Awakening the Messi template, Florentino Pérez begs me to join Real Madrid

In the locker room, Lippi didn't say much, he just glanced at Wu Shi.

"In the second half, move more towards the middle. No matter how strong Sun Jihai is, he's 34 years old, and his stamina can't last the whole game."

Takeshi nodded.

He sat in the corner, drinking water.

Silver's voice rang out:

"Sun Jihai is indeed a tough opponent, but he's right, giving it your all is the only way to show respect. You held back a bit in the first half."

Wu Shi didn't say anything.

"Play freely in the second half. This might be your last time playing in the Chinese Super League for many years to come. Next game and it's over. Don't you want to hone your skills in Europe and play in the Chinese Super League again next season?"

Wu Shi was stunned for a moment.

Yin is right. The AFC Champions League final is still to come, but this might really be the last game in the Chinese Super League.

He stood up and stretched his legs.

58th minute of the second half

Wu Shi received the ball in the middle.

This time he dropped very deep, almost to the center circle. The Shaanxi defensive midfielder followed, but was outmaneuvered by a change of direction.

He dribbled the ball forward.

Sun Jihai was standing in front of me.

The distance between the two was getting closer and closer.

Silver analysis and provided options:

A. Split sides, success rate 82%.

B. Playing two-on-one with Elkeson has a 71% success rate.

C. He broke through Sun Jihai's defenses on his own, with a success rate of 43%.

Wu Shi chose C.

He lowered his center of gravity, and the ball swayed from side to side under his feet.

Sun Jihai didn't kick, but simply blocked the inside line, forcing him to go to the outside.

Wu Shi flicked the ball to the right with the outside of his right foot, feigning a breakthrough from the right side.

Sun Jihai moved one step to the side.

In that instant, Wu Shi spun the ball back with his left foot and slipped past on the left!

The ball and the player have passed each other!

The ball went past Sun Jihai's side, and Wu Shi went around it from the other side!

Sun Jihai turned around to pull the person away, but it was too late!

Takeshi breaks into the restricted area!

Another center-back came over to cover, and Wu Shi cut inside with his right foot to create space, then shot with his left foot into the far corner!

The ball rolled into the net!

1 is better than 0!

The entire venue was silent for three seconds.

It was the silence that followed the disappointment of the home fans.

Then applause erupted.

The home fans applauded Wu Shi again.

Wu Shi stood still, without celebrating.

He raised his hands and pressed them down, signaling his teammates not to come closer.

Then he turned around and walked towards the center circle.

He stopped in front of the Shaanxi fans' stands.

He bent down and bowed deeply.

Stand up and bow again.

His eyes were a little red when he bowed for the third time.

The chat exploded:

"Wu Shi cried?"

"My goodness, this scene!"

"He's from Shaanxi."

"Traitor? He's bowing to his former employer."

"That was a beautiful goal! He dribbled past Sun Jihai!"

"Wu Shi is awesome!"

Sun Jihai stood not far away, hands on his hips, watching this scene.

He wasn't angry; instead, he smiled.

When Wu Shi looked up, he walked over and extended his hand.

"That was a beautiful shot."

Wu Shi grasped his hand.

"Thanks, Brother Sun."

72rd minute

Wu Shi was substituted.

Lippi made a point of letting him enjoy the applause from the entire stadium.

He slowly walked to the sidelines, and the fans at Suzaku Stadium stood up and applauded.

Both the home team and the away team were applauding.

He lowered his head and wiped his eyes with his jersey.

On the bench, his teammates stood up and gave him high-fives one by one.

He sat down and covered his face with a towel.

Silver's voice rang out softly:

"Did you cry?"

Wu Shi didn't say anything.

"Why are you crying? It's not like it's a matter of life and death. You can come back later."

Wu Shi said in a muffled voice, "It's different."

"Why is it different?"

Wu Shi did not answer.

The final whistle blew, 1-0.

When the final whistle blew, the electronic screen at Suzaku Stadium displayed a score of 1-0.

Wu Shi stood there, looking at the screen, and exhaled a puff of white breath.

The snow was still falling, landing on his hair and shoulders, and quickly melting into water.

He raised his hand and waved to the stands in all directions.

Applause erupted from all directions.

Not only the red section of the away team's stands, but also many people in the blue section of the home team's stands stood up and applauded.

"Takeishi!"

"Children of Shaanxi!"

Someone shouted at the top of their lungs. Wu Shi looked in the direction of the sound but couldn't see who it was, yet he still waved in that direction.

After the match, Wu Shi and Sun Jihai exchanged jerseys.

Sun Jihai draped the number 21 jersey over his shoulder and patted him on the shoulder:

"Go to Europe and play well, don't embarrass us Chinese."

Takeshi nodded.

"Come back and visit when you have time. Shaanxi fans don't actually hate you, they're just feeling uneasy." Coach Wang also stepped forward and patted Wu Shi on the shoulder. "That bow you gave today has made everything alright."

Wu Shi looked at the fans who hadn't yet left the stands. Some were holding up signs that read, "Children of Shaanxi, come home often."

His nose started to sting again.

Li Jianguo walked over and patted Wu Shi on the shoulder, "Alright, hurry up and go thank the fans, they're waiting."

Wu Shi nodded and followed his teammates toward the away team's stands.

The red formation of the Hengda Expeditionary Force, numbering three to four thousand, stood in the southeast corner, their shouts deafening. As Wu Shi walked past, they chanted his name in unison.

He bowed and waved.

Then he turned around and looked towards the home team's stands.

The figures of the home team's fans, those who once applauded him and those who once booed him.

He walked over slowly.

As I got closer, I could see the faces of the fans in the front row.

There were middle-aged men, young men, and fathers holding their children.

He stopped in his tracks.

He bent down and bowed deeply.

Stand up and bow again.

As he bowed for the third time, he heard a commotion coming from the stands.

Then someone started shouting:

"Takeshi! Takeshi! Takeshi!"

The noise grew louder, and more and more home team fans joined in.

It was a genuine cry.

Wu Shi straightened up, his eyes feeling a little hot.

He saw an older man in the front row holding up a sign that read, in crooked handwriting, "Children of Shaanxi, come home often."

He nodded to the uncle, who grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.

After thanking the crowd, Wu Shi walked towards the players' tunnel.

Just as he reached the entrance of the passage, a familiar voice called out to him:

"Stone!"

Wu Shi turned around.

It's Wang Hao.

My childhood friend Wang Hao is my best friend for two lifetimes; we grew up together since we were little.

She was wearing a wrinkled down jacket, her face red from the cold, and she stood outside the cordon waving vigorously.

Wu Shi smiled and walked over.

"What brings you here, kid?"

"Of course I'm here! You're going back to Xi'an to play football, why wouldn't I come?" Wang Hao punched him across the police line. "You dribbled past Captain Sun! Awesome, Stone!"

Wu Shi rubbed his shoulders: "I'm alright."

"Not bad? I screamed myself hoarse on stage!" Wang Hao glared, then lowered his voice, "By the way, your mom's here too, in the stands over there, and some of her colleagues from work. I even saw Su Xian'er just now."

Wu Shi was taken aback: "Xian'er is here too?"

"You're here. Sit with your mom." Wang Hao winked. "That young lady came all this way to see you, aren't you going to meet her?"

Wu Shi remained silent for two seconds.

Su Xian'er.

The girl next door, two years younger than him, grew up following him around. When she was bullied as a child, he stood up for her; when she cried after failing a test, he comforted her; when her parents argued, she would hide at his house, and he would tell her jokes to make her laugh.

Later, he went further and further away to play football, while she went to a top-tier junior high school and high school, where her studies became increasingly demanding.

The two met less and less often, and when they occasionally bumped into each other in the hallway, they would just nod and say hello.

He didn't know why, he just... didn't know how to take the initiative to chat with her.