"Can you guard my house 24/7? No way, right? So if something happens, who can guarantee I'll still be alive and come to you for help?"
Cheng Ruyi held Guo Xiaoyu's hand and said earnestly, "Xiaoyu, I don't want to do this. Knowing that danger is coming, you do nothing and give up on saving yourself, placing your hopes on others. Giving a man a fish is not as good as teaching him how to fish. Asking God for protection is not as good as becoming stronger yourself!"
Guo Qinglan and Guo Xiaoyu were both shocked by Ruyi's words and remained speechless for a long time.
When women in this world encounter difficulties, their first thought is to ask men for help. No one ever says that they should become stronger on their own. Even these two women would subconsciously ask powerful men for help.
After a long silence, Guo Qinglan finally spoke, "I understand what you mean, but I can't make the decision on this matter. I need to write to Father and ask him."
Upon hearing that things had taken a turn for the better, Cheng Ruyi immediately jumped up happily, "No problem, take your time writing, I'll wait for your news!"
"Hmph, don't be too happy yet. I've already said that physical strength and talent are the most basic requirements for learning martial arts. If you don't have them, then even if the chief镖头 (chief镖头 is a high-ranking镖师, a term for a bodyguard or镖师), you still won't be able to learn!"
Seeing Cheng Ruyi's smug look, Guo Xiaoyu couldn't help but want to discourage her. Martial arts training is a rare thing, and it's better to give her a few more slaps now than to be too disappointed later.
Ruyi got the answer she wanted, and she was in a good mood. After hearing Xiaoyu's words, she was not discouraged at all, but instead asked with even more interest: "What exactly are these 'bones and talents' that you often talk about? How can I know if I have them? Can you take a look for me now?"
Guo Xiaoyu: "..."
She knew in her heart that Cheng Ruyi probably had the physical strength and talent, based on her previous performance. However, her many years of martial arts experience made her feel that it was impossible to succeed if she started learning martial arts at the age of thirty.
Guo Xiaoyu hesitated between lying to Cheng Ruyi that she had no talent and making her give up, or seriously teaching her and letting her gradually understand and give up on her own in the future.
Seeing Guo Xiaoyu's face contorted in distress, Guo Qinglan stepped in to ease the tension, saying, "Testing one's physique and talent requires a suitable location and time. This place isn't quite right now. How about this, come to Pipa Alley in a few days and we'll give you a detailed assessment then."
“Pipa Lane? Isn’t the county government in Cuizhu Lane…” Cheng Ruyi realized something halfway through her sentence and immediately changed her words: “Oh, okay, I’ll come to find you in a few days.”
Ruyi actually hoped that she could find a teacher to come to her home and teach her whole family martial arts!
After all, she can't stay with her family forever. Moreover, she hopes that her family members can become stronger, that everyone can find their own area of expertise, shine in their own way, and move forward hand in hand. This is the way to go in the long run.
However, this matter needs to be done step by step. She felt that she had taken the first step by successfully persuading Guo Qinglan, and the rest could be done slowly.
A few days later, Cheng Ruyi arrived at the house Guo Qinglan rented in Pipa Lane as scheduled.
This house is actually a small courtyard separated from a large four-courtyard house. It is not large in area, but the environment is quiet and peaceful. There is also a fairly large and spacious backyard, which they have now transformed into a martial arts training ground.
Apart from Guo Qinglan and her daughter, Guo Xiaoyu, there was only an elderly couple in the entire courtyard who were responsible for guarding the gate, cleaning, and cooking. With so few people, it was naturally more comfortable to live there.
Ruyi was very puzzled. Guo Qinglan had not divorced Luo Xian, so why did Luo Xian agree to let her move out with her daughter?
After all, based on Cheng Ruyi's few interactions with him, he should be a very proud and petty person, not someone who is so magnanimous.
Of course, this is their family matter, and she wouldn't ask unless they brought it up.
Perhaps Ruyi's behavior was too obvious, or perhaps Guo Qinglan herself wanted to talk to someone, so she spoke first: "A year ago, Luo Xian took a concubine, which was fine in itself, but two months ago, the concubine became pregnant. Since that day, there has been almost no peaceful day at home. I really didn't want to deal with all this, so I rented this house and come here to stay occasionally."
“On the day of the Lantern Festival, they deliberately sent me and Xiaoyu away, and tricked Xiuwei into changing into servants’ clothes and going out to stroll around the lanterns…” Guo Qinglan said, looking out the window at the sky, her tone as calm as an outsider. “Xiuwei is my bottom line, and not getting a divorce is Luo Xian’s bottom line, so… that’s how it is. Now I’m happy to have some peace and quiet.”
Although Guo Qinglan spoke so concisely and coldly, Cheng Ruyi could easily imagine the various dirty tricks involved, as well as the countless arguments and disappointments.
The Guo family saw Luo Xian's potential and gambled with their only daughter's lifelong happiness in exchange for an uncertain future. In their view, this was a foolish and selfish decision.
Ten years have passed, and Luo Xian is still just an ordinary county magistrate. This is only because the Guo family has been helping him with all their might. Even if he is promoted next year, he still won't be able to enter the core of power in the capital. It is unknown when he will be able to truly repay the Guo family.
But no one cared whether Guo Qinglan was happy or not.
The two women sat in the main room, staring blankly out the window. Although they did not exchange any words, they could miraculously sense each other's feelings.
"What are you two spacing out for? Is there anything outside the window?"
As Guo Xiaoyu led Luo Xiuwei into the main room, she saw the two staring blankly outside. Curious, she ran to the window and looked out: "Strange, there's nothing there!"
Upon seeing her daughter, Guo Qinglan snapped out of her reverie, lovingly pulling her to sit down and expertly taking out a handkerchief to wipe her sweat. "Quickly wipe away your sweat, it's still chilly outside, don't catch a cold!"
"Okay, I understand." Luo Xiuwei was very obedient, sitting quietly and enjoying her mother's affection.
"Xiuwei is so well-behaved and sensible. No wonder Yunle has been thinking about her all this time. When she found out I was coming today, she kept saying she wanted to come and play with you!"
"Really? I also want to go play with Sister Yunle and Sister Yun'an. Mother, can I go?"
Luo Xiuwei had never had any close friends. The last time she went to Cheng Ruyi's house, she was surprised to find that she had a lot of fun with the two Cheng sisters. It was the first time she had experienced the small friendship between girls.
"Of course." Guo Qinglan knew her daughter well. She was not loved by her father since she was a child and was always disliked by her grandmother. In addition, she was introverted, and especially in the past year, she had become more and more silent.
If you can find friends of similar age to play with, and gradually open your heart, that would be the best.
"Alright, alright!" After finishing the whole pot of tea, Guo Xiaoyu unceremoniously grabbed Cheng Ruyi's right hand and headed towards the training ground. "Didn't we say we were here to test our physique and talent? Come on, come on, let's go practice!"
It was supposed to be a test, but Ruyi felt it wasn't quite what she had imagined.
Guo Xiaoyu had no idea what it meant to show mercy. The two had only walked to the center of the training ground when she suddenly turned around and launched a sneak attack. Ruyi was startled and could only instinctively retreat to barely avoid it.
Instead of retreating, the person opposite her advanced, launching attack after attack on her. Ruyi didn't have time to ask questions and could only clumsily and awkwardly dodge, because she felt that if she didn't dodge, she would most likely be hit.
Fortunately, not all of Guo Xiaoyu's actions were purely offensive; some were more like... teasing her?
Ruyi guessed that they were probably touching her bones or muscles to check her reaction? She wasn't quite sure.
Anyway, by the time Xiaoyu finally stopped all her movements, she was covered in sweat and so tired that she wanted to just sit down on the training ground without caring about her image!
"Hmm... average physique, weak strength, poor comprehension, but fortunately good reaction speed and physical agility, so I can barely be considered qualified to practice martial arts."
Guo Xiaoyu said bluntly, "Your performance shows that you have only average talent, about the same as Miss. However, Miss has been learning martial arts from the Chief Escort since she was a child. Your starting points are different, and your masters are different, so you will never be able to reach Miss's current level in the future. In other words, you will find it difficult to even reach the 'first glimpse' of the basics."
Although telling the truth might be a little hurtful, Xiaoyu felt that Cheng Ruyi preferred to hear the truth rather than empty words of comfort, so she spoke directly.
As expected, Cheng Ruyi did not show any disappointment or unhappiness after hearing this. She slowly straightened up, patted the dust off her body, and said in a relaxed tone, "It's enough to be able to learn martial arts. As I said before, learning martial arts is just to strengthen the body and increase the chances of survival when encountering danger in the future."
"There's just one thing I'm curious about..." After brushing the dust off her clothes, Ruyi suddenly looked up and asked.
"Oh? Is there something you don't understand? Tell me!"
"Was your physical and muscular aptitude tested like this when you were a child? Didn't you say you were only a few years old then? How could you possibly dodge these actions from adults?"
Guo Xiaoyu: "......"
I didn't expect Cheng Ruyi to be so sensitive and vengeful. It's because she always felt that the other party took martial arts too lightly, so she unconsciously made things difficult for her during the test just now.
Although she knew she was in the wrong, Guo Xiaoyu still stubbornly insisted, "No... it's not quite the same. That's because the person in charge of the test was my master. My master is older, more experienced, and has a unique perspective, so naturally he didn't need to go through the trouble I just went through."
"Oh, I see... then it's alright."
Cheng Ruyi actually understood why Guo Xiaoyu was like this. People who practice martial arts probably have a natural reverence for martial arts. For people like them who were sold into escort agencies at a young age and have worked hard for so many years to finally make it, martial arts is their only skill and hope.
However, for Ruyi, martial arts is just one of the means. Of course, she cherishes the opportunity to learn martial arts, but she doesn't care too much about the result. The two have different mindsets.
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