บท 214: Twin Stars Reunite!
Should I make a patreon? If I were to, you'd receive 2 chapters a day and the patreon would have 10 chapters ahead.
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Seeing the familiar name on his caller ID, De Bruyne hesitated, unsure if he should answer the call. The thought of leaving the Premier League and returning to the Bundesliga like a deserter made him bite his lip and reject Lin's call. He didn't know how to face his friend at this moment.
Both had arrived in the Premier League at the same time, one as the Bundesliga's top scorer, the other as the assist king. However, their fortunes had diverged drastically. Lin had become the core of Manchester City, leading the team to unprecedented success and gaining recognition as the most promising new star in football. His journey in the Premier League was undoubtedly a success.
But what about De Bruyne? He had arrived in the Premier League full of ambition but was now dejected and downtrodden, forced to slink away from the league with his tail between his legs. De Bruyne was a proud and sensitive person. If his relationship with Lin were more casual, he might have answered the call. However, their close friendship made it difficult for him to face Lin, especially when he didn't know how to respond if Lin asked about his current situation. Could he simply admit that he couldn't adapt to the Premier League and wasn't getting any playing time at Chelsea, thus breaking their earlier promise and fleeing like a coward? His pride wouldn't allow it.
["He hung up on me?"]
On the other end of the line, Lin was slightly surprised to see his call rejected. Something must have happened with De Bruyne. Knowing De Bruyne's personality, Lin was even more certain of his assumption. So, he called Kompany.
Kompany was surprised to receive Lin's call so late at night: "What's up, Lin? Something urgent?"
"Sorry to disturb your rest, Captain. I just want to ask if you know De Bruyne's address in London?"
Since Kompany and De Bruyne were national team teammates, Lin figured he might know. "I'm not sure, but I can ask Courtois. They're close."
Lin thought to himself: "Sharing a girlfriend definitely makes them close!" Half an hour later, Kompany provided an address. Although Lin could wait until the next day to visit, he knew De Bruyne might leave for Belgium early due to the upcoming FIFA international matches. Given that De Bruyne had rejected his call, Lin suspected he might leave early to avoid him. Deciding not to wait, Lin grabbed his car keys and headed straight for London.
The distance between Manchester and London is about 300 kilometers, roughly a three-hour drive. Finally, around 1 AM, Lin arrived outside De Bruyne's residence. Knocking loudly on the door, Lin was surprised when the lights inside turned on after just one knock. "Who's there?" De Bruyne's cautious voice came from behind the door. London wasn't known for its safety, and anyone would be nervous about a knock in the middle of the night.
"It's me, Lin!" After Lin identified himself, silence fell inside. De Bruyne seemed shocked that Lin had come all the way from Manchester so quickly. "Don't play dead; I know you're in there. Open up, or I'll ram the door with my car. You know I mean it!" With a creak, De Bruyne finally opened the door.
"Got any food? I'm starving after the long drive," Lin said, looking at De Bruyne without directly asking what was going on. Caught off guard, De Bruyne had been bracing himself for a confrontation, only to find Lin not following the script.
"There's half a pizza in the fridge, but it's cold."
"Got a microwave? I'm not picky."
Lin guessed De Bruyne wasn't much of a cook, and the pizza was likely leftover takeout. While Lin could cook, he was exhausted from a match earlier in the day and the drive to London. He was too tired to make anything. A few minutes later, the heated pizza was on the table. Lin ate without complaint, glancing around De Bruyne's place. It was his first time there, having missed the chance during a previous trip to Chelsea because the team had returned to Manchester immediately after their match.
"Sit down. Why are you standing around like that in your own home?" Lin said, amused at De Bruyne's awkwardness. He seemed like a kid caught doing something wrong. De Bruyne, nodding, sat on the couch. Lin offered him some pizza, but De Bruyne declined.
After quickly finishing his meal, Lin wiped his mouth and started looking around. "What are you looking for?" De Bruyne asked. "A place to sleep, obviously. It's almost 2 AM. Aren't you tired?"
De Bruyne thought, "I was tired, but your sudden visit woke me up. Now I'm wide awake." Ever since rejecting Lin's call, De Bruyne had been on edge, feeling something was about to happen. Sure enough, Lin showed up. It was typical of Lin's style, though. Yet, the more Lin stayed silent, the more uneasy De Bruyne felt, like he'd done something wrong and was waiting to be scolded. Lin yawned; he was genuinely tired. Fortunately, there were no matches soon, or this late-night visit would have left him in poor shape.
De Bruyne couldn't figure out Lin's intentions. He had come, eaten, and now wanted to sleep. Wasn't he here to give him a hard time? But Lin didn't say anything, and De Bruyne didn't dare to ask. So, he showed Lin to the guest room. Lin fell asleep instantly, while De Bruyne tossed and turned.
The next morning, they woke up around 9:30. "Good morning! Breakfast is ready; I made it!" Lin greeted De Bruyne, who had dark circles under his eyes. Lin sat at the table after taking off his apron and washing his hands. The breakfast consisted of toast, fried eggs, breakfast tea, and a large bowl of some kind of soup. Curious, De Bruyne took a sip. It was initially sour, but then a rich sweetness spread through his mouth, awakening his taste buds and making him ravenous. He quickly finished the bowl.
"How was it? Good?" Lin asked.
"Yeah, delicious!"
"Haha, it's called tomato egg soup, a tasty and cheap Chinese dish. If you like it, I can give you the recipe, and you can try making it yourself!" Lin explained. Tomato egg soup is one of the simplest soups and a favorite of many. Apart from pig liver and lean meat soup and radish and pork blood soup, it was Lin's third favorite soup.
For De Bruyne, this breakfast was the most substantial and delicious he'd had in a while, much better than takeout or quick home-cooked meals. He never knew Lin could cook so well, making him feel even more inadequate.
"When's your flight?" Lin asked, noticing De Bruyne's packed luggage, suggesting he might be flying to Belgium for national team duty. "Eleven-thirty."
"Cancel it. I can't get a ticket for that flight. Get the next one!" De Bruyne complied but realized something was off. "Wait, why are you booking a ticket for the same flight?"
"Why? I'm planning to go to Belgium to watch your performance with the national team!" Lin said, eyeing De Bruyne. "I'm curious if you're still up to it after two months without a match!"
De Bruyne proved he was still in good form. In a friendly against Colombia, he scored and assisted once, helping the team to a 2-2 draw. In another match against Japan, he scored twice and assisted once, leading the team to a 3-2 victory. After seeing both games, Lin was reassured about De Bruyne's form. Although he hadn't played for Chelsea, he had clearly kept up his training, not letting himself go. His physical presence seemed stronger than when he first arrived at Chelsea, even though his defense still needed work. But as long as he wasn't solely used as a defensive player, his current defensive skills were adequate. Lin couldn't understand why Mourinho didn't rate him.
Compared to the De Bruyne of the same period in another timeline, this one was at least half a level better. With this in mind, Lin directly told De Bruyne, "Come to Manchester City. Let's make a mark together there!" Manchester City needed a playmaker to free up Lin, and De Bruyne fit the bill perfectly. Their relationship and chemistry made them the ideal pair.
"You've been trailing me for seven or eight days just to say that?" De Bruyne asked, half-joking, hands on his hips. Lin had spent over a week in Belgium with him, supposedly to assess his form. De Bruyne wondered if Lin had ever been this attentive to his girlfriend. "You wouldn't say yes if I invited you on the first day, would you?"
"Of course, I wouldn't refuse the chance to fight alongside you!" De Bruyne said with a smile, extending his hand. Lin grinned back and shook his hand firmly. Just then, De Bruyne's phone rang. It was his agent, Patrick.
"Kevin, Wolfsburg is the most interested in you. They're offering a starting spot, and their salary and bonuses are the highest among the three teams!" Patrick sounded excited, having negotiated a salary of 4.5 million euros, a top-tier wage just below the elite players' level. He was sure De Bruyne wouldn't refuse.
But to his surprise, De Bruyne cut him off, saying, "No, I'm not going to Wolfsburg."
Patrick was stunned, thinking De Bruyne
still wanted to stay at Chelsea, and tried to persuade him: "Kevin, you need to face reality. There's no future for you at Chelsea. Leaving is best for you and the club."
De Bruyne nodded, "Yes, that's what Lin said too."
"Lin? Which Lin?"
"Lin from Manchester City. He invited me!"
Patrick was taken aback. Manchester City seemed like a good option, with strong league and Champions League results and a core player who was friends with De Bruyne, unlikely to face the same issues as at Chelsea. But would City really be interested in De Bruyne? He hadn't proven himself at Chelsea, and Patrick wondered if City would spend the money on him. What if they rejected the Bundesliga offers and City didn't come through in the winter transfer window? De Bruyne would be left in an awkward position.
"I trust him!" De Bruyne's tone was firm!
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