Dad, Please Try a Little Harder

Parents were waiting outside the training room.

Lu Xuan’s mother was also present, dressed fashionably and appearing youthful.

Since the basketball lesson started, she constantly shifted her gaze between her son and Qian Quan.

Whether it was an illusion or the “grass is always greener” syndrome, she felt that Qian Quan looked even more handsome – brimming with energy and increasingly charismatic.

She sneakily took a picture, sharing it with her close-knit group chat, lamenting, “Ladies, behold the young man I missed out on. I’m seriously tempted!”

A quick response came, “Not bad! Top-tier heartthrob. No wonder he’s driving you wild, Xinyi.”

Lin Xinyi responded, “To be honest, whenever I get intimate with other men, I can’t help but think of him…”

A friend named ‘Lemons’ chimed in, “I really don’t get the appeal of these young guys.

They’re so full of themselves, immature, repetitive… Always seeking validation.”

“I swear, the true prime for men is between 35 to 45. Mature, considerate, well-balanced. If they’re balding, even better!”

Lin Xinyi replied, “Yangyang, not everyone has your… unique taste.”

■Lemons’ retorted, “Never mind, you wouldn’t get it. Back to your young crush.” You’re approaching this all wrong. Mentioning a 10,000 monthly salary won’t impress them.”

“Nowadays, in this digital age, youngsters are exposed to so much. They dream big. They’re used to seeing news about millions or even billions.”

Lin Xinyi asked, “Then what should I do?”

‘Lemons’ retorted, “You need to introduce him to high society, show him the glitz and glamour, let him experience the lavish parties… Once he’s accustomed to that lifestyle, he’ll rely on you.”

Lin Xinyi sighed, “I messed up. I tried the innocent approach, saying he reminded me of my first love.”

‘Lemons’ laughed, “That’s such an outdated move! Try my approach next time.” As Lin Xinyi was about to reply, the basketball lesson ended.

Still thinking of talking to Qian Quan, she saw a young, beautiful girl approach him, greeting him warmly.

Qian Quan responded with a smile, and soon, the woman who owned the basketball training facility – as well as the other facilities on the fifth floor – joined in on their conversation.

The beautiful girl greatly resembled the lady boss in her features and demeanor. It was highly likely that they were mother and daughter.

Lin Xinyi’s heart sank instantly.

She now understood. No wonder Qian Quan had decisively rejected her. He was already taken, and by such a wealthy and beautiful woman, no less.

Although Lin didn’t know the lady boss, judging from her demeanor, style of dress, and quality, it was clear that her family was no worse off than Lin’s own.

Renting out an entire five floors of the plaza for business was indicative of significant wealth.

Feeling despondent, she didn’t even feel like chatting on WeChat.

Qian Quan hadn’t expected Zhao Baiyu to show up suddenly.

After exchanging greetings, he asked, “What brings you here?”

“I heard from my mom that you’re coaching basketball here. Thought rd drop by and get some tips from you,” Zhao Baiyu replied.

“That’s perfect timing. I’ve been wanting to experience the ‘Golden Voice Jade Vibration’ and get a glimpse of the ‘Sixty-Four Hands’ technique,” Qian Quan mentioned.

While they were talking, Zhao Baiyu’s mother approached. Learning that Qian Quan would offer guidance to her daughter, she immediately took them to a gymnasium that was yet to be opened to the public.

The gym was well-equipped, with only some final touch-ups left. It will be ready for use soon.

“You two chat; I’ll go look around,” Huang Lingyan said, taking her leave gracefully.

Qian Quan and Zhao Baiyu were straightforward individuals. They weren’t the kind of young people who’d feel awkward alone in a room, thinking that an adult had intentionally left them alone. They got straight to the point.

“Show me what you’ve got, and then I’ll guide you through,” Qian Quan instructed.

“Alright.”

Zhao Baiyu moved to the center of the room, warming up with a few routine moves before suddenly halting her movements.

Then, accelerating her steps, using her waist as the pivot, she spun and swung her palms from slow to fast. The faint sounds of her palm cutting through the air echoed.

The noises grew clearer, sometimes whooshing, sometimes rumbling like distant thunder, sometimes swift as the cold northern wind, and sometimes gentle as the spring breeze brushing the willows…

The sounds merged together, forming a rhythmic resonance.

Watching her form, listening to her movement.

Zhao Baiyu’s palm techniques weren’t strictly confined to standard moves.

While she hadn’t reached the effortless level of Wudang’s Wang Zhenren, her movements possessed a certain free-flowing elegance.

Soon, the sixty-four palm techniques were complete. Zhao Baiyu looked flushed and vibrant, her aura tangible around her, the lingering resonant sounds still echoing.

“It seems you’ve essentially crossed the second threshold,” Qian Quan commented.

“Thanks to Master’s meticulous teachings and your timely guidance that day.” Qian Quan smiled slightly, “Let’s spar. I want to test my recent progress as well.”

“Alright.”

The two positioned themselves at an appropriate distance.

Zhao Baiyu assumed her stance, while Qian Quan stood naturally, no longer observing her footwork, staring straight at her and saying, “Come on.”

Without hesitation, Zhao Baiyu launched her attack.

Whoosh…

Huff!

Qian Quan effortlessly deflected her, not counterattacking, just waiting for her next move.

Zhao Baiyu’s palms came from below and above, attacking Qian Quan simultaneously.

Qian Quan grabbed her right wrist, lightly deflecting her, using her arm to block her own attack.

Stunned by the ease with which he parried her attacks, Zhao Baiyu felt a sense of shock.

Having mastered her Sixty-Four Hands, she felt invincible. Even though she was aware of the gap between her skills and Qian Quan’s, she believed that compared to their last spar, the difference should have narrowed. However, during this session, he seemed even more unfathomable than before.

The gap between them seemed to have widened.

Zhao Baiyu thought to herself,

His martial arts skills are actually improving!

Master once said that when one’s kung fu reaches the level of Qian Quan, advancing further, especially reaching the pinnacle, becomes increasingly difficult. Yet, looking at his current state, it seems he just broke through a bottleneck.

“It doesn’t feel like you’re using Wing Chun?” Zhao Baiyu voiced her doubt.

It is Wing Chun, just with some necessary adjustments. The foundational principles remain the same,” Qian Quan shared openly. “Like your sixty-four techniques, there are stages, culminating in complete mastery where you no longer need to remember the moves.”

Zhao Baiyu nodded seriously, “Thank you for the guidance.”

After speaking, she launched another attack.

Qian Quan turned his head and closed his eyes, using sound to determine her position and sparring with Zhao Baiyu.

He didn’t care about her “tricks” but aimed to break her rhythm and disrupt her echoing palm sounds.

Soon, Zhao Baiyu found it hard to keep up, getting pushed back continuously.

“The echoing sound can indeed confuse an opponent and boost your aura but if someone discerns the secret and rhythm of your moves from it, it will expose major vulnerabilities,” Qian Quan advised.

“Understood,” Zhao Baiyu acknowledged.

Time flew by.

After more than half an hour of sparring in the gym, Zhao Baiyu realized her clothes were soaked in sweat as they exited..