Zhang Junbao had originally planned to stay home and cultivate in seclusion, but a few days later, Luo Feng came by.
Zhang Junbao wasn't surprised. He and Luo Feng had always been on good terms and often trained together. It was just that the old Zhang Junbao's strength couldn't keep up, so Luo Feng was usually the one giving him pointers.
But this time, Zhang Junbao's strength had suddenly advanced by leaps and bounds, and he had passed the Quasi-Warrior Assessment. Luo Feng really couldn't sit still anymore.
After wrestling with the matter for days, Luo Feng finally decided to swallow his pride and ask Zhang Junbao for help.
It was only natural that he felt he had to swallow his pride.
When friends came from similar backgrounds and had similar standing, there was naturally little to hold them back. But after Zhang Junbao moved into Mingyue Residential Area, Luo Feng felt the gap between himself and his old friend for the first time.
So this was the gap between a martial artist and an ordinary person? Luo Feng hadn't known any martial artists before, so he had never felt it, but now he felt that pressure deeply.
Martial artist, I have to become a martial artist and let Mom, Dad, and my little brother live in a villa neighborhood like this too!
Outside Mingyue Residential Area, Luo Feng silently encouraged himself.
"Luo Feng, you're here! Come on in.
"Brother, he's my friend Luo Feng," Zhang Junbao told the guard. "Make sure you remember him. He'll become a martial artist soon too!"
Zhang Junbao welcomed Luo Feng inside and greeted the guard at the entrance.
The guards naturally knew that Zhang Junbao had become a Quasi-Martial Artist and moved into the residential area at such a young age. They just hadn't expected him to have a friend who would soon become a martial artist too.
Sure enough, a genius's friends were geniuses too.
The guards had no doubts. They could tell from Luo Feng's bearing and posture that he already had something of a martial artist about him.
In the living room, Luo Feng took a deep breath and made up his mind.
"Junbao, I want to ask you to guide me!"
Luo Feng stood up from the sofa and spoke solemnly.
"Why bring this up out of nowhere? Do we need to be so formal with each other? You don't think I'd stop acknowledging you just because I passed the Quasi-Warrior Assessment, do you? Is that what you think of me?"
Zhang Junbao looked at Luo Feng's solemn expression with the hint of a smile, appreciating him a little more. Not everyone could put everything aside for the sake of becoming stronger.
"I... no, it's just that I want to know how to become a martial artist faster. If I keep training like this, I'm confident I can become one within a year. But the instructor said our age is when our strength grows fastest. If we miss that window, there'll be a limit to how far we can go in this lifetime.
"I want to get stronger and give my family a better life, just like you!" Luo Feng said firmly. It was also the first time he had spoken to Zhang Junbao about this so seriously.
"I really don't know what to do with you. You're so serious all day long, you make yourself look even older than me."
"I am a few months older than you," Luo Feng said, a little displeased.
"Pulling rank because you're older? Looks like you're determined to be the third wheel. Fine, I won't fight you for the third-wheel spot.
"How about this? Stop going to the martial arts hall for now. Come here during your usual training hours, and I'll give you special training. You can spar with me while you're at it.
"I'll explain how to draw on the strength of your body's muscles."
Seeing Luo Feng's determined gaze, Zhang Junbao felt a desire to nurture his talent. If one or two of his disciples back then had been like Luo Feng, he wouldn't have ended up without even one person to spar with.
"Thank you so much!" Luo Feng excitedly gave Zhang Junbao a big hug.
"Let go, let go! If my family sees us, they'll think you have some special tastes, hahahaha." Zhang Junbao patted Luo Feng on the back, laughing himself.
Just then, Zhang Junbao's phone rang. He glanced at it and saw an unfamiliar number. He had only recently bought the number, and not many people knew it.
"Hello, who is this?"
"Zhang Junbao? It's me, Xu Yan. Congratulations on passing the Quasi-Warrior Assessment.
"Didn't I say I'd treat you to a meal to celebrate? It'll also be an apology for accidentally bumping into you last time." A soft, sweet voice came from the other end of the line.
"An apology? There's no need for that, is there? I'm fine."
"Huh?" Zhang Junbao's answer clearly caught Xu Yan off guard. She hadn't expected to be turned down the first time she took the initiative to ask a boy out.
Zhang Junbao faintly heard a few snippets of discussion on the other end.
A little while later, Xu Yan's voice rang out again.
"Um, my cousin said this is a rare chance to get to know each other. She'll come along too. You two are old classmates, so you'll definitely have something to talk about." There was a hint of timidity in Xu Yan's voice.
Zhang Junbao didn't know. Could it be that this girl had taken up martial arts because she was afraid to interact with people and was even timid when she spoke?
But just then, another voice came from the other end of the line.
"You little brat, you're the one who wants to go. Why do you have to drag me along?" Then the phone actually carried the sound of the two of them tussling and giggling.
It took a full half minute for the noise to stop. Since Zhang Junbao hadn't tried to keep the call private, even Luo Feng, who was beside him, heard the voices on the phone and wore a strange expression.
Luo Feng merely felt that the other voice was inexplicably familiar, as though it struck straight at his heart.
"It's settled, then. Let's make it this afternoon. I'll send you the location. You have to come!" The call ended amid the commotion. Clearly, Xu Yan had subdued the owner of the other voice by "force," leaving Zhang Junbao and Luo Feng staring at each other.
"Is that... your girlfriend?" Luo Feng asked, his face full of curiosity.
Zhang Junbao shot him a glance. He hadn't expected even the usually serious Luo Feng to enjoy gossip. Sure enough, behind every outwardly reserved man was a heart that loved gossip.
"She's your girlfriend!"
"Uh, since when do I have a girlfriend?" Luo Feng looked utterly confused.
"How about this? Come with me this afternoon, and I'll introduce you to someone." Zhang Junbao's eyes darted about as he came up with a brilliant idea.
That afternoon, Zhang Junbao brought Luo Feng to the place Xu Yan had indicated, as agreed. It wasn't bad: an upscale private coffeehouse with few customers.
"Who exactly are you introducing me to? I'd be better off spending this time training. I want to become a martial artist sooner too."
The sight of Luo Feng unable to sit still made Zhang Junbao shake his head. Was this what they called a man of steel? Would women only get in the way of his martial arts training? That couldn't be right!
"Training requires a balance of work and rest, a proper rhythm of tension and relaxation. The key is to adjust your condition when necessary. You're too tense. If you ran into a monster like this, you wouldn't even be able to use half your strength."
"I'd rather face a monster," Luo Feng muttered.
"Junbao, you got here so quickly! This is my cousin, Xu Xin. You're old classmates, so I don't need to introduce you, right?" Xu Yan walked over, leading another beautiful woman with an outstanding bearing. It was Xu Xin.
"Junbao, long time no see!"
"Long time no see. I didn't expect we'd have to go through your cousin just to meet again.
"You remember who this is, right?" With a mischievous smile, Zhang Junbao stepped aside and pushed Luo Feng forward.
"Luo Feng?" Xu Xin was stunned too. She hadn't expected Zhang Junbao to bring Luo Feng along.
"Hello, Xu Xin. Junbao said he had a friend to introduce me to. I didn't expect it to be you." Luo Feng's heart inexplicably began to race, and his face reddened slightly, but he quickly forced it down.
In their first year of high school, Zhang Junbao, Luo Feng, and Xu Xin had been in the same class.
But after the two stared at each other for a few seconds, Xu Yan, standing nearby, sensed that something was off.
Her cousin was very proud. Although she often dealt with people and had first-rate social skills, she wouldn't stare into a man's eyes for so long.
And the two of them were staring straight at each other. Something was going on!
Xu Yan looked at Zhang Junbao and gave him a questioning glance.
They know each other? Is there something going on?
Zhang Junbao returned her look with one of confirmation.
Not too stupid after all. Why do you think I brought Luo Feng? Don't stand there. Come with me.
The two exchanged a flurry of looks without the slightest difficulty. Even Xu Yan hadn't considered why she could read Zhang Junbao's expressions.
A minute later, Zhang Junbao could no longer bear to watch. Those two were actually ignoring everyone else and gazing affectionately into each other's eyes. Didn't their eyes get dry?
Zhang Junbao was the first to speak.
"Let's sit down first. Xu Yan, didn't you say you wanted to introduce me to the good food here? Where is it?"
"Oh, come on, I'll take you. Cousin, you and Luo Feng go ahead and talk." With that, Zhang Junbao and Xu Yan left together.
But they didn't go far. Instead, they ran to a corner and hid, secretly preparing to watch the show.
"It's been two years. Have you been well?" Luo Feng thought for a moment before asking.
"Mm, I've been all right..."
Watching from the side, Xu Yan was so anxious that she stamped her feet.
"Who is this Luo Feng? Why isn't my cousin put off by him? If a man looked at her like that normally, she'd definitely be angry." Xu Yan poked half her little head out from the corner, then looked up and stared at Zhang Junbao as she asked.
Zhang Junbao reached out and pushed her little head back to keep them from being discovered.
"The three of us used to be classmates. Luo Feng sat behind your cousin, and I sat behind Luo Feng. How could I not know what's between them? Just wait and enjoy the show!"
Inwardly, though, Zhang Junbao breathed a sigh of relief. If he had to face two women by himself, he really didn't know what they would talk about, aside from making awkward conversation the whole time.
Luckily, he had brought Luo Feng along. Now he could watch Luo Feng make awkward conversation while he enjoyed the show from the sidelines. He couldn't have been happier. Still, young people these days were no good. They didn't take the initiative at all. Zhang Junbao silently looked down on Luo Feng for it.
Good brothers were there to take bullets for you. Zhang Junbao wasn't facing two girls on his own, and bringing Luo Feng along made all the difference.
Zhang Junbao had always been an old imp at heart, but the people around him before had all been his juniors, so he had to maintain the dignity of an elder. Now, however, the people around him were all his "peers," so he had nothing to hold him back.
But even he didn't notice that, as they watched the show, the distance between him and Xu Yan kept shrinking. Their heads were almost touching, like a couple watching a show in a movie theater.
Meanwhile, Luo Feng and Xu Xin were sitting and talking so intently that they seemed to have forgotten the other two were there. In the end, Zhang Junbao and Xu Yan even found another table with a view of them and secretly watched the show.