Chapter 12: No Longer Ordinary (Please keep reading)

【Push-ups lv0 (67/100)】

The workout ended. Fang Cheng looked at the experience value increasing on the panel.

He picked up the thermos and a disposable paper cup from the table beside the hospital bed.

He poured a cup of warm water and gulped it down in one go.

Turning his head, he saw his grandfather sleeping peacefully, and the monitoring equipment showed nothing unusual.

He then replaced the nearly full urinal under the bed with a new one.

Carrying the plastic basin filled with yellowish urine, he prepared to head to the restroom to empty it.

Just as he pushed open the ward door, Fang Cheng noticed a series of eager gazes drifting over from the nurses' station.

Several young, lively nurses were huddled together, hands over their mouths, whispering to each other.

They pretended to turn their heads casually, stealing glances at him from the corners of their eyes.

The look in their eyes was as if they were watching an idol from some pop group.

Fang Cheng felt quite speechless. After emptying the urinal, he walked to the drying area to get some fresh air.

The sun had already slanted westward, and a streak of orange-red gradually spread across the horizon.

Looking into the distance at the endless Western Mountains, light and shadow intertwined, appearing somewhat profound and mysterious.

"The push-up skill is almost ready to level up."

"Once I break through 10 points in Strength and Agility, my physical fitness will be enough to surpass most ordinary people..."

Fang Cheng squinted, his bangs fluttering in the evening breeze.

"After that..."

"I'll focus on improving my Constitution attribute. Only then can the 'Iron Fist' special effect reach its maximum potential."

"Furthermore..."

Fang Cheng gazed into the distance, deep in thought, a sharp glint flashing through his pupils.

"The higher the Constitution attribute, the more resilient the body, the faster the recovery speed, and the training efficiency will increase accordingly."

"This will lead to faster skill upgrades, more attribute points gained, which can then be turned back into improving physical fitness."

"In this way, a virtuous cycle is formed."

"Even relying solely on physical training, I could raise my Strength and Agility to a level unimaginable for ordinary people..."

Looking at the pale blue light screen obscuring the setting sun, a faint smile appeared on the corner of Fang Cheng's mouth.

Standing by the window, his silhouette seemed to be draped in a mysterious, glorious halo.

With a proper plan in place, his fighting spirit ignited.

"Then, I'll strive to unlock the Leg Raise skill in three days and upgrade push-ups to lv1!"

………………

Evening, past seven o'clock.

Fang Cheng pulled up the hood of his hoodie and tightened his collar.

Carrying his messenger bag, he walked out of the hospital service hall alone, facing the biting cold wind.

He had just had a simple meal in the ward with his mother and uncle.

They had reheated the leftovers from lunch in the microwave and picked up two meat dishes and one vegetable dish from the cafeteria, making for a relatively decent meal.

However, everyone had things on their minds, and there wasn't much appetite to speak of.

Especially after seeing the plight of that couple in the afternoon, it left everyone feeling heavy-hearted.

His mother brought up the medical expenses, saying she was prepared to ask her supervisor for an advance on her salary.

His uncle swore up and down, telling Fang Cheng and his mother not to worry.

His mother asked if he was planning to borrow from loan sharks like others.

His uncle denied it vehemently, acting all mysterious and claiming he would never do such a stupid thing.

Fang Cheng didn't know what his plans were.

He only made up his mind to earn as much money as possible to help ease the family's financial pressure.

"Mom, I'm hungry..."

While lost in thought, a somewhat familiar, childish voice drifted into his ears with the cold wind.

Fang Cheng couldn't help but turn his head to look in the direction of the sound.

He saw the young couple holding their child, sitting in the corner of the wall outside the hall.

Because they had missed several days of hospital fees, and the hospital was afraid of continued harassment, they had been driven out of the ward that afternoon.

He hadn't expected them to still be lingering here.

The night was deep, and the chill was heavy.

With nowhere to go, they could only huddle beside a concrete pillar to shelter from the wind, wrapping their bodies tightly in military-green cotton coats to minimize contact with the cold air.

Fang Cheng paused and glanced at them.

Then he withdrew his gaze and continued walking out of the hospital.

Seeing the child crying from hunger, the young mother rummaged through a canvas bag beside her and pulled out a cold steamed bun wrapped in a plastic bag.

Using the free hot water from the hall, she soaked the bun until it was soft and slightly warm, broke it into small pieces, and fed it to the child.

Watching the child struggle to swallow, the young mother coaxed him softly.

"Be good. In a few days, when Dad earns some money and cures your illness, we'll go eat fried chicken, eat cake, and eat lots and lots of good things."

"Really?"

"Of course it's real. When has Mom ever lied to you?"

Little Bao was very good and very obedient.

After quietly finishing the bun, he stopped talking.

He poked his shaved head out of the military coat, looking longingly in one direction.

Through the bright glass of the hall, one could see a little girl sitting on a chair, gnawing on a chicken leg while drinking milk tea.

Little Bao tried his best not to swallow his saliva, but it felt like a spring was secreting in his mouth, gathering more and more until he couldn't hold it back.

In the end, he could only swallow his saliva quietly, several times, trying his best not to make a sound.

He was afraid of disturbing his father and mother, who had already fallen asleep from exhaustion.

Only those round, bright black eyes revealed an undisguised sense of envy.

I don't know how much time passed.

Suddenly, a series of footsteps approached.

Little Bao looked up curiously.

He saw a tall, thin, handsome big brother who looked like a celebrity standing in front of him.

The man was carrying a bag of boxed meals, from which the mouth-watering aroma of grilled fish and chicken nuggets wafted out.

The big brother placed the boxed meal gently on the ground.

Then, he handed a warm cup of milk with a straw already inserted into his hand and patted his shaved head.

"When you grow up, remember to be filial to your parents."

After saying this, without waiting for Little Bao to react, he turned around quickly and strode away.

The child's joyful cheers soon woke the sleeping young couple.

The couple looked around, wanting to find their benefactor.

They only vaguely saw a somewhat familiar figure quickly disappearing into the passing crowd.

They lowered their heads and gratefully picked up the boxed meal.

They discovered that at the very bottom of the bag, there were two bright red hundred-yuan bills.

………………

*Vroom——————*

The sound of a high-displacement twin-turbo engine roared from far to near.

Fang Cheng moved to the side of the road.

Watching a red convertible sports car roar past and smelling the pungent exhaust, he frowned slightly.

Eight o'clock at night.

Some people were still rushing about, toiling for a living, while others' extravagant nightlife had just begun.

He had already missed the last bus.

Fang Cheng had no choice but to walk two kilometers and transfer to the subway to get home.

With his hands in his pockets, he walked slowly along the sparsely populated street.

His mind was still on what had happened earlier.

Bringing food to the child was just a small act of help within his power; it wasn't worth anyone's gratitude.

The reason he did it was more for the sake of his own peace of mind.

Coming into this world, everyone is a lonely traveler.

In a city built of reinforced concrete, it is filled with indifference, injustice, and fierce competition everywhere.

Only the comfort humans find in each other is the most precious thing.

However.

Some things must eventually be fought for by oneself; the help of others is very limited.

Fang Cheng stared at the darkness and the lights before him.

The panel emitting a faint blue light slowly emerged.

A person who was destined to be just one of the masses had suddenly obtained an opportunity to be no longer ordinary.

Then he must grasp it firmly, seize fate by the throat, and never let any tragedy happen before his eyes!

"Grandfather has a two-month preparation period for the surgery, so there is still plenty of time."

"I'll improve my physical fitness as quickly as possible, then apply to be a sparring partner. With salary and subsidies, I should be able to get about ten or twenty thousand."

"If there's a chance, I'll go fight a few amateur matches; the prize money isn't bad either..."

Fang Cheng made plans in his heart and quickened his pace.

The new book is inherently weak and urgently needs the support of readers who are "nurturing" the book to keep reading, so please help this young seedling grow.

(End of chapter)