Chapter Three: Seven Minutes, Seventy Million

When Lin Ye first sat on a professional bench, Harbor United were already two goals down. In the eighty-first minute, the home stand began booing the manager. Beside the tunnel, Van der Veer told Lu, “Don't expect him to play. We only needed another name on the sheet.” The starting right winger grabbed his thigh and went down. The manager surveyed the bench and fixed on Lin. “Warm up. One job: run along the line.” Before standing, Lin looked at Lu. Lu had never told him about the Champions League vision. He raised one finger: watch the fullback's first step. Lin entered in the eighty-fourth minute. His first touch was stolen. His second became a cross into the stands. Laughter fell from the terraces like broken glass.