Soccer Notebook

Xia Mengyin helped Lu Ang pick out a new bag. While Lu Ang tried it on, his notebook slipped and fell to the ground. As Xia Mengyin was shorter, she conveniently helped him pick it up.

However, the contents of the notebook stunned Xia Mengyin.

Actually, Xia Mengyin did not have the habit of flipping through other people's things. It was just that this book was open and there were many small figures and competition venues drawn on it.

Xia Mengyin picked it up. "Hmm? Banana kick, angle, strength, speed, value."

Lu Ang saw that she was looking at his notebook and said, "This is my notebook on soccer physics."

Xia Mengyin looked at Lu Ang in shock, then flipped through his notebook. "Huh? You're so serious. Oh my god. To be honest, I've never studied this in detail before. The banana kick curves balls with an arc. The knuckleball can also be said to be a type of dipping shot. It doesn't spin, and it's fast. I know that knuckleball also exists in baseball. Why are you so serious about them?"

Lu Ang nodded. "Because I want to know more."

Xia Mengyin said, "Amazing. I thought you players practiced through physical training and didn't need these theories."

Lu Ang scratched his head. "I'm just used to drawing them out. At first, I also trained according to this. But no matter how many theories there are, they are only theories. It still depends on actual practice."

Xia Mengyin nodded and pointed at the drawing of the banana kick. "Arched balls like this are hard to master, just like Xiao Bei's curve shots."

Lu Ang frowned. "We can't determine which type of ball is hard to master. In fact, when many players practice the shots, like what I've recorded in my notebook, they can kick it out successfully during training. However, the hardest thing about soccer is not what technique you have mastered, but how you use them in actual matches. The situation on the field is unpredictable, and it's very likely that you won't be able to fully utilize the practice."

Xia Mengyin replied, "I understand; consciousness and the ability to adapt to changes are very important."

Lu Ang said, "We still have to cooperate and seize the opportunity."

Xia Mengyin was deep in thought. She said, "It's still a group sport, after all. There are many factors involved, but technical training is the foundation."

Lu Ang said, "Yes, technical training is especially necessary because it provides the possibility of increasing your awareness on the field. Training can increase your feel of the ball on your feet. No matter how talented a person is, it's impossible for them to play well without training."

Xia Mengyin said, "But some people are talented in the field. Think about it, our athletes can't compare to them."

Lu Ang said, "That's because talent is the next thing to differentiate when everyone's hard work is the same."

Xia Mengyin thought that this sentence sounded very strange.

The shop assistant at the side was already impatient. "May I know who will foot the bill?"

Xia Mengyin said, "Me."

Lu Ang told the shop assistant, "No, I'll do it."

Xia Mengyin pulled him. "No, you were the one who paid for the hotpot, and I was the one who dirtied your clothes and bag."

Lu Ang replied, "It's okay, I'll do it. When I'm free again, you can treat me to a meal."

Xia Mengyin pouted. "Alright then."

…

On the way back, Lu Ang's notes gave Xia Mengyin a new idea. She liked soccer, but there were many principles that she was not clear about. She felt that those perspectives opened a new door for her as a humanities student.

She had always known that soccer was not just a physical exercise, but she did not expect it to involve more knowledge than she had imagined.

No wonder when she was a kid, her father had always said that soccer venues were all-encompassing. Ballrooms were like life. They involved everything. The more one knew, the more one would realize that nothing was as simple as that.

…

Lin Yunai was reading in the dormitory when she noticed the silent Xia Mengyin. "Why? Are you unhappy?"

Xia Mengyin laid on the bed. "Nothing, I just feel like I don't know enough."

Lin Yunai said, "That's normal. By the way, do you think that the verified account of Lu Ang's is real or fake?"

Xia Mengyin suddenly perked up. "That's right, I was so focused on talking about soccer today that I forgot about it when I came back. But aren't you always uninterested in these things?"

Lin Yunai replied, "No, I just want to know if Zhang Yu won the bet."