Martial Arts Master

After bidding Qin Rui farewell, Lou Cheng returned home and searched for the medicine that he bought online previously. He followed each step carefully and finally managed to brew the medicine.

Everything was in place, it only needs to boil. Lou Cheng, who had never done anything like this before, could finally take a breath. He looked at his phone and made a mental note of the time.

If this did not go well, the money would have gone down the drain!

Just at this moment, Qi Yunfei, wearing a short-sleeved pajamas dress, walked to the kitchen door. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and asked, “Lou Cheng, what are you doing? You’re not feeling well?”

He did not look like it!

“Some medicinal tonic for martial arts training.” Lou Cheng answered briefly with no further details.

“Oh, oh!” While Qi Yunfei had an expression like she could not understand, at the same time, she could feel that he was doing something important.

She then swallowed her saliva and asked again, “Brother Lou Cheng, is there anything to eat? I’m so hungry that there’s going to be a hole in my stomach… ”

Lou Cheng looked at her upset but also amused. “Why do you wake up at such an awkward time? Just sleep one more hour, it would be perfect. Just wait for a while. It’s already 11 plus. My mum will be back soon to make some food.”

“I have to wait so long? I’m starving to death, starving… ” Qi Yunfei whined and pouted.

Hearing her voice, feeling the tone, Lou Cheng suddenly thought of the emoji that rolled on the floor crying. He could not help but laugh a little. “Don’t you have a stockpile of snacks?”

“Those don’t fill me up! Pfft! If it were your girlfriend who is hungry, you would not give such attitude!” Qi Yunfe said with her mouth in a cute pout.

“Err… ” Lou Cheng was a little startled. “Why do you say that?”

Qi Yunfei quickly turned from upset to being joyful. She cheekily said, “Yesterday, when we’re having the barbecue, your twinkling eyes and expression were too gentle. Almost dripping with honey. Even I thought of a phrase – drowning in sweetness!”

The classic Shiba Inu emoji appeared in Lou Cheng’s mind instantly. He smiled awkwardly and said, “Where did you learn all these from?”

“Novels!” Qi Yunfei answered quickly and firmly. She was not done with her questioning. “So, if it was your girlfriend who is hungry, what would you do?”

Lou Cheng thought for a bit and then smiled brightly. “I guess, I’ll let her try my signature fried rice with eggs. If she has anything else she wants to eat, I’ll try to make them. If not, I would quickly make a trip to get them for her. As for you… Yup, there’s a box at the corner of the dining table there. There’s still some cup ramen left. Help yourself to them.”

His mum always had this weird habit of keeping a box of cup ramen at home. She does not even eat them, wonder what they were there for.

“… Girlfriend over friends!” Qi Yunfei gave an expression of shock.

The line between friends and girlfriend was too clear!

Your girlfriend would have such good treatment, and all I am worthy of is instant ramen?

Lou Cheng thought for a bit and then answered seriously, “Yup, yes.”

Isn’t this question redundant? Of course girlfriend is more important than younger sister!

Qi Yunfei covered her face and left the kitchen. She walked to the dining table and only after 10 over seconds did she shout, “Soy sauce braized beef noodles… I hate this flavor most! Brother Lou Cheng, are there any other flavors?”

“No! Just make do with it! We are going to eat soon.” Lou Cheng responded coldly. He used his phone to take a picture of the medicine bottles on the stove, and sent it to Yan Zheke. He wanted to share with her the feeling of brewing medicine for the first time.

As time passed, after all was done, he poured the two medicine brews together and mixed them. It filled a huge bowl to the brim. He took another photo and sent it and a cheeky smiling emoji to Yan Zheke.

“Black black bowl of medicine, would I be poisoned instead?”

Yan Zheke sent an emoji covering its mouth and laughing. “You’ll need CPR then?”

“Eh, you’ve learned how to tease me? This cannot do, I’m poisoned already. Quick, quick come and do CPR on me… ” Lou Cheng smiled slyly and texted her back.

Yan Zheke sent an emoji looking proud and with fingers pointing. “I didn’t say it’s me. My dad learned it in the past. He’s super good at it… ”

“Uh, then, forget it… ” Lou Cheng sent a blur looking emoji in response.

A careless moment and he was tricked by Yan Zheke again…

Yan Zheke sent a roll-on-the-floor-laughing emoji. “You asked you to always think dirty, pervert! Actually, I’ve checked on it and asked several people. As long as Coach Shi gave the correct prescription, even if you brewed it somewhat wrong, the only thing that would happen would be that the medicinal effect is not the best it could be.”

“Ok, then I don’t need to worry so much now. Later, I would just try drinking a bowl.” Lou Cheng took out two more bowls and split the brew into two portions. One, he would drink later, the other he would drink tomorrow morning.

Master said before, this medicinal brew could be chilled and kept in the refrigerator. He could drink it once in the morning before he trained and then another bowl half an hour after breakfast.

— He had no intention to reduce the intensity of his training during the summer holidays. Besides morning training, he was preparing to take two more hours of special training in the morning. Plus, when he was working part-time, he could just use the strength training room of the martial arts center.

Of course, this was summer break, if he had anything, he could just change the timing and rearrange his matters, but the overall amount of stuff to be done would not change.

At about 1 p.m., after he sent Qi Yunfei who lied about going out with friends to sneak out, Lou Cheng changed into his martial arts suit once again and downed the bitter medicine.

He had not found a shady spot in the small estate for his “special training”. If he still did not manage to find a place, by evening, everyone in the estate would know that the boy from Lou Zhisheng’s family was addicted to martial arts and was not doing a proper job with his life.

Braving the July summer sun, stepping on the hot steaming ground, Lou Cheng started to jog at the nearby park which had very little people in midday. The strength of the medicinal brew started to spread within his body.

Once he reached the park, there was already a warm feeling in his stomach. So he used the Power of Frost to take away the heat of his skin and stopped the loss of water through sweat. He found some shade under the tree and made his stance. He started to practice the moves from “Thunder Roar Zen”. One move, one strike. Though they were slow, they could still bring some wind.

At the same time, the lightning and thunder continued to rumble in his belly. The muscles compressed and relaxed. They were trembling so much. Together with the medicine’s effect, every wee bit of his strength was being transmitted into every cell at the very end of his body.

After a few moves, while he was in the midst of entering meditation state, he could sense rivers of hot current streaming into every inch and edge of his body. With the rumble of the thunder, toxins were purged from his body, making his practice purer than ever.

Pam! Bam! The flow of qi repeatedly exploded. Each punch was slower than the previous. Each punch was heavier than the previous. There was no need for special effects. There was already enough force and strength to make someone watching him by the side afraid.

He did not know how much time had passed before he started to end his moves. He exhaled some mixed murky qi and reached the peak of his current training.

Although he still did not feel any changes and signs of it in his body when he was retracting, he could still feel a slow change in the strength surrounding his body. They were changing slightly but miraculously as he trained and sharpened his skills. Somehow, they were starting to feel “transparent” and “thorough.”

Thorough… Lou Cheng continued to think about the most appropriate word for the earlier signs. Once more he turned the cold current and expelled some of the summer heat.

Without considering any other matter, the power of frost was really useful for this matter.

I, Lou Cheng, is a walking a/c!

While his thoughts were running wild, the phone in his pocket suddenly rang. He took a look at it. It was a call from Director Xing from Xing Chengwu.

“Hello, Uncle Xing?” Lou Cheng could somewhat guess what this phone call was about.

Director Xing laughed heartily and said, “Are you having your holidays already? Have you gone back to Xiushan?”

“Just reached yesterday.” Lou Cheng answered honestly.

“I also know that Ke has returned home. So I thought you probably reached home already. If you have time, come over to have a chat. Previously I didn’t manage to give you a good treat.” Director Xing asked warmly about his everyday matters.

“Yes, alright.” Lou Cheng answered politely.

Director Xing sighed and then he said smiling but also emotionally, “Don’t be shy. Don’t think whether this is a good chance to butter up to an official, and beat yourself over this. I’ve watched you fight in the competitions in the recent months. I really think that you’ve great potential. Plus you have a great character. I can’t possibly remain young forever. I would have to think for my children and family’s future. To get to know young talents like you is a good thing for me. Haha, if you think about us this way, do you feel better now?”

The slightest worries, the tiniest thoughts that he could hardly sense within him were exposed just like that. He was taken aback and with some sweat on his forehead, he said, “I, I never had such thoughts… I really take you as an Uncle.”

Uncle Xing’s words were just like his character, direct and straightforward…

“Then, that’s good. Back to proper stuff. Next Friday afternoon, Wang Xu’s case will be heard in court. As a secret witness, you’ve nothing to worry. There will not be any random, irrelevant people around and we will guarantee your safety. Just be prepared, dress appropriately and don’t be like a rough old man, me, who always get laughed at for my dressing.” Director Xing said brightly.

After the honest talk earlier, Lou Cheng had already put down whatever little concerns he had in his heart. He smiled and said,

“Alright.”

Was the Wang Xun case finally coming to an end?

…

Qin Rui finished his training for the day. He returned home and lied on the bed.

Thinking about what happened, he logged onto QQ and searched for the person whom he reckoned to be well-informed.

“Fatty Jiang, are you there? I want to ask you something.”

Jiang Fei just woke up from a nap on the bullet train. In the midst of his boredom, he answered Qin Rui. “About what?”

Qin Rui was no beautiful lady, he did not need to give any good attitude!

“Do you know who were the few from our year who got into Songcheng?” Qin Rui asked.

“Why are you asking this?” Qiang Fei asked him back curiously. “I only know of four, Cheng, Yan Zheke, Gu Chao from Class Seven and Li Liang from Class Eight. Maybe there were others.”

Gu Chao from Class Seven, Li Liang from Class Eight… Qin Rui tried his best to recall these two schoolmates. However, because he really did not know who they were, he had no choice but to ask again. “Gu Chao and Li Liang are in which school again? They are both males?”

“Aren’t you asking the obvious? Gu Chao is in the engineering faculty of Songcheng, and Li Liang is in Songbei Teachers’ Academy.” Jiang Fei felt that Qin Rui’s question was ridiculous.

Both males, Yan Zheke is the only female… Qin Rui sucked in a deep cold breath. It can’t be…

But then again, Fatty Jiang’s news was not detailed enough, he may be wrong…

“Do you know who else in Xiushan managed to go to Songcheng?” He asked again, carefully.

Jiang Fei replied grumpily. “How would I know what’s going on with the other schools?”

Qin Rui thought about his question again and then he decided to change the way he asked it. “Last time you said that Cheng has a girlfriend now. Do you know who she is?”

“Are you dumb or what? I haven’t met her neither do I know her. How would I know?” Jiang Fei sent an angry smile emoji over. “Wait till I confront Cheng and get the answer from him. This person, with no sound, no words, he just made a partner!”

“I see… ” Qin Rui was unable to confirm and was only filled with guesses and inferences. He asked again to confirm. “Only two went to Songcheng University right?”

“Should be. Who wouldn’t boast a little if they got into such a university? I remember there were only Cheng and Yan Zheke.” Jiang Fei answered again.

Only Cheng and Yan Zheke were in Songcheng University… Qin Rui retook a deep breath.

It can’t be…

…

In her room in Grandpa’s place, Yan Zheke took out her phone and rolled around in bed. Subconsciously, she touched the ring hanging on a chain around her neck, and let out a small sigh.

It has been a day since I’ve seen Cheng…