015 Staying at the Guesthouse

He couldn’t help but wonder if upgrading the Nature School techniques would trigger another random martial arts skill. With that thought lingering in his mind, Du Ruo resolved that starting tomorrow, he must devise a long-term plan for his training. The number of martial arts skills he’d acquire would only increase, so a structured regimen was imperative.

Pondering these matters, Du Ruo washed up and ate the dinner his mother had saved for him, then headed upstairs to bed. Recently, his appetite had grown, but he hadn’t gained any weight—in fact, his figure had become leaner, his stomach noticeably flatter.

The next morning, Du Ruo awoke promptly at six, as had become his habit. Now, when the clock struck six, he simply couldn’t sleep any longer and would get up without hesitation.

He began his morning as usual with the Xingyi Three-Form Posture, but this time, he chose the double version rather than the single, and instead of switching to boxing after twenty minutes, he continued holding the stance. He could only manage three minutes with the single form, but with the double, he could last much longer—the strain was concentrated in his legs, without needing much movement, just occasionally shifting his weight from side to side. He maintained this posture for an hour and a half.

Next came an hour of the Xingyi Twelve Animal Forms, followed by half an hour of the Five Element Boxing, and then he finished his practice.

Du Ruo did not work on his Nature School lightness skill today. He wanted to first master the Twelve Animal Forms. Once these were under his belt and the training equipment he’d ordered online arrived, he would no longer confine himself to practicing in the backyard every day. He had devised better methods to integrate practical combat with the Nature School’s lightness skill.

This plan had emerged from knowledge deep within his mind the night before. For now, spending half his time on physical conditioning and the other half on technique practice was the most reasonable arrangement. If he were a beginner without an attribute panel, he’d devote all his energy to building a physical foundation. But with the ability to allocate points, Du Ruo could afford to follow his own preferences.

By the end of his training, he’d gained nine experience points in Xingyi Boxing, another 0.09 attribute points, and his three hours of practice had increased his Nature School technique by three points. With experience in hand, Du Ruo felt a sense of relief.

After finishing, he distributed his points, washed up, had breakfast, and then leisurely made his way to the neighboring village of Yang.

By the time he arrived at the guesthouse, it was already past ten in the morning.

“Good morning, Xiaoling.”

At the guesthouse front desk, Yang Ling was sitting and playing on her phone when Du Ruo arrived, which didn’t surprise him. Most bookings were handled online now, and Yang Ling had to answer guests’ questions on the internet. There was no fixed work schedule—as long as the job was done, he didn’t micromanage.

“Boss, it’s almost noon. Still calling it morning?” Yang Ling was just twenty, having stopped schooling after high school. She’d spent a year as a tour guide before quitting, rented a secondhand apartment in town, and turned it into a guesthouse, occasionally picking up guide work for extra cash.

Things had been going well—between the guesthouse and guiding, she made over six thousand a month. But just as everything seemed settled, her mother fell ill. Being an only child, she had to sell her town guesthouse and return home to care for her mother.

It happened that Du Ruo needed someone, and since she was experienced and reliable, Yang Chenguang introduced her. This way, she could earn income while looking after her mother.

“Boss, we’ve rented out eight rooms today. One standalone unit and one suite are still available. Four are extensions, and four new guests will arrive this afternoon.”

After a bit of banter, Yang Ling quickly briefed him on the day’s business.

“Good, let me know if there are any issues,” Du Ruo nodded, planning to make a round of the property. He had every confidence in Yang Ling’s abilities. It wasn’t even the peak season, and renting out eight of ten rooms was quite an achievement—though the lower rates here certainly helped.

“How about this, Xiaoling—since the standalone unit is free, I’ll move in for now. But keep it listed online, and if someone books it, I’ll move out and let the auntie clean it, just like any other guest checkout. It won’t cost much.”

He’d already walked away when the idea struck him, so he turned back to tell her.

“Sure thing, boss. If it gets booked, I’ll let you know. I’ll activate the room card for you, just come pick it up later.”

Xiaoling didn’t object—he was the boss, after all, and could do as he pleased.

Staying there was just a temporary idea. First, it would let him experience the guesthouse as a guest and spot any potential issues. Second, he had some training plans he didn’t want his parents to know about.

As the owner, he could stay whenever he wished, and if the room was booked, he’d move out, have the cleaning lady tidy up, and it would be as if any other guest had checked out.

Du Ruo wandered around the property, picking up trash when he saw it, straightening up the tables and chairs in common areas, checking the water and electricity supplies. Time passed quickly.

During the day, there weren’t many people at the guesthouse; most were either on their way to climb Mount Huangshan or recovering in their rooms after the trek. Aside from those venturing out for meals or checking out, few had the energy to stroll about.

After making his rounds, Du Ruo collected his room card, called his mother to inform her of his plans, then left the guesthouse for lunch at a nearby restaurant.

The food was surprisingly good—the owner was quite skilled, and Du Ruo ate his fill before returning to the standalone guesthouse for a nap.

In the afternoon, he stopped by the front desk to observe how Yang Ling handled guest check-ins. As the boss, he had to know the ropes in case Yang Ling ever needed time off; he couldn’t let the place go unmanaged.

There weren’t many tasks, but they were tedious. Fortunately, Yang Ling’s experience showed—she handled everything efficiently, and Du Ruo learned a great deal just by watching.

“Hiring Yang Ling was truly a blessing. If I had to run this place myself, there’d be no time left for training,” he reflected.

With that thought, Du Ruo returned to the front yard of the standalone unit, ready to begin his evening regimen.

He stripped down to loose shorts, applied medicinal wine, and started his practice.

First, he held his stance, then worked through his forms.

Du Ruo’s movements were imbued with a striking grace. With the improvements from his recent training, his physique had become even more defined. Watching him practice was truly a pleasure.

At least, that was the opinion of the figure on the small balcony of the tavern’s second floor next door. She quietly watched Du Ruo practice for an hour. On any other day, she would have already started her evening drink.