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Chapter 257 Brother, are you sick?

When Wang Lie went to chat with Fu Xiaofeng, the television broadcast even gave him a special shot.

So when Song You saw this scene on TV, he was even a little excited for Fu Xiaofeng—he thought Wang Lie was going to exchange jerseys with Fu Xiaofeng.

Everyone knows how difficult it is for Wang Lie to take the initiative to exchange jerseys with others, so this action is considered to have a very special meaning.

At the very least, it should mean that Wang Lie is satisfied with the performance of the player he exchanged jerseys with in this game.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have handed the jersey to the other player...

So it seems Brother Wang is quite satisfied with Lao Fu's performance...

After thinking this to himself, Song You breathed a sigh of relief—it meant that Lao Fu had passed Brother Wang's test.

He doesn't need to worry too much about Lao Fu not making the national team...

In the scene, Wang Lie walks up to Fu Xiaofeng, and the two cover their mouths and start talking.

Then the television broadcast cut away from the scene.

A moment later, the broadcast camera cut to the celebrating Tyne players, and Song You spotted Brother Wang among them.

But what puzzled him was that Brother Wang was still wearing that number 99 jersey... Had he not exchanged jerseys?!
He really wanted to check on Fu Xiaofeng's situation, but the camera didn't switch back for a while, instead continuing to film the Tyne players' celebration.

The Italian television commentator was still marveling at the historic significance of Tyne's victory: "...This is Tyne's first ever Champions League victory, and their players are celebrating wildly. Every step they take in the Champions League is writing new history..."

Song You wasn't interested in hearing how the Italian commentator praised the Tyne players; he just wanted to see what was happening on Fu Xiaofeng's side.

He stared intently at the television screen, not missing a single moment of the broadcast.

He finally caught a glimpse of Fu Xiaofeng's back in a fleeting shot.

Because the focus wasn't on him, his figure looked very blurry.

However, Song You still recognized that the figure from behind was Fu Xiaofeng.

He was still wearing Lille Atlético's number 10 jersey.

As expected, he did not exchange jerseys with Brother Wang.

Because it was only his back, Song You couldn't see his expression.

So we don't know exactly what they talked about during their conversation.

Did Brother Wang never intend to exchange jerseys with Lao Fu in the first place?

Or was it that you originally planned to, but since you didn't see eye to eye, you decided against exchanging jerseys?
Song You knew his friend Fu Xiaofeng well. Sometimes Fu Xiaofeng spoke in a sarcastic or unpleasant way, which made people feel uncomfortable.

But Brother Wang happens to be the kind of person who takes things very seriously.

Perhaps it was Lao Fu's unintentional remark that touched a nerve with Brother Wang?

Thinking of this, Song You picked up his phone and sent a message to Fu Xiaofeng:
What did you and Brother Wang talk about?

He knew that Fu Xiaofeng couldn't see him now, but he would see him sooner or later when he returned to the locker room, and then he would reply to him.

※※※

Fu Xiaofeng's teammates returned to the locker room one after another.

Most of them remained silent.

Losing at home to Tyne was an unacceptable result for them.

This means their chances of advancing from the group stage are becoming increasingly slim.

The competition has just ended, and many people have not yet recovered from the disappointment and pain.

Therefore, the locker room was unusually quiet.

After Fu Xiaofeng returned to the locker room, he picked up his phone and saw a message from Song You.

What did you and Brother Wang talk about?

To be honest, as friends, he and Song You often made jokes that might seem a bit excessive to outsiders. It was like college students in their dorms taking each other's place as their sons... People who didn't know their relationship might think they didn't get along, but actually, the more casual they were, the closer their relationship was.

For example, Song You had made fun of Brother Wang more than once.

He wouldn't get angry or embarrassed because of this.

But this time, Song You wasn't joking with him; he was just asking about it normally.

To Fu Xiaofeng, however, the news was particularly glaring, so glaring that he could barely open his eyes.

So he turned off his phone screen, and only then did his eyes feel more comfortable.

He tossed his phone aside, leaned against the wardrobe behind him, and stared blankly at the ceiling.

There were sounds of shoe spikes hitting the floor in the locker room, as well as some panting, coughing, and the sounds of items being picked up and put down.

But there was no sound of speaking.

It wasn't until their head coach, Youssef Chapchet, walked in and saw the lifeless atmosphere in the locker room that his voice broke the silence.

"I really wanted to comfort and encourage you, to tell you that you played very well in this game. But the result is what it is, so I can't bring myself to say those words. Besides, the result is that we lost the game. If we played well, then why were we the ones who lost?"

His tone was calm, and not the kind of calm that suppresses anger.

He offered his criticism of the team's performance in a normal tone:
"The good news is that the Champions League season has only just begun, and today was the first match, so we still have a chance to win in the upcoming games. Today's defeat doesn't necessarily mean we'll fail in this group... but!"

Looking at the players, Chapchett raised his voice:

"However, if we don't work hard to improve ourselves during this period, then our Champions League result this season will only be the group stage. To get out of this group of death, everyone needs to put in more effort!"

※※※

Song You never received a reply from Fu Xiaofeng.

Because he has a Champions League match tomorrow, he needs to get enough sleep and can't stay up too late.

But Fu Xiaofeng did not respond to him until he went to sleep.

Logically speaking, Fu Xiaofeng should have already returned home by now, and nothing else should be bothering him.

Why hasn't Fu Xiaofeng replied to me yet?
Song You felt there was only one answer: Old Fu didn't want to answer the question.

It seems that the communication between Lao Fu and Brother Wang was quite unpleasant...

He was even more curious about what the two of them had talked about!

Unfortunately, we'll have to wait until tomorrow to ask for the answer.

After checking his phone one last time to make sure Fu Xiaofeng hadn't sent him any messages, Song You put his phone on his bedside table to charge, then turned over and went to sleep.

※※※

"...These are all excuses. Why can't your simple, direct style of play work? Are you unable to head the ball, unable to shoot, or unable to take long-range shots?"

"To put it bluntly, your head coach felt that you couldn't fulfill his duties at such a crucial moment. He didn't think you were the one who could play a key role in critical situations! He didn't trust you! That's why he substituted you..."

In the pitch-black bedroom, Fu Xiaofeng suddenly opened his eyes, his face showing no sign of sleepiness.

Although, judging by the current time, he should have been fast asleep long ago.

But Wang Lie's words kept swirling in his mind, keeping him wide awake.

So he simply opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling.

More than four hours have passed since the end of the match, and it is now past 1 a.m. the next day.

But he couldn't fall asleep.

Because whenever he closes his eyes, he thinks of the game last night and what Wang Lie said to him after the game, which keeps his brain active and prevents him from sleeping.

At that moment, he suddenly became angry:
Dude, are you crazy?!

Did I provoke you?

What is an "excuse"?
Is it normal to make substitutions and adjustments based on different situations, replacing players with those who are a better fit for the new tactics?

According to your logic, all the players who were substituted due to tactical adjustments have lost the head coach's trust?

Even a fool would know that's not true!
When your team needs aerial attacks, if you are a 1.6-meter-tall striker, no matter how exquisite your footwork or how superb your shooting skills are, you will be substituted by the head coach!
Are you really expecting a 1.6-meter striker to contest for headers in front of the goal?
Fu Xiaofeng felt that Wang Lie was just nitpicking and making trouble out of nothing.

He performed well enough in this game; both goals were directly related to him. What more could he possibly do?
You can't blame me for Lille's loss, can you?
Without me, Lille might not have even scored those two goals!

Is losing the game solely my fault?

Our head coach used all five substitutions in this game, so how does my being substituted mean that the head coach doesn't trust me? Does it mean that I can't play a key role in crucial moments?

Are you kidding me, bro? Yes, you scored twice in this game, making you the biggest contributor to the team's victory. What you said sounded arrogant, but it really is impressive; you're particularly good at playing a crucial role in key moments.

But I'm different from you. How many players in the world are like you?

Why do you expect me to do what you do?

Can't we be more diverse and more inclusive?

Besides, if I could really be like you, would you still be the head of the national team?

Chi Zhen was cyberbullied after he stole your core item.

If I were as awesome as you and stole your core, wouldn't I just explode on the spot?
Do you want me to be as awesome as you, or not as awesome as you?

That's right, you are the red flower, and we are the green leaves.

I admit it, I accept it.

Then just let us be the supporting cast, okay? Stop criticizing the supporting cast by the standards of the main flower!

Oh, so your all-out effort is called all-out effort, but mine isn't?

My problem is my lack of ability, not my attitude!
Did you hear me?
I'm so bad at this!
I'm just a noob!

There was no one in the room, and Fu Xiaofeng had a lot to say but no one to talk to. He could only vent his emotions in his heart and mind.

He also regretted why he hadn't said these things to Wang Lie at the time, but had just kept his head down and remained silent.
During this national team competition, his impression of Wang Lie had improved somewhat, and he felt that this person finally knew how to put himself in other people's shoes and consider their perspectives.

As a result, he became the victim after the match.

So, has this "Great Demon King" changed at all?

No!

Not a single change has occurred!
He remains the same as before, self-centered, with no regard for others, only for his own ambitions and goals.

To him, everyone is merely a tool to be used.

There are always many people in China who like to praise him, almost to the point of making him a "god".

For these onlookers, a god-like idol is certainly a good thing.

But how many of these people would want to be around someone who is only divine but has no humanity?
What is meant by "divinity"?
Heaven and earth are unkind and regard all things as stupid dogs.

I wonder how many people's first reaction upon seeing this sentence is to curse God for treating everyone like pigs and dogs.

But in reality, this statement has no emotional meaning; it simply calmly states a pure and simple truth:
The Way of Heaven, or nature, has no such thing as human emotions and morals. In its eyes, all living beings are equal, and humans are not "higher animals" but simply creatures no different from pigs and dogs.

This is divinity!
Believers often fantasize that God will stand with them, but in reality, God stands with no one. What do the joys and sorrows, grudges and affections, ambitions and daily necessities of ants have to do with God?

When you step on an ant, you don't even realize you've killed it, let alone care about its past or what kind of "ant life" it should have.

Fu Xiaofeng believes that Wang Lie is such a "god".

He only cares about his own goals and doesn't care about other people's thoughts, wishes, or goals.

He always shouts slogans like "victory" and "championship," which are absolutely correct in sports, and then stands on the absolutely correct high ground, sweeping his guns down to make himself invincible—after all, who dares to say that victory is bad or that a championship is unwanted?

And so, under the guise of absolute righteousness, I was kidnapped by him and became a tool to satisfy his personal ambitions, a stepping stone.

This is also a major reason why Fu Xiaofeng is so angry today that he can't sleep, and why he didn't like Wang Lie before.

Because of him, Fu Xiaofeng did not want to be anyone's stepping stone.

Even if this "who" is "God".

※※※

Fu Xiaofeng didn't know exactly what time he fell asleep in the early hours of the morning; he only knew that he almost wasn't woken up by his alarm clock.

He only woke up suddenly after the alarm he had set on his phone rang three times in a row, realizing that he had to go to training.

They just played a Champions League match last night. As is customary, the head coach will give all the participating players a day or half a day off the next day.

However, because the team lost the game yesterday, head coach Chapchett did not give the players a day off, but instead required them to go to the training base as usual the next morning.

So Fu Xiaofeng could only yawn as he got out of bed, cursing Wang Lie in his heart—because Wang Lie's words yesterday were the reason he couldn't sleep at night and had to jump out of bed to curse!
After washing up and clearing his head a bit, Fu Xiaofeng picked up his phone and found that Song You had sent him another message that morning, asking him what he and Wang Lie had talked about yesterday.

It was still a glaring problem, but at least Fu Xiaofeng couldn't bear to look at it anymore.

He thought about it and finally replied:
"It's nothing, we just chatted for a bit, just polite small talk, you know what I mean."

He had barely sent his reply, and before he could even put his phone down, Song You replied instantly:

"Fuck me!"

You finally replied to my message!
"What's wrong? Didn't you see it last night?"

Since Fu Xiaofeng had decided to reply to Song You, he had naturally thought about how to deal with his follow-up questions.

"No, I saw it. But I was in a bad mood after losing the game, so I didn't reply..."

Song You: "I already told you, be careful Brother Wang might use you as an example. See, I told you so?"

This was just normal banter between friends, but when Fu Xiaofeng saw the line "Be careful, Brother Wang might use you as an example," the lingering anger from last night resurfaced, making him irritable and unwilling to continue talking to Song You.

"I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm going to eat breakfast, I'm going to be late for training."

That's how my chat with Song You ended so simply and directly.

On the other end of the phone, Song You frowned as he looked at Fu Xiaofeng's last words on the screen.

He always felt that Lao Fu wasn't telling him the truth, and that what Wang Ge and he had said before was definitely not just "polite talk"...

He felt that something must have happened between Brother Wang and Lao Fu, but Lao Fu was unwilling to tell him, so it was highly likely that Lao Fu had suffered a loss.

※※※

"Yusuf, have you noticed that Fu was completely out of sorts during training today...?"

Near the end of training, the assistant coach said to Youssef Chapchet.

Chapchte nodded: "I was just about to go talk to him alone."

So when training ended, Fu Xiaofeng was asked by the head coach to stay behind.

Fu Xiaofeng himself was not surprised by this result.

Because he was fully aware of his performance in the morning training session.

Not getting enough rest greatly affected his concentration during training.

So when head coach Chapchett told him to stay, he thought he might get scolded by the head coach.

At the same time, Wang Lie's words from yesterday echoed in his ears like a curse:

"To put it bluntly, your head coach feels that you can't fulfill his mission at such a crucial moment. He doesn't think you're the kind of person who can play a key role in critical situations! He doesn't believe in you!"

Could it be that Wang Lie was right?!

The head coach called me in because he was disappointed with my performance?

After all the players had left the training field, Chapchett cut to the chase and asked:

Why did you perform so poorly in training today?

Although Fu Xiaofeng was a little flustered, he still told the truth: "I didn't sleep well, sir. I don't know what time I fell asleep in the early hours of this morning..."

"Why? It's not like we've lost before. Why is it keeping you up at night this time?" Chapchett pressed.

Fu Xiaofeng couldn't very well tell the head coach that he couldn't sleep last night because Wang Lie said he didn't trust him, could he?

He had a sudden inspiration and remembered what the head coach had said in the locker room the day before, so he said, "...Uh, because I was thinking about what you said after we lost the game yesterday. You said that if we want to get out of this group of death, everyone has to give it their all and work hard. I feel ashamed of that; I feel like I didn't do my best..."

Seeing Fu Xiaofeng say these words with his head down, Chapchett's serious face broke into a smile:
"Although the loss wasn't solely your fault, I'm still glad you think that way. As the team's midfield core, you should have higher expectations for yourself. Your awareness gives me even more confidence that we can get out of this group of death!"

Fu Xiaofeng just wanted to find some excuse to brush it off.

But after hearing what the head coach said, he stared in surprise—of course, he kept his head down so the head coach wouldn't see the change in his expression.

He didn't expect the head coach to say that to him.

So the head coach didn't come to scold me, but to express his support and trust?
He suddenly perked up:
Haha, Brother Wang, you're wrong! Who said the head coach doesn't think I can play a crucial role in key moments?

Oh dear, I'm sorry to disappoint you.

It seems our head coach trusts me a lot!
(End of this chapter)