Arriving at Mr. Miao's house for the banquet, Jason Luo was greeted by a large crowd of guests—at least sixty or seventy of them. Everyone applauded his arrival, leaving Jason Luo a little embarrassed. He had never received such respect before.
Without saying much, David Miao immediately pulled him aside for a check-up. When Jason Luo had been knocked down earlier, everyone had been terrified. Dr. Miao had wanted to examine him for a while, just in case there were hidden injuries that needed attention.
At home, the conditions were far better. Using various instruments, David Miao conducted a thorough examination. He finally exhaled in relief—aside from some minor bruising under the scalp, everything else was perfectly normal.
"Jay, you're fine this time, but I want to remind you—if this happens again, don't rush to get up. Take deep breaths to keep your blood oxygenated; that helps the brain recover consciousness. Also, steady your heartbeat to prevent tiny blood vessels in the brain from rupturing. That's why referees always check a fallen fighter's eyes for signs of congestion."
Jason Luo knew how important this advice was and nodded firmly, committing it to memory.
With the check-up done, David Miao finally relaxed. "Haha, Jay, you really made us proud today! Who'll dare say we can't box now? Come, everyone here has become your fan these past days. Let's take this chance to get to know one another and build connections."
He began introducing guests one by one. The first was lawyer Richard Cao, whom Jason Luo already knew—he had helped him once before. Jason Luo quickly took the opportunity to thank him.
The rest were unfamiliar: businessmen, supermarket owners, teachers, drivers, council members, association representatives... nearly every profession was present. Jason Luo shook hands with each of them. He couldn't possibly remember everyone, but since they had all supported him, he couldn't be impolite.
Once the introductions were done, people broke into smaller groups to chat, while Jason Luo grabbed some food.
The buffet-style party was a perfect fit for Dr. Miao's spacious villa. After only a few bites, Jason Luo suddenly realized Tony was nowhere to be seen. Curious, he asked Dr. Miao, who told him Tony had left midway, saying he was going to Jason Luo's place to share the good news. But Jason Luo knew better—no doubt he had taken the chance to see Grace...
Without Tony, Jason Luo felt awkward in this kind of gathering. Noticing his unease, David Miao smiled and beckoned over his daughter. "Susan, you still haven't thanked Jay for last time. Why don't you show him your flowers? You young folks will have more to talk about."
Delighted, Susan Miao linked arms with Jason Luo. "Sure! Come on, Jason Luo. Let me show you the flowers I've grown—they're beautiful!"
Jason Luo was doubtful. Flowers, in the middle of winter?
But when they arrived, he realized there was a greenhouse. Inside, countless flowers were in bloom—though he couldn't name a single one.
Susan eagerly explained all kinds of gardening knowledge, her passion for it clear.
Eventually, the conversation turned back to him. Her eyes sparkled as she said, "I went to your match today. I was so scared! I really don't understand you men—how can you fight like your life depends on it? Is it really all just for prize money?"
That was a tough question. Jason Luo thought carefully before answering. "Yes and no. During training, I think about using boxing to change my life. But once I step into the ring, that thought vanishes. There's only one thing left in my mind—defeating my opponent. It's a conviction, not about money or anything else."
Susan frowned slightly. "Oh, I see. I actually thought of a great plan for you, but I guess it won't be useful..."
Jason Luo was intrigued. "What plan?"
"Well, when you fight for the championship, you could make a deal with your opponent. Fight to a draw, then split the prize money evenly..."
"Pfft!" Jason Luo burst into laughter—she had completely stumped him this time.
Once the mood lightened, their conversation flowed more easily. Suddenly, Susan asked, "Jason Luo, what kind of girl do you like? Or rather, what kind of love do you hope for?"
Jason Luo stared at her in surprise.
Seeing his reaction, she quickly blushed and explained, "No, no, don't misunderstand! I've asked lots of people this question. I just want to know what kind of girl men actually prefer."
Jason Luo relaxed. "Well... I'm not really sure."
"Don't dodge it. Tell me! It's just us here."
Girls could be persistent. With no escape, Jason Luo finally gave her a serious answer.
"Just don't laugh at me, okay? Honestly, I admire the love of swallows. In spring, they find shelter together under a roof's eaves, protecting each other from wind and rain. One brings mud, the other water, building their nest together. To raise their young, they take turns flying back and forth, working tirelessly without ever complaining. When autumn comes, they set off together again, braving mountains and storms, traveling to distant lands.
From the moment they pair, they share one breath and one fate. No matter what happens, their hearts stay tightly connected. That, to me, is true love."
Jason Luo finished, but Susan stayed quiet for a long time before finally reacting. "Wow! That's so beautiful, Jason Luo. I've never heard anyone describe the love of swallows before—it feels so warm and moving! You explained it far better than anyone else."
"Oh? What did they say?"
Susan grinned and mimicked, "Hmph, 'I'll be responsible for earning money, and you just focus on looking pretty like a flower.'"
"And another said, 'I'll give my future partner the most romantic love—watching sunrises from mountaintops, sunsets by the sea, growing old together.'"
Jason Luo rubbed his nose. "Sounds nice. Don't girls usually love that kind of thing?"
"What? Nonsense! Freezing on a mountaintop in the morning? Smelling seaweed on the beach at night? Who would enjoy that..."
They chatted for a while longer, but Jason Luo eventually decided to return to the front yard. After all, everyone had gathered because of him—it wouldn't be right to hide away for too long.
When he returned, he found that while he'd slipped out, everyone else had surrounded Brown and Raul.
Richard Cao was asking, "Coach Brown, ever since watching Jason Luo's fight, we've become more and more fascinated by boxing. But there are many things we don't understand. Since you're here, we'd love to get some clarity."
"Why are there so many different boxing titles? What's the difference between an Intercontinental Champion, an Interim Champion, a Regular Champion, and a Super Champion? Which one counts as a true world title? And also, does Xu Can's WBA Featherweight World Title count as a legitimate championship?"
Brown smiled as he explained. "This takes some unpacking. Intercontinental titles? Forget those—they don't hold much value, and standards vary wildly across continents.
Interim titles are basically like silver belts that some organizations award. Winning one gives you the right to challenge the reigning champion, but strictly speaking, it's not an official world title. Of course, there's one exception—if the world title is vacant, the interim champion can be promoted to full champion."
"The relationship between Regular and Super Champions is the trickiest. At the heart of it, it's about money. Many champions, once they win the belt, don't want to accept mandatory challengers from lower ranks. Instead, they'd rather fight in bouts with greater commercial value. This often leaves mandatory challengers stuck—they've earned the right to fight but can't get the match arranged."
"The major organizations, also driven by profit, tend to favor the more marketable champions. That's why the Super Champion title came into existence. In reality, the Regular Champion is already the legitimate world champion—there's no doubt about that.
But the Super Champion title adds an extra level of prestige, which makes the Regular Champion seem less impressive in comparison."
The crowd nodded in understanding. Someone asked, "Then Coach Brown, how does someone earn the Super Champion title?"
"Usually, it requires unifying titles across organizations. For example, a WBA champion who holds that belt plus at least two other recognized titles can be promoted to Super Champion. Another path is defending the title successfully ten times in a row, which also grants automatic promotion..."
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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