Chapter 67: Let Me Find You a Ruler

This man is seriously, terrifyingly earnest!

Su Qinghu opened her mouth, at a loss. Did she really need to explain to him that when she said “take them out in one move” earlier, she didn’t mean to kill someone with a single blow, but just to temporarily disable them, like he’d said?

And then he’d probably lecture her again, telling her to be precise with her words in the future?

…

Su Qinghu imagined that scenario and quickly shut her mouth. Forget it—she really didn’t feel like arguing right now.

“Fine, let’s do it your way,” Su Qinghu stopped her warm-up. “Just make sure it’s something that’ll give me enough time to escape in a dangerous situation.”

Chen Lie: “…Alright.”

A crime reporter and a war correspondent… There’s got to be some difference in the self-defense skills they need, right?

“We crime reporters sometimes have to face some pretty nasty characters too, you know~” Su Qinghu’s tone rose playfully, her brows arched, her whole demeanor lively and spirited. “Even if there are good Samaritans around, when you’re up against real evil, it’s better to rely on your own ability to escape.”

Chen Lie nodded and began explaining how combining strength and technique could double the effect, demonstrating the moves as he spoke.

Su Qinghu put aside her playful side and earnestly learned these potentially life-saving skills.

As he taught, Chen Lie frowned, watching Su Qinghu with a scrutinizing gaze.

She was learning way too fast. Some of the finer points, she picked up without him even having to mention them…

“Have you trained before?” After teaching her six simple, practical moves and having her demonstrate them, Chen Lie finally voiced his suspicion.

Su Qinghu denied it flatly. “Nope.”

Before he could analyze whether her movements were too practiced, she added, “The reason I’m learning so fast is because my teacher is just too handsome~”

“So handsome, in fact, that the student can’t help but pay attention to every little detail.” Su Qinghu clasped her hands behind her back, winked at him with a grin, and shamelessly flirted.

Chen Lie gave her a long, searching look, then turned to leave.

Su Qinghu grabbed the back of his shirt, forcing him to stop. He turned his head slightly, “What are you doing?”

“Teach me another set of exercises for fitness,” Su Qinghu said, eyes fixed on his handsome profile, smiling sweetly. “Something simple, so after you leave, I can easily teach Da Dan and Er Dan.”

Since she was getting into working out, the whole family might as well join in.

No one’s getting out of this!

This time, the set Chen Lie taught was new to Su Qinghu, so she learned more slowly and had more questions.

Seeing Chen Lie frown, she took a deep breath, reset her stance, faced him squarely, and asked seriously, “Who am I?”

Chen Lie glanced at her, not sure why she was asking, but answered anyway, “Su Qinghu.”

Su Qinghu choked, almost unable to get her next words out.

“…And besides that?” She steadied herself and pressed on.

Chen Lie: “…”

Was there something else?

Seeing her increasingly annoyed expression, he suddenly had a flash of insight. “My wife.”

“Since you know I’m your wife, why are you still so uptight? What, you think I’m going to eat you or something?” Su Qinghu glared at him, her beautiful eyes blazing with fire. “Even monks and priests teaching martial arts aren’t this prudish!”

Chen Lie sighed and reached out. “Do the moves again. I’ll correct your form.”

“I don’t want you correcting me right now!” Su Qinghu shot him a fierce look, turned away, took two steps, then spun back and ordered, “You’d better stay right there!”

Chen Lie watched her retreating back, standing with his hands behind him.

It was summer, and her clothes were thin. As she moved, a fine sheen of sweat appeared on her face and neck, stray strands of hair curling damply against her skin, looking…

His mind filled with indescribable images, shimmering with a mysterious allure that defied words.

Now, sweat had soaked through the back, shoulders, and front of her silk-blend blouse…

Chen Lie pinched the bridge of his nose.

—How was he supposed to avoid physical contact later?

Where did Su Qinghu go? She headed to the living room, pulled open a drawer, and took out a wooden ruler.

Er Dan, who was doing his homework, jumped in fright, eyes wide as he watched Su Qinghu turn the ruler over and over under the light.

Da Dan, hearing the sudden silence of Er Dan’s pen, glanced up at him, then followed his gaze.

Seeing Su Qinghu, Da Dan kicked Er Dan under the table. Er Dan snapped out of his panic, ducked his head, and started writing furiously, his homework suddenly bold and vigorous.

Satisfied that his warning worked, Da Dan was about to look down again when he unexpectedly met Su Qinghu’s gaze.

He: “…”

He gripped his pen a little tighter, meeting her eyes without flinching.

Su Qinghu lifted her chin slightly and suddenly smiled. “What, did you think I was going to use this ruler on you?”

Startled by her smile, Da Dan swallowed, about to protest that he hadn’t done anything wrong and the homework deadline wasn’t up yet, when she snorted and said loftily, “Don’t even think about it!”

This ruler looked pretty old—solid, but who knew if it would snap if she really used it hard.

Da Dan had expected her to say something threatening or dramatic after their stare-down, but all she said was those four words.

The thing was, the more he thought about it, the weirder it sounded. Did she mean if she didn’t hit them, they’d beg her to?

After saying her piece, Su Qinghu strode out of the living room.

Er Dan, seeing her shadow disappear, let out a sigh of relief. “Oh my god, I thought she was coming to hit me.”

Thank goodness, thank goodness.

Da Dan watched her imposing retreat and frowned, whispering to Er Dan, “Hurry up and write, don’t give her a reason to hit you.”

Su Qinghu’s not going out to hit Dad, is she?

Er Dan didn’t get Da Dan’s worry. He just grinned, “She said if we want her to hit us, we can forget it.”

“Didn’t you hear what she said before?” Da Dan frowned. “She said she won’t use the ruler. That means she could use something else.”

Er Dan froze, then quickly bent over his homework again.

As for why Su Qinghu had taken the ruler, neither of them had time to wonder.

Da Dan kept half an ear out for any commotion outside, but after a while, hearing nothing, his attention drifted back to his homework.

Out in the yard, Su Qinghu handed the ruler to Chen Lie.

Chen Lie didn’t take it, just looked at her.

It’s just teaching a set of exercises—no need to go so far as to bring out a ruler for discipline…

“Take it,” Su Qinghu said with a half-smile, pushing the ruler toward him. “Didn’t you want to keep things proper? Then use this ruler to correct my mistakes.”

From now on, no one touches anyone!

Let’s see who breaks the rule first!"