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Atlético Madrid secured a 2-0 away victory against Real Betis, extending their winning streak to 9 games across all competitions.
Before Lance became famous, he always envied the glamorous football stars in the spotlight.
When he was a ball boy for Genk, the Genk first team won a league match.
The star player of the team was being interviewed by a local Flemish TV station.
Lance, only 10 years old, secretly watched from behind, filled with envy.
At that time, Kevin De Bruyne was already 16 years old, showing his talent in Genk's youth academy and having the opportunity to report to the first team.
Lance's eager gaze made De Bruyne tease him.
"Lance, if I become a star, I'll drag you along for interviews."
"No, it's more fun if I become a star myself."
"Oh? Then you'll have to wait a long time. Your small body can't play professional games, and you need to practise seriously."
"Who says? I can definitely become a big star!"
The 10-year-old Lance retorted stubbornly.
De Bruyne didn't continue to discourage Lance.
"Alright, alright, you're a big star."
Seven years later, Lance's childhood wish came true.
He scored two goals, earning the Man of the Match award for who knows how many times.
He was surrounded by enthusiastic reporters.
His eyes ached from the camera flashes, and his ears buzzed from the loud decibels at the scene.
Lance realised that being a superstar was also quite a headache.
"Yes, I'm very happy to get 3 points and continue to chase Barcelona. They are playing very well this year. Atlético Madrid must also grit its teeth and hold on. The title race is a long run; only those who last until the end are qualified to touch the trophy."
Lance was shirtless, holding his sweat-soaked jersey.
His 18-year-old body, with its eight-pack abs and bronze skin, was glistening.
Fitness is indeed one of the few things in the world where investment yields returns.
After two and a half years of training, Lance was gradually shedding the label of "physically weak."
Standing in front of the cameras, he was practically glowing.
The film crew from CCTV Sports Channel was not idle, quickly capturing this valuable footage.
Only Ma Fanshu was just there for the show.
It was just a documentary.
Whether an outside reporter came to Spain or not was irrelevant.
She had only got this opportunity from the station by persistently pestering Zhang Bin.
Watching Lance chat and laugh with reporters in fluent Spanish, then seamlessly switch to English to answer questions from BBC reporters, Ma Fanshu momentarily even forgot that he was just an 18-year-old kid.
How could an ordinary high school graduate be so outstanding?
Finally, the reporter interviews were over.
Lance casually wiped his sweat with his jersey, but the more he wiped, the more he sweated.
Just as he was about to head to the changing room, a fair, delicate arm reached out beside him, holding a few tissues with a hint of perfume.
"God Lance, wipe your sweat."
"Oh? Thank you."
Lance didn't stand on ceremony and quickly used them.
Ma Fanshu just smiled faintly, then naturally walked alongside him.
Uh... besides Chloe, and PR publicist Ms. Hannah Modell, Lance wasn't used to walking side-by-side with unfamiliar girls like this.
"I've seen you on tianxia football, you're a very good host."
Lance casually found a topic, not expecting any particular response, just wanting to prevent the atmosphere from becoming awkward.
"Really!!! Ahhh, you watch my show!"
"Huh?"
Such a big reaction?
Lance hadn't even tried hard, and he had already hit her sensitive spot.
"Yes, when I was a child, I also loved tianxia football. I've been following every episode for so many years."
Lance didn't know at first that when he was a child, he accidentally saw the episode of "Beckham's Shadow" on YouTube.
Beckham's departure from European football moved the young Lance to tears.
From then on, he never missed an episode, searching everywhere for resources if he couldn't find them, downloading recordings of tianxia football from Jiangcheng Football Network, though he didn't know if that forum still existed.
"I didn't expect you to pay so much attention even when abroad. Then I'll have to perform well in the future, so I don't disappoint God Lance... hehe."
Is this... a cutesy voice?
As he remembered, Ma Fanshu's voice wasn't like this.
She even deliberately acted cute.
"Go, go."
Lance, a man of few words, didn't know how to respond.
"By the way, God Lance, do you have time after the match?"
"Why?"
"I'd like to treat you to dinner..."
Ma Fanshu looked up, gazing at him prettily, her eyes direct and without any shyness.
Of course, if one looked closely, one could still discern some clues from her hands tightly clutching the hem of her long dress.
"...Uh, mainly because the documentary filming will inevitably bother you later. I also have some interview questions I'd like to go over with you beforehand. I wonder if that's possible..."
Lance didn't answer, just looked at her with a half-smile.
"On behalf of the programme team, or on behalf of yourself?"
Ma Fanshu's face reddened slightly.
"It's me who wants to treat you, okay? Please, on account of me being your fan."
Besides Chloe, she was the second girl to act coquettishly.
Her big eyes blinked, she pouted her small lips slightly, and gazed at him eagerly.
"No problem. I know a Spanish tapas bar here in Sevilla. Their tapas and paella are good. Their Iberian ham is exceptional, made from local Sevilla black pigs. You should try it."
Real Betis's club is in Sevilla.
The last time they played an away game against Sevilla, Lance and his teammates had gone there once, and he remembered it quite well.
It's fine for professional players to occasionally indulge in a treat, as long as it's within reasonable calorie limits.
Ma Fanshu hadn't expected Lance to agree so easily; she was so surprised she almost cried.
"That's great! Then let's exchange WeChat. I'll wait for you at the hotel later."
"Okay."
Lance didn't use WeChat often, but he had registered for it, mainly because his parents used it…
...
"Xiao Ma, you and God Lance seem to get along quite well."
"We just chatted a bit. God Lance is really nice... By the way, Brother Wang, if there's nothing else later, can I have a little free time?"
"Sure, we've finished all our filming for today. But be careful going out alone tonight. Do you want me and cameraman Old Zhao to accompany you for a stroll?"
"No need, Brother Wang, I have plans."
"Hmm, that's good. Be safe. And... it's good to have a good relationship with God Lance, Xiao Ma, keep it up."
In the hotel lobby, Wang Tao patted Ma Fanshu's shoulder, smiled meaningfully, and left.
Ma Fanshu just gave him a polite smile, then, once Wang Tao was far away, she disdainfully wiped her shoulder.
She navigated to Atlético Madrid's hotel using Google Maps, first going upstairs to her room to touch up her makeup, then changing into a more casual and sexy plain sleeveless dress.
Only then did she grab her small bag, put on her high heels, spray a bit of perfume before leaving, and head downstairs with anticipation towards Lance's hotel.
"Why does this feel like a date?"
Ma Fanshu laughed at herself.
It was just a simple dinner with an 18-year-old 'little brother'.
As a host, she had seen many grand occasions, yet at this moment, she was nervous…
...
"Lance! Over here!"
"You look quite beautiful in that outfit."
"Thank you for the compliment, hehehe... Lance, speaking of which, if we eat like this, won't we be caught by tabloid reporters? It wouldn't be good if your girlfriend misunderstood."
The two walked side by side on the street, Ma Fanshu chuckled playfully.
"I don't have a girlfriend, it's all rumours."
Lance paused slightly, deliberately using a Northeastern accent to tease.
"That's good. I thought that beautiful model from before was your girlfriend."
Chloe?
When he was in the Bundesliga, Lance and Chloe were indeed reported by the media.
It's just that each time they were on the verge of making a move, they couldn't break through that barrier.
Separated by distance, they could only chat online, and Lance wasn't sure what their relationship truly was.
However, he always felt that Ma Fanshu was a bit, how to put it... the modern term seemed to be "tea-like."
Yet, she handled it very well, making it impossible to dislike her.
As a typical Northeastern girl, Ma Fanshu was indeed very talkative.
During dinner, she mostly led the conversation, looking at him with admiring eyes, intentionally or unintentionally getting him to talk about his past highlight moments, including the astonishing battle against Barcelona and a few instances of 'arresting' Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ma Fanshu provided ample emotional value, making it difficult for Lance to consciously guard against her, and he inevitably fell into her trap.
From an Eastern aesthetic perspective, she was indeed quite beautiful; otherwise, she wouldn't have appeared on the Spring Festival Gala stage at such a young age, remembered by countless repressed fans.
With a beautiful woman accompanying him for dinner, conversation, and a walk, the night in Sevilla seemed to become quite lovely.
By the Puente de Isabel II, the scenery along the Alfonso XIII Canal was a quiet oasis amidst the hustle and bustle.
The flow of tourists and the lively Spanish chatter from the tapas bars by the river added a touch of everyday life to the area.
It was a completely different feeling from the last time he walked by the Rhine with Chloe.
"Hiss... it's a bit cold."
Ma Fanshu had deliberately worn a sleeveless dress today, and her arms were wrapped around herself, trembling slightly.
Sister, if you're cold, go back to the hotel!
The two had been walking for quite a whilst after dinner, and Lance wanted to go back and rest.
Seeing that this sister was in high spirits for chatting and walking, he didn't feel right about sending her away.
Ma Fanshu looked at Lance with puppy-dog eyes again, making him want to scratch his head.
Oh well, oh well.
Although it was a bit warm during the day in Spain in November, the temperature difference at night was still quite significant.
Don't let her catch a cold.
Lance unbuttoned his Armani sportswear jacket, which he endorsed, and draped it over Ma Fanshu.
"Lance, you're so warm! Whoever becomes your girlfriend will surely be very happy."
Ma Fanshu, whether intentionally or not, deliberately leant closer, her arm gently touching Lance's, and she lowered her head with a hint of shyness.
Even if Lance was a man of few words, he had a certain conviction.
Assuming he took her back to the hotel tonight and suggested going up for some red wine, there was a slight chance... she wouldn't refuse, right?