Chapter Summaries

After buying the De Bruyne Growth Template, Tang Ye trained his endurance with Mitchell van der Gaag and used Grealish's Lager to numb the pain. He kept up his daily exercise but arrived late to training, prompting Erik ten Hag to send him to the reserve team's cafeteria until he became punctual.

• Tang Ye bought the De Bruyne Growth Template, raising his overall rating to 66, but complained that the system had sold him a substitute for Oscar.
• Mitchell van der Gaag assigned Tang Ye endurance training, and Tang Ye used Grealish's Lager to complete the drills despite the intense workload.
• Tang Ye woke with sore calves, completed 300 sit-ups for three Comeback Points, and decided to save points for future endurance sessions.
• Tang Ye arrived late to training and told Erik ten Hag he had been doing core exercises, but Erik ten Hag rejected the excuse and sent him to the reserve team's cafeteria.

Tang Ye trained hard as Utrecht prepared to face Willem II, while Chinese fans complained online about Erik ten Hag barring him from the first-team cafeteria. Utrecht took a 2–0 halftime lead, and ten Hag sent Tang Ye on for the second half, telling him to play his own way.

• Tang Ye completed training drills, driven by anxiety over losing comeback points.
• A Dutch reporter's account of ten Hag barring Tang Ye from the first-team cafeteria spread online and angered Chinese fans.
• Streamer Wang Chao highlighted Tang Ye's place on Utrecht's bench as fans watched the match against Willem II.
• Haller scored a penalty in the seventeenth minute, and Amrabat later made a strong tackle during Willem II's attack.
• Haller's brace put Utrecht 2–0 ahead at halftime, and ten Hag told Tang Ye he would replace Ayoub in the second half.
• Tang Ye asked whether ten Hag meant for him not to walk, but ten Hag told him to play according to his own ideas.

Tang Ye entered for Utrecht at halftime and created a chance for Haller, who missed before scoring later from Tang Ye’s curved through ball. Utrecht remained 3:0 ahead, and Tang Ye earned five comeback points for the assist.

• Erik ten Hag brought Tang Ye on at the start of the second half with Utrecht leading Willem II 2:0.
• Tang Ye dribbled into the penalty area and laid the ball back to Haller, who shot over the bar and apologized for wasting the chance.
• Tang Ye and Amrabat pressed Falkenburg into a misplaced pass, and Van der Maarel and Ramselaar moved the ball forward to Tang Ye.
• Tang Ye sent a curved through ball between Wuytens and Peters, and the ball slowed in front of Haller.
• Haller scored his hat trick, celebrated with Tang Ye, and Tang Ye received five comeback points.

After Utrecht beat Willem II 3–0, Tang Ye explained his long pass by saying he wanted to avoid running and denied rumors that he had been barred from the first-team cafeteria. The next day, he trained while the rest of the team rested, then received a late-night meal from the first-team cafeteria and objected to its raw herring.

• Haller scored a hat trick as Utrecht defeated Willem II 3–0, and Ten Hag brought Tang Ye to the press conference.
• Tang Ye told reporters he had made the long pass to Haller because running upfield would have been tiring.
• When asked whether he had been banned from the first-team cafeteria, Tang Ye denied it after Ten Hag stepped on his foot under the table.
• The next day, van der Gaag put Tang Ye through strength-endurance training and noted that his physical metrics had improved.
• Van der Gaag gave Tang Ye a late-night meal from the first-team cafeteria, but Tang Ye complained that the herring was raw and asked for Chinese dishes instead.

Tang Ye improved his long passing during Utrecht training, while Erik ten Hag picked Amrabat for the Dutch Cup lineup and dismissed the idea of starting Tang Ye. Haller challenged that judgment by showing the coaches Tang Ye practicing passes alone after training.

• Tang Ye used Cristiano Ronaldo's broccoli boost to raise his De Bruyne Curved Through Ball proficiency as four of his twelve long passes reached the attacking third.
• Erik ten Hag ended training early ahead of the Dutch Cup match, and Tang Ye complained that he wanted to keep practicing.
• Erik ten Hag chose Amrabat over Ayoub for the starting lineup, treating the Dutch Cup as a chance to experiment.
• Haller asked Erik ten Hag whether he had considered starting Tang Ye, but Erik rejected the idea because Tang Ye was sixteen and supposedly lazy.
• Haller showed Erik ten Hag and Mitchell van der Gaag Tang Ye practicing simulated backfield passes alone and argued that the passes proved he could be a suitable midfielder.

Tang Ye trained through his fatigue, spent Comeback Points to unlock and buy Kanté's Hot Chocolate Milk, and used it to recover before the Dutch Cup match. Erik ten Hag named Tang Ye in the starting lineup, leaving him delighted and Amrabat scrambling to avoid their joking wager.

• Tang Ye's Curved Through Ball proficiency rose to 22, but he realized his passing success rate fell as his stamina ran low.
• Tang Ye spent 20 Comeback Points to unlock Kanté's Hot Chocolate Milk, then planned extra training before using it to restore his condition.
• Tang Ye trained ball control and dribbling, bought the milk with 10 points, and felt his muscles relax as it restored his condition.
• Tang Ye arrived punctually for the team's pre-match gathering, where Amrabat noticed his arms looked thicker.
• Erik ten Hag announced Amrabat and Tang Ye as starters, and Tang Ye rushed to collect on his joking wager with Amrabat.

Tang Ye earned enough Comeback Points to buy Jamie Vardy’s Red Bull and made his first start for Utrecht in the Dutch Cup against Sneek. As the match began, he prepared to prove himself on the pitch.

• Tang Ye discovered he had only three Comeback Points, completed his 120-push-up daily mission, and raised his balance to six.
• Wang Chao announced Tang Ye’s start during his livestream as Utrecht’s players, including Tang Ye, entered the pitch.
• Utrecht II players watched Tang Ye’s first-team start, while manager Merent said he was suited to the Eerste Divisie but still far from Eredivisie level.
• Haller reassured Tang Ye before kickoff, and Tang Ye bought Jamie Vardy’s Red Bull for the match.

Tang Ye tricked Gonzalez and Ramselaar before scoring Utrecht’s first goal against Sneek with a curled long-range shot. His goal earned him Contribution Points, while his reserve-team coaches and teammates reacted to his sudden success with the first team.

• Wang Chao announced Utrecht’s lineup and urged Tang Ye forward as Utrecht began the match against Sneek.
• Tang Ye feinted a pass to Ramselaar, slipped past Gonzalez, and sent a no-look switch to Nganioni on the left.
• Nganioni cut the ball back, and Tang Ye curled a shot into the top-right corner to give Utrecht a 1–0 lead in the 17th minute.
• Tang Ye received ten Contribution Points for scoring in his first start at age 37, then celebrated with Haller and Ramselaar.
• Merent complained that Tang Ye had become stronger with the first team and accused Erik of controlling him, vowing to save Tang.

Tang Ye continued to impress for Utrecht against Sneek, and after winning a penalty, he took it himself and scored his second goal. Utrecht led 3–0 as Tang Ye’s ankle pain eased.

• Tang Ye and Haller gave Utrecht a 2–0 halftime lead, while ten Hag urged Tang Ye to stay humble and work hard.
• Ayoub warmed up and came on as Utrecht sought to extend their lead in the second half.
• Utrecht continued to control the match, and Balazhit’s pass reached Tang Ye in the penalty area.
• Van der Veen stepped on Tang Ye’s ankle, and the referee awarded Utrecht a penalty.
• Haller offered Tang Ye the penalty, and Tang Ye scored to complete his brace and put Utrecht 3–0 ahead.

Utrecht beat Sneek 3-0, with Tang Ye scoring once and assisting once before being named Man of the Match. After Erik ten Hag defended making Tang eat with the reserve team by calling him passive in training, a reporter showed footage of Tang secretly doing push-ups, leaving Erik facing questions.

• Erik ten Hag substituted Tang Ye and Van der Maarel in the 75th minute as away fans cheered Tang.
• Utrecht held on to win 3-0, earning their first clean sheet of the season, and Tang celebrated with his teammates.
• Tang Ye earned an 8.6 rating and Man of the Match honors, then asked Erik ten Hag why he had no trophy.
• A reporter revealed that Tang Ye had set a Dutch Cup record for the shortest average distance covered per minute by a non-goalkeeper.
• Erik ten Hag said Tang ate with the reserve team because he was passive in training, but the reporter showed footage of Tang secretly doing push-ups.

After Utrecht’s cafeteria dispute became a public scandal, Tang Ye regained access to the first-team cafeteria and faced an upcoming investigation by the Dutch FA and Youth Protection Association. Over dinner, Haller and Balazhit suggested Tang Ye open a social media account, and he decided to give it a try.

• Dutch and Chinese fans criticized Erik ten Hag after reports claimed he had barred sixteen-year-old Tang Ye from eating with Utrecht’s first team.
• Erik ten Hag warned Tang Ye to speak carefully when officials from the Dutch FA and Youth Protection Association visited, and Tang Ye joked before agreeing to support his coach.
• Tang Ye returned to the first-team cafeteria and thanked Haller for letting him take his first penalty for Utrecht.
• Haller showed Tang Ye and Amrabat a photo from their match and suggested Tang Ye create an Instagram or Twitter account.
• Tang Ye considered using a social media account to connect with his Chinese fans and decided to try registering one.

Tang Ye created social media accounts, overslept and angered Erik ten Hag, then endured increased training as his coach tried to build his stamina. During a passing drill, Tang perfected his curved through ball and raised the skill to level three.

• Tang Ye failed to verify his Instagram account, registered on Weibo, and was mocked by a fan who refused to believe he was Tang Ye.
• Tang Ye overslept and arrived nearly two hours late to training, prompting Erik ten Hag to make him complete extra work that evening.
• Erik ten Hag asked Tulus to increase Tang Ye’s endurance training so the sixteen-year-old could run more, while Tulus warned against excessive physical strain.
• Tang Ye’s increased workload left him exhausted, and he spent Comeback Points on lager to ease the pain while realizing he needed match contributions to afford it.
• Tang Ye added backspin to a curved through ball during training, setting up Balazhit to score and advancing the skill from level two to level three.

Utrecht struggled after Erik ten Hag’s experimental formation let Cambuur pull a goal back, but Tang Ye entered as a substitute and helped steady the match. He missed a chance to set up another goal before scoring from a corner, leaving Utrecht ahead 3–1.

• Erik ten Hag started Utrecht in a 4-1-2-1-2, and Van der Maarel’s mistakes helped Cambuur cut the lead to 2–1.
• Tang Ye replaced Ayoub late in the first half but went into halftime without touching the ball.
• After the break, Tang Ye and Amrabat lost possession in a muddled sequence, but Tang Ye recovered and tackled the ball away from Ogbeche.
• Tang Ye won the ball on the right and sent a curved pass to Balazhit, whose header went over the crossbar.
• Tang Ye slipped into the penalty area during a corner and scored, extending Utrecht’s lead to 3–1.

After Utrecht defeated Cambuur 3:1, Tang Ye celebrated, enjoyed two days off, and received a call from football agent Boer. Zaka convinced Tang Ye that an agent could negotiate holiday clauses, so Tang Ye called Boer back.

• Tang Ye was drenched by Ramselaar, Balazhit, and Amrabat in the locker room before Erik ten Hag announced the team had earned a two-day holiday.
• Tang Ye splashed water over his teammates and ran out of the locker room.
• Tang Ye rejected his parents’ suggestion that he buy a house near the training base.
• Boer called Tang Ye to offer his services as a football agent, but Tang Ye hung up on him.
• Zaka explained that an agent could negotiate a better contract and more holidays, prompting Tang Ye to call Boer back.

Tang Ye considered and signed an agent contract with Boer, then continued training and impressing as a substitute for Utrecht. Despite scoring and assisting against Roda JC, he still could not earn a starting spot, and a fan video suggested Erik ten Hag feared making a sixteen-year-old the league’s youngest starter.

• Tang Ye met Boer for lunch, discussed a contract giving Boer 15% of his weekly wage, and said he needed time to consider it.
• Tang Ye later signed with Boer, negotiating that the contract would end if his weekly wage reached 10,000 euros.
• Tang Ye built his Comeback Points through matches and training, alternating between Broccoli sessions for his De Bruyne template and ball control.
• Tang Ye came on at halftime against SBV Excelsior and Roda JC as Utrecht recorded a draw and a win; he scored and assisted against Roda JC.
• Tang Ye asked Erik ten Hag when he would start, but ten Hag said it was not yet time.
• Tang Ye watched a Utrecht fan’s video arguing that ten Hag would not start him because no sixteen-year-old had ever started an Eredivisie match.

Tang Ye asked Erik ten Hag to let him start Utrecht’s match against Zwolle, and ten Hag made his chance conditional on arriving on time for three days. Tang Ye met the requirement, and Utrecht’s announced lineup showed him starting as a U17 player.

• Tang Ye asked Erik ten Hag whether he could start against Zwolle, arguing that he could play a full match.
• Erik ten Hag said Tang Ye could earn a chance by arriving on time for the next three days.
• Mitchell van der Gaag told Erik ten Hag that Tang Ye was ready to play and suggested Ayoub’s place in the lineup was the obstacle.
• Tang Ye arrived early for three consecutive days, then decided to wait for the lineup rather than plead again.
• Utrecht announced its starting lineup for the October 23 match, listing Tang Y (U17) in the forward line.

Tang Ye made his first start for Utrecht against Zwolle as both managers faced scrutiny over the decision. Utrecht took a 1–0 lead through Haller, but Van der Maarel was sent off in the second half, leaving Utrecht in trouble.

• Fans argued on Twitter over ten Hag starting the sixteen-year-old Tang Ye, while Zwolle manager Omond called the decision an insult and vowed his team would make Utrecht pay.
• Tang Ye bought Vardy's Red Bull, which required him to record at least one assist to break even on the purchase.
• Utrecht started in an attacking 4-3-1-2 formation, with Tang Ye at attacking midfield.
• In the 12th minute, Janssen and Ramselaar won the ball back from Marinus, and Utrecht counterattacked through Haller and Balazhit.
• Haller finished a one-two with Balazhit to give Utrecht a 1–0 lead, while Tang Ye had little involvement in the first half.
• In the 55th minute, Zwolle attacked down the flank, and Van der Maarel was shown a red card after a sliding tackle.

After Van der Maarel was sent off and Zwolle equalized, Tang Ye scored twice to lead ten-man Utrecht to a 3–1 victory. He deferred claiming his upgraded chest in hopes of improving it in the next match, while Erik ten Hag told reporters he had specifically started Tang to solve the team’s scoring problem.

• Van der Maarel received a straight red card, and Zwolle equalized from Brama’s free kick when Bell headed the ball into the net.
• Tang Ye intercepted Marinus’s pass, helped launch a counterattack, and scored from the edge of the box to put Utrecht back ahead.
• Tang Ye scored again with an outside-of-the-foot shot into the top-left corner, giving Utrecht a 3–1 lead despite having ten men.
• Tang Ye chose to defer claiming the Portugal Advanced Chest so it could potentially upgrade further if he scored or assisted in his next match.
• Utrecht defeated Zwolle 3–1, and Erik ten Hag told reporters he had deliberately started Tang Ye because he expected him to score.

Tang Ye won Player of the Match after scoring twice, received his first fan autograph request, and discovered the game had rated him in FIFA. Utrecht offered him a much higher-paying youth contract, but he reminded Charles that he had an agent.

• Tang Ye accepted the Player of the Match trophy and signed his jersey for a longtime Utrecht fan who called him a star.
• Tang Ye played FIFA alone, opened a player pack, and realized it contained his own character with an overall rating of 51.
• Charles told Tang Ye that Utrecht had prepared a new contract after Erik ten Hag proposed raising his wages.
• Tang Ye read the contract offering him 2,100 euros per week, then told Charles that he had an agent.

Tang Ye failed to secure extra days off but gained a higher weekly wage and a release clause in his Utrecht contract. He then pushed through extra training to raise his chances of starting the next Dutch Cup match to 99%.

• Boer told Tang Ye he could not negotiate more time off, but he had raised Tang Ye’s weekly wage to 2,600 euros and secured a 200,000-euro release clause.
• Boer explained that another club could pay the release clause to sign Tang Ye, and Tang Ye set a goal of reaching a 2.5-million-euro valuation before adulthood.
• With two days until Utrecht’s next Dutch Cup match, Tang Ye learned that scoring again could earn him a Portuguese Superstar Chest and sought a starting spot.
• Erik ten Hag tied Tang Ye’s starting chances to completing extra training drills, and Tang Ye raised his chances from 30% to 90%.
• Tang Ye insisted on continuing despite his exhaustion, completed a three-kilometer variable-pace run, and Erik ten Hag raised his starting chances to 99%.