CHAPTER 59 ♦ REGARDING THE JAW

With her dormmates’ wholehearted help, Zhuo Xiao Xuan aside from than attending her lessons every day would, every weekend, venture past the walls said to be heavily guarded and laden with danger to find Yin Xu Dong at Military Meds College and teach him the “Xiao Li Flying Daggers” he’d been wanting to learn all these while. Of course, the apparatus of their lesson naturally was the surgical knives Yin Xu Dong would be in intimate contact with in the future; the target for his knives were a few trees in a certain secluded area in the college. 

Whoosh, whoosh, the two knives split the air and the blades dug into the little circle drawn in red on the trunk of the tree.

After Yin Xu Dong rushed over to check, he shouted in excitement: “Xuan Xuan! I did it! I did it!”

Zhuo Xiao Xuan sat by the side. Flipping through the book in her hand, her gaze lifted and she said blandly: “It’s almost an entire semester since you’ve learnt it. I won’t ever teach you again if you still can’t pick it up.” She could throw daggers with eyes closed better than he did with his eyes wide open.

Failing to receive any praise, Yin Xu Dong went over to sit by Zhuo Xiao Xuan’s side glumly before looking at the book in her hand in curiosity. “What are you reading?”

“A Brief History of Time, by Stephen Hawking’.” Z L T

“…” Yin Xu Dong was confused. “Aren’t you learning about Military Intelligence? You’re interested in books on physics as well?” Einstein’s Theory of Relativity first, and now Stephen Hawking’s book?

“Enh, just reading through randomly.” Zhuo Xiao Xuan closed her book, standing. “Since you’ve pretty much grasped Xiao Li Flying Daggers, I won’t be coming by for the next few weeks.”

“Aye? Oh yeah, finals are coming, you need to revise right? Let’s go back home after exams.”

“Enh. I’m going, call me if there’s anything.” Z L T

It wasn’t quite because she had to revise for her finals per say, rather, she seemed to have caught someone’s attention. Her dorm-mates on several occasions almost didn’t manage to hide the fact that she’d sneaked out. Hence, she couldn’t risk it any longer.

That day when she returned to her dorm, her dorm-mates came over, encircling her furtively, saying: “Xiao Xuan, it’s better you don’t sneak out these few days, the tutor seemed to have noticed that something’s off, he’d come over to check several times! We’ve used up all our excuses, and we’ve already used the excuse that you’re on your period four times already this month!”

“Enh. I won’t be heading out the next few weekends, don’t worry.” Z L T

Zhuo Xiao Xuan could faintly feel that someone getting restless, ready to pull something. However, that person had yet to reveal themself, so she obviously won’t go knocking on their doors sending herself there on a silver platter. Hence she went about her life as normally as a normal student would, expressionlessly dismissing the male schoolmates in heat while she was at it once in while.

In a certain small storeroom, five members from the little society were having a meeting. “That’s the person you have in mind? Other than being pretty, I really can’t see anything else that’s special about her.” A girl sitting in a corner said in scorn as she trimmed her nails, before sweeping a disdainful look at the guy seated before her.

“Cough cough, I admit she’s pretty and I looked at her a little more times that what’s normal initially. However, the after looking and looking at her, I realised she disappeared!” The guy defended himself, flushing.

“Tch! Just admit you’re lustful! You definitely need to be punished seeing how it’s affecting your work!”

“Oi! Don’t throw dirt on me like that! What do you mean affect my work, in what way was my work affected?!”

After the century war between the two once again erupted, the guy sitting in the centre patted the table. “Stop! The two of you stop arguing! Do you understand what ‘even walls have ears’ mean?! Even if walls had no ears, the dead will be awakened by how loud the two of you are!”

The two of them didn’t see eye to eye; after exchanging a gaze, they snorted coldly and turned to look elsewhere. The remaining three people shrugged, long used to their arguing. Everyone would selectively turn a blind eye to their water-and-oil-esque relationship as long as they were in sync enough during their missions.

“Actually, I have something I didn’t tell you guys; our candidate can’t be Zhuo Xiao Xuan.”

“Hah? Why not? Chief you should’ve told us about something so important earlier! Why are you only telling us now?!” 

“She looks pretty normal to me, how would I know one of you guys would latch onto her.”

“Chief, chief, what’s her background? Why can’t she be a candidate?” Z L T

“Cough cough, did you guys forget the surname of our military district’s Commander?”

“No way?! She’s from the Commander’s family?”
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“Enh. Xiao Jun after you suggested putting her into the name list, I went to search her up. The higher-ups said that there were already plans for her in place so we better not hit her up. Everyone, let’s work a little harder and find someone else instead.”

“But chief, she really isn’t as simple as she seems! I mean I lost her even after staring straight at her…”

The guy known as the chief patted his shoulders. “Just think of it as a dream; don’t dig too into it.” When he saw that he wasn’t willing to give up on that idea, the chief tone became stern: “If you don’t find me a new candidate by the end of this week, you’ll be staying in school the entire winter break!”

At the great threat of his words, the guy immediately nodded his head. “Chief! I will search for a new one immediately, I guarantee I’ll finish the job in time!”

Zhuo Xiao Xuan didn’t expect they wouldn’t make any move when she didn’t do anything. However, she did see that male student giving her mixed looks. If she remembered correctly, that was the guy who’d attempted to tail her.

If the enemy didn’t strike, she wouldn’t strike. All her performance was capped at what a normal student could attain anyway, so she didn’t believe that the hot-headed clown would be able to sniff out anything.

A certain female however was enraged. She tugged at the certain guy’s ear, roaring: “You done looking?! This lady I’m mad! I’m officially announcing that we are breaking up; we’re done!” The school rules clearly stated that students weren’t allowed to date. Though the two seemed to be at odds on the surface, they had long gotten together secretly. Their rule-breaking actions of course was well-hidden. Not even the people in the society knew about it.

“Xiao Jing, Xiao Jing, don’t be angry. I’m just really curious how she was able to shake off my tailing. I swear to heavens I really don’t mean anything else.”

“If you didn’t mean anything else, why’re you still staring at her all day long?! You think I’m blind?! We shall and must break up!”

“Don’t, Xiao Jing, calm down. Okay okay, I promise I won’t look at her again in the future.”

“…”
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After which, the strange guy disappeared from Zhuo Xiao Xuan’s sight. Though the reason was unknown, Zhuo Xiao Xuan was immensely satisfied with such an outcome as her actions were no longer restricted by someone else.

Time flew unknowingly. Before long, their finals were over. Students started packing up their things to return home one after another. Zhuo Xiao Xuan packed her things, bid her dormmates farewell and went downstairs with her luggage. After bumping into a few of her male classmates from her MI class, he immediately greeted her enthusiastically upon seeing her. “Zhuo Xiao Xuan, are you going back? Is your luggage heavy? I can help you bring it to the entrance.”

“Enh, I’m going back. It’s not heavy, thanks.” Zhuo Xiao Xuan rejected them flatly.

How they possibly let such an opportunity to perform before their beautiful female classmate? Hence they walked over passionately and picked up her luggage. “Goodness, there’s no need to be polite, we’re not busy anyway, we should help our female classmates… uh, Zhuo Xiao Xuan, what did you put in your luggage?” Why was it so heavy? Did you fill them with rocks?!

“It’s nothing; it’s really not that heavy, so there’s no need for the trouble, I can bring it down on my own.” Zhuo Xiao Xuan took her luggage back, picked it up and continued forward expressionlessly, leaving behind but a bunch of flabbergasted guys watching her picking up her luggage as though it weighed nothing as she disappeared into the distance… they should’ve known there were no weak girls from military schools, only girls who appeared weak like the one right in front of them…

She boarded the school bus to the train station and saw the Yin Xu Dong that was waiting there since long ago. At the same time, she saw a certain female; that female had her hand stretched trying to circle Yin Xu Dong’s hand. He dodged in irate, but she continued trying to grasp his hand, not giving up.

Zhuo Xiao Xuan walked over from the side and slapped her claws away, saying coldly: “Don’t touch what’s mine as you wish.” She didn’t save any strength when she slapped her so the back of Liu Ting’s hand immediately reddened. She cried in pain, cupping her hand, glaring at Zhuo Xiao Xuan in hate before turning to Yin Xu Dong to gaze at him, aggrieved.

Yin Xu Dong shrugged. “I told you not to be touchy. Go back, and don’t come looking for me next time.”

Liu Ting pouted, not wanting to leave.
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“You want me to break your hand before you’re willing to leave?” Zhuo Xiao Xuan began, her tone and gaze even chillier than the cold northwest gale. Liu Ting, still in pain over her hand was immediately frightened. Trembling like a little rabbit with reddened eyes, she pulled the luggage by her side and left, turning back incessantly to look at him. 

Upon seeing the nuisance that had bothered him for the longest of time finally gone, Yin Xu Dong took off his cap and placed it on Zhuo Xiao Xuan’s head, smiling. “You cold? Why didn’t you wear more?” As he said, he took off his scarf around his neck and wrapped it on Zhuo Xiao Xuan.

She appeared especially comical with Yin Xu Dong’s too-large cap that kept slipping off to cover a large part of her face on top of her expressionless expression. At that, Yin Xu Dong burst into laughter, reaching out to pinch her cheeks. “Don’t put up a poker face all the time, smile more, what’s the saying, give a smile and you’ll look ten years younger. Come, give me a smile.”

Zhuo Xiao Xuan rolled her eyes. “You have nothing else to do?” Z L T

After they boarded the train that rolled into the station and reached their bunk, they bumped into Liu Ting again. At that, Liu Tig suddenly stood. “Hi, what a coincidence to see Xu Dong again.” She waved at Yin Xu Dong in greeting, selectively ignoring the Zhuo Xiao Xuan standing beside him.

Zhuo Xiao Xuan placed her luggage down. After looking at her for the longest of time, she started: “You have a nice chin.”

Liu Ting paused, before smiling as she replied: “Thank you.” Z L T

“It’ll definitely look better dislocated.” Z L T

Yin Xu Dong stumbled, before suddenly recalling the scene where Xuan Xuan dislocated teacher Lu Jing’s chin from a few years back… and was rendered speechless. Though he disliked Liu Ting very much, he knew that she came from a powerful background. If Xuan Xuan were to make a move at her, he was afraid that she’d attract trouble. Not only so, compared to normal schools, military schools placed a lot more emphasis on rules such as no stirring up trouble.

Setting his face into a grave expression, he said Liu Ting: “Xuan Xuan’s someone who keeps to her word; she’s dislocated someone’s jaw before, and her skills are top-notch. Your jaw’s even more guaranteed than an ISO-certification to dislocate after a single move. But her skills in relocating the jaw back is still a little  lacking, so it might be the slightest bit slanted after she puts your jaw back. Actually it doesn’t really matter if it’s slanted or not though right, it’s just that it’ll be a little hard to talk and your face might be a little contorted; it’s nothing, it won’t hinder you going about eating so you don’t need to worry about that.”

Zhuo Xiao Xuan glared at him. “You’re doubting my relocation skills?” At that, she tipped her chin in Liu Ting’s direction. “You, come here, I’ll show him.”

Liu Ting’d thought that Yin Xu Dong was just scaring her. However after hearing what Zhuo Xiao Xuan said, it seemed that that was indeed something that had happened before. At that, she immediately ceased her doubts about what they’d said and produced her ticket from her pocket to prove her innocence. “I’m not following you guys on purpose. You see, this is my bunk. If there’s nothing else, I’m going to sleep, I’m sleepy. Goodnight.” After bidding them goodnight in the middle of the day, she speedily dug into her bunk and pulled the covers over. 

Zhuo Xiao Xuan’s bunk was the one above Yin Xu Dong’s. After removing her shoes, she flipped onto the bunk. Just as she lied down, she saw the person in the bunk across her staring straight at herself. “Hi, Zhuo Xiao Xuan.”