Chapter 1 The News

Zhang Jun and Yang Pan reached new agreements with the club and acquired a new agent. This news had already been widely reported. After *Tianxia Zuqiu* (Football World) broadcast the Netherlands special, it set off another small climax across the country. Then the craze for Zhang and Yang began to recede. The media had already noticed this phenomenon. The current Chinese football environment was too disappointing, and putting a lot of effort into reporting domestic football was thankless. Sports newspapers now needed a "G-spot" to stimulate the interest of the general readership and make it easier to extract money from their wallets. The sudden emergence of Zhang Jun and Yang Pan in the Netherlands naturally satisfied the desires of the media and readers, but there was no such thing as lasting news. Zhang and Yang were no exception. Therefore, after the initial frenzy, the public's enthusiasm began to decline.

The media certainly didn't want this to continue, so they tried every possible means to dig up more attractive and shocking news. Now, they had all set their sights on a "major event" this Saturday: Ajax at home against Volendam, one the reigning champion of the Dutch Eredivisie and the other the biggest dark horse so far this season. It was indeed a very interesting match. Dutch national television had decided to broadcast the game, and CCTV5 was in urgent negotiations with the Dutch side, hoping to obtain the live footage after the game and broadcast it domestically at some point.

"Zhang-Yang Combo Challenges Ajax!"

"Chinese Double Stars Arrive at Amsterdam Arena!"

"Battle of Top and Dark Horse, Zhang and Yang Receive Great Attention!"

"Dutch Media Predicts: Draw, Chinese Youngsters to Perform Well!"

"Newborn Calves Not Afraid of Tigers, Young Dark Horse Vows to Dethrone the Overlord!"

…

Sophie stood in front of the newspaper stand, looking at the colorful sports newspapers, her head spinning.

Suddenly, an enlarged color photo appeared in her field of vision. She looked closely and realized it was a sports section from a tabloid she had never heard of. The reason the photo stood out so much among the headlines of so many newspapers was entirely because it took up a quarter of the page.

"Heroes Can't Resist the Charms of a Beauty!" The headline was in bold black lettering with the subtitle: "Beautiful Agent? Or Beautiful Lover?"

Sophie hurriedly grabbed the newspaper. The photo was of Zhang Jun, Yang Pan, and their agent, Hua Fang, talking together. This photo had been taken when Zhang and Yang first met Hua Fang on the training ground, but it had never been published before. This was the first time Sophie had seen it.

There was a small circle in the corner of the large photo, enclosing Hua Fang's head. From it, one could roughly see that she was indeed a beauty.

The article read: "...Having just become famous, they already have a beauty… What is the background of this agent calling herself Hua Fang? This newspaper's reporter interviewed and investigated extensively but could not find out her true identity… Her purpose in approaching the two deserves attention… Since ancient times, heroes have found it hard to resist the charms of a beauty. It seems that Zhang and Yang are no exception..."

Sophie skimmed through the report and found it laughable. It was ridiculous to speculate that the two were having an affair with their agent based on a simple photo of the three of them! No wonder it was a tabloid!

She snorted in her heart and put the newspaper back on the stand. But the newspaper was immediately picked up by another person: "Wow! Wow! There's already a scandal!" the person exclaimed exaggeratedly.

Sophie frowned and turned to leave.

Almost overnight, when Sophie passed by that newspaper stand again, she noticed that almost all the sports-related newspapers had the same content on the front page: "Zhang Jun's Shocking Scandal!"

"Volendam, Netherlands - This newspaper reports that after a certain media outlet revealed yesterday that the beautiful agent Hua Fang is likely the girlfriend of one of the two players, our reporter has once again revealed breaking news that this one is very likely to be Zhang Jun..."

"...This newspaper's reporter waited outside Zhang and Yang's apartment and took this photo. The photo shows Zhang Jun and Hua Fang just coming out of the apartment, looking very intimate..."

"...A little analysis shows that this matter is not groundless. Compared to Yang Pan, Zhang Jun, with his gentle smile, is indeed more likely to be liked by women, and Hua Fang is also a beauty with a smile that is very likable..."

"Thus, we can explain why Hua Fang's appearance seems to have fallen from the sky. It's not strange, just that Zhang Jun was prepared, and the wife follows her husband's lead. This is not uncommon in today's football world..."

"Hua Fang is nearly thirty years old, while Zhang Jun is just twenty. The two are almost ten years apart. But this cannot be an excuse to stop love from happening..."

…

Sophie felt a wave of dizziness, a real one this time. She didn't understand why so many reports about Zhang Jun's girlfriend had sprung up overnight. Each one was assertive and supported by photos. In addition to some tabloids she had never heard of, there were also well-known sports publications with national influence.

Sophie's simple mind naturally couldn't understand this because she didn't understand the cruelty of news competition. Since the appearance of a certain media's report on Zhang Jun and Yang Pan's scandal yesterday, the sales of other newspapers had plummeted. As a result, the bosses were furious. How could they let a small newspaper subvert the Chinese sports reporting situation? They all called their reporters in the Netherlands and told them to dig up any clues about the scandal.

"Why did you treat the same photo of the three of them talking as an ordinary picture, while others could find news in it? Have you wasted all these years doing news reports? You must be good at discovering details in life, details! Use your brains! Dig out everything behind this kind of photo for me!"

This was almost what all the bosses said to their subordinates. As a result, the Chinese reporters in Volendam began a new round of crazy news competition.

Zhang Jun and Yang Pan ate dinner while occasionally glancing out the window. Several reporters who hadn't even eaten dinner were still waiting outside.

"Isn't it just a game against Ajax? Is it worth them being so dedicated?" Zhang Jun felt that besides the somewhat tense atmosphere within the team recently, even the reporters were facing a formidable enemy. They were surrounded by flashing lights wherever they went.

"Where does news come from if they aren't dedicated? Where does their salary come from without news? What do they eat without a salary?" Yang Pan stared at the TV. "That's called having professional ethics, loving their job and being dedicated!"

"Oh, right, why didn't we see Sister Hua today? Where did she go?"

"She said she had something to take care of and would be back in a couple of days… Why are you asking? Don't tell me you're…" Yang Pan looked at Zhang Jun with a smirk.

Zhang Jun slapped him with a spoon. "Smirking at what? Sister Hua is ten years older than us. I don't have an older woman complex. Besides, I won't consider any woman except Sophie! Are you satisfied?"

"Haha, satisfied, satisfied! As long as you still remember Sophie, that's good. She's waiting for you back home. Don't do anything to let her down, otherwise, hehe! All the boys and girls at Shuguang will tear you to pieces…" Yang Pan pushed his plate away. "I'm full!"

"If you're full, go wash the dishes!" Zhang Jun stood up and fell back on the sofa behind him. "It's up to you."

Yang Pan muttered, "Not exercising after eating will turn you into a pig…" Then he cleared the table and went to the kitchen.

"Sophie…" Zhang Jun lay on the sofa, gently saying the name.

Sophie returned to her dormitory and lay down on her bed, staring blankly at the bunk above.

If she thought the news she saw yesterday was just a boring act by a boring tabloid, then now that almost all the newspapers were saying in unison that Zhang Jun and that Hua Fang were in a relationship, she couldn't help but worry.

She had seen Hua Fang's photo in the newspaper. She was indeed very beautiful. The newspaper said she was almost thirty years old, but Sophie didn't think she looked thirty at all. She maintained her figure and appearance very well. Judging from her gestures, speech, and manners, she should be someone who had received a higher education and had a very strict upbringing. Her sudden appearance and the background that even reporters couldn't find out also made Sophie very suspicious. Why did she approach Zhang Jun? Why did she suddenly become their agent?

Anhui, China, and Volendam, Netherlands, were indeed too far apart. Even with a phone call every three days, a letter every two weeks, and three copies of *Titan Sports* a week, she still felt somewhat distant.

I can see your face, but I can't hear your voice; I can hear your voice, but I can't see your face...

Could the two of them keep the promise that she and Zhang Jun made on that snowy winter day? Zhang Jun was now a star, he had become the hope of Chinese football, a headline news figure. She was just an ordinary college student, unremarkable and inconspicuous. Would she start to be unworthy of him?

He had already started living under the spotlight, while she was still carrying textbooks to class every day and carrying a drawing board to sketch after class. They were completely two different worlds!

"Sophie, we might have to be separated for a while."

"I'm not afraid, I'll wait for you!"

…

Because I dreamed of you leaving,

I woke up crying.

Watching the night wind blow through the window,

Can you feel my love?

When the day comes when we grow old,

Will you still be by my side?

Watching those vows and lies,

Slowly dissipate with the past.

How many people have admired your youthful beauty,

Who knows who is willing to endure the ruthless changes of time?

How many people have come and gone in your life,

Who knows that for a lifetime, I will be by your side.

…

The dormitory door opened with a "whoosh," and a roommate hurried in. "Huh? Sophie, you're here? I just saw a lot of news about Zhang Jun online. Those people are too bored! How can they…"

Sophie didn't hear a single word her roommate said. She was staring blankly at the drawing board leaning against her desk. It was an unfinished landscape, a painting of the modern art center in the school. There were green trees, vines, white walls, and bright sunshine. Two people were sitting on a bench, a man and a woman. The woman was already finished, but the man she was leaning on only had a rough outline drawn in pencil with some light shading.

Every time she finished a painting, she felt an endless sense of loss after a brief sense of accomplishment. The person she wanted to see her paintings the most wasn't by her side. Teacher Zhou had once asked Sophie why there was always a man and a woman in every one of her paintings. She just smiled and didn't answer. After her classmates saw her work, they would exclaim enviously, "Wow! So beautiful! So amazing!" Teacher Zhou would nod and say, "Hmm, Sophie, you've improved again!"

But what about him?

He was in the Netherlands. He couldn't see it.

The phone rang. Sophie was closest to the phone but didn't answer it. Instead, her roommate ran over and picked it up. "Hello, who are you looking for? Oh, wait a minute, Sophie."

Sophie came back to her senses when she heard someone calling her. "Mine?"

Her roommate nodded and handed her the phone.

It was Teacher Zhou's voice on the other end. "Sophie, I'm planning to organize a sketching trip to Da Shu Mountain this weekend. Are you coming?"

"Me? I… Teacher Zhou, I'm not feeling well. I'm afraid I can't, I'm afraid I can't come this weekend," Sophie lied.

"Is that so? I saw that you've already painted everything you can paint at school, so I wanted to take you out to see the world. Since you can't come, then forget it. Your health is important. Then you won't be attending class tomorrow night either, right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, then take care of yourself and rest well."

After hanging up, her roommate asked Sophie strangely, "Are you not feeling well? Do you want to go to the hospital to see a doctor?"

"No need," Sophie answered vaguely, face down, burying her head in the pillow.

Zhang Jun's phone rang. It was Li Yan calling. "Hello, Zhang Jun, where are you now?"

"I'm on my way home from the supermarket."

"Okay, wait for me at home. I'm coming to your place now." After saying that, Li Yan hung up in a hurry.

"What's up?" Yang Pan asked him.

"I don't know. Li Yan told us to wait for him at home. Is he going to interview us again?"

"Haha! I bet he's just trying to freeload a meal, right?" Yang Pan laughed.

The two had just arrived home when Li Yan and Wang Hua followed them.

"Hey! You're not trying to freeload a meal again, are you?" Yang Pan joked.

"Hehe! If it's good, I wouldn't dare refuse," Li Yan said with a smile, not caring about Yang Pan's words at all. They often made jokes like this between them and had long been used to it.

"We just got here and haven't had time to cook yet. Get down to business. What are you looking for me for?" Zhang Jun said.

As soon as Zhang Jun said this, Li Yan started laughing non-stop. "Haha! It's still the domestic colleagues causing trouble! I got a call from the editor-in-chief, insisting that I investigate the truth about your scandal!" Li Yan pointed at Zhang Jun and laughed.

"Me? My scandal?" Zhang Jun pointed at himself, very surprised.

"Yes, your relationship with that beautiful agent, Hua Fang. Some people analyzed that Hua Fang's sudden appearance must have a reason. Then, as they analyzed, they analyzed that you and her were in a relationship. Haha!"

Zhang Jun and Yang Pan exchanged a look and then laughed. This was probably the most ridiculous joke they had ever heard.

"Hehe! You guys also think it's ridiculous, right? What's even more ridiculous is that the domestic sports media has exploded, with overwhelming coverage, each one looking more real than the other, and each one with more conclusive evidence. What is going on!" Wang Hua said with a smile, "The game between Ajax and you guys has been overhyped. Just create something like this to hype it up, haha!"

But this time, Zhang Jun and Yang Pan didn't laugh. "You said that the domestic news is all this kind of report?" Yang Pan asked Wang Hua.

Wang Hua nodded. "Yes, are you surprised? It's overwhelming, the momentum is enough to scare the timid!"

Li Yan took a stack of paper out of his bag. "These are the faxes I received from China. They are all relevant reports from domestic newspapers about this matter. Take a look for yourselves."

Zhang Jun took it and gave half to Yang Pan, and he started reading. For a time, no one spoke, and the room became quiet.

The more Zhang Jun read, the more he sweated. This was not a joke at all! In his opinion, it was no different from a conspiracy! Almost every news item on it was assertive, with clear details. With pictures and text, witnesses testifying, detailed analysis and argumentation… Even he himself thought that he really had something going on with Sister Hua. As the saying goes, three men make a tiger. Zhang Jun thought of Sophie back home. Buying newspapers was her "compulsory course." What would she think when she saw these overwhelming reports?

"Have you guys finished reading? The domestic media is crazy. Our publication time is the day after tomorrow, so the editor-in-chief called me and asked me to write an article… Zhang Jun, are you listening?" Li Yan saw Zhang Jun put down the materials in his hand and then reach for his phone.

Yang Pan grabbed Zhang Jun's hand. "It's 7:00 PM now, it's 1:00 AM over there, do you think it's appropriate to call now?"

Zhang Jun hesitated for a while and put the phone back.

"What are you talking about?" Li Yan didn't understand what the two were doing.

"This is no longer a joke," Yang Pan said to Li Yan with a wry smile. "But a vicious rumor."

"A vicious rumor?"

"Zhang Jun already has a girlfriend, and she's studying in China. Distance can create beauty, but it can also create cracks. She may have already seen it…"

Zhang Jun looked up and asked Li Yan, "When will your newspaper be published?"

"The day after tomorrow."

"Can I publish a statement to clarify this matter?"

"That's why I came here. Wang Hua, get ready to record. Speak!"

After seeing Li Yan and Wang Hua off, Zhang Jun sat on the sofa, repeatedly playing with the phone in his hand. "Yang Pan, I think I should still call Sophie."

Yang Pan turned his head to look at the clock on the wall. It was almost eight o'clock. "It's 1:47 AM in China, Sophie is already asleep, and her roommates are also asleep. Is it a good idea to call now? We can talk about it tomorrow, I'll remind you tomorrow…"

"But I can't wait!" Zhang Jun suddenly raised his voice, startling Yang Pan. "I can't wait! I want to call Sophie now, I don't care what time it is! What will Sophie think after seeing those boring people and boring newspapers? Can she handle other people's gossip?"

"…Don't think of Sophie as too weak. She's a very strong girl…"

"That's because I'm by her side! I understand her, Yang Pan. Sophie's strong side is only shown in front of me, just like she's my support. We're so far apart, she's alone at school, lonely, facing this boring crap alone!" Zhang Jun pushed a stack of faxes off the table, and the papers scattered all over the floor with a crash.

"I want to explain to her. I don't want the events of freshman year to repeat themselves. This time, I can't send her a tape, and I can't send her anything… Misunderstandings are caused by not taking the initiative. I'll regret it for the rest of my life if I don't take the initiative this time!"

Yang Pan looked at Zhang Jun, who was becoming more and more excited, and knew that he was really anxious. His deep longing for Sophie had erupted at this moment and couldn't be stopped.

"Okay, okay. You can call her, I'm going to read a book." Yang Pan got up and went into the bedroom.

Zhang Jun watched Yang Pan walk into the bedroom, and he shouted, "Yang Pan, you're not mad at me, are you?" Then he heard the sound of something falling to the ground in the bedroom. About ten seconds later, Yang Pan's voice came: "Mad at you for what! I just don't want to disturb you lovebirds from whispering sweet nothings!"

"Huh? When did you reform and stop being a third wheel? Did the filament burn out?"

"Damn it! Stop being so long-winded! Hurry up and call!"

Zhang Jun shook his head and smiled, took out his phone, and dialed the number for Sophie's dormitory.

Sophie went to bed early, but after waking up in the middle of the night, she couldn't fall back asleep. She stared blankly at the unfinished campus landscape in the darkness. In reality, she couldn't see anything clearly, but she just didn't want to close her eyes.

The phone rang in the dormitory in the middle of the night, as if cutting through the night sky and traveling thousands of miles to Sophie's bedside. However, the ringing was also very jarring.

Sophie was startled and quickly answered the phone, afraid of waking up her roommates.

"Hello? Who are you looking for?"

"Is this Sophie? This is Zhang Jun."

Sophie was stunned for a moment. She couldn't believe that Zhang Jun would call at this time. It was the middle of the night!

"You're Zhang Jun? Are you really Zhang Jun?"

"Can't you recognize my voice, Sophie?"

Sophie curled up in the bed, holding the phone, her body trembling slightly, not knowing if it was because of the cold night or excitement.

"I, I can recognize it… What are you calling for now?" Sophie covered her head with the blanket and spoke in a low voice.

"Sophie, I already know what happened. Those domestic media are too boring! I want to explain to you that I don't have that kind of relationship with Sister Hua at all! Do you, do you believe me?"

"How did you know?" Sophie didn't rush to answer Zhang Jun's question but asked him instead.

"It was Li Yan, the reporter I often tell you about. He told me. I'm in the Netherlands, I don't know what's happening in China, so… But I've already issued a statement, officially clarifying this matter. It should be in *Titan Sports* the day after tomorrow. Don't worry, nothing happened. I know that the Netherlands and China are too far apart, and you're lonely at school… I can't help you much, I can't be with you, I can only, I can only, I can only…" Zhang Jun was silent after saying "I can only" three times.

Sophie was quietly waiting for the words after "I can only."

Zhang Jun looked at the red bracelet on his wrist, raised his head, and took a deep breath. "Sophie, are you still listening?"

"Yes, I'm listening," Sophie's gentle voice gently caressed Zhang Jun's eardrums through the phone line.

"We're too far apart, and the time is too long, really. I've never been separated for so long since I met you. I know that waiting for too long will make people gradually become distant. I don't know if it's too early to say this now, but I'm afraid I'll regret it if I don't say it…"

It didn't seem cold anymore. Sophie stopped trembling, held the phone tightly, and waited quietly.

"Well, it's 8:01 PM Amsterdam time, 2:01 AM Beijing time…"

Sophie seemed to have returned to the Millennium Night. That day, she said the same thing to Zhang Jun on the other end of the phone.

"Sophie, I love you. I want to marry you, will you marry me?"

Sophie's body trembled involuntarily.

"Sophie, I love you. I want to marry you, will you marry me?"

Yang Pan held a book in his hand, leaned against the wall, and peeked out. When he heard this sentence, his hand loosened, and the book almost fell to the ground. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and grabbed the book with two fingers.

He peeked out again. Zhang Jun was facing away from him, so he couldn't see his expression at this moment, but his back was straight.

Sophie felt something slowly slide down her cheeks and then drip onto the pillowcase.

"Sophie, I'm waiting for your answer. Maybe it's too early to say this now, but I want to give you a promise, will you marry me, Sophie?"

Sophie may have imagined the scene of accepting a proposal a thousand times in her heart, but she had never imagined that she would accept a proposal in a dormitory bed. It was really not romantic at all, but why was she so touched?

Sophie didn't speak for a long time, and Zhang Jun didn't speak either. As he said, he was waiting for Sophie's answer.

This was indeed a major event, a lifelong event. Everyone needed to consider it carefully. Once they agreed, it would be a promise that the two would hold hands and watch over each other for a lifetime.

Are you willing?

"I… I'm willing, I'm willing." Sophie's voice was as gentle as ever, but very firm.