"Chinese Starlet David Qin Joins Wolfsburg! A Bayern Youth Product and Member of Last Season's Regional Champion Reserve Squad, He Becomes the Fourth Chinese Player to Land in the Bundesliga, Following in the Footsteps of Yang Chen, Shao Jiayi, and Hao Junmin!"
"Wolfsburg Releases Trial Footage: Exquisite Dribbling and a Spectacular Double Rainbow Flick!"
"Inside Source: Guardiola Personally Guided David Qin Late at Night, Explaining the Core Principles of Tiki-Taka!"
"News of David Qin's Transfer Sends Chinese Fans into a Frenzy: Approximately 44 Million Viewers Tuned into CCTV to Watch the Announcement!"
"Flash: Volkswagen Passat Now Offered with a 30,000 RMB Discount! Lower Prices, Upgraded Features, Better Value, and Reduced Interest Rates!"
The Volkswagen Group had poured a fortune into buying traffic and marketing. However, no matter how many articles the Chinese fans read, they only saw two words between the lines: Sell cars! Unsurprisingly, they weren't buying it. Instead, they took to the internet to vent their frustrations.
—
@Cantonona_7: A "Showroom Model" player? 🚗
@GingerGeniusFan: Is he for real? Wouldn't it be better to rot in the Bayern reserves for two more years to actually develop? Kid has zero patience.
@TacticalWanker: Zoomers these days are way too thirsty for clout and a quick paycheck. 🤡
@WolfsburgUltra: Exactly. He's going to the Wolves to fight for minutes against The Iceman (Perišić), Tintin (De Bruyne), and Caligiuri? I can already see the "Where Are They Now?" documentary. It's going to be a disaster.
@Fabrizio_Fraud: And those clickbait headlines are everywhere—saying Fraudiola gave him private lessons and that he has the aura of a future GOAT. Please. I've seen better fan fiction on Wattpad.
@Mainz05_Lover: That trial video is so obviously staged. Look at the defender just standing there like a statue. The acting is worse than a B-movie. Absolute scripted nonsense.
@MoneyBaller: It's clearly an "Export-and-Resell" scheme. Step 1: Buy for peanuts. Step 2: Inflate the hype. Step 3: Sell him back to a CSL club for a massive "overseas star" fee. Easy money for the suits.
@Anti_VW_Club: Even a dog wouldn't buy a Piss-at. Buy a Passat and prepare for a life of regret—those gearboxes are made of glass. 💩
@Passat_King: Bro, I've got a Passat and it runs fine. Are you really trying to compare it to a Beamer or an Audi? Maybe you just bought a lemon and you're salty about it.
—
Ignoring the chorus of skepticism online, David Qin stood before the mirror in his new green-and-white number 13 jersey. "Actually looks pretty sharp," he muttered.
His mood remained unaffected because he understood where the Chinese fans were coming from. He did, however, suspect that the number 13 wouldn't be a bestseller. Most people preferred the prestige of 7 or 10.
Since his paperwork hadn't been fully updated yet, David couldn't join the rest of the squad for their pre-season trip to England. He remained at the training base, which led him to cross paths with his new training partner: Nicklas Bendtner.
Bendtner was a character of legendary proportions. At 16, he had a row with Thierry Henry; at 21, he challenged Zlatan Ibrahimović; and at 24, he had the audacity to demand the number 10 shirt at Juventus. His resume was a goldmine of locker-room stories.
Yet, genius is often undone by pride. From the moment he donned the Arsenal shirt, he was competing for a spot with legends like Henry and Bergkamp. The result was inevitable—he was outclassed. When Henry finally left, and Ibra claimed Arsenal didn't buy top-tier talent, Bendtner countered by saying he would surpass the Swede within three years. At the time, Ibra was the undisputed King of Inter Milan and the biggest star in Serie A. Bendtner's boast ended in embarrassment; far from surpassing Zlatan, he couldn't even secure a starting role at Arsenal. Later, while on loan at Juventus, he demanded the number 10—the shirt vacated by Alessandro Del Piero. Even the club's own prodigy, Sebastian Giovinco, hadn't been given that honor.
"Let me tell you, when I was your age, the thing I hated most was studying," Bendtner said proudly. "I used to hide in the women's restroom to skip class. I remember someone was actually in there at the time."
David: "..."
He was genuinely speechless. He couldn't wrap his head around how Bendtner could recount such an embarrassing story with such a boastful tone. David simply gave an awkward smile and continued his drills.
"And listen, a talent like me doesn't need to do basic training all the time," Bendtner prattled on. "Too much of it kills the creative spirit."
David continued to ignore him. He thought of a famous commentator's viral outburst: "For f***'s sake, Benteke!" He felt like swapping the "ke" for "ner" right about now.
"Hey, don't look at me like that. You can work as hard as you want, but you'll never reach my level." Bendtner, annoyed by the lack of attention, waved a dismissive hand and walked away.
In a strange way, he might have been right about the prestige. Looking back at his trophy cabinet, he had the 2009 Danish Footballer of the Year award, a 2013-14 Serie A title, and a 2014 FA Cup. The honors were numerous and high-quality. However, David knew exactly how much "hitchhiking" was involved in those victories. He just didn't want to get too close to the "Lord." What if stupidity was contagious?
He wanted to play real football and fulfill his childhood dreams. Besides, he had transmigrated and been gifted a System; it would be a waste of divine providence not to achieve something great.
Once Bendtner left, David followed his training regimen with monastic discipline. Beyond the basics, he added elements of flair: "Around the World" flicks, cross-overs, and more. He incorporated juggling with his chest, shoulders, and forehead into the plan. He believed that to synchronize with the Ronaldinho template, he needed to align his technical style with the Brazilian's.
There was an old school of thought that suggested if Ronaldinho had trained "seriously," he never would have developed that signature, free-spirited style. Whether that was true was anyone's guess. David had briefly considered following Ronaldinho's lead—pulling all-nighters at nightclubs—but he quickly dismissed it.
What truly defined Ronaldinho's unique style? Joy.
David realized Ronaldinho treated football as a source of pure happiness. Regardless of the score or the stakes, he simply enjoyed every second of the game. David decided to abandon the idea of mere imitation. There was another reason, too: he didn't want to live as someone else's shadow. It sounded a bit sentimental, but he believed he was his own man—the transmigrated David Qin.
From August 2nd to August 11th, Wolfsburg played two friendlies against Cardiff City and Atlético Madrid. They fought to a 3-3 draw against the Welsh side but suffered a humiliating 1-5 defeat at the hands of Atlético. Raúl García scored a brace, while Mandžukić, Koke, and Fernández all found the net. Wolfsburg's only goal was actually an own goal by Antoine Griezmann.
Upon returning to the training base, Dieter Hecking watched the match tapes repeatedly, chain-smoking through the night.
Previously, Wolfsburg's greatest strength was their high-octane left flank, anchored by Ricardo Rodríguez and Ivan Perišić. Since De Bruyne's arrival, they had gained a creative engine in midfield. But with Perišić sidelined by a knee ligament injury until late September, the Wolves' attack was severely compromised.