Ye Chen could have pretended he had never returned, catching a flight back to Manchester that very night.
But the national football team wasn't ready to let him off the hook.
An announcement appeared on their official website: "Disciplinary Action Against Player Ye Chen."
The message was clear: Ye Chen disobeyed the directives of the team leader and coach, refused to participate in team training, and verbally abused the team leader Wang Bo. As a result, he was expelled from the team and banned from participating in any U17 national team matches, effective immediately.
U17 National Team Leader Wang Bo also shared his thoughts on his personal social media:
"Player Ye Chen is a massive disappointment. Demanding to start without joining team trainingâdoes he really think being in Manchester United's youth academy grants him special privileges? The U17 national team does not welcome selfish players!"
These two announcements ignited a firestorm online.
Countless people lashed out at Ye Chen, flooding the comments of his social media posts with criticism. His supporters quickly turned into detractors, especially since he had failed to meet expectations, not even earning a spot in U18 matches.
At the core of competitive sports: mediocrity is the original sin.
Luckily, Ye Chen wasn't on domestic social media while abroad. If he were, and had a weaker mindset, he might have struggled to cope.
After a nap on the plane, Ye Chen arrived in Manchester.
Two hours later, without bothering to adjust to the time difference, he headed straight to the training ground. Technically, he was still on UK time, having never really acclimated to China's schedule during his short trip.
When Ye Chen stepped onto the training field, many were stunned.
"Whoa, isn't that Ye? How are you back so soon?" teased Sam Byrne, the team's starting striker. When Ye Chen was called up to the national team, Byrne had mocked him relentlessly, saying his selection was purely due to the lack of talent in China. After all, how could someone who wasn't even a regular starter for Manchester United's U18 team represent their country?
"Do I need to explain myself to you?" Ye Chen asked coldly.
"Oh, I get itâyou were kicked out by your national team, weren't you? I told you, a weak substitute like you had no place playing for your country," Byrne sneered before turning away.
Ye Chen didn't take the bait.
Getting angry with someone who couldn't even make it in the Premier League someday? Not worth it.
"Hey, Ye, ignore him!" Adnan Januzaj walked over with a smile.
"I know," Ye Chen replied.
Merging with the memories of the Ye Chen in this world, he recalled that Januzaj had always been friendly toward him. Michael Keane, the U18 team captain, also had a good relationship with him, though Keane was currently sidelined with a broken collarbone, set to miss two months.
"Alright, everyone, gather around!" At that moment, Ole Gunnar Solskjær appeared on the sidelines, holding a clipboard. "Today, we'll have an intra-squad match. Those I call will go collect jerseys from Coach Chris."
"Goalkeeper: Jonathan. Four defenders: Grimshaw, Luke, McGinty, and Givens."
"Midfielders..."
"And finally, the two forwards: Pearson and Byrne."
When Solskjær finished naming the A team, Ye Chen's name was absent.
Of course, that meant he would automatically be on the B team.
"Adnan, want some assists today?" Ye Chen threw an arm around Januzaj and asked quietly.
"Of course I do, but it's not that easy!" Januzaj chuckled.
"Just get me the ball. You'll see how easy it is to rack up assists!" Ye Chen said earnestly.
Januzaj raised an eyebrow. "You said that last time, but you didn't score a single goal!"
"Trust me, I won't let you down this time!" Ye Chen clenched his fist, determination flashing in his eyes.
"You said the same thing last time," Januzaj teased, sticking out his tongue. "Alright, alright. I'll pass to you."
The intra-squad match would consist of two halves, but instead of the standard 45 minutes, each half would be 30 minutes.
Solskjær observed the players on the field, mentally preparing for their next U18 Youth Cup match.
Their opponents? The archrival Liverpool.
Liverpool's U18 team currently topped the youth league. Their star player, Raheem Sterling, was a lightning-fast, explosive talent touted as the "English Messi." In just seven matches, Sterling had already scored eight goals and provided four assists, leading both charts.
In England, the football system is exceptionally well-structured, with clearly delineated levels. Beyond the globally renowned Premier League, there are the Championship, League One, League Two, and lower divisions, along with reserve teams and youth teams. Every season, clubs decide which competitions to participate in.
Besides league play, there are also numerous cup tournaments, such as the U18 Youth FA Cupâa subdivision of the FA Cup.
Youth teams don't face the packed schedules of senior teams, often playing only 2â4 matches per month to ensure players balance training with education.
Sixteen-year-old Januzaj, for instance, had to keep up with schoolwork alongside his football training. Ye Chen, however, had dropped out of school entirely to focus on football.
As the players took the field, the A team donned red jerseys symbolizing the starters, while the B team wore blue as substitutes.
Byrne glanced at Ye Chen, a smirk creeping onto his face. "Monkey boy, watch closely. This is how a real striker plays. You? You're only good enough to sell DVDs back home."
[Context: In East London, years ago, many Asians made a living selling DVDs. Over time, the term became a racial slur directed at them.]
Ye Chen frowned. "How about we make a bet? Loser calls the winner 'Daddy' three times in front of everyone."
"Hahaha," Byrne burst into laughter. "You serious?"
"Of course. What's the matter? Afraid?"
Byrne pulled Pearson over. "Pearson, you heard him, right? He's the one who wants to betâit's not me picking on him!"
Pearson glanced at Ye Chen. "Maybe don't bet, mate. You're no match for him."
"Just watch. I'm not the same as before," Ye Chen said, clenching his fists.
In football, respect only comes to the strong.
"Ping! New task issued: Score more goals than Byrne in this match!"
"Task reward: Bronze loot box. Task penalty: Lose five shooting attribute points!"
Ye Chen's eyebrows shot up. This wasn't just about pride anymoreâhis attributes were on the line.
"Tweet!" Coach Chris, acting as referee, blew the whistle to start the match.
On the sidelines, Solskjær opened his notebook, ready to evaluate the players. What he hadn't told them was that this training match would determine who earned a spot in the upcoming game against Liverpoolâa match to be held at Old Trafford.
The match began, and as expected, the A team, being the starters, dominated possession. However, both sides were members of the same youth team, so the gap in skill wasn't insurmountable. The B team's defense held strong.
At the 5-minute, 32-second mark, Byrne's shot ricocheted off Jake Ruggi's foot, sending the ball toward the unguarded right side.
Quick to react, Januzaj took possession on the right flank and launched a counterattack. But Grimshaw, the A team's left-back, was quick to close him down.
"I'm here!" Ye Chen called, retreating slightly to create space.
Hearing him, Januzaj passed the ball. It landed at Ye Chen's feet, with neither center-back marking him.
Glancing at the goalkeeper's position, Ye Chen didn't hesitate. He took the shot!
"Boom!"
His right foot struck the ball cleanly, sending it rocketing toward the goal like a missile.
On the sidelines, Solskjær, who had been jotting notes about Byrne's reckless shooting, looked up, astonished at the spectacle.
His mouth fell open as he watched the powerful long-range strike hurtling toward the net.