Homecoming in Glory

Just after leaving Lisbon Airport and heading west, Alvalade Stadium could be seen in the distance.

Su Dong sat by the window, gazing at the magnificent stadium in the distance.

The stadium had undergone renovations for the 2004 European Cup and now looked even grander.

But it also made Su Dong feel somewhat unfamiliar with it.

"This should be your first time coming back as an away player, right?" Pepe asked with a smile from the seat beside Su Dong.

Su Dong nodded. He had not spent very long at Sporting Lisbon—less time than Pepe, in fact—but it had been where he first entered the professional leagues. To him, it always held some special memories.

Especially his friendships with Rony, Pepe, and the others.

"I still remember clearly. Back then, I came to Portugal from China alone, and I took this very road. I could see Alvalade Stadium from far away, like a dormant giant. The person who tricked me was sitting in the taxi, pointing at the stadium and telling me that it was the best club in Portugal. At the time, I thought, 'Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could play here one day?'"

Su Dong spoke softly, and only Pepe could hear him clearly. The Portuguese center-back listened with rapt attention.

He could feel how complicated Su Dong's emotions were at that moment.

All these years, Su Dong had never returned to Sporting Lisbon. Even when he came back to Lisbon, he was unwilling to visit the club.

This club and this city held beautiful memories for him, but also painful ones he could barely bear to recall.

"The first time I entered this stadium, Rony gave me the ticket. I watched Jardel score during the match, with tens of thousands of people cheering for him. That