July 2013.
Shanghai.
“Dong Ge! Do you think I’m not cut out to be a footballer?”
A young voice, tinged with both resignation and bitterness, came from the phone.
“Wang Chu! You have to believe in yourself, you have the best footballing talent in all of Z-country!”
Lin Dong quickly reassured Wang Chu on the other end of the call.
“But!”
Wang Chu hesitated, “But I’m injured again. Both my ankles are hurt. The doctor told me it might take two years to recover!”
“I’m already 22 years old. If I can’t touch a football for two years, will I even have a chance? I want to give up football!”
Wang Chu had always been confident in his footballing talent.
But!
The continuous injuries, the constant setbacks, had already worn him down. He was no longer the fearless young bull, the captain of Metz, that he once was.
“Wang Chu, believe in yourself. Get your surgery and recover. When you’re back, I’m sure you’ll be able to show off your talent.”
Lin Dong knew what Wang Chu would go through next. But as a reborn soul, such things were simply too unbelievable, so he could only offer comfort.
Yes!
Lin Dong was a reborn soul, he had returned from 2024 to 2013. At this point, he was still a fledgling football agent.
Normally, someone like Wang Chu, a talent like him, wouldn’t be someone like Lin Dong could get his hands on.
But!
Wang Chu had displayed a glass-body since January 2008. He suffered a strained adductor muscle and spent six months in the hospital.
In 2009, Wang Chu represented Sichuan Province in the National Games. During a scrimmage, a simple collision left him with a torn lateral collateral ligament, putting him back on the sickbed for another three months.
At this crucial age for rapid skill development, Wang Chu was plagued by injuries.
Two serious injuries caused him to miss the golden period of physical and skill growth.
He went from being a football prodigy to a cautionary tale of wasted potential.
After recovering, Wang Chu couldn’t keep up with his peers, which led to his original agent abandoning him.
Ultimately, he had no choice but to sign with a novice agent like Lin Dong.
With Lin Dong’s help, Wang Chu trained relentlessly to improve his physicality and skills. Slowly, he regained some of his form.
In 2012, he signed with the Luxembourg club, FC Swift Hesperange.
In 2013, Wang Chu contributed one goal and two assists, helping FC Swift Hesperange win the Luxembourg Cup. He even scored a goal for a Chinese player in the Europa League.
Everything seemed to be going well, but Lin Dong knew that Wang Chu would face his biggest injury yet.
So he kept reminding Wang Chu to protect his ankles, but he still got injured, and even earlier than expected.
“But Dong Ge, even if I recover, will I be able to find a footing in Europe?”
Wang Chu was aware of his situation. The two injuries in 2008 and 2009 had already hindered his progress. This ankle injury, coupled with two years away from the game, meant even after recovery, it would be difficult to reach his expectations.
“Wang Chu! Do you remember your dream? Do you care what others think? Keep going and become the person you want to be!”
Lin Dong had complete faith in Wang Chu. In his previous life, Wang Chu had persevered with his own determination.
After a long two-year recovery, he had returned to the sport he loved.
“......”
Wang Chu fell silent for a moment.
“I’ve thought it through, Dong Ge. I won’t care about other people’s opinions anymore. I know what I do every day and what I want. I will walk my own path. I will become the person I want to be!”
Wang Chu’s firm voice came through the phone. Lin Dong’s lips curved into a smile.
After comforting Wang Chu for a while, Lin Dong hung up the phone.
However, Lin Dong knew that even if Wang Chu recovered and returned to football after two years.
But!
Due to the injuries and long absence, Wang Chu’s ability was only mediocre. Ultimately, he was forced to return to China, and he ended up playing in the Chinese League One.
“Forget it, when Wang Chu recovers, I’ll try to get him a transfer to the Chinese Super League.”
As Wang Chu’s agent, Lin Dong had already started planning for Wang Chu’s future. While Wang Chu wanted to stay abroad.
But!
If he went back to the Chinese Super League, at least he could make more money, enough to live comfortably after retirement.
Lin Dong felt deeply sorry for Wang Chu. His footballing talent was truly exceptional.
Born in 1991, he first touched a football at the age of four. From that day on, he had an inseparable connection with the sport.
In June 2002, during a juggling competition, 11-year-old Wang Chu juggled the ball for 40 minutes, managing 5207 touches, breaking the Guinness World Record. This was the beginning of his journey as a football prodigy.
In 2004, the Sichuan Football Association signed a cooperation agreement with FC Metz in France. 13-year-old Wang Chu became one of the first players to study abroad, departing for Metz in May to receive training.
Upon arriving in Metz, Wang Chu trained with the U14 team. The French football magazine, “L’Équipe”, even labeled him a rare talent!
Living up to the name of prodigy, Wang Chu quickly made his mark at Metz.
In 2005, 14-year-old Wang Chu represented Metz in the national tournament, showcasing his exceptional talent and earning the Silver Ball Award.
He then went on to win the European U15 Youth Championship with the Metz youth team. This time, Wang Chu outshined the current Belgian star, Eden Hazard, and was named the tournament’s best player by UEFA’s Technical Committee.
Everyone thought that Wang Chu would become a football superstar.
His steady rise in football made everyone very optimistic about his future. FC Metz intended to develop him as the core of the team, and Wang Chu became captain of Metz.
At the time, Sadio Mané and Miralem Pjanić were both Wang Chu’s teammates, and Metz seemed to be cultivating the next “Pierre,” the next “Gullit.”...
Later, Mané and Pjanić both became well-known superstars, but because of injuries, Wang Chu was left behind, eventually becoming just another face in the crowd.
Every time Lin Dong thought about this, he felt a pang of sadness. The former prodigy had fallen victim to injuries.
This ankle injury was almost the final straw.
Two years of injury time made Wang Chu completely ordinary.
If he couldn’t recover fully, perhaps returning to China would be the best option.
“I look up! To the moon above! How many dreams! Are flying freely...”
Just as Lin Dong hung up the phone with Wang Chu, his phone rang again.
“Hello!”
Lin Dong answered without hesitation.
“Who is this?”
“Are you Xiao Lin? This is Gu **, the chairman of the Sichuan Football Association. I heard Xiao Wang is performing well. He contributed a goal and two assists, helping FC Swift Hesperange win the Luxembourg Cup, and he even scored a goal for a Chinese player in the Europa League.”
A jovial male voice came from the phone.
“Chairman Gu, hello! You’re right, but what’s this call about?”
Lin Dong had a bad feeling in his gut. After Wang Chu’s two serious injuries, the Sichuan Football Association had never contacted him or Wang Chu again.
They completely ignored him.
Now that Wang Chu had worked hard to regain his form and achieved excellent results, they were suddenly back, like cats smelling blood.
“Now that Xiao Wang is in such good shape, what do you think about him wearing the Sichuan jersey again for this year’s National Games?”
Chairman Gu’s voice was still jovial, but it sent a chill down Lin Dong’s spine.
“As the chairman of Sichuan, you must know that Wang Chu’s ankles are both injured, right? How can you ask him to participate in the National Games under such circumstances?”
Lin Dong’s tone was also a bit harsh. Since Wang Chu hadn’t undergone surgery yet, the Sichuan Football Association chairman must be aware of his injury.
Asking Wang Chu to return to the National Games meant they wanted him to undergo conservative treatment.
As expected, Lin Dong was right.
“Xiao Wang hasn’t had surgery yet, right? We can let him have conservative treatment. If it doesn’t work, we can give him two injections of pain relief. He can have the surgery after the National Games.”
Apparently sensing Lin Dong’s displeasure, the voice on the other end of the phone was now laced with mockery.
Lin Dong was furious. “Do you understand what conservative treatment and pain relief mean for Wang Chu? It will ruin his career!!”
Lin Dong was disgusted by their hypocrisy. They had forced players like Dong Fangzhuo and Wang Chu to gamble their entire careers for meaningless games. Conservative treatment and forced competition would cause irreversible damage to the players.
“I won’t let Wang Chu go back to the National Games!”
Lin Dong said firmly.
“You dare refuse me?!”
Chairman Gu was shocked, as if he couldn’t believe what he had heard.
After all, everyone in China had always shown them respect.
In their little world in Sichuan, he was the ultimate authority, his word was law.
But now someone dared to defy him.
“You will regret this...”
Lin Dong didn’t wait to hear anything more. He simply hung up the phone.
.......................................
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