The motorcycle rolled over the county town's dry roads. The main streets were clean and wide, and the wind rushed past them.
"Qiuxue."
"What is it, handsome?"
"Is the new job going well?" Jiang Nian remembered how awkward she had been when signing him up, probably because she was nervous. "You've started already, right?"
"I have. And I've got you to thank, handsome," Zhao Qiuxue said with a smile as she drove. "If you hadn't bought a membership and training sessions, I wouldn't have been able to skip the trial period."
"It was nothing. Don't mention it," Jiang Nian replied casually. "If I hadn't bought them from you, I would've bought them from someone else. Better to keep the money among friends, right?"
"True, but I only found out afterward that you knew Xiyun." Zhao Qiuxue smiled sweetly. "She said you scored 573. That's amazing."
Jiang Nian couldn't help clicking his tongue. So my 'daughter' actually speaks this highly of me behind my back.
That money was well spent.
Fifteen or sixteen minutes later, they arrived at the gym. It was on the second floor of a large shopping mall, and a little bigger than the gym Zhao Qiuxue had left two days earlier.
The side facing the road had been converted into a glass wall, with a row of treadmills set up to attract customers.
With a beep, Jiang Nian swiped his card and entered the gym.
There weren't many people working out at night. There was plenty of equipment, and signs inside pointed toward a swimming pool. Jiang Nian hadn't looked closely last time, but now that he did, the gym seemed pretty decent.
If he had nothing else to do, he could come swimming and get his money's worth.
Zhao Qiuxue went to change, while Jiang Nian wandered around on his own.
Before long, Zhao Qiuxue emerged in black leggings, a tank top, and a thin, short gray jacket. With a gentle smile, she said,
"Come on. Time for your session."
Come to think of it, Song Xiyun and Zhao Qiuxue looked quite alike. Their personalities, however, were worlds apart. If Song Xiyun had even half her mother's innocent cheerfulness, she wouldn't have been like that.
The session was nothing out of the ordinary, mostly covering the proper use of equipment, workout duration, and correct form. Zhao Qiuxue really knew her stuff.
After about twenty minutes of training, Jiang Nian was already sweating. Curious, he asked,
"Qiuxue, you didn't work in this town before, did you?"
"Oh? How did you know?" Zhao Qiuxue touched her face and smiled gently. "I used to work at a gym in Shanghai. Then some things happened, and I came back."
"I could tell. Once you're used to life in a big city, it's hard to stay in a county town, isn't it?"
"It really is. A little town..." Zhao Qiuxue sighed softly, though she was still smiling. "Once Xiyun goes to university, I'll probably head back."
After a break, they resumed the session, going over more exercises.
Zhao Qiuxue taught him earnestly, without cutting any corners. Jiang Nian had originally planned to coast through it, but as he worked out, he grew interested and started following along seriously.
"Guys can train their legs more. It'll come in handy later."
Watching Zhao Qiuxue stifle a mischievous smile, Jiang Nian felt awkward. Next time, I'm secretly recording this and showing Song Xiyun.
"Let's do legs, then."
Working out really could be addictive. At eighteen, Jiang Nian was physically mature, and moderate exercise was good for him. By the end of the session, he was drenched in sweat and headed straight for the showers.
He mulled it over. I should come train legs more often when I'm free.
In the equipment area, Zhao Qiuxue stretched after finishing the session. She had only switched jobs two days ago, and Jiang Nian was currently her only client. Having made a sale, she wasn't under quite so much pressure.
Seeing that Jiang Nian genuinely enjoyed using the equipment finally put her last worry to rest.
Just then, a female trainer approached.
"Qiuxue? Where's that handsome boy of yours?"
"Hm? He went to shower." Zhao Qiuxue turned and saw the friendly colleague she had met yesterday. "What's up, Wanling? Weren't you in a session?"
"Ugh, don't even ask." Mei Wanling looked miserable. "A client agreed yesterday to buy ten sessions, then suddenly asked today whether I offered extra services."
"Huh?"
"Yeah. That sale's gone down the drain," Mei Wanling said. "You think everyone gets a quality client like your handsome boy? Pays without fuss and keeps his hands to himself."
"Hehe, though if it were that handsome boy, offering a little extra service might not be such a bad deal."
"Oh, stop. What are you talking about?" Zhao Qiuxue gave her a smack. "He's still a kid. Don't say things like that."
"Hehe, Qiuxue, don't try to fool me. You can't get one of our memberships unless you're eighteen." Hearing that only made Mei Wanling more excited. "So that makes him legal, doesn't it?"
Zhao Qiuxue couldn't listen to any more and tried to leave, but Mei Wanling grabbed her arm.
"Teach me, Qiuxue. How do I find quality clients?"
"How would I know? He's my daughter's classmate." Zhao Qiuxue sounded a little helpless. Only after checking that no one was nearby did she smile and say, "I suspect they're dating..."
"Seriously?" Mei Wanling immediately perked up, hugging her arm. "Tell me everything. I love hearing this kind of thing."
Before she could ask any more questions, a woman's stern voice came from a distance.
"Is your downtime supposed to be for slacking off?"
Zhao Qiuxue's expression changed at the voice. Mei Wanling frowned and turned toward the woman in a little tank top and yoga pants, flaunting her curves with a thoroughly provocative air.
"What's it to you? Ren Meimei, are you the boss?"
"Hah. I'll be reporting this to the boss." The woman sashayed over, her gaze contemptuous. "Mei Wanling, you'd better watch yourself. Always hanging around with shady people."
You skank, Mei Wanling cursed inwardly. "You're the shady one. Qiuxue made a sale two days ago, too. Quit being jealous. Do you ever walk around the workout area yourself?"
"Besides, Qiuxue just finished a session. What are you barking about?"
Trainers in a small-town gym were much like salespeople. Some had regular clients who kept topping up their memberships. Those trainers had established connections, and the boss would turn a blind eye.
New trainers without connections generally had to roam the workout area prospecting for clients. They would offer members a few pointers to entice them into buying sessions.
"A sale? She paid for it herself, didn't she? You don't see many people paying to work these days." Ren Meimei folded her arms and scoffed. "You can fool your friends, but don't fool yourself."
"A high school student who spends all day in class bought a membership and training sessions? What bullshit. At least find someone with a job to play the customer. Could you please be a little more professional? What high school student has time to work out?"
"Can't he just be a good student? Pearls before swine. It's not your fault you've never seen anything beyond your little world." Mei Wanling refused to back down. She and Ren Meimei had never gotten along.
"Heh. What good student comes to a gym?" Ren Meimei looked as though she had seen right through them. "You believe whatever he tells you. How naive."
"You think I don't know what an eighteen-year-old boy has on his mind all day? He's only after one thing. He just hasn't said it outright."
Zhao Qiuxue couldn't help frowning. A few insults directed at her were no big deal, but once Ren Meimei brought Jiang Nian into it, she couldn't pretend she hadn't heard. Whatever else, Jiang Nian was a good kid.
Just as she gathered the courage to speak, Jiang Nian's voice carried over from a distance.
"Qiuxue, sign me up for another sixty sessions."
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