He unleashed a world-class goal with a single kick; you're saying this is Su Chao?

There are ten minutes left in the game.

The red team launched a fierce counterattack, and Wang Yu became increasingly aggressive in his midfield orchestration, with a noticeable increase in the frequency of long passes and frequent positional changes between the left and right flanks, attempting to disrupt the blue team's defensive rhythm.

Wang Yu received the ball on the edge of the penalty area and unleashed a long-range shot that went straight into the top corner.

The blue team's goalkeeper made a diving save.

Corner kick.

Wang Yu took the kick, and the ball flew towards the far post.

The red team's center-back leaped high and slammed his forehead into the ball.

The ball headed straight for the top right corner of the goal.

The blue team's goalkeeper had no time to react.

To everyone's surprise, during the corner kick defense, Chen Xun actually retreated to the near post.

As the ball flew towards him, he jumped up and headbutted it off the crossbar.

Clearing the ball with a header.

The quality of his header this time was completely different from that of his technical test three weeks ago.

The timing of the jump, the point where the forehead contacts the ball, and the direction of the clearance—every step was handled cleanly and efficiently.

The upgrade to the "Basic Technique Package: Ball Control" also gave Chen Xun a new understanding of headers.

Depend on!

Wang Yu felt a chill when he saw Chen Xun appear.

How did this guy end up there?

Did you predict where the football would land?

impossible!

The two slept in the same room every day, and Wang Yu knew Chen Xun's background best.

This guy used to barely watch football.

It's impossible to be that perceptive.

That can only be attributed to Chen Xun's good luck.

Wang Yu sighed.

It seems that Chen Xun is the only one who will advance this time!

The blue team launched another counterattack.

The outcome of the match was no longer in doubt.

Zhou Guoliang moved Chen Xun back to the right side, probably to see if he could maintain his stamina for a sprint under the pressure of frequent position changes.

It turns out, it is possible!

He received a pass from Zhao Lei on the right wing.

The Red Team's left-back had already reached his physical limit.

Chen Xun did not make a feint.

He poked the ball forward with his foot and then chased after it at full speed.

It's all about speed now.

And that's exactly what Chen Xun excels at!

After three steps, he left the left-back behind.

He cut into the penalty area from near the byline, and the Red Team's center-back came to cover.

Chen Xun did not take a shot himself.

He glanced at Zhao Lei, who had positioned himself in the middle lane.

With a push of the instep, he passed the ball across to the penalty spot.

Zhao Lei met the ball with a low shot.

The ball drilled into the bottom right corner of the goal.

3:0.

After scoring, Zhao Lei rushed straight to Chen Xun and hugged him tightly.

"Dude, that was such a perfect pass!"

Chen Xun was choked so tightly he could hardly breathe, so he patted his back to signal him to let go.

On the sidelines, Zhou Guoliang closed the scoreboard.

The final whistle blew.

Chen Xun bent over, his hands supporting his knees.

Sweat dripped from his body onto the grass, staining his fluorescent pink sneakers beyond recognition.

Nine people lined up in a row.

Zhou Guoliang stood in front of them, holding the record board in his hand.

"The coaching staff has already decided on the results of the selection trials."

His gaze swept across each person's face: "The chosen one is..."

"Chen Xun!"

Chen Xun raised his head.

"Wang Yu!"

Zhou Guoliang read out the second name.

Everyone was stunned for a moment.

Isn't it a choice of nine?

Seeing their expressions, Zhou Guoliang offered a rare explanation: "The original plan was to select one, but the coaching staff believes that both of your performances have met the standards for official team members."

"Wang Yu's midfield orchestration and long passing abilities are exactly what the team needs right now, as are Chen Xun's wing play and inside cut-in shooting, so we need both!"

He closed the notepad: "Is there a problem?"

No one spoke.

They had both seen what the other two had done, and they accepted their defeat wholeheartedly.

Wang Yu turned his head and glanced at Chen Xun.

Chen Xun was also looking at him.

Their eyes met in mid-air, and then they smiled at the same time.

"Congratulations!"

"The same to you!"

……

That evening, Li Jun suddenly walked into the dormitory.

He wasn't wearing his coach's uniform today; he was wearing a dark blue polo shirt instead.

"Meet at the base entrance at 8:00 AM."

Where are you going?

Wang Yu asked.

"Team building!"

"It's a long-standing tradition in the official team that the veteran players treat new members to their first meal after joining."

Chen Xun and Wang Yu exchanged a glance.

Is this for real?

At 8:00 a.m. sharp, a dozen or so people gathered at the entrance of the base.

Zhao Lei stood at the front, holding a bunch of car keys. Seeing Chen Xun and Wang Yu come out, he tossed the keys into the air, caught them, and grinned.

"The new recruits are here, let's go!"

A dozen or so teenagers rode in three cars and headed towards the city center.

Chen Xun sat in the passenger seat of Zhao Lei's old Passat, while Wang Yu and two official team members squeezed into the back seat.

The car was playing old songs by Jay Chou, and Zhao Lei was humming along to the melody of "Nocturne".

"Brother Lei, where are we going?"

Chen Xun was somewhat curious.

"Silver Noodle Shop"

"Want some noodles?"

"Changzhou's signature silver thread noodles, net rolls, and braised pork belly—we've got them all for you tonight."

Zhao Lei turned the steering wheel and the car turned into an old street: "I've been eating at this restaurant since I was a child. The owner and my dad were comrades-in-arms. You're in for a treat today."

The shop is small, with an old-fashioned wooden signboard that reads "Old Changzhou Silver Thread Noodles Restaurant".

There were seven or eight tables inside, and old black and white photos on the walls, depicting street scenes in Changzhou decades ago.

The boss was a bald man in his fifties, wearing a white apron. Seeing Zhao Lei enter, he called out from afar:

"Little Lei, you've brought your team to raid again?"

"Uncle Zheng, new team members are joining today, time for the main course!"

"Okay!"

The group of people sat down at two tables.

The food was served very quickly.

The silver noodles are as thin as hair, the soup is clear, and a large pork chop is stewed until tender on top.

The sesame cakes are fresh out of the oven, with a crispy crust, and the aroma of sesame fills your nose with every bite.

The caul fat rolls were made by wrapping red bean paste in pork caul fat and deep-frying them. They were crispy on the outside and sweet on the inside, and they were so hot that Wang Yu grimaced but still couldn't bear to put them down.

Braised pork belly is fatty but not greasy; the meat falls apart when you pick it up with chopsticks, and you can eat three big bowls of rice with it.

Chen Xun buried his head in his food and ate voraciously.

This was the most delicious meal he had eaten in a month.

The food in the base canteen is okay, but it's the same few dishes every day.

A dozen or so people squeezed around two large tables, their chopsticks clashing in the dishes. The person who managed to grab the last piece of sesame cake proudly held it above their head to show off, while those who didn't get any grumbled and cursed.

Chen Xun thought of the dining table at Old Xu's house.

Braised pork ribs, steamed sea bass, tomato and egg soup—his teacher's wife kept piling food into his bowl. Old Xu ate his rice in silence, occasionally glancing up at him. Xu Yourong secretly pushed the pork ribs into his bowl while eating.

That feeling is very similar to what I feel now.

We're not family, but when we sit at the same table to eat, we're family.

Zhao Lei, sitting next to Chen Xun, suddenly tapped the rim of his bowl with his chopsticks halfway through his meal, stood up, and cleared his throat: "Let me say a few words."

The table fell silent.

"We have two new members today, Chen Xun and Wang Yu. You all watched the selection competition, and they both performed very well. From today onwards, they are our members."

He raised his teacup: "Let's welcome the newlyweds with tea instead of wine!"

More than a dozen people raised their glasses at the same time.

The teacups clinked together, spilling tea all over the table.

After Zhao Lei sat down, he leaned closer and whispered, "There's another round after we finish eating."