My Soulmate is A Libero
If volleyball fans’ monetary capabilities were ranked, Lu Xuandong would undoubtedly be among the top. Every time he came to watch a game, he would try his best to stay in the same hotel as the team, and if not possible, in the adjacent one.
For instance, this time, he booked a guesthouse less than 300 meters away from the hotel where the Chinese team was staying.
According to the team rules, Qin Chunxiao had to return to the hotel and rest before 10 p.m., and Newton would do room checks. Also, athletes absolutely couldn’t bring outsiders into their accommodations. This was not only to prevent the athletes from getting nervous during the game but also to avoid affecting their roommates.
Newton: I know if Xiaozai wanted to bring Dongzai into his room, Er Leng would go along with it, but I can’t allow that to start.
Fortunately, Qin Chunxiao was a sensible kid. He proactively suggested going to the guesthouse to help Lu Xuandong with his luggage and promised to be back within half an hour.
Originally, Newton would give the athletes a 30-minute rest period after the game to take a shower, change clothes to get rid of the sweat smell, drink water, and eat an energy bar.
Newton waved generously, saying, “Give you 40 minutes, spend more time with your boyfriend.”
Watching Qin Chunxiao lead the groggy-tired tall figure away, everyone felt that this scene was very familiar. It was said that all the tall guys in the team had received this kind of care from Team Dad.
Mao Xunfeng clasped his hands together, “If Xiaozai is the king of the free players, then from this moment on, we’re entering the monarch’s offline mode.”
Fu Biyang immediately took out UNO, “Let’s play cards, without Blind Xiong, otherwise we won’t be able to play.”
Jiang Xiaohai held back for a while but couldn’t help but sarcastically comment on Lao Niu, “You only give them 10 minutes?”
Lao Niu: “If I give them more time, what if they manage to do something within that time?”
Jiang Xiaohai: “They need 20 minutes just for the round trip. What’s Xiaozai going to do with the remaining 20 minutes?”
Newton: “I want to make sure they can’t accomplish anything.”
But Qin Chunxiao made the most of the 20 minutes. He had Dongzi take a shower, ordered room service for dinner, instructed him to brush his teeth after eating and not to get so tired that he fell asleep immediately.
Lu Xuandong laid on his side, his hands encircling Qin Chunxiao’s waist, a bit aggrieved, “I wanted you to stay with me a little longer.”
Qin Chunxiao proposed, “How about I pat your back for five minutes?”
Little Qin liked it when someone lightly patted and stroked his back before he fell asleep. It helped him relax quickly. It was a habit that had persisted from childhood due to the excessive indulgence of the family’s elders until he graduated from elementary school. He wasn’t sure if Lu Xuandong liked it.
Lu Xuandong hesitated for a moment, but eventually agreed with an “mm” sound. Those hands, which were used to catching heavy balls traveling at over a hundred kilometers per hour, patted his back rhythmically.
Qin Chunxiao used his fingerprint to unlock Lu Xuandong’s phone, played some soft music, and when the five minutes were up, he got up and checked if the mirror was double-sided, if there were any cameras in the room, before leaving with reassurance.
After he left, Lu Xuandong opened his eyes and lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. The heavy fatigue that had spread throughout his body made him reluctant to get up. In the past, his willpower was always strong enough to keep him working through physical discomfort. But at this moment, his will seemed to have been patted away.
In the end, the urgent desire to show affection made Lu Xuandong get up. He took a photo aimed at the window, uploaded it to Weibo.
Lu Xuandong V
Came to Japan to watch my boyfriend play volleyball, staying at a guesthouse with hot springs.
Otherwise, even if Xiaozai and Dongzai were to fall in love someday, it definitely wouldn’t be now but rather postponed until after retirement. However, even though there’s an understanding and acceptance of Xiaozai’s dedication to his career, only Dongzai could make Xiaozai’s heart flutter and display such intense emotions.
Qin Chunxiao didn’t have a say in his own love life. He lowers his head, looking at the lineup of the Italian team, furrowing his brows. “They brought in Cuban players? Is it Terencio, the one making money in the Japanese league? How come I haven’t seen him play?”
Chang Xiaole was sitting beside him. “It’s not Terencio, it’s another one, named Jesus. He’s a powerful opposite hitter, almost at the same level as Mingming. He’s also under Lorenzo, but he had his appendix removed and is currently in the hospital. Other than that, Piato is also in the team.”
Piato was the best opposite hitter in the men’s volleyball at the 2012 London Olympics, born in ’88, he fought for the Italian national team for years, quite strong, equivalent to a low-blood-level fully leveled Dario.
“Piato should have retired a long time ago. He’s still hanging on, probably for the Tokyo Olympics.”
Qin Chunxiao: “Oh, I know him. I watched his games when I was in elementary school. He was also a pity in the London Olympics. Although he was in his prime, he didn’t have a good setter and spiker.”
Compared to the opposition, Qin Chunxiao was relatively fortunate. China’s spiker lineup was not only luxurious but also abundant. The three setters each had their own specialties and complement him well.
The lifespan of a volleyball athlete is relatively long. At 28, in their prime years, if well maintained, they could continue playing even into their thirties. Looking at this current team, their peak should coincide with the 2024 Olympics. However, according to Qin Chunxiao, the Tokyo cycle was the best for them to vie for the championship. There was no other reason, just that they were at their healthiest during this cycle.
By the time the Paris cycle arrives, many people, including his own injuries, would likely start appearing.
Qin Chunxiao wasn’t just speculating; after the first stage of the group matches, the organizing committee did a re-grouping. They were going to play against six other teams they hadn’t encountered yet and the final ranking would be based on points accumulated.
Lu Xuandong came to watch the game in person, naturally, Qin Chunxiao was moved, and he played even harder during the game, treating all five sets as if they were nothing. However, the other main player, like Qiao Mingming, who often quietly played through all five sets, had to sit on the bench after the match against Serbia due to severe shoulder muscle fatigue.
Captain Qiao was stubborn and immediately requested a local injection to continue playing, but was suppressed by Newton.
“Now is not the time for you to go all out.” Newton flipped through the match record. “The Brazilian team is the only one currently undefeated. They also have the best chance of winning the championship. We lost to Serbia and are currently ranked second, but there are other teams tied with us. If we want to compete for second place, it will depend on who loses less.”
Tied with China for second place were Poland and the United States. Among them, the strength of the United States was so strong that no one dares to say they can definitely win against them next time. It all depends on their condition and luck. As for Poland, there hadn’t been any news of injuries… Sebastian, in the five great beasts of men’s volleyball, was the only strong contender who could compete with Roman for the top spot.
Right now, China’s team was likely under the most pressure. They wanted to secure second place and secure an early Olympic spot, but they knew it was very difficult. Moreover, in most people’s eyes, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics next year was the main event. Newton certainly wouldn’t want to deplete the athletes’ stamina now.
Qin Chunxiao also could’t just proclaim that they should go all out now, as they still had almost two years to recover from their injuries. Most importantly, regardless of whether they had two years or not, he wouldn’t encourage his teammates to play injured. So he could only remain silent.
At this moment, Qiao Mingming became the strongest in voicing opinions in the team. He and the coaching staff logically debated and finally won the opportunity to rotate onto the court with Liu Yuelou and Min Yaoyang.
This was his final persistence. As the captain, he couldn’t accept being absent from such an important World Cup match.
The game continues, and China’s journey had become even more challenging. In fact, they had never won easily. Every time they win against a strong team, it was constantly in a ragged manner, often dragging the match to the fifth set and winning by a narrow margin.
If the victories of the Brazilian and Russian teams were like sweeping through, carrying a king’s aura, this Chinese team that carries the dream of challenging for the Olympic gold was like a pack of wolves that have rolled out of the mud and gathered the courage to charge into the thorny woods. It might sound comical but they were full of fighting spirit.
However, as Qiao Mingming’s injury broke out, Tong Shulan, Ding Rong, Gao Depi, and Kong Duojin all suffered injuries successively. On the night before facing Poland, even Qin Chunxiao’s wrist began to feel uncomfortable.
They had all played too fiercely, especially Qin Chunxiao. Once there was an issue on the spiker side, the pressure on his defense significantly multiplied.
Newton’s heart aches tremendously, “How did it come to this level of injuries?”
These precious lumps were the ones he had been digging up with various dialects from different provinces, and nurtured with various connections. And since his own son was never around and occasionally appears on TV so pixelated that he couldn’t be recognized, calling this group of players his little ones wasn’t an exaggeration.
Holding his red and swollen left wrist, Qin Chunxiao, showing the same composure as the other injured players, said, “It’s nothing, a minor injury. I can still play. If not, we can use the local injection.”
Chang Xiaole slapped his back, worried he was talking nonsense, “Don’t talk nonsense. The local injection is just a powerful painkiller. In reality, your injury will still be there. Playing with an injury will only make it worse.”
If local injections were a panacea, athletes wouldn’t spread the saying within their community that “one local injection would at least decrease their athletic lifespan by half a year.”
According to Chang Xiaole’s experience with multiple local injections, it was likely even more than half a year.
Lao Niu was someone who spoils his kids. With Qin Chunxiao’s wrist swelling, he reluctantly let Lu Xuandong take over the care. Although Dongzai didn’t understand medicine, couples spending time together could promote hormone secretion, who knows, maybe it could alleviate pain?
So now, Lu Xuandong was also present, helping Qin Chunxiao apply ice to his wrist.
At this moment, a boy named Li Ling stepped forward. He patted his chest and said, “Yashenka is here too. I’ll go to the Russian team and ask if he can come over to help Mingming and Duojin with their therapy. Both of them have overuse injuries, and excellent therapy can provide quick relief.”
Everyone had no other solution, so they let Li Ling try to get help. What if the top milk producer really had an astonishing amount of milk and could save Mingming and Duojin’s conditions?
Li Ling, with hope in his heart, set off.
As the second setter of the Hamster Club, Li Ling had a good relationship with many Russian athletes. He was also familiar with Yashenka’s room number. He went downstairs and walked to the door of room 1818. He turned the corner of the corridor and shouted.
“Yashenka, are you free? I’m here to ask for your help!”
Then Li Ling saw Yashenka being blocked at the door by Lu Yunchen, both of them with most of their clothes off.
Li Ling widened his eyes, and Yashenka and Lu Yunchen also froze.
A few seconds later, Li Ling opened his mouth and expressed his current mood with his voice.
Not far away, Sebastian from the Polish team raised his head, “Huh? Why is there a husky screaming in the hotel?”
And upstairs, Dominique from the Brazilian team, who was playing an escape room game, trembled. His phone fell to the ground and hit his foot, causing him to let out a scream.
My Soulmate is A Libero
If volleyball fans’ monetary capabilities were ranked, Lu Xuandong would undoubtedly be among the top. Every time he came to watch a game, he would try his best to stay in the same hotel as the team, and if not possible, in the adjacent one.
For instance, this time, he booked a guesthouse less than 300 meters away from the hotel where the Chinese team was staying.
According to the team rules, Qin Chunxiao had to return to the hotel and rest before 10 p.m., and Newton would do room checks. Also, athletes absolutely couldn’t bring outsiders into their accommodations. This was not only to prevent the athletes from getting nervous during the game but also to avoid affecting their roommates.
Newton: I know if Xiaozai wanted to bring Dongzai into his room, Er Leng would go along with it, but I can’t allow that to start.
Fortunately, Qin Chunxiao was a sensible kid. He proactively suggested going to the guesthouse to help Lu Xuandong with his luggage and promised to be back within half an hour.
Originally, Newton would give the athletes a 30-minute rest period after the game to take a shower, change clothes to get rid of the sweat smell, drink water, and eat an energy bar.
Newton waved generously, saying, “Give you 40 minutes, spend more time with your boyfriend.”
Watching Qin Chunxiao lead the groggy-tired tall figure away, everyone felt that this scene was very familiar. It was said that all the tall guys in the team had received this kind of care from Team Dad.
Mao Xunfeng clasped his hands together, “If Xiaozai is the king of the free players, then from this moment on, we’re entering the monarch’s offline mode.”
Fu Biyang immediately took out UNO, “Let’s play cards, without Blind Xiong, otherwise we won’t be able to play.”
Jiang Xiaohai held back for a while but couldn’t help but sarcastically comment on Lao Niu, “You only give them 10 minutes?”
Lao Niu: “If I give them more time, what if they manage to do something within that time?”
Jiang Xiaohai: “They need 20 minutes just for the round trip. What’s Xiaozai going to do with the remaining 20 minutes?”
Newton: “I want to make sure they can’t accomplish anything.”
But Qin Chunxiao made the most of the 20 minutes. He had Dongzi take a shower, ordered room service for dinner, instructed him to brush his teeth after eating and not to get so tired that he fell asleep immediately.
Lu Xuandong laid on his side, his hands encircling Qin Chunxiao’s waist, a bit aggrieved, “I wanted you to stay with me a little longer.”
Qin Chunxiao proposed, “How about I pat your back for five minutes?”
Little Qin liked it when someone lightly patted and stroked his back before he fell asleep. It helped him relax quickly. It was a habit that had persisted from childhood due to the excessive indulgence of the family’s elders until he graduated from elementary school. He wasn’t sure if Lu Xuandong liked it.
Lu Xuandong hesitated for a moment, but eventually agreed with an “mm” sound. Those hands, which were used to catching heavy balls traveling at over a hundred kilometers per hour, patted his back rhythmically.
Qin Chunxiao used his fingerprint to unlock Lu Xuandong’s phone, played some soft music, and when the five minutes were up, he got up and checked if the mirror was double-sided, if there were any cameras in the room, before leaving with reassurance.
After he left, Lu Xuandong opened his eyes and lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. The heavy fatigue that had spread throughout his body made him reluctant to get up. In the past, his willpower was always strong enough to keep him working through physical discomfort. But at this moment, his will seemed to have been patted away.
In the end, the urgent desire to show affection made Lu Xuandong get up. He took a photo aimed at the window, uploaded it to Weibo.
Lu Xuandong V
Came to Japan to watch my boyfriend play volleyball, staying at a guesthouse with hot springs.
Otherwise, even if Xiaozai and Dongzai were to fall in love someday, it definitely wouldn’t be now but rather postponed until after retirement. However, even though there’s an understanding and acceptance of Xiaozai’s dedication to his career, only Dongzai could make Xiaozai’s heart flutter and display such intense emotions.
Qin Chunxiao didn’t have a say in his own love life. He lowers his head, looking at the lineup of the Italian team, furrowing his brows. “They brought in Cuban players? Is it Terencio, the one making money in the Japanese league? How come I haven’t seen him play?”
Chang Xiaole was sitting beside him. “It’s not Terencio, it’s another one, named Jesus. He’s a powerful opposite hitter, almost at the same level as Mingming. He’s also under Lorenzo, but he had his appendix removed and is currently in the hospital. Other than that, Piato is also in the team.”
Piato was the best opposite hitter in the men’s volleyball at the 2012 London Olympics, born in ’88, he fought for the Italian national team for years, quite strong, equivalent to a low-blood-level fully leveled Dario.
“Piato should have retired a long time ago. He’s still hanging on, probably for the Tokyo Olympics.”
Qin Chunxiao: “Oh, I know him. I watched his games when I was in elementary school. He was also a pity in the London Olympics. Although he was in his prime, he didn’t have a good setter and spiker.”
Compared to the opposition, Qin Chunxiao was relatively fortunate. China’s spiker lineup was not only luxurious but also abundant. The three setters each had their own specialties and complement him well.
The lifespan of a volleyball athlete is relatively long. At 28, in their prime years, if well maintained, they could continue playing even into their thirties. Looking at this current team, their peak should coincide with the 2024 Olympics. However, according to Qin Chunxiao, the Tokyo cycle was the best for them to vie for the championship. There was no other reason, just that they were at their healthiest during this cycle.
By the time the Paris cycle arrives, many people, including his own injuries, would likely start appearing.
Qin Chunxiao wasn’t just speculating; after the first stage of the group matches, the organizing committee did a re-grouping. They were going to play against six other teams they hadn’t encountered yet and the final ranking would be based on points accumulated.
Lu Xuandong came to watch the game in person, naturally, Qin Chunxiao was moved, and he played even harder during the game, treating all five sets as if they were nothing. However, the other main player, like Qiao Mingming, who often quietly played through all five sets, had to sit on the bench after the match against Serbia due to severe shoulder muscle fatigue.
Captain Qiao was stubborn and immediately requested a local injection to continue playing, but was suppressed by Newton.
“Now is not the time for you to go all out.” Newton flipped through the match record. “The Brazilian team is the only one currently undefeated. They also have the best chance of winning the championship. We lost to Serbia and are currently ranked second, but there are other teams tied with us. If we want to compete for second place, it will depend on who loses less.”
Tied with China for second place were Poland and the United States. Among them, the strength of the United States was so strong that no one dares to say they can definitely win against them next time. It all depends on their condition and luck. As for Poland, there hadn’t been any news of injuries… Sebastian, in the five great beasts of men’s volleyball, was the only strong contender who could compete with Roman for the top spot.
Right now, China’s team was likely under the most pressure. They wanted to secure second place and secure an early Olympic spot, but they knew it was very difficult. Moreover, in most people’s eyes, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics next year was the main event. Newton certainly wouldn’t want to deplete the athletes’ stamina now.
Qin Chunxiao also could’t just proclaim that they should go all out now, as they still had almost two years to recover from their injuries. Most importantly, regardless of whether they had two years or not, he wouldn’t encourage his teammates to play injured. So he could only remain silent.
At this moment, Qiao Mingming became the strongest in voicing opinions in the team. He and the coaching staff logically debated and finally won the opportunity to rotate onto the court with Liu Yuelou and Min Yaoyang.
This was his final persistence. As the captain, he couldn’t accept being absent from such an important World Cup match.
The game continues, and China’s journey had become even more challenging. In fact, they had never won easily. Every time they win against a strong team, it was constantly in a ragged manner, often dragging the match to the fifth set and winning by a narrow margin.
If the victories of the Brazilian and Russian teams were like sweeping through, carrying a king’s aura, this Chinese team that carries the dream of challenging for the Olympic gold was like a pack of wolves that have rolled out of the mud and gathered the courage to charge into the thorny woods. It might sound comical but they were full of fighting spirit.
However, as Qiao Mingming’s injury broke out, Tong Shulan, Ding Rong, Gao Depi, and Kong Duojin all suffered injuries successively. On the night before facing Poland, even Qin Chunxiao’s wrist began to feel uncomfortable.
They had all played too fiercely, especially Qin Chunxiao. Once there was an issue on the spiker side, the pressure on his defense significantly multiplied.
Newton’s heart aches tremendously, “How did it come to this level of injuries?”
These precious lumps were the ones he had been digging up with various dialects from different provinces, and nurtured with various connections. And since his own son was never around and occasionally appears on TV so pixelated that he couldn’t be recognized, calling this group of players his little ones wasn’t an exaggeration.
Holding his red and swollen left wrist, Qin Chunxiao, showing the same composure as the other injured players, said, “It’s nothing, a minor injury. I can still play. If not, we can use the local injection.”
Chang Xiaole slapped his back, worried he was talking nonsense, “Don’t talk nonsense. The local injection is just a powerful painkiller. In reality, your injury will still be there. Playing with an injury will only make it worse.”
If local injections were a panacea, athletes wouldn’t spread the saying within their community that “one local injection would at least decrease their athletic lifespan by half a year.”
According to Chang Xiaole’s experience with multiple local injections, it was likely even more than half a year.
Lao Niu was someone who spoils his kids. With Qin Chunxiao’s wrist swelling, he reluctantly let Lu Xuandong take over the care. Although Dongzai didn’t understand medicine, couples spending time together could promote hormone secretion, who knows, maybe it could alleviate pain?
So now, Lu Xuandong was also present, helping Qin Chunxiao apply ice to his wrist.
At this moment, a boy named Li Ling stepped forward. He patted his chest and said, “Yashenka is here too. I’ll go to the Russian team and ask if he can come over to help Mingming and Duojin with their therapy. Both of them have overuse injuries, and excellent therapy can provide quick relief.”
Everyone had no other solution, so they let Li Ling try to get help. What if the top milk producer really had an astonishing amount of milk and could save Mingming and Duojin’s conditions?
Li Ling, with hope in his heart, set off.
As the second setter of the Hamster Club, Li Ling had a good relationship with many Russian athletes. He was also familiar with Yashenka’s room number. He went downstairs and walked to the door of room 1818. He turned the corner of the corridor and shouted.
“Yashenka, are you free? I’m here to ask for your help!”
Then Li Ling saw Yashenka being blocked at the door by Lu Yunchen, both of them with most of their clothes off.
Li Ling widened his eyes, and Yashenka and Lu Yunchen also froze.
A few seconds later, Li Ling opened his mouth and expressed his current mood with his voice.
Not far away, Sebastian from the Polish team raised his head, “Huh? Why is there a husky screaming in the hotel?”
And upstairs, Dominique from the Brazilian team, who was playing an escape room game, trembled. His phone fell to the ground and hit his foot, causing him to let out a scream.
