Chapter 203: Chapter 203: Underestimating Her
Ashley Shaw took a deep breath to adjust her emotions before looking at Jillian Lynch.
Jillian Lynch had a shy expression on her face as she said, "No, it was just luck. There wasn’t anyone particularly strong in my age group this year."
After speaking, with a nod from Mrs. Lynch, Jillian nervously asked, "Grandpa Prescott, may I have a game with you? Playing against a master could really help improve my chess skills."
Elder Prescott was a man of clear distinctions between love and hate; though he didn’t like Mrs. Lynch and Rosalind, he still cared for Jillian as a junior.
But as for the chess game...
Elder Prescott stroked his beard and said, "If you want to improve your chess skills, you shouldn’t ask me. You should play with Ashley. Here, take my place and play a game with your sister Ashley."
Jillian’s expression froze, feeling quite unconvinced inside.
She believed she could match wits with Elder Prescott, perhaps even have a thirty percent chance of winning.
But against Ashley Shaw?
Someone who couldn’t even figure out such a simple trap and walked right into it, how could she be worthy of playing against her?
And a master? She probably hasn’t even reached the first amateur rank yet.
While she was already at professional second rank.
"Grandpa Prescott..."
Jillian wanted to tactfully express her reluctance to play go with Ashley Shaw when she heard Warren Prescott’s voice—
"Jillian, you play go as well?"
Jillian instinctively turned her head to see Warren appearing behind her without her knowing.
She could only catch a whiff of the pleasant scent of cedar mixed with a faint tobacco aroma.
Soon she saw Warren’s deep, pond-like black eyes fixedly looking at her.
Inexplicably, Jillian’s heartbeat lost its rhythm uncontrollably, and her cheeks flushed unconsciously.
At this moment, she suddenly understood why her sister’s eyes would light up every time she mentioned Warren in the past, and why, after Warren and her sister had a falling out, her sister seemed so sorrowful and unwilling whenever Warren was mentioned.
Brother Warren was indeed a very perfect person.
So perfect that she couldn’t find anyone around her who could even slightly resemble him.
Not to mention one-third; even a fraction resembling him was already god-like.
Jillian nervously clenched her hands at her sides and said, "Yes, a little..."
"It’s more than a little." Elder Prescott laughed and said, "I heard little Jillian recently won a national championship."
Warren nodded, praising, "Little Jillian is really impressive."
Jillian’s face turned even redder in an instant; she could even hear her own heartbeat.
Fortunately, no one would deliberately pay attention to the expressions of a little girl.
"I, I’m not very good, just a beginner..."
Only to hear Elder Prescott say, "That’s perfect. You and Ashley play a game, and I’ll see what level you’ve reached."
Jillian, who originally despised the idea of playing against Ashley Shaw, had now changed her mind.
Although she didn’t know why, she really wanted to showcase herself in front of Warren now.
"Okay."
Jillian nodded and took the seat Elder Prescott had just vacated.
On the wide grandmaster’s chair, Jillian appeared even more petite.
Ashley Shaw had now convinced herself; she no longer saw Jillian as the woman from her past life but merely as a child.
No matter what, this lifetime’s Jillian hadn’t done anything to harm her.
Moreover, this lifetime’s Jillian wouldn’t have the chance to harm her either.
She no longer deeply loved Warren, and Warren was no longer her whole world, soon to become a parallel line never to intersect with her again.
Having figured this out, Ashley was now completely at peace.
She looked up at the little person sitting in the opposite grandmaster’s chair and voluntarily offered her the black pieces.
According to the rules of go, the black pieces go first.
And the one who goes first would have an advantage, albeit not significant, but important in games between masters.
However, Jillian gently pursed her lips and pushed the container with the black go pieces back to Ashley Shaw.
"You should play with the black pieces. I don’t want to bully you."
When these words left her mouth, Ashley Shaw immediately showed a stunned expression.
She was a naturally gifted player with two lifetimes of study, almost to the point where she had no opponents.
This was the first time she heard someone say, "I don’t want to bully you," while playing go against her.
It was rather... novel.
Warren and Elder Prescott had different expressions on their faces upon hearing this.
But no one took Jillian’s words seriously.
At this age, the young are quite full of fervor.
"Are you sure?" Ashley Shaw confirmed one last time.
"Of course. You play with the black pieces, and I’ll play with the white pieces."
After saying this, Jillian put the container of white pieces next to Ashley onto her own side.
Ashley Shaw shrugged lightly, nodded, and said, "Alright, then I’ll use the black pieces."
Holding a black piece between her two fingers, she gently placed it at the center point of the board.
With Ashley’s movements, Jillian couldn’t help but notice Ashley’s hands.
She angrily realized that not only was Ashley’s face attractive, but even her hands were more beautiful than her own or even her sister’s.
Her hands were as white as jade, with long fingers and joints dusted with pink, like peach blossoms blossoming in spring.
Her nails were neatly trimmed, with beautiful nail beds that looked crystal-like.
Jillian couldn’t help but dislike Ashley Shaw even more.
She took a deep breath, swearing to "destroy" Ashley Shaw utterly.
Jillian took a deep breath, picked up a white stone, and almost without hesitation placed it next to Ashley’s black piece.
She believed this would be an easy and quick game.
But as the game unfolded, Jillian’s expression gradually shifted from disdain to seriousness.
She realized that Ashley Shaw’s chess skills were far beyond her expectations.
She needed to think carefully about each move, while Ashley Shaw continued to play fast moves.
Every time she placed a stone, Ashley Shaw seemed to already know where she would play.
Almost the moment she placed her stone, Ashley’s black piece followed immediately.
Initially, she thought Ashley didn’t know how to play, hence the quick pace.
But as more and more pieces filled the board, she was shocked to realize that Ashley Shaw’s seemingly random moves were actually a masterful strategy.
Ashley Shaw’s stones moved across the board as if alive.
If she had been playing casually at first, then every move afterward was executed to the fullest of her abilities.
She began to give it her all, but it seemed her efforts made little difference.
Or rather, they made no difference at all.
Ashley Shaw’s assaults became more aggressive, with her black stones completely dominating the board.
Inadvertently, Jillian’s forehead began to sweat, soon covered with fine beads of sweat.
In contrast, Ashley Shaw looked relaxed, even taking a moment to reply to a message on her phone.
Finally...