Chapter 1 Chen Hero's Vacation

Chen Hero's vacation lasted until January 15th. He spent the New Year's Day with his parents at home but missed the opportunity to celebrate the Spring Festival, the most important holiday for Chinese people, with them.

A few days before the fifteenth, his mother had been busy in the kitchen instead of helping out at the store. She was seizing the time to prepare things for Chen Hero to take away—sausages and cured meat, Sichuan's traditional delicacies. She packed him a large box, even though football players should eat less of these things. But Chen Hero loved them, so he didn't refuse.

In addition to these things, she also prepared douchi (fermented black soybeans), pickles, chili sauce, broad bean paste, fermented bean curd... these side dishes to eat with meals.

His mother always worried that her son wasn't eating well over there, so she filled a whole box with these foods. Last time, she had no idea that Chen Hero was going to Russia to play football, so she hadn't prepared anything. For the past six months, she had been blaming herself for this, feeling that she hadn't fulfilled her responsibilities as a mother and hadn't prepared many things for her son... This time, she wanted to make up for her previous regrets.

Mothers are always reluctant to see their sons travel far away, but sons don't think it's a big deal, it's not like it's a permanent farewell.

On the day of departure, his parents took Chen Hero and Dokula to Shuangliu Airport.

After checking in, they said goodbye in the lobby.

"You have to continue to play well there, but don't be arrogant, you hear?" Chen Tao instructed his son.

Chen Hero nodded: "I know!"

"Also, remember to control your temper, don't be impulsive again."

"My temper is much better now, Dad," Chen Hero said with a shrug and a smile.

His mother, Li Yun, leaned in and said, "It's cold in Russia, right? Don't go out too often if you don't have to. If you do go out, remember to dress warmly. Be careful not to catch a cold."

Chen Hero nodded repeatedly.

Russia was indeed cold, but Chen Hero felt that he could adapt. His adaptability was pretty good.

"Call home when you've finished eating the things, and I'll send you more. Be careful when you're out there alone, and don't cause trouble everywhere. Your agent is a good man, listen to him more, you hear? Also, now that the family's debts are paid off, don't send money back, we have our own money. Keep your money for yourself, it must cost a lot to treat your teammates in the team. Don't forget to call your grandparents during the Spring Festival..." His mother chattered on.

His father gave instructions about work, while his mother cared about her child's life.

It was Chen Tao who interrupted his wife's incessant nagging, pointing to his watch and saying to his wife, "Let our son go through security, or he might be late..."

"Oh, oh." His mother finally reacted. "Hurry up and go, Hero. Don't miss your flight."

Instead of waving goodbye, Chen Hero stepped forward and hugged his mother first.

Li Yun was stunned for a moment, not expecting her son to express his feelings in this way, in such a public place. For a moment, she suddenly felt a little embarrassed...

"Mom, if you miss me, read the newspapers, there will definitely be a lot of news about me in them. Maybe even photos," Chen Hero said in his mother's ear.

His mother only felt a sting in her nose, and her eyes were already blurred. She didn't dare speak, afraid of crying and embarrassing herself in front of her son. She could only nod.

Chen Hero released his mother and hugged his father again.

"Dad, then stop doing business, I can earn money now, you can both retire in peace!"

Chen Tao gave Chen Hero a slap on the back: "What would I do at home so early? I don't even play mahjong! Don't worry about our affairs, take care of yourself. There are many temptations outside, don't be like those Chinese players in the newspapers, play well, don't mess around!"

His father knew that this opportunity was hard-won, so he was afraid that his son wouldn't take it seriously and would screw it up.

"I know, Dad. Just watch the news, as long as I'm scoring goals, it means I'm serious, right?"

Chen Hero released his father and waved to his parents: "Goodbye, Dad, goodbye, Mom! Take care of yourselves at home, I'll call you often!"

"Hurry up and go, or you'll miss your flight!" His father was looking at his watch.

"Be careful over there, remember to call home when you arrive, add clothes when it's cold, call home when you've finished eating the things you brought, and I'll send you more..." His mother kept waving and urging Chen Hero to leave, while constantly giving instructions.

After saying goodbye to his parents, Chen Hero pulled his two suitcases and turned to walk towards the security checkpoint with Dokula.

Having said goodbye to his family, he was now eager to return to St. Petersburg, eager for the new season to arrive as soon as possible. Because he had leveled up two whole levels during this vacation! He had maxed out his "Heavy Cannon" talent. He couldn't wait for the teams in the new season of the Russian Premier League to see how powerful he was.

This was his first full season, and he was going to write his own chapter in this season.

The eighteen-year-old boy was full of wonderful dreams for his future, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the future. His parents, with their graying temples, stood in the hall, looking towards the security checkpoint, watching his back disappear into the crowd.

"Let's go back," Chen Tao said.

But from beside him came a sound of sobbing.

He turned his head and saw his wife wiping her eyes with her hand.

"Reluctant to part?" Chen Tao asked.

Li Yun nodded: "Yeah." Her reply was still tearful.

Chen Tao thought of what his son had said to him after signing with Zenit St. Petersburg, when they went to visit the Cruiser Aurora.

Even now, he still couldn't see his son's news when he turned on the TV, but at least he could see it when he opened the newspaper. This winter, many media outlets had come to their door, wanting to interview their son, which made Chen Tao realize how famous his son was now.

"If you miss him, just read the newspapers. There will definitely be news about him in the newspapers. In a while, maybe you'll be able to see him on TV too?"

Li Yun nodded, but her tears still didn't stop.

Chen Tao looked at his wife and muttered in his heart: For your mother's sake, you have to make something of yourself, Hero!

When Chen Hero was still in China, he received a call from the club. They told him that after the holiday, he didn't need to return to the dormitory anymore. The house that the club gave him was ready. It wasn't a new house, but a second-hand house, fully equipped with renovations, furniture, and appliances. He could move in with just his bags.

This house wasn't too big, only a 170-square-meter, four-bedroom, three-living room split-level. But it was real estate that was actually in Chen Hero's name, not some club asset that Chen Hero was allowed to live in for free.

This house and that car were both won for him by Yesenin—now he should be called Dokula.

From this, it could be seen that Zenit St. Petersburg had put in a lot of effort and showed enough sincerity in order to keep Chen Hero.

Chen Hero was a simple person—if you respect me and show enough sincerity and respect, I will also respect you and repay you with my life. If you pay me a high salary, I will score the number of goals that match that salary.

Some people like to use "Let the world slander me, deceive me, insult me, laugh at me, despise me, scorn me, hate me, and cheat me. Just bear with him, let him, allow him, avoid him, endure him, respect him, ignore him, and wait a few more years and see what happens to him" as their life motto, to show their indifferent attitude.

But this was not Chen Hero's principle of conduct.

If the world dares to slander me, deceive me, insult me, laugh at me, despise me, scorn me, hate me, and cheat me, I will scold him, beat him, fuck him, fix him, slap him, screw him, and then trample him. Chen Hero can't wait a few years to see what happens to him.

If you don't respect me, play with me, or trick me, then I'll slap you, kick you, and spit in your face.

Zenit St. Petersburg put in so much effort, which made Chen Hero very satisfied. His goal for the new season was simple—to score goals.

As a striker, the job is really too simple. As long as you score goals, you can meet everyone's expectations, as long as you score goals, you can satisfy the bosses, as long as you score goals.

Now that Chen Hero had his own house, he certainly couldn't live in the dormitory anymore.

And... Dokula couldn't live with him anymore either.

They lived together before because he was both a translator and a language teacher. Now that Chen Hero's Russian had graduated, he didn't need a translator and Russian teacher anymore. Therefore, his identity as "Yesenin" no longer needed to exist. As an agent, how could he live with a player? If that were the case, even if both of them were innocent, they would probably be misunderstood as a couple of gays...

In Chen Hero's new home, Dokula made a dinner for Chen Hero. After the two ate, they officially said goodbye.

"Well, from today on, you'll have to take care of many things yourself, Hero." Dokula stood at the door, with his suitcase at his feet.

Chen Hero stood inside the door, looking at him. For a moment, it seemed like the scene when Yesenin knocked on his dormitory door.

At that time, he only thought that an ordinary translator and Russian teacher had come, and he was still annoyed that the person standing in front of him wasn't a blonde, busty beauty.

Who would have thought that this person would change his future destiny? What did he rely on to have what he has today? Relying on his own efforts was of course a given. But even if Chen Hero was arrogant and conceited, he wouldn't admit that it had nothing to do with the person in front of him.

"Call me if you need anything, and I'll call you if I need anything. But you usually won't be able to find me most of the time. You also need to have your own life, Hero."

"Are you going back to the Arctic?" Chen Hero asked jokingly.

Dokula laughed, without answering the question. The vampire agent he transformed into didn't have Yesenin's peaceful and warm smile. It only made people feel colder.

"Anyway, you've mastered how to enter the instance training very well, and you know how to level up and add points. The new contract has been signed, and there's nothing more to do by your side. You can handle reporters' interviews yourself, your personality is very pleasing to reporters, and I believe it will be very pleasing to fans as well, just keep it up. I'll take care of the other things for you, you just focus on playing football."

Watching Dokula give instructions to Chen Hero as if he were giving instructions before his death, he suddenly felt a little reluctant to part with this person.

"Hey, Mr. Aurora... look, now I have a big house, with four separate bedrooms, even if you live here, you won't disturb me. And you won't disturb me..." He wanted to keep Dokula. He had been with him for almost half a year, and he felt that he had gotten used to the days when the omnipotent Mr. Aurora was by his side. If he really left... he was afraid he wouldn't get used to it.

Dokula laughed again. Now he really looked more like a human than when Chen Hero first met him.

"You'll regret it in three minutes, Hero."

In fact, Chen Hero had already regretted it a little as soon as he said it—living alone in a prosperous city center, with no problems in language communication, and a group of "cronies," going out to play and stuff would be too easy. It would really be inconvenient to have someone living in the house...

Hearing Dokula say this, he scratched his head a little embarrassedly.

"Okay, it's still okay to go out for a meal together in the future, right?" he asked.

"Didn't I say? If you need anything, just call me, and I guarantee I'll appear in front of you at any time." Dokula made a gesture of making a phone call. "Eating is of course considered something."

Chen Hero also laughed. He was laughing at this "any time." He thought that Mr. Aurora was light, what in this world could be faster than light? It really was any time...

"Okay." He held out his hand to Dokula, "I won't ask you where you live, where you are. Contact me by phone if you need anything."

"Contact me by phone if you need anything." Dokula shook Chen Hero's hand, bent down to pick up his suitcase, and was about to turn and leave.

Chen Hero shouted from behind: "That... thank you."

Hearing this somewhat awkward thank you, Dokula smiled and turned back to say to him: "Didn't you say it's what you deserve?"

Chen Hero also laughed loudly: "That's right! It's what I deserve, but my dad told me to be polite, so I'll only thank you this once! Goodbye, Mr. Aurora!"

"Goodbye, Hero." Dokula waved and turned to leave along the corridor.

Chen Hero watched him disappear around the corner of the stairwell before closing the door.

Turning around, he tilted his head and looked around the empty house.

The Russian winter night is a bit cold... I need to find someone to warm the bed!