But unexpectedly, on Saturday morning, Xu Mengshan received a call from You Mingxu.
You Mingxu: "Come to the martial arts gym tonight. Jing Ping and I are sparring. You be the referee."
Xu Mengshan: "...I don't have time."
You Mingxu: "You have time."
Xu Mengshan said slowly: "Sister You, he's leaving early tomorrow morning."
You Mingxu sighed and said: "You should still come. Things should be what they are meant to be. Even if he leaves, he'll still be our brother in the future."
With things put this way, Xu Mengshan couldn't force the issue and replied: "Alright. Are you afraid Yin Feng will get jealous?"
He thought that with Sister You's straightforward nature, she definitely wouldn't admit it. To his surprise, she actually chuckled lightly and said: "Yeah. There was never anything between Old Jing and me anyway. But I promised Yin Feng, and I need to keep my word."
At this, Xu Mengshan lost all his resistance. He thought to himself, sure enough, only Yin Feng could handle Sister You. Before, he was a pretending-to-be-crazy little puppy; now he's a shameless big wolf dog, even controlling who she meets with other men. And Sister You, truly being kept firmly in check, actually seems quite willing.
So in the evening, after dinner, Xu Mengshan leisurely made his way to the police station's martial arts gym. As expected, there were few people around. You Mingxu and Jing Ping had already arrived.
Under the bright lights, Xu Mengshan stood by the edge of the mat, watching the two from a distance, momentarily stunned.
Each occupied a corner of the mat, having taken off their jackets, both warming up seriously. Coincidentally, both wore dark police T-shirts on top and casual pants below, barefoot.
The same style of clothes looked heroic and pretty on You Mingxu, still unable to conceal her well-proportioned figure. On Jing Ping, they highlighted his tall stature, long legs, ape-like arms, and wasp-like waist - even Xu Mengshan, as a man, had to admire his excellent physique.
Seeing Xu Mengshan enter, they both nodded in greeting. Xu Mengshan noticed smiles in both their eyes, their similarly fair faces glowing faintly.
Xu Mengshan sighed inwardly and simply sat down at the center line by the mat, placing the bag of bottled water he brought on the floor. "When do we start?" he asked.
Jing Ping glanced at You Mingxu: "Up to her?"
You Mingxu lightly lifted her leg, her toes reaching above her head, leaving both men momentarily speechless. She said: "Old Jing, let's agree first - today we stop at the appropriate point. Focus on techniques, use less force. If your wound bothers you, we stop immediately. I don't mind counting it as my loss."
Jing Ping laughed and said to Xu Mengshan: "Listen to her, as if I'd take advantage of her? Understood, we'll stop at the appropriate point. Sparring with you won't make my wound uncomfortable."
You Mingxu: "Mengshan, watch closely. I'm going to make this guy from Yunnan lie on the ground and call me sister."
Xu Mengshan burst out laughing.
Jing Ping and You Mingxu also smiled. When Xu Mengshan announced the start, both slowly composed their expressions and assumed fighting stances about a meter apart.
Since it was just practice, You Mingxu was completely uninhibited. Without hesitation, she closed the distance and took the initiative to attack! She immediately kicked toward Jing Ping's head. Jing Ping agilely lowered his body to dodge, then countered with an elbow strike to her back - showing no mercy for her being a woman.You Mingxu was naturally skilled in jujitsu, with only passable boxing and kicking abilities. Seeing his evasive move, she twisted her body faster than he could dodge. In a blur before Jing Ping's eyes, she had somehow slipped behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. A supple yet powerful force surged toward him, lifting his heels off the ground—she was trying to throw him down outright!
Jing Ping's competitive spirit ignited instantly. Realizing he had lost balance and couldn't counter head-on, he pivoted on the balls of his feet, redirecting her momentum to launch himself into the air.
You Mingxu was startled. Damn, he learns fast! Has he really never studied judo? She swiftly adjusted her tactic, pressing down on his shoulders to force him to the ground, then moved to pin him. But Jing Ping's leap had dissipated most of her force. The moment he landed, he sprang up nimbly, leaving You Mingxu grasping at air.
You Mingxu snorted coldly, closing in on him and abandoning jujitsu for rapid close-quarters strikes with fists and feet.
Jing Ping thought, She's so quick! He met her blows, and the two exchanged over a dozen swift moves in a flurry of attacks and counters.
You Mingxu had intended to catch him off guard. When her initial strike failed, she feigned an opening to lure him in, planning to shift position and ambush him with jujitsu again.
But Jing Ping saw through it clearly. With a sweeping glance, he played along, pretending to attack. Just as You Mingxu tried to retreat, he spun around, seized her by the waist, and slammed her toward the ground! You Mingxu landed lightly as a swallow, ready to bounce back and slip free. Yet Jing Ping's arms clamped like iron vices—her first struggle barely budged them; her second left her arms pinned behind her back. In decades of fighting, You Mingxu had never been so utterly dominated. Her face flushed hot. Jing Ping chuckled by her ear and suddenly released her.
You Mingxu staggered back several steps, crouching and panting as she glared at him.
Jing Ping was also breathing heavily, slightly bent, his body taut and poised like an eagle stalking an agile deer. His eyes sparkled with deep amusement as he said, "Again!"
You Mingxu threw another punch at him!
...
Xu Mengshan sat cross-legged by the edge of the field, holding a bottle of water, staring blankly at the two combatants.
He had never imagined a fight could be as beautiful as a painting. The man was handsome, the woman strikingly elegant. Both were equally agile, sharp, and commanding. At times, they resembled a young and an old eagle, locked in a tense standoff; other times, they moved like two swallows, equally nimble and elusive, rising and falling in tandem...
Their skills seemed evenly matched, but as time passed, Xu Mengshan could discern Jing Ping gradually gaining the upper hand. Yet he clearly wasn't rushing to win, instead patiently engaging You Mingxu in a prolonged duel. Watching closely, Xu Mengshan began to understand. He noticed the look in Jing Ping's eyes whenever he had the advantage but chose to relent or feign a weakness—what kind of gaze was that? It was unmistakably tender, indulgent, and silent.
But You Mingxu, absorbed in the thrill of battle and focused solely on turning the tables, remained completely unaware.She probably wouldn't notice the way Jing Ping looked at her either.
Xu Mengshan watched these two comrades and suddenly felt an indescribable emotion in his heart, only wanting to sigh.
In truth, these two people were truly well-matched.
Not to mention the seamless coordination they developed during investigations in just a few short months. As fellow police officers, both were equally intelligent, outstanding, and resolute—worldly-wise without being worldly.
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