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

(Love Line)

The shouts from the fans came from an area near the front of the east stand.

Yan Yuan subconsciously looked in the direction of the sound.

A group of young Chinese faces were excitedly waving carefully made Chinese support signs with words such as "Yan Shen" and "Imperial College is proud of you".

Their faces beamed with pure excitement and pride.

On a top-level stage in a foreign land, cheering for your favorite players and your fellow alumni.

Right there in that enthusiastic crowd.

Yan Yuan's gaze was like a precise radar, instantly capturing a familiar figure: Lin Jianwei.

She stood next to Su Yutong, also holding an English scarf in her hand.

With a faint smile on her face, slightly different from the frenzied atmosphere around her, and clear eyes, she was quietly watching him.

The moment his gaze met hers, Lin Jianwei seemed to pause slightly, then subconsciously turned her face away slightly.

A barely perceptible blush rose to the base of her ears.

Among the excited and jumping classmates, Lin Jianwei appeared somewhat quiet.

Yan Yuan also recalled everything.

The tired and vulnerable senior student by the riverside bench, the sharp-minded and aloof teaching assistant in the library, and now Lin Jianwei standing on the bleachers with a hint of shyness and quietness...

Several distinct images instantly overlapped in his mind.

The final image is of a quiet girl standing alone amidst the clamor of the fans.

In Yan Yuan's and Lin Jianwei's eyes,

Their image in each other's eyes is multifaceted.

"Marcus, Sterling, you two go ahead. I'll go check over there; there are some of my fans there," Yan Yuan said, pointing towards the east stand to Sterling and Rashford beside him.

"No problem, Yan! Enjoy the fans' love!" Rashford smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

Yan Yuan took a deep breath and adjusted his breathing.

A gentle, sunny smile returned to his face as he strode towards the stands belonging to the Chinese students at Imperial College London.

"Holy crap!!! Yan Shen is coming this way!!!"

"Yes, they're definitely coming this way!"

"Yan Shen! Look this way!!!"

As Yan Yuan approached, the cheers in that area instantly rose several octaves.

The international students were so excited they almost jumped for joy.

Su Yuqing screamed with excitement.

She shook Lin Jianwei's arm vigorously beside her.

"Weiwei! Weiwei! He's coming! He's really coming! Oh my god!"

Lin Jianwei swayed slightly as Su Yuqing shook her, and she subconsciously looked up, only to meet Yan Yuan's gaze.

His eyes were clear, bright, and filled with a smile.

Lin Jianwei's heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks instantly felt as hot as if they had been burned.

Almost reflexively, she lowered her head again, her fingers unconsciously twisting the edge of the scarf, as if trying to hide herself in that red.

Yan Yuan, who had been so composed and radiant on the field just moments before, was now standing just a few meters away, making her feel utterly helpless.

Yan Yuan walked to the guardrail at the edge of the stands and waved to the enthusiastic international students with a smile.

"Thank you everyone! Thank you for coming to watch the game!" His voice came through the noise, carrying the clear and sincere tone unique to young people.

"Master Yan! Please sign your name!"

"Master Yan! Let's take a picture together!"

"Yan Shen! You were amazing just now! That outside of your foot was incredible!"

Fans handed out jerseys, scarves, hats, and even phone cases...

Yan Yuan accepted all who came.

He patiently accepted each item, carefully signed his name, and sometimes asked a question.

Was the traffic congestion on your way here today?

Yan Yuan's signature movements were fluid and focused, without the slightest hint of impatience.

He readily agreed to all requests for photos, even posing as requested by the fans, always with a warm smile on his face.

"Dude, you got a great spot! Can you see clearly?" Yan Yuan said with a smile in Chinese as he signed a jersey for a Chinese guy.

"I understand, I understand perfectly! Yan Shen, you were so cool when you passed Kovacic! You were like a butterfly flitting through flowers!" the boy replied excitedly.

"Haha, not bad, not bad. It's just that he lunged too hard." Yan Yuan replied with a smile, his tone relaxed and natural, without any airs of a star player.

Su Yutong also took the opportunity to hand over her scarf.

"Yan Shen! Can I get your autograph? I'm your senior too, from the Finance Department at Imperial College London."

Yan Yuan smiled and accepted it: "Okay, hello senior! Thank you for your support!" He signed his name neatly.

After signing Su Yutong's scarf, Yan Yuan's gaze naturally fell on the girl next to her who kept her head down and tried to make herself as inconspicuous as possible.

What happened?

Why does it feel like my senior is avoiding me?

Lin Jianwei could feel that gaze falling on her, and her heart was pounding like a drum, almost bursting out of her chest.

She now wishes she could bury her head in the ground like an ostrich.

Su Yutong gently nudged her with her elbow and whispered encouragement.

"Weiwei! Hurry! This is a rare opportunity!"

Lin Jianwei took a deep breath, as if gathering all her courage, and finally slowly raised her head.

Her cheeks were as red as ripe apples, and her eyes were filled with a hint of panic and shyness. She dared not look Yan Yuan in the eye for too long, and only murmured softly.

"I...I don't need it anymore..." Her voice was barely audible.

Yan Yuan looked at her like this, and the smile in his eyes deepened.

He spoke first, his voice gentle.

"Senior, do you need an autograph? You're a teaching assistant for our department professor, I can write you a signature."

His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly pierced through the surrounding noise and reached Lin Jianwei's ears, as well as the ears of all the international students around him.

For a moment, the surroundings seemed to fall silent, followed by a chorus of envious gasps.

Wow! Sign up!

"Strictness really does treat the teaching assistant differently!"

"Weiwei! Say yes!"

Lin Jianwei was completely stunned.

She didn't expect Yan Yuan to be so proactive, and she certainly didn't expect him to specifically mention that she was "the professor's teaching assistant" in front of so many people.

This was actually a reason that Yan Yuan came up with on a whim, although he didn't know why his senior would come to watch his match today.

However, he certainly couldn't make her feel embarrassed, so using his position as a teaching assistant to offer to write a signature was the most appropriate thing to do.

After all, he was a teaching assistant. Strictly speaking, Yan Yuan was still Lin Jianwei's "student".

It's not unreasonable for a student to give their teacher a signed autograph.

Looking at Yan Yuan's outstretched hand and his gentle, encouraging gaze, Lin Jianwei felt her slight reserve and panic dissipate in a warm current.

She gently bit her lower lip and finally reached out her hand.

With a slight tremor, she took off the red English scarf from her neck and carefully handed it over.

The scarf still retained the warmth of her body.

Yan Yuan took the scarf, and his fingertips inadvertently touched her slightly cool fingertips, causing them both to pause slightly in surprise.

Yan Yuan quickly regained his composure, picked up his pen, and began to write earnestly in the blank corner of the scarf.

He didn't write a simple signature, but a line of flowing, beautiful English cursive:

To my brilliant & inspiring TA, Lin Jianwei: Keep shining! Best wishes, Yan Yuan.

(To my brilliant and inspiring teaching assistant, Lin Jianwei: Keep shining! Best wishes, Yan Yuan.)

After finishing writing, he even drew a small star symbol at the end.

He looked up, handed the scarf back to Lin Jianwei, and said with a smile, "It's finished, senior."

Lin Jianwei took the scarf, her fingertips touching the line of English text still warm with ink, her heart pounding so hard she could hardly breathe.

As she looked at the words "brilliant & inspiring," a blush spread from her cheeks to her ears.

She tried to remain calm and said in a low voice.

"Thanks……"

The voice was still very soft, but it carried a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.

"Yan Yuan, could you give me an autograph too?"

"Yan Shen is so devoted to his fans!"

"Weiwei, I'm so envious!"

The surrounding male and female classmates started to cheer, their envy evident in their expressions.

Yan Yuan smiled and chatted with everyone for a few more minutes, fulfilling a few final requests for autographs and photos, before waving goodbye.

"Thank you everyone! I have to get back to the team! See you next time!"

Goodbye, Yan Shen!

Good luck in the next game!

"We will continue to support you!"

Amid cheers and farewells from the international students, Yan Yuan turned and ran towards his teammates.

He walked briskly, with a relaxed and cheerful smile on his face, as if he had been relieved of the burden of the competition and was in an exceptionally good mood.

However, Yan Yuan underestimated his influence as a rising star, and also underestimated the media's keenness in capturing news.

Just as he took Lin Jianwei's scarf and bent down to write his signature, countless media outlets on the sidelines had already aimed their telephoto lenses at them.

Especially the photo of him with his head slightly bowed, writing intently, while Lin Jianwei stands on the platform, her cheeks flushed, her eyes filled with a mix of panic and anticipation as she looks at him.

It was captured clearly!

……

That evening, the photo went viral, dominating the headlines of major sports media outlets.

The Sun's front page featured a large photograph with the eye-catching headline: "New Romance Exposed? Yan Yuan Gazes Affectionately at Mysterious Eastern Beauty at Wembley Stadium!" The article vividly described how Yan Yuan deliberately walked towards the Chinese students' section, how he paid special attention to a girl with a "cool temperament and outstanding appearance," how he personally took her scarf and wrote a "special message," and how it implied that their relationship was extraordinary.

The Daily Mail, however, was more cautious: "Yan Yuan's heartwarming post-match interaction! Imperial College alumni receive special autographs from the school's star player!" The article pointed out that the girl in the photo is Yan Yuan's senior at Imperial College, who is also a teaching assistant; the two are alumni. Furthermore, Yan Yuan is known for his friendliness towards fans, especially Chinese fans, and this interaction was nothing special. However, it also acknowledged that Yan Yuan's focused expression and the girl's shy reaction did indeed spark speculation.

Social media exploded with discussion.

"Oh my god! Yan Shen is in love? His girlfriend is so beautiful! Her temperament is amazing!"

"What girlfriend?! She's a senior from Imperial College London! A teaching assistant! A goddess-level academic genius!"

"Yan Shen's gaze towards her is so gentle! I'm so excited!"

"It was just a normal interaction, right? Yan Shen has always been very kind to the fans."

"This senior's aura is absolutely stunning! She and Yan Shen look strangely well-matched!"

"I'm heartbroken! But if it's this senior, I'll accept it!"

"Yan Shen is only 18! His career is on the rise! Don't date yet!"

Various speculations, blessings, lamentations, and analyses abound.

On the bus back to the hotel, Yan Yuan saw the overwhelming news and discussions on his phone.

He frowned slightly, his finger tracing the photo that had been repeatedly reproduced.

In the photo, Yan Yuan is signing autographs with his head down, looking focused, while Lin Jianwei in the stands has a slightly flushed face and doesn't dare to look at him either.

Yan Yuan's lips unconsciously curved into a slight smile.

He did not respond to this matter tonight, nor did he make any clarification.

He simply turned off his phone screen calmly, gazed at the dazzling London night view outside the window, his eyes deep and unwavering.

Back in my hotel room, I finished washing up.

Yan Yuan leaned against the headboard, holding his phone in his hand, the screen displaying Lin Jianwei's profile picture.

The two of them haven't chatted online for a long time.

He hesitated for a moment, but finally opened the chat box.

[Yan Yuan: Senior, are you asleep?]

Messages are replied to almost instantly.

[Lin Jianwei: Not yet, just got back to the dorm. Congratulations on winning today's match, you played great!]

Looking at those words, Yan Yuan could almost picture her holding her phone, trying to stay calm.

He smiled and tapped his fingers on the screen.

[Yan Yuan: Thank you, senior. It was quite a surprise to see you at Wembley today, but I remember you don't seem to like football?]

On the other side of the screen, Lin Jianwei was sitting on her bed in her apartment, hugging her knees.

She carefully folded the signed scarf and placed it beside her.

Upon seeing Yan Yuan's message, her heart began to race uncontrollably again.

She carefully considered her words, but ultimately swallowed back her true feelings of "wanting to see you play football," and replaced them with the more reasonable excuse of "I'm too embarrassed to refuse a friend."

[Lin Jianwei: Um... My friends invited me to go, they were all very enthusiastic, and I felt bad refusing.]

After sending it, Lin Jianwei bit her lip in annoyance.

That reason... is really lame.

Yan Yuan looked at the reply and couldn't help but chuckle.

He could picture her embarrassed state at that moment.

He continued typing.

[Yan Yuan: I see. Looks like I have to thank your friends, otherwise we wouldn't have seen you here to support us.]

Lin Jianwei: ... (covering her face emoji)

[Yan Yuan: If my senior comes to watch my competition again next time, please let me know in advance.]

Lin Jianwei's heart skipped a beat!

What...what does he mean by that?

[Yan Yuan: I'll get you the best seats. Great view, clear visibility.]

boom--!

Lin Jianwei felt a surge of heat rise to his head.

My cheeks were so hot I could fry an egg on them.

She stared at the line of text on the screen, her mind blank.

Is he...is he inviting me?

Best seats?

Did he do this especially for me?

This...this is too...

She frantically tried to throw her phone away, but couldn't bear to look away.

She suddenly buried her face in the soft blankets.

Thankfully, she had a blanket, so now she could finally bury her head in the sand like an ostrich.

What should I do?

How should I reply?

Agree? Refuse? Neither seems right...

After a long while, she finally managed to lift her head from under the covers, her cheeks still flushed. Her fingers trembled as she picked up her phone and, almost with her eyes closed, quickly typed a line of text.

[Lin Jianwei: Um... thank you, but it's too much trouble for you. I wish you all the best in your next away game in Spain.]

send.

Then she immediately placed her phone screen-down on the table, as if it were a hot potato.

She buried her face in the pillow again, her heart still pounding.

Oh no, this reply is so official and stiff!

What did I reply with?

...

Yan Yuan's smile deepened as he read the reply, which clearly showed panic and an attempt to change the subject.

He could roughly imagine Lin Jianwei blushing and looking flustered on the other side of the screen.

Yan Yuan didn't press the matter further; he knew when to stop and kept things within reasonable limits.

Then, I simply replied with:

[Yan Yuan: Okay, thank you for your blessings, senior. It's getting late, time to rest. Goodnight.]

After replying, Yan Yuan stopped looking at his phone.

I don't know how well Lin Jianwei slept tonight, but Yan Yuan's sleep quality must have been good.