Chapter 19: Would You Like to Be Exempt from Homework?
[Is Tang Ye really as amazing as you say? Damn, incredible, the king of football, the king of football!]
[Watching Tang Ye’s matches can make money; Mom, you don’t have to worry about me finding a job after graduation anymore.]
[College student already playing Happy Beans, you upstairs, you’ve got it made for life.]
[What are you talking about? I’ve been a fan of Tang Ye since college—our start was early.]
[This is someone aiming to make big money!]
[Are there any more goals? Are there any more goals?]
“Is this the result of training? Should I play according to the training plan later?” Tang Ye asked Ten Hag, who immediately shook his head without hesitation.
“No, training is training, matches are matches. Training makes you stronger, but when you’re on the pitch, you have to play based on your own judgment!” Ten Hag said seriously.
Although Tang Ye often seemed to be strolling, Ten Hag could tell.
Tang Ye only unleashed his full creativity while walking!
The match continued!
“The score has suddenly been equalized; Vitesse is feeling very uneasy now!”
“Substituting two forwards at once—Vitesse is going for a comeback.”
“Natan, coordinate with your teammates to press forward!”
After sixty grueling minutes of attack, having exhausted all tactics, the opponent’s midfield launched a long ball that was perfectly connected, leveling the score.
The Vitesse players and coach were visibly upset.
They had to claw back the goal difference!
“Change positions!” Ten Hag shouted. Ramselel, following orders, moved to the right flank, handing the central attacking midfield spot to Tang Ye.
Now the three midfielders from left to right were Amrabat, Tang Ye, and Ramselel, with Tang Ye as the lone attacking midfielder pushing forward.
At the 76th minute, Nakamba’s mistake was seized upon by Strijd, the Utrecht defender, who immediately passed to Amrabat.
Amrabat began to observe carefully!
Olinik rushed up to challenge, so Amrabat, playing it safe, passed the ball to Lechet on the right side, who then fed it to Barazite.
This was Utrecht’s counterattack!
“Barazite, very fast!”
“Tang Ye should be moving up to occupy the arc-top position now.”
“Tang Ye, walking!”
“The king of football is still walking!”
“King, what are you trying to do?”
Wang Chao shouted passionately. He had been ready to criticize Tang Ye for passive play. Instead, Barazite made a dazzling run down the wing, dribbling past two defenders, instantly capturing everyone’s attention.
Barazite reached near the baseline!
A long pass sent the ball to the left side, where Nganiyoni received it and immediately sought to combine with Alae.
Alae controlled the ball inside the penalty box but was tightly marked by Kasha, unable even to turn.
In this predicament, Alae could only pass back. But when he looked up, he suddenly saw Tang Ye standing right in front of him.
“Hey, want to pass it to me?”
Tang Ye reached out, and without hesitation, Alae kicked the ball to Tang Ye’s feet.
---
“Really passing it!”
Tang Ye was delighted. Using his body to shield the defender from Vitesse, he struck the ball toward the goal.
He didn’t even take time to control it!
“Tang Ye? WTF! Goal!”
“What the hell!”
“GOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLL!!!”
At the 78th minute, Tang Ye scored!
[At 37 years old, you’ve scored your first Eredivisie goal in just three matches. Your haters have been scared into deleting their accounts.]
[Counterattack Points Store unlocked!]
[Goal bonus: Counterattack Points *10]
Tang Ye stood still inside the penalty area, now fully focused on the system’s voice in his mind.
At that moment, Alae and Barazite rushed over, embracing Tang Ye tightly. Alae even kept ruffling Tang Ye’s hair.
“Tang, how did you end up here? Haha!”
The camera cut to the Vitesse bench, where a Dutchman chewing gum looked displeased.
So far, Tang Ye had only played 45 minutes in the Eredivisie.
45 minutes and 1 goal.
Rounded up, that made him a player averaging 2 goals per game!
...
The referee blew the final whistle; the home team Utrecht triumphed 2–1 over Vitesse.
Though the season had not started ideally, Utrecht had secured their third consecutive victory.
Players gradually returned to the locker room, while Ten Hag and Van der Gaag whispered outside.
“I’m planning to give the players a two-day break. This way, they’ll understand the benefits of victory.”
“Sounds good. You’re the coach; I fully support you,” Van der Gaag nodded. Yet Ten Hag had something else on his mind.
“I mean, the players get a break, but not Tang. He has to stay at the base for extra training.”
“Ah?”
Van der Gaag was taken aback. “Isn’t that unfair? All players get a break except Tang, and he’s today’s hero!”
“Wait!”
Van der Gaag suddenly realized something, staring at Ten Hag. “You want to accelerate Tang’s development? But you said before it would take two or three years to make Tang our starting midfielder. Just a few days ago, remember? Now you’re going back on that?”
Assistant coach Van der Gaag had risen through the U15 youth ranks and knew well how counterproductive rushing player development could be.
“I understand, but the plan has changed!”
Ten Hag’s expression was serious. “Did you see his movement? His positioning and vision?”
“That’s the result of training.”
“Training my ass! Isn’t this just pure talent?”
Ten Hag almost shouted, “We have to unleash his potential, strengthen his physical training and tactical awareness. In six months, he’ll be starting!”
Van der Gaag took a deep breath.
Eric really is something else...
---
“But what if he refuses to train?” Van der Gaag pointed out a critical problem.
“That’s a minor issue.”
Ten Hag smiled.
Tang Ye was lazy, no doubt.
But a lazy player isn’t incapable of running.
With enough external pressure, even a lazy player can run fast!
...
That night, Tang Ye received a call from his mother, Zhang Qing. He shared the good news of getting two days off with his family.
It was a moment worth celebrating, but a sudden knock at the door added pressure.
Only two people would knock at this hour.
Zaka had already gone home.
The only possibility left was Ten Hag!
“Good evening!”
Ten Hag entered Tang Ye’s room with a smile, walking in confidently.
Familiar computer desk, familiar Alienware laptop.
This time, having learned his lesson, Tang Ye shut down the laptop before opening the door.
Ten Hag walked slowly toward the desk, increasing Tang Ye’s anxiety.
Was he going to make him turn the laptop back on?
“Hmm.”
Ten Hag raised an eyebrow and picked up a white grid notebook from the desk, along with a pencil resting beside it.
“A 300-word critical essay in Dutch?”
“Huh? What?” Tang Ye was stunned.
“This is your Dutch homework, right? Is this assignment difficult for you?”
Ten Hag turned to look at Tang Ye sitting on the bed, who looked surprised.
“How do you know about my homework?”
“That’s not the point. Tell me if this assignment is hard for you.”
“...”
Tang Ye shrugged honestly. “A 300-word essay isn’t hard, but our teacher said we have to write it critically on a topic—that’s tough...”
Tang Ye was sometimes frustrated. Studying at the Utrecht-affiliated youth academy school, his homework should have been easier than other Dutch high school students’.
But lately, the teacher seemed crazy, always assigning tasks beyond his ability!
“Difficult, huh...”
Ten Hag muttered, putting down the notebook, then slowly approached Tang Ye.
He bent down.
“Tang, would you like to be excused from homework?”