The Way of Restraint

Chapter 51: The Bearing of a Grandmaster

Su Shilin fell silent.  

He had originally intended to give his son a beating as a lesson, but after witnessing that punch, he was deeply shaken.  

Standing before him, Su Jie was composed and steady, exuding the weight of a mountain. There was none of the recklessness or impatience typical of an ordinary teenager.  

“What is the intent behind your punch?” Su Shilin suddenly asked. “Everything has a core philosophy; otherwise, it is like water without a source. The form of your punch is flawless, but I cannot grasp the essence within it. The spirit of a punch lies in one’s thoughts. What were you thinking when you executed it?”  

“The Prime Minister once said at the age of twelve, ‘I study for the rise of Ch!na.ʼ” Su Jie replied earnestly. “When I threw that punch, I had only two phrases in my heart—’The land resides in my heart, and with the crow of the rooster, the world awakens to light.’ I carry the land within me, wishing for my motherland to rise with the morning sun and illuminate the world.”  

“A punch must have spirit, and momentum determines its magnitude.” Su Shilin gazed at his son. “Your punch indeed carried that essence. The form of martial arts is fixed, but its spirit is ever-changing, shaped by one’s character. Those with ruthless determination suit a spirit of defiance against the heavens and the earth, while those with a peaceful nature align with a spirit of cultivation and harvest. A person’s martial arts should reflect their inner self, and you have found the spirit most suited to you. I truly underestimated you.”  

“Does that mean you agree to let me take a break from school?” Su Jie asked, overjoyed.  

“No.”  

Su Shilin’s response left Su Jie dumbfounded. “Why not?”  

“It’s for your own good.” Su Shilin sat down by the flowerbed and lit a cigarette. “I don’t know what you’ve experienced at the martial arts academy, but while you have honed your skills, that life has also altered your mindset. You now believe that attending school is a waste of time. But in my view, you have become restless and need to return to a state of calm. Only then can you truly settle your outlook on life and temper your worldly distractions.”  

Hearing his father’s words, Su Jie fell into silence.  

“Son, do you know what a dragon is?” Su Shilin suddenly asked.  

“A dragon?” Su Jie was puzzled by his father’s question.  

“In the Book of Changes, the Qian hexagram speaks of the dragon—’Do not act as a hidden dragon, a dragon seen in the fields, a flying dragon in the heavens, an arrogant dragon that will have regrets, and a group of dragons without a leader.’ These phrases actually describe people. People are dragons, and dragons are people.” Su Shilin continued, “Cao Cao’s discussion of the dragon in Romance of the Three Kingdoms is particularly insightful—’The dragon can be great or small, can ascend or conceal itself. When great, it swallows clouds and exhales mist; when small, it hides in crevices. When it ascends, it soars through the universe; when it hides, it lurks beneath the waves. A dragon can fly in the sky, but it can also dwell in the burrows of insects.’ No matter the environment, it remains unfazed.”  

Since hearing Odell’s words, Su Jie had started reading the Book of Changes in his spare time. However, he only had a superficial understanding of it. Given his current life experience, he still could not fully grasp the wisdom within its pages.  

Yet, after hearing his father’s words, he gained some insight into the first hexagram—’A dragon seen in the fields, a flying dragon in the heavens. An arrogant dragon that will have regrets.’  

“Alright, Dad, I’ll continue with my studies at school.” Su Jie understood the reasoning—his father wanted him to maintain his mindset even in an ordinary environment.  

“‘A dragon seen in the fields benefits from meeting a great person.’ So that’s what it means… The dragon remains hidden in the fields, which benefits its growth into greatness. ‘Meeting’ here doesn’t mean encountering someone, but rather gaining experience. ‘A great person’ is a state of being.” Su Jie shared his interpretation.  

“You actually understand the Book of Changes?” Su Shilin looked at his son with newfound respect. “I’d really like to meet your martial arts teacher. How did he manage to bring you to this level in just two months? Could he be some kind of deity?”  

“He told me not to say anything,” Su Jie replied. “But you’ll find out sooner or later, Dad.”  

“Alright, go upstairs.” Su Shilin finished his cigarette.  

“By the way, Dad, what kind of martial arts do you practice?” Su Jie had always been curious. In the past, he hadn’t understood martial arts, but now that he had stepped into this world, his curiosity about his father’s skills had only grown.  

“Let’s eat first.” Su Shilin seemed reluctant to discuss martial arts. “Stay in school for one more semester. After that, I won’t interfere—you can decide how to live your life.”  

The father and son returned home in harmony. When Xu Ying heard that Su Jie had re-enrolled in school, she was slightly surprised but said nothing.  

After preparing a lavish dinner, the family enjoyed a warm and cheerful meal, though Su Jie’s older sister, Su Muchen, did not return home.  

After dinner, Su Jie went downstairs for some exercise, reviewing and refining what Odell and Gu Yang had taught him.  

Meanwhile, on the balcony, Su Shilin watched his son practicing below. He lit another cigarette, his eyes gleaming as he sank into deep contemplation.  

After training, Su Jie took a shower, read for a while, and went to bed at exactly nine o’clock. At three in the morning, he got up, washed up, and jogged to the park to begin his morning practice.  

No matter where he was, he maintained this habit, never letting his surroundings influence his discipline.  

His conversation with his father had completely settled his mind. He no longer rejoiced in gains or lamented losses. He could live in luxury or endure hardship, thrive in comfort, or survive in adversity.

Indeed, the training environment at Minglun Martial Arts Academy was far superior to that at home or in high school. However, if he became unaccustomed to his home and school environment because of it, it would not be beneficial for tempering his mindset.  

He had completely come to terms with this.  

After training until six in the morning, he returned home, intending to buy some breakfast. However, he discovered that his father, Su Shilin, had already prepared a meal—fragrant porridge, eggs, milk, fruits, vegetables, boiled fish, as well as honey and a purple capsule.  (G: 紫色的胶囊 – purple capsule – Medicine)

“This capsule—is it propolis?” Su Jie asked his father. “Dad, why is breakfast so lavish today?”  (G: Propolis, also known as “bee glue,” is a resinous substance collected by honeybees from plant buds and exudates.)

“It’s propolis. It’s great for health, and it supplements the nutrition you need for training. This meal plan is based on one of the breakfast categories of boxing champion Paschi,” Su Shilin explained. “Eat up, then head to school. You’re registering today.”  

“Alright.” Su Jie sat down and ate slowly, maintaining his usual habit of eating in silence, an unshakable routine. After finishing his meal, he swallowed his saliva, massaged his stomach, stood up to move around, and only after completely dispelling the feeling of fullness did he speak.  

This entire series of actions once again left Su Shilin astonished. He had been observing his son for quite some time and realized that he was completely different from two months ago. Beyond his martial arts progress, his attitude toward all aspects of life now exhibited the temperament of a true master.  

After finishing breakfast, Su Jie helped clean up the dishes before heading to school with his backpack, squeezing into the subway.  

Today marked the start of the school term, and the campus was bustling with people in the early morning. The most solemn expressions were on the faces of students entering their final year. Everyone knew that the last year of high school was crucial—it was all about the college entrance exams. From now on, it would be a relentless cycle of daily quizzes and major exams every three days, with the pressure of academics weighing down like a collapsing mountain.  

Su Jie’s high school was the top-ranked school in the city and one of the top three in the country—he had earned his place there purely through merit.  

Every student at this school was a top scorer from their respective regions, each possessing their own unique strengths. Su Jie consistently placed second or third in exams, making him one of the elite among the elite.  

However, he had never managed to take first place.  

The school’s top student—and the number one student in the entire province—was Qian Zheng. No matter the subject, he always held an unshakable lead over Su Jie, particularly in physical education.  

Moreover, Qian Zheng was tall and handsome. While Su Jie stood at only 1.75 meters, Qian Zheng had already reached 1.85 meters, boasting a perfectly sculpted, streamlined physique. Dressed in casual clothes, he looked like a celebrity, exuding an extraordinary aura. Among the female students, he was unanimously recognized as the most handsome guy in school.  

To top it off, Qian Zheng’s family owned the “Starshine Combat Fitness Club,” a franchise with branches all over the country. The business was booming, the brand was worth a fortune, and he was the textbook definition of a rich and handsome elite.  

With top-tier grades, an outstanding physique, a striking appearance, and a wealthy background, he had all the glory in the world. No matter how hard Su Jie worked, he simply couldn’t catch up.  

One of the main reasons Su Jie enrolled at Minglun Martial Arts Academy was because of his older sister, Su Muchen, and the situation with Haoyu Group. Another significant reason was his rivalry with Qian Zheng.  

Su Jie desperately wanted to take first place, but each time, Qian Zheng crushed him without fail. This frustration gnawed at him—especially because a certain girl was caught in the middle of it all.  

Now, as he stepped onto the school grounds, he found his past competitiveness laughable—just the folly of youth. Looking back, it was nothing more than a fleeting memory.  

Even though only two months had passed at Minglun Martial Arts Academy—just a single summer break—Su Jie’s mentality seemed to have matured by twenty years.  

Stepping into the campus, he saw his classmates again after the summer break—both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.  

“Whoa! Su Jie? Is that really you? How did you get so tall? Did you take something?”  

Several students ran up to him, exclaiming in surprise.  

At school, Su Jie had the nickname “Second Brother Su” because he was always second place in exams, whether in school or across the district. The unflattering nickname had stuck.  

“Qi Shuai, Zhang Minghui, Zou Min, Gu Shunan—you guys have grown taller too,” Su Jie said, smiling at the four classmates he often hung out with.  

“Looks like you’re almost as tall as Qian Zheng now,” Qi Shuai teased, winking. “Maybe now you can compete with him for our school’s beauty queen! We’re taking the entrance exam today, and I heard the school has introduced an AI grading system. Scores will be released on the same day. If you manage to take first place, what was it again that the school beauty would do? Oh, and your last love letter was a literary masterpiece—what did you prepare for her this time? Mind letting us take a peek?”  

“Yeah, show us, show us!”  

His friends egged him on again.  

“That was just youthful foolishness,” Su Jie replied calmly. “Dating and chasing girls can wait until after university.”