Chapter 9 - Target Practice

Chapter 9: Target Practice

Chen Yuze took everyone to the shooting range, and the group was in high spirits as the sound of gunfire rang out continuously. At one point, two young men walked over and greeted Chen Yuze with a grin.

“Yuze, where the hell have you been hiding lately? We tried looking for you a few days ago but couldn’t find you! What, did you give up on life or something?” one of them teased with a smirk.

“Get lost! I just moved, that’s all. Let me introduce you, these are my roommates. We share the same apartment.” As Chen Yuze made the introductions, the two young men stared at him in shock. This rich second-generation heir was not only living in an apartment but also sharing it with others?

“Uh… nice to meet you! Thanks for looking after our boy Yuze. You can call me Wenzhu, and this quiet guy here is Xiaoran.” Though confused, they knew they had to back up their friend. After all, they’d known Chen Yuze forever, their families had been close for generations.

The Love Apartment crew introduced themselves in turn. Wenzhu smiled and waved them off. “Since you’re all friends of Yuze, go wild today, it’s on me. We’ve got some stuff to discuss with him, so we’re borrowing this guy for a bit!”

With that, they dragged Chen Yuze aside, one on each side, and sat him down on a couch like they were interrogating a criminal. Wenzhu took a sip of tea and sighed. “Alright, spill. What’s going on? I know your family left you plenty, did you gamble it all away? If you’re in trouble, just tell us. Since when do you live in an apartment?”

“You’re overthinking it. The house was too damn quiet, no life in it at all. I couldn’t stand being alone in that huge place, so I moved into my own apartment. Just living like a normal person for a change. Don’t blow my cover.” Chen Yuze knew they meant well, these were his childhood friends, after all.

Xiaoran, the usually silent one, shook his head helplessly. “Fine, do what you want. But if you’re in trouble, you’d better speak up. Even if you don’t, we’ll find out anyway, so don’t bother hiding anything.”

Chen Yuze rolled his eyes. “Relax. I told them I’m an extreme tour guide, so back me up on that. Oh, and I might need to move some goods soon, help me out with that. Also, find me a decent instructor. I need to brush up on my shooting skills.”

“Sure, sure. You and your acting.” Wenzhu waved him off. He knew this guy had a habit of pretending to be ordinary despite his background. It had taken them years to realize it was just his weird hobby.

Chen Yuze returned to the group, where they were all “practicing” their shooting, though in reality, only he and Hu Yifei were actually training. The others were just there for the thrill, firing off rounds from various guns like kids in a candy store. Meanwhile, Ziqiao was already scouting for potential targets,  usual flirting routine.

“Hey, hey! Everyone, come check this out!” Chen Yuze suddenly called them over, spotting something amusing. They all turned to see Lü Ziqiao striking up a conversation with a stunning woman nearby.

And wow, was she a sight—tall, confident, with a killer figure, dressed head-to-toe in sleek leather, high-heeled boots, and holding a pistol. Zhanbo was practically drooling.

“Whoa, she’s something else! Meijia, aren’t you gonna stop him? And Zhanbo—wipe that saliva off your face and stop looking like a creep,” Hu Yifei said, a hint of competitive irritation in her voice.

Chen Yuze chuckled. “Don’t worry. Just wait—this’ll be good.”

Before he could finish, the woman tossed her gun into the air, grabbed Ziqiao’s wrist as he tried to sling an arm over her shoulder, and flipped him straight onto his back with a loud thud.

“Ow ow ow! Mercy, please!”

Ziqiao groaned as the woman planted one boot on his chest, casually catching her falling gun and continuing to fire at the targets without missing a beat.

Only after emptying the magazine did she glance down at him. “You’ve got some nerve, kid. Lucky for you, I’m in a good mood today.”

With that, she released him, flipped her hair, and walked off. Once she was gone, Chen Yuze and the others strolled over, grinning. Meijia even stepped on Ziqiao playfully. “Well, well, Master Lü, what’s this? Getting cozy with the floor? Too hot standing up?”

“Shut it, you hag! Get your hoof off me!” Ziqiao groaned, humiliated. Day two, and he was already making a fool of himself.

Meijia pressed down harder. “Oh? So you’re fine with her stepping on you but not me? I thought you were into this! Just trying to accommodate your tastes.”

Meanwhile, Chen Yuze had moved the target closer. The male members of the group shuddered in unison—Zhanbo instinctively covered his crotch, goosebumps rising as he stared at the bullet holes.

“Ziqiao, you should be grateful,” Chen Yuze said, examining the target with a mix of awe and horror. “If those last few shots had hit you, China’s last eunuch would’ve been named Lü Ziqiao.”

Ziqiao looked at the target and immediately mirrored Zhanbo’s protective stance. Yeah, no jokes here, his future descendants depended on that area. This was a matter of dignity.

“What the hell does that she-devil do for a living? That was brutal!” Ziqiao muttered, convinced those last shots had been aimed at him, not the target.

Chen Yuze glanced in the direction she’d left. “Mercenary or bodyguard, probably. And let me warn you—don’t judge the women here by normal standards. Any one of them could wipe the floor with you. That’s why they’re here shooting in the first place.”

After that sobering lesson, the group, especially Ziqiao, lost some of their earlier enthusiasm. With no flirting prospects, the place lost its appeal for him, and he soon got bored, whining about going home.

Eventually, even Chen Yuze and Hu Yifei got the hang of shooting, not sharpshooters by any means, but at least they weren’t missing the target entirely. With that, they called it a day. Just like on the way there, the girls rode in Chen Yuze’s SUV, while the others squeezed back into Teacher Zeng’s Xiali.