006 Boat Fist Upgrade

Clattering in the kitchen for over an hour, Chen Jue cooked four dishes for himself: braised pork, a plate of boiled shrimp, a large bowl of clam soup, and a plate of stir-fried cabbage, all accompanied by white rice—a true feast! The dishes were well balanced between meat and vegetables, and the ingredients were fresh from the countryside. The seafood, caught just that morning, provided calcium and trace elements, making for a perfectly nutritious meal.

Most importantly, after a morning of brisk walking—nearly nine kilometers—Chen Jue’s body was utterly spent, and he polished off three bowls of rice alone. By the end, when he felt he could eat no more and his stomach was taut and full, he finally stopped, storing the remaining dishes in the refrigerator.

After a quick tidy-up of the dishes, he went up to the second floor, scrolled through some short videos, and soon drifted off to sleep.

…

When he awoke, it was already half past three in the afternoon, and Chen Jue felt thoroughly refreshed. Back when he worked in Hangzhou, he’d often yawn through lunch, nap at his desk, and wake up feeling achy all over. But ever since returning to this old countryside house, not only had his appetite improved, but even his sleep was restful; every time he woke, all fatigue had vanished.

After splashing his face with cold water, now fully awake, Chen Jue turned his attention to his attribute panel.

Player: Chen Jue
Age: 27
Strength: 0.85
Agility: 0.77
Intelligence: 1.22
Constitution: 1.17
Skills: [Boat Fist Lv0 (56/100)]
Available Attribute Points: 0

“My constitution actually increased by 0.01.”

“Seems that lunch was quite the supplement,” Chen Jue thought with satisfaction, knowing the numbers on the panel directly reflected his physical condition. Particularly with constitution—after the morning’s walk and some attribute boosts, it had already reached 1.16, and after a nap, it had grown just a bit more.

No doubt, his body was still burning calories from the morning’s exertions, and with such a balanced, fresh meal—so unlike the junk takeout he’d eaten while working—his constitution had increased further.

“Time for some practice!”

“Since there’s nothing else this afternoon, I’ll keep training and boost my stats!”

Chen Jue was starting to enjoy the feeling of steadily improving his attributes. He plugged in his laptop, pulled up the Boat Fist instructional videos he’d downloaded last night, and began practicing the forms behind closed doors on the first floor.

Outside, the sun blazed and the stainless steel gate was hot to the touch. Inside, however, the sound of fists cutting through the air filled the room, and Chen Jue didn’t mind the heat as he practiced.

After a while, though, he found the laptop screen too small for effective observation. On a whim, he went online and ordered a 70-inch television. A Hisense model, going for just under 3,500 yuan during a promotion, 4K high definition—a far better deal than those projectors that could cost tens of thousands. It would be delivered and installed to his door, and customer service said the fastest delivery would be the next day.

With online shopping now so convenient, even large appliances could be delivered to rural areas. Smaller items, though, would have to be picked up at the village shop.

Browsing Taobao, he realized there was much he needed to buy. In addition to the television, he ordered a set of gym equipment: a pair of dumbbells with a 20kg limit, a pull-up bar, a sit-up bench, a jump rope, weighted sandbags, and, for leisure, a beginner’s fishing rod to try his luck at the reservoir in the mountains.

He also bought some supplements, martial arts uniforms, and clothes for spring and autumn. The trip home had been rushed, and Chen Jue had brought almost nothing from Hangzhou, leaving his belongings with a college buddy.

Thinking he’d likely be staying here for some time, he messaged his friend, asking him to pack and mail his things. Shipping the larger items wasn’t cheap—even though it was within the province, it still cost over a thousand yuan. And since his stuff had taken up space at his friend’s place for so long, Chen Jue sent Jiang Fan a 200-yuan cash gift: “Brother! Here’s a little something for a midnight snack, don’t be shy!”

Jiang Fan replied, “Who’s being shy? By the way, Old Chen, you’re really not coming back to Hangzhou? Without you, no one’s organizing late-night outings anymore (lonely).”

Chen Jue answered, “No plans to go back for now, I’ll rest and recover for a while (cool).”

Jiang Fan: “Man, I envy you single guys! You can just leave whenever you want. Meanwhile, I’m stuck here earning money for baby formula and paying off the mortgage (crying).”

Seeing his friend’s complaints on WeChat, Chen Jue chatted with him for a bit and sent a few photos of the scenery around the reservoir from the night before.

Jiang Fan: “Damn! What a place! I never knew your hometown was so beautiful. When I get some time off, I’ll bring my wife for a visit (wide-eyed).”

Chen Jue replied, “Boss Jiang, you’re most welcome to come and inspect the countryside! As long as you cover all the expenses (grinning).”

Jiang Fan: “…”

After a few more jokes, they each went about their own business. As for Jiang Fan’s talk of visiting, Chen Jue didn’t take it too seriously. Surviving in Hangzhou took relentless effort; even after buying a house, one had to keep hustling for the mortgage. Jiang Fan didn’t come from money, and now he had a wife and child in Hangzhou, living a life filled with mundane worries. The dreams of poetry and distant lands they had in college were long forgotten. Even if Jiang Fan wanted to visit, his wife probably wouldn’t agree.

After all, although Chen Village was scenic, it wasn’t a particularly famous spot—such landscapes could be found anywhere, so there was no real need to travel five or six hundred kilometers just for that.

…

Setting his phone aside, Chen Jue resumed his martial arts practice. He kept going until he’d gained 0.02 attribute points, and the Boat Fist skill rose by 23 points to (79/100) before he finally stopped, panting and resting. By then, he was drenched in sweat, heat radiating off him as if he’d climbed hundreds of flights of stairs.

Glancing at the time—already half past five—Chen Jue went to the kitchen, plugged in the rice cooker, and took a hot shower, changing into clean clothes. After reheating lunch’s leftovers and cleaning up, dusk had already settled outside.

By seven, Chen Jue strolled leisurely up the mountain, returning once more to the dam at Chen Village Reservoir. It was late summer, and the cool breeze by the water was invigorating. On the way, he greeted several villagers out for a walk. When they realized Chen Jue was a fellow villager who’d been away for years, they all looked at him with sudden recognition.

As for the old master Huang, who had taught him Boat Fist the previous night, Chen Jue didn’t see him this evening. Looking across the reservoir at the sparsely lit Huang Family Village, Chen Jue felt a bit listless and began practicing Boat Fist on the dam.

The surroundings were tranquil, the dam cooled by a gentle breeze, and the view stretched far into the distance, leaving him feeling refreshed and at peace. Practicing here was far more comfortable than training alone at home.

The more he practiced, the more invigorated he became. Without realizing it, his Boat Fist skill had jumped from (79/100) past the hundred mark.

Boat Fist Lv0 upgraded to Lv1!