With global currency devaluation, I'll wear these back and take my whole family flying!

After saying this, Chen Baolin angrily flung his arm and left the main hall, leaving Pili kneeling there alone.

Chen Sheng was both anxious and distressed: "Can Can, you know your master. If you don't explain this clearly, not only will you have to kneel here forever, but he won't accept the money either."

Pili looked at the money on the tea table. This money was what she had earned in the past six months fighting in the "underground fighting" scene. At the beginning, when she was a newbie, she only earned two dollars per game. Later, as her win rate increased and she made a name for herself, the amount rose to twenty dollars per game.

After more than thirty shows, she earned nearly two hundred yuan!

This is definitely not a small amount for ordinary people, but now the teacher's wife is lying in the intensive care unit, and every day is almost a waste of money until a kidney is available.

Therefore, she cannot stop, nor dare she stop.

If his master found out that he was making money through "underground fighting," he would definitely not agree.

So Pili lowered her head, not intending to explain further. She could endure being forced to kneel; it wasn't like she hadn't knelt before.

Seeing her stubbornness returning, Chen Sheng sighed helplessly, "No matter where you got the money or how you earned it, don't go there again. The courtyard has already been handed over to the agency. Once there's a buyer, the money problem will be solved naturally."

Upon hearing his senior brother's words, Pili suddenly raised his head: "Sell the courtyard? This is the Chen family's ancestral home! How can it be sold? Besides, what will happen to the martial arts school if the courtyard is sold?"

"Just do what needs to be done, and don't worry about the rest."

Shen Ci and Gu Lianxing could no longer hear what was said after that, but they clearly heard the Thunderbolt Punishment.

"Is this the old society? How can there still be such feudal dregs as kneeling as punishment?" Gu Lianxing said indignantly.

Shen Ci naturally didn't understand either, but they were outsiders after all, and it sounded like the matter of Pili making money through fighting matches was quite serious, otherwise she wouldn't have kept quiet about it.

Thinking about it, it seems to make some sense. Families that inherit Chinese martial arts are mostly traditional and have strong principles, so they naturally cannot accept making money by participating in these gambling and fighting matches.

If there is any behind-the-scenes manipulation, then this matter is essentially illegal, which is why Pili dares not speak out.

There was a knock on the door, and Gu Lianxing went to open it. It was Chen Sheng.

“Pili probably won’t be going back to school today,” Chen Sheng said.

Gu Lianxing wanted to speak up for Pili, but Shen Ci stopped her. She nodded to Chen Sheng and said, "Then let's go back first."

Chen Sheng forced a smile, knowing that her father's loud voice couldn't escape other people's ears, and they must have heard what had just happened.

But not saying much is also a form of respect.

"I want to plead for Pili." After Chen Sheng left, Gu Lianxing couldn't help but mutter to herself.

Shen Ci looked at her and sighed helplessly: "We have no right to say much about this kind of thing. If there were any favors to be made, Senior Brother would definitely speak up for Pili before we do."

"So, we'll just leave Thunderbolt kneeling there forever?"

"National laws and family rules, kneeling as punishment is the family rule of Baolin Martial Arts School, can't you see that? Moreover, Master Chen is more worried about Pili than we are. The reason he did this is for Pili's good. After all, making money by participating in gambling fighting matches is not a safe thing. If the truth comes out one day, even if Pili does not fix the matches, she will be involved in gambling and will not be able to get away with it. This is illegal."

Shen Ci, having already put on her shoes, said, "So, it's not too late for Pili to withdraw and stop now."

After hearing Shen Ci's words, Gu Lianxing belatedly realized the truth behind them. Putting everything else aside, she really couldn't do anything illegal. What if something really happened?

As the two left, they passed the main hall, where Pili was kneeling with his back to them. As if he heard the footsteps, Pili turned around.

Gu Lianxing looked distressed, pointed to the cushion on the chair and then to her knees, indicating to Pili not to be so stubborn and that it would be more comfortable to use a cushion.

Pili just smiled and shook his head to indicate that he was fine, and then mouthed, "You guys go back first, don't worry about me."

Judging from her reaction, Shen Ci was used to being forced to kneel as punishment. Reassured, Shen Ci nodded and then left Baolin Martial Arts School with Gu Lianxing.

In the evening, Shao Yu received a message from Shen Ci and ran to wait for her downstairs in the girls' dormitory.

"Qu Yang has been training these past few days. Next week is the National College League," Shao Yu explained to Shen Ci, explaining why Qu Yang hadn't come.

Shen Ci didn't mind; as long as the gift reached Qu Yang, that was fine.

She handed the shoes she was carrying to Shao Yu: "Then please give them to him for me."

Just by looking at the tote bag, Shao Yu immediately recognized that these shoes were the limited-edition collaboration shoes that he had accompanied Qu Yang to queue up for but failed to get.

"Damn, how did you get Shen Ci? Did you buy it from a shoe reseller at a premium?" Shao Yu was both surprised and delighted, happy for his brother.

Shen Ci didn't deny it: "Are there any other ways?"

Shao Yu grinned and nodded, even happier than if he had received a gift himself. Then, on a whim, he blurted out, "Li Xiao hadn't been back to the dorm for a long time before the holiday started, and he hasn't come back since."

"You don't need to report his affairs to me. I have nothing to do with him anymore," Shen Ci said calmly.

"I didn't mean anything by it..."

Shen Ci smiled slightly to indicate that she understood: "It's alright, I know you meant well. If there's nothing else, I'll go upstairs first. Thank you for passing it on for me."

"Don't mention it, it's nothing."

Shen Ci nodded, said goodbye, and was about to leave when Shao Yu suddenly spoke again: "Shen Ci..."

"Ok?"

"You..." Shao Yu hesitated, pursed his lips, and after a long while, mustered up the courage to ask, "You have feelings for Qu Yang, don't you?"

The question came as a surprise, causing Shen Ci to pause slightly.

"I'm sorry, I was just worried about him. He's a bit reserved and might not always be able to express his feelings, but I know he likes you," Shao Yu quickly explained.

Shen Ci snapped out of her daze and smiled, not angry at all, but calmly replied, "You shouldn't have said these things to me."

After saying that, Shen Ci turned and went into the dormitory building.

Shao Yu sighed in annoyance, raised his hand and gently patted his mouth: "Why are you in such a hurry? Qu Yang himself isn't even in a hurry. I don't know if you've made things worse."

"It's been sent out?"

Back in the dormitory, Gu Lianxing looked at Shen Ci and asked with a smile.

Shen Ci nodded.

"Qu Yang is a good guy. Why don't you give him a try? You've already given him the shoes. Maybe you can give him a push and give him the courage to confess to you."

Shen Ci chuckled and shook his head: "I guess he won't."

"So sure?"

Shen Ci nodded, and Gu Lianxing hesitated even more upon seeing this: "He's really calm. Isn't he afraid that someone else will beat you to it?"

No sooner had the words been spoken than someone else arrived first.

Tang Song sent Shen Ci a message: "Let's have dinner together tomorrow night?"