The Self-Cultivation of a Reborn Massage Therapist

Chapter 399 Daily Life with Liu Li

How can you quickly make someone confident?
The ancients gave a brilliant answer long ago: When one person attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.

In modern society, this "way" is power. Some might say money counts too, but Puff isn't short of money these days, so why does she still act like a pushover? The problem lies here—what she lacks isn't money, but the confidence to stand tall!
After consulting with his elders, Zhao Xiaochui decisively decided to send the homesick Puff to the side of the "female tyrant." This move killed two birds with one stone: it satisfied Puff's wish to go home and allowed her to grow rapidly by being near the true "Tao" through observation and immersion.

After seeing Puff off, Zhao Xiaochui quickly took a shower and changed into a dry uniform. Seeing that it was still early, and having been exhausted from the treatment, he simply lay down on the massage bed to rest for a while.

Soon, soft snoring could be heard from the cubicle in the studio.

The simple-minded Liu Li peeked half her head out from behind the curtain and saw Zhao Xiaochui lying sprawled on the massage bed, already snoring softly from exhaustion. She wrinkled her small nose and tiptoed over.

She didn't want to wake him, so she sat on the edge of the massage bed.

She half-closed her eyes, adjusted her breathing, and then slowly extended her warm fingers, using the technique Zhao Xiaochui had personally taught her, and gently placed them on Zhao Xiaochui's head.

Traditional Chinese medicine internal massage.

Massage with both thumbs.

The Bladder Meridian of Foot Taiyang and the Stomach Meridian of Foot Yangming.

Clear and bright, four white.

Zhao Xiaochui's chest, which had been heaving rapidly, gradually calmed down as Liu Li gently and rhythmically pressed on his chest. Even more miraculously, in his half-awake state, his breathing began to unconsciously follow Liu Li's rhythm.

With each circle of the girl's fingertips, his breathing deepened.

Gradually, his breathing and movements became synchronized with those of the simple-minded girl.

For Zhao Xiaochui, this was a completely new experience, because he had never been massaged by anyone in either of his lives, even though he was a masseur himself.

He had always been the one leading others with his own rhythm, but now, for the first time, he relinquished control and completely surrendered himself to Liu Li.

The simple-minded girl felt sorry for her bedmate. The only thing she could do for Zhao Xiaochui was to help him relax. However, it was precisely this innocent behavior that made Zhao Xiaochui lower his defenses and enter the state that the therapist most hoped to see—allowing him to be comforted.

Those battle memories deeply ingrained in the nervous system finally showed signs of loosening in this simple and harmless rhythm.

Five minutes later, Zhao Xiaochui slowly opened his eyes. Before him stood Liu Li's face, so close to his own; he simply gazed at her quietly.

“It’s so beautiful~”

Zhao Xiaochui sighed inwardly. The simple-minded girl was already very beautiful. He had only used the heat flow to slightly adjust her appearance, and she had instantly gone from an 80-something to a 90-something. Add to that her exaggerated figure...

Zhao Xiaochui was always smitten with this girl.

Liu Li noticed his gaze, paused in her actions, and asked in a slightly embarrassed voice, "Did I wake you up?"

"No," Zhao Xiaochui's voice was hoarse from just waking up, as he reached out and gently grasped her wrist, which was hovering in mid-air, "It was so comfortable that I almost didn't want to wake up."

He held her hand against his heart and said, "Your cooking skills are almost as good as mine." Because she often interacted with Zhao Xiaochui at close range, as long as Liu Li put her heart into it, her cooking skills were second to none, relying solely on the residual heat within her body.

Unfortunately, the simple-minded girl's mind was not on her work at all.

Liu Li's cheeks flushed slightly. She tried to pull her hand away but couldn't. She muttered, "You're just trying to coax people... Get up quickly, the guests will be here soon."

Instead of letting go, Zhao Xiaochui sat up and gently pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head, and whispered, "Let me hold you for a while. You were sleeping very well just now."

Liu Li was startled for a moment, then quieted down, letting him hold her. But this adorable girl was restless; less than two minutes later, she squirmed restlessly in his arms and started chattering:
"Hey little hammer, let me tell you something! I found a gem of a shop on Pinduoduo!" She tilted her head excitedly, her eyes sparkling. "The bags that cost only a few dozen yuan are made to look exactly like designer brands! I can't even tell the difference! And what's more, their hair clips that cost only 9.9 yuan with free shipping..."

That's just how the simple-minded girl is. Before meeting Zhao Xiaochui, she was shrewd and wary of society. But after discovering that Zhao Xiaochui was special and could protect her, she became completely immersed in her own little world. Her only "cleverness" was not agreeing to Zhao Xiaochui's "request".

Seeing her carefree and happy appearance, the gloom in Zhao Xiaochui's heart gradually dissipated, and he happily gave the silly girl a big kiss.

Compared to other PTSD patients, he was incredibly lucky—he had Sister Pang protecting him, Liu Li by his side, and a group of girls supporting him.

In contrast, modern psychotherapy rarely recommends deep involvement of family and friends. Just look at how Puff's family treated her; in today's world, the word "family" doesn't necessarily represent warmth and support.

Don't believe me? Try staying home unemployed for a month and you'll see.

Unemployment is just a minor storm in life, but PTSD is a giant wave that can unintentionally drag a person into an abyss and even cost them their life.

The two were cuddling when a soft notification sound came from their earpieces: the first customer scheduled for the afternoon was about to arrive.

Liu Li quickly scrambled out of his arms, straightening his slightly wrinkled uniform while instructing him like a mother hen: "Little Hammer, don't work too hard later, take fewer customers. You can never earn all the money in the world, look how good I am now."

Of course you're great. You do nothing but go shopping all day, and other girls do all the training for you.

Zhao Xiaochui rolled her eyes in annoyance: "Okay, I'll listen to you."

He was just putting on a brave face, but deep down he knew he truly enjoyed the process. The sense of fulfillment from solving problems for others and the lessons he learned from different customers kept him entertained.

If only the heat wouldn't keep gushing out and causing trouble.

After seeing Liu Li off as she went shopping, Zhao Xiaochui stood upright at the studio entrance, quietly waiting for the arrival of the first international guest of the afternoon.

Despite my dislike for these people, these international guests were incredibly generous!
……

The studio door was gently pushed open, and Pan Xiaoli stepped aside to lead the fashion icon into the studio.

She still possessed an exceptional air about her, dressed in a sharply tailored beige suit. She had lost some of the sharpness she displayed when we first met, and gained a touch of familiarity.

“Ms. Foster, welcome back again.” Zhao Xiaochui smiled and nodded, greeting her in fluent English, neither overly enthusiastic nor lacking in respect.

(End of this chapter)