Chapter 5: Jin Yu Pavilion

When he was a child, due to poor family conditions, Liu Dong had been frail and often ill since birth. In the early 1980s, medical facilities were not as advanced as they are now, and in the small mountain village where he was born, there were no proper doctors. If someone in the village fell ill, they would either tough it out or go to the small clinic in town. Alternatively, they would seek help from an old monk who lived in the dilapidated temple at the village entrance. Liu Dong was no different; however, in addition to treating his illnesses, the old monk also taught him a set of internal martial arts.

Liu Dong still remembers that the old monk said he had a natural aptitude and wanted to take him as a disciple. However, Liu Dong was the only son in his family, and in an era where "disobedience has three levels, and the greatest is having no descendants," his parents could not let him become a monk. Therefore, they declined the offer. Later, the old monk talked to Liu Dong's parents a few more times, but when he failed, he gave up and instead passed the martial arts technique to Liu Dong.

After practicing for so many years, although this internal martial arts technique was not as powerful as those described in Jin Yong's wuxia novels, it did strengthen Liu Dong's originally weak body.

Over the years, he almost never fell ill, and seeing the benefits, he continued to practice the nameless technique. Now, practicing every morning has almost become an ingrained habit for him.

As the fiery red sun slowly rose in the east, Liu Dong's breathing became increasingly deep and long. If someone were nearby, they would be startled by his unusual condition, as his breathing frequency had slowed to once every minute or so, and during this time, his heart almost never beat. If a normal person's heart rate is 70-80 beats per minute, Liu Dong's was only one-tenth of that.

A slower heart rate also means a slower metabolic rate, which in turn means that Liu Dong's cell division rate is only one-tenth, or even less, of that of a normal person. In the medical field, this is a symbol of longevity.

As the sun rose above the horizon and the golden sunlight flooded the earth, an hour slowly passed!

After finishing his practice and standing up, Liu Dong felt an indescribable comfort throughout his body, and his mind was clearer than ever. The powerful health benefits of this technique made Liu Dong sincerely grateful to the nameless monk who had taught him. Unfortunately, two years after teaching him the technique, the old monk left the village and disappeared, making it impossible for Liu Dong to find him and repay him.

Putting aside his thoughts, Liu Dong practiced a set of boxing and kicking techniques he had learned from the village martial arts teacher, drenched in sweat, and then ran downstairs to return to his rented room.

After quickly taking off his sweat-soaked clothes, Liu Dong, wearing only shorts, took a towel and soap from his room and rushed into the bathroom to rinse off. He was in such a hurry to avoid encountering Wang Qiang, the beautiful woman who lived in the same building, to avoid any awkwardness!

However, sometimes things happen just when you least want them to. When Liu Dong pushed open the bathroom door, wiping his wet hair with a towel, he saw Wang Qiang sitting at the dining table. She was wearing a black suit with a white shirt, a black pencil skirt, black stockings, and crystal-strapped high heels. Her delicate face was framed by a pair of black rectangular glasses, giving her the look of a sophisticated urban beauty with a hint of fatal allure.

"Big Sister Wang, why are you up so early today?!" Liu Dong scratched the back of his head, greeted her awkwardly, and then darted back to his room like a rabbit.

Seeing his flustered appearance, Wang Qiang couldn't help but smile faintly, but her mind involuntarily recalled Liu Dong's muscular body after his shower, especially his prominent six-pack abs, which gave off a healthy and attractive look.

"I didn't expect this kid to have such a good physique, and his endowment down there seems pretty impressive too!" Wang Qiang thought, her face slightly flushed. Unlike Liu Dong, although she had not experienced romantic relationships, she knew a lot about them.

"Xiao Dong, I've made breakfast. Come out and eat it later. I'm leaving now!"

Hearing the pleasant voice from outside, Liu Dong, who was getting dressed, quickly replied, "Got it, Big Sister Wang!"

Only after hearing the door close did Liu Dong truly relax. He didn't know what was wrong today; in the past six months they had lived together, they had never encountered such awkward situations as last night and this morning.

The breakfast on the table was abundant, with two fried eggs, traditional northern Chinese snacks like soy milk and fried dough sticks, and a glass of milk. Liu Dong, who hadn't eaten much the previous night, immediately felt a strong hunger in his stomach, and his mouth began to water. Without hesitation, he pulled out a chair and started eating voraciously.

Soon, the breakfast Wang Qiang had left for him was completely devoured. Liu Dong closed his eyes, leaned back in his chair, and rubbed his full belly, thinking, "If I had a beautiful wife like Big Sister Wang, how happy that would be!"

Shaking his head, Liu Dong quickly dismissed the thought, "Forget it, I should focus on making a living first, then earn money, and bring my parents from the countryside."

After resting for a while in the dining chair with its dark-colored, cushioned back, Liu Dong stood up, tidied the table, and washed the dishes in the kitchen.

He then wiped his hands with a towel, returned to his bedroom, and put the five brocade boxes containing the jade carvings into the camphorwood box where he usually kept his wooden carvings. He then slung the box over his shoulder and walked out of the house.

By the time Liu Dong rode his old Jinlu bicycle to the antique market, it was already 7:30 in the morning.

Although the sun was already high in the sky, it was still early for the 9-to-5 white-collar workers, so the antique market street was particularly empty.

However, although there were few pedestrians on the street, most of the antique shops on both sides were already open. Shop assistants were busy sweeping and preparing to open for business.

The jade shop where Liu Dong worked, called Jin Yu Pavilion, not only operated in jade carvings but also dealt in antiques. It had a good location and a large business area, making it a very powerful antique and jade merchant in Quancheng's antique market.

When Liu Dong pushed his bike over, the shop door was already wide open. A teenager, about seventeen or eighteen years old, wearing a blue shirt, an old green military-style pants, and解放shoes with the soles already coming apart, was sweeping the entrance. Liu Dong didn't recognize him, so he must have been a new employee at Jin Yu Pavilion.

After locking his bicycle outside the shop, Liu Dong took the wooden box from the back of the bike and climbed the few steps to the shop entrance, heading straight inside.

"Hey, who are you looking for?" The teenager, who had been sweeping, quickly stopped and, with a strong local accent, blocked Liu Dong's way.

Looking at the teenager in front of him, Liu Dong smiled and asked, "How long have you been here?"

Before the teenager could answer, a middle-aged man in a white shirt, black shorts, and sandals walked out, "Oh, it's Xiao Dong! Come in quickly!"

Hearing his words, the teenager, who had been blocking Liu Dong, nervously stepped aside.

"Boss Wang, is he new?" Liu Dong pointed at the teenager.

"Oh, yes! His name is Wang Sheng, my nephew from my hometown. He didn't get into college, so he came to learn some skills and gain some experience. He just arrived a few days ago, so he doesn't know you yet!"

Hearing this, Liu Dong smiled and nodded, then extended his hand to the nervous, youthful-looking teenager, "Hello! We've met today, so don't block me next time!"