Makino Tomoaki's Provocation

October 22, 2011, 2:30 PM

As the team bus came to a stop, the players stepped off one after another.

Welcoming them were the most passionate Dortmund fans in the world.

The players responded to their devoted supporters by signing autographs and taking photos.

When Ye Chen got off the bus, he noticed that, besides Chinese fans, many German fans were also wearing his jersey, eagerly seeking his autograph and a photo.

"Wow, he's so handsome!"

"In the East, this must be considered godly good looks!"

"My God, I didn't know Easterners could be this handsome!"

"I'm totally in love with him!"

The moment Ye Chen appeared, the female fans erupted in screams.

To be honest, this Dortmund team had decent looks, but very few players truly stood out.

Hummels was considered handsome, but he had a more mature, rugged appeal.

Ye Chen, on the other hand, had the fresh, youthful charm of early Beckham.

In China, many girls originally had no interest in football, but after seeing Ye Chen, they became obsessed.

Of course, many girls didn't actually love football itself; they were drawn to the intense hormonal energy of the game.

Ye Chen briefly interacted with the fans before heading into the tunnel.

"Ye, how do you feel about starting today?" Götze came over to ask.

"Don't worry about me. What about your stamina?" Ye Chen asked with concern.

After all, Dortmund hadn't made major rotations, sticking with their previous lineup.

Shinji Kagawa had been substituted in the 60th minute last game, while Götze was taken off in the 70th minute.

Dortmund's strategy relied on fast-paced, high-pressing attacks, which required relentless movement up front to create opportunities.

This put a massive demand on the players' stamina.

Götze had already played two matches in a week, and now he was starting again—making it three matches in seven days.

Ye Chen was a bit worried about their physical condition.

"Ah, you don't get it. The packed schedule has drained me so much that I don't even have the energy to go to bars anymore. My girlfriend even complains that I'm too fast now," Götze sighed. "Ye, does Lina ever complain about you?"

Ye Chen's mouth twitched. Was this really something to discuss?

"She only tells me to be faster."

As a man, there was no way he could back down in this conversation!

"Respect!" Götze gave a thumbs-up. "Tonight, just keep moving into space—I'll pass the ball to you whenever I get the chance!"

"OK!"

"Dear viewers, welcome to Sports Channel 5! Today, we bring you the Bundesliga 2011-2012 season match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Köln!"

"I'm your commentator, Huang Jianxiang, alongside my partner, Zhan Jun!"

Zhan Jun smiled. "Good evening, everyone. Like many of you, I'm eagerly looking forward to Ye Chen's performance. We've just received Dortmund's starting lineup, and Ye Chen will be making his first-ever Bundesliga start as a striker! He has now set the record as the youngest Chinese player to start in a European league match. Let's remember this day—it marks the beginning of a new era!"

"Isn't it a bit too soon to call it the start of an era?" Huang Jianxiang laughed.

"Not at all," Zhan Jun replied. "Ye Chen has already secured his place abroad, and his success will inspire more Chinese players to seek opportunities in foreign leagues. This is definitely the start of a new chapter for Chinese football!"

"Indeed! According to a recent poll on Dortmund's official website, fans were asked to choose between Ye Chen and 10 million euros. The options were: A) Ye Chen, B) 10 million euros. Out of 300,000 participants, only 20,000 chose option B! Clearly, Ye Chen has won over even Dortmund's most demanding fans!"

"Ye Chen is absolutely lovable!" Huang Jianxiang smiled. "I've also heard that Dortmund fans have written a 'Ye Chen Song' for him, further proving his growing influence!"

Zhan Jun nodded. "Talent speaks for itself! As long as Ye Chen keeps scoring and showcasing his abilities, he is destined to become a football superstar!"

"Do you think Ye Chen could surpass Yao Ming's influence in sports?" Huang Jianxiang suddenly asked.

Zhan Jun shook his head. "It's too early to say. Let's focus on him securing a strong foothold at Dortmund first. Matching Yao Ming's legacy would already be a great achievement!"

Huang Jianxiang nodded seriously. "True, step by step. But I can't help feeling excited! It's been so long since China had an athlete of this caliber! I think many fans share my emotions…"

Ye Chen's rise in European football filled them with immense pride.

This was the power of shared blood and heritage.

The TV broadcast cut to the player tunnel.

The referee and assistant referees were ready, and the camera panned across the players' faces.

"Alright, both teams have entered the tunnel. We can see the young Chinese star, Ye Chen, who will be making his first-ever home start for Dortmund. He looks absolutely radiant—what a stunning young man!"

Zhan Jun nodded. "There's also an interesting subplot here. Köln has assigned Japanese defender Tomoaki Makino to mark Ye Chen. Before the match, Makino confidently stated that he wouldn't allow Ye Chen any chances to shoot."

"Hah! That's like a toad yawning—big talk with no bite!" Huang Jianxiang scoffed. "Even Brazilian international Naldo struggled to contain Ye Chen last game. Does Makino really think he can do better? He should be careful not to embarrass himself!"

"We'll have to see how things play out, but I agree—Ye Chen won't be easily stopped!" Zhan Jun chuckled. "My only concern is whether Köln's players will resort to rough play and try to injure Ye Chen."

The players began stepping onto the field.

Every time a Dortmund player's name was announced, the stadium erupted in cheers.

"And now, starting as our striker—our superstar scorer, Ye… Ye… Chen…!"

"YE!!! CHEN!!!"

On the sidelines, Köln's coach Ståle Solbakken shook hands with Jürgen Klopp.

"Jürgen, I've prepared a big surprise for you!" Solbakken grinned.

"Bring it on! The Yellow Wall fears no one!" Klopp replied with a grin of his own—his perfect white teeth somehow making him look even more intimidating.

Some people just weren't suited to smiling, especially when baring their teeth like that…

On the pitch, the players exchanged pre-match handshakes.

Podolski smiled at Ye Chen. "Let's see who scores more today."

"Let's do it," Ye Chen replied calmly.

A goal-scoring contest? No problem at all!

But just then, when Makino Tomoaki saw Ye Chen, he sneered and spoke in broken Chinese:

"Hello, Sick Man of East Asia!"

Ye Chen's smile grew even wider.

"Hello, Hiroshima Boy."