53: Chapter 53 System Reward: Knee? A drunken, gentle woman breaks down and pleads, and the young master's heart softens!

For the second half of the match, Yu Bai had already put on his blue Leicester City training jacket and returned to the bench.

The massive 5-0 lead turned the remaining forty-five minutes into pure garbage time and practice for building chemistry with new teammates.

The roar of the battle on the pitch continued, but his heart had already calmed down.

With a slight thought, his consciousness sank into that familiar azure space. It was time to see exactly what the reward for completing the 'Fame with One Goal Challenge' (Million-level) was.

The light screen expanded, and four options clearly emerged:

[Choose one of four:]

Option 1: Strengthen the posterior thigh muscles (Hamstrings), permanently reducing the risk of injury in that area by 50%.

Option 2: Strengthen the ankles, permanently reducing the risk of injury in that area by 50%.

Option 3: Strengthen the knees, permanently reducing the risk of injury in that area by 50%.

Option 4: Strengthen the groin, permanently reducing the risk of injury in that area by 50%.

"Fk!" Even though Yu Bai had trained his mindset to be steady enough, the moment he saw these four options, he couldn't help but curse in his head. A huge sense of happiness hit him, accompanied by a strong case of 'difficulty choosing'.

"System Bro! No, System Lord!"

He wailed in his consciousness, "Can... can't you just give them all at once?! Only kids make choices; as an adult, I want them all! Thighs, ankles, knees, groin... aren't these every footballer's Achilles' heel? No matter which one is strengthened, it's a massive win!"

He knew it all too well.

Hamstring strains are the nightmare of many speed-based players; ankle sprains are common occurrences; knee cruciate ligaments... just thinking about it makes one's legs go weak; the groin is the core power area, once injured, you're out of action.

Each option was like a precious 'career longevity insurance policy'.

He was practically drooling, but reality was a cruel 'choose one of four'.

Yu Bai forced himself to calm down and began a rational analysis. He had to choose based on his own situation.

What was his playing style? Extreme Dribbling, frequent, large-scale, high-frequency changes of direction, sudden stops, and turns.

This style of play puts the greatest load on the joints, especially the knees.

With every sharp cut and change of direction, the knees have to withstand impact and torsional forces several times his body weight.

It was essentially dancing on the edge of a blade, similar to the way top NBA guards (like Derrick Rose) consume their bodies.

Ankles were important too, but by comparison, the knees were more like the lifeline for a 'rhythm-based explosive point' like him.

Once the knees are ruined, all the Dribbling and explosive shots become nothing but castles in the air.

"Option 3! Strengthen the knees!"

Yu Bai no longer hesitated and firmly chose the third option with his mind.

There was no imagined warm current or strange sensation, and the attribute panel remained unchanged.

Yu Bai could understand; this was an implicit bonus, a 'firewall' and 'damage reduction buff'. You couldn't just add to the 'Strength' attribute out of thin air just because it was harder to get injured.

...

Ultimately, Leicester City won at home without shedding blood, advancing proudly to the next round of the League Cup with an 8-0 slaughter. In the dressing room, the atmosphere was at its peak.

After showering, Yu Bai dried his hair and said loudly to his teammates who were still excitedly discussing the match: "Hey, brothers! Tonight is on me. Pick any place you want; consider it a newcomer's treat for his seniors!"

"Wooo—!"

"Cool! Yu, you're the best!"

"The debut Hat-trick scorer picking up the tab—it's only right!"

His teammates joined in the cheering. No one would deny the new 'team darling' who had scored a Hat-trick in the first half of his debut. The cheers almost lifted the dressing room roof.

However, as everyone changed and walked in small groups toward the parking lot, several of the team's 'big shots' huddled together, exchanging opinions in low voices.

Danny Drinkwater put his arm around Jamie Vardy's shoulder and whispered, "Jamie, we can't really let the kid Yu pay. He's only 17 and just signed a professional contract. How much money could he have? The gesture is enough; we old guys need to be sensible."

Vardy nodded in deep agreement. He currently earned £70,000 a week, the top salary in the team, significantly higher than Mahrez and Shinji Okazaki's £45,000. He patted his chest and said readily, "Makes sense. I'll take this tab. Consider it a welcome for the new teammate; I actually quite like Yu Bai!"

Mahrez, listening nearby, also smiled and had no objection. A group of stars earning millions of pounds a year letting a kid treat them really wasn't right.

The few of them walked to the parking lot chatting and laughing, preparing to drive to the agreed-upon restaurant. Then, they saw a scene that made them all freeze—

Yu Bai, walking ahead, didn't head for a teammate's car. Instead, he went straight toward an inconspicuous parking space in the corner.

Parked there was an all-black, elegantly lined, and steady Mercedes-Maybach S600. Under the dim lights of the parking lot, the paint reflected a dark luster.

At first, Vardy and the others didn't think much of it, assuming Yu Bai was just passing by or that the car belonged to someone else.

But the next second, the driver's door opened, and a slender East Asian woman dressed in a champagne-colored high-end suit stepped out briskly.

Her long hair was slightly curled, her skin was like jade, and her features were as exquisite as if they had been carefully carved. Her aura was capable yet soft.

She quickly walked around to the other side and respectfully yet naturally opened the rear door for Yu Bai. With an impeccable, professional smile on her face, she bowed slightly.

Yu Bai sat inside quite naturally, as if all of this was perfectly normal.

Vardy, Drinkwater, Mahrez, and several teammates following behind all stopped in their tracks in unison, their mouths hanging open. Their expressions looked as if they had all swallowed a giant Dutch rabbit at the same time.

Drinkwater: "???"

Inner Monologue: This car... this beauty... this display... what happened to the kid who 'didn't have much money'?

The smile on Vardy's face froze. He rubbed his nose and said sheepishly to Drinkwater in a low voice, "Me pay? ...What the hell am I paying for?!" He suddenly felt that his 'big brother responsibility' from a moment ago was a bit ridiculous.

Mahrez blinked his eyes, which were always filled with a bit of casualness and flair, whistled, and muttered, "Wow... so our new teammate really is a 'Young Master'."

...

The celebratory feast was incredibly enjoyable, with plenty of food and laughter.

Yu Bai fully integrated into the dressing room, competing with Vardy in eating spicy food, listening to Drinkwater tell stories about Premier League veterans, and discussing Dribbling insights with Mahrez.

Wen Wan did not participate. Yu Bai didn't make her wait; before the meal, he had her return to the apartment the club had prepared for him—a high-end apartment complex with strict security where many Leicester City players lived.

When the gathering ended, Yu Bai hitched a ride with NGolo Kanté, who lived in the same complex, and returned home together.

Opening the apartment door with his key, a faint scent of alcohol mixed with women's perfume wafted toward him.

Yu Bai frowned slightly. The main lights in the living room weren't on, only the dim yellow glow of a floor lamp.

Wen Wan was curled up on the sofa, still holding an empty red wine glass. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were blurry; she was clearly drunk.

She had changed out of her professional suit and was wearing only a silk slip nightdress. Her long hair was messily scattered over her shoulders and the back of the sofa. The usual exquisiteness and sense of distance were gone, replaced by a lazy, defenseless sexiness, though she currently lacked any sense of decorum.

Yu Bai's frown deepened.

He hadn't lived under the same roof as this 'guardian' for a long time and had almost forgotten she had this side to her.

Without a word, he walked over, leaned down, and grabbed Wen Wan's arm, trying to pull her up from the sofa: "Get up, go sleep in your room."

"Don't touch me!"

Wen Wan struggled suddenly with considerable Strength, her anger tinged with drunkenness.

Yu Bai didn't bother reasoning with a drunkard. He applied more force and, in a half-supporting, half-carrying posture, forcefully 'plucked' her from the sofa and stumbled toward her bedroom.

"Look at yourself! What do you think you look like!"

"You're hurting me! Yu Bai! Let go!"

Wen Wan screamed, resisting with hands and feet, but her drunken body was limp and ineffective.

Ignoring her, Yu Bai dragged her to the bedroom door, twisted it open, and practically 'threw' her onto the large bed. His tone was cold, carrying an unquestionable warning: "Wen Wan, listen to me. This is the first time and the last time. If I ever see you like this again, pack your things and get out!"

He only wanted to play football in peace and didn't want to be bothered by these off-pitch messes.

Perhaps she was triggered by the words 'get out', or perhaps the alcohol had completely dismantled her defenses. The Wen Wan who was just flailing about suddenly seemed to have a switch flipped. She curled up, her shoulders began to shake violently, and suppressed, broken sobs came from beneath her buried face.

"I'll get out then! Do you think I want to stay here?!"

She looked up, her eyes brimming with tears. Her exquisite makeup was smeared by tears, making her look fragile and pathetic. Her voice was full of long-accumulated grievances and breakdown:

"Am I even a person?! Do I have even a little bit of a life of my own?!"

"My sister made me come to England, and I've been here for years! If I didn't come, my parents would disown me, they'd want to kill themselves! You're all forcing me! Everyone is forcing me to do things I don't like!"

"And you! Stupid Yu Bai! Smelly Yu Bai!"

She cried even louder, like a child who had suffered great injustice. "The two of us are supposed to be depending on each other in England, right?! You were so well-behaved when you were little; you'd remember to celebrate my birthday and buy me little cakes... What about now? Besides being mean to me and telling me to get out, what else do you let me do?! In your eyes, am I just a nanny, driver, and shield to be summoned and dismissed whenever you want?!"

Yu Bai stood by the bed, stunned as he looked at this woman who was crying without any regard for her image, pouring out the deepest grievances and fears in her heart. Those sharp accusations were like tiny needles pricking a soft spot in his heart.

He suddenly remembered that Wen Wan was only five or six years older than him. She had her own life and dreams too, but because of family pressure and her cousin's schemes, she had been 'arranged' to be by his side, becoming a blurred shadow behind his spotlight.

The image of the 'Sister Wen Wan' in his memory—who always smiled brightly, occasionally played pranks, made him delicious food, and secretly shed tears when he was injured—slowly overlapped with the woman breaking down in front of him.

The bit of annoyance and coldness in his heart unconsciously melted away.

He sighed, walked to the bedside, picked up the duvet she had kicked aside, and covered her with it. His movements were a bit stiff, but he tried to be as gentle as possible.

"Fine, fine, you can drink, you can get drunk."

His tone softened, carrying a hint of helplessness and compromise that even he didn't notice. "Be good, stop crying, go to sleep."

Just as he tucked in the corners of the duvet and was about to straighten up and leave—

A slightly cool, soft hand suddenly reached out from under the covers and accurately grabbed his wrist before he could withdraw it.

Yu Bai's body stiffened.

Wen Wan lifted her face, which was still wet with tears. Her large, watery eyes, washed by tears, looked at him, with droplets still hanging from her long lashes. But her expression instantly switched from the breakdown and crying of a moment ago to a cunning, triumphant smile mixed with drunkenness and childlike innocence. The speed of the change left Yu Bai dumbfounded.

"Hehe..."

She broke into a smile through her tears, her voice still raspy from crying, but soft and sweet like melted marshmallows.

She grabbed his hand and shook it gently, swaying it like a little girl acting spoiled to get her favorite candy. Her eyes were bright, filled with an irresistible cuteness and a hint of cunning charm:

"Young Master... that's what you said~"

"Then..."

"Next time, that very~~~ expensive bottle of red wine I want to drink..."

"You have to pay for it. Is that okay?"

She trailed off with a long ending, every word feeling like it had a little hook.

Yu Bai: "..."

He looked at this face so close to his—smiling like a flower after a spring rain—and felt the cool touch and gentle swaying on his wrist. His heart skipped a beat for no reason.

He opened his mouth and found that he actually couldn't refuse.