ushernet Chapter 172: Intuition of Danger
Chapter 172: Intuition of Danger
Chapter 172: Intuition of Danger
Two days later, it was the weekend.
At Jiangcheng Plaza, by the street stalls, Xu Qing stood in a black short-sleeved shirt, his hands behind his back, alternating between clenching them into fists and forming claws. He stood still by the roadside, waiting for someone.
"Fists never leave the hand, tunes never leave the mouth; practicing martial arts requires constant effort." Ever since he started to master the "Tang Shou Quan," Xu Qing had developed the habit of practicing reflexively.
Unable to resist Wang Zijun’s repeated pestering, he was now waiting for that guy. Together, they planned to ask Qin Hao when he got off work, so Wang Zijun could drive them to pick him up.
"Here I come!"
From a distance, Wang Zijun got out of the car, waving excitedly. Beside him was Qin Hao. One tall and skinny, the other short and stout, they made quite a pair. Wang Zijun resembled a bamboo pole, while Qin Hao looked like a wooden stump. They checked for passing cars on the road before jogging over in small steps.
“It’s been over two months, and you’ve gained weight again?” Wang Zijun gave Xu Qing a once-over.
“This is called ‘gains,’ not fat.”
Though not entirely accurate, Xu Qing’s appearance had indeed transformed. His energy and spirit seemed to have inflated, his eyes radiating vitality, a stark contrast to his former self during late-night gaming marathons.
Qin Hao, who had seen him a few times recently, didn’t feel the change as strongly. But he had noticed that getting a girlfriend had made Xu Qing look healthier, even somewhat plumper.
The thought made him a bit sad. After all, in his household, there were only two bachelor men, neither with a partner. The one time they encountered someone who wasn’t picky, she turned out to be into women.
The three found a spot at the street stall and sat down. Wang Zijun, who wasn’t picky about food, embraced the casualness of roadside barbecue, completely unbothered by the summer heat.
“What kind of martial art is that? The Sunflower Manual? When did you start learning it?”
As soon as they settled in, Wang Zijun couldn’t hold back his curiosity. For the past two days, he had been glued to Xu Qing’s livestream, watching him play "Red Light, Green Light." Every day at seven, Xu Qing would stand stock still for an hour, barely blinking.
It was... something else. It felt like that moment when your buddy suddenly claims he’s mastered some absurd move, and just as you’re about to mock him, he executes it perfectly, complete with sound effects.
Wang Zijun had even tried copying Xu Qing’s bizarre posture, but it was pure torment: legs, waist, elbows, and arms all aching simultaneously. It seemed designed to torture people.
“What Sunflower Manual?” Qin Hao, clueless about their conversation, looked confused.
“This guy’s been practicing some mystical art. The stance...” Wang Zijun struggled to find the words and could only shake his head.
Qin Hao chuckled, glancing at Xu Qing to see if there was any truth to it. If it were anyone else, he’d dismiss it as nonsense, but for Xu Qing? Considering he’d even started making armor, was practicing martial arts really that surprising?
Xu Qing cleared his throat, lowering his voice as if telling a grand tale. “It’s a long story. One morning, I was at the park and saw an old man practicing martial arts. I asked him, ‘Does this really work?’ He said, ‘Of course.’ I said, ‘I don’t believe you.’ He said, ‘Punch me once, and you’ll see...’”
“And then you paid him 80,000 yuan in compensation?” Wang Zijun interjected.
“Can you stop messing around?”
Qin Hao, uninterested in their banter, placed his arm on the table. “Come on, let’s arm wrestle. Show me what kind of mystical power you’ve gained.”
“Don’t cry if you lose.”
Xu Qing grabbed a napkin to place on the table, prompting Qin Hao to frown. “Why are you acting so fussy now?”
“The table’s dirty, and my shirt is new. Shut up and get ready!”
As their hands clasped, Qin Hao applied force but found no movement. Frowning, he increased his strength.
Though short and stocky, Qin Hao had a body full of muscle from years of training. Even with some added weight, he was still solid. Xu Qing, on the other hand, had hit the gym briefly during college but had spent most of his time post-graduation cooped up at home as an online creator. They weren’t on the same level. That Qin Hao couldn’t win immediately was baffling.
“Are you even trying? Use some strength!” Wang Zijun egged them on from the side.
Qin Hao gradually exerted his full power, but Xu Qing’s arm merely trembled slightly without budging.
“Are you two putting on a show?” Wang Zijun was unimpressed.
Before he could finish complaining—
“Bang!”
Xu Qing’s arm was slammed onto the table. He chuckled, rubbing his wrist. “I can’t beat you.”
Qin Hao looked stunned. Even though he’d won, it didn’t feel like a victory. “What kind of miracle pills are you taking?”
“I told you, it’s the old man in the park...”
“Cut the crap!”
“It’s not crap; look at this.” Wang Zijun pulled out his phone and showed Qin Hao a video of Xu Qing practicing. If it weren’t for the moving game interface and sound effects in the background, the video would look like it was frozen. Xu Qing stood motionless, staring off-screen, while the in-game character Jingwei loomed menacingly in the background.
“Performance art?” Qin Hao remained skeptical about martial arts. Too many so-called masters had been beaten senseless by combat experts.
He couldn’t help but think, I could probably handle it too. What is this, some kind of monkey kung fu?
“Kung fu! Look at that stance—it’s brimming with righteous energy. He must’ve learned it from somewhere...”
While Wang Zijun and Qin Hao continued debating, Xu Qing checked his phone for the time. It wasn’t seven yet, so Jiang He’s usual livestream battle hadn’t started.@@@@
“What’s wrong?” Xu Qing asked, still preoccupied with thoughts of Qin Hao’s earlier actions.
“When you’re not there, no one watches my stream.” Jiang He looked at him pitifully before lowering her head again.
Xu Qing was momentarily stunned. Only two days ago, he had reassured her that her audience came for her gameplay, not to watch him stand motionless like a statue. Yet tonight, the moment he skipped the livestream, her viewership plummeted by more than half, with many viewers asking where he was.
“Uh...” Xu Qing rubbed the back of his head, unsure how to respond.
He hadn’t expected that those ridiculous viewers would tune in just for him standing still. But what surprised him even more was Jiang He’s reaction. Was she... sulking?
Xu Qing couldn’t help but grin. He walked over and hugged her from behind. Jiang He leaned her head against his chest and muttered, “Am I only good for breaking bricks?”
She paused for a moment, then suddenly looked up, catching Xu Qing off guard and headbutting his chin.
“Why is your head so hard?” Xu Qing asked, rubbing his jaw in pain.
“You’ve been drinking,” Jiang He said, sniffing slightly.
“Yeah.”
“You smell bad.”
“...Is it that bad?” Xu Qing lifted his shirt to sniff. Beer didn’t have a strong scent, or so he thought.
“I just showered and changed into fresh clothes. Don’t make me smell like alcohol.” Jiang He shifted away from him, clearly displeased.
Xu Qing sighed. She wasn’t wrong. The last time he drank too much during New Year’s, the lingering alcohol smell had clung to the bed for two days. Jiang He had eventually stripped all the bedding and washed it thoroughly.
“Fine, I’ll go shower.”
As he headed to the bathroom, Xu Qing couldn’t help but reflect on how much Jiang He had started to manage his life. It wasn’t through harsh demands—more like subtle nudges. Was this some innate skill women were born with?
When he came back out, freshly cleaned, Jiang He had already returned to her desk, engrossed in a video editing tutorial. She was using the software Xu Qing had set up for her.
“Today, I saw someone arresting someone else. Their stance was so impressive—relaxed overall but with tension in their neck and shoulders. It was like they were ready to strike at any moment. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like that.”
“Ready to strike?” Jiang He mused, setting down her mouse. Her hands naturally dropped to her sides, and she glanced at Xu Qing from the corner of her eye.
Xu Qing froze. In that brief moment, he felt a palpable sense of danger. His back broke out in a cold sweat, and his heartbeat spiked.
This must be what that black dog felt when it ran away...
“What was that?” Xu Qing stammered, licking his lips nervously. He wanted to hug her but instinctively stepped back instead, plopping down on the couch.
“That’s not quite right. When you first approached me, I wasn’t on guard because you just wanted to give me an umbrella.”
“...”
Xu Qing replayed countless memories in his head and suddenly felt a chill.
“If you think about it, you haven’t held my hand in a while,” Jiang He remarked casually.
“What?”
Xu Qing turned to look at her, but Jiang He was staring intently at her computer screen, not saying another word.
“Well... okay, let’s fix that,” Xu Qing said, awkwardly reaching out. Recently, he’d been more focused on finding ways to hold her legs, which had indeed made him neglect her hands. He reflected on this lapse in affection as he stood behind her, holding her hands and guiding her through video editing.
“Earlier, was that... killing intent?” he asked.
“No. It’s your own instinctive reaction to danger,” Jiang He replied without looking up.
“Huh?”
“It’s complicated, but basically, being around you makes me feel safe. But when I encounter someone like that black fatty earlier, my instincts tell me to be cautious.”
“Would he ever hurt you?”
“I don’t know, but I know you wouldn’t.”
“Then why did you scare me earlier?” Xu Qing complained.
Jiang He looked puzzled and turned to him. “Didn’t you want to see it?”
They were so close now that Xu Qing could feel her breath against his face—a clean, fragrant scent.
He instinctively followed the breath downward, lowering his head, but Jiang He frowned slightly and pushed him away.
“You still smell like alcohol.”
“You forgot how you forced me after drinking?” Xu Qing grumbled, dissatisfied.
“If you can beat me, you can force me too.”
“...”