Chapter 17: The Lin Residence

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“The old man is not at home right now. You are…”The woman frankly laughed, showing no restraint towards their grand style.　

“You must be Madam Lin.” Bai Jing was positively sure. He could feel that this woman had a very strong spiritual power but not of the psychic type.

“What madam. I am just an old woman, come in and have a seat. Is there anything you want from my old man?” Mrs. Lin laughed, and even the wrinkles of her face turned a bit younger.

“It was my presumption.” Bai Jing first apologized then smiled and said: “I have heard of Elder Lin from other people. As granny can see, I am also practicing a kind of internal force, and have some issues, that is, I specifically came to ask Elder Lin for advice.”

Granny Lin heard this, her bright face faded with a dull smile, lightly asked: “You heard from whom?” 　

Bai Jing’s mind was clear, smiling: “Granny Lin, rest assured that this thing is separate from me. No other person knows. In fact, I heard it from gossips of the older generation. I didn’t mention it to others. I just kept my hopes high, and after talking with granny, I know I found the right person.”　

“Oh? What do you see?” Granny Lin showed interest. In the end she was a good person. Although she had doubt of Bai Jing’s words, she did not ask more. Children bragged to show off,  which she could understand. She and her old man were the man of the moment. As long as it was not heard from “those old guys,” now “those old guys” had one foot standing in the grave…　

“Of course it was granny’s powerful strength. I would not know granny was also an expert if we did not meet.” That said, Bai Jing’s use of flattery, in fact, was not bad.　

Wang Xuebing and Cao Lei had been in shock. Why young master had good fighting skills was at this time answered, but this stuff of “internal force,” to tell the truth, even with many years spent in the military, besides television and novels, this was the first time they heard it in real life. They did not have a clue when young master had learned about internal force. Well, there were lots of thing they did not know about. And now, they thought no more, with sparkly eyes staring at Granny Lin. The legendary “internal force,” how could they not be curious; they did not believe there was really such a thing in the world.

“I am not an expert, it’s just my family’s martial art. I know a few steps for physical fitness only. Everyone liked to hear good words. Granny Lin was amused, and then asked: “What is the art you learned?　

Bai Jing ashamedly said: “In fact, I do not know. The one who taught me only told me how to run the internal forces. Everything else was my own study, for which I also read a lot of medical books, but everything is just an armchair strategist.”　

Granny Lin face was solemm, blaming: “Your master was too irresponsible, how can internal force be practiced without rules, stick your hand out and let me see.”　

Hearing that, Bai Jing was happy, obediently stretching out his hand and had Granny Lin read his pulse.　

Granny Lin frowned, fingers on his pulse force point. Her face showed more and more concern, and Bai Jing’s heart sank, upset and also raising some hatred. In fact, he should have thought that the Institute would not give him anything good. It was a pity that he was too weak at that time,  had not put much thinking about the internal art they taught but was only happy the internal force would be useful.　

After a while, granny Lin let go of his hand, looked up and down Bai Jing’s attire and style, then was relieved. Her brow stretched, and she smiled and said: “You should have eaten some good things, your internal art is good, enhanced skills very quickly. But haste makes waste, it hurt your body a lot. Since you now are alive and kicking, I think it should be alright. But that art of yours, you still need to be cautious. “　

“Granny, please give some advice.” Covering his hatred, Bai Jing humbly asked. His heart could not help but burst with happiness, the good thing Granny Lin said should be the spring of the hidden dimension. Otherwise, he could not think of another reason.　

Granny Lin thought for a moment, not answering immediately, only asking: “Why do you want to learn internal art? Not a lot of young people have heard of this?”　

Bai Jing did not hide, bluntly saying: “I want to protect the people I care about, as well as protect myself.”　

Granny Lin slightly surprised, behind him obviously were bodyguards, and this youth also needed to protect himself?　

Wang Xuebing and Cao Lei also felt strange. Not to mention who the young master wanted to protect, they had guessed young master was lovelorn, but to say he wanted to protect himself, how in the world could he say these words? Young master had huge backing, not bullying people around was great, but how does he need to learn martial arts to protect himself, not to mention the force of his bodyguards.　

Bai Jing faintly smiled: “Granny may not know, but in fact, I am an illegitimate child.”　

Granny Lin’s heart softened, seeing the unperturbed look of Bai Jing, and suddenly realizing the faces of bodyguards behind him, she understood. She believed that Bai Jing said the truth, what a poor child.  She did not ask anything more, with a smile, she said: “Not to be fancy with the advice you said, what you do not understand, ask it and granny can still give you some tips.”　

“Thanks a lot, granny.” Bai Jing was full of joy, but he did not rush. Asking once or twice would not satisfy his curiosity: “I would like to rent and live nearby. Granny, please do not hold anything against me.”　

“Nonsense.” Granny Lin laughed, not minding this little idea of his. She had some doubts that this ditch of a valley, which was unlike the big city’s excitement, unlike big city’s convenience, could really support a young man? If he did so, she would have to look highly at him.　

“Do not say rent, we built enough rooms for ourselves. There are no extra rooms for rent. If you do not mind, you can squeeze into my house. My son is in college, so his room is empty. There are two guestrooms, so it just suits the three of you. Later, when he comes  back, I’m afraid I’ll have to wrong you.”

“That should be. Thank you, granny, and my name is Bai Jing. Granny can just call me Jing. These two are Wang Xuebing and Cao Lei.” Bai Jing shallowly smile said, not seeing Cao Lei wink. Hm, to show your worry at this moment, he did not care at all. We will see if he dared offend Bai Jing again　

Cao Lei was in a bad mood. His young master was stingy, not allowing lovers to have a room together. Because of his bad attitude towards young master, he then quickly said: “Don’t bother granny. Wang Xuebing and I can have a room together, however, we are guests. It is not polite to take more rooms. The two of us mostly live together, so don’t worry, we are accustomed.”

Bai Jing disdained and scoffed at his words. Of course he was accustomed, but maybe he also was anxious to have one room. But Bai Jing did not say one word. After all, what Cao Lei said was the truth. They were guests, and the owner being less trouble was the best .

Granny Lin did not refuse his offer, and they exchanged a few words. Then, Elder Lin came back. Seeing there were guests in the room, Elder Lin was slightly stunned for a moment. After Granny Lin explained, he came to realize the purpose of Bai Jing’s visit, and then smiled and talked about old times. Bai Jing came to realize the original martial arts master was Granny Lin, rather than Elder Lin.　

That year, the state had just been liberated. Although the enemies were gone there was civil unrest. Granny Lin and her father fled to here from the civil war. Kindly sheltering them, Elder Lin did not expect to have a wife but also a martial arts master.  　

Bai Jing was very curious. By listening to their story, their ages should be more than seventy. He could not understand, when and how they could have had a more than 20 year-old son. But this was the privacy of others; he would not be a busybody and only admired the old couple. If he did not understand the period that they talked about, Bai Jing himself absolutely did not know their true age. Although they were already gray-haired, they appeared healthy and energetic. Laborious work was not a problem, with Elder Lin who just came back from the farmland.

That night, they did not live here, instead, they went back to the county to pack things and returned to the Lin’s the second day.

Granny Lin looked at their big bags, but just kept smiling. At the moment, let alone her, even Wang Xuebing and Cao Lei did not think the young master could persist for long. Out of every one’s guess, Bai Jing would stay to the end of the year.　

Bai Jing was like a sponge, assimilating a variety of knowledge. As if time was short, he scheduled a full daily programme, doing early morning exercise, sparring against two bodyguards with Granny Lin’s instructions. From time to time, he sparred and ask for Elder Lin’s advice. Bai Jing then really knew, what “don’t judge people by their appearances” truly meant. Elder Lin was really old but vigorous, and in this case, it made sense that Elder Lin was very distinguished in the apocalypse. Although he was not of martial arts origin, he had trained for a few decades. Compared to Bai Jing’s this half-baked, Elder Lin was not someone he could reach.　

In addition to learning martial arts, Granny Lin also in accordance with the internal force art of Bai Jing’s, modified that to a more perfect internal force. Granny Lin was in fact, amazed by that art. Basically a simple and whimsy way to build up a good way of practice, by that in any case, she could not by her own power improve it to a perfect masterpiece. 　

After listening Granny Lin’s explanation Bai Jing understood that art was a set of the essence of many kinds of martial arts which the Institute refined. But the human mind was twisted, and the art the Institute had was not orthodox. Before Granny Lin’s modification, it advanced very quickly while practiced, but it damaged the body. After being modified, even with a slower progress, Bai Jing could clearly feel that his internal force seemed to become more refined and also endless.　

Bai Jing thanked Granny Lin, also giving the refined art as a gift, but Granny Lin refused. She said it was by rule of ancestors she could not practice other kinds of martial art, and her own could not be taught to outsiders, too.

Bai Jing smiled and did not say more. He understood these rules. The more like such a family of martial arts as this, in fact, was more likely to value its own modest tradition and also somewhat proud to the bone. Bai Jing believed that even though Granny Lin improved the art, she absolutely just looked at it with no intention to keep it. This kind of people, those honest eyes could not withstand a grain of sand, whether it was for themselves or to others. So in the apoclaypse, even as powerful as they were, would be defeated so quickly.　

Bai Jing did not know what he could do for them. Remembering he also wanted to learn cooking. Simply cooking for them, that scared off Wang Xuebing and Cao Lei. Granny Lin actually was quite happy, only boasting that Bai Jing’s future wife was lucky.　

Bai Jing smiled and did not say a word. Future wife…there was no hope this life. In the apocalypse, survival had become a problem. Who could have feelings about romance. Besides, he had Xiao Sa. No mater what feelings he had for Xiao Sa, he only knew that in this life, in his heart, no one was more important than Xiao Sa.　

Bai Jing was not good at cooking. Although he had learned to cook in the apocalypse, by then, finding enough to eat had become an issue. No one cared about seasonings. As long as it was cooked, no one hated it. Now, the first time cooking, Bai Jing was in a flurry. Fortunately, Granny Lin was also good at teaching Bai Jing how to cook. Bai Jing was a faster learner, and a few days later, he was capable of a decent meal.

When Bai Jing cooked, he put in some spring water from his dimension. With each meal with spring water, Bai Jing was so happy to see everyone grow more and more strong. He also gave the internal force art to Wang Xuebing and Cao Lei to practice. The stronger their strength, he could also be more secure in the future.　

Cao Lei was flattered. He understood young master’s kindness to his lover, and by the words of Granny Lin, each martial art family kept the art to their own. Towards internal strength, he did not expect such generosity from the young master, but he was happy and decided to treat the young master a little bit better.  But he later learned that this generosity cost him hardship, working round the clock, but by that time he had already been on a pirate ship. Cao Lei silently looked, defeated…

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