Chapter 9: Road trip

At the end of the month, Qin Qianyu noticed all the changes to her body.

Firstly all the fat around her body had become firm and toned, her stamina had improved immensely and she had grown taller. A growth spurt of 15 centimetres from 165cm to 180cm.

Not only that, but her skin and hair had seen significant improvements as well. Her skin was blemish free and her hair soft smooth and silky to the touch be it by hand or the wind.

She also developed another habit in this past month, that was reading medical manuscripts and journals. These would help form a greater understanding and appreciation towards the two books her master gifted to her.

Throughout the month, Qin Qianyu and her Master spared only a handful of times.

Although she wouldn't win any awards or medals against fighters with many years of experience under them, against an everyday person she'd be able to flatten them out in an instance.

It was Thursday, and all during the day Qin Qianyu had been in a anxious state. She flew through her school work and was almost begging the clock to tick over faster.

The reason for this was because today, after school, she and grandpa Wú were heading out on a road trip. She had taken two days leave, Friday and Monday.

Although she kept asking about it after being told to get permission from her parents a week ago, Grandpa Wú kept his mouth sealed and just told her to wait patiently.

"When we arrive at our destination I'll tell you all about it. It will be a good thing for you to learn from for future reference."

That was all he told Qin Qianyu.

At 4pm the last bell sounded and Qin Qianyu bolted for the door and out the gates.

"What's her rush!?"

"Maybe she has a date?"

"Pfft, how desperate do you have to be to date her? I don't know who I pity more!"

"Oh sounds like you know something!? Do tell!"

"I heard she has a sugar daddy!"

"What! Are you for real?"

"I've seen Qin Qianyu a few times hanging around the up market end of the city."

"Wait, is that the area where that secondhand store is located!?"

"Yeah! She's been going to and from that area for a while now, I don't know how long she had been doing that before that post of Meimei's came out but from what I remember and from the looks of things, her parents don't seem to have a lot of money yet she's always in that area."

Qin Qianyu had no idea about the inaccurate crude conversations that her fellow students were having about her, but, even if she knew that, it wouldn't faze her as she's done nothing morally wrong or ethically shameful.

Even though, soon enough the rumour mill started churning and grinding away at the smallest of information, till eventually, it settled on Qin Qianyu being a lowly kept girl with an extremely rich "sponsor" taking care of his little sugar baby.

Qin Qianyu made it to the studio. Out the front a luxury car sat at the entrance. Qin Qianyu made her way to her room quickly washed up and changed her clothes before meeting up with grandpa Wú in his courtyard.

"Grandpa Wú I'm ready!"

Qin Qianyu cried out enthusiastically. Her light brown eyes shone brightly with excitement as the old man cast a glance in her direction he lightly chuckled to him self.

"Hoho, good! The car is waiting for us. Let's head to the airport."

"Hehe! we're flying!? Just how far is this place?"

"The venue changes every so often, this time we're closer to it than most. It'll take about 6 hours, four by plane two by car."

The anticipation stayed with Qin Qianyu as they boarded the plane. This was a first for her. She never flew in her former life either, it was always by car, bus or train.

After the flight and car ride the pair came to an entrance to a villa. The pair rested the night and got ready the next morning to head out to their destination.

"Girl, before we leave the car there are some ground rules to follow."

"Okay Grandpa Wú."

Mhm, firstly, from now on, during the entirety of this trip remember not to use our real or any names whatsoever."

"I don't get it?"

"Hmm, just call me Master, and I'll call you disciple. Never reveal your true identity no matter what especially in this circle."

"Yes Master."

"Mhm, here put this on and no matter what, do not take it off unless I say so."

Grandpa Wú handed Qin Qianyu a theatrical half mask of a Shih Tzu.

"A lion dog!? Master do you have anything a bit more . . feminine?"

" . . . "

"Is that a yes? You do don't you!"

"What's wrong with my Shih Tzu. This was mine from back in the day, it had seen me through many battles."

Qin Qianyu quickly pulled the mask away from her face as she held it at arms length. She then pouted and couldn't help but give her master a sneer,

"So this damn thing is filled with your head sweat and dead skin! No thanks!"

" . . . "

"Master I'll just wear a stocking over my face, that should do right? I really don't want to bring shame to your mask! Yes that's it! I don't want to bring it shame."

"Shame your head! Haise! Alright, I thought as much, I had this made as a back up just in case. Hmph! Here, take it."

Grandpa Wú says as he took his majestic Shih Tzu mask back and handed Qin Qianyu a new half mask in the fashion of a fox.

It was pure black, with red trims and patterns. The eye holes had defused but opaque lens added over them hiding even the wearers irises while allowing the wearer full vision.

She put on her mask and pulled up her hood, after a few alterations to the garment the ears of the mask were jetting out top the hood piece and the mask sat snug on her face.

"Hehe, Master knows me best! This is much better,"

"Hmph! Good, come let's head out"

The pair headed out and soon, they, along with several others were picked up and driven to another location.

Entry was strict to many of the other people heading in the same direction as them. Only those in the cars provided went through the checkpoints unmolested. As for all the others, Qin Qianyu noted that the bare minimum for entry was at least 100 million.

She sighed to herself as she thought how people with too much money actually have to spend at least that much just to pass the gate.

The pair soon arrived at their destination and they stepped out and were quickly guided to a lobby where refreshments were being served.

Qin Qianyu watched the people that were there all wearing masks and that it seemed obvious that some were newcomers to this event as they had full masks which they had to constantly lift to drink or eat.

"What kind of gathering has Master brought me too?"

Qin Qianyu asked herself. Out of all the people in attendance she and her master were the only ones dressed casually as if they were making a trip to the market to buy fruits or vegetables.

Qin Qianyu could see undisguised loathing and ridicule coming from the eyes of some of those in attendance.

Both she and her master paid it no mind as they sampled the fruits and deserts.

Suddenly, a man and woman wearing full face masks trotted over proud as peacocks and stood in front of Qin Qianyu and her master.

"How did you two dogs manage to get in here? Judging by your dress, how did the two of you even manage to get pass the main gate?"

The man gloated, however he got no reply from either Qin Qianyu or her Master. She just slightly nodded her head rhythmically while popping grapes into her mouth.

The full masked couple both started seething behind their masks to which the man smacked the plate filled with cake and fruits out of Qin Qianyu's hands and started shouting back at her arrogantly.

Qin Qianyu cocked her head up towards the full masked couple and frowned behind her mask as she eyed the couple.

She didn't know that the guy was laying down a verbal tirade at her since she couldn't see his mouth.

She quickly pulled out her phone and tapped the screen before reaching up to her ears and removed a pair of Bluetooth earbuds.

"Do you need something?"

"Pfft!"

The crowd that had been drawn into the scene by the masked man's initial outbursts had been watching the entire thing. They had all thought that the girl may have been frightened by the masked man, but reality was, she couldn't hear him cause she was listening to music.

Qin Qianyu looked at the man and woman then the dropped plate of food,

"Hope you're not waiting for me to pick that up?"

The man said and pointed his finger at Qin Qianyu. He then reiterated what he had said previously,

Qin Qianyu cocked her head then pursed her lips,

"Huh!? Did the gate fee shock you so much that it actually fried your brain? Judging by your full mask you must be new here, besides if I'm standing along with you what does it matter what I wear? Just pick up the plate and take your dumb mask and brain back to the hole you crawled out of."

The man was pissed off, he decided to teach Qin Qianyu a lesson by ripping her mask off. The man grunted as he reached out for it but sadly Qin Qianyu was quicker than he was.

Seeing through the man's intentions and heeding her masters words from earlier she slapped the offending hand away at the same time she grasped the man's own mask and applied a little force causing the the porcelain mask to shatter and fall to the floor in pieces then to end it off she jumped on the spot and sent the man flying backwards a few meters with a spinning back kick, landing quickly while the man was still in the air.

The onlookers were both stunned and in awe, the kick was both powerful and elegant. Some of the more observant people in attendance noted it's true strength to be lacking, but only because Qin Qianyu had intentionally held back.

The entire lobby went quiet, the man was laid out flat on the ground in an unconscious state.

Suddenly a loud voice bellowed out from atop a staircase connected to the lobby,

"Old Dog, how about controlling that little pup of yours!"

Both Qin Qianyu and her master looked up as grandpa Wú humphed.

"How about teaching your mutt some manners before asking things from others."

Grandpa Wú retorted to which Qin Qianyu gave two thumbs up,

"Haha, nice!"

Qin Qianyu then turned to the woman that had come over and cocked her to the side and gave her a toothy grin,

"You . . What do you want?"

"I want to teach you manners, would you kindly learn from me well?"

The woman was in a slight panic as she saw Qin Qianyu's grin. That coupled with the black fox mask forced her mind to crash.

She hurriedly called out for her dad.

The man that had bellowed out earlier at grandpa Wú just humphed then shook his head as a man standing next to him started apologising to him and went to collect the frightened woman.

"Father, you mustn't let that brute off, please ask Mr . . . "

SMACK!

"Shut your damn mouth! I've already told not to throw any names out, do you want our family to be utterly destroyed because of your damn mouth!?"

"Ah . . But . . "

"But nothing! Get the hell up and stop causing a damn scene!"

Several staff members appeared and picked up both the plate of food and the man that had beat up that innocent cake and it's fruity entourage, while the woman and her father scampered away to find a corner to hide in.

Qin Qianyu shuffled closer to grandpa Wú and gave him a slight nudge with her elbow,

"Master this place is interesting. That man from before, why do I feel like he came to me by another's command to trouble me? Say, did that old thing up stairs think that it would be so easy just to unmask me!? Do you have beef with each other?"

"My disciple is indeed forward thinking with great insight. Haha, don't mind it much, it's just busybody bored of life."

Grandpa Wú grumbled nonchalantly. A smirk formed on Qin Qianyu's face as she asked,

"Why is he so testy? Did you steal his magazine or something?"

"Tsk! . . "

"Ah haha . . well?"

The old man sighed and pulled his disciple along as the pair walked and talked.

"It's partly because of the gifts I've given you, that old thing wanted the furnace as well as that apothecary book. I had acquired them here at this very auction."

"Really! So this is an auction house! Haha. This is exciting. Master are you really rich? How much did you pay for my gifts?"

"How could I put a price on all the gifts I was preparing for my future disciple? To me it didn't matter, the only thing that I cared about was making the right decision for my disciple, you, no matter the cost."

"Awww! Thanks master, you're the best!"