Chapter 20

Liu Yunshi was sitting on the sofa watching TV when she saw Chen Dasheng come out of the shower. She hurriedly asked, "Where are you going to play? Are you going to gamble again?"

From Liu Yunshi's eyes, Chen Dasheng could vaguely discern a hint of excitement. It seemed that this girl had become addicted to making money with him yesterday.

"I'm going to my sister's place. I have some things to sort out with her. I might not be back tonight!" Chen Dasheng said.

"Ah?" Liu Yunshi looked somewhat disappointed. "If you're not coming back, what should I do? My foot hurts, where can I go to eat?"

Chen Dasheng, while drying his hair, said, "Isn't there still some food in the fridge? You can cook it yourself! If you find it troublesome, I have a few packets of instant noodles in my room. You can take them!"

Liu Yunshi pouted, looking unwilling.

Chen Dasheng said, "By the way, that He Liang from yesterday seems to have some background. Don't go downstairs for the next couple of days. Stay at home obediently and wait for me to come back. I'll bring you something good to eat. If anything happens, call me!"

"Okay!" Liu Yunshi nodded. Seeing Chen Dasheng about to leave, she hurriedly called out, "I haven't fed Hu Bugui yet. Help me feed him before you go!"

Hu Bugui was the name of a turtle. A year ago, Chen Dasheng and a few close friends went fishing at the Clear Water River, and Chen Dasheng caught a large turtle.

The turtle was as big as a millstone. Chen Dasheng had to jump into the Clear Water River to pull it out, and many people were envious. Some elders said the turtle was probably over a hundred years old.

Chen Dasheng was overjoyed at the time. He originally planned to make a soup for Li Lan, but when he got home, Liu Yunshi immediately took it over, and the large turtle became her pet. She even gave it a human name, Hu Bugui.

Since then, Hu Bugui had made a home there. Under Liu Yunshi's threat, Chen Dasheng had set up a nest for it on the balcony, treating it like a cat or a dog.

Considering Liu Yunshi's injured foot, Chen Dasheng didn't argue with her. He took some cool vegetable leaves from the fridge and went to the balcony.

Hu Bugui was basking on the balcony, enjoying the morning sun. Its black-green shell shimmered in the sunlight.

As soon as it sensed Chen Dasheng's presence, Hu Bugui's four thick legs and its large head quickly retreated into its shell.

"Even after raising you for so long, you still don't recognize me, you cowardly turtle!" Chen Dasheng couldn't help but laugh and scold, throwing the two leaves in front of Hu Bugui before returning to the living room.

"I'm leaving. Stay at home and watch TV, don't run around! If you get bored, play with Hu Bugui!" Chen Dasheng said to Liu Yunshi on the sofa while putting on his shoes by the door.

"Just two leaves, that's not enough for Hu Bugui!" Liu Yunshi said.

"Haven't you heard of a thousand-year-old turtle? Turtles are famous for their longevity. A few days without food won't hurt it. If you're worried, you can give it some leftover food. This old turtle isn't picky!" Chen Dasheng said.

"When will you be back?" Liu Yunshi asked.

"Tomorrow or the day after. Don't miss me too much!" Chen Dasheng grinned at Liu Yunshi.

"Get lost, who would miss you!"

Liu Yunshi spat and threw a cushion at Chen Dasheng, but he had already run out and closed the door.

"Rascal, leaving a girl alone at home while you go out to enjoy yourself, that's really too much!" Liu Yunshi muttered. Turning around, she saw Hu Bugui crawling in from the balcony and said, "Hu Bugui, Hu Bugui, your dad has abandoned us!"

If Chen Dasheng had been there, he would have been furious at Liu Yunshi's words.

---

At Wenshu Temple, Sister's Workshop.

"Sis, why did Liu Xiaomin and the others say you have a big reputation in Rongcheng? What happened in the past three years? What are you hiding from me?"

At night, Chen Dasheng found Chen Xiaoli's study and could no longer suppress his curiosity. He had never been so eager to know what his sister had experienced in the past three years.

Chen Xiaoli, sipping tea from her hometown, looked at the eager Chen Dasheng with a smile and slowly said, "Guess?"

Chen Dasheng rolled his eyes and sat next to Chen Xiaoli, saying irritably, "You're not going to tell me that you became the head of a gang or were kept by some high-ranking official, are you?"

"Hey?" Chen Xiaoli slapped Chen Dasheng's forehead and spat, "Do you talk to your sister like that?"

Chen Dasheng, holding his head, said, "Then tell me!"

Chen Xiaoli slowly put down her teacup and said to Chen Dasheng, "Before I answer your question, you have to answer mine first!"

"Hmm? What is it?" Chen Dasheng asked.

Chen Xiaoli's smile vanished, and she immediately put on a serious expression, directly asking Chen Dasheng, "Who taught you martial arts?"

"Martial arts?" Chen Dasheng was taken aback, then shrugged. "No one, I haven't learned martial arts from anyone!"

Regarding the inheritance of the Juling Clan, Chen Dasheng didn't want anyone to know. It was still his secret. When Chen Xiaoli asked, he could only pretend, but he comforted himself that he indeed hadn't learned martial arts from anyone, so it wasn't a lie.

Chen Xiaoli looked deeply at Chen Dasheng. With her keen eye for people, she saw only sincerity in his eyes, with no hint of evasion. She was puzzled. If he hadn't learned martial arts, how could he have such great strength?

"Dasheng, I tested your strength yesterday. The strength in your body is definitely not that of an ordinary person. Can you tell me what has happened to you these days?" After some thought, Chen Xiaoli asked.

Is it right to hide this from my sister? Looking at Chen Xiaoli's weathered face, Chen Dasheng felt a twinge of guilt. After some thought, he said, "If you insist on calling it martial arts, I can do a few moves, but I don't know if they are martial arts!"

"Hmm?" Chen Xiaoli's eyes lit up, waiting for Chen Dasheng to continue.

Chen Dasheng chuckled, "Sis, I don't know if they are martial arts. I wanted to ask you to take a look yesterday, but you left me to play mahjong!"

Hearing this, Chen Xiaoli immediately stood up and pulled Chen Dasheng, saying, "Follow me!"

---

The courtyard was quiet, with only a faint floral fragrance in the air and the chirping of unknown insects. The October night was not as hot as August or September. The cool breeze, carrying the scent of flowers, made one feel a slight chill.

Following Chen Xiaoli to the courtyard, she stood on the steps and said to Chen Dasheng, "Show me the martial arts moves you practice."

"Okay!"

Chen Dasheng responded without hesitation, standing in the center of the courtyard and looking up at Chen Xiaoli, saying, "This is a set of boxing techniques!"

Chen Xiaoli nodded slightly and said, "Start, but keep it quiet so you don't wake them up!"

"Okay!"

Chen Dasheng nodded, then stood with his legs apart, assuming a stance, and slowly began his somewhat unorthodox Tai Chi.

Parting the Wild Horse's Mane, White Crane Spreads Its Wings, Embracing the Knee and Twisting Step, Playing the Lute, Reversing the Elbow, Warding Off the Sparrow's Tail...

The unconventional Tai Chi, as Chen Dasheng performed it, was quite lifelike, as if it had been honed through countless repetitions, extremely proficient. Each punch made his muscles and bones crackle.

Immersed in the world of boxing, Chen Dasheng didn't notice that as soon as he assumed the starting stance of Tai Chi, Chen Xiaoli's eyes had lit up, whether in surprise or confusion.

"Phew!"

After finishing the set, Chen Dasheng took a long breath, and a mist-like vapor came out of his mouth. His entire body was boiling with energy, feeling as if he had taken an aphrodisiac.

"How was it? Sis, how is this boxing technique? I can only do it four times at most, but by the fourth time, my whole body feels hot, as if I'm being fried."

After the boiling energy subsided, Chen Dasheng looked up at Chen Xiaoli.

Chen Xiaoli was already speechless, her mouth wide open. After a while, she asked Chen Dasheng, "Who taught you this boxing technique?"

Chen Dasheng shook his head decisively, "I don't know, I suddenly knew it!"

"Suddenly knew it?" Chen Xiaoli bit her lip, frowning, deep in thought.

"What's wrong, Sis? Is there something wrong with this boxing technique?" Seeing Chen Xiaoli's silence, Chen Dasheng's face showed a hint of worry. He hoped there wasn't a problem with the technique, or he might end up hurting himself.

Chen Xiaoli looked up at Chen Dasheng, didn't say much, and walked to his side, saying, "Go stand to the side and watch!"

"Ah? Okay!" Chen Dasheng was taken aback, nodded uncertainly, and quickly moved to the side.

"Watch carefully!"

Chen Xiaoli turned to Chen Dasheng and said, then stood with her legs apart, slightly squatting, and assumed a stance.

"Tai Chi is born from the formless, the origin of movement and stillness, the mother of Yin and Yang. Movement divides, stillness unites, neither excessive nor insufficient, adapting to the curve and extending..."

As Chen Xiaoli recited, she began to move. Seeing her boxing technique, Chen Dasheng was surprised. He found that Chen Xiaoli's technique was very similar to the one he had learned, though not identical, at least 90% of the moves were the same, with only slight differences in the transitions.

"What's going on? Did Sis just learn it from me?" Chen Dasheng was puzzled.

However, gradually, Chen Dasheng discovered something even more astonishing.

Chen Xiaoli's movements were extremely gentle, sometimes slow, sometimes fast. Each move seemed to stir the surrounding air. Chen Dasheng felt the wind from her punches, the cold breeze making the small trees and flowers in the courtyard rustle, and leaves and grass swirling around Chen Xiaoli.