Heading to Bremen

"Luiz, have you lost your mind? Giving him ten times the bonus—that's almost reaching the level of a substitute on the first team!"

After Lin Quan left, Subizarreta angrily confronted Enrique.

Enrique, however, was unfazed and said with a smile:

"Mr. Subizarreta, please don't get so worked up. Lin Quan plays as a defensive midfielder in the youth team, not a striker. It's not easy for a player in that position to score goals.

Sure, his stats from last season were decent, but that was just youth league matches.

Once he gets to a high-level league like the Bundesliga, he won't even be guaranteed playing time, let alone put up any flashy numbers.

And Werder Bremen is a team in decline. Their financial situation is worrying, and their big-name players are all leaving.

They're not competitive in the Bundesliga at all. They won't win many games in a season.

So without enough goals or assists, and without many wins, most of those bonuses won't even apply to him. Even if the bonuses are set a bit higher, what difference does it make?"

After hearing Enrique's words, Subizarreta calmed down.

"So, you're basically drawing him a beautiful pie that he'll never get to eat?"

Enrique chuckled smugly:

"Heh, not exactly. If he somehow manages to put up phenomenal performances, he could still earn those bonuses. So it all depends on whether he has the ability!"

"Haha, do you even believe that yourself?"

Subizarreta had been a professional player himself. He didn't believe a kid under seventeen could lead a declining team to any great results.

Even Messi didn't have that kind of ability at that age, let alone an ordinary player.

So that line might fool an inexperienced kid, but it was far from enough to trick an old hand like him.

Enrique nodded: "Lin is too young. He probably doesn't know how brutal the professional stage really is."

The two of them, drawing on their own career experience, had schemed against a young player. If word of this got out, it would be shameful.

But they had completed the task assigned by the club president, and they felt a weight lift off their shoulders.

So Enrique suggested: "How about we go out and relax after work today? I know a few good spots..."

After signing the loan contract, Lin Quan went to say goodbye to a few of his friends on the youth team.

Deulofeu was a bit reluctant to see his friend leave, but when he found out Lin Quan was being loaned to a Bundesliga team, he felt a twinge of envy.

"Damn it, why hasn't any team come for me? Am I not good enough?"

He had even made a few appearances for the first team, so his reputation should be bigger than Lin Quan's.

But now Lin Quan was already loaned out, while he was being ignored. Deulofeu couldn't wrap his head around it.

"Gerrard, if you really want to go out on loan, you can just ask the club. I'm sure they'd let you go."

Barca was happy to let young players who couldn't get first-team minutes go out and gain experience.

Besides, Deulofeu was a promising talent Barca had high hopes for. If he applied, there was no way Barca would refuse.

"Uh, never mind. I think I'd rather stay. After all, wearing the red and blue jersey for Barca has always been my dream..."

Hearing Lin Quan's suggestion, Deulofeu hesitated again.

It was clear he was just talking. He didn't actually want to leave Barca, even if he had no place on the team for now.

Lin Quan shook his head helplessly. Barca had plenty of options on the wing.

Messi, Sanchez, Pedro, plus Villa who could fill in as a winger. A young Deulofeu had almost no chance of taking their spots.

The season was almost over, and the new season would usually start training in July.

So Lin Quan had plenty of time to prepare.

"You're going to Germany alone. I'm a bit worried."

At dinner, Sera said with concern:

"I've heard the weather there is really cold, and the food is completely different from what we have here. I'm afraid you won't get used to living or eating there. And letting you play adult matches so early—I'm scared you'll get hurt..."

After saying this, she shot a reproachful glance at Guardiola, as if blaming him for deciding on Lin Quan's loan without consulting her first.

A mother worries when her child travels far. Lin Quan was leaving home for the first time, and to a foreign country thousands of miles away.

It made her, his foster mother, very anxious.

Guardiola coughed awkwardly. This decision wasn't really his—it was Lin Quan's own request.

"I know some people in Germany too. I'll get in touch with them and ask them to look after Lin Quan. Don't worry."

After Guardiola announced his resignation from Barca, countless clubs had invited him to coach.

Among them were many Bundesliga teams, including the league's powerhouse, Bayern Munich.

Because of that, he knew quite a few people in the management of Bundesliga clubs.

As long as he spoke up, those people would be more than willing to do him this favor.

Sera, who had known him for years, had no doubt at all about Guardiola's connections.

Hearing Guardiola say this, she breathed a slight sigh of relief, but still wasn't entirely at ease.

"Can those people be trusted? Don't just say they'll help but not actually put any heart into it!"

Uh... that left Guardiola unsure how to respond.

He couldn't guarantee that those people would seriously follow through on their promises either.

Seeing his lover's worried expression, Guardiola had no choice but to continue:

"How about this—after this season ends, we'll go to Germany together, help Lin Quan get things settled over there, and also say a word to Werder Bremen's club executives to have them look out for him. Does that work for you?"

At Guardiola's arrangement, Sera finally showed a satisfied smile on her face.

"That's more like it. Lin, what do you think of Pep's plan?"

Lin Quan nodded repeatedly. If Guardiola was personally stepping in, what more could he say?

As soon as she heard about going to Germany, Guardiola's eldest daughter, eleven-year-old Maria, lit up and immediately clamored to go skiing in the Alps.

The ski slopes of the Alps were Europe's top-tier skiing destination.

Going there in summer to escape the heat and take a vacation was an excellent choice.

So the whole family eagerly drew up a travel plan for Germany.

Twenty days later, Barca defeated Athletic Bilbao three-nil at the Calderon Stadium, thanks to goals from Pedro and Messi, winning the King's Cup.

This was the fourteenth championship trophy Guardiola had won since taking charge of Barca, and also his last.

After the season ended, while the world's media were all hyping up which team Guardiola would coach next season, his entire family quietly boarded a plane and arrived in Bremen, a city in northwestern Germany.