“Beep, beep…”

Yongchuan Hengda Stadium, visiting the team’s locker room bathroom.

The phone emitted a waiting tone.

Fu Xinshu’s mind was buzzing loudly.

Wen Chengye’s attitude had already explained everything. He wanted to do something before the match. But Fu couldn’t let Wen do this.

He instinctively tried to hold Wen Chengye back, wanting him to calm down. But Wen forcefully shook off his hand, causing the phone to slip from his grasp and crash heavily against the sink.

A loud “clang” echoed, and Fu Xinshu’s first reaction was to look toward the bathroom door.

The locker room outside was noisy; no one noticed their conflict.

Then, surprisingly, the phone that had fallen into the sink connected.

“Hello?” A middle-aged man’s stern voice echoed throughout the space.

Wen Chengye took a few quick steps and retrieved his phone from the sink.

“Father,” he said, holding the phone.

Fu Xinshu stood frozen.

He thought Wen Chengye was calling to… but he never imagined that he was only calling his father.

“Why are you calling me?” The man on the other end sounded equally puzzled.

“I have something to tell you,” Wen Chengye said.

“What’s so important you need to say it now? Listen, Wen Chengye, don’t play your little mind games with me. I will never agree to let you stay in China, messing around with those worthless friends of yours.”

“None of that concerns you,” Wen Chengye gripped his phone, narrowing his phoenix-like eyes, tilting his head back, leaning against the sink, and staring at himself in the mirror. “What I want to do in the future, what I plan to do, who I make friends with, whether I play football or work in a factory tightening screws—none of that has anything to do with you.”

“Say that again!?” Wen’s father shouted harshly.

So Wen Chengye continued, “Also, my grades are fake, and pretending to listen to you was fake too. I’ve been deceiving you all along, cheating on tests by copying answers. The person who gave me the answers was Mom’s little boyfriend. I’ve known they were together for a long time, but I never told you.”

He had rehearsed these words in his mind for too long; Wen Chengye spoke with remarkable clarity and calm.

From the other end of the phone came the sound of something being violently smashed.

But Wen Chengye hung up immediately, giving his father no chance to shout back.

The overhead light shone brightly, and the locker room outside was still noisy.

The bathroom fell silent again, with only the rumbling sound of sewage rushing through the pipes.

Fu Xinshu finally understood that Wen Chengye had no intention of calling someone to expose him.

He had simply made his own decision.

But Fu Xinshu didn’t feel relieved at all.

Because after this phone call, they were completely different.

Before, they both had their crimes, keeping secrets from each other.

But Wen Chengye had taken the first step, making a desperate move by confessing his cheating to his father. Though he would face a storm, he was now completely free.

And what about him?

He could only remain trapped, continuing to be crushed by guilt.

“Did you deliberately make that call in front of me?” he couldn’t help asking Wen Chengye.

“Are you worthy of that?”

“Then why didn’t you say it before? Why did you have to call right before the match, just because of what the teacher said before she left?” Fu Xinshu took a step forward, emotions tearing at him inside. “Yes, you’re free now, but what do you want me to do? To admit to everyone before the match that I once bet on games? Have you thought about what would happen if they knew? It would become a problem for our entire team! Me being suspended would be the least of it—you all might not be able to play in the finals because of me!”

“I understand, the match is always the most important thing.”

“No, you don’t understand. Your cheating is your own business; you only need to admit it yourself. But what about me? My problem affects the entire team. Just a few hours—after the match is over, I can confess however I want, but not now.”

“Not now, but what about before?” Wen Chengye asked indifferently.

At that moment, Fu Xinshu was completely stunned.

On one hand, he found it ridiculous that Wen Chengye, who had been cheating for so long, could stand on moral high ground just by admitting his problem. But on the other hand, he knew very clearly that the more excuses he made, the more pathetic and contemptible he appeared.

Sewage rushed through the pipes—dark, damp, hidden from daylight.

The greed in his bones had led him to make mistakes; his natural cowardice had led him to lie; fear of responsibility had caused him to constantly evade.

Although most of the time, he freely breathed the fresh air above ground, he clearly knew that he was always a creature from the depths.

Sewage flowed freely beneath his feet; this was where he belonged.

“Because I’m a rat living in the gutter, so I didn’t dare speak up,” Fu Xinshu said.

“Squeak… squeak…”

Faint sounds pounded on his skull.

Fu Xinshu didn’t know why there were so many strange noises there.

He slowly looked toward the source of the sound and suddenly realized that a door in the bathroom that had been closed was now open.

Immediately, he felt a chill run down his spine.

“Who’s there?” Wen Chengye called out.

No response.

The bathroom remained very quiet. Perhaps it was just the wind or the door was old and in disrepair. Fu Xinshu reassured himself, then wanted to quietly go check.

But at that moment, a pair of legs stepped out from the bathroom stall.

Sneakers, white school pants. Moving upward, a half-changed jersey.

The characters “Hongjing Eighth School” on the chest were especially clear and bright.

Lin Lu stepped down from a small platform and looked at him. In his gaze, there was no longer the trust of before, but rather full wariness.

“Why?” Lin Lu’s clear, confused voice rang out.

Fu Xinshu instinctively avoided his gaze but saw his distorted face in the broken mirror. He was split into many pieces and completely trapped.

After passing the hills came the plains, with the city’s silhouette faintly visible in the distance.

The taxi drove off the highway, and the Yongchuan exit sign flashed by.

With many numbers in her phone contacts, Lin Wanxing looked at that name and dialed without hesitation.

Before her heart could even accelerate, the call was disconnected.

Her heartbeat plummeted.

But the next moment, her phone vibrated with a WeChat call notification.

Lin Wanxing quickly looked down.

[Winfred is inviting you to a video call…]

Spring breeze rushed in, blowing her hair.

The welcoming boulevard after exiting the highway was lined with cherry trees.

Heavy blossoms weighed down the branches.

Lin Wanxing pressed the answer button.

First came a blurry preview, then the image fully brightened.

The young man’s gaze was clear, his eyes full of surprise.

He leaned against a wooden locker in the changing room, the light as clear as water.

After not seeing each other for days, he had indeed gotten thinner, with sharper features and deeper-set eyes.

Even though they hadn’t seen each other for days, and she was the one who ran away first, now calling because of something else—it seemed insincere.

But seeing Wang Fa again felt surprisingly natural.

Emotions surged in that instant, and Lin Wanxing had many things she wanted to say.

But just as she was about to speak, she saw Wang Fa raise his finger and gently place it to his lips.

Asking her not to speak.

Then, the video camera switched.

In the frame, Fu Xinshu stood under the ceiling light of the locker room, his eyes gently closed, looking especially burdened.

Yongchuan Hengda Stadium, visiting team’s locker room.

The locker room was filled with a deathly silence Fu Xinshu had never experienced before.

He thought being discovered for deleting records was despair, being crippled was despair, the team disbanding was despair. But all those forms of despair combined couldn’t compare to this moment.

His teammates sat like statues on the benches.

They couldn’t believe what Lin Lu had just told them, their eyes full of doubt and caution as they waited for his explanation.

This wasn’t the best timing he had planned, but things always slide toward what people fear most.

Fu Xinshu knew he couldn’t escape it anymore.

Opening his eyes, he slowly began to speak.

Starting from that bar, he recounted the entire story of how greed led him to make mistakes, how cowardice made him retreat, and how fear caused him to constantly avoid the truth.

“What I regret most are two things. First, I shouldn’t have placed bets for money. Second, after our match with Yuzhou Silver Elephants, when the teacher was still here and asked about what happened back then, I should have told the truth. But because of my cowardice, I chose to lie again, deceiving all of you once more.”

“I used to tell myself that it was just a small mistake I had made, that it was over, that playing well could make up for everything. But every time I consoled myself this way, I knew better than anyone that as long as I lived in a lie for one more day, it would never be over.”

“After the finals, I will turn myself into the Football Association and the Youth Super League committee, admitting that I once engaged in gambling. But before that, I can only ask you to forget what you just heard. I am so, so sorry to all of you, so let me bear all the responsibility alone.”

Fu Xinshu bowed deeply to everyone, then stood up straight.

The entire locker room was silent; the players hadn’t fully processed the story. Was the Fu Xinshu in the story the captain they knew and trusted?

He had bet for money, had his leg broken, and couldn’t play, but lied to them saying the store owner wrongly accused him of stealing a phone. Just as he said, after their post-match fight, when Lin Wanxing asked about what happened years ago, that was almost his best chance to tell the truth.

But he still didn’t.

The cold winter rain of Yuzhou seemed to suddenly fall into this locker room. Confusion and incomprehension troubled them; the conversation at the hospital’s orthopedic clinic seemed to echo intermittently in their ears.

So in that story, Wen Chengye not only gave directions but also watched his teammate get beaten without intervening.

And what about Fu Xinshu himself?

They used to think Fu Xinshu was good and hardworking, fair and kind in his dealings, which was why they respected him.

But now, the foundation of their trust was completely gone.

They had sympathized with Fu Xinshu’s experience, only to be rewarded with his constant deception.

Qin Ao felt like a complete fool.

Zhi Hui said, “So, neither you nor Wen Chengye are good people.”

After some time, Qin Ao asked in disbelief, “You, alone, will bear all the responsibility?”

“This is my issue, unrelated to the team,” Fu Xinshu said.

“What do you mean it’s not related to us?”

“Stay calm and listen to me. Before the tournament, we signed commitment forms. They clearly stated that if a player has engaged in gambling, they would be disqualified from the competition. I’ve read all the penalty announcements on the Football Association website. If it’s an individual player’s action and the team is unaware, only the individual player is penalized. But if the team knew and didn’t report it, or if there was any cover-up or concealment, the punishment would be increased to include the team. So no matter what, not knowing about my situation is the best option for you all.”

“I understand, you want us to pretend we’re deaf and blind?” Chen Jianghe said very coldly.

“You can hit me, curse at me, whatever helps you vent. But you don’t need to get yourselves covered in the stink of my mess. After the match ends, I’ll confess myself, and even if the Football Association investigates later, you just need to say you never knew.”

“But we already know now,” Zhi Hui said.

“So what if you know? Are you going to report me to the committee right now?” Fu Xinshu suddenly became emotional. He spoke very directly, “Lin Lu overheard it by accident; I never planned to tell you before the match.”

The students all fell silent. Yes, what could they do?

Although Fu Xinshu had lied to them, at the end of the day, this was an internal grievance. Fu Xinshu’s real mistake was betting against regulations two years ago. But should Fu Xinshu pay a terrible price for a momentary lapse in judgment? None of them could bring themselves to report him.

Fu Xinshu continued, “If I can’t play in the finals, we will undoubtedly lose. I’m not threatening you with the finals; the team shouldn’t bear responsibility for my mistakes.”

“So we just need to pretend we don’t know and wait for you to resolve it yourself?”

“Yes! Just like what the teacher did,” Fu Xinshu said with certainty.

Hearing this, everyone fell silent and looked at Wen Chengye.

They had heard from Lin Lu about the earlier argument when Wen Chengye admitted to cheating and clashed with Fu Xinshu.

“Then you must have misunderstood her,” Wen Chengye said.

“She didn’t report your cheating to the school for the sake of the team, patiently waiting for you to make your own choice. Isn’t that right?”

“You think she didn’t report it to the school for the team’s sake?” Wen Chengye finally showed some disappointment. “She didn’t do it for the team; she did it for me,” Wen Chengye said.

Fu Xinshu was stunned.

On the other end of the video, Lin Wanxing sat in the taxi.

Holding her phone, the screen narrow and hot, she quietly listened to Wen Chengye’s unprecedented confession.

“At first, I was like you, thinking she didn’t report it to the school so she could have leverage to threaten me into playing obediently. But later, I realized it might not just be that. To her, I was the same as all of you. I know I’m a troublemaker, but it bothered me that she wanted to manage my troubles—understanding this point was annoying to me.”

In the phone video, Wen Chengye showed a slightly frustrated expression. He rarely spoke such long sentences, but he really couldn’t hold back anymore.

Wen Chengye continued, “She always lets us think independently and make our own decisions. I resisted everything she said, but I also knew that in the process of resistance, I still fell into her trap. Because resistance itself requires thinking. I would abandon instinct and start thinking about what’s right and wrong, what I want, and how to achieve it. This is where the tragedy begins.”

“At first, I thought I’d written the first and second mock exams myself, so wouldn’t it be fine to just stop cheating in the future? But when she saw my study abroad application with grades obtained through cheating, she said I hated being this way.”

“Your ability to think is indeed scary,” Qi Liang said.

The spring breeze was gentle yet surging; Qi Liang’s words made Lin Wanxing smile.

Wen Chengye gave a cold laugh, “Then I realized that I do hate being obedient like a dog. Why am I cheating for good grades to study abroad? To make my father happy? That’s not what I want. Although I don’t know what her ‘ideal self’ looks like, I’m very clear about what the ‘non-ideal self’ looks like.”

“So you called your dad before the match to confess?” Qin Ao asked.

Wen Chengye nodded.

Qi Liang whistled, commenting, “Stupid but cool.”

“So do you understand now?” Wen Chengye looked at Fu Xinshu. “Only I know how uncomfortable her cover-up made me feel. I saw what I didn’t want and made my choice. And you, Fu Xinshu, you shouldn’t make choices for us.”

Fu Xinshu looked extremely confused, “But your business is your business, and my business…”

“Your business is our team’s business,” Qin Ao said with certainty.

Although Fu Xinshu disagreed, since it was a team matter, everyone should make the decision together.

“I don’t want to report Old Fu before the match, but I also don’t want to pretend I don’t know,” Yu Ming expressed his most genuine feelings.

It was a very strange feeling—the pros and cons were so obvious that they had to decide quickly.

But deep down, something was tugging at them, making them unwilling to pretend nothing had happened just for the sake of the finals.

“According to the tournament rules, I truly don’t qualify to participate. If you don’t want to play with me, I can also not take the field,” Fu Xinshu still insisted.

But Chen Jianghe said, “It’s not about what we want, but about what’s right.”

“What’s right and what’s wrong? This is a football field. The Football Association has rules, the committee has rules, but why didn’t the referee follow the rules in the last match?” Fu Xinshu questioned.

“You have a point. But if we don’t report it, we’d be just like them. They play the ‘rules game’—should we do the same?” Chen Jianghe asked.

“This isn’t a rules game!” Fu Xinshu looked toward Wang Fa, almost pleading, “Coach…”

The taxi stopped at an intersection; the green light turned red. Lin Wanxing sat up straight; she wasn’t sure what kind of opinion Wang Fa would express.

After a moment, a calm, peaceful voice came through the video, “Is that gambling syndicate still operating? I mean the underground betting group that beat you up,” Wang Fa asked.

Fu Xinshu was startled; he hadn’t expected the coach to ask this. But he immediately realized that the coach was most concerned about his safety, making him feel ashamed of his concealment. “They were busted some time ago; it was mentioned in the news.”

“That’s good,” Wang Fa paused, then continued, “I hope you’ll take what I say as a reference. I always stand with your teacher on the same side, not influencing your choices.”

Wang Fa held the phone in his hand, the camera aimed at the students. Lin Wanxing could only hear his voice filling the entire space.

“In our country, apart from lotteries, all gambling and betting activities are illegal. You should understand that your identity is not just as a student but also as a registered player. Recently, the Football Association has been cracking down on team gambling and match-fixing; several association officials have been arrested recently. If Fu Xinshu’s issue is reported before the finals, although the final penalty decision won’t be made immediately, he will certainly be immediately banned from participating in the finals. Additionally, the committee will discuss whether our initial qualification to participate was against regulations, whether the finals should be directly ruled as a loss, or whether the third-place team should be promoted, among other issues. If I were a Football Association official, considering a series of controversies, plus the fact that without Fu Xinshu this side couldn’t field a complete team, and the impact of a gambling scandal involving a finalist team, the safest solution would be to cancel the finals.”

Wang Fa’s voice was calm, his analysis orderly, and he told the students without reservation what was most likely to happen.

“What if we pretend not to know before the match and don’t report it?”

“As long as Fu Xinshu admits his past violation, his individual competition results will be canceled.”

The students all fell silent, and Fu Xinshu also stopped talking.

Everyone seemed to be sitting in complete silence.

Scorching sun, bitter cold, running day and night—behind them was a trail of sweat.

With the finals approaching, the consequences of strictly following the rules were too severe. All they had to do, it seemed, was temporarily forget about this matter, play well, and wait until after the finals.

“I’m sorry,” Fu Xinshu almost begged. “We’ve come so far to get here. I can sit out, but you all don’t need to—really, you don’t.”

“Though Old Fu… but he’s had it tough too. We can’t abandon Old Fu and play the finals without him,” Zheng Feiyang softened a bit.

Lin Lu finally spoke, “Should I have pretended not to hear?”

“But we’ve already heard,” Zhi Hui insisted.

“But we’re about to play in the finals?”

“Yes, we’re about to play in the finals.”

This was also an experience Lin Wanxing had never had before.

Earlier in the cinema, the screen was wide, the film’s narrative like a cosmic river. Now, in the confined space of the car, with a palm-sized phone screen, the story in the visiting team’s locker room at Yongchuan Hengda Stadium continued.

When the match tactics board was brought out, there were several knocks at the door.

All the students tensed.

Wang Fa put down the phone and went to open the door himself.

“Hongjing Eighth School, you can go out for warm-up now,” the staff member came to notify.

In the corridor, one could almost hear the sounds from the nearby Yongchuan Hengda home team’s locker room—buzzing and lively.

“Okay, thank you,” Wang Fa responded politely, then closed the door.

Everyone knew they didn’t have unlimited time to discuss.

“Let’s vote,” Qin Ao stood up and said.

After Wang Fa placed the phone on the bench, Lin Wanxing could only see the bright ceiling light.

She knew Wang Fa always carried a notebook; that was the most convenient paper available now.

Then came the sound of tearing paper. Each person would get a small piece to mark their choice.

The taxi continued forward, with Yongchuan Hengda’s magnificent main stadium faintly visible.

Here was the old but passionate visiting team’s locker room.

A place they had only seen on television when they were young.

Outside was the field they had dreamed of, withstands about to be filled with spectators, thunderous applause, and cheers like clouds.

From last September until now, they had run tirelessly, worked relentlessly, experienced grueling matches, and defeated seemingly unbeatable opponents to finally reach this point.

On one side of the scale was the dream finals field they could easily step onto by choosing “yes.” Green turf like a carpet, clear sky like washed silk—that was the result they had earned through their efforts.

On the other side was just an old matter from two years ago. A small mistake Fu Xinshu had made, one that no one would know about if they didn’t mention it. Like the wind, why couldn’t they just let it pass?

Though the question seemed simple, writing their answers felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

Chen Jianghe recalled the day he met Lin Wanxing at Wuchuan Road Stadium when the agent said many things. What he didn’t tell Lin Wanxing was that he was really tempted then and almost agreed.

Qin Ao remembered his reason for being a forward—purely because scoring his first goal felt amazing. He loved that feeling of conquering the field.

Lin Lu remembered the day his grandfather sent him to play football, originally just for physical fitness, but somehow he had made it to today. Defending every ball gave him a sense of achievement.

In Wen Chengye’s world, football seemed to be his only way to rebel against his parents. Here he could run freely, completely liberated, able to do everything he wanted—this was his football.

Qi Liang had always thought himself clever; he believed he could do anything well if he wanted to. But football was different. He was physically small and not so suited for the sport, which made him even more determined to prove himself.

Zheng Ren rarely expressed his own opinions before; as long as everyone else thought something was good, he could agree. But this time, he knew that approach wouldn’t work.

When it was Zhi Hui’s turn, he found he hadn’t brought his counting chips today, but it didn’t matter—spinning a pencil would work just as well.

Zheng Feiyang thought about eating barbecue after going home, then continuing to play football the next day.

Feng Suo thought of Bao Xiaotian’s smile; he had originally planned to confess after winning the championship. Now he felt he could do it even if they didn’t win.

Yu Ming thought anything would be fine as long as he could play football with his brothers.

“Will we still play football together in the future?” someone asked.

“Definitely.”

Fu Xinshu felt like he was back in that bar.

Electronic music and cigarette smoke mingled as he cried with the 800 yuan he had just received. When he walked out of the bathroom, he saw that uncle sitting in a booth smoking. The ember glowed and faded, the most profound temptation to his soul. Holding the money, he walked over.

“Old Fu,” someone called out.

“Never lie to yourself.”

In the taxi, the car stereo was turned up loud, playing a song about summer.

The vehicle stopped, and Lin Wanxing paid and got out.

The song flowed through the opened door into the spring scenery surrounding the stadium.

In the visiting team’s locker room,

One vote, then another… Each player here made their solemn decision.

At the final moment, everyone quietly looked at the tactics board.

Outside the stadium was a long, curved road, with the security checkpoint entrance far away.

Lin Wanxing began running with all her might. She ran so fast, hoping from the bottom of her heart to catch up with time.

The spring breeze blew, hair flying, buildings casting long shadows, and at the end of the road ahead was a bright light.

In the heated locker room,

Wang Fa stood up and looked at all his players.

“Let’s go,” he said.