"Now, let us give the warmest applause to welcome all members of the football team who represent the school and bring glory to our Andong Province!"
Accompanied by the passionate voice of the dean, the "Athletes' March" played on the school playground radio.
Amidst the sound of music, Hu Lai and Yan Yan each grabbed the handle of the championship trophy, lifted the heavy national championship gold cup, and stepped onto the steps leading to the podium.
The players of the football team followed them, filing onto the stage one after another, receiving the gazes, applause and cheers of the teachers and students in the school.
After all the players stood in three rows on the podium, the teaching director asked the team captain Yan Yan to go up and speak on behalf of the whole team.
These are fixed procedures and must be discussed before the welcome ceremony begins.
Originally, as soon as Yan Yan heard that the captain was going to speak, he would push Hu Lai up. According to his idea, Hu Lai would definitely not refuse when faced with such a scene. He would even perform extraordinarily and the speech would be more effective. Moreover,
In a sense, Hu Lai is indeed the captain of the team now.
But to Yan Yan's surprise, Hu Lai refused, unwilling to give a speech as the captain.
His reason is that he is afraid that if he goes up and talks nonsense about the dean, he will be kicked off, which will cause embarrassment then.
In desperation, Yan Yan could only bite the bullet and go to the shelves to give a speech as a team representative...
When Yan Yan stood in front of the microphone on behalf of the team and spoke empty talk without any nutrition, Li Ziqiang tilted his head slightly and looked at Hu Lai, who was standing in the first row of the team.
Although Hu Lai now has a smile on his face and looks no different from other happy players, he always feels that something is wrong with Hu Lai today.
Because Hu Lai seems a little quiet today...
The most important thing is how could this boy give up the opportunity to be in the limelight? Being able to represent the whole team and give a speech on such an occasion and become the center of attention of the teachers and students in the school is what this boy dreams of. How could he refuse?
Li Ziqiang knew that Hu Lai's father did not agree with him playing football, but he thought it might be due to some hearsay prejudice, or he was not confident in his child's potential and did not believe that he could take this path on his own ability.
Now from Hu Lai's abnormal performance, Li Ziqiang guessed that maybe Hu Lai's action to persuade his father last night had no good effect, and his family was still very resistant to him playing professional football.
"...In the end, our ability to achieve such results is inseparable from the school's care and attention to football. Therefore, this championship is not only an honor for the football team, but also an honor for Dongchuan Middle School. Thank you everyone!"
As Yan Yan's speech came to an end, thunderous applause and cheers erupted on the playground.
Li Ziqiang saw a bright smile blooming on Hu Lai's face again, and then clapped vigorously with his teammates.
Seeing this scene, he snorted in his heart: At such a young age, his acting skills are quite good...
Then he also looked away and clapped his hands like everyone else.
The golden cup on the rostrum shone brightly in the morning light, as if responding to the thunderous applause.
※※※
Hu Lai, wearing the uniform of Dongchuan Middle School, stood in an open space covered with grass and carrying a schoolbag.
This used to be a secret training base that he carefully maintained.
He trains alone here, dreaming that one day when he returns to the world, he will have perfected his magic skills, and then he will kick the shit out of those who look down on him on the court.
At that time, he only dreamed of joining the school team. As for a national competition or a national championship, he couldn't even think about it.
Since joining the school team, he has never been here again.
Now this secret training base is overgrown with weeds and shows signs of depression.
Looking around, the word "demolish" is almost missing.
Although it has not been demolished yet, it will definitely be demolished in the future. Dongchuan City is currently promoting shantytown renovation, and old houses like this one will definitely be demolished in the future.
At that time, the starting point of your football journey will no longer exist.
Li Ziqiang stood by the window of his daughter's room, looking at the young man in the open space downstairs who had been there for a long time, and then shouted: "Are you going to stand there until dark?"
As soon as he said the words, he saw the man below visibly trembled, apparently frightened by his sudden shout.
"Coach?" He raised his head and looked at Li Ziqiang in the window, shouting in surprise.
※※※
Li Ziqiang looked back at Hu Lai, who was still at the door and was timid and did not dare to come in. He said angrily: "Come in, what are you doing outside?"
Hu Lai then crossed the threshold and asked: "Want to change shoes, coach?"
Li Ziqiang looked at the floor in his home and shook his head: "Forget it, I won't change it."
"Oh, okay." Hu Lai then walked out of the entrance hall and came to the living room, then stood in front of the sofa and looked around the old house.
The space looks larger than my own home, but the furnishings are much older.
Then he smelled a faint fragrance, coming from a row of clothes hanging by the window.
The smell was very light, but Hu Lai smelled it right away because it was the same smell as the laundry detergent at his home.
The reason why the laundry detergent smells the same is because the laundry detergent at Hu Lai's house is exactly the same as the laundry detergent at the coach's house - he found out about it from Li Qingqing and asked his mother to buy it for use.
But whether it was the clothes he washed at home or the smell he smelled at the coach's house today, it was still not exactly the same as the smell Hu Lai remembered on the jersey that Li Qingqing handed to him personally...
At this time, Hu Lai realized that Li Qingqing once lived here. This was the home of Li Qingqing and her father, coach Li Ziqiang.
"Why don't you go home after school?" Li Ziqiang leaned against the dining table, folding his arms and looking at Hu Lai, who was looking curiously at the room.
"I don't want to go back."
Hu Lai's honest answer surprised Li Ziqiang: "I thought you were looking for some excuse. It seems that the talk with your parents last night didn't go well?"
"My dad and I had a fight." Hu Lai lowered his head and said.
"Why doesn't your father want you to play football? Did he read the negative reports about Chinese football in the media?"
Hu Lai raised his head and looked at Li Ziqiang: "Coach, you came from a professional football school. I want to ask you, have you ever seen someone deliberately destroying teammates in training just for the sake of competition?"
Li Ziqiang was stunned. He didn't expect Hu Lai to ask such a question. He realized that this was not something Hu Lai thought of casually, but probably had something to do with Hu Lai's father. So he asked: "Why are you asking such a question?"
question?"
"I just found out yesterday that my dad used to be a professional player, but he retired due to injury without even playing a professional game. The injury that caused him to retire was caused by his teammates in training - two people fighting for each other.
A place in the first team, his teammates kicked his knees to pieces..."
Hu Lai told his head coach about the quarrel he had with his father yesterday.
Li Ziqiang's face became more solemn as he listened. When Hu Lai finished speaking, he was silent for a while and then said: "I can't say that this kind of thing happens everywhere, and I can't say that there is no such thing. Although after these years of football reform,
Many of the dark sides of the past have improved or even disappeared... But it is true that there are many dark sides in football that you have never seen. Some are problems with our country's football system, and some are problems with the competitive sport of football itself.
The characteristics of competitive sports are inherently cruel. It is a sport that ultimately selects a small number of elites through mass elimination. In this process, there will definitely be losers, and there will be a huge number. Even developed countries in European and American football are no exception. But...
"
At this point, Li Ziqiang was silent again, then shook his head and said: "There is no but. Your dad is right, in our country, there is indeed such a problem. If you give up the college entrance examination, give up your studies and focus on professional football, this
It is undoubtedly a kind of gambling. It is easy to win if you win, but what if you lose? What can a high school diploma do in this society? Your only way out may be to become a football coach..."
"So coach, you are also opposed to me joining a professional team?" Hu Lai asked.
Li Ziqiang shook his head: "I didn't say that."
"But you also said, this is a gamble. If I lose the bet, a high school degree can't do anything in society. The only way out is to become a football coach..."
"It's not bad to be a football coach." Li Ziqiang said. "I am a football coach."
"But I want to be a professional player."
"After hearing your dad's story, do you still want to do it?"
Hu Lai was silent for a few seconds and then frowned and said, "I still want to."
"Since you already have the answer, why are you still looking as confused as if you're constipated?" Li Ziqiang snorted.
"I have no idea……"
"If you were frightened by your dad's story and want to come to me for some psychological comfort, then I'm sorry, I can't comfort you. Nor can I guarantee you that after so many years of development, football in our country will not exist.
Such a problem. Because your dad's problem is not a problem of the system, but a problem of human nature. If you meet a petty person who hates you and is jealous that you took his position, then he might really do impulsive things during training.
Come on...even if the system changes, as long as people are still playing football, this kind of thing will never happen again."
Having said this, Li Ziqiang glanced at Hu Lai again, observed his expression, and saw that he only frowned slightly but had no other reaction, so he continued.
"And I would like to remind you that evil in human nature is somewhat probable and will not happen all the time. But the competitive nature of competitive sports is that it will happen 100% of the time. Even if you don't encounter such vicious teammates or opponents, it will happen.
Many things will affect your final outcome. It may be normal injuries, it may be luck, or it may be lack of talent... Sometimes a change of coach in the team may become a turning point in your career, or it may be that you
A missed goal in a crucial game... Professional football is not as beautiful as you think, and the future of professional players is not as bright as you imagine. There is a lot of pressure, few opportunities, and the winner takes all.
"The difficulties you encountered when you first joined the school team are nothing to mention in the real professional football stage. The power I used to knock you away in training is the treatment you will definitely enjoy in the professional arena. High school football and professional football
Football is a completely different world. Even if you become the best player, top scorer, or national champion in the high school national competition, it does not mean that you will definitely become a real professional player. You may be very talented.
But any player who is old enough to enter a professional team is a genius among his peers. Your competition is no longer with the students in school who just want to enjoy football, but with those who want to eat this bowl of rice.
"In addition, there are many temptations outside of football. Alcohol, women, money... these will eventually affect your career... Don't think I am alarmist, everything I say is about professional football.
The real situation, even what I said is not one percent of the real professional football...I tell you this, not to make you retreat. I have no position, I just want to tell the truth about football dreams.
Let me tell you. It’s like a notice of responsibility. If you understand everything carefully, think about it seriously, and insist on your ideals, that’s your business and has nothing to do with me.”
Hu Lai was a little confused when he heard the head coach say so many things in one breath, which he had never dared to imagine before.
Li Ziqiang didn't care what he was thinking. After saying these words, he issued an eviction order: "Why don't you go home? Do you want me to keep you for dinner?"
Hu Lai stood up in confusion, said goodbye to the coach, and walked out.
As soon as he walked out of the door, he was stopped by Li Ziqiang again.
"coach?"
Li Ziqiang was silent for two seconds and said: "If you go to a professional team, you have to work harder than you did on the school team."
"I know, coach." Hu Lai smiled. He knew this very well. Even if he had a system, he obviously couldn't become stronger all at once. He still needed to improve himself through training.
"You are indeed very talented, Hu Lai... but remember, if you can't put in ten times the effort of others, then your talent will be just worthless stones."
Hu Lai looked at the coach standing in the room. He was almost completely hidden in the dark environment of the old house, so Hu Lai couldn't see the coach's expression clearly.
He recruited this person into the team but never gave him a good look. He scolded him and tortured him with so-called special training. If he hadn't drawn a [World Wave Experience Card], he might have really wanted to do it.
After one year of basic training with the school team, he could not represent the school team in competitions until his second year of high school. Then he didn't know what his fate would be like now...
Although he always faced the coach with a smile, he actually never liked this person in his heart.
But he doesn't hate him either.
Because no matter what the reason was, he always gave himself a chance. After he seized the opportunity, he did his best to cultivate himself.
The special training he gave himself benefited him a lot.
The man in front of me is always the first real coach in his football career.
So Hu Lai turned around, faced Li Ziqiang, and bowed deeply to him: "Thank you, coach, I will remember it."
Li Ziqiang didn't speak. He didn't say a word until Hu Lai got up and left. He just stood in the shadow of the old house.
※※※
When Hu Lai walked to the door of the alley where the coach's house was, he suddenly slapped his forehead and thought of something.
So he turned to the entrance of the secret base.
Stepping through the waist-deep weeds near the base of the wall, Hu Lai searched hard in the grass.
He wants to find his own football and take it away from this abandoned secret base.
For a long time, he had forgotten about it. Now that he thought about it, how could he let it continue to stay here and be forgotten like this vacant lot?
It's just that it's been too far away from the last time he came here for training. He forgot that he hid the football in the grass last time... He could only endure the mosquito bites and look for it little by little.
Finally, after searching for several minutes, he opened a patch of grass and a dirty, deflated football appeared in front of him.
Hu Lai's eyes lit up and he reached out and took out the football.
Although there is no need to confirm, you can also know that this is his unique football that belongs only to him in the world.
After all, it's too familiar.
But he still turned the football over, trying to find the mark he left.
That "who".
He found "who", but at the same time he was surprised to see a line of Arabic numerals under the already somewhat blurry "who".
Eleven in total.
This is a series of phone numbers.
Who would leave a phone number on their football?
Looking at Juanxiu's handwriting, a face appeared in Hu Lai's mind.
"Are you looking for it?"
A sound as clear as a silver bell sounded behind him. He turned around and looked at the entrance of the secret training base, but there was no girl wearing the uniform of Dongchuan Middle School.
The voice seemed to just echo in his mind.
Perhaps it was just the rustle of the wind blowing through the grass that he misheard as someone talking.
Join the school team, participate in the national competition, win the national competition championship, top scorer and best player...
Even if I have a system, if that girl doesn't appear here and say to me: "I'll teach you."
All of this probably won't happen in such a short period of time.
When she left school to play professional football, he and Song Jiajia regretted not writing down her contact information.
Unexpectedly, she had already written her phone number on the football when she left.
And he actually waited until this moment to remember to come here to look for this football.
If he had forgotten, if this place had been demolished before he came... wouldn't he just miss it?
Hu Lai looked down at the deflated football in his hand, standing in the weeds.
He now thinks about his father and the "truths" his coach told him about professional football.
They didn't lie to themselves, what they said was true, and they had fully understood the risks behind taking the path of professional football.
But now, no matter who asks him if he wants to play professional football, he will probably nod and say: Yes!
Why?
Because in that world, there is someone waiting for you to catch up.