Night Before the Exams – Chi Meditation
The soft hum of the ceiling fan circled above, slicing the silence of the room into gentle spirals. Bruce sat cross-legged on the floor, his back straight, his hands resting lightly on his knees, palms open.
The lights were dim, only a closed lamp lit the room from the table nearby. The subtle scent of dried herbs from Uncle's old incense sticks lingered in the air.
He took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, and closed his eyes. His usual routine has changed due to the upcoming exams and today he decided to have a Meditation session as all his revision is complete.
In the stillness of his mind, Bruce began to drift inward. As he focused on the flow of chi through his body, what greeted him was not the turbulent force he once struggled to tame. No surging torrents. No wild sparks leaping across his pathway. Just...A calm stream.
Smooth. Gentle. Flowing with rhythm.
"It's like... a quiet river at dawn," Bruce thought. "No ripples, no storm. Just movement—natural, unforced."
He reached out mentally, observing the path his chi took—spiraling through mapped routes in his body that he'd come to know intimately over the past few months. The once erratic pulses had become a synchronized flow, following a deliberate path with precision. It responded not with resistance but receptiveness, like it finally trusted him.
"Was this always the key?" he mused, "All that time I tried to control it, force it into discipline like some rogue beast... but it just wanted to be respected."
Bruce smiled faintly in the darkness.
The shift had started weeks ago, when he embraced the 'Intent' of Companionship—not dominance, not obedience—but mutual trust. He had stopped seeing his chi as something to "master" and instead began treating it like a friend walking beside him on a long journey. Tonight was proof that intent had taken root.
"I guess… when I stopped trying to force it, it started listening."
He felt the warmth rise from within, cycle gently through his chest, limbs, and finally rest just behind his brow. His awareness of it had never been clearer. The stream of chi moved with serenity, echoing his heartbeat, in rhythm with his breath.
It was beautiful.
A quiet satisfaction welled up inside him. Not pride. Not ego. But contentment.
"I'm not there yet," he reminded himself, "But… this? This progress is good."
As the meditation came to a close, Bruce opened his eyes slowly. The room was still quiet. The outside world was unaware of the subtle victory that had taken place.
He stood up with a relaxed stretch and looked at his reflection in the window. Not the sickly boy from another life, nor the overwhelmed teen struggling to catch up. Just Bruce. Smiling, grounded, and ready.
"Alright, brain," he whispered, cracking his knuckles, "Let's ace these exams too."
He reached over, flipped off the lamp, and slipped into bed.
Tomorrow would bring tests and challenges, but tonight, Bruce had already passed something far greater.
Morning of the Exam – Breakfast with the Family
The smell of toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, and warm rice filled the air as the first rays of sunlight peeked through the antique shop's windows upstairs.
As usual, Uncle got up early and today, the breakfast table was set by him for a change. A bamboo steamer was opened, releasing a cloud of fragrant steam and revealing pillowy pork buns nestled inside.
On the side, there were golden pan-fried dumplings, a scallion omelet, pickled radish, and a small bowl of steamed jasmine rice for each of them.
A tall pot of Oolong tea rested on a wooden tray, still steaming.
Jackie entered the kitchen, yawning and stretching."Smells like a five-star breakfast in here," he said, flopping into his seat and immediately snatching a dumpling with his chopsticks.
Uncle shot him a disapproving glare. "Eat like a civilized person, or I use chopsticks on your forehead."
Bruce chuckled as he joined them at the table. He wore his school uniform, ironed neat with the tie done properly. Despite it being exam day, he looked calm.
Uncle poured tea into three clay cups, his usual stern face softening slightly as he looked at Bruce. "Eat well. A good mind needs good food."
Bruce nodded and picked up a bao, taking a bite. The juicy pork filling was rich, just slightly sweet, and perfectly balanced with the tender dough.
"Wow," he mumbled mid-chew, "this is amazing, Uncle."
"Hmph. Of course it is. I made it." Uncle sipped his tea with pride.
Jackie leaned over, already on his third dumpling. "You know, Bruce, I once went to an exam without breakfast and passed out halfway through."
"Really?" Bruce raised a brow.
Jackie nodded. "Woke up with a pen stuck to my cheek. Teacher never let me forget it."
Uncle rolled his eyes. "That's because you have the brain of a cabbage."
Bruce laughed, nearly choking on his tea.
After a moment of comfortable silence, Jackie glanced over and asked, "So, you feeling ready?"
Bruce swallowed the last of his bao and wiped his hands. "Yeah. I've been studying a lot. Group study helped too. I'm ready."
Jackie grinned. "Aim for the top spot!"
Uncle looked at Bruce with his usual intensity, but there was a faint pride in his eyes. "Do your best and do not forget, exams are just paper. What matters is how strong your foundation is. That is what builds your future."
Bruce nodded solemnly. "Got it."
Jackie leaned back, arms crossed. "So, any plans after exams?"
Bruce smiled. "Focus on Chi training, Martial Arts and Prepare for Highschool"
Jackie just whistled. "Good," Uncle said, picking up his teacup. "Just remember to take breaks"
After a few more bites and casual banter, Bruce stood up, grabbing his schoolbag from the side.
"I'm off," he said with a confident nod.
Uncle simply said, "All the best."
Jackie added with a wink, "Don't fall asleep like I did."
Bruce grinned. "No promises."
And with that, he left the house with the scent of breakfast still lingering and the warmth of family at his back.
The Final Bell Before the Battle
The bus screeched lightly as it came to a halt at the stop near Wanshan Middle School.
Bruce stepped off, a schoolbag slung over his shoulder. The morning air was a mix of humidity and late spring blossoms, but his mind was focused only on the exam ahead.
His shoes tapped against the tiled floor as he walked across the school grounds, his steps steady, calm—almost practiced.
He wasn't just prepared. He was ready.
As he reached the classroom assigned for the exam, he noticed a familiar presence just a few steps ahead.
Qin Yue.
Elegant as ever in her uniform, hair tied back in a low ponytail, expression as unreadable as a carved statue. The 'school queen' as everyone called her, was also assigned the same examination room.
Their eyes met briefly. She gave a small nod.
Bruce, matching her calm energy, nodded back silently.
No words were needed. They understood each other's seriousness.
The bell rang. Students filtered into the classroom. Bruce found his seat—third row, by the window. Sunlight spilled across his desk. He placed his pens, ID, and water bottle neatly and waited.
The invigilator entered and passed out the papers.
"Begin."
The moment the timer started, Bruce flipped his paper and scanned through it once with a practiced eye. He smirked internally.
'Easy'
His hand moved like a calm river, smooth and uninterrupted. His preparation was evident in how effortlessly the answers flowed. Graphs, explanations, definitions, case studies—all lined up as if his memory had been etched in stone.
Time flew.
"Pens down!"
Bruce leaned back, cracking his fingers subtly as the examiners collected the papers.
Outside the classroom, his friends Tao, Zhang Weiren, Lin Qiun, Guo Minghao and Mei Yanyan gathered around him.
"What did you write for the third question?" Tao asked, adjusting his glasses.
"Oh, that one was a trick. They framed it to look like a definition question, but it was actually an analysis." Bruce explained calmly.
"Dude, what are you made of?" Fei'er groaned. "How do you catch these things?!"
Lin Zihao laughed, "I thought I was doing okay… now I feel doomed."
Bruce chuckled, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "One down, a few more to go."
"Let's revise together?" Tao asked.
Bruce shook his head. "I need to revise solo today. Need to focus on a few chapters I feel rusty with."
They waved their goodbyes and split for the day.
Home – Evening
Back at home, Bruce was welcomed by the familiar scent of green tea and the sound of a sizzling pan from the kitchen.
Jackie was busy chopping scallions with precise movements and Uncle was reading a book.
Bruce kicked off his shoes.
"So?" Jackie noticed Bruce and asked "Did you melt under pressure?"
Bruce grinned. "Confident. Really confident."
Uncle turned, his eyes narrowing slightly as if reading Bruce's aura. "Good. Confidence built from preparation is a sturdy bridge. But overconfidence built from ego is a rope bridge in a storm."
Bruce nodded. "I know, Uncle. I wasn't arrogant—just calm."
Uncle gave a faint grunt that meant approval.
Dinner was light that night—noodles, stir-fried bok choy, and marinated tofu. After they ate and cleaned up, Bruce headed to his room.
Exam Days Pass...
And just like that, one after another, the exams rolled by.
Bruce's routine became mechanical in its consistency—wake early, have breakfast with Uncle and Jackie, head to school, perform with excellence, return home, revise, meditate.
Uncle would ask about each paper every evening.
Jackie would throw in questions and jokes.
Bruce would answer with composed confidence.
By the final day of the exams, he felt no tension. His final paper was submitted. And as the bell rang, a wave of freedom washed over him.
Post-Exam Celebration
That evening, Bruce and his friends met up at a local café near the school.
The place was buzzing with students. Laughter, clinking glasses, celebratory cheers.
They ordered fruit teas, bubble waffles, and spicy chicken skewers. Even Guo Minghao treated himself to a mango slush.
"To freedom!" Tao raised his glass.
"To Bruce, the future top ranker!" Mei Yanyan added.
Bruce laughed. "Let's wait for the results first.
"
They spent an hour laughing, joking, and reminiscing about the hardest exam questions and the weirdest invigilator moments.
That Night – Alone in His Room
Bruce stood by the window, arms folded.
Now that the exams were over, his mind was thinking about his upcoming fight.
Zhao Lifen's boyfriend Feng Jinhai was waiting. The location of the match would arrive soon and it… would be his first fight.
Bruce exhaled slowly. "It's not about ego. Not about revenge. It's about proving something to myself… and to my Chi."
Now, a different kind of test awaited.
-----END-----
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