Yun City, as night falls, the vehicles flow like water and the horses like dragons, the vibrant nightlife begins.

On the lively streets, two men in their fifties walk into a restaurant, chatting and laughing, and take a seat.

"Boss, the usual three!" one of the men waves, his accent revealing he's a local from Yun City.

The restaurant owner, a man in his forties, smiles and says, "Alright, it'll be out soon."

By the owner's accent, it's clear he's also from Yun City. This is a restaurant run by local villagers, and most of the patrons are locals as well. These two men are regulars, and everyone's a familiar face.

The boss quickly brings out a plate of cold cuts, along with two chilled beers.

"The bitter melon beef will take a bit longer, we're out of beef, my wife just went out to buy some," the owner smiles.

The man replies, "No problem."

The owner says, "You can start eating and watch some TV. By the way, I think there's a match tonight, the Yun City Team against the Yecheng Team. Fourth Brother, I think I remember you being a fan?"

As he speaks, the owner turns on the TV, tuning into the local sports channel, showing the Yun City Football Club's stadium, with the audience already seated.

One of the men laughs and says, "Those were the days. I haven't watched a game in ages, just don't have the time!"

The other man teases, "It's not about time, more like being disappointed and frustrated every time, we gave up on watching long ago."

The man shakes his head with a bitter smile, "You got that right."

The owner says, "Did you know the Yun City Team got a new owner? It's been sold to the Mortal Group."

The man is taken aback, "Really? Mortal Group, you mean Mr. Lin, the richest man in Yun City, he actually bought the Yun City Team!"

The owner says, "Yes, and I heard he also hired Wu Da as the head coach."

"Who?" the man asks in surprise.

The owner says, "Wu Da."

The other man exclaims, "No way, Wu Da? Fourth Brother used to be such a fan when we were younger. It must have been thirty years ago by now?"

The man nods, a sense of time past lingering, "Yes, thirty years."

The other man says, "Back then, we were all just kids. Wu Da burst onto the scene at just 17, a genius player. We were captivated, thinking our national team would rise and he'd become a world-class star, but who knew… such a pity."

The man nods and falls silent, draining his glass of beer in one go.

The other man asks, "Did you really say that Wu Da became the head coach for Yun City Team?"

The owner replies, "That's the word on the street."

The other man says, "No way, how long has it been since anyone's heard from him? Ever since his leg injury and leaving the team, there's been no news of him for thirty years. Can he really handle being the head coach?"

The owner shrugs, "I have no idea."

The other man says, "I'd actually like to see this game, with the richest man Mr. Lin taking over, and the once-genius player Wu Da as head coach. Hmm, I wonder what will happen."

The owner laughs, "Don't get your hopes up, Yun City Team is notoriously bad, it's embarrassing for us locals. Mr. Lin hasn't been involved for long, how much of a change could there be?"

The man remains silent, continuing to drink while his eyes are fixed on the TV.

Tonight, the Xia Super League warm-up match between the Yun City Team and the Yecheng Team is about to start!

Wu Da is feeling excited at this moment. This day, he's waited for a long time, if you must count, he's been waiting for over twenty years.

Back then, after his injury and retirement, he drifted aimlessly for years. Later, he picked himself up, determined to switch to coaching and cultivate excellent players for the country, but reality dealt him a harsh blow, leading him to a life of struggle akin to a vagrant.

In the blink of an eye, thirty years have passed, dreams once seemed far out of reach, and life felt like it had reached its end.

Until that day, he met Lin Fan...

His fate seemed to take a dramatic turn. A dream unattainable for thirty years became a reality overnight. He became the head coach of the Yun City Team, a team with a poor reputation, but Lin Fan gave him a chance.

Recently, to repay Lin Fan for recognizing his potential, he has been busy restructuring the team, training tirelessly day and night, just for tonight, to repay Lin Fan with results!

Now, the match is about to begin. The well-prepared team steps onto the field with high spirits.

Watching this young team he restructured, seeing these youths full of spirit, watching them run onto the field, Wu Da is moved to tears.

Finally, finally, this moment has arrived.

"Haha, Old Wu, you're really persistent as ever."

Suddenly, a voice comes from the side. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Wu Da turns his head and sees Jin Jiufu approaching, followed by a bodyguard in a black suit.

Jin Jiufu, now the owner of the Hang City Team, was Wu Da's teammate and friend in their youth, but they later became rivals.

"What are you doing here?" Wu Da says coldly.

Jin Jiufu laughs, "Heard you have a game tonight, as an old friend, how could I not come to support you!"

Wu Da says, "Support? No need, thank you."

Jin Jiufu says, "Hey, don't get me wrong, I didn't say I was here to support you. I'm here to support the Yecheng Team, and does it matter if I support your Yun City Team or not, they're going to lose anyway, hahaha…"

Jin Jiufu laughs loudly, glancing around, regretfully finding no one nearby to share the humor, which he thinks is quite funny.

Wu Da says coldly, "If you're here to mock me, then save it. The match is about to start, so why don't you open your eyes wide and watch the game yourself!"

Jin Jiufu, unfazed, chuckles, "Wu Da, it's not me saying this, but you're really getting senile, not seeing your own limitations. Do you truly think you can make a comeback? Stop dreaming, you're just a loser, naturally destined for a life of failure!"

Wu Da trembles with anger.

Jin Jiufu says, "What, struck a nerve? I'm saying, your leg is broken, why not just settle as a vagrant? What's with all the fuss, listen to me, it's still not too late to turn back, or else, after you lose, you'll crash again!"

Wu Da demands, "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Jin Jiufu says, "Of course, as an old friend, I'm showing you a way out. Come to my club, I'll keep a spot for you as an assistant coach."

Wu Da says, "You're overthinking it. Why would I go to you?"

Jin Jiufu says, "Think about it, when your team gets crushed by the Yecheng Team, do you think your boss will keep you? No, you'll be kicked out again and end up a stray dog once more. I'm just giving you a lifeline out of old friendship, all you have to do is announce your resignation on the field now! This chance is once-in-a-lifetime, don't delay!"

"Boss Jin, you're really calculating things well."

A voice comes from the side, showing Lin Fan smiling as he walks over.