HL 28

Xu Nanxiao was stunned at the words.

“I’ll provide the capital, you provide the expertise—we can definitely make it work.” Ying Yusheng nodded with a smile.

Xu Nanxiao looked at him with difficulty. After a long moment, he pressed his hand to his forehead and said, “Ying Yusheng, you really don’t have to…”

“I only brought it up because I think it’s feasible.”

“What if we lose money? Do you want me to end up drowning in even more debt?”

Ying Yusheng didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he held Xu Nanxiao’s hand and gently rubbed his thumb across the webbing between his fingers. Xu Nanxiao suddenly felt that small patch of skin grow itchy and numb, sending faint electric tingles up to his scalp.

“Nanxiao,” Ying Yusheng said softly, “I used to watch your matches.”

Xu Nanxiao frowned, his body trembling slightly.

“In that match, you were unstoppable—you won the national championship. I watched from outside the screen as you raised the trophy in front of thousands, and I thought to myself—this person was born to stand in the boxing ring.”

That memory now felt as distant as if it had happened in a past life.

“Later, when you had your incident and switched to coaching, I always felt it was a shame. Not that coaching is bad, but I didn’t want to see you wasting away in some obscure club—and even more, I didn’t want you to leave an industry you’d given so much to, just because of someone else’s harassment.”

“Actually, I started working on this the moment you began teaching kids.” Ying Yusheng pulled out his phone and showed Xu Nanxiao the screen, filled with dense research data and analytical charts. “You have the professional background of a Grand Slam champion with a championship belt. I have management experience and capital. There’s no reason we can’t make this work.”

Xu Nanxiao looked at those thorough, detailed consultation reports and was momentarily at a loss for words.

“As for the money…” Ying Yusheng put his phone away and said lightly, “I have a lot of it—so much that even if this investment fails, it won’t affect my life. But I believe you won’t lose me money.”

“Don’t get me wrong, Nanxiao—this isn’t charity. It’s an investment. I believe in your ability and your expertise. Give me a chance to help you, and give yourself a chance too. What do you say?”

Xu Nanxiao stared at that outstretched hand, his throat tightening.

He instinctively wanted to use sarcasm to mask his vulnerability in this moment, but he opened his mouth and no words came out.

Something inside his chest was crumbling, and it made him uneasy and flustered. It was as if a scab was being peeled away inch by inch, exposing the tender, fragile new skin underneath.

So he clenched his back teeth as hard as he could, summoning every ounce of strength to force back that damnable ache.

To be honest, Xu Nanxiao still didn’t understand why Ying Yusheng would go this far for him.

Could he trust this person?

After all those years of being ground down, did he still have the scraps of emotion left to give unreservedly to this man?

“…Idiot.” Xu Nanxiao’s voice was low and hoarse, but he gripped Ying Yusheng’s index finger more tightly.

Ying Yusheng knew this meant he’d agreed. He finally curved his eyes and said gently, “Pleasure doing business, Boss Xu.”

“Send me back? Why?” Lu Yingjie froze, then immediately pressed with a hurt tone.

“Didn’t I already tell you? I lost my job—I can barely afford the rent anymore. I’m planning to start something on my own, and I’m going to be crazy busy—won’t have time for you.” Xu Nanxiao bit into a steamed bun, his gaze lowered. “You’ve already finished your thesis. Just wait for graduation—there’s no pressure. Don’t act spoiled with me.”

Lu Yingjie pressed his lips together, was silent for a moment, then suddenly looked up and asked, “How much money do you need?”

“…What?”

“I’ll ask my family for money. I’ll cover the rent and living expenses from now on.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. How could I let a student pay for me?” Xu Nanxiao dismissed him impatiently.

Lu Yingjie froze, then clenched his jaw, feeling the sting of being belittled. He gripped his chopsticks tightly and blurted out without thinking, “What, is it shameful to be supported by me? Ge, right now, aside from that little bit of pride you hold onto in front of me, what else do you have left? Take my money and we’ll both be better off.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Lu Yingjie saw Xu Nanxiao’s dark expression and his heart dropped.

He knew he’d said something wrong.

“Ge, I didn’t mean—”

“Don’t worry, Lu Yingjie. Even without you, I can still feed myself.” Xu Nanxiao sneered, cutting off Lu Yingjie’s unfinished words. “The rent is due on the 12th. You have one week to pack your things.”

“I didn’t mean it that way…”

Lu Yingjie hung his head in regret. After a moment’s hesitation, he carefully asked, “So where are you going to live then?”

“At Ying Yusheng’s place,” Xu Nanxiao said matter-of-factly.

Lu Yingjie froze, his eyes widening slightly.

“What do you mean? Ge, you said you’d be too busy to look after me—but you have time for him?” Lu Yingjie’s voice grew louder. “Is it better with him? You’ve only known each other for half a year—we’ve known each other for sixteen years!”

“That’s because he doesn’t need me to take care of him! And when I said I’m going into business, it’s with him—it’s more convenient to discuss things if we live together!”

Before, it had been fine. Xu Nanxiao had just thought Lu Yingjie hadn’t grown up yet, that he couldn’t let go of his gege. But ever since he’d learned of Lu Yingjie’s feelings, Xu Nanxiao increasingly saw it as a man being jealous of Ying Yusheng.

Realizing that, Xu Nanxiao felt deeply uncomfortable, and his tone grew impatient.

“Finish your meal and go to school. I’ve got things to do—I’m leaving first.”

Lu Yingjie, however, pressed on with venom: “Going to see Professor Ying?”

“None of your damn business.” Xu Nanxiao didn’t look back.

“Don’t go!” Lu Yingjie shouted childishly, but Xu Nanxiao ignored him, grabbing his jacket from the table and getting ready to leave.

“Xu Nanxiao, come back here!” Lu Yingjie suddenly pushed his chair back and stood up, then rushed over in a few strides and grabbed Xu Nanxiao’s arms.

In that moment, Xu Nanxiao’s skin prickled as if electrified, every hair on end. A flood of images rushed through his mind—the hooded man’s figure captured on surveillance footage, his own dazed and debauched expression in those photos, those LV Nike AF1s, and finally, the look in Lu Yingjie’s eyes as he’d stared at his naked body in the bathroom…

Before he even realized it, Xu Nanxiao had shoved him off violently, grabbed him by the collar, and slammed him hard against the wall.

Caught off guard, Lu Yingjie’s head cracked against the wall with a loud thud.

The two brothers stared at each other in shock.

In all their years of knowing each other, they’d never had a real falling-out, let alone such an aggressive posture. Lu Yingjie’s face went pale, his eyes reddening, as he looked at Xu Nanxiao with an accusatory gaze.

Xu Nanxiao’s lips moved, but no words came out. He slowly released his grip and quickly pushed the door open and left.

“Daydreaming?”

Ying Yusheng asked Xu Nanxiao, handing him a mocha.

Xu Nanxiao shook his head, pushing Lu Yingjie out of his mind, and replied flatly, “It’s nothing.”

Ying Yusheng could tell something was on his mind, but didn’t press. Instead, he handed him a stack of documents. “These are the coaches who’ve applied over the past few days. What do you think?”

“Oh.” Xu Nanxiao put down his coffee cup, took the documents, and started flipping through them.

Ying Yusheng stepped closer and stood behind him. Suddenly, he leaned forward, resting his chin on Xu Nanxiao’s shoulder, looking at the papers with him.

Xu Nanxiao’s spine went rigid.

The sensation of that bony chin pressing down was transmitted clearly through the thin fabric of his shirt—carrying the warmth and weight of a human body, a little heavy, a little hard, and carrying an undeniable intimacy.

Xu Nanxiao could feel the other man’s hair brushing against his neck, hear their intermingled breaths, even catch the faint sound of his Adam’s apple moving.

He should push him away, or at least shift aside. This position was too much—beyond the safety distance, beyond the boundary he could comfortably accept.

But… Xu Nanxiao didn’t. He paused for a moment, then simply continued reading.

As he flipped through, Xu Nanxiao frowned.

“What’s wrong? Not satisfied?” Ying Yusheng asked keenly.

“It’s not that I’m dissatisfied—it’s strange.” Xu Nanxiao quickly scanned each resume. “These people are amazing. They could go to much better places—why would they come here?”

[Qiu Teng: Holds USBC coaching certification, has undertaken long-term academic exchanges in Cuba, proficient in integrating American and Cuban boxing systems.]

[Wang Heng: Former WBA Asia lightweight runner-up, career record 28 wins, 7 losses, 11 KOs.]

[Qiao Yuanlong: National elite-level athlete, gold medalist in the 60kg boxing event at the National Games.]

…

You’d think they were selecting national team members.

Ying Yusheng said casually, “Maybe we’re offering higher pay.”

“Professional fighters are worth a lot more than you think—our salary isn’t that high at all.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Ying Yusheng smiled gently. “If you’re satisfied, just bring them all in for a trial. You’re the boss anyway—if there are problems, you can fire them later.”

Ying Yusheng emphasized the word “boss,” and, as expected, saw Xu Nanxiao looking rather pleased. To achieve his goals, he never minded indulging Xu Nanxiao’s fragile pride.

“That makes sense.” When top talent came applying, Xu Nanxiao had no reason to turn them away.

He thought for a moment and nodded. “Fine.”

Everything went unbelievably smoothly.

On the day of the interviews, Xu Nanxiao signed nine coaches in one go. Everyone who came was professional and experienced, some even bringing their own client base along.

It was clearly a good thing, but Xu Nanxiao couldn’t shake a primal unease and restlessness.

Something felt off.

But he couldn’t pinpoint what.

When signing the last coach, Qiao Yuanlong, Xu Nanxiao finally couldn’t help but ask: “With your credentials, you could easily go to a big club. Why come here?”

Qiao Yuanlong gave a simple, honest smile and said with utmost sincerity, “Brother Xiao, I’m your fan!”

“Fan?”

“Back in the day, you were the Grand Slam boxing champion—everyone in the industry knew your name. To be honest, I only got into boxing because I admired you.”

“That’s great, Nanxiao—he’s your fan,” Ying Yusheng chimed in with a smile.

What were the odds that someone, inspired by a former champion who’d retired four years ago, would somehow learn about his new club without any public announcement and show up to apply?

But then Xu Nanxiao thought—why would Qiao Yuanlong have any reason to deceive him?

A fighter’s prime was precious. Even if Qiao Yuanlong did have some ulterior motive, wasting a few years here would be cutting off his nose to spite his face. Besides, Xu Nanxiao was at rock bottom—what could anyone possibly want from him?

Xu Nanxiao looked at Ying Yusheng. He didn’t even realize it himself, but his gaze was filled with reliance and trust.

“What’s wrong?” Ying Yusheng asked curiously.

Since even Ying Yusheng hadn’t noticed anything off, it should probably be fine.

So Xu Nanxiao let out a long breath. “Nothing.”

After the interviews, they grabbed a quick meal together, and then Ying Yusheng drove Xu Nanxiao home.

As soon as Xu Nanxiao got out of the car, he noticed Ying Yusheng getting out too. Not sure what he was up to, Xu Nanxiao raised an eyebrow slightly.

“I’ll walk with you a bit,” Ying Yusheng said with a smile. “I want to ask your opinion on something about the club.”

Xu Nanxiao nodded knowingly. “Go ahead.”

“Any thoughts on the course structure?”

“First, offer group weight-loss classes at the basic level to build up a following. At the intermediate level, focus on personal training for members who want to go deeper. At the top, create a champion class specifically to attract those high-level fighters pursuing the extreme. We’ll need to design a clear progression path ahead of time—for example, after 40 classes, award a club badge. That trick really spurs check-in enthusiasm and boosts renewal rates by at least half.”

“I’m more concerned about safety. How did you handle it before?”

“All members must undergo an ECG screening. Helmets must be WINNING brand. There should always be a coach with an AHA first-aid certification patrolling the floor. Also, the entire floor should be covered with professional wrestling mats—don’t underestimate that; they’re about 15cm thicker than regular gymnastics mats, offering a completely different level of impact protection.”

…

Whenever the topic turned to boxing, Xu Nanxiao spoke with expertise and enthusiasm. Ying Yusheng listened quietly throughout, occasionally tossing out a question to keep the conversation going.

“Later, I want to train a female coach and offer women’s classes. But I’ve never done that before—I’ll have to ask some former female colleagues for advice.”

“A female coach, hmm…” Ying Yusheng hummed thoughtfully, then fell into a meaningful silence.

“What are you thinking?” Xu Nanxiao caught the implication and retorted indignantly. “I would never mess around with a colleague.”

Ying Yusheng’s eyes crinkled again with amusement. “You’d better keep that promise.”

At those words, Xu Nanxiao suddenly felt like he’d fallen into a trap. What benefit was there in agreeing to Ying Yusheng?

So much had happened lately that he hadn’t had time to sleep with any women. And now, before he knew it, he’d be moving back into Ying Yusheng’s house and going celibate again.

Might as well just get his dick chopped off.

Just as Xu Nanxiao was fuming, his phone suddenly started vibrating. He opened it and saw over a dozen messages from Lu Yingjie.

[Ge, why aren’t you home? Where are you?]

[I was in a bad mood this morning—I apologize.]

[Let’s go back and talk properly, okay?]

[I feel like there’s some kind of misunderstanding.]

[Who are you with right now?]

[Ge, reply to me.]

[Ge, why aren’t you checking your phone?]

[Who are you with?]

[I’m coming to find you.]

Lu Yingjie’s dark, murky emotions seeped through between the lines, making Xu Nanxiao’s scalp prickle. The more Lu Yingjie pressed, the less Xu Nanxiao wanted to reply.

He even started to wonder—was it because he’d indulged Lu Yingjie too much as a child that the kid had developed these inappropriate feelings now?

“What’s wrong? What are you looking at?” Ying Yusheng suddenly leaned in, his right hand naturally slipping around Xu Nanxiao’s narrow waist, pulling him closer.

Xu Nanxiao could clearly feel the outline of Ying Yusheng’s chest against his shoulder blades. The whole world seemed to shrink down to that embrace, filled completely by his warmth and scent.

Without thinking, Xu Nanxiao used his elbow to push some distance between them and muttered, “Hands off.”

“Sorry.” Ying Yusheng immediately backed off a little, looking innocent. “I just wanted to be closer to you. Do you not let anyone touch you?”

“That’s not it.”

Leaving aside the fact that Lu Yingjie was always hanging all over him, his club colleagues occasionally joked around and squeezed him too.

But Xu Nanxiao just didn’t want Ying Yusheng to touch him.

Even though Ying Yusheng’s touch was perfectly normal, Xu Nanxiao felt his eyelids twitching, a tingling numbness spreading through him, the area of his waist where the hand rested threatening to go soft. As if his body had already grown accustomed to the other man’s pressure and warmth, craving more—never enough.

Ying Yusheng, unaware of his internal conflict, pressed even closer. “So it’s just me then? Don’t be like that—don’t be so cold to a friend.”

“Tsk, you’re disgusting, man. Friends don’t get handsy either—get off.” Xu Nanxiao laughed and cursed at him.

Just as the two were bickering, Xu Nanxiao suddenly felt someone coming down from upstairs.

He looked up and saw Lu Yingjie standing on the tall steps, staring down at them with an expressionless face.