With both sides fully on board, the deal came together quickly.
That very night, Leo Lin and Charles Lin packed their bags and headed straight to Liverpool.
When they arrived at the club the next day, only the sporting director was there to receive them.
That was understandable, as Leo Lin was still largely unknown across Europe.
Liverpool arranged a car to pick them up, driving straight from the airport to Anfield.
Upon arriving at the headquarters, Mike, the club's chief executive, hurried forward and opened the car door himself.
"Lin!"
"Finally, we meet!"
Charles Lin got out right after him, and the group chatted as they walked.
Liverpool offered Leo Lin a basic salary contract. After all, he had only just joined the youth academy.
Leo Lin didn't mind. He was confident that he could rely on his own ability to earn his first professional contract soon enough.
With his current attributes, playing in Liverpool's youth academy and youth league was essentially a dimensional downgrade.
Klopp was urgently looking for a young midfielder, especially with Liverpool caught in the middle of a severe injury crisis.
Even Mike couldn't help but remind Leo Lin.
"There are currently four injured midfielders in the first team, including Lucas. A lot of regular starters are out."
"Do you know what that means?"
Mike patted Leo Lin on the shoulder.
"Klopp is so anxious he can't sleep at night."
"As long as you can really impress him in the youth league, I guarantee Klopp will immediately call you up to the first team."
"Even if you can't start right away, sitting on the bench will still be good for you."
After helping Leo Lin settle into his accommodation, Charles Lin prepared to return to Spain.
He had wanted to stay a few more days, but Julia kept calling him again and again.
Julia—Leo Lin's mother—was a classic Spanish beauty.
Charles Lin had spent no small amount of effort winning her over back in the day.
It was precisely because of their excellent genes that they had a son as strikingly handsome as Leo Lin.
"Leo."
"You're all by yourself over there. You have to take good care of yourself."
Just saying that much made her eyes turn red.
As the front desk manager of a top-tier Spanish ham shop, Julia was usually very busy and had no time to personally send Leo Lin back to England for youth training.
"If anyone over there bullies you, listen to Mom—we'll just go back to Spain."
"At worst, you won't play football anymore. With Mom here, I'll make sure you never worry about food or money for the rest of your life."
"You can go wherever you want, live however you want, have whatever hobbies you want—it's all up to you."
Growing up, Julia and Charles Lin had taken completely opposite approaches to raising Leo Lin.
As a father, Charles Lin was strict with him.
He rarely pressured Leo Lin about grades, but he set very high standards when it came to character and conduct.
One sentence he often repeated was: "Young people have to take advantage of their youth to go out and fight—rely on yourself, build things with your own hands!"
"But after you've fought your own battles, no matter how it turns out, you still have to remember the way home. That's how a real man lives!"
Julia, on the other hand, was the total opposite. The sentence she said most often was:
"Charles Lin, if you dare lay a hand on my son again, I won't let you off!"
"Son, don't listen to your dad."
"Set off fireworks if you want, chase chickens if you want, walk the dog if you want—play whatever you feel like!"
It was exactly this combination of parenting styles that shaped Leo Lin into someone both lively and steady, cheerful yet well-mannered.
Seeing Julia start to cry again, Leo Lin couldn't take it.
"Mom~"
"My dear mom~"
"Don't worry. No one can bully your son."
"I promise." Leo Lin patted his chest and lifted his chin.
"I'll make a name for myself at Liverpool!"
Julia nodded through her tears, then turned toward Charles Lin, whose head was barely visible in the video call.
Her voice instantly lost its gentleness, becoming sharp and piercing.
"And you—get back here immediately!"
"Don't even think about fooling around in England!"
Charles Lin nodded with a bitter smile.
After seeing Charles Lin off, Leo Lin returned to the youth academy dormitory.
Back when he was at Everton, Leo Lin had lived alone as well, so Charles Lin felt reassured. He knew his son was very independent.
A four-person dorm room.
The three roommates were all youth academy players, big and well-built.
Liverpool's academy was especially good at developing players like this.
The three of them looked at Leo Lin as if he were something unusual.
The player in bed number four spoke up. A number six jersey was hanging beside his bed.
He looked like a defender.
"My name's Ocho."
Ocho stood up and began introducing everyone.
"This is Danny, our goalkeeper."
Danny nodded at Leo Lin, who smiled back.
"And this is Beto, our left back."
All three were friendly.
Ocho was eighteen, while the other two were seventeen.
Ocho was currently attending a local Liverpool academy language class to improve his language skills.
He was enrolled in Liverpool's language enhancement program, which Leo Lin would soon join as well. Back at Leicester City, Leo Lin had already completed all his pre-university coursework with excellent grades. He had originally planned to attend the University of Madrid, but after coming to Liverpool, he only needed to wait for the right time to continue his studies at the University of Liverpool.
"Even though you understand English, Liverpool will probably have you come over and keep improving your language with me," Ocho said.
He kept talking to himself while rummaging through his books, looking like he wanted to familiarize Leo Lin with the material in advance.
What he didn't know was that Leo Lin was already pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I thought that after transferring to Liverpool, I wouldn't have to do language training anymore."
"This is torture!!!"
The youth academy supervisor soon delivered the books Leo Lin would need for his language training. There was still more than a month before the next round of classes began.
Fortunately, Leo Lin had a solid foundation in the local language, thanks to his time at Everton's academy.
As they chatted, Leo Lin discovered that Ocho had actually attended Everton Primary School as well.
Back then, they'd been separated by just one wall.
Because of this unexpected connection, the two talked more and more easily, growing increasingly comfortable, and quickly became friends.
Ocho then began introducing the upcoming youth league.
"Everyone says you were personally requested by Klopp."
"I always felt you'd be promoted to the first team pretty quickly."
Ocho paused.
"But even if you do get promoted, you'll still have to go through training—at least six months."
Hearing that, the last bit of hope in Leo Lin's heart finally died.
But after thinking it over, he found he could accept it.
If he made a big splash in the first team and then showed up at the language class the next day, the principal and teachers would have to welcome him back with respect.
Wouldn't the beautiful girls in class all come flocking over on their own?
Thinking about it, Leo Lin smiled.
Ocho was completely confused.
"What are you smiling about?"
Leo Lin said nothing, just kept smiling. After a moment, he spoke.
"By the way, are there any pretty girls in our class?"
Ocho nodded.
"You didn't know? Our class is known as the 'school beauty class.' They're all female youth football players over eighteen, just like us, here to improve their language communication skills."
"Twenty-five people total—nineteen girls."
"The top three beauties in the school-wide vote? All from our class."
Hearing that, Leo Lin's smile grew even brighter.
"I forgot to tell you—my biggest hobby is studying. Young people have to keep learning if they want to improve."
"So when does school start?"
"I'm definitely going to study hard!"
...
(60 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser