Chapter 052 Martial Arts Hall

The Central Sports Arena of Zhonghai University is the largest and most well-equipped sports venue in the entire university district. Many of Zhonghai’s major sporting competitions are held here, and it has even been selected as the designated venue for the University League, hosting numerous large-scale events. In the hearts of the people of Zhonghai, this is a source of great pride.

Such a vast indoor sports arena is rare even across the country, and it stands as a major advantage for Zhonghai University in its status as a top-tier institution. The Chinese Martial Arts Club that Li Huan belongs to is located within this arena; the president is rumored to be the direct disciple of a renowned master of traditional Chinese studies, though such claims are impossible to verify.

The club itself is not large and pays rent to the arena monthly. However, Li Huan knows a bit of insider information: all the rent is paid solely by the president, and most members do not have to pay membership fees, provided they already know some martial arts. Those who come to learn from scratch are, of course, required to pay.

Li Huan brought Su Dieyi to the club, where a number of people were already preparing for the afternoon’s martial arts demonstration. Many spectators had gathered outside as well. When it comes to traditional Chinese martial arts, most university students are skeptical; after all, those legendary masters are more often seen in movies and TV than in real life, and encountering a true master of Chinese martial arts is exceedingly rare—if not impossible.

Had Li Huan’s family not operated a major martial arts school for generations, he might not have believed either. But after witnessing Feilengcui’s needle-throwing skills last night, he was convinced. The Chinese nation is vast, its mountains and rivers hiding countless talents. If one day a true master emerged, he would not be surprised.

The afternoon martial arts demonstration was divided into two groups. One group, dressed in white uniforms, was purely for show—new members performing mostly mock routines with little real power. The other group, fewer in number and dressed in black uniforms, were the elite members of the club, some of whom were genuinely formidable.

Li Huan, though unassuming at the club, was considered a veteran member, holding an honorary vice president title. The significance of this title was known only to the rarely seen president, for the two had actually sparred with each other.

When the vice president walked in with an impossibly beautiful girl, nearly everyone turned their gaze upon them. The male members, naturally, were nearly drooling, while several female members looked on with a hint of disappointment; the vice president was, after all, quite handsome in their eyes.

“Good afternoon, Vice President! And good afternoon to the Vice President’s lady!” someone called out, setting off a round of laughter and even prompting a few of Li Huan’s close friends to bow deeply in exaggerated greeting, startling Su Dieyi enough that she stopped in her tracks, hesitant to enter.

“Vice President’s girlfriend is so beautiful—what a pity! I was hoping…” a female member said, her expression crestfallen, her gaze at Li Huan tinged with longing.

“Xiao Cui, give up already. Look at how pretty the Vice President’s girlfriend is. How could he ever like us?” another female member teased.

“Hey… Xiao Hong, did you say ‘us’? Do you like the Vice President too?”

“Please, I just think he’s handsome. I prefer one-night stands!”

“Such a flirt…”

“…”

The club was abuzz with chatter, the scene chaotic as new members joined in the teasing. Li Huan felt his face flush, though fortunately things didn’t get out of hand, and after a while, everyone settled down to rehearse for the afternoon’s performance.

It was said the president himself would attend the demonstration and participate in the formal sparring afterward, which many newcomers eagerly anticipated. Li Huan, for his part, had little to do—just needed to perform a knife-throwing demonstration.

This was perhaps the only skill of his worth showing off. He had trained in knife-throwing for ten years as a child in his family’s martial arts school, acquiring a solid foundation; to fool university students was a trivial matter, and even in professional competitions he would hardly lose.

Of course, knife-throwing is not only about accuracy; force and speed are equally important. If asked to perform feats like piercing steel plates, Li Huan would be powerless—at most, he could puncture marble.

“There are so many people here!” Su Dieyi, after blushing for a moment, quickly recovered. She wasn’t angry at their teasing, just shy.

“Yes, over a hundred members, I think. Still, it’s nothing compared to the Taekwondo Club—that’s easier to pick up and can be used to impress people!” There was another reason Li Huan didn’t mention: Taekwondo is also effective for attracting girls. Its flashy moves certainly catch the eye.

Su Dieyi cocked her head, giving Li Huan a disdainful look. “Is that so? I seem to recall telling you—I’m a third-degree black belt in Taekwondo. Want to try me?”

Having grown used to Su Dieyi’s shyness these days, Li Huan was surprised to see her flash a mischievous smile; he realized this stunning beauty had a domineering side as well.

“Better not,” Li Huan replied, recalling the day Su Dieyi did a split while sitting on a bench, and instinctively glanced downward.

Today, Su Dieyi wore a cute short-sleeved blouse, her chest full and prominent, and a floral mid-length skirt with intricate lace at the hem that reached her knees. Below, her legs were bare and smooth in simple canvas shoes; though she wore no stockings, her skin was flawless, and her understated look carried a subtle, sensual allure.

Li Huan glanced at her, quickly looking away, but the image of her in black lace panties under shorts kept returning to his mind, causing his face to grow warm and his breath to quicken.

Su Dieyi sat in the lounge area for a while as Li Huan changed into his team uniform—a black, fitted outfit. Though it didn’t accentuate masculine lines, it showed his slender and well-proportioned figure; not overtly muscular, but enough to stir both envy and excitement.

Li Huan performed a few simple moves, and soon others approached to spar, but he politely declined. Instead, several female members gathered around, peppering Su Dieyi with questions.

The male members were even more proactive. Normally, if a beautiful woman appeared in the club, most would only steal a few glances, too shy to approach. But since she was the vice president’s girlfriend, she was now ‘one of them,’ so they felt emboldened.

Surrounded by a group of boys and their increasingly direct questions, Su Dieyi was at a loss, nearly ready to flee.

Suddenly, a shout came from the entrance: “The president’s here, clear out!” A male member yelled, and those gathered around Su Dieyi scattered like startled dogs, rushing to the center of the arena to train in earnest. Even the female members let Li Huan be, no longer daring to bombard him with questions.

The chaotic club instantly fell quiet, with only the synchronized shouts of the members echoing, as if they had been diligently practicing all along.

Soon, a figure appeared at the door—a young man of medium build, wearing rimless glasses and looking quite refined, hardly the image of a martial artist.

The president’s name was Xu Jiaqi. His family reportedly ran many martial arts schools abroad, a powerful clan, and his father was also the vice president of the International Martial Arts Association, quite influential.

Li Huan went over to greet him, and Xu Jiaqi offered a slight smile. Upon entering, he noticed Su Dieyi in the lounge, couldn’t help but glance twice, and winked at Li Huan. “New member?”

Li Huan understood his meaning. Though Xu Jiaqi appeared upright, he was actually a reserved flirt, showing his true colors only to Li Huan, with whom he was on good terms.

“No, just a friend,” Li Huan replied ambiguously, not specifying whether they were dating, but leaving room for speculation.

Xu Jiaqi nodded knowingly, pushed his glasses up, and said, “Lucky you—she’s a real beauty. What a pity!”

Li Huan rolled his eyes. He and Xu Jiaqi got along well, having drunk together before, though not as closely as he was with Fatty; their relationship was somewhere between friends and brothers.

Mostly, Xu Jiaqi wasn’t often at school, so they didn’t meet frequently. Li Huan hadn’t known he would come today, since this event was more a routine publicity activity organized by the External Relations Department.

“You’re not here just to watch, are you?” Li Huan asked casually.

“Why not?” Xu Jiaqi glanced at the club members and continued, “I heard you’re doing the knife-throwing demonstration, so I came to see it. Plus, I heard about your conflict with that Korean guy this morning; they might come back this afternoon to cause trouble.”

Li Huan frowned, unsure how Xu Jiaqi got this information. The Taekwondo Club had always eyed the Martial Arts Club, and a previous dispute over venue had led to conflict. Today, with the club performing, if they came to disrupt things, it could be troublesome.

They chatted a bit more, then Xu Jiaqi moved to the center of the club, gathered all the members, and spoke briefly. By two thirty, the outdoor field was crowded with spectators, all eager to watch the martial arts demonstration.