[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-start-with-r9-template":3,"chapter-start-with-r9-template-start-with-r9-template-chapter-11":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Start with R9 Template",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1388686,1840,"Chapter 11: Passing the Trial","start-with-r9-template-chapter-11",11,"\u003Cp>Ibrahimovic strode over, his hand raised for another chokehold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stopped, suddenly remembering, and reluctantly withdrew his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he gave Ling a shove that nearly knocked him over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I was waiting for you to shoot!\" he boomed. \"If you'd missed, I was going to kill you. Didn't expect you to pass instead!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uh... your position was better,\" Ling said, his lips twitching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had never imagined the great Ibrahimovic was such a mischievous, overgrown kid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Red team celebrated briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With high morale, they defended tenaciously for the final few minutes, holding the 2-0 lead until the final whistle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the White team, players like Rashford shot subtle, annoyed glances at Pogba.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he hadn't been so dominant on the ball and wasted so many chances, they might not have been humiliated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the match, the first-team players looked at the black-haired youngster differently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was unavoidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling's performance had been too standout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both goals had come directly from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your dribbling is impressive,\" a voice said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling turned around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Antonio Valencia was walking beside him, a towel around his neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thanks for the compliment,\" Ling said, a little surprised. He deeply respected Valencia's relentless work ethic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Valencia, not the type to get angry over being beaten by a junior, just nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We need that. Keep working hard.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then did something shocking: the corner of his mouth twitched, just slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other players who saw it stared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone knew Valencia had a perpetually sour face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn't cracked a real smile since his close friend Nani left the club.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the post-match stretching ended, so did the selection trials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling was about to leave when he saw Rui Faria waving at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He jogged over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Congratulations in advance,\" Faria said, his usually stern face broken by a wide grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He extended his hand, then gave Ling a firm pat on the shoulder. \"Your performance far exceeded my expectations.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling's words caught in his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He froze, his heart suddenly hammering against his ribs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hidden meaning. 'Congratulations in advance.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he... Had he passed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He'd been reborn, he'd lived through a decade of failure, but standing here, at this crucial turning point, he still couldn't remain calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faria saw the look of pure, unadulterated shock on the kid's face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need to thank me,\" Faria said, his smile softening. \"You earned this yourself. The club will be in touch about a new contract tomorrow. Oh, and don't you dare slack off on that training plan.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faria knew Ling needed a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gave him one last nod and turned to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling stood alone on the pitch, taking deep breaths, trying to calm the storm in his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is it, he thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The road ahead is still long. But it has begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manchester United Cafeteria\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I can't believe it. All three of us are in the first team!\" McTominay said, his mouth full of steak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We can use the first-team cafeteria 24 hours a day!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How shallow!\" Rashford said, looking at him with pure disdain. \"Is that really your only goal?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I heard Mr. Giuliano, the nutritionist, is testing everyone tomorrow,\" Ling said, a pitying expression on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He's creating personalized nutrition plans.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He leaned in, delivering the final blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You might never get to eat sweet flower brewed chicken again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh?\" McTominay froze, the fork halfway to his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked down, dumbfounded, as if the food on his plate had suddenly lost all flavor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dinner, Ling strolled back to his dorm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled out his phone, looked at the time, and hesitated for a long while before finally pressing the call button.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beep... beep... beep...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thousands of Miles Away, Bin City, China\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Chang, hurry up and answer it!\" a woman's voice shouted from a kitchen, over the sound of a knife hitting a cutting board.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"At this hour, only our son would call us!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm coming, I'm coming,\" a man grumbled. \"The phone isn't going to grow legs and run away.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're impossible! All you ever say is 'don't rush.' What if it's urgent?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chopping stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>THUD.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The knife slammed into the board.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, alright!\" Ling Changzheng, fumbling with his pants, emerged from the bathroom, snatched up the phone, and put it on speaker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mom?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The energy in the room instantly changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, son!\" Yan Lanxia rushed out of the kitchen, wiping her hands frantically on her apron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How's training? Is it tough? Are you tired? Do you need money? Your dad just got his quarterly bonus, I'll have him transfer it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since his rebirth, Ling had been too anxious to call.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He always felt unsure of how to face them. But hearing his mother's rapid-fire questions, his new maturity melted away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was just a kid again, his voice thick with emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mom, it's not tough. I'm not tired. And I don't need money.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I called to tell you... I made it to the first team.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence fell on both ends of the line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Lanxia looked at her husband in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Husband... am I dreaming? What did he say?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Changzheng was equally stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He just stared at the phone. Then, his face a complicated mess of pride and shock, he slapped his own thigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SMACK!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's real!\" he yelped, wincing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh my... I... your dad...\" Yan Lanxia was so excited she couldn't form a complete sentence, her eyes welling up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'All of it,' she thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'The sacrifices. Sending a 13-year-old boy all alone to England.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'The relatives gossiping... 'He has poor academics,' they'd said.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'His future is ruined.' All the hardships...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mom,\" Ling said, his voice cracking a smile. \"You'll probably see me on TV soon. Don't forget to cheer for me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course! Of course! Your dad and I will watch every broadcast!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, she sniffed, her attention shifting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah! The congee is boiling over! Let your dad talk to you for a bit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She shoved the phone into her husband's hands and rushed back to the kitchen.\u003C\u002Fp>",1013,"2026-06-05T22:48:22.783Z",1,"novelbin.me","20ed7f6029116dcbb34b3667b8bd42ffdc5642cd11fb821c4bf216bff1c6645b","start-with-r9-template-chapter-12","start-with-r9-template-chapter-110",371,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstart-with-r9-template-cover.jpg"]