Chapter 26: Canter's Hot Chocolate Milk

[De Bruyne Curled Through Ball, Lv2: Similar]
[Proficiency: 20/50]

At dinner time, Tang Ye stood staring blankly at a training dummy about 35 meters away.
In one hour, with the help of the broccoli, his proficiency in the curled through ball had reached 22.
To be honest, this progress was slightly below Tang Ye’s expectations, as he realized later on that his passing success rate was affected by his stamina.
Tang Ye’s stamina was not infinite; the more he practiced, the lower his success rate became. This was why he had only managed to grind out 15 points of proficiency in an hour.

Stepping off the pitch to retrieve his phone from his bag, Tang Ye checked the time.
6:12 PM.
It was time to head to the second-team cafeteria for dinner. Feeling a bit fatigued, he sat down on the grass.

[Account Balance: 33 points]

Looking at his balance, Tang Ye fell into deep thought.
Anyway, he couldn't afford those super expensive items.
He had to focus on these utility items!

[Do you wish to spend 20 counter-attack points to unlock a new item?]

"Damn it!"
Tang Ye cursed out loud on the grass.
It only cost 10 points to unlock the broccoli, and now it was 20.
Are they learning from Tencent or something?
If it were 10 points, Tang Ye might have considered giving it a try, but with the price doubled, even Tang Ye, who was feeling a bit flush, couldn't stomach it.
However, the effect of the broccoli hadn't worn off yet, and Tang Ye wanted to get his hands on something that could restore his physical state.
If he could refresh his condition, he could continue training tonight without affecting his performance in the match the following day!
20 points was steep, but he had to grit his teeth and push through.
Go for it!

[You have spent 20 counter-attack points to obtain purchase rights for a new item]
[Kante’s Hot Chocolate Milk: Restores 50% of your physical state (Cannot be used on match days)]
Price: 10 counter-attack points

"..."
Tang Ye didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
The good news: he got an item to restore his condition.
The bad news: the hot milk cost the same as the broccoli, and if he bought it, his balance would drop to 3.

Tang Ye now had a feeling he was being set up by this system!
There was no help for it. To maximize the benefits of the broccoli and prepare for tomorrow's Dutch Cup match, Tang Ye gritted his teeth and stood up once more.
Tonight was supposed to be a rest night, a night off from extra training, but Tang Ye decided to assign himself some tasks.
He would train for another two hours after dinner, until 9:00 PM, when the 12-hour effect of the broccoli would wear off.
Then, he would drink a cup of Kante’s hot milk.
Perfect!

He acted immediately, rushing to the second-team cafeteria for dinner. Once full, he grabbed a glass of grape juice and sprinted out.
Just then, Ziyech was returning to the cafeteria from the physiotherapy room: "Hey, Tang!"
"I've got things to do, let's talk next time!"
"..."

With a little over two hours left on the broccoli’s effect, and seeing no breakthrough in his passing, Tang Ye turned to dribbling practice.
The De Bruyne template didn't have any specific skills for ball control, but that didn't matter; the broccoli also doubled the effect of attribute point gains!
Two hours later, Tang Ye spent 10 of his remaining 13 points to successfully purchase [Kante’s Hot Chocolate Milk].
Initially, he was still a bit reluctant to part with the points, but the moment he clicked "Purchase," a wave of warmth suddenly swept through his entire body.
About four or five seconds later, the tense muscles in his thighs and calves suddenly relaxed—a physical manifestation of his fascia being released.
This 50% recovery effect was far more exaggerated than Tang Ye had imagined!

...

Early the next morning, Tang Ye rushed from the cafeteria to the training ground.
He wasn't late today. Because of the match, the players' meeting time had been pushed from 8:30 to 9:00 AM.
The first-team players gathered on the pitch. After listening to Ten Hag’s pre-match talk, they would board the bus to the opposing team's stadium!
"Is everyone here..."
Ten Hag scanned the players briefly.
He didn't look too closely, because Tang Ye was already in place.
As long as Tang Ye was there, the other players were unlikely to be late.
"You're very punctual today."
Ten Hag held his notebook, looking at Tang Ye with a half-smile.
"Sir, I have been trying hard to wake up early."
Tang Ye gave a thumbs-up. With the help of the hot milk, he had slept soundly last night.
"Trying hard to wake up early, then you must keep it up. When your number of late arrivals drops below five times a month, you can enter our cafeteria."

After speaking with Tang Ye, Ten Hag opened his notebook: "I will explain some key points for today's match in a moment, but first, I will announce the lineup."
As Ten Hag spoke at the front, Tang Ye and Amrabat chatted in the back.
"Sofyan, do you use body wash or shampoo when you wash your head?"
"..."
Amrabat rolled his eyes at Tang Ye: "That question isn't even a question."
"But I'm genuinely curious."
"Can you not be curious about that?"
Amrabat went to push Tang Ye away, but as soon as his hand touched Tang Ye's arm, he noticed something strange: "Your arm got bigger?"
"He's still growing, it's normal for his arms to get thicker," Haller said. He had noticed a slight change in Tang Ye's physique during training the day before yesterday, but hadn't brought it up.
"Good man."
Amrabat squeezed Tang Ye’s tiny biceps just as Ten Hag read his name.
The starting lineup!
"Haha!"
Amrabat gave Tang Ye a few meaningful looks. He knew his recent league performance deserved a starting spot, but he hadn't expected Ten Hag to trust him this much.
The second starting opportunity had come quite quickly!
Amrabat squeezed Tang Ye’s backside a few times. As a former teammate in the second team, the Moroccan could feel the changes in Tang Ye quite clearly: "How about that? Second start!"
"I should be next soon," Tang Ye said earnestly.
He had been improving rapidly lately, and his speech had become more confident.
"You're only 16, you've got time. I'm already 19."
Amrabat chuckled, and Tang Ye turned his head away: "Believe me, give me a few more months and I’ll definitely be a starter."
"Fine, if you become a first-team starter within two months, I'll strip down and run 10 laps on the training ground. If you lose, then you're the one stripping!"
Just then, Ten Hag mentioned Tang Ye's name: "There is one more player starting today, Tang. Um, I know you might be surprised, but I believe this is the appropriate move."
Hearing the news that he was starting, Tang Ye felt a surge of joy.
Coming back to his senses, he ran toward Amrabat, ready to strip the Moroccan's clothes off.
"Wait, wait, wait! I was just kidding!"