Moved by Vital Energies, One Strays from the Path

The time was 3:26 PM.

Inside the taxi.

Su Cheng rubbed his sore arm, feeling dejected. He had originally been full of hope about learning archery, only to realize he couldn’t even draw the bowstring, let alone win a championship. It made him feel like a eunuch marrying a beautiful wife—utterly useless.

"You should focus on aerobic exercises if you want to improve your fitness," Sister Qin suddenly reminded him. "Given your heart condition, you can only handle low-intensity workouts."

Hearing this, Su Cheng felt even worse. He mocked himself, "Maybe this is what they call fate’s cruel joke."

Talented, yet burdened with a heart condition.

"You don’t have to be so pessimistic," Sister Qin comforted him. "With a structured exercise plan, you can definitely improve your physical condition."

Su Cheng nodded slightly and asked, "Sister Qin, how should I go about this structured exercise plan?"

"It’s simple," Sister Qin said with a smile. "For now, go to the park in the mornings and follow the elderly folks in their wellness activities—Tai Chi, light jogging, pull-ups, things like that."

However, Su Cheng shook his head in disappointment, convinced Sister Qin had no real understanding of fitness. He decided he’d go home and search online for suitable workout methods instead.

"You think I’m just brushing you off?" Seeing Su Cheng’s disappointed expression, Sister Qin glared at him, then suddenly pulled the car over. She rummaged through the storage compartment before pulling out an ID badge and handing it to Su Cheng. "Here, take a look for yourself. Then you’ll know I’m not messing around."

Su Cheng looked down, and his expression turned odd.

Because the badge clearly read—

"National High-Level Athlete Reserve Talent."

Su Cheng was speechless. He never would’ve guessed Sister Qin had such a background!

Noticing his silence, Sister Qin snorted and said, "I’m telling you to start with light activities at the park because your body is too weak right now. First, we need to build your cardiovascular endurance and maintain your mobility. Only then can we move on to more intense training."

"I understand," Su Cheng muttered, clearing his throat.

"You can’t just jump into high-intensity workouts from the start," Sister Qin said, rolling her eyes. "This has to be a gradual process. Stick with this for a week, and once you’ve adjusted a bit, we’ll move on to more rigorous training."

"Got it," Su Cheng nodded.

"Remember, eat before every session—nutritious, balanced meals. Don’t skimp on yourself," Sister Qin continued. "I’m confident that in a few months, you’ll—"

"Sister Qin…" Su Cheng interrupted.

"What?" she asked.

"Never mind, it’s nothing," Su Cheng shook his head.

He couldn’t exactly tell her that he was doing this to bring Cornelia back sooner—that he needed results fast.

That he wanted to win a championship trophy within a month?

Saying that out loud would make him sound delusional to anyone.

Click.

The car started up again, pulling away from the curb.

But the storage compartment Sister Qin had opened earlier wasn’t properly closed. As the car moved, the items inside jostled, and a book slipped out, falling to the floor.

Su Cheng bent down to pick it up.

After dusting off the cover, he straightened it and glanced at the title: The Basic Laws of Web Novel Protagonists.

Unsurprisingly, it was a web novel.

"That book?" Sister Qin glanced at it while driving and explained, "Cornelia flipped through it once but didn’t seem interested. If you like it, you can take it. A boy like you might enjoy it."

"Cornelia read this too?" That piqued Su Cheng’s interest. He skimmed through it, finding various character settings and explanations about protagonist traits…

But reading in the car made him queasy, so he only took a quick look before setting it aside.

"Can I take this with me?" Su Cheng asked, seeking Sister Qin’s permission.

It wasn’t that he liked the book—he just wanted it because Cornelia had touched it. A keepsake.

"I’ve already finished it," Sister Qin said. "Sure, take it."

About ten minutes later, the car stopped in front of an apartment building.

"Sister Qin, thank you for today," Su Cheng said as he stepped out, expressing his gratitude to her in the driver’s seat. "Next time, I’ll treat you to a meal."

"No need, we’re friends. Don’t be so formal," Sister Qin declined with a shake of her head. "Just follow my advice for the next few days. This Saturday, I’ll design a customized training plan for you. Be ready."

"Got it," Su Cheng agreed earnestly.

After saying goodbye, he took a shortcut home.

By the time he arrived, it was already 4 PM.

He first checked on the peonies on the balcony, then went to his room and placed The Basic Laws of Web Novel Protagonists on the bookshelf. After giving it another cursory glance and confirming he had no real interest, he headed to the kitchen to cook.

When he opened the fridge and saw the ingredients Cornelia had bought for him, a pang of sadness hit him.

But he quickly pushed the feeling aside and focused on cooking.

......

Evening.

5:30 PM.

Su Cheng changed into his workout clothes and prepared to go for a jog.

He warmed up at home first, then started running along the path outside the residential area.

He ran and ran, losing track of time until he was drenched in sweat and completely exhausted. Only then did he stop to rest.

An hour and a half later—

"Is this all I can do?"

After running for so long, Su Cheng was soaked in sweat, his whole body feeling drained. He took a half-hour break before starting again.

Another hour and a half passed. Hands on his knees, panting heavily, he muttered to himself, "It’s just a light jog… Why am I so tired?"

After catching his breath, he looked around. The area was lined with old residential buildings, with few pedestrians, making it eerily quiet.

"Did I leave the city?"

Su Cheng glanced up at the darkening sky, estimating it was around 7 or 8 PM.

Without his phone or wallet, he couldn’t pinpoint his location, so he decided to retrace his steps back toward the city. But he soon realized he was lost.

The houses all looked the same—uniform wall colors, window designs, and layouts made it hard to distinguish one from another.

In the end, he chose a left fork in the road and followed the street deeper in.

When he entered a narrow alley, Su Cheng froze, instinctively wanting to turn back.

Because inside the alley, two rough-looking young men were squatting on the ground, smoking. One of them was flipping a dagger in his hand, its blade glinting sharply under the dim light.

"Hey, stop right there."

"Who told you to come here?"

"You looking for trouble?"

"Damn it!"

He swallowed hard, realizing things had gone south. His mind raced for an escape plan as he forced himself to appear calm. Turning around, he spoke politely, "Uh... I was just out for a run and accidentally wandered here. Is there something you need?"

"Nothing much."

The two delinquents exchanged glances, sizing him up like a student. They crushed their cigarettes underfoot and smirked, stepping closer. One twirled a dagger, his lips curling into a cold grin. "But since we’ve crossed paths, how about lending us some spare change, huh?"

Su Cheng’s heart tightened.

Before he could bolt, the two blocked his path, flanking him on either side. The one with the dagger waved it lazily, trapping him in place.

"So? What’ll it be?"

The grinning delinquent pressed the dagger against his own neck in a mock threat. "I’ve got a short temper. If you refuse, we might just help you reconsider."

Gritting his teeth, Su Cheng stiffened his neck. "I didn’t bring anything while jogging. Give me a few minutes—I’ll go home and get money for you."

"No way!"

The other delinquent shook his head, a sly smirk playing on his lips. "You seem slippery. We can’t trust you not to run off and call the cops."

"I swear I won’t!" Su Cheng blurted. "I live in Building 2, 11th floor, Flip-Flop Garden, right nearby!"

"Flip-Flop Garden?" One delinquent frowned, glancing at his partner. "Sounds kinda familiar."

The other nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I think I’ve heard of it."

"Search him. See if he’s lying."

"On it." The accomplice roughly patted Su Cheng down, cursing under his breath. "Damn, he really didn’t bring shit."

"Tch."

The dagger-wielding delinquent stepped closer, irritation flashing in his eyes. "Listen, kid, we’re not trying to ruin your day. Just tell us—who’s at home?"

As the blade neared, Su Cheng’s face paled. He’d never done anything to deserve this, yet life kept hammering him down.

Right now, his fate seemed to hang on their whims.

A bitter thought crossed his mind—this was exactly the kind of cliché, over-the-top scenario reserved for protagonists in web novels.

But protagonists always had cheat codes: superpowers, systems, magical items, unbeatable strength, or protectors.

Him? The Ji Family had once offered protection, but he’d turned it down.

A wave of helplessness crashed over him.

Guess he wasn’t the protagonist.

Even when protagonists hit rock bottom, despair and pain would somehow grant them the power to turn things around.

Yet here he was, denied even the right to rage—his rationality screaming not to provoke them.

Stubbornness was his only virtue.

"I asked who’s at home. You deaf or mute?"

The dagger-wielding delinquent jabbed the air impatiently.

"Flip-Flop Garden has Grandpa Niu. What else—your mom?" Su Cheng shut his eyes, his voice bleak and defiant. In that moment, fury took over, crystallizing into a sarcastic jab at fate itself.

The words bought him a fleeting silence.

"Wait—Flip-Flop Garden’s from that cartoon! This little shit’s been messing with us!"

The other delinquent suddenly roared.

"You’re gonna regret—"

Su Cheng’s eyes snapped open, blazing with unreadable emotion before settling into hollow resignation.

But then—

Clang.

The dagger hit the ground, the sound jarring.

At first, it could’ve been a slip. But what happened next stunned Su Cheng: the delinquent who’d dropped it collapsed without warning, his face twisted in terror.

He trembled violently, lips quivering, as if he’d seen something unspeakably horrifying.

Su Cheng froze.

What the hell just happened?

His accomplice took a second to react, staring at Su Cheng like he’d seen a ghost. "The fuck did you do?!"

Seizing the moment, Su Cheng lunged for the dagger, gripping it tight before thrusting it toward the man’s head.

"You’ve got some nerve!"

But his speed and strength were pitiful—the delinquent easily caught his wrist, slamming him against the wall and pinning his leg with a knee.

Then, meeting Su Cheng’s bloodshot, furious gaze, the man suddenly recoiled, collapsing just like his friend. He scrambled back, face contorted in sheer terror.

What. Is. Happening?

Why were they so scared of him?

Had he done something?

Su Cheng was utterly lost.

The two delinquents now looked like they’d witnessed something eldritch—frozen in abject horror.

A chill ran down Su Cheng’s spine. Was this... some kind of haunting?

Thud.

Someone dropped from the wall, landing with a crisp footstep. Then—two gunshots, aimed at the writhing delinquents.

"Who’s there?!" Su Cheng gasped.

"Young Master, it’s us."

Familiar uniforms—Ji Family attendants.

"Oh. So you scared them." Su Cheng exhaled in relief, the earlier confusion evaporating. Clearly, the Ji Family had intervened.

"They’re not dead, right?" As much as he despised those thugs, death felt too merciful. A hundred cuts would’ve been more fitting.

"Just tranquilizers."

"Was it you who terrified them earlier?"

The attendant didn’t answer, only giving him an inscrutable look before offering a polite, icy smile. "Young Master, a car is waiting outside. We’ll handle the rest."

"Alright, thanks for the trouble." Su Cheng tossed aside the dagger in her hand, brushed off her clothes, and took one last glance at the two thugs lying motionless on the ground before turning to leave the alley. She couldn't help but marvel inwardly, "The Ji Family is truly something—just their name alone is enough to paralyze people with fear."