"Taking disciples... it's not that I'm unwilling, but it depends on fate."
After hearing Fu Chi out, Director Gong hesitated for a moment, then took his advice and had a staff member find a chance to speak to Xia Zhiyi off-camera.
Now that Xia Zhiyi had a rough understanding of the situation, he held nothing back. "Thank you for thinking of me, but this actually isn't that complicated. I know there are bound to be people who want to learn, but nothing about learning real skills in this world is easy."
"As it happens, Wang Chengran wants to learn too. I was already planning to talk to him about it today. If he can keep it up for half a month, I'll accept him as a nominal disciple."
"If any viewers in the livestream can do it too, I can go check their aptitude afterward."
The staff member was a little surprised. "You're taking Wang Chengran as a disciple?"
When had this happened?
Xia Zhiyi said, "Not yet. That depends on him."
The staff member asked, "But didn't you just tell Teacher Fu that you have to learn before you're twelve or thirteen?"
Xia Zhiyi said, "What Fu Yunyi wants to learn is Qinggong. Qinggong needs internal force to support it, which means internal cultivation. To learn internal cultivation, you have to start while you're still young."
"This is really common knowledge. A lot of people know that whether you're learning martial arts or dance, it's best to start in childhood."
The staff member nodded. "I understand that. I think everyone else will understand too."
Xia Zhiyi said, "Mm. I'll explain this clearly to Wang Chengran on camera later."
The staff member said, "All right, all right. Thank you for your trouble, Teacher Xia."
Xia Zhiyi shook his head. "No trouble."
Having cleared things up, the staff member was about to report back to Director Gong. Before leaving, something occurred to them, and they called out to Xia Zhiyi somewhat sheepishly. "Um, Teacher Xia, I have another question... uh, a personal one."
Xia Zhiyi was curious. "Hm? Go ahead."
The staff member said, "Well, Teacher Wang Chengran probably hasn't learned before either, so he'll be starting with the very basics under you. Then could I... could those of us on the staff who are interested learn a little alongside him?"
Come on, this was martial arts!
What person from Xia Country hadn't fantasized as a child about mastering martial arts, then becoming a great hero who upheld justice?
Even knowing just a move or two would be enough for them to brag to other people about how impressive they were!
Xia Zhiyi said, "...No problem, but you need to know your own limits. Brother Chengran has learned dance, after all, so he has some flexibility and won't get injured as easily."
The meaning was simple-if they weren't flexible enough, they shouldn't force it. Hurting themselves would be bad.
The staff member nodded repeatedly.
Xia Zhiyi returned to the kitchen and discovered Qin Yue and Fu Yunyi both squatting outside the back door.
He walked over. "Sister Yueyue, what are you doing?"
Qin Yue looked up, her gaze a little fierce. "Sharpening a knife."
She had always been gentle, and this was the first time she had shown an aggressive side, which surprised Xia Zhiyi a little.
By then, Xia Zhiyi had reached their side too. Looking down, he saw what was in front of them-a basin of water, a whetstone, and a Chinese kitchen knife that people from Xia Country were very familiar with.
As they spoke, Fu Yunyi sprinkled some water onto the whetstone rather clumsily and began sharpening.
That sound...
Xia Zhiyi said, "...Is the knife no good?"
Qin Yue said, "Who knows where the production team dug this knife up? It's blunt."
"While you were away just now, I wanted to chop some dried chilies to have ready, but this knife couldn't even cut through dried chilies!"
Xia Zhiyi was speechless.
Fu Yunyi wasn't nearly as angry. There was even a hint of novelty on his face; clearly, he found this rather interesting. "It's fine. They left us a whetstone, didn't they? They said it'd be usable after a minute or two of sharpening."
Xia Zhiyi said, "There must be more to it than this, right? Even someone as good-tempered as Sister Yueyue is a little angry. What else did the production team do?"
At the compliment about her good temper, Qin Yue's anger-sharpened expression immediately turned a little bashful. But recalling what she had just been through, she said, both speechless and angry, "When I first discovered the knife was no good, I had a bad feeling, so I searched the house. I found two pairs of scissors, a sickle, and the axe we used to split firewood yesterday. They were all blunt."
She really was a little speechless.
Fu Yunyi couldn't help complaining then too. "I was wondering why I failed every time I tried splitting firewood yesterday. Turns out the tool was no good."
Hearing that, Qin Yue seemed to recall something, and the look she gave Fu Yunyi became very peculiar.
Xia Zhiyi was also a little lost for words at that.
If he remembered correctly, yesterday... hadn't Fu Yunyi been unable to hit the wood at all?
Fu Yunyi had failed because his aim was off, not because the tool was no good.
Hadn't Qin Yue succeeded yesterday?
What did that mean?
Surely it couldn't mean Qin Yue was strong enough to chop firewood even with an axe that wasn't sharp enough?
Oh, wait. That did seem to be the case.
Fu Yunyi remembered Qin Yue then too. His hands stopped moving, and he turned to look at her. "Huh? In that case, Qin Yue, you're really strong."
Qin Yue said, "..."
Shut up!
She felt her image could still be salvaged!
Xia Zhiyi changed the subject just in time. "Is there only one whetstone? Since the other tools aren't any good either, why not sharpen them all?"
Qin Yue said, "There's only one, and the production team is so... so unreasonable. The little shop sells new tools, but a kitchen knife costs twenty yuan. I did the math, and it's not really worth it."
"They sell sharpening tools too, including whetstones, but even the cheapest one costs thirty yuan. They even told me it wasn't expensive if I used it long-term... I'm only staying here for half a month. Why would I need to buy something for long-term use? And of all the things they rent out, these are the ones they won't rent."
Sensing a trace of resentment in Qin Yue's words, Xia Zhiyi smiled. "Don't be angry, Sister Yueyue."
Qin Yue said, "Honestly, I've figured it out. They just want to squeeze money out of me."
"I also wanted to see what vegetables the shop had just now. We have guests today, after all, so the food can't be too shabby. But then... they jacked up the price. Ten yuan for a bunch of okra!"
"Just half a jin! Ten yuan! Isn't that robbery?"
Xia Zhiyi asked, "Then did you buy it, Sister Yueyue?"
Qin Yue fell silent.
Fu Yunyi laughed. "She did."
Xia Zhiyi couldn't hold back a laugh.
Qin Yue said, "Well, wasn't I just... I saw Ranran looking at the okra several times when she passed by this morning, so I thought she probably liked it. Since we're hosting guests anyway, spending just a little..."
After finishing, Qin Yue paused for a while, then couldn't help saying, "It's still so expensive!"
Xia Zhiyi felt as though Qin Yue had swallowed a swear word when she said that.
Qin Yue feels a little more real now than when she first arrived yesterday.
He thought this with his eyes curved in a smile.