Inviting Parents to Watch The Game

After dinner, Zhang Xu took his parents and Nicola to his place and introduced them to the James couple.

The James couple was thrilled to meet Zhang Xu's parents, especially Mr. James, who excitedly spoke a long string of French to Zhang Xu's father, who looked bewilderedly at Zhang Xu.

Zhang Xu smiled and said, "Uncle James is praising you, saying you've raised a good son! He also says your son plays fantastic football, calling him a treasure of the White Star team and saying he'll surely become a big star!"

His father glanced at Zhang Xu, then told Mr. James, "It's because you took good care of this boy, allowing him to focus on football. We owe you our thanks!"

"Ha, no need for thanks. Taking care of a talented player like Zhang is my pride and joy! My friends are envious that Zhang is staying at our place!" laughed Mr. James.

"Yes, we all believe Zhang will be a shining star on the European stage. Maybe he'll even reach the level of Messi or Ronaldo!" Mrs. James added.

"Your praise is too high. I know my son's capabilities. While I wouldn't be surprised at high academic achievements, reaching Messi's level in football is out of the question," his father said, clearly not agreeing with the James' assessment of Zhang Xu.

"Dad, you shouldn't discourage your son like this. Haven't you heard the saying 'a man can change a lot in three days'? How do you know your son hasn't improved?" Zhang Xu complained, deciding not to translate further.

"Alright, then let's see how you perform in a game!" his father chuckled.

"Watch and see! In about ten days, there's a game. I'll show you how great your son is!" Zhang Xu declared confidently.

"Great! Let's see how well our son plays, shall we?" his father turned to his mother for her opinion.

"Sure, sure, whatever you say. I believe in my son's excellence in every aspect, unlike you, who only knows how to criticize him," his mother complained.

"Alright, you keep pampering him," his father said, turning back to continue his warm conversation with Mr. James.

"Zhang, this beautiful lady must be your girlfriend, right? She's gorgeous! A great guy like you should have a beautiful girlfriend!" Mr. James noticed Nicola and joked, seeing her adoring gaze towards Zhang Xu.

"Ah?!" Zhang Xu was taken aback by Mr. James's sudden mention of Nicola. He tried to explain, but seeing the disbelief, he remained silent.

The next day, Zhang Xu's parents accompanied him and Nicola to Université Paris VI.

At the university, his father actually found Zhang Xu's professor to inquire about his academic performance, which turned out to be just as Zhang Xu had described. Finally, his father was reassured.

"Son, since you haven't neglected your studies, I won't oppose your football career. But don't hide such significant decisions from us in the future, understand?" his father said amiably as they returned to Belgium.

"Yay! Thanks, Dad!" Zhang Xu was relieved and excitedly hugged Nicola.

"Cough, cough," his father coughed upon seeing Zhang Xu hugging a girl in public and glanced at Nicola, saying, "This girl, uh, Nicola, seems nice. Your mom and I like her. If you're really dating, we have no objections, but you must cherish her, understood?"

Zhang Xu was about to deny it, but his father waved his hand and continued, "I know you'll deny it, but your mother and I aren't blind. We can see what's there. Take care of her."

Zhang Xu looked at Nicola, who was curiously watching the exchange, and couldn't help but smile wryly...

In the following days, Zhang Xu and Nicola accompanied his parents to famous spots in Belgium and France. Although Zhang Xu was the companion, Nicola was the one arranging the itinerary, which greatly pleased his parents.

During this time, Zhang Xu's relationship with Yang Zi inevitably came to light. His parents were not particularly approving of Yang Zi, partly because Zhang Xu and Yang Zi were not officially in a relationship, and Yang Zi seemed to be only fond of their son. Also, they felt Yang Zi, being busy in the Chinese entertainment industry, wouldn't have much time for their son abroad. They thought a caring girl from abroad, like Nicola, would be more suitable.

If it weren't for Zhang Xu's insistence on denying their relationship, his mother might have already called Nicola a daughter-in-law.

Of course, Zhang Xu didn't forget to take his parents to visit the White Star team's club and witness the team's daily training.

Coaches Ma Zu and Philip warmly welcomed Zhang Xu's parents, accompanying them throughout the club visit and inviting them to dinner.

When Zhang Xu's

 parents left, Ma Zu gave them three tickets for the November 20th game against SV Rosler, including one for Nicola.

SV Rosler was performing poorly, ranking at the bottom of the league. It seemed almost certain they would be relegated after the season. However, they were desperate to escape the relegation zone, making the upcoming game challenging yet winnable.

Zhang Xu was determined to win, seeing it as the best opportunity to prove his football skills to his parents.

In the days leading up to the game, aside from accompanying his parents, Zhang Xu spent every available moment training, both in reality and simulation, leveling up to level 18!

His attributes also improved:

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Name: Zhang Xu

Level: 18

Experience: 21/6000 (Assignable Attribute Points: 0)

Current Ability/Potential Ability: 44/57 (Professional Player Min 30, Max 99)

Current Physical Fatigue/State: 21/85 (Max 99)

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Technical Attributes (Max 99 each):

Crossing: 28

Dribbling: 29

Shooting: 33

Heading: 45

Long Shots: 32

Marking: 49

Passing: 38

Tackling: 48

Ball Control: 38

Technique: 44

Penalty Taking: 32

Corners: 25

Free Kicks: 27

Throw-ins: 28

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Mental Attributes:

Aggression: 44

Anticipation: 45

Bravery: 81

Composure: 71

Concentration: 61

Vision: 36

Decision Making: 42

Determination: 83

Imagination: 30

Influence: 71

Off-the-Ball: 37

Positioning: 46

Teamwork: 51

Work Rate: 94

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Physical Attributes:

Acceleration: 81

Agility: 47

Balance: 50

Jumping: 77

Stamina: 87

Speed: 92

Endurance: 88

Strength: 87

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These data showed Zhang Xu focused on shooting training, improving his Shooting and Long Shots attributes.

Whether he could score in the game, only God knew!

On November 20th, it was a breezy and cloudy day with a temperature of only 12 degrees Celsius.

At 2:30 PM, Nicola accompanied Zhang Xu's parents to the STADE stadium.

As usual, the stadium was already bustling half an hour before the game. The fans' deafening cheers and songs filled the air. Fans waved scarves and flags, jumped excitedly with their friends, and blew on horns until their faces turned red.

When the White Star team entered for warm-up training, the crowd erupted in cheers. In contrast, SV Rosler was greeted with boos.

Zhang Xu's father, watching a game live abroad for the first time, was stunned by the frenzied atmosphere.

Back home, the crowd was more reserved, so seeing such passionate fans was unbelievable to him. He couldn't grasp that in Europe, football was ingrained in fans' blood and bones.

Before the warm-up, Zhang Xu ran to the stands where his parents were and shouted:

"Dad, Mom, watch me shine!"