Becoming a life winner from infancy

"Hopscotch?"

Asai Reina was very surprised by Xia Nuo's sudden suggestion, "What's that? Ling Nai has never played it before."

"It's a game that Emperor Youyou invented, and it's really fun! I'll take you to play!"

Xia Nuo thought for a moment, "But it's more fun with more people. I'll call You You and Ayu over."

"Wait, wait a minute!"

Asai Reina grabbed Xia Nuo, "I'm competing with you for a chance to go on a date with You You. It would be too weird to have You You here."

"True... You You might favor me and take care of me."

Xia Nuo said, "But you don't need to worry about that, because it doesn't have much to do with the final outcome."

"Hmph... don't cry and beg me if you lose!"

"That's for sure."

Ling Nai certainly still remembered how she was punished by Xia Nuo when she was 6 and Xia Nuo was 5.

But times had changed, and now Asai Reina was, after all, a 9-year-old girl.

A 9-year-old girl and an 8-year-old girl may only be a year apart, but the gap in intelligence and physical ability can be like night and day.

Because, at 9 years old, a girl is already starting to step into the threshold of puberty!

Although Ling Nai doesn't differ much from Nuo Nuo in appearance and form, she has clearly felt that the other party still has a childlike nature. To defeat her, she just needs a bit of the wisdom of puberty and she'll easily catch her.

As for the origins of the game hopscotch, it goes back a long time ago when Emperor Youyou, after discovering the wonderful use of "creative knowledge," tried to recreate some classic children's games from his past life memories, combined with some rules he set for the village, to achieve the effect of gaining creative knowledge.

However, when no energy was produced, Fang You gave up. It wasn't fun for just Nuo Nuo and Ayu to play since Ayu was easy to overwhelm.

But this time, with Ling Nai joining, the three playing hopscotch together got even Ayu excitedly coming over to play.

"Today is Independent Day for girls without dads! Yay!"

It seemed that Luo Xianyu, who had recently been inseparable from Fang You and was weary of it, was showing her rebellious nature again, and was excited about such interaction.

Xia Nuo and her friends headed to the children's playground in Dragon City. Xia Nuo drew boxes numbered 1,2,3 all the way to 8 on the ground with chalk, where boxes 4 and 5 and 7 and 8 were side by side, and above 7 and 8 she drew a semicircle which served as the roof.

"Ling Nai is playing for the first time, right? Now, Ayu will explain the rules."

Luo Xianyu showed off the handmade bean bag she sewed before, "First, we have to choose the hopscotch order by playing rock-paper-scissors, then we take turns to act. We throw the bean bag onto the numbered square, like starting with 1, and then we have to skip over 1 and start hopping from 2."

"You should hop in numerical order. You hop on one foot in single squares, and you can land on both feet in double squares, but not if there's a bean bag in the square. Then, after that—"

"Oh, Ayu, you're telling her so much she won't remember. Let her play with us once and she'll know,"

Xia Nuo snagged Luo Xianyu's bean bag and grabbed Asai Reina's hand, "Let's play rock-paper-scissors!"

"Wait a minute—"

Asai Reina snagged Xia Nuo and said, "I'm still not familiar with the rules. The first round shouldn't count toward winning or losing, right?"

"Winning or losing? What's that—"

"It's like Ling Nai said she wants—"

Just as Xia Nuo was about to explain, Asai Reina covered her mouth.

"This, this is a secret between Nuo Nuo and me, haha... it's better if Ayu doesn't know."

Although Ayu currently feels an attachment to You You akin to that of a father, if she were to be enlightened, she could become a formidable rival in developing a relationship with You You!

After all, Ayu now has one advantage that neither Nuo Nuo nor Ling Nai have—as "the daughter," Ayu can be affectionate with You You without much rejection.

Moreover, You You may not even be aware of this yet, so she has to be careful—

"Come on, tell Ayu, Ayu wants to know too!"

Luo Xianyu said a bit defiantly, "Why do you all get to have secrets and not Ayu? If Ayu and Dad have secrets in the future, Ayu won't tell you guys!"

"No, no! Actually, it's just—"

So, Asai Reina and Xia Nuo told Luo Xianyu about the content of their competition.

"Hmm... so it's like that, wanting to go on a date alone with my dad."

After listening, Luo Xianyu nodded, "Indeed, my dad likes strong girls, that's why Nuo Nuo is liked by Dad."

"But..."

She rested her index finger on her chin, revealing a somewhat curious expression:

"Just the two of you playing is so boring. Ayu is already here, so let's add Ayu in as well!"

"Umm... no, what are you doing here?"

Asai Reina was somewhat speechless; the very thing she worried about had indeed happened.

Luo Xianyu explained, "You see, if Ayu wins first place in hopscotch, then let Ayu have a date with Dad!"

"Ayu, you've always been the last one in hopscotch," Xia Nuo reminded, "It's better for Ayu to be the judge."

"But Nuo Nuo, you've never beaten Dad either," Luo Xianyu said with her hands on her hips, striking a rebellious pose, "Actually, Ayu never really tried her best in hopscotch with you guys because she knew she couldn't beat Dad, so she just played casually."

"Okay, since Ayu has said so, I'm not going to go easy anymore."

Xia Nuo rolled up her sleeves, revealing smooth and fair skin, "Ayu really has grown up and entered a rebellious age. It's time to remind you who your real mom is."

"Nuo Nuo used to be the mom, but Ayu is now a tiny bit taller than you. If anyone is going to be the mom, it should be Ayu, hmph."

"Then wouldn't You You be my grandpa! That's unacceptable; I've always been You You's mom," Xia Nuo suddenly got nervous.

She seemed to care a lot about seniority!

At this moment, Asai Reina's brain was close to snapping.

Ah no.

Could this be the legendary... battlefield?!

"Battlefield" is a very popular term in the cultural works of Yingdu.

It means that two or more female characters have feelings of fondness or love for the same male character.

When they realize each other's presence and are in the same place, they subconsciously develop a competitive mentality, possibly engaging in a subtle psychological battle or direct verbal confrontation with each other.

It seemed that this was exactly such a situation...

But at this moment, Asai Reina was not showing a very happy or excited expression, not at all "kuku" about it!

She even felt a bit guilty!

Because originally, Nuo Nuo and You You were inseparable, close friends. Now, because of her own presence and thoughtless words, she had gotten both of them involved in the competition for You You.

Reina felt a bit... a bit...

Too mischievous!

If You You found out about this, he might end up disliking Reina for it!

Should she find an opportunity to explain the situation to You You?

Well, she would just have to whisper it to You You during their date.

Even if he got mad at Reina, she was willing to accept You You's punishment... kuku—

"Alright Reina, what are you grinning about; your drool is spraying out of your mouth."

"Reina without her front teeth looks so disgusting when she laughs."

"You two are so mean! How can you say such embarrassing things to the world's number one cute beauty Reina... hmph."

Xia Nuo pinched Luo Xianyu's cheek next to her, "Clearly, Ayu is the cutest."

"No, the world's number one cutest is Nuo Nuo, actually," Luo Xianyu patted Xia Nuo's head.

This... it seemed they hadn't realized that they had already fallen into a battlefield because of You You.

Asai Reina's guilt, diminished a bit!

"Alright, let's get started with rock-paper-scissors! Remember, only the winner of this match can have a date with You You."

"Didn't you say the first round didn't count!" Asai Reina whined, "I don't even know how to play!"

"Reina, don't always think about yourself, consider my and Ayu's feelings too," Xia Nuo said.

"Exactly, exactly, majority rules, if you can't play the game, don't play, Abby, 'lüe, lüe, lüe!'" Luo Xianyu teased Asai Reina by making a funny face at her.

"Ah, you two——"

"Rock-paper——scissors!"

And so, with the privilege of a private date with You You at stake, the girls began their battle!