Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Since there was neither the time nor the opportunity to get out of the university, Lou Cheng had bought his gift through the website’s official flagship store. During that instant he received the package he thanked internet shopping and express delivery for making the world so damn convenient.
Mm, I shan’t act too eagerly and hold too much hope to avoid frightening Yan Zheke. If there’s a chance I should give it a try, if there isn’t then I will wait for the next time... Lou Cheng soundless encouraged himself as he stared at himself inside the mirror. Then, he took out a chewing gum, tore open the wrapping, pushed it into his own mouth and began chewing seriously.
While he might not necessarily have the chance to kiss Yan Zheke and he didn’t have bad breath, it was still better to be prepared than not. It was always good to give a girl a perfect impression of a first kiss!
While chewing, Lou Cheng headed out of his dormitory, walked along the pedestrian street and arrived at the three buildings Yan Zheke was staying in. He sent her a message and informed her that she could come out now.
He took the opportunity to find a dustbin and spat out the chewing gum just in case his ‘rapacious ambition’ was so abundantly obvious that it made the girl wary and objectionable.
Yan Zheke had always been punctual, and Lou Cheng didn’t need to wait long before he saw her walking out of the building. She was holding items that were relevant to martial arts training.
Since the weather was warming up, the girl wore a thin white sweater, an orange and pink overcoat on the outside, a black pleated skirt and leggings at the bottom and a pair of ankle boots around her feet. It was a different style from her usual student-like appearance, but it didn’t appear overly mature either. She was brimming with youth as usual, and she had put on what seemed like a thin makeup on her face. Her white skin was touched with tinge of redness, and it made her tender and attractive. The color accentuated her eyes and made them look bright and spirited like the stars. Lou Cheng, who was only starting to get used to her beauty had his breath taken away again. He just stared at her stupidly and actually forgot to greet her. He had also neglected the slightly plump girl beside Yan Zheke.
Zong Yanru broke into a snort and moved closer beside Yan Zheke’s ears. She lowered her voice and said, “He does look dumb. That being said, which boy wouldn’t be when they see your current appearance?”
Yan Zheke turned her head and smiled faintly. She seemed to be very pleased and proud at herself for drawing such a reaction from Lou Cheng. However, she said, “Look at his dumb look... I knew I shouldn’t have let you come down with me.”
Lou Cheng, whose eyes were following the girl’s movements was jolted out of his trance as he hastily inhaled, walked forwards and said with a little bit of awkwardness, “I was a little entranced just now...”
He was going to praise further and say that she was exceptionally beautiful today, but he suddenly noticed that there was another girl beside Yan Zheke and was afraid that the sensitive girl wouldn’t be able to take it. Therefore, he had abruptly cut himself short.
Yan Zheke pursed her lips and did not answer Lou Cheng’s praise directly. While holding a smile, she introduced her friend and said, “This is my roommate Zong Yanru. She is an exceptionally good girl, other than the fact that she’s a little rowdy!”
She turned her head sideways and said to Zong Yanru, “He is Lou Cheng. You’ve already seen his dumb look just now~!”
Her words drew a faint blush on Lou Cheng’s face. It also caused Zong Yanru failing to hold her mirth as she covered her mouth and laughed in a low tone.
Lou Cheng no longer felt as awkward and anxious when facing another girl as before, even if she was his girlfriend’s roommate. Therefore, he openly and generously laughed and said, “Hello. You’re that roommate with the same specialized course as Ke, aren’t you?”
“You know?” Zong Yanru looked at Yan Zheke with a little bit of surprise. Yan Zheke shook her head innocently to show that she had never told him about her before.
Lou Cheng smiled faintly and explained, “Ke would sometimes bring up her roommates, and I would always write them down on a little notebook during this time. I was thinking that if I failed my confession or if we had an argument in the future, I can persuade her indirectly and borrow a little power from everyone. She once told me that the girl who shares the same specialized course with her has the best temperament, and that she was natural, unrestrained and very warmhearted. Since she purposely emphasized that you’re a particularly good person, I figured that you’re the one she was talking about, so I ventured a bold guess.”
He seized the opportunity and successfully obtained the nickname ‘Ke’.
Zong Yanru was rather pleasantly surprised by this revelation. She didn’t think that Yan Zheke would praise her before her boyfriend this way. It would appear that Yan Zheke sincerely thought that her temperament was excellent, and she thought that she was a friend that she could associate with for a long time.
She couldn’t help but cast a glance at Yan Zheke and felt warmed on the inside. Who didn’t like to hear praises, especially when it’s the truth spoken behind one’s back!
Yan Zheke didn’t think that Lou Cheng would not only respond fittingly to the occasion, but also improve Zong Yanru’s good impression towards her as well. For a time she was both proud and pleased, and she felt as if her heart was tinged with sugar.
She humphed and said in a tsundere manner, “If we had an argument in the future? I see that you’re already planning to bully me in the future already?”
Okay, why is the girl’s key focus different from what I expected... Lou Cheng was a little flabbergasted by the response, but he quickly recovered and laughed in a low tone, “I’m just afraid that I would make a mistake in the future, aren’t I?”
“Hmph, what kind of mistake are you planning to commit then?” Yan Zheke protested coquettishly.
Lou Cheng was immediately struck by the feeling that he should never argue with a girl. He restrained his laughter and said, “Something like getting hurt or forcing myself etc...”
After he said this, he swiftly changed the subject and looked at Zong Yanru, saying, “Since you are that roommate with the same specialized course of hers, then I’d have to thank you here for saving Ke from harassment during Valentine’s Day. Otherwise, I’d have no choice but to cry myself to sleep at a corner.”
The things that had happened during Valentine’s Day was still as clear as ever when he recalled it. However, it felt as if a long time had passed since then.
Whenever he was together, with Yan Zheke, he could not help but feel that time passed swiftly, and that it was time to part ways in the blink of an eye. Valentine’s Day was just ten days ago, but it felt so far away that it was as if a century had passed by. It was almost as if he had dated Yan Zheke for a century as well.
It was truly a wonderful feeling.
Seeing that the boy before her was honest and confident; calm and humorous, Zong Yanru nodded and gave him a high score inwardly. She thought that he was a good match with Yan Zheke, and so she made a shivering motion and laughed softly, “Save the thanks. Your conversation just now is so corny I’m about to die. I think I had better head back to the dormitory and focus on memorizing my foreign language text!”
After she said this, she waved a hand and turned away to walk towards the hostel. When she was about to reach the unit’s entrance, she turned around for a look and saw Lou Cheng holding Yan Zheke’s right hand, speaking and smiling in a low voice as they left together shoulder to shoulder. The girl was as beautiful as a flower, and the boy was collected and confident. They were an enviable couple.
“The sour taste of love...” Zong Yanru let out a laughing abuse before falling into deep thought. Then she let out a sigh and said, “I want to experience it too...”
I’m not asking much; I just want someone who can perform half as well as that guy before...
... ...
Inside the martial arts arena, Yan Zheke had already changed into her white-colored, black-bordered Songcheng University Martial Arts Club uniform. Her black, low hanging hair had been tied into a ponytail, and she looked both refreshed and beautiful. It was yet another side of her beauty.
Lou Cheng felt great pride as he looked at her. However, he didn’t dare to hug her right in front of everyone in broad daylight. After all, he had to watch out for her sensitive pride.
As for his own pride? Hehe, excuse me, but can pride feed my stomach? Is it more important than a hug?
In this regard, a boy’s skin would only get thicker and thicker to the point where they became utterly shameless...
He cast away the distractions in his mind and smiled faintly,
“Let’s practice pushing hands and listening skill first. Your main advantage over a large majority of Amateur rank fighters is that you can enter into meditation. Therefore, you need to play to your strengths and avoid your weaknesses as much as possible. You should seek to foster your advantages, counter the enemy and win that way.”
Yan Zheke pursed her lips and smiled, “Why do I feel like our roles had switched, and you’re the coach now?”
“Am I not reiterating what you normally teach me, Coach Yan?” Lou Cheng said flatteringly, “Meditation brings two effects into real combat. The first would be the listening skill, and the second would be the mastery of one’s muscles. You would be able to adjust your body in micro detail, and forcefully alter your center of gravity and borrow strength to do many things.”
Yan Zheke withdrew her smile and listened very intently to Lou Cheng’s words. She nodded seriously and said, “So we should push hands to practice my listening skill, and then we train the ’24 Blizzard Strikes’ in real combat?”
“You are right, Coach Yan!” Lou Cheng lifted a thumb and beamed, “Once you’ve mastered these two aspects, they will aid you in the cultivation of your family martial arts too. At that time, you will not be completely hopeless even if you encountered an Amateur First Pin or Second Pin fighter at the peak of their stamina.”
She would not be taken advantage of even when she encountered someone who fought like Chen Changhua too!
“Mm. Let us start then.” Yan Zheke bit her bottom lip softly with shining eyes. She looked eager to begin.
Lou Cheng extended his left hand and placed his palm over Yan Zheke’s. While feeling the tenderness and softness of her skin, he said, “Concentrate and try and enter into the concealment state of spirit and qi and maintain the feeling of half meditation. You cannot completely submerge yourself into meditation, or you will neglect external sensories...”
While explaining every bit of his own experience in this regard to Yan Zheke and racking his brain to explain it in a way that she could understand, he himself had gradually figured out some parts of his martial arts where things appeared right but were actually wrong. He had discovered many hidden problems he didn’t realize before.
The saying of both the student and teacher benefit from lessons, and to teach through lively activities is probably referring to this... Lou Cheng thought elatedly on the inside.
While the girl might not have the Jindan and her attainment in meditation was small, her family had a long history and her knowledge and experience of martial arts were much greater than Lou Cheng’s. After the first few failures, she gradually figured things out and found the key to enter a half-meditative state.
“Alright, can you tell me what my lower move is through the changes in my muscles, skin and pores?” Lou Cheng said in a deep and low tone.
Yan Zheke quietly ‘listened’ and answered, “You are going to whip out with your left leg.”
“That’s correct, but you are just a little off. I am not whipping out with my left leg. I am stepping forwards with my left leg and ramming my side towards you...” Lou Cheng corrected.
A similar conversation like this happened non-stop, and Yan Zheke displayed her talent in this area. While she could not compare to someone as abnormal as Lou Cheng, she quickly passed through the entry stage. The more she practiced, the happier and spirited she became.
Before they knew it, about forty minutes had passed. Lou Cheng suddenly heard a teasing laughter,
“Is this how you two do pair exercises? You’re going to kill us damned singles with jealousy!”
Yan Zheke and him turned to look at the direction of the voice at the same time. They saw Li Mao holding a bag carrying his martial arts uniform and shoes. He was just passing by. A great blush rose over Yan Zheke’s face again as she hastily let go of Lou Cheng.
“We’re training our listening skills.” Lou Cheng said straight-faced without a trace of embarrassment to be seen.
“Yes, yes, I’ll not disturb you guys from whispering sweet nothings to one another any longer. I’ll head over to the other side!” Li Mao teased again before leaving with a great laugh.
With a slight blush and eyes looking downwards, it took Yan Zheke a while before she said, “Senior brother Li looks a lot more relaxed...”
“Perhaps he had gotten over certain things...” Lou Cheng guessed before suggesting, “Let us spar using the ’24 Blizzard Strikes’ now?”
It’s not feasible to train listening skill any longer. What if they trained to the point where Yan Zheke didn’t want to date any longer?
“Okay!” Yan Zheke inhaled and cleared up her mind.
Lou Cheng only defended as Yan Zheke unleashed every move of the 24 Blizzard Strikes. He helped her to gain a deeper experience in borrowing strength continuously.
Although one of his hands was immobile, his footwork was very well maintained. He was always able to dodge the attacks landing towards his right and withstood a single round of Yan Zheke’s brutal and blizzard-like attacks.
Meanwhile, Yan Zheke panted and said while holding her knees and bending her back a round later,
“The, the real 24 Blizzard Strikes, really, really is too exhausting. No, no wonder my cousin was only able to perform a full round back then.”
When she used the 24 Blizzard Strikes during the fight against Guo Qing back then, her skill could only be said to have reached the entry stage back then.
An idea flashed across Lou Cheng’s mind as he said with a ‘serious’ face, “Are your muscles aching? Should I press them for a bit and help you relax?”
Yan Zheke rolled her eyes at him before letting out a humph,
“Maybe we’ll talk about this once you’ve mastered the art of massaging first!”
Lou Cheng quietly took note and made plans to learn massaging in the future...
After resting for a moment, the duo took a bath, changed into their clothes and headed straight to the bus station without returning to the dormitory.
Of course, Lou Cheng was the one carrying all the stuff, whereas Yan Zheke seemed to have put a little something on her face once more. Her white was tinged with redness, and her lips were bright and moist. Lou Cheng felt restless as he watched her.
If everything went according to the plan, then he would present the gift to Yan Zheke as a pleasant surprise when the movie had reached a point where the environment was a little dim inside the theater. Then, he would take advantage of her emotions and kiss her.
That kind of environment was relatively hidden from view, and he had purposely picked seats near the back so that no audiences would notice them. This should eliminate Yan Zheke’s embarrassment and timidness to the max.
It was the perfect plan!