Chapter 7: A Personal Training Session

The cafeteria was as noisy as ever at noon. Li Hang took his tray to a corner. Once again, he’d chosen a light meal: steamed fish, stir-fried greens, and less than half a bowl of rice.

The cafeteria lady wasn’t shocked this time, though she did give him another look. He picked up a piece of fish and chewed. Wasn’t the portion awfully small? And weren’t there too few greens? As for the rice… could that even be called a serving? It wasn’t enough to fill the gaps between his teeth.

He felt capable of eating an entire cow. No, two.

His previous appetite and the original owner’s stretched stomach combined into a hunger so fierce his hands trembled. He took a deep breath and forced it down. He couldn’t give in and waste all his effort. He’d lost a jin yesterday and received a hundred million yuan. If he ate freely today and regained the weight tomorrow, what if he had to pay the money back?

He finished his meal slowly, then sat for another ten minutes to let it settle.

After two, Li Hang called a ride. Coach Fang’s gym was in a commercial district four or five kilometers east of Magic City University, about ten minutes away by car.

When it arrived, Li Hang opened the rear door. The driver glanced at him in the mirror and froze.

“Aochuang Fitness Center, please.”

The driver tapped the steering wheel. “Uh… brother, my car’s a little small. Maybe you could…”

Li Hang sighed inwardly and pulled out his phone. “I’ll add ten yuan.”

The driver hesitated, comparing Li Hang’s size with the width of the back seat. “It’s not about the money…”

“Twenty.”

“Get in.”

He pushed the front passenger seat all the way forward. Li Hang turned sideways, eased one leg in, then slowly maneuvered the rest of his body into the car. His belly pressed against the front seat, his knees almost touching his chin. When the door shut, he felt the car sink.

The driver glanced in the mirror, appeared about to speak, then silently started the car. Neither spoke on the way. The air-conditioning was on full blast, but Li Hang still broke into a light sweat. Fortunately, they arrived in about ten minutes.

Aochuang Fitness Center occupied the second floor of a commercial building. Its black-and-white sign had sharp, stylish lines. Li Hang looked up from the street and messaged Coach Fang: “I’m downstairs.”

The reply came almost immediately. “I’ll come get you.”

A man in his thirties soon emerged. He wasn’t tall, but he was solidly built, with broad shoulders and clearly defined muscles beneath a tight workout shirt. His step faltered when he saw Li Hang, but he quickly resumed his professional smile.

[Ding! Shock Points from Coach Fang: +0]

Li Hang blinked and silently praised him. A real professional, experienced enough not to be shocked by a man over 300 jin. An ordinary passerby would already have exclaimed in disbelief.

“Li Hang? I’m Fang Yuan. Call me Coach Fang.” He shook Li Hang’s thick hand and led him inside. “Let’s start with a basic assessment.”

The gym was busy. Lean young men lifted weights, someone squatted in the strength area, and the air smelled of sweat. A few members glanced up as Li Hang passed; someone muttered quietly, but they soon returned to their workouts.

In a small assessment room at the back were a body-composition analyzer, a blood-pressure monitor, a table, and several chairs. Fang pointed to the machine. “Step on for me.”

It hummed. Fang’s brow moved slightly at the results, then smoothed. He took out a notebook. “Have you exercised before?”

“I started walking slowly the last couple of days. More than forty minutes a day, followed by three sets of wall sits.”

Fang’s pen paused. “How many days have you trained?”

“Yesterday was the first.”

“Just yesterday?” He sounded distinctly surprised. “How do you feel today? Are your legs sore? Any trouble with your knees?”

Li Hang considered. “My legs are a little sore, but my knees are fine. My stamina went up… I mean, I feel a little better than yesterday.”

Fang wrote another line, set the notebook down, and sat opposite him. “I’ll be frank. In my ten years doing this, someone over 300 jin is among my heavier clients. So our first priority isn’t how much weight you lose. It’s getting you moving safely without injury.”

“I’ll follow your advice.”

Seeing his serious attitude, Fang relaxed. “Haodong has already spoken to me, so I’ll be direct. No running, jumping, climbing slopes, or anything else that puts heavy pressure on your knees. For cardio, walk slowly on level ground for a total of forty minutes to an hour a day. Keep your heart rate at a level where you’re slightly breathless but can still hold a conversation.

“Strength training three times a week, all seated or against a wall. You’re already doing wall sits, so continue: three sets of thirty seconds. Do seated resistance-band rows and chest presses for your upper body and back. And practice diaphragmatic breathing to activate your core; you can do that every day.”

He sketched a simple schedule. “Come in on weekends and I’ll guide your band training and correct your form. Follow this schedule at school the rest of the time.”

Li Hang listened closely and recorded each point in his phone. “Coach, could you plan my three meals too? I’m at school and don’t really know what to eat.”

Fang considered. “I can, but delivering meals to campus will cost more.”

“Money isn’t a problem.”

Fang glanced at him. From a student in an ordinary T-shirt who weighed over 300 jin and didn’t look wealthy, the statement sounded a little surprising. He said nothing, though, and took a price list from a drawer.

“We have three tiers. Basic is 3,000 to 8,000 yuan, advanced is 8,000 to 12,000, and premium starts at 20,000. Since you’re a student, I’d recommend the package around 4,500. As Haodong’s friend, you get a discount: 3,600 a month.”

Li Hang looked over the list. “What’s the difference?”

“Ingredient quality, how precisely the nutrition is balanced, and how often a dedicated nutritionist follows up. The premium ingredients are all organic, and you get one-on-one attention. The nutritionist adjusts your meals daily based on your body’s response.”

“Then I’ll take premium.”

Fang’s pen stopped. He looked up, as did two staff members sorting documents nearby. Twenty thousand yuan a month, and a student had agreed without blinking.

[Shock Points +8]

“Are you sure?” Fang asked.

“Yes. I’ll pay by card.”

Li Hang handed over his bank card. Fang looked conflicted but promptly processed the payment and arranged the contract. Li Hang signed, folded his copy, and put it in his pocket. Twenty thousand a month was a drop in the ocean compared with a hundred million.

Fang returned the card, sounding more earnest. “Starting tomorrow, we’ll deliver all three meals to your dorm building: 6:30 in the morning, 11:40 at noon, and six in the evening. Just come down and collect them. I’ll choose the best ingredients, so don’t worry.”

Li Hang thanked him, reassured. Food was sorted, exercise was sorted. All that remained was to stick with it.