect!

Chen Ran feigned an awkward smile, a deliberate facade to meet the eruption of laughter from the surrounding girls.

“Let’s try again.”

Chen Ran declared, feigning a stubborn resolve.

Subsequently, under Cold’s continued attentive guidance, he drew the longbow and loosed several more arrows in rapid succession, each leaving a distinct “whoosh.”

Without a single exception, every shot veered wildly, missing the mark by an absurd margin.

“Oh, my hand aches terribly,” he lamented, feigning distress. “It truly seems I possess no talent for archery…”

Theatrically, he shook the hand he had used to draw the bow.

Chen Ran spoke with a mortified expression, and once the surrounding girls had indulged in their fill of satisfied, muffled giggles, he promptly allowed Cold to guide him back to the periphery of the training hall.

“Chen Ran, you’re utterly overacting!” Cold exclaimed, her tone laced with exasperation.

Cold grumbled irritably, simultaneously poking his arm, where the clear delineation of muscle was evident even without him flexing.

“Look at this,” she pressed, “it’s as solid as stone. There’s no logical reason you couldn’t draw a bow.”

“Hehe, they’re none the wiser anyway.”

Chen Ran smiled.

‘Cold, having witnessed me subdue those yakuza thugs, would naturally not be so easily deceived,’ he mused.

“Hmph! Chen Ran, do you not wish to participate in club activities with me?”

Cold’s sudden utterance left Chen Ran utterly taken aback, momentarily speechless.

A charming, delicate expression, an exact replica of her sister’s, bloomed across her features. Her pale blue eyes shimmered with a triumphant glint, as if she had achieved some subtle victory.

This girl.

‘Not only can the elder sister imitate the younger, but the younger can mimic the elder, too, it seems,’ he thought, ‘and both do so with uncanny accuracy!’

If Jiang Zilin had addressed him with similar words,

Chen Ran would have instantly retorted, “Of course I want to be with Sister Xiaolin!” and then made a motion to embrace her, which would invariably send the high-offense, low-defense girl scurrying away in fright.

Yet, when confronted by Cold,

Chen Ran found himself momentarily frozen in place. Then, to his rare delight, he witnessed a genuine, happy smile blossom on the girl’s pretty face, revealing a charming little canine tooth.

“Hmph.”

Cold, with a hint of exasperation, poked his arm once more, then softly stated,

“Chen Ran, please wait a little longer. Practice is nearing its conclusion.”

“Okay.”

The Archery Club’s daily activities typically extended until five in the afternoon.

Punctually, as the hour arrived,

As the school bell chimed, signaling the end of the day, the girls, amidst cheerful chatter and laughter, gathered their belongings. They then proceeded to the adjacent changing room to refresh themselves and shower, before returning to the hall to bid their instructor farewell.

Chen Ran soon found himself awaiting Cold, who, having completed her shower, had already changed back into her customary JK uniform.

Observing the girl spontaneously take his hand and then, under the watchful eyes of her female classmates, lead him out of the Archery Club,

Chen Ran thought.

‘My performance today must have been quite convincing,’ he mused, ‘for, at the very least, no other girls subsequently approached me, attempting to persuade me to join the Archery Club.’

However,

What Chen Ran failed to perceive, however, was this:

Aili, their instructing teacher, had, in fact, been silently observing from the very outset, ever since he was first coaxed into attempting archery. Her watchful gaze had remained fixed upon them, even now, as he and Cold departed the premises together.