As January 2017 approached, a group of volleyball players arrived in Q City. Some of them were not in a good state of mind and had all failed their final exams.
Zhou Ziming, a libero, was among them. When he changed his clothes, he could still see the palm print on his back, a result of being disciplined by his mother after failing in mathematics and physics.
Li Ling watched with concern and shared, “My math score was only one point above the passing mark, and my mother almost disowned me.” Thankfully, his brother Li Yan’s accurate bets saved him from a dire situation. He managed to barely pass and save his life.
Mo Lin was puzzled by this and asked, “Isn’t it easy to pass math?”
Li Ling struggled to find words for a moment, and Mo Lin turned to Qin Chunxiao for confirmation, saying, “For science subjects, you just need to memorize the formulas and apply them. At worst, you can spend an extra hour each day practicing the questions. It’s relatively easy to maintain an average grade.”
Qin Chunxiao scratched his head and replied, “Maintaining an above-average grade isn’t difficult.”
One advantage of being reborn is that learning becomes much easier. This time, Qin Chunxiao was admitted to the top 80 students in the entire grade. Considering the teaching level of No. 6 Middle School, achieving stability in the future would be a breeze, and even gaining admission to a prestigious university like 985 would be within reach.
Qin Chunxiao’s mother wanted to reward him with a new mobile phone, but he requested a pair of good shoes instead. His current sneakers were on the verge of wearing out, and his mother readily agreed.
His exam rewards were now on his feet, worth thousands of dollars. The superior elasticity and stability of the shoes provided assistance to Qin Chunxiao’s jumping.
In fact, if Qin Chunxiao’s bear wallet hadn’t been empty, he could have purchased the new shoes himself.
Qin Chunxiao sighed inwardly. Chasing stars was a waste of money, and the two thousand yuan he had on hand was still the subsidy he received from the provincial team this month.
Athletes’ salaries were not high. Core players of the provincial team earned around 10,000 yuan per month. However, most of these core players also received appearance fees, transfer fees, bonuses, and local sponsorships, making those their primary sources of income. Athletes at that level did not rely solely on their wages.
Behind these national-level players were the lesser-known athletes who had not yet reached the top and struggled to earn a living.
Competitive sports, in general, didn’t yield significant financial returns.
Qin Chunxiao was currently a player on the youth team, and his salary was not high. The monthly basic salary and subsidies added up to just over 2,000 yuan. Fortunately, the team provided accommodation and meals, so he didn’t face any financial pressure.
When they went to register, Chen Aiguo instructed the players, “Take out your IDs and registration forms and go line up for registration.”
He also brought along a bunch of documents, including the players’ health certificates and insurance certificates for accidental injuries.
This time, 14 young players from Province G arrived, all born after January 1, 1996. The oldest, Mo Lin, was only 19 years old, and the youngest, Qin Chunxiao, was 15 years and 10 months old. Despite his young age, Qin Chunxiao was designated as the team captain, and everyone agreed with the decision.
At the entrance of the venue, someone had set up an inverted triangle bodybuilder’s stand, holding a volleyball, with a hollowed-out face. Many players rushed behind the stand to take pictures.
Qin Chunxiao also wanted to take a picture, but he realized that this stand wasn’t friendly to people under 1.85 meters in height. He felt genuinely annoyed. Which company made this stand? It’s not friendly at all!
Fu Biyang, who had arrived early in the morning and was wandering around, noticed Qin Chunxiao’s frustration and immediately ran over, laughing, “Chun Xiao, stand on your tiptoes. That way, you can still get your upper face captured in the pictures.”
Qin Chunxiao ignored him and raised his hand, calling out, “Come here!”
Li Ling quickly ran over and held Qin Chunxiao’s armpit from behind, attempting to lift him up, but he nearly got punched.
Fu Biyang gleefully remarked, “You’re quite fierce Maozi.”-Maozi refer homophonic майка, Qin Chunxiao has quarter blood Russian-
Qin Chunxiao retorted, “Bah! Who is Maozi? I’m of Han ethnicity!” He held up his ID card, and the big character for “Han” was prominently displayed.
Even though every time he changed or renewed his identification documents, some people always doubted the authenticity of the information he provided.
Fu Biyang laughed again, and Li Ling and Mo Lin lifted Qin Chunxiao up together, while Zhou Ziming squatted in front of the stand to take pictures.
“It’s done, Brother Qin. Just one word: Handsome!”
At that moment, the volleyball team from Province X entered the venue. They were also one of the four self-funded teams participating. The shortest player in their team observed the scene and looked at their team captain.
“Captain, I want to as well.”
Captain: “You want to… ah.”
Qin Chunxiao had finally had enough fun and was about to lead the team to leave when he saw this group walking in.
Most of them were dark-eyed, handsome Uighur men, and the tallest one was at least two meters tall, with a broad frame, small brown curly hair on the top of his head, a gentle face, and an elegant temperament.
Fu Biyang glanced at him and said to Qin Chunxiao, “That’s Aizmaiti from the Youth Team of X Province, born in 1998, and he was selected into the National Youth Team two years ago.”
Qin Chunxiao replied, “I know, he is also a secondary attacker, right?”
Fu Biyang comforted him carelessly, “Don’t worry, I’m better than Aizmaiti. If you can win, I can beat him.”
Qin Chunxiao believed that Fu Biyang was a genius. Although Aizmaiti was over two meters tall and a talented player with a wingspan beyond his height, the pressure he posed at the net was no less than that of Fu Biyang, and he was also a top blocker in Asia.
Qin Chunxiao showed a friendly smile to Aizmaiti and stretched out his hand, saying, “I’m from Province G, and my name is Qin Chunxiao.”
Aizmaiti was momentarily stunned but shook hands with him, replying, “I am Aizmait Harik, and Aizmait is my name, from X Province.”
Qin Chunxiao said, “I know, you all use your father’s name as your surname, right?”
Aizmaiti smiled and said, “That’s right.”
The name Aizmaiti means “a good man,” and Harik means “a creator.” The big man named after a hero had a gentle temperament. He was good at cooking mutton pilaf and had a hobby of cross-stitching. In 2023, he was also on flight AF251.
In fact, Qin Chunxiao had long understood that many outstanding volleyball players born after 1996 would come to play U21 this time. Naturally, he would also meet many old acquaintances.
They went to pack their luggage, and Aizmaiti held the small guy under his armpit and lifted him up for a photo. He truly was a very good-tempered little giant.
After a while, Lao Chen hurried over with a form in his hand and said, “Your opponent has been determined. You have to play three games before you can hope to enter the quarterfinals.”
There were a total of 16 teams participating this time, divided into four groups with four teams in each group. They would have a single round-robin match within the group, meaning each team would play one game against the other three teams in the same group. The ranking would be determined based on the number of games won and points scored. The top two teams from each group would qualify for the top eight.
U21 was a talent-selection event, and the organizers hoped that the teams would face all opponents to assess their ability to deal with different teams and comprehensively evaluate the quality of the players.
In his previous life, Qin Chunxiao played in the youth team until the age of 17 and then played directly with adult players. Within half a year, he became the captain. It was the first time in two lifetimes that he played in the U21 category.
He took the list and said, “We were assigned to Group C. We have to play against the Bashu team first, then the local youth team from Province S, and finally the Province Y team.”
Based on past records, the provincial youth team from G was at the bottom of this group. If there was a big team that would be eliminated first in each group, it would be them.
Liu Kairui was disappointed and said, “We are the fish belly in this group.”
Li Ling was upset and replied, “Don’t say something stupid. We are no longer what we used to be. Look at me, then look at Chunxiao. How can you describe us as ‘fish belly’?”
Mo Lin rubbed his nails and said, “Play well. As long as we enter the quarterfinals, we will receive more bonuses in February.”
The players’ game performance was also considered as performance, right?
Qin Chunxiao rested his chin on both hands and said, “I want to buy new sneakers.”
Zhou Ziming sighed, “I want to take my sister to Disney.”
Mo Lin also had a dream, “I want to go to the God of Songs concert.”
Li Ling said, “My mother wants to buy an oven.”
The fighting spirit was finally ignited by the desire for money. Qin Chunxiao stood up and said resolutely, “We will strive to win the championship after making it to the top eight!”
The brothers responded in unison, “Good!”
Chen Aiguo wondered, “Is it no longer popular for young people to fight for their blood and dreams? It feels weird to burn so much for money, and you should stay focused. According to the pre-match intelligence investigation of the coaching staff, reaching the semi-finals is not bad for you. Winning the championship will be very difficult!”
However, the G provincial youth team was destined to be a surprise factor that surpassed all the other participating teams in this year’s U21.
On the second day, Li Ling showcased his “god” side in the first game against the Bashu team.
Before Qin Yingdi-the actor and Qin Zhugong-the attacker went online, Li Yingying-the shining went online first, slaying the audience! And Qin Chunxiao transformed into Qin Erchuan-the second setter, bringing him the ball with joy.
The Bashu team was stunned by their performance, and the coach on the bench was full of surprise, exclaiming, “These two treasures from the G provincial youth team are so skilled! When did they discover such talents?”
Anyone with keen observation could tell that Li Ling had a strong offensive response as a player.
The small setter who partnered with him was also impressive, delivering precise passes. Each time, he set the ball to the most comfortable point for his teammates to spike and lob, subtly paving the way for their scoring opportunities.
Unfortunately, Li Ling’s god-like state lasted only one game. In the second game, the teams switched venues, and the coach of the Bashu team provided guidance to the players. When they resumed playing, their positions were different.
The three players stood in the backcourt, waiting for Li Ling, treating him as the key point of defense. Two tall and imposing players stood at the net, attempting to block him.
Judging from the configuration, their intention was to build an impenetrable wall to halt Li Ling’s divine performance.
The coach of the Bashu team thought to himself that the overall quality of the G provincial youth team was only average in this year’s U21. Li Ling was undoubtedly their main force and core player. As long as they disrupted his rhythm, it would be a trivial matter to turn the situation around.
Coincidentally, Li Ling’s defensive skills were average. In Qin Chunxiao’s previous life, he and this underestimated partner failed to win the domestic championship. It was because they didn’t emphasize Li Ling’s top defensive talent at the time, and Li Ling was not proficient in defense. The two offensive players blindly focused on scoring, which ultimately limited their progress.
Volleyball is a sport where points are lost once the ball hits the ground. Therefore, the most crucial aspect of the game is defense. Only by successfully receiving the ball can a team have a chance to turn the tide of the match.
The tactics of the Bashu team worked. In the second game, the G provincial youth team lost 23-25.
In the stands, Jiang Xiaohai, the deputy coach of the national team, made a note: “Li Ling from Q Province is extremely talented as an offensive player. If he is paired with a strong defensive player, he can achieve even better results, but he lacks consistency.”
After having their rhythm disrupted, Li Ling’s mental state obviously couldn’t be maintained.
Jiang Xiaohai drew a star next to Li Ling’s name, planning to observe him more closely.
And in the third game, Qin Chunxiao was rotated to the back row, and the first serve targeted the youngest setter on the opposing team.
As everyone knows, whether it’s serving or spiking, one must aim for the opponent’s defensive weaknesses.
It’s you, little man!
The Bashu team tossed the ball for a set, took a few steps, and made a powerful jump aiming at Qin Chunxiao!
The ball was forceful and heavy, its speed exceeding 110 km per hour. Even the coach of the Bashu team silently applauded.
Qin Chunxiao looked at the incoming ball and smiled faintly.
Eyes can be truly astonishing at times.
For instance, when a player confidently attacks the ball, thinking they have found a “vulnerable defensive weak spot,” they might not have realized that the person they targeted could be a top-notch defensive player capable of fending off monster.
As January 2017 approached, a group of volleyball players arrived in Q City. Some of them were not in a good state of mind and had all failed their final exams.
Zhou Ziming, a libero, was among them. When he changed his clothes, he could still see the palm print on his back, a result of being disciplined by his mother after failing in mathematics and physics.
Li Ling watched with concern and shared, “My math score was only one point above the passing mark, and my mother almost disowned me.” Thankfully, his brother Li Yan’s accurate bets saved him from a dire situation. He managed to barely pass and save his life.
Mo Lin was puzzled by this and asked, “Isn’t it easy to pass math?”
Li Ling struggled to find words for a moment, and Mo Lin turned to Qin Chunxiao for confirmation, saying, “For science subjects, you just need to memorize the formulas and apply them. At worst, you can spend an extra hour each day practicing the questions. It’s relatively easy to maintain an average grade.”
Qin Chunxiao scratched his head and replied, “Maintaining an above-average grade isn’t difficult.”
One advantage of being reborn is that learning becomes much easier. This time, Qin Chunxiao was admitted to the top 80 students in the entire grade. Considering the teaching level of No. 6 Middle School, achieving stability in the future would be a breeze, and even gaining admission to a prestigious university like 985 would be within reach.
Qin Chunxiao’s mother wanted to reward him with a new mobile phone, but he requested a pair of good shoes instead. His current sneakers were on the verge of wearing out, and his mother readily agreed.
His exam rewards were now on his feet, worth thousands of dollars. The superior elasticity and stability of the shoes provided assistance to Qin Chunxiao’s jumping.
In fact, if Qin Chunxiao’s bear wallet hadn’t been empty, he could have purchased the new shoes himself.
Qin Chunxiao sighed inwardly. Chasing stars was a waste of money, and the two thousand yuan he had on hand was still the subsidy he received from the provincial team this month.
Athletes’ salaries were not high. Core players of the provincial team earned around 10,000 yuan per month. However, most of these core players also received appearance fees, transfer fees, bonuses, and local sponsorships, making those their primary sources of income. Athletes at that level did not rely solely on their wages.
Behind these national-level players were the lesser-known athletes who had not yet reached the top and struggled to earn a living.
Competitive sports, in general, didn’t yield significant financial returns.
Qin Chunxiao was currently a player on the youth team, and his salary was not high. The monthly basic salary and subsidies added up to just over 2,000 yuan. Fortunately, the team provided accommodation and meals, so he didn’t face any financial pressure.
When they went to register, Chen Aiguo instructed the players, “Take out your IDs and registration forms and go line up for registration.”
He also brought along a bunch of documents, including the players’ health certificates and insurance certificates for accidental injuries.
This time, 14 young players from Province G arrived, all born after January 1, 1996. The oldest, Mo Lin, was only 19 years old, and the youngest, Qin Chunxiao, was 15 years and 10 months old. Despite his young age, Qin Chunxiao was designated as the team captain, and everyone agreed with the decision.
At the entrance of the venue, someone had set up an inverted triangle bodybuilder’s stand, holding a volleyball, with a hollowed-out face. Many players rushed behind the stand to take pictures.
Qin Chunxiao also wanted to take a picture, but he realized that this stand wasn’t friendly to people under 1.85 meters in height. He felt genuinely annoyed. Which company made this stand? It’s not friendly at all!
Fu Biyang, who had arrived early in the morning and was wandering around, noticed Qin Chunxiao’s frustration and immediately ran over, laughing, “Chun Xiao, stand on your tiptoes. That way, you can still get your upper face captured in the pictures.”
Qin Chunxiao ignored him and raised his hand, calling out, “Come here!”
Li Ling quickly ran over and held Qin Chunxiao’s armpit from behind, attempting to lift him up, but he nearly got punched.
Fu Biyang gleefully remarked, “You’re quite fierce Maozi.”-Maozi refer homophonic майка, Qin Chunxiao has quarter blood Russian-
Qin Chunxiao retorted, “Bah! Who is Maozi? I’m of Han ethnicity!” He held up his ID card, and the big character for “Han” was prominently displayed.
Even though every time he changed or renewed his identification documents, some people always doubted the authenticity of the information he provided.
Fu Biyang laughed again, and Li Ling and Mo Lin lifted Qin Chunxiao up together, while Zhou Ziming squatted in front of the stand to take pictures.
“It’s done, Brother Qin. Just one word: Handsome!”
At that moment, the volleyball team from Province X entered the venue. They were also one of the four self-funded teams participating. The shortest player in their team observed the scene and looked at their team captain.
“Captain, I want to as well.”
Captain: “You want to… ah.”
Qin Chunxiao had finally had enough fun and was about to lead the team to leave when he saw this group walking in.
Most of them were dark-eyed, handsome Uighur men, and the tallest one was at least two meters tall, with a broad frame, small brown curly hair on the top of his head, a gentle face, and an elegant temperament.
Fu Biyang glanced at him and said to Qin Chunxiao, “That’s Aizmaiti from the Youth Team of X Province, born in 1998, and he was selected into the National Youth Team two years ago.”
Qin Chunxiao replied, “I know, he is also a secondary attacker, right?”
Fu Biyang comforted him carelessly, “Don’t worry, I’m better than Aizmaiti. If you can win, I can beat him.”
Qin Chunxiao believed that Fu Biyang was a genius. Although Aizmaiti was over two meters tall and a talented player with a wingspan beyond his height, the pressure he posed at the net was no less than that of Fu Biyang, and he was also a top blocker in Asia.
Qin Chunxiao showed a friendly smile to Aizmaiti and stretched out his hand, saying, “I’m from Province G, and my name is Qin Chunxiao.”
Aizmaiti was momentarily stunned but shook hands with him, replying, “I am Aizmait Harik, and Aizmait is my name, from X Province.”
Qin Chunxiao said, “I know, you all use your father’s name as your surname, right?”
Aizmaiti smiled and said, “That’s right.”
The name Aizmaiti means “a good man,” and Harik means “a creator.” The big man named after a hero had a gentle temperament. He was good at cooking mutton pilaf and had a hobby of cross-stitching. In 2023, he was also on flight AF251.
In fact, Qin Chunxiao had long understood that many outstanding volleyball players born after 1996 would come to play U21 this time. Naturally, he would also meet many old acquaintances.
They went to pack their luggage, and Aizmaiti held the small guy under his armpit and lifted him up for a photo. He truly was a very good-tempered little giant.
After a while, Lao Chen hurried over with a form in his hand and said, “Your opponent has been determined. You have to play three games before you can hope to enter the quarterfinals.”
There were a total of 16 teams participating this time, divided into four groups with four teams in each group. They would have a single round-robin match within the group, meaning each team would play one game against the other three teams in the same group. The ranking would be determined based on the number of games won and points scored. The top two teams from each group would qualify for the top eight.
U21 was a talent-selection event, and the organizers hoped that the teams would face all opponents to assess their ability to deal with different teams and comprehensively evaluate the quality of the players.
In his previous life, Qin Chunxiao played in the youth team until the age of 17 and then played directly with adult players. Within half a year, he became the captain. It was the first time in two lifetimes that he played in the U21 category.
He took the list and said, “We were assigned to Group C. We have to play against the Bashu team first, then the local youth team from Province S, and finally the Province Y team.”
Based on past records, the provincial youth team from G was at the bottom of this group. If there was a big team that would be eliminated first in each group, it would be them.
Liu Kairui was disappointed and said, “We are the fish belly in this group.”
Li Ling was upset and replied, “Don’t say something stupid. We are no longer what we used to be. Look at me, then look at Chunxiao. How can you describe us as ‘fish belly’?”
Mo Lin rubbed his nails and said, “Play well. As long as we enter the quarterfinals, we will receive more bonuses in February.”
The players’ game performance was also considered as performance, right?
Qin Chunxiao rested his chin on both hands and said, “I want to buy new sneakers.”
Zhou Ziming sighed, “I want to take my sister to Disney.”
Mo Lin also had a dream, “I want to go to the God of Songs concert.”
Li Ling said, “My mother wants to buy an oven.”
The fighting spirit was finally ignited by the desire for money. Qin Chunxiao stood up and said resolutely, “We will strive to win the championship after making it to the top eight!”
The brothers responded in unison, “Good!”
Chen Aiguo wondered, “Is it no longer popular for young people to fight for their blood and dreams? It feels weird to burn so much for money, and you should stay focused. According to the pre-match intelligence investigation of the coaching staff, reaching the semi-finals is not bad for you. Winning the championship will be very difficult!”
However, the G provincial youth team was destined to be a surprise factor that surpassed all the other participating teams in this year’s U21.
On the second day, Li Ling showcased his “god” side in the first game against the Bashu team.
Before Qin Yingdi-the actor and Qin Zhugong-the attacker went online, Li Yingying-the shining went online first, slaying the audience! And Qin Chunxiao transformed into Qin Erchuan-the second setter, bringing him the ball with joy.
The Bashu team was stunned by their performance, and the coach on the bench was full of surprise, exclaiming, “These two treasures from the G provincial youth team are so skilled! When did they discover such talents?”
Anyone with keen observation could tell that Li Ling had a strong offensive response as a player.
The small setter who partnered with him was also impressive, delivering precise passes. Each time, he set the ball to the most comfortable point for his teammates to spike and lob, subtly paving the way for their scoring opportunities.
Unfortunately, Li Ling’s god-like state lasted only one game. In the second game, the teams switched venues, and the coach of the Bashu team provided guidance to the players. When they resumed playing, their positions were different.
The three players stood in the backcourt, waiting for Li Ling, treating him as the key point of defense. Two tall and imposing players stood at the net, attempting to block him.
Judging from the configuration, their intention was to build an impenetrable wall to halt Li Ling’s divine performance.
The coach of the Bashu team thought to himself that the overall quality of the G provincial youth team was only average in this year’s U21. Li Ling was undoubtedly their main force and core player. As long as they disrupted his rhythm, it would be a trivial matter to turn the situation around.
Coincidentally, Li Ling’s defensive skills were average. In Qin Chunxiao’s previous life, he and this underestimated partner failed to win the domestic championship. It was because they didn’t emphasize Li Ling’s top defensive talent at the time, and Li Ling was not proficient in defense. The two offensive players blindly focused on scoring, which ultimately limited their progress.
Volleyball is a sport where points are lost once the ball hits the ground. Therefore, the most crucial aspect of the game is defense. Only by successfully receiving the ball can a team have a chance to turn the tide of the match.
The tactics of the Bashu team worked. In the second game, the G provincial youth team lost 23-25.
In the stands, Jiang Xiaohai, the deputy coach of the national team, made a note: “Li Ling from Q Province is extremely talented as an offensive player. If he is paired with a strong defensive player, he can achieve even better results, but he lacks consistency.”
After having their rhythm disrupted, Li Ling’s mental state obviously couldn’t be maintained.
Jiang Xiaohai drew a star next to Li Ling’s name, planning to observe him more closely.
And in the third game, Qin Chunxiao was rotated to the back row, and the first serve targeted the youngest setter on the opposing team.
As everyone knows, whether it’s serving or spiking, one must aim for the opponent’s defensive weaknesses.
It’s you, little man!
The Bashu team tossed the ball for a set, took a few steps, and made a powerful jump aiming at Qin Chunxiao!
The ball was forceful and heavy, its speed exceeding 110 km per hour. Even the coach of the Bashu team silently applauded.
Qin Chunxiao looked at the incoming ball and smiled faintly.
Eyes can be truly astonishing at times.
For instance, when a player confidently attacks the ball, thinking they have found a “vulnerable defensive weak spot,” they might not have realized that the person they targeted could be a top-notch defensive player capable of fending off monster.
