The specific format of the intra-squad scrimmage was to conduct offensive and defensive drills in approximately half-field units.
The students voluntarily formed two teams. If the offense failed, the opposing team would gain possession, which also solved the issue of having only one goalkeeper.
More importantly, this approach required limited space, avoiding conflicts with the elderly grandparents exercising on the track and field in the evening...
Of course, these reasons were all thought up by Lin Wanxing.
Because after announcing the intra-squad scrimmage, their coach neither explained nor provided much guidance. Coupled with the severe shortage of players actually present, there was really no need to consider space requirements at all...
Lin Wanxing looked toward the field.
In any case, after Wang Fa's speech, the boys didn't overthink it. They simply divided themselves into two teams, picked up the football, and ran onto the field.
During this time, Fu Xinshu urged Qin Ao and also called classmates who hadn't shown up. They received responses like "You didn't notify us about training today" and "I forgot and went home today, I'll come tomorrow," but two classmates did rush over to join the training.
It wasn't really a formal training match to begin with.
An elderly person exercising was stretching against the goalpost, so the boys just placed two backpacks on the sidelines to roughly mark the goal and half-court boundaries. It seemed they really didn't need much guidance—the scrimmage naturally began. With only seven players finally present, it was a simple 3v3 match.
The non-standard field didn't matter, nor did the unclear boundary lines. The boys naturally started running on the playground, looking relaxed and happy. Rather than serious training, they seemed more like chasing each other around, venting the fatigue from their day at school.
Lin Wanxing leaned against the bleachers. The warm sunset made it feel like she could hear the thumping sounds of passes and occasional shouts of direction.
Sometimes passes went too long, with the football crossing most of the field to land far away, forcing the game to pause. The boy who kicked it out would have to run a long distance to retrieve it, yet they kept going back and forth, never tiring of it.
The sky had turned completely dark, with the moon and dim track-side lights becoming the boys' source of illumination for playing football.
From Lin Wanxing's vantage point, the students' running figures on the field grew blurry. Even she felt stiff from sitting so long in the bleachers. After venting their exam stress, the boys seemed to gradually tire too. Their running range shrank, their pace slowed, and the thumping sounds of passes in the air no longer seemed as joyful or loud.
Finally, at one moment after a goal, everyone seemed too exhausted to run anymore.
They gathered together, as if realizing something. After a brief discussion, they picked up the ball and walked back toward the bleachers.
"Coach." Fu Xinshu wiped his sweat and spoke first. "Did we forget to ask you—what was the purpose of today's training?"
"Yeah." Qin Ao said bluntly. "Last time you told us to bring our brains to training."
The boys' shirts were soaked through front and back. It seemed they wouldn't have thought to ask about the training purpose unless they'd had their fill of playing.
The coach on the seat slightly lifted his cap brim and answered very sincerely with two words: "Fitness."
"Fitness training?" The boys raised their voices.
Even Lin Wanxing had probably thought Wang Fa's "I want to watch you play an intra-squad scrimmage" meant he wanted to understand the players' abilities to develop professional strategies and tactics. She never expected it was just simple fitness training.
But the boys seemed to trust Wang Fa more than she imagined.
"Same as yesterday—just making us run nonstop?" they asked seriously. "Because we have another match on Sunday, and you're worried we won't have the stamina?"
"Let me ask a different question. What goals do you want to achieve by having me as your coach?"
"Goals?"
For a few seconds, the boys were stumped by this question.
But their answers came quickly and naturally:
—"We have a match on Sunday."
—"Yeah, we want to train these few days so we can be stronger for Sunday's match and crush the opponents."
—"If we win, we might advance."
Their answers revolved around "the match" and "victory"—simple and direct, like all competitive sports.
"For Sunday's match?" Wang Fa confirmed again.
"Yeah." The students seemed puzzled why he'd ask.
"Then my answer is: if you're preparing for Sunday's match, one week is only enough for you to get familiar with the ball, build chemistry, and improve fitness."
"So you're having us play against each other?"
"Yes. In a short time, the best way to help you is through continuous training matches. In set after set of training matches, repeatedly drain your energy and make your bodies adapt to match intensity." Wang Fa paused. "Currently, there's no way to arrange a full team to play proper training matches with you, so the training matches are intra-squad scrimmages."
"Oh, Coach, what do you mean by 'set after set'?"
Wang Fa glanced at his watch. "It's 7:30 now. Thirty minutes per match, five-minute halftime breaks. Play as many as you can."
The boys seemed stunned by "play as many as you can," momentarily frozen.
Just then, a phone rang from the backpacks the students had left in the bleachers.
Everyone rushed over to dig through their bags. After some commotion, Yu Ming answered the call.
"Hi, Mom."
"Stop talking, I'm in class with Teacher Lin right now."
"Got it, I'll definitely be home by 8:30."
The boy hung up abruptly, afraid that continuing would mean his mom dragging him home by the ear.
"Coach, sorry, I have to be home before 8:30, so I need to leave by 8," Yu Ming said, running over.
"No problem. Training supervision isn't my responsibility—I'm just offering suggestions." Wang Fa's attitude remained consistent as always. "Doing this daily for a week is too grueling. You can decide as you wish."
"Is this reverse psychology or what?" Qin Ao said.
Wang Fa said, "I don't need to use reverse psychology on you."
Although the coach was stating facts, to the kids it sounded more like disdain.
Hot-tempered Qin Ao said directly: "Fuck, your attitude is really damn annoying. Teach or don't—whatever."
Lin Wanxing hurriedly mediated: "Hey now, don't overthink it. Yu Ming has to leave by 8 anyway, so just keep playing for now. Stop when you're tired."
Seeing this, Fu Xinshu also pulled Qin Ao back.
The students jostled and tugged at each other, ran down the bleachers, and started playing again.
The hazy night saw fewer people exercising around the field, with only scattered residents jogging on the track.
Everything grew quieter as the night deepened.
Lin Wanxing also stayed quiet for a while. Although the high schoolers' figures still moved on the field, she could no longer hear their conversations. Their movements and spirits seemed to grow heavy.
The early autumn insects' chirps sounded even louder by contrast.
Lin Wanxing yawned and glanced beside her.
Their coach leaned back in the plastic chair, long legs propped on the seat in front, watching the field with his usual calm demeanor. Of course, "calm" could be replaced with "indifferent" or any other word meaning "unconcerned."
The young man seemed to notice her gaze and looked over at the same time.
"I was thinking just now." Lin Wanxing hesitated before speaking.
"What?"
"Um... Qin Ao is pretty blunt. Can I rephrase it more diplomatically to express their thoughts?"
"Sure."
Hearing this, Lin Wanxing turned and looked seriously into Wang Fa's eyes. "You really aren't encouraging them to keep playing. Why is that?"
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