Covering a Shift at the Martial Arts Gym

Only after having dinner with his younger sister did Fang Yuan leave the hospital and head home.

As he changed into slippers by the door, he heard the clattering of a sewing machine from his parents' room.

Fang Yuan's mother was a tailor. She ran a clothing shop near their residential complex, making custom suits and wool coats for customers while also selling ready-made clothes.

Ready-made clothes were hard to sell these days, but Fang Yuan's mother was a skilled tailor and earned a decent income. Otherwise, she could not have supported her daughter's hospital stay and her son's place in a special class for Awakeners.

However, her daughter's hospitalization of over a year had already drained the family's savings.

That was also why Fang Yuan wanted to apply for a star power technology major and receive tuition sponsorship from a large corporation. It would greatly ease the pressure on his family.

Fang Yuan walked to his mother's doorway and peered inside. Seeing her altering trouser hems, he asked in puzzlement, "Mom, why have you started taking hemming jobs?"

His mother, Li Shuhua, was a well-regarded tailor in the neighborhood. Customers who ordered custom clothes from her were full of praise for them.

In the past, Li Shuhua had never taken small jobs like hemming trousers because she already had more work than she could handle.

Besides, each hemming job only earned five yuan.

People said fashion designers were simply tailors who understood art.

Who capable of making custom suits would willingly lower themselves to take such small jobs?

"It's all business. The more I do, the more I earn." Wearing her glasses, Li Shuhua continued sewing the hems and answered casually.

A moment later, Li Shuhua hurriedly added, "Oh, right, I left you some food in the pot. Heat it up yourself if it's gone cold."

"I already ate with Xiaozhu at the hospital," Fang Yuan replied.

"Oh, how's Xiaozhu?" Li Shuhua quickly asked.

"She's doing pretty well. She's just getting clingier and clingier. Once she hangs onto my neck, she refuses to let go." Fang Yuan could not help smiling as he spoke.

But when he thought about how over a year had passed without them finding the cause of her illness,

the house fell quiet for a while.

Fang Yuan said, "Mom, I've been thinking. How about I apply to Imperial Capital University? Then we can take my sister to the imperial capital for treatment."

"Sure, whatever you decide. You've always had a mind of your own, even as a child. If you think it's a good choice, go for it," Li Shuhua readily agreed.

Fang Yuan picked up the remote, switched on the television, and began watching military news.

The television was broadcasting a military report about operations against rift star beasts.

The Huaxia Navy had deployed a Nuwa-class star-source-powered carrier battle group on a military operation in the Pacific Ocean's First Island Chain, wresting control of the First Island Chain back from the star beasts.

Seeing his country so strong made Fang Yuan happy. He involuntarily clenched his fist and mentally gave the Huaxia Navy a thumbs-up.

Just then,

the sound of a key unlocking the door came from outside.

Fang Zhenguo opened the door, came inside, and bent down to change into slippers.

Fang Yuan glanced back and asked, "Old Fang, what happened to your arm?"

"Nothing. I twisted my arm at the gym. It's nothing serious." Fang Zhenguo's left arm was in a cast and sling. It was clearly broken.

Li Shuhua also came out of the room and asked with concern, "What happened? Is your arm broken? Why is your face injured too?"

"Isn't getting hurt normal when you work at a martial arts gym? Stop asking so many questions. It's just a minor injury. It'll be fine in a few days." Fang Zhenguo waved his hand and gave his family a reassuring smile.

Fang Yuan's father was a veteran. After leaving the military, he had become a combat instructor at a martial arts gym run by an old army buddy.

Fang Yuan had learned his Military Physical Combat Technique from his father and had a fairly solid foundation.

Working as a combat instructor at a martial arts gym meant sparring with members to help them practice their fighting techniques, so minor scrapes happened occasionally. But he had never suffered an injury as serious as a broken bone before.

"What do you mean, nothing? Injuries to muscles and bones take a hundred days to heal. How's your arm? What did the doctor say?" Li Shuhua continued pressing him.

"Well... I haven't had dinner yet. Did you save me anything?" Not wanting to listen to the nagging, Fang Zhenguo changed the subject.

"There's food in the pot. I'll heat it up for you."

As Li Shuhua spoke, she headed into the kitchen, saying along the way, "I suppose I'll have to make you a pot of bone broth tomorrow. How did you end up breaking your arm? What kind of customers is that gym taking?"

After giving it serious thought, Fang Yuan said, "I think you should stay home from work tomorrow."

"If I don't work, are you going to live on air? It's fine if you do, but Xiaozhu can't," Fang Zhenguo said with a look of disdain.

That was how the father and son got along. They were fine when they did not see each other, but the moment they met, they found each other irritating.

"I'll cover for you, all right? Move all your shifts to the evening. I'll go cover them after school," Fang Yuan suggested.

"You think just anyone can work at a martial arts gym? If someone knocks you down with a couple of punches, you won't even earn enough to cover your medical bills." Fang Zhenguo looked utterly unappreciative.

"Take a good look at who's racking up medical bills." Fang Yuan rolled his eyes and pointed at his arm in its cast.

"I taught you those half-baked skills of yours. You think I don't know what you're capable of?" Fang Zhenguo was so angry he wanted to jump up and give him a beating, but his broken arm had greatly reduced his fighting strength.

The moment he got angry, Fang Yuan's Rage Points began rising.

They rose pretty quickly, too, five points at a time.

In the end, his Rage Points increased by 50, reaching 62.

Rubbing his chin, Fang Yuan wondered whether continuing to provoke Old Fang might make him ill with anger.

He could still yell at people, so he was probably fine.

Still, better forget it. He should not actually make him sick with anger.

Li Shuhua brought out the reheated food and cut in. "You two start bickering every time you see each other. What's there to argue about? Your arm's broken, and you're still throwing your weight around? Just let your son cover your shifts for a few days. Get your arm healed first."

With opinions divided, Fang Yuan and his mother won two to one.

Fang Zhenguo could only surrender.

"Fine, fine. I'll call tomorrow and have the brat cover my shifts. Happy now?" Fang Zhenguo had no choice but to agree.

"Eat. Can you manage on your own? Do you need me to feed you?" Li Shuhua asked.

Fang Zhenguo's temper flared again, and he immediately shot back, "It's my left arm that's broken. My right arm still works!"

Accustomed to his parents' loving squabbles, Fang Yuan wanted no part of it and returned to his room to read.

The next day.

When school ended that afternoon, Han Youwei asked to spar again.

Fang Yuan had to cover his father's shift at the martial arts gym, so he could only turn her down again. "I'm really sorry. I've been busy lately, and I'm in a rush. I have to leave now."

Seeing that Fang Yuan really did seem pressed for time, Han Youwei did not insist. "All right. Since you have something to do, go ahead."

After leaving school, Fang Yuan rode his bicycle straight to the Thunder Martial Arts Gym, where his father worked.

He had often gone to play at the Thunder Martial Arts Gym as a child, and since his father's old army buddy owned it, he knew everyone there well.

Covering a shift was no big deal.

Earlier at school, while he was talking to Han Youwei, his Rage Points had risen again.

They had increased three points at a time, five or six times.

His total Rage Points had already passed a hundred, reaching 102.

"Could all these Rage Points be coming from Han Youwei? Is this girl all smiles on the outside while cursing me out inside?"

Of course, Fang Yuan was only joking to himself. He did not actually think that.

His first day covering shifts at the Thunder Martial Arts Gym went smoothly. He got along well with the other uncles at the gym and even ran into a classmate.

Overall, covering the shift was quite pleasant.

While helping customers practice their fighting techniques, he could also train his own Military Physical Combat Technique and Gliding Step.

His shift ran from six to ten in the evening.

After work, Fang Yuan checked his status panel.

He discovered a new change in the skills section.

Skills: Military Physical Combat Technique Lv. 2 (68/100), Gliding Step Lv. 1 (9/10)

The numbers in parentheses were probably proficiency.

While covering the shift and helping gym members practice fighting techniques, he had used Gliding Step to dodge fairly often, so it had improved relatively quickly.

Judging by his progress, another day of practice should be enough to level it up.