Chapter 16: Sparring

No matter how hard Wen Hao struggled out in the world, Nan Shuang maintained a very harmonious life at home with Nan Xing.

"I'm going to my teacher's house today. Do you want to stay home alone, or should I take you to Auntie Yu's?" It certainly wouldn't be appropriate to take him to her teacher's place.

"Sister, can I learn martial arts with you?" Watching his sister practice every day, Nan Xing felt a growing sense of longing.

"You'll have to ask Dad about that." She couldn't make that decision, and more importantly, she didn't really want to get involved in Nan Xing's affairs.

Whether it was for her own sake or because of the original owner of this body, she disliked involving herself in trouble.

With his weak physique, he might as well forget about martial arts. His internal energy was depleted; trying to practice martial arts would be an exercise in futility.

Nan Xing felt a bit aggrieved. It wasn't that he hadn't sensed his sister's dislike for him, but he simply couldn't understand why she didn't like him.

Was it because he had diverted their father's attention? But their father loved his sister even more. Nan Xing couldn't figure it out, and the more he thought, the more confused he became.

"Alright then," Nan Xing said, sounding very disappointed.

Seeing him like this, Nan Shuang frowned uncomfortably. "Go pack your things. I'll take you to Auntie Yu's. Once you're there, you can look for more books you like, and I'll buy them for you when I come back." Nan Shuang still didn't feel at ease leaving him home alone.

Nan Xing hadn't originally wanted to go, but seeing his sister's expression, he agreed. He knew he couldn't change her mind.

After dropping him off, Nan Shuang went to see the old man.

The old man both loved and feared her. Seeing her arrive, he broke into a cold sweat. "You brat, don't tell me you've already mastered those techniques!"

He had finally managed to drive her away, fearing that his own itch to teach would get the better of him and lead him to teach her more. He had used a single set of moves just to get rid of her. How had it been so little time, and yet here she was again?

"Teacher, are you afraid to see me?" Nan Shuang understood the old man's thoughts to some extent.

His refusal to take her as a formal disciple was because he didn't want to teach her more. First, he feared she would escape his control and eventually use martial arts for illicit purposes. Second, he truly didn't want disciples. Now, seeing her talent, his desire to teach was itching again, making him dread her visits.

"Hmph, how could that be? What is there to fear?" the old man said stubbornly. "You've come at the right time. Let's spar a bit." The brat's words were too irritating.

With that, the old man slapped the stone table and glided from his lounge chair to stand before Nan Shuang, launching a strike directly at her face.

Nan Shuang wouldn't let him succeed; she tilted her head and dodged it directly. Of course, the old man was holding back; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to dodge at all.

"Oh? You've gained quite a bit of strength. Again!"

Once they started practicing, the old man's body warmed up. Without needing Nan Shuang to say anything, he went straight into combat, feeding her move after move.

At first, Nan Shuang could cope, but as time went on, she grew weak, and the old man's moves became increasingly fierce.

"You brat, let's see if you're still so smug!" Seeing her being suppressed by his strikes, the old man was overjoyed.

After fighting for a while, Nan Shuang was drenched in sweat, but she had fought to her heart's content; "satisfaction" was the only word to describe it.

"Again!" After being slapped a meter away by one of the old man's moves, Nan Shuang rubbed the sore spot and charged at him again.

Her skills were no match for his, but she didn't care at all. She gained much insight while exchanging moves with him. This was far superior to her usual solo training.

They fought for about an hour, until Nan Shuang collapsed onto the ground, completely paralyzed. Fortunately, there were no outsiders around, or they certainly would have called the police.

"Get up! If you're going to lie there like a corpse after just this much, don't you dare tell anyone I taught you," the old man said. Having exercised, he looked revitalized and full of life. If Nan Shuang hadn't been so exhausted, he would have wanted to keep going.

"Teacher, can't you go easy on me a little?" Having exhausted all her strength, Nan Shuang didn't even have the energy to stand up. She showed none of the grace of a young girl, just lying on the ground refusing to move.

The old man rolled his eyes at her. "As if I wasn't going easy on you!" If he truly hadn't held back, she would have been a real corpse by now. "Don't be ungrateful."

After this bout of training, the old man truly grew to like the child even more. Seeing the old man's angry, bristling expression, Nan Shuang felt amused. So, this was the joy of martial arts.

"Hmph, when I take the next step, I'll definitely let you experience what it's like to lie there like a corpse." Having spent time together, Nan Shuang and the old man had lost their formal distance.

"Fine, show some ambition. This old man will be waiting," the old man said, pouring himself a cup of tea, looking extremely satisfied.

"I'm just afraid you won't have the ability to keep up."

Nan Shuang struggled to crawl up from the ground, sat opposite the old man, poured herself a cup of tea, and downed it in one gulp.

"Just you wait. I will definitely surpass my teacher. When that time comes, don't come begging me to be your disciple." She was, after all, a genius.

Her arrogant manner made the old man burst into laughter.

"Fine, I'll wait. When you finally defeat me, I'll give you a surprise." Whether it was a shock or a surprise, even he didn't know; he was setting a trap for her in his mind.

Nan Shuang didn't believe the old man was that generous. "Come on, since when are you so magnanimous?" she said, clearly unconvinced.

After bickering for a while, Nan Shuang dragged her weakened body to cook a meal. After all that movement, she was hungry.

Smelling the aroma, the old man's eyes lit up, but his remaining shred of dignity prevented him from getting up to go to the kitchen. When the food was served, the old man abandoned all pretenses and began to eat heartily.

"Teacher, can't you be a little more civilized?" Even bandits weren't as undignified as him.

The old man's mouth was full of food, so he had no time to argue with her. He was too busy enjoying the meal. Seeing him like this, Nan Shuang joined in the scramble for food.

After the meal, the two of them sprawled on their lounge chairs. "I didn't expect you to have this in you. It looks like you'll have to come by often," the old man said, savoring the aftertaste.

Nan Shuang was reluctant. "Forget it. My final exams are coming up soon; I won't have time to come every day." She loved the old man's teaching, but she had to balance both sides. Now that her father wasn't home, she had to look after Nan Xing, so she truly couldn't run here every day.

"You ungrateful brat," the old man muttered, smacking his lips in dissatisfaction.

Nan Shuang had no intention of indulging him.

Before she left, the old man assigned Nan Shuang extra lessons—lessons that could carry her all the way to the ninth level of martial arts. She wouldn't need to come constantly after this, but she could still come to him whenever she encountered something she didn't understand.

"Teacher, I'm leaving. Don't just stay home every day; go out and take a walk when you have time. The world is changing now. Don't worry," she said. She hadn't experienced the "old days," so she wouldn't complain, but as life moved in a better direction, she didn't want him to be left behind.

"I know, you talk too much. Just go, and remember to close the door when you leave." The old man hated being lectured by her, as it made him feel like the junior, but his heart felt warm. It had been a long time since anyone had cared for him.

When Nan Shuang came to pick up Nan Xing, she saw a large pile of books in front of him. Many of them were not meant for someone his age. Nan Shuang didn't lecture him; she simply asked if he wanted them all and then went straight to the scale to pay for them.

After saying goodbye to Auntie Yu, the two of them headed home.