After defeating the French team, on the bus back to the hotel, Qin Chunxiao extended his hand for the team doctor to apply medicine to him.
Achieving good results requires a price to pay, such as injuries. Especially as a libero, diving and jumping every day, shuttling between giants to receive the ball, it’s unavoidable to be accidentally stepped on by a teammate, resulting in some minor injuries.
To go through each day of rough play without leaving any marks, it requires the resilience of the capillaries in the human body to withstand various impacts. Even though Qin Chunxiao was in good health, it wasn’t enough.
Other players were dozing off, and Newton reminded them to fasten their seatbelts and, if possible using neck pillows. At this moment, they all had round pillows hanging around their necks. You Ziyu even wore earphones, listening to an audiobook.
Qin Chunxiao wasn’t sleepy for the moment and leaned back in his seat, asking, “What are you listening to?”
You Ziyu solemnly uttered the name of a classic martial arts novel, which made Qin Chunxiao realize that the author of the book was still alive. He felt a bit melancholic inside.
He chatted with You Ziyu, “Do you like martial arts novels?”
You Ziyu replied, “Yes, who hasn’t dreamt of being a hero? When I was a child, while practicing serving the ball, I even imagined myself mastering some secret martial arts. When the ball landed, it would explode, and then medicinal powder would burst out, spreading across the martial arts tournament.”
Is this guy fantasizing about being a villain?
Qin Chunxiao couldn’t help but imagine You Ziyu wearing a short outfit, cloth shoes, holding a volleyball, looking serious, while a group of small figures with indistinct faces wore clothes labeled Wudang, Shaolin, Emei, and other martial arts sects. Then You Ziyu served the ball, and someone approached with a knife.
Qin Chunxiao was amused by his own imagination, “Your hidden weapon might not have an accurate landing point, and the force might not be strong enough to achieve the effect of exploding and spraying medicinal powder. You’d probably need to place a high-power fan inside to blow it out.”
You Ziyu replied, “Hey, I’m from the Shennongjia area, near the Wudang Mountains. I used to think about going up the mountain to learn martial arts, but the Taoist master said I’d be better off playing volleyball for the country, so my mom took me home to practice.”
Qin Chunxiao thought, “Did you really consider becoming a martial arts disciple?”
But You Ziyu continued, “However, I do know Tai Chi and Vajra Kung Fu.”
This guy did have some martial arts skills, but he didn’t like fighting. It was hard to tell how good he was in an actual combat situation because with his towering height of two meters, no normal person would dare to pick a fight with him, leaving his combat skills a mystery.
You Ziyu then added, “When I was a child, I even considered studying astronomy, so in the future, I could pretend to be a recluse and observe the stars from the top of a cliff.”
Fu Biyang turned back and said, “You want to observe stars? Then you should visit Hainan, we have great places like Mulan Bay, Mose Lake, Jianfeng Ridge, and Diaoluo Mountain for stargazing.”
Min Yaoyang got excited, “Huh? Is Mulan Bay near Wenchang City? My second aunt is a police officer there.”
You Ziyu yawned, “I’ll think about it after I graduate.”
As a medical student who played volleyball, You Ziyu’s time and energy were fully consumed.
Qin Chunxiao was also very busy because he was about to enter the third year of high school. Even though he had the knowledge from his past life, he was still overwhelmed with the pressure. Reincarnating didn’t grant him the intelligence to effortlessly get into Tsinghua or Peking University. Starting over again didn’t magically increase his IQ. To maintain his competitive status, he still needed to train. There were no shortcuts to reach the peak without putting in effort.
However, on this day, after returning to the hotel and taking a shower, Qin Chunxiao changed his clothes and was about to go out. Li Ling curiously asked, “Aren’t you going to review your notes today?”
Qin Chunxiao replied, “I saw Xuandong, I’m going to meet him.”
Li Ling blinked his eyes. He wasn’t surprised that Lu Xuandong came to chase after the competition. He instinctively wanted to ask if he should go with him to facilitate communication since the two couldn’t speak to each other. But seeing Qin Chunxiao’s anxious appearance, Li Ling knew he didn’t need to follow.
He shook his head, turned on his computer, and clicked on the video of the 2012 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, looking at the models with an eager smile, “Hey, Tiantian, hey hey hey.”
Lu Xuandong stood outside the hotel for a while, his face standing out. During this time, several men and women came over to ask for his phone number. He politely refused and kept his eyes on the elevator.
Qin Chunxiao came out running, and Lu Xuandong’s eyes lit up as he gestured to him: “Have you had dinner?”
Qin Chunxiao replied in sign language: “Yes, I have. How about you?”
Lu Xuandong had also eaten. On his way to the hotel, he had a pancake with fruit filling, which was so sweet that it made him feel a bit nauseous.
The two walked side by side. Kristian Fisher passed by and saw them communicating in sign language. He then remembered whether Misha Qin had a language barrier. The answer was no. When they played beach volleyball together, Misha Qin taunted their opponents eloquently.
Mattia stood behind him and asked, puzzled, “Kristian, why haven’t you left yet?”
Kristian looked at Mattia, “It’s okay. How are you and Luma doing?”
Mattia said, “Ah? She’s in a new relationship again. I originally wanted to mess with her, but she warned me in advance, so I came to you to vent, considering we are brothers from the same hometown.”
Kristian replied, “This is like the nth time you’ve pulled me in as your emotional trash can. Don’t blame me if I fall asleep later.”
Mattia gave him a thumbs-up, “Don’t worry, I’m used to you falling asleep while chatting. When you do, can I talk about a few more topics? For example, many of Luma’s fans have turned away recently.”
Kristian said, “Sure, as long as you don’t wake me up. What did she say? Wasn’t she already in trouble with some rabid fans of a Hollywood star recently?”
Luma was outspoken and had provoked a lot of verbal quarrels.
Mattia said, “Um, she said athletes should eat more meat to supplement protein.”
Kristian was puzzled, “And then? Isn’t that true?”
Mattia said, “Many vegetarians are unhappy about it.”
Kristian:…
This was the main reason why Kristian remained silent as a dead person on social media. Apart from the day he learned that Chang Xiaole and Lian Zhiqi had broken up, he posted a status message – “The person truly worth loving will eventually encounter a better relationship.” After that, his Twitter account was filled with only pictures of him with his family.
Because whenever you speak, you are bound to be misunderstood, as everyone’s hearts are separated by their own bellies and cannot truly come together.
He sighed, “If I die one day, you can dig out my heart and send it to China.”
Mattia said, “Huh! That’s creepy! Have you fallen for someone from China?”
Kristian said excitedly, “The most innocent one.”
Mattia said, “Tulengchika?”
Kristian denied with a raised voice, “No!”
On the beach, Qin Chunxiao and Lu Xuandong found a restaurant. Lu Xuandong ordered a fruit juice and sipped it slowly. Qin Chunxiao stopped him from adding ice to his cup because Lu Xuandong had a weak stomach.
In the eyes of outsiders, they were just sitting side by side playing with their phones.
In fact, this was just a way for soulmates with unfinished countdowns to communicate.
Qin Chunxiao thanked Lu Xuandong for sending him the high school entrance exam review materials and study notes through the internet before he left for abroad. He also thanked Lu Xuandong for gathering information about Lian Zhiqi and his ex-boyfriend.
Lu Xuandong replied, “No need to thank me. It’s what I should do.”
Qin Chunxiao was not pleased with this reply, and he tapped on his phone, “There’s nothing you should or shouldn’t do. You are not obligated to help me, so after you’ve helped me, I should say thank you.”
Lu Xuan Dong asked, “Is this also something friends should consider?”
Qin Chunxiao replied, “At least I consider it so. When Li Ling helps me with something, I would also thank him.”
Lu Xuandong said, “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with giving to friends. Nowadays, there are too many people who expect something in return for their love. But I feel strong and have a lot of things, so I have the ability to be good to others without asking for anything in return.”
Qin Chunxiao replied, “It’s true. You can give without expecting anything in return. But if two people truly value each other, the giving between them must be mutual.”
Others could be ignored, but Lu Xuandong had given Qin Chunxiao an image of being deprived of love and craving it since they met. So, Qin Chunxiao had a unique standard for Lu Xuandong – if it was this person, it would be better not to expect anything in return when being good to him, lest he gets taken advantage of.
Lu Xuandong solemnly pondered his past interactions with Qin Chunxiao. Indeed, if he treated Qin Chunxiao well, this kid would inevitably reciprocate. This reciprocation might not necessarily be in terms of money, and Qin Chunxiao would not deliberately say, “Here, I need to repay you.” But upon closer reflection, this kid would receive the kindness and keep it in his heart.
Qin Chunxiao may not be the stereotypical social, muscular type of guy, but he certainly knew how to handle a relationship, and Lu Xuandong had learned a lot from him. Even if they had different opinions on certain matters, like just now, Lu Xuandong still found these conversations meaningful.
Lu Xuandong: “So, how would you like us to give to each other?”
Qin Chunxiao raised an eyebrow and took out a ticket from his pocket, slapping it into Lu Xuandong’s hand.
It was a ticket for the VNL (Volleyball Nations League) finals, and it was an internal ticket that only participating players could get. After receiving the finals ticket, the Chinese team received two tickets from the organizers. With this ticket, Lu Xuandong could enter the venue for free and watch the matches from the front row, closest to the court.
Usually, these tickets were valuable and not available for purchase. Anyone who saw Lu Xuandong sitting with an internal ticket could probably guess where he got it from.
Qin Chunxiao didn’t bother hiding his relationship with Lu Xuandong anymore. They chose to keep their status as soulmates a secret to avoid being driven by the “soulmate” label and not be influenced by public opinion.
Qin Chunxiao didn’t mind letting everyone know that he knew Lu Xuandong as a friend who could give him tickets. It was a way of showing his fondness and approval of Lu Xuandong as a person.
After Kristian had slept for a while and Mattia had poured his heart out to him, he left the room and decided to go to the beach to practice some volleyball.
There, he saw Chang Xiaole, standing quietly in a corner, watching the distant beach. Misha Qin and the handsome guy who seemed to be his soulmate were there.
The handsome guy threw a beach volleyball to Misha Qin, and Misha Qin easily set it up. Qin Chunxiao hopped on the knee-deep seawater, playfully bumping the ball with his hands like a young sea lion encountering a ball for the first time—so focused and joyful, like a cute and lively little animal.
With the brightly colored ball in his hands, Qin Chunxiao lofted it towards Lu Xuandong, who caught it. This was the first time Lu Xuandong received a ball from Qin Chunxiao.
Lu Xuandong looked forward to see the blue-eyed youth smiling at him amidst the orange-red glow of the setting sun. Lu Xuandong’s grip on the ball slipped, and it fell into the water, leaving him feeling embarrassed. However, he saw an even broader smile on Qin Chunxiao’s face, who then scooped up seawater and playfully splashed it towards him.
The transparent water splashed onto their clothes, and the sea breeze brought a refreshing feeling. On the edge of the Mediterranean Sea, they chased each other like two big kids, smiling widely, completely carefree and happy. Behind them was the vast sea, the warm sun radiating a soothing light that gradually descended towards the ocean.
Finally, they collided with each other, and Lu Xuandong held Qin Chunxiao’s shoulders. Qin Chunxiao’s face seemed to have a blush, either from excitement or vigorous exercise, or perhaps from shyness due to the close proximity.
The distance between them was so close that anyone watching would have thought they were about to kiss, but Lu Xuandong didn’t do that. Instead, he gently tucked the wet hair on Qin Chunxiao’s face behind his ear, and his eyes were filled with deep affection, but he made no offensive moves.
Chang Xiaole felt like he had spied into a childhood fantasy.
Chang Xiaole thought that throughout history, human society had never been open-minded enough to allow people to freely pursue love and develop intimate relationships. Therefore, in feudal history, soulmates were probably the most delightful relationships most people could have seen. If love was divided into three types—love that required compromise from both sides, love that required one party to accommodate the other, and love that naturally matched without compromise—then soulmates would probably fall into the last category in most people’s eyes.
Lian Zhiqi left him in pursuit of this beautiful feeling, and Chang Xiaole didn’t blame him for it.
In this era of advanced communication, Chang Xiaole had come across many soulmate relationships online. The most recent ones were Lian Zhiqi and Sun Feng. But what brought two hearts closer together was not a label, but the hearts themselves.
Since their hearts had never come close, and they had never even looked each other in the eye, Chang Xiaole looked up to Lian Zhiqi, and Lian Zhiqi looked down at him. Even if they were to rekindle their relationship, it would only be fleeting and dispersed by the wind. It would be better to break it off completely and seek new futures separately.
“Hi, I’m Kristian.”
Chang Xiaole turned around and saw the person who had always been towering over him, the sand volleyball king, Kristian Fisher.
Kristian said, “Your net play has very impressive variations. How is your waist injury? I didn’t expect you to retire. After all, you’re a year younger than me.”
Chang Xiaole politely shook hands with him and replied modestly, “Hello, I’m Chang Xiaole. Thank you for your appreciation, but my injuries are quite serious, so I can only retire.”
Kristian said seriously, “I’ve been looking forward to seeing you again and being able to meet you at my beach volleyball match here makes me feel fortunate.”
Chang Xiaole was startled when he looked up and found Kristian slightly bending down, looking him directly in the eye with a serious expression.
“I think you’re beautiful. Can you tell me your phone number?”
Compared to awkward pick-up lines like “Hey, hot girl,” this approach of first complimenting his appearance and then politely asking for contact information seemed gentlemanly.
Having encountered countless awkward pick-up lines abroad, Chang Xiaole burst into laughter.
Qin Chunxiao was drenched all over, so he went to a convenience store by the beach and bought a T-shirt with the logo of a local travel company to exchange it for. Lu Xuandong threw a towel on his head and wiped his hair.
Qin Chunxiao signed in sign language: You wipe your hair first, I’m not afraid of catching a cold.
Only then did Lu Xuandong let go, and rented a motorbike to take him back to the hotel. His guest room was 10 floors away from Qin Chunxiao’s. He went back to the room to fetch a bunch of things and handed them to Qin Chunxiao before letting him go back.
Qin Chunxiao held a stack of test papers, five catties of safe beef jerky, chicken jerky, and dried fruit with inspection certificates, a new pair of sneakers, several pairs of sports socks, a pair of knee pads and wrist pads, a sports headband, and even And a pillow.
Seeing him coming back, Li Ling couldn’t help sighing: “It’s said that throwing a cart full of fruits will return with a full load. If the situation permits, Dongzai can drown you with delicious food alone.”
Qin Chunxiao: “How many books have you read? Let’s talk about it with me. Come, eat jerky.”
Li Ling muttered, “I’m obviously studying hard, okay? The professor praises me.”
Qin Chunxiao: “Why did he praise you?”
Li Ling is proud: “He said that if I work harder, my paper on the psychological analysis of athletes on the field can be directly used as a sketch for next year’s Spring Festival Gala.”
Qin Chunxiao: “It’s hard to be a professor, what are you praising?” After teaching such a bastard, the papers he wrote are like sketches, how did he write them?
Li Ling: “What praising? I actually satirized many psychologists who feed chicken soup, and our coach did a better job than them.”
Well, then this skit should be of good quality.
As for “Meat Jerky Fawn,” he didn’t skimp on eating, and he even ate with milk. He fell asleep while munching.
On the third day of the Italy station, the Chinese team faced the Italian team.
During the Tokyo Olympic cycle, the Italian team had one of the most luxurious team configurations in recent years. All their attackers were over 208 centimeters tall, with solid muscles, reliable attack and block skills, and the world’s number one setter. Their libero later won the Best Libero award in the Tokyo Olympics.
Facing such a team that was aiming for the gold medal right from the start, it was really difficult for the Chinese team, especially since most of their players were not mature enough in reception and serving. According to Newton’s analysis, their upper limit was to have a 50-50 chance against the top five teams in the world like France. If France also adopted a violent style of play, it would be tough for the Chinese team to win.
When they faced stronger opponents, they couldn’t hold on.
Since everyone already had the finals ticket, they were playing in a very relaxed manner. It was more like trying to force Italy to show all their cards, making it easier for them to conduct post-match analysis and prepare targeted tactics.
To understand the opponent’s weaknesses, it’s best to experience them firsthand.
For example, Dario was found to struggle with soft balls and couldn’t handle them well. This problem has persisted since the youth championships until now. It seems he’s gotten used to playing with hard balls, considering Italy is filled with strong hitters.
Another example is Li Ling’s shots, whether it’s a second attack or a regular attack, the opponents couldn’t receive them well. His shot trajectories are just too unpredictable, even his teammates couldn’t guess them!
The match ended with a 1-3 score, and although the Chinese team lost the game, their spirits were still high.
They returned to their coach, Newton, who raised his eyelids slightly and said, “You’ve observed the opponents, right? Go back and summarize the opponents’ weaknesses and the tactical countermeasures you come up with, send them to me via email. We will stay in Italy for a few more days and then leave for Lille, France on July 3rd.”
After defeating the French team, on the bus back to the hotel, Qin Chunxiao extended his hand for the team doctor to apply medicine to him.
Achieving good results requires a price to pay, such as injuries. Especially as a libero, diving and jumping every day, shuttling between giants to receive the ball, it’s unavoidable to be accidentally stepped on by a teammate, resulting in some minor injuries.
To go through each day of rough play without leaving any marks, it requires the resilience of the capillaries in the human body to withstand various impacts. Even though Qin Chunxiao was in good health, it wasn’t enough.
Other players were dozing off, and Newton reminded them to fasten their seatbelts and, if possible using neck pillows. At this moment, they all had round pillows hanging around their necks. You Ziyu even wore earphones, listening to an audiobook.
Qin Chunxiao wasn’t sleepy for the moment and leaned back in his seat, asking, “What are you listening to?”
You Ziyu solemnly uttered the name of a classic martial arts novel, which made Qin Chunxiao realize that the author of the book was still alive. He felt a bit melancholic inside.
He chatted with You Ziyu, “Do you like martial arts novels?”
You Ziyu replied, “Yes, who hasn’t dreamt of being a hero? When I was a child, while practicing serving the ball, I even imagined myself mastering some secret martial arts. When the ball landed, it would explode, and then medicinal powder would burst out, spreading across the martial arts tournament.”
Is this guy fantasizing about being a villain?
Qin Chunxiao couldn’t help but imagine You Ziyu wearing a short outfit, cloth shoes, holding a volleyball, looking serious, while a group of small figures with indistinct faces wore clothes labeled Wudang, Shaolin, Emei, and other martial arts sects. Then You Ziyu served the ball, and someone approached with a knife.
Qin Chunxiao was amused by his own imagination, “Your hidden weapon might not have an accurate landing point, and the force might not be strong enough to achieve the effect of exploding and spraying medicinal powder. You’d probably need to place a high-power fan inside to blow it out.”
You Ziyu replied, “Hey, I’m from the Shennongjia area, near the Wudang Mountains. I used to think about going up the mountain to learn martial arts, but the Taoist master said I’d be better off playing volleyball for the country, so my mom took me home to practice.”
Qin Chunxiao thought, “Did you really consider becoming a martial arts disciple?”
But You Ziyu continued, “However, I do know Tai Chi and Vajra Kung Fu.”
This guy did have some martial arts skills, but he didn’t like fighting. It was hard to tell how good he was in an actual combat situation because with his towering height of two meters, no normal person would dare to pick a fight with him, leaving his combat skills a mystery.
You Ziyu then added, “When I was a child, I even considered studying astronomy, so in the future, I could pretend to be a recluse and observe the stars from the top of a cliff.”
Fu Biyang turned back and said, “You want to observe stars? Then you should visit Hainan, we have great places like Mulan Bay, Mose Lake, Jianfeng Ridge, and Diaoluo Mountain for stargazing.”
Min Yaoyang got excited, “Huh? Is Mulan Bay near Wenchang City? My second aunt is a police officer there.”
You Ziyu yawned, “I’ll think about it after I graduate.”
As a medical student who played volleyball, You Ziyu’s time and energy were fully consumed.
Qin Chunxiao was also very busy because he was about to enter the third year of high school. Even though he had the knowledge from his past life, he was still overwhelmed with the pressure. Reincarnating didn’t grant him the intelligence to effortlessly get into Tsinghua or Peking University. Starting over again didn’t magically increase his IQ. To maintain his competitive status, he still needed to train. There were no shortcuts to reach the peak without putting in effort.
However, on this day, after returning to the hotel and taking a shower, Qin Chunxiao changed his clothes and was about to go out. Li Ling curiously asked, “Aren’t you going to review your notes today?”
Qin Chunxiao replied, “I saw Xuandong, I’m going to meet him.”
Li Ling blinked his eyes. He wasn’t surprised that Lu Xuandong came to chase after the competition. He instinctively wanted to ask if he should go with him to facilitate communication since the two couldn’t speak to each other. But seeing Qin Chunxiao’s anxious appearance, Li Ling knew he didn’t need to follow.
He shook his head, turned on his computer, and clicked on the video of the 2012 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, looking at the models with an eager smile, “Hey, Tiantian, hey hey hey.”
Lu Xuandong stood outside the hotel for a while, his face standing out. During this time, several men and women came over to ask for his phone number. He politely refused and kept his eyes on the elevator.
Qin Chunxiao came out running, and Lu Xuandong’s eyes lit up as he gestured to him: “Have you had dinner?”
Qin Chunxiao replied in sign language: “Yes, I have. How about you?”
Lu Xuandong had also eaten. On his way to the hotel, he had a pancake with fruit filling, which was so sweet that it made him feel a bit nauseous.
The two walked side by side. Kristian Fisher passed by and saw them communicating in sign language. He then remembered whether Misha Qin had a language barrier. The answer was no. When they played beach volleyball together, Misha Qin taunted their opponents eloquently.
Mattia stood behind him and asked, puzzled, “Kristian, why haven’t you left yet?”
Kristian looked at Mattia, “It’s okay. How are you and Luma doing?”
Mattia said, “Ah? She’s in a new relationship again. I originally wanted to mess with her, but she warned me in advance, so I came to you to vent, considering we are brothers from the same hometown.”
Kristian replied, “This is like the nth time you’ve pulled me in as your emotional trash can. Don’t blame me if I fall asleep later.”
Mattia gave him a thumbs-up, “Don’t worry, I’m used to you falling asleep while chatting. When you do, can I talk about a few more topics? For example, many of Luma’s fans have turned away recently.”
Kristian said, “Sure, as long as you don’t wake me up. What did she say? Wasn’t she already in trouble with some rabid fans of a Hollywood star recently?”
Luma was outspoken and had provoked a lot of verbal quarrels.
Mattia said, “Um, she said athletes should eat more meat to supplement protein.”
Kristian was puzzled, “And then? Isn’t that true?”
Mattia said, “Many vegetarians are unhappy about it.”
Kristian:…
This was the main reason why Kristian remained silent as a dead person on social media. Apart from the day he learned that Chang Xiaole and Lian Zhiqi had broken up, he posted a status message – “The person truly worth loving will eventually encounter a better relationship.” After that, his Twitter account was filled with only pictures of him with his family.
Because whenever you speak, you are bound to be misunderstood, as everyone’s hearts are separated by their own bellies and cannot truly come together.
He sighed, “If I die one day, you can dig out my heart and send it to China.”
Mattia said, “Huh! That’s creepy! Have you fallen for someone from China?”
Kristian said excitedly, “The most innocent one.”
Mattia said, “Tulengchika?”
Kristian denied with a raised voice, “No!”
On the beach, Qin Chunxiao and Lu Xuandong found a restaurant. Lu Xuandong ordered a fruit juice and sipped it slowly. Qin Chunxiao stopped him from adding ice to his cup because Lu Xuandong had a weak stomach.
In the eyes of outsiders, they were just sitting side by side playing with their phones.
In fact, this was just a way for soulmates with unfinished countdowns to communicate.
Qin Chunxiao thanked Lu Xuandong for sending him the high school entrance exam review materials and study notes through the internet before he left for abroad. He also thanked Lu Xuandong for gathering information about Lian Zhiqi and his ex-boyfriend.
Lu Xuandong replied, “No need to thank me. It’s what I should do.”
Qin Chunxiao was not pleased with this reply, and he tapped on his phone, “There’s nothing you should or shouldn’t do. You are not obligated to help me, so after you’ve helped me, I should say thank you.”
Lu Xuan Dong asked, “Is this also something friends should consider?”
Qin Chunxiao replied, “At least I consider it so. When Li Ling helps me with something, I would also thank him.”
Lu Xuandong said, “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with giving to friends. Nowadays, there are too many people who expect something in return for their love. But I feel strong and have a lot of things, so I have the ability to be good to others without asking for anything in return.”
Qin Chunxiao replied, “It’s true. You can give without expecting anything in return. But if two people truly value each other, the giving between them must be mutual.”
Others could be ignored, but Lu Xuandong had given Qin Chunxiao an image of being deprived of love and craving it since they met. So, Qin Chunxiao had a unique standard for Lu Xuandong – if it was this person, it would be better not to expect anything in return when being good to him, lest he gets taken advantage of.
Lu Xuandong solemnly pondered his past interactions with Qin Chunxiao. Indeed, if he treated Qin Chunxiao well, this kid would inevitably reciprocate. This reciprocation might not necessarily be in terms of money, and Qin Chunxiao would not deliberately say, “Here, I need to repay you.” But upon closer reflection, this kid would receive the kindness and keep it in his heart.
Qin Chunxiao may not be the stereotypical social, muscular type of guy, but he certainly knew how to handle a relationship, and Lu Xuandong had learned a lot from him. Even if they had different opinions on certain matters, like just now, Lu Xuandong still found these conversations meaningful.
Lu Xuandong: “So, how would you like us to give to each other?”
Qin Chunxiao raised an eyebrow and took out a ticket from his pocket, slapping it into Lu Xuandong’s hand.
It was a ticket for the VNL (Volleyball Nations League) finals, and it was an internal ticket that only participating players could get. After receiving the finals ticket, the Chinese team received two tickets from the organizers. With this ticket, Lu Xuandong could enter the venue for free and watch the matches from the front row, closest to the court.
Usually, these tickets were valuable and not available for purchase. Anyone who saw Lu Xuandong sitting with an internal ticket could probably guess where he got it from.
Qin Chunxiao didn’t bother hiding his relationship with Lu Xuandong anymore. They chose to keep their status as soulmates a secret to avoid being driven by the “soulmate” label and not be influenced by public opinion.
Qin Chunxiao didn’t mind letting everyone know that he knew Lu Xuandong as a friend who could give him tickets. It was a way of showing his fondness and approval of Lu Xuandong as a person.
After Kristian had slept for a while and Mattia had poured his heart out to him, he left the room and decided to go to the beach to practice some volleyball.
There, he saw Chang Xiaole, standing quietly in a corner, watching the distant beach. Misha Qin and the handsome guy who seemed to be his soulmate were there.
The handsome guy threw a beach volleyball to Misha Qin, and Misha Qin easily set it up. Qin Chunxiao hopped on the knee-deep seawater, playfully bumping the ball with his hands like a young sea lion encountering a ball for the first time—so focused and joyful, like a cute and lively little animal.
With the brightly colored ball in his hands, Qin Chunxiao lofted it towards Lu Xuandong, who caught it. This was the first time Lu Xuandong received a ball from Qin Chunxiao.
Lu Xuandong looked forward to see the blue-eyed youth smiling at him amidst the orange-red glow of the setting sun. Lu Xuandong’s grip on the ball slipped, and it fell into the water, leaving him feeling embarrassed. However, he saw an even broader smile on Qin Chunxiao’s face, who then scooped up seawater and playfully splashed it towards him.
The transparent water splashed onto their clothes, and the sea breeze brought a refreshing feeling. On the edge of the Mediterranean Sea, they chased each other like two big kids, smiling widely, completely carefree and happy. Behind them was the vast sea, the warm sun radiating a soothing light that gradually descended towards the ocean.
Finally, they collided with each other, and Lu Xuandong held Qin Chunxiao’s shoulders. Qin Chunxiao’s face seemed to have a blush, either from excitement or vigorous exercise, or perhaps from shyness due to the close proximity.
The distance between them was so close that anyone watching would have thought they were about to kiss, but Lu Xuandong didn’t do that. Instead, he gently tucked the wet hair on Qin Chunxiao’s face behind his ear, and his eyes were filled with deep affection, but he made no offensive moves.
Chang Xiaole felt like he had spied into a childhood fantasy.
Chang Xiaole thought that throughout history, human society had never been open-minded enough to allow people to freely pursue love and develop intimate relationships. Therefore, in feudal history, soulmates were probably the most delightful relationships most people could have seen. If love was divided into three types—love that required compromise from both sides, love that required one party to accommodate the other, and love that naturally matched without compromise—then soulmates would probably fall into the last category in most people’s eyes.
Lian Zhiqi left him in pursuit of this beautiful feeling, and Chang Xiaole didn’t blame him for it.
In this era of advanced communication, Chang Xiaole had come across many soulmate relationships online. The most recent ones were Lian Zhiqi and Sun Feng. But what brought two hearts closer together was not a label, but the hearts themselves.
Since their hearts had never come close, and they had never even looked each other in the eye, Chang Xiaole looked up to Lian Zhiqi, and Lian Zhiqi looked down at him. Even if they were to rekindle their relationship, it would only be fleeting and dispersed by the wind. It would be better to break it off completely and seek new futures separately.
“Hi, I’m Kristian.”
Chang Xiaole turned around and saw the person who had always been towering over him, the sand volleyball king, Kristian Fisher.
Kristian said, “Your net play has very impressive variations. How is your waist injury? I didn’t expect you to retire. After all, you’re a year younger than me.”
Chang Xiaole politely shook hands with him and replied modestly, “Hello, I’m Chang Xiaole. Thank you for your appreciation, but my injuries are quite serious, so I can only retire.”
Kristian said seriously, “I’ve been looking forward to seeing you again and being able to meet you at my beach volleyball match here makes me feel fortunate.”
Chang Xiaole was startled when he looked up and found Kristian slightly bending down, looking him directly in the eye with a serious expression.
“I think you’re beautiful. Can you tell me your phone number?”
Compared to awkward pick-up lines like “Hey, hot girl,” this approach of first complimenting his appearance and then politely asking for contact information seemed gentlemanly.
Having encountered countless awkward pick-up lines abroad, Chang Xiaole burst into laughter.
Qin Chunxiao was drenched all over, so he went to a convenience store by the beach and bought a T-shirt with the logo of a local travel company to exchange it for. Lu Xuandong threw a towel on his head and wiped his hair.
Qin Chunxiao signed in sign language: You wipe your hair first, I’m not afraid of catching a cold.
Only then did Lu Xuandong let go, and rented a motorbike to take him back to the hotel. His guest room was 10 floors away from Qin Chunxiao’s. He went back to the room to fetch a bunch of things and handed them to Qin Chunxiao before letting him go back.
Qin Chunxiao held a stack of test papers, five catties of safe beef jerky, chicken jerky, and dried fruit with inspection certificates, a new pair of sneakers, several pairs of sports socks, a pair of knee pads and wrist pads, a sports headband, and even And a pillow.
Seeing him coming back, Li Ling couldn’t help sighing: “It’s said that throwing a cart full of fruits will return with a full load. If the situation permits, Dongzai can drown you with delicious food alone.”
Qin Chunxiao: “How many books have you read? Let’s talk about it with me. Come, eat jerky.”
Li Ling muttered, “I’m obviously studying hard, okay? The professor praises me.”
Qin Chunxiao: “Why did he praise you?”
Li Ling is proud: “He said that if I work harder, my paper on the psychological analysis of athletes on the field can be directly used as a sketch for next year’s Spring Festival Gala.”
Qin Chunxiao: “It’s hard to be a professor, what are you praising?” After teaching such a bastard, the papers he wrote are like sketches, how did he write them?
Li Ling: “What praising? I actually satirized many psychologists who feed chicken soup, and our coach did a better job than them.”
Well, then this skit should be of good quality.
As for “Meat Jerky Fawn,” he didn’t skimp on eating, and he even ate with milk. He fell asleep while munching.
On the third day of the Italy station, the Chinese team faced the Italian team.
During the Tokyo Olympic cycle, the Italian team had one of the most luxurious team configurations in recent years. All their attackers were over 208 centimeters tall, with solid muscles, reliable attack and block skills, and the world’s number one setter. Their libero later won the Best Libero award in the Tokyo Olympics.
Facing such a team that was aiming for the gold medal right from the start, it was really difficult for the Chinese team, especially since most of their players were not mature enough in reception and serving. According to Newton’s analysis, their upper limit was to have a 50-50 chance against the top five teams in the world like France. If France also adopted a violent style of play, it would be tough for the Chinese team to win.
When they faced stronger opponents, they couldn’t hold on.
Since everyone already had the finals ticket, they were playing in a very relaxed manner. It was more like trying to force Italy to show all their cards, making it easier for them to conduct post-match analysis and prepare targeted tactics.
To understand the opponent’s weaknesses, it’s best to experience them firsthand.
For example, Dario was found to struggle with soft balls and couldn’t handle them well. This problem has persisted since the youth championships until now. It seems he’s gotten used to playing with hard balls, considering Italy is filled with strong hitters.
Another example is Li Ling’s shots, whether it’s a second attack or a regular attack, the opponents couldn’t receive them well. His shot trajectories are just too unpredictable, even his teammates couldn’t guess them!
The match ended with a 1-3 score, and although the Chinese team lost the game, their spirits were still high.
They returned to their coach, Newton, who raised his eyelids slightly and said, “You’ve observed the opponents, right? Go back and summarize the opponents’ weaknesses and the tactical countermeasures you come up with, send them to me via email. We will stay in Italy for a few more days and then leave for Lille, France on July 3rd.”
