Though the match was thrilling, it was still just a preliminary bout. The referee didn't give Jason Luo much time to celebrate. After calling both fighters to the center of the ring, he raised Jason Luo's arm high and announced his victory by TKO.
As Wollers began introducing the next fight, Jason Luo stepped down from the ring. Raul greeted him with a smile and led him toward Dr. Miao. "Thanks to Dr. Miao's help. Go thank him properly. If there were any expenses along the way, let me know and I'll cover them right away."
Dr. Miao waved his hand. "No, no, I didn't really do anything—just got a scare! Jason, you fought well today. You made the community proud. I think I'm becoming your fan already."
Jason Luo stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Mr. Miao, thank you so much. Not only did you come to support me, but I made you worry. How could I ever…"
Dr. Miao quickly cut him off. "I told you, no need to be so formal. We have to look out for each other. And I'm not the only one who came—look, my daughter Susan is here too."
He waved at Susan Miao in the distance.
Seeing her father's gesture, Susan had no choice but to walk over.
Dr. Miao chuckled. "You've met before, so no need for introductions. She insisted on coming when she heard you had a match. And what a victory it turned out to be, haha…"
Susan's large eyes immediately widened. Clearly, her father had dragged her here, but now he was putting it on her in front of Jason Luo. Didn't he realize how misleading that sounded?
She couldn't expose him in front of Jason Luo though, so her cheeks puffed up in frustration. But when she turned to glance at Jason Luo, she suddenly burst out laughing. "Haha, you look so ugly right now!"
Jason Luo had never been in such a situation before and felt awkward. He touched the swelling on his face and laughed too. "Miss Susan, thank you for coming to support me. This is what happens to us boxers. After every match, we can't show our faces for days. Sorry for the sight."
Seeing the two of them talking, Dr. Miao smiled and stepped forward. "Alright, today isn't the time for chatting. You two are about the same age and both young. You can spend time together in the future. For now, we'll take our leave so others can rest and get treated."
After Raul and Pedro thanked them again, Dr. Miao turned and left with his daughter.
As soon as they were gone, Tony Huo jumped out. "Wow, I never knew Dr. Miao had such a pretty daughter! Jason, you never told me about her. Looks like romance is coming your way!"
Jason Luo blushed slightly. "Stop talking nonsense. Why would she ever be interested in us… Anyway, what about you? The match is already over and you just show up now. Don't tell me you only just got here—that's really not cool."
"What?" Tony Huo jumped up angrily. "I've been recording your match the whole time! You think it was easy for me? No money, no privileges! The tickets here cost a fortune, and even standing tickets don't let you near the ring. When you got knocked down, security blocked me—they almost threw me out. And you're blaming me?"
"Oh, so that's how it was. Then I misunderstood you, haha."
"No way. You're reimbursing my ticket. Even standing tickets cost a fortune. If you ever become champion, I doubt I'll even be able to afford to watch you fight…"
"Ahem!" The coach cleared his throat. "Let's move. Get your face treated first, or the swelling will get worse. You two can talk later."
Jason Luo quickly nodded. Tony Huo grinned. "I'm coming too. I'll take this chance to see what the locker room looks like."
Back in the locker room, the coach let out a sigh. "Today's fight was both dangerous and tough. Training this afternoon and tomorrow is canceled. Rest at home and recover, but don't be idle. Review this match carefully. Summarize your shortcomings, identify the key moments, and analyze the reasons for both knockdowns. Put it all in writing and submit it to me. Be serious and thorough."
"Huh?" Jason Luo pulled a bitter face. "Can't I just say it? I… I wasn't good at school. Writing is too hard."
"No!" Pedro's face hardened. "You'll have to face reporters and deal with advertisers in the future. Without basic literacy, you'll suffer. Every chance to learn counts."
"Alright, Coach." Jason Luo, who had been cheerful just moments ago, instantly wilted like a deflated balloon.
Raul chuckled. "You beat the Mexican today, and just from the challenge purse alone, you earned over seven thousand. Plus, you now have a ranking in the amateur super middleweight division. According to our contract, I should raise your pay. Happy?"
"Damn, Jason, you made over seven grand in one fight? Holy crap! And you still complain about us plumbers overcharging…" Tony Huo's eyes glowed with envy.
Jason Luo was happy too, but then sighed. "If I'd had this kind of income back when my dad was hospitalized, things wouldn't have been so hard…"
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Tony opened it, and in walked Sonny, grinning. "Old Devil, congratulations! That was a spectacular fight today. I can see how much this kid has improved under your training. Truly, a great teacher makes a great student."
Pedro wasn't buying it. "All nonsense. What does this have to do with you?"
Sonny didn't get upset. He sat down with a smile. "How could it not? If I hadn't made that bet with you back then, who knows whose disciple this kid would be now?"
That much was true, but Pedro knew Sonny too well. This guy never did anything without a reason—he must be scheming something. "Spit it out! And I'm warning you—don't go making up stories in the papers about this kid just to boost your sales!"
"Come on now." Sonny leaned in. "I'm here with a big gift. I was with Old Brown just now. After watching the match, he really liked this kid. This is a golden opportunity. If he trains Jason's heavy punches and stamina, combined with your technical guidance, it could…"
"No way!" Pedro cut him off immediately. "If it were anyone else, maybe. But George Brown? He can forget about laying a finger on my disciple."
Raul's eyes lit up. "George Brown? The coach who once caused chaos in the arena for his student?"
Sonny nodded. "That's the one. Old Devil, why be so stubborn? You and Old Brown don't have any real grudge—just different coaching styles. This is about the kid's future. Acting this way is just selfish…"
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser