Capítulo 30: Rubbing on the Ground
Keeping his center of mass low, Chen Changhua made his way up with his zigzag snake steps as if a heavy truck was about to run over Fei Sanli.
The fight between Fei Sanli and Lin Que was diamond cutting diamond. Although his vital parts were missed and those punches he failed to dodge were not with full strength, Fei Sanli was still hit black and blue with his legs sore and body aching. Facing the much taller, heavier and stronger Chen Changhua, he dared not take it lightly. Considering his current body condition, he swiftly made a step to the left to avoid frontal conflict.
Similar to the round with Lin Que, Fei Sanli's moves seemed predictable. As soon as he made his move, Chen Changhua instantly changed his footwork and picked up his speed, charging at the opponent like a heavy water buffalo with sharp horns. His overwhelming bearing and terrifying strength shook the ground under Fei Sanli.
With no knowledge of Yin-Yang Stance, Fei Sanli was unable to coordinate his body, withdraw his weight and fight off inertia in this position. However, it was not the first time he was cornered in such a situation during his years of martial arts practice. He shrank his body immediately and squatted down to avoid the bump. Meanwhile, his right hand stretched out toward Chen Changhua's crotch, the most vulnerable part of every man.
Watching the fierce confrontation on big screens, many male students in the audience felt a chill down their crotch. It seemed like Chen Changhua's vital part would be grabbed before they collided. If he attempted to overcome the inertia with a rush dodge, his footwork would be completely messed up.
"This one will hurt..."
"What to do?"
The audience was on edge. Fei Sanli was delighted with his quick reaction which would successfully turn the tide and put the rival into a very dangerous dilemma.
"Chen Changhua is too impatient and reckless!"
All of a sudden, his eyes dazzled as Chen Changhua's feet were both off the ground.
Off the ground?
"Isn't it the taboo move in the body refining stage? How can he keep his footwork and control his weight to prepare his body for attacks with both feet off the ground? Can Chen Changhua fly?"
As thoughts mingled in his head, Fei Sanli looked up to a black shadow falling to his head.
Chen Changhua was no Qu Hui and of course he couldn't fly. To avoid Fei Sanli's crotch-grasping movement, he jumped up and threw his entire body at Fei Sanli.
This unconventional move gave the already cornered Fei Sanli no chance to respond. Chen Changhua's long and heavy body, strengthened by the inertia, was coming down like the Mount Tai.
Fei Sanli attempted to curl up and roll forward to avoid the attack, but it was too late. Chen Changhua fell on him heavily.
Pong!
The two were both down on all fours. Chen Changhua took this opportunity to grab the dazed Fei Sanli by the wrists and was about to strangle his lower body to prevent knee kicks. This basic technique of the casting and throwing genre pulled the fight into Chen Changhua's field.
Fei Sanli would not sit still for his defeat. His legs struggled to break free and his hands flicked to fight the catch.
Cai Zongming in the auditorium, having his lips half open, murmured.
"Looks like a damn raping scene..."
Lou Cheng shoot at the mouth and whispered to himself,
"It is literally rubbing on the ground..."
Abruptly, Fei Sanli went for a headbutt at Chen Changhua's nose to break away from this difficult position at all costs.
The experienced Chen Changhua stayed calm and got away from the headbutt by flipping over with strength from his waist and back. Lying under Fei Sanli, Chen Changhua then tightened his legs and started rolling.
The pair rolled on the ground where one attempted to control and the other tried hard to break free. There were collisions and catch moves here and there as the fight went on. Suddenly Chen Changhua let out a loud shout and threw a headbutt to give Fei Sanli a taste of his own medicine.
Bam!
As two heads smashed into each other, the two both felt dizzy accompanied by a sharp pain and tinnitus. There seemed golden stars jumping in front of their eyes. The scuffle came to a halt.
Chen Changhua on top of the exhausted Fei Sanli came back to consciousness first and tightly locked Fei Sanli's hands behind his back. He pressed the opponent's face to the ground.
"Chen Changhua won!" The referee observed the situation closely and announced the result.
"Terrific!"
"Chen Changhua! Chen Changhua! Chen Changhua!"
The audience burst into a thunderous hooray, filling up the entire stadium. Chen Changhua rose unsteadily to his feet. Dizziness was still there in his head but his eyes were filled with excitement and joy.
"I can do this!
"I'm here enjoying cheers and applause!
"I'm the manager of Songcheng University Martial Arts Club!"
"Wouldn't that cause a concussion?" said Lou Cheng, touching his forehead.
Martial arts competition was not something for the show. It was so brutal that accidental injuries and death occurred every year.
Geezer Shi standing next to him answered leisurely, "It would, but nothing severe. Once you are in the ring, forget about injuries and death. Leave those to the referee."
Lou Cheng took a deep breath and swallowed down his words. He was only a young student.
A dead silence hovered over the resting area of Guannan School. Coach Gu Zhen and Manager Gu Yue said no word.
They had one last combatant left. But the opponent seemed still capable...
"Ji Lan, he's suffering from the concussion. Play skirmish fight to worsen his dizziness and seize any opportunity to knock him out!" Gu Zhen turned to the girl next to him.
Ji Lan, with short and thin hair, was very boyish. She pursed her lips and left her seat. Up the flight of stairs, she went when Fei Sanli staggered down with dizziness as if lines were circling in his eyes.
In the ring, Ji Lan approached and threw a kick at Chen Changhua, which was blocked. She drew back to create some distance and kept her footwork. She seemed better at kicks.
Sidekicks, low kicks and swing kicks, she moved agilely with her flexible footwork and great strength in her lower body, little by little pushing the giddy Chen Changhua into a frenzy.
Ji Lan suddenly dived forward and targeted Chen Changhua's shin with her right foot, to which Chen Changhua appeared unable to respond.
As Ji Lan's foot reached his shin, Chen Changhua abruptly grabbed her shoulders. His face was distorted with pain but his body pressed forward instead of leaning back.
Tightening his grasps and pressing his body, Chen Changhua, ignoring the possible injuries, attempted to pin Ji Lan down with the same trick and win another fight in his field of specialization.
A chill hit Ji Lan's heart. Her legs span and strangled Chen Changhua's upper body like a pair of scissors. She managed to use the power from her fall to throw her opponent out.
Pong!
They both fell to the ground, dizzy and close to fainting.
Taking advantage of Chen Changhua's giddiness, Ji Lan played the Carp Jumping Move and advanced to lock his throat with her right hand.
"Ji Lan won!" announced the referee tersely.
Chen Changhua slowly stood up, shaking his head. As he wobbled down the flight of stairs, he murmured to their third combatant Li Mao, "The fall was heavy, consuming her a lot. Stay calm and you got this."
Li Mao gazed into a distance nervously and nodded slightly to the information. Making no eye contact with Chen Changhua, he looked lost in the loud cheers of his name.
"Phew... That was close. I don't think Ji Lan has much strength left," commented Guo Qing to Lin Hua in the auditorium, with obvious joy on her face.
Lou Cheng shared the same view but sadly Yan Zheke was too busy leading the pep squad to talk to him on QQ.
Gazing at the ring, Lou Cheng sent his encouragement to brother Li Mao silently. His face turned pale when he noticed that Li Mao's body was trembling.
Suddenly, Li Mao's words flashed back,
"... Sigh... I can't do it. I was so nervous that my body was shaking in the Amateur Ranking Event. Luckily my opponents were either very weak or more nervous than I was."
"Damn it! I hope brother Li Mao won't get too nervous!"
Lou Cheng could tell Li Mao's abnormality, and so could Ji Lan. She clenched her teeth and made a bold decision—giving up her strong point skirmish fight and playing offensive!
"Give him no chance to calm down!"
She advanced and threw a sidekick!
Li Mao's head was in a swim. In front of Ji Lan's strikes, he didn't know what to do or how to get out of this situation.
"I can't let down the audience...
"I can't disappoint the coach...
"I can't waste Lin Que and Chen Changhua's effort..."
The more he thought, the worse he felt. He could hardly breathe among the loud cheers of his name. His mind was a hell of emptiness.
He raised his arms into a defensive position by instinct but it was too late. Ji Lan's kick landed on his chest, forcing him to stumble back.
The chest pain brought him back to reality. Li Mao imagined it to be a pair exercise. However, before he could stabilize his body, Ji Lan's kicks came one after another.
Pong! Pong! Pong!
Li Mao received several kicks in a roll. He tried to block them but was still forced to move backward until he fell off the ring.
The scorching hot atmosphere in the stadium instantly dropped to the freezing point. They had got the key to victory and taken the absolute superiority. What happened in less than one minute? How was the tide turned?
Lin Que rose with his fists clenched tightly. Chen Changhua, expressionless, was wondering if he was still in a dream that suddenly turned into a nightmare.
Lou Cheng looked blankly with only one thought in his mind, "This year's martial arts competition is over? Over in just a simple and unreal way? Over together with our two-month hard, painstaking training?"
That was the martial arts competition. The winner collected all the honors and cheers whereas the loser would soon be forgotten.
On the stand, Yan Zheke stood quietly with red eyes. Lin Hua, Guo Qing and other supporters from Songcheng University had the same facial expression.
No one could understand such pain and grief without experiencing the failure on the verge of success in person.
In Guannan School's resting area, Gu Yue and other members were not prepared for this shocking result. It took them a good while to finally raise their hands and cry with joy and secret relief.
Lou Cheng returned to the locker room after helping the supervisors pack up dully. He was welcomed by the extreme depression and a dead silence.
The always distant and cold Lin Que stripped to the waist. Sitting on the metal bench with his head, completely wrapped up by that black-edged white suit, resting on his hands in front of his bare chest, he was silent like a stone statue. Chen Changhua, standing in a corner facing a distorted closet door with blood dripping down from his right hand, kept murmuring, "How is it possible? How?"
Li Mao was in the middle of the room, terrified, and kept his head low. His face was filled with pain, misery, and guilt. "It's my fault. My fault... My fault..."
Guo Qing and Lin Hua had tears on their face, silently weeping.
The massive grief became an actual, physical substance, ramming into Lou Cheng with all its strength. He opened his mouth but was unable to speak.
"It's my fault. It's my fault... My fault..." Tears blurred his vision. He repeated his apology, helpless and wretched like a poor child.
A black shadow appeared by his feet.
He looked up and saw Geezer Shi's hoary face with a few wrinkles.
"You think it's your fault. Then make up for it next year," said Geezer Shi gently.
Li Mao burst into tears and cried, "Yes, Coach!"
Lou Cheng's eyes were wet. For a long, long time, he would not forget this moment.
Capítulo 31: Cliche Can't Catch up with Changes
The Martial Arts Club's morale stayed low for a long time until a beautiful defeat over Liucheng University of Science and Technology. They also went all the way to Shanbei to challenge the national champion team led by Xu Wannian where Lin Que, Chen Changhua and even Sun Jian who had just returned from injury were all out of kilter, which completely shocked Lou Cheng. At the post-match meeting, Geezer Shi revealed that Xu Wannian bore the soul of language.
The group competition lasted until late December when business owners started to get busy with Christmas decoration.
Lou Cheng walked out of his dorm room and took a seat in the living room next to Cai Zongming whose full attention was riveted on a martial arts competition. Lou Cheng said, "Talker, may I ask you a question, please?"
"Very polite and very solicitous. Something is happening..." replied Cai Zongming with a jeer. "Is it about your goddess?"
"He-heh," laughed Lou Cheng to admit.
"How is it going with your goddess? Look at the big leer on your face every day! I bet you are doing well," asked Cai Zongming casually.
Lou Cheng took a moment to think about it with corners of his mouth upward and then answered, "She was marked by low spirits for a long time after our loss to Guannan. Every day I wracked my brains to cheer her up and finally it worked. I think our relationship has developed a bit as we climbed out of depression together..."
"The first one of the top three illusions in life," Cai Zongming responded mercilessly. "Relationship is furthered when she becomes willing to share her private matters or her family stories with you."
"That's right. Recently she often brought up her personal stuff to me, quite different from the Yan Zheke I knew before. I used to fall for that fabled beauty. Now... Now..." Feeling shy speaking of his feelings for her in front of Cai Zongming, Lou Cheng cut back to the beginning of the conversation. "I remember you advised me to ask her out alone in December after the group competition in the name of the amateur Ranking Event?"
"What if someone else takes advantage of the special day Christmas if I don't take action?"
That was what we called crisis awareness!
Cai Zongming laughed, "Do you need my help on such a simple matter? Your goddess' martial arts level has improved considerably after three months of hard training. Will she miss the amateur Ranking Event? Doesn't she want to find out how good she is now?"
The Amateur Ranking Event was held four times a year with slight difference on dates. In Songcheng it took place on the last two days of March, June, September, and December. The Professional Ranking Event was hosted twice a year in April and October across the country.
"Emm... During our talks, she seems to care a lot about her martial arts accomplishments." Lou Cheng agreed.
"You have also trained for three months. You were of Amateur Ninth Pin before, right? Aren't you curious about your current level?" Cai Zongming threw another question.
"Of course." Lou Cheng didn't disprove.
"Isn't that simple? Two good friends both want to take part in the next Ranking Event. It makes total sense for you two to go together! But your goddess will probably take Guo Qing with her. So you follow suit and bring Old Qiu along. Then you give her signals to leave Old Qiu and Guo Qing alone. Your goddess will certainly say yes and the pair of you can also have some alone time. Cai Zongming gave Lou Cheng a contemptuous gaze.
"And then?" Lou Cheng went on with his questions.
Cai Zongming answered with a smirk, "If she passes the Ranking Event and achieves her expected pin, ask her out for dinner to celebrate. But if she fails the event, invite her out for a meal to comfort her. Anyway, you can always make up some reason to go out with her alone. If you have some time to kill before the meal, watch a movie or have a coffee together. Pick somewhere quiet."
"My goodness. It's all cliche..." Lou Cheng was tempted to write everything down.
Cai Zongming started to rub his stomach and said with a frown, "I'll go to the bathroom first. Talk more later."
Watching him go in the washroom, Lou Cheng withdrew his eyes and fell in a trance thinking about asking Yan Zheke out.
"Such a nice girl as her must have many admirers. Someone else might forestall me if I hesitate and wait. But are we close enough for a date? Will she go out with me? Isn't it too brusque? What if we couldn't be friends anymore? Does she have unrequited love for someone?"
Swayed by considerations of loss and gain, he felt sweet then sour as different possibilities screened in his mind.
Lou Cheng lost track of time until the commentator started to review the fight at the end of the Martial Arts Competition. "Where am I? What am I doing?"
"Uh... I'm seeking advice from Little Ming..."
"Where is Little Ming?"
"Still in the toilet?"
Lou Cheng turned around to the direction of the bathroom. "It's been over half an hour. Even the competition is over. How come Cai Zongming is still in there? Does he faint?"
He heard toilet flushing as his concerns grew. The toilet door was open and Cai Zongming slowly came out, leaning against the wall with no strength in his feet.
"Talker, are you alright?" Lou Cheng got up and made his way to Cai Zongming.
Cai Zongming answered through clenched teeth,
"Bloody hell! Terrible constipation!"
Terrible constipation... Constipation... Lou Cheng didn't get it at first then suddenly came to realization.
"Ha-hah!" laughed him out aloud. "Plain rice with chili sauce every day. You deserve it! Ha-hah! You asked for it!"
"No wonder he was in there so long!"
Little Ming didn't strictly follow his money-saving plan but he was doing pretty well. At least one meal each day of his was plain rice with chili sauce. It had lasted for days prior to Christmas until he got constipation!
Ha-hah!
Cai Zongming sat down helplessly, putting up with Lou Cheng's ridicule, and joked along, "Damn it! My bum hole hurts."
Lou Cheng wiped tears of joy off his eyes and said, "I'll write this one down for my solemn speech at your wedding. I'll tell everyone you once sacrificed so much for love. How touching!"
"Only a few days left until my flight to the capital. Sigh... I'm done with saving up. From now on I'll eat like a king!" Cai Zongming sighed before changing the subject. "On your date with your goddess, do not learn from those stupid online lectures such as agreeing to go out with you signals the beginning of your relationship and seizing every opportunity to grab her hand boldly. Every girl is different. Your goddess won't buy these dating rules. But you should show her how much you care about her and this date or she will be misled by your indifference into accepting some other boy, which will be a sad ending for you."
"Show her how much I care?" Lou Cheng looked like a diligent pupil.
"Be attentive and be sweet. Praise her and keep your eyes on her. Don't make it clear to her but give her enough hints to enjoy such attention and fondness. Keep it in mind that don't confess your love too early. Confession is the final move, not for beginners. No one will accept a stranger's sudden love with the extremely handsome admirer an exception. Get closer to her and flirt with her. Girls are inclined to hesitations which will be worsened by confession. They will gradually lose joy and pleasure and the balance will tilt to the defeated side. As the old Chinese saying goes, "When water flows, a channel is formed." That's the moment to propose." Cai Zongming played the Casanova role to the full.
With tips stacked in his head, Lou Cheng went back to his dorm and turned his computer on to gather information on the next Amateur Ranking Event. He logged on his QQ and shot a message to Yan Zheke, "I'm thinking to sign up for the next amateur Ranking Event. What about you?"
Yan Zheke was online. She immediately sent back to an encouraging fist emoji, "I was just about to ask you the same question. I'm signing up for sure."
"He-heh. Something in common." Lou Cheng wanted to say "Our hearts beat in unison" but instead he typed, "I've checked the application form. It costs 500 yuan and will take place in the Songcheng Martial Arts Stadium. Which level are you signing up for?"
"Fifth pin!" Yan Zheke sent a wicked smiling dog emoji and added, "Everyone needs a goal! What about you?"
Me? Lou Cheng lost breath. "Which level should I apply?"
"Over a month ago, I was already of Amateur Ninth Pin. Then I trained diligently after a fierce fight with Wu Dong, practiced the meditation and the basic moves of 24 Blizzard Strikes, and watched and studied a Martial Arts Competition on site. I must be stronger now but how strong? With the pair exercise halted, I have no idea which level I am at now. "
"Seventh pin!" Lou Cheng sent an "I'm awesome" emoji.
"Seventh pin? If you fail the ranking event, don't tell people we know each other!" Yan Zheke sent a sneer emoji and continued, "Send me the form. Let's sign up today. By the way, ask Old Qiu to apply also and I'll work on Qing, giving them another opportunity together!"
"Great minds think alike!" Lou Cheng sent an emoji of a satisfied guy wearing a pair of sunglasses.
He suddenly noticed the date at the head of the form before he clicked the forward button. "Hmm? January?"
Surfing the Internet, Lou Cheng came across an old piece of news from a few days ago stating the martial arts stadium of Songcheng gradually disintegrated with age was under repair, putting off the December Amateur Ranking Event for almost a month to the middle of January.
"Crap!" He quickly sent Yan Zheke a link to the news alongside a sobbing emoji. "The Ranking Event has been put off to the middle of January."
"Seriously? I will have many exams around that time... No time for this..." Yan Zheke sent an emoji with giddy eyes.
Mid-January was Songcheng University's exam season!
"We'll have to wait until March." Lou Cheng's heart ached. He sent a pitiful face.
Casanova's plan became wasted effort. Plans couldn't keep up with the changes!
"Well, I have got other stuff to take care of anyway." Yan Zheke sent an emoji of a kitten nodding.
"What's that?" Lou Cheng asked casually despite the nerves in his heart.
"A date?"
Yan Zheke sent a silly emoji of a bunny chewing a carrot and answered, "I planned to study hard for the exams but my aunt suddenly came to visit as she heard my cousin was not in his best form these days. She'll stay until the beginning of January and I'll be her company whenever I can..."
"Your cousin is also studying in Songcheng? Or working?" Lou Cheng's broken heart instantly recovered upon hearing Yan Zheke talking about her relatives.
According to Casanova, that was a sign for moving forth of their relationship!
Yan Zheke replied with a cheeky grin, "Actually you know him."
"I know him?" Lou Cheng was puzzled. "Who?"
"When was I acquainted with Yan Zheke's cousin?"
It didn't ring a bell!
"Guess," Yan Zheke replied.
"The gorilla?" Lou Cheng brought up Chen Changhua to tease her.
"People that Yan Zheke knows that I know are either from my class or from the Martial Arts Club special training...
"Pooh! What do I have in common with him? When was I ever thickly built?" Yan Zheke sent a despised face. "Try again!"
Something in common? Lou Cheng suddenly saw the light and sent Yan Zheke's favorite stunned dog emoji.
"Don't tell me it's Lin Que!"
"Not bad." Yan Zheke sent a proud smile and added, "He's always been my idol!"
Lou Cheng's hands stopped from typing as a large flock run across his heart.
"Holy crap! Breaking news!"
"Fortunately, I didn't develop any unnecessary jealousy. I admire Lin Que but never envy or hate him. I can't wait to call him "my dear cousin-in-law" while clinging to his thigh!"
"But you barely talk to each other," asked Lou Cheng, confused.
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