Chapter 7: Quincy Shawn (Continued)

In the reception area of Jiaxin Fitness Club, Jamie Smith sat quietly, sipping on a glass of plain water, his eyes wandering around the facility. The decor was modern and tasteful, the space was spacious enough to accommodate a crowd of fitness enthusiasts. Sunlight streamed through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a soft glow on the polished wooden floors. Jamie Smith, the young national team mainstay, was immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of the place.

"Jamie." A familiar voice broke his reverie.

He looked up to see Quincy Shawn approaching with a smile. Quincy was known for his youthfulness, having become a national team regular at an early age. In fact, Quincy was a year younger, the youngest member of the national team back in the day.

The once fresh-faced youth had filled out over the years, with a few strands of white hair now visible, and there was a hint of fatigue in his eyes.

"Quincy." Jamie Smith stood up, and the two men shared a tight hug.

"Come, let's sit inside," Quincy Shawn led Jamie Smith into a small, partitioned reception hall. The walls were adorned with vintage martial arts posters, creating an atmosphere that was both retro and mysterious. Quincy Shawn brought over a plate of delicate snacks and fruits, and poured two glasses of water.

"Jamie, I owe you big time for your help this time," Quincy Shawn said as he sat down.

Jamie Smith, however, couldn't help but notice the glove on Quincy Shawn's right hand. In the heat of summer, the glove seemed out of place. He asked with curiosity, "What happened to your hand?"

Quincy Shawn's expression froze for a moment, then he laughed it off, removing the glove to reveal a prosthetic hand. Although it was made with synthetic skin to look like a real hand, a closer look would reveal its artificial nature.

"A prosthetic," Quincy Shawn said nonchalantly, putting the glove back on. "It happened last year when a construction scaffold fell from a high-rise building. There was a little kid down below. As a professional martial artist, my reflexes are well-trained. I rushed over and grabbed the kid, saving him. My right hand took the brunt of the impact and had to be amputated."

"How could this happen?" Jamie Smith was in disbelief.

"I'm lucky it wasn't my head that got hit," Quincy Shawn shook his head. "The scaffold fell from dozens of meters up. If it had hit my head, I'd be dead. Now it's just a hand. It's worth it to save that kid's life! Plus, modern prosthetic technology is pretty good. I can do simple tasks like holding plates and pouring water with it."

Jamie Smith nodded in understanding. He knew what Quincy Shawn meant. Modern prosthetics were indeed very advanced and could perform many daily activities.

"So that's why you left the sports bureau?" Jamie Smith inquired.

"It was an act of bravery," Quincy Shawn said with a smile. "The sports bureau even gave me an award and encouraged others to learn from me. But without my right hand, I'm not suited to be a professional coach anymore, so I was transferred to the office to do administrative work. The pay is lower, about ten thousand a month. I've been ranked as high as nineteenth in the world of martial arts; it's not hard for me to find a job that pays tens of thousands a month, so I decided to venture out."

Jamie Smith understood. He knew that most positions in the sports bureau didn't pay well. Only professional coaches with exceptional skills were offered high salaries. Like their master, Ray Willow, the head coach of the national team, who earned an annual salary in the tens of millions. Provincial team coaches usually started with a higher salary, but administrative work was just an ordinary position within the sports bureau, and the pay couldn't compare with that of professional coaches.

"Quincy, if there's anything I can do to help, just say the word," Jamie Smith said sincerely.

"You've already helped a lot by lending me money," Quincy Shawn replied with a smile. "What I really want to see now is you getting married soon. How old are you now, thirty this year?"

"Twenty-nine years old!" Jamie Smith corrected hastily.

"In our hometown, we count by the lunar calendar," Quincy Shawn said with a chuckle.

Jamie Smith winked and then said mysteriously, "Don't worry about my marriage, it's happening in a few months."

"Congratulations! Who's the lucky girl?" Quincy Shawn asked curiously.

"May Lee," Jamie Smith whispered, "Don't spread it around, but you have to come to the wedding in a few months."

"May Lee, the singer with a beautiful voice, or just someone with the same name?" Quincy Shawn inquired.

"It's her," Jamie Smith nodded, "May and I don't know much about marriage and raising kids. You're an old hand at this, so maybe your wife Sue can chat with May more."

Quincy Shawn's face turned a little awkward, and he took a sip of water, his voice a bit low, "Sue and I are divorced."

"Divorced?" Jamie Smith was taken aback.

"Yes, it happened earlier this year," Quincy Shawn nodded.

Jamie Smith understood. Last year, Quincy became disabled. As a professional martial artist, especially one who used a spear, a right-hand disability meant he could no longer continue his career. This could be one of the reasons for the divorce.

"Nowadays, the divorce rate is really high," Jamie Smith remarked.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Here, it's almost up to 50%," Quincy Shawn shook his head, "Being alone is also good, it's less trouble."

Jamie Smith nodded in agreement. He could sense the bitterness in Quincy's heart.

"By the way, I'm leaving Binhai soon and will be settling back in my hometown," Jamie Smith chatted with his good friend, talking about life and some gossip in their circle.

Time flew by as they chatted and laughed, and half an hour passed quickly. During the conversation, Quincy Shawn was also very relaxed, as if he had returned to his college days, to the days of training in the national team.

Those were carefree times when they could focus solely on martial arts.

"Jamie, I should go back now," Quincy Shawn looked at his watch and said, "I need to cook dinner for my son."

"You should hurry up then," Jamie Smith also stood up.

"You rarely come over, I should have had dinner with you, but..." Quincy Shawn was a bit embarrassed.

"Haha, I'm also going to the capital, you should take care of your son," Jamie Smith said.

Jamie Smith vaguely understood that Quincy had lost his father early, his mother was now hospitalized with a serious illness, and now he was raising a child alone... there must be a lot of hard work.

"I'll leave first," Jamie Smith got on a ride-hailed smart car at the door of Jiaxin Fitness Club.

Quincy Shawn, on the other hand, was carrying a backpack, watching Jamie Smith leave, then put on a helmet and rode an electric car home. Although autonomous driving smart cars are now very popular, and you can buy and use them without a driver's license, Quincy Shawn had already sold his car.

Half an hour later, Quincy Shawn, who had bought some groceries on the way from the market, returned home.

This is a large flat with an area of 200 square meters, which is also very good in Jinmen City. It cost a lot of money to buy the house back then.

"Dad." A boy lying on the sofa, wearing virtual glasses, excitedly took off his glasses and ran over to hug his father.

"Little Shawn, are you having fun with the game?" Quincy Shawn asked with a smile.

"Summer vacation can be a blast," the boy said happily, "And this morning, I also played math and language games. I've reached level 55 in the math addition and subtraction game, and I've passed level 22 in the language pinyin game."

"Really great," Quincy Shawn kissed his son.

The boy hugged his father affectionately, enjoying the days with his father very much.

"I'll go make dinner for you," Quincy Shawn said.

"Okay," the boy sat back down obediently, put on the virtual glasses again, and there was a robot next to the sofa, which was the only companion for the boy at home.

"I can only afford the cheapest first-level intelligent robot. I usually don't have time to accompany my son, so I can only let the robot accompany him," Quincy Shawn, who was in the kitchen, looked at his son in the game, feeling quite self-blame.

A first-level intelligent robot can only clean, help look after the child, and have simple chats with the child. That's all, like cooking meals, these are too complicated for a first-level intelligent robot to complete.

"What I can do is to try to maintain my son's life," Quincy Shawn looked at the home.

And his wife divorced, the property was divided equally!

Quincy Shawn seems to still live in this house, but he has to give his wife 3.9 million in cash! All the cash at home, including the property, was mortgaged for two million in cash... all gave to his wife.

What's worse is that the mother is seriously ill, and the mother can't help take care of the child, and the cost of serious illness treatment is very high. He has already mortgaged the property to the maximum amount, and even sold the car.

He is now heavily in debt, but he must hold on.

"Ding ding ding."

Quincy Shawn pressed the watch, and a light curtain appeared. It was a haggard, slightly fat woman in her forties, which was Quincy Shawn's mother.

"Quincy ah." Quincy Shawn's mother's breath was also a bit weak, "I have looked up a lot of information on the Internet. I have a genetic defect disease, a rare disease. The special medicine is just a delay, it can't be cured at all, so don't make a fuss, I'll go home to accompany my grandson, and the days will be happier, and you will be more relaxed."

"Mom, don't worry, I have signed a long-term contract with the company, and I have money," Quincy Shawn said, "You just need to treat yourself, don't worry about anything else. I will go to see you tomorrow morning around eight o'clock."

"Quincy." Quincy Shawn's mother really loves her son.

In just over a year, she became disabled, lost a good job, divorced, heavily in debt, now raising a child alone, and taking care of her mother, Quincy Shawn's mother wanted to commit suicide, but she knew her son's character very well, if she committed suicide... I'm afraid her son would suffer for a lifetime.

"Mom, I'll continue cooking, little Shawn is still waiting to eat," Quincy Shawn said.

"Okay, okay," Quincy Shawn's mother also hung up the phone.

Quincy Shawn covered the pot lid, and the flame of the stove was rising, and he was watching silently.

"My life, how did it become like this?" Quincy Shawn thought.

He was also a favored child of heaven!

"If I had listened to Jamie at the beginning, listened to the coach, focused on martial arts, and didn't fall in love and get married too early... I would have gone further in the World Martial Arts Competition, and my income would have been much higher. I wouldn't be so embarrassed now."

Quincy Shawn recalled the past.

He fell in love in his freshman year, it was his first love, after entering the national team, he contacted through the virtual network, and he has been with his ex-wife, at the age of 22, just reached the legal marriage age, he got married, and then had a baby.

Although he was also very attentive to martial arts, he had to admit that falling in love, getting married, and having children, which distracted him a lot, also made his achievements a bit lower. You know, he is a year younger than Jamie Smith, according to the same age period, he is completely comparable to Jamie Smith.

"I am not as focused as Jamie, I have not been seriously injured during the national team, Jamie has broken his leg, a few years later, he can still get up, rush into the top eight of the World Martial Arts Competition! The gun law is also recognized by the whole world, and it has been recognized as the top ten in the history of gun law, and it has been awarded the nickname of the gun devil. I am also practicing guns..." Quincy Shawn said silently, "I am content with the status quo, and I want to spend more time with my wife and son, and I don't have Jamie's dedication at all."

"Time will not come back, regret and annoyance are useless, just move forward step by step," Quincy Shawn said with his head down, touching his watch, a light curtain popped up, Quincy Shawn opened it, and started to pay the fees: water, electricity, gas, virtual network, son's milk money, monthly loan repayment...

There is no hope for the career, heavy debt, there are old and young, everything can only rely on him alone.

He is the pillar of this family!

Quincy Shawn looked up and saw his son, little Shawn, sitting on the sofa in the living room, wearing a virtual glass, his thin body: "Little Shawn, Dad can't give you much, but even if he fights to the death, I will let you grow up happily, and you can be self-reliant in this society!"

The fragrance of the braised meat gradually spread to the living room.

"Dad, it smells good," his son, little Shawn, sniffed his nose and shouted happily.

"I cooked your favorite ribs, and it will be ready in a while," Quincy Shawn said with a smile.

...

Jamie Smith sat on the high-speed train back to Binhai City, looking out of the window.

"How could this be?" Jamie Smith understood Quincy's current situation, and he was heartbroken and powerless, "Disability, career is also ruined, the family old and young still has to rely on him..."

"What I can do is to help as much as I can, but life still has to be borne by Quincy himself," Jamie Smith said silently, "Quincy, come on!"

Life, sometimes you can't fight back, you can only bear it silently.