Fifth Uncle

Xu Bin and Tang Yiyi came downstairs and saw Qin Baike. Xu Bin asked, "Baike, did Ertong get into trouble?"

Qin Baike was silent for a moment and nodded.

"Get Fifth Uncle to help."

"He’ll be here soon."

Xu Bin nodded, "Then I'll head out first."

Qin Baike watched Xu Bin walk away before turning to Tang Yiyi, "Can you go change Ertong’s medicine now?"

"So early?"

"Later, some unsavory people will come to the shop. You shouldn't be around."

"Is it dangerous?"

"Not really, but it's better for a young, pretty girl like you not to show up."

Tang Yiyi’s cheeks suddenly flushed. He said she was pretty! Why was there a hint of affection in his eyes? He’d said he’d always put her safety first!

Tang Yiyi’s heart began to churn; she really had to confess! She couldn’t keep holding it in!

"What’s wrong?" Qin Baike asked, seeing Tang Yiyi standing there stunned.

"N-nothing, I’ll go change Ertong's medicine," Tang Yiyi said, rushing upstairs.

Ertong saw her. "Why are you back again?"

"Baike asked me to change your dressing first."

"What's wrong with your face?"

"What is it?" she asked, puzzled.

"Are you running a fever? Your face is so red."

"I... I ran up in a hurry, I'm hot."

"Wait a moment, I just need to add music and text to this video, then it’s ready to post."

Tang Yiyi watched Ertong skillfully edit, so she sat aside and waited. She touched her face—it was burning. Since Ertong wouldn’t finish soon, she went to the bathroom and cooled her face with cold water, all the while pondering how to broach the topic with Qin Baike and looking for the right moment.

Turning around, she saw a book on the rack beside the toilet. She picked it up: "Spirit in Art." She flipped to the flyleaf, where the lower right corner bore elegant handwriting: "Purchased by Ye Tong, August 2010, Beijing Higher Education Xinhua Bookstore."

Ye Tong? Ye Zhan? Ertong's sister?

Tang Yiyi brought the book out. "Ertong, why is this book in the bathroom?"

"Oh, I forgot. I took it in this afternoon when I was using the toilet. Put it on Baike’s bedside, opened to Chapter Six, The Language of Form and Color."

"This Ye Tong, is she your sister?" Tang Yiyi flipped to the flyleaf.

"Yes."

"Heh, no wonder you’re called Ertong—your sister was Yitong!"

"...Shut up!"

Tang Yiyi placed the book on Qin Baike’s bedside table, opened and laid flat as she’d seen before.

She noticed a resistance band thrown on the floor. She picked it up, tried to pull—it didn’t budge. Sticking out her tongue, she put it back. When she came out, Ertong had finished and posted the video, so she urged him to go to his room, take off his shirt, and change his dressing. Just as they finished, Xiao Xie ran upstairs, "Zhan, the boss wants you downstairs."

Ertong’s face instantly paled. He bit his lip, dressed, went to the stairs, took a few deep breaths, and went down gripping the handrail.

"Yiyi, there are a bunch of tattooed guys downstairs. The boss told you not to go down," Xiao Xie said.

"Will they fight?"

"Don’t know, but the boss is calm. Officer Liu from the station and another Liu are downstairs eating noodles, plus an older man with gray hair—the boss calls him Fifth Uncle. Those tattooed guys are very respectful to him."

"Oh."

Xiao Xie sat beside Tang Yiyi, saw her video on Ertong’s laptop, clicked and watched, laughing happily. "Zhan is so awesome, Yiyi, I look great!"

"You’re not ugly to begin with, Xiao Xie."

"Zhan says his sister is amazing. She works in Beijing, she’s a documentary director. Zhan learned photography from her."

"In Beijing?"

"Yeah."

Tang Yiyi murmured, "Beijing?"

It was as if a light flashed in her mind:

Baike is waiting for someone—his childhood friend...

Parents died in a car accident, now just the siblings...

Heard she’s in Beijing, a drifter...

Only Baike still takes care of him for his sister’s sake...

Now, she’s negotiating downstairs for her brother.

He’s always had her in his heart. No wonder he’s never had a girlfriend all these years.

Suddenly, Tang Yiyi felt a surge of sorrow, imagining the deep bond between them.

"It’s so hot, Xiao Xie, watch the video. I’m going out for some air." She opened the door, stepped onto the landing, gazed at the night sky, and tears began streaming down her face—this love was over before it began.

She walked to where Ertong had smoked that morning, sat down, leaned against the planter, buried her face in her knees, and sobbed.

She didn’t know how long she cried. When her tears finally stopped, she stood, went to the tap, washed her face, calmed herself, and returned to the living room.

Xiao Xie was gone. She went downstairs, glanced around the kitchen—none of the tattooed men Xiao Xie mentioned, nor other guests.

Qin Baike, Ertong, and the gray-haired old man sat at one table, talking. She straightened, patted her cheeks, and went over.

Qin Baike saw her. "Come sit," he said. She hesitated, then sat beside Ertong.

"This is Fifth Uncle," Qin Baike said, gesturing to the old man.

"Hello, Fifth Uncle." Tang Yiyi stood and greeted him.

His eyes were sharp and bright, his back straight, his frame strong, muscular arms exposed under the short-sleeved t-shirt—his broad, imposing presence was striking.

Fifth Uncle looked Tang Yiyi up and down, "So this is Fourth’s new apprentice? Good energy, you work out often, I suppose?"

Tang Yiyi blinked, unsure, and Qin Baike explained, "Fifth Uncle is Fourth Uncle’s brother."

"Oh," Tang Yiyi stood again, "Hello, Uncle."

Wu Moping smiled, "You’re a polite girl, well-raised." He looked at Ertong, "Go upstairs and rest. This time it’s for Baike’s sake—there won’t be a next."

Ertong drooped his head, "Thank you, Fifth Uncle," and left.

Wu Moping turned to Tang Yiyi, "Has Fourth taught you bone-setting?"

"Fourth Uncle taught me acupuncture."

"You’re a girl, bone-setting is tougher, but I see your energy is better than Xu Bin’s. If you both started training from scratch, you might surpass him."

"Does bone-setting require energy training?"

"Heh, technique matters, but why is our family’s bone-setting more effective than others?"

"Why?" Tang Yiyi earnestly asked.

"Our elders were all martial artists, trained inner energy. Their strength was unlike ordinary folk. Most people exert brute force—what does that give?"

"Just force?"

Wu Moping snorted, "It’s brute force. It doesn’t penetrate deeply. No matter how much you knead, the power doesn’t reach, and eventually it’s exhausted. But someone trained in qi, whose energy circulates throughout, their strength is endless, reaching the root of the ailment, with sustained pressure."

"Wow~" Tang Yiyi’s eyes lit up.

Wu Moping shook his head, "Alas, in this generation, the family skill is just a shadow of what it was."

"Fifth Uncle, you must have trained, right?" Tang Yiyi, hearing for the first time that bone-setting started with energy training, admired him even more.

"It’s lost. When I was young, unwilling to accept it, I tried to circulate my energy and nearly suffered a breakdown—just fainted."

"Ah?"

"Enough, let’s not talk. Baike, I’ll head out. Call me if you need anything."

"Alright." Qin Baike stood to see Wu Moping off. At the door, Wu Moping paused, "Baike, when will you come to my gym as a personal trainer? Help me attract some girls—otherwise, it’s all boys spinning around."

"..."

"Hahaha, think about it." With that, he strode away.

Qin Baike turned to Tang Yiyi, who had followed him out, "What’s wrong with your eyes?"

Tang Yiyi’s gaze flickered, "…Itchy, I rubbed them."

"Your hands aren’t clean, don’t rub."

"Mm. Baike, why is there no chocolate among the snacks you bought me?"

"That stuff’s high in calories. Aren’t you afraid of gaining weight?"

"But I want to eat it."

Qin Baike looked at Tang Yiyi’s dispirited state. "Alright, I’ll buy some tomorrow."

"The same kind as last time."

"Yes, the same as last time."

Ah, chocolate—the symbol of love—had become Tang Yiyi’s cure for heartbreak.

Wu Moping slowed as he walked to the alley entrance. Xu Mingjie’s supermarket was still open. She sat by the entrance, plucking a white hair in front of a small mirror, turning it over and over in her hand.

When she looked up and saw Wu Moping outside, she froze.

Wu Moping’s expression grew complicated as he avoided her gaze and walked quickly past.

Xu Mingjie chased after him, calling, "Fifth Brother!"

Wu Moping stopped, turned, and stared at Xu Mingjie. The confidence he’d shown in the noodle shop was nowhere to be seen.