A knock at the door woke Chen Yu.
Staring blankly at the ceiling for a moment, Chen Yu finally got out of bed.
"Coming."
Chen Yu opened the door to find Landon Donovan standing outside. Seeing Chen Yu’s tired expression and constant yawning, Donovan’s own excitement immediately vanished. He asked cautiously, "Dr. Chen, did I disturb your rest?"
"No."
Chen Yu glanced at the wall clock in the lounge. It was already nine in the morning.
Besides, he had several new messages on his phone. His guests would be arriving soon.
"Right, what are you here for? Do you need something?" Chen Yu asked, snapping back to the present.
Donovan said excitedly, "Dr. Chen, did you forget? Today is a training day! Mr. Ronaldo is all ready, and he asked me to come get you."
"It’s not a training day," Chen Yu corrected Donovan’s wording. "It’s Ronnie’s first on-the-ball rehabilitation session. Alright, wait for me for a minute."
Chen Yu turned and went into the bathroom to wash up.
A quick shower refreshed him considerably. He changed into a clean white coat and led Donovan toward the field.
He had performed two extra surgeries yesterday and didn’t get to rest until very late.
In truth, all the necessary surgeries were done for now, so there was no urgent need for Treatment Effects.
Still, you could never have too many Treatment Effects. It was always good to have some in reserve.
As for the field, Chen Yu had a section of the clinic’s grounds cleared and a soccer pitch built specifically for this purpose.
With so many soccer-related patients, it was bound to come in handy.
Even the basketball court was being expanded.
"Dr. Chen, aren’t we going to the field?" Donovan noticed that Chen Yu wasn’t heading in that direction.
Chen Yu said, "We have to pick someone up first."
Today was August 15th.
It had been half a year since Ronaldo’s surgery.
Meanwhile, the Serie A season was set to start in ten days, which meant that all the teams had already assembled.
Considering that and the fact that this was Ronaldo’s first on-the-ball training after six months of recovery, Moratti, the owner of Inter, planned to come in person to see how his favorite player was doing.
He had already left the airport and had just sent a message saying he would arrive shortly.
Just as they walked out of the medical center, Moratti’s car arrived at the clinic.
There were quite a few people.
Besides the silver-haired Moratti, there were Ronaldo’s two agents, Blanchini and Alexandre Martins.
Finally, there was the newly appointed head coach of Inter, the serious-looking, black-rimmed-glasses-wearing Hector Cooper.
He had just taken the reins this season and was naturally concerned about the recovery status of the team’s biggest star.
"Chen, we meet again."
Moratti stepped forward and gave Chen Yu a warm hug. After the pleasantries, he pointed to his waist and said, "After you adjusted my spine last time, I felt better for a while, but then the pain came back. I saw many doctors in Italy, but none of them could relieve the pain like you did. You must take a look at it for me while I’m here."
Chen Yu smiled and nodded. His problem was a minor one; riding a bicycle more often would do the trick.
After greeting everyone else one by one, Chen Yu led the group to the field behind the rehabilitation center.
Donovan had been quite excited—the young man was a talkative one—but upon seeing Moratti and the others, he fell instantly silent.
Having played soccer in Europe, it was impossible for him not to know who Moratti was.
’This is Moratti!’
And Blanchini, a top agent who dominated the European scene.
Not to mention Cooper, the famous La Liga manager who had led Valencia to the Champions League final two years in a row before becoming Inter’s coach.
In the world of soccer, these men were true titans.
"Oh, right." Chen Yu suddenly pulled Donovan over and introduced him. "This is Landon Donovan, a forward for our National Team. A good young man who plays for... uh, right, Landon, which team do you belong to now?"
The team’s name was a mouthful.
Suddenly being put on the spot by Chen Yu, Donovan felt his hair stand on end. His voice trembled as he said, "Bayer Leverkusen of the Bundesliga."
He was still under contract with Bayer Leverkusen but had returned to the United States on loan during last season’s winter break.
"Oh, Bayer Leverkusen," Moratti nodded. ’The Company’s Eleven,’ he thought.
He then gave Donovan a serious look-over, but at first glance, he didn’t see anything particularly special.
Like being more muscular, having thicker thighs, or being taller.
But to be scouted by Bayer Leverkusen at his age, from a soccer desert like the United States, meant he probably had potential.
"Keep it up. When you start performing well, I’ll bring you to Inter," Moratti offered a casual word of encouragement.
Blanchini, the super-agent, also gave Donovan a couple of extra glances and asked if he had an agent.
Moratti’s comment about bringing him to Inter made Donovan so excited he nearly fainted.
He thanked Moratti profusely while hastily replying that he didn’t have an agent yet.
He had been scouted by Bayer Leverkusen and brought directly to Germany, and since he started out playing for the reserve team, he was a complete nobody. Why would he have an agent?
Blanchini happily obliged, handing him a business card and patting him on the shoulder. "Contact me later."
Then he shot Chen Yu a look that said, ’There, happy now?’
He had to return Chen Yu’s favor.
As the group walked toward the field, Moratti also asked about Baggio and Redondo’s conditions.
Especially Baggio.
At the mention of Baggio, Moratti let out a long, sorrowful sigh. "I know him. It hasn’t been easy for him. Last year, he actually had many other options, but he ultimately chose Brescia. I know it’s because he still wants to fight for the National Team. And thinking about it now, I was far too trusting and lenient with Marcello."
His tone was full of resentment when he mentioned Lippi.
’He got rid of my old captain, Bergomi. In two summers, I listened to him and spent a full two hundred million. I may be rich, but I’m not a fool to be taken for a ride!’
’The key thing is, if we had gotten results after spending all that money, I would have accepted it. After all, I truly love Inter.’
’But what was the result?’
’Fourth in the league, eliminated from the Champions League.’
’And Baggio leaving Inter? How could that have nothing to do with him?’
’You have to remember, Baggio once said he was willing to finish his career at Inter.’
Hector Cooper, walking beside them, had a flash of awkwardness on his face. ’Too trusting and lenient? What’s that supposed to mean? Might as well be talking about me.’
Moratti’s emotional outpouring was like he was speaking a different language to Chen Yu. Chen Yu didn’t understand the convoluted history at all, so he just agreed, "His recovery is going well. He’ll get better."
Baggio was definitely the most challenging case of Chen Yu’s career.
For him, Chen Yu had used two Diamond Level Treatment Effects in one go.
After a pause, Chen Yu asked curiously, "By the way, isn’t Robert playing quite well? Why isn’t he on the National Team?"
In Chen Yu’s eyes, Baggio was a meritorious hero for Italy, a legend.
For a player like that, who hadn’t even retired yet, to not make the National Team... it felt as absurd as Jordan not making the Dream Team.
Besides, a soccer roster has over twenty players. Adding or removing one person shouldn’t make a huge difference, Chen Yu thought.
Especially since Baggio could still play.
At this, Moratti sighed again. After a moment of silence, he said, "I’ll find a way to talk to Trapattoni about it later."
He thought Chen Yu was acting as an advocate for Baggio.
But Chen Yu had just been making a casual remark. He just said "Oh," and dropped the subject.
The group arrived at the field.
A crowd of onlookers had already gathered on the sidelines.
"Ronnie!" Ronaldo was clearly the apple of Moratti’s eye. He immediately went forward to embrace him.
After showing his heartfelt concern, he then greeted the others.
Baggio and Redondo were both there.
Baggio was still in a wheelchair, his legs wrapped in thick braces.
The two men’s eyes met. Moratti sighed, bent down, and hugged Baggio.
Several of the basketball giants from the clinic had also come.
Olajuwon, leaning on a crutch, curiously sized up Moratti and his group.
Even the Haaland family was there. Astor hid behind Hardaway, watching the newcomers with curiosity.
"Alright, it’s just a simple rehabilitation session," Chen Yu said, clapping his hands to signal for Ronaldo to get ready.
’Good grief. All we need are some reporters, and this would look like some grand comeback ceremony,’ he thought.
In fact, the head of security had already told Chen Yu that a crowd of reporters had gathered outside the clinic, but Chen Yu had them all barred from entering.
On the field, Nelson waved at Chen Yu, signaling that everything was ready.
They had just set up some cones for some basic dribbling drills.
Chen Yu walked over. Ronaldo was putting on his soccer cleats.
It had been a year since the last time he had worn them.
He carefully tied his laces, his expression a mixture of excitement and apprehension.
He felt that his knee was healed, but after such a major injury, it was natural to feel psychologically nervous.
Just like Hill before him, he had started to doubt his own body.
"Warm up first."
Ronaldo acknowledged, immediately got up, stretched his body a little, and began performing the Five Animals Qigong.
"What is he doing?"
Cooper was dumbfounded.
Moratti, Blanchini, and Martins also looked at Chen Yu in confusion.
’Aren’t you supposed to be warming up? What’s with all these strange movements?’
Chen Yu explained, "This is a warm-up method I found. It’s quite effective. It’s also a fitness regimen. Long-term practice can improve one’s physical condition and make the body healthier."
Chen Yu, Hill, and the others had been practicing this Five Animals Qigong for quite some time.
The effects were tangible.
For example, their sleep had improved, and they had more energy.
"Oh, it can improve physical condition?" Cooper’s eyes lit up, and he immediately began to watch with great interest.
Before coming, he had read media reports and knew that Chen Yu was some kind of Miracle Doctor in the United States, an orthopedic specialist who was highly skilled in rehabilitation and knew some special recovery techniques.
This Five Animals Qigong must be one of them.
"By the way, Massimo," Chen Yu said, looking at Moratti. "You can practice this for your spinal misalignment problem. It’s better than riding a bicycle."
Especially at Moratti’s age, practicing Five Animals Qigong for health and wellness was perfect.
"Really?" Moratti’s spirits lifted instantly. He watched Ronaldo without blinking, even trying to mimic the movements.
After performing the Five Animals Qigong twice, and because he did it seriously, the effects were already apparent.
Ronaldo jumped in place a few times, feeling his body was completely warmed up. He took a deep breath and ran toward Nelson.
Arriving in front of the soccer ball, he flicked it up with the tip of his cleat.
After it landed, he pushed it out with the outside of his foot, then smoothly pulled it back.
A very simple elastico move.
But in that moment, Ronaldo’s heart trembled. He felt an urge to cry.
After a year, he could finally play soccer freely again.

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