008 Some Changes in the Body

After finishing his morning routine, Du Ruo went downstairs and opened the refrigerator to see what he could eat to fill his stomach. With martial arts training and skill upgrades, if he didn’t eat something, he would definitely be unable to sleep at night and it might affect his practice the next day.

Martial arts consumed a lot of energy, so it was important to replenish nutrients promptly.

“Son, are you hungry?” his mother asked, awakened despite Du Ruo’s efforts to move quietly. She stepped out of the bedroom and looked at him.

“Yes, I just finished exercising and I’m a bit hungry.” Du Ruo rubbed his stomach, not feeling embarrassed at all. In front of his parents, he always felt comfortable and open.

“Wait here.” Without another word, his mother turned and headed to the kitchen. Before long, she brought out a large bowl of noodles, loaded with lean meat and two eggs.

...

The next morning, a little after six, Du Ruo woke at the sound of his alarm. He had gone to bed around ten the previous night, so waking up at six was not a burden.

Since he had decided to devote himself to martial arts, it was essential to cultivate good habits.

Breathing in the fresh air, Du Ruo gazed at the majestic Huangshan in the distance and began his training for the day.

Whether it was Xingyi’s Five Elements Fist or the Three-Body Stance, for Du Ruo now, they were simply tools for exercise and gaining attribute points. He had the theoretical knowledge of the techniques in his mind and could perform the movements. If he were to put on a demonstration or participate in a routine competition, he was confident he could achieve excellent results.

But that didn’t mean he was a martial arts expert, or that he could win in a real fight. Du Ruo was clear-headed about this; true skill wasn’t attained so easily.

After three hours of practice, he added his attribute points. Du Ruo now looked forward even more to the upgrade of his Xingyi Fist.

Training finished and breakfast eaten, Du Ruo found himself with nothing to do for a while.

After some thought, he picked up his phone and began searching online for jobs.

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Du Ruo wasn’t a loner. Since he had returned to his hometown, he had to consider his family’s feelings. Even if he wanted to focus on martial arts, having a job on the surface was a good thing. As long as it didn’t interfere with his training, he could accept it.

Unfortunately, despite reviewing many postings, he couldn’t find a suitable job, mainly because none allowed him to balance martial arts training.

“Forget it, why rush to find a job? Might as well watch some videos.” Since there was nothing suitable, Du Ruo decided to stop searching. He wasn’t under any financial pressure now, so he would focus on understanding his system first.

He brewed a pot of tea for himself, took out a lounge chair, and sat in the backyard, watching martial arts tutorial videos on his phone. Occasionally, he sipped tea and glanced at Huangshan in the distance, enjoying a leisurely day.

After lunch and a nap, since he was planning to visit Yang Chenguang’s house in the evening, Du Ruo began his martial arts practice after waking from his midday rest, determined to earn his attribute points and experience first.

During practice, Du Ruo noticed that the increase in experience wasn’t just reflected in numbers—it was a validation of the knowledge in his mind. With each gain, his understanding of the Five Elements Fist and Three-Body Stance deepened.

Even better, his stamina in the Three-Body Stance was improving. Today, he could hold single-weight stances for over a minute each time, with signs of steady progress.

After finishing, Du Ruo’s experience in Xingyi Fist had reached thirty points.

The biggest change brought by thirty experience points was in his posture. Previously, Du Ruo walked somewhat lazily and, from years of playing with his phone, subconsciously preferred to look down.

Now, those little habits were gradually disappearing. His posture had become more upright, and both his walking and exertion had subtly improved.

Regular practice of Xingyi’s Five Elements Fist naturally improved one’s bearing. In just a few days since coming home, Du Ruo’s energy and spirit had undergone a dramatic transformation.

“Mom, I’m heading out. Don’t cook dinner for me tonight; I’ll eat at Chenguang’s place. You don’t need to wait up, just leave the door unlocked for me.”

Du Ruo grabbed a cucumber his mother had picked, rubbed off the prickles, and crunched on it as he called out to his mother at the doorway.

His appetite was growing; staple foods weren’t enough anymore. After training, if he felt hungry, he couldn’t help but snack.

“Wait, take these with you,” his mother said, hearing he was going to Yang Chenguang’s home. She hurried to the fridge and handed him a prepared package.

“There are two marinated mandarin fish in here, and a bottle of my rosehip wine. Don’t bother buying anything outside; it’s expensive and not worth it.”

“Alright, I’m off then.”

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Du Ruo had originally thought about bringing fruit or milk as a gift, but his mother had anticipated this and prepared everything. He didn’t need to buy anything. Besides, Yang Chenguang was a typical local with a taste for strong flavors, and his mother’s marinated mandarin fish was his favorite, a must-have dish every time he came over.

Carrying the package, Du Ruo walked to Yang Chenguang’s village.

He was warmly welcomed by the Yang family, with chickens slaughtered and homemade pork sausages served.

Yang Chenguang had brought his wife and children home, making the house lively.

“How come you suddenly came back? Didn’t hear you mention it beforehand,” Yang Chenguang asked, picking up a piece of marinated mandarin fish and sipping his wine, his eyes squinting in pleasure. Du Ruo’s parents, suspecting there might be something behind his return, never asked about it, just happy he was home. But Yang Chenguang was more straightforward and asked casually during dinner.

“Lost my job. The market out there is tough now; it’s much more comfortable back here,” Du Ruo said, lifting his glass and clinking it with Yang Chenguang and his father before answering. There was nothing to hide; unemployment was a common plight these days, nothing to be ashamed of.

“Tsk, yeah, business is really hard now. Even in our tiny village, there are two guesthouses,” Yang Chenguang remarked.

“Is the guesthouse business good these days?” Du Ruo asked. There was no set topic at the table; conversation flowed freely.

“That depends on management and the broader environment. The two guesthouses in our village lost quite a bit in the early years. Only now is there a sign of improvement, but it’s a pity—one of them is planning to transfer out.”

Yang Chenguang had a keen perspective. When the guesthouses first came to the village to rent land, he was the one negotiating. He leveraged their presence to attract other shops and stimulate the local economy, which led to him becoming the deputy secretary of the village. So he knew these matters well.

“Transfer? Why transfer—poor management?” Du Ruo’s interest was piqued. Running a guesthouse seemed like a good idea; if the costs were low, being a guesthouse owner would give him a respectable job without the constraint of nine-to-five, leaving more time for martial arts training.