The match continued.
There was no reversal—Lin Mo smashed the final shot.
Twenty to twenty-two.
Wang Yiping blew the whistle, signaling the end of the match!
"I declare the mixed doubles champions to be the pair of Lin Mo and Jiang Yunlu!"
Wang Senling turned and walked away immediately, unwilling to stay a second longer.
Carrying her badminton bag, she headed toward the stairs on the other side.
But with a mere snap of Lin Mo's fingers, a scream echoed from the staircase.
It was Wang Senling's scream.
For some reason, her foot slipped on the stairs, sending her tumbling from the second floor of the badminton hall all the way down to the first.
And the staircase between the first and second floors was quite long.
Fortunately, she knew how to protect herself—Wang Senling didn’t suffer any fractures or serious injuries.
Still, it was Lin Mo’s way of teaching her a small lesson.
Of course, no one knew that.
After all, he had an audience when he showed off earlier, but such minor acts were best kept unnoticed.
The real audience was everyone watching through the screen.
At that moment, Xu Congjun appeared out of nowhere, blocking Lin Mo’s path.
"Lin Mo, why didn’t you compete in the men’s singles?"
Wang Yiping, standing nearby, also wanted to know the answer.
Lin Mo shrugged. "I have no interest in the men’s singles title."
He glanced at Wang Yiping and instantly knew what he was thinking, so he added, "I also have no interest in joining the school badminton team because I’m preparing for the National Math Olympiad."
But Wang Yiping wasn’t ready to give up. "Wait! Lin Mo, with your skills, you could very well pursue a career in sports, maybe even the Olympics. I think you—"
Before he could finish, Lin Mo cut him off.
"Sports are entertainment for me, a way to relax, but I don’t want it to become my career, nor do I want to end up with a body full of injuries years later.
What I seek is knowledge. Of course, I’m not looking down on athletes—I just have different aspirations."
Lin Mo carefully worded his response, making sure not to offend anyone.
It was clear Wang Yiping really wanted him to join.
But Lin Mo truly had no intention of doing so.
Especially in a sport like badminton, where his abilities would be too conspicuous.
In the end, Wang Yiping had no choice but to relent. He could see Lin Mo’s determination, and it was undeniable that Lin Mo’s academic performance was outstanding.
After the incident with Coach Long, everyone had looked into who Lin Mo really was.
Seeing his ranking as the second-best student in the school made it clear he wasn’t someone to be trifled with.
Though Guangba was a prestigious high school where teachers held significant respect, physical education instructors… weren’t as influential as one might think.
Subject teachers carried far more weight.
Without pressing further, Wang Yiping took Xu Congjun to check on Wang Senling’s condition.
Meanwhile, the students from Class Eight crowded around Lin Mo.
"Damn, Lin Mo, you totally crushed them," a few guys from the back row cheered.
Lin Mo waved them off. "That’s exaggerating. I wasn’t planning on going all out, but Wang Senling crossed the line."
The moment he said that, he realized he might have misspoken.
Because the next second, everyone started teasing him.
"Hero saves the damsel! Strikes with righteous fury!"
Fang Jun was the first to come to Lin Mo’s rescue. "Cut it out, will you? Lin Mo did it for his classmates, for his friends. Didn’t he step up for Ma Li when he got injured in the basketball match too?"
His words did quiet the teasing somewhat.
Soon, everyone began heading back to their base camp.
And just like that, the badminton tournament came to a perfect close.
The award ceremony would take place the next afternoon during the closing ceremony, as it wasn’t just about handing out medals—prize money was also involved.
First place received five hundred yuan, second place three hundred, and third place one hundred.
That’s why many students, especially those from the track and field team, actively participated.
It was an extra incentive.
Even events like tug-of-war had rewards.
All in all, the school was shelling out tens of thousands for the whole event.
......
After school, Chu Miaomiao still walked home with Lin Mo and Xie Yuling.
Fang Jun had other plans, so he didn’t join them.
As they walked, Xie Yuling turned to Chu Miaomiao and asked, "Did you watch the badminton match this afternoon?"
Chu Miaomiao shook her head. "I was reading in the classroom."
"I heard Lin Mo made quite the spectacle at the badminton hall."
Chu Miaomiao’s eyes flickered with interest before dimming again. "Really? I missed it… what a shame."
She regretted not leaving the classroom earlier—she had been too absorbed in her novel.
"I didn’t see it either. Definitely a missed opportunity."
Lin Mo wasn’t sure if Xie Yuling was genuinely disappointed or if she meant something else, but he chose not to engage. Silence was the best response in situations like this.
But Xie Yuling clearly wasn’t letting him off the hook. She turned to him and asked,
"So… how did it feel? Carrying her like that?"
Lin Mo raised an eyebrow. "Want to find out for yourself?"
Without waiting for her reaction, he scooped Xie Yuling up in a swift motion.
She let out a startled gasp, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.
Chu Miaomiao, trailing behind them, covered her mouth in shock.
"Put me down! There are people everywhere!" Xie Yuling’s face burned crimson.
Lin Mo obliged, setting her back on her feet.
For a brief moment, Xie Yuling’s legs felt weak.
Lin Mo then turned to Chu Miaomiao. "How about you? Want a try?"
Chu Miaomiao immediately took two steps back, shaking her head.
"No, no… I’m too heavy."
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to—just that she thought she weighed too much.
Ever the diplomat, Lin Mo moved lightning-fast, lifting Chu Miaomiao effortlessly.
Compared to Xie Yuling and Jiang Yunlu, Chu Miaomiao was indeed a bit heavier—likely due to her… generous proportions.
But for Lin Mo, it was still no challenge.
After a quick test lift, he set her back down.
"Xie Yuling’s the lightest. You should eat more."
She was indeed the most petite of the three.
But Xie Yuling didn’t respond. She just kept her head down, walking briskly toward home.
If anyone had looked up from below, they would’ve seen her face still flushed deep red.
Lin Mo’s spiritual sense had scanned her multiple times—he was surprised she could stay embarrassed for so long.
He followed behind without a word, while Chu Miaomiao quietly savored the memory of being carried.
As they walked, Lin Mo spotted the old lady again—the one who prayed while walking.
But this time, he frowned.
His spiritual mark was no longer on her.
Yet when he reached out with his senses, he could still detect its presence.
Had someone moved his mark?
He didn’t dwell on it—he’d investigate later when he had time.
But as his senses brushed over the old woman again, something felt off.
He glanced up at the sky. It was November, and darkness fell early.
The twilight carried an eerie, almost supernatural aura.
Lin Mo turned back several times, making Chu Miaomiao peer behind them as well.
"Lin Mo, what are you looking at?"
"Nothing, nothing." With that, he quietly planted another spiritual mark.