Chapter 61

Dongsen University has 14 colleges. Apart from the Civil Engineering and Mechanical and Electrical Engineering colleges, which each have a college football team that occasionally practices together, the other colleges rely on temporary teams, with almost no joint practice.

Yu Heng, the sports minister of the Economics and Management College, first found the physical education representatives of each class by grade, asking them to recommend good football players in their classes, compiling a large list.

Then, Yu Heng, known for his quick thinking, found the teacher of the school's football class and, with a pack of cigarettes, obtained the exam results of the football class for the past two years. He felt that the scores were more reliable than impressions.

Yu Heng, a meticulous person, soon noticed a less prominent "+" sign next to some names on the score sheet. He asked the physical education teacher and learned that some students had performed exceptionally well in one or two areas during the exam, and the teacher would mark them with this symbol.

In the Economics and Management College, only two students had this symbol next to their names: one was Du Yufan, and the other was Bian Xuedao.

Yu Heng quickly found the class presidents of the two students. However, there was a problem: Du Yufan was fine, but Bian Xuedao was in isolation for leaving the school without permission.

Fortunately, the rules for the "Dongsen Cup" were relatively relaxed. The school knew that it was unrealistic to expect students who usually don't exercise to play a full 90 minutes. To make the matches more exciting and attract more students, the rules allowed each team to have 7 substitutions and an additional rule: if a team had more foreign players, they could keep substituting them as long as there was a 15-minute interval between each substitution, with no limit on the number of substitutions, but only one foreign player could be on the field at a time.

What is a foreign player? Anyone not from the country, not from the school, or not from the college can be considered a foreign player.

Foreign students, of course, have their own small circle, and a special team was set up for them this time.

For students from other schools, it's not an issue; almost all universities in Songjiang City are in lockdown.

For students from other colleges, each college has its own football team. Unless they are eliminated, who would want to play as a foreign player for another college and risk their standing?

Once the rules were announced, the few football, long-distance running, high jump, skating, martial arts, boxing, wrestling, and taekwondo special talents in the sports department became extremely popular.

Some people didn't understand why long-distance runners and high jumpers were so sought after. One could run and create space, and the other could head the ball in front of the goal, but what about martial arts and wrestling?

Someone explained: first, these people are more athletic and have better physical fitness. When others are exhausted, they can be the secret weapon; second, they can intimidate the opponents. Most importantly, look at the national team; how many of them don't know martial arts? For them, martial arts is their main skill, and football is just a side hobby to make money.

There weren't many ways for the colleges to recruit foreign players.

Not to mention the lack of money, even if they had money, they couldn't go to "Nature" to hire a one-stop service; they couldn't even leave the school, so it was all in vain.

You think about jumping over the wall? Don't be silly! The isolation building in the far corner of the school is almost full, and it's said to be like Silent Hill inside. Even if you could play like Hao Haidong, I wouldn't risk my life with you.

So, everyone was left with two options: one was to treat them to a meal, and the other was to use the "beauty plan."

Treating someone to a meal is easy; it's all in the fourth canteen. If someone treats you to 10 dishes, you treat them to 15; if they treat you to 15, you treat them to 20. Can't finish? Take the leftovers back to your dorm.

It's said that the banquets in the fourth canteen every day are scheduled from 9 a.m. to lights out.

When the "beauty plan" was used, half of the 16 teams were silenced.

Several science and engineering colleges were like monasteries, with some classes having only 2 girls, who were treated like national treasures. They might be good for balancing the class dynamics and relieving boredom, but sending them to use the "beauty plan" would be like cursing someone.

Everyone put themselves in others' shoes. If someone sent a girl from a science and engineering college to get close to them, they would spit and not only refuse to be a foreign player for their college but also try to score a few goals against them in the match, feeling insulted.

As expected, the 9 football special talents were divided among the Economics and Management, Foreign Languages, Law and Politics, Media, Landscape, and Graduate Schools.

Four days before the opening match, Yu Heng presented a 29-person team list to the college student council president.

The president glanced at the number and said it wasn't enough. At least 11 more people were needed. He hadn't seen the lists of the Mechanical and Electrical and Civil Engineering colleges, which had 52 and 59 people, respectively. Their bench was too deep! Even if they didn't play, the number of people couldn't be weak.

Yu Heng's vision went black. Was a deep bench about the number of people?

Yu Heng gritted his teeth and made a 48-person list, including anyone who performed well in the football class, even Li Yu and Tong Chao.

The entire tournament had 32 matches. Yu Heng was drawn into Group 3, along with the Mechanical and Electrical, Law and Politics, and Computer Science colleges. The Mechanical and Electrical college, as a seeded team, could be ignored. The main focus was on the other two teams.

Practice began.

There were all kinds of selfish plays, long passes, missed balls, and lack of stamina. Li Yu counted and found that only 7 or 8 people truly knew how to play and understand the rules, and could consider offside tactics on the field.

These 7 or 8 people were not united, forming two small circles, mostly midfield and forward types, with overlapping positions.

Yu Heng didn't forget about Bian Xuedao. He told Li Yu and Tong Chao to immediately bring Bian Xuedao into the team once his isolation ended.

Li Yu told Bian Xuedao about the situation over the phone, but Bian Xuedao was completely focused on Shan Rao, barely paying attention.

Indeed, he was completely focused.

When Bian Xuedao was feeling lost and frustrated with Xu Shangxiu, Shan Rao used her unique charm to break through his lonely heart. Already having a good impression of Shan Rao, her bravery in coming to the isolation building broke his last line of defense, crossing the gap between friendship and love.

The isolation was about to end, which should have been a happy thing, but Bian Xuedao didn't want to leave.

In the last few days, Shan Rao knew Bian Xuedao was about to leave, but she didn't know how long she would have to stay. She was both happy and sad. One noon, as they were about to part, the two lay side by side on a single bed, facing each other and talking.

Bian Xuedao smelled the fragrance of Shan Rao's hair and leaned in.

Shan Rao hugged Bian Xuedao and said, "When I get out, I'll take a good shower; I'm starting to smell."

Bian Xuedao sniffed near her ear, "Let me smell. You don't smell bad; you still smell good."

Shan Rao didn't like it and twisted her waist to avoid him.

Gradually, the two embraced each other.

Bian Xuedao was about to leave, but Shan Rao, who had come for him, would have to continue her isolated and fearful life. Before leaving, Bian Xuedao felt he should clarify their relationship.

Bian Xuedao sat up and helped Shan Rao sit up. Facing each other, he said solemnly, "Shan Rao, will you be my girlfriend?"

Shan Rao didn't hesitate and answered straightforwardly, "I will."

After saying this, Shan Rao's face lit up like a blooming peony, her eyes filled with joy and happiness. She playfully lifted her chin and looked at Bian Xuedao, saying, "You have a conscience."

Bian Xuedao held Shan Rao's hands and said, "After I get out, I'll come to see you every day."

On the 13th day of isolation, Bian Xuedao gave Shan Rao a task: to attach a note with the meals the next day, asking what urgent help each room needed, and to place the responses with the temperature sheets at the door.

After he left, he would try to help as much as possible. Having been in isolation himself, he knew the troubles of the isolated. He wanted to genuinely help and also see Shan Rao every day.

On the 15th day, the isolation ended.

Bian Xuedao first returned to the Red Building, put his passbook in the cabinet, and locked it. He took a good shower and then returned to room 909, only to find no one there.

In the dorm, he organized the notes collected by Shan Rao, separating the reasonable requests from the unreasonable ones, such as wanting a computer, a woman, or economic compensation.

The requests were relatively concentrated: some wanted to pay for better food, some wanted to send in textbooks and novels, some needed phone cards, some wanted clean clothes from their roommates, and one wanted his camera sent in...

Calling Li Yu, he learned that it was Group 3's match day, with one match in the morning and one in the afternoon.

The Economics and Management College was currently playing against the Computer Science College, trailing 3-4. Li Yu asked Bian Xuedao to come to the stadium quickly.