The next day, Li Houliang drove over to pick up Zhou You.
They chatted idly on the way.
Zhou You asked, "Brother Liang, how did you end up on the path of freestyle fighting?"
Li Houliang gripped the steering wheel with both hands and chuckled. "When I was a kid, I was a troublemaker, loved to fight. My parents couldn't control me, so they sent me to a martial arts school. Then a coach took a liking to me, and I went to a sports school. Been at it ever since."
Zhou You said, "Any regrets now?"
Li Houliang gave a bitter smile. "No regrets now, but I did before. There was no other way, though—I wasn't cut out for academics. If I hadn't met you, Brother You, I'd probably regret it even more."
Zhou You didn't know what to say. Maybe without meeting him, Li Houliang could have lived a peaceful life, or maybe he'd have been tormented by injuries halfway through, or perhaps he'd have achieved some small success later on.
Who can really predict a person's life? Fortune and misfortune are intertwined. Just focus on the present.
Zhou You said nothing, just patted Li Houliang on the shoulder. Everything was understood without words.
They arrived at the sports school gate.
Across the street was a sports equipment store, a perfect match for the location.
"This is run by a senior alumnus, been around for years," Li Houliang explained.
They pushed the door open.
Li Houliang shouted, "Old Wang, Old Wang, I'm here to buy shoes."
"Damn, you're still as rude as ever. Heard you're doing well now. What brings you to my place?" A middle-aged man with graying hair came out from the back, around forty-something, his face lined with wrinkles, the wear and tear plain to see.
"I'm buying shoes for my boss. Pick out a professional pair, make sure the quality's top-notch." Li Houliang was clearly familiar with him. The sports school wasn't big, and he'd made a name for himself with some achievements, so his reputation was decent enough.
Old Wang sized up Zhou You. "Hello, what size are your feet? What are they mainly for?"
"For running the hundred meters, just messing around at a school sports meet. Please pick a good pair—I don't want to twist my ankle." Zhou You emphasized.
"Don't worry. If I sell you something subpar, Xiao Liang here will trash my shop." Old Wang ribbed Li Houliang.
His bad reputation preceded him.
"Brother You, it's just that I was hot-headed back in the day. Being a martial artist, I've always been restless." Li Houliang, caught off guard, didn't get angry now.
They tried on a few pairs and settled on a lightweight, comfortable one.
Zhou You casually asked, "Are there special shoes for standing long jump?"
Old Wang was taken aback. "Of course there are. What else would athletes wear?"
"Alright, give me a pair too." Since he was here, he might as well get the gear sorted.
"Boss, need any sprinting clothes?" Old Wang figured this was indeed Xiao Liang's boss—generous and straightforward, not even haggling. But he wasn't cheating Zhou You, especially with Li Houliang standing right there.
Zhou You hadn't thought of that. He'd almost forgotten. Might as well get a full set. No, make it two sets—he could use them for daily runs too.
He paid up and left.
Old Wang called after them from behind, all smiles, his voice warm: "Come by anytime."
It wasn't a brothel.
At the sports school gate, someone was waiting.
Li Houliang spotted him from a distance and hurried over to greet him. "Master, why did you come in person? I told my junior to handle it."
"Haven't seen you in a while. Thought I'd check in on you and meet the boss behind you." His master's expression remained unchanged.
Zhou You quickly walked over and extended his hand. "Hello, I'm Zhou You. I'm learning freestyle fighting under Brother Liang now."
"I'm Wen Qing. I coached Xiao Liang for a few years. He's told me about you. Young and promising, Boss Zhou." Wen Qing praised him sincerely. Their field was narrow, and Li Houliang had carved out a path for himself.
"You're too kind, Teacher Wen. I just enjoy it." Zhou You said as he followed them inside.
"Coach Li from the swimming team will be joining us later. He's been wanting to visit but never found the right chance. He's also here to thank you, Boss Zhou." Wen Qing was deeply moved. Zhou You had already solved a huge problem for them.
"Ah, it's a win-win. I love this field myself, and it just happened to work out." Zhou You was a bit pleased inside but still had to stay humble.
"Your 'just happened to work out' has solved employment for a lot of people. When we heard you were coming to train today, us old-timers figured we'd make ourselves useful." Originally, Li Houliang had only asked his junior to have some track-and-field students guide him. Who knew it would blow up like this?
Zhou You didn't like being called "Boss Zhou"—it felt too formal. "Please don't call me that. Just use my name, or call me Teacher Zhou. I'm a university teacher too."
Wen Qing nodded.
They reached the track, where a group was already waiting. Wen Qing introduced them one by one.
"This is Coach Li from the swimming team. He's here specifically to thank Teacher Zhou."
Coach Li was tanned dark and had put on weight, probably in his forties or fifties.
"A lot of my students are now making a living under Teacher Zhou. I'm grateful too. Seeing these kids have a path gives us teachers peace of mind. Otherwise, it's hard to stomach." Coach Li spoke very plainly.
"You're too kind. It's all fate. We're just having fun together—it's great." Zhou You said with a smile.
"I've heard the待遇 is great, even higher than my salary. I'm tempted to join." Coach Li joked.
"That won't do. If you leave, who'll train the next generation?" These coaches rarely produced standout results. Students struggled, coaches struggled too—it was all just making a living.
Seeing the pleasantries were winding down, Wen Qing continued.
"This is Coach Sun from track and field."
"This is Coach Zheng for standing long jump."
Zhou You exchanged greetings with each.
"Let's get started then. I'll treat everyone to lunch at noon. I really didn't expect you all to come in person. I was just planning to have a few students give me some simple guidance." Zhou You wasn't one for small talk, especially with a bunch of rough guys.
No one objected. Deepening the connection was best. They agreed on lunch, and those with other commitments left first.
Li Houliang stayed by his side.
Coach Sun first led Zhou You through warm-ups—waist, feet, arms, thighs, knees, head—each part loosened up, then had him jog a slow lap.
Only then did technical training begin.
Coach Sun demonstrated as he explained: "After the 'On your marks' command, take two or three deep breaths to relax."
"Adjust the starting blocks. Place both hands on the ground, shift your center of gravity slightly forward. Keep your hands shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. You'll have five points of contact: left hand, right hand, left foot, right foot, and the knee of your weaker leg. Stay natural and relaxed. Look at the ground about 40 centimeters ahead, and listen for the 'Set' command."
"On 'Set,' press firmly with both hands. Your arms should project slightly past the starting line. Lift your hips higher than your shoulders, shifting your center of gravity forward. Slightly tighten your abs, arch your back, and focus on the gunshot. In this phase, do two things: shift your center of gravity forward and keep your hips above your shoulders."
"When you hear the gunshot, react like lightning. Quickly lift your hands off the ground, bend your elbows, and swing your arms forcefully front and back. Drive your legs off the starting blocks with explosive power. Take rapid, short steps, leaning your body forward at a steep angle to propel yourself ahead."
Zhou You listened intently. Professionals were different—even a start had so many techniques.