Chapter Thirty: Xinjiang Is a Wonderful Place

Jinling. Wang Lei’s return brought a genuine smile to Ma Dongmei’s face. Although her injury meant she would miss two more league matches and a cup game—a fact that left her a bit disgruntled—having Lei back made everything seem less dull.

Wang Lei ultimately booked a flight back to Jinling, intending to discuss things with Ma Dongmei, since this mattered to both of them.

“Your mother wants me to go to Xinjiang and become the head coach of the Xinjiang Youth Men’s Basketball Team.”

“What?” Ma Dongmei was stunned by his words. She couldn’t understand her mother’s motive—was it for Wang Lei’s own good, or was it a ploy to separate them?

“She said if I lead the Xinjiang Youth team to good results, she’ll approve our relationship and never trouble us again.”

As Wang Lei spoke, he gently embraced the dazed young woman from behind.

Her body was warm; though she was rather tall, Wang Lei still felt as if he was holding a delicate beauty. That’s love, really—when you hold the person you care for, even if she’s frail, you feel an indescribable satisfaction from the depths of your heart.

She turned to face him and hugged him back. Her hair brushed against his ear, tickling him in a way that was both pleasant and sweet.

“Do you want to go?” she asked.

“I do. I want you to marry me with a joyful heart, not because I’m at odds with your mother.”

Wang Lei had already made up his mind on the journey back. He saw this as a good opportunity. First, it would allow him to explore his own physical secrets; second, it was a chance to overcome Li Weihong’s prejudice—if he could achieve strong results with such a team, he might finally win her approval. After all, she was a woman of her word.

Though Xinjiang was remote, for Wang Lei, it was the perfect place to start.

He hid nothing from Ma Dongmei, laying out his plans and intentions directly.

“Then go,” she replied, holding him tightly, her embrace betraying her reluctance to let him go.

“It’s not so far, is it? The flight’s only four hours. And it’s the youth team—there aren’t many matches. Whenever I have time, I’ll fly over to see you.”

On the court, Ma Dongmei always wore a proud expression. The dimples on her face softened her pride with an endearing charm, but now she was nothing but a river of deep feeling.

In two years, this stubborn girl had endured so much. Her persistence had brought her beloved back from the brink. Now, though this separation was for their future, her heart couldn’t help but ache.

Wang Lei was powerless. Since he’d made his decision, he would have to pay the price. The only thing he could do was cradle her face, wipe away her tears, and kiss those sweet, cherry lips.

They say a woman’s heart is a needle lost in the sea, but sometimes it’s very simple—giving for love, and reaping love in return. For Ma Dongmei, the season of harvest had come.

When Wang Lei left Jinling again, Ma Dongmei had undergone a profound transformation. Like a young wife seeing her husband off on a long journey, she lifted her spirits and looked forward to the beautiful days to come.

By late October, Xinjiang was already deep in autumn. The morning air was laced with the chill from Siberia.

The recruitment process for the head coach of the Xinjiang Youth Men’s Basketball Team was smooth. It was a public search for talent, and Wang Lei—former national team player—was the natural choice.

For the Xinjiang Basketball Association, the head coach of the provincial youth team wasn’t a particularly important position. It was a good way to do a favor for the capital’s sports authorities. Besides, Wang Lei was well-known in basketball circles. Despite his youth, his credentials were impressive, and his popularity online—though not strictly in basketball—surpassed that of rivals with mere local connections.

It wasn’t Wang Lei’s first time in Xinjiang. During his playing days in the national basketball super league, he’d been there often. Compared to more developed regions, Xinjiang lagged economically and in other ways, but the fans were passionate—Wang Lei still remembered the overwhelming welcome he’d received.

As an unimportant coach, Wang Lei naturally wasn’t greeted at the airport. He hailed a taxi to the training base in Tianshan District, Urumqi.

A staff member helped him complete the onboarding process. He didn’t even meet the association’s leadership—a clear sign of his lowly status.

His situation was rather bleak: his coaching staff consisted only of a fitness coach and a nutritionist—no other assistants. The team’s circumstances were even messier. The provincial youth team was in an awkward position. With the national super league in place, clubs had their own youth systems and teams, competing in the youth league. The provincial youth team, under the local association, mainly played in the National Games and interprovincial tournaments, which were few and far between. Only when games approached would they recruit young players from universities and clubs—if those organizations were even willing to cooperate. The youth team’s level was low, and the benefits couldn’t compare to professional or even university teams.

Wang Lei’s main task was to prepare for the next year’s National Games youth competition. He had to find players from universities and club youth teams himself, invite them, and handle everything on his own. If something went wrong, he would bear full responsibility.

Normally, the youth basketball event at the National Games was barely taken seriously—teams would only gather briefly before the tournament and practice for a couple of days. But this year, word came from the sports authorities that the National Games would be reformed, with the youth basketball tournament elevated to a major event. All provinces had to take it seriously and assemble strong youth teams. That’s how Wang Lei got this coaching opportunity.

He started with nothing, but he wasn’t discouraged. Unlike others, he had an extraordinary gift—and, with the experience of two different lives merged into one, he was far more than an ordinary man.