The warehouse was lit dimly, the only light coming was from a flickering bulb on the ceiling above. The chaotic crowd which gathered around this badly improvised boxing ring roared with excitement, their twisted faces unnoticeable in the gloom. The odor of sweat and stale beer filled the air, mixing with the disorderly cheer and shouts of the crowd. In the corner of the said ring stood Li Wei, his body tense with unease.

It was not that hard to understand the situation he was in. Li Wei, still only just eighteen, was in the middle of an illegal underground boxing session, a risky location where the rules were none yet the stakes were high. Li Wei observed his opponent standing across the ring. They used to call him Jiao. He seemed like this brutal hulk ,his muscles bulging under his shirt. Jiao was known for his painful punches, and his dangerous reputation had made him the talk of today's fight. 

Both fighters bolted their eyes on their opponent. In the blink of an eye, the bell was sounded and the fight began. 

Almost instantaneously, Jiao charged at Li Wei with an aggressive snarl. Li Wei used his body to move quickly, dodging the first few punches. His footwork was rather light, his movement rather swift, but Jiao's size meant there was no room for even small mistakes.

In an instant, the first strike of the fight landed–a massive right hook that sent Li Wei crashing to the ground. The crowd's roar grew louder, a mix of jeers and taunts. Li Wei shook his head and forced himself back on his feet. He wiped the blood flowing from his lip and took a few heavy gasps. He couldn't afford to lose. Not now, not ever.

At the right opportunity, a sharp jab from Li Wei caught Jiao off guard. For a moment, time froze for Li Wei, as Jiao wobbled in the center of the ring, but he instantaneously recovered and retaliated with an uppercut. Li Wei staggered back, his vision blurred from such a blow to the face, wasted no time and quickly fixed his form and forced himself forward. He had a fight to win, and wasting time was not going to get him anywhere.

With a thunder, Li Wei pushed himself up once more. His legs felt weak and his arms screamed in pain, but he couldn't digest the idea of giving up. This was not just a fight for him. Losing meant he could not get the already little prize money that was keeping him alive. For him this was survival. The bell rang, signaling the end of the final round. Li was exhausted, his face bruised and swollen, but at least he was still on his feet, and that meant he didn't lose the fight, he thought to himself.

The referee, who seemed like a sturdy man with a very rough voice, looked at Li Wei with surprise. "You've got guts, kid,I'll give you that" he said, before turning to Jiao. "But it's hard to see you keep these fights up much longer." It was hard to argue with him, all these injuries at such a young age meant his body was taking a serious toll. It was his third fight this week.

Li Wei stumbled out of the old and ragged ring, his body aching all over. He was interrupted by his manager, waving at him. His manager was a very thin man with this cunning smile that was always extruded from his face. "Not bad, not bad at all kid," the manager said, while lighting his cigarette. "But remember this, the more you fight, the more you owe me for bringing you here. Don't forget that."

Li Wei nodded rather forcefully, barely able to utter a word. His gut knew that this manager of his was only taking advantage of him, but he didn't really have a lot of choices. He desperately needed the money from these fights to somehow support himself and someone else.

 As he left the crowded warehouse, the fresh air outside was like a welcome relief to him from the suffocating heat inside.

Walking home, Li Wei's thoughts were on his life. He was living in poor conditions, and he had to take care of his elderly mother waiting at home. He had promised himself a better life for the sake of his mother, but fighting like this for little money was certainly not the answer. Though he had no choice.

As he reached the small apartment, he saw his weak mother sitting by the window looking into the night sky, her face frail but hopeful. "How did it go?" she asked weakly.

Li Wei forced a fake smile, even though it hurt his injured face. "I won, Mom. Just a few more fights, and things might just get better for us."

His mother nodded at him, her eyes welling up in tears. "Please don't push yourself harder than you can manage." she said. "I know you will make it, I believe in you."

He sat beside her, holding her delicate hands tightly. He knew he couldn't keep doing this for longer if he needed a better life, but he also knew he couldn't stop just yet. He had to keep on fighting, not only in that old ragged ring but also for his family , also for his future.