章 32: Invitation
Yan Zheke didn't use emoji this time. "Sigh... Ever since my uncle-in-law passed away, my cousin became a bit introverted. I don't know how to talk to him... Besides, all those girls would bore me to death with love letters for him, dinner plans for him, his QQ number if they knew we are related. Very troublesome!"
"Ha-hah. Lin Que would have the same kind of trouble if guys found out he's your cousin!" Lou Cheng gave Yan Zheke an implicit compliment.
Yan Zheke replied a shy smile.
The conversation replayed in Lou Cheng's head. He sent an emoji saying "Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing" and continued,
"So you chose Songcheng University over those in the capital for your cousin?"
Yan Zheke had always been an excellent student in school and never had a drop of form in any exam. It wouldn't be a problem for her to get in those top universities in the capital Huahai. Lou Cheng didn't expect to see her here in Songcheng University at all.
"Perhaps this is destiny?"
"Fate brings people together from a thousand li away!"
"Yeah, I'm charged with heavy responsibilities to keep an eye on him and keep him out of trouble. Hmm! Feels like I was the older one!" Yan Zheke sent a cute emoji of lifting a table. The secret vivacity hidden deep in her heart was gradually revealed as the two became closer, especially during their chats online. She seemed quite different from her usual delicate and elegance.
People were all complicated with many sides.
"At the beginning, I felt sorry for you to have missed the capital Huahai. However, now I'm grateful that you are here. At least I have this chance to tell you how I feel..." Lou Cheng added a silly smile.
Following Casanova's instructions, he implied his fondness. Simple friendly chats would not take them any further.
Yan Zheke sent an exhaling image from the divine beast sticker pack and said, "It's okay. No need to feel sorry for me. My results were not good enough to get me in the top three universities in Huahai. Other options are of the same league with Songcheng University. Also, I have some special feelings for Songcheng University because of my uncle-in-law."
"Your uncle-in-law was related to Songcheng University?" Lou Cheng was very interested in finding out more about this girl on the other end of the mobile.
"Didn't I tell you already that my uncle-in-law was my first martial arts teacher? A disciple of my grandpa, he and my aunt were childhood sweethearts. He was of Professional Sixth Pin at his peak and fought in the second level of professional martial arts competition. When he had to retire due to injuries, he became a coach of the Songcheng University Martial Arts Club. Those years our club was also at the peak, making all the way up to the national final but lost to Capital College sadly." Yan Zheke typed a long message, showing her desire to unload.
Lou Cheng sent a comforting sticker of touching head. "Your uncle couldn't get it over? So your cousin came to Songcheng University to make up for his regret after his death?"
"Correct," answered Yan Zheke. "My cousin was very close to my uncle-in-law... On his deathbed, there are only two things he couldn't let go besides his family. One was that Songcheng University Martial Arts Club didn't get the championship. And the other was his injuries that forced him out of the professional martial arts circle."
"Your cousin will make it up for him!" Lou Cheng sent a sticker to cheer her up and tried to change a topic to pull her out of the sorrow. "Didn't know your family has such a long martial arts history!"
Her grandfather, mother, uncle-in-law, aunt, and cousin were all martial artists!
Yan Zheke replied a sticker of a pair of sunglasses. "That's right. Scared? I have ancestral martial arts techniques!"
"Very! I'm shaking here. Please accept my bow!" Lou Cheng played a gag.
Yan Zheke sent a sneer emoji. "Unfortunately, I didn't learn..."
"Why?" Lou Cheng used the emoji of a numb face.
"My parents practiced free love but my maternal grandparents didn't like my dad, a fair-skinned man from another city. He-heh... My dad was really good looking in his youth. Anyway, they couldn't stop my mom so they set up a rule to prevent her from passing on their ancestral martial arts skills to the Yan family. That's why I started my martial arts training with my uncle-in-law." Yan Zheke sent an emoji of a little monster licking ice cream.
Lou Cheng read her words carefully as if it was more important than the reading comprehension part of the college entrance exam. He replied a wiping sweat sticker. "Sounds like you don't have resentment against your grandparents. Are you close to them?"
"Of course. Lovely and clever as me... How could they not adore me? Those harsh words were just some water in their brains. Bearing a great sense of pride, they couldn't go back on their own words, so they sent my uncle-in-law to teach me." Yan Zheke sent a smiley behind sleeves and added, "The true reason is I grew up in Xiushan, very far away from them. And my uncle-in-law passed away early. I ended up spending all my time on study and didn't learn our family martial arts."
Getting to know Yan Zheke better little by little, Lou Cheng gradually threw away the disappointment of no chance asking her out before Christmas and almost forgot about time.
...
Dean's office in the lakeside building.
Geezer Shi sat at one side of the tea table facing the Principal who had his hair combed to the back. In his hand was an old bottle of Chinese wine and on the table were two plates of peanuts and boiled beans.
"How's your private disciple doing? Will he be ready to represent the Martial Arts Club next year?" The principal took a sip.
Geezer Shi answered after a big swallow, "He's not bad, but you know, young people are not humble. He's feeling too good about himself and thinking he's ready to fight."
"Ha-hah. It's the same everywhere. Wasn't you like that in your youth? Wasn't I the same?" The principal laughed out.
Geezer Shi tapped his left index finger and a peanut jumped out of the plate into his mouth.
"He needs some setback to understand his current strength. Emm..."
...
Time went by fast and it was already January. Cai Zongming returned from the capital with happiness radiating on his face. Lou Cheng's concerns about his long-distance relationship were finally relieved. He gave a thumb up as Casanova was matchless regarding love.
Lou Cheng developed a great admiration for this miraculous girl who was able to tame this wild horse. Little Ming was handsome, rich and charming, but he remained loyal for an entire term for her.
The Martial Arts Club's special training and all club activities were halted for the stressful and busy exam season in January. Lou Cheng continued to get up at five in the morning to train by the lake every day although often Geezer Shi slept in and didn't show up.
One after another exam wore Lou Cheng out physically and mentally. Taking exams is intenser than martial arts training. He didn't neglect his studies for martial arts throughout the term but he couldn't put much effort into it after classes with most of his time dedicated to the special training. His exam results were not a match for the super student Zhao Qiang's.
"It was ok, just above average but not good enough for the scholarship." Lou Cheng reported his record to his mother on the phone.
Hoping to comfort him, Lou Cheng's mom replied, "The scholarship is not for everyone. The first term in university is all about adapting yourself."
"Mom, you have changed." Under Talker's influence, Lou Cheng joked noticeably more often.
"Changed how?" Lou Cheng's mom sounded confused.
"You used to care so much about my grades and press me so hard on my studies. You have changed. You are not concerned about it anymore." Lou Cheng answered gladly.
"You're in university now. Should I still watch over your study?" Lou Cheng's mom said humorously.
For many parents, grades were no longer a big deal once the kid got in university.
They had chatted for a while when Lou Cheng's mom brought up the date for his return home. With the intention to figure out Yan Zheke's dates and go back to Xiushan together, Lou Cheng claimed there was more stuff to deal with, so he couldn't confirm at that time. Also, travel expenses were covered by that month's living expenses as he would only be in school for half of January.
After the phone call, Lou Cheng calculated the finishing time for the afternoon exam. He logged on his QQ and shot a line to Yan Zheke,
"All exams were done?"
He added a cheering smiley for liberation.
A while later, Yan Zheke replied with a firecracker sticker, "Done! "All done!"
"Sounds like you have done great!" Lou Cheng sent an evil smile.
"He-heh," answered Yan Zheke with some laughter.
Lou Cheng took a deep breath quietly before directly hitting the point. "By the way, when do you plan to go back to Xiushan?" Let's go together so we can keep an eye on each other. Also, I'll be your coolie!"
He added a sticker of muscle.
"Unfortunately, I can't have this coolie." Yan Zheke used a giggle emoji before continuing, "This year we are all going back to my grandparents' home for Chinese New Year. So, I have to travel to Jiangnan."
In the deepest disappointment, Lou Cheng still aimed at good humor. "Must be a big celebration over there?"
"Yeah. Grandpa, grandma, two uncles and their wife, one aunt, two elder female cousins, one elder male cousin, one younger male cousin, one niece, and the three of us..." Yan Zheke ended it with a sticker of counting fingers.
With pity and disappointment buried deep inside, Lou Cheng quickly had his good spirits back and put on a smile which Cai Zongming would call a leer.
The chat went on and on until dinner time. Lou Cheng was looking for Cai Zongming to dine at the cafeteria when Zhao Qiang, Qiu Zhigao, and Zhang Jingye came back together.
"Holy cow! Don't tell me you went to the study hall right after the final exam!" Lou Cheng asked casually.
Lou Cheng answered with a grin, "No. We planned to buy some local products for our family in the city but ended up having a drink and dinner with Guo Qing and her roommates."
"Not bad," Lou Cheng teased. "Any progress? With Guo Qing, and that Zhuang Xiaojun?"
"Don't bring it up! Zhuang Xiaojun has accepted that admirer." Zhao Qiang weaved a deep sigh. "We waited too long."
Old Qiu laughed. "Qiang, how many sighs you have weaved all this way? Don't be disappointed in love. You haven't fallen in love yet."
"Leave Qiang alone. I don't know if he can handle this right now." Zhang Jingye joked along.
That the beautiful girl from their dormitory meetup had got a boyfriend was always a sad piece of news even if they were not really sad about it.
Zhao Qiang gave his black-framed glasses a gentle push and responded, "You are all about love. Too young, too simple. I've been working on improving my knowledge level these days."
"What knowledge level? You've been weird recently whenever you are on your laptop or mobile." interrupted Lou Cheng.
Zhao Qiang smirked. "Next time."
He picked up some clothes and went to the public bathroom.
The rest three were left confused. They were not sure if Qiang had erred from the right path.
...
The next morning Lou Cheng showed up by the lake for endurance training and worked on still stance and 24 Blizzard Strikes.
"Master, what's your plan for the holiday? If nothing is going on, I'll book a train ticket to go home." Lou Cheng asked Geezer Shi who stood there free from restraint.
Geezer Shi sneered. "Good question. You often complained you had no practical combat experience and felt unsure about your current martial arts level. I've got this invitation for a new Martial Arts Competition. Have a try and we'll find out which place you can get."
An invitation for a Martial Arts Competition? Martial arts competition? Lou Cheng was astonished by confusion on his face.
Am I going to participate in a martial art competition?
Which place can I get?
Accepting the invitation, he opened it up and saw neat regular script in black ink saying
"Phoenix Cup Warrior Sage Candidate Challenge Tournament"!
PS: A chapter ready in the early morning. Advanced update. Please recommend it.
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