The sparring session came to an abrupt halt.
Jarunwang, scolded by Datchai, looked a little aggrieved.
"Coach, you know Muay Thai elbows are known for being vicious. I couldn't just stand there and not strike back…"
That was fair enough. Jason Luo didn't think his opponent's elbow strike had gone overboard either.
"Coach, it's fine," he said calmly. "It's normal to have some accidental injuries in sparring. Let's continue—I've learned a lot from him."
But Jarunwang only grew embarrassed after hearing that.
"Forget it, there's no need to continue. I couldn't even beat him after using my ultimate move… I've already lost. I'm sorry, Coach Datchai!"
Datchai's stern expression softened into a smile.
"Good! That's the spirit a true martial artist should have. Jarunwang, I've always had high hopes for you—but do you know why you lost today?"
Jarunwang shook his head blankly.
"You're able to disguise your elbows and knees within your punches and kicks, creating great variety. That's impressive! But that's still just trickery. Once your opponent adapts to those changes or finds a counter, your true strength and ability to react in the moment fall short of Jason Luo's. Remember—only by balancing orthodoxy and surprise can you truly stand your ground."
Jarunwang bowed deeply to his coach and stepped aside, clearly reflecting on the lesson.
Then Datchai turned to Jason Luo.
"He relies too much on unorthodox tricks, while you lean too heavily on pure fundamentals. You lack that element of surprise needed to win in unconventional ways. Though trick techniques shouldn't be overused, they can work wonders at critical moments. So they're indispensable. You should explore that side of your style, based on your own strengths."
Jason Luo immediately bowed.
"Thank you for your guidance. You're right—I don't change things up enough. Coming here today has been incredibly rewarding. I won't take up more of your time. We'll visit again soon!"
Catherine, beaming at Jason's victory, stepped forward to say goodbye.
Datchai nodded warmly. "You're both welcome anytime—especially you, young lady. If you truly love judo, come practice often."
Catherine felt an instant bond with the old coach.
"I definitely will! Once summer break starts, I'll move here and train hard!"
"Good, good. I'll be waiting for you…"
Jason Luo felt a chill run down his spine.
Good grief—it was already the end of May. Just a little over a month until summer break… Oh boy.
…
As they left the dojo, Catherine was practically bouncing with excitement.
"This place is amazing! When I'm back at Princeton, I'll start learning judo right away. Once summer comes, I'll blow the old coach's mind with how much I've improved! But for now… I'm starving. Let's eat!"
What could Jason Luo say?
He couldn't exactly stop someone from chasing their passion.
In high spirits, Catherine dragged him into a fancy restaurant and ordered two sirloin steaks and a bottle of red wine.
Jason didn't care much about the food. While waiting for their meal, he checked his system notifications.
"Congratulations on your victory in the unofficial match.
The Greedy Wolf talent has automatically extracted the following attributes from your opponent's superior stats:
Strength +1, Fist Techniques +2, Elbow Techniques +3, Knee Techniques +2, Lower Body Strength +2.
Please review."
Not bad. Jason noticed that every time he sparred with a Muay Thai fighter, he gained something in his core attributes.
Maybe there really was something to learn from them.
Take Jarunwang's hook-to-elbow transition, for example—that had been eye-opening. And his final spinning elbow counter… it was remarkably similar to Royerson's spinning backfist technique.
Everyone had their own signature moves.
But what kind of technique truly suited him?
As he pondered deeply, Catherine frowned.
"Hey, what are you thinking about? You've got a gorgeous woman sitting right in front of you and you're zoning out? That's just rude!"
Jason snapped back and chuckled. "Sorry, I was just thinking about the fight earlier."
Catherine rolled her eyes.
"Jason Luo, you're way too hard on yourself. Don't you ever just want to enjoy life? Don't you feel happy being with me?"
Jason hesitated. His father's words echoed in his mind—if you don't make a clean decision, you'll end up hurting both sides.
"Catherine," he began quietly, "meeting you has been a blessing. You're a great girl—beautiful, generous, straightforward. I really enjoy being your friend, and I'm thankful for everything you've done for me."
"But when it comes to love… I have to be honest. I admire you, Catherine, but I don't feel that deep romantic passion. I can't lie to myself, and I definitely can't lie to you. We live in different cities, different environments, and completely different worlds. Maybe those differences are what drew your curiosity—but Catherine, that's not love. It's just youthful infatuation."
Catherine's eyes widened. "Are you… rejecting me?"
"No, no, no!" Jason quickly waved his hands. "Catherine, we've both been trying to figure things out, but it's clear I'm not ready for a relationship right now. Honestly, I don't even have the time or energy for one. Maybe after I fulfill my coach's final wish, it'll be possible."
Tears welled up in Catherine's eyes. After all, Jason was her first love.
"I don't want to hear that. I don't get it—what do cities or backgrounds have to do with love? Just answer me this: do you hate me? Do you not even want to see me? If so, I'll leave right now. I won't stay another second!"
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she bit her lip, waiting for his answer.
Jason's heart ached. He didn't hate her—far from it. He even felt a quiet fondness for her. Looking into her tearful eyes, he couldn't bring himself to be cruel.
"I don't hate you, Catherine. Please try to understand me. If I'd grown up in your world, maybe I'd feel differently. But right now, I have to focus on achieving my goal—otherwise, I'll regret it forever.
As for us… please, let's give it time. Are you sure what you feel is real love? Because honestly, I'm not even sure about my own feelings yet. So please… don't push me."
Catherine took a shaky breath.
"I'm not forcing you into anything! I'm not asking you to marry me right now! Love takes time. I'm just trying to get to know you. I get it—you want to wait until you become the boxing champion, right? Fine, I'll wait. We're still young anyway, aren't we?"
Jason stared at her, amazed. "You're really that sure about liking me?"
Catherine shook her head and smiled faintly.
"I don't think that hard. I just know I love being around you. In my heart, following what you feel is never wrong."
Her words left Jason speechless.
Yeah… he always overthought everything, while this girl just followed her heart.
Could he ever really live that freely?