Courtyard House: Become Stronger Through Blind Dates

The door creaked open, and a gaunt old man, about sixty years old, poked his head out.

The old man sized He Yuzhu up and down, his eyes scrutinizing him, and asked, "Did Old Li introduce you? What's the matter?"

He Yuzhu quickly cupped his hands and said, "Hello Master Lu, my name is He Yuzhu, and I would like to ask you to help me make a tool for practicing martial arts."

"Martial arts practitioner?" Master Lu raised an eyebrow, then looked He Yuzhu over more closely. "What kind of equipment does he have?"

"Wooden dummy," He Yuzhu said bluntly, "the kind used for practicing Bajiquan."

Upon hearing this, Master Lu's expression immediately changed.

He slowly pushed open the courtyard gate, stepping halfway in: "Come in."

He Yuzhu thanked him and followed Master Lu into the courtyard.

The yard wasn't big, but it was kept clean and tidy, with a lot of timber piled up against the wall.

A simple shed was set up in one corner of the yard, filled with various woodworking tools, which looked very professional.

Master Lu led He Yuzhu to sit down on a stone bench in the courtyard, then went inside to pour a bowl of hot water and handed it to him.

"Tell me, what are your specific requirements?" Master Lu asked bluntly.

He Yuzhu recalled the inheritance in his mind and described it as follows: "The height of the stake should be about chest height, the base should be stable, preferably fixed to the ground, the stake should have three arms and one leg, and the angle should be..."

As he spoke, he gestured with his hands to indicate the angles and positions of various parts of the face.

Master Lu listened quietly, nodding occasionally to confirm that the other person was knowledgeable.

After He Yuzhu finished speaking, Master Lu slowly asked, "You said you wanted to fix it to the ground, are you planning to install it in the yard?"

"Yes, there's space in my yard," He Yuzhu nodded.

Master Lu looked at He Yuzhu and said, "Young comrade, I can make this wooden dummy, but it won't be cheap."

He Yuzhu was already prepared, but he still asked, "Master Lu, what's the price?"

Master Lu held up two fingers: "Two and a half million, no bargaining."

"How much?!" He Yuzhu almost jumped up from the stone bench. "Two and a half million? Master Lu, this...this is too expensive!"

Seeing his strong reaction, Master Lu wasn't angry. He simply explained calmly, "Young comrade, do you think this wooden dummy is just a few pieces of wood nailed together?"

"Leaving aside the selection of materials, the stress relief process alone takes nearly two months. The rest involves sanding, insect control, and other procedures. Since you're placing it outdoors, you also need to apply a special paint. The authenticity and durability of this product can't be determined by just placing it on any wooden stake."

He Yuzhu gradually calmed down and realized that Master Lu was right. Real training stances were not something to be taken lightly.

Two and a half million... He only has about three million left of his entire fortune, and this is going to take away more than half of it, which really hurts.

Seeing his conflicted expression, Master Lu took a liking to his talent and changed the subject, saying, "However, since you want to practice martial arts, I can give you a chance."

He Yuzhu's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked, "What opportunity?"

"Since you practice Bajiquan, then show me a set of your moves," Master Lu said slowly as he sat back down on the stone bench. "If you do a decent job, I can give you a discount."

He Yuzhu began to ponder: What did this old man mean by wanting to watch him practice boxing? Was he testing his skills? Or did he simply want to see if he was genuinely interested in martial arts?

But then I thought, it's just a set of boxing moves, saving money is the key.

Thinking of this, He Yuzhu asked, "Master Lu, if I play well, how much of a discount can you give me?"

Master Lu thought for a moment and said, "If you play well, it'll be 1.5 million."

He Yuzhu bargained, "It's still too expensive, Master Lu. Let's settle for one million."

"One million?" Master Lu frowned. "That price is too low..."

He Yuzhu interrupted him, saying with difficulty, "Master Lu, this price is indeed beyond my means. If you are not willing, I will think of another way."

Looking at He Yuzhu's expression, Master Lu hesitated.

He was also obsessed with martial arts when he was young, but unfortunately his family could not afford it. By the time he learned a skill and earned money and went to find a master, he had already missed the best age to practice martial arts.

Seeing He Yuzhu reminded him of his youth, and he slowly said, "Let me see you perform a set first."

He Yuzhu was secretly delighted, knowing that things were looking promising.

He stood up, walked to the open space in the center of the courtyard, and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Master Lu: "Master Lu, I'm afraid I'll make a fool of myself."

After saying that, he took a deep breath, stood with his feet neither too far apart, and assumed the small starting stance of Bajiquan.

Master Lu was just watching casually at first, but his eyes changed when He Yuzhu struck a pose.

He also knew about Bajiquan. The small frame is easy to learn but difficult to master. Most people practice it their whole lives and still can't master it.

He Yuzhu was naturally unaware of what Master Lu was thinking; he was completely absorbed in the boxing technique.

His movements weren't particularly fast, but every move he made exuded the style of a master.

Master Lu was increasingly alarmed as he looked at it. How could a young man of twenty-six or twenty-seven years old have such skill?

After finishing a short routine, He Yuzhu slowly withdrew from his stance and exhaled a long breath.

He turned to look at Master Lu, only to see that the old man had already stood up from the stone bench, his eyes fixed on him, his face full of shock.

"Master Lu, do you think... it's alright?" He Yuzhu asked tentatively.

Master Lu suddenly snapped out of his daze, took a few steps to He Yuzhu, and excitedly asked, "Young comrade, who... learned your boxing from? How long have you been training?"

He Yuzhu was a little confused by his reaction and said haphazardly, "This is a family tradition; I've been practicing it since I was a child."

"Good, good, good!" Master Lu exclaimed three times. "I never imagined that in my lifetime I would see a young man who has mastered the small frame of Bajiquan to such a level!"

He grabbed He Yuzhu's hand and said warmly, "Young comrade, no, Master He! I was blind to your greatness just now. Your punches were... truly amazing."

"One million it is. I'll make this wooden dummy for you, using the best materials, I guarantee!"

He Yuzhu was taken aback by this sudden enthusiasm and quickly said, "Master Lu, you're too kind. Is it settled then?"

"It's settled, it's settled!" Master Lu nodded repeatedly. "Leave your address, and once I've prepared the materials, I'll come over to take your measurements and do the on-site fabrication and installation!"

He Yuzhu was overjoyed and quickly told Master Lu his home address.

The two chatted for a while longer, and Master Lu's attitude towards He Yuzhu completely changed. He addressed He Yuzhu as "Master He" with utmost respect.

Before leaving, Master Lu insisted on seeing He Yuzhu to the alley entrance, repeatedly reminding him, "Master He, don't worry, I'll definitely make this wooden dummy for you!"

He Yuzhu thanked them repeatedly, and only after they had all gone back did he turn and leave.