Chapter 014: The Soccer Team

There weren't many students renting places outside the school, and the rent was incredibly cheap—just fifty yuan secured a small room on the second floor in the house next to the Rural Inn. The landlord had divided the large house into smaller rooms with brick walls, making it convenient for students to rent. Fifty yuan for three months was almost unbelievable, but considering the cost of living at the time and the location, it wasn’t as cheap as it sounded.

After securing the room, Zhang Tan immediately called on his 103 dormitory roommates to help move his personal belongings. Everyone envied him for renting a place outside, but it wasn’t something they could easily replicate.

With his own place, Zhang Tan could finally escape—if only briefly—the troubles his age brought him. He no longer had to tiptoe around others and could do as he pleased. The sense of freedom was exhilarating.

The next day at noon, Zhang Tan, feeling refreshed, ran to the sports field. Seeing students from other classes playing soccer, he didn’t hesitate to join in. The field was just a dirt patch, kicking up dust with every step, but nothing could dampen their enthusiasm.

Zhang Tan had always loved two sports: table tennis and soccer. In high school and college, he played soccer with great passion and honed his skills. Even after graduating, he occasionally played matches with old classmates at various schools in Hefei. But as the years passed and his body grew heavier, he lost his former sharpness on the field.

Now, in this young, somewhat undernourished body, he felt as light as a swallow. His strength wasn’t great, but he ran with ease and dribbled past defenders effortlessly.

After half an hour of sweating on the field, a chubby student with good skills approached. “You’re pretty good. You’re from Class Five, freshman year, right?”

“That’s right. You play well too. Which class are you from? What’s your name?”

“I’m Xu Weidong from Class Six.”

“Zhang Tan.”

After introductions, Xu Weidong got straight to the point. “Soon, the second-year classes will be organizing an intramural soccer tournament with us freshmen. Your class should start preparing too. If you play well against the second-years, you might get picked for the school team.”

“I’ve heard about it and was just about to organize our class soccer team.”

Of course Zhang Tan knew about the tournament. Thinking of it always left him with regret. Back then, he was on the class team. Class Five, freshman year, had been underestimated; it was hard enough to gather eleven players, as most students preferred basketball over soccer.

Yet, that patchwork team managed to defeat all the powerhouses and make it to the final, facing Class Three of the second-years. It rained that day, turning the field into a quagmire, but both sides fought fiercely. The score was tied one to one until the final moments. During the last attack, Zhang Tan dribbled forward and found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but his final shot was weak and the ball was easily caught. In the penalty shootout that followed, Class Five narrowly lost, missing the championship. At the end, Zhang Tan knelt in the mud, covering his face, unable to tell whether the wetness on his cheeks was rain or tears.

That might have been the closest he’d ever come to winning a championship in his life.

“This time, the championship belongs to Class Five!”

…

That afternoon, after the third period—when school let out—Zhang Tan waited for the teacher to leave, then rushed to the podium. “Girls can go home now. Boys, please stay. I want to talk about something briefly.”

Zhang Tan hadn’t been especially active lately, but with the composure of a thirty-year-old man, he stood out in the class, especially with his slightly receding hairline, which gave him an air of sharpness. When he said there was something to discuss, the boys stayed, and the girls, curious, didn’t leave either.

“Here’s the situation. At noon, I discussed with several second-year classes and all the soccer players in the freshman year. There’s going to be a soccer tournament between the freshmen and second-years, and our class can’t fall behind. We need to organize our team now.”

“But we don’t know how to play,” someone called out.

“That’s fine,” Zhang Tan waved it off. “Soccer is simple. You’ll pick it up quickly. We have thirty boys in our class; we just need to find eleven to form a team. If you’re interested, raise your hand and I’ll make a list.”

Originally, it was Zhu Ran who organized the soccer team, but now that Zhang Tan was here, he had no intention of taking orders from a middle schooler.

The team was formed smoothly enough, with fifteen students signing up. Zhang Tan didn’t worry about their skill level and included everyone.

“We need to buy matching jerseys for the team. I’ve calculated the cost: it’s about twenty-five yuan per person at cost price. Printing numbers will be extra, but I’ll try to negotiate with the vendor to waive that fee.”

Hearing they’d have to pay for jerseys, five students immediately withdrew.

Fortunately, a student named Wei Wei, who hadn’t signed up to play, still wanted a jersey, which made up the numbers. Those without jerseys could borrow his.

“Class Six has decided to get Real Madrid jerseys. The second-year classes have chosen Ajax, Dortmund, Barcelona, Juventus, Inter Milan, and Liverpool. Class Four picked the China team kit. Which one do you want? The good-looking and strong teams still available are Manchester United, AC Milan, Roma…”

Last time, the class had chosen Manchester United, and after some discussion, they did so again. United had recently achieved a historic treble and three consecutive championships, making them a natural choice.

“Alright, that’s settled. Bring me the money during evening study hall, and I’ll head to Shuangdun Town to order the jerseys.”

With Zhang Tan’s straightforward leadership, Class Five’s team came together.

After settling the soccer team, Zhang Tan rode with Li Dong on his bicycle to Shuangdun Town. Li Dong was a local day student, so riding with him saved two yuan on bus fare—why not?

…

While Zhang Tan was happily busy with the soccer team,

Far away in Wuhai, the capital of Northern Province, a meeting had just concluded in the conference room of Legends Past and Present magazine.

“Xiao Wang, this time, Legends Past and Present is launching the Martial Arts Edition. This is a major opportunity for you—and a major challenge. Last year, we launched the Stories Edition, and this year’s monthly circulation has already surpassed 250,000 copies, becoming a legend among domestic periodicals. Headquarters has high hopes for your team and the new Martial Arts Edition.”

Walking down the corridor, the editor-in-chief, fresh from the meeting, spoke to Wang Conglun, who had just taken over as chief editor of the Martial Arts Edition.

Wang Conglun nodded eagerly. “Yes, Editor-in-Chief. I will do my utmost to lead my colleagues and make the Martial Arts Edition a success!”

“Good. Martial arts fiction is about to take off in the country. You must dig deep, discover all the local martial arts authors, and cultivate the culture. Our readership will only keep growing.”

“Don’t worry, Editor-in-Chief.”

“I’ll be waiting for your good news.”