Rebirth 08: Equipment God

Chapter 188 Seize Everything Before You

The reason Jiang Xiaobai specifically mentioned "not found" and "found again" is that they need to reach a consensus on this matter.

Only if Zhai Da also admits that "the information was misremembered" will the story have a chance to be regarded as "a good story". Otherwise, it will seem as if Harbin Institute of Technology is showing off that it recruited the top student.

That evening, Zhai Da made a special phone call to Yu Xiaoli to inform her of the matter.

Yu Xiaoli also felt a little regretful that she couldn't find her grandfather's information "100%", but it was something that happened decades ago, so that's all she could do.

The "interview" that Jiang Xiaobai mentioned was arranged quickly. It took place early the next morning at the student activity center, mainly by a camera and two student reporters.

The conditions on campus are just average, but at least they're decent.

In the simple office, Zhai Da was wearing a white shirt. The interview was conducted in the form of a conversation, but the senior student asking the questions was not in the frame. At this moment, the senior student was putting a microphone on Zhai Da.

Jiang Xiaobai stood against the wall off-camera and said to Lu Wei, "Don't you have classes either?"

Lu Wei shook her head: "Just skip class."

Jiang Xiaobai could only raise an eyebrow and ask his advisor, "Is this how direct is it?"

Of the two top scorers, Zhai Da had more contact with them, and most things could be communicated with Zhai Da alone.

This female top scorer's personality is a bit different from what she was previously perceived as; she's not as conventional or "honest."

The preparations took about ten minutes, and Zhai Da was even given a "BB cream" from his senior, who said it would make him look darker in bad lighting.

The subsequent interviews went relatively smoothly, though they were rather superficial.

Both sides were somewhat "following the clues," and Zhai Da could not provide detailed information about his grandfather's situation back then, and even had few memories of his grandfather. He could only describe his grandfather based on his life trajectory.

The school didn't provide much feedback either, since they hadn't found any useful information, only a list with incorrect information.

The content inevitably feels somewhat superficial, focusing mainly on sentimentality and memories.

However, in the latter part of the interview, the female reporter asked a question: "What kind of person is your maternal grandfather?"

Zhai Da pondered for a moment, then looked towards the corner, the direction he was supposed to look in, as agreed.

He cannot look at the camera.

“A long time ago, my grandfather was just a symbol to me. I didn’t know his past, just like many young people don’t know the trajectory of their elders. He was more like a shadow behind me, never seen when I turned around, but always influencing me.”

"But as I got to know him better and started walking on similar paths, I realized that my grandfather wasn't behind me, but ahead of me. He had become my role model, my former shadow."

“Not all elders have a tumultuous past, just as not all elders have the opportunity to express their love. I am the lucky one, even though I have never personally called him ‘Grandpa’.”

The senior student thought to herself, "No wonder he's a writer. His answer is so sophisticated, and his pronunciation is clear and fluent, as if he had rehearsed it."

"If you had the chance, what would you like to say to your grandfather?"

Zhai Da thought for a moment, then looked at the camera and smiled, "I did a pretty good job this time, didn't I?"

After the interview, Zhai Da loosened his collar and thanked his senior and the other staff for their hard work.

Jiang Xiaobai handed over a bottle of water and said, "It went more smoothly than I expected. If there are no problems, this content will appear in the school newspaper in October, and local newspapers in Harbin may also be interested in publishing it."

Zhai Da asked in surprise, "A newspaper? A proper newspaper?"

"Are there any unreliable newspapers? Harbin Institute of Technology has a different significance in Harbin. Things that happen on campus are often reported in the newspapers, and they might even appear on television and radio."

Zhai Da thought about it for a moment, and although he didn't know beforehand, it didn't seem like a big deal.

They're all local newspapers and TV stations; I doubt many people read them anyway, and it's not like it's anything shameful.

Jiang Xiaobai led Zhai Da and Lu Wei outside; the two still had classes to attend.

"By the way, what are your plans for the National Day holiday? I'm not trying to control you, but as your advisor, I just want to know so I can feel at ease."

After all, most counselors break down when they suddenly receive a call from the police.

Zhai Da slung his backpack over his shoulder, waved, and said, "To Qing City."

"so far?"

"Go watch a game."

------

In the golden autumn of October, the weather in Qingdao is much warmer than in Harbin.

With the National Day holiday, this livable coastal area has welcomed many tourists, and clams are facing a species crisis, with tons being consumed every day.

Some sporting events are also held during this time, becoming an inconspicuous part of the tourism industry.

"Listen, in this match you need to focus on defense and try to win on points."

Inside a budget hotel with no star rating, Lu Zhe, a self-funded Christian, is nervously and excitedly teaching Fan Junwei strategies.

“Xiao Wei, you’ve only been training for four months now, and even if you include the beatings you took at the boxing gym before, it’s only been five months, not even half a year. Your opponent is a professional athlete who has been training for two and a half years, no, three years. Moreover, he came from a sports school and switched from combat sports to boxing. He had been training for four years before that.”

"But there's no way around it. The average trash leagues don't have any heavyweights. If you want to get points with your physique, you have to start in these provincial competitions, facing a bunch of opponents who train much longer than you. The club we're affiliated with can't give you any support either. But you do have your advantages."

Inside a standard double room, the tall Fan Junwei, while unpacking his luggage, asked, "What are the advantages?"

Lu Zhe said seriously, "You are nothing."

Fan Junwei: ?

"Nobody knows you, so they have no idea what your habits or skill level are. On the contrary, I've inquired and found out that my opponent's specialty is the right hook, which is very heavy and has a high knockout rate. So, a points fight is the wise choice." Compared to the summer vacation, Fan Junwei has completely changed. He has a neat short haircut, and his body is not the kind of angular, muscular physique of a bodybuilder, but rather the kind of "big, fleshy" physique suitable for heavyweight boxing.

He looked exceptionally imposing, and his physical test results were excessively good.

But boxing isn't about physical ability; he's still a complete newcomer to the sport, and his professional status is more akin to that of an amateur.

After Utopia ended, Fan Junwei received a reward that was enough to change his fate, but he still needed to choose his own path instead of lying around with 30 yuan and waiting to die.

After careful consideration and consulting with Zhai Da, Fan Junwei bought a small house in Dongyang County to provide his grandmother with a basic guarantee for her retirement. He then continued to work as a sparring partner at a boxing gym, which remained a high-income job in Dongyang County.

The rest of the time, I focused wholeheartedly on training with Lu Zhe to assess my own talent.

If this path doesn't work out, it'll only be six months, then we can consider other options.

This was his first match.

That night, Fan Junwei had trouble falling asleep, tossing and turning in bed. His mind kept replaying his grandmother's joyful tears upon entering the new home, and the unforgettable faces of those in Utopia.

The next morning, Fan Junwei and Lu Zhe took a taxi to the competition venue, a small to medium-sized sports center.

These low-level events rarely attract spectators; even free tickets don't draw many people. However, they represent a significant hurdle for many boxers, serving as a starting point for higher-level competitions.

In fact, if there weren't so few heavyweight boxers in China, a complete newcomer like Fan Junwei might not even have had the opportunity to fight.

In the preparation room, Lu Zhe was still explaining the tactics over and over again. Fan Junwei was listening attentively, but his mind was already wandering.

Fate is so strange, why did I end up in a boxing ring?

If he had walked just one more block when he was looking for a part-time job that day, he might be frying chicken strips himself, owning his own little stall, which he would decorate in yellow.
He doesn't actually like boxing.

Especially after Utopia ended and everyone went to study in different places, he felt particularly lonely while staying in Dongyang County.

As the time approached, the organizers notified the boxers to enter. Lower-level events don't have many procedures, and it's already a rare achievement that they can be completed smoothly and fairly.

Fan Junwei, wearing boxing gloves, shirtless, and with a hood over his head, walked towards the boxing ring.

The narrow passage was very dark, while the outside was dazzlingly white.

Unlike many professional athletes who sway left and right with great momentum, Fan Junwei simply moved forward calmly.

My thoughts wandered again.

He always considered himself a dull person. He was neither as smart as Zhai Da, nor as quick-witted as Wu Yue, nor as worldly-wise as Li Dongdong, nor as shameless as Chu Xiang.
Therefore, we can only focus on what we can see right now and then try our best to do it well.

His grandmother was in poor health, so he would get up at three in the morning to help her with chores. When the family ran out of money, he was anxious to graduate and find a job. There were actually smarter ways to do things, but he wasn't smart.

Boxing is similar, because that's all he can see.

He didn't particularly like it, but he still trained as hard as he could every day, giving up all drinks, strictly controlling his diet, practicing dodging hundreds of times, and throwing his fists tens of thousands of times, soaking every inch of the steps with sweat.

In a daze, he walked out of the passage and into the venue.

The space that was originally a basketball court in the stadium has been converted into two boxing rings, and there are very few seats for spectators.

"Now entering the arena is the red corner boxer, 'Mountain of Flesh' Fan Junwei!!!"

When he needed a nickname, Fan Junwei chose this one without much hesitation. Although he still doesn't know which game it came from, this nickname has stayed with him for a long time.

Fan Junwei pulled down his hood; there was no applause, no audience, no honor.
He suddenly felt like he had made a mistake again, and wondered if he shouldn't have bothered practicing boxing.
"The Mountain of Flesh Demon King! Smash him!"

A familiar voice shouted behind him, echoing back and forth. Fan Junwei turned around to look.

Zhai Da was right above him, giving a smug thumbs-up.

His shadow was cast by the spotlight and fell on Fan Junwei.

Zhai Da was accompanied by seven or eight friends who had also appeared there.

Lu Wei, Wu Yue, Chu Xiang, Lin Shuyao, Ao Wen, Xiang You, Li Dongdong, Li Haili, and even Lu Siwen from Class 11.

They should have been scattered across the country.
Fan Junwei's mouth dropped open: "You...you..."

Zhai Da gave a thumbs up and chuckled, "How about that? We've all got a surprise for you!"

Xiang You, a bespectacled and well-mannered freshman at Fudan University, suddenly seemed to have triggered something, raising a flag that read "Meat Mountain Demon King," standing on one foot on the railing, and waving it wildly: "Meat Mountain! Meat Mountain! Meat Mountain!"

Seven or eight friends echoed the rhythm, making it surprisingly clear in the already empty venue.

Here, only one name resounds.

Fan Junwei suddenly felt that boxing was pretty good too.
Zhai Da waved his hand, bringing Fan Junwei back to his senses.

Then he pointed ahead to the blue team boxer who swaggered out from the opposite side, looking quite arrogant:

"He's so arrogant, Wei! Save our reminiscing for after the game! Now! Go and crush him!!!"

"Beat him!"

"Fuck him!"

Fan Junwei took a deep breath and glanced at his friends one last time.

When he turned his head again, his eyes already held a chilling murderous intent.

I'm sorry.
I originally wanted to save some energy
(End of this chapter)