Chapter 87

Ryuga stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly held the letter containing the secret that his mother had given him.

The next morning, training began in a somewhat quiet atmosphere.

There were fewer people in the audience today compared to yesterday.

The only people in the audience were his wife, Zhuge Qing, his sister-in-law, Tang Yingying, and two servants.

It was because the elders of the Tang family did not attend the viewing today for some reason.

Yesterday, Galian was so tense that his body stiffened and he complained of pain due to the large crowd, so perhaps it was fortunate that there were fewer people today?

After Galian's morning practice ended, I thought deeply about why his body had stiffened so much yesterday. It seemed I had put him in a rather harsh situation.

For a normal child, being asked to do something in front of many people is already a nerve-wracking situation, let alone teaching Taekwondo in front of professional killers.

While teaching him how to throw punches and how to subdue people, the killers behind him were probably discussing how to kill, not subdue.

No wonder he was so tense and his body stiffened.

I felt a bit guilty, and because of the physical limitations, I could only finish teaching the basic stance from yesterday. So, I decided to teach Galian how to use a knife today.

It was a bit sad that my first disciple's training plan was getting messed up, but I decided to think positively.

Galian had some experience helping his parents in their restaurant when he was young and had cooked simple meals for his younger siblings, so I decided to treat him as an experienced disciple and teach him how to use a knife.

‘Does Galian know what kind of benefits he’s getting? Wow, really, Latte...’

It was a thought that naturally came to mind, thinking of the sweet coffee.

Regardless of the reason, since I had decided to train him, I first set Galian in front of the table and started explaining, just like yesterday.

“First, I’ll teach you how to hold a knife. The way you hold it depends on how you use it, but usually, you should lightly grip the handle and support the beginning of the handle with your bent index finger. See, watch my hand closely.”

“Yes, Master!”

While explaining the basic grip and showing the hand shape, I taught Galian how to hold the knife.

“Today, just practice holding the knife like that and get used to it. Got it?”

“Yes, Master.”

Then, I called Tang Yingying, who was watching from a distance.

“Yingying, did you bring what I asked for?”

“Yes, Ryuga, is this much paper enough?”

In response to my call, Tang Yingying approached with the scrap paper she had brought.

I had asked her to bring it while suppressing my anger yesterday for Galian’s training, and it seemed she hadn’t forgotten.

I unfolded the paper once to check if anything important was mixed in.

In my previous life, I usually did this when using scrap paper.

When I held up the unfolded paper, it was covered with strange drawings, as if the younger siblings had scribbled on it.

The paper was filled with various animals and butterfly-like creatures, so I couldn’t help but praise it a bit.

“Yingying, it seems your younger siblings drew on this paper. But this turtle is really well-drawn. Your younger sibling must have a talent for drawing.”

“Yes, Master. The turtle is very cute.”

Galian seemed to be trying to adapt to social life, supporting me, and I found his effort commendable.

However, Tang Yingying only gave an awkward smile in response to our praise.

“Actually, I drew this...”

Oh no, I thought it looked like a scribble by a primary school student and assumed it was the younger siblings, but it seemed Tang Yingying, despite being from a noble family, had drawn it herself.

The squiggles looked like the intestines of a creature from hell or a roadkill snake, probably her attempt at drawing.

Last time when we made dumplings, it was the same. Yingying really had no talent with her hands.

It seemed that even though she was from a wealthy family, they had pushed her to excel in arts and physical education because she wasn’t good at studying, but to me, she had no hope.

Stammering in embarrassment, I praised her again.

“Oh, Yingying, you drew this? The turtle is really well-drawn! The shell is beautifully depicted...”

“It, it is. Because Miss Tang drew it, the turtle looks very sturdy...”

Galian’s commendable effort to adapt to social life.

For a newcomer, his level of effort was commendable.

However, Tang Yingying’s disappointed voice.

“It’s not a turtle... it’s a human face...”

“Huh?”

I wanted to grab the kid who drew such a face and ask what it looked like.

What kind of kid looks like a turtle shell that crawled out of hell...

After a moment of silence, Tang Yingying seemed to try to resolve my confusion.

“It’s Ryuga...”

‘No way, I look like that?!’

I hadn’t turned into a ghost of a turtle I had cooked for my wife and Yingying’s friendship, and I didn’t look like a turtle shell that crawled out of hell.

Though angry, I spoke to Tang Yingying in a gentle voice.

“Yingying, it seems your body hasn’t fully recovered yet. I’m a bit worried, so let’s write a talisman tonight.”

“A talisman?”

It looked more like a turtle than a human, and it seemed as if her soul was visible because she had been seriously ill.

‘For exorcism, the Cross Brother is the best, right?’

Yingying was flustered, and Galian’s gaze alternated between the turtle drawing and me.

***

After seating Yingying, we immediately started the practical training.

The first thing to practice when slicing is cutting paper vertically.

You roll the paper tightly, flatten it, place it on the cutting board, and cut it with a knife.

A chef’s knife is quite heavy.

Compared to Western kitchen knives or regular knives, it has considerable weight, making it difficult to use if you’re not used to it. Cutting paper like this helps you get used to the weight and shape of the knife.

“First, stand in front of the cutting board with enough space for one fist, just like I taught you yesterday. The stance is the same as yesterday. And place the ingredients one fist’s distance from the edge of the cutting board. Like this.”

I slowly cut the rolled paper at regular intervals while explaining to Galian.

“And place your left hand gently on the ingredients, with your fingers softly guiding the position of the knife. Like this.”

*Thud Thud Thud Thud*

“The paper looks like noodles.”

As Galian commented, the rolled paper was guided by my left hand, and with each cut, a white noodle-like strip of paper appeared.

The thin paper was cut and fell apart, scattering white and black noodle-like strips on the cutting board.

The sight of the thin paper being cut into long noodle-like strips was fascinating, and my wife, the servants, and Tang Yingying came closer to check my knife skills, marveling at the sight.

“Master, it looks just like Wensidoufu.”

“Wensidoufu? What’s that, Qing?”

“It’s a dish where tofu is cut into threads, a very beautiful dish. Sister.”

“Cut tofu into threads?”

Tang Yingying looked at me with the curiosity of a cat who had heard something interesting.

Sensing that she might ask me to make it, I slowly demonstrated and quickly explained to Galian.

“Watch the shape of my wrist and the movement of the knife. This is the process of getting your hand used to the knife, so don’t rush and cut slowly and gently.”

“Slowly and gently...”

Then, I instructed him to try it himself.

“Now, try it yourself.”

Galian carefully took the knife I handed him, held it as he had learned, and moved it around tentatively.

Just as he was about to try, Tang Yingying’s voice was heard.

“Ryuga, I want to try Wensidoufu too.”

‘Such a glutton.’

Given Tang Yingying’s personality, if I didn’t make it, she would probably keep pestering me, so I nodded and gave a casual response.

“Sure, sure. I’ll make it for you tonight. We’ll talk about it later.”

After casually ending the conversation and turning to check Galian’s knife skills, I heard a flustered voice.

“Um, Master?”

“What is it?”

When Galian called me, I turned around and asked, and he replied in a difficult voice.

“Um, the distance from the table is one fist. And the distance from the paper is also one fist, right?”

“Yes, you know that. It should be two fists.”

“Um...”

Galian’s confused voice.

“Why are you confused?”

When I asked why he was confused, Galian hesitated and replied.

“Well... I can’t see...”

“Can’t see what?”

“I can’t see the paper...”

“What are you talking about? Why can’t you see the paper?”

Thinking there might be a problem with his stance, I approached Galian to help him adjust it. I stood behind him, wrapped my arms around him to hold the knife and adjust his stance, and tried to check the paper over his shoulder, but...

I couldn’t see it either...

‘What the...’

Confused, I stepped back, and Yingying and my wife approached Galian from behind, standing on either side of his shoulders and craning their necks to check his view.

They looked at each other and said in confused voices.

“Oh, I can’t see it...”

“I can’t see it either...”

Galian couldn’t see a significant area below his feet.

‘I can’t teach him properly...’

It seemed my first disciple had a body that was somehow unsuitable for being a chef.

***

I had no choice but to let Galian hold the knife and practice in a way that felt comfortable to him.

Since his body was different from ordinary people, I couldn’t apply the usual techniques to him.

Although he had to bend his body quite a bit and adjust his stance to his comfort, he was still trying hard, which was fortunate.

Anyway, after about ten days of taking care of Yingying’s nourishing meals and watching Galian’s training, my uncle-in-law called my wife and me.

When we entered my uncle-in-law’s quarters, he offered us tea and shared the news we had been waiting for.

“I found out roughly where that drug dealer is...”

Before he finished, we jumped up in joy and replied.

“Thank you, Uncle-in-law! Thank you!”

“Grandpa, thank you!”

However, my uncle-in-law’s voice, which followed our gratitude, sounded a bit awkward.

“But he’s in the land of the Yi, Rong, Man, and Di.”

“The Yi, Rong, Man, and Di?”

‘Are they bandits?’

It was a term I had never heard before.