Always Home

In the transition from spring to summer, the annual freshman football tournament arrived as scheduled.

The School of Pharmacy had a small student body, and after much effort, they barely scraped together eleven players. They cheerfully exited the tournament with a winless record, failing to score a single goal. After her own school was eliminated, Huan'er lost interest in the matches. However, the girls from the neighboring dorm, knowing she was acquainted with Jing Qichi, insisted on forming a group to go watch the legendary "Computer Science Department's Xiao Jing."

Huan'er was reluctant at first, but Huang Lu's earnest persuasion wore her down—Xiao Jing had given her sunscreen and even gone home with her. Everyone knew they were old classmates and close friends. Wouldn’t it be selfish to refuse such a simple favor and let people gossip behind her back? That wouldn’t be good for harmony.

Huan'er hadn’t considered this angle. Her reluctance stemmed from two reasons: first, the match was held at the main campus, which was too far away, and second, she had watched Jing Qichi play football for as long as she’d known him. His fan club was so large that even his real friends couldn’t secure the best viewing spots. She and Song Cong had long grown accustomed to stepping back during matches, only joining in for practice sessions during breaks. Huang Lu’s words made sense—now she had to attend as proof that they were friends, but nothing more.

That day’s match was a heavyweight showdown between the International Students’ Team and the Computer Science Department. The crowd was massive, and even before the game began, the thunderous banging of water bottles was deafening. The International Students’ Team was a traditional powerhouse, having won multiple consecutive championships. Their players were physically imposing, aggressive, and unpredictable, with deep reserves on the bench. They launched an overwhelming assault on the Computer Science Department’s defense right from the start, clearly aiming for a quick victory.

Jing Qichi was in the starting lineup but wasn’t wearing the captain’s armband. Though he ran around a lot, Huan'er noticed him several times with his hands on his hips, head lowered—a far cry from the energetic, commanding presence he usually was on the field. In the past, Huan'er couldn’t tell good play from bad and had once asked him, "You don’t even score the most goals, so why does everyone say you’re good?" Jing Qichi had scowled and snapped, "I’m a midfield organizer, for God’s sake! There are people in front of me!" This time, however, she began to see glimpses of his role—Xiao Jing from the Computer Science Department was indeed mostly active in the midfield.

By the end of the first half, the Computer Science Department was in disarray, desperately defending their goal but conceding twice. During a lull in the cheers, Huan'er couldn’t help but stand up and shout toward the field without thinking, "Jing Qichi, take them on! What are you afraid of?"

She saw Jing Qichi glance toward the sidelines, searching for the source of the voice, but the intensity of the game kept him from spotting her. Then, a group of boys nearby roared, "Xiao Jing, take them on!" "Go for it!" "Computer Science rules, unmatched in the world!"

Jing Qichi sprinted down the left flank, fighting for the ball and forcing a throw-in. He walked to the sideline, raising the ball above his head, and finally caught sight of Chen Huan'er standing clearly in the stands.

No one noticed, but Xiao Jing from the Computer Science Department was smiling.

He threw the ball to a teammate, quickly received it back, and as he dribbled, he gradually regained his rhythm. Slicing through the defense, he delivered the most threatening shot of the first half—only for the ball to ricochet off the crossbar as the whistle blew for halftime.

The players trudged back to the sidelines, dejected. The physical education senior serving as their technical advisor first offered encouragement before analyzing the situation. "We were too passive in the first half. This can’t go on. Let’s switch to a 4-2-3-1 formation. Big Lin up front, Chen Feng, Xiao Tao, and Qi Chi in midfield. Defenders, stay sharp." He glanced at the opposing International Students’ Team but quickly looked away. "When you get the ball, focus on the left side. Qi Chi can handle one-on-ones easily. As long as they don’t make substitutions, targeting the left flank could work."After speaking, he ruffled Jing Qichi's hair, "Can you handle it? Even your female fan said, 'Take them down.'"

The team, which had been in low spirits, lightened up a bit. Someone teased, "Xiao Jing, your female fan is pretty fierce."

"No," Jing Qichi instinctively glanced in Huan'er's direction. "She's my friend."

"Your friend sure has guts," a teammate laughed. "The international students' Chinese is top-notch—they probably understood every word better than we did."

Ah, this idiot. Hearing this, Jing Qichi suddenly felt a pang of worry—his first priority after the match would be to go rescue her. If someone really tried to pick a fight, even if Chen Huan'er could throw a punch, she might not be able to handle it.

In the second half, the Computer Science team adjusted their tactics. Jing Qichi received the ball, deftly dodged two defenders, and delivered a perfect long pass to their lone striker. Da Lin, in the most comfortable position, struck a world-class shot that sent the crowd into a frenzy. The counterattack didn’t stop there. From a high corner kick, Jing Qichi leaped up, won the header, and scored again. The score was now tied. The international team’s hired coach shouted in English from the sidelines, "Number nine, mark number nine!"—that was Jing Qichi’s jersey number. He had become the opponent’s primary target.

Thanks to this lightning-fast offensive, the first ten minutes of the second half were exceptionally intense. Huang Lu tugged at Huan'er’s sleeve. "What’s their problem? They’re targeting Xiao Jing alone."

Even an amateur could see it—Jing Qichi was having a rough time on the field.

Though, though it did prove his skills were formidable and not to be underestimated, Huan'er’s attention was entirely fixed on his injury. His running posture seemed fine, but after being dragged down several times—some fouls so blatant the referee issued yellow cards—Huan'er thought, It must hurt. Just looking at his bare knees made her uncomfortable.

"I’m going to buy something," Huan'er told Huang Lu, grabbing her bag.

"Don’t go," Huang Lu pulled her back, subtly nodding toward the girls from the neighboring dorm sitting on her other side. "What about them? They’re still waiting for introductions. I’ll go with you after the game."

"Don’t worry, I’ll make it back," Huan'er quickly bent down and slipped away.

Her destination was the sports store at the school gate. The straight-line distance wasn’t far, but walking required circling around most of the field. Huan'er jogged the whole way, entered the store, and went straight to the counter. "Hello, I’d like to buy a set of football protective gear—for knee injuries."

She answered the clerk’s questions one by one. The shelves were packed with options, and in the end, she chose one based on the clerk’s recommendation, though she wasn’t entirely sure if it was the right one even after paying.

Clutching the purchase, she sprinted back. As she neared the field, a deafening cheer erupted—someone was shouting, "Jing Qichi is amazing!" It sounded just like the roar from Tian High’s field years ago.

Huang Lu called at that moment, her voice brimming with excitement. "Are you back yet? Xiao Jing is a god! He scored in overtime—the international students are stunned!"

Huan'er switched from a jog to a brisk walk. Jing Qichi was the captain who led Tian High’s team to their best-ever record, the promising player repeatedly scouted by coaches. If not for those nagging injuries, he might have been shining somewhere else, in a different way. Huang Lu’s description didn’t surprise her at all.

She even thought, He’s going easy on them by not completely crushing them. "Huai'er?" Huang Lu called out, "The game's over now. If you really can't make it back, I'll just have the others go ahead?"

"I'm at the exit." Huan'er pushed against the crowd moving inward, having already spotted Huang Lu. She raised her hand and waved, "Lu'er, over here."

At the same time, Jing Qichi noticed her standing by the sidelines. After exchanging a few words with his teammates, he jogged over and tapped Huan'er on the shoulder from behind. "Where'd you go in the middle?"

He knew where she'd been sitting in the stands, but when he looked again later, her seat had been empty.

"I..." Huan'er was about to answer when Huang Lu approached with the others, already gushing with exaggerated praise before she even reached them. "Xiao Jing, you were amazing! A dark horse comeback—I almost want to enshrine you as our mascot."

Huang Lu was often by Huan'er's side, and the three of them had shared meals a few times, so Jing Qichi was somewhat familiar with her. He nudged Huan'er with a teasing grin. "Does she want my autograph or something?"

"Get over yourself." Huan'er laughed, then gestured toward the four girls from the neighboring dorm to begin introductions. "This is..."

Jing Qichi greeted each of them in turn, finally putting faces to the people in Chen Huan'er's circle.

During the casual chatter, several team members wandered over. The Computer Science department had just won a hard-fought battle to advance to the next round, and the dramatic last-minute comeback had everyone buzzing with excitement. The group of guys and girls quickly fell into lively conversation. Da Lin enthusiastically explained tactical shifts to the sports-illiterate girls, growing louder and more animated under their admiring gazes until he finally proposed, "We're heading out to eat—why don't you all join us?"

Jing Qichi subtly shook his head at Huan'er, his expression clearly conveying, This is what happens when you spend too much time in a monastery full of guys—don't mind them. He grabbed his gear bag from Da Lin and pulled out a sports drink, while Huan'er instinctively retrieved the sneakers from inside and placed them on the ground—this was their usual routine, one she knew better than anyone.

After finishing his drink, Jing Qichi sat down to change his shoes. Once both were tied, Huan'er extended her right hand, palm up. Without even looking, Jing Qichi grabbed it and used the leverage to stand, the entire motion fluid and practiced.

The others were still chatting, and only Huang Lu noticed this small, intimate gesture. But as someone with sharp social instincts, she knew better than to comment—so she simply turned away without a word.

Their hands had already separated, as if Huan'er had merely offered a habitual assist at that moment, and Jing Qichi had merely grown accustomed to relying on it to stand.

Amid the ongoing chatter, a sudden commotion arose as Jing Qichi was organizing his bag. He looked up to see a vaguely familiar face.

He couldn't remember her name, only that she was from the Law School and a reporter for the university news club. She'd often come to practices before the game, and Jing Qichi had been pushed forward by the captain for an interview. Later, she'd twice suggested grabbing meals together, both of which he'd politely declined—he could guess her intentions, and since he didn't reciprocate, it was best to draw a clear line.

Da Lin nudged him with a meaningful tone. "Hurry up, your fan club's here."

They all knew this Law School girl who frequently showed up at practices had a crush on Jing Qichi, hence their teasing nickname for her—"the fan club president."

"No," Jing Qichi said, standing up after changing his shoes. "That's not..."The team just thought he was too shy to admit it, so they teased him with a laugh, "We know, we know, you're already friends, right?" Then they turned to the law school girl, "Hey, you were cheering pretty hard back there!"

The girl had indeed been shouting cheers the whole time, her throat now dry as sandpaper. Hearing Jing Qichi call her a friend made her heart leap with joy, so she accepted the praise graciously, "I couldn't help but cheer for Qi Chi's match."

"Oh, Qi Chi." The guys drawled the name suggestively, deliberately ignoring Jing Qichi's denials. "You two are moving fast—aircraft carrier speed."

Everyone burst out laughing.

Jing Qichi glanced at Huan'er. After a brief moment of eye contact, she silently pulled a paper bag from her bag and tucked it into his gear bag, zipping it up for him before saying, "The receipt's inside. Exchange it if it doesn't fit."

"What?" Jing Qichi was puzzled.

At that moment, the captain slung an arm around his shoulders. "Come on, let's all grab a meal together. Xiao Jing, you better thank your fan girl properly."

The captain was referring to the law school girl.

Huang Lu noticed Huan'er forcing a smile and immediately linked arms with her friend. "We've got plans later." Then, considerate of the other girls from their dorm who had come along, she added, "Go on, you guys—the bridge of friendship between the Pharmacy and Computer Science departments depends on you!"

"See you," Huan'er waved at Jing Qichi.

"Huan'er." Jing Qichi tried to follow, but his teammates grabbed him by the neck and yanked him back. "No sneaking off—today's meal isn't happening without you."

He watched her figure disappear through the court exit. For some reason, his chest suddenly felt unbearably tight.