The iron gate of the training ground creaked open.
Lu Chuan pushed the door open, and the moist morning breeze, carrying the fresh scent of the grass, hit him.
In the locker room, the laughter of his teammates had already reached the corridor.
"Haha, he's here! Our hat-trick hero is here!" Thiago Bebe was the first to spot Lu Chuan, excitedly clapping his hands.
Álvaro García, with a dark expression, pulled a credit card from his locker and slammed it onto the table.
The card hitting the wooden surface made a crisp sound.
"Damn it, you little punk, you're ruthless! I'll cover all the extra training drinks this month!"
The locker room instantly erupted in laughter.
Mario Suárez clapped Lu Chuan on the shoulder, while José Pozo imitated Lu Chuan's celebration from last night.
Lu Chuan was surrounded by everyone, listening to the good-natured laughter and teasing, and the tension that had built up over several days finally relaxed.
He knew that from today on, this was his territory.
"Alright, stop messing around," Óscar Trejo waved his hand, signaling for everyone to quiet down.
"Get ready for training; the Coach should be here soon."
Sure enough, Paco Jémez's footsteps echoed in the corridor. Heavy leather shoes trod on the floor, each step carrying authority.
In the tactics room, the projector's light cast last night's match footage onto the white wall.
Paco stood in front of the screen, his laser pointer moving across the image.
"The 57th minute, here," the red dot stopped on Lu Chuan. "You could have passed the ball to Bebe on the right; his position was better."
Lu Chuan sat in the second row, his eyes intently fixed on the screen.
"The 63rd minute, here," the dot moved again.
"Andrés was completely unmarked on the left, but you chose to shoot from the most difficult angle."
Paco's voice grew stern: "You had at least five shots where you could have passed to a teammate in a better position!
Don't think scoring three goals makes you a savior! Football is a game of eleven players!"
His teammates exchanged glances, no one daring to make a sound. Lu Chuan lowered his head, his fingers tapping lightly on his thigh.
"Understood, Coach," Lu Chuan's voice was calm and firm.
After training, Paco quietly pulled Assistant Coach Carlos Zaragoza aside.
The two walked to a corner of the training ground, away from the players' sight.
"Tell the fitness coach to create a muscle-building plan for Lu Chuan," Paco's voice was very low. "
His core strength must be enhanced, but it cannot affect his flexibility and explosiveness."
Zaragoza nodded: "The intensity of La Liga definitely requires a stronger physique."
"This kid's talent is very special; we can't waste it," Paco looked at Lu Chuan, who was packing up his gear in the distance. "What he needs is guidance, not suppression."
In the afternoon, the Madrid sun streamed through the blinds into Carlos's office.
Lu Chuan sat on a leather sofa, facing a middle-aged man in a dark blue suit.
"Lu, your performance has been amazing!" Emilio, Joma's marketing director, excitedly rubbed his hands.
"We are willing to offer a two-year endorsement contract worth 500,000 euros in total, and design an exclusive Asian market promotion series centered around you!"
Lu Chuan was about to speak, but Carlos gently waved his hand, signaling him to wait.
"Mr. Director, the contract is very sincere," Carlos pushed up his glasses, a professional smile on his lips.
"But it lacks crucial portrait rights clauses and performance-linked incentive clauses. Lu's value is far more than that."
Emilio's expression became serious, his pen tapping on the paper.
"We can consider a share of portrait rights, but incentive clauses..."
"If Lu scores more than 15 goals this season, the endorsement fee automatically increases by 50%."
Carlos's tone was unequivocal. "This is the most basic requirement."
After a battle of wits, Carlos successfully secured an additional 15% share of portrait rights and a super incentive clause for Lu Chuan.
The moment the contract was signed, Lu Chuan could hear the rustle of the pen tip across the paper.
After Emilio left, Carlos's expression became serious. He stood up and walked to the window, his back to Lu Chuan.
"Lu, there's important news," Carlos's voice was somewhat heavy.
"Someone from the Chinese Football Association contacted me through an old friend of mine, asking about your situation."
Lu Chuan suddenly stood up, the sofa making a slight friction sound.
"Reportedly, the newly appointed national team head coach, Li Tie, is extensively scouting young players playing overseas."
National team! These three words struck Lu Chuan's heart like lightning. Playing for his country was a dream that had never faded in his past and present lives.
"Don't get too happy too soon," Carlos turned around, his eyes complex.
"As far as I know, the environment of Chinese football... is very complicated. Let's wait and see; your most important task now is to let your performance speak for itself at Rayo Vallecano."
After hanging up the phone, Lu Chuan paced back and forth in his room.
The joy of signing the endorsement hadn't faded, and the news of the national team made his mind a mess, filled with both the excitement of something within reach and a hidden worry about the complex domestic environment.
In Rayo Vallecano's meeting room, the tactics board was covered with player names.
Paco's marker pen scraped across the paper, making a harsh friction sound.
"For the next round against Lugo, the squad list is as follows..."
Lu Chuan listened carefully to each name, his heartbeat gradually accelerating.
"Óscar, Álvaro, Thiago..."
His name wasn't there.
"You just played a demanding cup match; your body and mind need to recover."
Paco's tone was unequivocal. "Watching the game from the stands is also a form of learning. See clearly how the team operates when you're not there."
Lu Chuan hummed in understanding. But his gaze towards the training ground outside the window was hotter than ever. He yearned to continue the feeling of scoring, to sweat it out on the field. Time was too precious for him.
After training, Captain Óscar Trejo put his arm around Lu Chuan's shoulder, and the two walked slowly along the edge of the training ground.
"Hey, kid, don't rush," Trejo's voice was gentle yet firm.
"The Coach is protecting you; the segunda división schedule is a marathon, not a sprint."
"I know, Captain," Lu Chuan lowered his head, kicking small stones on the ground with his toe.
"Learn to rest so you can run further, understand?" Trejo stopped, looking earnestly at Lu Chuan.
"Your talent has been seen by all of us, but a football career is long; you can't rush it."
In his apartment at night, Lu Chuan opened his laptop, the screen's light illuminating his face.
An email notification sounded, and Carlos's email lay in his inbox.
"The 150,000 euros for the 'Aula Virtual' investment has been fully disbursed, and we have successfully acquired 8% of this online education startup's shares."
Lu Chuan's lips curved slightly. The first piece of his business empire had been laid, and though it seemed insignificant now, he knew it would be the cornerstone of a future empire.
"System," Lu Chuan murmured in his mind.
A translucent blue panel appeared in his vision, the LP balance resting at 800 points.
No new tasks were issued, no new notification sounds; the system seemed to have fallen silent.
Perhaps the system was also telling him in this way that the path to legend was not just about charging forward, but that accumulation and reflection were equally important.
At Vallecas Stadium on the weekend, the fans in the stands were enthusiastic.
Lu Chuan sat in casual clothes in the stands, next to Álvaro García, who was also unable to play.
The match on the field was exceptionally difficult; Rayo Vallecano's attack lacked Lu Chuan's explosive presence and seemed somewhat weak.
"Hey, kid, see that?" Álvaro gently nudged Lu Chuan with his elbow, his voice very low.
"Without you stirring things up, the front looks like a stagnant pool."
Lu Chuan's eyes were intently fixed on the match on the field, a strong desire to fight welling up in his heart.
"The opponent for the next Copa del Rey match is Real Betis from La Liga," Álvaro's tone became serious.
"Are you ready to have your butt kicked by Marc Bartra?"
Lu Chuan turned his head, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"I'd like to see who kicks whose butt."
The lights of Vallecas Stadium gradually dimmed, but the flame in Lu Chuan's heart burned ever brighter.
Real Betis, Bartra, these names echoed repeatedly in his mind.
The challenge was about to begin.