Not today.
Jin Hayes didn't accomplish anything that night, only managing a few kisses as the girl struggled. By the time their eyes were already hazy, Uncle Hans downstairs had already entered the house.
"No, I insist on seeing how they are."
"Anna, Jin?"
Pushing open the door, the two sat upright at the computer desk, watching a movie together—Pixar's animated film, Up. Hans's suspicious gaze lingered on them for several moments before Maria roughly pulled him away.
"Don't disturb them—Jin, Anna, carry on."
"But—"
After her parents left, Anna breathed a sigh of relief, playfully hitting Jin Hayes several times with her small fists.
"It's all your fault!"
Soon, Jin Hayes grabbed both her wrists, roughly pulling her in for a quick kiss.
"Hey!!"
This made Anna's face flush crimson. Fortunately, her parents were downstairs, so Jin Hayes couldn't do much, and the two simply finished watching Up together. The love between the old man Carl and his wife Ellie in the animation brought tears to Anna's eyes.
"Will we be like that someday?"
"Of course, Anna, of course."
In reality, Jin Hayes had originally planned to return to China immediately after the championship celebration. He already missed his parents terribly, missed his hometown's rice noodle rolls, double-skin milk, beef offal, pig trotters rice, white-cut chicken, beef stir-fried noodles, beef hotpot... However, some recent events forced Jin Hayes to stay in Dortmund.
Besides his birthday, there were also his high school final exams.
Jin Hayes had been busy with training and extra practice this season, leaving him with less and less time for tutoring. He couldn't even manage three days of tutoring per week. Fortunately, he seemed quite familiar with the knowledge taught in German high schools. Reading through the textbook once and doing the practice questions once was usually enough for him to grasp about seventy to eighty percent of the material.
Without any last-minute cramming, he achieved good results with almost no preparation for the exam. In the German grading system where 1.0 is the highest grade and 4.0 is the lowest passing grade, Jin Hayes scored a 1.8—considered "gut" (good), which is equivalent to a solid "good" in the traditional "excellent, good, average, poor" system.
If he continued to maintain this in his final year, keeping his grades strong and striving to break a 1.5 GPA, he could absolutely earn his Abitur certificate, gaining admission to prestigious German universities, or even top European universities. Therefore, his high school teachers and school leadership could completely allow Jin Hayes to take time off for training. After all, he was a professional player, and football was his priority. Such academic performance was already quite impressive for someone juggling a full professional career.
After the big hurdle of the final exams was cleared, Jin Hayes was also preparing for his move.
Fritz's cerebral infarction required someone to look after him. Hans was busy with his construction company and couldn't manage it on weekdays. Due to Fritz's condition requiring relatively expensive out-of-pocket medication, Maria also took over a cooked food stall in a nearby supermarket, selling her homemade sausages, cheese, fried chicken, and other foods daily.
The task of caring for Fritz could only be entrusted to Hans's older sister, the retired Lola. Jin Hayes had met her a few times at Heinrich family gatherings; she was a simple, hardworking German aunt. But there wasn't enough room upstairs. Frank had originally thought about moving out to live with his girlfriend, but their relationship had recently hit a snag, making it inconvenient for Frank to move out.
Jin Hayes had already been staying at the Heinrich's house for so long, he himself was already feeling quite awkward about it. Moreover, every time he and Anna were intimate, he had to be on edge, fearing Uncle Hans would discover them. The Heinrich family treated him like their own child, but it wasn't good for Jin Hayes to keep living there.
So, he simply found a high-end apartment closer to the city centre. A flat monthly rent of 1,000 euros, utilities self-paid, and basic furniture included, ready for immediate occupancy. Jin Hayes still remembered that when he said he wanted to move out last season, Anna had thrown a little tantrum. This time, when he brought up moving, she was happy to help Jin Hayes with the move.
It was Maria and Hans who were quite reluctant.
"Jin, why don't we kick Frank out, and you stay?"
"Yes, that Frank boy is almost 30, still not married, just messing around all the time. It's not proper for him to always live at home!"
Uncle Hans was exasperated. Frank pointed at his own nose: Meow meow meow? I'm still here! Is it really okay to curse me directly to my face?
Jin Hayes still insisted on moving out, not wanting to trouble the Heinrich family any further.
"Anyway, where I live isn't far, I'll come back to visit you whenever I have time. And I've always been part of the family."
That's certainly true. Suppose—suppose one day, he and Anna really ended up together. Saying he was a member of the Heinrich family would be perfectly fine.
"Alright, we'll miss you."
Before leaving, Jin Hayes couldn't avoid the classic ritual, being hugged so tightly by Hans and his wife that his ribs felt like they'd break. The couple would be sumo wrestlers in Japan, at least starting as Makuuchi rikishi.
With Anna's help in organizing and packing, Jin Hayes moved in the afternoon, and by dusk, the new apartment was already tidied up. Looking at the clean and spacious new house, and the girl busy wiping things down in the living room, Jin Hayes suddenly had a sense of déjà vu, like married life.
"Anna—"
"What?"
The girl turned her head, looking pretty and playful.
"Nothing."
"Crazy."
Anna rolled her eyes at him and continued to be busy. She tidied up Jin Hayes's new apartment with more care than she tidied her own room.
Jin Hayes had almost blurted it out just now. Proposing was still too early, and the timing wasn't right. What if the girl was afraid of commitment, afraid of deeper intimacy, and he scared her away? How old were they? Who knew what would happen in the future? Just enjoy the present, and that's it.
If the day for a proposal truly came a few years later, it would definitely be a carefully prepared, romantic scene. For instance, after he won the Ballon d'Or or his Nth Champions League trophy, proposing during the Champions League final award ceremony, in front of everyone. Or perhaps a more private setting, a quiet morning beach, saying those words with the sunrise over the sea; or something cliché, in a high-end restaurant with live music, asking the waiter to put a ring in a champagne glass—
But definitely not now. His professional career had just begun, and there were more championships waiting for him to win; he probably couldn't devote more energy to Anna.
After finishing up, the two ordered a pizza and watched German variety shows in front of the TV in the new house, snuggling together and enjoying their time alone until late at night, almost 11 PM. Anna looked at her watch and exclaimed, time had passed too quickly.
"Why don't you stay? I promise I won't do anything bad."
"I'd believe a ghost before I'd believe you!"
Anna gave Jin Hayes a charming glare, her soft voice having no destructive power. Last time in her own room, things almost got out of hand—let alone in Jin Hayes's new apartment, where he would be even more unrestrained.
Anna stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Jin Hayes's waist, gently pecking him on the cheek.
"Baby, today is too rushed. My dad is still waiting at home. If next time—never mind, it's nothing."
"Hey, don't 'never mind.' Finish your sentence. What about next time?"
Jin Hayes's breathing inevitably became heavier.
"Bad guy! I'm leaving."
Anna protested, pouting. The girl refused to bring up what she had just said, so Jin Hayes had no choice but to drive her home in his Lamborghini. The engine purred as they wound through the quiet Dortmund streets, the city lights reflecting off the polished hood. Anna sat in the passenger seat, her hand resting lightly on the gear shift, close to his. Neither spoke much—the comfortable silence between them said more than words could.
Sure enough, at the Heinrich family's doorstep, Uncle Hans was sitting on a lounge chair, enjoying a beer in the cool evening air. Drinking so late, he was clearly waiting for his precious daughter. Seeing Jin Hayes's car, the uncle finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"I thought you weren't coming back."
"Hmph!"
Anna glared unhappily at her unreliable father. Even if Hans was dull, he could tell that the two were definitely in love. He just wasn't sure exactly how far they had gone. As long as they didn't cross the final line, it was fine; if they secretly crossed it, he couldn't control it anyway. He just feared that one day, Anna would show up with a big chubby baby, which would make Hans's vision go black. His daughter, who usually had such strict upbringing, probably wouldn't go that far.
"Jin, come in and sit for a while?"
"No, I still need to pack my luggage to go back home tomorrow. Let's get together when I return."
"Alright, say hello to your parents for me."
At the mention of returning home, Anna's expression became a little wistful. She had originally agreed to go back with Jin Hayes and travel around. But her performance in the final exams this time was not good. Her usual modelling career, her relationship with Jin Hayes, and her over-investment in football matches had caused her grades to drop quite significantly. Aunt Maria was considering enrolling Anna in a tutoring class to study diligently for a period during the summer.
If Anna chose a regular Fachhochschule or a university preparatory course, she wouldn't need to be so obsessed with her grades. But if she wanted to get into a comprehensive university, a top-ranked university in Germany, her GPA would have to reach a high level of 1.5, or even 1.0. This was equivalent to a score for a second-tier university, needing to break through to a first-tier university within a year. Anna's academic pressure was still quite significant.
Not long ago, Jin Hayes had discussed this with Anna.
"If you continue down the modelling path in the future, you actually don't need to worry so much about your grades."
"No, modelling is only temporary."
"Then what is it you truly want to do? I remember you once said you wanted to try acting."
Jin Hayes had thought Anna wanted to pursue a career in entertainment and become an actress. She had a dance background, plus her outstanding looks, so entering the entertainment industry would be no problem at all. Or she could simply ride the wave of the mobile internet, and when the time was right, become an influencer, a popular Instagram blogger, and still live a very comfortable life.
"Jin, I might—don't laugh at me."
Anna hesitated slightly, as if her dream was a bit difficult to articulate.
"Silly girl, I won't laugh at you no matter what you do. Even if you become a homeless person, I'll put a bowl next to you and perform freestyle football."
"Get out of here!"
Anna laughed, playfully annoyed. The girl looked at Jin Hayes earnestly, with a hint of trepidation.
"Do you remember you said you hoped to launch your own brand someday, like David Beckham?"
"Yes, that's right."
"So I want to major in fashion design and fashion management at a prestigious university, preferably Central Saint Martins, London College of Fashion, or Marangoni in Italy—"
An unprecedented seriousness and conviction appeared on Anna's beautiful face.
"I hope to be involved in your own brand, so I need to get into these prestigious schools as soon as possible and graduate quickly."
Jin Hayes had not expected this answer at all. Anna's dream was actually related to him!
"Will you wait for me?" The girl lowered her head, a hint of anxiety in her heart. Jin Hayes had already achieved fame at a young age, and he might launch his own brand within the next two years. By then, Anna would still be in university, and she might not catch up.
"Silly girl, do you still need to worry about that?"
Jin Hayes pulled her slender body into his arms. Now, Jin Hayes, in the driver's seat of the Lamborghini, watched Anna's retreating figure contentedly. If he left for Germany tomorrow, the two would not see each other for a long time. This time, he had business activities in Germany and also needed to spend time with his family. Borussia Dortmund was also preparing for a pre-season tour of Asia, a commercial event aimed at the Chinese and Asian markets. If the schedule was truly confirmed, Jin Hayes might have to meet up with the team directly from China. By the time he returned to Germany, it would probably be at least until early August, just before the start of the Bundesliga season.
Not seeing Anna for two months, Jin Hayes felt a little reluctant, only wanting to stay there and quietly watch Anna's figure disappear. Perhaps sensing Jin Hayes's emotions, Anna suddenly stopped.
"Dad."
"What?"
"You go in first. I just remembered there's something I need to tell Jin."
"This—alright then."
Hans Heinrich sighed softly and walked into the house without looking back.
"My precious daughter is being stolen."
Anna could no longer hold back at this moment. She rushed to the driver's side window. Before Jin Hayes could even ask, the usually serene, nature-loving girl became like a ball of fire, actively leaning in and wildly pulling Jin Hayes's collar. Jin Hayes had no time to react before he felt a fervent kiss completely seize his soul.
When they finally broke apart, both were breathless. Anna's cheeks were flushed, her eyes shining with a mixture of boldness and shyness.
"Come back safe," she whispered. "And win everything. I'll be watching."
Jin Hayes cupped her face in his hands, his thumb brushing her cheek.
"I will. And when I lift that Champions League trophy, you'll be the first person I think of."
She smiled, that radiant smile that made his heart ache with joy.
"Goodnight, Jin."
"Goodnight, Anna."
She turned and walked to the door, pausing to wave before disappearing inside. Jin Hayes sat in the car for a long moment, watching the light flick on in her window. Then he started the engine and drove back to his new apartment, the taste of her kiss still on his lips.
The place felt empty without her. But it was his. Their future home, perhaps, one day. He lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, thinking about the season ahead. The Champions League final heartbreak. The promise he had made to the fans. The girl who believed in him more than anyone.