What Does It Have to Do with Me?

Zhao Xin didn't notice Shen Qian as he and his mother sat down at a nearby table.

"I didn't expect the Nancheng branch to be this crowded. Looks like we'll have to wait a while," Zhao Xin frowned.

"Who would've thought?" his mother, Zhong Xiaoli, said impatiently. "Nancheng is basically a slum, yet even their martial arts gym is packed. I still have a mahjong game to catch!"

"They're probably from other districts," Zhao Xin replied indifferently.

Hearing their conversation made Shen Qian uncomfortable.

In a way, their assumptions weren't entirely wrong.

Martial arts training wasn't cheap. Only middle-class families could afford to send their kids to a dojo long-term. If it weren't for the unexpected windfall Shen Qian recently received, he wouldn't have chosen this place either.

Just then, the reception room door opened, and a middle-aged man in a business suit walked in.

"Hello, I'm Zheng, the sales manager of the Nancheng branch. Thank you for waiting. Please follow me."

Shen Qian nodded and was about to stand when a voice interrupted.

"Hey, aren't you… Shen, Shen… What was your name again?" Zhao Xin, seemingly recognizing him, stood up with uncertainty.

"Shen Qian," he replied flatly.

"Oh, right! Shen Qian… Mom, he's the son of Dad's colleague—the one who asked Dad for help last time. We even went to his house," Zhao Xin explained to his puzzled mother.

Zhong Xiaoli suddenly understood. "Oh, you mean the family that thought two hundred thousand yuan was enough to get into the military?"

Shen Qian caught the disdain in her tone and frowned slightly, not bothering to respond. He turned to Manager Zheng and said, "Let's go."

"Wait a moment," Zhong Xiaoli suddenly blocked their path, smiling. "Xiao Shen, you see, Auntie and Zhao Xin came all the way from the east side of the city. I still have some urgent matters to—"

"And that… has what to do with me?" Shen Qian chuckled.

Zhong Xiaoli was momentarily stunned, as if she hadn't expected such a blunt response.

"How about letting Auntie go first? You can wait just a little longer," she said, trying again. "After all, your house is nearby—"

"My house is close, yes. But again… what does that have to do with you?" Shen Qian chuckled again.

"You…" Zhong Xiaoli's expression darkened as she narrowed her eyes. "You may not realize this, but the favor your parents asked of us could very well determine your entire future."

"So, if I let you cut in line today, you'll guarantee my admission to the military?" Shen Qian took out his wristband.

"Well, that—"

Zhong Xiaoli froze, unable to continue, because she clearly saw Shen Qian pressing the recording button.

Seeing this, Shen Qian sneered and turned to leave with Manager Zheng.

"I'm curious—where did you get the money for a martial arts gym membership?"

Zhao Xin, who had been silent, suddenly smirked.

Shen Qian didn't want to respond, but he could feel Manager Zheng's hesitation beside him.

To be fair, Shen Qian's attire did look shabby—his school uniform was washed so many times it had faded, his canvas shoes were nearly white from overuse, and even his backpack looked worn out.

Zhong Xiaoli caught on quickly and clicked her tongue at Manager Zheng. "For a chain like Jiuzhou Martial Arts Gym, a membership card must cost at least a few thousand yuan, right? This kid's family isn't well-off. Last time, his parents barely scraped together two hundred thousand yuan to ask me for a favor. Do you really think he could afford a membership?"

Zhao Xin laughed. "Mom, you don't know this, but some martial arts gyms offer free trial sessions. I remember some of my broke classmates used to take advantage of that. There are five or six gyms in Jingcheng alone—just hopping around for free training sessions is a pretty sweet deal."

Zheng Nanfeng's expression turned cold as if he recalled something unpleasant. His gaze toward Shen Qian became distant.

"I'm telling you, we're definitely signing up for a membership today. Are you really going to pass up a guaranteed commission?" Zhong Xiaoli pressed.

"Student, this lady seems to be in a hurry. I apologize, but would you mind waiting a bit longer? I'll have another staff member assist you shortly."

Zheng Nanfeng made a quick decision and turned his attention to Zhao Xin and his mother.

Zhong Xiaoli shot Shen Qian a contemptuous glance before following Zheng Nanfeng out of the reception room with Zhao Xin, who smirked smugly.

Shen Qian opened his mouth but said nothing in the end.

What was he supposed to do? Slam his bank card on Zheng Nanfeng's face and yell, "Open your damn eyes?"

That was just too childish.

Instead, he simply reinforced his determination to make his father demand their money back as soon as possible.

Shaking his head, Shen Qian decided he couldn't be bothered to wait anymore. Just as he was about to leave, a girl carrying a teapot walked in and was momentarily surprised.

"Huh? You're still here? I told Manager Zheng to attend to you. I saw him leading someone away and thought you had already left…"

"I was just about to go."

Shen Qian didn't explain further, but the girl quickly pieced things together. She put down the teapot and grabbed the sleeve of his uniform.

"How about… I show you around?"

"You?" Shen Qian was taken aback.

"Yeah, I help out sometimes when it gets busy. Don't be mad, their sales targets are tough, so they might get a little… careless. I'll apologize on their behalf," the girl said sincerely. "I'm still an intern, though, so my explanations might not be perfect. But if you don't mind…"

Shen Qian looked at the girl, who seemed about his age. She had a delicate, oval-shaped face with a hint of cuteness, and her dark eyes were full of sincerity. In the end, he nodded.

It wasn't about being petty. Jiuzhou Martial Arts Gym was genuinely close to his home, and in terms of facilities, it was among the best chain brands. He wasn't going to let one salesman's attitude ruin it for him.

"Our Jiuzhou Martial Arts Gym was founded 87 years ago, with its first branch in Modu…"

As she led Shen Qian through the hallway, the girl introduced the gym's history.

The first floor housed a massive, 500-square-meter training hall. One side was filled with various training equipment—machines for strength, flexibility, speed, muscle activation, and even skin density enhancement.

Shen Qian scanned the room. Though not as advanced as the school's testing facility, it was still well-equipped.

On the other side were three tiered sparring rings, with a lounge area nearby that could accommodate dozens of people.

"This is the public training area, accessible to all membership levels. Except for high-end simulation machines, all the equipment here is less than three years old," the girl explained with a smile.

"What are they looking at?"

Shen Qian pointed toward a corner of the hall.

The first-floor public area was bustling, but most people were gathered in front of a large electronic screen, engaged in hushed discussions.

"Oh, that's our gym's ranking board. Want to check it out? It's part of the tour!"

The girl grinned and took Shen Qian's hand, leading him toward the crowd.