An old, rundown neighborhood.
Only a few streetlights remained lit.
Su Hong returned to his doorstep.
Just as he was about to push the door open, his movements suddenly paused.
He faintly heard the voices of his Uncle and Aunt from behind the door.
"I remember the rent is due in a month, right? How much more do we need?"
"We have to pay for a whole year at once, and we're still short more than eight thousand..."
The voices inside the house paused for a moment before a sigh was heard.
"I'll figure something out," Su Guoming said in a low voice.
"Don't tell the children about this, especially Xiao Hong."
"He's at a crucial stage, the college entrance exam isn't far off, don't let him know..."
Listening to these words, Su Hong lowered his hand, leaned his back against the wall, and remained silent.
After a while, voices from inside the house resumed.
"I know," Aunt's voice was filled with deep worry.
"I heard from a neighbor that if you want to enroll in the martial arts program, the registration fee will be quite high..."
"How much?"
"Probably tens of thousands."
Silence.
After a while, the sound of a lighter was heard.
Su Guoming walked to the window, lit a cigarette, and said nothing.
Aunt hesitated, "Why don't I stop taking my medicine? It's not like it's going to cure me anyway, and it could save a lot of money..."
"Besides, Xiao Hai and Xiao Meng are in junior high now, they're growing, and with martial arts training, we can't skimp on their food!"
"If I stop my medicine, I can go out and find a job again. Just doing needlework at home isn't enough..."
"Your health is already poor, don't think about these things," Su Guoming said gravely.
"You just focus on your treatment. Don't skimp on what Xiao Hai and Xiao Meng need to eat; just buy it."
"Xiao Hong's registration fee too. He's the most talented in martial arts in our family, he definitely has to train..."
"But..."
"No buts!" Su Guoming said softly.
"With me in this family, it won't collapse!"
"I'll figure it out. Don't tell the three children about these things."
"Let's not talk anymore, lest we wake Xiao Hai and Xiao Meng, and at this time, Xiao Hong should be back soon."
"...Okay, I'll help you apply the medicinal plaster first."
"Good."
Su Hong stood at the door, head bowed, not making a sound, his fists clenched tightly.
After a while, Su Hong took a deep breath.
He forced a smile onto his face, pushed the door open, and walked in.
"I'm home!"
In the cramped living room, Uncle Su Guoming was lying on the sofa.
Aunt held a strongly scented medicinal plaster in her hand.
Hearing Su Hong's voice, the worried expressions on their faces instantly vanished.
They both broke into smiles.
"Xiao Hong is back!"
"How was your training today?" Su Guoming asked with a smile.
"Great progress!" Su Hong chuckled.
He stepped forward and skillfully took the medicinal plaster from Aunt's hand.
"Aunt, let me do it."
"Oh, you rascal!" Aunt poked Su Hong's head. "This is my husband! You're even fighting me for him."
"Hahahaha!"
All three of them laughed.
After applying the medicinal plaster, Su Guoming stood up.
He patted Su Hong's shoulder.
"You trained so late, get some rest early so you're not tired tomorrow!"
"Got it!" Su Hong replied, then grinned and said, "Uncle, do you need me to help you back to your room?"
"Hmm!?" Su Guoming's eyes widened. "You rascal, you're growing up and getting bold, aren't you? Daring to make fun of your Uncle now?"
Su Guoming raised his hand, pretending to hit him.
Su Hong chuckled, dodged, and ran into his room.
"This kid," Su Guoming shook his head with a smile.
He had only taken one step when his expression changed.
His hand quickly went to his waist, and a look of pain appeared on his face.
Aunt, with a pained expression, came to support him, and the two slowly returned to their room.
Meanwhile, Su Hong, who had just returned to his room, silently closed the door, and the smile on his face disappeared.
Their small house had two bedrooms, a living room, and a bathroom.
Uncle and Aunt shared one room.
He, his younger brother Xiao Hai, and his younger sister Xiao Meng shared one room.
The beds were similar to bunk beds in school dorms; there were two of them.
His younger brother and sister shared one bunk bed, one on the top and one on the bottom.
Su Hong used the bottom bunk of the other bed, while the empty top bunk was used for stacking miscellaneous items.
"Didn't wake them up, did I?" Su Hong glanced at his younger brother and sister, who were sound asleep.
He tiptoed onto the bed.
Just as he pulled up the blanket, he heard his younger brother Su Xiaohai's voice.
"Brother."
"Still awake?" Su Hong whispered.
"Brother, I'm not asleep either!" Su Xiaomeng poked her head out from under the blanket.
"You two..." Su Hong was speechless.
Just as he was about to say something, he heard his younger brother Su Xiaohai say, "Brother, I don't want to study anymore."
Su Hong's brows furrowed quickly. "Why?"
He sat up from the bed and said gravely, "Is someone bullying you at school?"
"How could that be?" Su Xiaohai pouted. "It's good enough if I don't beat them up; if they try to bully me, I'll give them two solid punches and swell their faces!"
"Then why?" Su Hong was puzzled.
Su Xiaohai propped himself up on the headboard and said seriously, "I want to drop out early to help the family. I'm stronger than Dad now, I can help Dad move things."
Uncle Su Guoming was a worker who helped unload goods.
"Me too," Su Xiaomeng said softly.
"Xiao Hai and I can go together, so Dad can rest... And I'm even stronger than Xiao Hai, he can't beat me, so I'll definitely move faster than him!"
"What did you say!" Su Xiaohai became anxious.
"What's wrong, Xiao Hai, do you want to spar with me?" Su Xiaomeng's eyebrows shot up, and Su Xiaohai's bravado instantly deflated.
Su Hong, watching the two of them bicker, fell silent.
He knew his younger brother and sister had heard Uncle and Aunt's conversation.
"Brother, do you think it's a good idea?" Su Xiaohai asked.
"Good idea my ass, go to school properly."
"Don't be like that, Brother!" Su Xiaohai said softly.
"Xiao Meng and I aren't as talented in martial arts as you, Brother. We'll drop out first to help lighten the family's burden, and you can focus on training, then get into a martial arts university and become a martial artist. Then Xiao Meng and I can just lie flat and relax!"
Su Xiaomeng also grinned and said, "Yes, Brother, once you become a martial artist, I'll immediately stop working, stay home and rely on you, you'll support me entirely!"
Su Hong forced a smile. "You two really are..."
He didn't know what to say anymore.
His younger brother and sister were too sensible, so sensible it made his heart ache.
This made Su Hong, as their older brother, feel as if there was a wall in his heart.
Seeing Su Hong didn't speak, Su Xiaohai and Su Xiaomeng exchanged glances.
They still wanted to say something.
"That's enough," Su Hong rubbed his face and smiled confidently.
"You just need to study hard. Family matters are not for you to worry about."
"I already have a way to solve the registration fee and the rent."
Hearing this, Su Xiaohai and Su Xiaomeng were stunned for a moment, then said in surprise, "Really?"
They were still just kids after all...
Su Hong nodded. "Nonsense, do you think your brother's martial arts training was for nothing!"
Saying this, Su Hong's mouth crooked, and he spread his hands. "Do you understand what talent is!"
Su Xiaohai and Su Xiaomeng exchanged glances, and joy appeared in both their eyes.
If they could, of course, they didn't want to drop out of school.
After the surprise, Su Xiaohai saw Su Hong's exaggerated act and laughed, "Brother, are you putting on a show again?"
Su Hong raised an eyebrow and quickly gave Su Xiaohai a light tap on the head.
Su Xiaomeng had originally been grinning, wanting to say something too.
Seeing Xiao Hai yelping, Su Xiaomeng shrank her head and quickly swallowed the teasing words that had come to her lips.
"Are you trying to say something too?" Su Hong looked down at Su Xiaomeng.
"Huh?" Su Xiaomeng pulled the blanket with both hands, revealing only a pair of beautiful eyes, her gaze flickering.
"Brother... I didn't say anything, don't accuse me!"
Saying this, Su Xiaomeng pulled the blanket up, completely covering her head.
"Alright, go to sleep early." Su Hong was amused, he told the two of them, then turned and walked out of the room.
He gently pushed open the main door and stood in the narrow hallway.
Leaning on the railing, he stared blankly at the night sky for a long time.
He didn't know how long passed.
He chuckled self-deprecatingly.
"My talent is good? Perhaps... But it's far from enough..."
Su Hong took a deep breath, then exhaled sharply, as if wanting to expel all the worries in his heart!
Suddenly, he remembered what Chen Lin had told him this afternoon.
"Underground boxing match..." Su Hong murmured to himself, took out his cracked phone, and started searching.
His gaze fixed on the lines of prize money.
"With my Vajra Fist at the subtle level, it's not entirely impossible!" Su Hong muttered to himself, his eyes gradually becoming resolute.
When a person is poor, they change. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to solve the martial arts registration fee or the family's predicament.
He had been somewhat hesitant before.
But his younger brother and sister, who had just entered junior high, were determined to give up martial arts to help the family.
What kind of man was Su Hong, an eighteen-year-old, to be so indecisive!
Just as Su Hong made up his mind, a notification sound rang in his mind.
"Ding, detected the host's unwavering martial arts heart. System binding successful!"
"Ding, the Newbie Gift Pack has been automatically opened!"
"Ding, congratulations to the host for acquiring the talent: Peerless Throughout the Ages!"