"Your post-match analysis only points out where you think the problems lie in the game, but it lacks suggestions for improvement."
"Suggestions for improvement?" Wen Chengye paused. "Even if I said them, would you listen?"
Wang Fa considered the young man's words pointless and didn't respond.
"I think our offense is too weak," Wen Chengye said directly.
"Go on."
"Coach Jiang used to say this all the time - defense, defense, defense is the foundation of offense. But even if we defend perfectly for 90 minutes, it's still a 0-0 draw. We need to strengthen our offense."
"Not direct enough," Wang Fa commented.
Wen Chengye's face stiffened.
"Anyway, if we lose the next game, you won't have any other matches. If you don't speak up now, it'll be too late." Wang Fa was very calm as he lifted his eyes to examine the young man before him.
Wen Chengye stared back at him just as intently.
Lin Wanxing suddenly remembered the end of that day's match.
The head coach of Yongchuan Evergrande's youth team had approached Wang Fa and asked, "What exactly are you trying to do?"
The question sounded strange, but Wang Fa, being consistently aloof on the field, hadn't responded.
Wen Chengye frowned deeply, his fists gradually clenching at his sides as if making up his mind. "I'll play midfield," he said.
Lin Wanxing was stunned. Remembering how Wang Fa had previously moved Fu Xinshu to the defensive line, she turned to look beside her.
"Alright," Wang Fa replied.
Wen Chengye was equally stunned. He hadn't expected the coach to agree so easily and couldn't believe his ears.
"So... so I'm playing midfield now?" Wen Chengye asked, pointing at himself.
"But my agreement doesn't mean you'll automatically play well in that position." Wang Fa leaned forward slightly. He wasn't being casual but was having this conversation with Wen Chengye very seriously.
In the night breeze, the young man seemed slightly dazed, as if lost in deep thought. "What else do I need to do?"
"Just as you said, defense alone can't win games. Similarly, pure offense can't either. What do you think?"
"You mean teamwork?" Wen Chengye's brow furrowed deeply at this point. He clearly understood what Wang Fa meant but still didn't want to discuss it.
Wang Fa checked the time and said straightforwardly to Wen Chengye, "Tomorrow at noon, you can directly explain your ideas to your teammates and convince them. Of course, I mean if you want to."
Wen Chengye had arrived uncertain and left even more confused.
It was said his parents were fighting over their divorce, and the so-called "managing him" was just a tactic in their divorce proceedings. He had plenty of freedom most of the time.
The rooftop iron door slammed shut with a bang, restoring the night's tranquility around them.
Lin Wanxing lowered her head and carefully read through the short essay Wen Chengye had submitted. Then, at some moment, she propped her chin on her hand and turned to study Wang Fa.
Comrade Wang Fa's profile was still quite attractive, though his full face was even better. Lin Wanxing tried to come up with some novel-worthy adjectives to flatter him. Just then, Wang Fa suddenly turned to look at her.
The stream of adjectives in Lin Wanxing's mind went blank.
Perhaps her expression was too dazed.
Wang Fa stared at her for a while, a smile appearing in his honey-colored eyes. "What does Teacher Lin want to ask? Do you need me to give you an opportunity too?"
Lin Wanxing froze, then lightly tapped the table. "First of all, the reemployment opportunity was clearly given by me to the coach."
"What about other opportunities? Can Teacher Lin provide them?"
In that moment, Lin Wanxing certainly understood what Wang Fa meant.The night breeze was gentle, and they maintained the same distance as before. Wang Fa’s posture was relaxed, his bangs and sideburns still damp from his recent shower, but his gaze was earnest and sincere.
The air carried the scent of surrounding flowers and lemon shampoo. Their hands were close, almost close enough to lightly lift and hold fingers.
The atmosphere was pleasant, and there are times when everyone wants to play dumb—Lin Wanxing felt the same.
So she asked Wang Fa, "Then I’ll give the coach a chance. Tell me your plans."
A flicker of complex emotions passed through Wang Fa’s eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and smiled, countering, "Is Teacher Lin asking about my plans for the football team?"
"Mm." Lin Wanxing chuckled softly. "It feels like the coach has had this planned for a while."
"Actually, no," Wang Fa replied.
"But you assigned Fu Xinshu to the defense and supported Wen Chengye in competing for the midfield position."
"What I mean is, the process wasn’t as deliberate or foresighted as you might think." Wang Fa paused. "They’ve been playing together for a long time—they’re a highly cohesive team. That’s actually quite remarkable, isn’t it? Playing together as kids and still being teammates as they grow up."
Lin Wanxing knew very well that Wang Fa had moved around frequently in his youth and, as an adult, had witnessed countless team changes. He always believed that a team like Hongjing No. 8 Middle School was exceptionally rare.
Lin Wanxing laughed. "You absolutely cannot let them hear you say that—they’d definitely put on a show of exaggerated disgust right then and there."
Wang Fa poured himself a glass of water and also laughed. "But cohesion can sometimes be a double-edged sword. The players’ thinking becomes fixed, and their playing style rigid. Even when conflicts arise, it’s like patching up an old sampan. When a big storm hits, it can easily shatter."
Hearing this, Lin Wanxing suddenly understood why Wang Fa hadn’t immediately cracked down on the locker room dynamics.
The Hongjing No. 8 Middle School football team was a stable unit. They could rely on consistency and diligent training to overcome some opponents.
But as the matches grew increasingly difficult, losing naturally led to blame. Chen Weidong’s departure was just a glimpse of the underlying conflicts. Wen Chengye’s arrival had intensified the team’s internal tensions.
At this point, as the head coach, Wang Fa essentially had only two choices: continue repairing this small sampan or watch it be destroyed by the storm and then find a way to rebuild.
Thinking back to the locker room brawl that day—the heavy, oppressive air—Lin Wanxing fell silent.
"But it might not succeed," she said.
Sometimes, once something shatters, it’s gone for good. Whether Wen Chengye and the other players would change as a result, whether they could reassemble into a competitive team—all of this was uncertain.
"But we always strive for better possibilities," Wang Fa said.
Lin Wanxing looked at Wang Fa.
The fluorescent light from the ceiling cast a pale golden glow, illuminating his clear and serene face. This was a decision born of careful consideration.
He didn’t want ambiguous choices or a team held together by force. Even if it was just an ordinary high school team, he hoped they could pursue better possibilities.
Deep down, Lin Wanxing felt that Wang Fa was truly remarkable.
The unknown would always be the greatest challenge.
"What do you mean?"
The next day at noon, at Yuan Yuan Cram School.
The students gathered at the time Wang Fa had specified. Wen Chengye, steeling himself, stood at the podium and briefly shared his thoughts, causing an immediate stir below.
They couldn’t understand why Wen Chengye dared to step onto the podium and declare his desire to play in the midfield, nor could they comprehend why Wang Fa had allowed him to do so.The crowd below was in an uproar, and Wen Chengye on the stage looked somewhat flustered.
Wang Fa sat in the audience, and the players turned to see the coach's reaction: "Wait, Coach, do you also think Old Fu should give up his position to Wen dog?"
"I have no preference."
"Last time we played against Yongchuan Evergrande, you had Fu Xinshu play as a defender." Chen Jianghe suddenly remembered something.
"Fu Xinshu showcased his strengths in the defensive line, didn't he?"
"But..."
The students still felt inexplicably conflicted.
This was the lineup they had grown accustomed to since childhood. Suddenly changing it, especially having the captain give up his position to the most uncooperative person, felt deeply uncomfortable.
Wen Chengye took a deep breath and said, "This is my issue. It's not that Fu Xinshu isn't good as a midfielder—it's that I don't like playing as a defender."
"Just because you don't like it, others have to accommodate you?"
Lin Wanxing raised her hand to correct him: "You can replace 'don't like' with 'not good at.'"
Wen Chengye’s face was cold, and though it was difficult, he amended his words: "I... am not good at playing as a defender."
With that change in phrasing, the objectors in their seats suddenly fell silent.
But upon reflection, it did seem to make sense.
Wen Chengye was inherently lacking in team spirit, preferring to act alone, his eyes fixed only on the opponent's half. Asking him to defend properly made him deeply uncomfortable. In contrast, Fu Xinshu had excellent team spirit—meticulous and possessing a broad vision—making him well-suited to anchor the defensive line.
From a personality standpoint, swapping their positions seemed like a reasonable choice.
But was it wise to abruptly change a team that had played together for five years, especially when facing a strong opponent like Shen Cheng Hai Bo?
This could very well be their final opponent.
Everyone fell into deep thought, unable to decide.
Until Fu Xinshu stood up.
"I agree," he said.
Chapter 109: Victory
A B2B midfielder, short for box-to-box midfielder.
"Box" refers to the penalty area, meaning an all-around midfielder capable of covering from their own penalty area to the opponent's.
A B2B midfielder is fully involved in both attack and defense, with an extensive range of movement, capable of appearing anywhere on the field. In terms of role, they are responsible for organizing both offense and defense, making them the undeniable core of the team.
This was the on-field role Wang Fa assigned to Wen Chengye.
When the students heard the English term, their jaws dropped. And when they learned about the authority Wang Fa granted Wen Chengye on the field, they were too stunned to speak.
The students' first reaction, of course, was, "Why him?"
Even Wen Chengye himself was overwhelmed by the unexpected favor, never imagining the coach would place him in such a crucial position.
Watching the students' reactions, Lin Wanxing couldn't help but sigh, deeply aware of Wang Fa's cunning and strategic mind.
First, he had Wen Chengye voluntarily express his desire to play as a midfielder, then placed him in a high-stakes role with heavy responsibilities. The former Wen Chengye was a free spirit drifting outside the defensive line; the current Wen Chengye bore a heavy burden, required to handle everything from front to back.
"I... I don't know how to play as a B2B midfielder. I've never done it before," Wen Chengye admitted honestly. Under sudden pressure, anyone would hesitate.
"For most of the time, you're free to run wherever you want," Wang Fa said casually.
Rather than having ten players adjust to Wen Chengye, it was better to have him adjust to the other ten on the field.
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