After Paris Saint-Germain was removed from the list, I led England to victory!

London, Kearney training ground.

Today, there is one week left until the Premier League opener.

Arsenal's players are training methodically, mainly focusing on recovery exercises and maintaining their form. The pace isn't too fast, but everyone is very focused.

Yan Yuan had just finished a set of sprint shuttle runs, and sweat dripped from his chin onto his bright green training vest.

He walked to the sidelines, unscrewed a bottle of water, tilted his head back, and gulped it down. The cool water instantly washed away the burning sensation in his throat.

The sun was quite strong, and he squinted as he watched his teammates still making small-scale passing and cutting plays on the field.

"Yan!" A gentle but clear voice rang out.

Yan Yuan looked in the direction of the voice and saw Professor Wenger.

The old man, dressed in his training uniform, stood under a sunshade not far from the sidelines, holding a tactical board and several pages of densely written paper, waving at him.

Yan Yuan quickly tightened the bottle cap and jogged over.

"Coming right away, Professor."

With his signature wise smile on his face, Wenger moved the tactical board in his hand closer to Yan Yuan.

"Hey, take a look at this for me. During a break from training, I'm thinking about a few passing options when facing high pressure at the start of the new season. I'd like to hear your thoughts."

The professor's eyes held both a sense of examination and a hint of nurturing.

He knew Yan Yuan had high basketball IQ, so he was willing to guide Yan Yuan to think about deeper things.

Yan Yuan moved closer, his gaze sweeping over the player positions represented by different colored magnetic blocks and the running routes indicated by arrows on the tactics board.

He observed very carefully, and after a few minutes...

Yan Yuan subconsciously tapped a spot with his finger:

"Professor, here, if the defensive midfielder is double-teamed by the opponent, and the full-back tucks in to receive the ball, could the winger try to drop deeper, forming a local triangle? This way, after the winger receives the ball, he can quickly pass it to the midfielder who has dropped deeper," he pointed to the red tile representing his position.

"Or perhaps we could try to exploit the space to get past their pressing full-back and attack behind them?"

Wenger listened attentively, his eyes behind his glasses lighting up: "Okay, continue."

"I think the key is timing and tacit understanding." Yan Yuan spoke slowly but clearly.

"Wingers must be decisive in dropping back without hesitation. At the same time, midfielders who are supporting the ball, such as myself or Odegaard, must anticipate the situation and move quickly to create an angle for receiving the ball."

In this way, if the opponent's high press fails, our counter-attack speed can be increased. The risk lies in the gaps on the flanks after the wingers drop back, requiring strong defensive awareness from the center-backs and the other full-back.

Yan Yuan then pointed to the defensive line, "If the opponent's winger cuts too deep inside, our center-backs and the full-backs on the other side need to quickly cover for them."

Wenger's smile deepened; it was a pure, gratifying discovery of a rough gem shining brightly after careful polishing.

"Very good, Yan. Your observation skills are indeed very sharp, and your considerations are very thorough. This dynamic shift in receiving points is indeed one of the effective means to break high-pressing. The key lies in the tacit understanding between players and the decisiveness in execution. You have hit the nail on the head."

He patted Yan Yuan on the shoulder approvingly.

"Your spatial awareness and tactical understanding are far beyond your years."

Yan Yuan was a little embarrassed by the praise, lowered his head slightly, then raised it again and said sincerely:

"Professor, actually, many of my understandings about formation changes and transitions between offense and defense, especially quick decision-making during counter-attacks, came from the guidance of Coach Nagelsmann when I was at Hoffenheim. I learned a lot from him."

Yan Yuan mentioned his former mentor.

Wenger nodded, his eyes revealing respect for his colleague.

"Julian Nagelsmann, yes, he is an imaginative and talented coach, very young, yet with a mature tactical mind. Training under him will definitely be an invaluable experience for you."

The professor then changed the subject, adopting a more approachable tone and beginning a casual conversation.

"By the way, Yan, I remember your father mentioned something when he came to the club to discuss contract details..."

Yan Yuan was engrossed in the tactical discussion when the professor suddenly asked him this question, leaving him somewhat bewildered:

"Hmm? Professor, what did my dad say?"

Wenger pushed up his glasses, a mischievous smile curving his lips, his tone as relaxed as if he were discussing the weather.

"He seemed to be saying that you... haven't gotten your driver's license yet, right?" The professor deliberately slowed down his speech.

[Yan Yuan: So everyone knew I didn't get my driver's license?]

"Uh..." Yan Yuan's ears turned red instantly.

He never expected that after discussing profound tactics, the professor would suddenly throw out such a down-to-earth, even somewhat "socially awkward" question.

He subconsciously scratched the back of his head, and the various routes on the tactics board instantly blurred, leaving him with only a big sense of embarrassment.

"Uh... Professor... this... um..." He was speechless for a moment, feeling as if the air around him had gotten several degrees hotter.

Wenger looked at the superstar who had dominated the field, won the Golden Boot, and was worth 3 million, but now looked as uneasy as a student caught doing something wrong by his teacher. His embarrassed appearance was really funny.

The professor couldn't help but laugh out loud, a gentle laugh that carried the pleasant joy of an elder successfully teasing a younger person.

"Haha...it seems your father was right. Son, living in London without a driver's license isn't very convenient, especially since you're in school."

The professor pointed to the gate of the Kearney training ground in the distance.

"Our base is neither too far nor too close to Imperial College London. It takes about half an hour to drive there. Your university starts in September. You can't exactly run there on your 'golden boots,' can you? Taking a taxi is unsafe, and taking the bus is too slow. Driving is the most practical option."

Hearing the professor say this, Yan Yuan's face turned red, and he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

While in Hoffenheim, he lived in the club's apartments and attended schools near the training ground, so he didn't need a car and didn't get a driver's license.

After transferring to Arsenal, he was involved in the World Cup, various commercial activities, and his mind was full of training and integrating into the new team.

Because he was too busy, Yan Yuan completely forgot about taking the driver's license test.

His dad had mentioned it to him once before, but he wanted to wait a little longer.

Now look what's happened! The professor has pointed it out to me, right after we finished discussing tactics.

"I understand, Professor!" Yan Yuan quickly replied, his voice even lowering a few decibels. "I'll register in the next couple of days, really, I promise!"

"Before the new season starts, I'll finish my theory test! And before school starts in September, I absolutely, positively will get my driver's license! I definitely won't miss training or school!"

He used "definitely" several times, his tone resolute, in an attempt to save face.

Seeing his confident yet incredibly embarrassed expression, Wenger found it even more amusing.

He suppressed a laugh and nodded, feigning seriousness.

"Hmm, that's more like it. Young man, you need to be more organized and your life skills need to keep up with your ball skills. I'll remember your promise."

He deliberately kept a straight face, but the smile in the corner of his eye was hard to hide.

"Yes, Professor! I guarantee I'll complete the mission!" Yan Yuan immediately straightened his back, almost saluting.

"Alright, alright, go on, continue training." Wenger waved his hand with a smile.

Yan Yuan felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He quickly turned around and jogged back to the training ground, his steps a little unsteady. He felt that his teammates' eyes were filled with smiles.

In the following training sessions, he worked exceptionally hard, seemingly trying to wash away the "embarrassment" from earlier with sweat.

……

Yan Yuan's ability to take action is truly remarkable.

After returning home from training that day, he immediately went online to search for the process and information about the English driving license test.

Looking at the questions about traffic rules, road signs, and safety knowledge, he felt a bit overwhelmed. It seemed even more tedious than memorizing the opposing defenders' running habits.

But he is a man of his word, and he especially doesn't want to break his promise to Professor Wenger.

He immediately registered online for the next theory exam.

Luckily, there's an exam in two days at a test center in central London.

During training the next day, Yan Yuan took the opportunity to report to Professor Wenger.

"Coach, I've registered. The theory test is the day after tomorrow afternoon."

Wenger was instructing his players on their positioning for set pieces when he heard this. He turned around, his eyes filled with a smile and approval.

"Oh? Very efficient." The professor thought for a moment, then waved to a coaching assistant who was organizing equipment on the sidelines.

"David, after training the day after tomorrow afternoon, drive Yan to take his driver's license theory test."

The assistant, named David, was a burly man in his thirties. Upon hearing the professor's instructions, he immediately responded with a smile.

"No problem, Professor! I guarantee to get our top scorer safely to the exam hall!" He turned to Yan Yuan and gave him a thumbs-up. "Go for it, Yan, try your best to pass on the first try!"

Yan Yuan was surprised that the professor had specially arranged for someone to take him home. A warm feeling welled up in his heart, and he quickly thanked him.

"Thank you, Professor. Thank you, Mr. David!"

Wenger waved his hand, his gaze returning to the field.

"Focus on the exam, don't be nervous. I believe that with your intelligence, this will be a piece of cake."

On the afternoon of the exam, as soon as training ended, Yan Yuan quickly took a shower and changed into casual clothes, only to find David already waiting for him in his car.

"Ready, Yan?" David opened the car door and laughed heartily.

"I can't wait," Yan Yuan took a deep breath and sat in the passenger seat. "I already got full marks on the questions last night, so there shouldn't be any problems."

David laughed and started the car.

"That's fine. Rules are rules, just remember them. Your anticipation and decision-making are so quick when you're playing, these traffic rules are a piece of cake for you. Just think of it as analyzing a game video, only the opponents are traffic lights and road signs instead."

David's analogy was very down-to-earth, which made Yan Yuan relax a lot.

The car drove smoothly into the city.

David was very talkative, chatting about the prospects for the new season, the traffic situation in London, and which route to Imperial College was the best.

He also shared some embarrassing stories about his own driving test years ago, which successfully dispelled most of Yan Yuan's nervousness.

"Remember, Yan, when you see a red warning sign with an inverted triangle, it usually means you should 'give way' or there is danger ahead; a round blue sign usually means an instruction that must be obeyed..." David gave Yan Yuan a final "pre-exam cram" while driving.

Soon, the car stopped at the entrance of the examination center.

This is an ordinary-looking building. There are already quite a few people coming and going at the entrance, mostly young people, but also a few middle-aged and elderly people, all with varying degrees of tension on their faces.

"Go on, kid!" David patted Yan Yuan on the shoulder. "Relax and just do your best. I'll be waiting for you in the parking lot. You'll see the car as soon as you come out after the test."

"Thank you, sir," Yan Yuan said again, opened the car door, took a deep breath of the air mixed with car exhaust and city smells, and strode into the examination center.

Register, verify identity, and store bag.

The process was simpler than he had imagined.

He was led into a spacious and bright computer room, where dozens of computers were neatly arranged and spaced apart.

The air was filled with a sense of stillness and a faint smell of electronic devices.

Find your seat number, sit down, and enter your admission ticket number.

The screen lit up, displaying a simple user guide. Yan Yuan read it carefully, his heart racing involuntarily. He moved his fingers to calm himself down.

Click the "Start Exam" button.

A series of questions popped up on the screen: the meaning of speed limit signs, precautions for braking on slippery roads, pedestrians' right-of-way at crosswalks, what lights to use in foggy weather, and which side of the road to yield to at roundabouts...

Yan Yuan held his breath and concentrated, his brain working at lightning speed.

He was glad that he had studied hard enough in the past two days, and those dry words and symbols were still clear in his mind.

He read the questions very carefully, not daring to be careless in the slightest, just like interpreting every subtle movement of the opposing defender on the field.

Some questions require common sense judgment, such as how to handle an emergency vehicle honking its horn, which is natural for him.

Some things require precise memorization, such as the maximum speed limit for a specific road.

Time passed second by second.

The only sounds in the computer room were the soft clicking of the mouse and the tapping of the keyboard.

After Yan Yuan finished the last question, a confirmation prompt appeared on the screen. After checking it one last time, he clicked submit.

After a short wait, his exam results popped up on the screen:

【Theory Test Result: PASSED】

A clear and eye-catching green "PASSED" sign!

Yan Yuan felt a sudden sense of relief, and a surge of immense joy rushed to his head, almost making him jump up from his chair and cheer.

He suppressed his excitement, a broad, relieved smile spreading across his face. He clenched his fist tightly and whispered to himself, "Yes!"

Yan Yuan walked out of the server room, retrieved his belongings, and his steps were unusually light.

He practically ran out. David was leaning against the car door scrolling through his phone when he saw Yan Yuan's smile and immediately smiled too.

"Judging from that expression, I know it's a sure thing," David said, stepping forward.

"You passed!" Yan Yuan's voice was filled with excitement and pride as he handed the printed transcript to David. "Passed on the first try!"

David took the report card, looked at the green "Passed" on it, and happily patted Yan Yuan on the back:

"Well done! I knew you could do it! Haha, congratulations, Yan! Now the professor can rest assured, you're the future 'veteran'!"

They both laughed, and the atmosphere became relaxed and pleasant.

On the way back, David's car stereo was playing upbeat pop music.

Yan Yuan looked out the window at the London street scene rushing by, examining the city for the first time with the eyes of someone who was about to obtain a driver's license.

The road signs, traffic lights, and endless stream of cars all seemed to become more familiar and tangible.

He is no longer just a passenger who can only sit in the front passenger seat or the back seat.

As the car drove back to the Kearney training ground, the golden rays of the setting sun bathed the training field, turning the grass into a warm orange-yellow hue.

Most of the players and staff had already left, and the parking lot appeared quite empty.

Just as Yan Yuan was about to get out of the car, David seemed to remember something, took out his phone and said, "Wait, I need to send a message to the professor to share the good news. He specifically told me to tell him the results as soon as I finished the exam."

He quickly typed a short message: "Professor, mission accomplished! Yan passed the theory exam smoothly, all done on the first try!"

Almost immediately, David's phone beeped with a text message notification.

He glanced at it, then smiled and turned the phone screen towards Yan Yuan: "Look."

Professor Wenger's concise reply was displayed on the screen:

"Excellent news. Well done, Yan. Drive safely firstly forever."

(Great news, well done, strict, always remember that safe driving comes first.)

Looking at the few short words, Yan Yuan could almost picture the familiar, approving, and gratified smile on the professor's face when he saw the message.

This care is more like the concern and encouragement of a kind elder for a younger generation.

"It seems the professor really cares about you," David said sincerely, putting away his phone.

He pushed open the car door and got out. The evening breeze carried a slight coolness, which felt particularly comfortable on his face.

He turned to David and said sincerely:

"Mr. David, thank you so much for your ride today."

"Don't mention it, young man, it's nothing." David waved his hand. "Go back now, you can have a small celebration. Good luck on your road test. Once you get your license, everyone will definitely want to hitch a ride with you."

Yan Yuan smiled and said goodbye, watching David's car drive away from the parking lot.

He turned and looked at the familiar training ground bathed in the setting sun.

Next week, the new season will kick off, and he will wear Arsenal's number 7 jersey and embark on his true Premier League journey.