"Indeed..." I nodded in agreement. This wasn't a professional match, and among the players on both sides were many middle-aged men with bulging bellies, likely high-level executives from the respective companies who were just playing for fun or as a form of exercise. And this was supposed to be a provincial-level league? It felt like they wouldn't even be a match for our university's college team. Young players, lacking in skill, could be worn down simply by outrunning them.
"No wonder Yanxia football is in such decline, the grassroots support is too weak."
"Do you want to go up and give it a try?" Lin Xi leaned back in her chair. "At this level of competition, frankly, I can't even be bothered to play."
Despite Lin Xi's words, her actions were honest; she was already stretching her ankle joints.
"Consider it an old lady getting some exercise," I chuckled, giving her an out. Mainly, I wanted to see how this Captain Lin actually played.
"Then, shall we go down and play around a bit?" Lin Xi sat up again.
At this point, less than ten minutes into the game, Chen Feng's team had already conceded two goals. Both teams were playing like rookies taking turns to peck at each other, but there was still a considerable skill gap.
Chen Lu was sitting right next to us. Seeing Lin Xi eager to play, she immediately went to find the coach (who was one of her employees) to arrange for Lin Xi to substitute in.
It was quite formal, requiring an electronic substitution board to enter the player numbers, and substitutions could only be made during a stoppage in play.
Lin Xi stood up and began warming up along the sideline in a passable manner. Honestly, although her face had become somewhat more masculine, her figure was undeniable. With every movement, her feminine grace was evident. Fortunately, we knew she was a beautiful woman; otherwise, one might assume this man was incredibly effeminate!
When play stopped, the referee blew the whistle for a substitution. Lin Xi replaced the number 7 player in midfield. Although he had only played for a little over ten minutes, this fellow was already out of breath. After being substituted, he slumped into his chair, chugging Red Bull to replenish his energy.
Lin Xi entered the field and didn't immediately display her full skill. When the ball came to her, she passed it on without holding it, seemingly observing the game. The opposing team, seeing her slender frame, didn't take her seriously and barely marked her.
After a five-minute adjustment period, Lin Xi gradually started to get involved, organizing attacks. However, because she couldn't speak without revealing her identity (her voice was even higher and thinner than a typical girl's), she could only direct play with hand gestures. But the bunch of "pig teammates" on the field couldn't accurately understand Lin Xi's intentions. As a result, Lin Xi made two brilliant passes that penetrated the opponent's defense, but our forwards failed to make the right runs, wasting two clear shooting opportunities.
Lin Xi became a little annoyed. Since her teammates couldn't receive her passes, she started to dribble herself. From my perspective, she wasn't using internal energy or martial arts at all, relying solely on muscle strength, physical agility, and, most importantly, exceptional ball control. She dribbled past three opposing players. Facing the last defender, the goalkeeper, Lin Xi quickly came forward to block the angle. Lin Xi executed a delicate chip shot. The ball arced like a rainbow, grazing the crossbar before falling into the net.
The entire stadium erupted in cheers. Chen Feng and the others were bewildered, only knowing that Lin Xi was an imported player invited by his sister. They truly thought she was a man, and a group of them swarmed over, burying Lin Xi under their bodies on the grass. Lin Xi didn't seem to mind the pile of sweaty men. After the celebration, play resumed. A few minutes later, Lin Xi received the ball in the center. Two opponents moved to close her down. Lin Xi didn't force her way through; instead, she feigned a quick acceleration and passed the ball to Chen Feng on the wing.
My "brother-in-law" still had some skill. He immediately understood Lin Xi's intention and drove the ball directly towards the edge of the opponent's penalty box.
His footwork was average, and the pass was too strong. Lin Xi immediately shifted gears and accelerated, charging towards the opponent's goal like lightning. The moment the opposing goalkeeper rushed out to block the ball, Lin Xi arrived like a cavalry charge, nudging the ball away with her toe. Because of her immense speed, she couldn't control the power of this shot. The ball rolled far away towards the baseline. Lin Xi stumbled after landing but quickly regained her balance and continued to sprint forward. Just as the ball was about to go out of bounds, she tapped it to stop it on the white line.
She genuinely hadn't used any internal energy. After stopping the ball, her 110-pound body was carried forward by inertia for more than two meters before she finally came to a halt. If she had used internal energy, a simple immobilization technique would have stopped her instantly.
Lin Xi turned back, shifted the ball slightly to create an angle, and before the goalkeeper could recover his position, she easily pushed the ball into the net from a tight angle. 2-2, the score was tied.
However, this time Lin Xi didn't accept her teammates' congratulations. She leaned on her knees, panting for a long time. I noticed she seemed to be limping on her left foot. I didn't get a clear look, but it seemed like earlier, when she was competing for the ball with the goalkeeper, her toe might have been stepped on by the goalkeeper's studs?