Chapter 27: Learning Tai Chi
The clumsiness stemmed from the fact that Zhu Yanyi had never practiced before. Since she hadn’t made any mistakes in her movements, it meant she had already memorized them. Although Xie Zhong had only demonstrated the routine twice, she had never encountered anyone who could memorize it just by watching. Tai Chi might look simple, but it was still somewhat difficult to learn. This could only mean one thing: in addition to her extraordinary talent for auditory memory, Zhu Yanyi truly possessed the ability of photographic memory.
Realizing this, Xie Zhong felt a surge of excitement, but he forced himself to suppress it. He walked over to Zhu Yanyi and asked, "Ani wants to learn Tai Chi from Grandpa?"
"Mhm." Zhu Yanyi nodded seriously, her small face full of earnestness. "I’ve been sick, and Grandpa and Grandma are always worried. The radio said last time that exercise can keep people healthy, so I want to exercise more and make my body strong."
Hearing such sensible words from Zhu Yanyi, a pang of heartache stirred in Xie Zhong’s chest. Why was Zhu Yanyi’s health so poor? If anyone knew, it was her. During the year Xie Xinlian was pregnant with Zhu Yanyi, many famous founding leaders passed away, including the Great Leader herself. That year could be considered the darkest in Huaxia’s history. Perhaps due to this, public sentiment was unstable, and people were cautious about going out. Consequently, they were extremely careful about their food. Coupled with a massive earthquake in the west, everyone began hoarding supplies to support the relief efforts, which drove up grain prices. Moreover, as poor peasants, they received fewer ration coupons. As a result, Xie Xinlian couldn’t even eat enough to fill her stomach, let alone consume any nutritional supplements. Therefore, after Zhu Yanyi was born, there was little breast milk, and she survived mainly on rice water. Fortunately, Zhu Yanyi was born in the third lunar month, when many wild vegetables and game were available. Even so, Zhu Yanyi’s constitution remained weak. This was also one of the reasons why, when Zhu Yanyi and her sisters stayed with the Xie family, Xie Zhong and Qi Qiaoer would ensure they were well-fed, even if it meant going hungry themselves.
"Ani is right; exercise can strengthen the body. Shall Grandpa teach you Tai Chi?" Xie Zhong asked with a smile.
"Okay." Zhu Yanyi’s eyes sparkled, and a happy smile lit up her small face. Although she didn’t have the chubby, fair complexion of other children, she gave off a particularly comforting vibe.
Seeing Zhu Yanyi smile, Xie Zhong’s expression grew even more benevolent. "Come, perform the routine once first so Grandpa can see, and then I’ll correct your form."
Zhu Yanyi nodded and began to mimic the Tai Chi movements Xie Zhong had demonstrated earlier. However, since it was her first time, some movements were not quite right, and actions like kicks were merely tentative stumbles. While Xie Zhong’s Tai Chi flowed like clouds and water, Zhu Yanyi’s version was adorably cute. The people who had been learning Tai Chi with Xie Zhong saw the scene and burst into friendly laughter.
A smile also appeared on Xie Zhong’s face. "Come here, Ani. Your hand should be placed here. Also, Tai Chi emphasizes relaxation. What distinguishes it from other martial arts is that it uses naturalness to overcome everything. Therefore, whether using palms or fists, the focus is on natural relaxation, without the rigid requirements of other martial arts. You can spread your five fingers; there’s no need to keep them pressed together so tightly." As Xie Zhong spoke, he corrected Zhu Yanyi’s posture. Zhu Yanyi listened, watched, and nodded, continuing to adjust her movements according to his guidance.
Martial arts training required long-term persistence, so Xie Zhong didn’t expect Zhu Yanyi to master everything in one go. After half an hour of practice, he let her rest and go play.