VAP - Chapter 12
Chapter 12: The Sleeping Beauty Whose Words Are Law (11)
A martial arts uniform. The implication was simply too obvious—Yue Du's first thought was the martial arts hall run by Professor Xing's father.
It was true that Xing Qingcang was a physics professor, but his family's professions were all more or less related to traditional Chinese culture.
His father ran a martial arts hall, a century-old establishment.
His mother was a teacher of classical studies, exuding a scholarly air.
His older brother was an archaeologist who traveled all over the country.
After the great outbreak of superpowers, this family could become either a responsibility or a source of support for Xing Qingcang. It all depended on whether or not they awakened abilities of their own…
As she was thinking, Yue Du suddenly paused.
Wait, what I should be focusing on right now are Qi Jiu's plans!
“You want to go to the Xing family's martial arts hall to learn martial arts?” Yue Du asked, uncertain. “But from what I know, Xing Qingcang himself has nothing to do with the hall. He isn't skilled in martial arts and never gets involved in his father's affairs.”
Qi Jiu quickly selected a martial arts uniform in her size. Carrying the clothes, she ambled into the fitting room and said, “Learn martial arts? There's no need.”
She paused, then added, “Besides, they're not qualified to teach me.”
It dawned on Yue Du. She asked cautiously, “So, you're going to challenge the dojo?”
Qi Jiu replied with a straight face, “It's called a friendly spar.”
Oh, so she's definitely going to challenge the dojo.
Just then, Qi Jiu began to change. As her long, slender, fair fingers undid the buttons, Yue Du subconsciously averted her gaze, focusing on a poster on the wall.
She did this every time the young lady changed. Even though they were both women, it was still impolite to stare while someone was changing.
Before long, she heard her host's lazy voice. “Alright, I'm done.”
In the full-length mirror, the girl was dressed in a white silk martial arts uniform, her head lowered as she tightened the sash. Her slightly wavy long hair, usually left to hang loose, was now tied up high, falling neatly down her back and giving her a clean, sharp look.
Yue Du was suddenly reminded of a hardworking actress she had once managed. The actress had played a kendo practitioner in a film and had refused a stunt double, insisting on practicing until her form was perfect.
With her hair tied back high like that, she looked undeniably cool.
Unlike that hardworking girl, however, even in such a crisp and efficient outfit, Qi Jiu lacked the upright, resilient aura of a martial artist. She still looked just as… languid.
It really was a matter of aura!
Qi Jiu casually adjusted her collar in the mirror, then turned her head from side to side and said with satisfaction, “Not bad.”
“Have you studied martial arts before?” Yue Du wondered. Then again, she thought, it was impossible for someone with the young lady's personality to practice martial arts. The only image she could conjure was of Qi Jiu lying in a dojo, sleeping soundly as if no one else existed. “You must have learned it as a child, back when you hadn't become such a lazy salted fish—”
Yue Du abruptly cut herself off. In the mental space her host couldn't see, she clapped a hand over her mouth, feeling guilty.
She had actually said it out loud—calling her own host a salted fish! That was completely unprofessional!
But it was too late to pretend nothing had happened. Qi Jiu had clearly heard her. The hand adjusting her clothes paused, and she asked in a tone devoid of emotion, “Salted fish?”
Yue Du's voice was steady. “Host, you misheard. I said saintly. As in, an immortal saint. I meant that your state of mind—letting the world's storms rage while you remain unshaken, finding no joy in possessions nor sorrow in yourself—has reached the point of transcending the mundane and entering a saintly realm. This is the state we systems have always pursued…”
Qi Jiu: “Stop. I'm not asking anymore.”
Yue Du: “Understood.”
The girlish system silently breathed a sigh of relief while also beginning to reflect on how lax she had become recently.
Having been in her line of work for so long, she was used to weighing every word and action. Even private jokes couldn't cross a certain line, or she risked offending someone.
But she had become too relaxed around Qi Jiu, to the point where her inner criticisms slipped out subconsciously. It was probably because their twenty-four-seven companionship easily created an illusion of intimacy.
In any case, making excuses was pointless. She would have to be more careful in the future.
With no intention of trying on other clothes or changing back into the dress she had arrived in, Qi Jiu walked out of the store wearing the martial arts uniform.
If anyone were to ask her why, the answer would likely be a single phrase: “Too lazy to change.”
She quickly hailed a cab. Settling into the back seat, Qi Jiu nodded. “To the Azure Sky Martial Arts Hall, thank you.”
The driver seemed to be a talkative person. They hadn't gone far before he started trying to make conversation… which, of course, had a lot to do with Qi Jiu's good looks.
He glanced at her martial arts uniform and, connecting it with her destination, asked curiously, “Going to learn martial arts, little lady?”
Qi Jiu said, “No. I'm going to challenge the dojo.”
The driver was stunned by her words. After a moment, he laughed it off. “Is that right? That's pretty impressive. Cool.”
Qi Jiu replied calmly, “Thank you.”
The driver was speechless. I wasn't actually complimenting you!
No matter how talkative someone is, the conversation is bound to die when they meet someone who says little and has no interest in chatting. When they arrived at the martial arts hall, the driver waited for Qi Jiu to get out and then sped away.
His movements were so swift, it was as if he were fleeing.
Qi Jiu paid it no mind. She stuffed her hands in her pockets and walked through the main entrance of the martial arts hall.
The Azure Sky Martial Arts Hall was the establishment run by Xing Qingcang's father.
Decades ago, the name “Azure Sky” had been quite famous, but now it was mostly treated as an after-school activity by parents, rather than a craft to be passed down through generations.
After all, everyone had exams to worry about these days. With nine years of compulsory education, scores determined one's fate. Who had the energy to practice martial arts? At most, it was for physical fitness.
When Qi Jiu entered, a master was teaching students how to punch. On one side was a group of little kids who were only chest-high, on another was a group of teenagers nearing adulthood, and on the third side was a class for girls.
Seeing a girl in a martial arts uniform walk in calmly through the main entrance—a girl who, most importantly, was exceptionally beautiful—the students practicing their punches immediately lost focus, their eyes darting in her direction.
One of the masters roared, “What are you all looking at? Focus! Look at this sloppy form!”
The furtive glances were immediately retracted, each student becoming more obedient than the last.
Qi Jiu leaned against the doorframe, watching them practice with an indifferent expression.
The older master was truly focused, but a young man who looked like an assistant instructor ran over. He scratched his buzz cut and said awkwardly, “Hello. Um, are you a new student? I don't think I've seen you here before…”
Qi Jiu slowly straightened up and replied, “Hello. I'm not a new student. I'm here to have a friendly spar with one of the masters.”
Seeing the blank look on his face, she added, “Oh, you know, to challenge the dojo.”
The young man with the buzz cut: “…???”
Yue Du silently covered her face. Sigh.
She knew it would come to this.
Author's Notes
Qi Jiu (serious): I'm here to challenge the dojo.
Assistant Instructor: ? Master, there's a little girl here who says she wants to challenge the dojo!
Master: …Is she a chuunibyou? Read too many fantasy novels? It can't be that there's something wrong with her head, can it? The poor thing.
Qi Jiu: Heh.
Yue Du: praying.jpg
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