Starting With Real Madrid

As Montevino lifted the Champions League trophy high into the air, the Stadio Olimpico erupted with deafening cheers from Napoli fans.

Tens of thousands of Napoli supporters roared in celebration, their voices creating the loudest and most passionate atmosphere since the match began.

Standing on the podium, under the gaze of the entire stadium, Gao Shen felt as though he could hear fans cheering not just in Rome, but in Naples, more than 200 kilometers away and across all of Italy, Europe, and even the world.

This time, he savored the moment far more than when he led Real Madrid to victory.

Back then, everyone saw the players as the stars of the show.

But this time, everyone knew—he was the main protagonist!

After the award ceremony, the Napoli players rushed off the podium, passing the trophy around as they sprinted across the pitch, celebrating their historic victory.

…

The live broadcast didn't end immediately.

This was standard for Champions League final coverage, cameras stayed on the pitch long after the awards ceremony, capturing the emotions of the moment.

While the players took turns hoisting the trophy, Gao Shen walked alone toward the stands where the Napoli fans were seated.

Looking up, he saw a sea of people.

He couldn't even make out where his family was sitting, he only had a rough idea of their location.

But that didn't matter.

Gao Shen scanned the crowd, then turned to face the nearest camera and waved.

The broadcast director quickly noticed him, immediately cutting the live feed to focus on him.

Gao Shen saw himself appear on the stadium's big screen.

At this moment, he knew, fans all over the world watching the broadcast were seeing him too.

Journalists, sensing something significant was about to happen, rushed over, pointing their cameras and microphones at him.

But Gao Shen remained facing the stands.

…

In the stands, Su Qing suddenly gasped, realizing what Gao Shen was about to do.

She vividly remembered that night in Beijing.

On that cold evening, he had stood in the most solemn place and shouted for the world to hear:

"Su Qing!"

"I love you!"

"I swear, I will make the whole world know how much I love you!"

Could this be what he had planned all along?

Was he about to…

Su Qing's hands clenched involuntarily. Her face flushed with a mix of nervousness, shyness, and anticipation.

…

"I love a girl."

Gao Shen's voice rang out through the stadium, amplified by the microphones and broadcasted across the world.

The entire stadium gradually fell silent.

All eyes were now on him.

"We grew up together, and we've been through so much."

"When I was lost and unsure of what to do, she supported me. She encouraged me to study in England, which gave me the chance to stand here tonight."

The noise in the stadium faded even more.

Tens of thousands of people, millions watching around the world, hung onto his every word.

"Half a year ago, I told her to her face, I love her!"

"And at that moment, I made a promise to myself."

"I swore that one day, I would make the whole world know how much I love her!"

"I think… tonight is the perfect opportunity."

---

As soon as Gao Shen finished speaking, the reporters in front of him couldn't contain their excitement and erupted into cheers.

Moments later, the fans in the stands followed suit.

Whether they supported Napoli or Barcelona, they were all hyped.

On one hand, they admired Gao Shen's incredible achievements.

On the other, they were captivated, on the grandest stage of the Champions League final, the winning coach had just publicly declared his love.

This had never happened in the history of the competition!

Especially for the media.

This was guaranteed to be tomorrow's front-page news.

No—this moment was destined to become a legendary moment in football history!

In front of the cameras, Gao Shen pulled out a small, simple box from his pocket.

As he opened it, a diamond ring sparkled under the bright stadium lights.

The design was understated, and the diamond wasn't particularly large.

But at this moment, none of that mattered.

The significance of this proposal, from this man, on this stage, left everyone in awe.

…

In the stands, Su Qing was already moved to tears by his heartfelt words.

Now, seeing him take out the ring, a ring he had clearly prepared long ago, she was overwhelmed.

The live TV broadcast quickly zoomed in on her.

It wasn't hard to find her in the crowd, her entire family was seated together in a prominent section.

Inside the stadium, as soon as Gao Shen took out the ring, a moment of stunned silence washed over the audience.

Then, out of nowhere, someone shouted—

"Say yes!"

The chant spread rapidly.

Soon, the entire stadium was roaring in unison—

"Say yes! Say yes!"

The media turned their cameras toward the stands.

Napoli's players sprinted over to stand behind their coach, along with Zidane, Carlo, Lucas, and the rest of the coaching staff, all of them ecstatic.

None of them had seen this coming.

And because of that, they were even more shocked.

"Xiaoqing, go down there!" Zhang Wenying urged.

"Yes, hurry up, Xiaoqing!" Gao Jianguo chimed in.

Her parents, Su Zhijun and Lin Xiuhui, also nodded, encouraging her to go.

Even the stadium staff by the exit were motioning for her to come down.

Su Qing looked at Gao Shen, standing in the middle of the pitch, ring in hand.

Then she looked at the people around her.

Finally, she clenched her teeth and stood up.

The moment she did, the entire stadium erupted into deafening cheers.

For someone like Su Qing, who had never been in the spotlight before, even standing up took immense courage.

Taking a single step felt like an enormous effort.

But when she saw Gao Shen waiting for her on the field, an inexplicable sense of bravery filled her.

The camera zoomed in on her face.

And once again, the stadium was filled with gasps of admiration.

Cultural differences aside, when beauty reaches a certain level, it's universally recognized.

The audience was stunned by Su Qing's grace and elegance.

And many were envious of Gao Shen's luck.

Before long, she slowly walked down the tunnel and stepped onto the pitch.

Shyly, she stopped in front of Gao Shen.

"Why didn't you tell me in advance?" she whispered, her voice trembling slightly from nerves.

Gao Shen was used to high-pressure situations. He grinned and joked, "Want me to call it off?"

Su Qing almost smacked him.

At a moment like this, he was still joking?

Hurry up, put the ring on, and let's get out of here!

Gao Shen saw through her thoughts and laughed.

Then, he knelt down on one knee, looked up at her, and asked seriously.

"Su Qing, will you marry me?"

The answer came before she even spoke.

Tears streamed down Su Qing's face.

Without hesitation, she stepped forward and hugged him tightly.

The stadium exploded into cheers once more.

The media went into a frenzy, capturing every second like it was the most important moment in football history.

In truth, Gao Shen had always kept his personal life private.

Many people didn't even know he had a girlfriend.

That led to the hilarious incident of Su Qing's coworkers openly fantasizing about him right in front of her.

But now, the usually low-profile Gao Shen had chosen to go high-profile, on the biggest stage possible.

And that made this moment even more unforgettable.

Especially since he had just won the Champions League, becoming the only active coach to have led two different clubs to the title.

After lifting the biggest prize in European football, he turned the night into a fairy tale.

This had never happened in Champions League history.

…

Gao Shen gently pulled away from Su Qing and reached out to wipe the tears from her face.

He smiled softly and said, "Today, you have to be happy, smile more. I told you before, you look the most beautiful when you smile."

Hearing this, Su Qing finally laughed.

And at that moment, she was breathtaking.

The entire stadium erupted into applause.

"I promised you, I'd let the whole world know that I love you!"

As he spoke, Gao Shen took out the ring, lifted Su Qing's hand, and gently slipped it onto her finger.

Then, as he stood up, Su Qing couldn't help herself, she hugged him again and kissed him.

The stadium roared louder than ever.

…

Everyone watching—from fans and players to reporters and VIP guests, felt like they were witnessing a real-life fairy tale.

At that moment, Gao Shen and Su Qing were the prince and princess of football.

In the middle of the celebration, Zidane nudged Lucas with his elbow.

"What?" Lucas grumbled.

Not now. I'm trying to deal with how jealous I am.

"You've had so many girlfriends, but none of them come close to what he has tonight," Zidane teased.

He had never approved of Lucas's lifestyle.

Lucas clicked his tongue. "Tsk. You don't get it. We're after different things."

"Really?" Zidane smirked, clearly not convinced.

Lucas didn't respond.

But the truth was written all over his face.

If he could experience a love like this even once in his life, would he really still waste time chasing random women?

…

Everyone present, whether they were fans, players, journalists, or dignitaries was thrilled to witness this moment.

Because thanks to Gao Shen, tonight's Champions League final wasn't just another match.

It had become a legend.

And they—everyone in the stadium—had become part of that legend.

UEFA President Platini was especially pleased.

He knew this moment would massively boost the Champions League's global reach.

With Gao Shen's rising influence, the commercial impact would be huge.

Platini had already made up his mind.

He would make sure to capitalize on this.

Because everything that happened tonight would dominate global headlines, tomorrow, the day after, and far beyond that.