Who invented "Good morning"? Who the heck is saying "Good morning" this early?
"Lin Li, keep it up! If you can wake up this early on a weekend at seventeen, you'll be successful at anything you do in the future!"
"Great Lord, grant me strength!" Lin Li shook his hands, pretending they were helicopter blades, and finally got up from the bed.
Classmate, helicopters aren't allowed to land here.
Finding no suitable landing pad at home, Lin Li confirmed that it was only 4:40 AM and went back to bed, following his usual routine—five more minutes of sleep.
He left at the last possible second.
They say it takes twenty-one days to form a habit, but can I really stick to it for seven days?
Maybe it was the massage by Xiao Jing yesterday, but today, the buildup of lactic acid in his body wasn't as bad as he'd expected.
Xiao Jing, thank you. It's been so long, I wonder how you've been.
I wonder if you miss me, even in the detention center?
The cherry blossoms fall at a speed of 5 cm per second, but the distance between our hearts can't seem to get any closer.
R.I.P.
Isn't the weekend morning still important for Lin Li? But for the elderly, it doesn't make much of a difference.
So the people he saw today at the community park were pretty much the same as yesterday.
Lin Li jogged to his usual spot, and as expected, the old man who seemed healthy but was actually frail—who tried to scam him yesterday—was there again today, wearing the same practice outfit as yesterday.
Lin Li wasn't a petty person, and even though Bai Bufan had snacked on some food without sharing with him last month, Lin Li had already forgotten about it this month. So, despite the old man trying to scam him, Lin Li still politely greeted him.
"Good morning, Grandpa Zhou."
Zhou Youwei turned his head when he heard the greeting and saw Lin Li, his breathing suddenly labored.
This kid's here again today—planning to scam someone else? How audacious!
Just thinking about how this young person, whom he once had high hopes for, had turned out like this, Zhou Youwei couldn't help but snort in anger, "Grandpa? Who's your grandpa? From now on, you're my grandpa!"
"Huh?" Lin Li scratched his head, hesitating for a moment before finally nodding.
"Isn't this little Zhou? Good morning! You're up early for exercise. Not bad, not bad."
Lin Li, being a well-educated young person from the new era, was fully aware of the importance of respecting the elderly and caring for the young. He had always watched the Youth Study Program properly without taking shortcuts, so he didn't mind fulfilling the old man's wish.
It was just a casual thing.
Respect first, then understanding.
Perhaps Grandpa Zhou thought Lin Li looked like himself when he was young?
Wait, how could Grandpa Zhou have seen how his grandfather looked at seventeen? Maybe from a photo? But photos back then were rare, only the rich could afford them, meaning Grandpa Zhou must have had an extraordinary background.
As Lin Li was lost in thought, Zhou Youwei stared at him in disbelief, even tapping his ear, doubting his hearing.
No way. Did this kid really think he could call me Grandpa?
"Little Zhou, what's going on with your body? Sit down. You're out of breath again!" Lin Li quickly helped his newly recognized senior to a nearby stone bench, handing him a water bottle.
Lin Li had gotten pretty used to this.
With a tone of reprimand, he said, "Little Zhou, what's up with your health? How can your family let you go out and exercise alone every morning with this condition? I need to talk to them. Really."
"Call me Grandpa!" After struggling for a while, Zhou Youwei finally blurted out those four words.
"Alright, Grandpa Zhou. Actually, it feels a bit awkward for me to call you that, people might think we have some kind of secret relationship." Lin Li breathed a sigh of relief.
You're the one who's awkward! You called me Little Zhou so naturally, didn't you?
This kid's really shortening my life.
Zhou Youwei, feeling like he would live only to 101 now instead of 100, sighed. He gave up trying to teach Lin Li and asked, "So, kid… what are you here for today?"
"To exercise." Lin Li answered.
"To exercise? Hah, I'm watching you!" Zhou Youwei sneered, then seriously added, "If you're trying to scam someone, I won't let you!
If it wasn't for his quick thinking yesterday, he might have fallen for it. But some of the elderly around weren't as sharp. He couldn't let them fall into the same trap!
Whenever Lin Li made a move, Zhou Youwei would be ready with his phone.
He'd be like a vigilant leader, ready to record and judge any crime!
"Don't worry. No need for you to keep an eye on me; I'm serious about it." Lin Li waved his hand. He understood Zhou Youwei's kindness, but there was no need for extra help—his system was monitoring him closely.
Seeing that Zhou Youwei was still persistent, Lin Li didn't mind.
As for whether someone would steal his martial arts techniques, Lin Li didn't worry too much. First, living like this was exhausting. Second, some details were hard to notice without the proper cultivation techniques, and besides, the spiritual energy required would only come into play in the second chapter, something no one else had access to.
Damn, thinking about it just made me angry. I don't even have those conditions yet.
Hoping the Demon Suppression Division could move a little faster.
After taking a deep breath, Lin Li began practicing the Eight-Section Brocade, immersing himself for over an hour.
[Completed a week of training before the rooster crows, at least half an hour by the time the sun rises. (1/7)]
Lin Li had once again succumbed to physical exhaustion—he was dead tired.
But the effort from last night paid off, and now his body felt energized, even though he was more tired than yesterday. Every part of him was alive, giving him a complex but thrilling feeling.
It was true physical pain, but mental joy.
This was a feeling he hadn't experienced during last night's practice.
At this rate, he was sure to get stronger.
Just hope I don't go bald.
"Grandpa Zhou, I'm going back to sleep. See you." Lin Li, exhausted, picked up his water bottle and waved goodbye with a smile.
Without waiting for Zhou Youwei's reply, he left, too tired to stay any longer.
Looking at Lin Li's retreating figure, Zhou Youwei smiled contentedly.
With him keeping watch, Lin Li would never have the chance to scam anyone again.
A personal sacrifice, for the collective good.
Today was a successful morning protecting the community from the Uchiha scammer kid.
—From the captain of the senior guard team, the silent protector, Zhou Youwei.