Chapter 14: The Clothes Haven

《Substituted on at 82 minutes, 16-year-old Chinese youngster makes Eredivisie debut》

《Consecutive tackles! Chinese youngster’s debut leaves opponents screaming for mercy!》

Because his playing time was too short, Tang Ye did not receive a post-match rating from the Utrecht Evening Post reporter.

But it didn’t matter—Jiupu already had his rating.

Tang Ye, 82'

4 touches, 2 tackles, rating 10.0

“Talent isn’t scary; what’s scary is a fallen talent.”

……

Utrecht base, second team/youth team cafeteria.

“Holy shit, Tang, you can tackle like that?!”

Zaka stared at Tang Ye, his face filled with disbelief.

He’d known Tang Ye for over a year, yet he’d never heard he had this skill!

Tang Ye ate quietly from his tray as Merent walked over to him.

“Tang, do you remember our agreement?”

Huh?

Tang Ye paused, startled.

Did he and Merent even have an agreement?

“Hey, you’re not forgetting, are you?”

Merent sat down beside Tang Ye: “You told me—if first-team training gets too exhausting, you’d come back!”

Like the first team, the second team’s start to the season in the Eerste Divisie had been poor.

After three rounds, they hadn’t won a single match and had already slipped into the relegation zone!

The second team needed a hero!

Or rather…

They needed a Monggo—a Monggo who could break open their attack!

!

Suddenly, forgotten memories surged into Tang Ye’s mind.

“Yeah, there was something like that… but I thought I’d never come back.”

Tang Ye’s words left Merent stunned: “W-why?”

“I’m not the same person I used to be.”

Tang Ye’s expression was serious: “I train seriously now. I don’t slack off anymore.”

Merent pointed at Tang Ye’s tray: “Then why aren’t you eating in the first-team cafeteria? Didn’t Eric punish you?”

“That’s rumor. I eat here because I have friends on the second team.”

Tang Ye looked Merent in the eyes—his firm gaze made Merent momentarily dazed.

The lazy pig of Utrecht has woken up!

In the afternoon, Ten Hag conducted a detailed analysis of the match from two days prior, then led the players through today’s training.

Tang Ye received his assignment.

【At 37, you made your debut in the Dutch top flight. Your indomitable spirit proclaimed your determination—and you’re not stopping here. You can do more.】

【Appear in three Eredivisie matches or score one goal: Reward—unlock Old Deng Store section】

Old Deng Store?

This time, the system’s reward wasn’t attribute points or a player crate from any country—it was unlocking a new system section.

Just from the name, Tang Ye knew this “Old Deng Store” must be where he spent his Comeback Points.

He’d earned 15 Comeback Points scoring in a second-team friendly, and he still hadn’t used them!

“Hey, Tang!”

Ale called out, then passed the ball with the inside of his foot. Tang Ye reacted quickly and controlled it.

“Don’t zone out!”

Ten Hag shouted, drawing a large circle around “Tang” on his notebook and writing “Discipline” beside it.

After the match against ADO Den Haag, Ten Hag’s attention toward Tang Ye reached unprecedented levels—the Dutch coach even had his assistant, Fan Dejia, give Tang Ye special extra training.

The goal was simple: get this 16-year-old up to Eredivisie level as soon as possible.

His astonishing passing vision, flawless tackling and intercepting ability—these were exactly what Utrecht needed now.

Under Fan Dejia’s training, Tang Ye’s technique and physicality had improved dramatically.

But these two Utrecht coaches still had one problem.

Tang Ye’s discipline!

……

After dinner, Tang Ye returned directly to the second-team dormitory.

Utrecht didn’t provide dorms for first-team players (they all had their own homes), so even after being promoted, Tang Ye still lived in the second-team dorm.

It was supposed to be a quiet night—but suddenly, someone knocked on Tang Ye’s door.

Knock knock!

?

Tang Ye stood up from his chair and ran to open the door: “Solke, I don’t play games, go find someone else—”

When he opened the door and saw who stood outside, Tang Ye froze.

“E, Eric?”

“Mind if I come in?”

Ten Hag gestured toward the room, indicating he wanted to enter.

Tang Ye naturally didn’t refuse his head coach’s request and welcomed him in.

“It’s only seven. After dinner, you should go for a walk—or ride a bike. Everyone here rides after meals. You should try it.”

Ten Hag sat down on the chair.

In his view, Tang Ye’s age was precisely when training was most crucial.

If only he could convince Tang Ye to train at night!

A complete central midfielder who could both defend and attack—wasn’t that exactly what Utrecht needed?

“But I’m not local.”

Tang Ye sat on the bed.

The Dutch liked biking—what did that have to do with him, a foreigner?

“Alright, uh… your computer’s on.”

Ten Hag pointed to Tang Ye’s laptop on the desk—the screen showed an alien’s head. Next to it lay several notebooks; Tang Ye sometimes did homework at the desk.

“Oh, this? When I have free time, I like watching match footage and reflecting on my own play.”

“Wow?”

Ten Hag’s eyes lit up. He gestured politely: “Go on, open your computer. Let me see what match footage you’ve been watching.”

Tang Ye was always late for training—Ten Hag had assumed he was just a lazy, unmotivated slacker.

He never expected the kid would watch past matches at night for self-reflection.

Ten Hag had misjudged Tang Ye!

“Ok.”

Tang Ye stood up and opened his laptop.

Merent had previously asked all second-team players to download a video of an Eerste Divisie match—now was the time to use it.

But Tang Ye didn’t know the system’s playback software automatically resumed the last unwatched segment.

So, under Ten Hag’s gaze, a naked man and a naked woman began fighting.

It was match footage—and the level must have been high, given the intensity of the physical contact!

“What is this?”

Ten Hag pointed at the screen, staring at Tang Ye in shock.

“Cough!”

Tang Ye quickly switched the screen: “The internet’s lagging—the clothes haven’t loaded yet.”

“Wait a second.”

“Yes, yes, this is the video I wanted to show you.”

……

(End of chapter)