The whistle was blown, and the crowd was in an uproar!
The players from the Western District were unhappy with thereferee's decision. "Where did we foul?"
Guo Panwei shouted anxiously: "This is a misjudgment! He isthe one who kicked Xiao Gao!"
The referee ignored the players' protest and points to thespot.
"Penalty? What is wrong with you?" Xu Yan ran onto the fieldand shouted to the referee. "We are defending properly! It is no. 21 that hadfouled! He knocked into the goalkeeper! How can you make this decision? You areso close, and you did not see it?" Xu Yan looks around and shouts: "Where arethe linesmen? Get the linesmen here!"
Tan Limei, who was in the stands, was also shouting:"Misjudgement!"
After Tan Limei started, the rest of the spectators alsofollowed.
Dong Xuebing kept quiet. He knew that it was hard to decidewho had foul in such a scenario.
The referee did not expect the Western District team managerto be so serious. Although the referee was from the City Bureau, his rank wasmuch lower than Chief Xu. He dare not to oppose Xu Yan's decision. He hesitatedand thought if he should give in to Xu Yan's demands. After all, this was onlya friendly match. "Errr... I think I might have..."
Before Chaoyang's team manager said anything, thebespectacled middle-aged woman walked over with her handbag.
That's Eastern District Branch Bureau's Deputy PoliticalCommissar Xu!
"Your decision is right. Where is the misjudgment?" Xu Tanwas wearing pants and a short sleeve shirt. Her eyes were small, and she shouldnot be as pretty as Chief Xu when they were young. She sauntered and glanced atXu Yan. "I saw the incident clearly. It is the Western District goalkeeper thattripped Chaoyang's no. 21 first."
Xu Yan's face turned black: "Deputy Political Commissar Xu,what is the meaning of this?"
Deputy Political Commissar Xu looked at her and replied."Deputy Bureau Chief Xu, I am saying what I had seen."
Xu Yan replied: "I saw the incident clearly too. You don'tneed to interfere!"
Deputy Political Commissar Xu: "But you are not the referee.The referee had awarded a penalty! Right?"
The referee was stuck in the middle and did not know what tosay.
Chaoyang Branch Bureau's team manager was only a DivisionalDirector, and he pretended not to see anything. Almost everyone in BeijingState Security's higher-ups knew Chief Xu, and Deputy Political Commissar Xuwere loggerheads because of that incident in the past. No one wants to getinvolved between both women.
Chief Xu and Deputy Political Commissar Xu argued for 5minutes.
In the end, they decided they had to escalate this argumentto their higher-ups. A call was made to the City Bureau, who was the organizerof this tournament and the phone was passed to Chief Xu. "Xiao Xu, think of thebigger picture. What's the use of arguing over such a trivial matter? This is afriendly tournament. The referee had awarded a penalty, and it should be apenalty! The referee's decision is final! Carry on with the match!"
After Chief Xu ended the call, Deputy Political Commissar Xusmiled: "Your team had lost how many matches in a row? 7? 8?"
"Mind your own business!" Chief Xu was trying to control heranger. She could feel her blood pressure rising, and she took deep breathes tocalm herself. She walked back to the sidelines and looked at the injured XiaoGao. "How is your injury? Can you still play?"
Xiao Gao, who was still half lying on the ground, replied:"I'm sorry, Chief Xu, my leg is too painful."
The no. 21 was already up on his feet and doing his warm-upfor the penalty kick. He did not seem to be injured at all.
Xu Yan looks terrible. She thought if Chaoyang Team scoredthis penalty, then Western District team will suffer 7 losses in a row. Shewill be laughed by Deputy Political Commissar Xu Yan. Chief Xu can afford tolose this match, but she was not willing to be laughed at by that woman! Shegritted her teeth and said: "Substitute the goalkeeper! I don't care what youall do, but they must not score! You all must block this penalty!"
Everyone could tell Deputy Bureau Chief Xu was furious andno one dares to say a word.
It was easy to substitute the goalkeeper as this tournamentdid not restrict the number of substitutes. Anyone who wants to play can just enterthe match as substitutes. But the problem was the no. 21 player. He can beconsidered a professional player.
It was all luck for penalty kicks. No one could tell whichdirection the penalty taker would kick. What if the substituted goalkeepercould not save the penalty and Chief Xu let that person take fullresponsibility? No one dares to say a word.
1 second...
5 seconds...
Xu Yan frowned. "Li Qing! You will pick the goalkeeper!"
Li Qing smiled wearily and looked at Guo Shunjie. "Xiao Guo,you go and try."
Guo Shunjie was stunned for a few seconds and immediatelydecline: "I had hurt my waist, and I can't dive to save the ball. Errr..."
The corner of Li Qing's eyes twitched and turned to anotherplayer from the finance department. "Xiao Zhao, you are taller. You will be thesubstitute."
Xiao Zhao replied with a long face: "Director Li, I havenever played goalkeeper before. I don't think I can save the penalty."
"Xiao Wang, you graduate from the Police School. You shouldnot have a problem. You will play."
"I..."
Bang! Xu Yan threw her handbag on the floor and points atGuo Shunjie and the other players. "No one can play goalkeeper?! What the hellare all of you here for?!"
Although this was only a friendly tournament, the WesternDistrict team had lost too many matches. All of them also do not want to losethis match, but...
Tan Limei, who was standing not far away, sighed. "That'sit. We thought this match is a draw. But now..."
Dong Xuebing nodded. "That's right. That no. 21 is too good.no matter who becomes the goalkeeper, it is also useless."
"7 losses in a row." Changjuan buried her face in her hands."If I know this would happen, I will not come here to cheer for them. It's tooembarrassing!"
A girl from Public Security Sixth Bureau also said: "ThatDeputy Political Commissar Xu Yan from Eastern District is too much. It is alsonot her team playing now. Why is she interfering in this match?"
All of them were from the Western district, and that girlwas on Xu Yan's side.
The referee walked over and told Xu Yan softly: "Chief Xu,it's time to take the penalty kick. Your side's goalkeeper..."
Deputy Political Commissar Xu and the other team also lookedover at the reserve bench. Some were getting impatient, and some were laughing at them.
Chief Xu scolded the players, but no one stepped forward tobe the goalkeeper.
Deputy Political Commissar Xu laughter was irritating. XuYan's face had turned red in anger. Her hands were already shaking.
Dong Xuebing was laughing in his heart when he saw GuoShunjie lowering his head. He was hoping for Xu Yan to pick Guo Shunjie to bethe goalkeeper and the other team scored the penalty. Xu Yan would surely hateGuo.... Eh?!
Wait!
Wait a minute!
Dong Xuebing paused for a while. Penalty?
"I will repeat myself one more time!" Xu Yan was almost ather limits. "One of you have to be the goalkeeper! I don't care which one ofyou, but one of you must get onto the field!"
The 6 reserves kept quiet, and they were praying that theywill not be picked.
"You all!" Xu Yan was about to start screaming at theplayers.
At this moment, a voice came from behind her. "Chief Xu, ifno one wants to be the goalkeeper, can I try?"
Everyone turned back to see who was the one!
It was Dong Xuebing!
High-risk, high returns. This was an opportunity to getcloser to the leaders.
For the promotion... It's worth to take the risk!