I stuck my hand in front him. The boy paused. He hesitated for a moment before holding my hand. He coughed twice and said: “You have to call me Shifu4. I’m now a generation higher than you. You need to respect me.”
“Yes, da gege.”
“It’s shifu.”
“I know, da gege.”
My forehead was in pain. He flicked my forehead. I touched my forehead, feeling a bit wronged, I said: “Shifu…”
He nodded in satisfaction. He looks like he’s in a really good mood…
I haven’t seen my parents since the time I left home with shifu. Shifu said my parents entrusted me to him and that I only need to listen to him.
I scratched my head. I didn’t understand the meaning behind those words. But shifu doesn’t look like a bad guy. I’ll be obedient.
Only after arriving at shifu’s house did I know that his name is Chu Kong. He’s eight years old and the shaozhu of Shengling sect. All the people from the sect is full of praises about him. Wherever I went to, I’ll hear that he’s a genius, a prodigy. The praises went on and on.
But shifu didn’t take those titles to heart. He’s obviously only three years older than me, but he always pretended to be an adult.
He likes to order me around. Always making me do all sorts of things like making his bed. Even on a cold day, I still have to fan at his bedside.
At the beginning I didn’t think that there was something wrong. After all, the food shifu gave me is quite good. Every one of them has many meat.
But after a long time I began to think it’s very strange. Finally, one day, I realized the reason while hearing the sect people talk.
“Shifu, I should not call you shifu.”
At the time Chu Kong was reading a book on the couch.
He lightly swept his eyes over me.
“What objection do you have, ah? No need to mention it. I don’t accept it.”
“But…”
I was very frustrated.
“They said I’m your little wife, whom shifu is raising.”
Shifu’s body went stiff. He was silent for a moment, turned a page and asked without much feeling: “Who said that?”
“They.”
“Next time, if someone said these gossips, just kick him directly in his crotch.”
“Alright, “I answered and continued to fan him.
Later, some people really talked about these “gossip” in front of me. I did exactly as shifu told me and bravely kicked his crotch. But my kick was only halfway, when he grabbed me. The martial arts of the people in Shengling sect are not bad. That day I suffered a hard beating.
I cried out loudly, making shifu who was reading in his room, come out. The moment he appeared before me frowning, all my grievances instantly broke out. I run to him and hugged his waist, making his clothes full of tears and snot.
Shifu’s body went a slightly stiff. He asked in a cold voice: “What is this about?”
I whimpered and vaguely told him what has happened. But it seems like shifu haven’t heard a word I said. He knelt down. I took advantage, hugged his neck and put my face on his shoulder. I grumbled, told him the whole story and finally I only kept repeating “my butt hurts, my butt hurts.”
Shifu seemed very unhappy. He put his hand on my back and lifted me. My legs naturally hold his waist. My whole body was attached to him. I was still crying. Shifu isn’t very tall, but he still could hold me steadily. I heard him asking sternly: “Did you beat her?”
The man who beat my ass muttered for a long time before an “en” sound came out.
“Why?”
He muttered again for a long time: “She wants to kick my…”
Shifu nodded. He seemed to understand everything at that moment. He took two steps forward and said: “Open your legs.”
I heard a pumping sound. I didn’t understand why, so I temporarily stopped crying. I rubbed my face against shifu and changed my position to look at the man who’ve beat me. The man’s face was green for a moment. He was in a squatting position. The man saw shifu’s flying kick. He shook, but still firmly stood there and did not move.
Shifu said: “This time is only a light punishment. Next time, if I hear that you’re talking about things you shouldn’t talk about, behind my back…”
Shifu stamped on the floor. The white jade brick broke apart with a “balabala” sound.
“Your crotch will be like this brick.”
Shifu turned around and walked away handsomely, while holding me.
But after two steps, he paused. His faint words were: “And do not bully something you shouldn’t bully.”
I didn’t understand his words, but after that day the way the people of Shengling sect treated me changed dramatically. While eating my bowl also has more meat. And also after that day, I got a few new requirements from shifu.
He hold my face and said: “Why do you look more stupid in this lifetime…”
I was gnawing on a chicken foot. With a mouth of oil, I dazedly looked at him.
Shifu frowned disgustedly. He lets go of my face. While wiping his hands, he said: “Well, you’re still young. However, someone that I, celestial star Chu Kong considers an enemy, shouldn’t be too weak. Even being bullied by a passerby…you’re degrading me, the celestial star.”
“Shifu, can you speak words that I understand?”
I tried to discuss with him, but shifu didn’t seem to hear a thing. He looked at me for a moment. Suddenly he said: “En, I’ve decided. You’ll start learning martial arts today. Celestial star, I, will personally teach you.”
“What’s learning martial arts?”
“It’s a magic skill for when in the future, if you want to kick someone’s crotch, you won’t be picked up and be beaten again.”
I thought for a moment and decided that this thing is really important. I obediently nodded.