Winner in Life

On rainy days, the entire city grew quiet.

There were few pedestrians on the streets.

Only the gentle patter of rain echoed, masking the honking of passing vehicles.

Fang Cheng carried a satchel on his back and a bag in his hand.

Zhou Xiumei held up both hands, carrying one umbrella for herself and another for him.

They walked side by side, close together, yet their expressions were entirely different.

"Has Uncle Zhou's murder case still not been solved?"

Fang Cheng casually asked, searching for something to talk about.

"Not clear."

Zhou Xiumei lightly shook her head and explained in a soft voice:

"That murderer seems to be a Serial Killer. The Police Commissioner is pressuring him hard, and my dad's been in a bad mood. He rarely mentions it at home..."

At that point, she paused and did not continue.

The silence lingered for a moment.

Zhou Xiumei suddenly lifted her eyes and looked at Fang Cheng with a serious expression.

"Brother Cheng, you often work late at night. You have to be careful, and don't ever deal with strangers on the road."

"I heard Aunt Zhang downstairs say that there are lots of gangsters nowadays who use Honey Traps to lure young men away and harvest their kidneys..."

Hearing that long-unheard form of address and seeing her finally open up, Fang Cheng couldn't help but laugh.

Then, as he had when they were children, he teased her:

"You're the one who needs to be careful. A girl as pretty as you, setting up a night stall alone at night—you're bound to attract unwanted attention."

Their eyes met, and Zhou Xiumei lowered her head again. The seriousness she had just mustered instantly deflated.

Fang Cheng raised his head and looked into the distance.

The Bus Stop within the Rain Curtain seemed shrouded in gray fog, dim and indistinct.

He then continued in a solemn tone:

"Xiumei, if you ever need help in the future, just come find me. We're friends who grew up together."

Hearing this, Zhou Xiumei's cheeks instantly flushed, and she inexplicably grew nervous again.

She lowered her lashes, not daring to look at the man beside her, who was so familiar to her.

Threads of rain drifted down like silk, dampening her sleeves and shoulders.

All of a sudden, she felt as though this road was too long, yet also too short.

Global Elite Fighting Club.

During the lunch break, in the Locker Room.

Cold rain fell Outside the Window, while the Air Conditioner indoors had been turned to its highest setting.

The air was mixed with the smell of cigarettes, sour sweat, bento boxes, and the noisy cheers and shouts of people playing cards.

Amid such a chaotic environment, only one lean figure seemed utterly out of place.

He stood alone in the corner, Back Against the Wall, practicing Squats.

His abdomen was tightened, his back straight, and his head slightly raised.

Every motion of lowering himself and rising again seemed to fill him with greater strength and confidence. He was exceptionally steady and rhythmic.

On the left side of the Locker Room, a group of people had gathered to play cards, occasionally erupting into loud shouts.

"Damn, you're not cheating, are you? How many rounds have you won in a row?"

"Haha, just lucky. Pay up, pay up!"

Chen Xiaohai, who had just swept all three opponents, grinned from ear to ear.

As he counted his money, he Turned His Head for a Glance and spotted the unsociable figure still practicing Squats.

His smile faded slightly, and he added:

"Look at Fang Cheng, working out so hard every day. He wants to hook up with a rich older woman and be set for life. That's what a real winner in life aspires to!"

Hearing this, the Others burst into laughter and immediately began teasing as well.

"Young People really are smart!"

"Squats are great. When women do squats, men can't handle it; when men do squats, women can't handle it!"

"No Wonder a top law student didn't become a Lawyer and came here looking for work instead. Looks like he's been plotting something all along..."

Those jokes might have been unintentional on the speakers' part, but the listener took them to heart.

After all, the Club had clear rules.

Staff members were forbidden from privately contacting trainees, and harassment of female trainees was especially prohibited.

Fang Cheng said nothing and had no intention of defending himself.

His gaze remained calm, his head raised.

He continued as he pleased, repeatedly bending his Knees into a squat and straightening his waist as he Stood Up.

Seeing that he showed no reaction whatsoever, Chen Xiaohai gave a somewhat bored, dry laugh.

He appeared unconcerned, but his thoughts were churning constantly. He was so distracted while playing cards that he made a wrong play and lost a round.

Supervisor Qiu from the Logistics Department was already in his fifties and nearing retirement.

The manager intended to promote someone as his assistant, who would eventually take over management of the department.

Chen Xiaohai prided himself on his long tenure, excellent performance, and good relationships with both superiors and subordinates.

He had practically regarded a promotion and raise as his for the taking, convinced that no one could compete with him.

But a few days ago, after accidentally overhearing a conversation between Fang Cheng and Old Qiu, a Sense of Crisis arose in his heart.

Fang Cheng had asked the supervisor to transfer him to another position, saying that he wanted to gain more experience working under other Coaches and build up his work experience.

This clearly exposed a certain ambition!

Although Fang Cheng was only an intern.

University graduates had a hard time finding jobs these days, so there was no telling whether he might choose to stay.

With his education and his outstanding performance Recently, having repeatedly received praise from the manager.

It was inevitable that Chen Xiaohai would feel a Sense of Crisis, which was why he had deliberately slandered his competitor.

Regardless of what his colleagues were thinking.

Fang Cheng might once have obsessed over the petty gains and empty fame of the workplace, but he had now let go and become more open-minded.

Life's wins and losses were not found in the insignificant matters along the journey. One should instead set one's sights on the scenery in the distance.

At this moment, he merely maintained his Focus, immersed in the satisfaction brought by exercise.

You completed 10 standard Squats. Skill Experience +1

You completed 10 standard Squats. Skill Experience +1

You completed 11 standard Squats. Skill Experience +1

Three Prompt Information messages Emerged Before One's Eyes in succession.

Fang Cheng's eyes Flashed Slightly as he fell into thought.

It seemed that the Squat skill had gradually entered a bottleneck as well. It was time to increase the difficulty.

At this thought, he brought his feet together and slowly bent his Knees into a squat.

At the same time, he extended Both Arms forward to maintain his balance.

He lowered himself until his thighs and calves pressed together, his muscles taut and unable to squat any lower.

This movement was called the Narrow-Stance Squat, an advanced version of the standard squat.

Compared with the standard posture, it put greater pressure on the knee Joint and required stronger Balance Ability.

But it could also more effectively train the quadriceps on the front of the thighs, activate the core Muscle Groups in the Buttocks, and maintain knee stability.

Further increasing the difficulty would lead to Single-Leg Half Squats, Single-Leg Squats, Frog Jump Squats, Tornado Squats, and so on.

He could even gradually add weights such as barbells.

Fang Cheng slowly straightened his waist and Stood Up, deliberately reducing the speed of his movements.

As he adjusted and corrected his posture, he silently counted the repetitions, trying to make every one as standard as possible.

When he counted to "9," a brand-new Prompt Information message finally Emerged.

You completed 7 Narrow-Stance Squats. Skill Experience +1

"The results aren't bad!"

A hint of delight appeared on Fang Cheng's face.

At This Moment, the Locker Room door was suddenly pushed open, and the card-playing and conversation inside immediately stopped.

A balding Middle-aged Man stood Outside the Door and waved as he called out:

"A Cheng, come with me. The manager wants to see you!"

It was Old Qiu, the supervisor of the Logistics Department.

Hearing the call, a Sharp Glint flashed through Fang Cheng's pupils as he instantly exited his focused state.

He glanced at his Skill Experience gains.

Focus Lv1 (81/250)

Squat Lv0 (65/100)

Then, without haste, he Stood Up, raised a hand to wipe away the fine sweat on his forehead, and strode outside.

Looking At the two men's backs, the Others in the Locker Room couldn't help growing curious and began discussing it animatedly.

"Why does the manager want Fang Cheng?"

"A raise, obviously. Haven't you noticed that the Boxing Department has the most trainees and its performance has risen rapidly? Even Hai Ge's Karate Department can't compare!"

"Maybe Manager Li wants Fang Cheng to stay as a full-time employee and is offering him terms to win him over..."

Their Words were all filled with envy and jealousy.

Only Chen Xiaohai had anxiety Fill Up his face, just short of shouting, "I don't agree!"