Chapter 37

At noon on September 25, the press conference hall at Old Trafford was packed. There were still thirty minutes left before the press conference, but journalists from the UK's major sports media outlets had already filled the room. Reporters from The Daily Telegraph, The Times, and The Guardian occupied the front rows, with Wolf from The Sun sitting in the front as well, alongside Hall from the Manchester Evening News.

In addition to these major publications, tabloid reporters from various newspapers had squeezed into the press conference, making the room so full that even temporary benches had been added in the aisles.

The atmosphere was charged with anticipation. Everyone was curious to hear what Jin Taige would say.

In Premier League history, no manager had ever humbly apologized to another head coach in such a way.

As the journalists waited for Jin Taige's arrival, discussions were already underway.

The topic of conversation was, of course, Wolf from The Sun.

"Friends," Wolf said, "Today is a rare occasion. Jin Taige, who's always been outspoken, is now bowing his head. I can't wait to see his expression it's going to be very interesting."

Karoinke, a reporter from *The Daily Telegraph*, joined in: "From what I know about Jin Taige, he's not someone who easily backs down. Take the weekly dart competitions he hosts. Jin Taige plays with such intensity that it sometimes feels like he's targeting the Premier League itself. How can someone so serious and determined just give in?"

Toynbee from *The Guardian* nodded in agreement. "I remember last week when Jin Taige won the darts competition. He was as ecstatic as if he'd won the league title. It's hard to imagine someone like him apologizing to his competition."

At this point, Wolf couldn't contain his irritation.

Jin Taige had started holding weekly dart competitions this season, initially inviting a select group of famous reporters. As time went on, the event gained popularity, and even some local, lesser-known journalists joined. Despite this, Jin Taige had never invited Wolf from The Sun, and this snub had made him quite unhappy.

Clearly, he was being disrespected.

Because of this, Wolf's criticism of Jin Taige in *The Sun* had only intensified. It was not just to grab attention but also a way of venting his frustration.

After hearing Karoinke and Toynbee's conversation, Wolf sneered. "At the start of the season, Jin Taige was full of ambition. He promised the triple crown. But now, just five matches in, his team is already dealing with multiple injuries. How far can he go with such an aging squad? It would be better for him to acknowledge his limits now, before he faces even more humiliation later in the season."

Leslie from The Times chuckled. "It seems The Sun has gotten quite a deal this year, with the 'jumping river contract' signed with Jin Taige. Either way, you've already gained a lot of attention. By season's end, whether or not Jin Taige jumps, The Sun will come out on top."

Wolf grinned. "Exactly. Come the end of the season, regardless of Jin Taige's feelings, he'll have to honor the contract. He can't back out! I suggest you all come and watch it live."

The room buzzed with conversation, until Hall from the Manchester Evening News murmured something quietly.

Toynbee glanced at him. "Hall, why are you so quiet today? Something bothering you?"

Wolf laughed loudly. "Oh, I get it. The team Hall supports is about to suffer an embarrassing defeat, and that's making him depressed. I suggest you start following Manchester City, Hall. They're now the focus of European football. After Ferguson left, Manchester United will soon fade into mediocrity."

As the reporters continued their banter, the CEO of Manchester United, Woodward, walked into the press conference hall, accompanied by today's star, Jin Taige.

"Woodward? Why is he here?" one reporter asked.

"Yeah, for the CEO of the club to attend a small League Cup pre-match press conference surprising," another remarked.

Twenty-five minutes before the press conference, Jin Taige had been walking toward the hall when he found Woodward waiting in the corridor.

"I've been waiting for you, Tiger," Woodward said with a smile.

Jin Taige raised an eyebrow. "What are you waiting for me for?"

"Of course, to attend the press conference with you," Woodward replied confidently.

Jin Taige chuckled. "A Manchester United CEO attending such a minor conference? Isn't that a bit much?"

Woodward shook his head. "Since I saw your apology this morning, I decided to join you. I want to see how you handle it."

"Don't worry about me," Jin Taige said, a little amused.

"Of course not! Based on what I know about you your skills as a lawyer, journalist, diplomat, and actor I'm confident you'll surprise everyone today. I can't wait to see your performance," Woodward said with a wink.

Jin Taige shrugged. "Well, I hope I won't disappoint you."

"You never have!" Woodward laughed.

The two entered the press conference hall and took their seats at the center of the podium. Normally, a coach would bring a player to a pre-match press conference, usually the team captain. But with the game scheduled for 3 p.m., Jin Taige had decided not to bring anyone along, allowing the players to rest.

It wasn't important, though, because the reporters were only interested in one person: Jin Taige. Their eyes were fixed on him, eager to hear what he would say.

Woodward, sitting next to Jin Taige, also looked at him expectantly. He thought to himself, Jin Taige, I hope you live up to your word today. Don't let me down.

XXXX

Woodward and Jin Taige entered the press conference hall and sat in the middle of the podium. The reporters in the room watched Jin Taige with great curiosity, eagerly anticipating his next words.

Not just the reporters, but even Woodward, sitting next to Jin Taige, looked at him with intense interest. He thought, Jin Taige, I hope you live up to your word today. Don't let me down!

The room fell silent for about ten seconds.

Seeing this, Jin Taige smiled and broke the silence: "It seems no one has any questions. If that's the case, I'll be leaving now."

As he began to stand, Wolf from the second row quickly got to his feet. "Mr. Taige, I have a question!"

Jin Taige heard him and sat back down. Upon noticing it was Wolf, he nodded with a smile. "Ah, it's Mr. Wolf, who's always so good at writing sensational stories."

Laughter rippled through the room.

Wolf ignored the teasing and pressed on, anxious that Jin Taige might leave before he got his answer. "Mr. Taige, after yesterday's training session, you told reporters that you thought it was outrageous to 'double down' on Liverpool. You wanted to sincerely apologize to Mr. Rodgers. Is that right?"

Jin Taige nodded. "Mr. Wolf has a great memory. I'd guess you're a member of the Mensa Club, right?"

More laughter echoed through the room.

Carloink from *The Daily Telegraph* whispered to Lesley: "How can this stubborn Jin Taige just apologize so easily? I have a feeling there's something more going on here today."

Wolf, unfazed, asked again, "Mr. Taige, could you clarify what exactly you mean by apologizing to Mr. Rodgers?"

All eyes turned to Jin Taige. He remained calm and composed, reaching for a bottle of water, slowly opening it and taking a sip before answering.

"I met Mr. Rodgers at a reception at the start of the season. He spoke well, and when we were discussing last season's seventh round in the league, I got a bit heated and said some things that everyone now knows about. You know, the whole 'jump in the river' comment."

He paused briefly before continuing. "A while ago, I signed a contract with The Sun for one million euros, allowing them exclusive rights to broadcast my 'jump into the river.' It was a bit of a joke at the time, and I agreed in the heat of the moment."

"I've thought about it a lot in recent days, and I realize it was inappropriate. It's one thing to criticize Liverpool, but as Manchester United's coach, making such a statement so lightly was a mistake. I want to sincerely apologize to Mr. Rodgers for not fully considering the situation or the potential consequences."

Jin Taige stopped speaking, took another sip of water, and let the room absorb his words.

Wolf couldn't resist asking, "So, does this mean you're backing out of your bet? Is the 'special circumstance' you're referring to Manchester United's injuries?"

Jin Taige put the water bottle down and shook his head slightly. "Let me clarify your question. First of all, when I mention 'special circumstances,' I'm not referring to the injuries at Manchester United. Secondly, I'm not withdrawing my bet. What I'm doing is modifying it."

Wolf frowned. "Modify the bet? What does that mean?"

Jin Taige explained, "The reason I'm modifying the bet has to do with the League Cup match this afternoon. In the past few days, I realized I overlooked something: while Manchester United and Liverpool do meet twice in the league this season, I hadn't considered our encounters in other competitions, like today's League Cup match. Liverpool, though not in the European competition, is still playing in the League Cup and FA Cup, so we could face them more than twice this season."

He paused for effect before speaking in a much louder tone, "Given this, I've decided to change my original statement: instead of saying 'we'll defeat Liverpool this season,' I now say… we'll defeat Liverpool every time we face them this season. If we lose even once, the original bet still stands—I'll jump into the river!"

Jin Taige's declaration sparked a wave of murmurs throughout the room.

He had apologized to Rodgers earlier, but now he had become even more audacious, making a provocative challenge. Reporters scrambled to prepare two different headline drafts:

- "Jin Taige Digs His Own Grave, Rodgers Gets Revenge." (If Manchester United loses)

- "Jin Taige Defeats Liverpool Again, Rodgers Humiliated." (If Manchester United wins)

Regardless of the outcome, tomorrow's newspapers would certainly fly off the shelves, creating an uproar among football fans.

"Offensive! Offensive! Everything about this is offensive!" Rogers shouted furiously in the Liverpool team's bus on its way to Old Trafford. "We must win! We need to show this arrogant rookie that we're the real deal! Let him fear the Liverpool logo every time he sees it from now on!"

The players, confused, exchanged glances. Just this morning, during their training session at Old Trafford, their coach had been in a good mood. Now, he seemed to be boiling with anger. Was he having some kind of nightmare?

The players didn't know, but what they didn't realize was that Jin Taige's words at today's press conference had reignited the fierce rivalry between Manchester United and Liverpool.

As for Rodgers, upon hearing that Jin Taige had apologized to him, he'd been both surprised and pleased. He'd been in a good mood all day, until he saw the live broadcast of the press conference. The moment Jin Taige spoke those final words, Rodgers's mood turned to rage. He was now determined to teach Jin Taige a lesson, eager to lash out at him in any way possible.