Chapter 25: The Power of Dreams (Please keep reading)

"Creak," "creak."

The streets on this winter night were sparsely lit.

A tricycle, bearing the heavy marks of time with its primer showing through the worn paint, moved slowly along.

The cargo bed swayed slightly, and the wheel hubs turned with a dry, grinding sound.

The wind whistled past, carrying a biting chill that made the atmosphere feel even more desolate.

Fang Cheng held onto the handlebars and pressed his feet against the pedals, trying his best to ride steadily.

He wanted to minimize the jolting for this overburdened, second-hand vehicle.

"Xiumei, how much did you earn tonight?"

Seeing that his childhood friend had been very quiet throughout the journey, Fang Cheng took it upon himself to liven up the atmosphere.

"I'm not sure. I need to calculate it first."

At his question, Zhou Xiumei, sitting in the back, immediately began a series of rustling movements.

Then came the sound of pages flipping.

As if seized by sudden interest, she pulled out a notebook and sat directly in the cargo bed to do the math.

"First entry: sold a teddy bear, income 35 yuan."

"Second entry: sold a 'Shishi Ruyi' ornament, income 19 yuan. Total so far is..."

She recorded every single transaction carefully in her notebook to calculate costs and profits.

Suddenly, Zhou Xiumei spoke in a tone of slight surprise

"Cheng-ge, my total income tonight actually exceeded 200 yuan for the first time!"

She couldn't wait to share her joy.

However, her happiness was short-lived, as she immediately let out a long sigh.

It was like a lonely gust of wind brushing softly past the ear.

Fang Cheng looked back at Zhou Xiumei, who was wrapped in a scarf with her brows furrowed.

"How about I take the losses from today on my tab? After all, I was the one who sent those guys flying."

"You can't do that!"

Zhou Xiumei grew anxious, her low voice rising a few notches

"Don't overthink it. I was just sighing because I'm so unlucky. Ever since I was a kid, nothing has ever gone exactly my way..."

Fang Cheng fell silent for a moment, then suddenly asked

"Xiumei, have you ever thought about what you want to do in the future, or if you have any dreams?"

"Dreams?"

Zhou Xiumei froze at the word, her eyes clouded with a hint of confusion.

"Like, opening a craft shop in the future, doing business, being a boss."

Fang Cheng tried to guide her.

"No."

Zhou Xiumei shook her head like a rattle drum.

"Opening a shop is too risky. I'm content just running a stall and earning a hundred yuan a day."

Fang Cheng continued in a serious tone

"Xiumei, the reason you always feel like things aren't going your way is simply because you lack a dream."

"Once a person has a dream, they gain a kind of power called belief."

"This power allows you to look past temporary gains and losses, gives you the courage to face difficulties, and helps you rediscover the meaning of life."

"So, I think you should try to find your own dream."

Listening to Fang Cheng's words, which sounded like those of someone who had already walked the path, Zhou Xiumei's eyes grew misty, filled with both realization and doubt.

Having spoken so much, she gradually opened up and asked cautiously

"Cheng-ge, you've been practicing martial arts all this time. Is your dream to compete professionally?"

This time, it was Fang Cheng's turn to shake his head.

"It's a bit too early to say."

"But the answer should come soon. When the time comes, I'll tell you privately, just like when we were kids."

As he spoke, he gave her a mysterious smile.

The corners of Zhou Xiumei's mouth lifted slightly before she pressed her lips together, suppressing her smile.

She lifted her eyes and exhaled a small puff of warm breath.

Gazing at the silhouette just inches away, her heart suddenly skipped a few beats.

As if it were just like before, a secret was quietly blooming between them.

Their voices drifted by like a light breeze.

Unknowingly, the dimly lit apartment buildings emerged under the night sky.

No matter how dark and cold the night may be.

A brand new and bright day will always arrive...

***

December 3rd.

Thursday, 12:30 PM.

Global Elite Combat Club.

Coach Hu, holding a thermos, walked leisurely into Training Hall No. 2.

In truth, he rarely came to this area.

Looking around, he saw students dressed in white martial arts uniforms, preparing for class and practicing various flashy disciplines.

Things like Karate, Kendo, and Taekwondo.

Coincidentally, these programs were highly marketable and were favored by trendy young people.

As a result, they were prioritized by the club's management and specifically arranged in Hall No. 2, which featured brand-new decor and better facilities.

Meanwhile, the more combat-oriented disciplines—Boxing, Sanda, Muay Thai, and Jiu-Jitsu—had to settle for being squeezed into Hall No. 1.

The boxing department, which Coach Hu was responsible for, had recently outperformed the Karate department in terms of revenue, something he had been boasting about for quite some time.

But now, he suddenly felt a loss of confidence.

The change was entirely due to the appearance and departure of that one young man.

Thinking of this, Coach Hu turned his gaze forward.

He saw a crowd gathered together, looking exceptionally lively.

Most were students in training gear, along with a few coaches and staff from other departments.

Standing in the middle of this group was a young man with a fair complexion and a refined temperament.

"Master Xu, you're here early!"

Coach Hu stepped forward and called out loudly to the crowd.

Xu Maocai gave him a cold glance and then turned his head away, clearly having no intention of acknowledging him.

Coach Hu smiled inwardly.

He had intentionally greeted a man who had suffered a similar fate, purely to get revenge for having his own talent poached.

"Everyone is here. Let's begin."

The head coach of the Karate department stepped forward and spoke.

Since the purpose of this recruitment for sparring partners was primarily to fill vacancies within his own department, the on-site assessment was his responsibility.

As long as he signed off on it, the new sparring partner would pass the test and could proceed to the HR department to collect an employment contract.

As for the coaches from other departments gathered there, their role was merely to supervise and prevent cheating.

Of course, this didn't mean that once a person was selected for one department, they were stuck there.

In principle, sparring partners were flexible technical staff.

If another coach took a liking to them and their own department was short-handed, they could simply sign with HR afterward to hire the person.

Coach Hu and Xu Maocai had no interest in the specifics of the recruitment.

Both of their eyes remained fixed on the young figure in the center of the crowd, each harboring their own thoughts.

Fang Cheng, being the center of attention, remained composed and relaxed.

He first performed a few single-leg squats, then stretched his arms, making his joints pop.

Only then did he nod in response

"I can start."

The first test was continuous push-ups.

The requirement was that the pause between each movement must not exceed one second, and the form must remain as standard as possible.

It primarily tested a person's physical endurance and cardiovascular function, as well as the most important attributes for a sparring partner: upper body strength and chest impact resistance.

At this moment, a counter with a red button sat on the floor in front of Fang Cheng.

When his forehead tapped the button, the electronic display would beep, counting one repetition.

This ensured that the count remained accurate while maintaining proper form.

Fang Cheng took a light breath, then placed his hands on the ground, straightened his back, and lowered himself.

The first standard two-arm push-up was completed with extreme fluidity, stability, and power.

If this were being scored in a competition, it would undoubtedly receive a perfect score from everyone.

Coach Hu and the other coaches couldn't help but nod.

Fitness, much like martial arts, is something you can tell just by seeing a person move.

Despite the young man's refined appearance and somewhat lean build, those two repetitions proved he clearly maintained a regular exercise habit.

Fang Cheng continued the movements with a rhythmic pace—neither too fast nor too slow, crisp and decisive.

His posture was impeccably standard; he had clearly come prepared.

The corners of Coach Hu's mouth curled up slightly as he mused to himself

"I didn't realize this kid was hiding something. Interesting..."

Meanwhile, Xu Maocai, standing nearby, had an even more complex look in his eyes.

(End of Chapter)