A Life of Attributes Starting as a Nobleman in the Republic of China Era

"Look," Ren Zhan said, holding a tactical extendable baton in each hand, his arms outstretched to their maximum extent, as if to give Chen Che a hug. "This is my 'circle.'"

He said to Chen Che, "Take one step closer." Chen Che lifted his leg and took only one step, when he saw Ren Zhan's telescopic baton flash towards his throat.

"This is my 'sphere'," Ren Zhan said. "You can't come in without my permission."

"Don't be afraid, I won't use any more force," Ren Zhan said in a deep voice, his figure spinning rapidly, performing the first move of the [Wind God's Guidance], "Catching the Wind and Shadows." The difference was that his arms were not idle either, striking out more than a dozen blows in rhythm with the spinning motion.

His body spun around, enveloped in a storm of stick blossoms, leaving no room for escape.

"This is the first move, which I learned from 'catching shadows and chasing the wind'."

Then, Ren Zhan braced his left foot on the ground and kicked his right foot out backward like a wild horse parting its mane, a move called "Strong Grass in the Wind".

After kicking out with his right foot, before the move is fully executed, Ren Zhan uses his left foot as the axis, rotates his upper body, and chops down vertically with his right hand holding the stick.

The transitions between moves were seamless. Chen Che only felt a gust of wind brush past him before Ren Zhan had already withdrawn his attack.

"This is the second move, based on the principle of 'strong grass in the wind'."

After saying that, Ren Zhan leaped into the air and kicked out dozens of times from above.

Before the afterimage of "Wind Sweeps Away the Building" had faded, Ren Zhan suddenly used the force of his downward kick to spin in the air, turning his upper body downward, his arms together, and his telescopic baton into a point, rushing towards Chen Che like a bullet.

Chen Che felt a fierce wind whistling through the air.

He didn't see anything.

He only had time to blink halfway before his eyelids drooped, and Ren Zhan had already brushed past him.

The wind stirred up by the iron rod was a beat late, whistling past Chen Che's ear like someone tearing a piece of cloth at his neck.

He stood still, without flinching.

It's not that I didn't want to dodge, it's that I didn't realize I should dodge.

Ren Zhan finished his stance, his two sticks hanging at his sides, his breathing as steady as if he had just taken a stroll.

"This third move," he said calmly, "comes from 'Wind Sweeps Away the Building'. The leap is a leg technique, and the landing is a staff technique. The leg technique forces you to defend, while the staff technique targets the opening you can't defend against."

After saying that, Ren Zhan threw the two telescopic batons to Chen Che: "Practice more, and you've finished what Zhou asked me to do."

Finally, he added, "Ask me anytime if you have any questions, and you're welcome to come to the studio to practice anytime. You're Zhou's apprentice, and a peer of Chen Shi. I'll introduce you two next time."

"I'm usually on the second floor." After saying that, Ren Zhan strode up to the second floor, and Chen Che quickly bowed to see him off.

At this time, several more students arrived at the martial arts school. Some were running, and some were practicing squatting.

Chen San was training a senior student. Although the student was far less experienced than Chen San, he still executed each move quite well.

Chen Che brought up his attribute panel. There were no new entries in the [External Skills] section, which meant that his proficiency was far from sufficient.

He changed into a blue silk training uniform, joined the group of new students, and started jogging around the dojo.

Around three or four in the afternoon, the sun began to set and the wind softened.

Chen Che came out of the martial arts school and unbuttoned one button of his suit jacket. Chen San followed behind, still wearing the same faded gray cloth long shirt, with the cuffs rolled up to reveal his muscular forearms.

"Young master, shall we go back?"

"I'm not going back," Chen Che said. "I'm going to take a walk."

The two boarded a rickshaw and passed through the French Concession. The plane trees had just sprouted new leaves, their shadows covering half the street. A tram dinged past, and a female student in a blue cheongsam dangled from the doorway, clutching a Western-style book in her hand.

The driver made way, the tram turned the corner, and soon disappeared from sight.

"That's Lao Ban Zhai up ahead," Chen San said. He had accompanied Chen Qichuan to Shanghai several times, and Chen Qichuan loved Lao Ban Zhai's eel noodles the most.

"Um."

"Is the young master hungry?"

He hadn't had lunch yet. Chen Che nodded, got off the rickshaw, and headed in that direction.

The glass door of Lao Ban Zhai opened, and a steaming aroma of noodles wafted towards them. The waiter called out, "Please come in, both of you. Eel noodles? Fish broth?"

"Knife fish sauce," Chen Che said.

Chen San added, "Two people. A little less noodles."

The window seat was empty, so Chen Che sat down and looked at the people on the street through the glass. Chen San stood by the table, not sitting down.

"What are you standing there for?"

"Sit down," Chen Che said in a low voice.

Chen San sat down. He sat on only half of the chair, his back ramrod straight.

The knife fish noodle soup was served; thin noodles lay at the bottom of the white porcelain bowl, with a few strands of bright green scallions floating on top. Chen Che picked up his chopsticks, stirred the noodles, and didn't rush to eat.

"The knife fish here," Chen San said in a low voice, "is kept fresh; they're killed live every morning."

"Um."

Chen Che picked up a mouthful of noodles with his chopsticks, the soup clinging to it.

He took a bite.

"tasty."

Chen San then picked up his chopsticks.

The two stopped talking, and the only sound was the soft tinkling of chopsticks touching the rim of the bowl.

When we came out after eating, the streetlights were not yet on, and the sky was a grayish-blue, like water used to wash a calligraphy brush.

The City God Temple is already lit up. From a distance, it looks like a string of yellow dots.

"Let's go for a walk over there," Chen Che said.

The Nine-Bend Bridge was packed with people. An old man selling pear syrup candy was banging his small copper gong, "Dang dang dang, dang dang dang."

A child carrying a pinwheel ran past Chen Che's legs, nearly bumping into him. Chen San reached out and lightly blocked the way, but the child turned away, giggling, and ran off.

"Spiceed beans!" someone called out from the bridgehead. "Rock candy hawthorn!"

Chen Che stopped in front of the rock sugar hawthorn stall.

Inside the glass box, strings of bright red hawthorns glistened with sugar.

The stall owner, a thin man, smiled and said, "Want a skewer? It's very sweet."

Chen Che pointed at the hawthorn skewers and then held up two more fingers.

The man deftly wrapped up two strings and handed them over. Chen San placed the copper coins on the stall.

Chen Che took a bite of the hawthorn, and the sugar coating crumbled between his teeth with a "crunch, crunch" sound.

"Young Master loved eating this when he was a child," Chen San said.

Chen Che didn't answer, but handed over the remaining string of hawthorns.

"Take it."

Chen San took it and took a small bite.

The two stood at the head of the winding bridge, neither speaking. The water below was dark and murky, reflecting the lights.

As we walked back, the moon rose.

Chen Che suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong, young master?" Chen San asked.

Chen Che didn't answer, he just looked at the moon.

At the alley entrance, the small stove selling osmanthus-flavored glutinous rice balls was burning brightly, with wisps of steam rising up like small clouds under the moonlight.

He thought of Dong Yi.

I miss that girl with the dimples on her face.

"Young Master?"

Chen Che withdrew his gaze.

"It's alright," he said. "Let's go."

The man in the dark suit and the man in the gray long gown walked slowly to the entrance of the City God Temple and got into a rickshaw.

"Shanghai is pretty good," Chen Che thought to himself, a slight smile playing on his lips.

However, the thought of the burden on his shoulders brought an invisible pressure that slowly crept up on him like a leech.

"Now, it's time to get down to business."