Chapter 27

When Ding Ning spoke, An Xiaoyue's face first showed an expression of disbelief, then surprise.

"Charging is good, that way I won't owe you any favors, and if you charge, you'll have to fulfill your responsibilities as a teacher, right?"

"How much will you charge?"

Ding Ning was deeply regretful, but once the words were out, they couldn't be taken back. From a young age, his teachers and mother had taught him to stand by his word, so he had no choice but to tough it out.

"Two hundred a month... no, five hundred!"

Ding Ning said what he thought was a high price.

An Xiaoyue didn't even think about it and immediately nodded. "Alright, wait a moment."

With that, she ran quickly to an ATM near the square, took out some money, and ran back.

"Here, I'll pay you ten thousand in advance."

Seeing the thick stack of pink bills, Ding Ning swallowed hard. This was a wealthy person.

After paying the rent yesterday, Ding Ning didn't have much cash left, only about three thousand yuan. He needed to buy things at the Tianqiao market today, and this amount might not be enough.

But he didn't want to touch the money in his card. That was for his education and for his master to repair the temple.

Selling talismans wasn't something he could do regularly. Ding Ning knew the value of those talismans; one trip would likely draw a lot of attention, and another trip would definitely expose him.

Just as he was worrying about where to get the money, An Xiaoyue offered ten thousand yuan.

He knew he didn't have much time to teach her, but his hand seemed to have a mind of its own. He had several chances to hold back but finally extended it.

"That's too much. I really don't have much time. How about nine thousand five...? Ah, forget it, I'll do it."

This time, reason didn't overcome instinct. Ding Ning took the money.

Seeing Ding Ning take the money, An Xiaoyue's charming eyes curved into a crescent moon, and she bowed to him. "Thank you, Master, for teaching me Tai Chi. I know a person of your caliber wouldn't care about this money, but I'll remember your kindness."

Ding Ning's face turned red. What kindness! It was purely for the money.

Five hundred a month, ten thousand yuan would cover twenty months. He would be in high school in Binhai for three years, so the time was enough.

"Alright, since I've taken your money, I have a responsibility to teach you. My name is Ding Ning. You don't need to call me Master; just call me by my name."

Ding Ning put the money away securely and immediately took on the role of a master.

Although this wasn't a formal apprenticeship but a transaction, Ding Ning had been taught by his master since childhood and had always been in the role of a student. He had always hoped to be a master one day, sternly instructing his disciples.

However, this disciple was too beautiful and looked very delicate, so he probably wouldn't need to use the paddle.

This didn't stop Ding Ning from fulfilling his long-held desire to be a master. He put on a stern face. "I've seen you practice. You must have been taught by a good master; your basics are solid, but your transitions need work. Today is your first lesson, so we'll start with the basics."

Seeing An Xiaoyue follow Ding Ning's movements, Secretary Feng and Old Chen were both taken aback.

They were far away and hadn't been eavesdropping on the young people's conversation, so they didn't know that An Xiaoyue had paid.

"That kid is teaching Xiaoyue. Why isn't she being more careful? What if he has bad intentions? He's so skilled; what will Xiaoyue do?"

"No, I think this kid is reliable. Look how seriously he's teaching. He's already repeated this move six times. A bad person wouldn't do that."

"Secretary, do you think he's the one selling the talismans?"

"Hmm, that's worth investigating. I'll ask Old Meng; he should be awake by now."

Secretary Feng took out his phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, this is Feng Zheyuan. Yes, is Old Meng awake? What! Still sleeping! He's been asleep for two days and two nights! By the way, I have a question..."

A while later, Secretary Feng put down the phone and said to Old Chen, "We have a lead. The person selling the talismans went to the Red Cross branch in Binhai and donated ten thousand yuan in cash. The Meng family is already investigating the donor's name. We should have results today."

"Doesn't the Red Cross keep donor information confidential?"

"Ha, can they really keep it secret? The Red Cross isn't a clean organization. The Meng family has money and can find out anything. We just need to wait for the results."

After teaching for a while, Ding Ning started to sweat.

This disciple was not easy to teach. If it were a boy, Ding Ning wouldn't have a problem, but this was a beautiful girl. Getting close, the faint fragrance would stimulate his nostrils.

Guiding her a few times and correcting her posture, touching her slender, soft arms, Ding Ning felt very strange.

After more than twenty minutes, Ding Ning took a deep breath and said to An Xiaoyue, "Today, I'll only teach you these two transitions. When you master them, we'll move on to the next move."

An Xiaoyue nodded. "Master..."

"Call me by my name."

"Ding Ning, are you leaving?"

"Yes, I need to go to the Tianqiao market to buy some things. The earlier I go, the sooner I can finish."

"Will you come back tomorrow?"

Ding Ning looked at An Xiaoyue. "I'll try. But don't worry, since I've taken your money, I'll definitely teach you. My schedule might not be fixed for a while, but once school starts, I'll come more often."

"I understand."

An Xiaoyue's words were few, which made Ding Ning feel relieved. At the same time, he felt a bit guilty for taking ten thousand yuan so rashly. He had to give her some compensation.

After saying goodbye to An Xiaoyue, Ding Ning turned and left.

As he passed the two old men, he smiled at them.

The two old men also smiled and nodded at Ding Ning, watching him until he was out of sight.

An Xiaoyue walked over, her forehead glistening with sweat. Ding Ning's requirements were very strict, and her body, which was used to long practice, was struggling.

But she looked very happy. Today's practice was very fruitful. Tai Chi indeed had higher levels and realms, and she had much to learn.

"Xiaoyue, did that little fat boy teach you?"

"Yes, his Tai Chi is the best I've ever seen. It's not only more fluid and natural but also very practical."

Old Chen looked at An Xiaoyue's smiling face and shook his head, kindly reminding her, "Xiaoyue, I'm not young, and I've seen a lot. You need to be careful with boys. They might have ulterior motives, making you feel grateful. Uncle Chen hopes you have friends, but you need to be cautious."

An Xiaoyue understood what Old Chen meant but still smiled politely, waiting for him to finish before speaking. "Uncle Chen, you might be misunderstanding. I asked him to teach me."

"Hehe, that's not necessarily true. Maybe he deliberately showed you the depth of Tai Chi to attract you."

Hearing Old Chen's words, Secretary Feng frowned. He instinctively didn't believe Ding Ning was a bad person. Someone who could practice Tai Chi to such a level must have a good character.

"I don't think so. He didn't agree to teach me at first. I paid him, and then he agreed."

"What? He charged you! How much?"

"Five hundred a month." An Xiaoyue didn't mention the ten thousand yuan she had paid in advance.

After saying this, An Xiaoyue said goodbye to the two old men and walked to a BMW Z4 parked in the distance.

Watching An Xiaoyue leave, Old Chen was still incredulous. "Secretary, do you think that kid is a fool? He charges for teaching Xiaoyue."

"He can't be a fool. It's a bit... unexpected. High-level people usually treat money like dirt. I should have learned too; five hundred a month is really cheap."

A phone rang, interrupting Secretary Feng's thoughts. He answered it.

"Found him! What's his name? Ding Ning, okay, I got it."

Putting down the phone, Secretary Feng said to Old Chen, "I'll need your son, the police chief, to help. Find out how many people in the city are named Ding Ning, aged between fifteen and twenty. And have the education system check; he's probably a student."