Umamusume's days are numbered

It's a pity that Platinum didn't come along to see just how amazing his photography skills were... The astronomer sighed inwardly.

Oh no, she seems to really think she did a great job today!

He demonstrated his amazing eloquence, his unique taste, and his professional competence... He knew everything that Platinum needed to know, except for his savings.

The astronomer was deep in thought.

Perhaps it's time to launch a full-scale attack.

The astronomers silently gestured to the strange light that was trailing in the distance.

The strange light turned pale as soon as it saw the astronomer's gesture. She shook her head.

The astronomer nodded firmly.

Seeing the astronomer's determined gaze, the strange light knew it was impossible for it to stop her.

"Are you done filming?" Bai Jin asked as she saw the astronomer walking back. She walked over to him. "It's getting dark. Should we stay here a little longer, or go back now?"

Platinum's day wasn't particularly interesting, but it wasn't too boring either. Although she preferred to stay in bed all day testing her phone's internet speed, going out for a stroll now and then was always more comfortable than lying in bed.

At this moment, facing the astronomer, she still felt somewhat hesitant. Was the astronomer pursuing her? If you said yes, it seemed not; she had only come out to accompany him today. But if you said no, why did he only invite her out today, and not Hai Du City, Hai Du Star, and the others?

Or perhaps the astronomer wanted to subtly influence her, suggesting a few more dates? Platinum couldn't decide, but she felt her interactions with Rudolf Symbol didn't feel the same. Then again, did being with Rudolf Symbol truly feel like a date? Platinum lacked relevant experience and was still somewhat unsure.

“Let’s go back.” The astronomer patted Platinum on the shoulder. “You go first, I’ll be there soon. I have a little surprise to prepare.”

Platinum silently watched the astronomer, who winked at him.

Given the astronomers' dismal performance today, Platinum was skeptical about whether what she wanted to give herself was a surprise or a shock. But in the end, she didn't object, simply nodding helplessly before heading towards the station.

Unbeknownst to her, Platinum's tolerance for astronomers had greatly increased. Rather, she now felt like a caregiver taking her child out for a stroll... except the roles were reversed; she was the guardian, and the astronomer was the child.

In her interactions with others, Platinum has always been in a vulnerable position—this was true in her relationships with Rudolf, Alice, the New Universe, and even with Koi Leaping Over the Dragon Gate. Perhaps Platinum is more proactive in her relationship with the Star of the Sea, but their communication is primarily online. In other words, this is a first for Platinum as well. She finds it all very novel.

Just as Platinum was lost in thought, she heard the sound of a piano.

It was a small town to begin with, and once the loud sound of a piano was heard, it could immediately travel from one end of a street to the other. Not only did Platinum hear it, but curious heads also peeked out from the pubs and other buildings along the street.

Because there was only one straight street, the source of the sound was immediately visible. At the far end of Bai Jin's line of sight, in the middle of the road, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, a black silhouette was hunched over the piano keys, fingers moving nimbly like fluttering butterflies. A joyful melody filled the air.

This is···

As Platinum approached, her true form was revealed in black silhouette. With black and white bangs, a single ponytail hastily tied behind her head, and leaning lazily against a huge grand piano—she was an astronomer.

Although the astronomer was usually quite frivolous, she was undeniably a complete genius—especially in her area of ​​expertise. Platinum, unfamiliar with music, didn't realize the astronomer was improvising jazz. Even she herself didn't know what melody would follow, leaving everything to her fingers and intuition, as if a spiritual deity had descended upon her, kissing her fingers. At that moment, the astronomer shone brightly, the rose scent of alcohol surrounding her like a captivating potion.

If one ignores the strange, radiant figure leaning against the grand piano, chained to his body and panting heavily...

A grand piano, being so large and heavy, wouldn't just appear out of nowhere in the middle of the street; it could only have been moved there by the strange light. Even with the terrifying power of the strange light, dragging such a heavy object weighing over a ton to the middle of the road was exhausting. Moreover, it wasn't just a piano; the strange light's chains were tied to a large iron plate with pulleys beneath it, and on top of that plate were an astronomer, a sound system, and a piano bench.

Strange Light had never suffered such humiliation in her life; she was being used like an ox by the astronomer. But Strange Light endured it, maintaining a wronged and resentful expression as she wiped the sweat pouring down her cheeks with the back of her hand.

The astronomer, seeing the approaching platinum, smiled confidently. Her left hand continued dancing on the keys, while her right hand reached out towards the platinum—

"My darling."

Platinum stopped in her tracks, lost in thought as she looked at the astronomer's outstretched hand. The surroundings were noisy; as the day drew to a close, the town grew lively, with many restless racehorse girls coming to relieve their boredom. They all seemed to enjoy the spectacle, gathered there—white, brown, yellow, and black—whispering and whispering amongst themselves.

Faced with this situation, Platinum nodded cautiously, feeling that he should be fairly certain of the astronomer's intentions.

She didn't take the astronomer's outstretched hand, but instead looked up at her face.

"I'm uneducated, I don't understand what you're saying. Do you want me to be your girlfriend?"

(There probably won't be any tomorrow.)

Episode 327 Free Bird

"Ah, this." The strange light was stunned, not expecting Platinum to ask such a direct question. It didn't even have time to wipe the sweat from its face.

"Ah, this." Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate, who was secretly following behind, was also stunned. She didn't expect Platinum to be able to say these things so openly... But this was in line with her personality. Platinum was always quick to speak and whatever she was thinking would just slip out of her mouth. Because this Fuji Koji and Platinum's relationship was not very pleasant to this day.

"Oh my god." The astronomer was dumbfounded. In her mind, Platinum should have taken her hand, been pulled onto the piano bench, and sat beside her in the VIP seat amidst the envious gazes of the crowd, listening to her play a song for her—that was the routine she always went through with girls in bars, and she had never messed up before.

Why does it change when it comes to you?

"Oh, this." Bai Jin realized she had misspoke. Perhaps she should have been more tactful... Oh well, it didn't matter.

The astronomer belatedly sensed that things had developed beyond her expectations. But at this moment, the die was cast, and her hand remained outstretched before Platinum, awaiting her choice.

To accept or not to accept?

If Platinum accepts the astronomer's hand, coupled with Platinum's recent remarks, it would mean that he has directly accepted the astronomer's confession.

Similarly, if Platinum didn't accept the astronomer's hand, it would be a complete rejection, especially in front of so many people.

Platinum's careless remark had put him in a difficult position. A crowd had unknowingly formed around him, mostly young and pretty female horse riders. Some were taking photos, enjoying the spectacle; others were shyly covering their mouths and whispering; still others were openly urging Platinum to take the astronomer's hand. No one offered Platinum a safe place to run away.

Well, there's no way to escape now; it's a choice between two options. Platinum sighed inwardly.

The astronomer was also feeling agonizing. Her heart began to pound violently, a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time, even more so than during her first competition. What was Platinum hesitating about after all this time? Was she hesitating about whether to accept the offer? Or was she finding the area too noisy and having some reservations? But ultimately, the fact that she was hesitating meant that she still held a significant place in her heart, right? The astronomer's mind, too, began to wander.

Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate, no longer caring about hiding behind, hurriedly tried to run forward and pull Platinum away quickly. However, a circle of female horse girls had already gathered nearby to watch the spectacle, each one a current racehorse girl in her prime, and Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate couldn't squeeze in no matter how hard she tried.

"Make way, please, make way!" Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate shouted loudly, but his voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz in the crowd.

Cold fingers gripped Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate and pulled it aside. Star of the Sea City expressionlessly dragged Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate out of the crowd, while Cheng Quanbao watched with his head tilted to the side.

Why did you drag me out like this?!

The carp leaping over the dragon gate shook its hand, but couldn't shake it off. Haidu Zhixing's fingers were as strong as steel bars; competing with her in strength was like a child playing tug-of-war with an adult.

"Calm down." Haidu Star forcefully pried open Li Yuelongmen's fingers and flattened her palm. Only then did Li Yuelongmen realize that her palm was clenched tightly, and her nails had left white marks on her palm.

Aren't you worried?

Why should I be in a hurry?

"What if Platinum really did agree to the astronomer's request—"

"so what?"

Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate stared blankly at the Star of the Sea City's calm, almost cold face, feeling as if the Star of the Sea City's words kept echoing in her ears and brain.

So what? An astronomer confessed his love to Platinum, and Platinum accepted. So what?

“If Platinum accepts, it means she thinks the astronomer is the right partner to be by her side.” Haidu Star’s eyes moved into the crowd, as if he could see through the crowd the awkward yet crucial scene between the astronomer and Platinum. “What’s the point of you rushing over there? Are you trying to change Platinum’s mind? I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

"Or are you lacking confidence in yourself, believing that Platinum would choose an astronomer instead of you?"

Haidu Star's words were like an arrow piercing the vital point of her life, turning her face instantly pale.

Haidu Star is right. Li Yuelongmen is worried about what will happen if Baijin really agrees to the astronomer's request. At that point, he'll have absolutely no chance.

It's the same even if an astronomer and a white diamond have known each other for less than a month.

Even if the carp has already leaped over the dragon gate and is spending every day with Platinum, it's still the same.

The carp leaping over the dragon gate lacked confidence in herself and in Platinum. She didn't believe Platinum would reject the astronomer because of their relationship, nor did she believe Platinum could be devoted to her.

Her relationship with Platinum is like a pure white bird suddenly landing on the roof of her car. You don't know if she's tired of flying or if she's longing for your tenderness; in any case, you're now traveling together. But no matter how much you love this bird, there will always be a moment when she will unhesitatingly flap her wings and fly away, leaving everything far behind. Because she is a free bird, she can fly high, and unless you lock her in a cage, those wings are proof of her existence.

This explains why the carp repeatedly lost its composure when facing the platinum bird. She clumsily tried to express her affection to the bird, but the bird couldn't understand her words; it could only tilt its head, watch her gesticulate wildly, and then peck at the grains.

Haidu Star looked at the pale-faced, trembling Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate, a hint of helplessness appearing on her eternally unchanging face. She gently tiptoed and patted Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate on the back.

“You all think I’m a fool, that I don’t understand anything, and that you never explain anything to me. Haidu City is like that, Galileo is like that, and so are you.”

"But I'm just dazed, not stupid. I see things much more clearly than you do."

Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate gently rests its head on the shoulder of Star of the Sea, accepting the comfort from the girl who is a head shorter than it, and murmurs to itself, "You're right. Actually, I'm the fool."

Meanwhile, Platinum, surrounded by the crowd, was also feeling the agonizing pain to the extreme.

She was still hesitant, not about whether or not she should accept the astronomer's confession—

Platinum was hesitant, wondering how to politely refuse the astronomer in front of so many people without hurting her feelings.

Episode 328 The Ghost

From the very beginning, Platinum never intended to accept the astronomer's confession.

From accepting the invitation to a date with the astronomer to now watching the astronomer extend his hand to him, Platinum's resolve has not wavered in the slightest.

The reason she stood there like a stick in the crowd for so long was because she couldn't think of a good way to refuse the astronomer!

In the past, Platinum would have refused outright without hesitation. But now, she considered the implications and realized that refusing an astronomer in front of so many people would be extremely embarrassing.

Regardless, she's still her coach and her friend... and most importantly, she's the third anchor. Platinum still wants to cultivate a good relationship with the astronomer, since she'll be relying on her a lot in the future.

If he tried to escape, he had already peeked around and found himself surrounded like in a trench, with people everywhere; there was no way to get through. Besides, running away in front of so many people would be tantamount to rejection, and an astronomer would lose face.

Just standing there motionless is also a form of torture, and it's another way of rejecting the work of an astronomer...

Damn, does that mean we have no choice but to accept it?!

How did things turn out like this? She clearly wanted to firmly refuse... Platinum just felt a headache coming on. It's all the astronomer's fault! How could he, a coach, be thinking of having a teacher-student relationship with her? His behavior is utterly despicable!

Don't rush, don't rush. Hmm... if it's a symbol of Rudolf, how can we perfectly resolve this matter now?

Platinum frowned at the thought of Rudolph symbolically rejecting her confession. There was no one else to refer to; she never imagined her own failure would be used against someone else.

You have to extricate yourself without leaving a trace, while also considering the other party's feelings. In short, you have to play the game of Tai Chi like a slippery eel.

Platinum thought about it and decided that she could only hold the astronomer's hand first and then explain to her when they were alone together later.

"I really didn't want to..." Platinum sighed, and amidst the breathless gasps of the crowd surrounding her, she took the astronomer's hand.

The astronomer's heart pounded wildly at that moment, and even her fingers faltered on the piano keys, producing several discordant notes. She grabbed Platinum, pulled her up, and gently helped her sit on the piano bench before finally letting out a long sigh of relief.

Cheers and jeers erupted from the crowd around them. The sun had already set, and the sky was now shrouded in a thin gray veil, making everything indistinct and unclear. But the onlookers were excited; some took out their phones, some carried flashlights, and some even waved torches behind them, making the astronomer and Bai Jin's faces appear rosy and alluring.

The piano bench was a whole pulley's height above the ground, and now that it was bathed in light, even the person at the back of the crowd could see several people sitting in front of the piano.

You can also see Haidu Star, Chengquanbao, and Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate.

Haidu Star turned its head and stared at the carp leaping over the dragon gate. The carp leaping over the dragon gate looked at the two people sitting on the piano bench, the firelight reflecting on their faces, making them look extremely pale.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." Li Yuelongmen tried to smile, but found he couldn't. "A bird that should have flown away long ago has finally flown away."

Platinum sat on the piano bench and realized that things were not going as she had expected.

In her mind, the guys surrounding her were like spectators who enjoyed watching a confession, and after seeing the confession succeed, they should pat their full bellies and disperse, leaving her and the astronomer alone.

But now, instead of leaving, this group of scoundrels has gathered in greater numbers, each carrying a flashlight and a cell phone, with a few others waving torches behind them, completely surrounding themselves as if they were about to have a bonfire party!

What are you doing holding the melon rind after you've finished eating the melon?

The astronomer eagerly embraced Platinum, while the joyful jazz music continued to play relentlessly, as if to create an all-night anthem. The crowd danced to the rhythm, a wave of heat hitting Platinum's face, causing her to frown uncomfortably.

"Aren't you going to leave us a victory kiss, darling?" The beautiful brown-skinned, Latin-looking girl, standing at the foot of the piano bench, winked at the astronomer and shouted in Portuguese, "We've been waiting for that!"

The astronomer smiled without saying a word, but simply put his right arm around Platinum's shoulder. Platinum frowned again.

The astronomers didn't agree, but the shouts from the audience didn't stop. Led by the Latina girl's cries, more and more voices joined together, almost drowning out the jazz music playing from the speakers.

Bai Jin's face had turned ashen. Although she couldn't understand what was being shouted below, the atmosphere was palpable; even a fool would know what they were saying.

The astronomer turned to look into Platinum's eyes. It was a questioning look, an inquiry asking if Platinum agreed.

No... dude... I really can't stand this.

Platinum was finally breaking down. Rudolph's symbolic memories didn't contain any methods for dealing with this situation!

The cheers from the audience grew louder. Platinum hesitated for a moment, tucked her hair behind her ear, and quietly leaned closer to the astronomer's face.

It wasn't very clear from the audience, partly due to the angle and partly due to the dim lighting. From the audience's perspective, it looked as if platinum had gently pecked the astronomer's cheek.

They naturally saw the carp leaping over the dragon gate.

"Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate." Star of the Sea City whispered Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate's name, tugging at her sleeve. Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate stood motionless beside the cheering and dancing crowd, with no lights or firelight illuminating her, standing alone, like a ghost that had been dead for many years.

"I'm leaving, I'm going back." Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate said lightly, then turned and swayed away from the crowd.

The swaying wasn't limited to just one person leaping over the dragon gate; the astronomer sitting in front of the piano bench felt a tearing sensation that was almost like fainting.

Platinum simply leaned close to her ear and whispered a few words in it.