Chapter 45: Some beginnings, some ends

At the start of July, when the holidays were about to begin for the tenth and eleventh graders, the prospective batch of new students began their summer supplementary lessons. The school gave it a very nice-sounding name, called the 'Junior-Senior High Transition Lessons'.

On the first day on which his sister, Xu Qiuyi, attended lessons in Libei Senior High, Xu Tingsheng did an exact same thing that he had done in his previous life. He brought along 7 to 8 boys, swaggering domineeringly along in escorting his sister to school, escorting her to her dormitory room and to her classroom, and even to the cafeteria as well.

What Xu Tingsheng basically asked of these people was to adopt stern expressions, looking as much as possible like they were bad guys.

Today, Xu Qiuyi was like a princess. Without even so much as a rag in her hands, she had a bunch of older bros helping to clean up her dormitory room, setting up her bedsheets for her. On her way to her classroom, a bunch of people helped her to hold this, carry that, resembling a guard of honour. When she arrived at the cafeteria, all she had to do was sit down. There would naturally be people helping to carry her meal over.

Intimidation.

This was Xu Tingsheng's goal. The number of hooligans was much greater in this era than any other. Xu Tingsheng wanted these people to know that behind this little beauty cum study queen was a bunch of very scary brothers…

Therefore, don't disturb her; don't touch her.

In Xu Tingsheng's previous life, Xu Qiuyi had blamed Xu Tingsheng about this for quite a while afterwards, saying that this had caused the girls in her dormitory to fear speaking to her and her classmates to avoid her, such that she had been unable to make any good friends for a long period of time.

In this life, Xu Tingsheng 'harmed' her once more. Friends could be slowly made. In comparison, avoiding the harassment or approach of those with malicious intentions was much more important.

However, things didn't develop like they had in his previous life, because virtually everyone in the school were familiar with these 'big bros'. The legendary Xu Tingsheng, Huang Yaming, Fu Cheng…

There seemed to be absolutely no need for intimidation at all.

She was that Xu Tingsheng's sister!!!

This was already enough. That older brother of hers was a legendary study king, his big red banner still drifting on the wall outside. But he was not just some mere study king. Getting into fights and whatnot all seemed inconsequential; would you dare to go smash the head of a suspected SARS patient with a brick?

You don't? You don't, and you still dare to disturb his sister?

Instead, Xu Tingsheng's actions resulted in the number of onlookers continually increasing, with more and more people coming over to greet and try to get close with his sister Xu Qiuyi.

When Wu Yuewei carried a stack of notebooks and walked into their classroom, the atmosphere of the 'spectators' reached an unprecedented peak. Wu Yuewei was similarly very famous. She was famed for being an ultra study queen, and the story of her uncertain relationship with Xu Tingsheng was even more widely known.

Those were none other than Wu Yuewei's full set of notes. As long as it was someone with the slightest bit of interest in their studies, who wouldn't want them?

"But Wu Yuewei is from the Science stream!" Xu Tingsheng's resentment ran deep, "Is this wanting to pull Qiuyi over to the Sciences? Can it be that my sister must still study the Sciences in this life? But here I am, knowing a whole bunch of Combined Humanities university entrance examination questions…"

In his previous life, the older brother of the Xu Family had studied Humanities while the little sister had studied the Sciences. This time, Xu Tingsheng actually very much wished for his sister to study Humanities. That way, there was just so much that he could help her with.

If his sister studied the Sciences, all he would be able to help her out with for the university entrance examinations were the essay questions.

Xu Tingsheng agonised over it for a while. Forget it, there was still a year's time before the students ultimately chose their streams. At that time, he would see. If his sister truly was still more interested in the Sciences than Humanities, he could only let nature run its course.

Receiving the thick stack of notebooks, Xu Qiuyi asked playfully, "Senior Wu Yuewei? …Sister-in-law?"

Wu Yuewei stopped in her tracks mid-nod. Senior? Of course. But what about that 'sister-in-law'?

Of course Wu Yuewei would be willing. She glanced at Xu Tingsheng, neither denying nor admitting the fact. Then, ignoring Xu Tingsheng completely, she just focused on chatting with Xu Qiuyi. Of course, the best topic of conversation for study queens was none other than: 'studies'.

Xu Tingsheng and his bunch of pitiful 'older bros' could only bitterly retreat.

"Remember to come and watch your bro play football tonight; it's the senior high farewell match," Xu Tingsheng reminded Xu Qiuyi.

"I know, I know! Hurry up and go, you being here is nearly stifling me dead," Xu Qiuyi waved him away without so much as a backward glance, her motions resembling the swatting of a fly.

"Uhuh."

In Libei Senior High, there was only Xu Tingsheng's sister Xu Qiuyi who could deflate him as much as this. Still, wasn't it precisely his wish to pamper his sister such that she would never ever have to be so sensible?

In his previous life, she had learnt how to associate with people and deal with matters early on, also having learnt how to cook and do laundry, becoming independent and strong…All these, however, were unnecessary. This girl, my sister, should just be pampered and spoiled. Why must she grow sensible? How tiring is that.

……

The football match had been decided upon two days ago. Xu Tingsheng had received a call from the captain of the team, similarly a twelfth grader who had already graduated, having been asked to participate in a farewell match. He was overjoyed by this invitation.

Some time after 3pm, most of those from the school team had already arrived. As there was no changing room, they just changed beneath the stands.

Xu Tingsheng had taken a long time just to find his jersey. More than ten years having passed, he had muddledly thought that it must be at the bottom of the pile. Only after having thrown everything out of his drawers and cabinets did he realise that his jersey actually hung just right by his bedside.

Right, this was still back in the day when he most loved playing football, played football the most.

The team members chatted as they put on their equipment, the new eleventh and twelfth grade players bidding their seniors farewell while the old boys who had already graduated sighed emotionally at already not having played football for more than two months due to the university entrance examinations.

"More than two months?" Xu Tingsheng thought, "It's been nearly eight years for me."

In his previous life, he had not played much football after having graduated from university. The school that he had taught in had not even had a decent football field.

Not having played for nearly eight years, could he still do it now?

Xu Tingsheng found the captain, saying with a bitter expression, "Captain, can I be a substitute?"

"Are you joking? All the graduates are going on, even those who were originally substitutes. Anyway, how could you possibly be a substitute?" The captain tugged lightly at Xu Tingsheng's jersey-Number 10, the number of the central midfielder.

The two forwards of the team came over with smiling faces, one of them saying, "Give me a few more passes later. It's the final match of senior high; I'd like a goal for commemoration."

The other guy elbowed him away, stammering, "I…pass to me. I've called over the girl I've had a crush on for three years. I want to score…confess."

Xu Tingsheng was incomparably agonised. He didn't even know now whether he would be able to stop the ball.

"Come on, quickly get changed and gather over here," The captain clapped his hands, beckoning everyone over.

"It's our final match of senior high," The captain said, "Let's forget everything about tactics, victory and whatnot. Most important is that everyone has a great and enjoyable time out there. If you defenders want to score, just run forward. If there's a penalty, let the goalkeeper kick it. Also, those who want to confess can leave at any time. You can come back after you've netted the girl…If you can't? Then, don't come back."

They all burst out laughing. There really were two people who intended to confess today.

The captain's eyes suddenly turned red, "For our days of playing football together."

The team shouted loudly in unison, "For our days of playing football together!"

This was overflowing, passionate youth. Those days spent running beneath the sunset…

Xu Tingsheng thought that those experiences seemed a lifetime away. Then he realised that it was actually the truth. He truly was separated by such by a whole lifetime.

"That Liu Ming, come over here. I've got something to say to you," The captain called over a player from eleventh grade, next pointing at the captain's armband around his arm, "This, I'll be wearing for the first half. In the second half…you'll be wearing it."

Liu Ming was stunned for a while before the big, tall stalwart mumbled with the tears streaming unimpeded straight down his face, "Captain."

"Don't be so wishy-washy with me or I won't give it to you. His mother, but I really can't bear it…I'll be handing this team over to you," The captain stroked his armband, crying more tragically than anybody else.

"You can rest assured, Cap."

Chapter 46: The final match

The final match saw them going up against their old rivals, the school team of Libei County's other senior high.

In the past, the sliding tackles had been ceaseless, their football matches even having turned into gang fights several times. This time, however, they shared similar emotions as they hugged one another before the match began, even performing the routine of huddling up and yelling the customary 'let's go!' together.

Of course, it was another matter on the pitch entirely. The game was exceptionally intense, intense clashes occurring all over the pitch as if the players were all high on drugs. While they had all claimed beforehand that they minded not the outcome, in truth, who wouldn't wish for their final, farewell match of senior high to end with victory for their side?

Another reason for the exceptionally intense atmosphere was that there really were too many spectators today. Aside from the students of the schools both old and new, there were also a number of teachers as well as their opponent's cheerleading squad present. The stands were filled to the brim, with even the aisles all crowded with people.

Amidst their youthfulness, who wouldn't want to demonstrate themselves in this kind of situation?

Scanning the crowd, Xu Tingsheng saw many familiar faces. Old Zhou sat smoking in a corner, and also sitting there were Vice Principal Lou, Fang Yunyao, Yao Jing, Ye Yingjing, Apple, Huang Yaming and Tan Qingling. Tan Qingling was already confirmed to be repeating the year, having joined the classes of the new twelfth graders.

"Where's my sister? …Not giving me face at all?"

Xu Qiuyi waved towards Xu Tingsheng from a corner of the stadium beneath the stands. Beside her stood Wu Yuewei. The two had hit it off too well conversing and arrived late as a result.

Xu Tingsheng smiled, waving back.

Then, bang! An opposing defender launched a powerful kick and the ball slammed directly onto his head.

Amidst great laughter on the stands, Xu Tingsheng spun around blankly. Where was the ball?

The striker from the other team had already gotten the ball into the penalty area.

Where was the defender?

The defender was in the opposing side's penalty box. Didn't the captain say it? If you want to score, run forward.

0 : 1

Similarly a graduate, the goalkeeper truly felt murderous.

Afterwards, amidst further consecutive errors by Xu Tingsheng, the score became 0 : 2.

"What's wrong, Tingsheng?" The captain came over and asked, "Focus! I'll go back to defend."

With the best defensive midfielder of Libei County in defense, Libei Senior High's defence finally took a bit a of a turn for the better.

Xu Tingsheng's sense for the ball was also slowly recovering. Despite not having played for nearly 8 years, it was only the feel that had been lost. His game instincts still remained, and his stamina was even better. Xu Tingsheng loved football with a passion. He began sprinting, intercepting passes, passing the ball, immersing himself whole-heartedly within the contest.

The captain shot over a long pass. Shielding the ball from the defender behind him, Xu Tingsheng made as if to catch it with his chest…then suddenly spun. Bewildered by his change of position, the defender lost track of the ball. Meanwhile, having long since run past him, Xu Tingsheng sped along with the ball, sprinting into the penalty box.

"Here!"

"Here!"

Having already arrived at their positions, the two strikers had upraised hands, asking for the ball.

"Who should I pass to?" Xu Tingsheng thought, "…confessing still seems more important."

Xu Tingsheng faked the motion of shooting, startled exclamations resounding from the stands. At that moment when his right foot was about to slam into the ball, it suddenly turned into a light push to the side as the ball rolled before the feet of the forward who was intending to confess.

1 : 2

The forward who had scored sprinted, sprinted as he looked towards the stands. At the same time, he also reached out, trying to retrieve something from inside his shorts. With football jerseys having no pockets, wanting to hide something, it could only be hidden inside the shorts.

Beneath everyone's bemused gazes, from his crotch was pulled out a…rose.

A rose, it was actually a rose. A rose hidden inside his shorts…shocked exclamations arose about the entire stadium.

Firstly, was this good? Secondly, roses had thorns. Wouldn't 'that place' be stung? It was fortunate that it had only been a single rose. If it had been a whole bouquet…

Cheers resounded as the forward leapt onto the stands, coming before a girl and kneeling down before her on one knee.

Raising that rose which had been hidden inside his shorts, he stammered, "Three…three years, every day, every single day, never having changed…be, be my girlfriend."

"Say yes, say yes…"

All were of one mind today in this very stadium.

Under thousands of gazes, the girl's smile was like a flower as she received the rose, bent over…and lightly kissed the forward's face.

The match resumed. Just having been successful with his confession, that forward sprinted about the entire field like a wild horse freed of its restrictive reins. It seemed like he wasn't intending to play the entire match through.

Xu Tingsheng's feel for the ball recovered more and more. Sprinting, sweating, hugging. At this moment, he no longer had the mentality of a 31-year-old. He was naught but a youth playing football. Youth should be like this, running rampantly as one desired, not knowing fatigue.

In the final minute of the first half, while breaking forward with the ball, the winger was sent flying off the pitch by a sliding tackle.

Shocked exclamations resounded alongside angry shouting. Still, the two involved in the clash were already up and hugging each other.

Corner, to be taken by Xu Tingsheng.

As if all the details within his memories had already returned, Xu Tingsheng raised his hand high, putting up three fingers-the ball would appear in the air three paces away from the captain's current position.

Xu Tingsheng inhaled deeply, running up to build momentum. The inner side of his foot slid heavily past the bottom of the ball. Bang! The ball flew in an arc towards the penalty area.

With a fake move, the captain shot past the defender marking him, beginning his run. He leapt high upwards. Bang! A powerful header slammed the ball straight into the opponent's net.

2 : 2

The spectators of Libei Senior High surged in excitement as all along the stands were upraised, rejoicing arms.

The captain was pushed to the ground, his team members leaping onto him one by one.

Extricating himself from the human pile with great difficulty, the captain ran towards the stands, throwing over a flying kiss…

On the stands, thousands of eyes followed the trajectory of the flying kiss as if it were a tangible entity. At a corner of the stands, a new twelfth grader junior reached out and lightly 'caught' the flying kiss, pressing it to her chest.

During the break for half time, walking towards the side of the pitch, the captain slowly removed his captain's armband, personally putting it around the arm of the new captain.

In the second half, a few substitutes were made for Libei Senior High, wherein even Fu Cheng, not a member of the school team, got a chance to enter the pitch.

"What position will I play?" Borrowing a jersey and putting it on, Fu Cheng asked rather nervously.

"Just kick however you like," The captain said.

"…"

Fu Cheng felt like he was just here to kick whatever, but it was Xu Tingsheng who got the ball the most in the midfield, and he repeatedly pushed Fu Cheng to sprint forward, continuously passing the ball over before Fu Cheng's feet…

"What's that bastard thinking? He can't be trying to do me in, right?" Due to receiving the ball the most yet being somewhat inferior in terms of technique and reaction, Fu Cheng was pathetically gotten the better of by several of their opponent's sliding tackles.

After having been slided a few times, Fu Cheng grew smart. As long as a sliding tackle was incoming, he would leap up and and fall 'agonisingly' to the ground before it had even contacted him.

Now, Fu Cheng fell once more.

"Swish."

Penalty-the referee pointed to the spot.

"W T F? But i didn't even touch him, okay?" The opposing defender cried out aggrievedly.

"He did," Fu Cheng said with a sincere expression, "It really hurts."

From what had been agreed upon earlier, the penalty was to be taken by their goalkeeper, goalie against goalie. With goalies forever understanding goalies the most, the goalkeeper of Libei Senior High made no mistake with the penalty, lightly tapping the ball into the net.

3 : 2

Three whole years. As a goalkeeper, this was the first ever goal he had scored these three whole years. He spread his arms wide apart, sprinting towards the stands…

Having seen a rose pulled out from inside the shorts, having seen a flying kiss being received, the excitement of the spectators had already been drawn to a maximum. In comparison to the match, these were clearly more interesting. After all, many here were not really interested in football itself, not really being aware of what was unfolding on the pitch as they had merely come here just to see their friends or partake in the bustling crowd.

What would it be this time?

Beneath the guesses and expectant gazes of all, the goalie grew confused amidst his running. Didn't everyone run while looking to the stands after having scored? Therefore, he had run as well. Still, he didn't have a girlfriend, and also didn't have someone he wanted to confess to.

The goalie halted and looked bemusedly at the stands for a few seconds before he raised his hands high, then…bowed deeply…

"I love you…all of you."