During the summer vacation after the high school entrance examination, Qin Chunxiao focused on exercising to lose weight and also took up summer jobs.
Uncle Gao was an amiable person. As long as Qin Chunxiao performed well and sweet-talked, Uncle Gao treated him kindly. For instance, he would occasionally bring grilled chicken breasts, a common snack in the gym, and he gifted Qin Chunxiao a pair of sports headphones halfway through the month.
Qin Chunxiao returned the favor by helping Uncle Gao sell two treadmills while working at the store. Uncle Gao was surprised to see this student boy excelling at selling products and mentioned that he would pay him a share.
By mid-July, admission notices from major universities started arriving.
Qin Chunfeng received his university admission letter first.
The postal courier delivered it to the car repair shop downstairs, and Mrs. Qin Chao promptly went upstairs, calling out, “Chunfeng, your mail!”
Qin Chunfeng excitedly jumped up and rushed over to open the letter, a happy expression on his face.
Qin Chao took a look and chuckled, “Will my sister become a diplomat in the future?”
Qin Chunfeng’s first choice was the School of Foreign Languages at Renmin University of China, where he planned to major in Russian with minors in English and French. In Qin Chunxiao’s recollection, his sister went on to earn a doctorate in advance and not long after graduation, she packed her bags and headed to Africa.
Qin Chunxiao applauded his sister, fondly calling her like little seal and said, “Sister, you’re amazing!”
Qin Chunfeng embraced him and exclaimed, “The city awarded me a bonus of 100,000 yuan! Xiaoxiao, what kind of running shoes do you want? I’ll buy them for you!”
Qin Chunxiao shook his head and replied, “Prices in City B are high. You should keep the money for yourself.” He didn’t want to rely on his sister’s assistance and had saved enough money from his job to buy new shoes.
The next day, Qin Chunxiao’s acceptance letter also arrived at Qin’s car repair shop.
Qin Chunxiao was a student at No. 2 Middle School of G City in his previous life. The school ranked second in the city in both academics and sports. His original sprint coach went abroad, and the renowned sprinter raising star became an outcast overnight. However, Qin Chunxiao had no role to play as foreign aid for the school’s volleyball team.
Unexpectedly, during a training game, when Qin Chunxiao jumped higher while smashing the ball, the opposing team’s coach was impressed. After the game, he had Qin Chunxiao’s height tested, and the results were astonishing.
At the age of 16, Qin Chunxiao stood at 1.77 meters tall, but he could reach a height of 349 centimeters, fully showcasing the benefits of having a long Achilles tendon and strong explosive power.
In this way, he was recruited into the youth team of the G provincial volleyball team and became a full member in less than half a year.
Initially, Qin Chunxiao didn’t have any particular interest in volleyball, but his father was a low-salaried researcher and his mother had a small car repair shop with limited income. Their combined earnings were less than 18,000. The financial pressure on their children’s education was evident.
Qin Chunxiao, being a sensible child, decided to join the provincial team after learning about the subsidies available.
Coincidentally, No. 2 Middle School was located next to the renowned foreign language high school in the city. The school had managed to attract a few highly esteemed teachers with generous salaries and a group of wealthy second-generation students who planned to study abroad after graduation. It was a “flow” gathering.
This school was surrounded by an environment that felt more central to the universe than Wudaokou-place for exchanging language and culture. Holding a sports meeting there was akin to attending a shoe exhibition, a parent meeting was like a car exhibition, and the school even had a small zoo with peacocks and ostriches. Boarding students enjoyed single rooms with complete bathrooms, and foreign teachers were a common sight. There was even a golf course.
However, there were many high school dramas within the school. Students were entangled in emotional conflicts, and today they would be envious of one another, while tomorrow they would flaunt their wealth. It was unclear what the other students from less privileged backgrounds thought of these influential figures.
When Qin Chunxiao attended No. 2 Middle School, besides studying and training, he simply enjoyed his time with classmates. Occasionally, he would remark, “These people are so noisy. Do our classmates still have the heart to study?”
He didn’t realize that the Lu Yunchen mentioned was the same Lu Yunchen from “The Young Master of a Rich Family.” After all, who would have thought that the protagonist from a story, suspected to be an idol or a real person, actually existed! Moreover, the neighboring school and its children from ordinary families seemed like they were from entirely different worlds.
But it was interesting to ponder. Lu Yunchen was only one year older than Qin Chunxiao. By 2023, Qin Chunxiao would be 22 years old. He still felt like a college student, thinking about competing in the Paris Olympics and pursuing graduate school.
Meanwhile, the 23-year-old Lu Yunchen had already become famous in the entertainment industry, fell in love with an actor, got married, divorced, and even went through a property division lawsuit.
It was unclear whether Qin Chunxiao was slow in progressing or if Lu Yunchen’s life was simply progressing too rapidly.
…
Qin Chunxiao tore open the envelope under the concerned eyes of his mother and sister.
Student Qin Chunxiao:
Approved by the Municipal Education Examination Center, you have been admitted as a freshman in high school by our school.
Admission ticket number: xxxxxxxxxxxx
Score: 675
G City No.6 Middle School
July 12, 2016.
Qin Chunxiao counted that the undergraduate rate of No. 6 Middle School last year was 89%, and the re-education rate was 42%, which was a record high. Moreover, as a public school, No. 6 Middle School’s tuition fees are affordable, and there was no need to add books and miscellaneous fees. It costs 1,200 yuan per semester, which was much cheaper than the school in his previous life. Additionally, there was the number one sports center in the district where various competitions were often held.
This school was good, its comprehensive level was really not worse than No. 2 Middle School!
Originally, his admission score was 685, and Qin Chunxiao was just below the requirement, but he was able to get in as long as he had a local household registration score of 672. He barely made it and was admitted.
It was said that the No. 1 school basketball team in the province is still at No. 6 Middle School, but this had nothing to do with Qin Chunxiao. Even if the coach of the school basketball team wants to cultivate a Chinese version of “Answer”, he couldn’t play basketball, but he can play football. He could kick.
Qin Chunfeng was very happy that his younger brother made it past the high admission score. He insisted on taking him to buy three pairs of training shoes that day. Athletes like Qin Chunxiao, who run at least 10 kilometers a day, spend a lot of money on shoes that wear out quickly.
Not only did Qin Chunfeng reward his younger brother, but Uncle Gao from the equipment store was also very happy when he learned that the boy was admitted to a good school, so he gave him a pair of new dumbbells.
“Put it away, there’s no harm in boys doing more weight training.”
Qin Chunxiao held the dumbbells with a total weight of 8 kilograms and smiled embarrassedly: “Uncle, Thank you very much.”
Uncle Gao laughed and asked Qin Chunxiao to go to the back door to unload the newly arrived goods. He turned on the TV in the store and sat at the cash register to watch.
Qin Chunxiao looked over and saw that tennis balls, golf balls, volleyball balls, basketballs, and footballs had just been bought. They were packed in large plastic bags, and it didn’t take much effort to drag them, just a bit of waist strength.
That’s right, Uncle Gao never let him, a minor, did strenuous physical work alone, saying that athletes should take good care of their bodies, and he didn’t care that Qin Chunxiao’s sprint coach had gone abroad.
After dragging a bunch of balls into the warehouse and organizing them into different categories, Qin Chunxiao returned to the store. “Uncle Gao, are you ready?”
Uncle Gao’s expression was not quite right. The usually amiable middle-aged man had a sullen face and looked at the TV sadly. Qin Chunxiao followed his gaze and saw a volleyball player on the screen. The young man hugged his right leg and was lifted down by the team doctor, his face filled with pain.
Qin Chunxiao asked in surprise, “Is Pishen injured?”
Gao Depi, a volleyball setter from Shaanxi, is only 1.84 meters tall, but he possesses excellent passing and attacking skills. He could often exploit subtle gaps and deliver a fatal blow to the opponent. In his early years, his playing style was very agile, and the coach would often become so furious that he wanted to beat him, earning him the nickname “Pishen.”
His presence had sparked hope among many smaller players who are only 1.85 meters tall. However, after suffering a serious injury, he had to step down from his position in the top domestic team. He played in the provincial team for several years, but his performance was disappointing. He could only retire with regret.
Unfortunately, the coach of the national team at the time, Coach Zhao, was a typical bureaucratic coach. The defensive pressure on the setter position was extremely high. After frequent high-intensity competitions, the athletes’ bodies were overwhelmed. Two players collapsed before the Rio Olympics.
One of them was Gao Depi, who had a stress fracture, and the other was Ding Rong, the vice-captain of Qin Chunxiao after joining the national team. Ding Rong had been the main attacker during the Rio Olympic cycle. His retirement created a vacancy.
Uncle Gao pounded the table in frustration. “We finally secured tickets for this year’s Olympics, and now Ding Rong has fallen too. With Xiao Pi’s injury, what will happen in Rio!”
After saying this, Uncle Gao slumped over with his head in his arms. Qin Chunxiao rushed over. “Uncle Gao! Uncle Gao! Don’t scare me!”
Struggling to speak, Uncle Gao managed to say through his teeth, “I… I have high blood pressure.”
Qin Chunxiao quickly called an ambulance. Uncle Gao’s son and daughter-in-law were both working out of town. In the end, it was Qin Chunxiao who ran up and down, helping the fifty-something uncle get admitted to the hospital.
Qin Chunxiao himself started playing volleyball after the Rio Olympics ended and high school began. He knew that men’s volleyball during the Rio cycle was disheartening, but he never expected it to be so distressing that it would land old fans in the hospital.
Sitting on a bench in the hospital, Qin Chunxiao covered his face with a makeshift mask bought from a small shop. He swiftly typed on his mobile phone and sent a WeChat message to Uncle Gao’s son.
[Chun Xiao: Mild cerebral infarction. The doctor said he will need to stay in the hospital for some time to recover. Thankfully, he was brought in to the hospital promptly. As long as he follows the doctor’s advice, there should be no serious aftereffects.]
[De Yun: Thank you for your help this time, Xiao Qin. Otherwise, something might have happened to my father.]
[De Yun: Here’s a WeChat red envelope.]
Qin Chunxiao declined the red envelope. Uncle Gao had always been kind to him, so it was only right for him to help out. He called home once again and got up to go to a restaurant near the hospital.
The doctor mentioned that patients with cerebral infarction can appropriately include fish and fruits in their diet, especially kiwi, strawberry, and hawthorn, which are beneficial for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health.
While passing by the hospital’s outpatient department, Qin Chunxiao noticed a work ID card hanging on the wall. At the top was a thin, elderly man in a white coat with a friendly expression.
“This Dr. Li seems to be a rehabilitation academician.”
Approximately 22 years ago, Dr. Li had successfully treated a paralyzed former foreign racing driver at the age of 85, causing a sensation worldwide. This rekindled the popularity of Chinese medicine, leading to more Koreans registering “Kampo” patents…
However, what could be done about matters so far away? Tonight would undoubtedly be a sleepless night for many people. The Chinese men’s volleyball team finally made it to the Rio Olympics, but now the key players were falling one after another.
In Beijing Third Hospital, Gao Depi sat expressionlessly on the hospital bed, his body in a plaster cast, as he listened to the doctor’s instructions.
“Not only do you have a stress fracture, but you have also ruptured your Achilles tendon, which will require surgical repair. It’s hard to predict the extent of your recovery after the surgery, but playing is out of the question.”
A light knock on the door was followed by a Shaanxi-accented voice asking, “Pishen, are you in there?”
Gao Depi sniffled. “Please come in.”
The door opened, and a man who stood at 1.95 meters tall and appeared to be around 40 years old entered. Despite wearing a fashionable casual suit, he exuded a sense of urgency and restlessness. He was Newton, a former national volleyball player from Shaanxi and the current head coach of Province S.
Gao Depi glanced at him and forced a smile that was more like a grimace. “Old Niu, I’m sorry. When you mentioned forming a national team capable of contending for championships, I was genuinely excited. Unfortunately, I didn’t agree to your proposal before ousting Old Zhao.”
He still remembered when Newton approached him earlier, vowing that he was “an indispensable and vital piece for our country to shine on the global stage.”
Newton was an old man from the same province, holding a Ph.D. from Springfield, a world-renowned sports institute. Gao Depi had hoped that Old Niu would dethrone Coach Zhao and rebuild a strong team. However, he himself had fallen prematurely.
Newton patted Gao Depi’s shoulder and applied pressure, saying, “Don’t worry, focus on healing your injury first. Everyone goes through injuries. You’re still young, maybe you can recover in the future?”
He said that, but Newton himself understood the severity of Gao Depi’s injury, and it might be challenging to fully recover.
Both Gao Depi and Ding Rong were crucial for Newton’s plans to build a new national team, especially Gao Depi. Adding a strong first passer, a libero, and a secondary offensive player to Ding Rong’s dual-core structure would significantly enhance the Chinese men’s volleyball team’s combat effectiveness.
There were plenty of talents available. In 2016, the athletes born in the post-1990s were at the peak of their skills and physical condition. However, two of the best among them suffered serious injuries. They were all young and promising players in their teenage years.
Where could Newton find a new team leader and core now?
Meanwhile, Qin Chunxiao, who was still sprinting and shedding sweat, stood in front of a fruit shop, contemplating, “Should I buy strawberries or kiwis?”
About Coach Niu
The pronunciation of “Niu Tou” in Mandarin Chinese is approximately “nyoh-toh.” The “Niu” sounds like “nyoh” with a rising tone, and the “Tou” sounds like “toh” with a neutral tone.
Spelling for “Niu Tou” is “牛头” in Chinese.
Sometimes I found, the text literally say Bull Head (Niu is Bull)
The pronunciation of “Newton” in Mandarin Chinese is approximately “Niu-dun” (simplified Chinese: 牛顿). The “Niu” sounds like “nyoh” with a rising tone, and the “dun” sounds like “doon” with a falling tone.
Niu Tou and Newton sound alike, sometimes i confused when translating. I just perceive that Newton as Niu Tou’s International name.
During the summer vacation after the high school entrance examination, Qin Chunxiao focused on exercising to lose weight and also took up summer jobs.
Uncle Gao was an amiable person. As long as Qin Chunxiao performed well and sweet-talked, Uncle Gao treated him kindly. For instance, he would occasionally bring grilled chicken breasts, a common snack in the gym, and he gifted Qin Chunxiao a pair of sports headphones halfway through the month.
Qin Chunxiao returned the favor by helping Uncle Gao sell two treadmills while working at the store. Uncle Gao was surprised to see this student boy excelling at selling products and mentioned that he would pay him a share.
By mid-July, admission notices from major universities started arriving.
Qin Chunfeng received his university admission letter first.
The postal courier delivered it to the car repair shop downstairs, and Mrs. Qin Chao promptly went upstairs, calling out, “Chunfeng, your mail!”
Qin Chunfeng excitedly jumped up and rushed over to open the letter, a happy expression on his face.
Qin Chao took a look and chuckled, “Will my sister become a diplomat in the future?”
Qin Chunfeng’s first choice was the School of Foreign Languages at Renmin University of China, where he planned to major in Russian with minors in English and French. In Qin Chunxiao’s recollection, his sister went on to earn a doctorate in advance and not long after graduation, she packed her bags and headed to Africa.
Qin Chunxiao applauded his sister, fondly calling her like little seal and said, “Sister, you’re amazing!”
Qin Chunfeng embraced him and exclaimed, “The city awarded me a bonus of 100,000 yuan! Xiaoxiao, what kind of running shoes do you want? I’ll buy them for you!”
Qin Chunxiao shook his head and replied, “Prices in City B are high. You should keep the money for yourself.” He didn’t want to rely on his sister’s assistance and had saved enough money from his job to buy new shoes.
The next day, Qin Chunxiao’s acceptance letter also arrived at Qin’s car repair shop.
Qin Chunxiao was a student at No. 2 Middle School of G City in his previous life. The school ranked second in the city in both academics and sports. His original sprint coach went abroad, and the renowned sprinter raising star became an outcast overnight. However, Qin Chunxiao had no role to play as foreign aid for the school’s volleyball team.
Unexpectedly, during a training game, when Qin Chunxiao jumped higher while smashing the ball, the opposing team’s coach was impressed. After the game, he had Qin Chunxiao’s height tested, and the results were astonishing.
At the age of 16, Qin Chunxiao stood at 1.77 meters tall, but he could reach a height of 349 centimeters, fully showcasing the benefits of having a long Achilles tendon and strong explosive power.
In this way, he was recruited into the youth team of the G provincial volleyball team and became a full member in less than half a year.
Initially, Qin Chunxiao didn’t have any particular interest in volleyball, but his father was a low-salaried researcher and his mother had a small car repair shop with limited income. Their combined earnings were less than 18,000. The financial pressure on their children’s education was evident.
Qin Chunxiao, being a sensible child, decided to join the provincial team after learning about the subsidies available.
Coincidentally, No. 2 Middle School was located next to the renowned foreign language high school in the city. The school had managed to attract a few highly esteemed teachers with generous salaries and a group of wealthy second-generation students who planned to study abroad after graduation. It was a “flow” gathering.
This school was surrounded by an environment that felt more central to the universe than Wudaokou-place for exchanging language and culture. Holding a sports meeting there was akin to attending a shoe exhibition, a parent meeting was like a car exhibition, and the school even had a small zoo with peacocks and ostriches. Boarding students enjoyed single rooms with complete bathrooms, and foreign teachers were a common sight. There was even a golf course.
However, there were many high school dramas within the school. Students were entangled in emotional conflicts, and today they would be envious of one another, while tomorrow they would flaunt their wealth. It was unclear what the other students from less privileged backgrounds thought of these influential figures.
When Qin Chunxiao attended No. 2 Middle School, besides studying and training, he simply enjoyed his time with classmates. Occasionally, he would remark, “These people are so noisy. Do our classmates still have the heart to study?”
He didn’t realize that the Lu Yunchen mentioned was the same Lu Yunchen from “The Young Master of a Rich Family.” After all, who would have thought that the protagonist from a story, suspected to be an idol or a real person, actually existed! Moreover, the neighboring school and its children from ordinary families seemed like they were from entirely different worlds.
But it was interesting to ponder. Lu Yunchen was only one year older than Qin Chunxiao. By 2023, Qin Chunxiao would be 22 years old. He still felt like a college student, thinking about competing in the Paris Olympics and pursuing graduate school.
Meanwhile, the 23-year-old Lu Yunchen had already become famous in the entertainment industry, fell in love with an actor, got married, divorced, and even went through a property division lawsuit.
It was unclear whether Qin Chunxiao was slow in progressing or if Lu Yunchen’s life was simply progressing too rapidly.
…
Qin Chunxiao tore open the envelope under the concerned eyes of his mother and sister.
Student Qin Chunxiao:
Approved by the Municipal Education Examination Center, you have been admitted as a freshman in high school by our school.
Admission ticket number: xxxxxxxxxxxx
Score: 675
G City No.6 Middle School
July 12, 2016.
Qin Chunxiao counted that the undergraduate rate of No. 6 Middle School last year was 89%, and the re-education rate was 42%, which was a record high. Moreover, as a public school, No. 6 Middle School’s tuition fees are affordable, and there was no need to add books and miscellaneous fees. It costs 1,200 yuan per semester, which was much cheaper than the school in his previous life. Additionally, there was the number one sports center in the district where various competitions were often held.
This school was good, its comprehensive level was really not worse than No. 2 Middle School!
Originally, his admission score was 685, and Qin Chunxiao was just below the requirement, but he was able to get in as long as he had a local household registration score of 672. He barely made it and was admitted.
It was said that the No. 1 school basketball team in the province is still at No. 6 Middle School, but this had nothing to do with Qin Chunxiao. Even if the coach of the school basketball team wants to cultivate a Chinese version of “Answer”, he couldn’t play basketball, but he can play football. He could kick.
Qin Chunfeng was very happy that his younger brother made it past the high admission score. He insisted on taking him to buy three pairs of training shoes that day. Athletes like Qin Chunxiao, who run at least 10 kilometers a day, spend a lot of money on shoes that wear out quickly.
Not only did Qin Chunfeng reward his younger brother, but Uncle Gao from the equipment store was also very happy when he learned that the boy was admitted to a good school, so he gave him a pair of new dumbbells.
“Put it away, there’s no harm in boys doing more weight training.”
Qin Chunxiao held the dumbbells with a total weight of 8 kilograms and smiled embarrassedly: “Uncle, Thank you very much.”
Uncle Gao laughed and asked Qin Chunxiao to go to the back door to unload the newly arrived goods. He turned on the TV in the store and sat at the cash register to watch.
Qin Chunxiao looked over and saw that tennis balls, golf balls, volleyball balls, basketballs, and footballs had just been bought. They were packed in large plastic bags, and it didn’t take much effort to drag them, just a bit of waist strength.
That’s right, Uncle Gao never let him, a minor, did strenuous physical work alone, saying that athletes should take good care of their bodies, and he didn’t care that Qin Chunxiao’s sprint coach had gone abroad.
After dragging a bunch of balls into the warehouse and organizing them into different categories, Qin Chunxiao returned to the store. “Uncle Gao, are you ready?”
Uncle Gao’s expression was not quite right. The usually amiable middle-aged man had a sullen face and looked at the TV sadly. Qin Chunxiao followed his gaze and saw a volleyball player on the screen. The young man hugged his right leg and was lifted down by the team doctor, his face filled with pain.
Qin Chunxiao asked in surprise, “Is Pishen injured?”
Gao Depi, a volleyball setter from Shaanxi, is only 1.84 meters tall, but he possesses excellent passing and attacking skills. He could often exploit subtle gaps and deliver a fatal blow to the opponent. In his early years, his playing style was very agile, and the coach would often become so furious that he wanted to beat him, earning him the nickname “Pishen.”
His presence had sparked hope among many smaller players who are only 1.85 meters tall. However, after suffering a serious injury, he had to step down from his position in the top domestic team. He played in the provincial team for several years, but his performance was disappointing. He could only retire with regret.
Unfortunately, the coach of the national team at the time, Coach Zhao, was a typical bureaucratic coach. The defensive pressure on the setter position was extremely high. After frequent high-intensity competitions, the athletes’ bodies were overwhelmed. Two players collapsed before the Rio Olympics.
One of them was Gao Depi, who had a stress fracture, and the other was Ding Rong, the vice-captain of Qin Chunxiao after joining the national team. Ding Rong had been the main attacker during the Rio Olympic cycle. His retirement created a vacancy.
Uncle Gao pounded the table in frustration. “We finally secured tickets for this year’s Olympics, and now Ding Rong has fallen too. With Xiao Pi’s injury, what will happen in Rio!”
After saying this, Uncle Gao slumped over with his head in his arms. Qin Chunxiao rushed over. “Uncle Gao! Uncle Gao! Don’t scare me!”
Struggling to speak, Uncle Gao managed to say through his teeth, “I… I have high blood pressure.”
Qin Chunxiao quickly called an ambulance. Uncle Gao’s son and daughter-in-law were both working out of town. In the end, it was Qin Chunxiao who ran up and down, helping the fifty-something uncle get admitted to the hospital.
Qin Chunxiao himself started playing volleyball after the Rio Olympics ended and high school began. He knew that men’s volleyball during the Rio cycle was disheartening, but he never expected it to be so distressing that it would land old fans in the hospital.
Sitting on a bench in the hospital, Qin Chunxiao covered his face with a makeshift mask bought from a small shop. He swiftly typed on his mobile phone and sent a WeChat message to Uncle Gao’s son.
[Chun Xiao: Mild cerebral infarction. The doctor said he will need to stay in the hospital for some time to recover. Thankfully, he was brought in to the hospital promptly. As long as he follows the doctor’s advice, there should be no serious aftereffects.]
[De Yun: Thank you for your help this time, Xiao Qin. Otherwise, something might have happened to my father.]
[De Yun: Here’s a WeChat red envelope.]
Qin Chunxiao declined the red envelope. Uncle Gao had always been kind to him, so it was only right for him to help out. He called home once again and got up to go to a restaurant near the hospital.
The doctor mentioned that patients with cerebral infarction can appropriately include fish and fruits in their diet, especially kiwi, strawberry, and hawthorn, which are beneficial for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health.
While passing by the hospital’s outpatient department, Qin Chunxiao noticed a work ID card hanging on the wall. At the top was a thin, elderly man in a white coat with a friendly expression.
“This Dr. Li seems to be a rehabilitation academician.”
Approximately 22 years ago, Dr. Li had successfully treated a paralyzed former foreign racing driver at the age of 85, causing a sensation worldwide. This rekindled the popularity of Chinese medicine, leading to more Koreans registering “Kampo” patents…
However, what could be done about matters so far away? Tonight would undoubtedly be a sleepless night for many people. The Chinese men’s volleyball team finally made it to the Rio Olympics, but now the key players were falling one after another.
In Beijing Third Hospital, Gao Depi sat expressionlessly on the hospital bed, his body in a plaster cast, as he listened to the doctor’s instructions.
“Not only do you have a stress fracture, but you have also ruptured your Achilles tendon, which will require surgical repair. It’s hard to predict the extent of your recovery after the surgery, but playing is out of the question.”
A light knock on the door was followed by a Shaanxi-accented voice asking, “Pishen, are you in there?”
Gao Depi sniffled. “Please come in.”
The door opened, and a man who stood at 1.95 meters tall and appeared to be around 40 years old entered. Despite wearing a fashionable casual suit, he exuded a sense of urgency and restlessness. He was Newton, a former national volleyball player from Shaanxi and the current head coach of Province S.
Gao Depi glanced at him and forced a smile that was more like a grimace. “Old Niu, I’m sorry. When you mentioned forming a national team capable of contending for championships, I was genuinely excited. Unfortunately, I didn’t agree to your proposal before ousting Old Zhao.”
He still remembered when Newton approached him earlier, vowing that he was “an indispensable and vital piece for our country to shine on the global stage.”
Newton was an old man from the same province, holding a Ph.D. from Springfield, a world-renowned sports institute. Gao Depi had hoped that Old Niu would dethrone Coach Zhao and rebuild a strong team. However, he himself had fallen prematurely.
Newton patted Gao Depi’s shoulder and applied pressure, saying, “Don’t worry, focus on healing your injury first. Everyone goes through injuries. You’re still young, maybe you can recover in the future?”
He said that, but Newton himself understood the severity of Gao Depi’s injury, and it might be challenging to fully recover.
Both Gao Depi and Ding Rong were crucial for Newton’s plans to build a new national team, especially Gao Depi. Adding a strong first passer, a libero, and a secondary offensive player to Ding Rong’s dual-core structure would significantly enhance the Chinese men’s volleyball team’s combat effectiveness.
There were plenty of talents available. In 2016, the athletes born in the post-1990s were at the peak of their skills and physical condition. However, two of the best among them suffered serious injuries. They were all young and promising players in their teenage years.
Where could Newton find a new team leader and core now?
Meanwhile, Qin Chunxiao, who was still sprinting and shedding sweat, stood in front of a fruit shop, contemplating, “Should I buy strawberries or kiwis?”
About Coach Niu
The pronunciation of “Niu Tou” in Mandarin Chinese is approximately “nyoh-toh.” The “Niu” sounds like “nyoh” with a rising tone, and the “Tou” sounds like “toh” with a neutral tone.
Spelling for “Niu Tou” is “牛头” in Chinese.
Sometimes I found, the text literally say Bull Head (Niu is Bull)
The pronunciation of “Newton” in Mandarin Chinese is approximately “Niu-dun” (simplified Chinese: 牛顿). The “Niu” sounds like “nyoh” with a rising tone, and the “dun” sounds like “doon” with a falling tone.
Niu Tou and Newton sound alike, sometimes i confused when translating. I just perceive that Newton as Niu Tou’s International name.
