687 Before The Festival

Naturally, Lou Cheng wasn't aware of the changes in Kaori Karasawa's thoughts, nor was he interested in understanding. After spending a few joyous days with Yan Zheke, he sent her off to make her way back to Xiushan.

After another two rounds of competition, the top tier professional competition finally ended. Longhu Club did not disappoint the high expectations others had for them and obtained the title of "World No. 1." Because he had only participated in three matches as a main member, Lou Cheng felt a little distant from the title. He secretly made up his mind that he would play a greater role in the new season after the spring holidays.

For this, he gave up on the other arena matches in January. He wanted to take a good break, sharpen his blade, and accumulate an edge.

He also wanted to choose sparingly from the five titled competitions, make a push for it, and obtain a breakthrough in ranking, or even fight for the challenge rights.

This was a goal that even the Wisdom King, Zhi Hai couldn't achieve within a year and a half after becoming a Physical Invulnerability expert. In this era, only Warrior Sage, Qian Donglou, and a few others had achieved it.

However, as Lou Cheng explained to Yan Zheke,

"If one doesn't have dreams, how is he different from a salted fish?"

At the beginning of January, Yan Zheke returned to Huacheng. Lou Cheng brought her around Guangnan on a carefree, easy six-day trip. The couple was able to wash away the fatigue that their hearts had accumulated over the year as they regained their vitality.

After agreeing to meet in Connecticut to celebrate the Chinese New Year, Lou Cheng sent off his girl once again. After which, he went to Dragon King, Empress Luo, and the others to wish them a happy Chinese New Year. He intended to head home in advance to spend more time with his parents.

But first, he made a trip up North to Huiyuan City during his free time to see his best friend.

This was where the Talker, Cai Zongming was from. The place wasn't big or small, and there was no direct flight. Lou Cheng had to change to a high-speed rail in order to reach Huiyuan.

Cai Zongming, who always dressed simply but was in no way simple, waited impatiently at the exit. When he saw Lou Cheng in disguise, he said angrily,

"Couldn't you come a few days earlier or later?"

"Tsk." Lou Cheng used his tone to express his disdain.

He knew that the girlfriend of this Casanova, Fang Yuan, had her holidays over these few days.

But isn't this better? Lou Cheng laughed secretly as he walked around a black SUV with Cai Zongming. He opened the trunk of the SUV himself and placed his luggage in.

"Why don't we try out the specialty barbeque of this place first?" Cai Zongming suggested.

"Alright. Didn't you say that the roasted lamb tail of Huiyuan is one of a kind?" Lou Cheng recalled that the Talker had always boasted about it in the past.

Cai Zongming turned the wheel and said,

"You'll know it once you've tried it! The meat is fresh, very tender, and tasty. One bite…oh…that sensation… When I was in secondary school and still practicing martial arts from time to time, I would always be so hungry after the night study sessions. I never went home right away, but would order ten sticks of lamb tails outside the school. Ten sticks…that taste… I won't forget it in my lifetime."

"Oh damn. You sure had a lot of pocket money back then. When I was in middle school, I couldn't afford barbeque if I didn't work part-time for a few days. It got worse when I was in high school. I even had to put my breakfast on credit." Lou Cheng's emotional response wasn't the focus of the chat at all.

"Please respect the second generation of a rich family," answered Cai Zongming simply.

After chatting casually for several tens of minutes, he drove the car onto a rather prosperous commercial street and looked for a barbeque store at the back.

"Twenty…no, forty sticks of lamb tail. Mm. Do you want some lamb waist?" Cai Zongming picked up the menu and looked at Lou Cheng with loving eyes.

"Why are you looking at me like at?" Lou Cheng answered with disdain.

"You'll be sleeping beside me tonight. I'm afraid you'll attack me after eating too much lamp waist." Cai Zongming cracked a dirty joke.

Following which, he rattled off a list of dishes to the waiter.

While waiting for the barbeque to be served, Lou Cheng asked caringly as a guest and of the younger generation,

"Eh, Talker. How's your dad's condition?"

"He looks better now, but it's just that he doesn't listen. The doctor has asked him to stop drinking alcohol, but he refuses. He has to have a cup in the afternoon and at night every day. If we try to convince him not to, he just glares at us angrily and says that there isn't any reason to live if he can't drink, and he would rather die." Cai Zongming spread his hands and said, "What else can I do? I'm desolate."

"It should be fine if he just drinks a little and doesn't go overboard." Lou Cheng had no prior experience in related aspects and could only offer words of consolation.

Following this topic, Cai Zongming talked about his life for the last few months,

"I've found that doing business is really tiring. I have to put on a smile every day to entertain people I don't feel like entertaining and say things I don't want to say."

"So you've learned to be a little more emotional?" Lou Cheng used a half-joking manner to offer his condolences.

Cai Zongming was instantly angered,

"Are you on a talk show with me? However, the family business has been going downhill the last two years." He sighed, "The whole industry has entered the sunset stage. Smaller shops have been closing one after another. I'm thinking of using this opportunity to slowly liquidate and show our friends and relatives in that direction, too, in hopes that they'll pull out on their own accord. If they want to continue, I'd be fine with that and would transfer it to them right away."

"After that? Wouldn't you be unemployed?" Lou Cheng teased.

Cai Zongming snorted and waved his hand nonchalantly.

"My family still has some wealth saved up. Did you see that commercial street? A third of the shops belong to us!"

"Oh damn…" laughed Lou Cheng. "Should I address you as 'Cai half-a-city' instead?"

"Do you know how to count? We only have a third!" retorted Cai Zongming.

After which, he continued emotionally,

"Then I'd be free. I could do internet streaming on one hand while practicing martial arts with the other. I could stay at home for half a year and spend the rest in the capital."

"Internet streaming?" Lou Cheng caught the keyword and asked.

Cai Zongming laughed and said,

"I've been watching martial arts competition online recently and noticed that not only are there a lot of commentators who, not only don't know their stuff, but they're also boring and dead. I've started a live streaming room and am going to show them what professionalism is!"

"Haha, in that case, I'll help you do some advertising later," Lou Cheng replied with interest.

Cai Zongming immediately waved his hands and said, "There's no need for it. At least not at the moment."

"Why?" Lou Cheng was surprised.

Cai Zongming replied seriously,

"I'd like to try it out on my own first."

Before waiting for Lou Cheng to reply, he pointed at himself and said, "Can you see my handsome face? This time, I want to depend solely on my talents! This type of misery isn't something an ordinary man like you would understand."

"Scram!" Lou Cheng and Cai Zongming looked at each other before breaking into laughter.

After laughing for a while, Cai Zongming wiped the tears from the edge of his eyes and said, "To tell you the truth, I'm just trying it out right now. I'll save you until I need you in the future."

At this time, the first portion of the barbeque was served and the two of them began gobbling down the food.

After the meal, Lou Cheng was full of praise for the lamb tails as he walked along the street with Cai Zongming to aid digestion.

"Hmm, the place where I started practicing martial arts," said Cai Zongming, pointing to a martial arts dojo.

The name of the martial arts dojo was unexpectedly simple, "Stars of Huiyuan."

"The place where the kidnapping case happened?" Lou Cheng recalled their past conversation.

"Yeah." Cai Zongming smiled and said, "Whenever I walk past this place, I will think that I probably would have still picked up martial arts even if that didn't happen. I might not have taken this path, but I would have at least have liked to see what it was like at the Dan stage. Otherwise, I really wouldn't be satisfied. What the hell is 'round and bright'? It makes it sound like a man can be pregnant, too."

Lou Cheng's mouth twitched a little as he said,

"Talker, I feel that it's better if you don't be a commentator on live streaming. You should just start a talk show. Yeah, you would definitely make it big!"

Just as Cai Zongming was about to speak, an old man in a black coat walked out from the entrance of the martial arts dojo. He was around sixty, but his hair was still silky black and he was in great spirits. If it wasn't for the obvious wrinkles on his face, it wouldn't be far-fetched to believe he was middle-aged.

"Cai Zongming." The old man looked across at them, shocked for a second.

"Good afternoon Coach Yu." Cai Zongming greeted smiling.

He lowered his voice and told Lou Cheng, "He's my first martial arts coach."

Geezer Yu kept his hands behind him as he walked over. He scrutinized Cai Zongming like he was still his student before saying heartily,

"Strong breathing and vitality. You didn't stop your practice. I've always said that you were my biggest regret. If you'd been a little more serious, paid a little more attention, put in a little more effort, you wouldn't just be at this level today…"

After chatting for a while, he didn't speak further. He patted on the shoulders of Cai Zongming, turned around and walked away slowly.

"Your first coach is pretty nice…" Lou Cheng, who had been listening from the side, said thoughtfully as he looked at the man's back disappearing.

It's been some time and he still remembered the Talker.

Cai Zongming laughed and said, "Coach Yu is indeed a nice person and a senior who deserves respect. The only problem with him is that he cares too much about how others see him and likes to take advantage of others."

"Huh? Why did you say so?" Lou Cheng asked.

Cai Zongming pointed to the main doors of the martial arts dojo and said, "Our Songcheng University Martial Arts Club was pretty famous before. Once I walked past here and saw my face on their publicity poster. They wrote about me being an outstanding student and a teammate of Lou Cheng and Linq Que…That's just embarrassing!"

"Hahaha." Lou Cheng laughed out loud.

...

Geezer Yu walked slowly to the end of the street before turning around to look at them. He caught the backs of Lou Cheng and Cai Zongming as they left. However, he felt a different sense of familiarity this time.

I don't know him…He smiled faintly as he shook his head and continued, turning into a small neighborhood in the vicinity. Suddenly, he froze on the spot, superimposing the image of an expert with the figure beside Cai Zongming.

Although he was disguised, it's definitely him!

Geezer Yu immediately turned back, but they had disappeared without a trace.

He felt lost all of a sudden, with pain in his heart. It was as if there was a stack of money on the floor and he had failed to pick it up because he wasn't paying attention.

He maintained this state for a long time until he reached home. Geezer Yu was still sighing and didn't even finish the supper his old mate had prepared for him.

"What happened?" His mate asked curiously.

"I didn't…" Geezer Yu said with regret. "Sigh. What a waste! My heart hurts! What a good opportunity."

"My heart really hurts…"