As soon as Zhang Han arrived at the baseball team, Ono Binchi dragged him to the field.
"Coach, what do you need me for?"
Zhang Han asked, puzzled.
Although he had something on his mind, Ono Binchi was his benefactor. If not for Ono Binchi's appearance, it would have been very difficult for Zhang Han to enroll in Tokyo.
After all, he was different from his younger sister, Lan Yu, whose school registration was already in Tokyo. Before high school, things went relatively smoothly for her. Zhang Han's school registration, on the other hand, was in his hometown. Transferring his registration from Binhai to Tokyo was not an easy task. At the very least, it would be difficult for Lan He to accomplish with her abilities.
If Zhang Han hadn't gained Ono Binchi's appreciation, he might have returned to his hometown. Not to mention, Ono Binchi also secured Zhang Han the opportunity to study baseball for free at Matsukata Senior League.
Facing this benefactor, as long as it didn't violate his principles, Zhang Han was very willing to listen to him. Now that Ono Binchi had something to ask of him, Zhang Han would rather put his own matters aside and help Ono Binchi first.
"Seido High School Baseball Club just sent a special recruitment invitation. Although it didn't mention waiving the school selection fee, it did mention a substantial scholarship. Not only for you, but our team will also receive a training fee. This fee should be enough to cover your baseball training expenses for the next three years."
"Three years of tuition, over 1 million?"
Zhang Han felt a warmth in his heart.
Originally, he chose Seido mainly because their recruitment method made him feel comfortable.
Zhang Han had a bit of pride, deep down. If possible, he wouldn't accept charity. Special recruitment from other schools always had a certain implication. They were waiving tuition out of consideration. Essentially, this had a hint of condescension.
Although Zhang Han didn't like it, in the absence of other options, he could only accept it. Compared to making his mother's life difficult, merely losing face was something Zhang Han could accept.
When Seido High School appeared, both sides were equal from the start. Seido provided a scholarship, and Zhang Han fought for Seido; it was mutually beneficial. This kind of cooperation made Zhang Han feel very relaxed. He believed that if he went to Seido High School, he would also receive such respect.
So, even though Seido High School's reputation had declined somewhat in recent years, having not made it to Koshien for several years, and in terms of appeal, it couldn't compare to Ichidai Third High School, Zhang Han still decided to go to the Seido High School Baseball Team.
He hadn't expected Seido to be so generous, paying for his three years of baseball training at Matsukata Senior League. Although this was a small matter compared to the huge scholarship, this money demonstrated the Seido High School Baseball Team's attention and respect for him.
He had always heard that Seido's Coach Kataoka was known for his strictness. He didn't expect them to be so considerate in their actions.
Originally, Zhang Han felt somewhat guilty towards Ichidai Third High School. But now, he felt much better. His guilt towards Ichidai San transformed into gratitude towards Seido.
As of now, Zhang Han did not regret his choice.
He hadn't signed a contract of servitude selling himself to Ichidai Third High School. Coach Ono also said that Ichidai San was their best choice, not their only choice. Although he had shown signs of agreeing, he had not publicly acknowledged it, nor had he completed any procedures.
The best choice does not mean they must choose it. In this situation, it is understandable for people to strive for higher ground.
Zhang Han conducted himself with his own bottom line and principles. If others wrong him, he learns from his mistakes. But he himself would never wrong others! The reason he harbored resentment about the Ichidai Third High School matter was largely due to this personality trait.
Although he found many reasons for himself, ultimately, there was already a tacit understanding between the two parties. Zhang Han's breaking of the agreement inevitably made him feel a bit awkward.
Ono Binchi, however, felt no such thing. To him, any unfulfilled contractual promises were merely hot air. They were nothing.
Although Ichidai Third High School offered good conditions, and Coach Tahara was very sincere, the conditions they offered were still significantly different compared to Seido. In this situation, it was perfectly understandable for Zhang Han to choose either Seido or Ichidai San.
"Given the conditions they've offered and their respective circumstances, you can choose either school. The issue of our school selection fee is resolved, and since the other team has invested such a large sum, they'll need to recoup their costs. So, no matter which team you join, you should be heavily relied upon."
Ono Binchi completely disregarded the Matsukata Senior League's position and instead considered the problem entirely from Zhang Han's perspective.
Zhang Han's nose stung.
He was a very emotional person, but not good at expressing himself. As a result, people thought he was aloof, and only Ono Binchi was relatively close to him. To be honest, Zhang Han always believed that meeting Ono Binchi was his good fortune.
"In that case, Coach, why did you call me so urgently?"
"How is it that Ichidai Third High School and Seido High School both took an interest in you at the same time? Aren't you curious?"
"What's there to be curious about? Whatever they're interested in, they'll tell me everything once I join."
"You foolish boy, competition in prestigious schools is very cruel. Especially in a place like Tokyo. It's not that if you put in effort, you'll definitely reap rewards. Many excellent players, due to bad luck, can only languish on the bench, or even in the second team."
When he spoke of this, Ono Binchi sighed with emotion. He probably recalled his own student days. Ono Binchi also played baseball during his student days; it is said that he even joined Osaka Kiryu and had experience in a prestigious team.
"Entering a prestigious team means you have to prove your strength. At the same time, you must firmly remember the word 'compete'! First, you must compete with freshmen from your own class. Only by performing exceptionally well among the freshmen can you gain the appreciation of the Coach and the coaching staff. Thus, you will receive special training! If you lose this opportunity, then it will be very difficult for you to become a leader among players of your age group. After entering the first-string, you will also have to compete with your teammates, especially those who are vying for the same position as you. You are both teammates and close partners, but also direct competitors. Only by defeating all these people will you be qualified to play for your school honorably."
"But even then, you still can't avoid the word 'compete'. You must compete with opponents, compete with all opponents across the nation."