Lin Wanxing’s understanding of Wen Chengye was limited to her observations during the three days of invigilation.
If she had to count further, around the time the football team first assembled, she had also gained a general understanding of Wen Chengye and his family.
Wen Chengye had a cold and aloof personality, and his relationships with other students were poor. Among all the students on the football team, the only one he seemed slightly closer to was Qi Liang.
He came from a wealthy family, and his parents were very strict with him. However, aside from demanding "excellent academic results," they didn’t seem to show much other concern for him.
Of course, making such inferences based solely on a single phone call with Wen Chengye’s mother was hardly objective.
Yet, in Wen Chengye’s case, Lin Wanxing truly couldn’t sense that he had grown up in a loving family.
At noon, Lin Wanxing made a point of returning home for lunch. Seizing the opportunity, she tentatively shared Teacher Qian’s suggestion with the students, hoping to hear their thoughts.
Unexpectedly, the students reacted strongly at the dining table, even more angrily than when they had heard about Chen Weidong’s departure.
“Why look for that Wen dog?”
“I’d rather play with a real dog than team up with him.”
“That guy’s got no humanity—he’s just a beast.”
They argued and shouted, with Qin Ao leading the opposition to Wen Chengye.
The other students joined in cursing “Wen dog,” but most only yelled a few words before instinctively glancing at Fu Xinshu.
Fu Xinshu remained quiet throughout, unlike before, when he would habitually calm his teammates.
By the end, the boys had vented their anger and were too tired to continue cursing.
It was only then that Fu Xinshu noticed everyone was paying attention to his mood.
He put down his chopsticks somewhat uncomfortably, one hand brushing against his pants seam, and said slowly, “Asking Wen Chengye to join… might be okay. It’s not like there’s anyone else…”
Though he said this, his eyes were downcast, as if avoiding something.
Lin Wanxing could clearly sense the unresolved tension between him and Wen Chengye.
So, she comforted him, “Don’t overthink it. Even if we ask Wen Chengye, he might not be willing to come. Wasn’t that the case last time? Besides, he has excellent grades, and his mother is very strict. His family’s focus is entirely on the college entrance exams. Let’s wait for news from Teacher Qian first. In the meantime, you all should try reaching out to your own friends too.”
—
Though Lin Wanxing said this, her greatest hope still lay with Teacher Qian.
Teacher Qian’s response came quickly, but the feedback wasn’t good.
He had first gone through the football team’s original roster and asked all the substitutes if they could fill in.
A few students were willing, like Chen Weidong, to occasionally guest-play for a match or two, but when it came to joining the team for regular training, no one was interested.
According to Teacher Qian, autumn was the peak season for major track and field events. The student-athletes were all focused on pushing their own events and didn’t have much time to take on football as well.
Moreover, by the Group Stage of the National Youth League, the level of play was beyond amateur capabilities. Everyone knew their own limitations.
Then there was the matter of Chen Weidong—most student-athletes knew him and, like him, were likely afraid of getting injured.
Most importantly, their own schedules often conflicted with the National Youth League matches, making it difficult to adjust.
“Look, finding one or two people to help out for a match or two is manageable, but if you need someone to play every match, I really can’t find any students willing to do that,” Teacher Qian finally said helplessly.
Lin Wanxing stood in the Physical Education Office. It was break time, and students bustled in and out of the classroom across the way.Lin Wanxing roughly understood what Teacher Qian meant. What he said was also the reason Chen Weidong left the football team.
They weren’t football team members to begin with, so asking them to invest excessive time and energy into football was indeed unreasonable.
In the classroom across the way, the teacher distributed test papers, and the students received their own copies.
Lin Wanxing thought that, at this point, it seemed she could only pin her hopes on the students. She hoped they still had some other good friends in this school?
——
Lin Wanxing never expected that the task she assigned to the students would be seized upon by those who loved stirring up trouble as a golden opportunity to recruit new members for the Hongjing No. 8 Middle School football team.
The first poster was pasted on the door of the sports equipment room.
On the reddish-brown door, a dark green poster paper was boldly and elegantly inscribed with black brush calligraphy:
——————
《Hongjing No. 8 Middle School Football Team Recruitment Notice》
In response to the call of the Party Central Committee and to better promote campus football, the Hongjing No. 8 Middle School football team is now recruiting new players. Players will receive guidance from renowned coaches, enjoy top-tier education, and experience the charm of Premier League-level coaching.
Positions are available now—opportunity knocks but once.
Interested students, please register with Teacher Lin Wanxing at the Hongjing No. 8 Middle School sports equipment room.
Contact: 189123098xx
————————
When Lin Wanxing returned from Teacher Qian’s office to her small storage room, she immediately spotted this large poster plastered on the equipment room door.
The boys had learned on the spot—the poster clearly copied the text from the cigarette wrapper Qin Ao had received.
In the lower right corner, a girl with a sparrow-like ponytail was sketched, a hair clip tucked into her temple hair.
Lin Wanxing stared at it for a long time, then touched the hair clip on her own head.
This abstract stick-figure girl—was it supposed to be her?
She finally understood what the boys had been sneakily plotting behind her back at noon.
Staring at the stick-figure girl on the poster gave her a headache. She took a photo with her phone, circled the line “experience the charm of Premier League-level coaching” with the editing tool, and sent it to Wang Fa.
Soon, Wang Fa replied with a stunned kitten emoji, a question mark hovering over the kitten’s head.
“They should be training right now, right? Can you ask the kids why I’m involved in this?” Lin Wanxing said, half-irritated and half-amused, sending him a voice message.
A moment later, three voice messages popped up in rapid succession on WeChat.
“Shouldn’t you take responsibility for the football team?” Qin Ao said.
“Yeah, teacher, you should screen the applicants first. Aren’t you studying something-something?” Yu Ming said.
“Psychology, dumbass!” Qi Liang retorted, exasperated.
“Anyway, just register anyone who shows up. It’s no big deal. We’re planning to hold tryouts on Saturday afternoon—just notify the people who come!”
The boys’ efficiency was astonishing.
During her free time in the afternoon, Lin Wanxing took a stroll around the school.
According to the students’ schedules, they had very little break time each day. Yet, in that limited time, they had managed to put up an endless number of posters!
The sports equipment room, the school cafeteria bulletin board, the teaching building notice board… football team recruitment posters had appeared everywhere.
Even when picking up her afternoon tea, Lin Wanxing spotted a massive green poster at the usual takeout collection spot by the school’s back gate.
As a result, Lin Wanxing not only endured the stares of students picking up their takeout but was also visited by the logistics teacher, who scolded her thoroughly.
——In short, thanks to the boys' efforts.
At exactly 1:00 PM on October X, the Hongjing No. 8 Middle School Football Team held its first recruitment session since its establishment at Wuchuan Road Stadium in Hongjing City.
There were quite a few boys interested in football, so the Saturday afternoon recruitment session wasn't completely unattended.
Lin Wanxing's registration list had seven names, including that rare Chinese Super League fan they had met at the cafeteria entrance that day.
The boys also brought along friends they knew from the gym—parentheses including Coach Xiao Sun—making a total of 11 people, just enough to form a football team.
Lin Wanxing only handled notifying the registered students to attend and didn't interfere with their self-designed recruitment process.
By the time she arrived at the field, almost everyone was already there.
The setup organized by the students looked quite impressive.
On the ground were a net bag of footballs, marker poles, and cones, with lines for standard fitness tests drawn on the grass.
The trial participants seemed to be a mixed bag, with a wide age range.
After arriving, Lin Wanxing watched from the sidelines for a while before Qin Ao shooed her away.
She had no choice but to run up to the stands and sit next to Wang Fa.
In front of the goal, Qin Ao held a megaphone he had somehow procured and very seriously instructed the "trial (?)" participants to line up in front of the goal.
"Comrades, brothers, good afternoon!" Qin Ao shouted.
Lin Wanxing, who had just opened a bag of "Guai Guai Crispy Fruit" on the stands, was so startled she nearly spilled half of it.
Qi Liang, standing outside the crowd, rolled his eyes.
Unfazed, Qin Ao continued shouting, "First of all, thank you all for being here! But don't think that just because you're here, you can automatically join our excellent football team! Admission requires passing a strict assessment—no cutting corners!"
"What kind of test?"
"Huh, we have to take a test?"
The trial participants who had come just to make up the numbers immediately started grumbling in confusion.
"Without an assessment, how could you easily receive guidance from a top-tier Premier League coach?" Qin Ao pointed toward Wang Fa on the stands and shouted, "A football lesson like that should cost at least 500 per session!"
Lin Wanxing handed the "Guai Guai Crispy Fruit" to Wang Fa, who was shielding his eyes from the sun, and leaned in to ask, "500?"
"Teacher Lin has always gotten the discounted rate." They were suddenly quite close, and Wang Fa, whose eyes were very light, gently took a handful of the crispy fruit from her.
Lin Wanxing felt her face grow warm. "What did they tell you?"
"About what?"
"About using your name to 'swagger and deceive'?"
And you agreed...
Lin Wanxing swallowed the second half of that sentence.
"To be honest, is it really swaggering and deceiving?" Wang Fa retorted.
Lin Wanxing was taken aback and instinctively nodded.
"Of course, they also made an exchange," Wang Fa added.
Lin Wanxing: "What exchange?"
"Obviously, I can't tell Teacher Lin," Wang Fa said.
He cheerfully chewed on the puffed snack, and the air was filled with the scent of cream.
Lin Wanxing decided to restrain her curiosity and let the secret-keeper suffer, so she changed the subject. "Did they consult you about this recruitment assessment?"
On the field, Qin Ao had just announced the first assessment item: a 3,000-meter run!
"3,000 meters?"
"Are you crazy?"
The newcomers on the field erupted in protest, all looking shocked.
"They asked," Wang Fa said.
"What did you say?" Lin Wanxing pulled her attention back from the field and turned to ask Wang Fa."I'm fine with anything," Wang Fa said.
Lin Wanxing was utterly astonished.
The newcomers on the field who had come for the "trial training" also thought Qin Ao was being unreasonable.
"3,000 meters is way too much, isn't it?" the more easygoing ones remarked.
"I can't run that far, man," someone sighed in resignation.
"Making us run 3,000 meters on a Saturday—are you out of your mind?" the hot-tempered ones cursed outright.
"If you can't even handle a 3,000-meter run, how can you possibly become a member of our glorious football team?!"
"Then I just won't run, okay?"
"Fine, suit yourself."
The newcomers immediately scattered like startled birds, and two of them actually left.
Qin Ao panicked at once. He looked around frantically, only to hear Qi Liang mutter, "Idiot."
"Alright then, let's make it 2,000 meters—five laps around the track."
No one stopped.
"1,600 meters, four laps!"
"1,500!" He couldn't go any lower.
As his bottom line kept dropping, the eight who remained reluctantly began the long, grueling run.
Among them was Coach Xiao Sun, who had changed into a fluorescent pink vest today and was one of the more enthusiastic participants in the trial.
Lin Wanxing leaned closer and whispered, "Why is Coach Xiao Sun here too? Are non-school students allowed to compete in our National Youth League?"
"Probably not," Wang Fa replied.
"Huh?" What should we do then?
"A plant," Wang Fa said, munching on crispy Guaiguai fruit. "Same as us."
Lin Wanxing was stunned.
On the field, including Coach Xiao Sun, only three of the participants seemed to have any athletic background and were running seriously.
The rest were either strolling along or had such slender arms and legs that they were clearly just there to make up the numbers.
Their willingness to run laps seemed less about a genuine love for football and more about the "since we're already here" mentality.
No wonder they needed a "plant" to motivate the group...
By the time the 1,500-meter run was over, Lin Wanxing didn't even need to check the time to know that no one had met the standard.
If they had to pick the best of a bad lot, a lean, dark-skinned boy and another who was supposedly a former shot-putter barely qualified.
But in reality, they were in no position to be picky—they were practically begging people to join.
Qin Ao had initially insisted on "high standards and strict requirements." Now,
he pretended to press the stopwatch, recorded the 1,500-meter times, and turned a blind eye as he moved on to the next test.
The next test was football-related.
Professional training cones were set up on the field for the "slalom dribble" drill.
To be honest, the students rarely used these markers, but they were brought out now mainly for show.
The gap between ideal and reality became glaringly obvious during the slalom drill.
In Lin Wanxing's eyes, even the two boys she had thought were decent turned out to know nothing about football.
Ball control and familiarity aren't skills that can be developed overnight.
Most of the students lost control of the ball after just a couple of steps, let alone managing to navigate the cones while maintaining speed and precision.
There were a few whose footwork seemed passable, but they clearly weren't high school students age-wise.
Qin Ao occasionally couldn't help but yell at them for their poor skills, only to be snapped back at by a newcomer: "Didn't you say this was free training? If I were already good at football, why would I come here?"
Qin Ao had dug his own grave and now had to lie in it—he was left speechless.A sturdy, chubby boy tripped over a pole and fell hard.
The pole-weaving run ended in complete chaos, leaving everyone feeling more exhausted than after a 1500-meter race.
Fu Xinshu went up the stands to fetch bottled water for the friends participating in the team tryouts.
"Where did you find those friends of yours?" Lin Wanxing whispered.
"We don’t really know anyone else. Just two guys we met while playing football who agreed to come today," Fu Xinshu replied awkwardly.
"How old are they?"
"Seems like they’re working already."
"What about him?" Lin Wanxing pointed at the boy who had just finished the 1500-meter run and was wiping sweat under the sun—the one she had thought barely met the fitness standard.
"He’s a worker from the scrap recycling station we know. Qin Ao thought he had a decent build, so he tricked him into coming…"
The word "tricked" was quite telling. Lin Wanxing couldn’t help but remind him, "Non-school students probably can’t compete, right?"
"We couldn’t find anyone else," Fu Xinshu said helplessly. "We thought if nothing else, he could just make up the numbers."
"Ah," Lin Wanxing sighed in resignation.
Despite the seemingly proper preparations, the tryouts ended hastily.
After the pole-weaving run, three more people left, leaving only four on the field.
Two were the older working men, one was the scrap station worker Qin Ao had brought, and the last was everyone’s good friend—Coach Xiao Sun.
To showcase the team’s professionalism, Qin Ao suggested the four join them for team training.
The students had intended to let everyone experience the training, thinking since they were already here, they might as well integrate early.
But compared to the 3000-meter run or the pole-weaving test, the daily fitness regimen designed by Wang Fa was far more intimidating.
The boys had grown accustomed to such intense training, but the newcomers couldn’t handle it.
The two working men followed along for two exercises before collapsing on the ground.
"Are you insane? Do you do these exercises every day?" they protested, refusing to get up.
"Really, no more… I’m exhausted…" the scrap station worker also refused to move.
Even Coach Xiao Sun…
Coach Xiao Sun was bent over, hands on his thighs, gasping for breath.
"Don’t worry, it’s okay if you can’t do it now. Join us, and after systematic training, you might be able to!" Qin Ao jumped around, showcasing his perfect fitness.
"That’s right! We even have connections to get into Yongchuan Evergrande’s professional team! Our coach has contacts!" Chen Jianghe chimed in, sounding exactly like the fraudulent football agent he had once encountered.
Qi Liang couldn’t even be bothered to roll his eyes. He glanced at the darkening evening sky and felt these people were beyond saving.
The students continued, trying to drag the four into the remaining tests.
The two working men quickly made excuses, saying their girlfriends were urging them home for dinner, and fled.
Coach Xiao Sun: "I just remembered, I have a document to sign!"
The scrap station worker: "My buddy’s calling me to game. Sorry, gotta go!"
With that, everyone scattered.
"You’re just a Bronze rank, what gaming are you even talking about!" Lin Lu yelled at the scrap station worker’s rapidly disappearing back.
The setting sun cast long shadows from the stands.
As the crowd dispersed, the lively atmosphere faded into quiet. The boys silently finished the remaining training and finally returned to the stands.Wang Fa didn’t express any opinions from start to finish.
Lin Wanxing silently drank water nearby.
“Should I send them a message to meet at nine tomorrow morning?” Qin Ao gulped down a bottle of water and finally spoke, sounding utterly dejected.
“Will anyone even show up?”
“Even if they come, they can play, but can they avoid being caught by the committee for mismatched ages or schools?” Qi Liang sneered.
“Then what should we do? Should we just take anyone, even the worst players?” Qin Ao sounded very uncertain, his voice growing weaker.
The boys eventually looked to Wang Fa for help, as if seeking guidance.
Fu Xinshu asked, “What does the coach think?”
Wang Fa’s reply was as consistent as ever: “Either way is fine.”
“Aww…”
“Hmm…”
Hearing Wang Fa’s words, the boys collectively let out muffled, discontented sounds.
“If they join the game, they’ll just cause trouble. We might as well play with 10 against 11,” Chen Jianghe said, as cold and detached as always.
“Didn’t Chen Weidong say that if it really comes down to it, he could still come?”
“Go beg him again?” Qi Liang scoffed.
Amid the desolate and silent bleachers, someone quietly murmured, “Maybe we should still try to find Wen Chengye?”
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