A reborn mother longs for her daughter's happiness.

Chapter 204 The Hot Pot Appointment After the Football Championship

On a bright Monday morning, Liu Qicheng hummed a little tune as he walked into the school. His steps were so light that it was as if he were walking on air. If it weren't for his still slightly aching ankle, he would have almost forgotten the terrible way he had fallen flat on his face during football training a week ago.

"Hey, Liu Qicheng!" His classmate and best friend Li Yang jumped out from behind and hugged him around the neck. "Is your foot feeling better yet? The whole school soccer tournament is on Saturday, and our class is counting on you, our 'ace striker'!"

Liu Qicheng slapped Li Yang's hand away and said in a serious tone, "What are you talking about? When have I, Liu Qicheng, ever messed up? With my recovery ability, Saturday's game is a piece of cake!"

"Oh ho, you've got quite the nerve." Li Yang raised an eyebrow. "But you'd better watch out, or you might just trip and fall flat on your face again. My little heart can't take it."

Liu Qicheng rolled his eyes: "Go away, that was an accident last time, an absolute accident! This time I'll definitely show everyone what real football strength is."

The two entered the classroom, playfully bickering. Liu Qicheng had just sat down when he saw Yang Xuexue walk in carrying a stack of homework. Sunlight shone on her hair, casting a soft golden halo, and Liu Qicheng's heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason.

"Good morning, Xuexue!" Liu Qicheng greeted her with a smile.

Yang Xuexue looked up and returned a sweet smile: "Good morning, Liu Qicheng. Is your foot feeling better?"

"I'm all better!" Liu Qicheng stood up and even jumped up and down a couple of times on purpose. "Thanks to you for taking me to the infirmary that day. I don't know what I would have done without you. I'll definitely treat you to a big meal when I win the championship on Saturday!"

Yang Xuexue was amused by his enthusiasm: "Okay, then I'll be waiting for your championship feast. But don't push yourself too hard, the competition is important, but your health is more important."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing!" Liu Qicheng assured him, patting his chest.

Over the next few days, Liu Qicheng embarked on an intense training regimen. Every day after school, he was the first to rush to the soccer field, practicing dribbling, shooting, and physical conditioning, leaving no detail overlooked. His teammates were inspired by his enthusiasm and trained with exceptional dedication.

"Liu Qicheng, are you on steroids?" Li Yang said breathlessly. "If you keep training like this, you'll turn into a 'soccer robot'."

Liu Qicheng wiped the sweat from his forehead and laughed, "That won't do. I need to save my energy for winning the championship on Saturday. Don't slack off either. We both have to give it our all in the competition!"

Finally, Saturday's school-wide soccer match arrived as scheduled. The entire campus was abuzz with excitement, as students flocked to the playground to cheer on their favorite classes. Standing on the field, Liu Qicheng looked at the dense crowd around him, a surge of unprecedented tension and excitement welling up inside him.

"Liu Qicheng, don't be nervous, just perform normally." Yang Xuexue appeared beside him at some point and said softly.

Liu Qicheng turned his head and looked at Yang Xuexue's encouraging eyes, and the tension in his heart instantly dissipated a lot: "Yeah, I know. Xuexue, just wait and see me show off my skills!"

With the referee's whistle, the match officially began. Liu Qicheng, like a nimble cheetah, swiftly dribbled the ball towards the opponent's goal. The opposing players were not to be outdone, swarming around to defend. Liu Qicheng dodged left and right, skillfully avoiding one opponent after another, and then unleashed a powerful shot—with a "bang," the football flew into the opponent's goal like a cannonball.

"Goal!" "Well done, Liu Qicheng!" Cheers and applause erupted from the sidelines. Liu Qicheng jumped up excitedly and high-fived his teammates in celebration.

In the following match, Liu Qicheng and his teammates cooperated seamlessly, breaking through the opponent's defense time and time again, and scoring several more goals. The opposing team, however, was not discouraged and launched a fierce counterattack. The match entered a heated phase, with both sides exchanging attacks and refusing to give an inch.

Just as the match was about to end, the opposing team launched a final attack. A player, dribbling the ball, charged towards Liu Qicheng's team's goal like lightning. Seeing this, Liu Qicheng immediately sprinted to defend. At the crucial moment, he made a beautiful tackle, successfully intercepting the ball. Then, he quickly got up and passed the ball to his teammate. His teammate sprinted forward and, before the opposing players could react, took a shot—goal!

As the referee blew the final whistle, the game ended. Liu Qicheng's class won the championship with a score of 5:3! The students cheered and rushed onto the court, surrounding Liu Qicheng and his teammates.

"Liu Qicheng, you're amazing!" "We are the champions!" everyone shouted excitedly.

Liu Qicheng stood in the crowd, a happy and proud smile on his face. His eyes searched through the crowd, finally finding that familiar figure—Yang Xuexue. She was smiling at him, her eyes full of approval and joy.

After the match, Liu Qicheng ignored his teammates' attempts to persuade him to stay and rushed to Yang Xuexue, saying, "Xuexue, let's go, I'll treat you to hot pot!"

Yang Xuexue smiled and nodded: "Okay, but don't spend too much."

The two arrived at a hot pot restaurant near the school. The restaurant was steaming hot, filled with a rich aroma of hot pot. Liu Qicheng ordered a table full of dishes, including Yang Xuexue's favorite tripe, shrimp balls, beef rolls…

"Xuexue, eat whatever you want, you must eat your fill today!" Liu Qicheng greeted her warmly.

Looking at the table full of delicious food, Yang Xuexue couldn't help but laugh and say, "You ordered so much, can the two of us finish it?"

Liu Qicheng patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, I'll take the leftovers home. I'm the champion today, so I'm in a good mood and I have to eat more."

The hot pot was served, the boiling broth bubbling and releasing an enticing aroma. Liu Qicheng picked up a piece of tripe, dipped it in the pot a few times, and then put it in Yang Xuexue's bowl: "Xuexue, try this. Dipping tripe seven or eight times in the broth is the essence of eating hot pot."

Yang Xuexue took the tripe, put it in her mouth and tasted it: "Mmm, it's really delicious. I didn't expect you to have such a good appetite."

Liu Qicheng smiled smugly: "Of course, I'm a hot pot expert. By the way, Xuexue, what do you think of my performance in the competition today?"

Yang Xuexue laughed and said, "That was great! You were a star on the field today. Especially that tackle, it was so cool!"

Liu Qicheng was overjoyed to hear this: "Haha, actually I was quite nervous at the time, afraid of making a mistake. But the thought of you watching me from the audience filled me with motivation."

Yang Xuexue blushed slightly, lowered her head to eat, and stopped talking. Liu Qicheng felt a sweet warmth in his heart as he watched her shy expression.

The two chatted while eating hotpot. Liu Qicheng told Yang Xuexue about the funny things that happened during his football training, and Yang Xuexue listened with great interest, often bursting into laughter at his jokes.

"Xuexue, do you know? I've loved football since I was little, and I dream of becoming a professional football player someday," Liu Qicheng said suddenly, very seriously.

Yang Xuexue looked up at him and said, "I believe you can do it. You love football so much and work so hard, one day you will realize your dream."

Liu Qicheng smiled and said, "Yes, I will try my best. Actually, I'm able to persevere thanks to you. Whenever I encounter difficulties and want to give up, as long as I think of your encouraging words, I have the motivation."

Yang Xuexue's heart suddenly raced. She lowered her head and whispered, "I...I didn't do anything, I just said some encouraging words."

“No, you’ve done far more than you can imagine.” Liu Qicheng looked at her and said earnestly, “Xuexue, thank you for your constant companionship and support. You are really important to me.”

Yang Xuexue's face turned even redder. She looked up at Liu Qicheng's eyes, which were glistening with tears: "I... I'm also very happy to be your friend."