Time flew by, and soon it was one o'clock. After gathering in the classroom, Lu Zheqiang led them to the pool area once everyone had arrived.

They weren't the only students at the pool; other instructors were there with their own groups.

Their afternoon was dedicated to practicing techniques. Everyone changed into their own gear; Chu Mingcheng, having brought his own, didn't need to buy anything.

One by one, the women emerged from the changing rooms. The wetsuits left nothing to the imagination, clearly outlining their figures.

Tong Shuman was the clear winner. She obviously worked out regularly; her physique looked like it had been sculpted in a gym, the wetsuit perfectly showcasing her flawless curves. A figure like that would undoubtedly be a showstopper as a mermaid in an aquarium. It wasn't just the men who noticed; even Chu Mingcheng gave her a look.

But his glance wasn't for Tong Shuman. It had suddenly reminded him that Jiang Luoluo's figure was also quite good. As a dancer, if she were to wear a form-fitting outfit, would she be particularly alluring?

Besides Chu Mingcheng, the instructors present were equally composed. They taught a considerable number of female students every year and were accustomed to seeing beautiful, well-built women. They weren't about to act like inexperienced rookies.

Once the students had changed, they all entered the water. Lu Zheqiang had them take turns entering the pool one by one to record their static apnea times.

There were no strict requirements for the one-star freediving certification, but Lu Zheqiang set a standard for them anyway. The women only needed to hold their breath for one minute, which most of them passed on their first try. Even those who failed were simply nervous; with a bit of practice, they would manage it easily.

The only other male student in the class had a slightly higher requirement—ninety seconds, which was a bit more challenging. Most men could manage a full minute without issue. On his first attempt, he lasted one minute and sixteen seconds, just a dozen or so seconds short of the ninety-second mark. With more practice, he would reach it.

However, the two-star certification required a full two minutes, so he still had some work ahead of him.

Finally, it was Chu Mingcheng’s turn. He didn’t hold back, keeping an eye on his dive watch as he floated in the water. After four full minutes, he surfaced.

Seeing how relaxed he looked, Lu Zheqiang’s mouth twitched. Chu Mingcheng still seemed full of energy, and Lu Zheqiang couldn’t help suspecting that his physical fitness was no worse than his own. What Chu Mingcheng lacked wasn’t stamina—it was theoretical knowledge and refined technique.

After finishing the breath-hold training and explaining how the students should continue practicing, Lu Zheqiang moved on to the next lesson: learning the proper way to fin kick underwater.

This, at least, was something Chu Mingcheng wasn’t good at, which finally gave Lu Zheqiang a sense of accomplishment as a teacher.

Over the course of the afternoon, besides fin-kicking practice, Chu Mingcheng also learned the duck dive, then progressed to static buddying, dynamic buddying, and pool turns.

The dynamic apnea, or horizontal swimming, required a distance of forty meters. There was also a constant weight dive to sixteen meters, which Chu Mingcheng completed at a normal person's level.

Finally, there was LMC and BO rescue (pool rescue). All students had to learn these, the only difference being that Lu Zheqiang's requirements for Chu Mingcheng were higher.

The day's classes ended, and the other students successfully received their one-star certificates. Their course was officially over. After all, a one-star certificate was, strictly speaking, just a trial experience in the water with little technical skill involved.

But Chu Mingcheng's graduation wasn't that simple. The next day, he needed to go to open water—out to sea—to learn advanced content.

After class, Chu Mingcheng showered and changed. He was about to head out to explore more local food when a message from Lu Zheqiang popped up, inviting him to dinner.

Enthusiastic as ever, Chu Mingcheng thought, but he accepted the invite. He figured he’d return the favor tonight and treat Lu Zheqiang to a meal.

Not long after, Lu Zheqiang pulled up outside the building. As Chu Mingcheng approached the car, he noticed Tong Shuman in the front passenger seat—and another unfamiliar woman sitting in the back.

He paused for a moment, a little speechless. So that’s how it is? Still, he didn’t say anything and got in.

Lu Zheqiang offered no explanation, simply drove them to a restaurant, and booked a private room. The table was large, giving the four of them plenty of space—not too close, not too distant.

Once they were seated, Chu Mingcheng didn’t bother beating around the bush just because there were women present.

“Da Qiang,” he said directly, “did you invite me to dinner because you had something to talk about?”

Lu Zheqiang was a bit taken aback, not expecting him to be so direct. Since things had already reached this point, he could only nod and explain, "There is something. I wanted to invite you to join my spearfishing team."

He had seen Chu Mingcheng's strong underwater abilities. The club currently had three instructors, who were also the co-owners. When there were no students, they would go out spearfishing to make money.

His personal spearfishing team currently had eight members. On a good day, they could catch five or six hundred jin of fish.

He then explained to Chu Mingcheng why he had brought the two female students along. It wasn't for any special transaction; both had already agreed to join his team. Once they obtained their spearfishing licenses, they would join the spearfishing squad.

Although they had received PADI one-star certificates today, it didn't prevent them from practicing and then directly testing for AIDA two-star certificates.

Chu Mingcheng had no intention of joining his team or staying in Qiongzhou, so he could only politely decline. "Da Qiang, it's not that I'm unwilling, but I'm developing my career in Xiamen. My boat, friends, and dive buddies are all there."

"I can't join the team, but I'll definitely come back to you for my three-star and four-star freediving certifications."

"That's a shame. To be honest, I have high hopes for you. If you joined, the club would probably have a fourth instructor in the near future."

Lu Zheqiang sounded a bit regretful. He truly thought highly of Chu Mingcheng. Among all the students he had taught, his talent was the best. With a partner like him, their team's safety factor would increase significantly.

However, he didn't take the rejection to heart; he wasn't the type to turn hostile just because he was turned down.

But after refusing, Chu Mingcheng felt it would be awkward to stay for dinner, especially since everyone else present was on his team.

"Well, since there's nothing else, I'll be leaving. I'm planning to go fishing in the Xisha Islands after I get my spearfishing license. I just made an appointment with a boat captain to discuss the time and price, so I'll head over now. You all enjoy your meal."

Lu Zheqiang knew he was making an excuse to leave and understood what he meant, so he didn't insist on him staying.

Leaving the restaurant, Chu Mingcheng looked around, a bit speechless. Where had he been taken?

He hadn't expected Lu Zheqiang to invite him, nor did he know he was one of the club's shareholders. With his abilities, he couldn't possibly join a team. How could he use his cheat with others around? If it were just for fun with friends, that would be fine.

He found a random shop to have dinner, then searched online for a nearby tackle shop.

He had only brought two boat rods in his luggage to Qiongzhou. The rest of his rods were at home; he could bring them when he drove to Xiamen next year. Two boat rods and the electric jigging rod he was about to buy would be enough for now. After returning from the Xisha Islands and heading to Xiamen, he could get his driver's license while also renting a boat to go spearfishing or boat fishing.