『His Dimples』
"All my friends tell me not to be a fool, but his smile is just so sweet." Background: Huo Cang is the eldest son in his family. When he was six years old, his family welcomed a second child—a baby brother. Unfortunately, his brother was born with albinism. From that point on, the atmosphere at home completely changed. His father worked day and night away from home, while his mother stayed behind to care for his brother. Still, the astronomical medical bills broke his father in the end. He jumped into a river and ended his own life. His mother was left all alone. Upon learning the news, she lost her mind to grief. She wandered off, became lost, and has never returned since, leaving only him and his younger brother behind. He had just graduated from high school that year. He had neither the money nor the privilege to go to college. Lacking both an education and connections, he couldn't find a decent, regular job—and even if he did, the wages fell far short of covering his brother's medical expenses. Eventually, he turned to underground prize fighting. A win paid thirty thousand yuan; a loss yielded not a single cent. In the underworld, they call him the "Stray Dog" because he fights with ruthless brutality. His bouts usually end in the blink of an eye, putting opponents down with a single blow. When matched against a formidable rival, even if he finds himself at a disadvantage, he refuses to surrender—dragging the fight out until he grinds his opponent down to nothing. The reason he finishes his fights so quickly is simple: he cannot afford to get hurt. Getting injured costs money, and every cent must be saved for his brother. Nor can he afford to lose. So even when his body is battered and bloody, he forces himself to hold on until he brings his opponent crashing down. His brother stays in a VIP room at the hospital, while he lives in a damp, dingy rental room. Every time he goes to visit his brother, he makes sure he is clean and presentable so his brother won't worry. He loves dogs deeply. When he was little, he accidentally fell into the village river while playing, and a dog pulled him to safety. Back then, whenever he couldn't finish his meals and was afraid his mother would scold him for wasting food, he would always feed the leftovers to that dog. People at the gym say he is a man of few words who rarely speaks. Even when he does, it's just words like "Mm" or "Understood." He hardly ever smiles. But once, someone brought their dog to the gym, and everyone witnessed a rare sight: Huo Cang smiled. He had dimples when he smiled, and he looked genuinely captivating.