Perhaps life is not what you desire, but it is undoubtedly what you have chosen for yourself.

When the match ended, the players from Second Affiliated Hospital erupted in wild cheers, and the brothers from First Affiliated Hospital came over to celebrate together. The victory felt almost unbelievable—according to Biochemical Enzyme, it was as if they were David facing Goliath. They knew their chances of winning were slim, but still dared to charge forward and succeeded. This was undoubtedly thanks to Hao’s coaching over the past two months, not to mention his invaluable instructions during the match. Every word was worth its weight in gold.

Tonight, Zhou, who shone brightly, wasted no words and booked a KTV, inviting all the players from both teams and even the cheerleaders for a celebration. Anyone not on duty that night went, and no one left sober.

Bai Haonan had always scoffed at such healthy karaoke gatherings, but sensing that his time with this group was limited, he had no reason to refuse. He cheerfully joined in. At the KTV, holding the microphone, he commented on Zhou: “Actually, Zhou is the most obvious example among all of you brothers here. Although your foundations and physical abilities differ, and none of you have much professional training, you’re all exceptionally smart. You understand the rules and nuances of this team sport instantly. The only obstacle is certain physical challenges that are hard to overcome. Zhou is the one among you who puts that intelligence into positioning on the field. Honestly, and I don’t fear making you arrogant, in professional football, you may find everything except intelligence—it’s rare. It’s not about being quick-witted; I can’t quite explain it, maybe just lacking the habit of thinking on the field. That’s actually your advantage... I raise my glass to all of you!”

After a few drinks, Zhou stood up to represent them: “Everyone here, whether cheerleader or player, has gone through countless exams and studies to get here. I think we all have the habit of using our brains. Hao hit the nail on the head. I don’t know how to put my feelings about Hao into words, but he can clearly and accurately spot my strengths on the field. That’s right, let me share a bit of my experience playing in Germany. Like in academics, Germans love to break every detail down into neat, systematic research. The German coach I worked with told me: be a smart striker—choose your positions proactively, offer your teammates a passing opportunity. As long as you give me the ball, I’ll try to convert it, instead of most forwards who only start chasing after seeing a pass, relying on quick reaction. My proactive positioning relies on thinking, and Hao has been teaching us to play football with our brains these two months. It feels like Hao is running an experiment, but I really hope he can keep it going long-term at Medical University, whether coaching the affiliated hospital teams or being the school’s football coach. I’ve already contacted the logistics office at the school—we’d like to jointly recommend Hao for a position at the Medical University’s sports department. Let’s all sign together and figure out a way for him to keep this experiment going. What do you say?”

The timing was perfect—everyone was a bit tipsy, with thirty or forty men alone, and they all cheered in unison. Biochemical Enzyme, ever efficient, called the staff to bring paper and pens, so they could sign right then and there. In his opinion: “I believe Hao doesn’t need to worry about this at all. It’s easier than collecting signatures from every department, so let’s get it done now to avoid trouble. We could hang it in our First Affiliated Hospital fitness center, but Medical University seems even better. Xiao, you’ve been talking about building a sports medicine department in Special Medicine—invite Hao for a position!”

Preventive Medicine said it was their matter and they’d handle it, but among the ragtag team of Second Affiliated Hospital, there were indeed faculty from Medical University. They suggested Hao could be hired as a sports teacher and shift over gradually. The key was to perform well in the next few matches, fight for third place and the championship. With good results, the leadership would naturally take notice. First Affiliated Hospital alone had over seven thousand employees, and hiring a dedicated team coach was entirely feasible. The real challenge was keeping talents like Hao.

Listening to these passionate words from highly educated people, Bai Haonan felt as if his fugitive life could miraculously transform into that of a university teacher, standing confidently on the coaching bench he loved most, with generous backers and countless beautiful women around…

He couldn’t help but wear a silly smile, or perhaps that was all he could muster.

If only he hadn’t used the fabricated identity of Liu Hao, if only he hadn’t tangled with Guo Xiaoxiao and her police family, if only... After a few drinks, Bai Haonan knew there was no “if.” Ever since he lost that phone, there was no turning back. He knew all this was as unattainable as a mirage—though he didn’t use such poetic words, that was exactly the feeling. It was like the tale from childhood textbooks, with the monkeys reaching for the moon’s reflection.

If he hadn’t played fixed matches, hadn’t gambled, perhaps he would have spent his life safely beside Old Chen, never encountering such opportunities. Yet, the most exquisite livelihood was just beyond his grasp.

Because it was fake from the start.

His teammates thought Hao was simply drunk with joy, patting his shoulder, telling him not to worry. Many hands make light work; the priority was to play well, and with good results, they’d make sure he stayed. Hao’s character was genuinely admirable, even the nurses—tipsy themselves—came over to laugh and joke. Finally, a nurse who wasn’t familiar with Bai Haonan asked curiously, “Why didn’t Xiao Qiao come to watch the game? If only she could sing us a song now...”

Everyone burst out laughing, and Bai Haonan perked up: “She’s busy!”

Indeed, Qiao Yingna was even busier than Bai Haonan now. About a week ago, when the TV station organizing the event began to tell stories from each regional competition, they “accidentally” caught sight of Qiao Yingna’s petite figure. Her mature, intelligent style made her stand out from the trendy young girls. During the interview, they “discovered” she was a top student about to become a professional doctor!

As a star student from one of the nation’s renowned medical universities, now interning at the world’s largest hospital, she had already proven her academic ability, yet still harbored a musical dream in her heart... To avoid clichéd lines, Sister Mai, just arrived in Rongdu, arranged an interview and filming session with Wang Fuquan’s research team. For any other person, Wang Fuquan’s group might have refused, but for Qiao Yingna, many senior students happily joined in, even competing for screen time as her mentors, showering her with praise. The publicity department of First Affiliated Hospital found it a great opportunity to promote not only the image of doctors but also the reputation of Medical University and its affiliate—after all, talent shows had been wildly popular in recent years.

So, as if overnight, posters for the Rongdu Top Ten Concert were everywhere in Rongdu. Bus stops bought numerous ad spaces, featuring Qiao Yingna in a white coat, holding a microphone!

This gimmick had become the main promotional focus. Sister Mai privately mentioned even the finals organizers loved it, because nowadays, contestants without a story almost never make it to the end. Over-the-top drama, tragedy, underdog comebacks—these are the three most effective tricks. Qiao Yingna, a medical student who spent three years singing in bars, had her story saved as a hidden reveal for later.

With this hook favored by the finals’ scriptwriters, Qiao Yingna was almost guaranteed a spot in Rongdu’s Top Ten and would appear in the national finals.

Wasn’t it a bit like a crow turning into a phoenix?

That’s exactly what audiences love most—it’s bound to blow up.

A talent show is just that—a stage play, with singing as the vehicle, but acting as the real focus.

So many people believed it was genuine emotion. Bai Haonan, after witnessing a single filming session, uttered his old professional footballer’s scorn: “You HMPs don’t know a damn thing!”