Chapter 43 - 43 43 Muddying the Waters

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Muddying the Waters Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Muddying the Waters The moon was bright and the stars sparse, Chen Jie trained from the night until dawn, whereas Su Yunjin lay in bed unable to sleep.

Listening to the sounds of the boxing movements outside, she thought of the young man she had seen practicing under the moon earlier.

She couldn’t help but let her thoughts wander.

She thought of the hardships from the past and also of his tenderness now, and as she thought, tears uncontrollably streamed down her face.

That night, she only managed to doze off in a daze at four in the morning.

Chen Jie also stopped boxing at four o’clock. He was extremely tired but felt unusually excited because, after practicing the last round of boxing, his techniques had improved to the Expert Level.

Opening the panel:

[Chen Jie]

[Realm: Not yet admitted]

[Cultivation Technique: Yang Chun Skill (entry-level) Grand Ancestor Long Fist (Expert)]

[Evaluation: Expert in Grand Ancestor Long Fist, you are almost a Martial Artist, just one step away]

Seeing the “Expert” behind Grand Ancestor Long Fist, he was very pleased. Indeed, he had entered the Expert realm.

Now each punch he threw felt like a significant improvement in strength and skill compared to before; he truly felt like he had practiced martial arts.

Although his current level in this era was called a farmhand, it was much better than the common thugs or idlers.

At this level, it would be no problem for him to guard and protect a wealthy family’s property.

Thinking this, Chen Jie fetched some water to rinse off the sweat from his body, then went inside. He noticed Su Yunjin hadn’t woken up; she had only gone to sleep at the same time last night, after all, how could she be up so early.

With nothing else urgent, Chen Jie scooped some rice, rinsed it twice, threw it into the pot, added some water, lit the fire, and started cooking.

Cooking was simple, and Chen Jie had always enjoyed it.

After stuffing enough firewood under the pot, Chen Jie went out to the yard to practice lifting a grinding stone.

There was a large grinding stone in the Chen family’s yard, weighing about three hundred pounds. Chen Jie tried and, although he couldn’t lift it before, now he could at least move it, but not lift it.

Thinking of Wu Zhong lifting the grinding stone with one hand, Chen Jie felt a gap; he was far from being a true Martial Artist, but he continued to practice moving the stone to build strength—it wasn’t going to happen overnight.

What does “Skin Buff” mean? Physically, it’s about moving stones daily, building strength, and making the skin on hands or other places tough. The process is what “Skin Buff” refers.

The second meaning of grinding is refining one’s character.

“Husband!”

Chen Jie was moving the grinding stone when Su Yunjin, looking fatigued, got up.

“Oh, wife, you’re awake.”

Chen Jie turned around and saw Su Yunjin.

“Husband, I’m sorry, I... I woke up late and let you do the cooking.”

Su Yunjin bowed her head, as if she had done something wrong.

“Hey, it’s fine. It doesn’t matter who does the cooking.”

Chen Jie didn’t mind and continued moving the stone, but Su Yunjin protested, “That won’t do; a future Martial Artist, if word got out that you cook, people would laugh.”

“It’s okay, I don’t mind.”

“Husband, you mustn’t do this again.”

Seeing Chen Jie didn’t care, Su Yunjin spoke sternly.

She lowered her head and said, “You’re our hope, the hope of Ruirui and me. If people laughed at you, we couldn’t hold our heads high... Husband, think of me too. If word got out that the Chen family’s daughter-in-law doesn’t cook, the whole village would label me a lazy wife.”

“That serious? Alright, I was careless this time, it won’t happen again. But why didn’t you stop me last time when I cooked rabbit meat?”

Chen Jie looked at Su Yunjin.

She glanced at him and said, “Back then, who knew if you would take it seriously...”

Chen Jie laughed and told Su Yunjin, “Go back to sleep a bit more. You didn’t sleep well last night.”

Su Yunjin said, “Husband, you should sleep too, you stayed up all night.”

Chen Jie replied, “I’m fine, my spirit is high from practicing martial arts.”

“Husband, if you cannot sleep, then I won’t either. Let me keep you company for a while.”

Su Yunjin was very stubborn. Chen Jie, seeing her tired yet still forcing herself to stay awake, felt some heartache and said, “How about this, I’ll teach you a breathing method that you can practice with me.”

“Okay.”

Su Yunjin nodded her head.

Chen Jie taught Yunjin the breathing method from Yang Chun Skill. The Yang Chun Skill wasn’t meant for combat, but practicing this breathing method could strengthen the body and extend one’s life.

Following the breathing practice, Su Yunjin initially felt uncomfortable, but gradually, she got used to the breathing method and her previous fatigue also eased.

“Ah, have you learned it?”

“Mmm, I’ve got it.”

“Now that you’ve got it, practice it often. But don’t teach it to anyone else. This is a unique skill of the Chen family, and we only pass it on to our daughters-in-law.”

“Mmm.”

Su Yunjin nodded, a slight smile playing on her lips. So, it was something only taught to daughters-in-law?

...

Thus the morning passed, and they had a hearty breakfast.

Chen Jie left home earlier than usual today. On his way, he went to Uncle Erba’s home, planning some countermeasures based on the information from yesterday.

He found Xiao Hu who had just gotten up.

“Fourth Brother.”

Chen Jie called Xiao Hu out.

“Hu Zi, I’m giving you a task.”

“Brother, just say it.”

Xiao Hu readily agreed. Chen Jie said, “Help me spread a message around the village. Say that yesterday morning, you all saw a stranger with a bamboo hat, carrying a sack, hurriedly leaving from the back mountain. No one knows what treasure he might have found.”

“Oh.”

“Got it?”

“I’ve got it. It was just a stranger...”

Xiao Hu recited it again, and Chen Jie asked, “So how did you see it?”

“I saw it early in the morning when I went to the back mountain to chop vines for making baskets.”

Xiao Hu said convincingly. Chen Jie replied, “Okay, Xiao Hu, you really are talented.”

Xiao Hu laughed and said, “Brother, isn’t this just wagging one’s wife’s tongue? My mother is very capable. She also seems to have seen it. By the way, Brother, are you in a hurry about this?”

Chen Jie asked, “What do you mean?”

“If you’re in a hurry, I’ll let my mother talk about it. I guarantee that by noon, the whole village will know.”

Xiao Hu said, laughing.

Chen Jie narrowed his eyes and said, “Hu Zi, how are you planning to let your mother know about this?”

Xiao Hu laughed and said, “I’ll just tell her that I saw it with my own eyes, and I’ll make sure not to involve Fourth Brother.”

Chen Jie patted Hu Zi and said, “You rascal, get this done well and Brother will make it worth your while.”

“What, no need for that, Brother. When I was bullied as a kid, it was you who helped me. I haven’t forgotten that.”

“Alright then, what if others ask about it?”

“I’ll just say I saw it with my own eyes, and I’ll say the same to anyone who asks.”

“Great, Hu Zi, I’m entrusting this task to you.”

“Watch me do it, Brother. Oh, and Brother, have you eaten? Come home and have some food with me?”

“No, thanks, I’m off to Doctor Bai’s house.”

“Alright, Brother. I’ll get right on it.”

As Xiao Hu went home, he immediately said, “Mother, I have something to tell you. There might be a treasure in our back mountain...”