Falling Dreams, Rising Hopes: Saving Mr. Boyfriend

"Okay, start!", Yu Tian announced for the second time. This time Mei Qingyang did not waste any time as she ran towards the big guy before he got any chance to attack.

Vice-captain Xu smiled because he had already anticipated her moves. He prepared himself to block her legs but unexpectedly an elbow strike hit him in his c.h.e.s.t. She intentionally avoided his heart because she was not sure how much strength she would end up using. It was enough to understand that he still was looking for her kicks.

Ugh, she could not use her killer kick anymore. He was already prepared for it. Still, to confuse him a bit, she used her kicks a few times. Now the guy was constantly on defense while Mei Qingyang was on offense. She was not giving him any chance or opening to attack at all.

As soon as she delivered a kick or a punch or another elbow strike, she would jump behind the guy to constantly keep him on his feet. It felt like a small rat was jumping around a ferocious tiger and confusing the heck out of him. By the time he turned around, she would deliver another small hit to him.

Vice-captain Xu's veins had started to pop out because he was getting really frustrated in his inability to touch her at all. Where did all this agility come from suddenly?

Not being able to take it anymore, he grabbed the girls hand next time a punch came flying in, trying to stop her movements. Who knew she was waiting for this chance?

The only thing vice-captain Xu saw was Mei Qingyang smirk and the next thing he knew, he was experiencing an excruciating pain in his c.h.e.s.t. She had cut his grab in an instant and used her other elbow to strike hard in his c.h.e.s.t, throwing him on the ground with his back hitting the mat hard.

Vice-captain Xu coughed up some blood and laid flat on the ground. He closed his eyes and started contemplating on his life suddenly. Why had he worked so hard just to be defeated by a girl like this? She had taken a lead now and he had definitely broken a rib or two.

That girl also had broken a few bones with his first throw but still persisted and managed to land two blows on him.

On the side, the two captains were clapping so hard and joyfully celebrating for her. Did they ever do the same when he won his matches? He was always supposed to win for them, since he trained under them. But this girl was beating him left and right without any training. What was this girl?

"Are you alright? Did I hit you too hard?", he heard a very melodious concerned voice very close to his ear.

He opened his eyes and saw a worried girl squatting beside him and looking at his face. Her green marble eyes were so mesmerizing. No wonder she was such beloved of those two. Worrying about an opponent of the match where it would be decided if she was going to join the team or not was out of norms.

"Oh, he opened his eyes!", she turned her head and spoke at the two captain's direction.

He looked towards them and saw the two captains and other three vice captains at the edge of the mat.

Oh! They were respecting his boundaries by not entering the arena but they were actually concerned about him?

Yu Tian nodded towards him. He almost cried at his idol's acknowledgement. This is what he had been working hard for. It felt like he had achieved his dream even if he had lost. He might have been a big burly man, with a body girls were not very fond of, but he was a big softie inside. And this match would prove to be turning point in his career as a martial artist.

He had followed and idolized Yu Tian for so long. He was one of the best people out in the martial arts world, a strong body and a strong mentality. He had trained hard all his life, just to get into this club. To think, the three guys would end up leading the club in their first year itself. It was something unheard of before. Only third years were allowed to lead the club.

But these three captains also led their high school martial arts club too, so it was no wonder that everyone voted for them to be leaders. And his respect for the three, and especially Yu Tian, grew some more. He worked so hard to become a vice-captain and learn directly from them. 

But they had not really acknowledged any of the vice-captains before. They just instructed them personally for about an hour per week and then they were on their own. Today was the day when he would rise in their eyes, when captain Yu would actually remember his name. Wasn't this a bliss?

"Can you stand?", Mei Qingyang offered her small hand while standing up.

Vice-captain Xu took her offer. The small soft hand was so cool to touch. But this small body possessed so much strength, he was astounded. Mei Qingyang grinned at him.

"I forfeit.", vice-captain Xu declared, much to the chagrin of his teammates. They stood up in protest.

"Not cool vice-captain! You can still defeat her! The score is just 2-1", they shouted.

Idiots! They were not the ones who took that last hit. How would they know the pain?

"I know my body well. If I do any more damage to it, I won't be able to participate in upcoming national tournament. Captain Yu and captain Su, you guys would understand.", he spoke expressionlessly towards the two guys.

They looked at each other and granted him the permission to leave the match. Mei Qingyang was standing there dumbfounded. Did she really do too much damage? She had made sure to control her strength though.

While she was thinking, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Let me have my dignity for if you land a third hit on me, I won't be able to show my face to my teammates.", she heard a serious whisper on her side. First she went wide eyed hearing the man's cute confession, then she chuckled.

"You got it vice-captain Xu. Thank you very much for a great match!", she complimented him.

"Please call me Xu Yang. Vice-captain Xu is too formal. And do teach me your techniques some day. Your moves are deadly.", he clutched his c.h.e.s.t to show that he was still in pain.

"Ah! I am sorry for earlier. And you are still my senior, so I will call you Senior Xu.", she turned her body to face a Xu Yang who was acting to be in pain. She smiled at him once again. He was actually a worthy opponent. He could have easily taken advantage of her injuries from the whip earlier, but he purposefully avoided hitting those areas.

Who would be this careful in a match? If not for lack of places to grab or hold her, he would have mostly defeated her. She did make sure to hide her majority of moves. But a guy, who was trained in martial arts only for competitions, made her take out a few of her killer moves, he was not an easy challenge.

"Let's have another match someday when you are fully recovered and I do not have to participate in any tournament soon.", he whispered once again.

"I would also like to exchange blows without any restrictions. Thank you for not taking advantage of my wounds.", she bowed slightly to him to show her gratitude and respect for him. He, in turn, bowed back.

The two people left the mat. Xu Yang's teammates came to fetch him.

"Are you okay, vice-captain? We did not realize she did so much damage to you. What will we do in the competition now? That wench is so hateful!", a few of them chided the girl in their heart. She must have used some illegal moves.

"Shut up! I am not invincible, okay? There is no shame in losing to a worthy person. She is a person you should be learning from.", Xu Yang chided his underlings. God these stupid people still had to learn so much more. He felt like a failure of a trainer too now. They did not know how to take advantage of gems and other's skills. They still thought of themselves as high and mighty.

He needed to teach them that that mat did not see the difference between rich and poor. It only witnessed and awarded the better skilled people. That girl's moves and tactics were so beautiful. If only, he had a chance at the training she had gone through. She might have looked a frail powerless girl, but she was much more complicated than that.

He turned his head to look at the petite girl once again, who was to go through three more matches. How would she handle three more?

The girl on the other hand, was running towards the two captains, carefree, not knowing what was coming for her next.