The Strategic Goal and the Jealous Gaze

Listening to the fervent cheers surrounding them, Jiang Li finally had a revelation.

“I understand now.”

The cheers were so deafening that Xi Yao hadn’t heard a word she said, prompting her to shout, “What did you just say?”

“I said—”

The surrounding noise was truly overwhelming, causing the two young women to instinctively draw closer, their heads almost touching as they leaned in to whisper.

“I understand why Xi Ruo is participating in this match.”

“Why?”

Within the penalty area, Xi Ruo looked up to see her beloved fiancée whispering with another beautiful girl nearby.

Their faces were practically pressed together!

“Sister Xi Ruo, why aren’t you celebrating… Ruo, Sister Ruo?”

The team’s attacking midfielder approached, intending to celebrate with her, but suddenly noticed that Xi Ruo’s mood seemed off.

There was a hint of… murderous intent?

“It was just one goal, what’s there to celebrate?” Xi Ruo retorted, retracting her gaze and walking back with a palpable aura of killing intent. “Continue!”

After more than a minute of fervent cheering, a relative quiet finally settled, allowing conversations to be heard from the stands.

“I told you, I know why she came to participate in this competition,” Jiang Li stated, “It’s to build momentum for the student council elections.”

Xi Yao paused, her small head tilting back slightly. “Huh?”

“You’ve seen the atmosphere surrounding today’s match; everyone has been completely captivated by her performance, which will quickly create a fervent devotion,” Jiang Li analyzed calmly. “Conveniently, the university student council elections are happening these very days.”

‘As expected of you, what a clever scheme.’

Xi Yao blinked, still a little bewildered. “I still don’t understand. Is it really for the student council elections?”

“It’s highly likely,” Jiang Li said matter-of-factly. “The student council wields considerable power.”

‘Uh, is there a possibility that her reason for participating isn’t that complicated, and is simply to…’

However, as she pondered, Xi Yao found herself growing uncertain.

To suggest that Xi Ruo spent all this time and effort participating in a soccer match just to see her beloved big-breasted girl and have dinner with her… well, that didn’t sound very reliable.

‘Never mind. I’ll just ask her directly when the time comes.’

The soccer match resumed, and the junior team, having composed themselves, regrouped and launched a new wave of offense.

‘Being one goal down isn’t a desperate situation. They are juniors, their overall strength is clearly superior to the sophomores; as long as they play steadily…’

“The junior team hasn’t given up; their tactics remain well-structured, steadily advancing towards midfield. That approaching kick poses a significant threat… What?!”

Amidst the stunned gasps of the entire audience, that sprinting, graceful figure flashed past, snatching the ball from the opponent’s feet.

“A magnificent tackle! Xi Ruo has seized possession and is firmly in control—the chance for a counterattack has arrived! The opposing attacking midfielder was a bit slow to pass, having completely underestimated Xi Ruo, a lone striker, for participating in defense and delivering such an excellent steal.”

Another commentator shook their head. “A super, super, colossal, colossal mistake.”

“Xi Ruo is sprinting with the ball, having already crossed midfield and reached outside the penalty area. The ball is superb, but is the person good?”

“Facing four… no, three defenders once again, can she do it? My heavens, of course she can; she is Xi Ruo!”

“She shoots! It’s a goal! The ball is magnificent, and the person is a superhero!”

“A blistering shot from near the six-yard box—the goalkeeper had absolutely no reaction; that ball was too fast.”

“Two to zero! The sophomores are in the lead!”

The junior team’s goalkeeper stood on the goal line, silently wiping away cold sweat as she watched the soccer ball still spinning in the net.

‘She hadn’t failed to react; she simply hadn’t dared to block it. The ball was too fast, its power too immense—it was truly unblockable.’

She watched the excessively beautiful girl outside the six-yard box, who, despite scoring two consecutive goals, showed no intention of celebrating, instead maintaining her menacing aura.

The goalkeeper swallowed hard.

‘No, was there perhaps a bit of personal emotion behind that shot?’

The juniors’ strength was indeed superior, and under strict tactical execution, they managed to score three goals against the sophomore team.

However, every time they scored, Xi Ruo returned with three of her own.

“An incredible match! A solo performance by Xi Ruo, who, over the ninety minutes of both halves, achieved ‘Five Sons Ascending the Imperial Examination’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom referring to a family having five sons who all achieved success in the imperial examinations, here used humorously to mean scoring five goals)!”

Xi Yao’s lips twitched as she gazed at the “5:3” scoreboard by the field.

‘She really did go on a rampage…’

“Truly impressive.”

Jiang Li, standing beside her, mused, “By leveraging the influence of this match, she’s garnered a surge of popularity. For at least this entire week, everyone will be talking about her. And the university student council elections are scheduled within this very week.”

“Is, is that so?”

“Yes, only with absolute, undeniable strength can one execute such an overt strategy. Even if others are aware of it, they are helpless, as no one can stop her explosive performance.”

Jiang Li gazed at Xi Ruo in the center of the field, her eyes… much like Liu Bang’s when he beheld Qin Shi Huang in ancient times.

‘She was practically on the verge of exclaiming, ‘A true man should be like this!”

Xi Yao tugged at the corner of her lips, deciding to abandon the topic of Xi Ruo’s participation motive with Jiang Li.

Just then, a message from Xi Ruo arrived—

[Sister: Wait for me at the entrance of Sports Hall Gate 5!]

‘The contact name hadn’t been changed yet, and she wasn’t sure what to change it to.’

“Jiang Li, I have something to attend to tonight, so I won’t be having dinner with you back home,” Xi Yao told the girl beside her. “I’ll return a little later.”

“Then come back early.”

Jiang Li replied instinctively, only to turn her head and realize something was amiss. The way she’d phrased it made her sound… overly clingy.

She quickly added, “What I mean is, if you come back late, turning on the lights might disturb others’ sleep.”

“I know, I know, I won’t be that late.”

Getting to Sports Hall Gate 5 from the stands wasn’t particularly close, so it took a little time. By the time Xi Yao arrived, Xi Ruo was already waiting there.

Gate 5 wasn’t a regular entrance or exit, and no one was passing through; Xi Ruo had specifically chosen this spot.

“Sister Xi Ruo,” Xi Yao called out, waving her small hand. “I’m here.”

From the stands, it had been too far to see clearly, but now, up close, the sports vest and shorts the young woman wore clung almost provocatively to her delicate, exquisite figure, making her look alluring.

With her high ponytail, Xi Ruo’s pretty face was cool and beaded with fragrant sweat. The moment Xi Yao approached, she opened her mouth to interrogate, “Who was that girl?”

Xi Yao blinked blankly. “That girl?”

“The one you were pressed against, whispering with,” Xi Ruo interrogated coldly. “When I scored my first goal.”

‘She even remembered the exact moment with perfect clarity.’

Xi Yao tilted her head, thinking for a moment, and then vaguely recalled. “Oh, that’s my roommate. The cheers from the stands were so loud then that we couldn’t hear anything, so we had to lean in to talk.”

‘Ah, was that how it was?’

Xi Ruo thought back, and indeed, the cheers had been incredibly loud, almost as if they could lift the roof off the stadium.

Still, she remained a little displeased. “At a time like that, why were you still chatting with her? Was there something so important that it absolutely had to be said?”

‘The goal was scored, and you weren’t watching me properly. What were you chatting about with your roommate?’

‘Is there any topic more important than me?’

Xi Yao considered for a moment, then casually replied, “She asked me what we were having for lunch in the cafeteria tomorrow.”

‘Ah, this…’

‘Indeed, for Xi Yao, the ‘foodie,’ topics of eating were more important than anything else.’

Xi Ruo’s beautiful face flushed slightly, and she huffed coldly, “What’s so good about cafeteria food? Let’s go!”

‘I’ll take you for a special meal!’