After My System Went Bankrupt, I Found My Happy Ending with the General - Chapter 11

Chu Yuanzhu neither agreed nor disagreed with Luo Chuchen’s request to join the winter hunt. Instead, he asked, “Do you know how to ride a horse?”

Luo Chuchen instantly deflated. “No,” he admitted.

He truly didn’t know how to ride.

As a child, the Marquis’s residence had hired instructors to teach archery and horsemanship, but due to Luo Chuchen’s frail health, even leading a horse for a short walk would leave him breathless, let alone mounting one. Thus, only Liang Jue had been the one to learn riding and archery.

“Even though I can’t ride, I know the basics,” Luo Chuchen insisted stubbornly.

Back then, though he couldn’t participate, he had always sat on a bench by the training ground to watch, and Liang Jue would share his insights and experiences with him after each lesson.

He might not have eaten pork, but he’d seen pigs run.

Luo Chuchen was brimming with confidence, convinced he could manage.

Chu Yuanzhu cast him a sidelong glance and said indifferently, “Fine, let’s go to the stables. If you can handle a horse, I’ll take you along.”

“Really?”

“Why would I lie to you?” Chu Yuanzhu shook his head.

The stables were located near the side gate of the estate. Inside, several fine steeds could be seen, snorting and puffing as the two approached.

Closest to them was a pure black horse with snow-white hooves and a glossy, sleek coat. As Chu Yuanzhu drew near, the horse affectionately nuzzled his palm.

“This is my horse, Baoyue,” Chu Yuanzhu introduced to Luo Chuchen.

Luo Chuchen examined the horse with curiosity and praised, “What a beautiful horse.”

A faint smile touched Chu Yuanzhu’s lips as he turned and gently stroked the horse’s mane. “Yes, she is.”

Luo Chuchen hadn’t expected Chu Yuanzhu to cherish a horse so dearly and was about to ask more when Chu Yuanzhu quickly composed his expression and led him to the other side of the stables.

There stood a chestnut-colored pony, slightly shorter than the tall steeds they had just seen, looking rather charming and adorable.

Luo Chuchen was taken aback for a moment before realizing, “Is this for me?”

Chu Yuanzhu snorted and retorted, “Who else? Do you see anyone else in this estate as short as you?”

Luo Chuchen was slightly irritated by the remark and wanted to say that Chu Yuanzhu wasn’t much taller himself after all, at sixteen or seventeen, there was still room to grow.

But he decided to let it slide, for the sake of the horse. No point arguing with that sharp tongue.

Instead of responding, Luo Chuchen delightedly approached the pony, examining it closely.

Chu Yuanzhu lazily followed and added, “This horse has a gentle temperament. The groom has trained it for several days. You can pet it and feed it some hay.”

“Oh, okay,” Luo Chuchen tentatively reached out to stroke the horse’s mane. When the pony obediently nuzzled him in return, he was even more thrilled. He then took some hay from nearby, holding it by the end and offering it to the horse. “Here, would you like some?”

The pony ate it willingly and, after chewing, rubbed its cheek against Luo Chuchen’s hand.

“Ah!” Luo Chuchen was overjoyed and couldn’t resist repeating the feeding gesture several times, his heart melting with adoration.

So incredibly cute.

Chu Yuanzhu couldn’t stand it any longer and intervened, “That’s enough. If it eats any more, how will it carry you later?”

“Alright,” Luo Chuchen then asked, “Does it have a name?”

Chu Yuanzhu replied, “No, it’s waiting for you to name it.”

Luo Chuchen thought for a moment but couldn’t come up with a good name right away, so he decided to set the matter aside for the time being.

Chu Yuanzhu taught him how to lead the horse out. Beside the stables was a small training ground, perfect for a brief riding session.

Luo Chuchen held the reins with both hands, tentatively placing one foot on the stirrup and putting in some effort, but he couldn’t manage to mount the horse.

Chu Yuanzhu stood nearby, making sarcastic remarks: “Is this what you meant by ‘knowing how’?”

Luo Chuchen, unwilling to admit defeat, patted the pony’s mane to reassure it, then mustered his courage and gritted his teeth to try again.

Thump.

He landed squarely on his rear.

The training ground was padded with grass, so it didn’t hurt much, but it was a little embarrassing,

Alright, it was very embarrassing.

The pony was also startled by his fall, snorting and taking two steps back before lowering its head to blow a puff of air onto Luo Chuchen’s head.

Tears welled up in Luo Chuchen’s eyes from the fall. He blinked them away, feeling a bit guilty and too embarrassed to stand up.

He had confidently boasted to Chu Yuanzhu that he definitely knew how to ride a horse,

And Chu Yuanzhu had even gone out of his way to prepare a pony for him in advance, without him knowing.

Just as he was wallowing in embarrassment, someone grabbed his elbows from behind. Chu Yuanzhu used the momentum to lift him to his feet.

“Alright, what’s there to cry about? The descendants of the Chu family aren’t this fragile,” Chu Yuanzhu said, dusting off the back of Luo Chuchen’s clothes. “And you had to act tough. Watching someone else ride a horse and actually knowing how to ride are two completely different things.”

“I know.” Luo Chuchen mumbled, scratching the side of his face with his head lowered.

Chu Yuanzhu added, “If you could ride a horse without anyone teaching you, that would be strange.”

Luo Chuchen let out a sullen “Mm.”

Immediately after, he felt someone pinch his cheek hard.

“Ouch!” Luo Chuchen cried out in pain, covering his cheek as he looked up. “What was that for?”

Chu Yuanzhu replied, “I can’t stand seeing you so dejected. Your father was a great general who rode into battle. You just fell off a horse for the first time, what’s there to be embarrassed about?”

With that, Chu Yuanzhu tapped Luo Chuchen’s head in frustration, as if disappointed he wasn’t living up to his potential.

Luo Chuchen felt like crying but had no tears. Fine, he wasn’t embarrassed anymore, but was this person always so violent?

Chu Yuanzhu raised an eyebrow. “Still feeling dejected?”

Luo Chuchen answered honestly, “No.”

Only then did Chu Yuanzhu seem satisfied. “That’s more like it.”

He walked over to the pony and said, “Riding a horse isn’t actually that difficult. You just need to pay attention to some details and techniques. Listen carefully…”

To Luo Chuchen’s surprise, Chu Yuanzhu began teaching him step by step.

Luo Chuchen listened attentively, half in shock and half in earnest. After Chu Yuanzhu demonstrated a couple of times, he helped Luo Chuchen mount the horse to give it a try.

Back and forth, Luo Chuchen gradually became familiar with the steps of riding.

Chu Yuanzhu, unexpectedly, had both the time and patience. Although he couldn’t resist teasing Luo Chuchen here and there during the lesson, he was genuinely dedicated to teaching.

Seeing how seriously Chu Yuanzhu was instructing him, Luo Chuchen obediently focused on learning.

The two of them practiced by the training ground all afternoon. It wasn’t until the steward came to remind them that it was time for dinner that Luo Chuchen reluctantly dismounted.

The pony nuzzled him affectionately, and Luo Chuchen’s heart softened. Stroking its mane, he said, “Good boy, I’ll come see you again tomorrow.”

Chu Yuanzhu stood nearby with his arms crossed, chiming in, “Mm, come see the dummy tomorrow.”

Luo Chuchen was taken aback, glaring angrily. “His name isn’t Dummy!”

Chu Yuanzhu replied coolly, “Isn’t it fitting, though? To commemorate how his owner fell flat like a dummy the first time they met?”

Luo Chuchen realized he was being mocked again and snorted, “Old habits die hard.” He turned and walked away first.

Chu Yanzhu continued provoking from behind, “Oh? If I’m a dog, then what are you?”

Unable to bear it any longer, Luo Chuchen retorted, “Whatever I am, you’ll be eating it later!”

He heard Chu Yanzhu burst into laughter behind him.

That evening, back in the study, Luo Chuchen pondered for most of the night but still couldn’t come up with a good name for the pony.

The next day, when Liang Jue climbed over the wall to visit, Luo Chuchen couldn’t resist showing off a little: “Chu Yanzhu got me a pony it’s really well-behaved. Too bad I haven’t settled on a name yet.”

“So he’s been planning to take you to the winter hunt all along?” Liang Jue was somewhat surprised.

Luo Chuchen hummed in agreement, “Probably. I get the feeling he prepared this horse a while ago and even taught me how to ride.”

Liang Jue laughed, “That’s truly unexpected.”

“Didn’t expect it either,” Luo Chuchen thought for a moment, “But it feels pretty good if only he weren’t so sharp-tongued all the time.”