Having trained real horses, why are we now training racehorse girls after time-traveling?

Now, Jinlang's expression has become quite serious. But this seriousness is quite different from usual. Jinlang usually takes great care of each racehorse girl and is very gentle with them. When he is serious, it is because he is worried about the racehorse girls' condition and health, which is why he shows a concerned and serious expression.

But this time... McQueen, the Emperor, and the Golden Ship could all sense that Jin Lang was really angry, and there was a very ominous feeling that he was about to explode.

……

Under the leadership of Dongshang Biange, Jinlang and his group returned to the team room. When they arrived at the door of Chitian's room, the group of racehorse girls smelled a pungent odor coming from the other side of the door.

"This smell... it's smoke and alcohol. It's even coming through the door. How much is it?"

Megumi McQueen fanned herself with a slightly disgusted gesture, quickly creating some distance between herself and Ikezoe's door. The Emperor did the same. Clearly, as racehorse girls, they both disliked the smell intensely.

Upon hearing McQueen and the Emperor say this, Jinlang realized just how颓废 (颓废 is a difficult word to translate directly, but it implies a state of being listless, dispirited, or demoralized) Ikezoku Ten was, and immediately said to the Golden Ship beside him:

"The Golden Ship is now in your hands."

"Don't worry, old man." Golden Ship smiled upon hearing this, then waved his hand to signal everyone to move aside, and took a few steps back himself.

With a burst of energy that invigorated everyone present, Golden Ship rushed out before anyone could react, then leaped into the air and kicked the door with both feet!

"boom!"

"Well done, Golden Ship." Jin Lang seemed to be used to this scene. After patting Golden Ship on the shoulder, he said, "You guys can stay outside. Ichi Ten and I will have a good talk, so there's no need to come in."

As he said this, Jinlang took the opportunity to push open the doorknob of the door frame, which was slightly deformed from being kicked by the golden ship, and pushed the door open, entering the dark interior, and closing the door behind him.

However, as soon as he entered the room, Jinlang smelled an extremely pungent smell of smoke and alcohol mixed together. After his pupils gradually adjusted to the darkness, Jinlang quickly locked his gaze on the figure of Chi Tian, ​​who was still smoking a cigarette that had not yet burned out.

Beside Chi Tian, ​​not only were cigarette butts scattered everywhere, but there was also an overflow of empty wine bottles. When he finally noticed Jin Lang's arrival, he slightly raised his head and, after a long while, muttered to himself:

"Senior Jinlang..."

However, seeing Chi Tian's state, Jin Lang immediately stepped forward without saying a word and pulled Chi Tian out of the empty wine bottles and cigarette ash. Before Chi Tian could react, accompanied by two "slap" sounds, Chi Tian felt a burning pain on his face.

"You bastard! Behave like a man!" Jin Lang, with a look of utter disappointment, slapped Chi Tian across the face again before he could even react. For the first time, he spoke to Chi Tian with the complete authority of a senior, yelling at him:

"Look at yourself! You look nothing like a trainer! You look nothing like a professional jockey! You look like a stray dog!"

"You idiot, what are you talking about! Get your act together!"

Jinlang didn't want to see Chitian looking so dejected. He didn't know that Wada had taken Chitian to the Three Goddesses, nor did he know what the Three Goddesses had said to Chitian, but he just couldn't stand Chitian's dejected appearance as if he had lost everything, especially when he still had a lot of responsibilities to face.

"If you don't think about Orpheus, think about Zhenjiling, about the reform of Dongshang, and about those who care about you! You've locked yourself in here all by yourself, what have you figured out?!"

"If you can't figure anything out, do something more meaningful! It's a million times better than sitting here smoking and getting drunk!"

Jin Lang then threw Chi Tian onto the sofa. However, seeing that Chi Tian was still in a daze, Jin Lang, who rarely lost his temper, understood that Chi Tian was not the kind of person who would give up on himself. It was just that some things had made him unable to think about anything else for the time being.

Seeing that Chi Tian didn't say anything more, Jin Lang knew that his method couldn't help Chi Tian at all, and in the end, he silently chose to leave.

However, before leaving, Jinlang didn't forget to turn to Ikezoe and say:

“Chi Tianjun, in my memory, you have only been so dejected once, and that was when you failed to go to the Arc de Triomphe with the Golden Master.”

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I think if the Gold Mage saw you looking so dejected, she wouldn’t pity you. She would really think you’re a pathetic and incompetent guy.”

"Think about it carefully yourself. The Kenichi Ikezoe I remember is not the kind of guy who would be crushed by a single setback."

After saying that, Jinlang slowly walked out of the house, but he did not notice that Chitian raised his head slightly when he heard these words.

Although he only raised his head slightly, it was enough to show that Chi Tian seemed to be listening to what was going on, but... it was still a long way from him resolving his doubts.

After Jin Lang came out, seeing the three horse-riding girls outside who had clearly heard Jin Lang's scolding and were looking worried, Saima Girl, after a moment of silence, took the initiative to speak to Dong Shang Biange beside her:

"Dong Shang, could you please call Zhen Jiling and ask her to come back as soon as possible?"

"Perhaps only Zhen Jiling can persuade Chi Tian. If even she can't, then who can help Chi Tian get out of this knot in her heart? I really don't know."

Chapter 316: The clever one finally learns everything about Ikezoe.

It was very late, almost past curfew at Treson Academy, when Zhen Jiling finally rushed back to the team. However, upon arriving, she found almost everyone on the team already there. Without even catching her breath, she asked:

"Am I late? Karen-chan, I was stuck in a little traffic on the way, but I rushed over as fast as I could..."

"Onii-chan, how's Onii-chan? I heard he locked himself in his room..."

"Don't rush, Makoto, calm down a bit." Naze Fumino handed Makoto a glass of water that she had prepared beforehand. Beside her, Ryuu was already fast asleep, leaning on Wada's shoulder, while Kogeki looked drowsy. Clearly, the horse girls' biological clocks had kicked in, and they were all very sleepy.

Most of the other racehorse girls looked like they were about to fall asleep or were already asleep. Only Golden Ship was surprisingly still standing, but she also had a blank look in her eyes. It was hard to tell whether she was asleep with her eyes open or just spacing out.

But at least all three trainers were in high spirits. Wada originally planned to send Naze Fumino, who had been studying the Silent Suzuka tactics, back to rest, but Naze Fumino insisted on staying as part of the team.

“You’re really clever. The current situation is… we’ve all tried, but no one can persuade Trainer Ikezo to leave the room. He’s acting… very dejected, but it’s not quite the same as giving up on himself. It’s probably just that he’s stuck in a rut.”

“We really have no other way. We’ve already tried the Dongshang Reform. Now only you can do it. Try to get to his heart and have a good talk with him.”

Now, the reform of the Eastern Merchants Group has ended in failure. Wada, Ichinō, and others have all tried, but Ikezoe is still pondering this most important question in his life, and he is unwilling to come out until he has figured it out.

Originally, Wada and his group did not intend to disturb Chi Tian, ​​but Chi Tian had been staying in his room all day drinking and smoking, and hadn't even drunk water or eaten. Everyone was worried about Chi Tian's condition.

If he could figure it out in just one day, that would be good, but Chi Tian doesn't look like someone who can figure it out in a day. If this continues for another day or two, Chi Tian will probably be the next person to be sent to the hospital.

Humans don't have the blessings of three goddesses, nor the privilege of being able to cure any illness simply by taking good care of themselves. That's why Jinlang, Wada, and the others had to bring Makoto. Only this racehorse girl, who holds a very special place in Ikezoe's heart, has the opportunity to help Ikezoe figure out some things.

However, faced with everyone's expectant gazes, for the first time, Maki felt insecure about her place in Ikezoe's heart, because Maki had known for a long time that it would be difficult for her to replace the Golden Master in Ikezoe's heart.

But soon, Zhen Jiling nodded solemnly, and a gentle smile returned as she said:

"I understand, Karen-chan. I'll do my best."

As she said this, Zhen Jiling composed herself, gently patted her face with her palm, and made sufficient mental preparations before gently placing her hand on the doorknob of Chi Tian's room, which had been kicked down by the Golden Ship.

However, the moment Makoto pushed open the door, the pungent smell of smoke and alcohol that wafted out made her unconsciously frown. But soon, as Makoto found the light switch, she finally spotted Chi Tian.

However, when the clever girl's gaze fell upon Ikezoe, who had raised his head and was squinting slightly as if he couldn't adjust to the sudden light, she was still startled.

Zhen Jiling had always thought that descriptions of "aging decades in an instant" in literary works were exaggerations. However, at this moment, Zhen Jiling realized that it was not an exaggeration at all, but a true realistic description.

Only one day had passed, but Chi Tian had undergone a complete transformation since his conversation with Zhen Jiling and the master at the hospital yesterday. He looked extremely dejected, with a unkempt beard, disheveled clothes, and a pale complexion. He looked like he had aged many years, and even his hair lacked luster.

For a moment, Maki even doubted whether this was her own brother. However, after Maki confirmed what was in front of her, she turned her trembling gaze to the notebook in Ikezoe's hand.

Chi Tian still had a pen in his hand, and it seemed that he had been writing something in this notebook all along.

"...Onii-chan? What are you doing?"

Instead of immediately scolding Chi Tian for his disheveled appearance, Zhen Jiling came over to Chi Tian's side with great concern and knelt down, just as she usually did, her eyes fixed on the notebook in Chi Tian's hand.

Ikezoe did not resist, letting Maki-rei pick up the notebook with many pages of writing on it. As Maki-rei flipped through the pages, he discovered that the first page contained Ikezoe's own story about his first day as a jockey.

Jockey? When the word came to mind, it felt strangely familiar. However, as she read on, she discovered that these records were all related to Chi Tian's past.

There's nothing particularly emotionally charged about it; it's more like a record of one's life trajectory—when one won the first big prize, when one won the first GI...

Later on, the author began to record information about some racehorse girls... I think they were racehorse girls? The first one was a racehorse girl named [Dowanda]. In this story, the emotions contained in Ikezoe's notes began to emerge.

As she flipped further through the pages, the story of the racehorse girls in "Dream Journey" gradually caught Maki's attention. After that, Maki saw her own name, as well as the changes in the Eastern Merchant Guild and... the final section that included the name of the "Golden Master".

This piece wasn't finished yet; it seemed he'd gotten stuck halfway through and didn't know how to continue. It took Zhen Jiling a full half hour to skim through the handwriting that contained so many stories. Clearly, Chi Tian had locked himself in his room all day, spending most of his time, aside from drinking and smoking, recording... or rather, reviewing these events.

As Makoto slowly read through the notes, she truly began to re-evaluate Ikezoe, the trainer she considered her "soulmate"...

"Onii-chan... It might be a little strange to bring this up now, but from the moment I first met you, Karen-chan, I knew you were very different from everyone else."

"Onii-chan, are you... someone from the future?"

After reading Chi Tian's notes, Makoto's first reaction was that Chi Tian was a being from the future who came to this world. This was because everything was clearly written down, including things like the [Dowanda] which she had never heard of, the Dongshang changes that Chi Tian had predicted in the future of the competitions that she had only recently joined the team, and the competitions and results related to Makoto.

The clever girl finally understood why her older brother was so familiar with her, why he had been inquiring about her whereabouts from the beginning, why he was so afraid of the Golden Master he was meeting for the first time, and why he... gave her that familiar feeling.

So, they had met a long, long time ago... Not just her, but also Master and East Merchant... They were all "people" that Onii-chan knew a long, long time ago.

At this moment, Zhen Jiling, who finally understood everything, had a flash of thought as swift as lightning in her eyes. At this moment, as if possessed, Zhen Jiling, with a slightly trembling voice, softly said:

"How did you become like this... Qianyi?"

"You've never been like this before. Why have you become like this, Qianyi?"

Chapter 317: I like you the most, Qianyi

At this moment, Makoto's words made Ikezoe raise his head slightly in disbelief. His eyes were fixed on Makoto, who was looking at him. He saw that what was flashing in her eyes was not the respect one would show to an "onii-chan" like he was looking at his brother, but rather a kind of... unusual affection.

Chi Tian had never felt this expression before. However, even though it was the first time he had noticed it, it didn't feel unfamiliar at all. On the contrary, it seemed as if someone had really looked at him like this before.

No, it doesn't necessarily have to be a "person," it could also be...

"—Kallen-chan? You…"

"Why did I have to see you like this, Qianyi? The Qianyi I remember never showed this kind of expression."

Zhen Jiling smiled slightly and cupped Chi Tian's cheeks in her hands. At this moment, Chi Tian looked dejected, but Zhen Jiling did not scold him like Jin Lang did, demanding that he take responsibility like a man.

Zhen Jiling knew that Chi Tian was already very tired. He had been under pressure as a man for a very long time. What he needed now was not to stand up all at once as if nothing had happened.

Even the strongest man needs a safe haven, and while Makoto might not have known this before, she will soon understand what Ikezoe needs.

"You must be tired, right? If you have any worries, you can tell Karen-chan. Didn't I tell you that?"

"Kenichi, you still don't consider me, Karen-chan, to be the most important person in your heart... You still haven't taken my words to heart."

"Is there anything you can't tell Karen-chan? And is there anything you have to keep buried in your heart, something you can't tell us?"

Gradually, Chi Tian also noticed the tear tracks slowly sliding down Zhen Jiling's eyes. At this moment, for the first time, Zhen Jiling's beautiful face revealed a true gentle and sentimental side, beyond her usual strategic thinking.

Everyone thinks that Maki is a very easy-going racehorse girl, but in reality, as the former number one racehorse girl of the ranch, how could Maki be a really easy-going racehorse girl? Having received a good material environment since childhood, enjoying everyone's respect and love, and having a face that makes people envious, why isn't Maki's personality like those clichéd, spoiled, and vicious girls?

It's because Makoto realized something from a young age: although she was very domineering, there were definitely racehorse girls outside who were more domineering than her. This aspect of mares made Makoto understand that she was definitely not as strong as most of the mares.

Therefore, Makoto changed her path. Before leaving home, she learned to rely on her cuteness to gain more support and popularity. Because she didn't believe she could completely overshadow everyone else, she chose this path in order to have a better life.

You could call her shrewd and calculating, or you could call her cunning, because she created this persona to improve her own life, not for any other reason—if you could say that reducing conflicts with others counts as a consideration, then so be it.

To put it bluntly, the real Karen is not an easy person to get along with. She is warm on the outside but cold on the inside. For most people, they will always see a cute but unattainable "Kallen-chan" on the website.

For the other racehorse girls from Treson Academy, Shinki is an easy person to get along with, but that's about it. They're just people who know each other and have a deep conversation with Shinki.

Before this, only Maki's roommate, Orihime, could be considered Maki's friend, because the two had many things in common. Apart from that, Maki had never truly entered Maki's heart with any other Uma Musume or anyone else.

However, from that day on, when Makoto heard that someone was inquiring about her whereabouts, she didn't know why, but she was so interested in that person, even though this behavior could clearly be classified as "perverted".

Later, from the moment Zhenjiling saw that person for the first time, she knew that she might never be separated from him for the rest of her life.

"Qianyi, you are the one destined for me, whether it's this time, the last time, or even the next time."

"So, don't let me see you looking so dejected. You're a strong man, aren't you?"