In a blink of an eye, Chen Jian has been in the foreign country of Nottingham for two years, and if you count the year of the draft, it is three years. Initially, he stayed at the home of Mr. John, who is known as the biggest fan of Nottingham Forest. Later, in order to cultivate his ability to read and live, he chose to move out and live alone.

Although he signed an apprenticeship contract with Nottingham Forest, he still attended the University of Nottingham. In school, he kept a low profile and never revealed his identity other than that of a student. After more than three years in the UK, there is basically no problem in language communication, and every time he trains, he is the hottest and hardest person, and the coach of the team always uses him as an example to call on the whole team to train hard. So much so that other teammates are always curious: "Are you Chinese always so desperate when you do things?" ”

He is the only Chinese or even Asian in the team, and it stands to reason that he should be very lonely. But Chen Jian put all his mind on training, in fact, he didn't care about these trivial things.

He knew that he was short on time, and if he didn't hurry up and train, he would not be able to achieve anything in his life. He believed in the stories he heard as a child – that even geniuses had to work other people's coffee time to achieve something. There is never a genius in this world who can succeed without hard work and talent alone, let alone a mediocre talent like him.

If a genius doesn't work hard, there is still talent, and if a mediocre person doesn't work hard, there is really nothing.

Due to his poor foundation, he was transferred to the Under-15 age group in his first year to do basic training. Among a group of fourteen-year-olds, the nineteen-year-old stands out...... Or rather, piercing. However, he didn't seem to be embarrassed about this, he was very devoted to basic training, no matter what others looked at him. Due to the fact that there is too much age difference between him, it is difficult to find someone in the team who can practice together, so most of the time he only has a boring solo practice. And he can't compete in the U15 age group yet.

There is often such a thing as concealing the age of players in China to bully the young, which is not common in English football. He actually wants to play, and every time the U15s have a game, he just watches from the sidelines, and he's fascinated by it, and he watches how other people play. Even if they are five to four years younger than themselves, they really can't find any advantage other than that their body may be better than them.

Even if it's an internal U15 game, he can't participate, he's too old, and it's a big advantage. It's not fair to other young players.

This went on for almost a year, and the following year he was transferred directly to the Under-18s, even though he was almost 20 years old...... However, he is still training in the Under-18 squad and is still not eligible to participate in competitions such as the FA Youth Cup, so he can only play in-house games or some less formal warm-up games. But there's finally a game to play.

In fact, Chen Jian is a very smart person, as can be seen from the fact that he is quickly and fluently able to communicate with the British players. When he can't play, he always goes to the stadium and plays in the youth team, the reserve team and the first team. The advantage of watching the game live is that you will not be limited and misled by the TV broadcast camera, and you will be able to build a sense of the big picture. In the youth team, apart from an occasional cameo at right-back, he has been playing in the middle of midfield, which is where the big picture is most needed.

When he watched the ball from the stands, he would use his brain to think about why they had to deal with the ball that way and not like that, and what were the advantages and disadvantages of each treatment. He pays attention to how the established players are on the pitch and the way they play. He believes that watching football is also a kind of training, the so-called layman looks at the excitement, and the insider looks at the doorway. People who are willing to use their brains can definitely learn a lot from watching the game. He also has a small notebook that he carries with him, recording what he thinks of every time he sees it, so that he can easily look through it at any time.

The midfielders must be the smartest people on the pitch because they must always analyse and judge the situation on the pitch in order to make the right choice. From this point of view, Chen Jian's training for himself is just right.

Chen Jian didn't just look at it from the stands and think about it. He will bring what he thinks to the training and try to complete his ideas in the training. The youth team's coaching staff appreciated his style of play. Because in terms of body, after Chen Jian arrived at the U18, there was basically no advantage at all, and then there were many physically strong people among professional players, and a yellow person wanted to be stronger than them It is really a congenital defect. In terms of explosiveness, he is not the weakest in the team, but he is not the best, and his qualifications are mediocre. If you want to talk about what other ways you can close the gap between yourself and others, you can only use your brain. There is no such thing as being born and being acquired.

If the body is not good, the explosiveness is insufficient, and the speed is not fast enough, use wisdom to make up for it.

A year on, he has achieved remarkable results in this regard.

Although he could not represent the Under-18s in the official FA Youth Cup and Youth League, he performed very well in the internal competition. As a midfielder, he doesn't often use his body to fight the opponent hard when defending, he always judges the opponent's route in advance, and then makes a judgment to strangle the opponent's attack in the cradle. The same is true in attack, he rarely dribbles the ball himself and runs dozens of meters in a row with several people, and then passes the football out. When he receives the ball, he observes the situation on the field and then passes the ball directly to where it belongs. The advantage of this is that the offense is simpler and more effective, it is not muddy, and it is able to seize fleeting opportunities.

Despite his hard work and performances in the youth team, he is still an apprentice – the club did not offer him a new professional contract. His salary was low, just enough to live alone in Nottingham, and he didn't even have the extra money to send home to honor his parents, or let him go out and spend all his days drinking and find another woman to come back to meet his physical needs.

His life was simple and boring. Always teleporting back and forth between the training ground and the apartment, with the occasional trip to college. He has been in Nottingham for three years, and he has been to the shopping district in the city centre five times, and he doesn't even know which way the doors open to other entertainment venues. He didn't know how long he was going to live, he wasn't an ascetic, and he wanted to live a higher quality of life, but that would require a higher salary, starting with a new contract.

Tony. He took every word Donn said to him on the phone.

“…… You're just an apprentice. I don't give you any guarantees, I don't promise that you can become a professional footballer and achieve your original dream. The opportunity to play for the first team, you don't even think about it right now! The club also can't promise you anything, salary, treatment, contract security...... Nothing is promised. We won't give you anything but this chance. Maybe you can only fight in the reserve team when you are twenty-six years old, or you will be eliminated altogether, and you can only go to those semi-professional teams, and there are even worse, please imagine for yourself......"

Will this become a reality?

※※※

Chen Jian did not return to China after a month's vacation, because he planned to use this time to continue practicing. For this reason, the mother who felt sorry for her son took a month off work and flew to the UK alone to visit him. Dad couldn't come because he still had to work. After all, Chen Jian's family is not wealthy, and he can't do such a thing as resigning and moving his family to the UK to accompany his son. Chen Jian is barely working now, but it's good that the money is no longer reaching out to his family to ask for money. Both parents do not have high incomes, and if you come to the UK to pay out of your own pocket, you need to plan for a long time.

Chen Jian hopes to get the professional contract from the club as soon as possible, so that he can earn more and reduce the burden on his family.

To say that playing football just to enjoy football is a lie. He just wants to make a hobby a career – the happiest thing in the world.

When her mother came, she brought a few large bags of things, all of which were Sichuan specialties and spices, and she was worried that her son would not be able to eat the most authentic Sichuan cuisine, but also to save money, after all, the price in the UK must be much higher than that in Mianyang, Sichuan. After the results came, Chen Jian said to his mother helplessly that she couldn't eat the Sichuan bacon and sausages she brought. Because professional athletes can't eat that kind of food...... As much as he wanted to eat, he had to force himself not to eat, and if he couldn't even stick to something like eating, then he wouldn't be a professional footballer at all.

Although there are disagreements with their mothers about what to eat, and mothers can't understand what is delicious about dishes like boiled chicken, but overall, the mother and son are still very happy this month. At least Chen Jian won't be so lonely, after training in the evening, he will take his mother out shopping, and occasionally take his mother, who never watches football and doesn't understand football, to watch the first team of the Forest team on the spot, so that she can feel the madness...... Of course, the mother went once or twice and then stopped because she said that her heart couldn't stand it, and the environment was too noisy......

Seeing that the distance between them was getting closer, Chen Jian was thinking about buying some gifts for his mother and father. For this reason, he plans to accompany his mother to London on weekends.

Oxford Street is one of London's most famous shopping streets, home to almost all of the world's high-end brands, attracting a large number of tourists every year. Although all the luxury brands sold here are brand-name luxury goods, it is obviously not enough to attract so many people to shop here. Another reason why it's so appealing here is that things on Oxford Street are a bit cheaper than the same brands elsewhere.

Despite this, Chen's mother's face changed after taking a few glances at the prices of the goods here, and she was about to leave with her son, and she had the posture of never coming back in this life.

It's a pity that Chen Jian is determined to honor his parents.

This is indeed the case with him, and when he decided to drop out of the Tianjin Judicial Police Academy and pursue his dream of professional football in England, his relatives and friends were opposed. They don't think that Chen Jian's talent can make a name for himself, and there are even people who don't know what professional football in England is at all to warn Chen Jian about the Chinese football environment: "Jian Wa'er, you see that the reputation of playing professional football in China is old, why bother? Let me tell you, you don't care about that school, as long as you graduate, get your certificate, and come back, I will send you to work in the court, and you don't have to play professional football. ”

At that time, the seven aunts and eight aunts all came to persuade him, and Chen Jian still remembers it to this day, so he remembers more clearly how his parents supported him.

The relatives were planning to find Chen Jian's parents and ask them to show the majesty of their elders and forbid Chen Jian to pursue that kind of ethereal thing. After all, Chen Jian may not listen to what his relatives say, no matter how good the relationship usually is. But when the parents speak, how can the son not listen?

Chen Jian's father and mother are very unified: "Chen Jian wants to go, that's his business, and it's not good for us as parents to interfere." If he wants to go, let him go. ”

Because of his parents' attitude, it was useless for those relatives to say anything, so he finally flew from Sichuan to the UK and started his dream journey.

If it weren't for the enlightenment of his parents, then he had no idea what exactly he was doing now. Maybe he was stuffed into the court through the back door by his relatives, and then owed a big favor. Maybe after graduation as a security guard in Tianjin or something...... Who knows.

Just because of this love, he should also do something.

But in order to give his mother peace of mind, he had to find an excuse. So when he was paying for it, he told his mother that just before her came, he had just signed a new contract with the club, this time not an apprenticeship contract, but a very formal professional contract. He has the salary of a professional footballer, which is very different from what he earned before.

So this little bit of money is not a problem at all!

Of course, the mother was happy for her son. Seeing his mother's smiling face, Chen Jian felt that even if he was lying, it was worth it. As for how to lie in the future, he didn't think about it so much for the time being.

In the end, he used his savings for the past two years to buy his father a suit, a casual suit, a women's bag, and a skirt for his mother.

Mom happily came out of the dressing room in her skirt and stood in front of the mirror with a little shyness.

"My son is also a big star." She changed the subject, not letting her son notice that there was something unusual about her expression. "Your father must be happy to hear about it."

"He's just a professional player, not a star, Mom......"

He had to pretend to be relaxed in front of his mother, and when he turned his back to swipe the card, his face still showed a hint of melancholy. He didn't care about the money, he was just worried that if one day the lie was exposed, he couldn't imagine how disappointed his parents would be at that time......

※※※

Mom was on a plane on Tuesday afternoon, and during training on Monday, Chen Jian found youth team coach Greenwood and asked him to take a day off to see off his mother.

Greenwood didn't immediately accede to his request for leave, but said to him with a grin, "You've come just in time, Chen." South Wilford just called me and asked me to tell you to go over there and find David. Coach Chris Lack. ”

Chen Jian was confused, "I'm sorry, Coach Greenwood, I didn't hear clearly. Can you please say that again? ”

Greenwood coughed: "David, assistant coach of the first team. Chrislak has something to do with you. ”

"Looking for me?" Chen Jian looked confused, there was almost no intersection between him and the first team, what did the first team coach do with him?

Seeing Chen Jian's stupid appearance, Greenwood finally couldn't help it, and he slapped Chen Jian on the back: "Inform you to sign a new contract!" This isn't an apprenticeship. ”

If it weren't for Greenwood's slap that really hurt, Chen Jian would have thought he was dreaming.

"You mean to give me a copy...... A career contract? He asked, still in disbelief.

"yes, Chen. I said that you Chinese are all such mothers-in-law? I've said it many times, and you still don't believe it? If you don't believe me, I'll call them and tell them that they don't need to prepare the text of the new contract......" After he finished speaking, Chen Jian bowed and ran out.

Everyone was gone, and the voice came: "Thank you, Coach Greenwood!" ”

Greenwood laughed, "Thank me for what I did, thank yourself, Chen." ”

※※※

The first-team training is over, Tony. Donn and Chrislak were in the office waiting for the person they were looking for.

A rush of footsteps accompanied by heavy gasps came from the corridor outside the door into the ears of the two men, and they both looked at each other and smiled, the person they were waiting for came.

The door was open, Chen Jian stopped at the door, and did not rush to knock on the door, but tried to calm his breath and mood. He stood in the doorway with his fists clenched, his head bowed and his eyes closed, trying to stop his body from swinging. Although I was very excited to hear the news, it was really humiliating.

He waited a moment before he raised his hand and knocked on the door.

"Come in." Chrisrak's voice rang out.

"Coach Donn, Coach Chris Lack." Chen Jian, who came in, greeted the two coaches respectfully.

Chrislak responded with a smile on his face, "Hello, Chen." Don, on the other hand, just nodded with a calm face.

"Look at you like this, you already know why we're looking for you?"

Chen Jian nodded vigorously, for fear that he would change his mind if he clicked lightly.

"We've seen your performances over the past two years and you've done really well in the youth team. Tony thinks you're talented, and if you count the year you came in the draft, you've improved a lot in three years. That's why we've decided to offer you a career contract. ”

One of the things that came to Chen Jian's mind was his mother's smiling face. He can finally let go of his hanging heart now - I didn't lie, I did get a professional contract!

"You don't have an agent yet, do you?"

Chen Jian nodded.

"Hmm...... But it doesn't matter, it's just the most ordinary professional contract, you can see for yourself. Chris Rac handed the text of the contract to Chen Jian.

In fact, Chen Jian just swept it in a hurry, he didn't care about what was written on it at all, he only paid attention to the number of years and weekly salary. It's a four-year contract with a weekly salary of fifteen hundred pounds. It's not a lot of salary, but when you compare it to his apprenticeship's salary, it's still very satisfying.

"I'm done, no problem! Can I sign now? Chen Jian couldn't wait to conjure a fountain pen directly in his hand.

Chris Rac wanted to speak, but told Don to take the lead.

"Don't worry, boy." The head coach, who had not spoken, stood up from his seat, "Do you think about it, is this your ultimate goal?" ”

Chen Jian didn't understand what Tang En meant, he looked at Tang En a little confused.

"Well, you were given a professional contract, but you're probably not ready to play for the first team right now. You won't be able to play in any of the first team games without a labor certification. You can't even play in the reserves. ”

Chen Jian seemed to have been poured a basin of cold water on his head, and his mind, which was still hot from excitement just now, suddenly sobered up. Donn is right, even if he signs this contract, he still can't be seen as a member of Nottingham Forest, as he can't play for Forest.

If you can't play, what's the point of being a pro? Do you go to the training ground all day and get paid?

I play to make money, but that's not how money is made.

Chen Jian shook his head: "If you can't play, why do you still give me this contract, I don't understand, Mr. Don't." ”

Don glanced at Chrislak and said, "Why did I call you alone, it's because there is something special about you...... You've signed this contract, you're of course part of Nottingham Forest, and we need to be responsible for your career. However, because of the well-known labor certification, you can't play for the team. We're also not going to put a player on the training pitch for four years with a professional contract. That's a waste. ”

"I'm optimistic about your potential. I think what you need now is a good level of training and not training in the youth team all the time. But you know, even if you're good enough, you can't play without a labor certification. Chrislak also said. It's a big headache, Chen. ”

Donn continued: "Let's put aside the question of your personal ability and potential, and let's just talk about labor certification. In fact, there are many ways to obtain a labor certification, depending on whether you want to or not. First, marry an English wife. ”

Chen Jian was taken aback. He is only twenty years old, and in the past few years, he has been so focused on football that he has never even looked for a girlfriend, let alone a major life event such as marriage.

Seeing his reaction, Don En laughed: "It looks like this is a dead end. The second option is to apply for British citizenship. ”

Chen Jian was not frightened this time, he immediately shook his head: "This can't be Mr. Tang En, China does not allow dual nationality." ”

"Then change your nationality." Don said expressionlessly.

Chen Jian's reaction was even more intense: "Absolutely not, absolutely not!" I never thought about this kind of thing, I am Chinese, what is it like to abandon Chinese nationality? My parents wouldn't agree to it either......"

"Okay, then you have been drafted into the army by the Chinese team, and you have to play 75% of the international A-level events in two years, and the Chinese team has to be ranked before 75 in the world...... Well, I think this is the most unlikely in terms of the strength of the Chinese team, and I also think it's a pity that you go to play for the Chinese team......" Tang En said with a frown. "You should seriously consider the two methods I mentioned before, find a British woman to marry, or directly change your nationality."

Chen Jian continued to shake his head: "Mr. Tangen, I really appreciate you for holding me in such high esteem. Don't say that my strength is enough to enter the national team, no matter how weak the Chinese team is, if they want to recruit me, I will not refuse. It is even more impossible to change nationality, Mr. Donn. You may not know how strong the Chinese sense of belonging is...... I can't explain why, but I wouldn't do it anyway. Just to give up being a Chinese citizen just to play football...... I can't. ”

Chen Jian suddenly felt that the contract text in his hand was so heavy, as if he had a thousand catties. He had already prepared for the worst in his mind - to give up the opportunity to sign with Nottingham Forest, leave the UK and go back to China. Or, play in a country that doesn't require a labor certification.

Donn shrugged: "I really can't understand, isn't your dream to be a real professional footballer?" So now that the opportunity is in front of you, what else do you have to hesitate about? I think it's normal to change nationality. You see the professional stars, they often have multiple nationalities or something. Didn't Brazilian star Elton give up his Brazilian citizenship to join Qatar in order to be able to participate in the World Cup? ”

Chen Jian frowned and explained to the British coach: "That's different, Mr. Donn. Chinese are different from everyone else in the world. Why are there Chinatowns everywhere? If I had been born in England, I probably wouldn't have thought of it, but I was born and raised in China......" He became more and more anxious, as if he didn't know how to explain it to the manager, biting his lip and holding it for a long time, "Dreams are dreams, Mr. Donne." My dream is to be able to make my hobby a job, but whether it is a dream or a job, in my heart, it is impossible to be bigger than the word 'motherland'. Isn't 'motherland' in your English? Mother's land, how can anyone deny his mother for money? China pays attention to filial piety first, and no matter what filial piety you do, you must put it first. If I don't recognize my mom just to play football, am I still human? ”

The more Chen Jian explained, the more excited he became, and in the end, he simply wanted to return the contract in his hand to Tang En.

'If I had to change my nationality to play for Nottingham Forest, I'd rather pass up that opportunity, Mr. Donne.'

Don didn't pick it up, and neither did Chrislac, and the two of them laughed instead. "What am I talking about, David? Don't underestimate the stubbornness and stubbornness of the Chinese. Ha! ”

Then he looked at Chen Jian, who was stunned and completely unclear about the situation, "Don't worry, there will be no one here who will force you to do something you don't want to do, which nationality to choose is your own business, and whatever decision you make will not affect the legal validity of this contract." We still have to sign this contract for you. ”

"Then ...... just now" Chen Jian was still a little confused.

"Just kidding."

Chen Jian's face became very serious: "But I don't think this joke is funny, Mr. Coach." ”

Tang En was also a little embarrassed, he scratched his head, "Okay, I apologize to you, I apologize to you solemnly." I certainly understand the emotion behind every word you say, and I'm not kidding. You know, I'm also a Brit with a lot of ties to China. ”

was disturbed by this incident, and Chen Jian's joy of signing the contract disappeared without a trace. He looked at the contract in his hand, and suddenly thought more about his future, instead of the excitement that was full of blood in his head.

Yes, even if I sign, I can't guarantee that I will succeed, this is only the first step in the long march. If I can't play for Forest, where am I going in four years? Can I continue to play professional football? If I could, where would I be?

Labor Certification, Chinese Team, Nationality ...... These questions lingered in his mind.

Tang En seemed to see through his thoughts, and he put his hand on Chen Jian's shoulder: "Don't think about things so far away. You just have to play well, and if you really have what it takes to play for Forest, we'll appeal for your labor certification. So the labor certification isn't a problem at all, it's your ability. Did you know? ”

This sentence made Chen Jianmao pause. That's right, even if you really can't get a labor certificate, as long as you have enough strength, where to play is not the same? My dream isn't to play for Nottingham Forest anyway......

Chen Jian eventually signed his Chinese name on the employment contract.

Tang En took the contract, looked at the name "Chen Jian" for a while, and then smiled: "The name is well written." ”

He handed the contract to Chrislak and turned to Chen Jian: "I heard that your mother is here?" ”

Chen Jian remembered what he had done with Coach Greenwood in the first place: "Yes, but I will return to China tomorrow, and I was going to ask Coach Greenwood for leave to send her ......"

"Well, just ask me. I'm ready, you can go and drop off your mother tomorrow. After sending her off, pack your things, and you're ready to leave England. ”

This news caught Chen Jian by surprise, did he just sign the contract and drive people away?

"Are you cranky again? Why do you like to think so much? Greenwood said you're a smart player, don't use your wisdom on that, waste! You can't even play in the reserve team without a labor certification, so what are you left doing here? Can training alone improve? Of course I'm going to race! So, you've been loaned to Dutch second division side Volendarm, go there and get some workouts! ”

Chen Jian didn't expect to be able to play in the official league so soon, although it was only the Dutch Second Division, but he was not a picky eater. After holding it for three years, he felt that it was already good to have a game for him to play, so why would he still ask for it?

"There's a language barrier and you need to get used to it. But I still want you to do well and from my point of view I don't want the players coming out of Nottingham Forest to be a joke. From your point of view, you're playing well for yourself. ”

Chen Jian nodded vigorously: "I promise to play well!" ”

Don looked at him and smiled again. He thought of the Young Pioneers who had taken the oath to join the team......

"It's useless to promise in your mouth, if you don't make it, this is the last contract." Donn pointed to the contract in Chris Lack's hand. Then he paused slightly, changed his tone, and changed his language.

"Chen Jian."

"Huh?" didn't expect Tang En to suddenly speak Sichuanese, which greatly surprised Chen Jian and startled him.

"You're a halfway player, what are you missing, do you know? It's time. No matter how hard you train, you can't make up for it. Three years......" Donn held up three fingers, "it's too short. But there is no way. No matter where you play, you always remember one thing – not only do you have talent, you don't have time, and you're the only one who has no way back compared to all the other professional players in the world. You don't have the right to make mistakes, you don't have the right to complain, and it's a great blessing that you have the opportunity to stand here. Therefore, now, and even in the future, you have no choice but to stuff your brain and kill all the way through. Do you know? ”

Chen Jian nodded: "I know." ”

Don smiled and switched back to English: "Don't think about anything, don't care about anything, go all the way." All the way forward......" At this point, his eyes suddenly became a little misty, and his voice weakened, turning into a mumble.

From time travel to today, isn't he also walking all the way forward and all the way down? And in the future, he will go all the way forward. Fate chose him, he had no choice, and he had no way back.

"All the way forward!" Tang En's voice returned to normal, his eyes cleared again, and he looked at Chen Jian. "The original dream, one day will arrive. Boy, don't lose the face of the identity you just insisted on. ”

Chen Jian solemnly bowed to Tang En.

※※※

A day later, Chen Jian saw off his mother at Heathrow Airport and told her that he was going to play football in the Netherlands. His mother also encouraged him to play well.

Two days later, Chen Jian packed his bags alone and flew to the Netherlands alone. There was no media attention, no fans to welcome. He restarts his journey to pursue his original dream in a completely unfamiliar place.

Meanwhile, Don began his dream journey at Mad's Lane on the north bank of the Trent River, smiling slightly shy as the new head coach of Nods County for the first time in front of the news media.

Tony. Donn leads the Nottingham Forest fleet, which has a deep imprint on him, to a new tomorrow.

The brilliant morning sun slowly rises from below the sea level, illuminating the faces of all those on the road.

(To be continued)