Chapter 70: Master
Qin Chunxiao teamed up with Li Ling to play together in a large-scale pyramid scheme card game. After witnessing Xiao Ling’s team’s combat effectiveness, everyone dismissed the occasional convulsions that Li Ling experienced. It seemed that there were no serious consequences.
However, after Qin Chunxiao took a rest, serious consequences followed.
There were indeed people in this world who could dominate the game effortlessly. They could turn the tides just by participating.
Why was Er Leng not selected for the national youth team in the previous life? Similar to Qin Chunxiao, he didn’t enter the national team until 2023.
Newton’s late arrival was one thing, but the main reason was that Qin Chunxiao’s skills couldn’t surpass Er Leng at that time. When Er Leng was able to take the lead, he went to Brazil. Unfortunately, no one wanted to play with him, so he had to settle for a supportive role.
If someone were to tell Qin Chunxiao that his unpredictable ball trajectory and spatial awareness were the key to his future as a setter, as long as he had a fully leveled SSR or a UR above 90 to cover his setups on the defensive end, he would be unstoppable.
However, here was the problem. There were no more than 3 URs and 7 SSRs in the world. Unless luck was on his side, most players would have to waste their Nerve Knives.
Now that they had already lost a game to Hong Kong, Lao Niu came to the Asian Championships with the goal of winning the championship. He couldn’t afford to falter, so he sent two main players onto the court.
With this adjustment, the situation on the field immediately reversed.
Qin Chunxiao stood in the back row, receiving the ball with Xiong Wu.
Lao Niu proudly said to Jiang Xiaohai, “Not only do we have double setters on the court, but we also have double liberos. Look, I let Dundun and Cubs play together. Dundun handles the majority of the defense, while Xiong Wu provides additional support. Duojin and Aizmaiti in the front row are also strong. Isn’t it uncomfortable for the other side?”
Jiang Xiaohai replied, “The other side isn’t just uncomfortable; they’re practically dumbfounded.”
The excitement reached its peak when Qin Chunxiao moved to the front row. Despite being the shortest player on the field at 1.78 meters, he had the highest point of contact for the ball! He repeatedly smashed through the blocks on the opposite side, making it incredibly challenging for Hong Kong’s blockers to anticipate.
How was this man able to jump so high?
Qin Chunxiao executed a lethal one-foot jump, forcefully spiking a straight ball, and landing on one foot. His powerful aggression immediately caught the attention of his opponents.
This kid was not an inexperienced player with frail arms. His arm, adorned with streamlined muscles, was covered by a long black armguard, revealing only a patch of snow-white skin near the shoulder. Beads of sweat glistened on the surface, and his cold blue eyes resembled a sharp and beautiful weapon.
Weapons were fearsome objects.
Qin Chunxiao possessed strength, health, agility, and an unwavering determination to win. When he stepped onto the court, he dealt a blow to all the attackers of the Hong Kong team. He continued to dominate the defensive end at the net, exhibiting a momentum of “I’ll take on all six of you today.”
Qin the attacker and Qin the actor also appeared unpredictably at the net. Either way, his opponents would have a hard time dealing with him. When he returned to the back row, their lives became even more challenging.
Making opponents unhappy was Qin Chunxiao’s style of play.
In the second game, the national team bounced back with a score of 25:19. In the third game, Newton replaced Tong Shulan and You Ziyu, leading to an increase in the national team’s scoring efficiency.
The TV commentary continually praised Qin Chunxiao.
Wu Di remarked, “Qin Chunxiao has exceptional jumping ability. He indeed possesses the longest Achilles tendon among the national team members. His talent is so remarkable that not even his height can hinder him!”
Professor Li Laiheng chimed in, “Indeed, Qin Chunxiao’s ball point is 3.5 meters, which is already at a top-class level in Asia. The current key player of the Japanese team also has a ball point of 3.5 meters. Qin Chunxiao hasn’t even joined the national team yet, and he already has the highest ball point. Coach Newton has done an excellent job selecting talented players.”
Wu Di added, “I heard that when Coach Niu formed a temporary team, it coincided with the organization of the National Games in China. He sent away the top players from all the provincial teams, which drew a lot of criticism. The winning coach of the Henan team even scolded him relentlessly, hahaha.”
Li Laiheng responded, “Indeed, Coach Niu has been exposed to a variety of dialects from provincial team coaches this time.”
In the subsequent games, Qin Chunxiao continued to score points, utilizing both his acting skills and technical abilities. He relied less on one-foot jumping, which left Wu Di feeling unsatisfied, but Li Laiheng once again praised Qin Xiaodun.
Professor Li commented, “Qin Chunxiao demonstrates great intelligence in his play. Given his limited height, he has been forced to jump to such heights. While he possesses power, it puts significant strain on his knees and ankles. I recall a Japanese women’s volleyball player who jumped similarly. In the end, she never reached her full potential due to injuries and retired prematurely. It’s a pity. Thus, Qin Chunxiao has shifted his focus to the defensive end and uses aggression when his teammates make mistakes. This not only revitalizes the team but also promotes its long-term development.”
Some may argue that players should push themselves harder while they still have the ability to jump, striving for immediate results. However, Li Laiheng clearly saw that Qin Chunxiao’s defensive talent was truly world-class. If Qin Xiaodun didn’t start protecting himself now, he would face ruin sooner than others.
In the third game, with a score of 25:17, the overall score became 2:1. Newton breathed a sigh of relief and made substitutions, bringing in Mao Xunfeng for Ding Rong, Luo He for Qin Chunxiao, and Aizmaiti for Fu Biyang.
Newton intended to train the team, so everyone went on the court to compete. Whether in the front row or back row, Qin Chunxiao remained the absolute key player. It was necessary for him to take a break at this time to protect his 16-year-old body.
Qin Chunxiao returned to the bench area and reminded Li Ling, “Don’t read the comments on the internet until after the next game.”
Li Ling pouted, resembling a 176-pound child feeling wronged.
Newton also said, “Er Leng, listen to Xiao Zai.”
In competitive sports, players who perform poorly must mentally prepare themselves to face criticism from fans until they prove themselves through their results. Qin Chunxiao’s message was clear. In the next game, Er Leng couldn’t afford to have any more lapses and needed to regain his composure.
Li Ling hummed and covered his head with a towel.
Qin Chunxiao believed that these occasional lapses were not necessarily a bad thing for Li Ling. After all, he had grown accustomed to playing it safe under Qin Chunxiao’s guidance for too long. Qin Chunxiao feared that Li Ling might have developed the notion that it was acceptable to have occasional lapses. It was time for him to face the harsh reality.
While Newton kept his focus on the court, assistant coach Chang Xiaole sat beside Qin Chunxiao and sent him a text message on his phone.
[Chang Xiaole: Are you planning to team up with Er Leng in the end?]
The phone vibrated, and Chang Xiaole looked down to read Qin Chunxiao’s reply.
[Qin Chunxiao: Let’s see what the coach decides. Personally, I don’t want to team up with him in the next match.]
Chang Xiaole immediately understood Qin Chunxiao’s intention. In the eyes of the public and many coaches, Li Ling’s nerve knife was most effective when paired with Qin Chunxiao. If they continued to play together in the next game, they could expect impressive statistics from Er Leng.
However, Qin Chunxiao believed that this “self-proving” battle should be fought by Li Ling himself.
Chang Xiaole didn’t interpret Qin Chunxiao’s response as indifference. On the contrary, he knew that Qin Chunxiao was genuinely concerned about Li Ling’s future.
Li Ling, who relied on UR-level defense to achieve results, could be replaced at any time. With convulsion-prone players being abundant, he had to demonstrate greater value to attract more attention to himself.
Before retiring, Chang Xiaole had been a beach volleyball player. Due to his attractive appearance, well-toned physique, smooth black skin, and tattoos, he was nicknamed “sand volleyball hottie” and “a man who can cure atrophy” by his fans. Unfortunately, when it came to playing, he never managed to escape from his partner’s shadow until he retired due to injury.
He sighed and said, “If only you were my partner in beach volleyball.”
Qin Chunxiao was perplexed and asked, “Huh? My net offensive ability can only be utilized in Asia. Wasn’t your former partner a tall guy who won Olympic medals?”
Li Ling suddenly looked up and exclaimed, “Brother Xiaole, Xiaozai is my partner!”
Chang Xiaole quickly replied, “Okay, okay, I know he is your partner. Why are you still holding a grudge?”
In the fourth game, the national team, never underestimating their opponents, easily won with a score of 25:21. The match between the national team and Hong Kong concluded with a score of 3:1.
As the two teams shook hands across the net, the captain of the Hong Kong team said something in Cantonese to Qin Chunxiao. Gao Depi immediately leaned in, covering his mouth with a smile. Qin Chunxiao responded with an embarrassed expression and said “thank you.” When they were stretching, the teammates bombarded Qin Chunxiao with questions.
Ding Rong asked, “What did Team Liu from Hongkong say?”
Tong Shulan remarked, “Look at Lao Pi smiling so foolishly. Hey, why are you still beating around the bush?”
Qin Chunxiao hesitated for a moment, then frowned and said, “He complimented me for being cute and expressed his desire to exchange defense with me in the future.”
Everyone elongated their voices, “Oh…”
“You’re only 1.78 meters tall, yet you’re considered the most attractive player in the Asian Championships. People think you’re cute,” Tong Shulan added.
Newton chimed in with a smile, “Xiao Qin is like a pack of huskies leading the way. He’s both majestic and cute.”
Laughter filled the room, although a few individuals caught on quickly—Xiaozai was leading the team like a wolf, so what did that make them? Huskies?
If it weren’t for the “big daddy” guarding the goal and the fact that they couldn’t defeat them, not to mention the coach being like a grandfather, neither of them could afford to offend them. The huskies were designated to teach them a lesson today on how to be fierce.
As anticipated by Qin Chunxiao and Newton, after the game, there were indeed numerous criticisms directed at Li Ling in the comment section of the game video.
Qin Chunxiao confiscated Li Ling’s cell phone and, along with Fu Biyang, Min Yaoyang, and other teammates, asked Newton for the game video later that night.
The video showcased a practice match between the Polish Lynx Club and the Italian ENEL Club. It was an internal video that Coach Niu obtained through his contacts in the ENEL Club.
The two teams featured Sebastian, a beast-level supporter from Poland, and Mattia, an UR-level setter from Italy. Additionally, most of the participating players were world-class. The game was incredibly intense.
In his youth, Mattia had also been known for his fiery temperament. Unfortunate experiences during his childhood had led to a short fuse, resulting in a two-year period on the bench. During this time, he engaged in drinking, smoking, traffic violations, fights, and frequenting nightclubs. He teetered on the edge of being dismissed by all volleyball teams until he encountered his hidden soulmate, Luma, a South African female freediving athlete and a beautiful black pearl.
Luma rejected Mattia, stating that she couldn’t accept his past but was willing to help him as a friend.
For two months, Luma took Mattia to the sea, where they engaged in diving, swimming, and sea fishing. When Mattia returned to land, he had shed his decadent state, regrouped, and made a comeback in the game.
Although the woman bluntly stated that she would not accept Mattia, there were many people who held hope for their union.
They were soulmates!
Li Ling rested his chin on his hands and said, “I wish I could meet my soulmate someday. Maybe she can cure my convulsions. I really hope Luma accepts Mattia soon.”
Min Yaoyang also covered his face and smiled, saying, “Yes, soulmates would be incredibly happy together.” He had grown up witnessing the affection between his two mothers.
Qin Chunxiao asserted, “Both of those things won’t happen overnight.”
“Why?”
Upon hearing Qin Chunxiao’s words, not only Min Yaoyang, Fu Biyang, and Li Ling, but even the people at the neighboring table who were doing homework or playing cards turned to listen.
It seemed that quite a few people shipped the soulmate couple of Luma and Mattia.
Chang Xiaole, who was sitting on the floor organizing materials, looked up in surprise and asked, “Why are you so certain they won’t make it?”
Chang Xiaole knew that Qin Chunxiao had a countdown for his hidden soulmate. Could it be that there was something about hidden soulmates that ordinary people didn’t know?
Ding Rong analyzed seriously, “Is it because Mattia already has a tainted past?”
Qiao Mingming chimed in, “Luma has said that she doesn’t care if her boyfriend has an ex. She herself has had double-digit exes, and her exes also had exes before dating her. Most of them were younger male models. Mattia is smaller than her and has a better physique than her previous partners. He clearly falls within her defensive range!”
Qin Chunxiao showed helplessness, “It’s not a matter of shame. Haven’t you read her memoirs? When her father domestically abused her mother, she had to protect her mother with a kitchen knife. As she grew up, she was inspired to become an independent woman who would never be hurt by anyone. That’s what makes her so attractive. However, every time she goes through a breakup, she can’t stand the clinginess and dependency of her boyfriend. She doesn’t want to be restrained, and she doesn’t want to constantly bear the negative emotions of others, being burdened with emotional demands and the need for safety.”
No one wants to be constantly asked to provide emotional support because eventually, people will dry up. At such times, partners should become like rain and dew, nourishing each other’s hearts instead of further draining the limited water.
Qin Chunxiao concluded, “Maybe Luma simply doesn’t want to be emotionally drained. No matter how strong a person is, they don’t want to be endlessly demanded, especially someone like Luma who has a career she loves and has had a challenging childhood. There are more important things in life than love, so Luma won’t accept Mattia until he stops pursuing her.”
While it’s one thing for a person to willingly provide emotional support to their partner once they’re in a relationship, there must be a process of evaluating the other person before entering into that relationship, and Mattia simply couldn’t pass that evaluation.
The group of people suddenly realized that while they may not fully agree with Qin Chunxiao’s statement, they applauded and praised their 16-year-old classmate Xiao Qin as a relationship expert. They joked that they would consult him for relationship advice in the future.
Chang Xiaole looked at Qin Chunxiao with a complex expression and seemed somewhat relieved. He said, “Xiaozi, I don’t have to worry about you being deceived by bad guys anymore.”
This child was so mature, displaying a perspective on relationships that one would expect from someone born after the year 2000. As someone born in the 1980s, Chang Xiaole admitted he was surprised.
Qin Chunxiao thought to himself, “Never mind, as long as you’re happy.”
He lowered his head and played with his phone, saying, “I’ve talked to the coach, and I won’t be playing in Australia tomorrow.”
Li Ling blinked and smiled happily, saying, “Yeah! You can just sit on the bench and watch how I dominate the game!”
After communicating with Newton, Qin Chunxiao instinctively scrolled through his private messages on his social media account, feeling a bit of doubt in his heart.
Strangely, Mei Xuandong, who used to send him a good morning and good night message every day, hadn’t contacted him in almost a week.
Qin Chunxiao was never the type to think, “Initiating contact with someone will make me appear too eager and lose face.” He was the type to “do whatever he wanted.”
He typed slowly.
[Qin Chunxiao: Have you been busy these days?]
After sending the message, he intended to turn off his phone and continue watching the game video, but to his surprise, he received a reply within seconds.
[Xuan Dong who can sing: My little sister was taken to the mountains by my father’s relatives, and I rushed to pick her up so she wouldn’t miss the start of school.]
Qin Chunxiao paused.
[Qin Chunxiao: Stay safe, and call the police if anything goes wrong.]
[Xuandong who can sing: Got it O(∩_∩)O.]
[Xuandong who can sing: Good luck for the game.]
Qin Chunxiao looked at his phone and casually asked Min Yaoyang, “Yangyang, is your second mother still unable to find time to watch your game?”
Min Yaoyang sat with his legs together and his hands on his lap, looking obedient, and replied, “Yes, she’s very busy.”
Qin Chunxiao said firmly, “Then you should dedicate a song to her, like ‘The Storm Comes,’ and let her know that it was written by a singer named Mei Xuandong for us.”
Min Yaoyang smiled and said, “My mother doesn’t understand Cantonese songs.”
Qin Chunxiao responded, “Really? But the case your second mother is investigating is in Guangdong. Maybe she’s been researching it recently. Oh, by the way, Mei Xuandong is from Ei City, Guangzhou. Their Cantonese dialect is slightly different from other places.”
Li Ling quickly chimed in, “Yes, I can understand the Cantonese spoken by Xiao Zai and Big Brother Pi, but I can’t understand the Cantonese spoken in Ei City.”
Min Yaoyang agreed to Qin Chunxiao’s suggestion and started sending messages to his mother.
Chapter 70: Master
Qin Chunxiao teamed up with Li Ling to play together in a large-scale pyramid scheme card game. After witnessing Xiao Ling’s team’s combat effectiveness, everyone dismissed the occasional convulsions that Li Ling experienced. It seemed that there were no serious consequences.
However, after Qin Chunxiao took a rest, serious consequences followed.
There were indeed people in this world who could dominate the game effortlessly. They could turn the tides just by participating.
Why was Er Leng not selected for the national youth team in the previous life? Similar to Qin Chunxiao, he didn’t enter the national team until 2023.
Newton’s late arrival was one thing, but the main reason was that Qin Chunxiao’s skills couldn’t surpass Er Leng at that time. When Er Leng was able to take the lead, he went to Brazil. Unfortunately, no one wanted to play with him, so he had to settle for a supportive role.
If someone were to tell Qin Chunxiao that his unpredictable ball trajectory and spatial awareness were the key to his future as a setter, as long as he had a fully leveled SSR or a UR above 90 to cover his setups on the defensive end, he would be unstoppable.
However, here was the problem. There were no more than 3 URs and 7 SSRs in the world. Unless luck was on his side, most players would have to waste their Nerve Knives.
Now that they had already lost a game to Hong Kong, Lao Niu came to the Asian Championships with the goal of winning the championship. He couldn’t afford to falter, so he sent two main players onto the court.
With this adjustment, the situation on the field immediately reversed.
Qin Chunxiao stood in the back row, receiving the ball with Xiong Wu.
Lao Niu proudly said to Jiang Xiaohai, “Not only do we have double setters on the court, but we also have double liberos. Look, I let Dundun and Cubs play together. Dundun handles the majority of the defense, while Xiong Wu provides additional support. Duojin and Aizmaiti in the front row are also strong. Isn’t it uncomfortable for the other side?”
Jiang Xiaohai replied, “The other side isn’t just uncomfortable; they’re practically dumbfounded.”
The excitement reached its peak when Qin Chunxiao moved to the front row. Despite being the shortest player on the field at 1.78 meters, he had the highest point of contact for the ball! He repeatedly smashed through the blocks on the opposite side, making it incredibly challenging for Hong Kong’s blockers to anticipate.
How was this man able to jump so high?
Qin Chunxiao executed a lethal one-foot jump, forcefully spiking a straight ball, and landing on one foot. His powerful aggression immediately caught the attention of his opponents.
This kid was not an inexperienced player with frail arms. His arm, adorned with streamlined muscles, was covered by a long black armguard, revealing only a patch of snow-white skin near the shoulder. Beads of sweat glistened on the surface, and his cold blue eyes resembled a sharp and beautiful weapon.
Weapons were fearsome objects.
Qin Chunxiao possessed strength, health, agility, and an unwavering determination to win. When he stepped onto the court, he dealt a blow to all the attackers of the Hong Kong team. He continued to dominate the defensive end at the net, exhibiting a momentum of “I’ll take on all six of you today.”
Qin the attacker and Qin the actor also appeared unpredictably at the net. Either way, his opponents would have a hard time dealing with him. When he returned to the back row, their lives became even more challenging.
Making opponents unhappy was Qin Chunxiao’s style of play.
In the second game, the national team bounced back with a score of 25:19. In the third game, Newton replaced Tong Shulan and You Ziyu, leading to an increase in the national team’s scoring efficiency.
The TV commentary continually praised Qin Chunxiao.
Wu Di remarked, “Qin Chunxiao has exceptional jumping ability. He indeed possesses the longest Achilles tendon among the national team members. His talent is so remarkable that not even his height can hinder him!”
Professor Li Laiheng chimed in, “Indeed, Qin Chunxiao’s ball point is 3.5 meters, which is already at a top-class level in Asia. The current key player of the Japanese team also has a ball point of 3.5 meters. Qin Chunxiao hasn’t even joined the national team yet, and he already has the highest ball point. Coach Newton has done an excellent job selecting talented players.”
Wu Di added, “I heard that when Coach Niu formed a temporary team, it coincided with the organization of the National Games in China. He sent away the top players from all the provincial teams, which drew a lot of criticism. The winning coach of the Henan team even scolded him relentlessly, hahaha.”
Li Laiheng responded, “Indeed, Coach Niu has been exposed to a variety of dialects from provincial team coaches this time.”
In the subsequent games, Qin Chunxiao continued to score points, utilizing both his acting skills and technical abilities. He relied less on one-foot jumping, which left Wu Di feeling unsatisfied, but Li Laiheng once again praised Qin Xiaodun.
Professor Li commented, “Qin Chunxiao demonstrates great intelligence in his play. Given his limited height, he has been forced to jump to such heights. While he possesses power, it puts significant strain on his knees and ankles. I recall a Japanese women’s volleyball player who jumped similarly. In the end, she never reached her full potential due to injuries and retired prematurely. It’s a pity. Thus, Qin Chunxiao has shifted his focus to the defensive end and uses aggression when his teammates make mistakes. This not only revitalizes the team but also promotes its long-term development.”
Some may argue that players should push themselves harder while they still have the ability to jump, striving for immediate results. However, Li Laiheng clearly saw that Qin Chunxiao’s defensive talent was truly world-class. If Qin Xiaodun didn’t start protecting himself now, he would face ruin sooner than others.
In the third game, with a score of 25:17, the overall score became 2:1. Newton breathed a sigh of relief and made substitutions, bringing in Mao Xunfeng for Ding Rong, Luo He for Qin Chunxiao, and Aizmaiti for Fu Biyang.
Newton intended to train the team, so everyone went on the court to compete. Whether in the front row or back row, Qin Chunxiao remained the absolute key player. It was necessary for him to take a break at this time to protect his 16-year-old body.
Qin Chunxiao returned to the bench area and reminded Li Ling, “Don’t read the comments on the internet until after the next game.”
Li Ling pouted, resembling a 176-pound child feeling wronged.
Newton also said, “Er Leng, listen to Xiao Zai.”
In competitive sports, players who perform poorly must mentally prepare themselves to face criticism from fans until they prove themselves through their results. Qin Chunxiao’s message was clear. In the next game, Er Leng couldn’t afford to have any more lapses and needed to regain his composure.
Li Ling hummed and covered his head with a towel.
Qin Chunxiao believed that these occasional lapses were not necessarily a bad thing for Li Ling. After all, he had grown accustomed to playing it safe under Qin Chunxiao’s guidance for too long. Qin Chunxiao feared that Li Ling might have developed the notion that it was acceptable to have occasional lapses. It was time for him to face the harsh reality.
While Newton kept his focus on the court, assistant coach Chang Xiaole sat beside Qin Chunxiao and sent him a text message on his phone.
[Chang Xiaole: Are you planning to team up with Er Leng in the end?]
The phone vibrated, and Chang Xiaole looked down to read Qin Chunxiao’s reply.
[Qin Chunxiao: Let’s see what the coach decides. Personally, I don’t want to team up with him in the next match.]
Chang Xiaole immediately understood Qin Chunxiao’s intention. In the eyes of the public and many coaches, Li Ling’s nerve knife was most effective when paired with Qin Chunxiao. If they continued to play together in the next game, they could expect impressive statistics from Er Leng.
However, Qin Chunxiao believed that this “self-proving” battle should be fought by Li Ling himself.
Chang Xiaole didn’t interpret Qin Chunxiao’s response as indifference. On the contrary, he knew that Qin Chunxiao was genuinely concerned about Li Ling’s future.
Li Ling, who relied on UR-level defense to achieve results, could be replaced at any time. With convulsion-prone players being abundant, he had to demonstrate greater value to attract more attention to himself.
Before retiring, Chang Xiaole had been a beach volleyball player. Due to his attractive appearance, well-toned physique, smooth black skin, and tattoos, he was nicknamed “sand volleyball hottie” and “a man who can cure atrophy” by his fans. Unfortunately, when it came to playing, he never managed to escape from his partner’s shadow until he retired due to injury.
He sighed and said, “If only you were my partner in beach volleyball.”
Qin Chunxiao was perplexed and asked, “Huh? My net offensive ability can only be utilized in Asia. Wasn’t your former partner a tall guy who won Olympic medals?”
Li Ling suddenly looked up and exclaimed, “Brother Xiaole, Xiaozai is my partner!”
Chang Xiaole quickly replied, “Okay, okay, I know he is your partner. Why are you still holding a grudge?”
In the fourth game, the national team, never underestimating their opponents, easily won with a score of 25:21. The match between the national team and Hong Kong concluded with a score of 3:1.
As the two teams shook hands across the net, the captain of the Hong Kong team said something in Cantonese to Qin Chunxiao. Gao Depi immediately leaned in, covering his mouth with a smile. Qin Chunxiao responded with an embarrassed expression and said “thank you.” When they were stretching, the teammates bombarded Qin Chunxiao with questions.
Ding Rong asked, “What did Team Liu from Hongkong say?”
Tong Shulan remarked, “Look at Lao Pi smiling so foolishly. Hey, why are you still beating around the bush?”
Qin Chunxiao hesitated for a moment, then frowned and said, “He complimented me for being cute and expressed his desire to exchange defense with me in the future.”
Everyone elongated their voices, “Oh…”
“You’re only 1.78 meters tall, yet you’re considered the most attractive player in the Asian Championships. People think you’re cute,” Tong Shulan added.
Newton chimed in with a smile, “Xiao Qin is like a pack of huskies leading the way. He’s both majestic and cute.”
Laughter filled the room, although a few individuals caught on quickly—Xiaozai was leading the team like a wolf, so what did that make them? Huskies?
If it weren’t for the “big daddy” guarding the goal and the fact that they couldn’t defeat them, not to mention the coach being like a grandfather, neither of them could afford to offend them. The huskies were designated to teach them a lesson today on how to be fierce.
As anticipated by Qin Chunxiao and Newton, after the game, there were indeed numerous criticisms directed at Li Ling in the comment section of the game video.
Qin Chunxiao confiscated Li Ling’s cell phone and, along with Fu Biyang, Min Yaoyang, and other teammates, asked Newton for the game video later that night.
The video showcased a practice match between the Polish Lynx Club and the Italian ENEL Club. It was an internal video that Coach Niu obtained through his contacts in the ENEL Club.
The two teams featured Sebastian, a beast-level supporter from Poland, and Mattia, an UR-level setter from Italy. Additionally, most of the participating players were world-class. The game was incredibly intense.
In his youth, Mattia had also been known for his fiery temperament. Unfortunate experiences during his childhood had led to a short fuse, resulting in a two-year period on the bench. During this time, he engaged in drinking, smoking, traffic violations, fights, and frequenting nightclubs. He teetered on the edge of being dismissed by all volleyball teams until he encountered his hidden soulmate, Luma, a South African female freediving athlete and a beautiful black pearl.
Luma rejected Mattia, stating that she couldn’t accept his past but was willing to help him as a friend.
For two months, Luma took Mattia to the sea, where they engaged in diving, swimming, and sea fishing. When Mattia returned to land, he had shed his decadent state, regrouped, and made a comeback in the game.
Although the woman bluntly stated that she would not accept Mattia, there were many people who held hope for their union.
They were soulmates!
Li Ling rested his chin on his hands and said, “I wish I could meet my soulmate someday. Maybe she can cure my convulsions. I really hope Luma accepts Mattia soon.”
Min Yaoyang also covered his face and smiled, saying, “Yes, soulmates would be incredibly happy together.” He had grown up witnessing the affection between his two mothers.
Qin Chunxiao asserted, “Both of those things won’t happen overnight.”
“Why?”
Upon hearing Qin Chunxiao’s words, not only Min Yaoyang, Fu Biyang, and Li Ling, but even the people at the neighboring table who were doing homework or playing cards turned to listen.
It seemed that quite a few people shipped the soulmate couple of Luma and Mattia.
Chang Xiaole, who was sitting on the floor organizing materials, looked up in surprise and asked, “Why are you so certain they won’t make it?”
Chang Xiaole knew that Qin Chunxiao had a countdown for his hidden soulmate. Could it be that there was something about hidden soulmates that ordinary people didn’t know?
Ding Rong analyzed seriously, “Is it because Mattia already has a tainted past?”
Qiao Mingming chimed in, “Luma has said that she doesn’t care if her boyfriend has an ex. She herself has had double-digit exes, and her exes also had exes before dating her. Most of them were younger male models. Mattia is smaller than her and has a better physique than her previous partners. He clearly falls within her defensive range!”
Qin Chunxiao showed helplessness, “It’s not a matter of shame. Haven’t you read her memoirs? When her father domestically abused her mother, she had to protect her mother with a kitchen knife. As she grew up, she was inspired to become an independent woman who would never be hurt by anyone. That’s what makes her so attractive. However, every time she goes through a breakup, she can’t stand the clinginess and dependency of her boyfriend. She doesn’t want to be restrained, and she doesn’t want to constantly bear the negative emotions of others, being burdened with emotional demands and the need for safety.”
No one wants to be constantly asked to provide emotional support because eventually, people will dry up. At such times, partners should become like rain and dew, nourishing each other’s hearts instead of further draining the limited water.
Qin Chunxiao concluded, “Maybe Luma simply doesn’t want to be emotionally drained. No matter how strong a person is, they don’t want to be endlessly demanded, especially someone like Luma who has a career she loves and has had a challenging childhood. There are more important things in life than love, so Luma won’t accept Mattia until he stops pursuing her.”
While it’s one thing for a person to willingly provide emotional support to their partner once they’re in a relationship, there must be a process of evaluating the other person before entering into that relationship, and Mattia simply couldn’t pass that evaluation.
The group of people suddenly realized that while they may not fully agree with Qin Chunxiao’s statement, they applauded and praised their 16-year-old classmate Xiao Qin as a relationship expert. They joked that they would consult him for relationship advice in the future.
Chang Xiaole looked at Qin Chunxiao with a complex expression and seemed somewhat relieved. He said, “Xiaozi, I don’t have to worry about you being deceived by bad guys anymore.”
This child was so mature, displaying a perspective on relationships that one would expect from someone born after the year 2000. As someone born in the 1980s, Chang Xiaole admitted he was surprised.
Qin Chunxiao thought to himself, “Never mind, as long as you’re happy.”
He lowered his head and played with his phone, saying, “I’ve talked to the coach, and I won’t be playing in Australia tomorrow.”
Li Ling blinked and smiled happily, saying, “Yeah! You can just sit on the bench and watch how I dominate the game!”
After communicating with Newton, Qin Chunxiao instinctively scrolled through his private messages on his social media account, feeling a bit of doubt in his heart.
Strangely, Mei Xuandong, who used to send him a good morning and good night message every day, hadn’t contacted him in almost a week.
Qin Chunxiao was never the type to think, “Initiating contact with someone will make me appear too eager and lose face.” He was the type to “do whatever he wanted.”
He typed slowly.
[Qin Chunxiao: Have you been busy these days?]
After sending the message, he intended to turn off his phone and continue watching the game video, but to his surprise, he received a reply within seconds.
[Xuan Dong who can sing: My little sister was taken to the mountains by my father’s relatives, and I rushed to pick her up so she wouldn’t miss the start of school.]
Qin Chunxiao paused.
[Qin Chunxiao: Stay safe, and call the police if anything goes wrong.]
[Xuandong who can sing: Got it O(∩_∩)O.]
[Xuandong who can sing: Good luck for the game.]
Qin Chunxiao looked at his phone and casually asked Min Yaoyang, “Yangyang, is your second mother still unable to find time to watch your game?”
Min Yaoyang sat with his legs together and his hands on his lap, looking obedient, and replied, “Yes, she’s very busy.”
Qin Chunxiao said firmly, “Then you should dedicate a song to her, like ‘The Storm Comes,’ and let her know that it was written by a singer named Mei Xuandong for us.”
Min Yaoyang smiled and said, “My mother doesn’t understand Cantonese songs.”
Qin Chunxiao responded, “Really? But the case your second mother is investigating is in Guangdong. Maybe she’s been researching it recently. Oh, by the way, Mei Xuandong is from Ei City, Guangzhou. Their Cantonese dialect is slightly different from other places.”
Li Ling quickly chimed in, “Yes, I can understand the Cantonese spoken by Xiao Zai and Big Brother Pi, but I can’t understand the Cantonese spoken in Ei City.”
Min Yaoyang agreed to Qin Chunxiao’s suggestion and started sending messages to his mother.
