Chapter 9: Where there's a will there is a way

When Chen Yingxiong broke through numerous obstacles and headed the football into the goal, the training ground was silent and no one made a sound.

But soon Chen Tao's roar was heard first - no matter what time, the father will always be the most loyal and hardcore supporter of his son. "Ah! Ah! Ahhhh——" Chen Tao was so excited that he didn't even know what to shout. He could only yell. Even the most silent person will explode at some point!

At this moment, language seems pale and powerless... Chen Tao's mood cannot be described in words at all.

As soon as Chen Yingxiong, who scored the goal, landed on the ground, he didn't care that there was a big hole in his jersey. He tore at the front of his shirt and shouted.

It feels so good! It feels so good! It feels so fucking good!!

This feeling is so great!

Chen Yingxiong kept shouting in his heart.

No matter how many people are in front of me, they can't stop me!

Everyone fell and I scored a goal!

He wanted to laugh, he wanted to laugh out loud. After a month of feeling depressed, he could finally release the depression that had accumulated in his heart.

But he didn't laugh, he held it in. His reason told him that it was far from the time to be happy, and whether he could stay in the end would not depend on these two goals alone.

He wanted to score as many goals as possible, using the method he was currently best at - he knew he was best at heading, but he had never been so good at it before...

He would score as many goals as he could. As long as the game was not over and the test was still going on, he would keep scoring goals and more goals!

Isn't the only criterion for measuring a striker's ability to score goals? As long as he could score goals, all other shortcomings didn't exist.

…

While Chen Yingxiong was shouting to celebrate the goal, the others around him looked quite embarrassed.

Midfielder Mironov, who failed to hold onto the clothes, supported his knees with his hands, and lay on his stomach, breathing heavily. The teammate next to him who was pulling Chen Yingxiong with him was not much better. He didn't run but just tried his best to pull Chen Yingxiong and he still felt so tired. He had never encountered such a thing before.

His teammates were no better than him.

The two central defenders, Krotkov and Lebedev, were lying on the ground. They looked to have fallen quite hard and were in a very miserable state.

Just now they were blocking Chen Yingxiong head-on and were hit directly. Mironov saw it clearly from below. The big guy was completely unreasonable and rushed forward without any arm movements. He did not wave his hands in the air to push them but just used his body to meet them directly.

Then Krotkov and Lebedev turned around and crashed like downed planes.

As for Stov next to him, he was like a background prop, jumping up and down, without causing any interference to Chen Yingxiong, just like air.

Other than these embarrassed people, everyone else was staring at the scene in a daze, their minds blank.

This strange Chinese man, whose name they didn't even know, shocked them so much...

Is he still a human? Is he still a human? Is he! Still! A! Human!?!

He was being held tightly by two people, but he was able to break free. Then he jumped up in the air and faced the three people surrounding him.

He just broke through them! He actually broke through them!

Damn... We are not surprised that you knocked away three ten-year-old kids. You knocked away the main defence of the Zenit Youth Team! Do you know where the Zenit Youth Team ranks in the Youth League?

Ranked first in the first group of the Russian Under-18 Youth League! Lost only one game in 18 league games, the second-fewest goals conceded.

Such a defence line can be destroyed by you alone!

Is there any justice in the world?!

…

Chen Tao was still cheering in the audience, and his "Aaaaah" later turned into "Hahahaha". Chen Yingxiong wanted to laugh but held back, but his father didn't have to hold back. He laughed unscrupulously until his throat was hoarse. It didn't sound like he was laughing, but crying...

Chen Tao was indeed crying. He laughed loudly towards the sky but could not stop the tears from streaming down his cheeks and dripping onto his chest.

My son turned out to be...

...

It's a genius!

…

Borovikia turned his head and looked at his dumbfounded colleagues. He laughed, "How is it?"

Panchenko had a smile on his face. This kid finally stopped embarrassing him, and it also proved that his performance yesterday was not a blind guess.

 Now he felt relieved.

Popovich on the other hand was not very excited. His team's defence was defeated by one person in this. For the winner, this method is of course the best way to demonstrate ability, but for the loser... it is particularly bitter.

Borovikia patted him on the shoulder. "It's not that your players are too weak, but that the opponents are too strong!"

"Uh... thank you for your comfort, Vladimir..." Popovich actually knew that Chen Yingxiong's performance in the previous headers, especially the last one, was perfect... showing all his strengths - superb physical fitness, excellent heading skills and the ability to judge the landing point, as well as... a hint of a domineering attitude.

Players with these qualities were indeed... worthy of his special attention.

He just couldn't get over losing face in front of so many people.

Borovikia asked him again. "Should this game... continue?"

In fact, the game did not need to continue. Just based on the qualities shown by Chen Yingxiong in these two goals, he deserves to be signed by Zenit and carefully trained.

Is he weak in other aspects? It doesn't matter. As long as he has the physique and heading ability, he can be trained to be a centre forward with a strong impact. Anyway, we don't expect him to be a technical player, like Ibrahimovic, who can pass five players in front of the penalty area and shoot the ball into the goal...

His strength, jumping ability, and outstanding header ability are his greatest weapons. Although it may seem a bit monotonous, as long as he can maximize his abilities, he can also occupy a place among the world's professional centres.

As the saying goes, one trick is enough to conquer the world for at least a time.

Chen Yingxiong was not afraid even if he could only head the ball. Zenit does not expect that someone will suddenly appear and become a super striker who can pass, shoot, breakthrough, dribble, attack, defend, and be both the judicative, executive and legislative government...

Popovich shook his head. "No need..."

He also knew that if he continued to make them compete, his youth team would really become a foil. It would be a devastating blow to the confidence of the youth team players - would anyone be able to accept being defeated by a kid who suddenly appeared and asked for a trial? What was the point of training for so many years? If we can't beat a kid who suddenly appeared after so many years of training, then what's the point at all?

Borovikia was obviously also worried about this problem, so he suggested ending the game early.

…

This match to test Chen Yingxiong's strength was terminated early, and Chen Yingxiong's strength had been proven - he was not very good at footwork, his shooting skills were not sophisticated enough, and his long-range shooting was even worse. He had great strength but no accuracy at all.

But he had excellent physical fitness, a natural height advantage, and could accurately judge the landing point of the football while also having good heading skills.

Borovikia made the decision to sign Chen Yingxiong and give him a short-term two-year contract to train him. If there were results, renew the contract. If not, there is no loss in giving up at that time. He did not seek the opinion of his immediate boss, the head coach, because he did not want to disturb Petzera, who was already exhausted. Anyway, the club did not have to spend a penny to sign this person, and the salary was not high. Even if it turned out that Chen Yingxiong really didn't have much talent after all, it would not be a loss.

…

When Chen Tao heard that Zenit St. Petersburg was going to sign his son, he was so happy that he lost even the ability to think.

Dreams come true!

These four words were absolutely perfect to describe his mood at the moment.

It was really a dream come true. Chen Yingxiong had been dreaming of becoming a professional player for ten years, and it had finally come true.

Although the experience was a bit tortuous, good things are good things, right?

"Dad?!" After hearing that Zenit was going to sign him, Chen Yingxiong immediately turned around to find his father Chen Tao, and then he shouted at him with wide eyes. "Is this true?"

Chen Tao couldn't help but feel tears welling up in his eyes when he thought about what he had experienced in the past half month. He nodded vigorously. "Really!"

"Ha...hahahaha!" Chen Yingxiong laughed out loud. "Great! Great! Great! Ha!" Then he ran to his father.

"Our wish really did come true, Dad!"

Chen Tao nodded vigorously.

Chen Yingxiong couldn't say anything else, he just felt happy.

Chen Tao suddenly frowned and lectured his son: "It's good to become a professional player, but don't be too happy too soon, son! I tell you, this is just the first step in a long journey. You must guard against arrogance and impatience... Don't be impulsive again, understand? Hey, I'm telling you something serious, Hero!"

Chen Yingxiong was just busy laughing. "Hey, I know, I'm listening, Dad..."

Seeing his son like this, Chen Tao couldn't continue to lecture him with a stern face. He shook his head and smiled again. "You, you are so happy just after completing the first step..."

If it were in China, it would seem natural for Chen Yingxiong to become a professional player. Although he gave the coach a red envelope, it did not mean that his son had no talent at all. He still performed very well in the youth team, otherwise he would not have become the target of others' dirty tricks. This showed that his son had threatened the opponent's position.

If he became a professional player in China, his son would definitely not be so happy. But here, after experiencing the past half month and seeing the ups and downs of life, this professional player's contract seems to be invaluable.

At this time, Chen Yingxiong suddenly leaned over and gave his father a strong bear hug!

"Thank you, Dad!"

If his father hadn't brought him out, he might never have had such an opportunity. To bring him out, his father, who had always been "henpecked", lied to his mother and took great risks to borrow money from relatives and friends.

Even if he successfully signed the contract in the end, he didn't have the money to repay the debt immediately. His father would have to work hard to make money to repay the debt after he returned...

Chen Yingxiong always thought that his father was very timid. He gave all the money from his business to his mother. He didn't dare to speak loudly at home. His way of expressing anger was silence. He didn't expect that such a timid father would plan and implement such a crazy plan.

Chen Tao was a little surprised, but then he reacted and patted his son on the broad back.

"No matter where you are, play football well, Hero."

Chen Yingxiong nodded vigorously.

One big and one small, one tall and one short, the two people hugged each other in public.

The Zenit coaches nearby all laughed when they saw this scene.

This father-and-son duo was so funny.

They all sighed after listening to Panchenko's story about Chen Yingxiong and his son. The father borrowed money at his own expense to come to Europe to find a club for his son to play in so that his son could continue his football career... He flew from China thousands of miles away to Europe, and then travelled around in Europe again, suffering a lot of hardships, being looked down upon, being laughed at, misunderstood, deceived, and blackmailed... None of these could change their goals and dreams.

They persevered to the last step and finally saw the beautiful scenery of their dreams.

The clouds and fog dissipated, and the sky was bright with beautiful rays of light.

Fate will never treat unfairly anyone who roars at it with clenched teeth and fists.

In the darkest times, don't give up!

When you want to give up the most, don't! Give up!

Where there is a will, there is a way!

They may not understand this Chinese proverb, but Russians also have their own proverbs.

"хотянельзя, нооченьхочется, томожно!"

"It may be impossible, but if you really want it, you can definitely do it!"

"It seems... that kid has a heart that is big enough to support his huge body," Borovikia said. He didn't have to worry about Chen Yingxiong being a giant in stature but a dwarf in spirit. For a young player, nothing was more important than this quality...

"Thank you, Ruslan, I think you have brought a great fortune to Zenit..." He thanked Panchenko.

Panchenko smiled and waved his hands. "I didn't bring wealth to you. He earned it through his own hard work."

A group of people turned their heads to look at Chen Yingxiong and his father. In the afternoon sunset, they both seemed to be covered with a layer of golden light, very beautiful and dazzling.