Volume One, Chapter 15: So, Would You Like to Get a Membership Card or Enroll in a Course?

Returning home now still allows some time for exercise.

The system’s status panel popped up, reminding Lu Yichen of the changes in his health over the past two days. He had only indulged slightly last night when faced with a feast, yet his health rating dropped by a full one percent.

Back home, Lu Yichen quickly changed into his workout clothes and chose to take the stairs down—a small way to keep moving. Arriving at the park downstairs, he opened a fitness app and selected an eight-kilometer running plan.

He decided to increase his distance by one kilometer each day until he could run ten kilometers nonstop.

After stretching, Lu Yichen set off running.

By the time he reached five kilometers, he was drenched in sweat and utterly exhausted. He slowed his pace but didn’t stop. Once his breathing steadied, he picked up speed again.

With gritted teeth, he completed the full eight kilometers.

At this stage, he was forcing himself to run. Adding one kilometer daily seemed simple in theory, but for someone unaccustomed to exercise, each additional kilometer was a torment.

[System detected host’s healthy diet and morning run of eight kilometers; health rating increased by 2%.]

As the system’s voice sounded, Lu Yichen sat on a park bench, leaning back and gasping for air. Suddenly, a head appeared before him.

“Oh, it’s you! Is there something I can help with?”

Lu Yichen recognized the elderly lady who had invited him to practice Tai Chi the other day.

“Ah, nothing much. I just finished Tai Chi and saw you here, so I came over to check on you.”

Check on me? What does that mean?

Lu Yichen gave an awkward smile, unsure what to say.

“Young man, why don’t you join us for morning Tai Chi exercises? It’s great for strengthening the body.”

Faced with the grandmother’s warm invitation, Lu Yichen felt a bit at a loss.

“If I have time and can make it, I definitely will.”

“That’s wonderful. By the way, do you have a girlfriend?”

Only when she asked this did Lu Yichen realize she was trying to play matchmaker.

No wonder she kept pestering him.

Just as he was about to answer, a young woman jogged over, calling out “Grandma!”

As she approached, Lu Yichen noticed her striking figure—fair skin, an elegant swan-like neck, smooth curves along her waist and legs.

What stood out most were her ample assets, barely concealed by a sporty tank top—clearly at least a D cup—and a shapely, prominent rear. It was obvious she loved to work out.

“Grandma, I finally found you! Come home with me,” she said.

“This is?”

The woman eyed Lu Yichen curiously.

“Hello, I’m Lu Yichen.”

“Hi, I’m Fang Chuxia.”

The young woman spoke her name instinctively.

“Xiaxia, what do you think of this young man?”

Fang Chuxia’s expression shifted instantly to serious.

“Are you trying to set me up again? I really don’t want to go on blind dates. Please, spare me.”

Seeing this, Lu Yichen hurriedly explained, “No, your grandma didn’t ask me to date you. We just happened to run into each other in the park. I was following their group for Tai Chi practice before.”

Fang Chuxia was skeptical but, seeing his workout clothes, realized he was there to exercise, not for matchmaking.

“Are you out for morning exercise?”

Lu Yichen nodded.

“Yes, I just finished my morning run.”

“Sorry, I got a little emotional earlier. I’m sure you understand, right? It’s just that at our age, the family gets anxious.”

“I understand perfectly. When you reach this age, family pressure is normal.”

“Do you come here for your morning workouts too?”

Curious, Lu Yichen asked.

“Yes, I run here every morning for a little while.”

“That’s good.”

Their conversation grew awkward as neither knew what else to say. They simply confirmed through each other’s attire that they both came for morning exercise.

“Young man, my granddaughter is actually a fitness coach. If you ever need fitness advice, you can ask her.”

The grandmother looked at her granddaughter, who seemed a bit unmotivated, and offered her help.

Lu Yichen caught the keyword “fitness coach” and grew interested. He hadn’t yet decided which gym to join, and maybe Fang Chuxia’s gym was a better choice.

More options meant better service—after all, one can never have too many.

“I actually do need that. Which gym do you coach at? I’m just looking for one.”

Fang Chuxia patted her pockets, searching for something, but found nothing.

“Sorry, I didn’t bring my business card. I’m a coach at Qingtú Fitness.”

Qingtú Fitness? Isn’t that the gym where no one seemed to go?

So she was the coach there.

“I know that place, but last time I went, I didn’t see anyone inside.”

“You must have come when we were all in a meeting. Sorry about that,” Fang Chuxia explained.

Lu Yichen sighed, realizing he had visited at the wrong time.

“Can you tell me more about your gym?”

Fang Chuxia nodded and began to describe it.

“Our gym is newly opened, so all the equipment is brand new and comprehensive. We also have private showers.”

“Oh, and premium members get to enjoy a 24-hour heated swimming pool.”

Her brief introduction piqued Lu Yichen’s interest; the 24-hour heated pool was very appealing.

“Coach Fang, how much does a membership card cost?”

“Annual membership is 3,999 yuan, monthly is 599 yuan, and quarterly is 1,999 yuan. Students get some discounts. It’s a bit pricey for Lu City, but high price comes with high quality. Our facilities are more upscale.”

“Are you thinking of signing up now? We have a promotion for the opening—there’s a raffle, and the highest voucher can save you 300 yuan.”

3,999 yuan for a year’s membership—not cheap, but not unreasonable.

Back when Lu Yichen was in school, the campus gym cost only a few hundred yuan, but the facilities were much poorer—no comparison.

Lu Yichen wasn’t too concerned about the equipment; as long as the environment was good, everything else was negotiable.

“Coach Fang, what about private training sessions? How much do they cost?”

Having a trainer guide him would definitely be better than working out blindly on his own. Seeing Fang Chuxia’s figure made him want to hire her as his personal coach. She was certainly fit and impressive.

“I offer two kinds of personal training—group sessions and one-on-one coaching. Group sessions cost 666 yuan, private sessions 999 yuan.”

“Private training lasts at least three hours a day, while group sessions are shorter—only an hour and a half.”

“I personally recommend private training. One, I’m eager to earn money, and two, group training can’t achieve the same results.”

Lu Yichen nodded in understanding and agreement.

Seeing his interest, Fang Chuxia pressed on, “So, do you want to get a membership or sign up for sessions?”

“I’m still thinking about it. Could I get your contact info? We can talk more in detail.”

“Sure, no problem.”