Chapter 7: Is The Strength Value Too High?
Translator: 9inetales
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After a tortuous hour.
Xu Qing stood in line at a fast-food restaurant, waiting patiently for his orders of pork shank rice. He was already carrying a bunch of bags but still wondered if he missed anything.
Clothes, toothbrushes, towels, and even a pack of Seven-Degree Space[1]. He didn’t know what to think, feeling as if he was a stay-at-home husband who tended to his domestic duties.
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In addition, he bought two books from a roadside bookstore: ‘Five Thousand Years of China’ and ‘A Practical Guide to Traditional and Simplified Chinese Characters’.
Regardless of whether they would prove useful or not, he decided to give it a shot.
“Two orders of pork shank rice is ready!”
“Thank you.”
Xu Qing slid the bags down to his elbows and received the packed meals with both hands. Though clumsy, he made his way down the road towards his home.
Beiwang Road wasn’t a very prosperous area. It was a rather remote corner of Jiangcheng compared to the hustle and bustle of the inner city, even looking a bit deserted. However, it was still a modern city, equipped with all the necessary facilities.
After yesterday’s heavy rain, some patches of road contained accumulations of water which shone brightly under the sun. The security guard, Uncle Zhao, sat on a chair under the shade while smoking a cigarette leisurely.
Spotting the slowly approaching Xu Qing and the many bags he carried, he greeted, “Little Xu, you’ve purchased a lot today.”
“I guess so. Well, have you eaten yet?”
“I just finished. Oh yeah, I remember you called me yesterday…?”
“It’s fine. I dialed the wrong number by accident.”
Xu Qing smiled, I can’t tell you that I picked up an ancient person now, can I?
“Ah, that’s good then. Be careful; make sure to close your windows and doors. Aunt Cheng seems to have seen a thief snooping around recently. If you see anyone suspicious, make sure to contact me. Remember to pay attention.”
Hearing Uncle Zhao’s warning, Xu Qing nodded and assured, “Okay, I’ll remember.”
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When Xu Qing reached his door, he struggled to open it due to the numerous bags occupying his hands. When he finally got in, he first saw Jiang He standing at a corner of the living room with her sword.
The rattling door had put her on alert but was quickly relieved when she saw who it was. She laid her sword against the table leg and sat on the sofa.
“Didn’t I say that it’s absolutely safe here?”
“Un.”
“You look strange like that. Come on, relax, and let’s eat.”
Xu Qing placed the bunch of bags to the side of the sofa, glad to rid himself of the heavy load. Noticing Jiang He’s curiosity, he explained, “These are the stuff I bought for you. We can sort through them after our meal.”
“Thank you.”
“...”
Jiang He tilted her head at Xu Qing’s sudden pause, “What’s the matter?”
“Ehem, can we add a form of address?”
“What?”
“Like Shaoxia[2]...for example?”
“...”
“Haha, it’s just that in my younger days, I was always fascinated by the idea of ancient masters and heroes. You don’t have to if you feel uncomfortable.” Although Xu Qing said that, childlike anticipation gleamed in his eyes.
Who didn’t dream of wielding the sword when they were young?
“Uhm, thank you...junior?” Jiang He spoke with some difficulty, befuddled by his weird request.
“Raise your hand[3]!”
Xu Qing waved his hand playfully upon seeing Jiang He’s displeased expression. She had a sudden urge to slap the cheekiness out of him.
“Hehe, okay. Let’s eat!”
A serving of pork shank rice for 14 yuan— a flavorful deal! The moment the lid was lifted off the box, an encapsulating smell tickled their noses.
In times of stress and helplessness, the only company one needs is a bowl of pork shank rice.
Pig feet, pig feet...
Jiang He’s mouth watered and her eyes glued fixedly onto the food. For a warrior like her, last night’s meal of porridge and a few steamed buns wasn’t enough to satiate her hunger completely.
Facing the hefty meal in front of her, pride could only be swallowed along with the food. She didn’t eat like the heroines depicted on TV that Xu Qing watched— elegant and refined in their actions; tasting and sipping slowly. Instead, the food was ravaged by the hungry tigress.
The mouth was used for two things: eating and speaking. Since the most enticing purpose was being prioritized, no words were spoken between them.
The pork and juice were satisfyingly delicious. Xu Qing wiped his mouth after finishing and drank a glass of water to refresh himself. Around the same time, Jiang He dropped her chopsticks with hints of contentment on her face.
She’s pretty when she’s happy, Xu Qing smiled secretly in his heart.
“Here are the clothes I bought you. I didn’t know your exact sizes so I based them on your height. You can try them on later,” He opened a nearby paper bag and sifted through its contents, “I bought a set of skirts. I’m not sure if you’ll love them but you can wear them as you like. Ah, there are also shoes. These are flat shoes which are a lot more comfortable than your previous straw sandals.”
The clothes were taken out one by one but his actions suddenly slowed when he reached the undergarments, “This...you should know how to wear it after studying it for a while. If you really don’t know how, I’ll maybe try to show you. I bought several sizes but I tried to pick the right one.”
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Jiang He was a little fascinated by the new styles and forms of clothes, nodding to his words.
“And this...it’s also used by women. I won’t say anymore. Try figuring it out yourself.” Xu Qing threw over the pack of Seven-Degree Space and continued his dig.
“Although this history book is in the form of a story, it’ll help you in learning the fundamentals. There is also this language one: simplified and traditional. I don’t know how well it’ll work but you can try and read it first.”
“This here is called toothpaste. This is a toothbrush, a mouthwash cup, and a towel…”
After summarizing and handing everything to Jiang He, Xu Qing took some time to wipe his forehead before searching for a certain item. A computer keyboard was soon placed on the table.
In any case, it’s best to teach her the basics of using a computer. Baidu is an encyclopedia of knowledge after all.
“Yawn…”
“Oh? You didn’t sleep well last night?” Xu Qing asked, seeing the fatigue burdening Jiang He’s eyelids. He himself didn’t sleep until midnight so it was understandable, “You can go rest after we talk a bit. Is there anything you wanted to ask that kept you up all night?”
Jiang He scrutinized the pack of Seven-Degree space, feeling the material with her hands. After thinking for a while, she asked, “What is your identity in this world?”
“Identity? Hmm, I’m a fresh graduate who is about to become a social animal. Unfortunately, I’m still unemployed. To put it into a form you can understand, uhm, it’s like taking part in the imperial examination but not becoming an official, and instead, finding some other work to support the family.”
“Rich boy?”
“I can’t relate. I was born into poverty. However, there are many opportunities in this world so you don’t have to become an official when you study.”
Jiang He nodded as if she understood but still regarded him as a wealthy young lord in her mind.
“Do you know how I can go back?”
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“That’s a difficult question. We might get a clue if you remember how you came here in the first place.”
Xu Qing suddenly remembered the many fantasy movies he watched, Could it be struck by lightning?
“I don’t know,” Jiang He fell into a daze, “Yesterday, I was chasing a little thief. It was also raining heavily at that time. I got lost in the woods, running in random directions...and then I saw the tall buildings in this world.”
“...”
Forest?
“There are no woods around here…” Xu Qing scratched his chin, pondering about the matter.
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The two sat in silence for a while. He coughed lightly, “Um...stay here for a while first and we can figure things out slowly.”
Jiang He only nodded.
“By the way, I wanted to ask, what is your level of strength?” Xu Qing glanced at the sword leaning against the table. He wondered if there really existed magical inner strength a thousand years ago.
“Strength value?”
“How about martial arts?”
“I was relatively strong in the Yan Sect.”
“Oh? How strong is that? What kind of internal skills do you practice? Swordsmanship? Any footwork?”
Xu Qing got excited. While talking, he ran up to the window and pointed outside, “How far can you jump without getting hurt?”
“Probably…” Jiang He came up to the window and took a look. Stretching her fingers to a certain location, she pointed, “There.”
??
“That’s it?” Xu Qing wondered disappointedly.
Only the second floor? That was vastly different from what he imagined. Even parkour professionals could jump from the third floor!
Maybe she’s just being conservative.
He frowned, “I don’t believe it. It should be even higher.”
“Uhm...maybe over there?” Jiang He hesitated, raising her finger again.
Xu Qing looked in the direction she was pointing.
The fourth floor?
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