Chapter Ninety-One: Shang Xiulin's Secret Plan!

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Shang Xiulin’s house stood within the faculty residential compound of the First Imperial Military Academy. Nestled against the mountains and beside the water, it enjoyed an exceptionally beautiful setting.

Ran Ran stopped at the gate of a small courtyard and said, “This is Dean Shang’s house. It should be this one. Wait here a moment.”

She stepped forward and knocked. Before long, the courtyard gate was pulled open from within.

A kindly-looking old woman stood at the entrance. Seeing Ran Ran, along with Tang Fei and Little Fatty behind her, she smiled and said, “You must be Teacher Ran, yes? Xiulin told me you were bringing some students over. Come in, come in.”

“Thank you.” Ran Ran thanked her, then asked, “And you are?”

“Oh, I’m Xiulin’s wife.” The old woman smiled warmly. “I rarely go out, so I’m not familiar with you younger teachers. Teacher Ran, you must come visit us more often.”

“Of course, of course.” Ran Ran nodded repeatedly.

At her level, what qualifications did she have to drop by the dean’s home regularly?

If not for Little Fatty, she might never have been able to cross the threshold of Dean Shang’s house even after working there until retirement.

What couldn’t be discussed in the office? Why had they come all the way to the dean’s home?

Besides, Dean Shang was not the sort of person who liked inviting others to his house.

Shang Xiulin was tending the vegetable seedlings he had planted in the courtyard. When he saw Ran Ran approaching with Tang Fei and Little Fatty, he cast a thoughtful glance at Tang Fei. Then he walked to the tap, washed his hands, and said, “Come inside and sit.”

“Thank you, Dean.” Ran Ran thanked him.

The old woman personally brought tea for them. Tang Fei, Little Fatty, and Ran Ran all rose in surprise to receive it.

Ran Ran accepted her cup and asked, “Doesn’t the dean have a housekeeper?”

“What would we need one for?” Shang Xiulin replied. “There are only two of us at home, and we’re not so old that we can’t move. These little chores can be finished in the blink of an eye. Why trouble someone else?”

“Yes, yes, the dean is right.” Ran Ran nodded again and again.

She lived alone, yet she had still hired a cleaning lady to come by at fixed times to clean and cook.

Shang Xiulin was the head of the academy, a man of such distinguished status, and yet there was not even a maid or housekeeper in his home. Every chore was handled by him and his wife themselves.

No wonder he had been able to become dean. Her own salary was barely enough to live on.

Shang Xiulin’s gaze settled on Little Fatty’s face. “Have you recovered?”

“I’ve recovered.” Little Fatty hurriedly stood, the flesh on his face trembling along with him.

He was terribly nervous.

“Sit down and speak,” Shang Xiulin said, noticing his anxiety.

“Yes, yes.” Little Fatty sat down carefully.

“I watched your performance in the gravity chamber, and I was extremely satisfied. Without tremendous perseverance, it would be difficult to forge such strength. That was why I rashly said that I wished to take you as my disciple.”

Shang Xiulin held his teacup. His voice was soft, his speech slow, and there was an air of refined elegance about him.

“Your condition was poor at the time, and I had no opportunity to discuss it with you. So this time I specifically asked Teacher Ran to invite you here. I wanted to hear your thoughts and opinion.”

“I have no thoughts or opinion,” Little Fatty hurriedly said.

He was simple-minded, not stupid.

Of course he knew how difficult it was to become Shang Xiulin’s disciple, and how proud and enviable such a thing was.

For instance, Big Brother had been making strange remarks all the way here, with a faintly sour edge to them.

And Teacher Ran had spent the entire journey talking about an unexpected blessing from heaven and an immeasurable honor.

To become a disciple of Shang Xiulin, dean of the First Imperial Military Academy—the title alone would be enough to benefit him for the rest of his life.

Shang Xiulin did not mind that Little Fatty had interrupted him. Instead, a rare smile appeared on his face as he said, “Since you have no thoughts or objections, then from today onward, we are family.”

Thud!

Little Fatty swiftly dropped to his knees and struck the floor with his forehead three times.

“Gongshu Lei pays respects to his master.”

Shang Xiulin turned and glanced at Tang Fei. Tang Fei imitated Little Fatty’s foolish grin and said, “That is the proper etiquette for becoming a disciple.”

Clearly, Shang Xiulin had already guessed that this little performance had been arranged by Tang Fei for Little Fatty.

With Little Fatty’s honest and simple nature, he would never have come up with such a “slick” gesture himself.

Shang Xiulin said nothing more. He merely pointed toward the old woman and said, “This is your mistress.”

Little Fatty shifted his bottom across the floor and crawled to the old woman, then knocked his forehead against the ground three times.

“Gongshu Lei pays respects to Mistress.”

“Good child, get up, get up.” The old woman was also very fond of Little Fatty. Seeing that he had broken the skin on his forehead, she said anxiously, “What an honest child. Why did you hit it so hard?”

“Hehe.” Little Fatty grinned foolishly at Tang Fei.

The old woman glared at Tang Fei in displeasure. “Don’t keep teaching the child all sorts of nonsense. It’s perfectly fine for him to remain true to his nature.”

Tang Fei fell silent.

He really had not taught him that.

He had figured it out by now: everyone liked Little Fatty’s “honesty.” At a glance, they could tell that he was a good child.

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But I don’t have a sly or treacherous face either, do I?

Why can’t any of you take me as a disciple or godson?

The old woman pulled Little Fatty to his feet, then hurried inside and returned with a first-aid kit. She personally applied medicine to the abrasion on his forehead.

For such a small wound, it would have healed on its own if you had moved even slightly slower.

Tang Fei grumbled inwardly.

Naturally, he would never dare say it aloud. He was afraid Shang Xiulin would throw him out on the spot.

After the old woman finished treating Little Fatty’s injury, Shang Xiulin had him sit down again.

“Now that we are master and disciple, we are family from this day forward. Come to our house for meals whenever you like. Tell your mistress what you want to eat. Don’t be shy.”

“Yes, yes. Later, tell me a few dishes you like so I can remember them and make preparations,” the old woman added.

“I like everything,” Little Fatty said shyly.

“Tsk, tsk, what a good child. Not like the children in our family, who are always picky.”

Tang Fei stared wide-eyed at Little Fatty.

What kind of survival skill was this?

Was it too late for him to learn it now?

In the past, he and the old man had always worried that Little Fatty would be unable to make a living once he grew up. Who could have imagined that he would end up living off someone else?

Wasn’t that supposed to be his own life’s ambition? How had Little Fatty managed to achieve it first?

“You still can’t sense yin-yang energy?” Shang Xiulin asked, looking at Little Fatty.

Little Fatty lowered his head in shame and explained, “I’ve worked very hard, but I still can’t sense any energy in my dantian. I only have physical strength.”

He was afraid that because he knew nothing about cultivation and could not sense yin-yang energy, Shang Xiulin would no longer like him as a disciple.

That worry was entirely unnecessary. Had Shang Xiulin accepted him because he understood cultivation and could sense yin-yang energy?

“It doesn’t matter,” Shang Xiulin said reassuringly. “If you cannot sense it, then you cannot sense it. Even if you could, it would be meaningless. That is not your path of cultivation.”

“What?”

Tang Fei, Little Fatty, and Ran Ran all stared at Shang Xiulin in astonishment.

No matter how much he favored Little Fatty, he could not say something so contrary to common sense.

Which martial artist did not hope to sense yin-yang energy?

Only after sensing yin-yang energy could one be considered to have entered the path of cultivation. Then came the refinement of the body and the cultivation of energy, advancing through the ranks and breaking through realms until one finally reached the summit of martial arts.

What did he mean, “It doesn’t matter”? Was he raising Little Fatty as a son?

Shang Xiulin had no intention of explaining himself to Tang Fei and Ran Ran. Whether they understood had nothing to do with him.

He looked at Little Fatty. “How did you train your strength before?”

“By striking stones.” Little Fatty smiled honestly. “There are lots of stones on Old Earth. My godfather made me strike them every day, shaping them into all kinds of forms and smooth blocks, then taking them out to sell.”

Shang Xiulin’s eyes narrowed slightly. “What kind of person is your godfather? Where is he now?”

Among all the principles of teaching, being able to teach according to a student’s individual nature was already exceedingly rare.

Shang Xiulin did not know what kind of person Little Fatty’s godfather was. Yet when Little Fatty had been unable to cultivate or sense yin-yang energy, the man had made him strike stones every day.

Wasn’t that precisely what Shang Xiulin wanted him to do?

Their ideas could be said to have coincided perfectly.

He did not know whether it had been deliberate or accidental. If he could meet the man and discuss it with him, that would be ideal.

“My godfather is an old man. He’s still on Old Earth. He didn’t come with us.” Little Fatty looked regretful.

He missed his godfather.

Although his godfather had made him strike stones all day, complained that he was fat, and called him stupid, a godfather was still a godfather.

Shang Xiulin was silent for a moment, then said, “Your godfather’s method of education was correct. Starting tomorrow, you will go to the gravity chamber and strike stones.”

“What?” Little Fatty stared at Shang Xiulin in surprise. “I still have to strike stones?”

He had thought that after becoming Shang Xiulin’s disciple, he would be taught all sorts of techniques and secret manuals.

That was what Big Brother and Teacher Ran had told him on the way over.

Why was he still being told to strike stones?

In that case, how was Dean Shang any different from the old man?

Besides, the old man had only made him strike stones in a natural environment, whereas Dean Shang wanted him to do it in the gravity chamber. The difficulty had increased by countless times.

“What? You’re unwilling?” Shang Xiulin asked in a deep voice.

“I’m willing, I’m willing.” Little Fatty nodded repeatedly. “I am willing. It’s just… Master, do I have to learn anything else?”

“No.” Shang Xiulin’s attitude was firm. “You will strike stones. You may stop only when I tell you to stop. Until then, you will continue striking stones in the gravity chamber.”

“Five times, ten times, twenty times—keep increasing the gravity without pause. I will give you a tally sheet that clearly records how many stones you strike each day. I will also conduct random inspections.”

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“Yes, Master,” Little Fatty answered in a muffled voice.

At that moment, he especially hated the name his godfather had given him. Gongshu was bad enough, but he had even added the character Lei.

No wonder he was destined to spend his whole life dealing with stones.

“Listen to your master. Never slack off, no matter the circumstances.” Tang Fei issued the warning with great earnestness, very deliberately addressing Little Fatty’s master as “Master” as well.

That way, weren’t they all family?

Surely Master would not feel right refusing to toss him a rare secret manual or an ancient text. And if he were bullied, wouldn’t Master look after him?

“All right, Big Brother,” Little Fatty replied.

“All right, Little Fatty stays for dinner. You two can go back,” Shang Xiulin said, clearly seeing them out.

Tang Fei and Ran Ran exchanged baffled looks.

You were keeping one person for dinner, yet you could at least have asked us as a matter of courtesy. Who kept only one guest?

The three of us came together. Making it look this way was rather humiliating.

Then again, he was the dean. He truly had no need to care about anyone else’s dignity.

The old woman, however, could not bear to watch. “Why don’t you all stay for dinner?”

“We are close because we are master and disciple. What does that have to do with the two of them?” Shang Xiulin refused without expression. “Besides, there isn’t enough food at home.”

Tang Fei fell silent.

No rare secret manual was one thing, but he would not even treat me to a meal?

Tang Fei felt exhausted. It seemed he would never love again.

“Ah, I was just about to take my leave.” Ran Ran reacted quickly. She rose at once and said with a smile, “I still have to take Tang Fei to complete his registration. I might as well report to Dean Shang that Tang Fei has agreed to join our class. From now on, he will be my student.”

Shang Xiulin looked toward Tang Fei. “If you were in the real world, do you think you could defeat Shen Qingping?”

“I could,” Tang Fei replied.

“I don’t think you could,” Shang Xiulin said.

Tang Fei refused to yield. His voice was firm. “I think you’ve misjudged me.”

Shang Xiulin studied him thoughtfully. “You are very confident?”

“That depends on who I’m facing. If the opponent were someone like you, Dean, I could only surrender at the first opportunity.” Tang Fei smiled broadly.

Shang Xiulin looked at him and said seriously, “You’re still young. Hiding so many things in your heart will affect your cultivation.”

“I know.” Tang Fei lowered his head and turned the cup in his hands, speaking softly. “But before any of that, we have to stay alive.”

Life brought many troubles, and many dangers.

Little Fatty could never anticipate them. The old man was unwilling to think about them.

So Tang Fei had to.

After leaving Shang Xiulin’s courtyard, Tang Fei looked at Ran Ran and asked, “Teacher Ran, are we going to complete the paperwork now?”

Ran Ran glanced at her watch. “It’s mealtime, Student Tang Fei. Shall I take you out to eat?”

She and her student had been thrown out of the dean’s house together, which was somewhat embarrassing.

So she had to restore her dignity in front of her student.

For example, by treating him to a meal.

Once someone had eaten another person’s food, it was harder to refuse them later. After eating her meal, he probably would not feel comfortable telling others about what had happened, would he?

“No need.” Tang Fei refused. “I already ate at the martial arts gym. Their pork knuckle rice is delicious.”

Ran Ran fell silent.

“Teacher Ran, are we going to complete the paperwork now?” Tang Fei asked.

After a brief pause, he added, “If you’re hungry, you can eat first. I’ll wait here.”

“No need.” Ran Ran waved her hand helplessly. “Come on. We’ll complete the paperwork first. I’m not hungry anymore either.”

“All right. I’ll do as you say, Teacher Ran.” Tang Fei smiled.

Ran Ran fell silent again.

Looking at Tang Fei’s radiant smile, Ran Ran suddenly had an ominous feeling.

Perhaps after taking this student, her life was about to undergo some rather unfortunate changes.

End of Chapter