Since Wang Chu couldn't get a concrete offer from Metz, he arrived in Dortmund ahead of schedule.
Naturally, Sadio Mané accompanied him.
This Mané is the same player who would later become Liverpool's main left winger, winning the UEFA Champions League. Before Ye Chen's time travel, Mané transferred to Bayern for â¬40 million (â¬32 million fixed fee and â¬8 million in add-ons).
At the club level, Mané secured Premier League and Champions League titles, and on the national stage, he was nothing short of a legend.
In the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, he led Senegal to victory against Egypt, captained by his club teammate Salah, winning Senegal's first-ever AFCON title. He also led Senegal to qualify for the 2022 Qatar World Cup!
Individually, he won the 2019 African Footballer of the Year award and shared the Premier League Golden Boot for the 2018-19 season.
Ye Chen recommended him to Klopp for a simple reasonâMané's future success under Klopp was inevitable.
However, Mané's current skills were fairly average. After all, you get what you pay for.
How good a player can you expect for â¬1.5 million?
For perspective, Ye Chen's market value had risen to â¬30 million according to Transfermarkt.
Signing a player like Ye Chen for less than â¬50 million was practically impossible.
Of course, Mané's potential was world-class, but how much of that potential could be realized depended heavily on coaching.
On the first day Wang Chu and Mané arrived, Ye Chen personally greeted them.
Wang Chu, born in 1991, had just turned 20, while Mané was 19. Despite being only 17, Ye Chen's calm demeanor commanded respect. The two repeatedly called him "Brother Chen."
The amusing part was Mané's pronunciation. He didn't speak Chinese, so his attempts sounded particularly funny.
Ye Chen went to pick them up with Lina.
When Wang Chu and Mané spotted Ye Chen in the hallway, they were stunned.
They hadn't expected Ye Chen to greet them in person.
Ye Chen was incredibly popular in Dortmund.
However, the three quickly became acquainted.
Ye Chen took them out for a big meal before heading to the training ground.
Since both Wang Chu and Mané weren't well-off, and their contracts weren't particularly lucrative, they shared a dormitory.
Ye Chen just nodded at this arrangement.
To live better, you have to train harder.
Bringing them to Dortmund early was already a huge blessing.
After showing them the training ground and cafeteria, Ye Chen let them rest.
Formal tests would be arranged by the coaching staffâYe Chen didn't need to worry about that.
During the meal, Ye Chen inquired about Wang Chu's condition. His injuries had fully healed, and he was fit to play.
However, his current form was far below what it once was. Wang Chu's defiance of club orders to return home for a match led to his injury, and afterward, the club treated him poorly and refused to give him playing time.
Ye Chen simply patted his shoulder.
"Train with the team for now. I'll help you get a chance when the time comes."
"Thanks, Brother Chen!" Wang Chu clasped his hands earnestly.
"Me too!" Mané mimicked the gesture, speaking in a deep voice.
Wang Chu had taught him thisâof all the phrases, this one sounded the most authentic!
Before joining the team for training, they had to undergo physical assessments.
The squad was preparing for the final match of the German Cup before the winter break.
Before the match, Klopp approached Ye Chen.
"Want to play?"
Ye Chen didn't hesitate.
"Of course, boss!"
"Good. Make sure you perform well!"
"No problem!" Ye Chen smiled.
Ye Chen had been keeping up with news online.
Apparently, Huang Jianxiang once referred to him as the "King of Chinese Football," but the title was quickly contested.
The true king, Li Huitang, scored 1,860 goals in his career and remains the only universally recognized "King of Chinese Football."
Ye Chen knew surpassing 1,860 goals was achievable, but he aimed to get as close as possible.
A tournament like the German Cup wasn't something he could afford to miss.
Fortuna Düsseldorf wasn't a Bundesliga team, but they dominated Bundesliga 2.
After 19 rounds, they held first place with 12 wins, 6 draws, and 1 loss.
Their recent loss resembled Dortmund's defeat to Marseilleâresting key players!
Düsseldorf clearly aimed to trouble Dortmund in the German Cup.
At the pre-match press conference, Düsseldorf's coach, Daniel Thioune, remained modest.
"We've been performing well this season, but only at the Bundesliga 2 level."
"Dortmund is a truly strong team. Even Bayern was crushed 5-0 by them. We aren't on their level."
"They can win easily at our stadium."
"Resting players? Not at all. The matches were just too close together, and our starters needed rest."
"Yes, Klopp is my idol. Ye is the player I dream of coaching."
In private, Thioune showed a different side in the locker room.
"Nobody believes in us, not even Dortmund!"
"If we play like we train, beating Dortmund at home is possible!"
"Upsets are the heart of cup competitions! Let's take them down!"
"And if we win, drinks at Tiana Bar are on me! One girl per person!"
"Wow! Long live the boss!"
"Boss, I want the biggest one!"
"Don't fight me for her! I like the big ones!"
Düsseldorf's locker room was buzzing with excitement.
Meanwhile, Klopp remained calm.
"Düsseldorf is a Bundesliga 2 team, but they're strong enough to compete in the Bundesliga."
"We can't take them lightly."
"Our tactics are simpleâhigh press and central penetration."
"If they pack the defense, give the ball to Ye and let him break the game open!"
"Understood?"
"Yes, boss!"
The players were pumpedâafter this match, the holidays began.
Ye Chen's goal was simplerâoutscore Lewandowski today!
"Ding! Christmas special mission: Score and assist more than Lewandowski in the next match. Reward: Custom cleats!"
As Ye Chen made his resolve, the system's notification chimed.
Could this be his Christmas gift?
Was his system secretly Santa Claus?
Wait... as a Chinese player, Ye Chen didn't even celebrate Christmas!