Chapter 21: Returning to the Beginning as a Substitute

“Should we add Ningzhou to the first team’s candidate list?”
Assistant Coach Hou squinted, watching Coach Luo’s subtle facial expressions.
Coach Luo’s expression shifted only for a moment before returning to normal. “What do you think, Xiao Hou?”
“I...” Assistant Coach Hou withdrew his gaze, mumbling, “I’ll discuss it with Deputy Coach Garry before giving my opinion.”
The sound of footsteps, approaching from afar, interrupted their conversation.
“Coach?”
Du Jun, who had already secured a spot in the first team, walked over, fitting a wrist guard onto his hand as he greeted them.
Coach Luo nodded at him and gestured to Assistant Coach Hou. “Let’s save this topic for the next meeting.”
Assistant Coach Hou understood, tucking his notebook into his bag.
“I’ll head out, then. You and the players should rest, don’t overexert yourselves.”
Du Jun watched Assistant Coach Hou leave, then turned and asked, “Coach, is there something you needed at the court?”
“Yes, I came to collect the serving machine. Ning Yang borrowed it for the afternoon.” Coach Luo smiled, wrinkles gathering at the corners of his eyes. “Since you’re here, help bring it back. I have something to attend to and need to return to the office.”
“Sure, I’ll take care of it.”
Du Jun entered the court alone and found Ning Yang. “You’re done with the serving machine? I’ll put it away.”
He grabbed the machine but couldn’t move it...
“?”
Looking behind the machine, Du Jun saw Ning Yang holding onto the other side, like a tug-of-war. “Du, no! We’ve only just started practicing, we’re just getting into the groove!”
Worried about breaking the machine, Du Jun reluctantly eased his grip.
“Didn’t you borrow it for the whole afternoon? Why are you only starting now?”
Ning Yang was suddenly tongue-tied, stammering...
He couldn’t exactly admit he’d spent the afternoon watching variety shows with the serving machine idle...
Du Jun sighed lightly and pulled Ning Yang away from the machine. “So, you need serves, right?”
Ning Zhou was caught off guard, excitement lighting his face. “You mean...?”
“Yes, I need to practice serving as well.”
Du Jun stepped in to serve for those practicing passing.
Once he joined the training, Ning Zhou and Nie Fei’ang’s ultra-fast close-range attacks had to be shelved—
Because almost no one could pass the ball accurately.
Du Jun’s serves were nothing like the mechanical ones from the serving machine.
Experienced and skilled, he sent each jump serve to the most difficult angle, tormenting Xu Zichang and Yu Bai with relentless precision.
Watching yet another pass fly out of bounds, Ning Zhou couldn’t be bothered to chase after it.
“Nie Fei’ang, go save the ball!”
Nie Fei’ang instinctively sprinted after it, missing the catch and returning with the ball, apologetic. “Sorry, Zhou Zhou, I couldn’t save it...”
“It’s fine, we’ll try again next time.”
Ning Zhou gave a perfunctory comfort, took the ball from him, and tossed it to Du Jun, who was waiting.
Nie Fei’ang frowned, sensing something amiss. “Zhou Zhou, are you deliberately making me do the dirty work?”
“How could I?” Ning Zhou feigned seriousness. “Middle blockers need specialized defensive training too... Another pass just flew off, hurry!”
Nie Fei’ang, like a dog chasing a frisbee, obediently dashed out again...
Ning Zhou leaned against the post, thoroughly enjoying himself: finally, someone willing to fetch balls!
“Is it really that hard to receive?” Ning Yang, never having seen such poor passing, was nearly losing his mind. “You guys need to pay attention! Stop flailing your arms!”
He mimed the shape of a volleyball with his hands in the air.
“If the ball comes like this, you should receive it like this. If it’s like that...”
The naturally talented player believed he was imparting wisdom, but to everyone else, it was pure gibberish.
Ning Zhou saw Yu Bai’s expression and knew he hadn’t understood a word. “Mei Mei, they won’t get it if you explain like that...”
“So that’s it!”
Xu Zichang slapped his thigh as if enlightened...
Yu Bai: ?
Ning Zhou: ?
“Finally, someone gets it!” Ning Yang was relieved, shouting across the net, “Du Jun, serve to Xu Zichang!”
Du Jun obliged, sending a difficult shot to Xu Zichang’s side, sharper and faster than any previous serve...
Seeing the ball’s curve, Ning Zhou couldn’t help but worry for Xu Zichang.
Xu Zichang adjusted his receiving technique as Ning Yang instructed—
“Bang!”
The sound of volleyball hitting his arm changed subtly.
The pass soared high, landing above the three-meter line...
Ning Zhou’s setter instincts kicked in; he ran over, hands ready to set, catching the ball. “Great pass!”
Xu Zichang jumped for joy, his blond highlights bouncing with him, grabbing Nie Fei’ang.
“Did you see my pass? Incredible! I’m a genius!”
Nie Fei’ang pushed him away in disdain. “Passing doesn’t improve overnight. That was pure luck!”
“Not bad!” Ning Yang clapped, finally relaxed. “It wasn’t perfect, but the setter didn’t have to run far. Keep it up, next time aim for a flawless pass!”
Yu Bai watched the celebrations quietly, feeling isolated.
It was like he and his desk mate were always struggling in class, only to find his mate aced the exam...
“Don’t doubt yourself.” Ning Zhou walked over to comfort him. “I’ve never seen anyone actually understand Mei Mei’s teaching either...”
Yu Bai’s expression softened, and he tilted his head, pressing one ear close to Ning Zhou.
“What did you call Ning Yang?”
“Mei Mei.” Ning Zhou smiled, a bit embarrassed, his tone lilting. “He was always called Xiao Yang when he was young, little sheep, little sheep, so it became Mei Mei...”
Yu Bai felt his side tingling, edged closer. “Didn’t catch that, what was it?”
“Mei Mei!”
“Biebie?”
“No... Mei Mei, have you ever heard a sheep bleat?”
Ning Zhou repeated it several times, even doubting his own Mandarin, until he noticed Yu Bai’s teasing smile and half-lowered lashes...
“Are you messing with me?”
Ning Zhou’s tone sharpened, and Yu Bai quickly adopted a meek expression. “No... it’s cute.”
“Right? I think calling him ‘Mei Mei’ is adorable. Even Deputy Coach Ning calls him Xiao Mei now!”
“Yu Bai!”
Ning Yang rushed over, pulling Ning Zhou behind him, wary.
“Yu Bai, are you going to practice or not? Why do you keep chatting with Zhou Zhou?”
Ning Zhou had no idea why the atmosphere turned so tense.
He thought for a moment and patted Ning Yang’s shoulder. “Focus on coaching Xu Zichang, I’ll work with Yu Bai...”
Yu Bai lifted his eyes, the reply swirling in his throat, but what came out was,
“Learning passing from a setter?”
Ning Zhou raised his chin. “Don’t underestimate me. After switching to setter, I even snuck into libero during practice matches...”
As he spoke, a hint of melancholy crept in, but he quickly adjusted. “Remember the group match when I received your serve? Try following me!”
Ning Yang looked worried, glancing at Ning Zhou’s state. “Zhou Zhou...”
“It’s fine.” Ning Zhou pushed Ning Yang away. “Xu Zichang is waiting, go to him.”
Practice resumed.
Compared to Ning Yang, Ning Zhou’s teaching was traditional—correcting fundamental posture first.
Yu Bai, who played both basketball and volleyball, always carried over habits from basketball: his stance wasn’t low enough, and his arms weren’t tight.
Ning Zhou carefully corrected his form. “If you’re not confident about a serve, don’t force it. It’s okay if you can’t get it to the setter, just use your body to push the ball high...”

“No.” Yu Bai was stubborn as a mule. “I’m here to master accurate passing.”
Ning Zhou pouted. “Poor fundamentals mean more mistakes. Why are you so fixated on perfect passes?”
Yu Bai fell silent, gaze lingering on Ning Zhou’s face—
Cheeks flushed, nose tip damp.
Just a little practice, and his breathing grew rapid.
As with every group warm-up, Ning Zhou was always the first to lag behind, openly so, making it impossible for Yu Bai not to notice.
Such a delicate setter, only by delivering perfect passes could he let Ning Zhou run less and spend more time playing with him...
“?” Ning Zhou touched his own face, finding nothing stuck there.
Yu Bai held back, finally speaking. “My passing is bad. I didn’t get a chance to switch groups last time...”
‘Yu Bai went all out during the match, obviously desperate for the opportunity!’
Ning Zhou recalled the discussions after the group match, surprised.
“Switching groups? You tried so hard in the match to switch groups, not for a first-team spot?”
Yu Bai shot him a sidelong glance, tacitly admitting it.
Ning Zhou’s thoughts tangled. “Why do you want to switch? Deputy Coach Garry’s training suits your style!”
Yu Bai still held his receiving posture, thinking for a moment. His lashes trembled, ears drooping like a puppy caught in the rain, pitiful to behold.
“I was isolated...”
“!?”
Ning Zhou struggled to keep his composure, remembering that Yu Bai’s reputation among the players was mediocre.
He nearly fought with Shao Qiu on his first day, his fierce looks and cold expression making him seem intimidating.
No one in Garry’s group sought him out for partner drills—it was hardly surprising...
Ning Zhou rubbed his fingers, recalling the feel of two shopping cards, one of which was gifted by Yu Tong...
After much hesitation, Ning Zhou raised his arm and gently patted Yu Bai’s head. The buzz cut tickled his palm.
“...From now on, during basic training when there are no groups, come find me. I’ll be your practice partner.”
...
Ning Zhou never expected that this simple promise would attach a persistent companion to his side.
Every day before training started, Yu Bai came looking for him to tape his fingers; when groups split up, he’d separate for a moment, only for Yu Bai to return during basic drills.
Even during extra practice after training, Yu Bai would gaze at Ning Zhou, silently hinting he wanted to learn passing...
Rule n+1 for slacking: One should resist invitations for extra practice... If resistance fails, just go along with it.
Thanks to Yu Bai, Ning Zhou’s personal training time was forcibly extended, once again making him the “training king” in everyone’s eyes...
Thankfully, these days wouldn’t last long—
The Asian Championship was approaching, and the coaches needed to select players for the competition, separating them from the training squad for special training.
Though the Asian Championship was only a continental event, the top three teams would earn a ticket to the World Championship, and the results would affect world rankings.
The Volleyball Association of China placed great importance on this tournament, giving the coaching staff two goals: reach the top three and earn world ranking points.
Everyone understood:
The players chosen for the Asian Championship this time would become members of the national first team!
The mass training finally reached its moment of revelation...
“Cough, cough!” Coach Luo cleared his throat, smoothing out the list in his hand. Under everyone’s tense gaze, he announced, “All players whose names I call, please step forward to form the team for the Asian Championship—”
Boom, boom...
Ning Zhou listened to his own heartbeat, fast and strong, like the wind before a storm, sweeping in heavy news.
The national first team... Did it still have a spot for him as reserve setter?