Chapter 21: I Promise Not to Get You Wet This Time

Su Mian’s horizontal palm strike was blocked by the black man. The four of them traded blows, exchanging several rounds in the blink of an eye. Su Mian realized that their fighting style bore the hallmarks of the American West Coast.

A gang?

She had no time to ponder; she had heard the young man’s questioning voice. For him to recognize the Shang-style technique so quickly, and even spot the shadow of Shang Jiuxu in his movements, meant he was not to be underestimated.

With Zhao Ruolan still held hostage by the young man, Su Mian dared not get bogged down in a protracted fight. She parried while searching for an opening to break through and save her.

The four figures were locked in a dazzling struggle. When someone took advantage of her distraction to throw a punch at her face, Su Mian instinctively raised her left arm to block, the sheer force behind the blow sending her skidding backward.

What was Shang Jiuxu doing? She had called for help; couldn't he have sent a few reliable thugs to assist?

Three of the men stood like a copper wall, blocking her view. She couldn't see what was happening to Zhao Ruolan or if she had been injured; she only knew that the strange young man had gagged her with tape, and Zhao Ruolan was looking at her with eyes full of desperate entreaty.

*Shang Jiuxu’s help?* A spark ignited in Su Mian’s mind, followed by a calm, languid voice echoing in her memory:

*“When the power gap is wide, borrow their own force to strike.”*

The men’s fists did not wait. They spoke quickly in English, seemingly coordinating to take her down.

"All at once? In China, that’s not very gentlemanly," Su Mian said with a provocative smile. She tapped her toes, feinting as if to flee toward the door. Luo Bingda was outside with new thugs coming to investigate—Su Mian cursed silently. If she waited for them, Zhao Ruolan would be dead. She kicked the door shut and clicked the lock.

This VIP room had become a fighting cage; until a victor was decided, no one was leaving.

The scar-faced man charged like an enraged bull, roaring as he rushed at her. Su Mian’s gaze sharpened. She used a feint to lure him into a commitment, but when he was within an arm’s reach, she grabbed a vase by the door and hurled it behind the one-eyed man on the other side.

*Crash.* The solid impact left the one-eyed man’s head ringing, his vision darkening. His depth perception already compromised, he lunged blindly at Su Mian, only to collide head-on with the charging scar-faced man.

With a thunderous thud, both men collapsed. The shattered porcelain scattered on the floor pierced them, and they howled in agony, unable to rise. Not satisfied, Su Mian leaped onto the one-eyed man’s knee, delivering a crunching stomp, then jumped onto the scar-faced man’s stomach, delivering several vicious kicks amidst their shrill screams.

The last remaining man was built like a small mountain—the same one who had forced her to take that heavy blow earlier. Su Mian rubbed her still-numb forearm.

*“If the size gap is wide, aim for the weak points.”*

A man’s weakness was undoubtedly that spot.

To ensure Su Mian mastered this technique, Shang Jiuxu had personally practiced with her many times. She rapidly accessed the memory, thinking of a countermeasure, the smile on her lips fading slightly.

Seeing Su Mian distracted, the mountain-like man thought she was mocking him. With a furious roar, he picked up a half-person-wide ornamental fish tank. Water spilled everywhere as he moved, and the plump parrotfish inside stared wide-eyed in the turbulent water, their colors fading in terror.

Having learned from his companions' defeat, the man stopped trying to engage in close combat and hurled the tank directly at her.

Su Mian saw his intent and cursed internally: *How the hell am I supposed to dodge this?*

Speed was the only way.

*“When the stamina gap is wide, finish it quickly.”*

Su Mian lunged toward him, but he anticipated her move and threw the tank!

Shards flew, water splashed, and Su Mian felt a chill on the back of her neck—the smooth scales of a parrotfish brushed against her before it flopped onto the floor, wriggling its fat body.

Everything around her seemed to slow down. She could hear Shang Jiuxu’s crisp, jade-like voice, so close to her ear, just as it had been when he would take her hands to guide her through the forms.

*Reaction time! How did I react back then?* Shang Jiuxu had trained her...

Back then, they were at the waterfall on the Shang family estate, striking the rock face to build strength. The massive waterfall, blocking out the sky, had made Su Mian hesitate.

With the water crashing against the rocks, the deafening roar and the spray were larger than her own head. Shang Jiuxu pushed her back, and she flew forward. She heard him call out clearly, "Dodge!" The incoming water hit her head and shoulders, stealing her breath.

"Engage your senses, then dodge!" His voice came from nearby. Su Mian was being tossed about by the waterfall, barely able to stand, and she gritted her teeth in frustration. It was easy for him to say; the water wasn't controlled by a human, it shifted left and right without any rhythm. How was she supposed to dodge?

"Easy for you to say! You try it!"

No sooner had she spoken than a tall, lithe figure leaped across. Shang Jiuxu moved with long, graceful strides, landing beside her in a few breaths. If Su Mian hadn't known there were stones beneath his feet, she would have thought he was a master flying over the water.

Because of the irregular erosion, the rocks were uneven; some were exposed, others submerged an inch deep. Because she had been pushed into a shallow area first, Shang Jiuxu stood with his left boot on a lower spot, his right leg slightly bent on a sharp stone, looking perfectly at ease.

"Don't get distracted." Her waist tightened as he pulled her into his embrace. Even in the constant flow of water, he felt warm. He leaned close to her ear. "Listen."

The water column hit the green moss above, creating a crisp *shush* sound. Shang Jiuxu held her waist tightly with one hand, lifting her off the ground as he stepped across. Su Mian had the illusion of fish swimming beneath her feet. In that brief moment of suspension, the rock they had just been standing on was submerged by the waterfall.

Su Mian sensed something and focused her attention on the flow of the water above.

"Try it." Shang Jiuxu trusted her intuition. He let her go, taking her hand and placing it on his waist. His waist muscles were taut, and Su Mian felt a moment of distraction—this was the summer she was seventeen, and she had already fallen for him.

*The water... what was it again?*

Su Mian felt the heat under her palm, absentmindedly letting her hand wander toward his lower abdomen, wanting to feel his abs.

"The water is coming down," Shang Jiuxu whispered. Her hand at his waist was soft and supple, setting a fire in him. He didn't want to lose his composure before she was of age, so he stepped away, leading her out of the path.

He didn't use much force, afraid of knocking her over, but the girl pressed her hand down and pulled him back. Su Mian wrapped her arms around him, sliding her hands under the hem of his athletic shirt. She touched his abs just as she had hoped—hard and firm; the sensation was quite good.

The water from above fell unceremoniously, soaking them both like drowned rats.

After the waterfall, Su Mian coughed in embarrassment, sighing at the "femme fatale" nature of such a handsome man. Meeting Shang Jiuxu’s calm, expectant gaze, she suspected he had seen through everything and was simply playing along.

"Try it again," she said. "I definitely won't get you wet this time."