The next morning came far too soon for Xu Fang's liking. He was jolted out of his peaceful slumber by the sound of a maid knocking on his door.
"Young Master, it's time for breakfast," she called out gently, but persistently.
Xu Fang groaned and buried his face deeper into the pillow. For a fleeting moment, he entertained the idea of pretending to be sick to avoid the inevitable. But he knew better. If he didn't show up, someone would come to drag him out of bed.
With a resigned sigh, he forced himself up, washed up, and dressed before heading to the dining room.
As he approached, the sound of lively chatter reached his ears. His siblings were already seated, talking animatedly about his so-called "transformation." Even his father, the usually stern and cold head of the Xu family, wore a faint smile of pride.
Xu Fang hesitated at the doorway, feeling a mix of embarrassment and bewilderment. Just how much of a loser was the previous owner of this body? he wondered.
When he finally entered the room, all eyes turned to him.
"Ah, there he is!" Xu Ming exclaimed, clapping him on the back as soon as he sat down. "Good morning, little scholar! Ready to conquer the world of knowledge today?"
Xu Fang forced a smile, already regretting his decision to admit he'd been studying.
Breakfast was as lavish as ever, with a variety of dishes laid out on the table. As they ate, the head of the family, Xu Feng, began his usual morning address.
Xu Fang braced himself for the daily scolding, but to his surprise, his father's tone was… encouraging.
"You've been showing some improvement lately, Fifth," Xu Feng said, his sharp eyes briefly softening as he looked at his son. "Continue on this path, and you'll make something of yourself yet."
Xu Fang blinked, stunned by the rare words of approval.
Then his father dropped another unexpected bombshell. "As a reward, I'll be increasing your monthly allowance. Use it wisely."
Xu Fang's jaw nearly hit the floor. More money? For just studying a bit?
How is the bar was this low!? Just how much of a lazy ass this guy previously!??
Unfortunately, his moment of joy was short-lived. As soon as breakfast ended, Xu Mei stood up and walked over to him, a determined look in her eyes.
"Come on, Fifth Brother," she said, grabbing his arm. "It's time for your martial arts training."
Xu Fang froze. "Wait, what? You're serious!!"
Before he could protest, she was already dragging him out of the dining room.
"Don't bother trying to get out of it," she said briskly. "I've already informed Father, and he gave me his permission."
Shit.
Xu Fang wanted to cry as he was hauled to the courtyard like a prisoner being led to his execution.
Once they arrived, Xu Mei wasted no time. She stood before him with her arms crossed, her expression a mix of authority and determination.
"Listen up," she began. "We're starting with the basics. The 32 Fist and Kick Techniques. They include punches, kicks, elbow strikes, knee blows, shoulder attacks, and their variations. By the time I'm done with you, you'll at least know how to defend yourself properly."
Xu Fang stared at her, dumbfounded. He wasn't sure what was worse: the fact that he was about to be subjected to rigorous physical training or the fact that she seemed to genuinely believe he could handle it.
"Let's start," she said, demonstrating a simple punch.
Xu Fang reluctantly mimicked her movements, his punches weak and uncoordinated.
"No, no, no!" Xu Mei barked. "Your stance is all wrong. And your punches have no power. Were you even paying attention?"
"I'm trying," Xu Fang muttered, though he was already out of breath after just a few attempts.
Xu Mei sighed and shook her head. "I knew this would be bad, but this is worse than I thought. This is why you're shouldn't ditch training—you always find an excuse to ran away from training whenever you had the chance."
Xu Fang winced at the reminder. Why don't you blame the previous owner instead of taking it out on me? he whined internally.
But of course, he didn't voice his complaints. Instead, he continued to stumble through the training, his body aching more with every passing minute.
By the end of the session, Xu Fang was lying flat on the ground, panting heavily and drenched in sweat.
"Pathetic," Xu Mei said, though there was a hint of amusement in her voice. "But at least you didn't run away this time. That's progress."
Xu Fang groaned, too tired to respond.
As Xu Mei left the courtyard, she called over her shoulder, "Same time tomorrow, Fifth Brother. Don't be late."
Xu Fang closed his eyes and silently cursed the heavens.
Why is it so hard to just be a shut-in? he thought miserably. All I wanted was a quiet, comfortable life. But nooo, this world just has to drag me into its nonsense.
He stayed on the ground for a while longer, contemplating his misfortune, before finally mustering the energy to drag himself back to his room.
Tomorrow promised more pain, but for now, he would savor what little rest he could get.