Hu Lai

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Hu Lai (胡莱)
Alias(es)	“Great Immortal Hu” 26
Gender	Male
Age	16 2
Height	170 cm 2
Weight	52 kg 2
Affiliation	Dongchuan Middle School football team 31 32
Occupation/Role	Student; aspiring forward and school-team player 2 25
First Appearance	Chapter 1: “Prologue - Hu Lai’s Hu Lai”

Background / History

Hu Lai is a frequently mocked Class 2, Year 1 student whose enthusiasm for football is dismissed by classmates as unrealistic. Skinny, clumsy, and poor at communicating, he is treated as a joke beside the admired, professionally trained Luo Kai; nevertheless, he immediately insists that he intends to try out for the school team. 1

He loves football despite his father Hu Lixin’s longstanding opposition. Hu Lai’s parents borrowed 350,000 yuan and relied on personal connections to place him in Dongchuan Middle School, expecting academic success in return; Hu Lai resents having his future decided for him and resolves to pursue football anyway. 14

After discovering that football history in his world has changed while his ordinary life has not, Hu Lai continues secretly practicing at an abandoned square. His football is marked “WHO,” a homophone-based joke identifying it as Hu’s ball. 4 5 There, he meets transfer student Li Qingqing, who initially outclasses him completely but eventually becomes his private coach. 9 13

A mysterious system later gives Hu Lai missions, points, lotteries, and training-related rewards. Its first major reward, a Marrow-Cleansing Potion, improves his physical attributes and coordination, allowing him to make tangible progress under Li Qingqing’s instruction. 10 12 13

Despite poor tryout-test scores and his lack of fundamentals, Hu Lai scores a hat trick in the trial match through his exceptional ability to locate open space near goal. He is selected as the final name on Dongchuan Middle School’s roster, stunning students who had considered him unqualified. 19 24 25 31 32

On the school team, Hu Lai is made to train from the basics under head coach Li Ziqiang. When he demands a chance to play, Li Ziqiang assigns special training: score alone against two starting defenders and a goalkeeper. Hu Lai ultimately passes by using a World-Class Goal Experience Card to score a bicycle kick, earning recognition from teammates and spectators. 34 45 46 47 49 50

Appearance

Hu Lai is a thin, short-looking teenage boy with a clumsy physical presence, though his recorded height and weight are 170 cm and 52 kg. 1 2

• Often appears disheveled or muddy after secret football practice. 5 9
• Wears Dongchuan Middle School’s loose tracksuit-style uniform. 2
• His awkward movements and poor coordination initially make him visually conspicuous. 1 11
• During his trial-match hat trick, he continues celebrating despite blood around his nose and mouth. 26

Personality

Hu Lai is stubborn, resilient, and unusually unaffected by ridicule. Whether classmates mock his football ability, laugh at his public calisthenics display, or doubt his place on the school team, he refuses to abandon his goal. 1 12 40

He is also cheeky and argumentative, especially toward Li Zhiqun. Hu Lai regularly twists words, responds to insults with sarcasm, and uses Li Zhiqun’s unpaid bet to silence him. 3 30 36

Football brings out Hu Lai’s serious side. He trains secretly, accepts repeated failures, and persists through Li Ziqiang’s punishing basic and special training even when he is physically overwhelmed. 4 16 39 48

His confidence can be excessive or comedic—he claims skill when others call his goals lucky—but Li Qingqing’s recognition of his real talent gives that confidence a genuine foundation. 25 29

Football Profile

Category	Details
Preferred position	Forward; entered “Forward” when creating his Dream Football World character. 2
Tryout match position	Initially deployed at left back, but repeatedly abandoned defensive duties to attack; later moved to the forward line. 21 25
Primary strength	Exceptional instinct for locating open space and judging where the ball will land near goal. 21 24 25
Major weakness	Poor fundamentals, ball control, passing, physical confrontation, and positional discipline. 19 24 25 47
Playing style	A poacher-type striker who seeks unmarked positions and immediate shooting chances. 24 29 47

Tryout Test Results

Test	Result	Score / Benchmark
5–25-meter shuttle run	38.43 seconds	7 points 19
One-minute keepie-uppies	71 touches	4 points 19
Dribbling and shooting	14.33 seconds	6 points 19

Abilities & Skills

Goal Instinct

Hu Lai’s defining football talent is his instinctive awareness of where scoring opportunities will emerge. Li Qingqing compares it to a lighthouse guiding him toward the goal. 29

• Repeatedly finds unmarked space in the penalty area. 21 24
• Reads where loose balls and aerial balls will land. 25
• Creates shooting chances by arriving in spaces other players overlook. 29
• Scored a trial-match hat trick despite limited technical ability. 22 23 25
• Is less effective when tightly marked or physically challenged. 25 47

Persistence and Adaptation

Hu Lai continues training after failure, ridicule, and physical punishment, gradually adapting to Dongchuan’s demanding regimen. 13 37 40

• Secretly practiced alone before receiving formal instruction. 4 5
• Trained three times weekly with Li Qingqing on coordination, agility, and basic technique. 13 16
• Endured Li Ziqiang’s foundational drills rather than quitting the team. 35 39 45
• Adjusted his approach during special training to create a viable shooting opportunity. 49

Dream Football World System

Hu Lai possesses access to a system that issues missions, stores items, awards points, and provides lottery draws. He conceals it from others because he cannot explain it. 10 13

• Completed a schoolwide attention-grabbing mission to receive a Beginner Gift Pack. 11 12
• Received missions for a trial-match hat trick, playing an official match, and completing special training. 20 45 46
• Uses points to obtain lottery tickets; draws can produce useful items or “Thank You for Participating.” 12 28 38
• System rewards are not guaranteed to solve his problems; he frequently draws Stamina Potions or blanks instead. 12 38 48

Marrow-Cleansing Potion

A system potion that slightly improves Hu Lai’s speed, stamina, strength, jumping ability, and coordination. 12

• Its coordination benefit helps him progress in juggling and agility drills. 13 16
• Hu Lai consumes at least two bottles. 27 40
• Improved physical condition helps him execute the leap for his bicycle kick. 49
• Does not replace the need for technique, fundamentals, or match experience. 19 25 47

Equipment / Items

• Football marked “WHO” — Hu Lai’s personally marked ball, hidden at his secret training base. 5
• Marrow-Cleansing Potion — Slightly improves physical attributes, including coordination. 12
• Training Boost Potion — Increases training effectiveness for thirty days. 27
• Stamina Potion — A repeatedly obtainable system item; it does not relieve all training soreness. 12 36 38
• Lover’s Red String bracelet — Slightly increases the wearer’s luck for one match only. 28
• World-Class Goal Experience Card — Gives a chance for a shot within ten seconds to become a world-class goal. 48 49

Relationships

• Li Qingqing — Classmate, private football coach, and strongest early believer in Hu Lai’s talent. She teaches him three times weekly, supports him during selection, and cheers for him during special training. 13 16 29 32 49
• Song Jiajia / Song Fatty — Hu Lai’s deskmate and best friend. He teases Hu Lai and initially doubts his football ability, but remains close to him and later takes his talent seriously. 3 5 23
• Li Ziqiang — Dongchuan’s head coach and Li Qingqing’s father. He recognizes Hu Lai’s instinct but harshly targets his weak fundamentals; their relationship is tense but develops through rigorous training. 24 34 46 47
• Hu Lixin — Hu Lai’s father. He opposes Hu Lai playing football and prioritizes academics, creating a longstanding conflict between father and son. 6 14 46
• Xie Lan — Hu Lai’s mother. She worries about his studies but gradually shows greater understanding of his commitment to football. 10 14 41
• Li Zhiqun — Classmate and rival who mocks Hu Lai, disputes his ability, and resents his selection to the school team. 3 24 32 36
• Luo Kai — Dongchuan’s highly regarded football star and Hu Lai’s contrast in status, training, and public reputation. Luo Kai becomes increasingly hostile toward Hu Lai’s closeness with Li Qingqing. 1 25 39 49
• Mao Xiao — School-team defender and one of Hu Lai’s first supportive teammates. He marks Hu Lai closely in the trial match and later participates in the special training. 25 40 47
• Meng Xi — Teammate who supports Hu Lai alongside Mao Xiao and takes part in his final special-training test. 40 49

Story Role / Major Arcs

School-Team Tryouts

Hu Lai enters the tryouts with poor measurable results but refuses to give up. In the trial match, he disregards his initial left-back assignment to hunt goals, scores a hat trick, and becomes the final player selected for the school team. 19 21 25 31

Basic Training

After joining, Hu Lai is isolated from normal team drills and ordered to build his fundamentals from scratch. Li Ziqiang’s harsh methods leave him exhausted and sore, but Hu Lai’s body gradually adapts and his movements become smoother. 34 35 36 39 40

Special Training

After demanding match time, Hu Lai must score alone against Mao Xiao, Yan Yan, and a goalkeeper. Repeatedly knocked down and running out of time, he draws a World-Class Goal Experience Card and uses it to score a bicycle kick. 46 47 48 49

Notable Quotes

“Why not?” 1

“I’m not relying on luck. I’m relying on skill!” 25

“She’s my coach!” 29

“So, Hu Lai, you really do have talent—and it’s an incredible talent! Because you know where the goal is!” — Li Qingqing 29

Trivia

• Hu Lai chose “Forward” as his position immediately when creating his Dream Football World character. 2
• His “WHO” football marking comes from the similar pronunciation of “Hu” and “who.” 5
• His trial-match hat trick includes a goal scored when the ball rebounds off his face into the net. 25
• He bought a lottery ticket using the sequence 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06 + 07 after his hat trick. 26