As for the twopetitors, neither nced at the referee nor at each other; their gazes were fixed on Charlie in the audience.


    Charlie suddenly felt a wave of stress wash over him.


    It was unexpected that these two girls would be so distracted before the match, leaving them to constantly stare at him from the stage.


    Was he really that good-looking? Wasn’t it fine for Sun to perform well?


    While he pondered this, the referee, noticing the awkwardness, cleared his throat twice and asked, “Ladies, are you listening to me?”<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    Aurora was the first to snap back to reality. Blushing, she quickly replied, “I’m sorry, referee. I just lost my focus.”


    The referee then turned to Nanako Ito, looking for her response. “Miss Ito, what about you?”


    Nanako Ito’s face turned crimson as she quietly said, “My apologies, referee. I’m a bit distracted too.”


    After speaking, she couldn’t help but steal a nce at Aurora, only to notice that Aurora’s face was flushed with shyness.


    She began to wonder: did Aurora have feelings for Charlie?


    Surprised, Aurora also looked at Nanako Ito.


    Although Nanako Ito seemed moreposed than herself, her blush made Aurora curious.


    “Could it be? Does Nanako Ito share my feelings for Master Wade?”


    However, she soon reassured herself, thinking, “A man like Master Wade is hard to resist. It’s only natural for Nanako Ito to be attracted to him. If we had a girl from Europe or America here, she’d probably feel the same way.”


    “But what a shame that Master Wade is married. No matter how many women are drawn to him, the chances of truly being with him are slim. My dad always keeps me close to Master Wade, hoping he would like me too, but after all this time, I still can’t figure out what Master Wade really thinks of me…”


    The two women were lost in their thoughts again, pondering theseplexities.


    The referee, believing they had regained their focus, muttered to himself. He soon realized that neither of them was paying attention, both appearing to be in a daze. Growing frustrated, he asked, “Did you hear me?”


    Nanako Ito quickly replied, “Referee, I’m sorry. What did you just say?”


    Aurora looked embarrassed as well.


    The referee took a deep breath and said, “You are both top female Sanda fighters who have made it to the finals. Don’t let the pressure of the audience and reporters distract you…”


    Aurora quickly reassured him, “Don’t worry, referee. We’re ready to put on a great match!”


    Nanako Ito nodded and added earnestly, “Referee, we are prepared.”


    The referee then asked, “Neither of you has a coach here today?”


    “No,” they both responded in unison.<fn2d22> Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n </fn2d22>


    Aurora’s coach was Charlie, but he was in the audience today, not ringside. Meanwhile, Nanako Ito’s coach was still in the hospital, watching the live broadcast, leaving both without coaching support.


    The referee spoke seriously, “Both of you are experienced fighters. Remember, if you get injured during the match, urately assess your situation. Don’t push yourself too hard. If you can’t continue, let me know immediately, and I’ll stop the match.”


    Typically, when a fight reaches a critical point, it’s the coach who throws in the towel to dere defeat. However, without a coach present, the responsibility falls on the fighters themselves.


    Sometimes, fighters can be so engrossed in their performance or too injured to think clearly, which can lead to severe injuries from their opponents. Hence, the reminder is crucial: don’t push through at dangerous moments.


    Bothpetitors nodded solemnly in understanding.


    And with that, the referee announced loudly, “Alright, let the match begin!”<h3 ss="has-text-align-center" id="chapter-list"><strong></strong>