Chapter 314: Charity Event (Daily Transition)

Colney Training Base.

Morning sunlight poured through the window onto the mottled office desk.

Wenger put on his glasses, looking like a university professor.

He was marking Li Kang's homework in the workbook, scribbling away—this isn't the club manager's duty; it's more of a hobby.

The question of when Arsenal's head coach wears or doesn't wear glasses can spark dozens of pages of debate on fan forums worldwide.

Boerde handed over a freshly brewed coffee and remarked, "Boss, I feel this season is like a dream... the magic of 200 million!"

The intensifying infighting in the Premier League made the Arsenal coaching staff wonder: if they hadn't made big signings last summer transfer window, the club might not manage to secure a top-four finish this season.

Wenger set down his pen, smiled, and said, "It's not the magic of 200 million, but Li's magic."

If Arsenal had used that 200 million to sign Barcelona's new recruits, would they have today's record?

Impossible.

Europe's major clubs are all undergoing a money-driven revolution.

Players' average transfer fees are also rising.

Perhaps in the summer transfer window half a year later, in 2017, Li Kang's 200-million valuation will be repeatedly broken.

His thoughts drifted; he closed the workbook and added, "Yes, this season feels like a dream—I never imagined it would go so smoothly."

How long has it been since Arsenal last won the Premier League title?

Thirteen years.

Boerde suddenly asked, "Boss, your contract with the club expires this summer, right? Why hasn't there been any news of renewal? Last year you said in an interview that retiring so soon was impossible."

Wenger did not answer this question.

He took off his glasses and gazed out the window at the branches slowly sprouting new buds.

Boerde walked out of the head coach's office.

He lowered his head and muttered to himself, "If the boss retires early, will Arsenal's stock price drop?"

How great is Wenger's contribution to Arsenal?

Consider the most straightforward statistic:

Twenty-one years ago.

When Wenger first arrived at Highbury, Arsenal's share price was 400 pounds; after twenty years of effort, it has risen to 18,000 pounds... and there's also an international five-star stadium.

Yet he himself holds no Arsenal shares.

He hadn't taken a few steps.

An Arsenal assistant coach saw the revenue chart on the wall.

He couldn't help but fall into contemplation:

The club's revenue is growing healthier, the loan for building the stadium won't pressure the club, transfer funds will become increasingly ample—no need to sell the captain, no need to lose excellent players over a few million euros in the transfer market...

If they can win the Premier League this year and triumph all the way in the Champions League, the resulting advertising and broadcast revenue will be a terrifying figure.

Zaka, Mustafi, and the youth team's youngsters are enough to support Arsenal's midfield core for the next five years.

The boss surely isn't really going to retire early, right?

If he retires, can the new coaching staff tolerate Li's freedom?

Reality is forever more absurd than film.

Don't even mention Li.

Even Messi, when Enrique first took over Barcelona, was also pressed onto the bench.

The more Boerde thought, the more he worried: "If the boss retires, I'll go back to coaching the youth team!"

This bald assistant coach, though he always looks flustered on the pitch, has actually spent a long time serving Arsenal as both a player and a coach.

As a player, he won three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, and one European Cup Winners' Cup.

As a youth team coach, he led Wilshere, Ramsey, and other youngsters to win multiple U18 championships.

Li Kang hadn't thought about these matters.

He, along with Morata, Giroud, Cech, and others, went to Kent in southeastern England to visit a 6-year-old orphan suffering from malignant spinal tumors.

Wenger was the head coach who first spearheaded the creation of the club's charity department.

"Charity is part of Arsenal's DNA."

Besides charitable donation activities, Arsenal's charity department also likes to build stadiums in underdeveloped regions...

The business car drove along the highway.

Maguire enthusiastically explained the building outside the car window to everyone: "That's Dover Castle! Harry Potter... no, it's Hamlet that was filmed here!"

"This is also Darwin's hometown, meaning we evolved from monkeys, that Darwin."

"Dickens also lived here, the author of A Tale of Two Cities."

Half an hour later.

The Arsenal players arrived at the orphanage.

No children welcomed them with flowers in hand, lining up.

The orphanage's grounds are small; from behind the fence you can see the children playing on the grass.

The football rolled back and forth.

At the gate, there was only a hunchbacked old director leaning on a cane.

"Children, look who's come!"

"Wah wah wah!"

"It's Li!"

The children dropped the football, ran over excitedly, their faces beaming with smiles.

Arsenal players carried out box after box of aid from the trunk.

"Li, are you here to teach us how to play football?"

"I want to learn the Marseille turn!"

"Cruyff turn!"

"Li, can you get an autograph for our teacher?"

Li Kang was surrounded by a crowd.

Morata held a stack of jerseys and a marker.

Zaka was holding several footballs.

Welbeck bent over and became a "black human-shaped table".

Li Kang smiled, picked up the pen, and began signing autographs for the children.

Maguire couldn't help but remark: "These little guys are far more lovable than the fans from Yinsilindun Community."

Not far away.

A bald little boy in an Arsenal jersey came over, walking slowly.

His gait was strange.

Over a short ten-meter distance... he walked with difficulty.

Cech wanted to help him, but the dean stopped him with a raised hand.

"Let the child go on his own."

"His name is Tom, he's eight years old, he has a malignant spinal tumor, and after treatment he is relearning how to walk."

"His intellectual development is also delayed compared to children his age."

Cech asked tentatively: "I heard the situation is quite optimistic..."

The dean's smile was bitter, and he shook his head.

Ten minutes later.

When Li Kang had finished signing autographs for the dozen-odd children, little bald Tom finally walked up to everyone.

"Li!"

"Cech!"

"Zaka!"

"..."

He excitedly shouted out the names of every Arsenal player, then promptly lifted the hem of his jersey.

Everyone burst out laughing.

He immediately picked up the marker and took turns signing the old, yellowed Arsenal jersey.

Li Kang instinctively twitched his nose, catching a whiff of the "hospital-only smell" on Tom.

The other party curiously examined his features, then suddenly asked:

"Li, will Arsenal win the Premier League title?"

Li Kang nodded without hesitation.

"What about the Champions League title?"

"Champions League title?"

Li Kang hesitated for two seconds... then smiled and nodded.

Little bald Tom froze for a moment, then excitedly raised both fists:

"eonyougunners!"

"!"

Morata has extensive experience participating in charity events.

He quickly bonded with the children and served as head coach.

The pace of the match was very slow.

Everyone matched Tom's steps, as if the game were a movie in slow motion, until he scored past Cech's goal, after which the frame rate returned to normal.

Cech feigned dejection, helplessly pounding the turf.

Tom once again raised both fists high.

All the Arsenal players imitated his celebration.

Maguire rubbed his buttocks and remarked: "It turns out happiness is such a simple thing."