She's back?

# Chapter 22: She's Back?

In high spirits, Sun Hao arrived at the arena early to train.

Real Madrid was hosting Atletico Madrid tonight at home.

Atletico Madrid—as the name suggests—was also a team from Madrid.

The difference from Real Madrid, however, was that their focus, both before and after, would remain on football; basketball was comparatively less emphasized.

This Atletico team had only been formed a little over a year ago.

Regardless, any encounter between these two teams was a Madrid city derby.

For Madrid fans, aside from matches against Barcelona, this was the game they cared about most.

Especially since Real Madrid held an overwhelming advantage in popularity.

It was like the Lakers versus the Clippers in the NBA.

For a game like this, Real Madrid's fans naturally hoped to see their team deliver a decisive victory.

Real Madrid felt the same way—no matter what league level, they needed wins to satisfy their supporters.

That included the head coach.

He arrived early at the arena to prepare for the day's training, only to find Sun Hao there even earlier than him.

The discovery surprised him, but it also brought him great satisfaction.

When he had called Sun Hao up from the youth team, he had specifically cut another player to make room.

By his third game, Sun Hao had already scored in double digits—and this wasn't the youth league anymore; the value of those points was on an entirely different level.

Now, seeing Sun Hao show up early the next morning for extra practice...

With all this happening in succession, it was impossible for the coach not to have a favorable impression of him.

He didn't interrupt Sun Hao's training, but made a decision in his mind.

A player like Sun Hao deserved a better opportunity.

Sun Hao had no idea what was happening around him. Most of the time, he trained inside the system; outside of it, he was just looking to break a sweat.

Drenched in sweat, feeling refreshed.

He went to the locker room for a shower, and by the time he came out, his teammates had gradually arrived.

Sun Hao had been stepping up his Spanish studies lately, so when he saw his teammates, he tried communicating with them in his broken Spanish.

It was partly for training, but also a way to have fun off the court and increase interaction.

Before long, the locker room was filled with laughter thanks to Sun Hao.

Not long after, the head coach entered the locker room. When the players saw him, they gradually quieted down.

"Sun, you're starting tonight's game."

As soon as he came in, the coach announced a decision.

The decision was somewhat sudden, but the teammates didn't react much.

Sun Hao was under sixteen and already playing in the Plata League, scoring in double digits by his third game.

This phenomenon could be described in two words: overflowing talent.

In other words, it was only a matter of time before he started—just a little earlier than expected.

Sun Hao was the most surprised of all. He hadn't expected the head coach to trust him even more than Raul had back then.

"Play well. Don't put pressure on yourself."

After announcing the starting lineup, the coach patted Sun Hao on the shoulder and spoke to him alone.

His earnest tone carried both his expectations and his own pressure.

Letting Sun Hao start tonight was a spur-of-the-moment decision.

If Sun Hao didn't perform well, the coach's authority within the team would take a hit.

Sun Hao looked at the coach and nodded, a sharp glint in his eyes.

His goal was to replicate the path Gasol had once taken—to enter La Liga within a year.

Personal strength was important, but in La Liga, where seniority and hierarchy mattered, opportunity was just as crucial.

Now that the head coach trusted him and gave him this chance, he had to seize it.

Seeing Sun Hao's reaction, the coach nodded with satisfaction. After signaling for the players to continue, he left the locker room.

As soon as he was gone, the locker room immediately buzzed with activity again.

But unlike the earlier fooling around, this time the teammates came over to congratulate Sun Hao.

Since joining the team, Sun Hao had gotten along well with everyone. And with his obvious bright future, building good relations with him was nothing but beneficial.

Sun Hao didn't enter the system to train at all that day. Tonight's game was too critical for him.

Just like when he had faced the Student Team before, if he could deliver an outstanding performance, it might directly catch the attention of Oro Real Madrid.

The arena was packed that night.

A city derby—the fans' passion was running high.

An hour before the game, both teams filed into the arena one after another to start warming up.

When Sun Hao first began warming up, his touch wasn't great; it was his muscles lagging a bit after the sudden drop in training intensity.

But once his body loosened up, he quickly found his rhythm and returned to his normal level. His outside shots were hitting nine or ten out of ten.

Ever since he'd obtained the "Long-Range Sharpshooter" badge, he could feel a noticeable improvement in the stability of his long-range shooting.

As warm-ups wound down, Sun Hao walked toward the bench.

Just then, he lifted his head casually and froze.

High up in the stands, he spotted a very familiar figure.

Not just the silhouette, but the style of dress, even the color of the clothes.

Was that... Jocelyn?

She really came back to Spain?

The wild thought he'd had while chatting with Fernandez earlier—was it actually happening?!

This was too unbelievable!

Sun Hao rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasn't dreaming.

But the scene before him didn't change. Even though the distance was too far to make out her face clearly, the build and the outfit were unmistakable.

He was certain it was Jocelyn!

For a moment, Sun Hao felt like his body had been injected with adrenaline; his pores couldn't help but explode open.

This surprise was even bigger than when the system told him he'd gotten a reward!

As incredible as it seemed, it actually explained why Jocelyn hadn't replied to his email.

Maybe it went like this: Jocelyn went back to the U.S., had a huge fight with her parents, got locked up at home for a few days, then secretly ran away and came to Spain!

That was a perfectly reasonable explanation!

If the game weren't about to start, Sun Hao would have rushed up into the stands right then.

He held back that impulse, but his body couldn't stop buzzing with excitement.

"What's wrong?"

The head coach noticed his state and came over to ask.

He asked the first time and Sun Hao didn't react. It wasn't until he patted Sun Hao's shoulder that Sun Hao turned his head, looking confused.

After the coach repeated himself, Sun Hao snapped out of it and quickly waved his hand to signal it was nothing.

He was just a little too excited.

He'd see her after the game anyway; there was no need to rush.

With that thought, Sun Hao pulled his gaze away from the stands for now.

No matter what, he had to play the game well first.

He clearly remembered that when Jocelyn had come before, he'd put on a crazy performance, scoring 81 points in a single game.

Jocelyn had been in a great mood that night.

Now that she was back, he had to perform well.

Because he knew that was what made her happy.

After warm-ups ended, players from both sides began taking the court one by one.

Before stepping onto the floor, Sun Hao couldn't help glancing at the stands again. He saw Jocelyn waving at him from far away.

He suppressed the urge to wave back, turned his head, rubbed his hands together, and then a sharp gleam flashed in his eyes.

Bring it on!

The referee's whistle blew, and amid the cheers of the home crowd, the Madrid derby between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid officially began.

Real Madrid won the opening possession.

Sun Hao held the ball beyond the three-point line, used the center's screen, and fired directly from deep.

This style of play was exactly the same as what he'd done in the EBA League.

Compared to the EBA League, the Plata League had stronger physicality and better tactical execution, but the overall style still followed the trend across Europe.

Faced with Sun Hao's approach, the opposing center turtled up in the paint and refused to come out.

Sun Hao's shot faced almost no interference.

The ball spun through the air, tracing a high arc.

"Swish!"

A crisp sound.

The three-pointer swished through the net.

Sun Hao's first three-point attempt was a clean hit!

The scene erupted in cheers.

The head coach on the sidelines also showed a pleased expression.

One point is insignificant in a game, but the first shot of the game reveals a player's competitive state.

Sun Hao's form tonight proved his judgment and decision were right!

Atletico Madrid's return possession failed to score; from their offensive performance, their overall strength was indeed weaker than Real Madrid's.

However, despite their weak offense, their defensive intensity was good.

When Sun Hao dribbled to the frontcourt and tried the same trick again, the opposing guard successfully navigated the screens twice in a row, and this time the same tactic didn't work.

Real Madrid's offensive wave failed to score, and Atletico Madrid countered with a fast break to put the ball in.

Atletico Madrid's bench erupted in excitement.

A city derby—the players were fully invested, and so were the fans.

In the stands, the two sets of fans sitting close together remained composed, but those a few rows apart had already started passionately trading insults.

The derby atmosphere reached a climax right from the opening.

Real Madrid's next offensive wave still didn't succeed.

Sun Hao's catch-and-shoot off screens was highly consistent, but the prerequisite was that the center could hold off the defender.

Tonight, the defender guarding Sun Hao was also a short guard, slippery as an eel, and the center couldn't block him.

Atletico Madrid pushed another defensive counterattack; the guard's fast break drew a foul, and he made both free throws.

4 to 3.

Atletico Madrid Took Control, overtaking Real Madrid early in the game!

At this, the few Atletico fans in the stands went wild, pounding their chests and roaring, spittle flying everywhere.

After all, the fans who could make it to an away game were basically the team's diehards.

Such a scene became a striking spectacle on the sidelines.

During the retreat, Sun Hao's gaze inadvertently turned toward the distant stands, and he saw Jocelyn sitting still like the fans around her.

The team was off to a bad start, and the home atmosphere was faltering.

On Real Madrid's possession, Sun Hao had the ball. After consecutive failed screen plays, he directly signaled for isolation.

This choice was very unexpected—not just for his teammates, but even the head coach on the bench was stunned.

European basketball emphasizes tactical execution; no one expected Sun Hao to go for an isolation play now!

PS: I see a lot of people complaining about the romance subplot. Actually, just consider the setup: a rebellious girl who looks fifteen or sixteen but might be even younger, and a guy who's been single for 28 years (many might not have truly experienced that), well, dry tinder and a blazing fire.

PS2: Why does this chapter feel short to me even though it's clearly 3000 words? (/ω＼)

But I still have to ask for recommendation tickets and tips. An eggplant without thick skin can only be eaten.

Thanks to Ling Tian Feichen, Ji Feiyu, Xiang Lai Yuan Qian Nai He Qing Shen, and book friend 20180826140912463 for their tips. Thank you for the support, big shots. Mwah~