Chapter 88

In the morning match, overall, the game was played smoothly, but the results were not satisfactory. The football enthusiasts from the Accounting College were amateurs and had fewer opportunities to play matches, so when they played on a large field, their formation was relatively loose, and their defense was not tight.

Therefore, Guanglin Middle School had many scoring opportunities during the match. Moreover, the opposing goalkeeper was a temporary substitute, so basically, they could score almost every time they attacked. By the middle of the game, the players from Guanglin School began to ease up a bit.

Wang Bai played for half the game and could also feel that the fighting spirit of the Accounting College's football enthusiasts was not very strong, so he proactively requested to be substituted. After he came off the field, he thought that this type of friendly match did not really help the team much in terms of training. At most, it helped familiarize the team with formations and improve the coordination between the starters and substitutes. It would be best to find a team that regularly trains and plays matches to compete against, as this would help improve the team's combat effectiveness in matches.

He asked Zhao Jianbin, who was resting off the field with him, "Do you know of any decent amateur teams in Guanglin, not those cobbled-together ones?"

Zhao Jianbin, who had also played for half the game, could tell that the Accounting College's football enthusiasts could play on a small field and hold their own, but on a large field, they had many problems. Each position lacked a strong sense of positioning, and it was clear they had not practiced together. Individual players often held the ball and did not actively counter-attack after losing possession. A team with this level of tactics and skills would not provide much training value when playing on a large field.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "As far as I know, the district holds an amateur football championship every summer, with teams from various companies participating. I don't know how well-organized they are."

Wang Bai had heard of the championship, which was organized by the district sports bureau and was a characteristic event in Guanglin District. However, he had never watched it, so he didn't know the level of play. It shouldn't be worse than their student team, right?

"What teams do you know?" Wang Bai asked again. Zhao Jianbin shook his head, "I'm not too clear. I just know that it happens, but I haven't watched the matches. I don't even know who won last year. Maybe we can ask someone else?"

They didn't know, but surely someone else did. After the friendly match, they inquired among their teammates and learned about a few teams representing companies. They also found out that the champion team last year was the 75th Farm team.

The 75th Farm was far from Guanglin Town, so inviting them for a friendly match would be difficult. So they decided to look for a local team. However, when they inquired about the local teams, they found it challenging. There were only two amateur teams in the town that regularly played: the Guangfa Real Estate team and the Guanglin District Police team, both of which had participated in last year's championship and were said to be quite strong.

It was hard to invite either of these teams.

Just as they were worried about not finding a training opponent, Wang Bai received a call from Jin Xiaoli, informing him that the TV station's car had already set off and would arrive in about an hour.

He quickly asked, "An hour? That's right when it's mealtime. Should I invite them to eat first?"

Jin Xiaoli replied, "They are very busy and are coming in their spare time. You don't need to entertain them. Just give the reporter a thousand or so yuan as a red envelope, and he will understand. Contact the two parties involved quickly, so they are ready when the reporter arrives."

Wang Bai agreed and hung up, then started contacting Peng Zhenzhen. She answered immediately, and he explained the location and time. She readily agreed.

Wang Bai, as the mediator, naturally accompanied Lei Hu to the scene. They had a quick meal near the station and then started waiting. Wang Bai also went to a convenience store to exchange two 500-yuan convenience cards, which were widely accepted and useful for gift-giving.

As the time approached, a police car arrived, and Peng Zhenzhen, dressed in her uniform, got out. Wang Bai and Lei Hu went up to greet her, and she welcomed them warmly. She told them to get in the car and wait, so the TV people could find them easily. In the car, Wang Bai and Lei Hu chatted in the back, while Peng Zhenzhen sat in the front, observing Wang Bai's expression in the rearview mirror.

Yesterday, she had followed him for a long time but found nothing. When he went to a neighborhood near the school, she thought the driver would show up, but it turned out to be a new teacher who had moved in.

Could he really be so calm? Or did I guess wrong, and this has nothing to do with him? Peng Zhenzhen glanced at Lei Hu, who looked fierce, and thought that Wang Bai was actually very warm-hearted, willing to help even those who had nothing to do with him, and had a good reputation at school. It seemed unlikely that he would be involved in a serious crime.

However, one cannot judge a person by their appearance. She decided to continue following him for a while to ensure there were no abnormalities before making a decision. After all, she was very eager to solve a big case!

The TV station sent a regular car, with the driver also serving as the cameraman. The reporter, Chen, was a tall young man. After meeting Wang Bai and the others, he briefly asked about the incident, then drafted a short video and conducted interviews. The main focus was on Peng Zhenzhen, who detailed the events, praised the students for their bravery, but also reminded citizens to be cautious, report incidents quickly, and seek assistance, rather than blindly confronting criminals.

Seeing her clear and composed manner, Chen was satisfied and nodded, indicating that the segment was good. Next was Lei Hu, who was a bit nervous and had a stiff expression. Chen first had him introduce himself and then asked about his thoughts at the time. Fortunately, Wang Bai and Lei Hu had discussed the answers beforehand, and Lei Hu managed to get through it, albeit with some fumbling.

After reviewing the footage, Chen nodded, indicating it was okay, and said he would edit it and try to air it that evening. He then hurriedly left. As they saw him off, Wang Bai handed him the cards, and Chen smiled, accepting them without comment. He was just doing a job and earning some extra money. This trip was arranged by Mr. Jin, and the main benefit would not go to him; he just earned some goodwill.

With this matter settled, not only Lei Hu but also Wang Bai felt secretly pleased, as he still had the task of helping Lei Hu return to the school team. Even looking at the sharp-eyed female police officer seemed more pleasant. They had had a conflict before, but it was just a misunderstanding. Now that Peng Zhenzhen had helped him, his impression of her was no longer one of rashness and rudeness.

"Officer Peng, thank you so much this time," Wang Bai said, his tone becoming more intimate, "for helping my classmate and us."

"It was no big deal, no need to thank me," Peng Zhenzhen replied. She had just graduated from the police academy and had not yet been tainted by the real world, so her personality was very straightforward, though she had a professional habit of being suspicious.

Lei Hu was still unsure and asked Wang Bai, "Brother Bai, will this help me return to the team? Will the school revoke my punishment?"

"Of course not immediately," Wang Bai smiled, but also reassured him, "but don't worry, we need to go through the process. I will handle it for you."

"Brother Bai, you're a real friend," Lei Hu said, his brows relaxing and his eyes sincere, "if you need anything in the future, just say the word. I won't hesitate."

Peng Zhenzhen smiled and praised, "I really envy you kids, so pure and helpful, without expecting anything in return. Well, I have other things to do, so I won't keep you. See you later."

Wang Bai blushed slightly at her words, as he had indeed received some benefits for helping Lei Hu, but he had already intended to help him before taking on the task, so he felt he deserved the praise.

After parting ways with Officer Peng, they each went home. Wang Bai used the afternoon to tidy up the small room, bundling up textbooks, old newspapers, and other items and putting them in burlap bags, which he then placed next to the garbage bin downstairs.

There were also some old household appliances, like a discarded fan and a washing machine that had been used for over ten years and was now broken. He didn't understand why his parents kept these things and didn't throw them away earlier. Though they were heavy, it was easy for him to move them downstairs. After about two hours of effort, he managed to clear out half the small room.

There were still some items that might be useful, and some gifts received during holidays that he couldn't throw away but had no place to put. He went to ask his mother, who was resting at home, for advice.

Wang's mother came to the small room and praised her son, "Good job, you're much more diligent than your father. These things... it's a pity to throw them away. Why don't you gather them and stack them here? The space you've cleared should be enough for a single bed. Go to the second-hand market and see if you can find a used steel bed. We have bedding at home, so you can move in tonight."

"Wait, I'm moving in tonight?" Wang Bai was taken aback, thinking about the small room, the limited space, and the used steel bed. What benefit did he get from all this hard work?

"What?" Wang's mother glared at him, "Do you want your sister to move in here? She's a guest, and you don't know how to be polite?"

Wang Bai pouted, thinking that she was his biological sister, and he felt like a stepson in his stepmother's eyes, especially since his status had plummeted since Lu Lu moved in.

Though he had objections, he didn't dare argue with his mother and had to agree. He then went to the second-hand market to buy a steel bed and brought it home. After a tiring afternoon, he not only broke a sweat but also almost missed his date.

After setting up the new bed at home, he saw it was already 5:30. He quickly told his mother he was going out to eat with classmates and rushed out.

Fortunately, he had learned from experience and had reserved a private room by phone. When he arrived at the restaurant, a pretty Sichuanese waitress led him to the private room, where he sat and ordered dishes while waiting for his two friends to arrive.