Li Wei's apartment was small and quiet. The early morning's sun was casting a long shadow from the apartment's window. The subtle breathing of his mother from the other room could be heard throughout the small apartment. Li had barely slept the night. His body was still aching from those blows from yesterday. He forced himself out of the couch he usually slept on, knowing he needed to face another day.
He made his way to the small and cramped kitchen, where he prepared a simple breakfast—some boiled rice and tea. His mother's medicine laid beside him on the counter, which reminded him of her ongoing medical issues. He felt sorry for her. If only there was more he could do for her. He carefully placed a portion of the rice and the cup of tea beside her bed, trying his best not to disturb her up.
"Good morning, Mom," he whispered softly from a distance, fully knowing she probably wouldn't respond. She looked peaceful, but very fragile as her health worsened with each passing day.
He turned around and exited the room, his heart aching from seeing her like this, but there was nothing much he could do.
After getting ready for the day, he quickly gathered all his belongings. He only had some few hours before he had to return to the warehouse for his next fight. His manager had insisted him to fight another match soon, and he usually pressed him often to fight as often as possible. Li Wei really didn't have much of a choice but to obey; each painful fight was a step towards the money he desperately needed.
As he entered the streets of his neighborhood, the bustling roads and the sweet smells were a big contrast to the harsh atmosphere of the warehouse. He passed cheerful street vendors with stalls filled with colorful fruits and vegetables, and children playing in the narrow alleys. Despite all this positivity, it was of little importance to Li Wei, who still felt weighted thinking about today's fight.
He reached a small park in his neighborhood and sat on the empty bench, pulling out a worn notebook that he usually kept with himself at all times. It contained notes on fights, his opponents and possible ways to counter many attacks. Studying his opponents meant he could get less beaten up by them and save himself a lot of pain. He scribbled some notes on moves he observed from his most recent fight with Jiao.
"Li Wei!" A voice called out from the back. It was Mei, a friend of his from when he used to attend school. She was holding her daily groceries and returning from the market nearby. Her bright smile was a very sharp contrast to Li Wei's tired expression.
'Mei,' Li Wei exclaimed, trying to match her cheerful tone. "How are you?"
"I'm doing well," Mei replied while sitting down beside him. "I haven't seen you since you dropped out of school, and you seem pretty bruised up." she commented. "Is everything alright?."
Li Wei shrugged, trying to seem rather casual. "Yeah, everything is fine, I just fell from some stairs yesterday and got some scratches, no big deal."
Mei looked at him with serious concern. "You know, there are other ways one can get help. Maybe you can talk to someone who can help you, and not just with these fights."
Li Wei felt surprised since he hadn't told her anything about his fights, yet he felt it was obvious to notice since word spread so quickly in such a small town. He looked at Mei with unease. "I've tried several times but it's not easy at all. These underground fights bring in quick cash, and it's the only way I can survive at the moment."
Mei felt bad but didn't try to press the issue any further. Instead, she swiftly changed the subject altogether. "I've been meaning to tell you about a job opening at the local supermarket. It's not much, but it might help you out."
"Thanks, Mei. I'll think about it." Li Wei appreciated her concern but knew there was no way he could manage this job with his challenging fight schedules.
They spent the next few minutes chatting about old times, which distracted Li from his growing worries. Eventually, it was time for Li Wei to head to the warehouse. As he walked away, Mei handed him a small bag containing bread and vegetables."Here, take these. It's not much, but I hope it can help."
Li Wei accepted the bag gratefully. "Thanks Mei, I truly appreciate this." Mei's presence was comforting for Li Wei, which gave him the little hope he so much desperately needed.
The grim warehouse emerged ahead as Li Wei approached the outskirts of the city. The all so familiar smell of sweat and the chaotic sound of distant shouting grew louder and louder. He took a deep breath and prepared for today's fight.
Inside the warehouse, the air was buzzing with energy. Fighters were warming up, and spectators were chatting eagerly. Li Wei looked for his manager, who was already discussing details with the bookmakers.
He turned to Li Wei. " Are you ready, boy?" the manager asked with a guileful smile.
Li Wei nodded. The manager approached him and patted him on his back. "Good. We have a tough opponent tonight, so make sure you give the audience a good show."
Li Wei entered the ring. He made sure to warm up just before the fight as his body ached from the previous fight. Standing across him was his opponent. A tall man with a very well built figure. He bolted his eyes on the rather small Li Wei and laughed maniacally, clearly underestimating him. Li Wei took a deep breath, pushing aside the burning pain of his previous fight and entered position.
The bell rang and the first round started. Immediately, Li Wei took several brutal hits that startled him, but he kept coming back for more. This resilience annoyed his opponent, who decided to grow more aggressive with each passing minute. The crowd roared, clearly sensing the intense tension between the two fighters.
By the second round, Li Wei was bruised beyond recognition, but refused to end the fight unless he won. He dodged a few powerful punches and countered with a few swift jabs at his opponent. The impact alone was enough to stagger the hulk, giving Li Wei enough time to take control. A few more punches gave Li Wei enough time to recover from the first round. He had sensed that his opponent was excellent at attacking but rather awful in defending himself, giving Li Wei the immediate edge.
As he turned around and observed the crowd, he noticed an unusual man standing at the edge of the crowd. The man was old, with graying and long hair with a weathered face. His eyes were as sharp as a wolf, fully focused on the fight. Li Wei felt unusual about him.
The bell rang for the final round, pulling back Li Wei's attention to the fight. But even as he traded blows, something about that man seemed unusual. It seemed as though he was observing him from far, studying his every move.
This round was the most punishing yet. Li Wei took several blows to the face, unable to counter such fast attacks. His opponent was intense, but so was he. He had studied his usual moves in the two rounds before and wasted no time to punish his opponent with strong punches to the liver. Him being shorter meant he had a better view of his lower body.
Finally, after what had seemed like an eternity, the bell rang as his opponent fell to the ground, unable to counter Li Wei's attacks. The crowd erupted in cheers, as today's fight came to a halt.
As Li stepped out of the ring exhausted, the old man from the crowd approached him. Up close, the man's presence was now much more commanding than before. "You are a tough kid.," he said. "You don't give up, do you?"
Li Wei smiled, too tired to speak.
The man studied Li Wei for a moment. He extended his hands. "The name's Wang Shu, but just call me coach. I've seen many during my time but something tells me you are special. How about you visit my gym tomorrow? I feel as though we can help each other out."
Li Wei looked at the man and felt as though there was sincerity in the man's eyes. After a moment of hesitation, he took the man's hand and shook it firmly.
"Thank you, coach," he said. "I'll come by when I have the chance."
The coach nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow. Rest up kid"
As Li left the warehouse, he felt uncertain about this coach. But little did he know that from today onwards, that his life was about to change for the better, and they really would help each other when they most needed it.