Crisis

The kitchen was still thick with the lingering aroma of meat.

Chen Jianghe crouched before the stove, gently waving a tattered palm-leaf fan as smoke curled upward, mingling with the savory scent.

Since striking a "deal" with Su Derong ten days ago, Su Derong had brought meat every single day—sometimes half a rack of pork ribs, sometimes a few pounds of beef brisket, and twice he had even hauled in plump, tender chicken and duck.

He always wore that same languid expression, dropping the goods in front of Chen Jianghe and waving his fan with a grin. "Today, I leave it to you, Junior Brother."

Chen Jianghe never skimped on his craft.

Employing his master-level butchery skills, he trimmed away the gristle, separated the fat from the lean, and kept the marrow intact.

Meat prepared in this manner, when slow-cooked over a low flame, saw all its essence dissolve into the broth, turning it as thick and white as milk.

"Tsk, this smell—"

The door curtain lifted, and Su Derong swayed in, fanning himself. He wore an indigo satin robe today, cinched with a jade belt, his hair neatly combed; the look of a wealthy young master was truly enviable.

Chen Jianghe stood up and cupped his hands. "Third Senior Brother."

Su Derong waved a hand, leaned toward the stove to take a deep breath, and squinted. "Fragrant. Ribs today?"

"Yes. It's been stewing for two hours, the aroma is overflowing!"

"Good, good!" Su Derong nodded in satisfaction. Without standing on ceremony, he grabbed a bowl, ladled out a full portion, and squatted on a small stool by the stove, sipping it slowly.

He downed half the bowl in a few gulps, then, as if suddenly remembering something, tapped Chen Jianghe's shoulder with the ribs of his fan. "Right, that San Ti Stance you practiced yesterday—your waist and hips were still too stiff. This stance training emphasizes a 'dragon waist and bear shoulders.' The waist must be fluid, like a coiling dragon; the shoulders must be heavy, as stable as a bear. You remembered the 'heavy' part but forgot the 'fluid' one. Come, let me show you."

Su Derong set down his bowl and took a stance in the narrow open space of the kitchen.

He didn't follow the standard San Ti Stance perfectly, but even in his casual posture, that sense of relaxed yet condensed power shone through. As his waist turned slightly, it was as if a great dragon were truly winding within his body.

"See that? It's not about squatting rigidly. The force must rise from the soles of your feet, travel up your legs, through your waist, across your back, and finally penetrate into your hands. The waist is the pivot; if the pivot is jammed, the force is severed." As he spoke, he slowly shifted his center of gravity, demonstrating the subtle rotation of his waist and hips.

Chen Jianghe listened intently, nodding to commit it to memory.

Over these ten days, although Su Derong remained his usual lazy self, he was never ambiguous when it came to guiding Chen Jianghe's stance training. Often, a casual remark would strike at the very heart of a problem Chen Jianghe had been agonizing over.

"Many thanks for your guidance, Senior Brother!" Chen Jianghe said sincerely.

"What's the use of just saying thanks? Practice! Once you've mastered it, you can put even more heart into my stews." Su Derong waved his hand, picked up his bowl again, and resumed drinking at his leisure.

Thanks to the nourishment of sufficient meat over these ten days, which allowed his body to sustain repeated and effective stance training, Chen Jianghe's progress had accelerated at a visible rate.

[Fate: Heaven Rewards Diligence, Success is Guaranteed]

[Current Skill: San Ti Stance Training (Not yet initiated)]

[Progress: 59%]

[Effect: None]

Following the pattern of my butchery skills, this fate seems to allow me to grow stronger through repeated, effective practice, Chen Jianghe whispered to himself.

However, despite the nutritional boost from the meat, the lack of specialized medicinal supplements meant his body still couldn't handle high-intensity training; this progress was already his limit.

Thinking of the exorbitantly expensive Blood Qi Powder and Bone Strengthening Ointment, he could only shake his head in silence.

As for their master, Li Chengyue, Chen Jianghe had only seen him twice in these ten days.

Once was at dawn, when the old man stumbled out of the backyard with his wine gourd, caught a glimpse of him practicing, grunted, and wandered out the door.

The other time was late at night, when Chen Jianghe returned to the dormitory after extra practice and heard the bamboo lounge chair in the backyard creaking, accompanied by the clinking of wine bowls and muffled humming.

The master of the Xingyi Martial Arts Hall seemed to spend most of his time soaked in alcohol.

Su Derong was completely indifferent to this, even happy to be carefree. He spent far less time practicing martial arts than he did listening to music at the pleasure houses, yet he always loved to drag Chen Jianghe along.

"Jianghe, there's a new performer at the Cuiying Pavilion today. They say her voice is incredibly melodic. Want to go listen?" After training ended that day, Su Derong swayed over, his fan waving at a steady, leisurely pace.

Chen Jianghe shook his head. "I appreciate the offer, Senior Brother, but my stance training is still far from where it needs to be. I want to practice a bit more."

Su Derong pointed his fan at him. "You kid, you're so dull. Going to such places is a form of cultivation, too!"

The kitchen was communal, and the rich aroma of meat often drew other disciples to peek inside.

The martial arts hall's food was meager, making this scent exceptionally tempting. Whenever this happened, if Su Derong was in a good mood, he would beckon, "Come, come! Everyone gets a share! Taste our Jianghe's cooking—it's no worse than what you'd find at the Zuichun Brothel!"

He was a man of the world, and his casual hospitality led several familiar senior brothers to sheepishly accept a few bowls of soup. As they drank the fresh broth, they began to show more friendly faces to Chen Jianghe, who was busy tending the fire.

He Shouzhuo had caught them once, watched silently for a moment, and then whispered to Chen Jianghe, "Third Senior Brother is willing to guide you—that's your luck. He may look lazy, but he doesn't tolerate any nonsense. Practice hard."

Chen Jianghe nodded heavily. He knew better than anyone that this was luck, but it was a luck he had to grasp with everything he had.

In the blink of an eye, the shadow of the month's end quietly approached.

That evening, the setting sun was like blood, staining the dilapidated courtyard of the martial arts hall a dark red.

Chen Jianghe wondered if Li Gouzi and his gang had gone back to Loach Bay since then. Had his mother been guarding that broken boat alone, living in fear day and night?

As he thought, he took out the notebook from his pocket and crossed out the names of Li Gouzi and the others.

Just as Chen Jianghe was about to set his stance, he saw Su Derong sway in, his face still wearing that same relaxed smile.

"Tsk, youth is a wonderful thing. I was just as driven when I was your age. It was only later that I realized: in this life, one must be taut when necessary, but also know how to loosen up." Su Derong tapped Chen Jianghe's shoulder lightly with his fan. "That new girl at the Cuiying Pavilion has a voice clearer than an oriole! And she's quite a beauty, too. How about it? Come with me and listen? Clear your mind—you might even 'enlighten' yourself faster."

Chen Jianghe took a deep breath, suppressing his restless thoughts, and shook his head. "Thank you, Senior Brother, but I won't be going."

He paused, looked up at Su Derong, and spoke with earnest intent: "Senior Brother, I actually wanted to ask you about something."

Chen Jianghe looked left and right, then lowered his voice: "Senior Brother has wide connections; I wonder if you could... help me inquire about a few people?"

"Who?"

"I want to ask about a few people." Chen Jianghe's voice dropped even lower. "From the Black Tiger Gang. One is called Li Gouzi, he has a scar on his face, and there are two lackeys who usually hang around him. I want to know where they've been active lately and what kind of habits they have."

Su Derong did not answer immediately, merely fixing his gaze on Chen Jianghe's face.

After a long silence, Su Derong said slowly: "Jianghe, why are you asking about them?"

Chen Jianghe had already prepared his excuse: "They're coming to collect a debt at the end of the month. I want to test the waters and see if I can find a way to negotiate, or perhaps find an opportunity to pay off the debt early, so they don't go to Loach Bay and disturb my mother."

The casual smile on Su Derong's face faded. He scrutinized Chen Jianghe, a flash of realization and appraisal crossing those eyes that were always somewhat languid.

He slowly unfolded his folding fan and gave it a gentle wave.

Chen Jianghe's heart skipped a beat, though he remained respectful on the surface: "I understand, Senior Brother. I'm just worried about my mother being home alone, and I can't set my mind at ease. Gathering some information will help me prepare in advance."

Su Derong watched him for a moment, then suddenly smiled again. The look of appraisal quietly vanished, and he returned to his usual carefree manner: "Fine, I happen to be asking around tonight anyway. I'll give you word tomorrow."

"Many thanks, Senior Brother."

"Don't mention it." Su Derong walked to the door, then looked back. "Are you sure you won't go? That girl's rendition of Spring River Night is enough to make one forget what day it even is."

"Senior Brother should go ahead; I'll stay at the hall to practice."

Su Derong shook his head, swaying slightly: "Practice, practice—be careful you don't turn into a block of wood!"