Chapter 6

"Uncle, Uncle, I want to eat big shrimp..."

"Uncle, Uncle, I want to eat jiaozi... jiaozi? I want to eat a sedan chair!"

"Uncle, Uncle, I want to eat ice cream, Nora's was taken by her mom..."

...

Lin Sen was in a terrible state. It was already embarrassing enough for a grown man to be bustling around in a large kitchen in an apron, and now there was a little brat constantly pestering him. Ignoring the child wasn't an option. Looking at the woman in the living room, legs crossed and holding a large box of ice cream, eating voraciously while watching TV, Lin Sen finally understood what it felt like to be overwhelmed by sorrow.

Despite the chaos, there weren't actually that many dishes. In China, they would be considered ordinary home-cooked meals. The main issue was that making jiaozi was incredibly time-consuming. By the time Lin Sen took off his apron, nearly half the jiaozi were already gone.

"Strange, why does this stuff from the supermarket never taste as good as what you make?" Dina had slipped into the kitchen at some point, holding a plate of jiaozi and stuffing her mouth full. "Do you have some secret? Spit it out!"

She completely ignored little Nora, who was tugging at her pants and on the verge of tears.

Lin Sen snatched the plate and poured half of it into Nora's dish, angrily saying, "What kind of person are you, taking food from a child?"

"You didn't answer my question." Dina didn't seem to care, sticking out her tongue and licking the oil off her fingers without restraint.

"Even if I had a secret, I wouldn't tell you." Lin Sen was truly at a loss with this woman. He said irritably, "There's no secret. Jiaozi is a good thing, but no matter how good it is, after freezing, it can't compare to freshly made ones."

"Tch. Fine, don't tell me. By the way, what are your plans?"

"What plans? To be a coach!"

"You really want to be a coach? Aren't you going to continue your promising career as a team doctor? Actually, you just need to apologize to Jose, and I can help you with the rest. It's not worth sacrificing your future over this. Besides, Aguero might not even accept the recovery plan based on Jose's report."

"No need. It's as hard to get along as it is to fall out." Lin Sen said lazily, "I don't take this seriously, and you shouldn't either. By the way, I can tell you a little secret. I've already sent Jose's report to Aguero. Given their previous relationship, he'll likely show it to the national team doctor. I believe there will be some good drama soon."

Hearing this, Dina, who was eating with her hands, almost bit her beautiful fingers. She stared with wide eyes and said, "Has anyone ever told you that you're actually quite devious?"

"Thanks for the compliment. I didn't want to bother with him, but since he wants to ruin me, I'll have to ruin him first!" Lin Sen took a bite of the food, looking smug. But before he could enjoy his triumph, Dina slapped him on the back, almost making him spit out his food.

"You're still smug. I ask you, even if you're not afraid of Jose's revenge, what will you do after the season ends?"

"What are you doing!" Lin Sen, who had just swallowed the food, said angrily, "Didn't I say I'll be a coach?!"

"Still a coach next season?"

"Did you think I was only talking about these few games? I'll be a coach next season, the season after that, and always!"

"Half-baked, are you?" Dina sneered.

"So what if I'm half-baked? I'm the head coach. Shouldn't you be flattering your superior? You're just a fitness coach, and you dare to mock the head coach. Watch out, I'll make things difficult for you. Go, get me a beer."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Sen was kicked off the dining table.

Lin Sen found that every time he ate with Dina, it always ended in chaos, yet he seemed to enjoy it. Men, after all, are often masochistic. After dinner, to show his integrity, Lin Sen firmly refused Dina's request to clean up. He played with Nora for a while and then decided to leave.

Opening the door and looking at the brightly lit outside, Dina asked in a suggestive tone if he wanted to stay overnight. Seeing Dina leaning against the door, her eyes seductive and her figure alluring, Lin Sen almost gave in. But a quick scan of her head made him immediately look righteous: I am an upright man...

So, he was finally kicked out.

Lin Sen was relaxed, but Cerezo was not.

Appointing Lin Sen as the head coach seemed to everyone to be a random decision, but only Cerezo knew it was more out of desperation. This season, Atletico Madrid's ranking was mediocre, and the poor performance had led to a loss of team morale, which in turn led to Aguirre's resignation. While Aguirre's resignation was understandable, the departure of many coaches with him was a significant issue. Everyone knew Atletico Madrid was a deep pit, and this time, it was as if a sign had been placed at the edge of the pit: Do Not Jump!

No one is a fool, especially not shrewd coaches.

However, Cerezo never expected that the interim head coach he appointed would cause such a mess right from the start. Little Hill did not inherit his father's love for football, but he did inherit his father's stubbornness and control.

"What is that Chinese guy? Does he know anything about football? He's just an amateur coach! What right does he have to boss around a professional? Does he really think he's the head coach?"

Cerezo could almost feel Little Hill's spittle flying through the phone. He understood the cause of the incident. Although Jose had asked for it, Cerezo was initially annoyed with Lin Sen. No one likes someone who oversteps their bounds, especially when it's his own nose. However, a call from Aguero's agent, Bruno Sardin, changed the situation.

What could make Aguero openly confront the club's medical director? Cerezo didn't think Lin Sen had that kind of power. So, the issue must lie with Jose himself. Bruno's words were even laced with F-words, showing how angry he was. In this team, Cerezo could ignore anyone's dissatisfaction except Aguero's. Before Aguero's injury, Lin seemed to have submitted a report, which Cerezo hadn't paid much attention to. It seemed to be about Aguero's injury.

Cerezo suddenly smiled. Jose was Little Hill's uncle, and Little Hill liked to meddle in club affairs. So, let him handle this.

Thinking this, Cerezo's mood improved. He had originally planned to "chat" with Lin Sen, but now his view had changed. If it could upset Little Hill, why should he stop it?

It's good for young people to have drive. There's no reason to stop it.

---

Lin Sen never considered himself a fan of Atletico Madrid, despite spending nearly three years at the club. This didn't make him feel much attachment to the team. To him, it was just a job. Even when he traveled with the team, his focus was on his duties, and he observed the games more than he invested personal emotions.

Becoming a fan of a team is a bit like finding a wife; it's all about fate. The reasons can be varied, from the team's style of play to the look of the jersey. So, let fate decide. At least, that's what Lin Sen thought.

Standing in front of the mirror, Lin Sen awkwardly tried to tie his tie. The person in the mirror was tall, handsome, yes, dashing and charming... but the tie around his neck felt like a noose. No matter how he tried, he couldn't tie it properly. He checked the time, then decided to rip the tie off and head back to the closet.

Today was an important day, at least for Lin Sen. He had planned to dress more "formally," but the tie taught him that even this required fate.

The pre-match press conference usually takes place the day before the match, though the time and venue can vary. The training ground is a good place, but since it was Lin Sen's first appearance as head coach, the club decided to hold it in Atletico Madrid's own press room and introduce him to the media.

As Lin Sen walked to the press room with a smile, he was met by Carpin Perez, the club's press officer.

"No need to go. The press conference is canceled." Carpin glanced at Lin Sen and said casually, then walked past him as if it was just a passing comment.

Lin Sen was taken aback. He instinctively wanted to turn and ask Carpin, but something deep inside made him keep quiet. He was glad he didn't ask.

Another person walked by.

"Coach Lin, are you heading to the press conference?"

Jose's voice was sharp and grating. He stared at Lin Sen, not missing a single detail of his reaction, but to his disappointment, Lin Sen remained calm, even unperturbed.

"I've always been curious, do Chinese people really understand football? Lin, tell me, are you Japanese? Or Korean?" Seeing Lin Sen's silence, Jose couldn't help but mock him.

At that moment, Lin Sen, who had been standing still, suddenly raised his hand. Jose thought Lin Sen was going to attack and immediately shrank back, moving to the side so quickly that even Lin Sen was surprised.

"You're just a coward."

Lin Sen crossed his arms behind his head and walked past Jose.

"You'll soon find out who I am."