Chapter 7, The New Coach

Fellow townsmen, classmates, and shared interests made the smile on Lou Cheng's face utterly unremovable, feeling that everything tonight was simply wonderful

Additionally, students can choose elective courses that are not related to their major or grade level, and whether they can pass these courses depends entirely on their own efforts

I, uh, don't aspire to be a professional level, just want to practice some skills, and in the future, being able to defend against wolves will be enough!" What Yan Zheke sent over was a piece of text, but Lou Cheng could vaguely sense her underlying loneliness.

Songcheng University implements a free course selection model, where each course offers options with different teachers and time slots. Students can choose their preferred teachers or the most suitable time slots based on their own schedules and the comprehensive ratings of the teachers. Of course, each course has a limit on the number of students, and the most popular teachers and the best time slots are often in high demand, requiring students to demonstrate their ability to secure a spot.

Yan Zheke sent a nodding emoji: "Indeed, Old Li is truly interesting. Every class, he spends at least the first ten minutes boasting, and every time he gives praise, it makes people feel extremely awkward"

"He hasn't arrived yet," Yan Zheke replied, "It is said that he is a highly experienced martial artist, and the principal had to use personal connections to invite him. In any case, it won't be simple. Training in martial arts under him will definitely yield results. For someone like you, Lou Cheng, who has no foundation, it is even possible to obtain a certificate of amateur rank three before graduation."

It was a matter from many years ago; if you were to know, I would actually be quite startled!" Yan Zheke followed closely with a "dumbfounded" expression.

Yan Zheke replied with a smiling expression: "See you in martial arts class tomorrow"

The two engaged in lively conversation, exchanging words with great enthusiasm, discussing everything from the Dragon King's rumors and various gossip to which student in high school was dating whom, and the incident of an attempted assault that occurred one night in a certain year. The boys accompanied the girls who could not stay in the dormitory back home.

The three major illusions of life

"Director Li from the Teaching Office? He is our mathematics teacher, particularly interesting. By the way, it seems he is also your mathematics teacher, right?" Lou Chengshun smoothly opened up the topic.

I apologize, I had to leave the orientation meeting early today due to other commitments. Is there anything that was discussed afterwards?

I also! Lou Cheng expressed his delight in response, "Unfortunately, the foundation of Longhu is still somewhat inferior to that of the Shangqing Sect, and overall, it is always slightly at a disadvantage."

"As expected of a professional..." Lou Cheng muttered, picking up his phone, feeling both justified and reluctant as he sent a smiling emoji. "I still have homework to do, let's chat later, in preparation for tomorrow morning's martial arts class"

After much contemplation and a moment of hesitation, Lou Cheng ultimately decided not to use a form of address, opting instead to convey his feelings through expressions

Is that so? I didn't pay attention to this matter, haha. In fact, even if we had fixed it while we were still in school, it wouldn't have been very useful. Martial arts competitions are so prone to injuries, and without high-level referees and supervision, the nearby Second Hospital would surely be filled to capacity. How could we possibly study then? I can already imagine the expression on Director Li from the Education Office.

Cai Zongming exclaimed: "Go take a look in the mirror yourself, the smile on your face is clearly written with the four characters 'spring heart in turmoil'. Are you chatting with your goddess?"

Indeed, I just like the Dragon King!" Yan Zheke used a heart-eyed emoji.

He quickly pressed the keys on the screen, instinctively wanting to ask Yan Zheke which class she would attend. However, after a moment of reflection, he felt that their relationship was not yet sufficient to support such a straightforward question, as it could easily lead to awkwardness

He kept this matter in mind and changed the subject: "Alright, alright, by the way, I heard that the martial arts gym at No. 1 High School is almost finished? We started the renovations when we entered school, and it was only completed after we graduated, a perfect miss!"

"Martial Saint" is one of the five supreme personal titles in the country. In recent years, it has been monopolized by Qian Donglou of the Shangqing Sect, so when "Martial Saint" is mentioned, it usually refers to him. He is also one of the two unparalleled figures in the current domestic martial arts world, having jointly obtained the majority of titles in recent years alongside Chen Qitao.

After exiting the chat interface, Lou Cheng browsed through other messages, replied to the important ones, then logged out of QQ, tucked his phone away, and looked at Cai Zongming: "Love guru, are you going to the martial arts class tomorrow morning?"

Bang

Chen Qitao's "Dragon King" is another title - "King". After defeating the nation's martial arts masters and obtaining this title, he is not directly referred to as the King, as that would be too common. Instead, a new title incorporating the character "King" is creatively derived based on his nickname, martial arts characteristics, and so on, such as Dragon King, Sword King, Lion King, Gun King, and so forth.

I have calculus and linear algebra on Thursday morning, so I can only attend on Tuesday or Saturday

After a moment of consideration, Lou Cheng went in circles and said to himself

After the lights were turned off, the night gradually deepened, and the dormitory became increasingly quiet. Unbeknownst to them, the building had entered the realm of dreams, where a bizarre and fantastical dream unfolded, a dream filled with both excitement and fear

Perhaps this is the instinct of men

However, he soon disregarded these, as he discovered that Yan Zheke had already accepted his friend request

There is indeed a reason, but it is clear that he does not wish to delve deeper into it. Lou Cheng's mind is racing, analyzing every detail, and he feels that he has never been this attentive during his senior year of high school lectures.

Yan Zheke replied with a smiling expression: "I can participate three times."

"Exactly, Old Li is just that amusing. Once, he was so pleased with himself that he wanted to explain a problem to us, but after spending most of the class, he still couldn't solve it, and he was sweating profusely. After carefully checking for a long time, he finally said gloomily, 'I copied the wrong problem...'" Lou Cheng sent a laughing emoji, "Uh, the peak showdown between the Dragon King and the Martial Saint? Which side are you supporting?"

Calling them "old classmates"? That won't do; in the tone of a working adult, it's likely not to be appreciated by the fresh graduates from university

"Why is that? Those with ambition will ultimately achieve their goals," Lou Cheng said with confusion

Luo Cheng immediately retorted, "Then how do you know?"

After mentioning their shared alma mater, the assertiveness in her speech seemed to increase significantly

The lively conversation came to an abrupt halt, leaving one feeling truly at a loss.

After a broad grin, he quickly pressed with his thumb:

Luo Cheng was about to reply when Yan Zheke sent another message: "By the way, this semester we will have a new advisor. It is said that the principal is very dissatisfied with the results of the past few years and wants to take advantage of Lin Que's enrollment to revitalize the prestige of our Songda Martial Arts Club. We have previously reached the national finals!"

Once, I wanted to go home and watch the peak showdown between the Dragon King and the Martial Saint, so I planned to finish the homework I had left over during math class. I thought I was being very discreet, and that Old Li definitely hadn't noticed. However, just before class ended, a classmate next to me started talking and was criticized by Old Li. He said, 'You all, if you could score full marks in math like Yan Zheke, then as long as you don't disturb other students in class, I wouldn't say anything about what you do, even if it's having children. Look, Yan Zheke completed a whole lesson's worth of Chinese homework, and I didn't say anything, did I?' I felt so embarrassed at that moment, as if my image as a good student had been completely shattered.

The martial arts club faces all students, ranging from freshmen to seniors, with representation from the medical school to the mechanical engineering school. Given the differing course schedules, the three weekly sessions, one of which is held on the weekend, are arranged to accommodate all members as much as possible

After everyone had washed up and gone to bed, Zhao Qiang, Qiu Zhigao, and Zhang Jingye were still chattering about the upcoming social event on Friday, imagining the appearances and personalities of the four girls across from them. Meanwhile, Lou Cheng took out his phone, savoring and reflecting on the conversation he had just had with Yan Zheke, repeating each word and phrase in his mind. A sense of joy filled his heart, bringing him tranquility and peace, while he occasionally chimed in with the three hormone-driven youths, engaging in a casual conversation.

Upon seeing Yan Zheke's reply, Lou Cheng couldn't help but smile, revealing a grin as his inner anxiety transformed entirely into joy and excitement

What a coincidence? You have no classes on Tuesday and Thursday mornings? Lou Cheng clenched his left fist, praising his own "wit"—by leveraging his own situation to prompt the other party to delve deeper into the same topic, thereby obtaining the desired information

Upon entering the dialogue interface, he suddenly hesitated. How should he address the other party

Um. Lou Cheng's old face flushed red, and he had no choice but to admit it

Fortunately, you have me as your warm-hearted and kind classmate. Yan Zheke sent a cute little monster emoji and then explained the schedule for the martial arts class, which is held every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The content taught in all three classes is the same, so you only need to attend one. It all depends on your own schedule. If you have more free time, it would be best to attend all of them, as practice makes perfect

After sending the message, Lou Cheng's heartbeat involuntarily quickened slightly, filled with both anticipation and worry, as if time had become prolonged. Suddenly, with a sound of "ding," Yan Zheke's avatar shifted from dim to bright, her status changed from invisible to online. It was only at this moment that Lou Cheng noticed her avatar was a cartoon cat, light gray with large eyes.

The local wealthy second-generation Qin Mo, who resides in the dormitory, has scheduled all his classes on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, claiming to attend classes for three days and rest for four days

Secret! Yan Zheke displayed a triumphant expression with her hands on her hips, and Lou Cheng could almost envision her charming demeanor, his smile growing ever more pronounced.

The sound of notifications is incessant, and the messages from QQ create a sense of overwhelming distraction. On the screen, there are forcibly pushed news articles, local weather forecasts, replies from childhood friends and online acquaintances to previous messages, as well as hundreds and thousands of messages from various QQ groups that have been added.

"Be careful not to get beaten into a bear," Lou Cheng remarked with a hint of sarcasm, and the two of them laughed and returned to their dormitory

Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder, and startled, he quickly turned his head. He saw Cai Zongming with his hands in his pants pockets, smiling and saying: "Not bad, Chengzi, you have learned without a teacher!" And books.

Oh dear, I can hardly stand having secrets; it gnaws at my heart and soul to know. Are you hoping I won't be able to sleep tonight?" Lou Cheng made a pitiful expression, simultaneously astonished at how quickly he could become so shameless, taking advantage of the situation.

Of course it is the Dragon King! Yan Zheke stated emphatically

The top three in the amateur competition... Suddenly, Lou Cheng thought of the golden elixir within himself, but then shifted his attention to Yan Zheke: "What about you? What are your expectations for yourself?"

If you can't sleep, read more books! Yan Zheke sent a smirking emoji

Yan Zheke sent an embarrassed blushing and scratching head emoji: "The senior from the martial arts club had informed me in advance, so I specifically cleared my schedule for Tuesday and Thursday mornings when selecting courses."

I have long been engrossed in my studies, gradually losing weight. Lou Cheng pondered for a moment, did not dwell on this topic, and instead asked, "What is the new coach like?"

Cai Zongming took out his phone to check the time: "Alright, Chengzi, let's stop the conversation here. We should halt before the topic becomes uninteresting, as this will leave the best impression on the girl and increase her anticipation for chatting with you."

It is quite impolite to directly call Yan Zheke by her full name, but referring to her as "Zheke," "Xiao Ke," or "Ke Ke" seems overly casual. During the stage when both parties are still in the process of becoming acquainted, such terms may evoke discomfort and a sense of absurdity. On the other hand, addressing her as "Student Yan" or "Student Yan Zheke" feels very distant and creates a sense of being kept at arm's length

Because of the importance placed on it, every word and every expression will be pondered and contemplated repeatedly in the heart

"How impressive! I have never heard of it at all," Lou Cheng said in surprise, feeling a bit puzzled in his heart

"What are you talking about?" Lou Cheng replied dismissively, almost instinctively.

Go! Let them witness the prowess of this hidden master! Cai Zongming's class schedule is the same as Lou Cheng's, and there is no hesitation.

"I won't tell you." Yan Zheke replied briefly