Under One Person: The End of Technique, Company Building

The next morning, Zhuge Village awoke to the sound of birdsong.

Zhuge Qi was awakened by the sound of a string of copper bells under the eaves outside the window.

He opened his eyes, stared at the old wooden beam above his head for a few seconds, and then realized that he was home.

Sunlight streamed through the cracks in the window, drawing a thin, golden band of light on the blue brick floor. Tiny dust particles floated within the band, slowly swirling up and down.

He turned over, picked up his phone from the bedside table, and glanced at it—6:23 a.m.

After checking and finding no news at all, it seemed that the company had really delegated his work to others. Only then did he sit up and stretch.

The joints made a series of soft cracking sounds, like an old door hinge being turned over again.

The feeling of entering a state of tranquility last night was instantaneous. He didn't try to force himself to grasp that state, but let it come and go as it pleased.

Sure enough, that sense of clarity did not dissipate with sleep; instead, it became even more solidified.

Today is a day for family dinner.

According to the Zhuge family's custom, members who return from a trip must have a meal with the core members of the clan on the second day after their return. This is considered a "reporting" or a "reporting on duties."

Although he had spoken privately with his eldest uncle last night, that was at the level of the head of the family. Today's meal was for several uncles and cousins ​​in the clan.

He had a very leisurely morning.

He took a shower in the backyard and changed into clean clothes. Looking at himself in the mirror, he felt that he did look several years younger than when he wore a suit.

"Brother Qi! Dinner's ready!" Zhuge Guan's voice came from outside the door, carrying the impatience typical of young people. "Hurry up, hurry up! Second Uncle brought over a jar of Shaoxing wine today, saying it's been buried for eight years. If you don't come, I won't save any for you!"

"Coming, coming," Zhuge Qi replied, pushing open the door and going out.

The midday sun was already quite scorching. The canopy of the old locust tree in the courtyard spread out a large patch of dense shade, and two large round tables were set up under it, with cups, plates, and bowls already mostly laid out.

Zhuge Guan was squatting on the threshold shelling peanuts when he saw Zhuge Qi come out and grinned, "Brother Qi, you look so young today."

"Stop flattering me." Zhuge Qi walked over and patted him on the shoulder. "What happened with that foot bath tub last night? I remember it."

Last night, when he was soaking his feet, he noticed a thin crack at the bottom of the tub, from which water was seeping out. By the end, the water in the tub had decreased by half, leaving the entire foot mat wet.

Zhuge Guan was laughing so hard in the next room that he said he had taken the wrong one.

"Well, I forgot to tell you!" Zhuge Guan dodged with a grin.

Zhuge Sheng came out of the kitchen carrying a large plate of braised pork. His cheeks were bulging, clearly indicating that he had already sneaked a bite by the stove. When he saw Zhuge Qi, he greeted him indistinctly, "Brother Qi! This pork is really good today. Auntie stewed it for two hours!"

"Wipe the grease off your lips first," Zhuge Qi said with a smile, shaking his head.

More and more people are coming into the courtyard.

Third Aunt carried out a pot of steamed sea bass, Second Uncle slowly walked over carrying a jar of yellow wine, and Zhuge Bai followed behind his father.

Zhuge Meng had already taken a seat facing the fan, swinging her legs, with a plate of braised beef in front of her, and was stuffing slices of it into her mouth.

Zhuge Qi was seated at the main table, next to his second uncle and opposite Zhuge Gong.

After everyone was seated, Zhuge Gong raised his wine cup and said briefly, "Aqi is back. Everyone, eat and drink well." Then the group became lively.

The sounds of chopsticks clattering, bowls and plates clattering, laughter as people toast, and the noisy squabbles of younger generations vying for food all mingled together, creating a rich atmosphere of everyday life in the courtyard of this ancient village.

While eating, Zhuge Qi chatted with his second uncle about everyday matters, occasionally making a few teasing remarks about Zhuge Guan and jokingly scolding Zhuge Sheng for his gluttony.

He was completely unpretentious at the table, just like a junior returning home, clinking glasses with his cousins, listening to his elders nag, and being pulled by the ear by his great-aunt asking, "Have you found a partner in Beijing?"

The meal was quite relaxing.

Zhuge Qi himself also drank two cups of yellow wine. The wine wasn't very strong; he was just slightly tipsy, which was enough to help him relax.

As the sun began to set, most of the dishes on the table had been cleared away, leaving only peanuts, melon seeds, and tea.

The younger members of the clan gathered on the other side to play cards, while the adults dispersed in twos and threes to go home for their afternoon nap.

Zhuge Qi remained at the table, slowly finished the last sip of tea in his cup, then put the cup down and glanced at Zhuge Gong, who was still sitting in the main seat.

Zhuge Gong was also looking at him, knowing that the other party had something to say.

"Uncle," Zhuge Qi spoke, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for the two of them to hear, "I have something I'd like to report to you privately."

Zhuge Gong put down his teacup, looked at him in silence for two seconds, and then nodded: "Come to my study."

The two walked through the corridor one after the other and entered the familiar house.

After the wooden door closed, most of the noise outside was shut out, and the room regained its quiet and solemn atmosphere.

Zhuge Gong remained seated behind his desk, with the purple clay tea set beside him, but he did not boil any water, clearly not intending to let the conversation drag on for too long.

"Speak," Zhuge Gong leaned back in his chair, placing his hands on the armrests.

Zhuge Qi sat down opposite him, sitting upright with his hands on his knees.

He didn't speak immediately, but remained silent for two or three seconds, as if organizing his thoughts, before recounting how he had broken through his meditation skills and entered a state of tranquility last night.

Zhuge Gong was very surprised when he heard this.

However, after confirming the situation, it became clear that the other party was not lying. The difference between the fourth and third realms was quite obvious and could be seen at a glance.

"Of the four realms of meditation, the first two can be reached through diligence and talent, and the third can be reached through time, but the fourth realm... many people who have practiced meditation their whole lives never even touch that threshold before they die."

You crossed that threshold at twenty-eight, which is quite rare in the history of the Zhuge family.

Zhuge Qi lowered his head slightly: "Good luck."

Zhuge Gong shook his head. "You don't need to be so modest. I know what kind of person you are."

You've reached this position at this age, and it's never been due to luck.

He spoke in a very calm tone, but the weight of his approval was immense.

Zhuge Qi didn't respond. He knew that saying anything at this moment would be superfluous, so he might as well listen attentively.

Zhuge Gong stood up, walked to the bookshelf behind the desk, reached into the third shelf, and pulled out a thin booklet.

There was no title on the cover. It was covered with a very old blue cloth, and the edges were worn white. He didn't hand the booklet over, but instead sat back down in his chair, placed it on the table, and pressed it down with his palm.

"Since that's the case, then we can give it a try and inherit the ultimate skill of my Zhuge Liang lineage—Samadhi True Fire."