Many sports leagues have All-Star games, including the Russian Premier League, the Chinese Super League, and even the NBA All-Star game in basketball, among others.
As the first foreign player in nearly five years to be voted into the All-Star game by Russian fans, Qin Chunxiao finally realized how high his popularity had soared. From the moment they arrived at the Druzhba Sports Center on the bus, enthusiastic fans approached him for autographs. Most of them were friendly middle-aged and elderly fans, as well as some young kids.
Qin Chunxiao couldn’t believe how many people loved him. He showed a pleasantly surprised expression and shyly shook hands, took photos, and signed autographs while whispering his thanks.
The first lady among them said enthusiastically, “Child, don’t be shy. You are very confident. Hold your head high, so those big guys have to take notice of you.”
Qin Chunxiao smiled brightly at her and replied, “Of course, they have to take notice of me because I am the All-Star libero you all voted for!”
The title of a Russian Premier League All-Star player carries significant weight in the volleyball world. And at just 17 years old, having received this title on March 2nd of this year, Qin Chunxiao is the youngest player to achieve this honor in the past decade, breaking yet another record.
The support of these fans has given Qin Chunxiao this honor at such a young age, which will greatly benefit his future in volleyball. It may even lead to higher contract offers when he signs with clubs next year. This is all thanks to the fans’ support.
He sincerely thanked them once again, his cheerful demeanor resembling the winter sunshine, warm and inviting.
The lady was momentarily stunned, and after Qin Chunxiao walked away, she turned to her companions and said, “Misha’s personality is even better than I imagined. On the court, he’s like a wolf, but off the court, he’s polite and adorable.”
One of the younger fans looked dissatisfied and said, “But I wanted him to hug me, and he didn’t agree.”
The adults laughed upon hearing this because they understood that in some foreign regions, if an adult gets too close to a child and hugs or kisses them casually, it could raise concerns among parents. When faced with the child’s affection, Qin Chunxiao chose to kneel down on one knee, meet the child’s gaze, shake his hand, and sincerely express his thanks and respect. This was a safer and more appropriate approach. Of course, someone like Anton could also directly hug the adoring child for a photo, but he observed the parents’ expressions beforehand to ensure it was okay.
These precautions were all set up by Nikolai in advance, as he had seen many careless athletes fall into traps set by scammers. After winning the legal battle, some rumors still persisted, making it difficult for the athletes to clear their names. Eventually, some of them couldn’t bear the pressure and retired.
Rather than facing such a situation, it’s better to be cautious from the beginning.
This was the second time that Qin Chunxiao received such an education, the first time being from Mars.
By now, Russia was not as cold as January or February. As they entered the venue, the DJ had already started heating up the atmosphere!
A guy with curly brown hair and a hip-hop style stood up and raised his voice, “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 2018 Russian Volleyball All-Star Game! Tonight, our male and female volleyball stars gather here for an exciting showdown! Now, let’s welcome…”
The DJ paused for a moment before spouting a long list of titles, “The holder of multiple titles from the U18 World Championship, U20 World Championship, and adult tournaments, five-time consecutive Russian Premier League MVP, Best Opposite at the World Club Championship, the ruler from the Arctic, the absolute winner at the net, Roman Romanovich Mischaikov!”
The beautiful volleyball girls stood up, shaking their flower balls, while handsome young guys stood in two rows in front of the player’s tunnel, raising their hands and swaying them.
Roman ran out from among them and exchanged high-fives with the guys.
Next, the DJ called out the name of the top female opposite, also listing a string of titles and nicknames in a rapid-fire manner. Then, in order of one male and one female, he called out the names of the players selected for the All-Star game.
Qin Chunxiao followed along and ran out, but as soon as he steadied himself, a loud bang came from above the arena, and many colorful confetti pieces rained down. Startled, he leaped high in place like a little leopard.
Anton chuckled and patted him, “Don’t be scared; it’s a tradition!”
The All-Star game had many traditions, such as setting up a basketball hoop in a corner of the court to see who could score the most shots. It seemed like just a game, but it secretly motivated players who had confidence in their ball control skills.
Whoever won became the “Serving King” of the All-Star game!
Qin Chunxiao tapped the ball and exchanged a glance with Roman before serving simultaneously.
Bang!
Both of them hit the rim with their shots.
Anton effortlessly flicked the ball up, and it flew in a long arc, gracefully landing in the hoop. He looked puzzled at the silence on both sides.
“What’s wrong with you guys? Keep shooting! This shot isn’t difficult; you don’t need power, just precision.”
As he spoke, Anton sent another shot. For a top-level setter like him, precision was just too easy.
Feeling compared to the rough and tough Anton, both Qin Chunxiao and Roman blushed and coughed. Just then, Qin Chunxiao heard a gust of wind by his ear and instinctively crouched down. He discovered that a ball had hit the net post and bounced back to him. If he hadn’t moved quickly, he would have been hit.
Turning his head, he saw the head of the Cornflower Club waving apologetically, “Hey, Misha, sorry, I misfired earlier.”
Great, someone even rougher is here!
As the game progressed, the Serving King title was naturally taken by Anton. Qin Chunxiao was quite dissatisfied because, in matches, his serving efficiency was higher than Anton’s.
Roman whispered to him, “The Serving King has always been more likely to be won by a setter.”
Seeing them like this, Anton’s vigilant instinct kicked in, “Roman, what are you whispering about with our Hamster’s libero?”
Roman couldn’t stand Anton’s possessiveness, so he directly draped his arm over Qin Chunxiao’s shoulder and lifted his chin, “This is the All-Star game, and Misha is my libero too. What do you want to do? We’re just chatting, what’s your problem? Are you free?”
Anton rolled up his sleeves, “I still have time to deal with you!”
Qin Chunxiao hurriedly separated the two, “Enough, let’s get ready for the next game!” He really didn’t want these two to fight for him. He couldn’t bear the reputation of being an “unlucky charm” in the Russian Super League!
With the Serving King game over, there was still the Blocking King game, but that had nothing to do with Qin Chunxiao because liberos didn’t participate in this round!
With no other option, Qin Chunxiao stood next to George, who ranked second in the voting for the libero position. Annoyed, he muttered, “They just think we’re too short.”
George, who played for the Beluga, had drunk with Qin Chunxiao before, and he immediately replied, “Exactly, at 185 cm, we have no rights on the volleyball court!”
The other two female liberos nodded in agreement.
“That’s right! I’m 181 cm, but I could still block when I was playing as an opposite!”
“I’m the same; I’m 183 cm, and I used to play as a middle blocker before switching to libero!”
Standing at 178.8 cm amidst them, Qin Chunxiao had nothing more to say.
Fortunately, in the third round of the game, Qin Chunxiao managed to salvage his pride. It was a mixed game with male and female players forming red and blue teams. They raced on a 30-meter track with a ball, and the team with the most balls retrieved at the end won. There were no restrictions on the number of balls carried in each round.
Sprinting, Qin Chunxiao took the lead without hesitation. The TV station, initially jokingly displaying the counter by the sidelines, was now in awe of the magical numbers. The staff stared at the number and rubbed their eyes in disbelief. Wait a minute? Was this the speed expected of a volleyball player?
Indeed, these athletes were all top talents, but their physique was not comparable to professional sprinters. However, Qin Chunxiao was different; the instant burst and acceleration in the first half of the 100 meters were his forte. As soon as he picked up speed, the players on the adjacent lanes were left far behind.
The player who was left behind panicked. Everyone was here to have fun, so why was Misha Qin taking it so seriously? If he was left too far behind, would he still have any face?
This player decisively increased his speed and, though he couldn’t catch up with Qin Chunxiao, he managed to regain some dignity for himself.
The audience, who was enjoying the game with excitement, was also surprised.
“Wait, how fast did Misha Qin run the 30 meters just now?”
“This kid used to practice short-distance running!”
“Replying to the previous comment, yes, he used to practice short-distance running.”
Watching the TV, Newton spewed hot tea all over the screen and then coughed violently. What’s wrong with this brat? Suddenly, he runs at such a high speed. Is he worried that the short-distance running team will come and challenge him, Newton, the team’s coach?
Ring, ring, ring.
The phone rang, and Newton glanced at the caller ID. “Hmph, it’s the assistant coach of the short-distance running team.”
He answered the call, “Hello, Newton. How come I feel like your team’s Qin ran the 30 meters in the Russian Super League All-Star game even better than last year’s national first-place record?”
Newton chuckled, “That’s because your short-distance running team’s strongest members were injured last year, and the guy who got first place was still quite young. So, when our little guy, Xiaozai, bursts out, he might reach a similar time. But don’t take it too seriously; the instruments used by the Russian Super League TV are for games; they’re not professionally accurate.”
The assistant coach of the short-distance running team wasn’t convinced. After all, they were all experienced old foxes; what were they trying to pull on him?
“I remember that your Qin was originally a short-distance runner, and he hasn’t lost his touch. I also heard about his Achilles tendon data; he’s truly gifted.”
Newton simply hung up the phone.
Qin Chunxiao was still unaware of what he had caused. He successfully earned the title of “Ball-Carrying King” for the fastest speed in the whole event and felt satisfied as he prepared for the All-Star battle. He was placed in the Red team, with teammates like Roman, Oleg, the two opposite hitters, and an experienced setter from the Russian Super League.
Anton was assigned to the opposing Blue team, which also had a constellation of stars.
“It’s our first time working together,” the setter reached out to Qin Chunxiao, “Misha, I’m honored to be on the same team as you.”
Qin Chunxiao quickly shook his hand, “Not at all.”
Other teammates joined in, and they formed a huddle, shouting “Ura!” together. Qin Chunxiao couldn’t help but feel his blood boiling with excitement, ready to play an exhilarating and intense match.
Little did he know that this thought would last for less than a second. On the other side, Anton tossed the ball, lifted his leg, and kicked it over, exclaiming, “Eiya—”
The whole arena burst into laughter, and even the referee applauded the humor.
Only then did Qin Chunxiao realize that they were here to have some fun.
Faced with the ball flying towards him, Qin Chunxiao hesitated between taking it seriously and going along with the fun. Following the atmosphere of the event, he closed his eyes, let his hands hang by his sides, turned his head, and bumped the ball with his forehead towards the setter.
The setter hurriedly ran to the ball, set it for Roman, who then pushed it over the net. Roman then kneeled on the ground, reaching forward with one hand, as if a heartbroken person crying, “No! Don’t leave me!”
To their surprise, the ball they pushed actually landed on the other side!
At the moment the ball touched the ground, the referee finally made a call, signaling that the Red team scored. The audience vigorously applauded, some even called out, and the DJ set up the equipment, playing a rock version of “I Am a Painter.”
Indeed, to respect the home country of the only foreign player, Qin Chunxiao, the DJ chose a Chinese song for this playful moment.
Qin Chunxiao couldn’t help but think, if you all keep doing this, at the 2022 ice hockey competition, we’ll be listening to Chinese DJ playing “Kalinka.”
The Red vs. Blue All-Star battle consisted of four games, two for men’s volleyball and two for women’s volleyball. The rankings were determined based on points accumulated from the matches.
Even with their fun antics, the abilities of these top athletes remained outstanding. The essence of competition in the game never faded, and as the matches progressed, they became more exciting and funny. The close scores satisfied the fans who were looking forward to seeing fierce battles between strong teams.
As the match continued, Qin Chunxiao also loosened up. After all, they were all here to enjoy playing volleyball. Why keep himself so tense? It was better to let go and have some fun, taking this opportunity to explore the various possibilities of receiving balls with his legs and head.
Nikolai, as the coach of the Red team, sat on the coaching bench, observing the players’ states. Since it was not a formal match, he didn’t provide much tactical guidance. However, when he saw Qin Chunxiao starting to enjoy the game, he showed obvious admiration in his eyes.
“Yes, that’s right. Enjoy every match, no matter in what form it’s played. Players who can adapt to various rules can stay in the game for a long time,” Nikolai thought, growing to appreciate little Misha’s insight even more!
Many sports leagues have All-Star games, including the Russian Premier League, the Chinese Super League, and even the NBA All-Star game in basketball, among others.
As the first foreign player in nearly five years to be voted into the All-Star game by Russian fans, Qin Chunxiao finally realized how high his popularity had soared. From the moment they arrived at the Druzhba Sports Center on the bus, enthusiastic fans approached him for autographs. Most of them were friendly middle-aged and elderly fans, as well as some young kids.
Qin Chunxiao couldn’t believe how many people loved him. He showed a pleasantly surprised expression and shyly shook hands, took photos, and signed autographs while whispering his thanks.
The first lady among them said enthusiastically, “Child, don’t be shy. You are very confident. Hold your head high, so those big guys have to take notice of you.”
Qin Chunxiao smiled brightly at her and replied, “Of course, they have to take notice of me because I am the All-Star libero you all voted for!”
The title of a Russian Premier League All-Star player carries significant weight in the volleyball world. And at just 17 years old, having received this title on March 2nd of this year, Qin Chunxiao is the youngest player to achieve this honor in the past decade, breaking yet another record.
The support of these fans has given Qin Chunxiao this honor at such a young age, which will greatly benefit his future in volleyball. It may even lead to higher contract offers when he signs with clubs next year. This is all thanks to the fans’ support.
He sincerely thanked them once again, his cheerful demeanor resembling the winter sunshine, warm and inviting.
The lady was momentarily stunned, and after Qin Chunxiao walked away, she turned to her companions and said, “Misha’s personality is even better than I imagined. On the court, he’s like a wolf, but off the court, he’s polite and adorable.”
One of the younger fans looked dissatisfied and said, “But I wanted him to hug me, and he didn’t agree.”
The adults laughed upon hearing this because they understood that in some foreign regions, if an adult gets too close to a child and hugs or kisses them casually, it could raise concerns among parents. When faced with the child’s affection, Qin Chunxiao chose to kneel down on one knee, meet the child’s gaze, shake his hand, and sincerely express his thanks and respect. This was a safer and more appropriate approach. Of course, someone like Anton could also directly hug the adoring child for a photo, but he observed the parents’ expressions beforehand to ensure it was okay.
These precautions were all set up by Nikolai in advance, as he had seen many careless athletes fall into traps set by scammers. After winning the legal battle, some rumors still persisted, making it difficult for the athletes to clear their names. Eventually, some of them couldn’t bear the pressure and retired.
Rather than facing such a situation, it’s better to be cautious from the beginning.
This was the second time that Qin Chunxiao received such an education, the first time being from Mars.
By now, Russia was not as cold as January or February. As they entered the venue, the DJ had already started heating up the atmosphere!
A guy with curly brown hair and a hip-hop style stood up and raised his voice, “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 2018 Russian Volleyball All-Star Game! Tonight, our male and female volleyball stars gather here for an exciting showdown! Now, let’s welcome…”
The DJ paused for a moment before spouting a long list of titles, “The holder of multiple titles from the U18 World Championship, U20 World Championship, and adult tournaments, five-time consecutive Russian Premier League MVP, Best Opposite at the World Club Championship, the ruler from the Arctic, the absolute winner at the net, Roman Romanovich Mischaikov!”
The beautiful volleyball girls stood up, shaking their flower balls, while handsome young guys stood in two rows in front of the player’s tunnel, raising their hands and swaying them.
Roman ran out from among them and exchanged high-fives with the guys.
Next, the DJ called out the name of the top female opposite, also listing a string of titles and nicknames in a rapid-fire manner. Then, in order of one male and one female, he called out the names of the players selected for the All-Star game.
Qin Chunxiao followed along and ran out, but as soon as he steadied himself, a loud bang came from above the arena, and many colorful confetti pieces rained down. Startled, he leaped high in place like a little leopard.
Anton chuckled and patted him, “Don’t be scared; it’s a tradition!”
The All-Star game had many traditions, such as setting up a basketball hoop in a corner of the court to see who could score the most shots. It seemed like just a game, but it secretly motivated players who had confidence in their ball control skills.
Whoever won became the “Serving King” of the All-Star game!
Qin Chunxiao tapped the ball and exchanged a glance with Roman before serving simultaneously.
Bang!
Both of them hit the rim with their shots.
Anton effortlessly flicked the ball up, and it flew in a long arc, gracefully landing in the hoop. He looked puzzled at the silence on both sides.
“What’s wrong with you guys? Keep shooting! This shot isn’t difficult; you don’t need power, just precision.”
As he spoke, Anton sent another shot. For a top-level setter like him, precision was just too easy.
Feeling compared to the rough and tough Anton, both Qin Chunxiao and Roman blushed and coughed. Just then, Qin Chunxiao heard a gust of wind by his ear and instinctively crouched down. He discovered that a ball had hit the net post and bounced back to him. If he hadn’t moved quickly, he would have been hit.
Turning his head, he saw the head of the Cornflower Club waving apologetically, “Hey, Misha, sorry, I misfired earlier.”
Great, someone even rougher is here!
As the game progressed, the Serving King title was naturally taken by Anton. Qin Chunxiao was quite dissatisfied because, in matches, his serving efficiency was higher than Anton’s.
Roman whispered to him, “The Serving King has always been more likely to be won by a setter.”
Seeing them like this, Anton’s vigilant instinct kicked in, “Roman, what are you whispering about with our Hamster’s libero?”
Roman couldn’t stand Anton’s possessiveness, so he directly draped his arm over Qin Chunxiao’s shoulder and lifted his chin, “This is the All-Star game, and Misha is my libero too. What do you want to do? We’re just chatting, what’s your problem? Are you free?”
Anton rolled up his sleeves, “I still have time to deal with you!”
Qin Chunxiao hurriedly separated the two, “Enough, let’s get ready for the next game!” He really didn’t want these two to fight for him. He couldn’t bear the reputation of being an “unlucky charm” in the Russian Super League!
With the Serving King game over, there was still the Blocking King game, but that had nothing to do with Qin Chunxiao because liberos didn’t participate in this round!
With no other option, Qin Chunxiao stood next to George, who ranked second in the voting for the libero position. Annoyed, he muttered, “They just think we’re too short.”
George, who played for the Beluga, had drunk with Qin Chunxiao before, and he immediately replied, “Exactly, at 185 cm, we have no rights on the volleyball court!”
The other two female liberos nodded in agreement.
“That’s right! I’m 181 cm, but I could still block when I was playing as an opposite!”
“I’m the same; I’m 183 cm, and I used to play as a middle blocker before switching to libero!”
Standing at 178.8 cm amidst them, Qin Chunxiao had nothing more to say.
Fortunately, in the third round of the game, Qin Chunxiao managed to salvage his pride. It was a mixed game with male and female players forming red and blue teams. They raced on a 30-meter track with a ball, and the team with the most balls retrieved at the end won. There were no restrictions on the number of balls carried in each round.
Sprinting, Qin Chunxiao took the lead without hesitation. The TV station, initially jokingly displaying the counter by the sidelines, was now in awe of the magical numbers. The staff stared at the number and rubbed their eyes in disbelief. Wait a minute? Was this the speed expected of a volleyball player?
Indeed, these athletes were all top talents, but their physique was not comparable to professional sprinters. However, Qin Chunxiao was different; the instant burst and acceleration in the first half of the 100 meters were his forte. As soon as he picked up speed, the players on the adjacent lanes were left far behind.
The player who was left behind panicked. Everyone was here to have fun, so why was Misha Qin taking it so seriously? If he was left too far behind, would he still have any face?
This player decisively increased his speed and, though he couldn’t catch up with Qin Chunxiao, he managed to regain some dignity for himself.
The audience, who was enjoying the game with excitement, was also surprised.
“Wait, how fast did Misha Qin run the 30 meters just now?”
“This kid used to practice short-distance running!”
“Replying to the previous comment, yes, he used to practice short-distance running.”
Watching the TV, Newton spewed hot tea all over the screen and then coughed violently. What’s wrong with this brat? Suddenly, he runs at such a high speed. Is he worried that the short-distance running team will come and challenge him, Newton, the team’s coach?
Ring, ring, ring.
The phone rang, and Newton glanced at the caller ID. “Hmph, it’s the assistant coach of the short-distance running team.”
He answered the call, “Hello, Newton. How come I feel like your team’s Qin ran the 30 meters in the Russian Super League All-Star game even better than last year’s national first-place record?”
Newton chuckled, “That’s because your short-distance running team’s strongest members were injured last year, and the guy who got first place was still quite young. So, when our little guy, Xiaozai, bursts out, he might reach a similar time. But don’t take it too seriously; the instruments used by the Russian Super League TV are for games; they’re not professionally accurate.”
The assistant coach of the short-distance running team wasn’t convinced. After all, they were all experienced old foxes; what were they trying to pull on him?
“I remember that your Qin was originally a short-distance runner, and he hasn’t lost his touch. I also heard about his Achilles tendon data; he’s truly gifted.”
Newton simply hung up the phone.
Qin Chunxiao was still unaware of what he had caused. He successfully earned the title of “Ball-Carrying King” for the fastest speed in the whole event and felt satisfied as he prepared for the All-Star battle. He was placed in the Red team, with teammates like Roman, Oleg, the two opposite hitters, and an experienced setter from the Russian Super League.
Anton was assigned to the opposing Blue team, which also had a constellation of stars.
“It’s our first time working together,” the setter reached out to Qin Chunxiao, “Misha, I’m honored to be on the same team as you.”
Qin Chunxiao quickly shook his hand, “Not at all.”
Other teammates joined in, and they formed a huddle, shouting “Ura!” together. Qin Chunxiao couldn’t help but feel his blood boiling with excitement, ready to play an exhilarating and intense match.
Little did he know that this thought would last for less than a second. On the other side, Anton tossed the ball, lifted his leg, and kicked it over, exclaiming, “Eiya—”
The whole arena burst into laughter, and even the referee applauded the humor.
Only then did Qin Chunxiao realize that they were here to have some fun.
Faced with the ball flying towards him, Qin Chunxiao hesitated between taking it seriously and going along with the fun. Following the atmosphere of the event, he closed his eyes, let his hands hang by his sides, turned his head, and bumped the ball with his forehead towards the setter.
The setter hurriedly ran to the ball, set it for Roman, who then pushed it over the net. Roman then kneeled on the ground, reaching forward with one hand, as if a heartbroken person crying, “No! Don’t leave me!”
To their surprise, the ball they pushed actually landed on the other side!
At the moment the ball touched the ground, the referee finally made a call, signaling that the Red team scored. The audience vigorously applauded, some even called out, and the DJ set up the equipment, playing a rock version of “I Am a Painter.”
Indeed, to respect the home country of the only foreign player, Qin Chunxiao, the DJ chose a Chinese song for this playful moment.
Qin Chunxiao couldn’t help but think, if you all keep doing this, at the 2022 ice hockey competition, we’ll be listening to Chinese DJ playing “Kalinka.”
The Red vs. Blue All-Star battle consisted of four games, two for men’s volleyball and two for women’s volleyball. The rankings were determined based on points accumulated from the matches.
Even with their fun antics, the abilities of these top athletes remained outstanding. The essence of competition in the game never faded, and as the matches progressed, they became more exciting and funny. The close scores satisfied the fans who were looking forward to seeing fierce battles between strong teams.
As the match continued, Qin Chunxiao also loosened up. After all, they were all here to enjoy playing volleyball. Why keep himself so tense? It was better to let go and have some fun, taking this opportunity to explore the various possibilities of receiving balls with his legs and head.
Nikolai, as the coach of the Red team, sat on the coaching bench, observing the players’ states. Since it was not a formal match, he didn’t provide much tactical guidance. However, when he saw Qin Chunxiao starting to enjoy the game, he showed obvious admiration in his eyes.
“Yes, that’s right. Enjoy every match, no matter in what form it’s played. Players who can adapt to various rules can stay in the game for a long time,” Nikolai thought, growing to appreciate little Misha’s insight even more!
