Martial Arts Master

I think the majority wouldn’t believe this…

This scene, this outfit, Lou Cheng was sure no father of a daughter would believe his explanation. As his thoughts churned, he had already lifted his chopsticks, and with a spring from his waist muscles, he smoothly left his seat and rushed into the kitchen.

Thankfully, thankfully, Ke’s home’s kitchen was not an open kitchen!

For Yan Zheke, although she was afraid, she also stood up immediately and walked towards the door. She wanted to help buy time through distraction so that Lou Cheng had sufficient time to hide himself.

During this whole time, the two never exchanged any words or any form of communication, but yet they had so much chemistry in their actions. They were so similar, so calm in the face of “danger”. They had the same decisiveness and they never gave in to fate!

With a little strength from her feet, with large steps she moved lightly but quickly towards the door. Within seconds she was already at the living room.

It was only at this time that the main door had swung open. A tall and bright looking middle-aged man walked into the house. He was carrying a bag of groceries. He warmly smiled at his daughter who was almost bouncing to welcome him. “Had your breakfast already? While I was doing some working just now, I passed by Qingyuan Street. I remembered that you loved the steamed buns from that old shop. So since it’s on the way, I brought back some for you.”

It was really by chance that he had returned!

Yan Zheke’s heart was thumping hard. She did not dare to turn back to see how well had Lou Cheng managed to hide himself. She stepped forward to hook arms with her dad. She smiled as sweetly as she can. “Dad! You always surprise me! A model dad!”

This time was a scare!

In the kitchen, Lou Cheng had hid in the corner next to the refrigerator. He leaned towards their direction to try to catch what they were talking about. He tried his best to control his heartbeat, carefully he turned his phone to silent mode.

It was really father-in-law!

He turned and looked at the knives in the kitchen. For a moment, he pictured them landing on him…

Yan Kai was 40 something years old. He had distinct eyebrows, high nose and could be considered a good looking man. Some bits of his younger days seemed to have remained on him, adding a tinge of scholarly elegance in him. Age did not destroy his look, instead it made him more charming.

Every time she sees her dad, Yan Zheke would always think that Empress Dowager was the real deal, the real deal in choosing looks!

Good thing she had undergone “training” and “tests” with good looks of her father and cousins, so she was somewhat immune to looks. She did not think too much about looks, else she would have missed Lou Cheng, this silly boy.

Yan Kai pat his daughter’s hands and chuckled, “You really don’t grow up do you? Still whining so much… ”

At this point, he sniffed and then said with curiosity, “Smells nice… Fried rice with eggs?”

Lou Cheng’s back muscle tightened, and his heart skipped a beat.

Yan Zheke’s mind went blank for a second before she looked up and quickly replied,

“Dad! I want to show you something!”

She pulled her father towards the dining table. She was secretly happy that her father’s martial arts level was only at the amateur level, and did not know the Listening Skill. Else, her racing heart would have given everything away!

Yan Kai grinned and let her daughter drag himself. They reached the dining table and he saw the bowl of Fried rice with eggs and Three Kinds of Cold Mixed Vegetables.

Just as he was happily guessing, Yan Zheke pointed to the table and with a quite turn of her mind, she proudly announced,

“I made these!”

Yes, of course, I made the Three Kinds of Cold Mixed Vegetables!

“You made these?” Yan Kai looked at his daughter with surprise. He could not imagine how his precious daughter who had never done chores to secretly pick up cooking!

He smiled comfortingly and said, “You wanted to give us a surprise?”

“Hehe.” Yan Zheke could only laugh. She did not dare to lie to her dad like that.

“It is the first time in my life. My daughter’s cooking, I must try it!” Yan Kai smiled as he walked towards the kitchen to grab a pair of chopsticks.

Upon hearing his footsteps coming close, Lou Cheng’s brains exploded. He really could the image of his body being stabbed with knives!

He looked around and tried to look for a place to hide.

In the cupboard? I don’t know the Retracting Bones Skill! 

The ceiling? But I also don’t know the Lizard Wall Climbing Skill… If I force it, I’ll leave clear scratch marks! 

Suddenly Lou Cheng could feel that what he had learned was far from enough. Nothing he had on hand could be adapted to his current situation.

Yan Zheke was also taken aback by her dad’s action, but she managed to keep her cool. She pulled her dad and said,

“Sit, dad! Just take a seat! I’ll get it for you!”

“Good, good, good. I’ll just enjoy this time.” Yan Kai was very happy. He sat on the side of the dining table and his eyes followed his precious daughter as she walked into the kitchen.

This girl now knows how to take care of others! 

With her back facing her dad, she glanced around and saw Lou Cheng squatting beside the refrigerator. His left hand was holding on to the bowl, his right hand was holding the chopsticks. He looked so hilarious.

She pursed her lips, and tried her very best not to laugh, even though this was totally not the appropriate situation to find anything funny. She gave her boyfriend a tiny nod and with a half squat she pulled out a drawer and took out a set of cutlery. She rinsed them quickly and then left the kitchen.

Lou Cheng did not even dare to breathe any louder. He just slightly relaxed and felt that he was like a thief who had been cornered by the owner. Yes, a thief who stole his precious daughter.

This sounded a little worse than what he was thinking earlier…

Yan Zheke returned to the dining table and took a portion of the Fried rice with eggs for her dad. She stared at him and before he could try rice, she said, “Try this cold dish first, I put in a lot of effort into it!”

Yan Kai laughed out loud. He picked up his chopsticks and tried the cold dish. “It’s ok. It’ll probably be better after a few more tries. Doesn’t seem like your first try… ”

“Yes, it’s my first time… ” If her father had praised her like that during the normal days, Yan Zheke would definitely smile brightly, but now, she was too nervous to think or feel anything else. She always had the one who was squatting in the kitchen in her mind. She wanted to smile, but all she could manage was a stiff one. Hence, she just turned and ran to the kitchen, and took the children measuring scale to her dad. Like a piece of treasure, she brought it in front of him and said, “I measured everything carefully!”

Yan Kai paused for a bit to absorb what his daughter just said. He regained his senses, and with overflowing love he said,

“I believe it’s your first time to make this dish.”

Such a precious daughter!

Yan Zheke gave a small smile and with arched eyes she said, “Wait till your birthday, I will definitely make it better than today!”

Yan Kai felt so comforted. He could not stop smiling, and he had another mouth of the Fried rice with eggs.

After a short while, he softly exclaimed, “This is not bad at all. Really, really good. Also it’s your first time to make it? It’s even better than your mum’s… ”

He stopped talking for a bit before saying, “Don’t tell your mother that I said that huh.”

“Don’t worry, we are on the same side… ” Yan Zheke smiled sweetly and then she admitted honestly. “No, it’s not the first time making this.”

Truly it was not the first time, it was the “zero-th” time.

Clever little Ke… Lou Cheng was a little stunned as he listened into their conversation.

But my Fried rice with eggs has just been recognized by my father-in-law. Does this count as a successful step forward?

To be able to marry a girl, you must first win over her father’s stomach?

Before Yan Kai could make any more comments, Yan Zheke added, “I don’t actually know how I did it today. Maybe it wouldn’t be as good the next time. Dad, you must accept it regardless alright!”

She was telling the truth. She truly did not know how Lou Cheng did it, so she had to manage his expectations a bit, or rather lower them.

“Newbies are all like that. Your father, I was also like that.” Yan Kai said in a satisfied manner. He took his time to enjoy that few bites of Fried rice with eggs and cold dish. Yan Zheke, on the other hand, just felt more and more nervous as she ate next to him. Everything was tasteless to her.

Yan Kai put down his bowl and chopsticks. He looked at his watch and said, “I have to get back to the hospital. Tomorrow, your mum will return. Let’s go for a short getaway nearby.”

“Alright… ” Yan Zheke did not know whether she was glad because they would be going on a trip as a family, or because her dad was finally going back to work.

She followed behind Yan Kai and walked him to the door before bidding him farewell.

After she shut the door, she could finally relax and her legs almost turned jelly.

It was not that she was afraid to introduce Lou Cheng to her dad. It was because she felt that the relationship was going well and sweet. She could see a future together, and precisely because it was going well, there was no need to have any extra situation or pressure right now. If there was, the pressure could easily cause changes that their relationship may not be able to take, for example the attitude of her father, the attitude of her grandparents.

After walking back to the dining table, she was shocked to realize that her boyfriend had not come out of the kitchen yet. So she rushed into the kitchen. All she saw was him holding on to the refrigerator, covered in cold sweat.

He did not even sweat this much when he fought a round of the Challenge Tournament. It was just her dad and he was so scared… Yan Zheke was touched and felt sweetness in her heart. She smiled and said, “Why are you still here? Did you fall in love with the kitchen?”

“I’m just being safe. What if he does a back thrust and come back again?” Lou Cheng explained seriously. “I’ll wait another ten minutes before coming out.”

Yan Zheke’s eyes were smiling so much they were like lines arching a dance on her face. “Is this also an experience account from Cai Zongming?”

“No, it’s a habit of mine to be careful.” Lou Cheng returned to how he was and made a self-deprecation joke.

Good thing he brought his martial arts shoes to Ke’s room. If not the father-in-law would have caught them both!

Little Ming, your death in the past was not for nothing!

Yan Zheke first burst out laughing, and then her emotions welled up within her. Filled with emotions, she sighed and said,

“It feels bad to be secretive like this. Cheating my dad and mum, making you put up with it… ”

This really made her feel guilty and feel uncomfortable.

Lou Cheng calmed down and promised her,

“Next time, I will walk in here with my head held high with no shame.”

Thinking about this, the basic thing he had to achieve was to enter the Dan stage!

It was not that he could not marry Ke if he did not enter the Dan stage. Just like his father-in-law, he was also an amateur. But as a man, he must first try and use his all to try to overcome all challenges and not put the girl in a difficult situation.

At this moment, his will was strong and he was determined — towards martial arts, towards Dan stage.

“You can do it.” Yan Zheke eyes sparkled and she said with clear eyes,

With a serious look, she nodded and said softly, “But now the most important is something else!”

“What?” Lou Cheng was a little blur.

Yan Zheke’s lips curved up slightly and with her dimples showing, she said,

“Teach me how to make egg fried rice!”

I want to give dad and Empress Dowager a surprise! 

“Oh yea… ” Lou Cheng understood what she was saying.

In the remaining time, the two persons relaxed and then sweetly had the Fried rice with eggs, cold dish and steamed bun together. Then, Lou Cheng made a new pot of rice and taught Yan Zheke step by step how to make the dish. Time after time they had close contact, ear to ear and temple to temple. With more and more body contact, they got closer and eventually ended up being entwined, kissing.

To be honest, Lou Cheng really wanted to go further in this private space, but considering that the girl just underwent the great pressure and shock of her dad being home, he held back his actions and thoughts.

Without knowing, the time was almost 11 already. Yan Zheke was somewhat pleased with the new dish she had learned.

“Ay, I only saw a couple of your photos.” Lou Cheng said with some regret.

The Housekeeping auntie was about to arrive, so he knew he should leave soon.

Yan Zheke was too focused about their earlier intimacy and failed fried rice attempts. She blushed and said, “It’s not like you cannot come again in the future… ”

Then, they could just hide in her room and not make food. So even if her dad and Empress Dowager came back suddenly, they would probably not be found out.

“I look forward to next time!” Lou Cheng imitated his girlfriend’s tone.

After they separated reluctantly, Lou Cheng looked at another building in the villa area. He looked towards the sun and took large steps towards it.

There was a tiny but urgent target set in his heart. He really wanted it badly:

To get into the Dan Stage!