Chapter 161: The self-willed Little Girl

The woman had already put on her gloves. She didn't bring anything else and went up to the ring. She sized up Shuishui and said, "Not bad. Your legs aren't weak, are they?"

"No."

"Then are you afraid?" The woman had barely finished speaking when she suddenly moved forward and threw a punch.

Shuishui crossed her arms in front of her and blocked the punch. Although she managed quite well, she almost flipped over because she had taken a few steps back and found it difficult to control her body.

"Not bad. Your foundation is very solid. You're indeed Old Li's student," the woman said. She moved her hands and feet quickly.

Shuishui was unable to speak. She couldn't divert the woman's attention. She focused all her attention on blocking the attacks. She did not want to get hurt.

Pa!

Shuishui hissed and took a deep breath. Her arm was in so much pain. She gritted her teeth and continued.

Bang!

Shuishui took a few steps back. Her opponent almost hit her. She felt pain as she thought about it. She had to be careful, even more so.

Shuishui was focused. She maintained her own rhythm to defend herself. Every time the opponent moved towards her, Shuishui would be able to calmly find her own rhythm and ultimately defend herself.

To this tall woman, Shuishui was only a minor, so she could not use her full strength against her. She had also been probing Shuishui's weak spots and constantly provoked her. In the end, she realized that Shuishui was very calm. She had observed that Shuishui's movements were controlled and the rhythm of her movements was very smooth. She was indeed a good seedling. There was a hint of fire in her eyes, and she was actually a little excited. She saw Shuishui as a little kitten that refused to admit defeat. She wanted to beat Shuishui and break her stubbornness, her rhythm, and her confidence.

Teacher Li watched by the side of the ring. He saw Shuishui's expression and thought to himself, 'This is bad. She is actually excited. However, I cannot stop her now. Although she is excited, she is still very rational. She has to have a full grasp of her rationality and strength. Don't be too ruthless.' Shuishui's unyielding personality oftentimes distressed him. He never wanted to see her bullied.

After half an hour, she stopped to rest. Teacher Li hurriedly gave Shuishui a bottle of mineral water and a towel. "Drink some water and rest for a while. Can you continue?"

Shuishui nodded. "Yes."

Teacher Li was about to stop the match. However, he didn't because he didn't want Shuishui to just be a flower in the greenhouse. Only through experience would she become stronger.

"Akong, control yourself well. Don't really hurt my student. She's still underage," Old Li told one of the women, Akong.

Akong nodded and said, "Don't worry, I know what to do. The parts I hit won't hurt her. However, it might hurt her for a while."

Shuishui really wanted to swear, but it wasn't in her nature to do so. Naturally, she remained silent. At the same time, she took a few deep breaths to stabilize her breathing. Fortunately, she had practiced long-distance running, so her physical strength had already significantly improved.

The other two female soldiers watched from the side and felt that Akong was being ruthless. 'What a cute girl. Now, there are bruises on her forehead, arms, and legs.'

"Coach Akong, she is just a child," one of the women said to Akong.

"Yeah, just a child," the other one added.

"You two, shut up. I know!" Akong shrieked. Akong was annoyed. She felt that the two were too nosy. Old Li had already warned her, and she felt she no longer needed to be told by her two companions.

"Aiyo, Coach Akong is so angry!"

As she listened to their conversation, Shuishui guessed that the other two were noisy since Akong was their coach. They must have been trained a lot by her.

They restored their breaths and regained their energy after only ten minutes of rest. Akong stood up and bumped her fists and said to Shuishui, "That's enough. Let's begin, Little Sister. If you can't hold on anymore, you must say it. Don't force yourself."

"Yes, I know my own body. I can do it," Shuishui said as she stood up. She didn't look like she would retreat. Shuishui faced Akong fearlessly.

Akong began to like Shuishui. 'If this child joined the army, she would definitely be a wolf,' she thought.

Akong moistened her lips and lunged forward. However, this time, Shuishui also attacked. She was no longer simply defending herself. Shuishui changed her rhythm and movement. Attacking was the most effective defense.

She noticed that Akong's left side had an opening.

Akong's eyes flashed with admiration, but she blocked it with her left hand. "Continue!"

Shuishui felt that her left hand had gotten a little numb, but she continued to attack. She took advantage of her position. If she would always be on the defensive side, she would be more vulnerable.

"Shuishui, you can learn to guess your opponent's next move!" Teacher Li shouted.

Shuishui heard what her teacher said, but she couldn't do anything because Akong did not stop attacking.

She tried to study her opponent's moves. Although her reaction was not fast enough, she at least put her opponent in a difficult position.

"Good job. Your learning ability is very strong. Then I'll be faster. Let's see if you can take it," Akong said and waved her fist at an extremely fast speed. Shuishui felt pressured as she struggled to catch up.

The rhythm began to be disrupted. Shuishui wanted to regain her rhythm, but she did not succeed. She could no longer attack. She could only defend herself. Akong suddenly hit Shuishui's chin. Shuishui did not have much strength left and lay down as she fell behind. She couldn't get up anymore. Akong also stopped. She knew that she had reached the limit. If she continued to challenge Shuishui, Shuishui's body would suffer.

Teacher Li rushed forward and helped Shuishui up. He leaned against the pillar beside her and said, "Come, Shuishui, drink some water. Drink slowly."

Shuishui huffed and puffed and inhaled deeply. Her entire body was in pain. She didn't even have the strength to raise her hand. It was as if she had been drained in an instant.

She closed her eyes, unable to speak. She could only use this method to recover her stamina, even if it was very meager.

Akong was also very tired because she had to control her strength and the position of her swing to prevent Shuishui from suffering internal injuries. She drank water and also rested at the side. She gave Shuishui, who had her eyes closed, a thumbs-up. "Sure, Old Li. Your student is worth nurturing. Little Sister, you might consider the military academy. That place is very suitable for you."

Shuishui did not speak. Her chest was still rising and falling, and her breathing was heavy.

Teacher Li looked at Shuishui's face and said to Akong, "Why did you hit her face? This child still has to go to class tomorrow."

The left side of her forehead and chin were bruised. There was no way to cover it up. Her arms and thighs looked even worse. Teacher Li's heart ached so much that he could not bear to see it. Akong had hit her too hard, and he felt that he could no longer ask for her help in the future. Teacher Li had requested Akong to fight in a practice match with Shuishui, but when he saw how it affected Shuishui, he was heartbroken.

After she had rested for half an hour, Shuishui was able to stand up. "It hurts."

Akong suddenly walked down from the stage and took out a small bottle from her backpack. She then handed it to Shuishui. "This is the special medicinal wine issued to the army. Take it with you and use it on your bruises. I will come again next week or when I'm free."

Shuishui looked at Teacher Li for help and sympathy. 'It can't be. Again?'

Teacher Li also looked at Akong. "Didn't you say that you'll be busy in the future?"

"Yes, but I can spare some time in the afternoon to come over. Little Sister, can you come again?" Her last sentence sounded extremely provocative, and there was a hint of pride in her tone. It seemed to have said, 'Accept it. You'll be afraid if you don't.'

Initially, Shuishui didn't want to agree, but her tone infuriated her. In total, she had been beaten up for two and a half hours. If she wouldn't get to punch Akong, she really wouldn't bear it. "All right. Next week, we continue," she answered.

"En?" Teacher Li looked at Shuishui in horror. 'No way. How is it possible that she want to continue?' He saw the unwillingness in Shuishui's eyes and sighed. He reached out and rubbed Shuishui's head. "You did your best. My heart aches seeing you like this."

"En, I know, but I also want to hit her. At least let her suffer a punch," Shuishui said through gritted teeth. She got up and tried to walk. She felt the sharp pains all over her body.

Akong laughed loudly and said, "Okay! If you can hurt me with a punch, I'll give you a gift."

She passed the medicinal wine to Teacher Li and said, "Her hands and feet are hurting now. Old Li, help her first. I'll leave now. See you next week."

"En, see you next week." Teacher Li nodded. When they left, he helped Shuishui into the ring. "I am a man. I cannot wipe the medicinal wine for you. It would be ungentlemanly. Can you do it?"

"I can." Shuishui nodded. She walked down the ring as she held the medicinal wine. She noticed the color of the liquid inside the bottle and said, "The color of this medicinal wine is so magical."

"It's specially made by the army. It is definitely more potent than ordinary medicinal wine." Teacher Li knew about the kind of medicine Akong gave to Shuishui. He had one himself and planned to give it to Shuishui before the fight ended. Luckily, Akong offered her own, which was more potent as it was already reformulated.

"I'll send you home. Don't reject the offer. You look terrible," Teacher Li said as she sighed deeply. He felt a little regretful.

Shuishui moved slowly. When they left the lounge, they met the young man whom they had met earlier at the range. When he saw that Shuishui seemed to have been beaten up, his eyes immediately widened. "What's wrong with you?"

"It's nothing," Teacher Li answered and looked at Shuishui. His heart ached at the sight of her limping. "Shuishui, are you sure you want to fight with Akong next week? You have to think carefully. Akong might become more ruthless."

Shuishui nodded eagerly. "I know, but I still have a week left. I have to think about it carefully. I'll be happy if I get to punch her."

"En, en. Although it's a little difficult, Teacher will support you. If you have any questions, just ask." Teacher Li could not improve Shuishui's strength in a week, but he could sharpen Shuishui's skills.

"Okay." Shuishui was unwilling to admit defeat. She had lost terribly. She knew that Akong was highly skilled and was more proficient, so she did not expect to win. She was simply determined to give Akong a painful punch.

"Get in the car first. I'll tell you about your question." Teacher Li held Shuishui's arm as she got into the car. Deep down, he was happy that Shuishui was so strong. He was also worried that her self-confidence would be affected if she lost even more miserably in the second sparring session with Akong.

They also chose to ignore the young man who passed by them.

The young man was very much amazed. Did she learn how to fight violently? This teacher was really ruthless.

Teacher Li then started the car and drove off. As he drove, he offered his opinions on the match. He assessed Shuishui's attacks and defensive moves.

It had been almost an hour since they arrived at Shuishui's place. Due to the traffic jam, Teacher Li had been able to discuss quite a lot with Shuishui and assessed her techniques and movements. Shuishui took note of his assessment. She knew that she could only strengthen her punches and learn how to react more quickly.

As Shuishui got out of the car, Teacher Li said, "You go in first. When you're inside, I'll leave."

"Okay," Shuishui answered as she took the bottle of medicinal wine and limped her way into the apartment building.

That day, she had barely touched her phone. Other than their household helper who had called her earlier that morning, no one else left her any messages. The moment she took her phone out, it rang.

Reception was very weak inside the elevator. When she got out of the elevator, she called back. "Ziyu?"

"Shuishui, why didn't you pick up your phone this afternoon?" Mu Ziyu was relieved when he heard Shuishui's voice. He thought that something had happened.

She did not have the chance to touch her phone that afternoon, so she simply said, "I'm fine. I just forgot to check my phone. I didn't notice that there was a call."

Mu Ziyu could tell that something was wrong with Shuishui. "What's wrong? Why do you sound so weak?"

Shuishui quickly said, "No, I'm fine. I'm probably a little tired. I'll be fine after I rest for a while."

"Wait for me at the apartment. I'll pick you up." Mu Ziyu hung up the phone quickly.

Shuishui guessed that he was driving.

Suddenly, she thought of her current state and hurriedly called him back. "Ziyu, there's no need for that tonight. I'll eat something here at home. You can accompany me another night. You can go home and attend to your other affairs today."

"It's fine. I'm not in a hurry," Mu Ziyu said calmly. He felt that there was definitely something wrong.

Shuishui accidentally strained one of her muscles and hissed.

"What's wrong?" Ziyu asked.

"Nothing. I'll go and change my clothes first." Shuishui did not say much over the phone. She went to take a hot bath. The process was very painful, but she quickly washed up and changed into a long dress and a cardigan.

She looked at herself in the mirror for a long time. What should she do with the bruises and marks on her forehead and chin? Apply foundation? Forget it. It would look unnatural.

She was still looking at herself in the mirror when the doorbell rang. Shuishui had no choice but to open the door. She didn't want to, but she couldn't walk fast enough.

When she opened the door, Mu Ziyu saw Shuishui's face. His smile disappeared and his face immediately darkened. "What happened?"

"This? I accidentally fell today. Bad luck. I fell like a dog eating sh*t," she said as she laughed and smiled awkwardly to cover up her guilt.

"Fell? Even if I fell face down, I wouldn't have gotten bruises like this. Who are you lying to?" Ziyu's heart ached terribly. He reached out to touch Shuishui's face. "If you don't tell me, I'll call your teacher and ask him."

"No, no. Today, I fought with an instructor. l didn't really get to defend myself, so I ended up like this. Even though it looks serious, it will disappear in a few days." Shuishui also felt wronged, but she realized that if she couldn't use what she had learned, then what was the use of studying all those movements and techniques? If she was in danger and wasn't strong enough, she would still be in danger.

For her own safety, she felt that this practical battle was useful. At least for her, it could help her improve in a short period of time.

Mu Ziyu pulled Shuishui along and was about to walk with her when he noticed that Shuishui was limping.

He stopped and lifted Shuishui's skirt and saw that her legs were bruised. "Damn it," he exclaimed.

He put down her skirt and checked Shuishui's arm. It was also bruised. He simply couldn't stand it anymore. "Even if it's a practical battle, this is too ruthless. No, I—"

"This is my business," Shuishui said. She could have said that she couldn't do it anymore, but she insisted because she felt that she could do it.

Mu Ziyu and Shuishui were in a stalemate. In the end, Mu Ziyu gave in. "Okay. I won't talk about this anymore. After dinner, I'll help you apply the medicine."

"Okay," Shuishui said as she lowered her head. She knew that she was cold and acting tough, but she couldn't let the decision of others control her. She wasn't used to it.

Mu Ziyu held Shuishui's hand and walked slowly with her

It was indeed not suitable to hug her at that point. Although he really wanted to do so, he could only bear with it for Shuishui's sake. His heart ached as he watched Shuishui limping.

Mu Ziyu's thoughtfulness touched Shuishui because he tried to understand her and did not use his own thoughts to pressure her. He was unlike her previous boyfriend.

Shuishui moved slowly, and it took her more than ten minutes to get into the car. She felt drunk.

After she got into the car, Mu Ziyu thoughtfully fastened Shuishui's seat belt. "Let's go somewhere for dinner."

Finally, they found an ordinary home-cooked restaurant. There was a parking space outside. They parked the car and walked inside. They felt that it was good to eat home-cooked foods occasionally.

Shuishui was still in pain. Mu Ziyu ordered the dishes. "One crispy-skinned braised pork, boiled beef, and one garlic sprout. Please also give us stewed soup and two servings of rice. Thank you."

"Okay. Wait a moment," the lady boss said as she looked at Mu Ziyu. 'What a handsome young man. Is this his sister? She is also very cute and beautiful.'

The lady boss looked at Shuishui's face and noticed the bruises. "Oh my. Why are you black and blue?"

Shuishui laughed and said, "I was careless." Shuishui lied that she fell on her face.

"You're so careless. Young lady, you have to be careful. Don't be so naughty. It won't be good if you hurt your face." The lady boss hesitated before she walked away to facilitate their order.

Mu Ziyu poured water for Shuishui. "Does it still hurt?"

"Yes, yes. It's just sore. It's fine." Shuishui forced a smile because she really didn't want to laugh anymore. She decided to not pretend to be okay.

She had actually lost her appetite because of the pain.

The dishes were soon served. Shuishui ate only a few mouthfuls of meat. Mu Ziyu picked up Shuishui's bowl and put a piece of beef and braised pork on a spoonful of rice. "Be good. Even if your appetite is low, you still have to eat. You've used up so much energy today. Be obedient."

Shuishui reluctantly opened her mouth to eat. "Really, I don't want to eat anymore."

Mu Ziyu gently coaxed Shuihui. "There's not much rice. Just finish your rice, okay?"

Shuishui felt a little capricious. Ziyu had succeeded in coaxing her, and she ate the second mouthful.

Mu Ziyu was very patient with Shuishui and gently tried to convince her to eat more.

Shuishui barely finished the bowl of rice before he started to eat.

He fed Shuishui a few vegetables. He wanted Shuishui to eat more of the vegetables.