“Huai’an,” Guo Lin answered without hesitation. “Lingling plays too impulsively and arrogantly. It’s fine usually, but in a competition, such traits are most detrimental.”

In Go, skill is one aspect, but mindset is another.

Both need to be stable to win.

If one’s emotions are unstable, it’s easy to make mistakes and lose the game.

On the field, Xu Lingling was very pleased to be matched against Cen Huai’an.

She looked at him with a raised chin and said, “I won’t give you any leeway during the match!”

Cen Huai’an, not showing any fear or nervousness, calmly responded, “Senior, I don’t need you to.”

Xu Lingling lifted her chin and said, “You’re quite confident. Don’t cry if you lose later!”

Cen Huai’an pressed his lips together and replied, “I won’t.”

Xu Lingling thought he meant he wouldn’t cry, but Cen Huai’an actually meant he wouldn’t lose.

The match began, with Cen Huai’an playing the black stones first, and the two started their intense game.

Xu Lingling’s playing style was aggressive, focusing on quickly taking territory without much strategy.

Cen Huai’an, however, seemed pressured by Xu Lingling but actually remained in control.

When the timing was right, Cen Huai’an placed his black stone in a crucial position, and the board’s situation shifted dramatically.

Xu Lingling found herself in a losing position.

Realizing she was at a disadvantage, Xu Lingling became anxious, her inability to maintain her composure leading to a chaotic game, and she couldn’t turn the situation around.

Cen Huai’an placed another stone and looked at Xu Lingling, saying, “Senior, you lost.”

His expression had remained serious from start to finish, with no change.

Xu Lingling stared at the board in disbelief: how could she lose?

Especially to a newcomer who had been learning Go for less than a year!

This was impossible!

But the fact was, she lost, and the judge announced the result.

The staff asked both players to leave the field.

When Cen Huai’an approached Chu Xia, he finally smiled and said, “I won, Mom.”

“Wonderful! I’m so proud of you!” Chu Xia praised him wholeheartedly, patting his head.

Cen Huai’an felt even happier inside.

In contrast, Xu Lingling looked devastated, unable to accept losing to Cen Huai’an.

She had always thought she was much better than him.

Guo Lin didn’t comfort her but let her stand beside him and come to terms with it herself.

If Xu Lingling couldn’t figure out why she lost and couldn’t adjust her mindset, her Go journey might end there.

No matter how much she learned in the future, she would only end up with more resentment.

After Zheng Duoping won his match and learned that Cen Huai’an had beaten Xu Lingling, he also couldn’t believe it.

Although Xu Lingling’s skill wasn’t as high as his, she had been studying Go for more than twice as long as Cen Huai’an.

How could she lose?

Zheng Duoping looked at his teacher and then at the expressions of Cen Huai’an and Xu Lingling, confirming that Cen Huai’an had won.

He glanced at Cen Huai’an and quietly went over to Xu Lingling’s side.

“Lingling?”

Xu Lingling didn’t want to talk to anyone, covering her ears and turning her face away.

Seeing her reaction, Zheng Duoping swallowed the words he intended to say.

Cen Huai’an wasn’t concerned about Xu Lingling’s feelings.

He was aware of the dislike from his senior and senior sister but didn’t let it affect him.

“It’s okay,” he thought. He was just learning Go from his teacher.

Their attitudes didn’t influence him.

“Mom, what are we having for lunch?”

Chu Xia asked him what he wanted to eat.

Cen Huai’an immediately replied, “I want to eat fish.”

The city gym was located on People’s Road in the city center, where there was an old restaurant known for its excellent fish dishes.

Chu Xia had learned about this place from Chen Chen’s mother.

In Liangzhou, there wasn’t a local delicacy she didn’t know or hadn’t tried.

She took Huai’an there to have sweet and sour carp, Huai’an’s favorite way to prepare fish.

He loved any dish with a sweet and sour flavor.

The fish was large, enough for two people, and they ate until they were full.

After enjoying his favorite dish, Cen Huai’an was in an even better mood for the afternoon, though the competition was nearing its end with only the strongest contenders remaining.

This round was the semi-finals, and Guo Lin was surprised that Cen Huai’an had made it this far.

He knew there were several skilled young Go players, including Huai’an’s opponent from the previous week, who was quite good.

In that game, Guo Lin initially thought Cen Huai’an couldn’t win, but in the end, he did.

During the post-game analysis, Guo Lin realized that Cen Huai’an’s victory was due to his stable mindset.

If his opponent had maintained the same composure, the outcome could have been uncertain.

It was fortunate for Cen Huai’an that he faced Xu Lingling, who had avoided strong opponents in her previous games.

Xu Lingling’s mindset was even weaker than Cen Huai’an’s earlier opponent, and she was also quite arrogant.

Losing the match was not surprising.

However, making it to the top four was a significant challenge for Cen Huai’an.

Guo Lin said to Chuxia, “An’an has done very well to get this far. Even if he loses this match, he’s already the biggest dark horse in this children’s competition.”

The other three finalists on stage were visibly older than Cen Huai’an, making him the most eye-catching one.

Chuxia, watching Cen Huai’an on stage, nodded with a smile, “I know. I’ve always believed An’an is the best.”

Even if he didn’t make it to the top four, he was unique in Chuxia’s heart.

At that moment, the drawing of lots had begun.

Cen Huai’an and Zheng Duoping were both among the top four players.

Guo Lin mentioned, “They might end up facing each other.”

However, they didn’t draw the same number.

Cen Huai’an’s opponent was a round-faced girl, while Zheng Duoping played against another boy.

As the match began, Cen Huai’an realized that the round-faced girl’s skill level was comparable to the boy he had faced earlier.

But the girl was more stable than that boy, playing with a calm demeanor and laying traps step by step.

Cen Huai’an kept his lips pressed together, focusing entirely on the game, countering moves and thinking about his own strategy.

The game remained in a deadlock, with neither side gaining an upper hand.

Zheng Duoping’s game with the other boy was also challenging.

Although Guo Lin appeared calm, his hand behind his back was clenched tightly, veins popping out.

Chuxia, on the other hand, remained calm.

The outcome was beyond her control.

As Guo Lin said, Cen Huai’an’s progress to this point had already demonstrated his talent and skill in chess.

As time passed, Chuxia was more worried about Cen Huai’an’s physical condition.

The game had been too long, and playing chess was both mentally and physically exhausting.

Cen Huai’an was still young, and his body had only recently recovered.

Chuxia was concerned about whether he could endure it.

When Chuxia saw the girl across from Cen Huai’an hesitating to place her next piece, she placed two pieces at the bottom right corner of the board.

Although she didn’t understand chess, she had seen Cen Huai’an play many times and knew that this meant conceding.

The girl stood up and left quickly, her round face expressionless.

The referee announced Cen Huai’an’s victory.

When he stood up, he seemed a bit wobbly, and Chuxia immediately noticed something was wrong.

When he reached her, she saw his pale face and forehead covered in sweat.

Chuxia quickly hugged him, letting him lean against her while wiping his sweat and anxiously asked, “Do you feel unwell anywhere?”

Guo Lin, used to seeing such situations, reassured Chuxia, “Don’t worry. He’s just exhausted. He’ll be fine after some rest.”

Chuxia discreetly checked Cen Huai’an’s pulse, confirming that he was indeed just very tired and not suffering from anything else.

She felt relieved.

The finals and the third-place match were scheduled for the next Sunday.

After informing Guo Lin, Chuxia took Cen Huai’an home.

On the bus, An’an fell asleep leaning on Chuxia.

She looked at his pale face with concern and gently patted his head.

Once home, Cen Huai’an crawled into bed and continued sleeping, barely acknowledging the two small dogs that came to greet him.

He only woke up when it was already dark.

Cen Huai’an, feeling fully recharged, jumped out of bed and ran outside, calling to Chuxia, “Mom, I’m hungry!”

He felt like he could eat a whole pot of rice, his stomach growling.

Chuxia had not eaten dinner yet but had prepared it.

Since Cen Huai’an was exhausted from the Go game, she had specially made ginseng porridge to help him recover.

The porridge, made with white poria, ginseng, and japonica rice, was excellent for strengthening the spleen and boosting energy.

Chuxia served him a full bowl, insisting he finish it.

She was truly alarmed by his condition after the game.

“An’an, do you still feel unwell anywhere?”

Cen Huai’an swallowed the porridge and shook his head, “No, Mom.”

Chuxia patted his head, seeing that he had regained his energy, and felt relieved.

She asked about the afternoon’s game.

Cen Huai’an didn’t know much: “I was focused on the game and didn’t pay attention to anything else. I just felt very tired after it ended.”

The two children had played for almost three hours.

Playing Go involved a lot of calculation and sitting still, and at six years old, how could he not be exhausted?

“What if you feel this tired every time you play go?”

Cen Huai’an ate heartily, and upon hearing his mother’s clear concern, he shook his head, “It won’t be like this, Mom. I’ll grow up, improve my skills, and then it won’t be so tiring. Besides, I didn’t feel too tired when I played with others before.”

He enjoyed playing Go, getting absorbed in the game, and the effort to find solutions fascinated him.

Chuxia patted his head, “Is it tiring when you’re learning?”

Cen Huai’an replied, “Not at all.”

It was just that this time, the game had been too long, consuming too much energy, which made him feel exhausted.

Chuxia felt reassured but knew she needed to continue to help An’an recover.

Although he seemed fine now, his health was still weaker compared to other children.

Since she was due for a follow-up visit to the hospital, she planned to restock on nutritional supplements and focus on dietary improvements.

They were already eating well, with frequent meat in their meals.

Chuxia planned to buy beef, various types of fish, pork ribs, fruits, and fresh vegetables, providing Cen Huai’an with a varied diet every day.

During her hospital visit, Li Guanzhong gave Chuxia good news: her health had basically recovered, and she no longer needed medication.

She only needed to avoid intentionally catching a cold or eating excessively cold foods, and to take care of her health.

Li Guanzhong also advised her not to be too harsh on herself. “Eat and drink as needed. Even though you don’t need medication anymore, your body is still weaker than usual, so ensure you get the necessary nutrition.”

Chuxia understood that both she and Cen Huai’an needed to maintain good nutrition.

Although she didn’t buy many supplements, she did get fish oil from the hospital.

They also had milk, eggs, meat, fruits, and vegetables daily, ensuring a balanced diet without harm.

These days, not only were Chuxia and An’an thriving with good health, but even the two small dogs were growing rapidly, shiny and healthy, thanks to their daily meat diet.

As the dogs grew larger, it was clear that the twenty square meters of their small house were no longer sufficient for them to run around.

Whenever Cen Huai’an came home, they would rush over immediately, barking to go out and play.