Dawn - Chapter 1

I timed my visit to discuss leaving the club for the owner’s tea break.

He was busy steeping and pouring. He craned his neck, skimmed the documents, and gave an awkward laugh.

“Xishi, sure, Si Yao shouldn’t have forfeited. But we’d already qualified. Dropping one game won’t keep us out of the playoffs. Come on, there’s no need to get this upset with him.”

True.

Forget the playoffs. With DGX’s current momentum, a place in the finals was practically guaranteed.

“Or is this about Su Lai?” He gave me a knowing look, teasing.

Su Lai was the assistant coach who had transferred from Dawn.

Assistant coach in name. In practice, she was already taking over my work.

She was lively and carefree, and within days she had become one of the gang.

During my review sessions, the players whispered together, trading jokes that had nothing to do with the match.

When I scheduled an early start, they shuffled in late and half asleep, making no secret of having sneaked out with Su Lai and partied until dawn.

When I laid out tactics, Si Yao led the resistance, openly sneering that my style was out of date.

“This has nothing to do with her,” I said evenly.

“Exactly. She’s young and doesn’t know any better. Don’t take it personally.” The owner seized on my words and poured me a cup of tea with a genial smile.

I knew he was trying to keep me.

I also knew that half the effort was a courtesy to our years of working together.

DGX had grown from an obscure little team into what it was today. It had already made a fortune.

Now favorites for the title, the players were ready to spread their wings.

Whether I stayed seemed to make little difference.

Besides, he continued, “A player’s commercial value is what matters most. Su Lai’s getting so much attention lately. Let her and Si Yao play up the romance. I’ll give you a bigger bonus.”

My answer was brief.

“No need.”

Seeing that my mind was made up, he rose with a long sigh.

He meant to pat my shoulder. Unfortunately, the tea table lay between us like a border between warring states, and his expanding belly left us in separate realms of existence.

He seemed to be working up some profound farewell. Nothing came of it.

In the end he cleared his throat and turned businesslike.

“In that case, discuss the handover with Coach Su.”

As I approached the training room, a girl’s clear voice rang out.

“I looked carefully at the training plan Xishi made for you. It’s completely pointless. She’s just trying to recreate Kyr’s success through you. She hasn’t considered your individual strengths at all.”

“What does she know?” Si Yao drawled. “All she cares about is that precious captain of hers.”

“Personally, I think your mechanics are already way better than his were at his peak!”

“Really?” His voice lifted with a smile.

The other players chimed in.

“Absolutely! I hear the league’s still keeping Kyr’s player slot open. I’d love to see the boss go up against him.”

“Yeah. Old man Kyr—has he still got anything left?”

“If Xishi heard that, she’d be so mad her face would twist!”

I pushed open the door.

My face was fine. Untwisted.

Silence fell.

Si Yao lounged in his gaming chair, his long legs stretched far out in front of him.

When he saw me, he tilted his head in a deliberate challenge and took the straw of Su Lai’s cola between his teeth.

She reached out quite naturally and ruffled his slightly curly hair as if petting a puppy.

Beside the water dispenser, the newly promoted reserve player stood up nervously.

Then he noticed that none of the starters had moved, and awkwardly sank back down.

“Coach Su,” I said calmly. “Come outside for a moment. We need to talk.”

“You don’t have to go.” Si Yao caught her wrist, facing me like her protector. “Whatever you’ve got to say, say it to me right here.”

The temperature dropped to freezing.

Only the veteran support sensed trouble and murmured, “Si, leave it…”

“Su Lai’s here as an assistant. She’s not taking your job. Why can’t you stand having her around?” Si Yao sneered, his voice cutting. “Lu Xishi, where does this possessiveness even come from? Your hand’s ruined and you can’t play professionally, so now you treat us as tools to win your championship?”

I didn’t answer.

I simply looked around the training room.

One player had his headphones on and was playing a mobile game, staying out of it.

Another tilted his head back, pretending to rest his eyes.

A third was enjoying the show.

These were the starters I had picked, one by one, out of the youth academy and trained myself.

I smiled.

I had intended to leave on good terms.

Apparently, even a goodbye was unnecessary.

“Si Yao.” I looked at him and spoke my last words at DGX. “You’re not good enough to be a tool for winning my championship.”