Based off previous experience, Li predicted that this "Massage and Muscle Relaxation" must be effective. He began with "Stroke." The so-called "Stroke" was actually a type of massage that involved rhythmically massaging the other person. It was different from "Knead.""Stroke" contained palm stroking and finger stroking. Usually, palm stroking was for massaging the torso, while finger stroking was for massaging arms and legs.
Jiang was in a daze. He had been an athlete for years, and had experienced many masseuses, so he could easily tell good from bad. From Li's manipulation of his body, he could see that Li knew what he was doing.
Hm, this boy does know something. Maybe I misjudged him, Jiang thought secretly.
While on the other side, Li began to shift from one skill to another. Press, stroke, push, knead, pinch, rub, scrub, knock. He presented everything he had learned from the book.
Jiang gradually closed his eyes. His face was full of enjoyment. Hey, this is comfy. I felt soreness when I was practicing, but now with Li's massage, I feel much better.
However, Li's face became serious. How could his muscles be so stiff? It's OK for people with low body fat percentages to have hard muscle, but his muscle is stiff. This is not good. How could this happen? Li thought carefully for a while and finally came up with the answer: muscle overload.
Long, intensive training would produce too much pressure on muscles, thus leading to muscle overload. If a muscle has been overloaded for too long, muscle fibers and connective tissues will be torn or even broken. That's the condition Jiang has been facing. His muscle hasn't received enough rest for years, that's why it is so stiff.
Li sped up a bit. As the massage was going on, Jiang felt more relaxed. His muscle was no longer stiff.
Several minutes later, Jiang slowly opened his eyes. He looked at Li in astonishment.
"How do you feel, Jiang?"
"Hmmm, not bad. Keep going!" Jiang tried to behave normally, but his eyes let out his surprise. My soreness has completely disappeared! How could it be possible! I have been suffering from pain for years, even specialists in Provincial Hospital warned me that unless I stopped training and had good rest for at least three months, I would not recover. How could Li loosen up my muscle simply by several minutes of massage!
Jiang closed his eyes again, enjoying Li's massage. Gee! This is so good! I have never experienced this before. So comfy and relaxing, like lying on a cushion filled with feathers!
At this moment, Jiang felt that his arm, which was being massaged by Li, didn't belong to him. He felt aches and pains all over his body after his intense training except for his arm. No ache, no pain—he only felt ineffable relaxation.
His arm was getting lighter and lighter. Jiang could not even feel it. He had an illusion that this arm is no longer his, and that it was about to fly away to some beautiful place.
"Jiang, would you like to be massaged elsewhere?" Li's voice woke Jiang up with a start.
"Sure!" Jiang laid down, allowing Li to continue massaging him. Li's hands seemed to have magical powers. Wherever he touched, the pain vanished.
Hmmm... Jiang was immersed in comfort. He felt as if he was surrounded by white clouds, and up above him was a sky full of stars; beneath him were rolling hills. He was the ruler of this world; with a mere snap of his fingers the stars changed positions, and with a stomp the mountains shifted seasons.
Am I dreaming? Jiang suddenly opened his eyes. He was still in the training room, but the relaxation remained in his body. It was real.
Jiang didn't want to move at all. He wished he was a puddle of mud, so that he could lay there comfortably forever.
"OK, that's all. What do you think?" Li stopped. He could tell from Jiang's face that the massage had worked out pretty well.
"That's it? The massage is so short." Jiang sat up. To him, the massage only took a few seconds. That was nowhere near enough. He would like to have more.
"It's not very short. See, it's already five o'clock. Dinner time," Li smiled.
Jiang looked up at the clock. It was 5:10 pm. He scratched his head, muttering to himself, "Time passed so quickly without me noticing. It actually took half an hour. How can I believe that?" Jiang stood up and wiggled his body. He could feel neither pain nor tiredness.
I wonder what kind of massage it is? I have been an athlete for such a long time, and have tried hundreds of massages. None of them were as effective as this one. I really enjoyed the relaxation. It feels like I have slept for three days! Dai Li is way better than those professional masseuses! Jiang was shocked. He looked at Li, who was packing his own stuff.
But in actuality, Li was examining his empirical value in the system.
Ha, just like I expected, giving athletes massage can earn empirical values. See how much I have earned today! Perhaps I should change jobs, I can be a masseuse and only work for famous athletes. I would earn plenty of value! What if I'm lucky enough to massage a beautiful athlete... 'Do you have chest pain? Don't worry, let me help you!'... Oh my, that's awesome! An evil idea came into his mind. Li's mouth began watering.
"It's only five o'clock, see how hungry you are!" Jiang's voice rang. He waved his hand. "Come on, let's have dinner!"
Li was stunned. "Are you talking to me?" he asked with uncertainty.
"Of course!" Jiang paused, then suddenly smiled. "You are good!"
Jiang smiled with genuine joy. Li knew that Jiang had changed his attitude.