Chapter 273: I’m the type to impress my wife

Crack... crack...

Some parents from the other team heard the cracking noises and looked toward the parents on the blue team’s side. Raka, in particular, narrowed his eyes.

"Why are they stretching so much?" he wondered to himself, his heart somehow thudding.

After all, on that side, Julius wasn’t the only one who looked pumped. Even Lucian was stretching his shoulders while Ashley did some side lunges.

"Hah!" Raka scoffed, about to look away, when he finally noticed that Lucian and Ashley had come in rubber shoes and much more comfortable attire for physical activity.

He deadpanned, his nose slowly scrunching up in dismay. "Did they think they would win just like that?" he scoffed, turning to the other parents, whom he already knew and had a good relationship with.

"Guys, let’s not get pressured!" he intoned as he faced the parents and students on their team. "Our kids already won the first round, so with our help, we’ll guide them to victory!"

The parents on their side clapped, fired up as they looked at their children with pride. Their children looked up at them, eyes twinkling in awe. Of course, they were their parents. Regardless, they were their heroes.

As for the blue side, Julius couldn’t help but chuckle at the couple.

"It seems you guys prepared for this," he joked, only to earn a sharp glare from Ashley and Lucian, who were already locked in.

The teasing smile on his face twitched as he lifted his gaze toward the supposed invisible fire engulfing the duo, but somehow he could... see it?

Yep, they are locking in, he thought with an awkward smile.

"That dude and those people on the other team are getting on my nerves," Ashley mumbled, loud enough for the other parents around them to hear. "This is a school festival where our children are supposed to have fun, but winning is clearly more important to them."

Ashley’s eyes blazed, her aura so strong it almost looked like it could make her hair float. "I’ll show them that growth only comes through losing."

Lucian, Julius, and all the other parents could not help but gulp at the sight of this demoness.

"Is she alright?" one of the parents whispered to another. "Or is she starting to get possessed?"

"I don’t know, but I don’t want to fight her."

Just as the parent said that, they flinched when Ashley whipped her head in their direction.

"You guys better prepare yourselves for this."

The women opened and closed their mouths, their shoulders stiffening before they nodded profusely.

"Ye—yes, ma’am!" was all they managed to blurt out, surprising even themselves.

"She’s..." Julius, standing beside Lucian, stared at Ashley in stunned silence.

He could not help but recall the sweet young woman she had been earlier with his son and Primo. He didn’t want to judge by appearances and assume Ashley was too young to be Primo’s mother. She could simply be youthful-looking.

The point, however, was that earlier, he didn’t think Ashley was capable of intimidating other parents.

But look at her now.

Julius had known the other parents on their team, and he was aware that they weren’t all that nice. If anything, many parents in this school were just like Raka—overly proud and privileged. Considering this school was exclusive, it wasn’t surprising.

Right now, however, they had all gathered around and listened to Ashley as though she had automatically taken the role of the team’s coach.

"Wow, Auntie Pretty~" the children clapped while looking at Ashley. "You are so cool!"

The children, unable to sense the growing fear in their parents’ hearts, found themselves staring at Ashley with twinkling eyes.

For a second, Ashley softened as she grinned at the children.

"Kids, listen here." Ashley crouched down, crooking her finger like a bully.

The children listened and marched toward her, lining up in front of her. Some parents tried to pull their children away and hide them from her, but to no avail.

The children were too mesmerized by her to listen.

"Do you think your moms and dads, your aunties, and even your grandparents who came here today are amazing?" she asked, raising her brows.

The children nodded eagerly.

"Of course they are!" Ashley looked up at the parents and guardians gathered there.

It wasn’t just parents—some children had grandparents who came for them too. But that didn’t bother her at all.

"So, you guys should have fun, okay?" She nodded slowly at them, her eyes scanning their faces. "Let’s have fun... and win. Crush those guys on the other team!"

"Yes, Pretty Auntie!"

With Ashley burning with determination, the children quickly absorbed it. Their little eyes lit up with motivation, leaving even their own parents and guardians stunned.

Julius was one of them as he stared at his son, who had never been competitive about anything before. Not that it was a problem for Julius as a father, but seeing the burning determination in his son’s eyes made him laugh and filled him with something he could not describe.

But since his son seemed to want to win this badly, he felt the same. Just like the other parents and guardians, they exchanged looks and nodded at one another.

And just like that, they were all on the same page.

When Julius shifted his gaze toward Lucian, his brows twitched upward. Lucian simply stood there, watching his wife with a subtle smile on his face. Despite that calm expression, one could tell he had already set his mind on achieving that goal for them.

"Don’t get me wrong," Julius remarked, getting Lucian’s attention, "but my first impression was that you didn’t seem like the type to join these kinds of activities."

Not just Lucian’s face, but his aura alone told anyone he was not into silly things like sack races.

Lucian blinked almost lazily. "I’m not," he answered flatly. "But I am the type to impress my wife."

Looking back, Lucian remembered that he had done a lot of things for Ashley. However, the only time she had truly looked impressed was when he won those arcade games at the amusement park. She had practically been all over him back then... until she got abducted.

"These things..." he trailed off, the fire in his eyes growing. "... impress her."

That alone was enough for Lucian to win every game in this event where parents could participate.

"By hook..." he added under his breath. "... or by crook."