In the capital, by the Yuyuantan Lake.
The new CCTV headquarters—the iconic "Big Pants" building—was still under construction, so all the staff of the sports channel were busy in the old headquarters building. He Wei held the prepared materials, ready to go to the studio to commentate on the 2008 Olympic Games quarter-final, a crucial match between Italy and Belgium.
Walking briskly through the corridor, he almost bumped into someone at the corner. Looking up, "AUV," wasn't this Duan Xuan?
"Duan Xuan, what are you up to!"
"Preparing to commentate on the Bundesliga. What about you?"
"Olympic football. Which match are you doing, the Ruhr Derby?"
"Yes."
"That's great. Want to switch?" He Wei was full of envy.
Duan Xuan was puzzled: "Isn't your Olympic match more important? I wanted to commentate on your match!"
The entire CCTV was centred around the Olympics, which was the biggest event of the summer. Any Bundesliga matches had to take a backseat, only broadcast on the less-watched Fengyun Football channel. He Wei was assigned to Olympic commentary but was still unhappy, wanting to switch—it made no sense.
"The Bundesliga has Lord Jin, and I've never commentated on his matches!" He Wei dreamed of personally commentating on Jin Hayes's matches. Ever since he learned that this Chinese rising star was shining in Europe, he had been following Jin Hayes's games. Unfortunately, Jin Hayes didn't go to La Liga. Atlético Madrid had reportedly offered a €15 million transfer fee, but Jin Hayes still chose the more familiar Borussia Dortmund. He Wei had always regretted this.
"It's a pity. I heard the national youth team contacted him for training, but it didn't work out in the end."
"Sigh—"
Both of them sighed simultaneously. They were generally well aware of the behind-the-scenes matters in the football world. Rather than being unconventional, Jin Hayes was more clear-headed than most players his age.
"Alright, no more talk. I need to get ready." He Wei left in a hurry.
Duan Xuan returned to the Fengyun Football studio, looked at the freshly released starting lineup in his hand, and felt his passion for the match building once again.
…
"Anna, how was your last chat with Jin? Did you make it clear to him?"
"If you want to talk, go talk to him yourselves!"
Anna was speechless. Who were their real children, after all? Compared to Jin Hayes, she herself had become an outsider.
Outside the Westfalenstadion, Anna angrily rushed into the security checkpoint alone, while Hans and Aunt Maria behind her exchanged glances.
"What's wrong with her?"
"Should we talk to Jin about this?"
Hans and Maria both sensed the tension between the two young people and couldn't help but worry about them. If Jin Hayes really fell in love with their daughter, the couple would, of course, fully support it. But they also didn't want any unpleasantness to arise between the two.
"Enough! You two stay out of it!" 81-year-old Grandpa Fritz sternly stopped them. "Young people's matters, let them handle them themselves."
"But—" Hans still wanted to say something but was immediately silenced by his father's glare. The fifty-something big man shrank his neck like a misbehaving elementary school student.
"Alright, I won't interfere with them anymore. Let's go in and watch the match."
Today was Borussia Dortmund's new coach Jürgen Klopp's Bundesliga debut!
Coinciding with a home match, throngs of fans gathered from all directions, blocking the entrance channels completely. Hans, worried about his daughter, quickly led his family to check tickets and squeeze into the stadium.
"Heja BVB! Heja BVB! Heja Heja, Heja BVB!"
With an hour and a half left until the match, fans who had already entered were impatiently singing the team anthem in unison. The yellow and black tide gradually filled the entire stands. After a two-month off-season, the Westfalenstadion had regained its "Devils' Home" momentum!
Jin Hayes, wearing a training kit, entered the pitch with his Borussia Dortmund teammates for warm-ups. Looking up, it was still that familiar and spectacular scene.
"Speaking of which, our home atmosphere is truly amazing!"
"Absolutely!" Nuri Şahin was full of pride. "This is the number one 'hell home' in all of Europe!"
Many players feel nervous in big matches, leading to poor performance. Jin Hayes was the exact opposite—the bigger the occasion and the more fans watching, the more energized he became. Standing on the training pitch, Jin Hayes tried to find the Heinrich family in the South Stand, but unfortunately, the fans there were all passionately waving yellow and black flags, so Jin Hayes couldn't see anything clearly. He also hadn't found that slender figure yet.
I wonder if she came today? Is she feeling better?
If Anna could cheer him on from the stands, Jin Hayes would be even more motivated. Recently, Anna's attitude had become much colder. Jin Hayes didn't know how he had offended her again, but he hoped to make her happy today with a winning start.
"Jin, let's go! Back to the dressing room!"
The pre-match warm-up ended, and both teams' players returned to their dressing rooms for final tactical instructions. Head coach Jürgen Klopp's gaze was sharp as he silently scanned the starting players. Nuri Şahin and Mats Hummels felt a bit intimidated by his stare. They were still somewhat afraid of Klopp. When the new coach got angry, his rage far exceeded what they had experienced under Thomas Doll. The players on the pitch had often been thoroughly scolded by him.
Perhaps only Jin Hayes had never been scolded. Jin Hayes was practically a model example in Klopp's eyes. Whenever someone's training attitude was poor, or their on-field performance was inconsistent, Klopp's catchphrase was: "Look at what Jin Hayes does. If he can persevere at sixteen, why can't you?"
Thanks to the team's 'King of Effort,' Jin Hayes, the Borussia Dortmund players' training volume had more than doubled compared to last season.
"You know the importance of the Ruhr Derby better than I do." In the low-pressure atmosphere of the dressing room, Klopp finally spoke. "It's the opening match, and it's at home. You don't want to disappoint the fans, do you?"
"So—where's your passion? Your fighting spirit? Bring it all out for me!"
Klopp's sudden increase in volume made many players tremble.
"Today, I only accept one result: victory! Anyone I see not giving their all can expect to sit on the bench for the entire season. Charge out there—tear them apart like beasts!"
Even when both teams' players stood in the tunnel waiting to enter the pitch, Klopp's roar still echoed in the ears of the Borussia Dortmund players.
Not far away, among the Schalke 04 squad, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer stood at the back of the line, his eyes fixed on the Asian teenager in front. Last season, Dortmund's double victory over Schalke was still fresh in Neuer's memory. Especially in the first leg, Jin Hayes had scored an incredible long-range shot. Neuer still dreamed of that goal—a strike he could never save, even in his dreams.
Today, I won't let you score again.
Neuer silently issued a challenge to Jin Hayes from a distance. Jin Hayes seemed to hear someone calling him, turned around, and saw Neuer pointing at him with his glove, striking a determined pose.
???
"Sorry." Neuer quickly retracted his arm, his previous intensity largely deflated.
Led by the referee team, both sets of players entered the stadium. The home team, Borussia Dortmund, walked out with their heads held high. As Jin Hayes emerged from the player tunnel, hearing the stadium DJ announce his name and the moment 80,000 fans cheered in unison, he trembled all over. The Dortmund players around him were full of confidence. How could the opponents they had defeated twice last season be a match for them?
The fiery Ruhr Derby officially kicked off.
…
"Who would have thought that Schalke 04 would create two goals in the first half, taking control as the away team! Kurányi's explosive form has caught Borussia Dortmund off guard!"
"On the other hand, Dortmund are clearly struggling to adapt to the new 4-3-3 formation. Klopp's high-pressing tactics have failed to stop Schalke's advances!"
"Schalke 04 are ecstatic—after being defeated twice by Dortmund last season, they have finally found a chance for revenge today!"
The triumphant Borussia Dortmund players had walked onto the pitch with their heads held high, but they returned to the dressing room dejectedly forty-five minutes later.
Jin Hayes was a little disoriented, his head buzzing. He couldn't recall how the first half had been played—only that the pitch had been very chaotic. Everyone had been immersed in fierce tackles and the heated derby atmosphere. Both sides were falling all over the place; the match was fragmented. Everyone seemed to be fighting just for the sake of fighting.
In the first half alone, the referee had become a 'card master,' issuing six yellow cards—three for each team. Jin Hayes, in an attempt to stick up for a teammate, had received his sixth yellow card of his professional career. The intense derby atmosphere had inevitably made even the usually calm Jin Hayes a bit hot-headed. The emotional Dortmund side naturally couldn't organise effective attacks. Even when Jin Hayes managed to break through the opponent's defence, he could only fight alone, getting lost in the vast ocean of Schalke's defensive block.
Schalke 04, playing a defensive counter-attacking style, had scored twice through two quick breaks. Their striker Kevin Kurányi had seized the opportunities, twice breaching Weidenfeller's goal.
Before the first-half whistle blew, head coach Jürgen Klopp had left the pitch early and returned to the dressing room. As a result, the players now stood at the dressing room door, no one daring to push it open and enter.
"Jin, you go first."
"Huh? Me?"
"Yeah, you're the coach's favourite."
"Damn it. A bunch of cowards."
Jin Hayes was speechless. Grumbling, he pushed the door open and went in. The moment the door opened, the Dortmund players clearly felt the low pressure inside the dressing room—it was as if dark clouds hung over the ceiling. Facing the tactics board, Klopp's back exuded a palpable aura of menace. All of Borussia Dortmund's players, including the substitutes who weren't playing, shivered in unison.