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"Let's eat first?"
Bran in the kitchen finally couldn't help but speak up.
"I'm not hungry," Chuck said, looking at Haley.
"Mom, you guys eat first. I think food tastes better after a workout."
Seeing that Chuck was finally going to teach her, Haley had no time to think about eating. She said, "Come with me."
Chuck nodded to Bran and followed his sister outside.
"Don't look at me like that. Isn't this exactly the kind of sibling relationship you wanted?"
The chief shrugged.
"I wasn't criticizing you."
Bran looked away, gazing at her children as they left the house, and stopped preparing the meal.
"I'm getting a little hungry. How about we eat first?"
The chief touched his stomach, but before he could finish his sentence, he felt a hostile glare and immediately shut up, turning around and heading to his study.
Behind the McGrath family's house was a large wooded area.
"Can you handle this?"
Haley led Chuck into the woods, watching his expression the whole time.
The woods were unlike the city; they were full of bugs, snakes, and other creepy crawlies. For someone with severe germaphobia, entering them would be a source of profound discomfort.
"Is this where you plan to show your true self?"
Chuck didn't respond directly, merely surveying his surroundings.
While his condition might not appreciate this environment, it was undeniable that his predecessor's choice of rigorous outdoor training had been, in a sense, brilliant preparation.
The harsh mountain training facilities in Colorado, with their brutal conditions, unsanitary barracks, questionable food, and relentless physical demands... it had been a living hell for someone with germaphobia like Chuck.
After years of training as a child, not only had he learned to manage physical contact better, but he'd also significantly lowered his standards for even the most uncomfortable environments.
As long as he didn't spend too long in such unpleasant surroundings, his willpower was strong enough to endure them for now.
"What do I have to show about my true self?"
Haley said with a smile, "I'm obviously a sunny and cheerful girl."
"The sunny and cheerful girl act is overdone."
Chuck said matter-of-factly, "It would be better to be a more low-key, ordinary girl who won't attract the attention of predators."
"What do you know?"
Haley suddenly stopped and turned around to face him. Her eyes were completely different, with a hint of coldness and aggression.
"The décor of your room is very girly and upbeat, but judging by the age of the magazines and how often you actually read them, you're not really interested in them. You just put them there for show.
Chief McGrath was shocked by the crime statistics I mentioned, but you weren't surprised at all, as if you already knew about them. You said you've been researching fighting techniques online. It seems you've been looking up not just fighting techniques but also various crime-related information."
Chuck said calmly: "Your thumb and index finger have marks from long-term scalpel use, on both hands. At your age, even in advanced biology class, you wouldn't be asked to practice dissection enough to develop those kinds of calluses, let alone practicing with both hands. This can only mean you've been consistently practicing with a scalpel.
Someone who isn't interested in fashion but works hard to disguise herself as a sunny, trendy girl, who's very interested in crime information, and who diligently practices fighting techniques and scalpel work. What does that suggest?"
"Bad seed? Psycho?"
Haley said with a wicked smile.
"And your hoodie."
Chuck ignored Haley's expression and continued, "You're clearly an aggressive personality, but you're dressed like a sweet, innocent girl. Your pockets were empty before, but now there's something in the right pocket. I assume it's the scalpel you've been practicing with?"
"You know too much!"
Haley pulled a scalpel from her pocket and lunged at Chuck, slashing viciously.
"You're attacking from too far away—you're telegraphing!"
Chuck, dodging easily, critiqued, "Your strength isn't sufficient. The angle of your strike isn't optimal. You're telegraphing!
Compared to your upper body technique, your footwork is clumsy. You haven't practiced speed and agility, or learned to use your smaller size as an advantage. You're telegraphing!"
Chuck continued his commentary while systematically taking his sister apart.
"Ow!"
Haley cried out in pain, even though she had been mentally prepared.
"Don't hold back!"
Chuck instructed as he struck. "When you're truly in danger and need to defend yourself, don't hold back. Give it everything you've got!"
"I know!"
Haley gasped through gritted teeth.
Chuck continued the training until she collapsed to the ground, glaring at him angrily but no longer trying to attack. Then he stopped and asked seriously, "Are you satisfied?"
"That's it?"
Haley exclaimed, incredulous.
"That's enough for now. Any more would cause real damage to your body."
Chuck nodded: "Don't worry, after we get back, this pain will last quite a while and should be enough for you to remember the lessons."
"That's not what I'm talking about."
Haley's mouth twitched: "What I'm asking is—just because of this, you concluded I'm not really a sunny girl?
Who says sunny girls have to love fashion?
Can't they watch it even if they don't like it, just to fit in socially?
Who says sunny girls can't be interested in crime information?
Lots of people are obsessed with true crime these days!
Who says sunny girls can't practice using scalpels with both hands?
Can't she be preparing in advance because she's interested in medicine and wants to become a great surgeon?
As for fighting skills, it's for safety and staying in shape, obviously!
Don't you think your so-called deduction is a bit of a stretch, my brilliant detective brother?"
"Those are all supporting evidence. The most important point is..."
Chuck looked at her, paused, and said slowly: "You're my sister."
Haley was stunned, then smiled: "That reason is good enough. I like it!"
Siblings share traits—what kind of person the brother is, that's what kind of person the sister might be. It made sense.
"It hurts."
Haley's face showed uncontrollable satisfaction despite the pain. She opened her arms and said to Chuck playfully: "You hit me too hard. I can't walk. Carry me back."
"Self-rescue after injury is also a very important skill."
Chuck ignored his sister's act and said bluntly: "You need to get back on your own, whether you walk or crawl."
"..."
Looking at her brother like this, Haley realized that his heart was as hard as steel. If he didn't have such a handsome face, with his severe autism and this completely emotionally unavailable personality, he'd probably never find a girlfriend in his life.
Complaints aside, seeing that Chuck really didn't care about her plight and was just watching coldly from the sidelines, Haley could only swallow her pride, endure the pain from the beating, and limp home step by step.
(End of this chapter)
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