Lin Chong's Women's Cuju Team

Chapter 148 My sister is a person who does great things.

"Sister, please don't kneel before me, I can't accept it! I just said I could understand why you used A-Wen to exchange for Lin Chong, but understanding is not the same as forgiveness. Please don't force me. What important matter do you have to discuss with me today? Just say it directly. I always deal with things objectively, not personally. You know my personality." Du Rushuang helped Du Shiniang back into her chair and spoke to her in a cold, hard tone.

Du Shiniang, of course, understood Du Rushuang's character. Her sworn sister was tough on the outside but soft on the inside, focused on the issue rather than the person, and possessed a chivalrous personality with clear likes and dislikes. That's why she had just used the excuse of "important matters concerning the people of both Jin and Song" to persuade Du Rushuang to meet with her.

“Shuang’er, I’ve come today for two reasons: first, to apologize to you, and second, to persuade you to rejoin the Song Dynasty women’s Cuju team for a Cuju match against the Jin Dynasty in a month. You may not know this, but because of the assassination of the Jin envoy, the Jin Dynasty doesn’t believe it was the Wolf King’s conspiracy and has now stationed troops outside Yanmen Pass, declaring war on the Song Dynasty. Gao Advisor suggested that we reorganize the women’s Cuju team, continue to have Lin Chong as the coach, and even said he would persuade the Emperor to officially appoint a few of us as members of the Song Dynasty women’s Cuju team.” Du Shiniang said to Du Rushuang in a sincere tone.

Upon hearing Du Shiniang's words, Du Rushuang felt a ripple in her heart. It turned out that Du Shiniang had indeed come today for the sake of the people of both the Jin and Song dynasties. She knew that Du Shiniang's original intention in forming the women's Cuju team was to stop the Jin dynasty from annexing three border cities of the Song dynasty, and at the same time, to vindicate women's Cuju, proving that they could also contribute to the stability of the country, and were not merely playthings for men in the harem.

However, after the mixed-gender Cuju match in the palace that was interrupted by assassins, would the emperor still trust these women? Du Rushuang felt that her performance that day had become hesitant due to the threat from the Wolf King. Although Chai Nianci, Chen Jinhuan, and others won Emperor Huizong's favor with their performance on the Cuju field, she was still unsure whether their women's Cuju team could be trusted by the emperor.

Appointing her, Chai Nianci, and three other women as members of the Song Dynasty's women's Cuju (ancient Chinese football) team? Was this even plausible? Although the advisor said he could persuade Emperor Huizong, Du Rushuang dared not trust this treacherous minister, much less Du Shiniang. Her sister was incredibly shrewd and worldly; the memory of being schemed against by Du Shiniang with Zhang Ruowen was like a needle piercing her heart, causing her great pain. How could she possibly agree to help Du Shiniang?

So, Du Rushuang said to Du Shiniang in a sarcastic tone, "Sister, you are a person who does great things! But I am not. I only want to protect the one I love. Things like saving the people from suffering are the responsibility of high-ranking officials like Gao Can and Zhou Chengquan. What does it have to do with a lazy woman like me?"

Du Shiniang understood the sarcasm in Du Rushuang's words, but she also knew that Du Rushuang was somewhat tempted; otherwise, she wouldn't have called her "sister," let alone talked about saving the people from suffering. Du Shiniang approached Du Rushuang and tugged at her arm. This time, Du Rushuang didn't shake her off, but instead frowned and looked at Du Shiniang's phoenix eyes, seemingly disgusted by her action, yet helpless.

"Sister, please leave! I need to prepare medicine for A-Wen. I don't have time to chat with you here." Du Rushuang gave the order to leave in a curt tone, glared at Du Shiniang, and turned to leave.

Du Shiniang was no match for Du Rushuang, who was skilled in martial arts, and was almost knocked to the ground. Fortunately, Du Shiniang managed to steady herself on the table. She calmed herself down and said to Du Rushuang, who had already turned her back, "Shuang'er, you love Zhang Ruowen so much, do you really want to spend your whole life serving the Wolf King with him and doing those murderous and arson things?"

"Du Shiniang, we are no longer sisters. My affairs are none of your business!" Du Rushuang retorted to Du Shiniang without turning her head, her tone as cold as ice. Du Shiniang was about to say something to persuade Du Rushuang when she caught sight of two tall and imposing figures walking in from outside the door.

A familiar male voice rang in Du Rushuang's ear: "Shuang'er, I never thought you would become so cold and heartless? You don't even want to care about your savior—your sworn sister, Shi Niang?"

Du Rushuang looked up and recognized the newcomers as Wu Song and Lin Chong. Seeing that Du Rushuang didn't answer his question and instead turned and hurriedly went back behind the screen, Wu Song snorted and his face darkened. He pulled Lin Chong to sit down on a mahogany chair. Jiang Rufei, seeing this, instructed a maid to quickly serve tea to the two new guests. He recognized Lin Chong and Wu Song as having visited Ning Zhanyan at Mingfu Cave, and therefore dared not stop them from entering the Flying Eagle Escort Agency.

Du Rushuang dared not meet Wu Song face to face, so she said coldly to him through the screen, "I don't know how Wu Song and Lin Chong found the escort agency? But my brother is not at the agency, and I am busy taking care of Awen, so I don't have time to entertain you. Please go back with Du Shiniang."

"Shuang'er, why are you in such a hurry to send us away? My leg was broken on the cliff that day while saving a 'heartless' woman, and it still hurts a bit. I would like to ask Doctor Zhang to take a look at it. I wonder if it would be convenient for him?" Wu Song put on a pitiful tone as if he had come to seek medical help and said loudly to the screen, while stroking his left calf as he spoke.

When Du Rushuang heard Wu Song call her a "heartless" woman, she frowned, wondering what Wu Song really wanted. She had clearly made it clear to him on the cliff that day that she had regained her memories and could no longer have any emotional entanglement with him. Now he was using her broken leg to stir up her guilt and even wanted A-Wen to treat her leg. This scoundrel was shameless!

Thinking of this, Du Rushuang coldly refused Wu Song, saying, "It's inconvenient! Awen is injured and can barely take care of himself, how can he help Master Wu heal his leg?"

When Wu Song saw that Du Rushuang had rejected him, he wasn't angry. He just glanced at Du Shiniang and asked her casually, "Shiniang, did Shuang'er just refuse your invitation? Does she not want to stay in Brother Lin's women's football team?"

“Yes, I’ve been trying to persuade Shuang’er for a long time, but she still won’t agree to help. Why don’t you help me persuade her?” Du Shiniang said, winking at Wu Song and Lin Chong, looking extremely playful.

“I know Shuang’er’s personality. She’s tough on the outside but soft on the inside. Just like how she still has feelings for Brother Wu Song, but she doesn’t dare to see him. That shows that she has a guilty conscience. What do you think, Brother Wu?” Lin Chong spoke in the earnest tone of a matchmaker, pleading for Du Rushuang in front of Wu Song, as if he was certain that Du Rushuang still had feelings for Wu Song.

“Brother Lin is right. Shuang’er still has feelings for me, which is why she doesn’t dare to see me.” Wu Song smiled and teased Du Rushuang, following Lin Chong’s lead. After speaking, he stared intently at the person behind the screen.

"Who says I dare not meet Wu Song?" Du Rushuang blushed deeply at the two men's provocation, and her body seemed to fly out of the screen as if it were her own. As soon as she stepped out of the screen, she was pulled into a pair of large hands.

"Let me go! Wu Song, don't be so rough with me in front of my sister and Brother Lin!" Du Rushuang struggled and cried out in Wu Song's arms, but Wu Song did not let go of her. Instead, he tightened his grip on her slender waist and held her even tighter.

Lin Chong and Du Shiniang exchanged a glance. Du Shiniang coughed lightly and then called out to Du Rushuang, "Sister, I've asked Wu Song to act as an intermediary. You two should have a good chat. I'm going with Brother Lin to the back garden to admire the roses. When I arrived, I saw that the roses in your garden were in full bloom."

As soon as Du Shiniang finished speaking, she quickly grabbed Lin Chong's hand and walked out of the hall. Lin Chong was a little stunned, but when he saw the two figures entangled behind the screen, he pursed his lips and tactfully followed Du Shiniang out of the hall.