Since Linda had already asked for two days off for me, I didn't need to go to school today. However, my father-in-law, Zhang Dagui, was in high spirits today. After breakfast, he called me to change into a set of workout clothes and go to the park to learn martial arts with him.
I had no choice but to change into sportswear and follow him to the nearby Zhushan Park.
The park was full of middle-aged and elderly people doing their morning exercises, most of whom knew my father-in-law. They greeted him as we walked by. Zhang Dagui looked somewhat aloof, nodding slightly to acknowledge them without saying much.
He led me to a secluded corner of the park, then began explaining the martial art he was about to teach me. He spoke slowly, "The martial art I'm going to teach you is called the 'Eight Gate Cannon Fist,' an important representative routine of the Eight Gate Fist. Along with the 'Tearing Hammer,' 'Nine Ring Hammer,' and 'Through Back Fist,' it forms the Four Pillars of the Eight Gate Fist. The distinctive features of this style are its powerful strikes, robust energy, dense techniques, and the principle of delivering punches like cannonballs, with the body resembling a dragon…"
Zhang Dagui had quite a talent for being a teacher. As he explained, he demonstrated the moves with his own body. He struck a pose, shouted "Mountain Opening Cannon," and his fist slammed into the trunk of a tree as thick as a water barrel, making a muffled "bang."
The tree trunk trembled slightly, the branches swayed, and countless leaves fluttered down. What left me stunned was that a large chunk of bark had been dented, as if struck by a giant hammer. I thought to myself, this punch is incredibly powerful. If it hit someone, it would be disastrous.
Seeing my shock, Zhang Dagui smiled with satisfaction and continued explaining the history, features, and key points of the Eight Gate Cannon Fist.
I learned that the Eight Gate Cannon Fist originated during the Qing Dynasty. Later, in the late Qing and the Republic of China periods, it became popular among soldiers. However, fewer people practiced it in recent years. Even those who had learned it often incorporated many new, fancy moves, losing the original fierce power of the art. My father-in-law claimed that his version was the most authentic.
Zhang Dagui spent more than two hours explaining the history of the cannon fist before officially teaching me the techniques. According to him, I was starting late, so mastering it fully might be impossible. However, with proper practice, I could fight three or five strong men.
I thought to myself, I didn't need to fight five strong men. If I could just beat the school's champion in a one-on-one fight, I'd be satisfied.
Zhang Dagui finally started teaching me the Cannon Fist techniques. After two hours of practice, I was exhausted, feeling like a dog. Zhang Dagui was disappointed with my physical condition. He said the Eight Gate Cannon Fist was a fast and domineering martial art, and that the body was like the cannon barrel. Without a strong body, how could I unleash the power of the fist?
After lunch, he took me back to the park and had me do various physical exercises, such as pull-ups, one-arm push-ups, and squats, torturing me endlessly.
Before I knew it, it was already sunset. I was lying on a park bench like a heap of mush, exhausted. My clothes were drenched in sweat and stuck to my body, and my muscles were sore and numb. I was too tired to even move a finger.
But Zhang Dagui wasn't planning to let me off easy. He kicked me hard and shouted, "Stop playing dead! Get up and do the final exercise—drag a tire with weight."
He had prepared an 80-pound car tire for me, with a large rope tied around it. One end of the rope was wrapped around my waist, and I was supposed to drag the tire 200 meters.
To be honest, dragging an 80-pound tire for 200 meters was tiring enough for anyone, let alone me after a full day of exercise. I looked at the empty plaza and, while panting, shook my head and said, "Dad, with my current physical condition, even running 200 meters without weight would exhaust me. Dragging this 80-pound tire, I'd be lucky to make it 100 meters. I definitely can't do 200."
Zhang Dagui snorted, "This little challenge is too much for you? I think you can drag this tire 200 meters or more. Let's see if you can do it."
I had been tortured all day, and my clothes were soaked in sweat, my hair was wet and sticking to my head. I felt like I might die from exhaustion. I shook my head and said, "Don't bother trying, I can't do it."
Zhang Dagui looked at me seriously and said, "Andrew, how do you know you can't do it if you haven't tried? Are you the type of person who gives up as soon as you encounter a problem?"
"I'm not, but right now…"
Zhang Dagui slapped my shoulder firmly and said earnestly, "Then let's give it a try, shall we? I don't care if you've never given your all before, but this time I want you to try with everything you have. Can you do that?"
I looked at Zhang Dagui, his eyes full of determination and seriousness, with a hint of encouragement. I lowered my head, looked at the huge black tire by my feet, bit my lip, and nodded firmly, "Alright, I'm going all out today."
Zhang Dagui smiled with satisfaction, then handed me a towel to wipe the sweat off. "Close your eyes," he said.
I was a bit confused and asked, "Why should I close my eyes?"
Zhang Dagui explained, "I'm going to cover your eyes so you won't be distracted. All you need to do is give your all and focus on moving forward. Keep this belief in your mind."
With my eyes covered, I couldn't see anything, but my other senses became sharper. Zhang Dagui whispered in my ear, "Andrew, start now."
I stepped forward, exhausted, and began dragging the 80-pound tire. It scraped along the ground with a sound of "whoosh."
"Good job, kid. Keep moving forward…"
The encouraging voice of Zhang Dagui in my ear motivated me, and I grit my teeth, taking another step. The tire moved again.
"Keep going, don't think about anything else. Just move forward, never give up…"
I felt like an old ox dragging a plow, my torso leaning forward as the rope around my waist connected me to the giant tire. With every step, it felt like the tire grew heavier by ten pounds. After struggling for some time, the tire seemed even heavier, and I felt as if I were carrying a thousand-pound mountain on my back, like Sun Wukong from the Journey to the West. In the end, I was practically crawling, using both hands and feet to drag myself forward.
"How far is it, Dad?"
Zhang Dagui shouted, "Andrew, don't worry about that. Just keep moving forward, never give up."
"Dad, I feel awful. I don't think I can make it."
"Keep going. Don't give up. Think about the things you want in life. Imagine those things waiting for you ahead. You can't give up now, you must keep moving forward…"
"Dad, my arm muscles are on fire, it hurts…"
"Andrew, it's not that painful. You're a man, you can do it. Keep going, don't stop. Keep going…"
"I can't breathe, the rope is choking me, my feet feel like they're filled with lead. I feel like I'm going to explode."
"Then let it explode! You've done well. Keep your back straight, like a man. Don't stop…"
"I really can't go on."
"You can! You can do it with your willpower. Don't stop. Tell yourself you can do it, and you will!"
With my eyes covered and no idea how far I'd come, I kept dragging the tire forward. At first, I was just trying my best, thinking of Linda. I imagined Linda waiting for me at the 200-meter mark, and I, like a wounded warrior crawling home from the battlefield, kept struggling to move forward…
My arms burned like they were on fire, my body felt like it was falling apart, my feet felt like they were going to break, and the rope around my waist made it hard to breathe. It felt like I was on the brink of collapse.
But then, each time Zhang Dagui shouted encouragement, I instinctively moved forward. It became less of a conscious effort and more of a reflex. My body became numb, but his voice kept pushing me forward.
"Andrew, you're doing great, don't give up. Keep going."
"There's only ten meters left. Don't stop, keep moving forward, one more step…"
"Five meters, just five meters. Don't give up at the final stretch…"
"Just one more step, one more…"
I felt like I was at my breaking point, but when I heard Zhang Dagui's voice, I clenched my teeth and took one more step. Then, I collapsed onto the ground with a thud.
I had never felt so exhausted and miserable in my life. I couldn't even move my fingertips anymore.
Zhang Dagui gently took off the towel covering my eyes. I struggled to lift my head, feeling a bit emotional. Looking at Zhang Dagui's face, I weakly asked, "Dad, did I make it 200 meters? Did I do it?"
"You tell me."
Zhang Dagui untied the rope from my waist and helped me to my feet. He turned me around to face the path I had dragged the tire across. I suddenly realized that I had dragged the 80-pound tire across the entire length of the park plaza, which was over 400 meters—double the 200 meters I thought I could never reach.
I looked at the shallow mark on the ground where the tire had left its trail. Zhang Dagui whispered in my ear, "Andrew, do you see? Never underestimate yourself again. You're far stronger than you think. From now on, no matter what difficulties you face, I want you to remember this: with a heart that never gives up, there's nothing you can't achieve."
I looked at my father-in-law, dumbfounded. Not only had he taught me martial arts today, but he had also shown me what it truly means to be a man. Under his encouraging gaze, I couldn't help but nod firmly, "Dad, I understand."