Chapter 138: A Female Bandit Has Arrived at Your Place

Combat skills are just like that. Many people believe that flashy, ornate techniques are the most powerful, especially in traditional martial arts, which boast a multitude of fancy moves.

However, just like boxing, the most useful punch in boxing is not a hook or an uppercut, but the jab. Why was Evander Holyfield able to beat Mike Tyson? Did he punch heavier than Tyson? Did he have better stamina than Tyson? Not at all! But his jab was far superior to Tyson's, and he ultimately defeated Tyson relying on that jab. A professional boxer spends more time practicing the jab every day than all other practices combined!

Why do MMA fighters practice Wing Chun or Wing Combat? Because short, fast straight punches are the most effective striking techniques in combat.

The simple "rear sweep kick" in Chuo Jiao is actually the most suitable move for actual combat, yet people who practice Chuo Jiao nowadays often consider this technique "too sissy" and lacking in exhibition value, failing to put effort into it.

How backwards that is!

The techniques Yang Meng is currently teaching Long Teng and Bai Ze are all the unflashy yet extremely practical moves across various martial arts, and their training focuses primarily on actual combat. In fact, it is not just Long Teng and Bai Ze following along; everyone here is currently training under Yang Meng's guidance.

However, this comes at a price—Di Wei and the medical department are extremely busy now, with people getting injured almost every day.

"What are you standing around for? Keep practicing!" Yang Meng lit a cigarette and said, acting completely serious: "Tell me, what on earth are you all looking for me for?"

Long Xixiang was just about to speak when she saw someone push the door open and rush in hurriedly: "Hey buddy, you've got to be kidding me, aren't you too much of a slacker? I've run myself thin! Anyway, the matter is settled!"

The newcomer was Qi Kun, waving a folder around in his hand.

He had been running around busily lately and had indeed lost weight. Running a restaurant was no easy task; aside from the industrial and commercial license, they needed to get a health permit from the health and epidemic prevention department, an environmental protection approval from the environmental protection bureau, fire safety approvals, and tax registration.

Qi Kun had felt that being cooped up in the shop all day dealing with decorations and such was too exhausting, so he had actively volunteered to Hu Erleng to handle all this paperwork himself, but he hadn't expected it to be even more tiring than staying at the shop.

Today, he had finally finished processing all the paperwork, so he came running back happily to claim credit.

Hu Erleng followed closely behind him and said, "Why the hell did you run so fast? Oh, why is it so lively in here? Mengmeng, the ground-floor storefront is basically done with decoration, when are we opening for business?"

"Open my foot!" Yang Meng said speechlessly. "You want to open right after finishing the decoration? Are you out of your minds wanting to make money? With all the formaldehyde pollution, we are not opening before the New Year!"

Hu Erleng and Qi Kun both froze in place: "Buddy, other shops all do it this way. Once the decoration is done, they open right away. That's when business is at its best."

Yang Meng snorted coldly, "I don't care what others do; we cannot make money with a clear conscience stained. What are we doing? The catering industry! A place where people eat inherently requires hygiene to be of the utmost importance. If you haven't handled the formaldehyde pollution properly, no matter how good the food hygiene is, it's being irresponsible to the customers! Go hire people right now to clean up the formaldehyde in the shop. We won't open before the New Year; we can just work hard after the New Year arrives! Don't worry about not having money to go home for the New Year, I'll cover the New Year goods for all your families. Alright, there should be applause here!"

However, no one at the scene applauded him. Instead, Long Xixiang nodded: "Well, regardless of how ugly the guy looks, this thing was handled rather nicely!"

The gym had no shortage of mirrors. Yang Meng tilted his head and glanced at one: "Am I ugly? Hmm, not ugly. Xixiang, you should go see an eye doctor!" Without waiting for Long Xixiang to reply, he turned directly to Hu Erleng and asked, "Is there any other work left unfinished?" At the same time, he winked at Hu Erleng.

Hu Erleng and Yang Meng had grown up together since childhood; how could he not understand what Yang Meng meant? He immediately caught on and said, "Of course there is! The reason I came looking for you this time is precisely for this! Didn't we agree that the storefront decoration style should be antique-imitating? We should go to the cultural market to buy some fake antiques or something to put in the shop. I came up here specifically to take you to the cultural market!"

Qi Kun paused for a moment and muttered, "Didn't we agree on hitting up the rich guy to treat us to a meal and fleece him?"

His voice was soft, and the others didn't hear it, but Yang Meng heard it crystal clear. He hurriedly slapped his forehead: "Right, right, right! Business comes first! Long Teng, Bai Ze, you two lead the others to practice on your own. We've got serious business to attend to!"

Without waiting for their reply, he grabbed Hu Erleng and Qi Kun and bolted.

"Xixiang! He ran away again! Let's chase after them!" Qiao Yu said anxiously.

Long Xixiang snorted coldly, "The monk may run away, but the temple can't run with him! Besides, we all know where they're going, why rush to chase them? I want to see what he's been busy doing with my brother all this time—not coming home for over a month and not even in a rush! Saying he's so kind-hearted just to teach my brother by staying here? Why on earth would I believe that!"

Quan Yajing also chimed in, "Right, right, right! Let's go check his room and see if there is any scandalous stuff hidden inside!"

The three women turned and headed straight for Yang Meng's room.

Long Teng hurriedly blocked Long Xixiang and the others: "Sister, you can't do this! This isn't proper! This is my master's room! How can you just walk in?"

"Why can't we? I just went in earlier!" Long Xixiang said.

Long Teng hastily said, "Wasn't my master inside just now? Now that my master has gone out, how can this be allowed?"

Long Xixiang smiled slightly and suddenly muttered under her breath, "Dingjiahe Community, Building 15, Unit C, Room 1603!"

Hearing this, Long Teng turned pale with fright and hurriedly covered Long Xixiang's mouth: "What are you talking about?!"

"Dad probably doesn't know yet, right?" Long Xixiang looked at Long Teng with a smile.

Long Teng took a deep breath and made a welcoming gesture: "Sister, don't mess around with the things inside. If my master finds out, he won't have a good impression of you. I don't know what business you have with him, but be careful not to let such trivial matters ruin whatever you're trying to accomplish."

"We understand this!" Long Xixiang waved her hand, "Alright, alright, we know what we're doing!" With a smug expression, she walked toward Yang Meng's room. Reaching the doorway, she stopped in her feet: "Brother, seeing as you've performed so well, I won't bring up the matter regarding Shiwan Villa today!"

Long Teng's mouth widened in an attempt to speak, but no words came out.

Bai Ze nudged him: "What's wrong? What's your situation? Got your little tail caught by someone?"

Long Teng said with grief and indignation, "You can guard against anything, but it's hard to guard against a thief in your own family. Who would have thought one's own sister would investigate me?"

Long Teng was no saint. As a wealthy young master, he had his wild, frivolous days when all sorts of women would throw themselves at him. Walking by the river often, how could one not get their shoes wet? After getting entangled with inescapable women and being blackmailed out of two apartments, he considered it shameful and had kept it strictly confidential. He had thought it was a tightly kept secret, only to find out his own sister knew about it!

Damn it, it really was as Bai Ze said—his little tail had been caught.

"Stop talking, stop talking! Let's follow them inside and take a look! Don't let them rummage through Master's things and make him angry!" Long Teng quickly called Bai Ze inside.

Once inside, the two men discovered that Long Xixiang and the others were gathered around Yang Meng's usual desk. Hearing Long Teng and Bai Ze enter, Long Xixiang turned her head and asked, "Brother, does Yang Meng just read books when he's here with you?"

Long Teng nodded and said, "Yeah. Aside from teaching us martial arts, he just stays in this room and doesn't go out. Every day he reads books and practices calligraphy. We buy books for him every day, and he's not picky; he reads anything."

"He reads all these books?" Long Xixiang asked curiously.

Long Teng nodded, "Yeah. We have to buy books for him every day. It's like he devours them."

Long Xixiang picked up a few books from the desk: "He reads these?"

No wonder she was surprised. Just look at these books: masterpieces like J.D. Salinger's *The Catcher in the Rye* and Junichi Watanabe's *Men* were one thing, but there were also books that gave ordinary people headaches just hearing their titles, such as *The Subjection of Women*, *Magna Carta*, *The Theory of Moral Sentiments*, *The Wealth of Nations*, and *Arkwright's Spinning Frame Patent Specification*.

As if that weren't enough, many of them were actually English editions.

Long Teng nodded and said, "Sister, don't say you don't believe it—even I don't! I thought my master was just messing around, only to find out that his English proficiency is higher than mine... though it's 'mute English', meaning he can only read it and not speak it. Plus, we've heard of people having a 'photographic memory'. I used to think that was just bragging, but after seeing my master, I realized such people actually exist! He remembers the content after reading it just once!"

Qiao Yu picked up a few other books from the side and asked, "Does he read these too?"

When Long Xixiang took a look, she was amused as well: *Comprehensive Utilization Technology of Crop Stalks*, *Professional Practical Teaching Guidebook for Agricultural Water Conservancy Engineering*, *Rural Solar Energy Development and Utilization Technology*, *Tractor Operation and Maintenance Technology*, *Postpartum Care of Sows*...

Long Teng explained, "My master reads all kinds of books; he's not picky. Leaving these aside, he's even read through university textbooks."

Quan Yajing, standing nearby, suddenly raised her voice: "Qiao Yu, come look at this quickly!"

Unsure why Quan Yajing was calling her, Qiao Yu and Long Xixiang walked over briskly. There was another square table on which lay a piece of finished calligraphy: "Big Brother Long Teng said just now that Yang Meng practices calligraphy here? Did he write this?"

Long Teng replied, "Yeah."

"This handwriting is wonderful!" Qiao Yu exclaimed. "Although I study Western painting systems and don't understand calligraphy, I can tell at a glance whether handwriting is good or not!"

Quan Yajing looked closely and said, "This handwriting is indeed exceptional. Although it's running script rather than regular script, you can instantly see the style of Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy. No, I have to take this piece of writing to show my teacher!" Without another word, she packed up the calligraphy piece directly, and Long Teng couldn't stop her no matter how hard he tried.

Seeing that he couldn't stop them, Long Teng let out a long sigh and said, "Master, hurry back! A couple of female bandits have broken into your place!"