Capítulo 27: Nicole (1)
Unexpectedly meeting Yang Zi, since parting ways with Yang Zi, Zhang Xu had been in a state of inexplicable happiness and anticipation.
He often took out his phone from time to time, staring blankly at the screen. Sometimes, he would come across Yang Zi's number but would hesitate to dial it. Even sending a message required careful consideration before clicking "send."
But it wasn't entirely his fault. Yang Zi was indeed a rare sweet girl, and she had been a child star since she was young. Especially after the broadcast of "Happy Family," her fame had skyrocketed.
Although she was currently studying at the Film Academy, she still had a continuous stream of acting opportunities. One could say she was in a period of rapid career advancement.
At this time, Zhang Xu was just an ordinary football player who had recently established himself in the Belgian Second Division, with a salary that was only average compared to domestic players. The difference in their statuses was quite significant.
Fortunately, Zhang Xu had the aura of being a top student at Paris VI University, and Yang Zi didn't dislike him. Moreover, Zhang Xu was sometimes particularly humorous, which naturally generated some goodwill between them.
In this way, Zhang Xu in Belgium and Yang Zi back in China began their long-distance communication via WeChat. As their contact gradually deepened, they slowly developed a preliminary connection.
For Zhang Xu, this relationship was hard-won and precious. He had been carefully nurturing it, hoping that one day, after they met again, they could truly be together.
In Zhang Xu's hopeful anticipation, the Belgian Second Division matchday had arrived once again.
During this time, something made Zhang Xu quite happy. After the previous match against Antwerp, Zhang Xu was selected for the Belgian Second Division's Best XI for the first time.
Moreover, this selection happened to be in place of Pogba's position. This irritated Pogba quite a bit, and as soon as the news got out, he immediately called Zhang Xu to vent his frustrations.
Zhang Xu didn't hold back either and directly said, "Rooster head, if you're so capable, don't complain to me here. If you can, snatch it back!"
Pogba was rendered speechless and after a few grunts, he hung up the phone.
Because of his selection in the Best XI of the week, Zhang Xu's reputation gradually spread in the Belgian Second Division. Almost all the Belgian Second Division teams now knew that White Star had made a worthwhile deal, acquiring an outstanding player in the defensive midfielder position who could rival Pogba without spending a dime.
With fame came an increase in attention from people and the media.
This could be seen from the fact that there were now unfamiliar faces outside the training ground, often seen carrying cameras and notebooks.
These strangers included some local Belgian journalists, but most of them were undoubtedly professional scouts.
However, having scouts around didn't mean that clubs would immediately make offers for Zhang Xu. This was just a routine close observation and evaluation. If Zhang Xu indeed met the club's requirements, there would naturally be continued tracking or proactive offers.
"Zhang, you're not bad at all, attracting so many scouts and journalists!" during a training break one day, Henry looked enviously at the scouts and journalists outside the training ground and exclaimed.
"Yeah, it looks like Zhang is about to become a star!"
"Zhang, when you become a star, don't forget us, your teammates. At the very least, treat us to a good meal!"
...
For a moment, Zhang Xu's teammates teased him one after another. Of course, some of them were tinged with envy and jealousy.
Zhang Xu, standing casually, said, "Hey, guys, don't tease me. You all know what kind of material I am. They don't know yet, but do you? Just wait, in a couple of days, those scouts and journalists will disperse once they see my rough technical and tactical skills."
As expected, it went just as Zhang Xu predicted. After seeing Zhang Xu's attributes, such as his 28 points in dribbling, 33 points in ball control and passing, and 32 points in off-the-ball movement, the scouts and journalists who had surrounded the training ground suddenly disappeared.
This gave Zhang Xu's teammates another reason to tease him, and it also fueled Zhang Xu's determination to make those blind scouts regret for a lifetime.
Today was matchday in the Second Division, and at 3 p.m., White Star would face Tubize at home.
This season, Tubize's performance was not good. Originally, they were neck and neck with White Star, with one team ranked 16th and the other 15th. But since Zhang Xu represented the first team, the situation had changed. White Star had begun to climb up the rankings, gradually distancing themselves from Tubize.
Before this match, White Star was ranked 13th, and Tubize was 16th, a difference of three places and a gap of 4 points in the standings.
Coach Mazu naturally had confidence and hope for this match. For White Star, the goal was to grab points whenever possible, and there was no need to be polite.
Moreover, Coach Mazu had decided to field all the first-choice players without reservation. Naturally, Zhang Xu was in the starting lineup, playing as a defensive midfielder.
The match began, and Tubize, despite being the away team, was still very proactive. They employed their typical attacking style, and the game looked very exciting with both teams going back and forth.
However, with the home advantage and Zhang Xu as a defensive presence in the midfield, White Star's offense became more fluid and sharp, as they had no worries about the defense.
In the 24th minute, Zhang Xu demonstrated his physical prowess and tactical acumen in a midfield tussle. Using his body effectively, he shielded the ball and outmaneuvered the opponent, intercepting it cleanly. His quick thinking led to an immediate direct pass, finding Henry in an advanced position.
Upon receiving Zhang Xu's pass, Henry showcased his dribbling skills. He masterfully navigated past two Tubize defenders with a series of nimble moves, displaying excellent ball control and agility. His dribbling wasn't just about evading defenders; it was also about creating space for the next play. Henry then passed the ball to Driss, who, understanding the flow of the game, executed a precise one-touch return pass back to Henry.
Henry, now in a strategic position and leaning against the opposition's center-back, seized the opportunity to take a shot. His technique in this moment was a blend of power and accuracy, finding the back of the net and putting White Star ahead.
Emboldened by the lead, White Star played with increased vigor. In the 41st minute, Zhang Xu again played a pivotal role, intercepting a pass near the center line. He promptly passed to Driss, who, after advancing a few steps, found Gil. Gil, assessing the situation, delivered a diagonal long pass, which was met by Greg's well-timed header. Greg's header, precise and controlled, brushed against the goalpost and into the net, doubling White Star's lead.
In the second half, Tubize intensified their offense, putting White Star's defense under pressure. However, Zhang Xu stood out with his robust defending, effectively stalling Tubize's momentum.
The match's decisive moment came in the 73rd minute, with Driss scoring another goal for White Star, effectively sealing their victory. Tubize, however, managed to score a late consolation goal from a corner kick, saving a little bit of face.
In the end, White Star defeated Tubize 3-1 in this match and climbed to 12th place in the standings!
Achieving victory in the match not only made Coach Mazu happy but also brought joy to Zhang Xu's teammates. However, Zhang Xu was probably the most excited of all.
Why? Simple, Zhang Xu had leveled up again. He was on the verge of leveling up before the match, and during the match, he gained some experience points through side missions, allowing him to meet the level-up conditions smoothly.
After reaching level 14, Zhang Xu gained 5 attribute points. Combined with the attribute points he had received as rewards from the system over the past few days, he had gained nearly twenty additional attribute points since the National Day match!
After the match, Zhang Xu and his teammates quickly freshened up and changed into dry clothes. They walked out of the stadium together, chatting and preparing to head home.
"Hey, Zhang! Over here!" At this moment, Zhang Xu unexpectedly heard a familiar voice. He turned around and saw that it was his roommate, Das.
Seeing Das in Belgium, Zhang Xu was naturally delighted. He walked over quickly, waving his hand and asking, "Hey, Das, what are you doing in Belgium?"
As he got closer, Zhang Xu realized that Das wasn't alone; there were five people with him. Two men and three women, and it was evident that they were here for sightseeing.
One of the pairs was obviously a couple, holding hands and displaying affection. Another girl leaned against Das's side, indicating that she was Das's new girlfriend.
The last girl was very beautiful, with long golden hair, long eyelashes, fair complexion, a pointed chin, and perfect curves. Zhang Xu couldn't help but be captivated.
However, Zhang Xu felt that this girl looked somewhat familiar, but despite thinking it over, he couldn't remember where he had seen her before.
"Got yourself another one, huh?" Zhang Xu playfully punched Das's chest, extending his right arm naturally over Das's shoulder. He leaned closer to Das's ear and whispered, "You're quite impressive, changing girlfriends every few days! But who are these people?"
"Who's changing girlfriends every few days!" Das cursed softly but then introduced them to Zhang Xu formally, "This is Rokay, a sophomore in the Economics Department. Next to Rokay is his girlfriend, Lefin. As for this one," Das put his arm around his girlfriend and held her tightly, "she's my girlfriend, Susan. How about it? Beautiful, right?"
Finally, he pointed to the girl standing beside them and said, "Her, I think there's no need for an introduction, right? I think you should know her!"
"I know her?" Zhang Xu was puzzled.
At this moment, Lefin added, "Don't you remember? Last time when you were back at school, you nearly bumped into this girl during your morning jog at the sports field. Remember now?"
"Oh, oh, oh, it's you!" Zhang Xu finally remembered, "I'm really sorry about last time. I was running too fast and couldn't stop in time. I'm Zhang Xu, you can call me Zhang, or you can call me China Zhang. May I ask for your name?"
"She's Nicole, Nicole Peltz!" Lefin helped with the introduction.
"Yes, I'm Nicole. Nice to meet you, the super genius from Paris VI University," Nicole smiled at Zhang Xu, extending her right hand gracefully.
"Nice to meet you too!" When a beautiful girl extended her hand to you, Zhang Xu certainly wouldn't hesitate. He naturally shook her hand, giving it a couple of shakes before letting go.
Unbeknownst to Zhang Xu, when he held Nicole's right hand, a hint of unnatural blush seemed to appear on Nicole's cheek.
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