Chapter 100: Borrowing Books

Yu Deyi was left in deep thought, asking, "Uncle Qu, why are you being so nice to him? Even letting him borrow the boxing manuals from the martial arts hall?"

Uncle Qu smiled and said, "Have you seen the boxing manuals in the martial arts hall?"

Yu Deyi replied, "I haven't seen them."

Uncle Qu asked again, "Then why don't you take a look?"

Yu Deyi was puzzled, "Why should I look at the boxing manuals? There are instructors in the martial arts hall to teach us. If I read the manuals myself and make a mistake, it could be a matter of life and death in a fight. Ah, I get it, Uncle Qu, you're really experienced. You're giving Zhang Xiaohu a useless boxing manual as a favor."

Uncle Qu laughed, "Yes, Deyi, you need to think more deeply about things and not just look at the surface. I brought Zhang Xiaohu from being a footman to the martial arts hall, naturally with the intention of winning him over. Using this to do a favor for his brother, he will certainly be grateful to me. Moreover, how can someone like him, who has no foundation, learn the profound internal martial arts? He can only follow me."

Yu Deyi also laughed, "I understand, Uncle Qu. If he listens to you, you will teach him the profound internal martial arts. Otherwise, you can just find someone to teach him ordinary martial arts. After all, any internal martial arts are out of reach for him."

Uncle Qu smiled proudly, praising him, "You are teachable, but you missed two points. First, whether it's profound or ordinary internal martial arts, Zhang Xiaohu will never achieve greatness. He will always be under our control. Second, his brother's hand is already useless. Even if he reads the internal martial arts manuals from the martial arts hall, he won't be able to practice them, let alone a simple boxing manual."

Yu Deyi looked regretful, "Uncle Qu, I didn't think of these things. You are truly talented."

Uncle Qu stroked his beard, chuckling, as if his name was "satisfied."

Zhang Xiaohu, however, had no idea about these things. He was only focused on making his brother happy and giving him something to do so he wouldn't dwell on his injury.

The collection in the martial arts hall was quite extensive, with various manuals on swords, knives, and many more, but the most numerous were the boxing manuals, filling an entire shelf. Zhang Xiaohu glanced over and saw at least a hundred, feeling both surprised and delighted. Surprised by the sheer number of boxing techniques, and wondering how many more there were in the world, he realized he had been shortsighted before. Though specialization is good, the saying "he who knows the way can guide" is also true, and he should take the time to read them. Delighted by the abundance of boxing manuals, he thought they would be enough for his brother to read for a while, even after he recovered. However, he felt a bit sad, wondering if his brother would still read them after realizing he couldn't practice martial arts anymore.

Faced with so many boxing manuals, Zhang Xiaohu didn't know which to choose. After some thought, he picked the first one on top. It didn't matter which one, as he intended it for Xiaohua to pass the time. If it didn't work, he could just give him the next one. But looking at the full shelf, he felt a headache and shook his head, thinking it was impossible.

He took the boxing manual out, and the manager flipped through it, registered it in a book, and let Zhang Xiaohu take it without asking more questions.

Holding the boxing manual, Zhang Xiaohu hummed a folk tune and walked back to his small house with a light step.

As soon as he pushed the door open, he heard Li Jin Feng talking to Zhang Xiaohua, "Xiaohua, I'm not exaggerating, you are really, really smart. I suggest you give up martial arts and focus on literature. What's good about martial arts? It's all about fighting and killing, with no peace. But with literature, you can read books, write poems, and avoid the wind and rain. Isn't that much better?"

Zhang Xiaohu was confused, "Mr. Li, what's going on?"

Li Jin Feng, seeing Zhang Xiaohu enter, happily pulled his hand and said, "Zhang Xiaohu, help me persuade your brother. He's just a child, why should he endure such hardship to learn martial arts? With his intelligence, he could easily pass the imperial exams after two years of study and pursue a career in the government. Isn't that a good path?"

Zhang Xiaohu was still puzzled, "Is Xiaohua really that smart? I didn't know. I've watched him grow up, and I've never heard of him being a prodigy. If he were smart, my father would have sent him to school long ago, not just let him visit the school."

Li Jin Feng frowned, "I don't know about Xiaohua's childhood, but now that he's grown up, he might have matured."

Zhang Xiaohu was at a loss, "Can you explain clearly? I don't know what's going on, so how can I persuade him?"

Li Jin Feng laughed, "I was a bit hasty. These days, you haven't been around much, so I've been teaching Xiaohua to read. At first, he learned normally, like anyone else, but then he started learning faster. Now he can read this boxing manual, and look at the characters he writes. Even though he's sitting on the bed and using his left hand, they are well-formed and have improved rapidly. His talent is hundreds of times better than mine. It would be a waste not to send him to school."

Zhang Xiaohu was moved, picked up the characters Xiaohua had written, and indeed, they were much neater than before. He said to Xiaohua, who was sitting on the bed, "Xiaohua, it seems you have a great talent for literature. You might not have noticed it before, but now that you're not too old, I think you should focus on literature. You could become a top scholar and bring honor to our family. Your father and mother would be very happy."

Xiaohua, however, said seriously, "No way, Second Brother. Mr. Liu and Liu Kai are knowledgeable, but when my sister-in-law was bullied, could they help? Since I've chosen the path of martial arts, I won't give up halfway. What do you think, Big Brother Li? If one is fickle, how can they achieve greatness?"

Zhang Xiaohu, seeing his determination, didn't push further. Li Jin Feng, however, was excited, thinking, "This is a rare talent. Even his refusal is so well-reasoned. How can I let him go? The doctor said Xiaohua can't practice martial arts anymore, so I won't push him. I'll just teach him carefully, and when he realizes he can't practice martial arts, he'll naturally come to me to study literature."

Thinking this, he said, "Yes, Xiaohua, you have a point. But martial arts are for strengthening the body. The fighting in the world is disharmonious. If you have the chance to study literature, you must let your Big Brother Li know."

Xiaohua smiled, "Sure, I'll follow Big Brother Li's advice. But I think Big Brother Li will be disappointed."

Li Jin Feng laughed, "Disappointment is part of life. The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. It's fine. Now that you can read many characters and the boxing manual, I'll bring you the classics we study tomorrow. Even if you don't study literature, reading these will benefit your martial arts practice."

"Really? Thank you, Big Brother Li. Bring them early tomorrow. I've been reading this boxing manual for a few days, and it's not very interesting," Xiaohua said happily.

Li Jin Feng, seeing the fish on the hook, said, "Since you find the boxing manual boring, the classics I bring tomorrow will surely captivate you. You won't want to put them down. Ha ha."

Then, he looked at the sky, packed up his things, and said goodbye.

After Li Jin Feng left, Zhang Xiaohu looked at Xiaohua lovingly, "Xiaohua, I didn't expect you to have such a talent for literature. You should consider Mr. Li's suggestion. Living a peaceful life is also a good choice."

Xiaohua frowned, "Second Brother, why are you so nagging today? I've never been very smart, as the teacher always said. Who knows what's going on now? Maybe Mr. Li is just joking. I've never thought about studying literature. Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Ahem," Zhang Xiaohu coughed, quickly changing the subject, "There is something I need to tell you."

Xiaohua was surprised, "What is it, Second Brother? You're being mysterious."

Zhang Xiaohu mysteriously took out the boxing manual from his chest, "Look, what is this?"

Xiaohua took it, looked closely, and said, "Isn't this the Er Lang Quan manual? Second Brother, where did you get this?"

"Er Lang Quan?" Zhang Xiaohu was surprised, quickly took the manual, and looked closely. Indeed, the large "Er" was on the cover. He had been so focused on getting the manual that he hadn't noticed the other characters. He felt embarrassed, thinking how terrible it was to be illiterate.

The manager of the library should have read it out, and Zhang Xiaohu felt a bit embarrassed.

Seeing Xiaohua's curious gaze, Zhang Xiaohu explained the afternoon's events. Xiaohua, hearing that his brother had found such a good opportunity for him, his eyes sparkled, and he said loudly, "Second Brother, I really admire you. You are my lifelong idol. Thank you."

Seeing Xiaohua's excitement, Zhang Xiaohu was genuinely happy but said, "Let's skip this first one. I'll go get you a different one right away."

Xiaohua quickly stopped him, "Don't change it yet, Second Brother. If we change it right after borrowing it, people might say something and not let us borrow again. Let's keep it here and change it tomorrow."

Zhang Xiaohu had to agree, "Alright, I'll go early tomorrow."

Then, Xiaohua asked enthusiastically about the library, and Zhang Xiaohu explained in detail, making Xiaohua very happy, "Great, Second Brother, I'll read all the boxing manuals in there."

Zhang Xiaohu, thinking of the shelf of books, didn't want to dampen his brother's enthusiasm, "Sure, I support you, Xiaohua."

Suddenly, Xiaohua asked, "Second Brother, did you see any books on internal martial arts?"

Zhang Xiaohu scratched his head, "I don't know how to read well. How would I know which ones are about internal martial arts? The boxing manual was found with someone's help. I think the internal martial arts techniques wouldn't be available for me to see or borrow. They must be kept very secret."

Xiaohua nodded, thinking if they were easy to borrow, they wouldn't be so valuable.

Zhang Xiaohu casually threw the Er Lang Quan manual on the bed.

After dinner, Zhang Xiaohu continued to practice his Six Harmonies Fist under the oil lamp, while Xiaohua, bored, watched. He was really puzzled. Wasn't this just the Six Harmonies Fist? The same moves over and over. What was the point? He was skeptical about its effectiveness.

Bored, he picked up the boxing manual by the bed and started flipping through it under the dim light. Suddenly, he said, "Hmm," and stopped on a page. Zhang Xiaohu, hearing the sound, quickly asked, "What's wrong, Xiaohua?"

"Oh, Second Brother, I found something strange," Xiaohua explained, "Bring the oil lamp over."

Zhang Xiaohu brought the oil lamp closer, and Xiaohua carefully examined the page, then took the other boxing manual Li Jin Feng had brought and flipped to the same page, comparing them carefully. He nodded and said to Zhang Xiaohu, "Second Brother, look at this. This is the book you borrowed from the library. This page shows the move I learned. Compared to the boxing manual Big Brother Li brought, the body is turned more, and the punch is lower. It's the same mistake I made, but the one I remember is even more exaggerated."

Zhang Xiaohu stroked his chin, frowning, "What does this mean? The boxing manuals could have been copied incorrectly, and the instructors could have taught incorrectly. So, the Er Lang Quan practiced in the world could be different?"

Xiaohua nodded, "Second Brother, you're right. And the technique has changed over time from its original form."

Zhang Xiaohu agreed, "Yes, the major aspects might not change, but the details have definitely changed a lot."

"Ha ha ha," Xiaohua laughed loudly.

Zhang Xiaohu was surprised, "Are you having a seizure? Why are you laughing so lewdly?" (Ignore this, it's a joke.)

Xiaohua laughed, "Second Brother, Captain He said my technique was wrong and kept correcting me, but I couldn't change. Now, as long as the moves are correct, the details don't matter much. In fact, Captain He might not have learned the most correct version. What do you think?"

Zhang Xiaohu nodded, "You're right. So, what do you plan to do?"

Xiaohua said, "I think I'll rely on my memory for practicing. I'll remember what I remember and practice those moves. I won't try to correct them much."

Zhang Xiaohu patted his head, teasing, "Sure, you can't change even if you want to. You're just making an excuse for yourself."

Xiaohua smiled, "Maybe."

Xiaohua's heart was at ease, and he slowly flipped through the boxing manual, trying to memorize more moves. He had tried this before when Li Jin Feng brought the manual, but he only remembered two moves the next day. So, when Li Jin Feng praised him, he didn't respond, knowing his memory was not exceptional. If it were discovered, it would be embarrassing.

However, when it came to the literature Li Jin Feng taught, Xiaohua felt proud. He remembered well and used his left hand more smoothly, but as Zhang Xiaohu said, he was a teenager and didn't need to be too proud.

Suddenly, he heard a "thud." Looking up, he saw Zhang Xiaohu fall to the ground. He was very worried, "Second Brother, what happened?"

Falling during practice was not a good sign. Could it be a case of qi deviation?

But Zhang Xiaohu quickly jumped up, still graceful, dusted himself off, and said, "Nothing, Xiaohua."

Xiaohua breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhang Xiaohu explained, "I was practicing a move, and there was still space in front of my fist. I thought about what you said, that the technique might be wrong, so I extended my fist further. My body leaned forward, but my feet were still preparing for the next move, and my waist didn't turn, so I lost balance and fell."

Xiaohua, hearing this, raised his thumb, "Second Brother, you're a genius. You're the first person in history to fall while practicing. Though you might not be the last, you're certainly the first."

Zhang Xiaohu spat, "You're being cheeky."

Then, Xiaohua became serious, "Second Brother, what I said was just a guess. Don't take it to heart. The Six Harmonies Fist or Er Lang Quan has been practiced for many years by many people, and it must have its benefits. Changing the moves rashly could be dangerous in a fight. Moreover, everyone's path in martial arts is different. At first, I saw you practicing only the Six Harmonies Fist and thought it was so powerful that I wanted to learn it too. I'm sure others in the security agency have learned from you, but I can't even remember the complete set of the Luohan Fist. How can I focus on just one set of moves?"

Zhang Xiaohu nodded slightly.

Xiaohua continued, "So, your path is not my path, and my path is not your path. I change the moves because I can't remember them, but you don't need to. You've practiced the Six Harmonies Fist for so long. How can you change it? And you don't even know how to change it!"