Fox in the Penalty Area

"Star!"

Jorge Dillon spoke Mandarin with a heavy accent and was not fluent, and asked him to give Chen Xingyi a "nickname".

Hearing the head coach's shout, Chen Xingyi ran up: "Coach, did you call me?"

Dillon nodded: "Next you will go to the national team. The national team's two warm-up matches will be against European teams. This is a great opportunity for you, allowing you to get close to European football and understand Just look at how high the level of European teams is."

After speaking, he looked at Yu Jintao beside him, waiting for Yu Jintao to translate his words.

After Jin Tao finished translating, he continued: "I have a suggestion. If you want to impress those picky European scouts, you must dare to make moves and express yourself in the game."

Hearing the words translated by Yu Jintao, Chen Xingyi was a little surprised: "Coach, I am very happy staying in Golden Arrowhead now..."

"Stop acting in front of me, Xing." Dillon pouted, "I know you'd be crazy to go to Europe all day long!"

Chen Xingyi quickly waved his hand: "That's not true, coach. Ever since I saw Luo Kai's 'tragedy' in Veronica, I feel very relieved to train with you in the team..."

After listening to Yu Jintao's translation, Dillon burst out laughing.

After laughing, he asked Chen Xingyi again: "Are you learning languages?"

"I have learned, I have been learning all the time."

"How are you doing?"

"Uh... all right?"

"'Not bad' is not enough. Come on, let's talk directly in English...Yu, you can rest."

Yu Jintao stared at Dillon with wide eyes: "Are you sure you want to talk to him alone?"

"I'm sure." Jorge Dillon answered him firmly.

"Ok……"

Yu Jintao reluctantly translated Dilong's words to Chen Xingyi.

Chen Xingyi's eyes widened after hearing this: "Uncle Yu, is the coach joking? My English level..."

"What? You lied just now, but you didn't learn?" Yu Jintao asked Chen Xingyi back.

"I have learned it, I must have learned it. It's just a little...uh, suddenly. I'm afraid I can't keep up with the coach's rhythm..."

Yu Jintao shook his head: "Don't worry about that, Chen Xingyi. Just imagine being suddenly thrown into the language environment of Europe. No one will give in to you. If you don't work hard to improve your language skills, you may not even have a meal. I can't even eat it. Force myself to throw away all the original shame."

"Okay..." Under Yu Jin Tao's persuasive temptation, Chen Xingyi finally reluctantly agreed.

"Very good, Xing." Dillon looked at the stubborn young man in front of him and nodded approvingly, "If you want to go to Europe, you must first overcome the difficulty of opening your mouth. You must speak bravely and don't be afraid of making mistakes. Don’t be afraid that you don’t understand, and don’t be afraid of being ridiculed. In fact, communication is not as difficult as you think. Look at Hu Lai, how quickly did he integrate after he went to the UK? You have to learn from him The spirit of the face... well, come and talk to me about what you think about Luo Kai's problems in Veronica?"

Chen Xingyi frowned, and listened intently to the head coach's words, so much so that the head coach had finished speaking for several seconds, and he didn't respond as if he was connecting with the front reporter in the back studio.

When his brain finally processed roughly what the head coach said, and understood the general meaning, he began to think about what words and grammar to use in his mind...

Dillon didn't urge him either, just stood opposite him and watched. If Chen Xingyi raised his head in embarrassment, he would see the encouraging gaze from the old coach.

"Uh, sir, sir... I, er, I think, er, Luo Kai's problem is that he has... er, has..." Chen Xingyi stumbled, but got stuck here without saying a few words shell. After a long thought, he said to the head coach, "There is...'idol bag'..."

The smile on Dillon's face faded when he heard this,

It was replaced by a puzzled expression. He thought for a long time in silence, but he still couldn't figure out what it meant. I had no choice but to ask the audience outside the venue for help: "Hey, Yu, what is 'idol bag'?"

The corner of Yu Jintao's mouth twitched: "I guess Chen Xingyi meant to say 'idol burden'."

He said this word in Chinese, and then he explained the meaning of the word: "It means that Luo Kai is a bit embarrassing, afraid of being laughed at, so he dare not speak..."

Dillon slapped hard: "Aha! That's right, that's it! Speak up, what are you afraid of if you say something wrong? What about being laughed at? In the end, when you perform well on the court, it depends on who Who are you kidding?"

...

"Dillon is really kind to Chen Xingyi!"

"Of course, now Chen Xingyi is the number one genius of our Golden Arrowhead! If you have this ability, you can also be valued..."

"Hey, if I want to be at the level of Chen Xingyi, I'll go abroad a long time ago! Only Chen Xingyi can bear it..."

"It may not be good to go out early, and it may not be bad to stay in the country. Look at Luo Kai..."

The Golden Arrow players in the distance looked at Chen Xingyi and Dillon communicating with each other, talking a lot.

But no one would be jealous of the treatment Chen Xingyu received, because everyone knew that he deserved it.

Jin Yong looked at Chen Xingyi and said to Mao Junzheng beside him: "I always have a hunch, Team Mao. After this World Cup, Chen Xingyi may not return to our team..."

Mao Junzheng turned his head and glanced at him: "Nonsense. Of the young people who have met outside, how many are still willing to stay in the small town?"

"It's really enviable..." Jin Yong murmured.

Mao Junzheng didn't answer, but just looked at the old and the young over there, and kept looking.

※※※

Lin Zhiyuan, who was wearing a Westin Athletic goalkeeper jersey, stood at the far right of the team, with his hands folded on his chest, grinning grinningly.

The players in the whole team are just like Lin Zhiyuan, with immature faces and happy smiles.

A hand suddenly appeared and picked up the photo on the table, looked at it carefully, and put it back.

"Mr. Meyer had a phone call with me some time ago. Although you have left Westin Athletic, he has been following you." Qiu Xinrong, who put down the group photo, turned and said to Lin Zhiyuan, who was packing his luggage. "He asked me, do you plan to return to Westin Athletic?"

Lin Zhiyuan put the folded jeans into the suitcase: "Did they offer a price, Uncle Qiu?"

"No, I just want to inquire about your intentions first..."

"Isn't it illegal to contact players in private?"

"We brought this up by chance during the chatting and reminiscing about the past based on our status as old friends." Qiu Xinrong's answer was watertight.

"Hey!" Lin Zhiyuan straightened up and looked at Qiu Xinrong, "I didn't think about it, Uncle Qiu. I want to wait until after the World Cup to make a decision. What if I perform well in the World Cup and get picked by a wealthy team?"

"Then become the second Luo Kai?" Qiu Xinrong asked blankly.

"Oh, Uncle Qiu, can't you say something good?"

"What's the good thing? Westin Athletic really suits you, they know you, you know them, there are your team-mates there. You have three players in the first team now. "Qiu Xinrong pointed to the group photo on the table.

"Then the four of us are substitutes for the first team?" Lin Zhiyuan shook his head, "I really didn't think about it, Uncle Qiu. Recently, I've been thinking about it. Now I'm playing the main force in the South China Tigers, and then... go to Europe What are you doing? As a substitute? Which team will let a twenty-year-old like me be the main goalkeeper?"

Hearing this, Qiu Xinrong turned and looked at him: "Yo ho, how can you say such words from your mouth?"

"Hey, Uncle Qiu, what do you think I am?"

Qiu Xinrong ignored Lin Zhiyuan's questioning, but asked himself: "But is it because of Luo Kai that you have such reflections?"

"There may be some reasons. When I came back from Germany, it was not only because of my parents' work. I still felt that it was too difficult for me to get a chance in the European professional league as a Chinese goalkeeper. If I were a German, then I I am confident that I can play in a professional team with my ability. But I am a Chinese..." Lin Zhiyuan sighed and looked at Qiu Xinrong, "Ask Old Myer if he is willing to give me a main position. "

Qiu Xinrong grinned: "I think Mr. Meyer thinks you're out of your mind..."

"No." Lin Zhiyuan grinned, "He will think, 'As expected of Lin'!"

※※※

"As expected of Lin!"

After hearing Lin Zhiyuan's request conveyed by Qiu Xinrong, Marthalo Meyer laughed and expressed such emotion.

After laughing, he said to Qiu Xinrong:

"I'm just the manager of the sports department of the team, not the head coach of the first team. The head coach has the final say on who can be the main force and who can't. I can understand Lin's concerns. Indeed, let a 20-year-old young man do The main goalkeeper, currently there is no team in the five major leagues... I can't guarantee that he will be the main player when he comes. The goalkeeper position is special, and the replacement is not so fast. But anyway, this time he The Chinese team is coming to Europe to play games. I will let scouts follow him up. We will make a very detailed scouting report... In short, we will continue to observe him, especially his performance in the World Cup. "

"That's very kind, thank you, Mr. Meyer."

"Why should you thank me, Qiu? I regretted letting Lin return to China for a long time. If possible, I don't want to miss Lin again. Please help me tell Lin, as long as he wants to come back, the door of Westin Athletic Always open to him."

"I'll tell him, Mr. Meyer. I don't care what Lin thinks of himself."

"understand."

※※※

"Is that what Old Meyer said?"

When Lin Zhiyuan received a phone call from his agent Qiu Xinrong to convey Meier's original words on his behalf, he had already landed at the Capital International Airport.

"Okay, I get it. If he wants to be watched, just watch it. Anyway, I will play according to my own rhythm. Well, okay. Don't worry, Uncle Qiu. I'm not the same as before! Hang up, Team Yao and the others are still waiting for me..."

Putting away the phone, Lin Zhiyuan trotted for two steps, dragged his suitcase, and caught up with Yao Huasheng and other South China Tigers teammates who were in front.

Yao Huasheng half turned around, waved his arms around Lin Zhiyuan's shoulders, and pulled him to walk side by side.

On March 14, 2026, after the AFC Champions League group stage, players from the Chinese national team gathered in the capital. From here, they will take a flight to far away Europe and start a ten-day training camp.