Chapter Nineteen: The Duel

The Tide Rider Through Time

Combat sports and traditional Chinese martial arts were both unfamiliar to Wei Hua; his training in physical techniques had only begun in the past few months. He had never sparred or fought an opponent, but he trusted in his reflexes and stamina. So, as the match began, he took a defensive stance and waited for Kinoshita's attack.

Kinoshita, clearly experienced in actual combat, was a calm and composed adversary. He didn't rush to strike, instead observing Wei Hua, searching for weaknesses in his defense. Circling Wei Hua three or four times, Kinoshita quickly discerned from his reactions that Wei Hua lacked any real fighting experience. He couldn't help but resent Sato Emon for this arrangement; although Sato Emon had explained that this contest was meant to be a demonstration, surely he couldn’t just send any Chinese person to fill the role. If he defeated his opponent in a single round, the demonstration would lose its purpose. Only a match between evenly matched opponents would be worth watching. It seemed he would have to conceal most of his strength.

After another circuit, hearing the spectators’ jeers from the stands, Kinoshita finally made his move, aiming a kick at Wei Hua’s waist. Wei Hua, relying on his formidable mental acuity, quickly judged the situation and deftly evaded the attack. Once Kinoshita began his assault, it came like a storm, relentless and fierce. Yet, Wei Hua’s rapid reflexes allowed him to neutralize each strike. On the surface, Kinoshita had seized the advantage, dictating the rhythm of attack, and it seemed Wei Hua’s defeat was imminent. But Wei Hua persisted, and soon the first round drew to a close.

The second round commenced. Wei Hua’s stamina and reflexes were superlative, and with their support, he found it much easier to handle Kinoshita’s attacks compared to the first bout. After several rounds, Wei Hua had gained a thorough understanding of Kinoshita’s offensive capabilities and had learned enough techniques. He began to apply what he’d just learned, using Kinoshita’s own methods to fight back. After four or five rounds, Kinoshita realized he had underestimated Wei Hua: it was true that Wei Hua lacked experience, but his talent for martial arts was extraordinary—one might even call him a prodigy. With only a few brief exchanges, Wei Hua had mastered several commonly used judo moves just by observing Kinoshita, and could execute them as if he’d practiced for decades. Moreover, after fending off a few of Wei Hua’s attacks, Kinoshita sensed that Wei Hua’s strikes were impressively powerful. Kinoshita decided to unleash his full strength, now treating Wei Hua as a worthy opponent.

The contest soon passed several more rounds; Wei Hua was now able to fight Kinoshita head-on, and his robust physique began to show its advantage. While Wei Hua’s stamina remained unchanged, Kinoshita's endurance started to wane noticeably, altering the dynamic of the match. Wei Hua became the aggressor, and Kinoshita was forced to defend. After three or four more rounds, Wei Hua finally exploited a gap in Kinoshita's defense in the fourteenth round, knocking him to the ground and winning the match.

The students who had watched the entire contest left the gymnasium in high spirits, discussing the match as they went. At this moment, Sato Emon, accompanied by Jessie, Mary, and Kathleen, approached Wei Hua. Sato Emon was the first to speak:

"Mr. Wei! Thank you for giving our dojo such a wonderful opportunity. Our goal has been achieved, but whether we can change the dojo’s situation will require greater effort on our part. Our young master, Kinoshita, will personally visit you to express his gratitude for your help. I’ll take my leave now." With a nod to the three young women, Sato Emon departed.

After he left, Jessie couldn’t help but embrace Wei Hua, planting a kiss on his cheek and exclaiming,

"Wei! You fought brilliantly! I think you should start teaching us Chinese kung fu immediately! And you can only teach the three of us—no one else, understood? Don’t you agree?" she asked, turning to Mary and Kathleen, who nodded their approval.

"I won’t teach anyone else! Do you think being a good teacher is easy? I’ve already regretted agreeing to teach you three, and I haven’t even figured out how to teach you properly. How could I have time for anyone else? Besides, I have many other things to do and not nearly enough spare time."

The next morning, the three young women roused Wei Hua early, pestering him to teach them Chinese martial arts. Seeing their determination, he organized the self-defense techniques for women stored in his bio-computer and began teaching them. From then on, the three practiced these techniques every morning, later passing them on to their friends, until eventually, women’s self-defense became a skill all female students at MIT possessed and a distinctive feature of the institute.

After the match, Wei Hua resumed his plans. There had been no news about the songs and scripts he had mailed out, and he had been pondering these matters for days. He needed to accumulate funds; his investment company had just over ten thousand, barely approaching twenty thousand dollars in capital—far too little.

A few days later, Wei Hua received a letter from Hong Kong. It was a reply from Bruce Lee. In his letter, Bruce Lee explained his situation. He didn’t quite believe Wei Hua’s claim about being ill, but expressed gratitude for Wei Hua’s concern and hoped they could become friends. Along with the letter, Bruce Lee sent Wei Hua a copy of his published book, "Basic Chinese Kung Fu."