Wu Jing executed a falcon flip off the ring platform and landed smoothly. "I might lose in a real fight, but you've never beaten me at looking cool."
Li Houliang, itching for action, strode onto the platform. "Brother You, I'll go all out on defense first. You launch a full offensive."
"Alright." That was exactly what Zhou You wanted. As long as the opponent didn't attack, he could treat it like hitting a punching bag—starting with a combo of punches, followed by a few leg sweeps.
Seeing Li Houliang wince, Zhou You knew his strikes had gotten heavier. If Li Houliang couldn't block and Zhou You hit a vital spot, a KO wasn't out of the question.
Watching Zhou You's full-force assault from below, Wu Jing's heart trembled at the thudding sounds. "You're telling me this is just a hobby, just amateur stuff?" He turned to provoke Yu Qian: "Brother Qian, look at him—turning a hobby into a pro-level skill. Way better than you."
"Of course. The guy nearly KO'd a martial arts star. What am I compared to that?" Yu Qian shot back, landing a verbal blow.
Xie Nan had gotten her fill of entertainment today. She used to think Wu Jing was a refreshing presence in the entertainment world—good-looking and capable. But the more she got to know him, the more she realized he had a goofy streak. "Sigh, birds of a feather flock together. I'm no better, so I can't talk!"
"Brother You, I'm starting my counterattack." Li Houliang had roughly gauged Zhou You's recent progress.
Hearing this, Zhou You's expression turned serious as he shifted into a defensive stance. Li Houliang used his height and weight advantage to close in step by step. Zhou You didn't back down, staying defensive but looking for an opening.
Li Houliang specialized in heavy punches and leg sweeps. If Zhou You could block those two moves, he'd basically be unbeatable. A powerful left uppercut slammed into Zhou You's gloves. His body swayed but didn't fall. Though it stung, he'd managed to block it. He was inwardly shocked, and he noticed Li Houliang looked surprised too.
Perfect chance. He charged right up to Li Houliang, landing a right hook to the jaw that threw off his balance. Then a straight kick sent Li Houliang flying into the ropes.
The crowd below was stunned. They hadn't expected Zhou You to turn the tables and knock Li Houliang down. Cheers erupted. Xiao Si was ecstatic—Zhou You had once taken him down alone, and now he was practically clearing the whole training hall. "It's not that I'm useless; the opponent's just too strong."
But Li Houliang was a national champion. Though knocked down, he wasn't KO'd. He shook his head and got back up. Once Li Houliang gave it his full focus, Zhou You was still on the defensive—there was still a gap between them.
Afterward, Zhou You went upstairs to enjoy a post-fight massage. The others toured the second floor, finding it fully equipped: massage rooms, therapy rooms, lounges, reception areas, and about 500 square meters of unused space for future expansion. Several rooms were partitioned off as dorms for staff.
"Brother Liang, I feel like there are more coaches now?" Zhou You hadn't noticed when he first arrived, but after the fight, he spotted some new faces.
"Heh, Brother You, our gym's got a reputation now. I'm in charge of the combat training, so it's solid. The benefits and support are top-tier. A bunch of my junior brothers have come over—young, strong guys, ready to fight and work hard. Plus, we're expanding, so we really needed more coaches," Li Houliang explained.
Zhou You had already been thinking about expanding, feeling the current coaches weren't enough. This new batch was just right. "Don't worry, keep growing. If any of your brothers want to come, let them. The benefits won't be worse—free room and board. When this place isn't enough, we'll open branches. Pick one near my neighborhood. I'm planning to buy that sales office—it's four or five thousand square meters, four floors up and down. That should be plenty. The key is it's close to me, so everything's convenient."
Li Houliang's face lit up with excitement. "Brother You, that's reassuring. I've been holding back a lot of people who want to join!"
Yu Qian couldn't help but envy him. "Man, they say I know how to have fun, but I see you're the real deal. You've got money, free time, and a great body. I wish I could be twenty years younger."
Wu Jing was the happiest. Zhou You's solid resources meant he could definitely invest in Wu Jing's movies someday. He couldn't resist suggesting, "Brother You, your fighting talent is real. You should train in a few more styles to cover your weaknesses. You're not competing—it's for self-defense. In a real pinch, you'd use anything."
"Yeah, I've thought about that. Even if I'm older and talent doesn't matter much, at least it keeps me fit." Then he leaned in and whispered to Wu Jing, "Ever since I started practicing kickboxing, my physical condition has shot up. I've never lost to a woman!"
Damn, Wu Jing got hit with another flex. So that was your real goal in training? Man, I'm jealous.
Through this interaction, Yu Qian realized there were different levels of having fun. He was all about pure enjoyment—keeping birds, riding horses, singing, acting. Zhou You's fun was different—mostly about building strength and improving himself. And the best part? He could make money without losing it. Unlike Yu Qian's run-down zoo, which only survived on his own cash, barely covering operating costs. He sighed, "You learn by seeing the world and making friends. That's real growth."
Combat sports drained energy fast. A few rounds, seven or eight minutes, and you're spent. As planned, they headed back to Zhou You's hometown, aiming to make it for lunch. This trip included Yu Qian, Wu Jing, Xie Nan, Li Houliang, and two more coaches. They drove back in two cars.
Zhou You called ahead, and the food was ready, waiting for them. Professor Li happened to be there, originally planning to return to the provincial capital, but he wanted to show off when he heard Zhou You was coming. Over the past six months, the farm had transformed dramatically—a complete overhaul, no exaggeration.
Two hours later, they arrived at the farm gate. Everyone got out and looked up to see animals running all over the hills. Chickens, ducks, geese, sheep—and even a few cows scattered around. Zhou You was stunned. Not only had the animals multiplied, but the road in front had been paved too. No wonder he hadn't noticed on the way in.
"Man, compared to this, my zoo is nothing—way too small-time," Yu Qian sighed, feeling sorry for his own animals.
Wu Jing and Xie Nan took in the scene—mountains, water, woods, and animals everywhere. "Honey, when we make enough money, let's get a few hundred acres to play with."
One sentence shattered Xie Nan's daydream. "Sure, let's go home and sleep. You'll have everything in your dreams!"