Chapter 12: Filling Out College Applications

Lu Fan was practicing his punches, and soon a crowd gathered around him. Among them were retirees and active practitioners, most of whom had trained in this particular grappling technique.

“Dawei, aren’t you worried about teaching this grappling art to the kids? What if they get into trouble?” someone asked.

“What’s there to fear? Children from military families should have some fighting spirit. They shouldn’t back down when facing challenges. Without some skill, they might lack the courage to step forward at critical moments.”

“That’s true. As long as they stand upright and step up when necessary, it’s fine. But this grappling art requires years of hard training. Hmm... Xiao Fan’s doing well. Although his strength is a bit lacking, his movements are precise... ruthless.”

Lu Dawei was a bit puzzled. “Hmm? Has that brat been secretly practicing? His moves weren’t this sharp before. Could it be that he’s finally hit a breakthrough recently?”

The “Black Dragon Eighteen Hands” technique consists of only eighteen moves and takes less than a minute to complete. After finishing with the final move—“Riding the Dragon into the Water,” a strike aimed at the groin and chest—Lu Fan slowly relaxed his stance.

To be honest, he wasn’t overly focused on martial arts, but he didn’t reject it either.

In his previous life, although he had been in many fights, he never faced a true life-or-death crisis.

Yet this set of skills had accompanied him through some very difficult days. Whenever he felt immense pain, he relied on repeated practice to relieve his mental stress.

In his view, the significance of practicing martial arts lay far more in strengthening one’s body than in fighting others.

“Dad, how do you think I’m doing?”

“So-so. The techniques themselves are all similar, but the real core is strength. Your waist, arms, fingers, and legs lack power. When you get back, you still need to practice the Scorpion Climb, Prone Charge, and Handstand Walking.”

“Dad, I’m not going to be a policeman after graduation. Isn’t all this unnecessary?”

“Nonsense! Training martial arts without cultivating strength is all for nothing in the end. Haven’t you heard that before?”

“Then get me a driver’s license.”

“You little rascal, now you’re bargaining with me? Come on, let’s go to the equipment room for more training.”

The next day, Lu Fan spent all day tutoring Bai Shuang with her homework, which left him feeling a slight liver ache from frustration.

Bai Shuang’s mischievous and naughty nature was already showing early signs.

That evening, he called Bai Lu, reaching the village store where someone was asked to pass the message.

Lu Fan inquired whether the Zhang family had caused any more trouble and asked about Bai’s father’s condition.

He also reported Bai Shuang’s situation at home, mainly her studies, and received Bai Lu’s authorization to discipline her if necessary.

After hanging up, he caught Bai Shuang making a funny face at him.

They teased him for being such a grown-up yet liking to tattle, which made Lu Dawei and Xia Hongying laugh heartily.

Xia Hongying even defended little Bai Shuang, saying that if Lu Fan dared to hit her, she would tickle her back twice as hard.

Bai Shuang adapted quickly at home and successfully climbed to a higher position in the family hierarchy.

On the third day, it was finally time to fill out university applications.

During breakfast, Xia Hongying asked, “Son, do you want Mom to come with you? I did attend college, so I have some experience.”

Lu Fan asked, “You have more experience than the teachers?”

“Not really!”

“Mom, hit him! How dare he look down on you like that.”

Lu Fan strode out of the house and called back, “Bai Shuang, wait till I get back from school. See how I deal with you.”

“Bleh bleh bleh...”

Chang Le County No. 1 High School.

Standing at the school gate, Lu Fan gazed at the weathered signboard, lost in thought.

Others returned to school just days after the college entrance exam, but he had been away for over forty years.

“Fanzi, where have you been these days? You haven’t even been to our base. Without your cooperation, I’ve been beaten up badly these past two days.”

Lu Fan turned to look at the speaker.

It was the Melancholy Prince, Wang Zihao.

He had been a lifelong friend, playing together from childhood through high school.

They had survived two major rounds of selection, with only about ten percent remaining—a testament to how competitive this key high school was.

Wang Zihao was very thin; his clothes hung on him like they were draped over a bamboo pole. His features were passable, sporting a faint mustache with particularly prominent downward-curving ends. His forehead bore several large, inflamed pimples—likely squeezed—and they were red and swollen.

In his previous life, after graduating from university, the two had vowed to explore the world together, eventually moving to the capital.

They had spent two years sleeping in a dark basement there.

Lu Fan had spent five years running his own business, saving two million yuan to start a venture back in Jiang City. Wang Zihao had worked part-time jobs while teaching himself programming, becoming a coder at a major company until he was laid off before forty. He later returned to start a training school.

Life had been decent for him, without as many hardships as Lu Fan had faced.

Still, their friendship was undeniable.

When Lu Fan’s business went bankrupt, Wang Zihao secretly returned, leaving ten thousand yuan for him behind his wife’s back—that was all his savings. That incident almost ruined both their marriages.

Looking at the now chubby Wang Zihao, Lu Fan patted his shoulder. “Mouse, don’t squeeze the pimples on your forehead, or you’ll be left with pits. Even ants would break their legs climbing over. Let’s go buy some erythromycin ointment later.”

Wang Zihao was momentarily stunned, then teased, “Fanzi, you’ve changed. I’m getting beaten up so badly, and you’re more concerned about my appearance.”

“Head-to-head sniper duel—I admire your skills. After we finish submitting our applications, you guard the A gate, I’ll take the back path, and we’ll teach those little brats a lesson. I don’t even know which school they’re from, but they’ve gotten way too arrogant.”

Lu Fan felt a pang of nostalgia, recalling his days as a top sniper, hitting targets without even needing to look through the scope.

He just wasn’t sure if those skills still remained.

“Alright, once we finish the applications, I’m coming with you to deal with those little brats.”

The two walked arm in arm when suddenly something bumped into Lu Fan’s calf.

He turned to see a bicycle wheel almost wedged between his legs.

The bike was a pink princess model with long, curved handlebars.

The rider wore jeans and a white shirt adorned with a green bear print, radiating youthful energy.

She was quite pretty but quite troublesome.

Before he could speak, she accused him first, “Lu Fan, how can you say dirty words?”

Lu Fan frowned, “Who the hell are you? You hit me and still act like you’re right!”

“You... you’re swearing again, and you’re insulting me. I won’t talk to you anymore, hmph.”

The girl looked incredulous, then tears welled up. She quickly wiped them away and rode her bike past the two.

Wang Zihao’s expression was one of disbelief.

“Fanzi, are you giving up because you can’t catch up with her? Well, high school’s nothing; university will have even better ones.”

Lu Fan quickly connected the image of the girl to someone he knew: Xiao Yao, the class monitor.

The future was about to unfold anew.