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墨書 Inktalez
Cultivating martial arts is fundamentally different from ordinary physical training or the discipline of police and military personnel. The latter focuses on strengthening the body, while the former emphasizes the cultivation of the spirit.
Martial arts, of course, do not allow one to fly or perform extraordinary feats as depicted in myths, but the perception of those who practice martial arts is indeed distinct from that of ordinary people.
Thus, Jufeng understood that this familiar sensation stemmed from martial arts, and its intensity could only indicate one thing: this practice was very similar to that in Yanhuang City, or perhaps their essence was the same.
It was a pure form of martial arts.
The strong allure compelled Jufeng to rise unconsciously and move toward the bustling crowd that had gathered nearby.
Ikeda Masahiro looked at Jufeng's actions with confusion, her gaze following him to the noisy throng.
Jufeng was not one to seek out crowds. As a member of a large group of curious female friends, Ikeda Masahiro would never unjustly accuse him of such behavior.
Given this, Jufeng's rising must signify something else entirely, and it had to be intriguing.
I can't miss this. Ikeda Masahiro thought to herself as she followed in Jufeng's footsteps.
Jufeng stood at an average height, so after glancing around and seeing nothing, he decided to move deeper into the crowd.
Ikeda Masahiro was also of average height for a girl, which naturally obstructed her view even more. With more and more people surging toward them from all directions, getting into the center felt like climbing mountains and crossing rivers—an arduous task.
As a girl without assistance, she feared she would never be able to appreciate the scenery inside.
Instinctively, she reached out to grasp the hem of Jufeng's clothing, hoping to follow him into the crowd.
However, just as Ikeda Masahiro was carefully protecting her body from unwanted contact while being cautious, she suddenly felt her palm firmly clasped by a large and warm hand.
The touch was not new; they had held hands countless times while pretending to be a couple in Hanzhong City. Yet those moments of deliberate intimacy had never felt like this—when their skin touched, a jolt of electricity surged through Ikeda Masahiro's heart.
Previously, she had only encountered the term "heart racing" in stories about youthful romance and could never quite imagine what it truly felt like. But just now, at that moment when electricity struck her heart, that deer truly burst into her chest.
Her breath quickened.
Her cheeks turned crimson.
She lifted her gaze to catch a glimpse of Jufeng's back, like a thief caught in the act, and quickly lowered her head again.
Lightly, she forgot the curiosity that had drawn her in, unaware of how her feet moved forward, following Jufeng.
When Jufeng felt someone grasping the hem of his clothing, he assumed it was Ikeda Masahiro, worried about being unable to squeeze through the crowd and afraid of getting lost in the throng. Without giving it much thought, he naturally took Ikeda Masahiro's hand, just as they had done during their days of pretending to be a couple.
That hand was soft and smooth, delicate and warm; however, Jufeng had held it many times before and had no further thoughts about it. Little did he know that the girl behind him had completely succumbed to the warmth of that handshake.
Sometimes, a fleeting moment can crystallize into feelings that one cannot let go of for a lifetime.
Jufeng shared Ikeda Masahiro's concerns. Although everyone here was from the lower class, there were still plenty of ruffians and scoundrels around. A beauty like Ikeda Masahiro would undoubtedly be the queen of such an occasion, and it was not uncommon for ill-intentioned individuals to act on their desires and reach out with inappropriate hands.
As Jufeng pushed through the crowd, his hand gently parted the throng, creating a path. No one disturbed him and Ikeda Masahiro as they moved smoothly through the crowd.
Finally reaching the front, they encountered the noisy scene. The clamor intensified, pulling Ikeda Masahiro back to reality.
Looking ahead, she saw a male and female vendor arguing with a male and female customer. Listening closely revealed that two young customers had eaten but had no money to pay. However, it wasn't an outright attempt to dine and dash.
The young woman had an ordinary appearance but possessed skin like that of a child; her features were quite youthful, adding an air of innocence. She looked at the furious vendor couple with indignation, hands on her hips—perhaps intending to bolster her own confidence—but it only appeared comical.
She confronted the vendor couple angrily: "How can you two be so unreasonable? Just because I don’t have money doesn’t mean I won’t pay! I’ll have my friend help you wash dishes until I can gather enough money to leave. Why won’t you agree?"
The young woman articulated her point with righteous fervor, her demeanor suggesting she was in the right.
The vendor couple across from her could hardly contain their rage upon hearing this. They had been running their stall for years and had never encountered anyone like these two young people who expected free food—what a decline in societal morals!
The woman glared fiercely, adopting a shrewish demeanor as she shouted: "You little brat! At such a young age, you’re already trying to get something for nothing! What nonsense is this? We run this stall ourselves; we don’t need you washing dishes for us! Isn’t this just blatant bullying? Come on everyone, look here! They’re bullying us vendors now—this is outrageous!"
With that, she plopped down onto the ground, unleashing a deafening wail that escalated the conflict to its peak.
The young man accompanying the young woman was named Niu. He had remained silent throughout, merely standing between the young woman and the couple, preventing them from clashing. A look of discomfort was etched on his face, likely stemming from his unease and embarrassment over the situation.
When the young woman saw the woman across from her hurling insults, she was ready to explode. She rolled up the sleeves of her short shirt and said to Niu, "Get out of my way, I’m going to hit someone."
Upon hearing this, Niu immediately grew anxious and quickly positioned himself firmly in front of her, pleading, "Meizi, you can't! If the masters find out, we’ll definitely be locked up. How can we fight with ordinary people? Just wait a moment, please, let me handle this."
Niu then turned around and opened his arms to block Meizi behind him. He addressed the couple, saying, "Please, I beg you to show mercy and give us a chance. I can wash your dishes for a month if needed. We only had a bowl of noodles; is it really worth getting this angry? We were just so hungry; otherwise, we wouldn’t have acted like this. Harmony is what matters most."
Niu’s troubled expression drew laughter from those around them. Hearing his words made people less sympathetic toward the couple; after all, a bowl of noodles only costs a few coins—was it really worth causing such a commotion?
Jufeng smiled at the pair, finding them quite amusing. He wondered where they had come from, as they seemed so out of place in this world.
(To be continued)
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