Chapter 71: Dawn
As the match against the Australian team was about to begin, the Chinese team was engaged in intensive pre-match preparations. For instance, Du Xiaofeng was fully geared up with protective gear, muscle patches, and plasters. He was ready for battle.
This buddy had a short career in professional sports. Before Qin Chunxiao’s rebirth, Du Xiaofeng had originally aimed to compete for a spot in the Tokyo Olympics with his teammates, but he failed to make the cut. Du Xiaofeng retired with regrets, shedding tears of disappointment.
By the time Lao Niu reassembled the national team in 2023, Du Xiaofeng had already been retired for two years. Following the common trend among athletes of “easily gaining weight after retirement,” he had put on some weight and failed to make it into the national team under Newton’s selection. Not boarding that Air France plane turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Newton placed his hand on Li Ling’s shoulder, offering him some words of wisdom.
“Er Leng, you must remember that as a setter, your goal is to deliver a ball that the attacker can successfully play. The attacker’s perception is crucial! In the past, you focused too much on scoring, and some balls that seemed playable to you may not have been ideal for scoring. Not everyone possesses the same level of understanding as Xiaozi does with you when it comes to scoring. Do you understand?”
Li Ling nodded solemnly and replied, “Don’t worry, today I won’t make any hasty decisions!”
In truth, Er Leng’s assurance had nothing to do with whether he smoked or not; it was not within his control.
Newton encouraged Er Leng once more, saying, “Very good, that’s the spirit. Imagine that you have the most powerful teammates in Asia, and even without any fancy tricks, you can still be a reliable setter. Why can’t you do it? If you can perform well in this match, you’ll be greatly rewarded when we return!”
Li Ling straightened up immediately and exclaimed, “Yes, coach!”
Qin Chunxiao couldn’t help but feel that Lao Niu’s persuasive tone, appropriately exaggerated and resembling an MLM pitch, sounded very familiar. Then it struck him that Lao Niu had used the same tone when convincing him to return to China and play!
If Newton hadn’t been a coach but a salesperson, he would have been the first to successfully sell umbrellas in the Sahara.
Qin Chunxiao waved at Li Ling, and Li Ling trotted over to him.
Qin Chunxiao: “Explain to me your understanding of what the coach said.”
Li Ling: “Others may not understand the balls that I believe can score, so those balls should be attacked by me alone. I should only attack when I am certain, otherwise, if the opponent catches the ball and counterattacks, Brother Xiong and Brother Xiaofeng may struggle to defend.”
Qin Chunxiao nodded and said, “What else?”
Li Ling continued, “I should pass the ball to others, allowing them to score, instead of trying to score myself.”
It was fine, this absent-minded guy wouldn’t be smoking much today, so Qin Chunxiao let him play with confidence.
Li Ling’s skills were indeed solid. His ball sense was good, and his spatial awareness was impressive. Sometimes during back pass practice, he could accurately deliver the ball to his desired location without even looking. It was as if he possessed an innate ability to read the ball, making him a formidable player.
In other words, his passing accuracy was also very good. As long as he communicated with his teammates before the game, asking them about their preferred ball height and whether they wanted a quick attack, they could play at a first-class level within the domestic league.
The Chinese men’s volleyball team was a strong team in Asia. Li Ling could easily be a member of a first-class team in China, and he wouldn’t be out of place in the Asian Championships.
Coincidentally, the Australian team wasn’t so strong that Qin Chunxiao was required to play. So he sat on the bench peacefully, drinking water and occasionally applauding.
The Australian men’s volleyball team was quite entertaining. The players had a knack for showmanship. Dancing on the sidelines and playfully slapping each other’s buttocks were routine. Even for those who didn’t understand volleyball, it was enjoyable to watch them play with such joy and camaraderie, second only to witnessing the New Zealand men’s basketball team perform a Maori war dance.
Qin Chunxiao was still in a cheerful mood and said to Chang Xiaole, “It’s rare to watch the game from the sidelines. Looking at our team now, the average height is quite impressive.”
Chang Xiaole was surprised and remarked, “So you’re willing to bring up the height issue.”
Qin Chunxiao was puzzled and replied, “Do I look like someone who can’t accept their height? As long as people don’t mock my height or blatantly call me short, I’m fine.”
At 1.78 meters, he was already taller than the average height of Chinese males. As a Cantonese boy who found his passion in volleyball, he took pride in his height.
In the auxiliary hall, the Japanese team quickly finished their match against the South Korean team and made their way to the main hall, where they watched the game under the guidance of their coach.
Ennosuke Sakano expressed his dissatisfaction, saying, “Is there anything worth paying attention to with the Chinese team? I want to go back and rest.”
Having played against the Chinese team before, Sakano could clearly sense that it was an “old team” with outdated technical and tactical systems. The physical talents of the players had also been surpassed by the Japanese team.
Coach Takeshita shook his head solemnly and replied, “It’s different now. Their head coach has been replaced by Newton, and the entire team has new players.”
Sakano Yansuke questioned, “Newton? The physicist?”
Coach Takeshita clarified, “No, I’m referring to a different Newton. Although the pronunciation of the name is similar to that of the physicist, this Newton was once the best setter in Asia during the 1990s. He also has coaching experience with a highly regarded club in the Italian league. He’s a formidable opponent.”
Sakano Yansuke retorted, “So he’s just a good coach? That doesn’t mean he can gather a group of talented players all at once.”
Sakano’s teammate and setter, Akio Kawachi, smiled wryly and said, “Actually, he did assemble a group of exceptional players. While you were in closed training, you may not be aware that the former coach of the Chinese team, Zhao, was involved in gambling and other issues. He ended up in prison, and as a result, many talented players in China were stuck in the youth team. Now, they have emerged on the world stage.”
Hanoi Akio added, “If you’ve watched this year’s World Youth Championship, you would know that they have the top main attacker in Asia and a superb libero who can defend against Brazil’s Dominique.”
Sakano inquired, “A libero? Not a defender?”
Coach Takeshita clarified, “That libero is not only strong in defense but also has a spike reach of 3.5 meters. Just like you, I believe he will be the most noteworthy player on the Chinese team.”
Once again, in the Japanese team where average height wasn’t dominant, a spike reach of 3.5 meters was a height that could serve as a formidable barrier.
Sakano’s expression finally turned serious as he asked, “Who is this person?”
Coach Takeshita and Akio Kawachi answered in unison, “Misha Qin.”
Akio Kawachi added, “He is one-quarter Russian and has blue eyes.”
Ennosuke Sakano unexpectedly recalled the encounter with the child surrounded by a group of towering men the previous night, and he exclaimed in disbelief, “How is that possible? He’s not even 1.8 meters tall!”
Fortunately, Japan had always held a soft spot for the group of “little giants” who broke free from the constraints of height and excelled in volleyball. After all, those who surpassed various disadvantages and reached the top had something truly admirable.
Due to the comments from his coach and teammates, Ennosuke Sakano started looking forward to seeing Qin Chunxiao on the court. However, to his surprise, when he looked over, Qin Chunxiao was sitting on the bench!
No one could fathom how a player who could defend against the young monsters wouldn’t be a key player for the team. Ennosuke Sakano pointed towards the Chinese team’s bench and exclaimed, “Coach, he’s not playing.”
Coach Takeshita also expressed his confusion, saying, “There haven’t been any reports of injuries. The kid is only 16 years old and far from the age of serious injuries. Moreover, he played quite comfortably yesterday against the Hong Kong team.”
Little did they know that Qin Chunxiao took a deliberate break to facilitate his partner’s development.
Er Leng’s cellphone was not protected from Qin Chunxiao. He knew that Er Leng’s power-on password was his brother Li Yan’s birthday, and he even knew the passwords for Er Leng’s bank card and credit card because Er Leng carried those cards with him, and Qin Chunxiao was responsible for them.
Naturally, Qin Chunxiao also assumed a parental mindset and paid attention to comments about Li Ling on the internet.
Since the previous day’s game, some people had harshly criticized Li Ling, while others made remarks like “Without Qin Chunxiao, Li Ling is nothing,” essentially stepping on Li Ling to praise Qin Chunxiao.
Qin Chunxiao thought, “I’m partnered with that idiot, and I’m not happy at all when I see someone stepping on him alongside me!”
Moreover, it was his own business if he played better than others. Those so-called fans who incessantly praised Qin Chunxiao while disparaging others only made him feel ashamed and sorry for the other innocent players.
But that wasn’t the most alarming thing. The most alarming thing was that some individuals had already begun bragging that Qin Chunxiao was the number one defensive player in the country. They even pointed fingers at talented young defensive players from other provincial teams, asserting that none of them were as good as his brother and that they lacked his brother’s exceptional abilities and status.
Isn’t this the most common flattery in the fan circle? Qin Chunxiao specifically created an account as the “Wolf of Gale Wind” to interact with Mei Xuandong’s fans. Being the closest person to the fan circle within the team, he was not only familiar with these remarks but also somewhat afraid of them.
Being the most good-looking player on the team, it was inevitable that he would enjoy the perks of his appearance. His fanbase grew rapidly, and the comment section of his fan circle was always bustling.
Fortunately, he ate national food rather than fan food, so he didn’t have to pander to those fans’ flattery. During his free time, he simply paid attention to the jersey numbers of the players who were criticized. This way, he made many friends whom he didn’t know in his previous life.
Some of them were very friendly. After he finished playing a game and his arms were chilled by the air conditioner, they even sent him arm guards.
During that time, Qin Chunxiao bought 15 pairs of arm guards, and Li Ling also bought him arm guards after seeing them.
Li Ling said, “Xiaozi, I know you the best. I know you like black with blue stripes, but those people only send you black, red, and white.”
Qin Chunxiao responded, “Oh…”
After playing against the Hong Kong team, he also specially gifted Li Ling a scarf.
Qin Chunxiao V: A momentary mistake is nothing. Everyone has their bad days. Work hard tomorrow and prove yourself. @李家小羊羊-Li Jia Xiao Yang Yang
He was shortsighted.
Soon, Gao Depi, the captain of the Guangdong provincial team, reposted the scarf, showing that Xiao Qin was not the only one protecting the team.
Fortunately, Li Ling didn’t falter at the critical moment. Today, he lived up to the expectations of his coach and teammates. He played steadily, and his performance improved steadily, especially in the second game, where he secured victory with a second attack. He scored the 25th point to end the set and was embraced and praised by all his teammates.
It was a pity that after receiving some praise, Li Ling started to become inconsistent again. He made two mistakes at the beginning of the third game, which infuriated Lao Niu, who roared angrily.
“What the hell are you attacking for at this time? There are two blocks on the other side waiting for you. It’s obvious that you won’t get through! There’s only one block on him!”
Li Ling felt wronged and said, “I was trying to force a hit out of bounds.”
Little did he know that his angle was off, and the opponent successfully blocked the ball. Luckily, Du Xiaofeng was in good form today and managed to catch the ball.
Fortunately, Li Ling’s erratic behavior was also temporary. The Chinese team finally won the game with a score of 3:1. At this point, they had secured three victories in the Group D qualifiers, leaving no doubt that they would advance to the semi-finals.
After the game, Qin Chunxiao returned the phone to Li Ling. The idiot finally saw the news Qin Chunxiao posted for him and was so moved that his eyes turned red. He raised his hand to hug Qin Chunxiao.
“Xiaozi!”
Qin Chunxiao slipped under his armpit and said, “Don’t touch me. You’re sweating all over.”
Unexpectedly, they couldn’t escape the second round of hugs. You Ziyu, Ai Zimaiti, and other tall men with an average height of two meters grabbed Qin Chunxiao and gave him several warm hugs.
“We won!”
After embracing each other, Li Ling stood in front of Qin Chunxiao, scratching his head once again. “Hey~”
Qin Chunxiao opened his arms. “Alright, alright, let’s hug.”
They were all close friends, so it didn’t matter if they hugged each other.
Er Leng was very happy at that moment. He always thought that being friends with Xiaozai (Qin Chunxiao) was enjoyable. He accidentally picked someone who encouraged him and gave him a chance. It didn’t matter if he couldn’t fight; Xiaozai could fight and protect him. Xiaozai would wake him up on time when he was lazy and even helped improve his test scores.
Li Ling had already decided that Xiaozai would be his best friend in this life. If he got married in the future, he would choose Xiaozai as his best man. And he would play the suona at Xiaozai’s wedding.
He was an enthusiastic person, so he immediately went over to Liu Yuelou and whispered his thoughts to him.
Liu Yuelou was shocked. “Why are you thinking so far ahead?”
Was playing the suona at Qin Chunxiao’s wedding too far-ahead?
Newton was also overjoyed and invited the boys to eat fried bananas. On the way back, he asked the team doctor, Wang Yan, in a low voice, “How is Xiao Qin? Should we give him more rest?”
He let Qin Chunxiao rest this time not only because of Li Ling but mainly because Qin Chunxiao had been playing all five sets. It was time to give him a day off on the bench.
Wang Yan’s eyebrows furrowed. “He doesn’t have any injuries. A day off is sufficient.”
Seeing that Newton was still worried, Wang Yan spoke frankly, “His body is very strong. Don’t worry and let him go!”
After saying that, Wang Yan realized that his voice was a bit loud. He quickly turned to look at the players and found that Qiao Mingming and Liu Yuelou in the back row were pretending not to hear and were talking about something else.
Qiao Mingming: “Xiao Liu, have you watched ‘Wulin Biography’?”
Liu Yuelou: “Not only have I watched ‘Wulin Biography’, but I can also play the suona.”
In the back seat, Aizmaiti and Fu Biyang were sleeping, but their snoring was very deliberate, sounding like pig snorts. They were clearly pretending.
They were all people with a strong survival instinct.
At this moment, the bus was driving smoothly, the sky was bright, and the time difference between Indonesia and China was only one hour. Qin Chunxiao swiped his phone.
[Qin Chunxiao: Did you find your sister?]
[Xuandong who can sing: I found her.]
[Qin Chunxiao: Is she okay? Is she unharmed?]
[Singing Xuandong: She was almost hurt. They wanted her to get pregnant, to control her and control me in the process. But she left some clues on the way, and our neighbor’s sister called the police in time. For some reason, the famous police officer Lu Xiaodan went to Ei City to handle the case and rescued her.]
Qin Chunxiao’s finger rested on the top of the touch screen. After a while, he seemed to understand why Mei Xiangnan in his previous life ultimately chose the same ending as her mother, jumping off the building.
She was imprisoned in the mountains and was rescued a month later. The opportunistic media rushed to take pictures, so the last photo of the girl in her life showed two missing teeth, lifeless eyes, and a crazy smile while holding her belly.
What the hell did those scumbags do to a girl!
Qin Chunxiao was glad that he had paid some attention to this matter. Min Yaoyang’s second mother, Police Officer Lu Xiaodan, went to Ei City to handle the case this time, and he might have had a little credit for it.
But he also regretted it. After learning that Mei Xiangnan was taken away, he should have put in more effort to help them. This time, it was fortunate that Mei Xiangnan was rescued. If it had gone differently… she would have faced a lot of pain.
[Qin Chunxiao: I’m sorry I couldn’t help you more.]
[Xuandong who can sing: No, you have already given me the greatest help (^o^)]
[Qin Chunxiao:?]
[Xuandong who can sing: It was my fans who helped Xiangnan pass on the clues. They didn’t believe she was my sister because we don’t look alike, so they initially wanted to refuse her request for help. But Xiangnan sang a song I haven’t released yet, it was written for you. Those girls thought it was my style of music, so they helped Xiangnan go to the nearby police and let Officer Lu find her.]
[Xuandong who can sing: I’m not a superstitious person, but today, I’m really grateful to God for allowing you to come into my life. You are our lucky star.]
After sending this message, Mei Xuandong felt a little shy.
Does Captain Qin think his words are too forward? But he didn’t mean to be ambiguous or flirt with Team Qin. He was sincerely grateful for his presence.
That’s what he had in mind.
Ding dong, Captain Qin replied to him.
[Qin Chunxiao: I am also very grateful to God for saving Xiangnan. Otherwise, I would never forgive myself. I should have helped you more.]
Mei Xuandong pressed the newly bought mineral water bottle to his face, trying to cool down.
They haven’t spoken formally yet, and no one is obligated to anyone, whether to help or not.
Team Qin really is…
Thinking of Qin Chunxiao’s support and encouragement for other athletes when he used the trumpet to gain fans, Mei Xuandong came to a conclusion—Qin’s team is truly warm-hearted and kind.
Mei Xiangnan was wrapped in a blanket, gnawing on chocolate, and she asked her brother, “Brother, what are you looking at?”
Mei Xuandong snapped out of his thoughts and replied embarrassedly, “The star our brother admires won the game again.”
Since Mei Xiangnan didn’t understand volleyball, she responded casually, “Then he must have scored a lot of points today?”
Mei Xuandong shook his head, saying, “No, he didn’t play today.”
Mei Xiangnan looked puzzled.
At that moment, a melodious female voice came from behind them.
“Mei Xuandong.”
The two siblings stood up together and respectfully addressed the visitor, saying, “Officer Lu.”
The visitor was a woman in her early forties, with sharp features, tall and strong, exuding an air of competence and handsomeness.
She seemed a bit tired as she said, “Mei Xuandong, come with me. I need to talk to you.”
Mei Xuandong asked, “Are you referring to suing those people? We have solid evidence, and I can also hire a good lawyer. Convicting them shouldn’t be difficult, right?”
Lu Xiaodan shook her head, saying, “It’s not a matter of conviction. It’s something else. Just come with me. Xiangnan, don’t be nervous. It’s just that there’s some evidence that your brother needs to confirm. It’s related to your mother. I think Xuandong remembers more clearly as he was born a few years earlier. Just rest well.”
Mei Xiangnan obediently sat back, while Mei Xuandong, though puzzled, followed the police officer out of trust. He comforted his sister a few more words before leaving.
… The matter in the previous life, those who didn’t want to see the knife could jump…
When Mei Xiangnan was a child, she often heard people in the village say, “Once a woman has a child, she can never leave again.”
At first, she didn’t take it seriously because her mother was never free. She would wander around the fields with a carefree smile. That’s how Mei Xiangnan was born. But then her brother grew up and would go and bring her mother back home. So, in Mei Xiangnan’s perception, the only person in this world who would be entangled was a considerate person like her brother.
A heartless person would not get caught up in anything.
Mei Xiangnan was still young, an underage girl, and her world was black and white, clearly divided. She firmly believed that whoever showed her kindness, she would reciprocate that kindness.
So even though many people liked to compare her to her brother, saying she wasn’t as good-looking and that she held him back, she understood deep down that the only person in this world who truly cared about her was her brother, and she loved him the most.
She didn’t want her brother to be harmed, but when she finally seized an opportunity and lay on the balcony of the hotel’s second floor, asking for help from passing girls who were singing her brother’s songs, they laughed.
“You’re lying. How could you be Emperor Dong’s younger sister?”
Her brother had always protected her, never allowing the media to take pictures of her or letting outsiders disturb her life. He wanted her to focus on her studies and get into a good school in the future. But in that moment, his fans denied her identity as his younger sister.
“Liar.” That’s how they defined her. They didn’t take her plea for help seriously and walked away, laughing.
They grew farther and farther away, gradually becoming tiny figures in the distance.
She wasn’t a liar. She truly was Mei Xuandong’s younger sister. She just wasn’t as beautiful and tall as her brother, but they were bound by blood.
Mei Xiangnan looked at their retreating backs and didn’t wait for anyone else to come to that street. She was grabbed by her hair and forcibly taken away.
She was imprisoned in the mountains for a month. When she was finally rescued, she was three weeks pregnant.
Mei Xiangnan resisted and tried to escape multiple times, but she was always captured by others in the village. They seemed like a unified force, extremely united. Perhaps her mother was also driven to madness.
Sometimes fate played absurd games, much like Mei Xiangnan conceiving a stranger’s child in the fields, just like her mother had. And she chose the same fate as her mother.
When her brother read her accusations against those two fans in her suicide note, he could no longer face those so-called “fans.” For a long time, he carried a psychological burden when it came to fans and performing on stage.
Intellectually, Mei Xuandong knew there was nothing inherently wrong with those fans, but he had struggled to overcome his emotional barriers for a long time. Just as he finally understood and wanted to embrace a new life, he realized that his younger brother was sinking into an unhappy emotional turmoil. His attempts at persuasion were futile, and even his new family looked down on him.
He was indeed Lu Xuandong, but he was also Mei Xuandong. In their hearts, he was somewhat of an outsider, so he couldn’t interfere with his younger brother’s emotional life. It would be too much.
His neglected body, which had never received proper care since childhood, was overwhelmed. Ever since Mei Xiangnan disappeared, he had suffered from insomnia and headaches. Even after Mei Xiangnan’s passing, Mei Xuandong had to wait another six months before seeing a doctor.
The doctor said, “Why didn’t you come sooner? Your autonomic disorder is already severe, and you also have moderate depression.”
A wry smile tugged at the corners of Lu Xuandong’s mouth. “I was… busy with other things. I only recently had the chance to seek medical help. Doctor, I want to regain my health.”
He wanted to restore his health and then embrace the arrival of new life. No matter how much pain he endured, he didn’t want to simply wither away like this. Doing so would mean admitting defeat to fate.
Yet, at this moment, Lu Xuandong also had self-doubt.
Could he defy fate once again? Just like when he led his adoptive mother and Xiangnan away from the village, seeking a better life in the city, did he find the light amidst the endless suffering and hardship?
Lu Xuandong didn’t know. He simply tried to rise again.
Finally, he waited for dawn.
As he fell ill at the airport, on the verge of collapsing, a boy with blue eyes handed him a bottle of mineral water.
Lu Xuandong opened his mouth but found that the “thank you” he wanted to express couldn’t escape his lips.
Chapter 71: Dawn
As the match against the Australian team was about to begin, the Chinese team was engaged in intensive pre-match preparations. For instance, Du Xiaofeng was fully geared up with protective gear, muscle patches, and plasters. He was ready for battle.
This buddy had a short career in professional sports. Before Qin Chunxiao’s rebirth, Du Xiaofeng had originally aimed to compete for a spot in the Tokyo Olympics with his teammates, but he failed to make the cut. Du Xiaofeng retired with regrets, shedding tears of disappointment.
By the time Lao Niu reassembled the national team in 2023, Du Xiaofeng had already been retired for two years. Following the common trend among athletes of “easily gaining weight after retirement,” he had put on some weight and failed to make it into the national team under Newton’s selection. Not boarding that Air France plane turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Newton placed his hand on Li Ling’s shoulder, offering him some words of wisdom.
“Er Leng, you must remember that as a setter, your goal is to deliver a ball that the attacker can successfully play. The attacker’s perception is crucial! In the past, you focused too much on scoring, and some balls that seemed playable to you may not have been ideal for scoring. Not everyone possesses the same level of understanding as Xiaozi does with you when it comes to scoring. Do you understand?”
Li Ling nodded solemnly and replied, “Don’t worry, today I won’t make any hasty decisions!”
In truth, Er Leng’s assurance had nothing to do with whether he smoked or not; it was not within his control.
Newton encouraged Er Leng once more, saying, “Very good, that’s the spirit. Imagine that you have the most powerful teammates in Asia, and even without any fancy tricks, you can still be a reliable setter. Why can’t you do it? If you can perform well in this match, you’ll be greatly rewarded when we return!”
Li Ling straightened up immediately and exclaimed, “Yes, coach!”
Qin Chunxiao couldn’t help but feel that Lao Niu’s persuasive tone, appropriately exaggerated and resembling an MLM pitch, sounded very familiar. Then it struck him that Lao Niu had used the same tone when convincing him to return to China and play!
If Newton hadn’t been a coach but a salesperson, he would have been the first to successfully sell umbrellas in the Sahara.
Qin Chunxiao waved at Li Ling, and Li Ling trotted over to him.
Qin Chunxiao: “Explain to me your understanding of what the coach said.”
Li Ling: “Others may not understand the balls that I believe can score, so those balls should be attacked by me alone. I should only attack when I am certain, otherwise, if the opponent catches the ball and counterattacks, Brother Xiong and Brother Xiaofeng may struggle to defend.”
Qin Chunxiao nodded and said, “What else?”
Li Ling continued, “I should pass the ball to others, allowing them to score, instead of trying to score myself.”
It was fine, this absent-minded guy wouldn’t be smoking much today, so Qin Chunxiao let him play with confidence.
Li Ling’s skills were indeed solid. His ball sense was good, and his spatial awareness was impressive. Sometimes during back pass practice, he could accurately deliver the ball to his desired location without even looking. It was as if he possessed an innate ability to read the ball, making him a formidable player.
In other words, his passing accuracy was also very good. As long as he communicated with his teammates before the game, asking them about their preferred ball height and whether they wanted a quick attack, they could play at a first-class level within the domestic league.
The Chinese men’s volleyball team was a strong team in Asia. Li Ling could easily be a member of a first-class team in China, and he wouldn’t be out of place in the Asian Championships.
Coincidentally, the Australian team wasn’t so strong that Qin Chunxiao was required to play. So he sat on the bench peacefully, drinking water and occasionally applauding.
The Australian men’s volleyball team was quite entertaining. The players had a knack for showmanship. Dancing on the sidelines and playfully slapping each other’s buttocks were routine. Even for those who didn’t understand volleyball, it was enjoyable to watch them play with such joy and camaraderie, second only to witnessing the New Zealand men’s basketball team perform a Maori war dance.
Qin Chunxiao was still in a cheerful mood and said to Chang Xiaole, “It’s rare to watch the game from the sidelines. Looking at our team now, the average height is quite impressive.”
Chang Xiaole was surprised and remarked, “So you’re willing to bring up the height issue.”
Qin Chunxiao was puzzled and replied, “Do I look like someone who can’t accept their height? As long as people don’t mock my height or blatantly call me short, I’m fine.”
At 1.78 meters, he was already taller than the average height of Chinese males. As a Cantonese boy who found his passion in volleyball, he took pride in his height.
In the auxiliary hall, the Japanese team quickly finished their match against the South Korean team and made their way to the main hall, where they watched the game under the guidance of their coach.
Ennosuke Sakano expressed his dissatisfaction, saying, “Is there anything worth paying attention to with the Chinese team? I want to go back and rest.”
Having played against the Chinese team before, Sakano could clearly sense that it was an “old team” with outdated technical and tactical systems. The physical talents of the players had also been surpassed by the Japanese team.
Coach Takeshita shook his head solemnly and replied, “It’s different now. Their head coach has been replaced by Newton, and the entire team has new players.”
Sakano Yansuke questioned, “Newton? The physicist?”
Coach Takeshita clarified, “No, I’m referring to a different Newton. Although the pronunciation of the name is similar to that of the physicist, this Newton was once the best setter in Asia during the 1990s. He also has coaching experience with a highly regarded club in the Italian league. He’s a formidable opponent.”
Sakano Yansuke retorted, “So he’s just a good coach? That doesn’t mean he can gather a group of talented players all at once.”
Sakano’s teammate and setter, Akio Kawachi, smiled wryly and said, “Actually, he did assemble a group of exceptional players. While you were in closed training, you may not be aware that the former coach of the Chinese team, Zhao, was involved in gambling and other issues. He ended up in prison, and as a result, many talented players in China were stuck in the youth team. Now, they have emerged on the world stage.”
Hanoi Akio added, “If you’ve watched this year’s World Youth Championship, you would know that they have the top main attacker in Asia and a superb libero who can defend against Brazil’s Dominique.”
Sakano inquired, “A libero? Not a defender?”
Coach Takeshita clarified, “That libero is not only strong in defense but also has a spike reach of 3.5 meters. Just like you, I believe he will be the most noteworthy player on the Chinese team.”
Once again, in the Japanese team where average height wasn’t dominant, a spike reach of 3.5 meters was a height that could serve as a formidable barrier.
Sakano’s expression finally turned serious as he asked, “Who is this person?”
Coach Takeshita and Akio Kawachi answered in unison, “Misha Qin.”
Akio Kawachi added, “He is one-quarter Russian and has blue eyes.”
Ennosuke Sakano unexpectedly recalled the encounter with the child surrounded by a group of towering men the previous night, and he exclaimed in disbelief, “How is that possible? He’s not even 1.8 meters tall!”
Fortunately, Japan had always held a soft spot for the group of “little giants” who broke free from the constraints of height and excelled in volleyball. After all, those who surpassed various disadvantages and reached the top had something truly admirable.
Due to the comments from his coach and teammates, Ennosuke Sakano started looking forward to seeing Qin Chunxiao on the court. However, to his surprise, when he looked over, Qin Chunxiao was sitting on the bench!
No one could fathom how a player who could defend against the young monsters wouldn’t be a key player for the team. Ennosuke Sakano pointed towards the Chinese team’s bench and exclaimed, “Coach, he’s not playing.”
Coach Takeshita also expressed his confusion, saying, “There haven’t been any reports of injuries. The kid is only 16 years old and far from the age of serious injuries. Moreover, he played quite comfortably yesterday against the Hong Kong team.”
Little did they know that Qin Chunxiao took a deliberate break to facilitate his partner’s development.
Er Leng’s cellphone was not protected from Qin Chunxiao. He knew that Er Leng’s power-on password was his brother Li Yan’s birthday, and he even knew the passwords for Er Leng’s bank card and credit card because Er Leng carried those cards with him, and Qin Chunxiao was responsible for them.
Naturally, Qin Chunxiao also assumed a parental mindset and paid attention to comments about Li Ling on the internet.
Since the previous day’s game, some people had harshly criticized Li Ling, while others made remarks like “Without Qin Chunxiao, Li Ling is nothing,” essentially stepping on Li Ling to praise Qin Chunxiao.
Qin Chunxiao thought, “I’m partnered with that idiot, and I’m not happy at all when I see someone stepping on him alongside me!”
Moreover, it was his own business if he played better than others. Those so-called fans who incessantly praised Qin Chunxiao while disparaging others only made him feel ashamed and sorry for the other innocent players.
But that wasn’t the most alarming thing. The most alarming thing was that some individuals had already begun bragging that Qin Chunxiao was the number one defensive player in the country. They even pointed fingers at talented young defensive players from other provincial teams, asserting that none of them were as good as his brother and that they lacked his brother’s exceptional abilities and status.
Isn’t this the most common flattery in the fan circle? Qin Chunxiao specifically created an account as the “Wolf of Gale Wind” to interact with Mei Xuandong’s fans. Being the closest person to the fan circle within the team, he was not only familiar with these remarks but also somewhat afraid of them.
Being the most good-looking player on the team, it was inevitable that he would enjoy the perks of his appearance. His fanbase grew rapidly, and the comment section of his fan circle was always bustling.
Fortunately, he ate national food rather than fan food, so he didn’t have to pander to those fans’ flattery. During his free time, he simply paid attention to the jersey numbers of the players who were criticized. This way, he made many friends whom he didn’t know in his previous life.
Some of them were very friendly. After he finished playing a game and his arms were chilled by the air conditioner, they even sent him arm guards.
During that time, Qin Chunxiao bought 15 pairs of arm guards, and Li Ling also bought him arm guards after seeing them.
Li Ling said, “Xiaozi, I know you the best. I know you like black with blue stripes, but those people only send you black, red, and white.”
Qin Chunxiao responded, “Oh…”
After playing against the Hong Kong team, he also specially gifted Li Ling a scarf.
Qin Chunxiao V: A momentary mistake is nothing. Everyone has their bad days. Work hard tomorrow and prove yourself. @李家小羊羊-Li Jia Xiao Yang Yang
He was shortsighted.
Soon, Gao Depi, the captain of the Guangdong provincial team, reposted the scarf, showing that Xiao Qin was not the only one protecting the team.
Fortunately, Li Ling didn’t falter at the critical moment. Today, he lived up to the expectations of his coach and teammates. He played steadily, and his performance improved steadily, especially in the second game, where he secured victory with a second attack. He scored the 25th point to end the set and was embraced and praised by all his teammates.
It was a pity that after receiving some praise, Li Ling started to become inconsistent again. He made two mistakes at the beginning of the third game, which infuriated Lao Niu, who roared angrily.
“What the hell are you attacking for at this time? There are two blocks on the other side waiting for you. It’s obvious that you won’t get through! There’s only one block on him!”
Li Ling felt wronged and said, “I was trying to force a hit out of bounds.”
Little did he know that his angle was off, and the opponent successfully blocked the ball. Luckily, Du Xiaofeng was in good form today and managed to catch the ball.
Fortunately, Li Ling’s erratic behavior was also temporary. The Chinese team finally won the game with a score of 3:1. At this point, they had secured three victories in the Group D qualifiers, leaving no doubt that they would advance to the semi-finals.
After the game, Qin Chunxiao returned the phone to Li Ling. The idiot finally saw the news Qin Chunxiao posted for him and was so moved that his eyes turned red. He raised his hand to hug Qin Chunxiao.
“Xiaozi!”
Qin Chunxiao slipped under his armpit and said, “Don’t touch me. You’re sweating all over.”
Unexpectedly, they couldn’t escape the second round of hugs. You Ziyu, Ai Zimaiti, and other tall men with an average height of two meters grabbed Qin Chunxiao and gave him several warm hugs.
“We won!”
After embracing each other, Li Ling stood in front of Qin Chunxiao, scratching his head once again. “Hey~”
Qin Chunxiao opened his arms. “Alright, alright, let’s hug.”
They were all close friends, so it didn’t matter if they hugged each other.
Er Leng was very happy at that moment. He always thought that being friends with Xiaozai (Qin Chunxiao) was enjoyable. He accidentally picked someone who encouraged him and gave him a chance. It didn’t matter if he couldn’t fight; Xiaozai could fight and protect him. Xiaozai would wake him up on time when he was lazy and even helped improve his test scores.
Li Ling had already decided that Xiaozai would be his best friend in this life. If he got married in the future, he would choose Xiaozai as his best man. And he would play the suona at Xiaozai’s wedding.
He was an enthusiastic person, so he immediately went over to Liu Yuelou and whispered his thoughts to him.
Liu Yuelou was shocked. “Why are you thinking so far ahead?”
Was playing the suona at Qin Chunxiao’s wedding too far-ahead?
Newton was also overjoyed and invited the boys to eat fried bananas. On the way back, he asked the team doctor, Wang Yan, in a low voice, “How is Xiao Qin? Should we give him more rest?”
He let Qin Chunxiao rest this time not only because of Li Ling but mainly because Qin Chunxiao had been playing all five sets. It was time to give him a day off on the bench.
Wang Yan’s eyebrows furrowed. “He doesn’t have any injuries. A day off is sufficient.”
Seeing that Newton was still worried, Wang Yan spoke frankly, “His body is very strong. Don’t worry and let him go!”
After saying that, Wang Yan realized that his voice was a bit loud. He quickly turned to look at the players and found that Qiao Mingming and Liu Yuelou in the back row were pretending not to hear and were talking about something else.
Qiao Mingming: “Xiao Liu, have you watched ‘Wulin Biography’?”
Liu Yuelou: “Not only have I watched ‘Wulin Biography’, but I can also play the suona.”
In the back seat, Aizmaiti and Fu Biyang were sleeping, but their snoring was very deliberate, sounding like pig snorts. They were clearly pretending.
They were all people with a strong survival instinct.
At this moment, the bus was driving smoothly, the sky was bright, and the time difference between Indonesia and China was only one hour. Qin Chunxiao swiped his phone.
[Qin Chunxiao: Did you find your sister?]
[Xuandong who can sing: I found her.]
[Qin Chunxiao: Is she okay? Is she unharmed?]
[Singing Xuandong: She was almost hurt. They wanted her to get pregnant, to control her and control me in the process. But she left some clues on the way, and our neighbor’s sister called the police in time. For some reason, the famous police officer Lu Xiaodan went to Ei City to handle the case and rescued her.]
Qin Chunxiao’s finger rested on the top of the touch screen. After a while, he seemed to understand why Mei Xiangnan in his previous life ultimately chose the same ending as her mother, jumping off the building.
She was imprisoned in the mountains and was rescued a month later. The opportunistic media rushed to take pictures, so the last photo of the girl in her life showed two missing teeth, lifeless eyes, and a crazy smile while holding her belly.
What the hell did those scumbags do to a girl!
Qin Chunxiao was glad that he had paid some attention to this matter. Min Yaoyang’s second mother, Police Officer Lu Xiaodan, went to Ei City to handle the case this time, and he might have had a little credit for it.
But he also regretted it. After learning that Mei Xiangnan was taken away, he should have put in more effort to help them. This time, it was fortunate that Mei Xiangnan was rescued. If it had gone differently… she would have faced a lot of pain.
[Qin Chunxiao: I’m sorry I couldn’t help you more.]
[Xuandong who can sing: No, you have already given me the greatest help (^o^)]
[Qin Chunxiao:?]
[Xuandong who can sing: It was my fans who helped Xiangnan pass on the clues. They didn’t believe she was my sister because we don’t look alike, so they initially wanted to refuse her request for help. But Xiangnan sang a song I haven’t released yet, it was written for you. Those girls thought it was my style of music, so they helped Xiangnan go to the nearby police and let Officer Lu find her.]
[Xuandong who can sing: I’m not a superstitious person, but today, I’m really grateful to God for allowing you to come into my life. You are our lucky star.]
After sending this message, Mei Xuandong felt a little shy.
Does Captain Qin think his words are too forward? But he didn’t mean to be ambiguous or flirt with Team Qin. He was sincerely grateful for his presence.
That’s what he had in mind.
Ding dong, Captain Qin replied to him.
[Qin Chunxiao: I am also very grateful to God for saving Xiangnan. Otherwise, I would never forgive myself. I should have helped you more.]
Mei Xuandong pressed the newly bought mineral water bottle to his face, trying to cool down.
They haven’t spoken formally yet, and no one is obligated to anyone, whether to help or not.
Team Qin really is…
Thinking of Qin Chunxiao’s support and encouragement for other athletes when he used the trumpet to gain fans, Mei Xuandong came to a conclusion—Qin’s team is truly warm-hearted and kind.
Mei Xiangnan was wrapped in a blanket, gnawing on chocolate, and she asked her brother, “Brother, what are you looking at?”
Mei Xuandong snapped out of his thoughts and replied embarrassedly, “The star our brother admires won the game again.”
Since Mei Xiangnan didn’t understand volleyball, she responded casually, “Then he must have scored a lot of points today?”
Mei Xuandong shook his head, saying, “No, he didn’t play today.”
Mei Xiangnan looked puzzled.
At that moment, a melodious female voice came from behind them.
“Mei Xuandong.”
The two siblings stood up together and respectfully addressed the visitor, saying, “Officer Lu.”
The visitor was a woman in her early forties, with sharp features, tall and strong, exuding an air of competence and handsomeness.
She seemed a bit tired as she said, “Mei Xuandong, come with me. I need to talk to you.”
Mei Xuandong asked, “Are you referring to suing those people? We have solid evidence, and I can also hire a good lawyer. Convicting them shouldn’t be difficult, right?”
Lu Xiaodan shook her head, saying, “It’s not a matter of conviction. It’s something else. Just come with me. Xiangnan, don’t be nervous. It’s just that there’s some evidence that your brother needs to confirm. It’s related to your mother. I think Xuandong remembers more clearly as he was born a few years earlier. Just rest well.”
Mei Xiangnan obediently sat back, while Mei Xuandong, though puzzled, followed the police officer out of trust. He comforted his sister a few more words before leaving.
… The matter in the previous life, those who didn’t want to see the knife could jump…
When Mei Xiangnan was a child, she often heard people in the village say, “Once a woman has a child, she can never leave again.”
At first, she didn’t take it seriously because her mother was never free. She would wander around the fields with a carefree smile. That’s how Mei Xiangnan was born. But then her brother grew up and would go and bring her mother back home. So, in Mei Xiangnan’s perception, the only person in this world who would be entangled was a considerate person like her brother.
A heartless person would not get caught up in anything.
Mei Xiangnan was still young, an underage girl, and her world was black and white, clearly divided. She firmly believed that whoever showed her kindness, she would reciprocate that kindness.
So even though many people liked to compare her to her brother, saying she wasn’t as good-looking and that she held him back, she understood deep down that the only person in this world who truly cared about her was her brother, and she loved him the most.
She didn’t want her brother to be harmed, but when she finally seized an opportunity and lay on the balcony of the hotel’s second floor, asking for help from passing girls who were singing her brother’s songs, they laughed.
“You’re lying. How could you be Emperor Dong’s younger sister?”
Her brother had always protected her, never allowing the media to take pictures of her or letting outsiders disturb her life. He wanted her to focus on her studies and get into a good school in the future. But in that moment, his fans denied her identity as his younger sister.
“Liar.” That’s how they defined her. They didn’t take her plea for help seriously and walked away, laughing.
They grew farther and farther away, gradually becoming tiny figures in the distance.
She wasn’t a liar. She truly was Mei Xuandong’s younger sister. She just wasn’t as beautiful and tall as her brother, but they were bound by blood.
Mei Xiangnan looked at their retreating backs and didn’t wait for anyone else to come to that street. She was grabbed by her hair and forcibly taken away.
She was imprisoned in the mountains for a month. When she was finally rescued, she was three weeks pregnant.
Mei Xiangnan resisted and tried to escape multiple times, but she was always captured by others in the village. They seemed like a unified force, extremely united. Perhaps her mother was also driven to madness.
Sometimes fate played absurd games, much like Mei Xiangnan conceiving a stranger’s child in the fields, just like her mother had. And she chose the same fate as her mother.
When her brother read her accusations against those two fans in her suicide note, he could no longer face those so-called “fans.” For a long time, he carried a psychological burden when it came to fans and performing on stage.
Intellectually, Mei Xuandong knew there was nothing inherently wrong with those fans, but he had struggled to overcome his emotional barriers for a long time. Just as he finally understood and wanted to embrace a new life, he realized that his younger brother was sinking into an unhappy emotional turmoil. His attempts at persuasion were futile, and even his new family looked down on him.
He was indeed Lu Xuandong, but he was also Mei Xuandong. In their hearts, he was somewhat of an outsider, so he couldn’t interfere with his younger brother’s emotional life. It would be too much.
His neglected body, which had never received proper care since childhood, was overwhelmed. Ever since Mei Xiangnan disappeared, he had suffered from insomnia and headaches. Even after Mei Xiangnan’s passing, Mei Xuandong had to wait another six months before seeing a doctor.
The doctor said, “Why didn’t you come sooner? Your autonomic disorder is already severe, and you also have moderate depression.”
A wry smile tugged at the corners of Lu Xuandong’s mouth. “I was… busy with other things. I only recently had the chance to seek medical help. Doctor, I want to regain my health.”
He wanted to restore his health and then embrace the arrival of new life. No matter how much pain he endured, he didn’t want to simply wither away like this. Doing so would mean admitting defeat to fate.
Yet, at this moment, Lu Xuandong also had self-doubt.
Could he defy fate once again? Just like when he led his adoptive mother and Xiangnan away from the village, seeking a better life in the city, did he find the light amidst the endless suffering and hardship?
Lu Xuandong didn’t know. He simply tried to rise again.
Finally, he waited for dawn.
As he fell ill at the airport, on the verge of collapsing, a boy with blue eyes handed him a bottle of mineral water.
Lu Xuandong opened his mouth but found that the “thank you” he wanted to express couldn’t escape his lips.
