“Did you four brothers go mining?” Zou Yang, still lying on the floor without moving, turned his head sideways to look at his dorm mates standing beside the training platform.

“Internal conflict,” Liu Wenrui shook the bag in his hand. “The few of us grabbed the ore and ran away.”

“Psychos,” Zou Yang laughed.

“Is he done training, Coach Fan?” Zhang Chuanlong came over, bent down, and patted the platform.

“Still have a bit more,” Fan Jun said as he stood up.

“We want a trial lesson,” Zhang Chuanlong said.

“What kind of lesson?” Fan Jun paused.

“A group class. For the three of us,” Zhang Chuanlong said.

“Weren’t you supposed to take Coach Tan’s class?” Fan Jun remembered quite clearly.

“He’s too embarrassed,” Liu Wenrui said.

“It’s fine,” Fan Jun took off his boxing gloves, extended his hand in front of Zou Yang, and glanced over at Tan Ru. “Once we start training, I probably won’t have time to look after you anyway.”

Zou Yang reached out his right hand, which was still wearing a boxing glove. Fan Jun swatted his wrist: “The other hand.”

“My right hand is already healed.” Zou Yang had no choice but to extend his left hand.

Fan Jun grabbed his wrist and hauled him up.

If Fan Jun hadn’t pulled him up right then, he really wouldn’t have wanted to move. He was quite tired.

Over there, Tan Ru’s student looked even more miserable than him, sitting on the floor refusing to get up and panting heavily. Tan Ru had both hands extended in front of him, clapping loudly: “Come on! Keep going! Get up! Hey! Five more minutes.”

…Compared to that, Fan Jun was indeed the gentlest coach in the hall.

“Last round,” Fan Jun patted the protective gear on his body. “Front kicks.”

“Mhm.” Zou Yang hopped up and down a bit to adjust his breathing.

“Come on,” Fan Jun nodded. “Watch the angle.”

“Mhm,” Zou Yang responded. He quickly ran through what Fan Jun had taught him earlier in his mind, and immediately launched a kick.

It was very crisp, and the speed was fast.
This kick was stronger than before. Fan Jun took a step back: “Keep going.”

At the same time he spoke, Zou Yang closed the distance again and kicked.
The sound of the impact against the protective gear was dull and solid.

“Watch your left leg,” Fan Jun moved forward.
Zou Yang retreated half a step, followed by another kick.

“Again. Don’t stop,” Fan Jun said.
Zou Yang stabilized his body and launched a continuous attack, kicking Fan Jun’s body time and time again.

“Waist,” Fan Jun reminded him as he retreated. “Hips. Center of gravity…”

Following his instructions, Zou Yang threw a barrage of front kicks at him. It had to be said—a coach is a coach. While Fan Jun had his guard up, there was absolutely no chance of kicking him down.

After the final kick, Fan Jun had retreated to the edge of the training platform: “Good.”

Zou Yang stopped, leaning his hands on his knees.
After that barrage of kicks, his last ounce of strength was gone. It felt genuinely great, but he was also genuinely exhausted.

“Badass.” Liu Wenrui stood next to the training platform holding his phone. “I recorded the entire process of Brother Fan being kicked by you without the power to fight back.”

“Have some shame,” Zou Yang shot him a look.

“Are you done with class? Going to take photos?” Liu Wenrui asked.
Zou Yang turned his head to look at Coach Fan.

“Go change your clothes,” Fan Jun lifted his chin.

“We need to borrow the locker room,” Liu Wenrui said, lowering his voice again. “Lü Ze isn’t here, right?”

“Members can use it,” Fan Jun said. “Weren’t you guys going to buy a lesson?”

“Right,” Zhang Chuanlong said. “Right, we are members.”

Fan Jun took off his boxing gloves, sat on the edge of the training platform, and glanced toward the locker room. Zou Yang and the others had already reached the door. He could still hear the sound of them talking—it sounded lively and happy.

What about you? Are you used to it?

He couldn’t say for sure. He dealt with different students every day, after all: kids, adults, the slow ones, the smart ones, the chatty ones, the quiet ones…
It seemed like he could get used to all of them. There was nothing to not be used to.

But… it took him quite a while to process what Li Zhiyue had meant by that remark earlier.
Whereas Zou Yang had caught on in less than a second.

This was their most ordinary daily life.
He still wasn’t used to it, he supposed.
It was a completely different state of existence; it couldn’t even be discussed in terms of ‘being used to it’ or not.

“How about you change into that outfit from yesterday?” Rongrong stood there with her arms crossed, resting her chin on her fingers, looking at Fan Jun. “I’m bored of seeing you in this sporty style.”

“I’m not taking pictures,” Fan Jun said, his voice low.

Zou Yang, who was talking with Li Zhiyue, turned his head to look at him.

“Huh?” Rongrong paused, looking a bit disappointed.

“…Take theirs first,” Fan Jun said. “I’ll… decide later.”

“Alright,” Rongrong picked up her camera and waved her hand. “Handsome guys, who’s going first?”

“Me!” Liu Wenrui was very enthusiastic.

“Just stand over here by the wall,” Rongrong said. “Let Fan Jun help you pose.”

There was a wall in the dance studio draped with a backdrop, and quite a few props specifically for taking photos were placed nearby.
There were also two large softbox lights on stands.

Liu Wenrui went over very eagerly, but once he stood there, he didn’t know what to do with his hands or feet. After a moment, he suddenly remembered: “Brother Fan! Help me!”

“What kind of…” Fan Jun walked over. “Pose do you want?”

“Do a kicking one, like how Zou Yang just kicked you,” Liu Wenrui said.

“Then face the President,” Fan Jun grasped his shoulder. “Lift your right leg… bring your knee up, right, lean your body back… keep your back straight…”

The moment Fan Jun’s hand touched Liu Wenrui’s back, the pose he had previously set completely fell apart.
“Hehehehehehe…”

The whole group instantly burst out laughing.

“Hehe my ass,” Fan Jun grabbed Liu Wenrui by his clothes as he tried to dodge away and dragged him back to the spot. “Stand properly.”

“Hehehe… Fuck,” Liu Wenrui laughed while re-setting his pose.

“Don’t wobble,” Rongrong adjusted the lighting and raised her camera.

“This is impossible, I’m standing on one leg here like a golden rooster.” Liu Wenrui’s leg kept alternating between lifting up and tapping the ground.
After alternating a few times, the pose completely warped.

“How was I supposed to pose again?” he looked at Fan Jun.

Fan Jun had no choice but to do an identical front-kick pose beside him.

“Might as well just take a picture of Fan Jun directly,” Zou Yang leaned against the wall nearby with his arms crossed. “After you’re done, Photoshop Liu Wenrui’s head onto it.”

“Get lost,” Liu Wenrui said. “More than ten years of childhood friendship and this is what I get?”

“Use burst mode,” Fan Jun said after finishing his demonstration, walking over to Rongrong to look at the camera screen.

“Burst mode is the only way.” Rongrong raised the camera. The moment Liu Wenrui lifted his leg, the shutter clattered continuously.
Sounded like twenty or thirty shots.
Thank goodness it was a digital camera.
Praise Cézanne.

Liu Wenrui struggled for twenty minutes and managed to finish the three poses he wanted. They were all leg-related, which was extremely exhausting.
However, Rongrong quickly came up with a solution. She had them take down a steel pole from the dance studio and move it in front of the backdrop, so they could use it to support their trembling legs when kicking.

“Just Photoshop the pole out when editing,” Rongrong said.

“As expected of the proprietor,” Li Zhiyue said.

“Just call me President,” Rongrong said. “It sounds more satisfying.”

“Are you not going to take any?” Zou Yang asked Fan Jun softly beside him.

“I…” Fan Jun glanced at him. “It’s fine… I’ve already taken some. Let’s finish yours first.”

“Not even solo shots?” Zou Yang asked.

“I… hm?” Fan Jun paused.

“Hmm what,” Zou Yang looked over at Zhang Chuanlong, who was currently struggling to use the steel pole to inch his leg up higher, pretending he could kick above his own head.

Fan Jun didn’t speak, and Zou Yang said nothing more. The two of them stood in silence, watching the highly enthusiastic group over there.

After a long time, Fan Jun finally spoke again in a low voice: “I feel a bit… awkward. Last time I took photos, it was just Lü Ze and me.”

“Have you not taken photos before?” Zou Yang asked.

“Never taken this kind before,” Fan Jun said.

Artistic photos? Well, Zou Yang had never taken those either.
But he felt that wasn’t what Fan Jun meant.
Then what did he mean by ‘this kind’? Zou Yang didn’t press further. Although he couldn’t articulate it specifically, he… could understand.

“Zou Yang!” Liu Wenrui shouted from over there. “Who’s going first out of you and Fan Jun?”

Fan Jun didn’t make a sound.

“We’ll go together,” Zou Yang said.

“You’re not doing solo shots anymore?” Li Zhiyue asked.

“Nope,” Zou Yang stretched. As he walked over, he turned back to look at Fan Jun and said in a low voice, “Go change your clothes.”

Fan Jun paused for two seconds: “Mhm.”

“He went to change?” Rongrong watched Fan Jun turn and walk out the door.

“Didn’t you say you were sick of his sporty style?” Zou Yang said.

“It’s true, he looks like a coach every single day.” Rongrong connected her camera to a tablet, letting Liu Wenrui and the others pick their photos, then glanced at Xiao Bai, who was lying by the door. “Do you two want to include the dog? Xiao Bai looks way too cool, it’d be a waste not to use such a great prop.”

Zou Yang looked at the dog.
The dog sensed his gaze, lifted his head to look over, and the moment they made eye contact, he opened his mouth and let his tongue loll out.

“I smile the moment I see you…” Rongrong sang a line. “Oh my god, Xiao Bai is too cute.”

Cute?
Isn’t he terrifying?

Zou Yang stood next to Fan Jun. Even with Fan Jun standing between him and the dog, Xiao Bai still had an immense presence in his peripheral vision.

“Should Zou Yang crouch down, and Fan Jun… stand a bit behind?” Rongrong pondered. “And Xiao Bai… sits next to Zou Yang?”

“A dog trainer with his two dogs, is that the vibe?” Zou Yang asked.

The group over there laughed quite loudly.

“Hey!” Rongrong laughed and shouted. “I’m not a professional either! I don’t know how to pose guys!”

“Put the dog in the middle, and the two of you standing on either side would look really cool,” Li Zhiyue said.

“Yeah,” Liu Wenrui gestured. “The two of you could both look at the dog, too.”

“There’s still time to kill me right now,” Zou Yang said.

“Just hold out for a bit,” Liu Wenrui said. “For the sake of looking cool, just pretend it’s a cat.”

“Whose cat weighs over eighty pounds?” Zou Yang said.

“Brother Fan, you just swap places with Xiao Bai,” Zhang Chuanlong said. “Zou Yang doesn’t need to move.”

Fan Jun didn’t move; he glanced at Zou Yang.
Zou Yang gritted his teeth and tilted his head slightly, signaling for him to swap places with the dog.

Fan Jun made a hand gesture. Xiao Bai smoothly circled around to his right side, swapping places with him, but keeping as much distance from Zou Yang as possible.

“Closer,” Zou Yang could see the two of them and the dog in the mirror opposite them.

Fan Jun didn’t have any other pants here, so he had just changed into a pair of denim shorts, paired with the same black T-shirt from yesterday. Zou Yang was wearing a white T-shirt and jeans, and standing between them was a sharp-eyed black Doberman.
Fan Jun wasn’t wearing his hat right now, and the scars on his face looked quite intimidating.

Standing like this, the two men and one dog did indeed look very cool.

“Is Xiao Bai afraid of Zou Yang?” Rongrong asked, holding up her camera.

“Let him come closer.” Zou Yang looked at the dog in the mirror ahead.
Following Fan Jun’s command, the dog pressed up against Zou Yang’s leg.

“Good!” Rongrong shouted. “Just stand like that, don’t move, relax a bit… So handsome! Hold it! Good!”

Zou Yang looked at Fan Jun in the mirror, and Fan Jun was also looking at him through the mirror. He smiled.

“Ah, good! Smiling is good too!” Rongrong raised a hand. “Fan Jun, smile too.”

Fan Jun followed suit and smiled slightly.

“Both of you, look at Xiao Bai.” Rongrong directed.
They both looked down at Xiao Bai. Xiao Bai stared straight ahead with a resolute gaze, unmoved.

“Make Xiao Bai lift his head,” Liu Wenrui said.

Fan Jun raised his hand and snapped his fingers above Xiao Bai’s head, and at that exact moment, Rongrong pressed the shutter: “This pose is great.”

Xiao Bai lifted his head, and Fan Jun said “Stay.” Xiao Bai kept his head up and stayed perfectly still.
The shutter clicked several more times over there.

“Looks great, both the people and the dog are photogenic,” Rongrong said. “I’m going to take a few solo shots of Xiao Bai later.”

Taking the group photos with the dog only took a few minutes, but Zou Yang felt his back go completely stiff. Fortunately, his fear of Xiao Bai didn’t seem as intense as before.
Of course, it still wouldn’t work with any other dog; he was just somewhat familiar with Xiao Bai now.

The rest of the shoot was much more relaxed. The group stood on the sidelines, pointing and gesturing to arrange poses for the two of them: crouching, standing, kicking, turning sideways together, showing their backs together…

The group chatted and laughed, their voices mingling together and echoing through the dance studio, occasionally sounding indistinct… The softbox lights were quite bright. Without the hat to shield him, the lighting and the sounds around him made Fan Jun feel slightly dazed, mixed with a hint of unease…

“OK…” Rongrong’s voice seemed far away and indistinct. He didn’t know where she was, nor could he see her lips moving.
“This set is better than ours…” Liu Wenrui’s voice also sounded, still indistinct.

“Fan Jun.” Zou Yang’s voice.
“Hm?” Fan Jun responded.

Zou Yang was standing right in front of him. He reached up and placed the hat back onto his head.

The moment the brim of the hat blocked out the glare of the lights, the sounds and visuals snapped back to his surroundings, along with Zou Yang’s face right in front of him.

“When these photos come out, we definitely have to blow them up and hang them in the dorm hallway!” Zhang Chuanlong said.
“Then I’m applying to become a commuter student,” Zou Yang turned his head and said.

Fan Jun smiled.

“You okay?” Zou Yang asked in a low voice.

“I’m fine,” Fan Jun said. “Just… got a little dizzy.”

Zou Yang turned, walked over to the softbox light, examined it for a moment, and turned it off.

“Is Coach Fan here?” Tan Ru poked his head into the dance studio.

“Here,” Fan Jun answered. “What is it?”

“Some people came,” Tan Ru walked in. “Said they’re the landlord looking for Lü Ze. I told them Lü Ze wasn’t here, but they won’t leave. They’re just sitting out there.”

“The landlord?” Fan Jun paused. “I’ll go take a look.”

The landlord has come with ill intentions.
When Zou Yang saw the landlord and the people he brought, that was his first reaction.
So when the landlord saw their large group of people walking out, he was also clearly taken aback for a moment.

“Uncle Liu, Boss Lü went into the city,” Fan Jun took a few bottles of water from the fridge and handed them to the landlord and his group. “When he gets back, I’ll have him go find you?”

“It won’t do if he doesn’t see me about this,” the landlord glanced at the water in Fan Jun’s hand but didn’t take it. “I told him about this two months ago. That counts as half a year’s advance notice…”

“Told him what?” Fan Jun placed the water on the table near the landlord’s hand.

The landlord didn’t say anything; he just frowned, looking somewhat impatient.

Fan Jun also stopped speaking. He leaned silently against the edge of the front desk, looking at him.

“Did he not tell you? Well, that’s his business then. I don’t care how you guys discussed it…” The landlord finally spoke again after a long while, speaking unhurriedly while reaching out his hand to grab the water on the table.

But his hand grasped empty air.
At the exact moment he reached out, Zou Yang reached over and took the water off the table.
He unscrewed the cap, tilted his head back, and started drinking.

“How about you tell me about it first,” Fan Jun turned around, grabbed another bottle of water, and placed it near the landlord’s hand.

The landlord smiled and went silent again.

“Can you make the decisions? It’s useless telling you if you can’t make the call,” one of the people the landlord had brought along interjected.

“What kind of business could a landlord have? It’s nothing more than whether to rent or not to rent…” Zou Yang walked behind the front desk, sat down, and glanced at Fan Jun. “Do you have the contract?”

Fan Jun looked at him, paused for two seconds, then pulled a folder out from a locked drawer under the desk and flipped to the contract.

Zou Yang pushed up his glasses. It didn’t matter if he could fully understand it or not; he’d read it first and figure it out later.