Chapter 136: A Flexible Approach

Qin Chuan did not delve into the intricacies of human anatomy with Liu Qingcheng after entering the room. Instead, he quietly listened to the activity outside. As the other women gradually left, he secretly gave himself a pat on the back for his cleverness.

"Brother Chuan, you are too wicked! My reputation as a loose woman is now set in stone. This won't do; you must compensate me," Liu Qingcheng said, shaking his arm and acting coquettishly.

Qin Chuan smiled and asked, "Of course, no problem. How about I compensate you with billions all at once?"

"Brother Chuan, you are so lecherous! But isn't a one-time compensation too little? Is my appeal not enough for you?"

Liu Qingcheng deliberately paused after the word "once" for quite a while before continuing, completely changing the process of the sentence without altering the ultimate meaning.

"You really are a little enchantress; you can twist anything into that direction." Qin Chuan truly admired Liu Qingcheng. Especially when combined with her fox-like appearance and temperament, her constant flirtations always stirred up a burning desire in him.

Liu Qingcheng gave him a seductive wink and said with a smile, "Don't all men like this?"

Qin Chuan nodded repeatedly, but quickly corrected her earnestly, "What you said isn't entirely correct. Men do like this, but when it comes to the woman they are with, they prefer her to be as cold as ice to other men. Understand?"

"Understood!" Liu Qingcheng caught his drift immediately.

Qin Chuan was about to flirt a bit more when he suddenly gestured for silence. He pressed his ear against the door panel to listen intently, only to find that it had become much quieter outside, though he could still hear the faint, rhythmic breathing of several people.

"Could it be that the ones left behind are still planning a major battle?"

Just as Qin Chuan was letting his imagination run wild, a knock sounded at the door. Based on the weight and rhythm of the footsteps, he quickly determined there were two people outside.

He opened the door to find Mo Qingqiu, her face frosty, and Lan Jin, who looked cold with a hint of grievance. Looking through the gap between them, Qin Chuan also spotted Qin Youyou, who wore an expression of helpless sympathy.

"What is the meaning of this?" Qin Chuan asked with a chuckle.

Lan Jin stood on her tiptoes to peer inside. Seeing that Liu Qingcheng and Qin Chuan were fully dressed and appeared normal, she breathed a sigh of relief and began to shift the blame.

"She insisted on coming in to find you and even had the nerve to mock others. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I came here specifically for you to be the judge."

Lan Jin felt this blame-shifting was smooth and seamless. Seeing Mo Qingqiu’s eye-roll and irritation, she felt an even greater sense of accomplishment.

"Childish!"

Mo Qingqiu did not intend to explain. Aside from protecting Qin Youyou, she had come to deliver the documents for Qin Chuan’s trip abroad. She turned her gaze to him and, with lightning speed, performed a hand signal unique to the Dragon Tooth special forces without leaving a trace.

Qin Chuan understood her meaning instantly and also formed a rough guess as to why she had come to the Lan family.

"Qingcheng, Lan Jin, I have something to discuss with Miss Mo. You two should go out first," Qin Chuan said, his tone serious.

Lan Jin was still puzzled and was about to throw a tantrum, but Liu Qingcheng cut her off first.

"Sister Jin, I also want to invest in your Gourmet City project. Can you bring me along to make a little fortune?"

Without giving Lan Jin a chance to refuse, Liu Qingcheng took her hand and led her away from the room, even thoughtfully pushing Mo Qingqiu inside and locking the door behind them.

Watching Liu Qingcheng give him a wink just before she turned away, Qin Chuan felt particularly gratified. While she might act like a little enchantress, she was very sensible at critical moments, and her keen insight was far beyond what Lan Jin possessed.

Soon, only Qin Chuan and Mo Qingqiu remained in the room. Mo Qingqiu handed him a file folder and lowered her voice. "This is all the paperwork you need for going abroad. The Dragon King told me to pass on a message: do your best to complete the mission, but your primary concern must be your own safety."

Mo Qingqiu was shocked as she said this. In her memory, her foster father was always the type to prioritize the mission over life itself. To think he would now take the initiative to tell Qin Chuan to prioritize his own survival showed just how high Qin Chuan’s status was in his heart.

"I understand," Qin Chuan said in a low voice. "Have you noticed any issues while protecting Youyou during this time?"

"Aside from a few suitors, I haven't found anything unusual. Of course, it’s also possible that the other party is too strong and evaded my perception."

Speaking of the mission, Mo Qingqiu was exceptionally rigorous. Qin Chuan fell silent after hearing this. Qin Youyou was a woman, so it was more convenient for a woman to protect her closely, but the strongest women around Long Qianqiu were Mo Qingqiu and Ling Qingxue.

Ling Qingxue was perhaps too conspicuous and easily identified. Even with Long Qianqiu working in the shadows, it might not be easy to hide her identity without leaving a trace.

"What are you thinking about?" Mo Qingqiu asked curiously. She didn't think she had said anything wrong, so why had Qin Chuan’s expression suddenly become so grave?

"I'm thinking about how to help you improve your strength in a short time. How about this: I’ll teach you a method of breathing and meditation. If you practice it ten cycles every morning, noon, and night, you can improve your sensory perception and reaction speed," Qin Chuan said gravely.

Mo Qingqiu was instantly excited. She had long known that Qin Chuan was unfathomable, but she hadn't expected him to be willing to teach her martial arts.

"Alright! Let's start!" Mo Qingqiu said impatiently.

However, a moment later, she saw Qin Chuan looking conflicted, hesitating several times as if he had more to say, which made her feel uneasy.

"What is it?" Mo Qingqiu asked, puzzled.

Qin Chuan sighed and said, "This breathing and meditation technique is a secret art of my sect. Our sect has strict rules: the techniques are passed to men but not women, and to insiders but not outsiders."

"Many things in our China have lost their heritage because of such rigid rules. Can’t you be a bit flexible?" Mo Qingqiu asked with some frustration.

Qin Chuan replied without the slightest hesitation, "Of course I can be flexible. I’ve never liked sticking to rigid rules, and I detest these broken traditions that cut off heritage."

Mo Qingqiu was quite surprised by this and couldn't help but urge him, "Then be flexible!"

"Since you can’t change your gender, we’ll just have to be flexible about the 'not passing to outsiders' part," Qin Chuan said with a slight smile. "Why don't you become my mistress? Then we'd be family, wouldn't we?"

"Go to hell!" Mo Qingqiu rolled her eyes, knowing nothing good would come out of his mouth.

Qin Chuan waved his hand and said, "Hey! Don't be angry! I was just joking. Actually, we are already family! Think about it: you are my second senior brother’s foster daughter, which naturally makes you my niece. How about this: you just call me 'Uncle' nicely, and I won't have any psychological burden in teaching you the technique."

"..."

Mo Qingqiu was left standing there in the wind, completely bewildered.