Chapter 1 An Interview and a Surprise

With three consecutive outstanding performances and helping the team win, Zhou Yi's popularity among Borussia Dortmund fans skyrocketed.

Now Zhou Yi was starting to get a headache because after each training session, he would be besieged at the training base entrance for at least half an hour, fulfilling fans' requests for autographs and photos.

Unlike those players who drove to training, Zhou Yi was also the most approachable player, so there were especially many people coming to find him.

On Tuesday at noon, Zhou Yi was picked up by his agent, Schulze, after training. They were going to give an interview.

"Are you picking me up in a taxi?" Zhou Yi asked when he saw Schulze.

"Of course, I haven't bought a car yet," Schulze said, beckoning Zhou Yi into the car. "But I think I'll be buying one soon."

At the headquarters of *Ruhr Nachrichten*, Zhou Yi received an exclusive interview.

The reporter interviewing Zhou Yi was Matthias Deiss, who was specifically responsible for Borussia Dortmund news at *Ruhr Nachrichten*. Zhou Yi was no stranger to him, as Deiss was a reporter who followed the team and was familiar with many of Borussia Dortmund's players and officials.

Of course, Deiss was even more familiar with Zhou Yi.

So, it was actually an interview where everyone knew each other quite well.

However, considering that this was Zhou Yi's first media interview after all, Deiss still did some homework. He even went to Klopp because Klopp had said at the last game's press conference that he had personally discovered Zhou Yi.

Deiss was interested in this, so he went to Klopp to learn about the situation.

At the same time, he also interviewed Zhou Yi's two former coaches in Borussia Dortmund's youth team in advance to understand Zhou Yi's situation in the youth team.

So this time, *Ruhr Nachrichten* wasn't just planning to publish an interview with Zhou Yi.

They were going to do a special feature on this supernova who had recently emerged!

Few young people could have such consistently brilliant performances so soon after representing the first team.

Even Sahin, who was now the core of the first team, had experienced a period of confusion after making an early appearance in the league for Borussia Dortmund's first team. He was even loaned to Feyenoord and almost didn't come back.

But Zhou Yi was different from him. He came off the bench, seemingly thrown into the deep end, but performed excellently.

Then Sahin was injured, and he was once again thrown into the deep end as a starter, and he still performed excellently.

He repeatedly exceeded everyone's expectations.

Therefore, *Ruhr Nachrichten*, a media outlet with considerable influence in the Ruhr area, especially in the city of Dortmund, believed that Zhou Yi's performance was worth a special feature.

After the two were seated, Zhou Yi sat up very straight. Seeing that his body was slightly stiff, too formal, Deiss said that he should just treat it as a chat.

Hearing Deiss say this, Zhou Yi slumped onto the sofa.

Schulze coughed beside him, and Zhou Yi sat up straight again.

Deiss quickly waved his hand with a smile, "It's okay, it's okay, no need to sit up. We'll ask you to sit up when we need to take pictures. Just be as comfortable as you can be now."

Hearing Deiss say this, Zhou Yi unceremoniously leaned back into the sofa again.

It was indeed much more comfortable this way.

Schulze couldn't remind Zhou Yi anymore, so he could only let him be.

Next, Zhou Yi began chatting with Deiss in this comfortable position.

They talked about Zhou Yi's experiences from his middle school days all the way to his arrival in Dortmund.

This part of his experience was almost completely unknown to Deiss, and it was also what he was most interested in. He had heard Klopp mention this reality show, but Klopp didn't know the specifics.

After listening to Zhou Yi's account, Deiss realized that Zhou Yi's experience was far more legendary than he had initially imagined—he was definitely not just a substitute who scored a goal and an assist on his first appearance...

And just a year ago, he hadn't even been exposed to professional football!

It was this upstart who had achieved an unimaginable leap.

He was especially happy now that he had gotten this exclusive interview. This was all big news!

What could be more amazing than a middle school player who, in just one year, became a genius who scored and assisted goals in the Bundesliga?

"You said you ultimately rejected invitations from Barcelona and Arsenal, but you chose Dortmund. Why is that?" Deiss was particularly interested in Zhou Yi's draft and asked about it in great detail.

"Dortmund values me more. Even the first team coach came," Zhou Yi said. "And I chose Dortmund because I saw that Mr. Klopp is a coach who values young people very much and is willing to give them opportunities."

Zhou Yi didn't forget to flatter the coach.

"In comparison, Barcelona and Arsenal didn't seem very sincere in this regard."

After listening to Zhou Yi's words, Deiss had a new question: "I have a question. Most people would think that with your fame and ability at the time, why would you make so many demands on big clubs like Barcelona and Arsenal? Shouldn't you feel lucky that they're willing to find you?"

"I think that idea is wrong," Zhou Yi said bluntly. "Since they took the initiative to find me, it means that my potential has been recognized by them. So why can't I make my own demands? Whether the other party is willing to accept it is one thing, whether I make the demands is another. Moreover, I don't think my demands are too excessive. I was already seventeen years old at the time..."

Zhou Yi repeated the explanation he had given to his teammates to Deiss.

After listening to this, Deiss was amazed at how clear Zhou Yi's plans for his future were at such a young age.

"I've seen many talented young people, but at your age, they're probably still a little confused about their future, not knowing what to do or what they can achieve..." he said with emotion.

"Actually, I've had times of confusion too," Zhou Yi scratched his head. "I wasn't sure whether I should continue my studies or play football. Later, my friend convinced me and helped me strengthen my belief."

"So, since you have a very clear plan for your future, can I ask what your ultimate goal is?"

"To become a world-class player."

Zhou Yi blurted it out, and then he asked, "Will that sound a little arrogant?"

Deiss shook his head and smiled: "No, no, every young player hopes to become the best in the world."

After the interview, Zhou Yi and Schulze left. Someone came to ask Deiss, "Hey, Matthias, what kind of person is Zhou Yi?"

"He's an interesting person..." Deiss said with a smile.

※※※

"Zhou Yi, do you really want to become a world-class player?" Schulze asked Zhou Yi on the way back.

"Of course, who wouldn't?" Zhou Yi asked Schulze in return.

"But to become the best, you have to pay a price that exceeds ordinary people," Schulze frowned.

"That can't be a reason to give up on becoming the best, right? If I can, why not?" Zhou Yi continued to ask. "Or do you think I can't, Tino?"

Schulze quickly waved his hand: "No, I believe in you, Zhou Yi. I'm just thinking... if you become one of the best players in the world, what about me..."

Zhou Yi laughed: "You? Of course, you'll be the agent of the best player in the world!"

Hearing Zhou Yi say this, Schulze's brow relaxed, and he laughed along with him: "Right, the agent of the best player in the world!"

※※※

During training on Wednesday morning, Captain Kehl saw Zhou Yi and reminded him not to forget the "activity" in the afternoon.

Zhou Yi was very curious: "Captain, what exactly is the activity? Tell me..."

But Kehl just shook his head and said with a smile: "You'll find out when the time comes. It's soon, just a few hours away."

Seeing Kehl like this, Zhou Yi felt that it definitely wasn't anything good.

Otherwise, why wouldn't the captain tell him?

But what bad things could there be?

Zhou Yi couldn't imagine.

Seeming to see Zhou Yi's worries, Kehl patted him on the shoulder: "Don't worry, it's definitely not a bad thing. It's just that it might be a little bit... tiring."

After training, Kehl found him again in the locker room and said to him: "You don't need to come to training this afternoon, Zhou Yi. Go directly to Westfalenstadion at three o'clock."

"Go to Westfalenstadion?" Zhou Yi thought of what Kehl had said to him in the morning about it being a little tiring, and he blurted out, "Are you going to make me clean the stadium?"

"What are you thinking?" Kehl laughed. "No way. You'll know when you get there."

"The stadium is so big, where exactly am I going?" Zhou Yi asked again.

"There's a bar in the stadium, you know?" Kehl asked.

Zhou Yi nodded: "I know." Mark's parents even bought him a beer there.

"Just go there directly, you'll know when you get there!" Kehl was still being mysterious.

In the end, Zhou Yi could only leave the training base with a head full of question marks and doubts.

After having a simple lunch of spaghetti that he cooked himself at home, Zhou Yi chose to take an hour's nap.

Actually, he didn't have the habit of napping, but since getting the Golden Finger, he had started napping. Because this way, he could have an extra hour each day to train in the virtual world.

After waking up from his nap, Zhou Yi simply combed his hair and set off.

He called a taxi and had it take him to Westfalenstadion.

The taxi driver was very happy to find out that he was carrying Zhou Yi, who was very popular recently. When he heard that Zhou Yi's destination was Westfalenstadion, he exclaimed: "Could it be you this year?"

Zhou Yi was confused: "What do you mean 'me this year'?"

"Uh, don't you know, Zhou Yi?"

"Know what?" Zhou Yi was even more confused.

"Oh, oh..." the taxi driver also realized. "After all, you just came to Dortmund, so it's normal if you don't know some things. Actually, this is the club's annual Christmas tradition."

"Tradition?"

"Yes. Every December, the club will pick a day to have first-team players work as bartenders at the home stadium's bar and give us autographs. But not all first-team players will participate, usually just a few are selected. I didn't expect it to be you this year... but thinking about it, it's normal, your recent performance has been a sensation..." In Zhou Yi's eyes, this Borussia Dortmund fan of a taxi driver suddenly turned into a Beijing taxi driver, chattering non-stop and explaining Borussia Dortmund club's Christmas tradition to Zhou Yi.

And when Zhou Yi arrived outside Westfalenstadion, he was also taken aback. There were so many fans outside the stadium that he thought there was a game today.

"So many people?!" Zhou Yi asked in surprise in the taxi.

"The team's been doing well recently, so there are a few more fans coming, it's okay," the taxi driver said in a tone of "I've seen it all before."

Only then did Zhou Yi understand what Captain Kehl meant by "a little tiring."

At a glance, there seemed to be about two or three thousand people in front of him.

To be a waiter for so many people and give autographs... it was definitely more than just "a little tiring"!