Chapter 122: An Invitation from Qingdao

After leaving Li Qiang’s office, Long Bisheng did not return to the training ground or his dormitory. Instead, he sought out a secluded spot. The Yunjia Tianyu Club was vast, with many areas overgrown with weeds; even with his imposing stature, Long Bisheng could easily tuck himself into a thicket and remain unnoticed.

He lay in the grass, hands behind his head, gazing at the sky. Yunjia was not an industrial city, and in the summer, the sky was exceptionally blue. Occasionally, a stray white cloud would drift leisurely across the expanse, looking down upon the bustle and restlessness of the world below.

Long Bisheng was thinking. Normally, he rarely thought; he simply didn't have the time. Out of twenty-four hours a day, after deducting time for eating and sleeping, he had about fourteen hours left, and he spent at least twelve of them training. There was truly no time to reflect.

But that did not mean he was incapable of thought. Often, those who are slow to react think more deeply and earnestly than others.

Was he unlucky? It certainly seemed so. He had been cut during his first selection for the Bayi team; the football academy he joined turned out to be a scam; and after arriving in Yunjia, his ability was consistently ranked at the bottom of the school. Just as he had persevered and finally seen the hope of playing in Europe, the Napoli bankruptcy crisis struck.

Connecting these events, his luck really did seem poor. Yet, being cut from the Bayi selection had led him to meet Li Fang. Falling for the scam academy had given him the chance to be scouted by Yunjia Tianyu. Ranking at the bottom of the Yunjia Tianyu Football Academy had led him to a mentor like Ding Yu and loyal friends like Dai Guangming and the others. As the Chairman often said, "Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise, and blessing may hide misfortune." Every time he hit a rough patch, something good always followed. The Chairman had called the owner, Pei Wei, his benefactor, but had he not encountered many benefactors himself? Li Fang, the scout Wei Zhe, Coach Ding Yu, friends like Dai Guangming, Li Jie, Hu Gan-dang... and Ning Xi.

This time, he was certainly unlucky, but who was to say this wasn't the beginning of the next stroke of good fortune? As long as he worked hard, could his bad luck really last forever? Fate was elusive, yet it was held in his own hands. Do not be discouraged, do not give up. Compared to Ning Xi, wasn't he much luckier? At least he could continue to play football, while Ning Xi, the same age as him, had to choose to become an agent as his profession.

He had to continue working hard. He had to do it for his parents. They were approaching the age of retirement from the military. His father, in particular, had been a major and battalion commander for six years; without a chance to win a commendation, it was very difficult to be promoted to lieutenant colonel. A major was only one step away from a lieutenant colonel, but that step was harder to cross than reaching heaven—where were there so many opportunities for commendations in peacetime? If his father weren't such an outstanding soldier, with his superiors trying to find ways to keep him, he would have likely retired long ago. He had to shoulder the burden of supporting his family in the future and repay the debt of their upbringing.

Thinking of this, Long Bisheng felt his heart clear. Right, it was just a failed transfer. What did it matter? He wasn't even seventeen yet. With luck, he had over a decade of his professional career ahead of him. What was one missed opportunity? As long as he worked hard and improved his abilities, there would be chances to play in Europe in the future. Even if he couldn't go to Europe, playing domestically was just fine.

Having sorted this out, Long Bisheng sat up, brushed the dirt off his pants, and strode toward the training ground.

He had only finished three of today's five sets of drills, and there were still two to go. He had already wasted enough time; he couldn't afford to waste any more.

When Ning Xi appeared before Long Bisheng three days later, Long Bisheng seemed remarkably calm—so much so that Ning Xi thought he had been traumatized and was suffering from some mental illness, nearly dragging him to the hospital to check for depression.

Once Ning Xi realized that Long Bisheng had truly come to terms with the situation rather than just appearing calm, he breathed a sigh of relief and asked curiously, "Are you really not bothered? That was a chance to play in Europe! Don't bottle things up inside; that will cause problems!"

"What use is there in being bothered?" Long Bisheng said with a smile. "What could I do about Napoli going bankrupt? Besides, they might not necessarily go under. As long as they pass the financial registration, they can continue to play in Serie B, and my transfer could proceed then."

"Unfortunately," Ning Xi shrugged, "I heard the news before I returned to the country: Napoli's relegation is a foregone conclusion. Their president, Gaucci, has no assets left to pump into the club. The entire city of Naples is in mourning, with every fan lamenting that their city's symbol has fallen to such a state."

"Aren't there any other wealthy people in Naples who could step in to acquire it?" Long Bisheng found it hard to believe. "There are plenty of family businesses in Italy, and there should be many in Naples. Someone should be stepping up by now."

"Gaucci only leased the club last year; it hasn't even been a year, so he cannot transfer it. He has to wait until August 25th to offload the club, but by then the league registration deadline will have passed. So, not even a god could save Napoli now, unless Gaucci suddenly comes up with over twenty million euros." Ning Xi gave a bitter smile. "Let's not talk about it. In short, Napoli is in shambles and can't possibly bring you in."

Had Ning Xi not seen that Long Bisheng was truly not bothered by it, he wouldn't have said all that. Long Bisheng nodded. "Then let it be. I still feel my own abilities aren't quite there yet and that I should train more. Staying in Yunjia is fine, even if Li Jie and the others have left."

"You still have me," Ning Xi said with a smile. "I can keep you company. Besides, you won't be staying in Yunjia. As one of the top seven players in the U-17 squad, it's a waste to keep playing in youth matches. The club won't let your talent go to waste."

"Do you mean I might be called up to the reserve team?" Long Bisheng asked with wide eyes.

"Maybe the reserve team, maybe the first team, or maybe a loan. There's less than half of the domestic season left, and the mid-season transfer window closes in a week. I think a call-up to the reserves or the first team is more likely," Ning Xi said after some thought.

"The reserve team! Big Brother Li Fang came out of the reserves," Long Bisheng said excitedly.

Ning Xi curled his lip. Li Fang was a miracle—even for Yunjia Tianyu, he was a miracle. He was called up to the reserves just when the first team was desperate for players on the right flank, and his style of play allowed him to integrate quickly. But now, Yunjia Tianyu’s forward line was stacked. Sun Bing, a striker developed by the club, and the Argentine-turned-Chinese citizen Messi formed the starting front line. Another tall striker, Wen Da, was an excellent substitute. Added to that was the third captain, Ai Lin, who could fill in as a striker, and two other young players from the reserves. There was basically no room for Long Bisheng unless the first team suffered a wave of injuries.

Still, Ning Xi had to keep Long Bisheng’s spirits up. "Yeah, maybe you'll be playing for the first team soon. And once you turn seventeen, the club will give you a formal contract. Your income will be much higher then!"

"Heh heh..." Long Bisheng laughed.

What neither Ning Xi nor Long Bisheng expected was that before Yunjia Tianyu could offer Long Bisheng a formal contract, another club would.

"What? A team wants to loan me?"

Five days before the mid-season transfer window closed, while Long Bisheng was training on the field, Ning Xi ran to the sidelines, breathless, to tell him the news.

"Yes, Qingdao Haifeng in the China League One. They want to loan you for half a season." Ning Xi caught his breath before continuing, "They are in a bad spot in the league. Nineteen rounds have been played, and they are currently in fifteenth place, second from the bottom. They are very likely to be relegated at the end of the season. They just changed coaches, and the first player the new coach requested was you, Long Bisheng."

"Do I have that much clout?" Long Bisheng was skeptical. "Who would even know me? I'm just a youth player."

"You know this person, too," Ning Xi smiled. "Cai Sheng, the former head coach of the Wuhan Yazhi reserve team. He has always admired you. Qingdao Haifeng's defense isn't actually that bad, but their front line lacks strength. His wanting to sign you is exactly the right prescription."

Long Bisheng immediately remembered the match three years ago against the Wuhan Ejinlong '89 age-group squad, and the former national team player in sunglasses on the sidelines.

"So, do you think I should go?" Long Bisheng asked Ning Xi.

"I think you should. Qingdao Haifeng needs to avoid relegation, and the new coach is someone who appreciates you. You’re guaranteed playing time, and it’s a proper professional league. You might not get a chance if you stay in Yunjia, but you will in Qingdao." Ning Xi thought for a moment. "The pressure to avoid relegation will be immense, and there will be many challenges, but that pressure will also make it easier for you to integrate into the team."

"Alright! If you say I should go, then I’ll go!" Long Bisheng replied decisively.