Chapter 374: Brother, Run?
Translator: BeetleBarker Editor: Tennesh
The news pertaining to Mitisy astonished the extensive online audiences. It was as though they had always been pitying this person, but it turned out that he had such a strong background.
His family was really strong. Not only that, they were like kings. Although they were no longer monarchs, the position the Ma'ersi family held in Mazhou was supreme, and the characteristics were more or less the same.
Fans of Mitisy who had shed tears when he regrettably retired from the sport no longer cried.
Those who had publicly bashed Mitisy were racking their brains thinking about how to retract their words.
Junior Editor Mo, who had been writing a piece titled "The Unspeakable Truth behind the Perennial Second Place" nimbly deleted his nearly complete article, leaving not a single trace, before starting to write another: "The Struggles of the Prince of Tennis and His Hidden Family Name"...
Many people were grumbling that Mitisy had deceived them, but a portion of people who understand the Ma'ersi family could understand why he had done so.
Not every person that possessed the Ma'ersi bloodline could have this family name. Mitisy's ID didn't have this family name written on it. Perhaps it was deliberate or perhaps he hadn't possessed the family name at that time.
The truth was that Mitisy had only obtained the "Ma'ersi" family name later on, and he had never gone and gotten an updated copy of his ID. However, the internal family clan had already recognized that after he retired, he would start his new life with his new identity. In the future, his ID would carry the glorious "Ma'ersi" family name.
The news conference was still underway. Mitisy wasn't being pleased because of this family name. He expressed that this family name was glorious but it also signified even greater responsibilities. In the past, he had been the tennis player Mitisy, but after today, he would be Mitisy of the Ma'ersi family and would make Ma'ersi better together with the others of the Ma'ersi family clan.
At the same time, at a press conference for the launch of a certain commercial good in another part of Mazhou, a Ma'ersi family clan elder was asked by a reporter about the matter with Mitisy. With a smile, he replied, "We consider ability, character, moral standing, and other comprehensive qualities... Our requirements for the younger generations of our family clan are rather stringent. Even if Ma'ersi hadn't achieved the Spartacus Cup Games championship, he has already proven himself and passed the family clan's test."
The thoughts of others were unknown regarding the Ma'ersi elder's words, but far away in Leizhou, Zaro's father felt that the words of these people were extremely prickly, and they pricked where it hurt the most!
Take a look at the kids of another's family, then take a look at his own family's idiot, who lacked awareness and was terribly annoying!
If you don't work hard, you will just drag the family clan down!
Zaro had recently been wanting to speculate on walnuts because walnuts had suddenly come into vogue, giving Zaro all sorts of ideas. He had sent over a pair of walnuts to his grandfather, the governor, making his partially biased grandfather pleased. Thus, his grandfather had not stopped Zaro from speculating on walnuts, only strongly urging him to not underpay his taxes.
Zaro's grandfather was rather strict in this aspect. Zaro knew his grandfather's bottom line, and after sounding out his grandfather's attitude, Zaro rubbed his hands in glee and decided to go out.
However, just as Zaro and his agent were making plans together, the news of Mazhou's Mitisy raised his father's vigilance—this blockhead couldn't be allowed to continue with his wanton ways!
Children had to be put in their place once in a while or they would get out of hand. However, Zaro's father couldn't spend every single moment watching his son, and he didn't have that much time. He had given Zaro a beating the previous time he had returned and had been called over by his own father for a talking-to. That made him livid!
What should he let this blockhead do?
Zaro wasn't accomplished in academics or the military, he lacked IQ and talent, and he had a short attention span. Zaro's father decided that he should kick this blockhead out to go assist the poor.
Mitisy's retirement press conference not only caused a storm in Mazhou but also affected other continents. Mitisy himself didn't know all of this. After the press conference, he vanished from the public eye. Some people were saying that he was participating in the family clan's business, while others joked that Mitisy was receiving grooming to "succeed the throne." However, everyone's various guesses were taken with a sprinkle of humor because everyone knew that there were many people in the Ma'ersi family and that Mitisy wasn't the only one that people would joke about "succeeding the throne."
However, because of the Ma'ersi family name, no matter how people joked, nobody would blatantly show any malice, because nobody dared to.
None of this affected people from other continents that much. At the start, perhaps there had been a little interest, but it was just treated as news and forgotten after a quick browse. For instance, the team of Fang Zhao and others still had assignments. They didn't have the time to follow the Mazhou people and their gossip.
In the days that followed, they went over everyday… They sought inspiration, composed, and had meetings every two to three days. The team had about half a year to produce a collection of music, with sports competition being the main theme. Right now, what was most important was taking advantage of the Spartacus Cup Games period to experience the charm, intrinsic spirit and radiance of sporting competition.
Today, Fang Zhao had gone out with a few seniors to seek inspiration. After having dinner together, the others either returned to the hotel or had other activities planned. Fang Zhao didn't follow them. Instead, he went to a small park a short distance away from the hotel for a run. There were too many people at the hotel gym and it was noisy. Fang Zhao preferred running in places like parks and such. However, the park was only quiet at night, so Fang Zhao had chosen this time to run.
There were many hotels around, so the number of foreigners was rather high. At night, there were fewer people jogging in the park. Most people were used to gyms and didn't really like running outdoors. Furthermore, at this time of night, even natives weren't willing to run in the park.
Fang Zhao ran two laps around the park and came across someone.
The other person was very young, seemingly a student who had yet to graduate. He was wearing what seemed to be a retro-punk-style sweatshirt, and he ran over to strike a conversation.
"Hey, brother, running? How many laps have you done?" that person asked.
"Two laps," Fang Zhao replied.
"Just started, huh. Theren't aren't too many people out running at this time. Are you a professional athlete?"
"No."
"Me neither. But I will become one soon. For now, I'm still a little insignificant fellow, not worth mentioning, just Stranger A. What about you?"
"Stranger B."
The other party guffawed. "Hahaha, brother, you are really amusing!"
Fang Zhao: "...."
"Being alone is rather boring. Let me accompany you on your run," the other party requested.
"No need."
"You really don't have to be polite!"
"Really, there is no need!"
"All right, then you run first."
After Fang Zhao had run off for a bit, the other person, still standing on the spot, loosened his hands and legs before starting to run.
He followed behind, leaving a set distance between him and Fang Zhao, and he decided to maintain this gap. Because he was in a rather good mood, he even hummed a little tune. His coach would surely give him a scolding if he heard. However, his coach wasn't present right now.
Today was the first time he had been in Mazhou. He had personally been scouted by the manager of a certain club. In the past, he hadn't had much understanding of sporting competitions and hadn't paid much attention to anything but his family's business. This time, he had come over to start a new life in Mazhou and become a professional athlete. He had already looked up some famous athletes in Mazhou, and this person in front of him had seemed a little familiar. Perhaps due to the lowered visibility in the darkness, he hadn't been able to see clearly, but he was certain that this person hadn't been on the list in the file he had received.
If he couldn't remember, then so be it. After all, this man surely wasn't some important person anyway.
He had told Fang Zhao that he was "still a little insignificant fellow, not worth mentioning." That was just him being modest; he actually had rather high aspirations. His hometown had lots of mountains and a thriving tourism industry. Every day, he had climbed up and down the mountains, leading tourists and helping run errands. He had practically spent every day running. The locals there could really run, and he had been the best runner in the town. Today, he had gotten to meet a few of his fellow club members, and he felt that their abilities were just so-so. It was no wonder the manager had needed to scout for talent elsewhere. The legends about Ma'ersi sporting competitions were indeed exaggerated.
He had been unable to sleep tonight, perhaps due to the jet lag from traveling. Without any intention to sleep and being unused to the gym, he had looked at a map and run over from his apartment.
Anyway, since there aren't other people running, I will accompany the person ahead of me. After I am all warmed up and the other person leaves, I will continue running for another hour. Then I will return to the club... Maybe it's better to run two hours instead? One hour is too short, no different from a warmup... Perhaps three hours? After all, I have nothing to do. It's better to exhaust more physical strength. When I'm tired, perhaps I will be able to sleep better.
Mmhm! It's decided then! After accompanying that brother for a run, I will run for another three hours before returning back to the apartment to sleep!