After the U21 game, many teams went home to celebrate the New Year. The new year in 2017 was on January 28, but in the southern region, the 21st is considered a Small Year. Athletes also had homes to return to, and they all wanted to be with their families before that day.
In such circumstances, the provincial G youth team was the only team willing to stay an extra two days for the provincial S women’s volleyball team to practice with them. Meng Yuqing was grateful, and even Newton secretly thanked Chen Aiguo.
Chen Aiguo replied, “I just want Xiaoping and Team Meng to practice their acting skills, and let Lingzai and Xiaozai learn the women’s volleyball fast break technique.”
The fast break in volleyball includes forward fly, back fly, and wrong back, among other techniques. It originated from the Chinese men’s volleyball team in the 1970s, based on the skills of the volleyball prince Wang Jiawei. It once shocked the volleyball world and gained popularity due to its innovative tactics.
While fast attack remained effective in the women’s volleyball team, it was no longer as effective in the men’s volleyball team. The domestic men’s volleyball team had shifted towards learning from European and American teams, focusing on strong attacks and hard play. This trend even affected talent selection. Meanwhile, the fast attack, which was once a rising model in Asia, was gradually being phased out by domestic coaches.
Of course, this was also related to the men’s volleyball team’s fast blocking speed and the fact that fast breaks were easily anticipated. Some professionals believed that the women’s volleyball team would gradually eliminate fast breaks. It wasn’t that fast breaks would disappear completely, but that strong teams would integrate fast breaks into their own systems while focusing on powerful attacks.
The provincial J youth team, which played against the Provincial G youth team, was coached by an old man who was active in the 1970s and was familiar with fast breaks. They had struggled against them in the past and were eager to learn.
Meng Yuqing, one of the core players in the women’s volleyball national team’s fast break tactics, was chosen to stay this time. She personally entertained the boys and even arranged for a feast prepared by the cafeteria, featuring delicious meals with chicken and duck.
Qin Chunxiao was delighted and said to Meng Yuqing, “Sister Meng, do your cafeteria ladies need us to help fight bugs? Our whole team is good at dealing with cockroaches.”
Meng Yuqing laughed, “Cockroaches? It’s January now, where would cockroaches come from?”
Qin Chunxiao and the members of the G provincial youth team looked puzzled, “Aren’t cockroaches active in the kitchen all year round?”
Mo Lin took out his mobile phone and showed Meng Yuqing pictures of cockroach nests he had killed for the cafeteria lady last month. Meng Yuqing was completely overwhelmed by the sight of those insect corpses.
She couldn’t believe it, “Are these really cockroaches? Are they something else?”
Li Ling was the only one who understood her, “Unfortunately, those are indeed cockroaches.”
Others laughed at him.
“Li Er is the most afraid of these things among us. He screams when he sees spiders.”
“They’re just cockroaches, just use slippers to squash them.”
“That’s right, if you have a cleanliness obsession, the captain also has it. After squashing a cockroach with his shoe, he continued to practice barefoot. It didn’t affect anything, and he still jumped really high.”
Qin Chunxiao smiled proudly, “My jumping ability is enough to beat countless people even without shoes.”
Meng Yuqing was shocked.
Fortunately, after the meal, no one approached the 2.06-meter girl to talk about cockroaches, as all members of the G provincial youth team were taken away for a physical test.
Newton was the one who brought up the idea. As the former head coach of the men’s volleyball team in Province S, he also had a connection to the women’s volleyball team. Now that the guys from Province G stayed as sparring partners, he wanted to give something back.
In every provincial capital, the sports department had systematic testing equipment. After Newton obtained the data, he communicated with Chen Aiguo based on the performance of the players in the competition.
Li Ling’s nervousness was primarily a mentality problem, but his physical fitness also needed improvement to handle it more effectively. Working on his endurance would be beneficial.
As a main attacker who often pretends to be a setter, Mo Lin should focus on strengthening his passing skills.
Li Xiaoping needed to work on his strength. Even if he took on acting roles, he column’t be weak as a men’s volleyball player.
Finally, Newton and Chen Aiguo posed a question: “Do you think it’s possible for Chunxiao and Li Ling to be trained as 3D players?”
The term “3D player” is used in basketball leagues like the NBA, referring to players who can defend and shoot 3-pointers. It has a similar meaning in volleyball, where it pertains to players restricted to the opposite corner of the setter.
Chen Aiguo pondered for a moment and replied, “Li Ling has already been determined to be trained in that direction. His current issue is inconsistency. Chunxiao needs to compensate for his deficiencies. Xiaozai’s height is also a drawback.”
Newton pointed out a key aspect, “But his floor skills are the best I’ve ever seen. I can’t understand why such a talented defensive player can be developed in China. Was he primarily focused on sprinting just a year ago? And while height doesn’t directly translate to blocking ability, he has managed to block Qiao Mingming at the net, albeit infrequently. This shows that he possesses the capability.”
Qin Chunxiao, a rare anomaly standing under 1.8 meters but reaching a height of 3.45 meters, dunked on many opponents during the U21 games. He earned the nickname “Flying Kuangdun,” and his exceptional floor skills often overshadowed his bright offensive abilities.
Qin Chunxiao was not only the core of the G provincial youth team’s offense and defense, but he also contributed significantly to their victories against strong opponents.
Chen Aiguo remained silent, while Newton shrugged, “I’m simply curious about your thoughts on his training direction. Let me clarify that under my guidance, he will definitely take on the first-pass role, and his main attacks will be absent at the net. He won’t be able to compete with big guys like Qiao Mingming and Liu Yuelou.”
The first pass refers to the player who receives the first ball in a round, essentially serving as the team’s initial line of defense. Qin Chunxiao’s exceptional floor skills make him the best candidate for the first-pass position. Although the libero is most suited for Qin Chunxiao’s skills, they cannot serve or attack at the net. Newton admired Qin Chunxiao’s serve, net acting skills, and offensive capabilities.
Chen Aiguo responded, “I don’t know exactly where his talent lies, but there’s no one on the provincial youth team more suitable to be the offensive core than him. Qin Chunxiao himself understands that once he’s under your guidance… it’s up to you. Anyway, you won’t spoil the players, which is why you’re better than someone with the surname Zhao.”
Newton lit a cigarette and remarked, “I transformed myself into a smooth operator to prevent those bureaucratic coaches from ruining the men’s volleyball team. You think I enjoy flattering people? But as they say, to deal with traitors, you have to be more cunning than them!”
Both fell silent, and Newton turned his head to continue examining the physical test data. He paused when he reached Qin Chunxiao’s explosive power test results.
A disbelieving roar filled the room, “This kid ran the 100 meters in 10.92 seconds?”
The standard for a first-class national male sprinter is 10.93 seconds. Did Qin Chunxiao achieve a first-class time at under 16 years old, before even completing his physical development?
Newton suddenly understood why Chen Aiguo brought a group of players to learn the fast break from the women’s volleyball team.
While others may struggle against men’s volleyball blocks, Qin Chunxiao wouldn’t! He possessed both speed and explosiveness. His achievement of running the 100 meters at a first-class level was primarily due to his incredible acceleration in the first 50 meters. Additionally, he had excellent acting skills and could deceive opponents at the net.
Newton scratched his head, “It’s a shame for this kid and Wu Chiyao, but if he had a more honest coach who wouldn’t cause scandals, at what point would we have volleyball to pick him up?”
Never before had the men’s volleyball team been so fortunate to have a 15-year-old sprinting prodigy who could complete the fast break tactics for them!
Do you know what it means to run the 100 meters in 11 seconds at the age of 15?
It demonstrates absolute talent, and becoming a provincial sprinting supernova would be no challenge! Anyone with such talent would have never struggled on the track.
It was Wu Chiyao’s transgressions that led to Qin Chunxiao’s unfortunate encounter with a doping scandal, forcing him to switch to volleyball.
Newton immediately opened his small notebook, circling and highlighting Qin Chunxiao’s name with stars, making note of all the significant details.
Due to Qin Chunxiao’s own request, he underwent a drug test almost a month after joining the G provincial youth team, which reassured the leaders of the men’s volleyball team in G province. The drug test records were faxed to Newton.
This gesture had a clear meaning—Xiaozi was innocent. If he performed well in the game, please consider selecting him for the National Youth Team. He deserved the opportunity and the uniform!
Newton: I’d be crazy to let go of this outstanding player, a genius who can run under 11 seconds at the age of 15. Hahaha! This genius player belongs to me!
Because Qin Chunxiao’s time of 10.92 seconds was astonishing, Newton also circled Li Ling’s name. He was initially hesitant about recruiting a nerve knife, but now he doesn’t care. Since Li Ling is Qin Chunxiao’s most compatible partner, let this pair of Gemini come together!
Qin Chunxiao himself was overjoyed. He didn’t know that the coaches were amazed by his speed and talent while sighing at his height. After practicing with Li Ling and the S Province men’s volleyball team for a day, he approached the two senior players, Tong Shulan and Meng Yuqing, for guidance. After the fast break practice, he asked them a question.
“Is there a barbershop nearby? I want to get a haircut before the lunar new year.”
There is a folk saying: “Cut off the head in the first month to ward off misfortune.” Qin Chunxiao didn’t have an uncle, but he was willing to follow this ancient tradition and pass it on in the old Qin family. Considering that when Qin Chunfeng has a child in the future, he will also become an uncle. He hoped that his nephew, wherever he may be, would take care of himself in the future.
Moreover, Qin Chunxiao was born with slightly curly and thick hair that grows fast. If he doesn’t get a haircut for a few months, his head looks like he’s wearing a bloated hat. If he wipes the floor a few times while playing, his hair becomes wild and resembles a lion’s mane.
Perhaps because athletes have a regular schedule and healthy blood, many of them have thick hair. Meng Yuqing recommended a nearby barbershop, noting that they had good thinning techniques, which was exactly what Qin Chunxiao wanted.
However, it seemed that many people wanted to get their hair cut before the lunar new year. When Qin Chunxiao arrived, the waiting area was already crowded, so he had to find a corner and sit down. He slowly filed his nails with the nail file on his keychain and did a few sets of hand exercises.
After finally washing his hair and sitting in the chair to dry it, someone sat next to him, and Qin Chunxiao recognized Guangpu’s voice.
“Brother Dong, can I call you brother? Why don’t you just buy a house here and ask me to pick up your sister?”
The hairdryer was too loud, and the other person was on speakerphone.
A voice that Qin Chunxiao found familiar yet unfamiliar came through the phone with electronic quality.
“Keep her away from that scum.”
Long Zitan sighed, “Understood. So why do you want to buy a house in City G? Didn’t you say you didn’t want to invest in property in Province G to stay away from your father’s relatives?”
The other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds before choking out a word.
“Invest, invest.”
After the U21 game, many teams went home to celebrate the New Year. The new year in 2017 was on January 28, but in the southern region, the 21st is considered a Small Year. Athletes also had homes to return to, and they all wanted to be with their families before that day.
In such circumstances, the provincial G youth team was the only team willing to stay an extra two days for the provincial S women’s volleyball team to practice with them. Meng Yuqing was grateful, and even Newton secretly thanked Chen Aiguo.
Chen Aiguo replied, “I just want Xiaoping and Team Meng to practice their acting skills, and let Lingzai and Xiaozai learn the women’s volleyball fast break technique.”
The fast break in volleyball includes forward fly, back fly, and wrong back, among other techniques. It originated from the Chinese men’s volleyball team in the 1970s, based on the skills of the volleyball prince Wang Jiawei. It once shocked the volleyball world and gained popularity due to its innovative tactics.
While fast attack remained effective in the women’s volleyball team, it was no longer as effective in the men’s volleyball team. The domestic men’s volleyball team had shifted towards learning from European and American teams, focusing on strong attacks and hard play. This trend even affected talent selection. Meanwhile, the fast attack, which was once a rising model in Asia, was gradually being phased out by domestic coaches.
Of course, this was also related to the men’s volleyball team’s fast blocking speed and the fact that fast breaks were easily anticipated. Some professionals believed that the women’s volleyball team would gradually eliminate fast breaks. It wasn’t that fast breaks would disappear completely, but that strong teams would integrate fast breaks into their own systems while focusing on powerful attacks.
The provincial J youth team, which played against the Provincial G youth team, was coached by an old man who was active in the 1970s and was familiar with fast breaks. They had struggled against them in the past and were eager to learn.
Meng Yuqing, one of the core players in the women’s volleyball national team’s fast break tactics, was chosen to stay this time. She personally entertained the boys and even arranged for a feast prepared by the cafeteria, featuring delicious meals with chicken and duck.
Qin Chunxiao was delighted and said to Meng Yuqing, “Sister Meng, do your cafeteria ladies need us to help fight bugs? Our whole team is good at dealing with cockroaches.”
Meng Yuqing laughed, “Cockroaches? It’s January now, where would cockroaches come from?”
Qin Chunxiao and the members of the G provincial youth team looked puzzled, “Aren’t cockroaches active in the kitchen all year round?”
Mo Lin took out his mobile phone and showed Meng Yuqing pictures of cockroach nests he had killed for the cafeteria lady last month. Meng Yuqing was completely overwhelmed by the sight of those insect corpses.
She couldn’t believe it, “Are these really cockroaches? Are they something else?”
Li Ling was the only one who understood her, “Unfortunately, those are indeed cockroaches.”
Others laughed at him.
“Li Er is the most afraid of these things among us. He screams when he sees spiders.”
“They’re just cockroaches, just use slippers to squash them.”
“That’s right, if you have a cleanliness obsession, the captain also has it. After squashing a cockroach with his shoe, he continued to practice barefoot. It didn’t affect anything, and he still jumped really high.”
Qin Chunxiao smiled proudly, “My jumping ability is enough to beat countless people even without shoes.”
Meng Yuqing was shocked.
Fortunately, after the meal, no one approached the 2.06-meter girl to talk about cockroaches, as all members of the G provincial youth team were taken away for a physical test.
Newton was the one who brought up the idea. As the former head coach of the men’s volleyball team in Province S, he also had a connection to the women’s volleyball team. Now that the guys from Province G stayed as sparring partners, he wanted to give something back.
In every provincial capital, the sports department had systematic testing equipment. After Newton obtained the data, he communicated with Chen Aiguo based on the performance of the players in the competition.
Li Ling’s nervousness was primarily a mentality problem, but his physical fitness also needed improvement to handle it more effectively. Working on his endurance would be beneficial.
As a main attacker who often pretends to be a setter, Mo Lin should focus on strengthening his passing skills.
Li Xiaoping needed to work on his strength. Even if he took on acting roles, he column’t be weak as a men’s volleyball player.
Finally, Newton and Chen Aiguo posed a question: “Do you think it’s possible for Chunxiao and Li Ling to be trained as 3D players?”
The term “3D player” is used in basketball leagues like the NBA, referring to players who can defend and shoot 3-pointers. It has a similar meaning in volleyball, where it pertains to players restricted to the opposite corner of the setter.
Chen Aiguo pondered for a moment and replied, “Li Ling has already been determined to be trained in that direction. His current issue is inconsistency. Chunxiao needs to compensate for his deficiencies. Xiaozai’s height is also a drawback.”
Newton pointed out a key aspect, “But his floor skills are the best I’ve ever seen. I can’t understand why such a talented defensive player can be developed in China. Was he primarily focused on sprinting just a year ago? And while height doesn’t directly translate to blocking ability, he has managed to block Qiao Mingming at the net, albeit infrequently. This shows that he possesses the capability.”
Qin Chunxiao, a rare anomaly standing under 1.8 meters but reaching a height of 3.45 meters, dunked on many opponents during the U21 games. He earned the nickname “Flying Kuangdun,” and his exceptional floor skills often overshadowed his bright offensive abilities.
Qin Chunxiao was not only the core of the G provincial youth team’s offense and defense, but he also contributed significantly to their victories against strong opponents.
Chen Aiguo remained silent, while Newton shrugged, “I’m simply curious about your thoughts on his training direction. Let me clarify that under my guidance, he will definitely take on the first-pass role, and his main attacks will be absent at the net. He won’t be able to compete with big guys like Qiao Mingming and Liu Yuelou.”
The first pass refers to the player who receives the first ball in a round, essentially serving as the team’s initial line of defense. Qin Chunxiao’s exceptional floor skills make him the best candidate for the first-pass position. Although the libero is most suited for Qin Chunxiao’s skills, they cannot serve or attack at the net. Newton admired Qin Chunxiao’s serve, net acting skills, and offensive capabilities.
Chen Aiguo responded, “I don’t know exactly where his talent lies, but there’s no one on the provincial youth team more suitable to be the offensive core than him. Qin Chunxiao himself understands that once he’s under your guidance… it’s up to you. Anyway, you won’t spoil the players, which is why you’re better than someone with the surname Zhao.”
Newton lit a cigarette and remarked, “I transformed myself into a smooth operator to prevent those bureaucratic coaches from ruining the men’s volleyball team. You think I enjoy flattering people? But as they say, to deal with traitors, you have to be more cunning than them!”
Both fell silent, and Newton turned his head to continue examining the physical test data. He paused when he reached Qin Chunxiao’s explosive power test results.
A disbelieving roar filled the room, “This kid ran the 100 meters in 10.92 seconds?”
The standard for a first-class national male sprinter is 10.93 seconds. Did Qin Chunxiao achieve a first-class time at under 16 years old, before even completing his physical development?
Newton suddenly understood why Chen Aiguo brought a group of players to learn the fast break from the women’s volleyball team.
While others may struggle against men’s volleyball blocks, Qin Chunxiao wouldn’t! He possessed both speed and explosiveness. His achievement of running the 100 meters at a first-class level was primarily due to his incredible acceleration in the first 50 meters. Additionally, he had excellent acting skills and could deceive opponents at the net.
Newton scratched his head, “It’s a shame for this kid and Wu Chiyao, but if he had a more honest coach who wouldn’t cause scandals, at what point would we have volleyball to pick him up?”
Never before had the men’s volleyball team been so fortunate to have a 15-year-old sprinting prodigy who could complete the fast break tactics for them!
Do you know what it means to run the 100 meters in 11 seconds at the age of 15?
It demonstrates absolute talent, and becoming a provincial sprinting supernova would be no challenge! Anyone with such talent would have never struggled on the track.
It was Wu Chiyao’s transgressions that led to Qin Chunxiao’s unfortunate encounter with a doping scandal, forcing him to switch to volleyball.
Newton immediately opened his small notebook, circling and highlighting Qin Chunxiao’s name with stars, making note of all the significant details.
Due to Qin Chunxiao’s own request, he underwent a drug test almost a month after joining the G provincial youth team, which reassured the leaders of the men’s volleyball team in G province. The drug test records were faxed to Newton.
This gesture had a clear meaning—Xiaozi was innocent. If he performed well in the game, please consider selecting him for the National Youth Team. He deserved the opportunity and the uniform!
Newton: I’d be crazy to let go of this outstanding player, a genius who can run under 11 seconds at the age of 15. Hahaha! This genius player belongs to me!
Because Qin Chunxiao’s time of 10.92 seconds was astonishing, Newton also circled Li Ling’s name. He was initially hesitant about recruiting a nerve knife, but now he doesn’t care. Since Li Ling is Qin Chunxiao’s most compatible partner, let this pair of Gemini come together!
Qin Chunxiao himself was overjoyed. He didn’t know that the coaches were amazed by his speed and talent while sighing at his height. After practicing with Li Ling and the S Province men’s volleyball team for a day, he approached the two senior players, Tong Shulan and Meng Yuqing, for guidance. After the fast break practice, he asked them a question.
“Is there a barbershop nearby? I want to get a haircut before the lunar new year.”
There is a folk saying: “Cut off the head in the first month to ward off misfortune.” Qin Chunxiao didn’t have an uncle, but he was willing to follow this ancient tradition and pass it on in the old Qin family. Considering that when Qin Chunfeng has a child in the future, he will also become an uncle. He hoped that his nephew, wherever he may be, would take care of himself in the future.
Moreover, Qin Chunxiao was born with slightly curly and thick hair that grows fast. If he doesn’t get a haircut for a few months, his head looks like he’s wearing a bloated hat. If he wipes the floor a few times while playing, his hair becomes wild and resembles a lion’s mane.
Perhaps because athletes have a regular schedule and healthy blood, many of them have thick hair. Meng Yuqing recommended a nearby barbershop, noting that they had good thinning techniques, which was exactly what Qin Chunxiao wanted.
However, it seemed that many people wanted to get their hair cut before the lunar new year. When Qin Chunxiao arrived, the waiting area was already crowded, so he had to find a corner and sit down. He slowly filed his nails with the nail file on his keychain and did a few sets of hand exercises.
After finally washing his hair and sitting in the chair to dry it, someone sat next to him, and Qin Chunxiao recognized Guangpu’s voice.
“Brother Dong, can I call you brother? Why don’t you just buy a house here and ask me to pick up your sister?”
The hairdryer was too loud, and the other person was on speakerphone.
A voice that Qin Chunxiao found familiar yet unfamiliar came through the phone with electronic quality.
“Keep her away from that scum.”
Long Zitan sighed, “Understood. So why do you want to buy a house in City G? Didn’t you say you didn’t want to invest in property in Province G to stay away from your father’s relatives?”
The other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds before choking out a word.
“Invest, invest.”
