Chapter 13 Flame_1

"You exercise so hard every day, I can help. I'm pretty good at cooking. Plus, I can give you a massage after you're done exercising every day, so you won't be too tired."

Zhang Yuan said all that she could do all at once, then nervously looked at Li Ming, who was in front of her.

Cooking, massage...

Li Ming, sitting across from her, was moved. He stared at Zhang Yuan's slender figure, her smooth and tender legs and protruding, soft places...

"It's not out of the question, but I also need breakfast in the morning. Do you think you could get up early and cook it for me?"

Li Ming blurted out without thinking, looking at Zhang Yuan. For some reason, he felt a little feverish.

He quickly took a couple of deep breaths to adjust his frame of mind.

"I will. From now on, I'll get up early every day to make you breakfast!"

Upon hearing Li Ming's words, Zhang Yuan was taken aback. Quickly, a smile bloomed on her face. She immediately stood up and asked, "What shall we have for lunch? Tell me, and I'll prepare it."

"Let's have stir-fried shredded potato with meat for lunch. With each meal, I eat two potatoes, which leaves a little bit left."

Li Ming got up and led Zhang Yuan to where he kept his potatoes. There were seven left, he informed her.

"Then let's fry three this time. One potato for the two of us should be enough."

Zhang Yuan followed him, picking up three potatoes off the floor and announcing her plan.

"I've divided the meat into eleven small pieces. You take a piece and a half to cook."

Li Ming didn't say anything, just opened the fridge and gestured at the meat.

"Okay, I'll go rinse the rice first."

Zhang Yuan quickly nodded, then clapped her hands. She was busy hither and thither, like a young housewife. Seeing this, a smile appeared on Li Ming's face. He then grabbed a change of clothes and went to the bathroom to take a bath.

Good, someone was doing the chores, which meant he had more time to rest.

He had been training all morning and was drenched in sweat. It was the perfect time for a bath.

The bath was especially soothing. Afterward, Li Ming emerged, refreshed and invigorated. He changed into clean clothes, threw his dirty clothes into the washing machine, and noticed the rice already bubbling in the pot. He walked into the kitchen and saw Zhang Yuan, barefoot, preparing to cook.

"Nearly ready. Have you finished bathing?"

Seeing Li Ming emerge, Zhang Yuan quickly looked back and said.

"Hm, just got out. Go easy on the spice."

Li Ming nodded, then chatted for a bit before returning to his room to rest, leaving her to cook.

For some reason, his heart beat a little faster.

Soon, the rice was done, and Zhang Yuan hurriedly brought over the food.

"You start eating, I'll... I'm going to hang your clothes out to dry."

Zhang Yuan placed the stir-fried shredded potato and meat in front of Li Ming then left to tidy up his clothes in the bathroom.

Li Ming raised an eyebrow but, not being overly polite, he served himself some food and began to eat.

When he finished eating, Zhang Yuan had just finished hanging up the clothes, and there was still a bit of food left in the dish.

"You guys might as well finish this."

Seeing Zhang Yuan look over, Li Ming chuckled and picked up his glass for a sip of tea.

He had already eaten his fill. Seeing how busy Zhang Yuan had been, he was indifferent to the leftovers.

"Ah, okay. You wait a moment, let me give my husband his food, then I'll come and massage you."

Zhang Yuan was taken aback, then quickly nodded. She picked up the leftovers and scooped another bowl of rice before hurrying off to her own room.

Massage?

Li Ming's eyes flickered. Silently, he lay down in his bed. After a while, footstep sounds drew nearer, and Zhang Yuan reappeared in his room.

Seeing that Li Ming was already lying down, Zhang Yuan didn't say anything. She walked over quickly and began to massage his leg.

"Is this pressure okay?"

Zhang Yuan asked, using the same strength as last time.

"Yes, it's just right."

Li Ming responded, his eyes lost in the ceiling as he gave himself over to Zhang Yuan's firm kneading. He involuntarily squinted his eyes, immersing himself in the sensation.

Zhang Yuan saw that he seemed to be resting, so she didn't interrupt, just kept focusing on her task.

His gaze had only drifted for a moment before Zhang Yuan had finished massaging one leg. Li Ming felt his left leg being continuously kneaded and glanced over. His gaze landed upon Zhang Yuan's straight legs standing by the bed.

His gaze became fixated, his heart pounded.

In his line of sight, a flash of white skin extended from her shorts. Beneath it were her perfectly straight legs, not an ounce of flab in sight...

The close proximity of her legs exuded an intense temptation. Li Ming's left hand trembled slightly as he reached out...

"Turn over, let me massage your back."

Zhang Yuan's voice makes Li Ming stop his movements. He lies down promptly, feeling her hands on his back, moving and gliding silently.

With his eyes closed, his mind is filled with images of her long legs and the view from her short shorts...

He feels a lightness in his arm in his daze, and then the sound of soft footsteps leaving. Opening his eyes, he sees Zhang Yuan quietly leaving the room, gently closing the door as she goes.

Does she think I was asleep?

A thought flashes through his mind, and Li Ming silently closes his eyes and falls asleep.

Half an hour later...

"Hoo."

Li Ming sits up from his bed, feeling refreshed, but somewhat annoyed as he recalls the scene before falling asleep.

"She was so close, and yet I didn't touch her. How stupid!"

Li Ming silently curses himself, and then gets up angrily, picking up his spear to practice in the living room.

[Spear Thrusting Proficiency +1]

[Spear Blocking Proficiency +1]

[Spear Holding Proficiency +1]

Block, hold, thrust!

He simultaneously practices these three techniques in the living room, turning his anger into energy, and venting his restored strength and sweat.

His proficiency in spear blocking, holding, and thrusting is increasing with each practice.

He practices for half an hour straight before taking a rest, panting and drinking water. After resting for another half an hour on a lounge chair, he picks up his spear and resumes training.

Like this, it's suddenly mid-afternoon.

"Creak."

The door to Peng Zhi's house opens, and Zhang Yuan's elegant figure emerges. Li Ming, drenched in sweat, turns to look at her. Zhang Yuan waves at him: "Your bed sheets seemed a bit dirty earlier, let me wash them for you."

Without waiting for Li Ming's invitation, she enters his room, shakes out the bed sheets and pillowcases, and takes them to the bathroom for a wash.

Li Ming raises an eyebrow, knowing that she wants to eat his food and is trying to please him, but he doesn't say anything and continues his spear training in the living room.

Before long, the washing machine begins to whir. It seems Zhang Yuan is waiting by the machine, not leaving. After another half an hour of spear practice, Li Ming sits down to rest and sees her drying the freshly washed bed sheets and pillowcases on the balcony.

"I'll come to cook dinner when it's time."

Zhang Yuan sees Li Ming covered in sweat and waves at him. She doesn't dare disturb him as he continues his training and walks back to her room.

Li Ming's heart races at the sight of her leaving.

A moment later, he curses under his breath, takes a gulp of water, and continues his rest.

He resumes his training as soon as his strength is restored.

...

The afternoon passes quickly as he trains. He stops to drink some saline solution, getting ready to rest, just as Zhang Yuan comes out of her room. Li Ming gives a light laugh, signaling her that it's time to cook dinner.

Zhang Yuan quickly makes up the bed with the now dry sheets and takes in the clothes drying, and then asks him what he wants to eat for dinner.

"Make a tomato and egg soup, and we can eat it with rice."

Li Ming smilingly instructs her, watching her pull out four tomatoes and two eggs, and then goes back to his spear practice.

Before practicing, he can't help taking a look at his progress panel:

[Spear Techniques - Block (Proficient 45%), Hold (Proficient 45%), Thrust (Proficient 93%)]

"Once I've mastered thrusting, I'll call it a day."

A thought flashes through his mind, and Li Ming begins practicing his thrusts with renewed energy. Shortly, as Zhang Yuan starts steaming the rice, his skill level goes up again.

Thrust (Expert 0%)

Expert level!

Various spear thrusting techniques flood into Li Ming's mind, and he thrusts his spear forward with force.

"Swoosh..."

The sound of the spear moving air comes, taking less than a second from standing still to full thrust!

[Spear Thrusting Proficiency +1]

"The speed of expert level spear techniques is faster and the movements more flexible."

With this realization, Li Ming is truly exhausted. Seeing Zhang Yuan enter the kitchen to start cooking, he tidies up and goes to take a shower.