SES Chapter 172 Part 2

Luo Ren greeted him. “Up this early?”

Cao answered while heading inside, “We’re meeting the Grandmaster today. First impressions matter…”

Before he finished, he was already inside—then his head popped back out. “Xiao Luo, aren’t you going to tidy yourself up a little?”

Luo Ren shrugged. “What’s there to tidy? Just go with the flow.”

But while washing his face, he instinctively smoothed his hair with water anyway. When he returned, Cao Yanhua had found a small wooden comb from who-knows-where, standing under the eaves in front of his phone camera, parting and re-parting his hair. He leaned forward. “Xiao Luo, does it look even?”

Luo Ren shoved his head away.

Hearing movement in the back courtyard, Luo Ren wandered over. After passing the triangular water pavilion and reaching the moon gate, he suddenly stopped.

There was Mu Dai—dressed in plain white practice attire, wearing modified white silk boots, a bright red sash tied at her waist, long hair bound high into a ponytail. She knelt beside a small charcoal stove in the center of the courtyard, fanning the flames. Water boiled with a soft gurgle—preparing the disciples’ tea.

She looked like something out of a painting—late Qing era, maybe early Republican era—elegant, spirited, and still tinged with feminine softness. Luo Ren stood watching her for a long time.

He watched her wrap a cloth around the teapot handle, pour boiling water into the lidded teacups, gently blow the steam away, set everything on a silk mat, then carry the tray to the main room’s door. She knelt on a yellow brocade cushion, lowered her head, raised the tea bowl to her brow, back straight, motionless.

Such a little girl… doing everything so properly. Wasn’t she tired? Luo Ren felt a pang in his chest. Footsteps behind him—Cao Yanhua had come to peek. Luo Ren pushed him back immediately. “Go wait until we’re called.”

…

It felt like they waited forever before Zheng Mingshan finally came to fetch them.

At last, they met Plum Blossom Granny.

From what Mu Dai had said, she was in her eighties—but she looked ten, maybe fifteen years younger. Her hair was snow-white, neatly pinned with a plum-blossom hairpin. Her brows were kind, lips slightly curved in a gentle smile. She sat in a wooden wheelchair with a blue embroidered phoenix blanket draped over her legs all the way to the footrest.

She was lightly rinsing the tea cups. Mu Dai stood beside her, looking sweet and slightly mischievous. If one didn’t know better, they could’ve passed as an affectionate grandmother and granddaughter.

Zheng Mingshan sauntered over lazily, stopping on the other side of the wheelchair.

Mu Dai winked at Luo Ren, then at Cao Yanhua, and subtly curled her finger—signaling him to go first.

Me? Cao Yanhua tensed instantly. He barely dared breathe as he shuffled forward.

Plum Blossom Granny lifted her eyelids, gave him a once-over, and asked, “Who’s this?”

Mu Dai quickly answered, “This is Cao Yanhua, Master. I took him as my disciple. Please look him over. If you don’t approve, I won’t bring it up again.”

Granny let out an “Oh,” set down the cup, and asked, “Does he have any good qualities?”

Mu Dai had prepared her lines long ago. “He’s honest and simple, kind-hearted, knows his mistakes and corrects them, loyal, and has the spirit of a true man…”

Is she talking about me? Cao Yanhua was stunned. Am I really that good?

Granny cleared her throat softly. “You—come here.”

Cao Yanhua hurried up a few steps, hands glued to the seams of his pants, standing rigidly.

“Ever done anything shameful?”

The master had told him: Be honest. Whatever the Grandmaster asks, answer truthfully.

He gathered his courage. “Before… in Chongqing… around Jiefangbei… I, uh… used to be a thief…”

Granny’s eyes snapped wide, sharp as lightning— even Luo Ren felt a chill from down the stairs.

Cao Yanhua trembled violently. Panic scrambled his thoughts and he began stuttering. “B-But Grandmaster, I—I already turned over a new leaf! Master said you hate thieves! She said Senior Brother was a thief and you broke his leg—”

Was I a thief? And she broke my leg?

Zheng Mingshan shot Mu Dai an annoyed look. Mu Dai quickly turned her head away, pretending not to hear.

Cao Yanhua babbled on, “B-But I—I’ve always followed the light! Ever since I met Little Master, her… her righteous aura inspired me! I even—Grandmaster, you—you can call the Railway Bureau if you want! Just a couple of days ago, on the train, I—I caught a thief and helped dozens of… of passengers recover their losses—”

Granny grunted, then asked, “These days, martial arts are fading. Why do you want to learn it?”

He had to tell the truth—Little Master had warned him the Grandmaster’s eyes could see through lies.

Cao Yanhua squirmed. “I… I want to become a movie star. A martial-arts star.”

He rushed to explain, “When I was little, I wanted to be a hero. Thought it was so cool. I… I really wanted to learn. The first time I saw a videotape—it was rented by the whole village—and all the kids watched together. It was a Jackie Chan movie. There was a scene where he jumped off a wall, so I—I tried to jump off a wall too… and was limping for days…”

Mu Dai couldn’t help smiling. She had never heard any of this, but it sounded true. He was blushing like crazy and embarrassed, but still trying so hard to express himself properly.

“I thought, if I learned kung fu, I could become a martial-arts star. Earn big money, become famous, and bring Chinese martial arts to the world. But later I strayed… I forgot all this. I never imagined I’d meet my Little Master. I think… maybe it’s fate. Heaven giving me another chance…”

His words were awkward, messy, and uncertain. And he worried—martial artists were said to be proud and aloof. If he admitted wanting fame and money, would the Grandmaster think he was shallow?

After a long silence, Granny said, “Come closer.”

Closer? He was already very close. Still confused, he climbed two more steps.

Suddenly, Granny’s hand shot toward his face. Cao Yanhua instinctively blocked—only to realize it was a feint. Her hand slid to his shoulder, twisted, pulled, and flipped—sending him tumbling all the way down the steps.

Luo Ren watched, but couldn’t tell what her intention was. So he didn’t dare help.

Cao Yanhua hit the ground hard. His mouth opened wordlessly, and he almost burst into tears.

Does this mean she’s rejecting me? I told the truth…

Granny’s expression darkened. She said, “Mu Dai is disappointing.”

Mu Dai immediately stepped down two steps, turned, and stood facing Granny, hands clasped behind her back, head lowered to accept reprimand.

“You haven’t taught him any basics? Not even the simplest moves?”

Mu Dai whispered, “I… have been busy recently and neglected it.”

“So being busy means you can be negligent? Have you neglected eating? Sleeping?”

Mu Dai paused, then admitted, “No.”

“A disciple must know a disciple’s duty. A master must know a master’s responsibility. If you’re too busy, don’t take disciples. But if you take one, you must teach with heart. Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents, Teacher—teacher is fifth on that list. Do you think it’s just for show?”

Why is she scolding Little Master instead?

Cao Yanhua scrambled up. “N-No, Grandmaster! My Little Master did teach me! I’m also… busy! I—I opened a restaurant! I’m very busy too—”

Granny suddenly smiled.

Her gaze shifted to Luo Ren. “And who is this?”

Mu Dai’s face flushed. After a moment, she murmured, “He… he’s my boyfriend.”

With Master, Senior Brother, and disciple all present, saying it aloud felt terribly awkward.

Granny remained unfazed. “And what good qualities does he have?”

What??

Mu Dai hadn’t expected that question. She hadn’t prepared a script for this one. Was she supposed to list all of Luo Ren’s virtues? That sounded too showy.

She bit her lip, hesitating for a long time, before finally mumbling:

“Not… not really anything special. I just… like him.”