Martial Arts Master

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.