CHAPTER 480: CHAPTER 333: THE HEART THAT IS FOREVER TOUCHED

The next day, in the afternoon.

Inside the dojo.

Uesugi Sakura was experiencing the hardships of practicing Sword Dao again, which inevitably brought back memories of being trained by his father-in-law every evening.

At this moment, Sakihara Shion walked in, "Uesugi, Hanabi-chan is looking for you."

Uesugi Sakura, drenched in sweat, greeted the disciple he was sparring with, then looked at Sakihara Shion: "Should I go now?"

Miss Sakihara smiled: "What else would you do?"

After hanging the wooden sword back on the wall, Uesugi Sakura followed Miss Sakihara to the courtyard outside the dojo.

The bamboo leaves rustled, with sunlight casting a green glow on them, reflected in the rippling pond water.

Hanamaru Hanabi in a light white dress, was squatting by the pond, feeding the koi with feed in her hands.

Uesugi Sakura smiled as he watched her feeding the fish by the pond, lowering his steps to crouch beside her, and together they gazed at the rippling water surface.

When Hanamaru Hanabi scattered the feed into the pond again, she was visibly startled by him, clutching the bag tighter in her hand.

"Were you scared?"

"Uh-huh." Hanamaru Hanabi nodded at him.

"What brought you here all of a sudden?" Uesugi Sakura also gazed at her face glowing in the sunlight.

"Hanabi’s manuscript fee came in... there’s also a share for helping me, Sakura-kun."

"Isn’t the manuscript fee money you earned?"

"You helped out during the exhibition, so there’s a share for you too, Sakura-kun."

Uesugi Sakura smiled lightly and said, "I was just a pretend assistant."

"But Sakura-kun did help out..."

As she spoke in a small voice, Uesugi Sakura suddenly saw her gently and bashfully take out a delicately wrapped box from her ocean-blue waist pouch.

"A gift?" Uesugi Sakura looked at the item in front of him.

"Uh-huh..." Hanamaru Hanabi responded quietly.

"There’s no need to be shy about giving a gift." Uesugi Sakura smiled as he took the small black box from her hand.

"What is it?"

"Sakura-kun... just open it and you’ll know..."

"A Cartier watch?" Uesugi Sakura looked at the mechanical watch face quietly laying in the box.

"The watch Sakura-kun used before broke, and Hanabi knows Sakura-kun doesn’t like things that are too expensive..."

Uesugi Sakura took out the watch, its metallic coolness felt in his hand, and seeing Hanamaru Hanabi’s cautious demeanor, he realized that the first thing she thought of buying after getting paid was a gift for him.

"Thank you."

"Does Sakura-kun like it? Being with Sakura-kun for so long... actually, Hanabi still doesn’t know what Sakura-kun likes...."

"I like it, of course I do."

"Okay, as long as Sakura-kun likes it."

The white-dressed girl squatted by the pond, giving him a bright smile again.

This smile made his heart feel deeply touched.

Even the heat brought on by practicing Sword Dao just now dissipated completely.

Uesugi Sakura put the silver watch she gave him on his wrist, seeing it reminded him of Hanabi’s innocent thought when giving him the gift.

Perhaps, when he put the engagement ring on her that day, she was just as happy.

...

Back at the dojo, Uesugi Sakura continued practicing his Sword Dao.

Although no one was sparring with him now, thinking of Hanabi’s brilliant smile while practicing empty strikes, he couldn’t help but feel happy.

"Ah, Sakura, you seem to be in a good mood." Uesugi Shio, who had just arrived, noticed his little secret.

"Yes, quite good."

"Care to tell me what has you so happy?" Uesugi Shio stood in front of him, his empty strikes were inattentive, completely lacking force.

"Hanabi gave me a gift."

"Hanabi-chan gave you a gift... and you’re this happy?"

"Shio-ane, you’ve never been in a relationship, you wouldn’t understand the joy when a little girlfriend puts thought into giving a gift." Uesugi Sakura gripped the sword handle with both hands and swung it straight down.

"I don’t understand, but I can see it. You have a competition in two weeks, aren’t you going to spend more time gathering information on other opponents?"

"Shio-ane, don’t you know my ability?"

"I know, but how long has it been since you last competed? You’re bound to be a bit rusty."

Uesugi Sakura looked at his cousin in her white Sword Dao hakama, "How about we spar a little?"

"Sure." Uesugi Shio held her wooden sword and walked in front of him, "Let’s give it a try."

The signs of a spar were evident, and everyone in the dojo, big and small, turned their attention to the two of them.

As a temporary Vice Master, Uesugi Sakura was undoubtedly skilled, otherwise the disciples of Bushin Hall wouldn’t respect him, recalling how he once broke the wooden sword against the wall with such force left a deep impression.

As for Uesugi Shio?

In terms of skill, she’s already the senior disciple, and everyone often seeks her guidance.

Unfortunately, her style is somewhat like Uncle Sakihara, lazy in conduct, often practicing alone.

Everyone stopped their actions, surrounded by the two with their attention.

Uesugi Sakura asked, "Want to change into protective gear?"

"Change if you want," Uesugi Shio replied.

"I don’t like it, it’s too hot today."

"I feel the same."

Both of them held their wooden swords, though not adopting stances yet, a sense of confrontation was already in the air.

Uesugi Shio took the initiative, starting from the middle, feet stepping forward with a whooshing sound, diagonally slashing her wooden sword through the air.

"Ha!"

The wind roared.

It was initially a particularly swift strike, and even the audience thought the spar hadn’t officially begun. Uesugi Sakura, however, had calm eyes, intercepting the oncoming attack with a reverse lift of his wooden sword.

"Shio, this is a sneak attack, we haven’t done the ritual before the spar."

"This is to test your reflexes," Uesugi Shio said with a lazy gaze, lowering her unsuccessful attack’s wooden sword, "Sword Dao is all about circles, the stance and movement’s trajectory looks like it’s aimed at the face, but veers to attack the torso just before it hits."

"What’s that called again?" Uesugi Sakura also lowered his defensive wooden sword.

"Sen no sen."

"Meaning when you attack, I see through your intent, then you see through my defensive intent, and I predict your change of intent?"

It’s forecasting the forecast of forecasting.

"That’s pretty much what it means."

The contest in Sword Dao is to understand which layer your opponent is on at the moment of attack and respond more effectively.

Therefore, when a match begins, it’s usually probing, probing, probing, and probing again.

Hence, on TV, you often see two people holding bamboo swords in a standoff, circling around.

Laypeople probably think they’re playing.

But the psychological pressure of the contest has long focused at the blade’s tip, leading the opponent to expose a flaw, or oneself, resulting in gaining points or losing points.

Most battles end with a loud shout and then finish the spar.