Chapter 1 The gym
Xuxing was filling out a form at the gym's front desk when her close friend, Liyuanjun, happened to call.
Upon seeing the caller ID, Xuxing took a deep breath, preparing to perform her usual act of singing, reciting, and engaging in witty repartee.
Unexpectedly, Liyuanjun abruptly declared, "Okay, I'll be there soon."
Before Xuxing could even exhale, the line was met with nothing but the hurried beeping of a disconnected call.
How unsatisfactory must this blind date be for her to receive such a dismissive response?
Xuxing grumbled to herself as she tucked her phone back into her pocket and continued diligently completing the form.
Once finished, she handed the completed document back to the front desk.
The staff member began inputting her information, the keys clicking noisily.
Manager Hao, who was attending to her, prattled on beside her, "…Once your card is activated, I’ll take you to meet a coach for a fitness assessment, and then—"
"Is it free?"
Manager Hao paused, quickly recovering, "Of course."
Xuxing nodded in acknowledgment.
After a brief pause, Manager Hao resumed his elaborate sales pitch for the gym's personal training sessions.
Xuxing occasionally replied with "mm-hmm" and "ah," her big eyes blinking earnestly, as if she were paying close attention.
Once her gym card was activated, she obediently followed Manager Hao deeper into the facility.
"This way leads to the women's locker room, which has storage lockers where you can keep your belongings while you work out. Further in, there are shower facilities, and on the other end, there’s a temperature-controlled swimming pool."
As Xuxing's gaze lifted, Manager Hao introduced another section, "Over here are several studios for group exercise classes. You can come according to the schedule for cheerleading, energetic dance, aerial yoga, and more."
"Is there a fee?" Xuxing inquired, eager to know about any potential costs.
Manager Hao hesitated slightly, "This... doesn’t incur any additional fees."
Upon reaching a fork in the hallway, Manager Hao turned back and suggested, "I’ll take you to the lounge to meet the coach; we’ll skip the right side for now. After your assessment, the coach can guide you around. How does that sound?"
Xuxing casually responded with a nonchalant "mm," her gaze wandering toward the right.
That area was tranquil, with only a single man walking slowly on a treadmill, the belt whirring softly.
The man was tall and well-built; although his profile was partially concealed in shadows, the strong line of his jaw was still discernible.
Hmm… he appears somewhat handsome.
Xuxing couldn't help but steal a few more glances.
Yet, the more she looked, the more an inexplicable sense of familiarity washed over her.
Before she could delve into the source of this familiarity, Manager Hao, having walked a short distance ahead, paused and called back to her, gesturing for her to hurry along.
Xuxing nodded, casting lingering looks over her shoulder until the figure was completely out of sight.
***
The coach introduced by Manager Hao was sturdy and straightforward in appearance, with little in the way of standout features, yet his robust physique suggested he was a capable trainer.
Xuxing glanced at the small nameplate on his chest, which read: Personal Trainer, Chen Dong.
Under Manager Hao’s introduction, Chen Dong extended his hand and greeted her, “Hello, Miss Xu.”
Xuxing politely returned the handshake, “Hello, Coach Chen.”
After handing her off to Chen Dong, Manager Hao patted him on the shoulder, offering a look that urged him to seize the opportunity before swiftly departing.
Chen Dong’s earnest expression was filled with gratitude as he watched Manager Hao leave his field of vision. He then turned back to Xuxing, extending a hand to lead the way, “Oh, Miss Xu, this way, please. I’ll take you for a fitness assessment.”
“Sure.”
The assessment report was produced immediately.
Seated at a small round table, Chen Dong leaned slightly forward and analyzed the data for Xuxing from start to finish. He emphasized the areas that could be improved through exercise before concluding with a simple, “That’s it,” and silently gazing at her.
The towering man, standing at over six feet tall, stared expectantly at her, causing Xuxing to nearly break into goosebumps. She let out a small "ah," returning Chen Dong's gaze with equal intensity.
For a moment, they found themselves in a silence thick with uncertainty.
Xuxing appeared dazed on the outside, but internally, a storm of thoughts swirled: Oh my, this process is quite different from what Li Zhaodi described! Is it over after the assessment? Shouldn’t he be promoting his personal training sessions? Or have gyms evolved to embrace a more straightforward approach to selling courses now?
Perhaps it was Xuxing’s bewildered expression that emboldened Chen Dong.
After a brief silence, he hesitantly stammered, “Um… Miss Xu, would you like to purchase a few sessions to improve your physical fitness?”
Now that’s the correct approach.
Just as Chen Dong was about to add, “A basic personal training session costs eight hundred, but there’s a discount for ten or more,” Xuxing regained her composure and calmly replied, “I’m not buying.”
Chen Dong’s disappointed "oh" indicated he had no intention of continuing to press for a sale.
Once again, they sat in silence.
Xuxing sipped her plain water, suddenly feeling shy about inquiring about the complimentary trial session included with the gym membership.
However, Chen Dong quickly gathered himself, his expression sincere as he said, “Miss Xu, every membership comes with a complimentary personal training session. I’d be happy to give you that experience.”
"Can you earn money from the complimentary trial session?"
Chen Dong nodded, "Yes, but the commission is lower than the usual sales."
"Alright, then go ahead and give me the session."
Xuxing sighed in relief, her initial hesitation about supporting this earnest coach now significantly diminished.
As she followed Chen Dong to the personal training room, she scrutinized the gym's various facilities, her earlier shyness fading away.
What was there to feel embarrassed about? She surely earned more than this meager sum!
In Star City, this gym positioned itself as upscale, charging eight hundred for a basic personal training session. Even after deducting two hundred for the coach's share, one could easily make thirty thousand a month from five sessions a day. Why should she feel any misplaced sympathy?
If it weren't for the company’s annual meeting drawing a gym membership as a prize, she would never set foot in a place that required such extravagant spending for comfort.
If being broke was a disease, she was undoubtedly in the terminal stage!
Having deliberately donned workout attire today, she planned to exercise for a while, snap a photo to flaunt the benefits offered by her employer, and then list the membership online for transfer.
It was challenging to sell a membership from a high-end gym, but a yearly card originally priced at fifteen thousand could surely fetch around ten thousand, at the very least, or seven thousand five hundred if she halved it.
With the prospect of a substantial sum looming, Xuxing found herself feeling energized even for sit-ups.
***
With ten minutes remaining in the hour-long personal training session, Xuxing lay sprawled on the mat, feigning death, her breaths shallow and labored as her sluggish mind struggled to comprehend why anyone would willingly pay to endure such agony.
After calling her name several times with no response, Chen Dong scratched his head in frustration and finally relented, "Alright, let's wrap it up. Please get up and lie on the recovery bed; I’ll help you stretch."
Only upon hearing this did Xuxing slowly move her fingers, mustering the strength to rise and sluggishly crawl onto the recovery bed.
At the head of the bed was a large circular hole akin to those found in spa treatment tables; however, the pillow that should have rested there was mysteriously missing. Too lazy to search for it, Xuxing used her arm as a makeshift pillow.
The stretches were somewhat painful, prompting her to let out a few vocalizations. Resting her chin on her hand, she gazed through the glass wall at the muscular man in the weight training area, who was lifting weights with ease.
Twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five...
As Xuxing quietly counted for the muscular man across from her, her view was suddenly obstructed by a figure standing in the corridor that separated the two training areas.
The locker rooms for men and women were not far from this area, and people occasionally passed through the corridor. Xuxing assumed this person would soon move along, but after a few seconds, the figure remained firmly planted, unmoving.
Irritated, she looked up, only to lock eyes with a man who had turned to observe her.
The man was tall and slender, freshly showered after his workout, with the collar of his black shirt slightly unbuttoned. His impassive expression, combined with the dampness of his hair at the tips, imparted an intriguing aura of restrained allure.
Xuxing was momentarily taken aback, her mind racing to process the familiar aura emanating from him, triggering a flood of memories.
His profile was seamlessly identical to that half-glimpse she had caught earlier on the treadmill, and suddenly her mind shifted into overdrive.
Oh no, what a coincidence… it’s him! Surely, he didn't win the membership in the lottery. His clothing looks quite upscale; he must be doing well for himself!
With the attitude of "I’m struggling while you thrive; I refuse to be humiliated by this smug guy," Xuxing recalled the pride she had tossed to the other side of the Himalayas.
Her mind briefly short-circuited, and in a moment of desperation, she threw herself down, attempting to play the part of someone who hadn't seen him.
"Ah—!!!"
In that instant of overexertion as she fell, Chen Dong just happened to be assisting her with her left calf, prompting Xuxing to let out a piercing cry.
Chen Dong was startled, immediately releasing his grip and stepping forward with concern, "Are you alright?"
I have a problem!!!
With her head lodged in the circular hole of the recovery bed, she struggled a bit, her face reddening as her voice became muffled, "What should I do?! I think my head is stuck!"
***
In moments of panic, rational thought becomes elusive, but witnessing Xuxing’s tendency to lose her composure over trivial matters was a rare spectacle.
He stood leisurely in the corridor, meticulously adjusting the collar of his shirt, exuding an aura of tranquility.
Separated by a pane of glass, his gaze, slightly lowered, flickered with a predatory gleam, blending indifference with an unmistakable sense of pressure.
