“What else can you do? Find topics to chat about, close the distance between you, learn about each other’s interests, then look for a chance to ask her out. You’re classmates, so it shouldn’t be hard to find something to talk about.” Brian Carter glanced at Eric Dawson with disdain and joked, “If you really don’t get it, give me your QQ number and I’ll chat for you!”

“Get lost!” Eric Dawson replied succinctly, then sighed, “It really is different getting advice from someone experienced.”

“Of course, I’ve had lots of girlfriends.” Brian Carter grinned smugly.

Eric Dawson had been “suppressed” by him for a while today. At this moment, his mind spun quickly. He glanced at him and curled his lips, saying, “How old are you, anyway?”

“Eighteen? What, I can’t have had lots of girlfriends? I had my first crush in third grade!” Brian Carter wore an expression as if he couldn’t believe someone would question his strengths.

“No, what I mean is, you’ve had so many girlfriends and they all ended in breakups. Hmm, the problem must be with you…” As Eric Dawson spoke, he deliberately looked Brian Carter up and down, his expression full of “enlightenment.”

Brian Carter’s face froze, then he said irritably:

“Can’t we just have a normal conversation?”

He casually explained, “Some were pen pals or online friends—things heated up fast, but cooled off just as quickly. If something came up and we didn’t talk for a while, we’d just break up. Some transferred to other schools, nothing I could do. Some, we just weren’t compatible. Isn’t there a song that goes, ‘Falling in love is easy, getting along is hard’? Anyway, I’m not a player. I’ve settled down now. If you ever meet my girlfriend, don’t call me a player or a Casanova or anything like that. Seriously, can’t you guys come up with a better nickname? ‘Casanova’ sounds awful, stop calling me that.”

“Alright, Little Mark.” Eric Dawson replied with a beaming smile.

Brian Carter was stunned, then sighed, “Fine, just call me Casanova.”

“Yes, Little Mark.” Eric Dawson scored a point, feeling quite pleased.

Maybe it’s true that there’s always someone who can keep someone else in check—this guy, Little Mark, really values his current long-distance girlfriend, just like I do with Grace Bennett.

Brian Carter laughed in mock exasperation:

“Orange, honestly, we shouldn’t have joined the martial arts club. We should’ve joined the crosstalk club. I’d be the funny man, you’d be the straight man—we’d be a hit!”

As soon as he finished speaking, a commotion suddenly erupted at the door:

“Ethan Dawson is here!”

“Ethan Dawson!”

With the noise, the crowd surged toward the entrance.

Eric Dawson and Brian Carter exchanged a glance, equally excited, nervous, and curious, and squeezed forward with the crowd.

There had long been rumors on campus that a genius martial artist had joined this year—only eighteen years old and already a certified professional ninth rank, a martial arts prodigy, surpassing most sect disciples and students from all the martial arts schools.

Such a genius martial artist had actually turned down invitations and offers from sects, martial arts associations, and clubs, and chosen to attend university!

Across all universities, there were a few who entered as professional ninth rank, but they were all at traditional martial arts powerhouses. This was the first time ever for Songcheng University.

And this genius martial artist was none other than Ethan Dawson!

Chapter 003: A True Man Should Be Like This

People were packed together, shoulder to shoulder. Luckily, Eric Dawson and Brian Carter had just entered the gym and weren’t far from the door, so they could barely see the two figures coming in.

One had slicked-back hair, sagging cheeks, wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, dressed in a suit, walking steadily—he seemed to be the martial arts club’s instructor, commonly called the coach. He looked around with a stern, unsmiling expression, only showing a bit of warmth and joy when glancing at the person beside him. The person next to him was half a head taller, with a buzz cut, a tall and lean build, simply dressed in jeans and a white T-shirt, looking fresh and clean, with a bulging black sports bag slung over his back.

“That must be the legendary Ethan Dawson…” Eric Dawson thought to himself.

Ethan Dawson was like a “silencer,” quickly quieting the noisy gym. Facing all the curious, scrutinizing, gossipy, excited, and admiring gazes, he remained expressionless, lips pressed tight, eyes fixed straight ahead, walking on his own. Even when the instructor beside him introduced him in a low voice, he only nodded slightly, not saying a word. With the instructor leading the way, he walked through the crowd like a celebrity and entered the martial arts club’s locker room.

Only after his figure disappeared did the crowd break the brief silence and burst into a flurry of chatter.

“So cool!”

“The martial arts club really has a hottie!”

“He’s got both looks and personality!”

That was the girls talking.

“What’s he so cocky for…”

“People with real skills always have a bit of an attitude.”

“If I had his skills, already a professional ninth rank, I’d be just as proud!”

“Our martial arts club is going places!”

“Yeah, soon we’ll sweep through all the schools in Guannan and Neihai—let’s see them act tough then!”

“With him coaching us, maybe by graduation we’ll make it to amateur fifth or sixth rank, and have more job options…”

That was the boys’ discussion.

As Eric Dawson withdrew his gaze, he glanced toward the door and, to his surprise, saw Grace Bennett in her red and white Hanfu standing there. He didn’t know when she’d arrived, but her expression and eyes were exactly the same as the other girls nearby.