Surrounded by a crowd that had no sense at all and refused to leave, Lu Zheng had no way to practice boxing alone with Lin Wan.
Fortunately, there was no rush. This visit could simply count as getting familiar with the place.
Lu Zheng mingled with the group of grown men, exchanging a few moves with them and pointing out their weaknesses.
For Lu Zheng, who had cultivated Martial Blood Qi and brought traditional saber techniques to a certain level, their weaknesses were plain as day.
They did not go out for lunch. The club provided healthy meals, and Lu Zheng's was naturally free.
Then Lu Tieling appeared and announced that he was in a good mood today, so everyone's healthy meal at noon would be free.
Well, who knew what he had to be happy about? Had the goddess of his dreams finally given up on him, or had he gotten beaten up? It was not until the afternoon that Lu Zheng finally had time to coach Lin Wan alone.
"Your weaknesses are obvious. Your strength is lacking, your speed is lacking, your reactions are lacking, your technique is lacking, and your experience is insufficient."
Lin Wan, "..."
"Strength, speed, and reactions can only be trained up slowly," Lu Zheng said. "Technique and experience, on the other hand, can be trained specifically."
Lin Wan's beautiful eyes lit up. "How do we train them specifically?"
Lu Zheng smiled. "I'll be your sparring partner!"
Lin Wan blinked and looked away. "Wouldn't that be too much trouble for you?"
Lu Zheng shrugged helplessly. "Then forget it?"
"Don't!" Lin Wan glared at him with almond-shaped eyes. "Are you usually busy?"
"Busy!" Lu Zheng nodded.
"What about weekends?"
"Not too bad."
"Then can you come teach me on weekends?" The fierce policewoman instantly turned into a little white rabbit.
Lu Zheng rubbed his chin. Seeing Lin Wan's gaze grow increasingly dangerous, he finally smiled and nodded. "No problem."
A tacit understanding had been reached.
For the next few hours, they did not return to the boxing ring. Instead, Lu Zheng taught Lin Wan below it, demonstrating several grappling techniques and ways to adapt on the fly.
When they left the club that afternoon, Lin Wan was already holding Lu Zheng's arm.
Got her!
"I got taken down just like that?"
Lying in bed, Lu Zheng wore a solemn expression as he silently reflected. I'm still too young. I don't know how to play hard to get. The moment a pretty young woman takes the initiative, I surrender. I didn't even tactfully drag things out a little. I showed none of a scummy, cheap, flirtatious playboy's nature. Anyone could tell at a glance that I'm an honest man. How humiliating.
Of course, that was what he said, but Lu Zheng was not that casual a person either. It could only be said that Lin Wan's heroic bearing, soaring confidence, and body as agile as a she-panther had also attracted him.
What man could fail to love a woman like that? Lu Zheng sighed...
Naturally, Lin Wan was not beside him at the moment. They had merely eaten dinner together. Lu Zheng had taken Lin Wan home, then returned alone, receiving only a kiss.
"How spineless!"
"Still, boundaries must be drawn clearly. Getting a room is fine, but living together is not!"
"When boys are out in the world, they must learn to protect themselves!"
To be honest, after staying in ancient times for so long, Lu Zheng had developed a faint sense of estrangement from the modern world. Having a girlfriend now was not bad, either.
In a haze, Lu Zheng fell asleep.
"You got him?"
"Of course!"
"Then why did you come back?"
"Where else would I go if I didn't come back?"
"His place!"
"Isn't that too fast?"
"Didn't you want to drain him dry?"
"You female hooligan!"
"Me, a female hooligan?" Huang Xiumin was so angry she laughed. "Don't say I didn't warn you. A young man of twenty-two or twenty-three, full of vigorous blood and qi, who doesn't know how to refuse pretty young women—if you move even a little too slowly, someone else will beat you to it."
Thinking of the women in the club whose eyes had practically been spitting fire, Lin Wan twisted her body slightly, her eyes shifting about. "Really?"
Huang Xiumin could not help rolling her eyes. "I don't know. I'm going to watch dramas. Stop bothering me!"
Early the next morning, Lu Zheng returned to ancient times.
"Big Brother Lu!"
"Lu Lang!"
When Lu Zheng stepped outside, he happened to run into the Liu Family Sisters, who were seeing Old Man Liu off.
"Morning, Old Man Liu. Qing Quan, Miss Liu!"
The most honest and sincere smile appeared on Lu Zheng's face, fresh and clean.
"Lu Lang, are you going to Qing Sheng Teahouse again?" Old Man Liu asked.
Whenever Lu Zheng had nothing to do, he would usually go to Qing Sheng Teahouse for morning tea and listen to storytelling for an hour or two. Sometimes, he even settled lunch there.
"Yes." Lu Zheng nodded.
"You weren't here yesterday, so you don't know. There was a murder at Qing Sheng Teahouse, and it's still sealed off for investigation," Old Man Liu said.
"A murder?" Lu Zheng asked in surprise.
"A murder!" Liu Qingquan's eyes widened hugely. "I heard the shopkeeper's entire family was torn to pieces, and blood was splashed all over the floor."
Lu Zheng's face darkened. "It's so bloody. What are you so excited about?"
Liu Qingquan shrank her neck. "I'm just listening to something strange."
Lu Zheng narrowed his eyes and looked at Liu Qingquan sinisterly. "Aren't you afraid that murderer might creep into your home in the middle of the night..."
Liu Qingquan immediately hid behind her sister. "Not listening, not listening!"
"Lu Lang, don't scare her." Liu Qingyan shot Lu Zheng a reproachful look, and Lu Zheng grinned as he pulled out a lollipop.
Orange-flavored!
"Then what will happen to Qing Sheng Teahouse afterward?" Lu Zheng turned and asked Old Man Liu.
"I don't know. The shopkeeper of Qing Sheng Teahouse was also from out of town. Now his family of four has all been killed, and there isn't even a wronged party left to inherit the property." Old Man Liu shook his head. "It will probably be confiscated by the state, then they'll see whether anyone takes it over."
Lu Zheng rubbed his chin, then decided to give up on the idea after thinking it over.
Qing Sheng Teahouse drew people from all walks of life. It did not suit his path of keeping a low profile while developing.
"Looks like I can't go to Qing Sheng Teahouse. I'll take a stroll around Cong An Ward instead."
Liu Qingquan grabbed Liu Qingyan. "Sister, today happens to be the end of the ten-day cycle, and we have nothing to do. Why don't we go stroll around Cong An Ward with Big Brother Lu?"
Liu Qingyan looked at Lu Zheng, her willow-leaf eyes smiling. "Would it be convenient for Lu Lang?"
"Of course it would!"
So they first accompanied Old Man Liu to the clinic. Then Lu Zheng took the Liu Family Sisters south, quickly passing two street corners and arriving near Cong An Ward.
"Miss Liu, what do you do at home every day?" Lu Zheng asked.
The Great Jing Dynasty was, after all, ancient times. There was not much entertainment. Not only were women barred from private schools, but most entertainment venues were unsuitable for them as well.
So Lu Zheng was very curious. What did sheltered young ladies like Liu Qingyan, who did not need to leave home to earn a living, do each day? "Read and write, knit and embroider," Liu Qingyan replied.
"Uh, doesn't that get boring?"
Liu Qingyan covered her mouth and laughed softly. "Lu Lang, why do you think so little of us sisters? Don't you also stay indoors reading all the time? When have you found it boring?"
Lu Zheng: (||_) What a huge misunderstanding...
True enough, a wealthy young man with leisure time like him did not visit gambling dens or Spring Breeze Pavilion, and the Great Jing Dynasty had no computers. If he spent all day at home, did that not mean he was studying behind closed doors?
How should I explain this misunderstanding? "In books are houses of gold, in books are a thousand bushels of grain, in books are..."
"Are what?" Liu Qingyan's beautiful eyes brightened as she looked at Lu Zheng.
Lu Zheng laughed heartily, his gaze blazing like a torch. "In books are beauties like jade!"
Liu Qingyan hurriedly looked away, feeling a faint heat on both cheeks. She quickly changed the subject. "Does Lu Lang intend to take the imperial examinations?"
Lu Zheng shook his head. "The heavens are vast and the earth is broad; freedom and ease are what matter. Why trap oneself inside a cage? I read only to broaden my knowledge and enlighten my mind. If one reads with a purpose in mind, that is falling into the inferior path."
"Lu Lang has such breadth of heart." Liu Qingyan stole a glance at Lu Zheng, then hurriedly turned her head away again.
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Liu Qingyan was just about to say something when Liu Qingquan called from ahead, "Big Brother Lu, Sister, I want candied hawthorn!"
Well, the atmosphere was completely gone!
Before you continue