Tang Xuěméi
Body : Mortal (Human)
Realm: Ming Jin peak
Status: Young Martial Artist in Training
Favorability: Excited (45)
Age: 17
Skills: Basic martial techniques, agility, flexibility, bajiquan
Background: Daughter of the Tang family.
Traits: Youthful resilience, quick learning, strong family bonds
She introduced herself, her eyes flicking to Han Chen as she spoke. He quickly connected the dots. Don't tell me the secret investigation results, => hacking into my device before meeting me are leaked. My contact at emergency was found out. Unless the Tang family might have clearly expressed a request earlier to express gratitude to whoever saved him before. Li Mei's pale face confirmed his suspicions.
Tang Xuěméi walked to his side and sat down as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The seat beside him, usually empty, now had an occupant. Is luck bringing me troubles and opportunities? he wondered.
He paid no attention to her, treating her like every other brat surrounding him. But that didn't mean others were comfortable with it.
"Transfer student?"
"She's staring at Han Chen—"
"Doesn't she know he's…"
He became the public enemy again, the target of glares from every boy in the room. Tang Xuěméi, meanwhile, earned the ire of Xue Qing, the class leader, and almost every girl.
Classes continued, and Tang Xuěméi took casual glances at him throughout the day. At lunch, she leaned over, her voice low. "You don't remember me, do you?"
Han Chen glanced at her. "Should I?"
"My grandfather," she pressed. "The ambulance. The mountain."
He raised an eyebrow, his expression blank. "Who is?". Leaning against the classroom window, reflected sunlight catching onto his shirt he looked at her narrowing eyes as he spoke. "Can I ask you something?"
Tang Xuěméi brightened. " Yeah."
"Why transfer now? School ends in less than a year."
Her smile didn't waver. "Grandpa insisted. Plus, I wanted to meet the person who saved us and… didn't ask for anything."
"Expressing gratitude is one thing. But to transfer schools for that? what kind of operation is this?" He commented.
"So, you agree that it was you right? "
"No"
She lingered at lunch, unpacking a bento of braised pork and rice." Not hungry?" she asked.
"Later," he lied, slipping out as her new "admirers" swarmed the table. After eating spiritual food, he doesn't want to fill in his body with food mixed with additives and preservatives unless it's his parents prepared or exceptionally delicious ones.
Time passed. Next day.
"Can I ask you something? How did you save my grandpa? I have seen your profile and found your martial arts realm to be same as mine?" She leaned on to my side and whispered. "Oh, are you someone pretending to be ordinary?"
He didn't respond but was thinking over the previous confrontation previously. What would have happened if I were to be adamantly low key?
I could fool Li Mei with my story, but people behind her could make me undergo physical and biological evaluations. Even though I could be evaluated as witness but not the suspect, they may discover some other things. Maybe they find some variation due to body refinement in genetic factor or peculiarity may be telekinesis considered as a super ability, possessed by extremely low number among population.
Martial inspectors from the National Superhuman Research Division, "inviting" Han Chen.
Unable to refuse due to potential consequences of implicating family, Han Chen agrees, intrigued by global superhuman research. Taken to a secret underground facility, he undergoes assessments.
He pretends effort in telekinesis tests. Knowing his nature, he would put on a curse to disintegrate upon testing, preventing misuse.
Scientists suspect trickery and attempt to extract blood while he's unconscious but fail. His telekinetic shield prevents even microscopic traces of his DNA from being taken. So, they couldn't obtain samples of cells from his places.
In combat trials, he fakes limits, ensuring the researchers underestimate his real power. Officials offer him luxury and security in exchange for limiting his public ability use. He is allowed to resume normal life but remains under surveillance, awaiting future missions.
Maybe some training and putting in a prison cell for observation? Or some interested person behind the leadership is interested in potential replication and is forcing him to remain as a lab rat? He would flip the entire facility over and would be labelled as a fugitive?
Its very likely these would have happened.
"Yeah, I don't want that." He sighed.
" Not wanting what?" Tang girl next to him curiously asked.
...
Two Days Later.
Somehow, she is convinced I am a martial art genius.
Back at school, Tang Xuěméi cornered him at lunch.
A velvet-lined box thrust into his hands. "Grandpa insisted," she said, voice small as if speaking a secret "Century-old ginseng. Essence-rich. You'll take it."
Han Chen glanced at the offering, then at her. "I didn't help you. Return it."
" See you don't want this. You are a hidden master who disdains this right? And I just want to know why you're lying about it." Han Chen paused. Took the item with him.
"Tell him I accept his gratitude and is even."
"..."
" Han Chen, tell me am I very annoying? Why are you treating me like this?" She said in grievance. " Isn't this what you wanted?" He said in a way only two of them could hear it.
"Fine. You're annoying. I saved your grandfather on a whim. No grand design. What reason do you have? A young girl mesmerized by a heroic action.? Or is it that feeling of mystery you felt when you saw I didn't approach you later for credit?"
The place fell silent. Tang Xuěméi's cheeks flushed crimson, not from embarrassment but panic. she hissed. "You ...I just wanted to understand—"
"And I don't owe you understanding." He turned away, the ginseng box found back on her on its own. "Stay curious, then. But stay away."
She felt as if she was rejected of a love confession in public, but soon she felt odd that no one cared about such a hot topic. After asking around she found no one heard anything." Hmm. That's odd" She thought.
Later in class, there was awkward atmosphere around their place. Han Chen leaned back in his chair, eyes closed in practiced meditation, but his spiritual senses prickled with the storm of emotions radiating from Tang Xuěméi beside him. Her aura flickered like a candle in a draft—shyness, determination, a thread of fear, and… fighting intent?
From the initial movements he saw through his spiritual sense, she is trying to reach for his palm with fingers interlocking each other as lovers, but he saw her using full strength of a ming Jin martial artist.
So, he turned his head around to face her. She stopped midway with a small "ah", as if caught red-handed. While teacher was still teaching, Han Chen modulated his sound in a way only both of them could hear.
" Why are you so obsessed with this, girl?... Sigh, meet me in the evening on the roof. Don't make it seems obvious to the rest of the students. Just come up gradually. " Han Chen had enough of this pestering. It's been over a week.
"Yes! " She turned away excitedly as if he'd handed her a trophy.
...
Han Chen arrived first, the wind tugging at his uniform as he perched on the ledge. His spirit sense unfurled, mapping the terrain: a surveillance camera blinked lazily in the corner 'suicide prevention', he noted), and—
Wait.
But he saw a guy who is about to do it too. What the hell. Why is it now of all times? A boy standing to the neighboring side wall edge, tears glinting on his cheeks as he swayed over the void.
Why is destiny making me involve in all sorts of karmic affairs? I wanted to avoid Xue Qing earlier on, but she is acting as if I am her friend or something after getting a new boyfriend? What need did I had to save that Tang family old man? Killing a bastard caused me to leak my help to Tang girl. Now this guy is about to jump? I leaped out of the river of cause and effect yet being powerless again all sorts of small changes bringing forth chaos.
What would happen to Yue? Will she even be in same position? I know she is alive now. But, ..would she have that accident? Would I have a chance to be with her? Should I be with her? What should I do if changes made her do her own decisions against me? Is my care for her, while she was helpless in last life enough karma to dissolve my mental block, or should I help her?
Oh I forgot this guy is about to jump.