Chapter 79: Violence Solves Nothing

Just as Long Bisheng was congratulating himself for choosing a deserted spot for his training—so he wouldn’t embarrass himself—a clear, melodious laugh rang out at the entrance of the gym. A lively, pretty girl skipped inside.

“Ning… Ning Xi, what brings you here?” Long Bisheng was startled, and his face instantly turned crimson—he was doomed! That mischievous girl must have seen his awkward attempts just now.

“Are you the only one allowed to train? Can’t others put in extra practice too?” Ning Xi beamed. “I was bored this morning, so I thought I’d come train a bit—lucky I did, or I’d have missed seeing your glorious form.”

Long Bisheng hung his head, dejected. “Looks like I really can’t pull off these technical moves—otherwise everyone will just laugh at me.”

“Who would laugh at you?” Ning Xi’s smile faded. “Actually, moves like this are hard to execute with your build. But I think your attempt was quite decent—your second touch just missed the right spot, that’s all.”

“Really?” Long Bisheng believed her at once. “Then I’ll give it another try.”

“Go on!” Ning Xi clapped, delighted. “Let me see it again.”

Long Bisheng tried again as instructed, this time paying extra attention to placing his foot correctly for the second touch. But things went worse—he was so focused on the second step that he fumbled the first, and fell even harder than before.

“Are you alright?” Ning Xi rushed over to help him up, but she couldn’t budge the hulking Long Bisheng. In the end, he got up by himself, brushing off the dust, looking even more crestfallen. “Still can’t do it.”

“Why is that?” Ning Xi bit her finger, puzzled. “Your movements didn’t look that awkward. How did you fall twice in a row? Were you nervous?”

Long Bisheng said nothing. He had been a bit nervous, but that was because of the girl in front of him. The first fall, however, hadn’t been for that reason.

“Nervous about what? Boys should be bold. If I’m not nervous, why should you be?” Ning Xi laughed and slapped his back. “Here—let me show you. Watch closely!”

Looking at Ning Xi’s cheerful face, Long Bisheng suddenly felt his nerves melt away. He grinned back. “Alright, Miss Ning, I await your performance.”

“My, you’ve grown glib all of a sudden. Maybe you’re not as innocent as you seem,” Ning Xi joked. She hooked the ball with her foot, nudged it forward, and said, “Watch carefully!”

With a long stride, her right foot touched the ball and pulled it back as she spun halfway. Then her left foot guided the ball to the side, her body turning smoothly until she came to a steady stop.

Long Bisheng watched her quietly, his heart calming. Ning Xi executed the Marseille turn with perfect grace, her long legs moving with such poise that he felt deeply impressed.

Wiping her brow, Ning Xi turned and saw Long Bisheng staring blankly at her. She scolded playfully, “What are you looking at? Did you see my moves clearly or not?”

Long Bisheng snapped to attention. “Oh, yes—I saw it clearly. Your moves… were beautiful.”

Ning Xi pursed her lips, trying not to laugh. Since entering Yun Jia Tianyu Football School, she’d heard countless classmates try all sorts of ways to compliment her looks and her skills, but none of it ever moved her. Yet today, Long Bisheng’s clumsy praise made her unexpectedly happy.

Maybe it was because Long Bisheng usually rarely spoke to her. Hearing this awkward boy actually compliment her brought her joy. Trying to hide it, she put on a stern face. “Flattering again, are you? If you saw it clearly, do it again!”

“Alright.” Long Bisheng stood up, stopped the ball Ning Xi had kicked over, and copied her movements.

Just as he finished, laughter sounded again at the gym entrance. But to Long Bisheng, this laughter was nothing like Ning Xi’s earlier one.

“Haha! What am I seeing? Is that a big bear dancing? Did you see that? It’s the first time I’ve seen a ball stay perfectly still after a Marseille turn!”

At the door was Chen Yongjun, who’d clashed with Long Bisheng before. He waved his hands dramatically at his companions—also classmates of Long Bisheng and Ning Xi, though their reactions were more subdued, with only faint smiles.

Chen Yongjun shouted, “Hey, big oaf, is this kind of move really for you? On the pitch, just stick to doing the grunt work. Doing fancy stuff like this is a waste of your hulking frame.”

Long Bisheng’s face darkened. He had a good temper and could take constructive criticism, but he wasn’t immune to mockery. Even a fool could hear the ridicule in Chen Yongjun’s tone.

“What did you say?” Ning Xi strode forward. “Who talks like that? What’s it to you if someone else is practicing? Are you the coach now?”

“And who do you think you are?” Chen Yongjun gave her a sideways glance. “Why do you care what I say to him? What’s your relationship, anyway? The school rules strictly forbid dating during term, and you’re flaunting it?”

“You—” Ning Xi’s face turned red with anger. Normally, Chen Yongjun would never speak so rudely to the only girl in their class, who was also the prettiest in the school. But last time, Ning Xi had sided with Long Bisheng in an argument, and now she was practicing with him again—so in Chen Yongjun’s eyes, she was an enemy too. Chivalry no longer applied.

“Say that again!” No sooner had the words left Chen Yongjun’s mouth than a furious shout cut through the air. Suddenly, he felt a huge shadow looming over him. Looking up, he saw Long Bisheng, eyes blazing, fists clenched, standing in front of him like a mountain.

Seeing the usually docile Long Bisheng now so fierce, his honest face twisted with anger, Chen Yongjun suddenly felt a jolt of fear. He remembered then—this was the tallest, strongest, and most powerful boy in the whole school. If Long Bisheng threw his weight around, Chen Yongjun would be flattened. And everyone knew Long Bisheng had grown up in a military compound, his father a reconnaissance soldier—if he unleashed some deadly move, Chen Yongjun might end up in the hospital.

“Don’t, Long!” cried one of Chen Yongjun’s companions, alarmed. Though they were friendly with Chen, they felt his mockery had gone too far. Seeing Long Bisheng looking murderous, they rushed to restrain him. With Chen’s small stature, a single blow from Long Bisheng would be too much. Besides, who knew what tricks Long Bisheng had learned at home?

“I didn’t say I’d hit him.” Long Bisheng glanced at them, then asked Chen Yongjun, word by word, “Why are you here at the gym?”

“I—I came for extra training!” Chen Yongjun stammered, finally regaining his senses under Long Bisheng’s daunting presence. He was still just thirteen, after all. “Why, are you the only one allowed to train? Can’t I do extra practice too?”

“Then why aren’t you practicing?” Long Bisheng’s expression remained cold.

“N-none of your business! I will practice!” Chen Yongjun seized the chance to scurry away, hurrying into the gym.

“Suit yourself. I’m leaving.” With that, Long Bisheng bent down, picked up the ball, and strode out.

“Wait for me!” Ning Xi called, shooting Chen Yongjun a fierce glare before running after him.

Only after Long Bisheng’s figure vanished from the doorway did Chen Yongjun let out a long breath. He’d truly been scared; he’d seen how tightly Long Bisheng’s fists were clenched—if that punch had landed, how much would it have hurt!

“Yongjun, you’d better stop messing with him,” a companion advised. “If you really push him and he snaps, you might never play football again. That guy’s always last place—he’ll be eliminated sooner or later…”

“Damn…” Chen Yongjun muttered in frustration, but finally nodded, defeated.

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“Hey, wait for me!” Ning Xi called after Long Bisheng. Though his pace wasn’t fast, his strides were long, each one equal to two of his peers’. With his mood stirred, he walked even faster, leaving Ning Xi breathless as she tried to keep up.

Long Bisheng stopped, and Ning Xi, caught off guard, bumped right into his back with a yelp.

“Are you alright?” Long Bisheng turned, concerned. Ning Xi, holding her nose, waved him off, her words muffled, “I was really worried you’d hit that guy… But he really had it coming!”

“I wouldn’t hit him. Violence never solves anything,” Long Bisheng said, shaking his head.

Ning Xi looked at him, then suddenly smiled and grabbed his hand. “Come on, let me take you somewhere nice.”