Peninsula: I'm being supported by a top idol.

"Hello, Coach, I was introduced by Karina... I'm downstairs."

This was Cui Shi'an's first time at the gym. Shortly after he made the call, a female trainer appeared at the elevator entrance.

She looked to be in her early thirties, with shoulder-length hair, wearing yoga pants and a sports vest, seemingly quite uninhibited in showing off her figure.

However, many people work out to show off to others, which is also a popular way of courtship in human society today.

But from a biological perspective, this is a very ancient tradition.

Even the ichthyosaurs, dating back 3.65 million years, used sit-up-like movements to display their strength to the opposite sex.

"Is this Choi Si-an?" She waved from the elevator entrance: "Here."

"It's me." Cui Shi'an quickly walked over.

"Have you been waiting long? There are quite a few members today," the female instructor said apologetically, then curiously looked him up and down: "Shi An, you're quite tall, aren't you? Are you 1.9 meters?"

"1.88." Cui Shi'an was really embarrassed to speak to her directly, after all, looking down at her, that sports vest was really big...

"Then putting on the shoes will be about right," the female coach said with a smile.

The two arrived on the fourth floor, but instead of taking her to the lobby, the other person led her along the corridor to a private room on the side.

"This is the private room; Karina usually practices here."

Cui Shi'an nodded and noticed several pieces of equipment inside, but he wasn't sure what they were for.

Seeing him in a daze, the female coach couldn't help but smile: "Is this Shi Anxi's first time at the gym?"

"Yes." Cui Shi'an didn't shy away from the fact that he used to run in the wild and never had time to come to the gym. At most, he would play around with the outdoor equipment on campus.

"Let me introduce it to you first." The female coach walked to a clearly structured piece of equipment and patted the chair.

"This is a seated chest press machine, which mainly trains our pectoralis major, especially the thickness and definition of the middle pectoralis major. For beginners, it is safer than the free bench press and it is easier to find the feeling of exertion."

Then, she led him to a frame with heavy counterweights.

"This is a Roman chair, but it's now equipped with a barbell, so we usually call it a Smith machine." She pointed to the barbell mounted on the safety pin:

"Its biggest advantage is that the trajectory is fixed, which is very safe. You can use it to do squats and bench presses without worrying about balance. It can isolate and stimulate the target muscle groups, making it a great tool for beginners to build a solid foundation."

Then she pointed to a device with padded levers and a belt.

"That's a hyperextension machine, mainly used to strengthen our lower back muscles and erector spinae. Many people neglect training their posterior chain muscles, but it's crucial for maintaining core stability and preventing lower back injuries. Karina often uses it for warm-up and core activation."

"That's a gantry crane, or a rope cross-training machine." She pulled on the rope to demonstrate its smooth movement:

"This is a versatile tool in the gym. By changing the grip and adjusting your posture, you can use it to train almost all muscle groups in your body, from chest flyes to back rows, and to sculpting your shoulders and arms. It is very functional."

Finally, she asked with a smile:

"I wonder which muscle groups Shi'an-xi mainly wants to train?"

Cui Shi'an shook his head: "Didn't she say? You should ask her. I don't know either. She sent me."

"She" naturally refers to Liu Zhimin.

The female coach immediately became curious about the relationship between the two and sent Liu Zhimin a text message to inquire.

A moment later, she laughed and said, "Karina said you have to work out your whole body."

"Well…"

"Take off your clothes first, let me see your basic skills."

"Uh... take it off here?" Cui Shi'an hesitated.

Seeing his embarrassed expression, the female coach's smile widened: "Kenchana, it's just the two of us here."

As she spoke, she glanced at Cui Shi'an's loose-fitting sweatpants: "Didn't you bring any proper workout clothes?"

"no."

The female trainer explained, "It's best to wear something close-fitting at the gym, because some equipment can easily trap your clothes, and close-fitting clothes absorb sweat more easily."

"Oh, okay? Then how about I come again next time?"

"No, Karina specifically told me to train you for a full three hours."

Even the duration is regulated? Cui Shi'an was speechless. This woman really was…

"Well then, we have some simple items here. I'll go get you a pair of shorts."

"Okay, how much?" Cui Shi'an subconsciously reached for his pocket.

"You don't need to worry about the expenses; Karina said she'll pay for everything."

"No need," Cui Shi'an shook his head. "I can do it myself."

The female coach gave him a meaningful look and smiled, "Okay, take a look around for now, I'll be right back."

As soon as she left, Cui Shi'an breathed a sigh of relief. He was too embarrassed to stare at her, otherwise his eyes would inevitably wander to other places.

Why can't these sports bra manufacturers design a bra specifically for women in the peninsula who like cosmetic procedures?

Each one is so small yet bears such large fruit, completely violating the laws of ecology.

While Cui Shi'an was complaining, he inadvertently glanced at the dumbbells in the corner and decided to go over and try them out. After all, he didn't know how to use the other equipment, and the dumbbells were simple; he just had to lift them up...

Ok?

So light?

Props?

Cui Shi'an flipped the dumbbell over with one hand. The dumbbell plates clearly said 20kg, which added up to 40kg. Even with the straight bar in the middle, it didn't feel very heavy to him.

Should we try adding two more tablets?

"Oh my, Shi'an-xi! Be careful not to get hurt! That's..."

The female coach who entered the room stopped exclaiming in surprise abruptly because she saw an unbelievable scene: Cui Shi'an was not only steadily lifting the 40kg dumbbell with one hand, but also weighing a 20kg dumbbell plate in his other hand as if he were holding a book!

"Ah, sorry..." Cui Shi'an quickly put down the dumbbells, his effortless lifting of the weights leaving the female coach speechless.

"Shi-Shian-xi..." She strode forward, looked at the dumbbells on the ground in disbelief, and then sized up Cui Shian's slender yet not overly robust figure:

"How...how did you do that? That's not something a newbie could have!"

She gestured with her hands, her tone full of astonishment: "40kg! One hand! And so easily? Have you had systematic training before? Or are you a professional athlete?"

Oops!

Cui Shi'an's heart tightened. He immediately realized that his subconscious behavior might have given away something amiss. His brain raced, and he quickly came up with an excuse for himself:

"I haven't done any special fitness training. I probably just spend a lot of time outdoors, often hiking and wading through rivers. Sometimes I also need to carry equipment and samples, so over time I've become a bit stronger than the average person."

He wasn't entirely lying; field ecological research is indeed a genuine outdoor activity.

Upon hearing this, the female coach's surprise and doubt subsided, replaced by intense curiosity.

She subconsciously looked at Cui Shi'an's exposed forearms, where the skin was indeed a healthy tan from long-term exposure to the sun, and the muscle lines were smooth and firm, not the shape deliberately sculpted in the gym.

"So that's how it is..." She nodded thoughtfully, reluctantly accepting the explanation, but her gaze towards Cui Shi'an was completely different, filled with the excitement of discovering a "rough gem".

"It seems Shi An's muscle mass and neural recruitment ability are outstanding; that's a natural talent! Karina has found me an incredible student this time!"

She handed the new shorts she had brought to Cui Shi'an, her tone much more enthusiastic:

"Go change quickly, and then let me find out your condition first."