Chapter 202: A Loud Shout
Xiao Hei was very docile, standing perfectly still as Darcy fitted the saddle. When Zhou You mounted, the horse remained motionless as well.
Darcy also mounted a chestnut horse nearby. Seeing Zhou You sitting there unmoving, he rode over and said, "Don't rush. Take it slow. Just stroll around for a bit—gently squeeze the horse's flanks with your legs."
Zhou You straightened his back, relaxed his body slightly, and gripped the reins tightly. He lightly tapped Xiao Hei's flanks with his legs. The horse began to walk slowly. Surrounded by grassland, it didn't know where to go and just trudged forward with its head down. Its steps were steady, neither hurried nor slow, and Zhou You found it very comfortable to sit atop.
After about ten minutes, Zhou You gradually got used to it and grew bolder. He gave the reins a gentle flick. Xiao Hei picked up the pace, breaking into a slow trot. The prairie wind brushed against his face, his body rising and falling with Xiao Hei's movements, and adrenaline began to flow. Zhou You slowly mastered the reins, pulling left and right, and when he pulled back, the speed gradually decreased. He was having a blast and couldn't resist speeding up again.
He turned around and rode back to the stable area. "Darcy, pick a few more gentle horses—one for each of them," Zhou You called out.
Darcy dismounted and let them each choose one. Agula knew how to ride, Li Houliang had some experience, and Yu Qian was a natural. Only Xiao Si was riding for the first time.
Zhou You, still on horseback, looked down at Xiao Si. "I'll teach you later."
Xiao Si froze for a moment. "Brother You, who gave you that confidence?"
Zhou You... The team was getting hard to manage; Xiao Si was rebelling.
Though it was Xiao Si's first time riding, he was far bolder than Zhou You. After a simple lap, he started galloping, shouting and yelling on the horse's back, making quite a racket. Zhou You, fired up by the sight, couldn't help urging Xiao Hei to sprint. But Xiao Hei was naturally cautious. Even when pushed, it sped up but never felt like a full-on gallop—more like it could run fast but chose to play it safe.
Darcy, worried, stayed close to Zhou You. Li Houliang slowly caught up too; it had been a while since he'd ridden, and he was a bit rusty. Back in training, his coach had taken him horseback riding to help him feel the horse's gait and strengthen his lower body. He hadn't gone often, but he knew how to ride.
Xiao Si, with his youthful temperament, craved excitement and thrills. He rode his horse at breakneck speed but gradually lost control, charging straight toward Zhou You.
Seeing this, Darcy quickly rode over to grab the reins and steady the horse. He leaned sideways to catch them but missed, and the horse bolted—still heading Zhou You's way. Li Houliang immediately steered his horse in front of Zhou You, blocking the charging path. Just as it was about to collide, Li Houliang let out a loud, piercing roar. Xiao Si gripped one rein tightly, trying to veer off, and the horse, startled by the shout, brushed past Li Houliang. Darcy chased after the horse again and finally got it under control.
Zhou You was stunned. It all happened so fast—a split second—and he hadn't even reacted. If Li Houliang hadn't been right there, the consequences would have been unthinkable. Cold sweat broke out on his back.
It was then that he suddenly remembered the documentary *Mongolia's Sunny Skies*: Puujee's mother had been trampled by a horse and died from her injuries. If even an old herder could fall victim, a novice was even more vulnerable.
After the scare, everyone's spirits dampened. Xiao Si, pale with fear, wasn't worried about himself—young and reckless as he was—but terrified of hitting Zhou You. The outcome would have been disastrous. He walked over to Zhou You, his face ashen, only to be kicked to the ground by Li Houliang. Xiao Si didn't dare move, one hand on the ground, the other clutching his stomach.
Zhou You quickly went over and pulled him up. "It's okay. Next time, be more careful. What if the horse hadn't charged at me but somewhere else, hurting you or someone else?"
Xiao Si didn't know what to say. He'd never been in a situation like this before. He hung his head, muttering apologies over and over.
Zhou You hadn't faced this either, and he was still shaken. But since it had already happened, he tried to focus on the positive. He patted Xiao Si on the shoulder. "You'll grow up from this. Be more steady from now on."
"Yeah, don't worry, Brother You. I'll make up for my mistakes," Xiao Si said through gritted teeth.
Zhou You said nothing more. After the incident, no one felt like riding anymore. Darcy was also frustrated—this kind of thing happened almost every year. Too many hotheads. Even old herders got hurt often, and a novice had been so reckless.
"Darcy, besides Xiao Hei, pick three more gentle horses for me—stallions or mares, doesn't matter. I won't take them yet; train them here first. I'll pay the usual fee." Zhou You still wanted to ride; he couldn't give up eating for fear of choking.
Darcy had thought the deal was off, but now it seemed it might continue.
As dusk approached and there wasn't enough lodging here, they needed to head to the county seat to stay. Darcy led them there. Tonight, they'd drink until they dropped.
They stayed at a hotel run by a friend of Darcy's. The conditions were decent. "We didn't welcome our honored guests properly at noon, so we'll make up for it tonight. This is also to calm your nerves, Boss Zhou. I bear a lot of responsibility today—the horses weren't well-trained," Darcy said, raising his glass. He downed three cups in a row, following the grassland's etiquette.
Zhou You also drank three cups in succession. "Accidents happen when riding. Even driving has its mishaps. This is a wake-up call; we'll be more careful next time."
What activity had no risks? Car accidents happened by the thousands every year. Drive on the highway, and you'd almost always see a pile-up. Might as well not drive at all!
That night, Li Houliang and Xiao Si didn't drink, claiming they'd had too much the day before. After the banquet ended, Li Houliang escorted Zhou You back to his room. He then pulled Xiao Si into his own room, his face stern. "You're my junior. Why did Brother You bring us out? Do you understand?"
"Yeah, to ensure safety," Xiao Si said reluctantly.
"And what did you do today that was safe?" Li Houliang was both angry and frustrated—he'd failed to protect safety and instead caused trouble. "You're young, but you're over twenty now. Twenty-three this year?"
"Yeah. I've learned my lesson. We're not here to play. I shouldn't have just focused on having fun. There won't be a next time!" Xiao Si was full of regret. He was young, not stupid. At best, this could get him fired; at worst, word would spread, and he'd be blacklisted in the martial arts world. No one would hire him as a coach—he'd nearly injured his own boss. Who would take that risk?
Xiao Si bowed deeply to Li Houliang. If Li hadn't stepped up today, the consequences would have been far worse.
Seeing that Xiao Si truly recognized his mistake, Li Houliang said one last thing. "Make up for it with good deeds from now on."