The Way of Restraint

Tang Yunqian studied Su Jie for a long moment before speaking: “Life sciences and architectural design don’t seem like a natural pairing.”

“Why not? People are constantly connected to their environment; life and the built world around us are inseparable,” Su Jie replied.

“Have you practiced martial arts?” Tang Yunqian suddenly asked, seemingly out of the blue.

“Of course.” Su Jie nodded. “I can tell you’ve practiced too.”

“It’s dangerous for girls these days; you could get hurt just for rejecting someone’s romantic advances. How could I get by without learning some martial arts?” Tang Yunqian seemed to have taken an interest in Su Jie. “I saw you lift that guy up with just one hand earlier. He must weigh at least 75 or 80 kilograms, yet you hoisted him effortlessly…without even waking him up. That kind of strength and stability isn’t something an ordinary person possesses.”

“You’re quite observant,” Su Jie said with a smile. “I just happen to be a bit stronger than the average person.”

“That can’t be explained by raw strength alone. Your footwork is steady yet light…more graceful than handling a feather. That’s the ‘Plum Blossom Stake’ technique from traditional martial arts: moving, dodging, and leaping across high stakes while carrying two buckets full of water without spilling a single drop. That’s the mark of true mastery, and it’s a technique heavily emphasized in Shaolin Kung Fu. You must practice Shaolin Kung Fu, right?” Tang Yunqian seemed deeply interested in the subject. 

“Xinyi Ba” is a supreme martial art technique realized by Shaolin monks while farming. It originated from the “hoeing” movement, later evolving into techniques like “turning the well-windlass,” “pushing the millstone,” “lifting water buckets,” “weeding,” and “snapping tree branches.” 

Although these movements stem from agricultural labor, they integrate breath, spirit, intent, bones, flesh, sinews, and skin into a unified, primordial whole. When executed, the strikes are as swift as lightning and as loud as thunder; the momentum is that of a Vajra, and the aura is that of an Arhat glaring in wrath.

It is fair to classify it as Shaolin kung fu.

“It seems I guessed correctly,” Tang Yunqian said unhurriedly, observing Su Jie’s expression.

“So, is the martial art you practice modern combat or traditional martial arts?” Su Jie asked, interested in chatting with her. “Which do you think is more effective in a fight?”

“Traditional martial arts are more effective, of course,” Tang Yunqian replied…an answer that surprised Su Jie.

“What makes you say that?” Su Jie asked.

“Ring fighting is completely different from a real-world brawl; only those who have experienced both truly understand the distinction,” Tang Yunqian said. “However, I’m not particularly interested in fighting and brawling myself. There is a vice-president in our Student Council who is excellent at martial arts, though; I could introduce you to him.”

“You’re talking about Qin Hui, aren’t you?” Su Jie said.

“You know Qin Hui?” Tang Yunqian looked surprised.

Qin Hui’s martial arts skills were exceptional; had he not run into a freak of nature like Su Jie, he could have placed well even in national team competitions. That was secondary, however; his true prowess lay in real-world combat…otherwise, he wouldn’t have been arrogant enough to apply for the position of Larry’s personal bodyguard.

Qin Hui was skilled enough to serve as a special agent. When it came to lethal combat, even national-level martial artists would fall victim to him.

“We get along reasonably well.” Su Jie wasn’t lying; he had already “subdued” Qin Hui. “Anyway, speaking of the Student Council, I could actually recommend my three roommates to join.”

The Student Council at Q University was different from those at other schools; joining it not only allowed one to build a valuable network of contacts but sometimes even offered the chance to catch the eye of political heavyweights, securing significant resources for a future career in the civil service.

Many major figures in the political arena were Q University alumni.

Su Jie had too much on his plate to join himself, but Lin Tang and the others could certainly do so.

“You’re an interesting character…refusing to join the Student Council yourself, yet recommending your roommates. Do you think Q University’s Student Council is something anyone can just walk into whenever they please?” Tang Yunqian chuckled.

“My three roommates are talented individuals. Aren’t you looking for assistants? They’re fully capable of the job,” Su Jie said. “Of course, I’m just making a suggestion; the final decision is yours.”

With that, Su Jie took a pen and paper from his backpack, downloaded some materials on his laptop, and began his academic research.

Watching Su Jie rapidly typing and searching, Tang Yunqian was about to attend to her own tasks when her gaze suddenly fell upon his laptop.

“What brand is that laptop?” With her discerning eye, she could tell the device was no ordinary machine; it featured a streamlined design and a metallic casing with a sci-fi aesthetic. It operated in total silence, and judging by the speed of Su Jie’s typing and mouse clicks, the system’s processing speed was astonishingly fast.

Even the most high-end models on the market couldn’t match that kind of speed. As a designer, she had high standards for laptops.

“It’s not available on the market; it’s a specialized product for research purposes. The internal hardware is custom-designed, making mass production difficult…and money alone can’t buy a custom order like this. If you like how it performs, I can get one for you,” Su Jie said.

“Can I test its performance?” Tang Yunqian made a request that wasn’t exactly standard practice. “Of course, if there are secrets on the laptop, never mind…you know how guys are; there’s always some ‘adult-only’ content on their computers.” As she spoke, a knowing look crossed her face.

Su Jie found Tang Yunqian rather amusing; he slid the laptop across the table and turned it toward her so she could test its capabilities.

This laptop was one of the crowning achievements of Larry’s R&D department…arguably a decade ahead of anything currently on the market…and Su Jie was one of the few people who could get their hands on one.

Tang Yunqian played around with the system…opening web pages, downloading software, and testing processing speeds and various other performance metrics. She was instantly captivated. After a long while, she finally handed the laptop back to Su Jie, looking as though she wanted to say something but was hesitating.

“No problem, I can get one for you,” Su Jie said, offering his help before she even had to ask.

“How much?” Tang Yunqian asked quickly, afraid Su Jie might change his mind. “I won’t let you lose out on this. Also, which company makes this? If it were ever released to the public, it would be a revolutionary product.”

“Mass production isn’t possible for this laptop because the manufacturing cost is too high,” Su Jie explained. “It was designed by Mr. Larry himself.”

“You know Larry?” Tang Yunqian knew he was a true titan of the American tech industry; only a company like his could design a product of this caliber. 

“It’s nothing special. As for the money…forget it; it’s hard to put a price on this since there’s no standard market rate,” Su Jie said, calculating that Tang Yunqian had already set her heart on the notebook and wouldn’t be willing to part with it. “If you insist on paying, then never mind.”

“Alright, I owe you a favor.” Tang Yunqian understood Su Jie’s intent; he wanted to secure a favor from her.

“That’s easy enough. Actually, I’d like to ask you a question,” Su Jie said.

“Go ahead.” Tang Yunqian felt she couldn’t refuse, given that she was accepting a gift from him.

“Do you know Liu Shi?” Su Jie asked.

“So that’s why you were so kind as to give me the notebook.” A look of sudden realization crossed Tang Yunqian’s face. “You wanted me to make an introduction? You wanted to meet that big shot? It seems you’d already done your homework on me. Today wasn’t a coincidence either, was it? I study in this library often, and quite a few people know my schedule. You put on quite an act, too. Sorry, but I don’t want this notebook anymore.”

As she spoke, her brows furrowed; she clearly disliked the idea of ​​someone engineering a “chance encounter” specifically to target her.

“I’m sorry, but I didn’t go around inquiring about you.” Su Jie smiled instead. “I am Liu Shi’s personal bodyguard and senior advisor; I’m also Larry’s personal bodyguard and a researcher at his life sciences laboratory. I don’t need you to introduce me.”

“What did you say?” Tang Yunqian looked incredulous upon hearing this.

Even with her usual composure, she was genuinely shocked.

There were many outstanding students at Q University…all kinds of people…but there had never been anyone like Su Jie, who had become associated with global titans while still just a freshman.

“Then why did you ask about Liu Shi?” Tang Yunqian asked. 

“I just came from Liu Shi’s home; having seen his gardens and then looking at your design, I figured there must be a connection between the two,” Su Jie said.

“That’s right. My father was commissioned to design his estate, and he, in turn, assigned the design work to me,” Tang Yunqian replied. “Did he tell you I was the one who designed it?”

“Not exactly,” Su Jie said. “I figured it out myself. You’re quite bold…actually incorporating a ‘dragon vein’ into his estate. Weren’t you worried about the consequences? After all, look at the fate that befell Heshen. Liu Shi is arguably wealthier than Heshen ever was; by creating a dragon vein for him, were you trying to get him killed?”

“We aren’t living in feudal times anymore,” Tang Yunqian said. “You should understand that a design like this can help him reach even greater heights.”

“But you overlooked something,” Su Jie said. “One shouldn’t push things to the absolute limit. He already possesses wealth that rivals a nation’s…he’s reached the pinnacle of what an individual can achieve in terms of riches and status. Trying to push beyond that inevitably comes at the expense of his family; it’s not necessarily a good thing for his descendants. He’s facing some trouble at home now, and I suspect your design might be part of the problem.”

“What kind of trouble?” Tang Yunqian frowned. “His daughter found a great husband, his son returned home after completing his studies, and the company is thriving. Didn’t they just successfully acquire Haoyu Film & TV? That deal was orchestrated by his future son-in-law…it was considered a miracle in the business world. Haoyu was once the most promising contender to challenge the Mingxia and Hedao Groups. It’s baffling that they sold it off right at their peak; who knows what they were thinking? If that was meant to be a graceful exit, it was far too abrupt…it makes no sense.”

Her words revealed that Tang Yunqian was no ordinary person; she had a deep understanding of the situation within Liu Shi’s family.

Of course, as the student council president of Q University, she was already a legend among legends; for all one knew, her own family background might be even more formidable than Liu Shi’s. 

“Let’s put the matter of the Hedao Group aside; I simply want to discuss architectural design with you.” Su Jie didn’t want to delve too deeply into that topic; after all, he and Tang Yunqian had only just met, and getting into heavy details wouldn’t be appropriate.

However, there was an air of mystery about Tang Yunqian; she was far more complex than she appeared on the surface.

Su Jie and Tang Yunqian sat there talking for a long time…a scene that astonished some of the people in the library.

“Who exactly is that guy? To think he’s actually chatting so casually and cheerfully with our President Tang…”

“President Tang often studies here, and that’s her regular spot. She never spends this much time talking to guys who try to strike up a conversation…what’s going on today?”

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