Drinking Tea

Chapter 52

In the middle of the field, two individuals, a man, and a woman, engaged in an enthusiastic exchange of blows. The young figure wore a proud smile as he showcased his every move. The ordinary youth displayed a domineering style, continuously launching attacks while the other party remained on the defensive.

"How do you like my martial art? It's pretty impressive, isn't it?" Ray asked, haughtily raising his nose.

"Hmp! No matter how impressive your martial art may seem, it's still unrefined!" Hou Yunfei retorted with a scornful snort.

Following his taunt, Hou Yunfei intensified his attacks, raising the intensity by several levels. Instantly, the tide of the battle shifted. Ray, who had initially taken the lead, found himself suppressed, while Hou Yunfei, who had been on the defensive, now easily gained the upper hand.

The seamless transition of dominance was a testament to Hou Yunfei's high martial arts abilities. There was no forced takeover; Ray willingly yielded the lead, as if it had been his plan all along.

Despite the sudden pressure, Ray remained unfazed. He smirked and smiled back proudly. "Hahaha, don't underestimate me!"

True to his words, Ray's pride was justified. Even though the tide had turned, Ray's movements were just as subtle as Hou Yunfei's. The two of them engaged in a beautiful back-and-forth battle, their foreign styles of combat melding harmoniously.

Their fight resembled a scene from a television show as if they were following a script, but in reality, there was no cheating or pretense involved.

With each passing moment, Ray's smile grew wider, and he even seemed to puff out his chest with pride. Meanwhile, Hou Yunfei grew slightly annoyed at the sight.

Driven by her emotions, the girl clenched her fists tighter, and familiar punching motions filled the air in an instant.

Sensing the imminent danger, Ray quickly ducked.

Bang!

A dull impact reverberated.

Although the sound of the punch was strikingly realistic, it met nothing but space. The force behind the punch was so immense that it produced a resounding impact, even when striking an intangible obstacle.

Relieved that the blow had missed him, Ray opened his mouth and widened his eyes, still in a daze.

"Gulp... Do I get hit like that every day?" Ray asked, looking distressed.

Ray, with his gaze lowered, unconsciously caressed his head with great care, as if he feared the presence of ghosts.

After a moment of bewilderment, Ray finally regained his composure.

"Hey, hey, hey! Do you intend to hit me like that every time you swing your fist? Are you trying to kill me?" Ray shouted in utter dissatisfaction.

Hou Yunfei, upon hearing this, regained his senses. As he looked at his hand hanging in the air, he couldn't help but feel embarrassed. He was even perplexed about how to counter Ray's words. For some reason, every time he saw Ray's proud smile during their sparring sessions, he felt annoyed. Hou Yunfei's irritation was abstract and elusive, and he couldn't quite comprehend it. If he were to describe this feeling, it was as if Ray had stolen something from him and was flaunting it right in front of him.

If Ray were aware of the inner struggles Hou Yunfei faced, he would probably feel embarrassed. How could a girl possess such mystical and insightful abilities, akin to being a psychic? A woman's intuition was no longer just sharp; it had turned into something supernatural!

"Cough... I didn't mean to hurt you, I was just testing you... yeah, testing yourself!" Hou Yunfei replied with a hint of shyness.

Hearing this, Ray could only roll his eyes in disgust. "Hey, who are you trying to fool? How can someone as shameless and thick-skinned as you speak such nonsense without any shame!"

Upon hearing Ray's response, Hou Yunfei choked on his words. His expression turned ugly as if a durian seed was stuck in his throat. "I learned from you!" Hou Yunfei shouted, dropping the pretense.

Ray still wanted to continue sparring with Hou Yunfei. Besides enjoying his shameless nature, he also found pleasure in bantering with her. With a raised eyebrow, he asked rhetorically, brimming with arrogance, "So, how amazing are my martial arts?"

Hou Yunfei, extremely disgusted and annoyed by Ray's demeanor, could only restrain himself and give in. "Well, your self-created martial art is indeed impressive!" he answered honestly.

Upon hearing this, Ray nodded calmly, as if to say, "Well, of course it is. Finally, you recognize my prowess. Yeah, I know I'm cool."

After a slight nod, Ray began walking with arms spread wide, shoulders puffed up, and an exaggerated stride, proudly displaying his superiority as he passed by Hou Yunfei.

The onlookers who happened to witness Ray's appearance couldn't help but feel annoyed.

"Heheheh, don't I resemble Uncle Gregor?" Ray asked himself, seeking praise for his actions.

Hou Yunfei, helplessly shaking his head at the sight, couldn't deny that he was somewhat awed by Ray. After all, the martial arts Ray claimed to have created were surprisingly well-structured. The clear development and improvement in his skills proved that the shameless kid worked hard.

Although Ray's level of martial arts was far from reaching his own, Hou Yunfei still admired his persistence in pursuing his goals. Despite the brief moment of appreciation, he couldn't shake off his disgust when he recalled Ray's shameless behavior.

As he reminisced about Ray's shamelessness, an idea suddenly struck Hou Yunfei. Unable to contain herself, she playfully ran towards Ray.

"Heheheh, now that your exceptionally remarkable martial arts are complete, could you please return the martial arts book you borrowed?"

Upon hearing this, Ray gasped in shock, as if he had been struck by lightning. "Ah! No, who said my martial arts were extraordinary... who said that? I still have many gaps in my martial art, and there's still much for me to learn."

...

It was the afternoon in an oriental-style building, and a series of knocks could be heard.

"Knock! Knock! Knock!"

"Yes, come in..." the voice sounded monotonous.

After a while, a young girl entered the room with great grace and politeness, dressed in traditional South Asian attire.

"Grandfather, please try this delicious tea I brought for you!" the girl spoke in a coquettish manner.

Upon seeing the teenage girl, the grandfather, with his oriental features, smiled gently.

His warm smile contrasted with his previously burly and cold demeanor.

"Ahhh, indeed, our little cotton from the Hou family is the one who understands Grandpa the most! Where did you acquire this delightful beverage?" he inquired.

The muscular old man then picked up a small cup that seemed rather unfitting for his size and inspected it closely.

Afterward, he gracefully swirled the cup in his hand, bringing it close to his nose.

A satisfied and serene expression graced his face as he savored the tea's aroma. Without any hint of impatience, he began sipping the tea.

Only after seeing his grandfather take a sip did Hou Yunfei speak.

"This tea was brought to me in two containers by my friend, although the first one was poorly brewed and not worth mentioning!"

"Ah, your friend must be quite skilled. What is their name? Do I know them? If not, invite them to visit sometime," said the muscular old man, still kindly sipping his tea.

Hou Yunfei, upon hearing this, immediately remembered Ray's appearance and contemplated what would happen if that shameless man were to meet his grandfather.

Without receiving a response from the old man, Hou Yunfei's thoughtful expression caught his grandfather's attention.

"Is your friend a boy or a girl?" he asked.

Hou Yunfei, lost in thought, suddenly answered, "A boy."

Upon hearing this, the muscular old man's eyes narrowed. The once calm and peaceful aura slowly faded, replaced by something else.

"..."

"Was the martial arts book you borrowed from our family intended for him?" the old man questioned.

"Yes..." Hou Yunfei replied weakly.

At that moment, the old geezer stared at him with a peculiar aura. His eyes gleamed sharply, capable of striking fear with a single glance.

If Ray were present at that moment, he would not only be frightened and horrified but also moved in his heart. However, the book that Hou Yunfei had given him turned out to be the martial arts book of the Hou Yunfei family, which held great value regardless of the level of martial arts it contained.