Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
At 5:20 PM, a plane landed in Heishui Airport in Huacheng.
Lou Cheng and Yan Zheke walked into the arrival hall hand-in-hand, welcomed by waves of heat with humidity. Their skin instantly lost the ability to breathe in this massive steamer and they were suppressed by the sultriness.
Lou Cheng quickly switched on his Power of Frost and his body felt refreshed at once. He even gave off some chill to Yan Zheke, which lured her to move closer into his arms.
“Phew. How I love you, Cheng!” She confessed her love boldly and looked around before continuing with fear, “Let’s not visit any tourist site these days.”
“The sultriness can kill!”
“Although I have a walking air conditioner next to me, the experience won’t be good...”
“Sure. We can stay in our hotel room.” Lou Cheng chuckled and almost raised his hands and feet to show his consent.
Yan Zheke sensed his desire and glared at him with her tidy teeth showing.
“Hahah... I mean, Huacheng is best known for its food. Dim sums, high teas, desserts, and all kinds of soups. We plan to eat and drink and spend the rest of the time in the hotel to avoid the scorching sun,” Lou Cheng explained his plan.
“I like it!” Yan Zheke agreed in a lively tone.
They took a cab to Tianyue Hotel, which Lou Cheng had chosen for its location, which was very close to Huacheng’s most famous restaurants and tea houses.
Yan Zheke overcame her shyness to check in at the reception so Lou Cheng wouldn’t be recognized.
The photo on Lou Cheng’s ID was taken in his senior year in high school, when his face looked quite different from now without his present bearing and disposition. It wouldn’t be easy for a stranger to recognize this favored fighter of the age.
The receptionist didn’t notice anything odd and checked them in. After putting down their luggage, they headed straight to Huacheng Restaurant for dinner. They were highly satisfied with the roasted goose, roasted pigeon, and steamed trout there, which were already worth the long journey.
Back in the hotel, Yan Zheke went to the bathroom with her makeup remover to wash off the sunscreen.
Lou Cheng sat down on the bed and browsed the Longhu Club group on his mobile casually. Tomorrow would be the day for their meeting, but many of them had arrived today and stayed in the same hotel booked by the local A Plumber Eating Mushrooms. The wealthy Road to the Arena would sponsor some of the expenses and the others would go Dutch for the rest. Of course, students would pay half.
Lou Cheng was stunned by the stream of messages flooding in.
“Holy crap! Very chatty...” he ridiculed quietly and scrolled up to see how they first met.
Wonton Seller uploaded a group photo.
“La-la-lal! How many can you recognize?”
It was a group photo of five members. Lou Cheng recognized his defeated opponents Jin Tao, Invincible Punch, and Zhou Yuanning, Road to the Arena, at once, who respectively stood on the far left and far right.
Jin Tao didn’t change much from the Warrior Sage Junior Challenge Tournament; he was handsome, sturdy, and much calmer. Zhou Yuanning in a casual suit appeared fatter and trendier with a cool hairstyle.
In the middle was a five-foot-tall young girl, average student-looking and petite. To her left was a man in his late 20s, short and fat. And to her right was a young man in his early 20s, extremely slim and tall with a black-edged pair of glasses.
“The most adorable height difference...” Lou Cheng burst into a laugh.
Little Wonton was merely at the chest of the tall guy, like a daughter and her father.
“Easy. You are the only girl, Little Wonton.” Okamoto’s Fan laughed with his palm facing up. “And three out of the other four have shared their photos in the past.”
Wonton Seller smiled with her hand covering her mouth. “What if I was a cute boy?”
“My turn. From left to right there are Invincible Punch, A Plumber Eating Mushroom, Little Wonton, Pig-Riding Knight, and Road to the Arena,” said Unparalleled Dragon King.
“It didn’t take you long at all... Damn it!” Wonton Seller flipped a table over. “Okay, let me introduce. To the far left is our handsome Little Punch. He got his Professional Ninth Pin certificate last October and is training hard to become a Dan stage mighty fighter before his graduation to enter the professional martial arts field!”
“Thank you, Little Wonton, for bragging for me. I’ll be in my senior year, and the Dan stage is no game...” Jin Tao, Invincible Punch, sent a salute emoji.
With the Professional Ninth Pin certificate, he felt more confident as he had options.
Wonton Seller continued, “Next to Little Punch is our talented Little Mushroom. Fond of music, painting, and martial arts, he has defeated us all with his knowledge.”
“Little Mushroom... Please don’t talk like that. Mushrooms are ugly, fat, short, and cheap. They don’t deserve a cute name.” Okamoto’s Fan and A Plumber Eating Mushroom were used to poking fun at each other every day.
“F**k you!” A Plumber Eating Mushroom sent a disdain emoji.
“Come. I’m lying on my belly. Take me if you can,” Okamoto’s Fan joked as always.
“... You got it...” A Plumber Eating Mushroom squatted down in the corner, drawing circles.
“I have decided. When Little Fan arrives tomorrow, he will check in the same room with Little Mushroom!” Wonton Seller sent a sticker of a rolling white ball.
“Little Fan... You got me...” Okamoto’s Fan quieted down.
Wonton Seller continued in the shade, “The one in the middle, I’ll skip... Little Pig Riding is so tall... I have to look up and admire him. He is one exam away from becoming a CPA and still takes time to manage our forum. Don’t you admire him? By the way, I have a secret to share with you all. He has won Little Sky’s heart! Aren’t you jealous?”
Above the Sky was a rock n roll girl.
“Err... You steal what is entrusted to your care! You promote your private interests under the guise of serving the public!” Okamoto’s Fan widened his eyes and he added, “The boss is incredible!”
He attempted to use the word “Riding the public vehicle for your private interests,” but didn’t want to cross the line.
“Okamoto, I was ready to kick you out of the group. Fortunately, you didn’t go too far.” Pig-Riding Knight raised his brows.
“I guess I don’t need to introduce our Little Arena. The true boss of our group, thank you for your generosity. The first bow, the second bow...” Wonton Seller flushed. “He left martial arts to embrace the entire world.”
“Hahah... I’m running errands for my family and have a few bucks to spare...” Road to the Arena loved to show off as always.
Lou Cheng read on with a smile and saw Above the Sky and Sea-Blue’s arrival. Above the Sky had long, straight hair and a matching pair of glasses with Pig-Riding Knight with no sign of rock n roll. Sea-Blue was a chubby girl of 1.6 meters in height, cute and bubbly. They became integrated with the others right away.
They were both in their senior year in university.
More and more members arrived and the group became more and more lively. Those in Huacheng were broadcasting and those away were watching and joking.
Lou Cheng scrolled down and saw Unparalleled Dragon King join the others a dozen minutes ago in a black t-shirt, tall, fat, and nerdy.
“Watching you in silence...” wrote Lou Cheng after reading everything to get involved.
“Tiger, I look down on you for having a school holiday but not coming.” A Plumber Eating Mushroom sent a disdain emoji.
“I agree! Little Tiger, we are about to feast! I’ll send you delicious pictures!” Wonton Seller chimed in.
Road to the Arena asked out of confusion, “Tiger, I remember you will be in your third year in September. If you don’t come and have some fun now, you won’t have the time once you get a job (Manual comic talk).”
“I’ll do my best to get a leisurely job,” Lou Cheng joked.
He had never revealed that he was a student in Songcheng University in this group.
“Leisurely jobs don’t pay much...” Pig-Riding Knight put on a cunning grin. “Ignore me if you are as well off as Master Road.”
“That’s enough for now. We are setting out to Huacheng Restaurant!” Invincible Punch ended the conversation.
“I hate you. All of you!” Brahman, who couldn’t make it, suddenly jumped out with a complaint.
Yan Zheke came out, fiddling with her hair. She glanced at Lou Cheng and asked, puzzled,
“Cheng, what are you looking at?”
“The Longhu forum group is meeting up today. I’m reading their conversation.” Lou Cheng smiled.
“Let me see.” Yan Zheke sat next to Lou Cheng out of curiosity and took over his mobile.
Lou Cheng wrapped his arm around her and moved his head closer to breathe in her fragrance.
“... Little Wonton is around the same height as Ling.” Yan Zheke pointed at the picture.
“I think Little Wonton is taller. She looks like a victim held by Pig-Riding Knight and Unparalleled Dragon King as captive. Their height and temperament differences are so distinctive and amusing. If Yan Xiaoling was there, it would have the same effect.” Lou Cheng made fun of his two fans and couldn’t get enough of his wife’s floral scent.
Before Yan Zheke could say more, she felt the hand on her waist tightening and the breath by her ear getting hotter.
Her body was stiff and then softened as she glared at Lou Cheng softly. She moved her head away and said,
“Shower... Shower first...”
“Yes!” Lou Cheng dashed into the washroom.
...
On July 15th, the pair got up for their morning exercises as planned. They then went back to the hotel room after having dim sums together.
Before Lou Cheng could attempt anything wicked, Yan Zheke urged him to practice English for going to the States.
They studied and fooled around until evening, and she finally let him relieve his desire.
On July 16th, they headed to Chixia Mountain after their morning training and breakfast, the home field of the Longhu Club.
As the vehicle merged into the Mountain Road, Yan Zheke pulled Lou Cheng and pointed at a bus. “Cheng, Little Wonton.”
Lou Cheng turned around and saw members of the Longhu Club forum sitting on the bus as their car drove by.