Inside the resting area of White Dragon High School.
At this moment, Yu Xinghan was looking at the rankings on the Sky Pillar, especially the name in the first place.
He thought to himself, "Zhang Yu, huh?"
"No wonder Senior Sister Li valued him back then. Although I ultimately eliminated him in the disciple selection, he does have his merits."
He glanced at Song Hailong beside him, thinking, "I can switch sparring partners now."
On the other side, Song Hailong seemed to sense Yu Xinghan's gaze. He glanced at the departing figure and then turned his gaze to the names on the Sky Pillar.
Looking at Zhang Yu's name in first place, he thought to himself, "Perhaps I should also switch sparring partners."
Song Hailong even felt a hint of regret, thinking that he shouldn't have canceled his sparring sessions with Zhang Yu earlier. That way, he might have witnessed how Zhang Yu transformed step by step to reach this level today.
...
In the resting area of Songyang High School, to everyone's surprise, Yu Xinghan walked over.
Although Zhang Yu had defeated him this time, Yu Xinghan's dominant performance in the first three rounds of the competition was still deeply imprinted in their minds.
At this moment, when the students of Songyang High School saw Yu Xinghan up close, they were forced to retreat by the aura of the Golden Core disciple and the top student of White Dragon High School.
A girl beside He Dayou whispered, "Isn't it customary for White Dragon High School to kneel? Should we kneel to welcome him?"
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Another boy said, "This is Ziyun High School. Do you know what the etiquette is for Ziyun when greeting the top student?"
He Dayou couldn't stand the sight of these compatriots being so servile in front of the White Dragon people and said coldly, "This is the resting area of Songyang High School, and that ground is the land of Songyang High School. At most, we'll just bow to this White Dragon person."
Bai Zhenzhen thought to herself, 'A bunch of good-for-nothings. I, the fifth-place in the sports competition, have to step up and communicate with Yu Xinghan.'
She walked up to Yu Xinghan and asked, "What do you want?"
Yu Xinghan glanced at her and said indifferently, "Let's add each other as friends?"
Bai Zhenzhen was slightly stunned. This guy came to add her as a friend? Who knew, this Golden Core disciple liked making friends so much?
Coincidentally, she, Bai Zhenzhen, also liked making friends, and immediately said, "500 for a friend slot."
"Then forget it." Yu Xinghan put away his newly exchanged phone and said lightly, "Actually, I didn't really want to add you that much."
Bai Zhenzhen quickly said, "Then 100, is 100 okay?"
Seeing Yu Xinghan actively take out his phone to add her as a friend again, Bai Zhenzhen was shocked.
"Is this guy really a Golden Core disciple, a rich person?
Bai Zhenzhen had never seen a rich person bargain with her over a few hundred dollars before.
"I came here mainly to see Zhang Yu." Yu Xinghan looked at Zhang Yu, who was still resting on the sofa.
Yu Xinghan wasn't someone who was born invincible and had never seen anyone stronger than himself.
Moreover, even when facing opponents weaker than him, sometimes there were things he could learn and reflect on.
Just like his sparring partner Song Hailong during this past period, his indomitable and upright spirit was something he should take as a warning.
It constantly reminded him not to become arrogant just because he was the top student, and to abandon a great martial arts specialty—sneak attacks—for the sake of some worthless self-esteem and airs.
Of course, besides learning, there was another important reason for hiring Song Hailong as a sparring partner.
But this reason was a secret belonging to Yu Xinghan, and only he knew it under the heavens.
And speaking only of learning, the Zhang Yu in front of him had even more things worth learning.
"Those exquisite physical techniques..."
"I really want to learn them."
"I want to learn them by fighting him."
At this moment, Yu Xinghan looked at Zhang Yu as if he were looking at a knowledge-filled feast, wanting to completely absorb the other party bit by bit and transform him into nourishment to become stronger.
So Yu Xinghan looked at Zhang Yu and said, "Train with me. I'll give you 6000 an hour. Are you in?"
Zhang Yu's eyes moved. Although he would soon have prize money and endorsement fees coming in, no one in Kunxu ever felt they had too much money.
Zhang Yu asked, "How will we train?"
Yu Xinghan stroked his chin, thinking as he said, "It's... practical combat training, I guess. Just try your best to defeat me."
Zhang Yu: "15000 an hour."
Yu Xinghan: "7000 at most."
Zhang Yu: "7000 is impossible. It has to be at least 12000. I can't be lower than Song Hailong, right?"
Zhang Yu still remembered that Song Hailong was paid 10000 yuan an hour to be Yu Xinghan's sparring partner.
Yu Xinghan said helplessly, "Then 11000. That's the most I can offer. If you don't want it, I'm leaving."
Watching the departing figure, Zhang Yu quickly said, "Okay, okay, 11000 it is."
So when Yu Xinghan left, he had already added Zhang Yu as a friend and agreed to come to White Dragon High School next time to have practical combat training with him.
Just then, accompanied by the vibration of his phone, Yu Xinghan opened it and saw it was a call from Li Xuelian.
Remembering the weight he was asked to report in the last round, Yu Xinghan smiled and answered the phone, "Senior Sister Li, you should have seen the results of the competition?"
Li Xuelian didn't dwell on the matter of the last round. In her opinion, it was purely accidental. No one could have predicted that Zhang Yu would achieve such a result at that stage. Her previous judgment was not wrong.
It was just that Zhang Yu as a person... surprised Li Xuelian somewhat.
However, Li Xuelian wasn't interested in talking about these things with Yu Xinghan at the moment, and simply said, "The contract has been adjusted. The following advertisements and endorsements will be done together by you and Zhang Yu..."
After explaining the contract matters, Li Xuelian wanted to hang up the phone.
But then she heard Yu Xinghan suddenly say, "Senior Sister Li, I want to ask Zhang Yu to train with me. He has many advantages worth learning and absorbing."
Then Yu Xinghan said somewhat nervously, "I discussed a fee of 15000 an hour with him. Do you think you can approve it?"
As a Golden Core disciple, Yu Xinghan could be said to be very rich, and also very poor.
Rich, because Starfire Zhenren and Li Xuelian had invested countless resources in him, enough to make many wealthy students in Songyang City envious.
Poor, because every expense of his needed to be approved by Li Xuelian, and the pocket money he could fully control each month was only 5000 yuan.
This state of being both poor and rich was precisely the reason why he initially rejected Bai Zhenzhen's friend slot.
After all, Li Xuelian might not approve of a 500 yuan friend slot for Bai Zhenzhen, which would be too expensive for him.
It was also another reason why he hired Song Hailong as a sparring partner before.
It was an opportunity for him to embezzle tuition fees.
"15000?" Li Xuelian recalled Zhang Yu's performance and said lightly, "Okay, remember to record your fee records and the process of your exchanges each time and report them to me."
Yu Xinghan understood that she was afraid he would falsely report tutoring fees and tutoring hours and embezzle public funds. He had his own way of dealing with it.
And after Li Xuelian hung up the phone, she was slightly curious about the outcome of Yu Xinghan and Zhang Yu's exchanges.
After all, Yu Xinghan had received Starfire Zhenren's training for so long, and in Li Xuelian's opinion, he was definitely far superior to Zhang Yu in terms of practical combat.
"...But this Zhang Yu does have something worth Yu Xinghan learning. 15000 is worth it."
"It's just that back then, perhaps I should have signed this Zhang Yu as well."
When she told Starfire Zhenren about the sports competition results and her thoughts, she also received Starfire Zhenren's reply.
Starfire Zhenren said somewhat regretfully, "That Zhang Yu seems to be very good. I underestimated him a bit back then. If we had ample resources, we should have signed him."
"But since our resources are only enough to cultivate one disciple, we can only choose the most outstanding and promising one."
"Alright, Xuelian, the past is already in the past. Don't worry about gains and losses and increase your troubles in vain."
...
Inside the resting area of Songyang High School.
Zhang Yu had just negotiated the sparring project with Yu Xinghan, and then received a sparring application from Song Hailong.
But before he could finish discussing the price with Song Hailong, he received a message from Le Mulan.
Le Mulan: "Can I ask you to practice ground combat with me?"
Zhang Yu suddenly felt a scorching and busy sensation.
He sighed, "Alas, there are so many classes that I can't arrange them all, and I can't earn all the money."
Bai Zhenzhen had been watching Zhang Yu reply to messages, and said upon hearing this, "Yu Zi, if you can't make up for them all, then I can help you substitute."
"I'm not the me from two months ago during the martial arts competition."
Zhang Yu's eyes moved, thinking of Bai Zhenzhen's fifth-place ranking this time.
In fact, Bai Zhenzhen's results and progress speed were already very fast and amazing. If she had a good background, then as long as she continued to maintain this in her second and third years of high school, she would definitely be able to get into the top ten in the future.
But now, because of her identity as a poor person, she needs higher requirements to get into the top ten.
"A Zhen's progress speed is only a little slower compared to me, and even faster than Song Hailong and Le Mulan's progress."
"There's definitely no problem with being a sparring partner for Le Mulan and Song Hailong."
"And..."
Zhang Yu knew that A Zhen also needed this money very much.
"With money, A Zhen's improvement can be faster, and she can get into the top ten with me in the future."
Thinking of getting into the top ten with A Zhen, a trace of gloom rose in Zhang Yu's heart again.
He still remembered his sister's request that the two of them win the first and second place in the competition.
But this Yu Xinghan, Song Hailong, Le Mulan... one is more hardworking than the other, and one is more abnormal than the other. I don't know what impact A Zhen's current competition results have on getting into the top ten.
"I'll ask my sister tonight."
...
That night, not long after the competition ended.
Zhang Yu, Bai Zhenzhen, and Zhang Pianpian met under the bridge.
The three stood by the river and chatted casually for a few words.
Looking at the gurgling water in front of them, Zhang Pianpian suddenly asked a question: "Zhang Yu, if I give you a chance to go to the second floor with me in two months, would you be willing?"
