When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 61 Only the deepest roots can support the highest dreams! (Second update, 5000 words)
2003 5 Month 5 Day.

Roy sat on the black leather sofa at APM's Paris headquarters, his fingertips tapping lightly on the glass coffee table, the rhythm as steady as his heartbeat.

The advertising team is in place, the lights are set up, the photographer is checking the lens parameters, and the stylist is pacing back and forth with several haute couture suits, waiting for the final call to start shooting.

But APM's creative director is a French man with slicked-back hair and a sharp suit.

Clutching his phone, he paced back and forth in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, his voice hushed, yet his tense anxiety was still palpable.

"What do you mean 'she took on a shoot for Vogue at the last minute'?! Where's the contract? Where's the penalty for breach of contract?!"

A muffled explanation came from the other end of the phone. A bead of sweat appeared on the director's forehead, and his fingers unconsciously loosened his tie.

Roy glanced at him, a barely perceptible twitch at the corner of his mouth.

It doesn't matter.

He doesn't care who his partner is, or whether the person standing in front of the camera is a Chanel darling or some unknown newcomer.

His task was simple—showcase APM's jewelry and then leave.

The director finally hung up the phone, took a deep breath, and turned around with a professional smile, though his eyes still seemed a little unfocused.

"Mr. Roy, I'm very sorry, our main model has some scheduling conflicts."

He carefully chose his words, "But don't worry, we'll arrange a replacement model right away, it won't take too long."

Roy shrugged. "Whatever."

The director, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, immediately turned to his assistant and growled, "Bring the backup models over here right now!"

Five minutes later, the studio door was pushed open.

A dozen or so young girls filed in, their high heels making a jumbled sound on the floor.

They lined up like carefully arranged dolls in a shop window—their makeup was exquisite, their hairstyles impeccable, and each wore a standard professional smile.

Roy's gaze lingered on the last girl.

A tall, young woman walked in, her blonde hair slightly disheveled, and her cheeks flushed from her hurried journey.

She was wearing a simple white shirt and jeans, with the shirt hem casually tucked into her waist, revealing a glimpse of her slender waistline.

Those white high heels were a disaster. Every step she took felt like walking on stilts, her slender, slightly trembling ankles unexpectedly carrying a hint of chubby baby fat.

While the other models were trying to stand tall and straight, she just stood quietly, her hands unconsciously clasped together.

Her eyelashes were long, casting dappled shadows under the light, and her grey-blue eyes resembled a sky washed clean by rain.

She wore a pair of silver earrings on her earlobes, which swayed gently with her breathing, as if they might fall off at any moment.

Roy noticed that her collarbone was beautiful, with clearly defined lines that looked like they had been carefully sculpted, and it was faintly visible under the open neckline.

The third button on the shirt was loose, and a simple white vest could be vaguely seen underneath.

"she."

Roy suddenly spoke up, pointing to the end of the line, "The one in the white shirt."

The girl suddenly looked up, her lips slightly parted, revealing a surprised expression.

Her teeth were very white, with a small canine tooth that made her surprised expression look especially vivid.

The director paused for a moment, then quickly walked up to Du Chen and looked her up and down, scrutinizing the seemingly carefree girl.

"What's your name?"

"Doutzen Klose".

Her voice was very soft, with a slight Dutch accent, as if she were afraid of disturbing the air.

Douchen-Klos.

She was 18 years old and had just flown to Paris from the Netherlands three days prior. She was originally just at the end of the shortlist for this shoot.

She stood at the door, her breathing still ragged, her gaze sweeping across the photography studio before finally settling on Roy.

Roy looked up and met her gaze for a second.

Her eyes were like the canals of Amsterdam, clear yet unfathomable.

"It's her."

The director strode forward, his voice urgent: "Du Chen, time is of the essence, hurry up and change!"

She nodded, said nothing more, and left with the stylist.

Roy withdrew his gaze and turned to walk towards the dressing room.

It doesn't matter.

Anyway, it doesn't matter who comes.

APM Monaco x Roy x Doutzen Kroes – Storyboard for the "Dark Night Redemption" Advertisement

Product lines: APM Monaco Men's Jewelry Collection (Necklaces/Bracelets/Rings) + Women's Haute Couture Collection
Style: Gothic Romance × Suspenseful Narrative × Luxury Aesthetics

Music: Gradually transitioning from Debussy's "Clair de Lune" to Omnia's "Crone of War"

Act I: Dawn of the Lone Wolf (Bois de Boulogne)

Time: 5:23 AM, thick fog

Lens:

A close-up of dew dripping from a withered tree branch reflects Roy's silhouette (the APM chain necklace casts a shadow on his Adam's apple).

He ran his fingertips over a yellowed photograph (Du Chen's profile), the edges of which were charred, and the APM men's ring gleamed coldly in the backlight.

Dialogue (voice-over, low):

"The night she disappeared, all the clocks in Paris stopped."

Act Two: Steel and Light (Passerelle Debilly Pedestrian Bridge)

Time: 12:00 noon, the sun was blazing.

Lens:

Panoramic view: Roy runs against the light, his APM openwork bracelet sparkling with starlight on his wrist, and the steel cables of the iron bridge vibrate like harp strings.

Suddenly stopping, she flung Du Chen's earrings (APM Meteor style) from her pocket, the earrings dangling precariously from the bridge railing.

Sound effects: The rapid ticking of the second hand blends into the roar of the subway.

Act III: The Informant at Dusk (Pont Alexandre III)

Time: 18:30, dusk was falling.

Scene: Roy leans against the golden lion sculpture, using his APM bracelet to pry open a bullet casing, from which half an opera ticket falls out (close-up of the bloody fingerprints on the ticket stub).

Suddenly turning my head, I caught a glimpse of Du Chen's blonde hair in the reflection of the Seine under the bridge (a fleeting glimpse of APM water ripple earrings).

Dialogue (with a cold laugh):

"Ghosts love jewelry? How ironic."

Act IV: The Camera Obscura (Paris Opera: Palais Garnier)

Time: 21:17, the crystal chandelier will be turned off.

Lens:

Aerial view: Roy lies across the red velvet seat in the box, the APM Thorn Ring scratching across the crack in the seat (leaving threads, a metaphor for tracking).

Suddenly sitting up, the camera switches to the stage—Du Chen's phantom is dancing "Giselle," her toes dripping blood and staining her APM anklet red.

Music: Aria from the vinyl record "Carton".

Act V: Redemption from Bones (Les Catacombes)

Time: 00:00 midnight, the candlelight is about to go out

Scene: The catacombs of Paris, candlelight flickers, six million skeletons piled up to form walls, and Du Chen's rapid breathing echoes from the depths of the dark tunnel.

Scene 1: The Devil's Chase

Scene: Du Chen staggers as he runs, his bare feet crushing withered bones. The broken APM necklace sways between his collarbones, its pendant shimmering like a dying star.

Shadow: A viscous shadow seeped from the cracks in the skeleton, coalescing into a twisted humanoid shape, its fingertips extending like knives, almost touching her back. Sound effects: The sound of bones cracking, a sticky writhing sound, Du Chen's rapid breathing.

Scene 2: Gunfire from the Ring
Close-up: Roy's APM ring suddenly reflects the candlelight, and a sharp beam of light pierces through the shadowy figure's chest like a bullet.

Slow motion: The black shadow explodes into millions of diamonds (close-up of APM rhinestones), bouncing and falling among the bones like a black meteor shower.

Scene 3: A kiss on the skeleton

Fall: Roy grabs Du Chen's wrist, and the two fall towards the pile of bones. The APM wedding rings magnetically snap together upon impact (close-up of the rings forming a complete totem).

Rescue: Roy's arm muscles tensed, half-lifting Du Chen into the air, her back only an inch away from the corpse, her golden hair cascading down like a waterfall, sweeping across his arm.

A passionate kiss: Du Chen's lips pressed against hers, trembling with relief. Luo Yi held the back of her neck, deepening the kiss. The APM bracelet dangled, swaying between their intertwined wrists.

Light and shadow: The candlelight cast their shadows on the skull wall, like a medieval relief.

Final lines: (As their lips part, Roy wipes the bloodstains from the corner of her lips with his thumb)
"Remember to wear the necklace I gave you before you go missing next time."

(The camera zooms out, and the APM necklace suddenly repairs itself, the clasp clicking shut.)
P.S.: This laptop is too domineering, it made me sick, but that's how ads are, haha. From now on, I'll only make short and funny ones.

Roy's apartment is tucked away on the top floor of a Haussmann-style building on a back street of Avenue Montaigne. Occasionally, a luxury car driven by a private driver will roll over the cobblestone pavement, and when the headlights sweep across the window frame, they will cast a fleeting grating of light on the ceiling.

But at this moment, the moonlight dominated the room, and the silhouettes of the two people undulated under the velvet blankets.

I haven't graduated high school yet.

Du Chen drew circles on his chest with her fingertips. "I just put the selfie in Paparazzi Model Management's mailbox, using color ink stolen from the school printer."

Her breath, carrying the scent of champagne and mint toothpaste, gently caressed Roy's skin.

Roy's hand slid through her hair, the blonde hair clinging to his fingers like melting honey.

This girl, who was unknown at the time, shot her first cover two years later. She first appeared in the American edition of Vogue, and then appeared on the cover of the Italian edition of Vogue. She became an instant sensation in the European and American fashion world, and replaced supermodel Christy Nicole Trington to sign a contract to endorse Calvin Klein “Eternity” fragrance.

In the same year, Doutzen Kroes became a Victoria's Secret Angel.

In 2008, she was ranked by Forbes as the third highest-paid supermodel in the world with an annual income of 600 million euros.

Roy found it somewhat amusing and joked, "So, I encountered an 18-year-old skipping high school girl?"

Roy's highest level of education is from the prestigious Colegio Ramiro de Maeztu Secondary School in Madrid.

What? The name is hard to remember? Then just remember Real Madrid High School.

Notable alumni of the school include Morientes, Casillas, Guti, Arbeloa, and others.

This wave of academic credentials is overwhelmingly successful.

"Why don't you consider adding a trip to Monaco to your truancy adventures, to celebrate an eighteen-year-old boy lifting his first trophy?"

May 10, 2003, Monaco.

Stade Louis II, 3 hours before the match.

Sunlight streamed into Monaco Bay, turning the white walls of the Stade Louis II into gold.

The entire city was already in a frenzy—red and white flags hung on both sides of the streets, "CHAMPIONS 2003" signs were hanging on the streetlights, and even the neon lights of the Monte Carlo Casino had been changed to the colors of the Monaco team logo.

Outside the stadium, vendors were selling scarves printed with "8ème Titre" (8th title), champagne in bars was chilled in advance, and waiters even smeared the rims of glasses with frosting in the team's colors.

Forty-eight hours earlier, dozens of tents had been set up on the French side of the Stade Louis II, packed with pilgrims. In the front row, 72-year-old fan Marcel wore a 1978 championship scarf and played the Monaco team song on a portable radio.

Street vendors set up makeshift grills to sell red and white striped waffles, dyed with syrup in the colors of a sports team, and served with coffee cups printed with the words: "Wake up, today is history!"

A CCTV5 reporter stood outside the Stade Louis II, with enthusiastic fans waving scarves in the background.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Mr. Liu Jianhong, Mr. Zhang Bin, this is Monaco! I am currently outside the Stade Louis II in Monaco, and the atmosphere here is electric! Today is not only Monaco's title-winning match in Ligue 1, but also the coronation of their 18-year-old prodigy, Roy—a superstar hailed as a 'shooting star' across Europe! In just 11 league matches since joining Monaco, he has contributed 16 goals and 6 assists, almost single-handedly tearing apart the Ligue 1 defense! I can now tell you definitively—Roy is the biggest discovery in European football in the last decade! Now, let's hear what the fans have to say—"

Fan interview segment.

A reporter stopped a burly male fan with red and white face paint and tattoos all over his body and asked him in French:
"Hello! As a die-hard Monaco fan, how would you rate Roy's performance this season? Please share your thoughts."

Fans waved beer cans, and foam splattered onto the camera:

"Ha! We'll watch from the stadium!"

"That's right! We sat on the pitch watching him pound the asses of the entire Ligue 1! Lyon's defenders were driven to despair by him, and PSG's captain was knocked down three times by him—that kid is only 18! 18 years old!!"

Suddenly grabbed the reporter's shoulder and roared
The reporter coughed as he was being strangled.

"Ahem. There are rumors that Roy might leave in the summer transfer window. What do you think?"

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

The fan's expression changed instantly, and he snatched the microphone:
"Bullshit! He's not leaving! What do you know? Roy isn't a coward! He's going to lead us to the Champions League! To the semi-finals—no, the final! Look into his eyes! (pointing to a close-up of a huge poster at the stadium) 'Hunger' is written in them! A Ligue 1 title? That's just an appetizer!"

The reporter, clearly embarrassed, translated truthfully: "The fans, with their simple passion, believe Roy won't leave Monaco because he has the most devoted fans here. Look at these fans, they truly treat Roy like their own child. Do you understand? It's not the love for a star player, it's the kind of heartfelt love you have for your own child!"

Suddenly, five or six fans squeezed into the frame, shouting and yelling all at once.

"Manchester United? They can't afford his soul!"

"He even took a photo with my nephew and signed an autograph yesterday—a true superstar doesn't run away!"

"Reporter, which media outlet are you from? If you keep talking nonsense, I'll shove your microphone into a champagne barrel!"

The reporter stumbled from the enthusiastic pats and pushes, barely managing to steady the camera:

"Uh, we can see the fans are incredibly excited. (wiping sweat) This is even crazier than the South Korean fans at the 02 World Cup! Clearly, Roy has become a symbol of Monaco. Now, let's return the camera to the studio."

Liu Jianhong: "Let's calmly analyze Zhang Bin. Look at this (switches to PPT). Roy's recent bicycle kick goal in the French League Cup semi-final reminds me of a Stephen Chow movie! 'Shaolin Soccer'."

Zhang Bin: "His playing style reminds me of Ronaldo when he burst onto the scene, but it's not exactly the same. Ronaldo's breakthroughs are like a sharp scalpel, while Roy is more like a turbocharged engine running at full speed, ready to unleash amazing energy at any time."

Liu Jianhong: "That's right! Look at this goal replay (the big screen switches to Roy's quick counter-attack goal against Auxerre). From the start to the shot, it only took 15.3 seconds, with a top speed of 37.5 kilometers per hour! This has broken the record for the fastest sprint in Ligue 1 history!"

Zhang Bin: "What's even more frightening is his learning ability. According to statistics from Ligue 1, look at this comparison: his range of activity has expanded by nearly 40%, transforming him from a simple attacking threat into an all-around striker."

Liu Jianhong: "And he's only 18 years old! (Turning to the camera) Viewers in front of the TV, what you are witnessing may be the rise of a groundbreaking genius!"

Zhang Bin: "But we need to look at it calmly. Ronaldo had already won the World Cup at 18, while Roy was just getting started. (Pause) But I must say, in him, I see the potential to change the history of football."

Suddenly, the big screen played a video of Roy dribbling past five defenders in a row during training.

Liu Jianhong exclaimed, "That's right! That move! That change of direction! Zhang Bin, isn't that Ronaldo's signature move during his time at Barcelona?"

Zhang Bin smiled knowingly: "But you see, his follow-up processing is simpler and more efficient. This may be the direction of evolution for the new generation of geniuses."

Liu Jianhong suddenly lowered his voice, and the background music switched to the "Ode to the Yellow River" symphony:

"Before we conclude, we'd like to share a little-known story (faded old photos appear on the screen). Roy's great-grandfather was one of the 14 Chinese laborers sent from Weihaiwei, Shandong in 1917. They dug trenches and carried artillery shells on the European battlefields (close-up photos show the blurry backs of laborers from Hebei and Shandong)."

Zhang Bin took a page of the file, his voice trembling slightly:

"According to French military records, this laborer surnamed Luo stayed in the port of Marseille after the war and worked as a porter—and today, his great-grandson is 'conquering Europe' in the same land in a different way. (Suddenly raising his voice) Young men from Shandong watching on TV, the same spirit flows in your veins!"

(The screen is now split: the left half shows a slow-motion replay of Roy's bicycle kick goal, while the right half simultaneously plays footage of Shandong Luneng's youth training camp's morning training session.)
Liu Jianhong pointed to a young player sprinting desperately on the training field:
"Look at that number 10 kid! His arm swing is exactly the same as Roy's! (Suddenly choked up) Why do you say Chinese football has no hope? While we're complaining in the mud, let's not forget—"

Zhang Bin replied decisively:

"Roy's great-grandfather dug a path to survival on the battlefield of the Somme with a shovel! And today, (in the photo, Roy stands with his arms crossed, looking proud, his jersey covering half of the Monaco team logo) this boy of Shandong blood is rewriting his family's destiny with football!"

(Final frame: Roy's wild knee-sliding celebration after scoring a goal)

Liu Jianhong clenched his fist, his tone impassioned:
"Dear viewers, as Roy is dominating in Ligue 1, we can't help but wonder—will we see this black-haired, yellow-skinned genius on the field at the 2006 World Cup in Germany? (Pause) More importantly, (turning to the camera) will we see the Chinese team competing against him?"

Zhang Bin brought up the World Cup countdown clock:

"1126 days until the 2006 World Cup. (Suddenly plays footage of the Chinese national football team training) Look at these lads! If Roy could create a miracle with Monaco, why can't we?"

Liu Jianhong:
"This is not just about two dreams. It's a blood-related pact! Every Chinese player watching on TV—every extra training session you do could create the most legendary Eastern derby in World Cup history!"

Zhang Bin's voice was soft yet firm:
"From the trenches of World War I to the World Cup pitch, we are waiting to witness this nearly century-long cycle in Germany."

screen text:

From trenches to the green field—only the deepest roots can support the highest dreams!

See you in Munich, 2006!

A middle-aged man pressed the remote control to change the channel, switching to CCTV6, where the movie "My 1919" was playing, with Chen Daoming, playing Gu Weijun, giving a passionate speech on screen:
Princess Six's film selections always incorporate current events.

"You Japanese stole the entire Shandong province in front of the whole world. Shouldn't the 36 million people of Shandong province be angry? Shouldn't the 400 million Chinese people be angry? Is this behavior by Japan theft? Is it shameless? Is it extreme shamelessness? The sages of China, Confucius and Mencius, were born on this land in Shandong. Confucius is like Jesus in the West. China cannot lose Shandong, just as the West cannot lose Jerusalem!"

(End of this chapter)