Volume One: Our Own League 110: The School Team Trials Approaching

In a KFC on Jianshe Road, in the Huacheng District of Jinguan City, Li Liying sat across from Xu He, wearing a crisp black blazer and her hair pulled back in a sharp, professional ponytail.

It was surprising that Li Liying favored such formal attire in her daily life, but one had to admit it suited her temperament perfectly. Xu He, by contrast, was dressed in a casual sports jacket and jeans, projecting a sunny, easygoing vibe. He was currently focused on his math homework. For some reason, their teacher, Ye Ziqing, had assigned a mountain of math problems that week, leaving the students of Class 11 groaning in despair. Two full sets of papers plus unit exercises in just two days—it was simply too much. With the current national movement to "reduce the burden" on students, it felt ironic that their workload was ballooning instead, to the point where their schoolbags were struggling to contain it all.

For Xu He, however, it was manageable. He was strong in mathematics, and since he understood most of the material, he worked through the problems with relative ease. Watching him scribble away, Li Liying offered a faint smile. "I think your math homework is still too light. Look, you’re almost done already."

Xu He rolled his eyes at her. "Too light? Are you kidding? Any more and I wouldn't be able to keep up! Didn't you hear the wailing from our classmates when Teacher Ye handed these out? I suggest you try being a decent human being for once!"

Li Liying chuckled. "Seeing you work so fast, it clearly doesn't pose any challenge at all. If your classmates saw you breezing through this like a flowing stream, they’d definitely tell you to be a decent human being too!"

Xu He gave her a look, leaving the interpretation of his silent disdain entirely to her. As she worked on her English assignment, she suddenly remarked, "You know, I really didn't expect your Class 10 team to lose to Class 16 and miss out on the championship."

Xu He’s pen came to a dead halt. He hadn't expected her to bring up such a mood-killing topic. He looked up, gave her another glare, and snapped, "Are you trying to annoy me on purpose today? Can we still have a pleasant time or not?"

Li Liying remained unfazed. "I honestly didn't think the Class 16 team would win."

Xu He set his pen down. "We all underestimated them. They are incredibly strong, especially defensively."

As he spoke, his thoughts drifted to Zhu Jun and Xu Donglai. He recalled how, after Class 16 secured the title, Zhu Jun had approached him yet again. Zhu Jun had been very direct: the current Class 16 team still had obvious flaws and desperately needed a striker like Xu He. He insisted that Xu He was the perfect fit for their squad, and that with his arrival, their strength would increase exponentially, allowing them to successfully defend their league title.

Truth be told, Xu He was tempted. He knew that if he stayed with Class 10, he would likely remain a substitute, unable to displace Zhang Zhen or Yang Xin. Furthermore, he had had a minor falling out with Zhu Ge before the finals, which had only fueled his desire to leave. When Lin Xuefeng had returned, Zhu Ge had chosen to retain Yang Xin without hesitation, effectively casting Xu He aside. It was clear who held the higher position in the coach’s heart, and while Xu He understood the reasoning, he wasn't content with being a backup.

He needed more playing time; he needed to be a starter. Class 10 couldn't offer him that, but other teams could. The champions, Class 16, valued him highly, and the prospect of being the core of their counter-attacking system—where all tactics revolved around him—was exactly what he craved.

"Zhu Jun invited you again, didn't he?" Li Liying asked suddenly.

Xu He was startled. The girl was far too sharp; she had guessed it before he even said a word. "No such thing!" he denied quickly.

Li Liying wrinkled her nose and scoffed. "Don't lie to me. Your eyes already gave you away."

She was far too clever. Defeated, Xu He muttered, "Too-smart women aren't very well-liked, you know."

Li Liying ignored the jab. "Stop changing the subject. Am I right? Did Zhu Jun invite you again?"

Xu He gave a slight nod, conceding the point. Li Liying stared at him intently. "Are you tempted?"

Meeting her bright, inquisitive gaze, Xu He sighed. "I am, actually."

Li Liying nodded, as if her suspicions had been confirmed. "So, have you made up your mind? Are you going to leave our team?"

As the manager of the Class 10 team, she was an integral part of the squad. Xu He shook his head. "I haven't made a final decision yet."

Seeing his sincerity, Li Liying softened. "I understand you. If I were in your shoes, I might choose to leave for Class 16 as well."

Xu He looked at her, silent.

"I’m not talking about the championship title," she continued, "but the starting position. Your current level of play deserves a spot on the pitch, and Class 10 just can't give that to you."

In truth, she didn't want him to leave. She knew his strength, his potential, and most importantly, his work ethic. He was the hardest-working player on their team and the one who had improved the fastest. He needed more matches, especially with the school planning to establish an official representative team. He needed the experience to train, improve, and hopefully earn a spot on the school team to compete in the National Tournament.

Despite her support for his growth, she was conflicted. "Whatever you decide, I understand and support you. Don't put any pressure on yourself; just follow your heart. I think your teammates will understand and support you, too."

Xu He nodded, looking at her with genuine gratitude. Even now, she was the one counseling him. He turned back to his math homework, and after a lingering glance, Li Liying returned to her English. They both busied themselves, and soon enough, the math problems—which hadn't been that difficult after all—were finished.

As soon as he capped his pen, Li Liying leaned in. "I have some inside information for you."

Xu He paused, curious about the sudden air of mystery. "What kind of inside info? About the Class 10 team?"

Li Liying shook her head. "What are you thinking? Wouldn't you know more about that than me? You're the one on the inside, aren't you?"

"That's not necessarily true," Xu He countered. "Your sources are always faster than mine."

She brandished a playful fist at him, and he held up his hands in mock surrender.

"You saw Coach Song Yu at the finals last week, right?" she began.

Of course he did. The school had promoted his attendance heavily. Xu He had played his heart out, hoping to catch the coach's eye, only for everything to go wrong in the end. He had watched with envy as Coach Song Yu spent a long time chatting with Zhu Jun and Xu Donglai during the awards ceremony. He would have given anything to be in their place, hearing the coach's advice.

"What about him?" Xu He asked.

"I heard in the teachers' office that Principal Wang is trying his hardest to recruit Coach Song Yu to lead our school's official representative team," Li Liying said. "The principal wants us to make a mark in the National Tournament!"

The news electrified Xu He. The prospect of a National Tournament was even more exciting than the arrival of a pro coach. "Are you sure? Will the principal really go all-out for school football?"

Li Liying looked at him, surprised. She had expected him to focus on the coach, not the tournament. "Xu He, have you been thinking about the National Tournament for a long time, haven't you?"

Xu He nodded firmly. "It’s not just me. Our team, and many others in the league, are thinking about it. The appeal of the National Tournament is huge. We all want a chance to show what we're made of on that stage." His eyes were filled with longing.

"Then you need to work hard," Li Liying said. "I hear they’re close to finalizing the deal with Coach Song Yu. Once he's on board, the selection for the school team begins. You better give it your all—I hope you make the cut!"

School team selections. This was the most critical piece of news he had received all day. "When? When does it start?"

Li Liying smiled at his excitement. "If all goes according to the principal's plan, it should be in two weeks. By then, the negotiations with Coach Song Yu should be finished. And who knows? He might even be the lead judge for the tryouts!"