The Understated Dragon Lord novel Chapter 299

His body’s condition and whether or not he had been overindulgent, Mason knew well. But he couldn’t admit it. There are things a man can do but must never concede. Once admitted, it's all over.

"A hundred-pound barbell you can lift with ease? Do you believe that yourself?" Daniel asked with a chuckle.

"What I said is true. Whether you believe it or not, it is the truth," Mason insisted, clearly unwilling to admit he had been deceitful. If he did, it would be akin to admitting there was a problem with his kidneys, something a man could never acknowledge because it’s linked to virility.

Daniel only laughed coldly in response to Mason's evasions. "Heh!" Then, pointing at a wooden chair, he said, "That chair can't weigh more than twenty or thirty pounds at most. Since Mason claims he can easily lift a hundred pounds, carrying that chair a few steps should be no problem, right?"

Looking at the chair, Mason let out an equally cold laugh. "Heh!" Then he addressed Daniel disdainfully, "Country boy, you think so little of me? If I can't even lift that chair, wouldn't I be a complete invalid?"

"If you think you can lift that chair, Mason, go ahead and try. But I must warn you, your kidneys are extremely weak right now, so be careful not to injure yourself lifting it!"