Chapter 366 Tang Qi
Dong Cheng Feng’s invitation promised a high cla.s.s restaurant, and the gastronomical delights a.s.sociated with such haute cuisine made my mouth water. My only desire in this life was to eat and drink for free, and here, presented to me, was a great opportunity that couldn’t be so easily missed. Thus, I stopped grinding at around noon–I had finally reached Lv 73– ‘twas time to log off!
Full of expectation, I arrived below the female dorms and there I beheld Wan Er and Dong Cheng Yue all dressed up and waiting by the Audi TT, which was parked by the curb. We immediately got in as Dong Cheng Yue started the car and we sped towards the city, finally stopping at the restaurant’s underground parking lot. After getting out, Dong Cheng Yue carried a small purse and walked ahead. Wan Er, on the other hand, trudged alongside me and secretly threw a few glances at me before reaching out to hold my arm. However, at that moment, Dong Cheng looked back at us and the little miss didn’t know what to do with her hand. She could neither reach out to hold my arm, nor take it back. The only option left was to awkwardly pull my sleeve…..
I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry, so I just let her continue holding onto my sleeve as we walked up the stairs.
……
In the private room, the head of the Dong family sat upright in his chair. Upon witnessing our entrance, he greeted us with a kind smile, “Yue Er, Wan Er, you have arrived! Ah, Li Xiao Yao, you’re here as well. Ha ha, today will be rather lively!”
Dong Cheng Lei stood up and called out, “Brother Xiao Yao!”
I nodded at him, “Ah Lei, I haven’t seen you for a quite some time. You seem….. um, more robust?”
Dong Cheng Lei hesitated for a second, then candidly said, “I’ve been eating too well lately…..”
Dong Cheng Feng couldn’t help but smile and said, “Ah Lei, you brat…..”
Lin Wan Er tugged on my sleeve, urging me to sit down. Dong Cheng Yue took the seat on my other side, before pulling out a menu saying, “Daddy, have you guys ordered already? I want to eat and I want to eat meat….”
Dong Cheng Feng was even more speechless at that revelation. Finally he said, “I got it…I already ordered a lot of different meats…..”
“Good….” Dong Cheng Yue then sweetly smiled, “Daddy, why did you suddenly think of inviting us to eat? You’re normally so busy that you don’t even have the time to celebrate my birthday with me….”
Dong Cheng Feng smiled, “Actually, I invited you all to eat today because I wanted to introduce someone to you. Soon he will also be your schoolmate. His main duty is…. to be around Yue Er and guarantee her safety. Lately, there have been strange events around Hang Zhou, so we need to be cautious.”
“Oh? Who are you introducing us to?”
“Just wait, they’re almost here….”
“Ok….”
……
A few minutes later, someone knocked on their private room door. It was an elegant young man clothed completely in white; he looked vaguely familiar. He smiled at Dong Cheng Feng and modestly announced, “Uncle, I’m here!”
Dong Cheng Feng stood up and said, “Yes, this is the person I wanted to introduce you to. His name is Tang Qi and he’s from Si Chuan. I think, you guys should be able to recognize this person is!”
Dong Cheng Yue hesitated for a second then said, “This….. is this the Feng Shui Master, The Seventh Tang?”
Tang Qi grinned and said, “Yes it is me, Miss Dong Cheng, but please, just refer to me as Tang Qi. From now on, we are friends. In addition to being friends, in compliance with your father’s wishes, I will be accompanying you at school to ensure your safety.”
As he finished talking, Tang Qi looked at Wan Er and said, “h.e.l.lo Cang Tong. I didn’t think I would meet you in real life….”
Wan Er glared at him and said, “I don’t know you!”
Dong Cheng then looked suspiciously at Dong Cheng Feng, “Daddy, I don’t think…..I don’t think I ever asked for a bodyguard, isn’t that right? Besides this Tang Qi…. what gives him the right to protect me? Is he really talented?”
“This….”
Dong Cheng Feng quietly said, “Yue Er, don’t be stubborn. Tang Qi is only here to take care of your safety and won’t meddle in your personal life. Besides, Tang Qi isn’t much weaker than Li Xiao Yao, he’s also on the Royal Air level. This is something that an old friend of mine tested out…..”
“What?!”
Tang Qi was shocked, “Li Xiao Yao is also a peak Royal Air Level?”
I look at him and said, “So that’s why….”
Tang Qi smiled and said, “Then… How about we cross swords for a bit?”
I grinned back, “Just what I was thinking!”
Unexpectedly, Dong Cheng Lei angrily roared out, “You want to bully my Brother Xiao Yao? Dumba.s.s! Don’t you dare touch a hair on my Brother Xiao Yao or else I’ll beat you up!”
Raising his fist, Dong Cheng Lei threw a punch with his G.o.d-given strength!
Tang Qi immediately reacted and gathered both his palms at his abdomen. Suddenly his qi expanded and “Peng!” he caught Dong Cheng Lei’s fist, but was forced backwards several steps. His face was ashen. He didn’t move even after a few seconds. His two arms were probably numb by now. Shocked, he looked at Dong Cheng Lei, “This…young master Ah Lei is so strong, so strong…..”
Dong Cheng Feng yelled out, “Ah Lei, calm down! Tang Qi isn’t a bad person!”
Dong Cheng Lei’s arm suddenly tightened as he roared out, “But he wants to fight my Brother Xiao Yao. How can he not be a bad person? Dad, don’t get tricked by this b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”
Dong Cheng Feng helplessly said, “Li Xiao Yao…”
I couldn’t help but smile, “Ah Lei, please calm down a little. Tang Qi and I just want to arrange a time to spar. We aren’t actually fighting. He isn’t a bad person, at least he doesn’t look like one!”
Tang Qi rubbed his nose and said, “Hmph, the waters of Hang Zhou are truly deep. I need to be more cautious here next time. I need to take precautions or else I’ll be doomed….”
……
I nodded at Dong Cheng Lei to sit down. That brat doesn’t even listen to his own dad, but he hears and obeys me.
Mumbling, he finally sat down next to his father.
Dong Cheng Yue wasn’t feeling too satisfied with this and spun the lazy suzy. She shot a glance at Dong Cheng Feng and said, “Daddy, you really won’t discuss this with me? I don’t want a bodyguard, and even if I did want one, I want to choose one myself…..”
Dong Cheng Feng said, “Brat, then who do you want?”
“Li Xiao Yao…”
“Hmph…..”
Dong Cheng Feng looked towards me, “Li Xiao Yao, do you want to? If you want to, then I’ll give you 10 times of what Lin Tian Nan is paying you. How does that sound?”
I looked over at Wan Er who was beside me and shook my head, “I really shouldn’t. Thank you for your generosity Uncle Dong Cheng, but I already promised the Lin Family that I would properly protect Wan Er, and I have no intention of changing that.”
Wan Er’s small cheeks finally seemed to reveal a small smile as she happily looked at me but she didn’t say anything.
Dong Cheng Yue pouted and said, “Too bad, there’s only one Li Xiao Yao…..”
……
Tang Qi couldn’t take it anymore and said, “Li Xiao Yao…Li Xiao Yao…why does everyone want Li Xiao Yao. What’s so good about that b.a.s.t.a.r.d, to be so important to Miss Dong Cheng? Looks like I definitely need to test him…..”
I glanced at him and said, “What is it, you want to duel with me?”
“Just what I was thinking!”
“Hmph….” Dong Cheng Feng said, “Let’s first eat. If you want to compete, this restaurant has a practice ground in the rear garden that you can use for your spar. Besides, I also want to see which of these two young elites is truly number one! Tang Qi, rumor has it that he is the strongest youth amongst the younger generation of martial arts in the South. Li Xiao Yao has never been heard of, but it seems as though he isn’t bad. A perfect match up. Let me see who of the two younger generations is stronger.”
I nodded, “Mhm, as you say.”
Tang Qi pulled out a chair and sat beside Dong Cheng Yue. He smiled and said, “Little miss, how about I show you a magic trick?”
Dong Cheng Yue nodded and said, “Do what you wish….”
Tang Qi took out a turtle sh.e.l.l from his pocket, tossed three coins into the sh.e.l.l and shook it around. Dong Cheng Yue’s face revealed some annoyance, “You think a few parlor tricks will help you pick up girls? Give up already, I don’t believe in my 8 characters* and I don’t have any interest in finding out my future. My future will be something that I, Dong Cheng Yue, alone will control, you don’t have to try and figure it out!”
TL Note: *8 characters in chinese culture represents a sort of fortune telling that is rumored to be pretty accurate. Everyone has 8 characters that represent them and can be used to calculate their compatibility with other people’s 8 characters
Tang Qi smiled, “Little Miss, I’m not telling you your future. Just watch carefully…”
As he finished talking, Tang Qi abruptly opened his hand, and the turtle sh.e.l.l suddenly started floating in mid air. Then, he lightly tugged the air in his right hand and the coins in the sh.e.l.l slowly flew out, one at a time, and began spinning around in the air. There wasn’t a single string attached to the coins.
……
“Eh!?” Dong Cheng Yue’s eyes widened, “This… this really is magic. You can actually lead objects through the air?!”
I couldn’t help but smile. As a Royal Air Level expert as well, I could feel the flow of Tang Qi’s qi.
“Li Xiao Yao, why are you smiling?” Dong Cheng Feng asked.
I simply shook my head and smiled. Then I picked up the chopsticks next to me and gave it a casual toss before activating my own qi. At that moment, the chopsticks suddenly stood up in midair. I opened an empty palm and the qi pushed the chopsticks, forcing them to fly out. “Pa!” the chopstick struck the coin in the center and shot it right into the other wall. When I rose my right hand, the second chopstick flew out as well. “Shua Shua” three chopsticks shot down Tang Qi’s three coins right into the wall.
Wiping my hands, I smiled, “Oh, it seems I can use magic too? Tang Qi, aren’t you ashamed for using your repelling qi for parlor tricks? You’ve embarra.s.sed the entire martial arts world….”
Tang Qi’s face burned, “Hmph, so you studied this kind of stuff too….”
Dong Cheng Feng clapped his hands, “Not bad, not bad. The next generation truly is formidable. The skills of you two are truly shocking. Once we finish eating, I want to see your true strength!”
I asked, “Will I get rewarded if I win?”
Dong Cheng Feng hesitated, “Eh, what do you want?”
I thought about it for a second and said, “The reward I want is for Tang Qi to not become Dong Cheng Yue’s bodyguard. I don’t want to see Dong Cheng Yue forced into something she doesn’t want.”
“Such a request….” Dong Cheng Feng deeply pondered for a few seconds then said, “I can’t agree to this.”
“Alright…..” I smiled, “It’s no problem. Then I won’t compete with Tang Qi any more. Can I still eat?”
Dong Cheng Feng helplessly said, “Just eat, it’s no problem. There’s no need to spar, it won’t hurt our relationship”
“Ok.”
Dong Cheng Yue pouted as her watery eyes looked at me. Tang Qi saw everything and gave a deep sigh, “Ay, this trip to Zhe Jiang was truly hard and unprofitable….”
……
The banquet came to an end as I filled my stomach until it became perfectly round. I rubbed my mouth and followed Wan Er out.
Tang Qi walked up and said, “Wan Er…..”
“Hm?” Wan Er turned around, “What do you need?”
“I would…..I would like to go back to school in your car. Is that alright? I’ll be going to study at Liu Hua University as well….”
“Why don’t you get a taxi….” Wan Er said impatiently.
Tang Qi’s face turned green, “Isn’t that just a little too heartless?”
I smiled, “It’s nothing… it’s really easy getting a taxi here. Besides, I also remember what you said before-that I had no right to remain by Wan Er’s side, is that right? I still remember that very clearly. I won’t say anything else but this, meet me tonight at 10 at the school’s basketball court #7. We’ll decide who’s better in secret.
“You!” Tang Qi made a fist and said, “Alright, I accept your challenge!”
“Good, I’ll be waiting!”
……
After getting into the car, the TT sped away.
Tang Qi stood at the curb and reached his hand out to flag a taxi. The car came to a stop and the driver asked, “Where to?”
Tang Qi said, “Liu Hua University!”
“It’s out of the way! My car’s air conditioning isn’t good either, it can only spit out hot air.”
“I don’t believe you!!”
“Get in then!”
More than ten minutes later, Tang Qi’s face dripped with sweat as he crawled out of the taxi. After wiping off the perspiration off his face, he cursed, “F*ck, to think that I would get here trapped in a car at 39°C. These coastal people’s heads are truly made of something else….”