Volume One: Our Own League Chapter 051: Dad, I’m Not an Outsider!

Xu He looked up in surprise at his father and said, “Dad, did you go to watch my match today?”

Xu Tie gazed at his son and nodded.

Xu He exclaimed with delight, “Dad, how did you even know we had a league match?”

Xu Tie replied, “I heard it from your classmates.”

“Oh! Dad, our team won today—five to one, a huge victory! We’ve already won two group matches in a row, and now we’re almost certain to make it to the semifinals. We’re one step closer to the championship…”

As he spoke about this, Xu He became unstoppable, words tumbling out in a torrent.

Xu Tie fixed his eyes on his son, studying the expression on his face as if searching for something profound hidden there.

After a long pause, Xu Tie finally asked, “Are you happy?”

Xu He answered at once, “Of course I’m happy! Our team won.”

Xu Tie said, “Even if you couldn’t participate, even if you were just sitting on the bench like an outsider, you’re still happy?”

Xu He was taken aback; he hadn’t expected his father to say that.

Am I really like an outsider? he wondered.

He saw the tenderness and concern in his father’s eyes and expression. He could sense his father’s care, yet he didn’t feel as pitiable as his father seemed to think.

Xu He said with genuine joy, “Dad, I’m not left out, nor am I an outsider.”

Xu Tie kept his gaze steady, saying nothing.

With a smile, Xu He continued, “Dad, even though I was on the bench, I’m still part of the team. I was involved too. From the sidelines, I watched the game intently, spotting issues with our team, then loudly reminding my teammates to help them improve their defense. Together, we fought for victory…”

Xu Tie’s eyes tightened, and his heart trembled.

Xu He went on, “When my teammates were thirsty and needed water, I was always the first to hand them water and towels… When they were exhausted and needed to loosen up, I’d go right away to help them relax their muscles… When the coach conveyed tactical instructions, I was the first to rush over… And when they scored and celebrated, I was there in an instant as well…”

Xu Tie’s gaze had grown much softer, and even a light shone in his eyes as he looked at his son.

Xu He continued, “Even sitting on the bench, I gave my all, doing everything I could to fight alongside my teammates for victory. Although I wasn’t on the field, and my role was different, I put in all my effort, contributing as much as I could, moving toward victory with them. I participated just as much, and I feel happy because I gave everything I had for this win…”

Xu Tie hadn’t expected his son to speak this way. Though there were many repetitions and the words were a bit muddled, Xu Tie understood his son’s thoughts and felt a deep admiration.

He hadn’t realized his son could think this way.

Remarkable.

He truly felt his son was extraordinary.

Even many adults couldn’t put the team first as his son did. He was genuinely proud of Xu He.

Xu Tie gave Xu He a thumbs-up and exclaimed, “Son, you’re amazing!”

Xu He chuckled, “I really am pretty great.”

Xu Tie couldn’t help laughing. He hadn’t expected this kid to be so full of himself.

Xu Tie asked, “Will you always be like this in the future?”

Xu He shook his head resolutely, “No.”

Xu Tie was startled. “Why not?”

Xu He replied with conviction, “I’ll train hard and improve my football skills so I’ll be strong enough. Then I won’t have to sit on the bench. I want to be a starter for the team.”

Yes, while sitting on the bench meant contributing in his own way, it wasn’t what Xu He truly wanted. What he wanted most was to be on the field, to be a main player.

He, Xu He, had always said—he was no worse than anyone else.

He had resolved in his heart to work hard and train diligently, so he could return to the starting lineup as soon as possible.

Looking at his son, Xu Tie felt deeply gratified.

To be honest, he felt as if he was getting to know his son all over again, and he was very satisfied.

Soccer really had helped his son grow a lot.

Xu Tie wanted to say more, but just then Tang Qian came out and said, “Alright, you two have chatted enough. Xu He, go wash up and get ready for bed. You have to get up early tomorrow.”

Xu He replied at once, “Yes, Mother.”

With that, he stood up and went to wash.

Watching his son’s retreating figure, Xu Tie sighed, “I never thought our little Xu He would grow up so much.”

Tang Qian, however, disagreed. “Grow up? I don’t see it at all—he’s still a mud monkey. Did you see the state of his clothes today? Filthy! I bet he was rolling in the mud again.”

Xu Tie chuckled, “He’s a boy, after all.”

With that, Xu Tie braced himself on his left leg and stood up with difficulty to help his wife clear the table.

Tang Qian said gently, “Shoo, shoo, I don’t need your help here. Go rest.”

Xu Tie just grinned and ignored her, staying to help clean up.

Tang Qian didn’t really chase him off, letting him help as he pleased, a happy smile blooming on her face.

…

The next morning, Xu He was up early, clutching his soccer ball as he ran outside.

He had set himself a detailed training plan.

In truth, it mostly meant practicing his shooting like a madman.

After learning from Zhang Zhen, Xu He was gradually figuring out the right technique for shooting. Of course, getting better at it couldn’t happen overnight—it would take a lot of practice.

So, whenever he had time, Xu He would train.

But before practicing his shots, Xu He would start with a jog.

He didn’t know why, but ever since training with Mu Yang, he’d developed a habit of off-ball training. Now, even when training alone, he would include it in his routine.

Once he was warmed up, Xu He began practicing his shots.

He recalled Zhang Zhen’s advice: the technique for generating power, where to strike the ball, and the placement of his standing foot. He reviewed it again and again in his mind, afraid of missing any detail, and executed his training with meticulous seriousness.

“Standing foot must be level with the ball, body weight slightly forward…”

“When swinging the leg, use the waist to drive the thigh, then the calf…”

“At the moment of contact, keep the instep fully extended…”

Xu He recited these tips in his heart, took a deep breath, and started his run-up. As he reached the ball, his left foot planted firmly beside it, in line with the ball.

He swung his arm, turned his body slightly, and raised his right leg, keeping his foot taut.

He focused on the technique, then struck with force—waist leading the thigh—kicking the ball hard.

With a loud thud, Xu He’s powerful shot sent the ball whistling through the air. It slammed into the opposite wall and rebounded quickly.

With another loud bang, the ball struck Xu He square in the face.

He was knocked down instantly.

Fortunately, the ground was covered in turf, or Xu He might have been hurt badly.

“Whoa! That hurts!”

He was in real pain, his nose stinging and tears nearly welling up. Grimacing, he reached up to check his nose, worried he might be bleeding.

That blow had really hurt.

After feeling carefully and finding no blood, Xu He breathed a sigh of relief. It still hurt, though, and his eyes were brimming with tears.

Since his nose was fine, he got up slowly, replaying that shot in his mind. He’d aimed for an angle, so why had the ball flown straight out?

Thinking it over, he realized his contact with the ball had been off, and his instep hadn’t been fully extended at the moment of the shot, which caused the result.

With the problem found, Xu He relaxed—he just needed more practice and adjustments.

This experience also made him realize how hard it was to master shooting. He admired Zhang Zhen even more—how many times must he have repeated this to become so skilled?

Impressive!

Xu He cheered himself on and continued his training.

He already understood the difficulty of mastering shooting technique, so this didn’t discourage him at all. In fact, he practiced more seriously and attentively, shooting again and again, correcting mistakes each time, never stopping or complaining. He trained with undiminished enthusiasm.

Failure after failure did not defeat Xu He; instead, it spurred him on.

Keep going, Xu He!

You can do it—one day you’ll surpass the others and reclaim your spot in the starting lineup.

“Keep your instep extended, fully extended…”

“Power technique was off—watch it next time, pay attention…”

“Too rushed, standing foot wasn’t steady or in the right place—can’t let that happen again…”

Xu He repeated his training over and over, constantly reflecting and searching for mistakes, making adjustments, and pushing on tirelessly.

With a loud bang, Xu He hit the ball again, sending it whistling into the upper right corner of the wall.

He leapt up in delight, pumping his fist in excitement. “Yes, that’s it! That’s the feeling! Amazing, Xu He, you did it—you’re the best!”

This time, his shot met all his expectations—he’d done it perfectly.

He was overjoyed and full of energy.

He dashed off to retrieve the ball and continued training. He wanted to engrain this feeling, to practice while it lasted, so that his shooting would gradually improve.

Go for it, Xu He!

Xu He punched the air, cheering himself on.