Chapter 37: Family

“...After two consecutive league defeats, Solford United has finally won. They secured a narrow 2-1 victory at home against Sydenham, granting head coach Sven Helden a brief respite.

“Before the match, the media asked for his thoughts on Wang’s brace, but he refused to answer. Yet, in the post-match press conference, he brought it up himself...

“Helden congratulated Wang on his goal at Tyne and stated that he would always be happy and proud of him...”

“Shit!”

Hearing this, Vitini felt an uncontrollable wave of physical nausea and immediately turned off the car stereo.

The performance of this hypocrite made him sick!

He had been in a foul mood since seeing Solford United beat Sydenham 2-1 last night.

He wanted Solford United to lose, partly because they were currently fourth in the league—the gatekeepers of the Champions League qualification spots. Since Tyne had already won their match this round, a Solford victory meant the gap between Tyne and that qualification spot remained unchanged.

Furthermore, it was simply because Solford United had treated his idol unfairly. Purely out of personal bias, he wanted them to lose.

And now, waking up this morning and driving to the training ground, he had been disgusted all over again by what Helden said in that press conference.

You’re the hypocrite who kicked my idol out of the team, and now you’re putting on this fake, sanctimonious act!

Congratulating him? Who the hell wants your congratulations?!

Happy and proud... Do you even deserve to say that? Stop trying to cling to my idol’s fame! Get lost!

***

When he arrived at the training ground for extra practice with his idol, Vitini didn’t mention the interview he’d heard on the way. He was already disgusted enough; he didn’t want to ruin his idol’s mood too.

After their extra session, Wang Lie told Vitini that he didn't need to come in for extra practice before training on Wednesday afternoon.

“Ah? Why?” Vitini was surprised, then realized: “Oh, I get it. You mean you’ll just come in for training in the morning instead, right?”

Wang Lie didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He hadn't expected his fan to have such an overactive imagination—it seemed he was becoming even more of a workaholic than Wang himself.

The team’s schedule wasn’t always double sessions; it varied based on specific circumstances. Wednesday was a single-session day, scheduled for the afternoon, as the team often used training to adjust their condition ahead of upcoming matches.

On days with no morning training, players didn't even need to come to the facility.

Vitini had clearly misunderstood, thinking Wang wanted to come in early for solo training, which would make pre-afternoon practice redundant.

“That’s not necessary...” Wang Lie waved his hand, stopping Vitini’s strange line of thought. “I won’t be coming in that morning because my family is arriving in Newcastle from China, and I need to pick them up.”

“Oh? Ah...” Vitini was surprised, then realized his reaction might seem off, so he quickly added: “That’s great, really great. Spending time with family is important. I’ve always wanted to bring my mom and younger brother over, but they really aren’t used to the British climate... Luckily, I have my dad here, otherwise, those days would be unbearable!”

However, Wang Lie had already seen through his initial shock, so he asked with a smile: “You didn't think I was some heartless training machine with no human emotions, did you? Just spending all day squeezing myself using all sorts of weird equipment?”

Vitini shook his head like a bobblehead: “No, no, I absolutely never thought that!”

Joking aside, if his idol knew he’d actually thought that, wouldn’t he be offending him?!

“It’s okay, it’s normal to think that. After all, that’s how the media portrays me. There are all sorts of jokes about me circulating online. How many have you heard?”

Vitini hesitated, then said: “Uh, that you invite teammates to your house for boiled chicken breast and broccoli? And then make them do a set of strength training?”

Wang Lie debunked it on the spot: “That’s a rumor. In reality, I treat my teammates to pan-seared salmon and a shredded vegetable salad...”

“Shredded vegetables?” Vitini didn’t understand.

“Yeah, it’s just raw carrots, lettuce, and onions shredded up, mixed with salt and a little olive oil. You can think of it as a Chinese salad.”

Once he heard “Chinese salad,” Vitini could visualize it. He asked again: “And the strength training?”

“Also a rumor,” Wang Lie said with a smile. “We just played a few three-on-three matches after dinner to help with digestion.”

What his idol said made sense. Playing soccer wasn't strange for players, but...

“But Wanderson said that in an interview himself...”

Vitini could swear to God that he had watched the video of the former Brazilian international Henrique Wanderson being interviewed by Brazilian media. In the video, Wanderson had laughed heartily while telling the reporter exactly how much of a workaholic Wang Lie was.

Hearing his old teammate’s name, Wang Lie couldn’t help but laugh: “That’s because Henrique lost to me in a three-on-three match, so he made that up to smear me! And he succeeded—now the whole world thinks I invite teammates over for boiled chicken and broccoli, then force them to do strength training...”

Wang Lie spread his hands.

“Ah?” Vitini hadn't expected there to be such a story behind the rumor.

Wang Lie continued: “So, I’m not some inhuman training machine. I have a life of my own. I’m not as purely obsessed as the legends say—where I’d ignore everything else for training. Oh, and one more thing: I don’t sleep while hugging a soccer ball. I sleep hugging my wife. When I’m away for an away game and she’s not there, I still don’t sleep with a soccer ball.”

Vitini couldn’t hold it back—he had actually heard that specific rumor before. It was said that during away games, Wang Lie would sleep in his hotel room clutching a soccer ball, and the author of the story would marvel: *Is that why Wang Lie is one of the best players in the world? Because he is so pure and passionate about soccer?*

Seeing the changing expressions on Vitini’s face, Wang Lie asked with a smile: “Feeling a bit disillusioned?”

Vitini regained his composure and quickly shook his head: “No, no...”

Wang Lie waved him off: “It’s okay if you are. If you like me, just learn from my spirit; you don’t have to copy everything I do. For example, regarding extra practice—if you feel exhausted or your body is under too much strain, don't force it. Everyone’s constitution is different. Just because I do extra training doesn’t mean you have to. Training is to improve your abilities, not to land yourself on the injury list.”

This time, Vitini didn’t immediately pledge his loyalty like he had when they first met. Instead, he nodded: “I will adjust based on my own situation. Don’t worry, I won’t push myself too hard. Besides, that ice bath you told me to take really does help reduce fatigue...”

Wang Lie felt that Vitini’s “idol filter” seemed to have thinned a bit, which satisfied him. He then brought up another topic: “Did your brother like the video?”

“He loved it! He couldn’t get enough of it! I hadn’t told him you recorded a video for him, and he was so disappointed. Then, when I had my mom play the video yesterday, he was completely stunned... haha!” Vitini gestured wildly as he spoke about it.

“That’s good.” Seeing that he had actually helped Vitini, Wang Lie was pleased as well.

***

Walking out through the special customs channel, Tang Xingmei saw her husband, Wang Lie, waiting in the VIP lounge at the exit.

The two little ones behind her saw him too, abandoned their mother, and sprinted over.

“Daddy! Daddy!”

“Daddy!”

Wang Lie crouched down and opened his arms, trying to scoop his son and daughter into his embrace.

However, he was knocked backward by the two, especially his son Wang Ziqi, and ended up sitting on the carpet.

He took the opportunity to pull both children into his arms, rolling around as laughter filled the previously quiet lounge.

Tang Xingmei scolded them softly from behind: “In public, behave yourselves!”

Agent Fernando Clemente had already hurried over to take the carry-on luggage from Tang Xingmei.

After thanking Clemente, Tang Xingmei walked over to the three of them and pulled them up one by one. Finally, she pulled up Wang Lie.

Once he was on his feet, Wang Lie used the momentum to pull his wife into his arms.

Tang Xingmei let out a startled gasp, but quickly realized where they were and bit back the rest of it.

She whispered, both shy and annoyed, in his arms: “What are you doing!”

Wang Lie didn’t answer; he just held her tight—really tight.

Tang Xingmei stopped struggling and let her husband hold her. After a few seconds, she whispered: “Okay...”

Wang Lie let go and asked with a wide grin: “Are you tired?”

Tang Xingmei shook her head: “Not really. Flying by private jet is much less of a hassle than a standard flight. We even had a private channel for customs.”

Since there were no direct flights from China to Newcastle, Wang Lie had chartered a Bombardier private jet for his wife and children so they wouldn’t have to endure the fatigue of travel; once they were on the plane, they didn't have to worry about a thing.

The private jet, which could hold eighteen passengers, was occupied by just the three of them, allowing them to stretch out however they pleased.

The trip cost a small fortune, but money was no longer Wang Lie’s primary concern. Making his family comfortable was what mattered most.

“Let’s go home.” Wang Lie reached out to hold his wife’s hand, took his daughter’s hand with his other, and Tang Xingmei held their son’s.

The family of four walked out of the lounge.

***

Sitting in the business van, Wang Lie turned to look at his wife and found her looking at him too. They shared a smile.

The two children sat in the third row, looking curiously at the outside world.

Ever since Wang Ziqi started elementary school in China two years ago, they had only been able to reunite with their father in the UK during winter and summer breaks.

Before, they were most familiar with Manchester, but now the scenery outside the window felt completely foreign—this was their first time in Newcastle.

Both children were born in the UK, but their range of movement had been extremely limited, basically concentrated within the three major cities of Manchester, Liverpool, and London. Their father had played away games here before, but they had never come along.

After the smile, Wang Lie asked his wife: “Is Mom doing alright?”

“Don’t worry. Both of my aunts went over when we left. Actually, she can stand and walk slowly now. If she really wanted to, she could have come, but she didn’t want to be a burden...” Tang Xingmei gave Wang Lie peace of mind.

Regarding her coming to the UK with the kids, the couple had initially discussed bringing Wang’s mother, Zhou Hong, along. After all, they were reuniting in the UK, and leaving the elderly woman alone at home for the New Year felt unfilial. Wang Lie had chartered the private jet partly to make the journey easier for her.

However, Zhou Hong had refused. She said her leg injury hadn’t fully healed, and she feared the damp, cold British winter would hinder her recovery. She was better off staying at home in China. Besides, she wasn't used to life in Britain or the food, and she felt that while she could still move around, she could at least help with groceries and cooking; if she went, her daughter-in-law would have to take care of one more person, adding to Tang Xingmei’s burden. Her daughter-in-law was already busy managing the household and the children’s education, and this trip was supposed to be a vacation for her, not a time to be a caregiver.

Seeing that his mother insisted on staying, Tang Xingmei wanted to call her own parents to come over and help care for her mother-in-law. But Zhou Hong already had a plan: she had arranged with her two sisters for both families to come to her house for the New Year, which would make things lively and ensure she was taken care of.

Zhou Hong’s arrangements were so thorough that neither Wang Lie nor Tang Xingmei could say a word; they had to respect her wishes rather than forcing her onto a plane to perform a show of “filial piety.”

After answering, Tang Xingmei asked: “Are you used to living here?”

“I guess so. Britain is just the size of a fingernail; isn’t it the same everywhere?” Wang Lie didn’t really care about the details of life; for him, as long as there was a place to eat and a place to sleep, it was fine.

He bought luxury mansions and rented large villas only because such large properties provided enough space to house his equipment and satisfy his needs, not because he needed a mansion to showcase his success.

However, a thought suddenly crossed Wang Lie’s mind, and he added: “It’s just that I’m not used to it when I sleep at night...”

Tang Xingmei caught the implication and offered a playful smile: *Not bad, he’s improving.*

Wang Lie chuckled.

Just then, his daughter, Wang Zilin, who was sitting in the third row, suddenly said: “Then you’ll definitely be able to sleep tonight, Daddy!”

Wang Lie asked curiously: “Why?”

“Because Mommy is here! If you can’t sleep, you can just hug Mommy...”

Tang Xingmei was mortified and turned to glare at her young daughter: “What are you saying!”

Wang Zilin looked innocent: “Did I say something wrong? Whenever I can’t sleep, I always hug you, Mommy...”

Tang Xingmei was left speechless by her daughter’s unfiltered honesty.

“Hahahaha!” Seeing his wife get stumped by their daughter, Wang Lie laughed loudly.

Clemente, the agent driving in the front, curled his lips. This was the happiest he had seen Wang in half a year.

With the arrival of Wang’s “goddess,” he felt much more at ease as an agent. Despite Wang approaching his thirty-eighth birthday, seeing his current mental state, he felt a renewed sense of hope for the future.

***

After the afternoon training session ended, Wang Lie told Vitini that there would be no extra practice, as he had to go home to be with his family.

This time, Vitini wasn’t as surprised as he had been two days ago. He expressed his understanding and urged his idol to hurry home. At this moment, nothing was more important than family reunion.

“Huh, I didn’t see Wang on the training ground. Only Vitini was doing extra practice...”

After knocking on the head coach’s office door, assistant coach Varo shared the rare sight with McNeil.

“Oh, Wang told me his wife and children are visiting him in the UK. He must be rushing home for that,” McNeil explained to his assistant.

“His wife is coming to the UK? So he’s been here all alone this whole time?” Varo was surprised.

McNeil was even more surprised: “You only just realized?”

“Uh, I don’t really concern myself with people’s private lives...”

McNeil nodded in understanding: “I don’t blame you. Wang is exceptionally low-key and cautious about that. Even though he’s a high-profile star, you rarely see news about his family in the media or online, right?”

Varo nodded: “Yeah, that’s why I was surprised he’s been alone...”

McNeil explained: “That’s intentional. He doesn’t want the media bothering his family. When he played for Solford, his family didn’t even go to Redstone Stadium to watch his matches. Can you believe that?”

Varo’s eyes widened: “That’s extreme!”

It was indeed extreme. Having family present to cheer for you was a standard part of a professional player’s life. During matches, broadcasts often featured the families of famous players to show the audience: *Look, his family is here!* Commentators would use it as a lighthearted segment to show off their knowledge.

Yet, Wang Lie went so far as to forbid his family from even attending matches to protect them.

“Maybe Wang feels he’s not very popular and is afraid his family might get caught in the crossfire...” McNeil mused.

Varo, upon hearing this, accepted the explanation without question, as he had heard plenty about Wang Lie’s controversial incidents. In his younger years, Wang Lie had even received “death threats.” Thinking about that, Varo felt Wang’s extreme caution regarding his family was perfectly normal.

“As far as I know, since his mother was injured last July, he has been in the UK by himself. So, he faced the most difficult times alone,” McNeil continued. “Now that his wife and children are here, I think it’s a good thing for us. You can see how much he values his family by how he protects them, and that family will surely bring him more strength.”

***

Wang Lie found the facial recognition lock too slow, so he just used his fingerprint—which, in reality, only saved a second...

After opening the heavy armored door, he heard the sounds of joy and laughter from within.

“Daddy’s home!”

“Daddy! Daddy!”

The son and daughter, not even bothering with shoes, ran out barefoot and lunged at him.

This time, Wang Lie lowered his center of gravity, braced himself, and caught his treasures securely.

Tang Xingmei’s voice came from the kitchen: “You’re back?”

“Yeah, I’m back!” Wang Lie answered loudly. He had to be loud so she could hear him from the kitchen.

“Wait a moment, dinner will be ready soon!” his wife shouted back.

“No worries, I’m in no rush. I’ll play with the kids.”

Wang Lie stood up, carrying one child in each arm, and walked toward the living room. Daughter Wang Zilin clung to her father’s neck, giggling, while son Wang Ziqi wiggled around, raising his arms and shouting: “Ooh! Onward!” He was treating his father like a steed.

Passing the kitchen, Wang Lie instructed the children: “Tell Mommy she worked hard!”

The children shouted crisply: “Mommy, you worked hard!”

Tang Xingmei, wearing an apron, turned around to see the scene and smiled: “Daddy worked hard too!”

The children shouted in unison: “Daddy worked hard too!”

Wang Lie kissed both children on their cheeks: “At your service!”

The rented villa was indeed large—even with four people living there, it felt somewhat spacious. But their laughter and joy were enough to fill it entirely.