I Can Replicate Martial Arts-Chapter 111 - 68: Not Sleeping in the Middle of the Night (Part 2)
Zhao Rui casually changed the subject, bringing up today’s "guest of honor."
His future brother-in-law.
He was only here today because of him, tagging along as a relative to get a free meal.
"He works at the provincial Patrol Office. It wasn’t about her having high standards, it was just about not having met the right person..."
When it came to his future son-in-law, Zhao Jinguo was very much in approval.
He had an official position with the Court, was a Professional Martial Artist, and worked in a key provincial department. If he showed a little more promise in the future and was assigned to a local post, he’d be in the top spot at a Patrol Office.
A total blue-chip prospect.
Plus, his family background wasn’t bad either; both his parents worked in key government departments.
After hearing his uncle’s brief introduction, Zhao Rui also felt he sounded like a great guy.
’One family in business, the other serving the Court—a classic combination!’
The two chatted for a bit before his aunt came out of the kitchen. Upon seeing Zhao Rui, she couldn’t help but exchange another round of pleasantries.
As the sundial’s shadow vanished and the sun god hid his chariot, and as a tide of stars washed over the night sky, his beautiful cousin finally arrived, fashionably late with her future husband in tow.
"Uncle, Aunt, I’m so sorry. Something came up at work, so we’re late."
The new brother-in-law was handsome and carried himself with a straight back. One look was all it took to tell he was a trained special operative.
"Don’t worry about it, it’s just a family dinner. Come, come, have some tea to warm up..."
"This is Wenwen’s cousin, Zhao Rui."
After everyone was seated, Zhao Jinguo introduced him to Zhao Rui, whom he had never met.
"Brother Zheng, good to meet you!"
"Hello, Rui."
The two exchanged greetings, and with that, they were acquainted.
After a bit of small talk, the family headed to the massive dining room next door and began their sumptuous family feast.
This family feast was countless times better than the meal Zhao Rui had once treated someone to at a five-star hotel.
You could say that this was the first time in this life that Zhao Rui had eaten such a high-class meal. The table was laden with huge portions of seafood, and the beef was all imported.
Even many of the fruits and vegetables had been flown in.
The cost was astronomical.
But for his younger cousin, Zhao Junzhe, a meal like this held no appeal whatsoever.
He had a few bites, declared he was full, and ran off to the side to play games on his phone.
In contrast, it was the other cousin, Zhao Rui, who properly fulfilled the duties of a "little brother-in-law," patiently chatting with the new brother-in-law the entire time to ease any awkwardness.
During the meal, upon hearing that Zhao Rui had "once" been a Martial Arts Student, his brother-in-law Zheng Huai Peak’s interest was suddenly piqued, and he started chatting with him about matters of the Martial Dao.
With a topic in common, the two of them naturally hit it off, making the atmosphere of the banquet all the more harmonious.
Watching this scene, Zhao Jinguo felt a sense of relief in his heart. ’This nephew of mine has matured a lot.’
’I should have him over for family gatherings more often in the future.’
"It’s a bit of a shame. Why didn’t you continue your training?"
In the course of their conversation, Zheng Huai Peak, just like Zhao Jinguo, felt it was a pity that Zhao Rui hadn’t continued down the path of the Martial Dao.
"Actually, I haven’t given up on the Martial Dao. I’ve already joined the Dongqi University Martial Arts Team. I’m still working hard."
Zhao Rui explained with a smile.
"The Dongqi University Martial Arts Team?"
Zheng Huai Peak was taken aback for a moment, then said joyfully, "That’s great news! I didn’t expect you to be so strong. To get into the Martial Arts Team, you have to be at least Level 6."
Hearing Zheng Huai Peak’s words, Zhao Jinguo’s eyes also lit up. He looked at Zhao Rui with a new sense of pleasant surprise. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
"Ruirui, you should come over to your uncle’s house more often when you have time. Teach your cousin a thing or two. He’s been stuck at Level 3 for way too long, not making any progress at all."
Zhao Jinguo glanced at his son, who was preoccupied with his phone, and couldn’t help but sigh.
"Junzhe is only in his third year of junior high and he’s already Level 3. That’s really impressive, much stronger than I was. He doesn’t have the pressure of promotion tests right now, so he’s probably just relaxing a bit. Uncle, you don’t need to be so anxious."
Zhao Rui said reassuringly with a smile.
"Exactly! My cousin’s right. It’s not like I’m in danger of failing the high school entrance exam, you know."
Zhao Junzhe, who was playing on his phone off to the side, had his ears pricked up the whole time. Hearing his cousin’s words, he immediately chimed in.
"So you can hear just fine when someone’s praising you! Get over here and toast your two older brothers."
Zhao Jinguo chided.
"I know!"
Zhao Junzhe lazily put down his phone, stood up, picked up his drink, and clinked glasses with Zhao Rui and Zheng Huai Peak.
"Go on, go play! You never eat properly."
After they finished their toast, Zhao Jinguo scolded his son with a tone that was feigned anger but real affection.
"First you tell me not to play, now you’re telling me to go play!"
Zhao Junzhe grumbled in dissatisfaction.
For a moment, everyone laughed together.
...
After dinner, they chatted for a while longer. As it was getting late, the party broke up. Zhao Rui had planned to head back to the university on his own, but Zheng Huai Peak stopped him and gave him a ride.
Once they reached the university entrance, Zhao Rui got out of the car, waved goodbye to Zheng Huai Peak, and started walking toward his own residential complex.
The cold dome of the sky hung overhead like an inverted bowl, its inky blackness staining the frosty heavens. A biting wind howled, and the land was vast and desolate.
Zhao Rui ambled forward at a leisurely pace.
The place he lived was near the university, and his path took him right past its perimeter fence.
As he was walking, a complex zither melody suddenly drifted from the woods on the campus next to him. The sound trembled softly, like Qu Yuan wading into the river, the bent strings concealing the sorrow of his lament for Ying.
Then, it suddenly changed, sounding like a Wu hook being drawn from its sheath, hinting at a righteous warrior striking a zhu, filled with the stern killing intent of clashing halberds and iron-clad cavalry.
Zhao Rui didn’t understand music, but he found the sound of the zither exceptionally beautiful. Accompanied by the rustling wind, it was like a murmuring spring, fading in and out of hearing.
Still slightly tipsy from the dinner, he was in high spirits and followed the sound, gradually approaching the campus wall.
In his past life, there was a classic wuxia film called Six-Fingered Zither Demon. The Sound Wave battles within it were absolutely spectacular, making the young Zhao Rui, who was just a child at the time, itch with envy.
He became determined to learn an instrument.
A flute, a zither, it didn’t matter—as long as it was something he’d seen on TV that looked cool enough.
But unfortunately, he was completely focused on table tennis and also lacked any talent in this area. He put it off until he was an adult, yet he still couldn’t even play a simple flute.
Now, suddenly hearing such a marvelous melody, his mind was instantly filled with endless fantasies about Sound Wave battles.
In The Eagle Shooter, the Five Greats dueled with zither and flute on Peach Blossom Island, for a time creating a Jade Sea Tide and causing furious waves to churn.
In Immortal Crane Divine Needle, the heroes played zither and flute in unison in the wilderness to fight back against Cao Xiong’s sky-covering giant bell. For a moment, Powerful Qi ran rampant and the melodies descended into chaos, causing the very heavens and earth to change color and all living things to cry out in sorrow.
In his previous life, these things might have been mere fantasy, but now, the Martial Dao flourished.
The Sound Wave Skill was no fiction.
Just as he was lost in his wild imaginings and drawing closer to the fence, a burst of Powerful Qi, carried by the zither’s notes, abruptly struck the ground in front of him.
It carved a shallow mark into the earth.
Zhao Rui froze. ’Speak of the devil,’ he thought. ’It really is a Sound Wave Skill.’
"I mean no offense! I just heard the beautiful zither music and got a little lost in it without realizing. My apologies."
Zhao Rui hurriedly apologized.
"Why is it you again!"
A familiar girl’s voice, alluring yet tinged with a cold distance, drifted faintly from the woods.
"Great Benefactor Miao?"
Zhao Rui’s bright eyes widened, and he cried out in pleasant surprise.
"What benefactor?"
The words had barely left her mouth when Miao Miaomiao appeared in his line of sight, balancing precariously on a tree branch.
"You misheard me. I said Great Immortal Miao, praising you for being as graceful as a lotus and possessing outstanding natural talent."
Zhao Rui hurriedly spouted nonsense.
"It’s the middle of the night. What are you doing wandering around?"
Miao Miaomiao had no interest in his shameless banter. Her willow-like brows furrowed as she spoke with impatience.
’She’s good at turning the tables!’
"It’s the middle of the night, and you’re not sleeping either, are you?"
Zhao Rui retorted, unconcerned.
He thought this remark would make Miao Miaomiao angry, but instead, she just let out a soft sigh and said in a desolate tone, "I can’t sleep!"
’Huh, that’s a good reason!’
"You wouldn’t mind if I came up, would you? It’s tiring talking with my head tilted up like this!"
Zhao Rui said, pointing at the treetop swaying precariously under her feet.
Miao Miaomiao was taken aback, then chuckled lightly. "If you’re not afraid, then by all means, come on up."
Afraid?
He might have been afraid before, but now, Zhao Rui wasn’t the least bit scared. In fact, he was more worried that *she* would be the one getting a scare.
With a single stomp of his foot, his body shot into the air. He pushed off the compound wall twice with his feet and landed on a branch not far from Miao Miaomiao’s side.
"There are so many branches, did you have to pick mine!"
Seeing the branch beneath her feet swaying even more violently, Miao Miaomiao couldn’t help but roll her eyes in annoyance, a coquettish and enchanting look that instantly captivated Zhao Rui.
If this had happened before, he definitely would have had to hold his breath and circulate his energy to resist, maybe even retreat a good distance. But the current him, whose Six Trigrams Enchanting Immortal Technique was even more formidable than Miao Miaomiao’s Charm Immortal Technique, was naturally fearless.
He calmly took in her unfolding charm, getting a full view of the little cat’s alluring demeanor.
