Chapter 143: Chapter 82: First Time as a Teacher, Not Bad at All

The day after Zhao Jinze showed up, Zhao Rui and Zhao Ke returned to Lin City.

Their original plan to go hiking and sightseeing in the nearby counties would have to wait until the New Year.

They arrived home on the 24th of the twelfth lunar month, the day of the Little New Year in the north. As the old saying goes, “Officials on the 23rd, commoners on the 24th.”

The saying referred to this very occasion.

Zhao Rui didn’t say much about what had happened back in his hometown. ’Even if I told them, my parents wouldn’t understand.’

By comparison, his eldest and third uncles were indeed more capable than his own father.

This was an indisputable fact.

The next day, Tian Yaru called, saying she wanted to come hang out with the two brothers.

Zhao Rui had gotten his fill of beating up his younger brother back home. He’d also managed to copy two sets of Martial Arts and accumulate two Advancement Points.

But it had also made his hands itch for more.

Not in the mood to entertain the girl, Zhao Rui made an excuse, got on his bicycle early in the morning, and started wandering the streets.

He’d relaxed for long enough. ’It’s time to start accumulating Advancement Points.’

’It would be great if I could break through to Level 9 in the second semester of my freshman year.’

Zhao Rui scanned the advertising signs on both sides of the road as he slowly pedaled along.

’Celestial Pride Martial Arts Hall?’

’Nice name!’ Zhao Rui decisively rode over, locked his bike, and walked up the steps.

“A sparring partner? What’s your Level?”

“Level 7!”

“Level 7? A Level 7 like you is out looking for work as a sparring partner? We’re short on instructors. You should join us!”

“Uh… I guess that could work, but I’m just looking for a winter break job.”

“Oh? You’re a university student, right? What year? Which school?”

“Freshman! Dongqi University.”

“A freshman?”

The receptionist’s expression froze. A Level 7 freshman, and from a top-tier school like Dongqi University at that.

’This is no ordinary Martial Arts Student,’ he thought, then immediately smiled. “A winter break job? No problem! I’ll get you registered right now!”

“Don’t you need to inform the boss?”

“I am the boss. Don’t worry! I’ll pay you three hundred per class.”

The boss said readily, as if afraid Zhao Rui might run off.

Zhao Rui scratched his head. ’Three hundred per class isn’t bad. I’ll work here for a couple of days and see how many Martial Arts I can copy. That’s the most important part.’

The boss’s surname was Song, and he had a round, roly-poly figure. He led Zhao Rui upstairs.

Upstairs was a massive Martial Arts Hall, a single, open space stretching from one end of the building to the other, with no separate rooms.

Inside the hall, a handful of people were practicing fixed techniques under the guidance of an instructor, shouting, “HYA! HA!”

“Boss, is this everyone?”

Zhao Rui had a feeling this place was about to go out of business.

“No, there are plenty more. I have other branches. This is just a fraction of them.”

Boss Song laughed sheepishly.

“Oh!”

Zhao Rui acknowledged him. ’Well, better than nothing,’ he thought. ’I’ll stay for a couple of days and see what happens.’

Boss Song showed Zhao Rui around the place and scheduled him to come teach a class at two in the afternoon.

An instructor was different from a sparring partner; an instructor had to lead students.

Boss Song had to assign some students to Zhao Rui. Otherwise, what class could a teacher with no students possibly teach?

After settling the arrangements, Zhao Rui left the Celestial Pride Martial Arts Hall on his bike and continued to wander the streets.

He hadn’t gone far before he saw another Martial Arts Hall, but this one was called the Huasheng Martial Arts Competition Club.

It looked like a place for adults to engage in combat sports.

Zhao Rui hopped off his bike and went to check this place out too.

This establishment was clearly in a different league from the last one. As soon as he entered, he was greeted by a luxuriously decorated reception hall.

Large guest sofas and an exquisite coffee table laden with fruit and candies gave the place an orderly and sophisticated air.

“Hello, sir. Are you here to register?”

The receptionist was a graceful woman in a tight-fitting dress with a slit that went high up her thigh.

Seeing Zhao Rui approach, she greeted him warmly.

“I’m just looking.”

“Then allow me to give you an introduction!”

Hearing this, the woman quickly led Zhao Rui to a sofa in the rest area, poured him a glass of water, and began to explain the details of the Martial Arts Hall.

This Martial Arts Hall was completely different from a teaching-focused one. It was more of a club. Most of its members were Martial Dao enthusiasts—people who might have been Martial Arts Students or apprentices in the past but had average talent and later pursued other careers.

Or they were ordinary people who had never received professional training but were obsessed with Martial Arts.

In short, its members came from all walks of life.

Everyone was there for the hobby—to practice Martial Arts together, watch matches, get together, drink some beer, and shoot the breeze.

When Zhao Rui heard this, he thought, ’This could work, too. With so many people, the Martial Arts will be diverse. I might find some obscure styles I’ve never learned before.’

He quickly said, “I’d like to apply to be an instructor or a sparring partner. What’s the process here?”

“An instructor?”

The woman sized Zhao Rui up and frowned. “Are you a Martial Arts Student? What Level are you? Have you even graduated from high school?”

Zhao Rui nodded.

“Level 7, a university freshman, and an adult.”

Hearing this, the woman’s eyes instantly lit up. “That’s acceptable. However, the salary for a holiday instructor isn’t very high here…”

“Can I be paid based on the number of people I teach? For example, if someone chooses me, I get paid a few hundred per session. I’d only come in when I have students, so I wouldn’t interfere with your regular classes.”

The woman frowned slightly upon hearing Zhao Rui’s request.

“How about this: you go home for now, and I’ll ask the boss.”

The woman said with a smile.

Zhao Rui grunted in acknowledgment, then got up to leave.

After leaving the club, Zhao Rui picked another Martial Arts Hall and explained his situation again, only to be told he would have to wait for a call back there as well.

Neither was as straightforward as the first place.

After wandering around all morning, Zhao Rui finally started heading home on his bike.

Halfway there, his phone started ringing.

It was Tian Yaru. She said she and Zhao Ke were going out for lunch and wouldn’t be taking him along.

The girl was clearly angry that Zhao Rui had stood her up.

’Fine, don’t take me then.’

Zhao Rui hung up. Just as he was about to grab a bite from a street food stall, Yang Fan called. He said they were planning a class reunion after the New Year, tentatively set for the sixth day of the first lunar month.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep