"Boss, I'm not here to buy anything, I'm here to learn magic from you." Xu Le said the sentence he had prepared in advance, after he had carefully studied the anime.
In this anime, Uncle possesses magic inherited from China and has amassed a large collection of powerful magical items. This old man is also stubborn but kind-hearted; given enough reason, he can generally accept anything. Furthermore, the entire story revolves around Uncle, Jackie Chan, and Little Fish, making it easier to infiltrate their group and obtain the Twelve Talismans and even more treasures later. While watching the anime, Xu Le felt very annoyed that all these treasures were handed over to Area 13 in the US. It was clearly Jackie Chan and his crew who stole the treasures, yet they were all given to Area 13 for research. Moreover, Area 13 clearly didn't value the talismans, even losing them several times. At the time, he didn't think much of it, but now he realizes there must be serious internal disagreements.
"Magic! Who told you that?" The old man put down his newspaper, his eyes sharpening as he stared intently at Xu Le, demanding an explanation.
"I don't know either. Was it someone wearing a black cloak?"
"A black cloak?"
From a young age, I've been fascinated by the extraordinary powers of China and have always searched for these mysterious forces, but unfortunately, I've never actually seen them. However, just last week, a man in a black cloak appeared and told me that magic was in the hands of an antique shop owner in San Francisco called "Old Man's Antique Shop." He performed magic for me, creating a ball of fire out of thin air, and told me that if I wanted to possess this power, I should come find him.
Xu Le answered his father's question. This was part of Xu Le's plan. Normally, it's not possible to join this group directly, so he made up a reason to create the illusion that he was guided by others to come to his father. For this performance, he spent several thousand to find a professional acting teacher to give him a day of targeted guidance, teaching him how to make his performance more realistic. Just before entering the room, Xu Le kept hypnotizing himself to make his emotions look more natural.
"A man in black? Who could it be? My enemy, or an old friend?" The old man pondered silently. He didn't have many friends left in China, and the ability to create fire eliminated several of his suspects. But if Xu Le was lying, how did he know he possessed magic? Even if the old man was incredibly clever, he couldn't fathom such a fantastical plot. He didn't see anything unusual on Xu Le's face, but it was clearly impossible for him to accept Xu Le based on that alone.
“Boss, I’ve sold everything in China. I’ll have nothing when I go back. Please take me in. I’m willing to pay tuition. If you’re willing to take me in, I can teach you $20,000.” Xu Le saw that his father was still thinking, so he immediately offered $20,000 as payment. He had carefully studied his father’s personality. He was greedy and rigid, but he was stubborn and soft-hearted.
In the animation, when the old man asked Black to mind the shop, he didn't hide the spellbook. Although Black didn't become the old man's apprentice, he still found the spellbook and cast spells on his own. Although Black used the spells indiscriminately and turned himself into a toad, this also shows that the old man's teaching of magic was not as rigid as it seemed. As long as you could gain his approval, you could learn air magic.
The old man glanced at Xu Le, noticing his travel-worn appearance, sighed, and said, "Alright, then you can stay and work in my shop. But let me make it clear beforehand, the tuition is 20,000, not a penny less." "Okay, boss," Xu Le replied, quickly taking a white envelope from his bag and handing it to the old man. This was US dollars that Xu Le had exchanged with most of his savings. As long as he successfully obtained the talisman and learned Qi magic, this sacrifice was worthwhile.
Looking at the excited Xu Le, the old man shook his head, stood up, and handed Xu Le a mop and a feather duster: "Then you'd better hurry up and get to work. Also, don't call me boss anymore, call me Dad." After saying that, he slowly walked back to his room. He wasn't worried about the antiques being stolen. If someone who came to learn magic didn't even have this much perseverance, he wouldn't amount to much. Besides, he couldn't go far with the antiques anyway.
Xu Le rolled up his sleeves, picked up the mop, and started working. Since he was going to stay, he had to prove his worth. If he slacked off and his father thought he was hopeless, that would be terrible. He had to at least make a good impression on his father so that he would have a better chance of inheriting the core of Qi magic.
Time flew by and it was already afternoon. Dad woke up from his afternoon nap, yawned, stretched, and opened the door. The scene before him surprised him. Although the shop had a vintage feel, some corners were dusty. Now, every corner had been cleaned, the cobwebs in the corners had been removed, and the antiques on the tables were neatly arranged.
The old man glanced at Xu Le, who was diligently wiping the table, and began to consider his options. His opinion of Xu Le improved considerably. The old man walked behind Xu Le and said, "You'll start learning ancient characters tonight." After saying that, he sat down in a chair, picked up a newspaper, and continued reading.
The old man had always wanted to find someone who could inherit magic. Although Xu Le's origins were unknown, his desire to seek magic was genuine, which pleased the old man. He would first teach him some simple ancient characters. If Xu Le's character passed his test, he would then teach him true magic.
"Good!" Xu Le thought to himself, he had succeeded! He finally had a chance to come into contact with magic. According to the animation, ancient script was a prerequisite for learning magic, and even the characters on talismans were ancient scripts with magical power. Basically, all the related treasures required a sufficient foundation in ancient scripts to use, whether it was the Eight Great Demons or the Shadow Mask, both of which represented powerful magic.
Night fell, and all was quiet. Xu Le stayed in a room that had just been cleaned out that day, holding the ancient magical script and translation dictionary his father had given him. He was studying and memorizing each character, comparing and contrasting them one by one. Each character represented more than one meaning, and even the meaning of some consecutive sentences could change. Even with prior preparation, he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the difficulty of the language.
There was a knock on the door. His father's voice came from outside: "Xu Le, let me introduce you to my nephew."
It's finally here.
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Chapter Three: Acquaintance and Food
Outside Xu Le's room, his father was talking to a young man in a blue shirt.
"Dad, is this Xu Le who suddenly appeared really alright? I feel like his appearance is too deliberate. Can we really trust him?" The man turned his head and asked his father in a low voice.
"This child came very suddenly. Although I sensed he might be lying, I didn't find any malice in him, which means he really wants to learn magic." The old man shook his head, thinking, "If he truly wants to learn magic, why shouldn't I teach him? But I'll observe him for a while longer. I don't want to raise an evil archmage."
"Jackie, where did Xiaoyu go? She's still not back so late." His father was puzzled. Usually, Xiaoyu would be in the shop by now, so his absence made him worried. "You mean Xiaoyu? She just called me. She went out with her classmates and will be back later." Jackie's head started throbbing again when his father mentioned Xiaoyu. That Xiaoyu was always causing him trouble, and now her homeroom teacher was complaining about him again.
The door slowly opened, revealing him in a Persian-style nightgown, a truly oriental one, devoid of any European influence—no tassels, no velvet, no defined waist, so oversized it could wrap around him twice. The sleeves were distinctly Asian, widening from the cuffs to the shoulders. Though the nightgown had lost its original vibrancy and worn smooth in several places, losing its natural luster, it still retained the vividness of its oriental hues and the sturdiness of the fabric.
Xu Le's handsome face made a good first impression; at least Jackie Chan had a good first impression of this person who suddenly appeared to learn magic.
"Hello, my name is Jackie Chan, welcome to join us." "Hello, my name is Xu Le, I hope we get along well from now on." The two men shook hands and smiled at each other. Xu Le looked at Jackie Chan's appearance, which was no different from his real-life counterpart, and felt a little emotional—the big nose, the kind smile. Jackie Chan had once been his idol; in the movies, he was brave, kind, and strong.
Later, as he grew up and learned more, although he was somewhat disappointed, it couldn't overshadow his success. Seeing the two getting along so well, his father couldn't help but smile. However, he immediately put on a stern face and said to Xu Le, "You'll get up at seven o'clock tomorrow to clean and then open the door. From now on, you'll be a waiter at this restaurant. By the way, can you cook?"
"Yes, I'm a pretty good cook."
"Alright then, go make dinner." The old man nodded in satisfaction. Hiring a chef, a cleaner, and a waiter for such a low wage was a real bargain, saving a lot of money. Thinking about it, the old man chuckled to himself, leaving Xu Le speechless. This old man was truly too strange. Seeing Xu Le's odd look, the old man realized he had just lost his composure. His face flushed red, and he raised his voice, looking furious, shouting, "Hurry up and cook! Do you want to get fired?"
At 8 p.m., Xu Le cooked several Chinese home-style dishes: dried green beans, braised pork, and hot and sour shredded potatoes.
Although they were very ordinary, these dishes were the best Xu Le could eat as a child, especially the braised pork. The old director had made it for him, or rather, for all the children in the orphanage. He would never forget that taste; the aroma of soy sauce was deeply embedded in the meat, the pork belly was perfectly marbled, and with each bite, the juices burst in his mouth, permeating his entire body from his taste buds, leaving a lingering fragrance. Those were his best childhood memories. Unfortunately, since the old director passed away, he could no longer afford such food, and every meal consisted of communal meals from the construction site or even leftovers from other adults.
After all, he was small at the time and easily bullied by adults. Later, during his university years, his financial situation gradually improved, and he learned to cook. He even consulted an old chef who was famous for his braised pork. The old chef was also a generous person. After Xu Le gave him a few bottles of good wine, he passed on his cooking skills and the secret recipe for braised pork to him.
Since then, Xu Le's cooking skills have improved more and more. At least the braised pork he ate at the five-star hotel during his company dinner couldn't compare to his.
Dad picked up a piece of braised pork. The fat jiggled like a piece of jelly as he used his chopsticks. He took a bite, and the rich aroma filled his mouth. Dad felt as if he had returned to his childhood, to the braised pork his mother used to make for him during Chinese New Year. How happy he was then, with the whole family enjoying each other's company.
Seeing his father's exaggerated expression, Jackie Chan wondered if it was really that delicious. He took a bite, and the flavor exploded in his mouth. He gave Xu Le a thumbs-up to show his appreciation for his cooking skills. Xu Le smiled confidently. He was a semi-professional chef, and winning over Jackie Chan and his father was more than enough.
"Dad, Uncle Long, I'm back! Wow, what's that smell? It smells so good!" A clear female voice came from the door opening; it was Xiaoyu, who had just returned from her classmate's house.
Xiaoyu, full of energy, skipped and hopped in, carrying her schoolbag. Her hair was as black as clouds, and she had bright eyes and white teeth; it was clear she would grow up to be a beauty. As soon as Xiaoyu entered, she saw the braised pork on the table. She hurriedly ran over, picked up the chopsticks, grabbed a piece of braised pork, and put it in her mouth. The deliciousness made Xiaoyu let out a cute exclamation. Before she had even finished the piece in her mouth, she was already picking up another one.
"Xiaoyu, don't scramble like that after you finish eating. Chew slowly and carefully. I haven't had enough yet. Oh, Dad, leave me a piece!" The group devoured the entire table of food in an instant, as if they were starving ghosts reincarnated. Xu Le watched all this quietly. If there were a favorability indicator, the three of them would definitely be feeling a surge in their favorability towards Xu Le right now.
After the meal, Xu Le was washing the dishes when Xiao Yu ran over to him and said, "Are you a new employee? My name is Xiao Yu. It's nice to meet you."
Xu Le looked at the lively Xiao Yu. He really liked the character of Xiao Yu; she was strong, brave, cheerful, and optimistic, bringing joy to those around her. Xu Le turned on the tap, rinsed off the dish soap from his hands, and shook hands with Xiao Yu. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Xu Le. I believe we will get along very well."
"Of course! Your cooking is so good, I'll be relying on you for all my meals from now on. I want to eat braised pork again tomorrow." As Xiaoyu said this, she seemed to remember the braised pork for dinner again, and almost drooled. Seeing Xiaoyu's adorable expression, Xu Le couldn't help but laugh out loud and flicked Xiaoyu's nose.
Seeing that Xu Le got along well with everyone, the old man nodded secretly and continued reading the newspaper.
"Is Jackie Chan here?" A bald white man in a black trench coat pushed open the door and entered. It was none other than Sheriff Black from District 13, who appeared in the cartoon. Black glanced at Xu Le, who was washing dishes, and wondered why there was an extra person in the store, but he didn't delve into it. He walked up to Jackie Chan and said with a serious expression, "The Mafia is up to something again."
"These guys are really persistent," Jackie Chan said, scratching his head. He was extremely annoyed by these guys who were disturbing his peaceful life.
"By the way, Jackie Chan, the next stop is Mexico. The talisman should be there," the old man said to Jackie Chan, pushing up his glasses.
"Mexico, is it that far? Looks like we'll have to leave tomorrow." Jackie Chan smiled helplessly, after all, he couldn't let such a powerful talisman fall into the hands of the Mafia. "Uncle Jackie, I want to go too!" Jade excitedly hugged Jackie Chan, looking like she was determined to stick to him no matter what.
"No, you need to do your homework properly." Jackie Chan pulled his arm away from Xiaoyu's tight embrace and refused her request with a serious expression. If Xiaoyu came along, she would be an extra burden, which would give him even more of a headache.
"Fine, I won't go then." Xiaoyu said she wouldn't go, but her eyes darted around as if she were plotting something. However, Jackie Chan was preoccupied with the matter of the talisman and didn't notice Xiaoyu's unusual behavior.