Hiss... It hurts.
Zhou You lay face down on the bed, eyes fixed on the TV ahead, where two muscular men were trading punches and kicks in the ring.
Wang Fangfang sat reverse-kneeling on top of Zhou You, her hands massaging back and forth from his calves to his thighs—kneading, patting, and occasionally firing off a few bursts with a massage gun.
"I told you, just mess around with kickboxing for fun, why take it so seriously? It's been over a month, and you're still not losing interest," she said, massaging him with a hint of concern.
For the past month, Zhou You had practically lived at the training gym.
After getting past the initial discomfort, he had hit his stride and was fully immersed.
Sure, the daily training was tough—running, jump rope, stretching, push-ups, all of it.
But the feeling of being drenched in sweat after a workout was just too satisfying. Endorphins kept pushing him forward.
Turns out, the reason Zhou You had never broken through in freestyle swimming was his lack of stamina.
The day before yesterday, he tested his freestyle—50 meters, just shy of 35 seconds. A few more tries, and he'd hit the level of a third-tier athlete.
The progress was undeniable.
"Easy there. Just tell me—has it been useful or not?" Zhou You didn't argue; he knew the benefits firsthand.
Wang Fangfang's pretty face flushed red as she pressed harder. "It's already too much for me, and you're making it impossible to handle!"
"Haha!" Zhou You laughed triumphantly.
Your body is yours. No matter how much money you have, it's all external stuff.
"In a couple of days, I'll have A-Liang hire a professional coach and a nutritionist. The setup here is too basic," Zhou You said. He was increasingly recognizing Li Houliang's skills, but the supporting conditions were lacking.
"That works too. My techniques aren't professional anyway. Getting a specialist is a good idea. Then you can invest in a gym later," Wang Fangfang couldn't help but laugh. He built a swimming pool for his love of swimming, and now that he was into kickboxing, he'd build a kickboxing gym. Rich people and their whims.
"Oh, by the way, You-ge, a lot of hotels have been contacting us, asking us to contract and run their swimming pools. Our reputation's out there. All three of our pools are doing great business. Summer's the peak season, and we've brought in a lot of extra foot traffic for the hotels," Wang Fangfang said with a hint of pride. Watching the business thrive gave her a growing sense of accomplishment.
"Alright, you guys handle it. From now on, discuss these things with Wang Ping. If you disagree, then come to me. I'm not getting involved," Zhou You said. It didn't make much money in a year, and since he'd already set them on the right path, he didn't want to worry about it.
Seeing Zhou You's indifferent attitude, Wang Fangfang felt like her excitement was wasted. She worked hard and felt a real sense of achievement, but to Zhou You, it was just a small venture—no sense of significance at all.
But then again, compared to his other projects, it really was small. Even if they didn't expand, it was only a few million a year—something Zhou You wouldn't even bother with.
"Professor Li called me. He said business is great and he wants to expand. What did you do?" Zhou You was curious. He thought it would take at least until next year to smooth out the distribution channels, but now they were expanding this year.
At that, Wang Fangfang couldn't hold back her pride. "I set up a big TV in the reception area outside the pool. It loops basic swimming knowledge and some videos from the farm, so people can see the breeding conditions directly. It builds trust. A lot of members signed up. And we do pre-order, pre-pay—collect the money first, then notify customers to pick up their chickens and ducks when they arrive."
Zhou You sat up abruptly. "You little genius. I didn't even think of that. And that public account and self-media I mentioned last time—building your own brand slowly—did you do it?"
This woman really took initiative. Zhou You hadn't even considered that angle, and she was already doing a great job without being told.
"Yeah, I've started it. Not much traffic yet," Wang Fangfang said. She didn't see much use in it, but since Zhou You wanted it done, she'd do it. It wasn't much trouble.
Speak of the devil, and he appears.
People can't stand being talked about.
Professor Li called again: "Teacher Zhou, I heard you've taken up kickboxing?"
Zhou You was taken aback. How did Professor Li know? "Just a hobby. Messing around for fun."
"Teacher Zhou lives the easy life. Poor me, an old bones, still trudging through the mountains," Professor Li teased, but his voice was booming and full of energy—not a hint of fatigue.
"Haha, Professor Li, you're riding high now. You've become a celebrity at the school. Everyone knows how impressive you are—great at teaching theory, even better at practice. The other professors are envious," Zhou You said. He'd heard this last time he visited his advisor.
Li Baoyin had found a second wind at the university.
Word among the faculty was that Li Baoyin was starting a business with someone on the side, earning way more from his part-time gig than his salary, plus stock dividends.
Even his graduate students were benefiting. They were practically working while studying—earning money and getting their degrees. Word had it that applications for this year's grad program were through the roof.
"I'm just working for you, Boss Zhou. Business is good now, and we've got a positive cycle going. But the scale is too small—we need to expand, or production can't keep up. With our reputation in the provincial capital, we've opened up channels in the city too. Demand outstrips supply, Boss Zhou!" Professor Li laid out the situation, clearly hinting at the need for more investment.
"No problem. You've worked hard, Professor Li. How much funding do you need?" Zhou You didn't want to get into the details, or Professor Li would launch into another half-hour lecture.
"Based on my initial estimates, at least 1.5 million. I also want to build a small feed mill, otherwise buying feed alone is a huge expense," Professor Li said seriously.
Zhou You replied without hesitation, "I'll transfer 2 million over. Go ahead with confidence, Professor Li. If you need more, just let me know."
After hanging up, Professor Li was overjoyed. Zhou You was incredibly generous. If it weren't for his connection with Zhou You's advisor, he wouldn't have landed such a great project. The farming work over this period alone was enough for a research paper. If this momentum kept up, he'd be reaping both academic and financial rewards.
A couple of days ago, the school offered Li Baoyin the position of vice dean. He turned it down flat. Why would he want that, stuck in the middle of office politics? If he worked hard for a few years, developing organic and forest farming, he'd gain both fame and fortune. Why bother with administrative roles? At his age, going into bureaucracy would be a waste of brainpower.
But right now, he was short on hands. He only had a few grad students, and they were all fully utilized. They were happy too. Next semester, he'd recruit more. Some undergrads had shown interest last time—he could pick a few good ones.
The待遇 was better than what most graduates would get at regular companies. The key was the perks: free food, housing, and all organic. The only downside was the remote location.
But that couldn't be helped—it was the nature of the field. Unless students went into pure research, they'd inevitably end up in remote areas.
Thinking about the bright future ahead, Li Baoyin couldn't help but wave his arms in the air.
Looking at the poultry scattered across the mountains,
This was all his hard work.
Thank you to all the big shots for your support, giving me a chance to earn that full attendance bonus.