The next morning, when Ding Linlang saw Qian Quan, there was a moment of awkwardness.
However, she quickly returned to her usual self.
"Did you know you talked in your sleep last night?" Qian Quan told her about what happened last night.
"What, what did I say in my sleep?" Ding Linlang uncommonly showed a hint of nervousness.
"You called out my name. I asked you what happened, but then you fell asleep again."
"You must have misheard."
"It was quite clear. It even startled me."
"You must have misheard. I didn't call out anything."
"Uh... alright." Qian Quan didn't bother arguing with her any further.
After breakfast, the two of them went to Lingyin Temple.
Lingyin Temple was built during The Tsin Dynasty, over 1600 years ago. Its most famous attraction is the Triskelite, believed to be effective in seeking romantic relationships.
However, on the internet, there is a more famous rumor about it, the advertisement for recruiting monks at Lingyin Temple, which gained popularity due to its enticing terms:
Monthly salary of 8,000, an eight-hour work schedule, including meals and accommodation. Additional compensation for overtime and travel expenses for performing rituals. After three years of work, the salary increases to 14,000. Those who advance to the highest leadership position within the temple can earn up to 30,000. If skilled in fortune-telling and divination, there is an opportunity for profit-sharing. During working hours, abstinence from alcohol, sexual activity, and meat consumption is required. Off-duty hours do not interfere with personal life, marriage, or having children.
As for the requirements, a bachelor's degree is needed, with a preference for postgraduates. Prior knowledge of reciting the Diamond Sutra and the Lotus Sutra is preferred. Considering that Buddha was of Indian origin, language proficiency is also required. During the internship, taking one of the seventy-two unique skills and two elective courses is mandatory...
This notice was written with a convincing tone, and its misleading nature was quite strong. In reality, it was a scam, being posted by various places pretending to be different temples, all to deceive graduates into providing their personal information.
"Why are you planning to visit Lingyin Temple?"
In the subway, the crowd was a bit dense. Qian Quan positioned Ding Linlang in a corner, and the two stood facing each other, their bodies making contact. Their emotions couldn't help but feel somewhat unusual.
In fact, when they used to play one-on-one basketball, there was much more intense physical contact. But back then, they were focused on trying to outplay each other or pull off a great move without thinking too much.
At this very moment, in this particular situation, being in a strange place, the atmosphere became subtly nuanced.
Ding Linlang intentionally brought up a topic to alleviate the awkwardness.
"I'll start by paying respects to the Medicine Buddha, seeking blessings for the safety and health of my family. Then, I'll visit Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, hoping for a smooth journey through university. Finally, I'll pay homage to Bodhisattva Manjusri, asking for success in my career and the dream of becoming the wealthiest person in Azure Bay." Qian Quan checked the guide last night to ensure they wouldn't make a wrong choice.
"You want to become the richest person?"
Qian Quan chuckled, "Who doesn't want to be wealthy when young?"
Ding Linlang nodded with a smile.
"What about you? What are you seeking?" Qian Quan looked at her and asked.
"Same as you, but I won't compete with you for the title of the richest. I just wish for financial freedom," Ding Linlang replied.
Qian Quan smiled and said, "If I become the richest, I promise you'll have financial freedom."
"Hope you keep your word." Ding Linlang smiled back and exchanged a glance with him.
Both deliberately avoided mentioning the Triskelite.
The subway suddenly decelerated at that moment, causing their bodies to press together due to inertia momentarily. They discreetly moved apart again.
"How many more stops?" Qian Quan looked up to check the route map.
Ding Linlang glanced at her phone, keeping her head low.
...
"Left palm transforms into a fist, striking straight forward along the central line, while the little finger points downward. Simultaneously, the right palm transforms into a fist, retracting towards the chest along the central line, close to the left elbow, with the little finger pointing downward..."
As summer vacation was coming to an end, Qian Wenlin had been diligently practicing Wing Chun during this period.
Wing Chun emphasized the principle of "sending a punch while the elbow remains in the center," so every punch required the elbow to stay close to the central line. The power was generated in a straight line, pushing the fist forward. During the execution of each punch, the other hand's wrist had to be struck, maintaining a closed posture, preventing an opponent from attempting to attack through the central path.
Today, he practiced the straight punch and gradually improved.
The "Little Idea" movements, although not complex, were foundational. Only by mastering the combinations of "Little idea" movements could one advance to learning higher-level skills, progressing to practical combat exercises.
After practicing the continuous sequence of left and right punches for three hundred rounds, he retracted the left fist to his chest and stood with his feet together in the ending stance.
"If nothing goes wrong, I should be able to fully grasp the entire sequence of 'Little Idea' today. It seems my past efforts in Kung fu haven't been in vain."
Qian Wenlin was in a great mood, looking rejuvenated after finishing the routine.
"Those two kids, Rocky and Linlang, didn't even believe I'm an extraordinary martial arts prodigy among thousands. I'll surprise them when they get back."
Taking a short break, he performed the "Three-Closure Palm" routine.
It was approaching noon by the time Qian Wenlin had mastered all the segmented routines.
He took a deep breath. No more video explanations or guidance from books were needed. Standing with his feet together and fists held at his chest, he exhaled lightly. The fists faced upward with knuckles up, the back of the fists facing down. His knees were slightly bent, feet flat on the ground and positioned apart, facing left and right, forming an "open scissors stance."
He performed this series of movements seamlessly, without pause.
Next came the downward cross-plowing hand, followed by the upward cross-spreading hand, retracting the fist, advancing with the straight punch... spreading the hand, sinking the hand, horizontal palm, upright palm, pointing finger, circling hand... left shoulder hand, left spreading hand, left bottom palm... and then moving on to the left-right straight punch, finally concluding with the upright closing posture, completing the practice session.
Wing Chun, Little Idea, achievement unlocked.
...
An hour ago.
After Qian Quan and Ding Linlang finished their prayers at Lingyin Temple, they took bus route 7 to Southern Song Imperial Street.
When traveling to Hangzhou, naturally, West Lake was the first must-see place, followed by this street laid out during the Southern Song Imperial Street.
About fifty minutes later, they got off the bus at Sanyuan Fang and walked toward their destination. Not far along, they saw a Chinese chess stall by the roadside.
"Southern Song Endgame, black or red, red goes first, 100 per round, 300 for victory, 100 for a draw, pay 100 for a loss."
About ten people were gathered around the stall, discussing and analyzing.
"Let's take a look," Ding Linlang's curiosity was piqued.
The words "Southern Song Endgame" also intrigued Qian Quan. He and Ding Linlang walked over together.
The chess player was a man in his sixties. Three endgames of games were laid out in front of him, and challengers could choose any of them.
"Do you believe this red side can guarantee victory? I just need to sacrifice both chariots to form a repeating cannon..."
A muscular young man pointed to one of the boards and said.
"How do you set up the chained cannons? If you move the cannon and put the enemy's general in check, the black side can move the elephant to threaten your rear cannon." Another person said.
Ding Linlang watched for a while, then whispered to Qian Quan, "I feel like the advantage is with the black side in that game. Picking black gives a better chance of winning."
Qian Quan pondered but didn't speak for a while. Finally, he said, "All three games are draws. No one can win. Let's go."
"All draws? Really? Can't you win either?"
"These aren't endgame; they're scams." Qian Quan shook his head and said gently.
"Just a moment, let me take a photo. I'll try them out when we get back."
Qian Quan had memorized all three endgames, but Ding Linlang had already taken out her phone before he could stop her.
"Hey, what are you taking pictures of?"
The muscular young man noticed Ding Linlang taking photos and asked in a harsh tone.
"I'm capturing these three endgames. I want to study them later," Ding Linlang replied innocently, her life experience still limited as a high school student.
The muscular young man and two others exchanged glances, then closed in on Qian Quan and Ding Linlang.
"What are you studying for? If you're interested, pay to challenge. If you're not brave enough, leave. Don't cause any trouble."
"That's right. These setups are hereditary endgames passed down from the Southern Song Dynasty, an intangible cultural heritage. What do you think you're doing by taking photos and studying them? Delete them quickly!"
Qian Quan had already realized they were a group, and he positioned himself slightly in front of Ding Linlang, saying, "We'll delete them, we promise. You guys can continue watching the chess game."
"Delete them right in front of us!" the muscular young man's tone turned stern.
"Or you can pay for the next game. You can learn on the spot and won't need to delete the photos," another person suggested.
Ding Linlang held up her phone. "I've already deleted them."
Saying this, she grabbed Qian Quan and began to leave.
The three blocked their way. "How do we know if you've deleted, hidden, or sent it to someone else? Hand over the phone so we can check."
"Give us the phone or play the next game. It's your choice," another person chimed in.
Qian Quan's expression changed, too. "Are you sure you want to escalate this situation? This is one of the liveliest areas in Hangzhou. If we start causing a scene, the police will arrive quickly."
"Quit the nonsense. Hand over the phone. We'll check it and give it back to you. We're here working hard on these chess setups. We're not forcing you to play. It's all voluntary, but you took pictures to cheat. So what if the police come?"
In his mind, Qian Quan thought, "Chess games that involve money are scams in themselves, and now they've arranged a few of you to deceive passersby. This is clearly a very typical fraud. If the police show up, you guys will end up in trouble. Don't make it sound like some legitimate business deal."
"We'll play a game and pay them," Ding Linlang sensed that Qian Quan was about to explode and wanted to avoid any trouble. She decided to spend 100 to settle the matter.
Naturally, Qian Quan understood Ding Linlang's intention. However, he was well aware that he wouldn't get it back if he handed over the money, even if he managed to draw in his game.
But if he refused their demands...
He was concerned not for himself but for Ding Linlang's safety.
As he hesitated, a sudden notification sound from the system echoed in his mind:
[Ding! The system has detected that your father has made initial progress in practicing Wing Chun's 'Little Idea.' You are rewarded with the title of Grandmaster Level in Wing Chun!]
In the next moment, a vast amount of information surged into his mind. Thousands upon thousands of figures appeared, practicing martial arts in his thoughts. Some were empty-handed, others held Eight Slash Knives, and some wielded the Six-and-a-Half Point Pole, practicing alone or sparring, exhibiting various movements. Little Idea, Seeking Bridge, Shooting Fingers, Wooden Dummy Stance, Blade Skills, Pole Skills...
Rehearsing again and again, repeating thousands upon thousands of times, until the memories became deeply ingrained, vividly clear.
Meanwhile, a peculiar force surged through his body, moving like an electrically charged earthworm, creating an itching and tingling sensation throughout him. It seemed to accumulate boundless strength within him, an urge to vent and release.
That sensation was akin to…
Right now, he could take down ten people!
