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Chapter 15: Martial Arts Showdown

“You?”

Shao Kang sized Shen Tan up and nodded slightly.

Shen Tan held a 2nd degree taekwondo rank , more than enough to handle a frail peer.

It would indeed look bad if I bullied such a weak youngster, so letting Shen Tan step in saved my reputation.

If only he were not so ugly.

“Very well, Lu Li, let Shen Tan face you, what do you say?” Shao Kang asked.

Lu Li frowned slightly. “If I beat him, can I become the instructor?”

Shao Kang shook his head. “No.”

Lu Li said seriously, “Then please step in yourself, Mr. Shao.”

“Well…”

Just as Shao Kang was about to reply, Shen Tan shouted, “Lu Li, I’m also competing for the instructor spot; if you can’t beat me, you’re not qualified to challenge Uncle Shao!”

Shao Kang nodded to himself; Shen Tan’s words spared him a headache.

The kid really knew how to handle people.

If only he were not so ugly.

With no alternative, Lu Li spread his hands. “Fine, warming up against you first isn’t bad.”

Shao Kang led Lu Li and Shen Tan into the dojo and said, “We martial artists stop at first blood; just decide the winner and don’t go for crippling blows. This isn’t an official match, so I won’t nitpick the rules; once someone concedes, the bout is over. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” Lu Li gave a light nod.

“Got it!” Shen Tan exclaimed, exhilarated; he had lost to Lu Li in math, so he had to reclaim his honor in martial arts.

He wanted to smash Lu Li’s handsome face to pieces.

“Good, I’ll count down from three and then you start,” Shao Kang said, raising his hand.

“Wait! Uncle Shao, where is Linlin right now?” Shen Tan suddenly asked.

Shao Kang asked in confusion, “Linlin is eating; do you need her?”

Shen Tan said, “Can we invite Linlin to watch?”

I want Linlin to see with her own eyes how I knock Lu Li down and show her how weak and worthless he is.

“All right.” Shao Kang nodded knowingly; young men loved to show off in front of the girl they liked.

“Go get Linlin,” Shao Kang told the receptionist.

The receptionist hesitated. “But Linlin is eating; maybe we shouldn’t.”

She had known Shao Linlin for quite some time and was aware of the young lady’s obsession with food; not even thunder or an earthquake could pry her away from a meal, so coming here was impossible.

Simply put, Shao Linlin was an absolute chowhound.

If you disturbed her in anything else, she wouldn’t mind at all.

But if you interrupted her meal, she would definitely blow up.

Shao Kang clearly realized this too. He rubbed his forehead helplessly and pointed at Shen Tan again. “Then tell Linlin that the boy she likes, Shen Tan, is here.”

The receptionist glanced at Shen Tan and frowned slightly.

Linlin likes a boy like that?

Impossible.

Linlin was a total face-con; her taste could never be this bad…

“I doubt she’ll come because of him,” the receptionist said earnestly.

“That’s what you think; just go,” Shao Kang dismissed her. “Linlin even skipped an extra bowl of rice for this boy!”

“I don’t buy it…” the receptionist muttered as she returned to the lounge. “Linlin, your dad wants you at the dojo.”

Shao Linlin puffed her cheeks while wolfing her food down and shook her head at once. “No way, eating is priority; even if the sky falls, I’m not going.”

“Not even if Shen Tan is here?”

“What does Shen Tan have to do with me? That annoying pest can come or not,” Shao Linlin said with a disgusted look. “Sister Yun, you have no idea how annoying he is.”

The receptionist thought, As expected; this little chowhound couldn’t possibly like a boy.

She sighed lightly and was about to leave.

Suddenly Shao Linlin asked, “Sister Yun, didn’t Dad go to hire a martial arts instructor? How is the recruitment going?”

She felt that since her father was helping her chase Lu Li, she should at least share some of his burdens.

The receptionist answered casually, “A high-schooler showed up, seems his name is Lu Li. He’s in the dojo now. Your dad doesn’t think much of him, so he’ll probably chase him off in a bit.”

Clang… chopsticks hit the floor.

Shao Linlin pounced over, grabbed the receptionist’s hand tightly, and her big eyes sparkled. “What did you say? What’s his name?”

The receptionist froze. “I think… I think it’s Lu Li…”

Ecstatic, Shao Linlin jumped three feet high. “Go, go, go, to the dojo!”

“Huh?” The receptionist was almost yanked off her feet and looked confused. “You’re not eating?”

Shao Linlin snapped, “Eat what? Sister Yun, are you a chowhound? All you think about is food!”

The receptionist: “…”

“Lu Li knows nothing about martial arts and still applied for the instructor job; he must be doing it for me!”

Shao Linlin dashed into the dojo full of excitement, and the moment she saw Lu Li her watery eyes turned into starry ones.

He’s so handsome…

Seeing his daughter’s expression, Shao Kang sighed inwardly; so the boy she likes really is this Shen Tan.

Looking at the mat, Shao Kang said, “All right, let’s not waste time. I’ll count down from three, then you two begin.”

Lu Li nodded slightly. He closed his eyes, and the martial knowledge that came with his Minor Accomplishment level became second nature. He planted his feet, lifted and lowered his hands, and a presence befitting a young master radiated from him.

Shen Tan rubbed his fists together and glared at Lu Li viciously. Stop posturing, idiot. Once I swell your face, let’s see how you act cool in front of Linlin.

“Three, two, one! Start!”

As Shao Kang’s voice fell, Shen Tan darted forward on the balls of his feet and punched straight at Lu Li’s face.

Shao Linlin’s small mouth opened slightly. She hurried to her father’s side and asked anxiously, “Dad, how can you just watch them fight?”

Shen Tan was already taekwondo level 2; what if he hurt Lu Li?

Shao Kang smiled faintly. “Don’t worry, Shen Tan’s skills are solid; he won’t lose.”

Shao Linlin huffed, “I’m not worried about him; I’m worried about Lu Li… he doesn’t know any martial arts!”

“???” Worried about Lu Li?

Oh, right, Lu Li was her classmate too; if he really got hurt, it might strain class relations.

Still, Shen Tan should know his limits, and a kid who jokes about being an instructor without knowing martial arts deserves a lesson.

Maybe Shen Tan’s first punch would end the match.

Just as he thought that, Lu Li, eyes still closed on the mat, suddenly opened them, raised his right palm, and easily caught Shen Tan’s incoming punch!

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