After dinner, I took Xiao Xue to the gym.
Chen Ge and Chen Shi immediately noticed my arm.
"Aiya, I wondered why you hadn't shown up lately. What happened?" Chen Ge came over and asked, looking at my arm.
"Nothing much, just got cut," I said with a casual laugh. But only I knew the danger involved; even now, the memory still sent a shiver of fear through my heart.
"Got cut?" Chen Shi walked out, looking me up and down.
"Don't believe me?" I pouted. "I still have wounds, the scars haven't faded." Chen Ge came over and pulled at my T-shirt, instantly frowning.
"Who did you provoke?"
"Not me. It was my classmate. He was the target; I just took a few hits for him."
I spoke softly, feeling no regret. The values I was raised with meant my conscience wouldn't be burdened. And I was lucky; Liu Xiaoyu was worth protecting.
"I think I saw something about this..." Chen Shi pulled out her phone. The headline read: "Man Viciously Attacked on Street, Took Multiple Stabs for Classmate..."
Below was a video. Parts were blurred out, clearly censored because the footage of blood and blades was too gruesome for public viewing.
"I thought the story sounded familiar, but I was unsure. Can't believe it was really you," Chen Shi looked at me with a complex expression, her voice full of emotion.
"Sigh... don't mention it... My arm still isn't healed." I moved my arm slightly.
"But didn't you get interviewed? Shouldn't something like this be recognized and rewarded with a bonus or something?" Chen Ge asked.
"No, I didn't..." I was puzzled. I thought for a moment and sent a message to Liu Xiaoyu.
He replied quickly.
"That's because a certain stingy person ran away! Someone was supposed to come right away, but we held them off and told them to wait until you felt better. Who knew you'd run off later?"
I immediately felt regret.
"Even if I didn't want the publicity, it would have been nice to get the money," I said regretfully.
"Forget it, don't dwell on it. Don't work out for now. Wait until your injury is healed," Chen Shi said gently.
"I wasn't planning to work out, just came to look around," I grinned. "And walk the dog."
"Ooh, what a beautiful dog," Chen Shi finally lowered her head to look at Xiao Xue, surprised. She asked my permission: "Can I pet it?"
"Go ahead."
I patted Xiao Xue's head.
Chen Shi reached out and stroked the dog, then frowned and smelled her hand, making a gagging expression: "How long has it been since you washed it?"
"I would if I could, but how am I supposed to bathe it?" I shrugged helplessly, pointing to my arm.
Chen Shi covered her face apologetically: "Sorry, I forgot about that. How about I wash Xiao Xue for you?"
"No way..." I quickly waved my hand. "Xiao Xue is extremely naughty. It'll splash water all over you."
"Don't worry. I worked at a friend's pet store in college. I know how to handle dogs," Chen Shi smiled, took the leash from my hand, patted Xiao Xue's head, and walked toward the back.
Xiao Xue was surprisingly docile, even calmer than when it was with me. It just followed her without a fuss. I was dumbfounded.
After Chen Shi led the dog away, I noticed there was another person sitting next to Chen Ge.
This man was staring at me. No wonder I hadn't noticed him before.
He was bald, of medium height and slightly thin build, but his eyes were sharp and his jaws were tight. He looked like someone you didn't want to mess with.
A man with lean cheeks is hard to contend with, even for the gods, the saying crossed my mind.
"Did someone chase you and stab you through a few streets?" he suddenly asked me.
I looked puzzled. Chen Ge smiled and explained: "This is my Shixiong (Senior Martial Brother)."
"Shixiong?"
I was a bit confused. The term Shixiong had many meanings, often used in sports colleges for seniors, but generally, people used Xuezhang (Senior Male Student). Sports often used Shixiong. I only knew this from watching short videos.
I felt awkward: "Sigh... don't remind me. I still feel scared thinking about it."
"Mhm..." He said nothing else for a while.
"You wanted to learn martial arts, right? See if Shixiong has time to teach you," Chen Ge said, smiling at the man.
"I..."
Before I could say anything, he shook his head: "Can't teach."
I immediately felt disappointed.
Then he glanced at me and added: "It's not that I can't teach you, but that you can't be taught."
"What do you mean?" I froze.
"How can learning Kung Fu be that simple? If it were, it wouldn't be called Kung Fu," he stood up lightly. Although he wasn't tall, I could feel a powerful aura.
"Kung Fu must be practiced from a young age, conditioning the body. Five or six years old is best. After eighteen, there's basically no hope."
I instinctively said, "I'm only sixteen."
"Sixteen is still too late," he shook his head slightly, looking at me.
"If you try to learn martial arts without the proper physical conditioning, all you'll do is harm your body. If you start training now, it's normal to get sprained hands, dislocations, and twisted ankles every few days. That's because your foundation is weak, your bones aren't strong enough to withstand the wear and tear, and martial arts training requires intense wear and tear."
I suddenly thought of the slow movements of Tai Chi. I asked, "What about Tai Chi?"
"You're talking about those slow, health-preserving movements? They are also martial arts," he said, as if reading my mind. "Don't you see that the masters are usually older people? That's because they've trained enough since childhood, so they can practice freely in their later years. In other words, it's what you call 'returning to the original simplicity.'"
I sighed softly, but thanked him for explaining so much: "Thank you."
He nodded lightly and sat back down.
Chen Ge comforted me: "He's just like that; never says anything nice."
I couldn't hide my disappointment but smiled and shook my head: "I'm already grateful he told me all of this."
Chen Ge stroked his chin and said: "Exercise is always good for you. It's not too late to start now. I know a bit of 'Hard Qigong' and can teach you. If nothing else, you'll definitely be able to run faster than before."
I burst out laughing: "Thanks a lot."
So, the solution is still to run.
"He's right. For an ordinary person facing someone with a knife, the best thing to do is run," the man Chen Ge called Shixiong nodded in agreement.
"'A clumsy person with a chaotic attack can kill an experienced master.' That saying isn't for nothing," Chen Ge smiled. "Someone with a weapon is definitely stronger than someone without. Even I would think twice seeing a knife. Without a guaranteed win, I'd definitely bolt."
"Oh." I nodded, feeling a little better.
"What's his name?" I whispered, pointing to Chen Ge's Shixiong.
"Long Zhao."
"Just call him Brother Long."
I repeated the name a few times in my mind. It sounded very formidable.
A while later, Chen Shi came out with Xiao Xue. The dog was completely transformed. Its fur was fluffy, and it smelled wonderful.
"Wow... Sister Chen, thank you!"
I looked at the refreshed Xiao Xue and laughed happily.
"No problem. This dog is amazing. You have great taste. It's a very pure breed," Chen Shi bent down and patted Xiao Xue's head.
"A very pure breed?" I was puzzled. The lady in the ancient costume said the same thing.
"You don't know your own dog?" Chen Shi looked at me, speechless. "This breed is extremely valuable on the market—the kind that's priceless and unavailable for sale."
"I found it," I said honestly.
"You found it?" she looked at me in utter surprise.
So, I told her the whole story of finding Xiao Xue.
After listening, Chen Shi nodded: "Then you really need to look after Xiao Xue. It's incredibly valuable. I bet a lot of people are looking for it. Ordinary people might not know, but if someone who knows the breed sees it, it's a different story."
Her words made me worried. I immediately thought of the camera that appeared at home. Could it have been related to the dog?
I said softly: "I don't know what to do. I have school and usually have to leave it home alone."
Chen Shi's eyes lit up: "You can leave it with me! I absolutely adore this dog."
I looked at her sparkling eyes and hesitated. It wasn't that I couldn't bear to part with Xiao Xue; I had always known it didn't belong here, and I'd return it if the owner showed up. But I was afraid of inconveniencing Chen Shi. I asked, "Wouldn't that be too much trouble?"
"Forget trouble! Look at Sister Chen's eyes. If you don't agree, she's probably going to snatch it," Chen Ge laughed.
"Okay." Seeing that Chen Shi's expression was sincere, I nodded. Xiao Xue would definitely be better off here with her than alone with me.
"Hehe."
Chen Shi giggled, playing happily with Xiao Xue.
"Once your injury heals and you lose some weight, I'll teach you modern fighting and boxing. These are relatively easy for you to learn. You'll have no trouble taking down a few ordinary people," Chen Ge said to me.
"I'm not planning to fight anyone..." I smiled, embarrassed. "It's just for self-defense."
"Mhm, that's a good mindset," Chen Ge nodded. He continued, "Many people, once they master a small skill, start to become arrogant, unaware that their paltry skills are worthless to a true master. And such people often come to a bad end."
He turned to look at me: "I'm not trying to scare you. I'm just saying that learning is endless. Some people train for a few months and think they're strong. Sure, they might win a one-on-one fight in the ring, but compared to those with years of training? Or decades? True martial arts and Kung Fu require continuous practice. Of course, I'm not saying less time training always means you're weaker. There are very few natural geniuses who can do it, but they are the exception."
After saying this, he smiled and continued: "Personally, I really like a line from Fearless (Huo Yuanjia): 'Kung Fu takes time to hone. You've got two or three years of amateur skill. Can you withstand this punch, which represents twenty years of effort?'"
I nodded lightly. I had learned a lot today.
But I definitely wouldn't give up exercising. There's a saying online that exercise hones the will, and muscles are just a bonus. I really liked that idea.
I stayed a while longer. When it was time to leave, I took Xiao Xue back from Chen Shi. Seeing how reluctant she was, I promised to bring the dog back tomorrow, and she cheered up.
Seeing this, I felt relieved. I had been worried that Xiao Xue would bother her, but it seemed it wouldn't.
I said goodbye to the two of them and headed home.
The night was still dark, but as I walked along the road, I felt the path ahead becoming increasingly clear.