Chapter 15

When Rongguang once again carried two plates piled high with food through the restaurant, many eyes focused on him.

As a "legendary" figure in the restaurant, he had long been accustomed to such "attention."

However, this time was different.

This time, the disdain and disgust in those gazes were particularly strong, overshadowing all other emotions.

Some people even showed disgust and moved away when they saw him, as if getting close to him would make them feel uncomfortable.

Rongguang paid no attention to such gazes. His mouth was stuffed with three sandwiches, and he carried the plates, weaving through the restaurant like a waiter, until he reached his usual spot.

Just as he sat down, Lucas ran over from a distance, plopped down opposite Rongguang, and asked excitedly, "Rong, I heard you challenged Kaká head-on during the morning training?"

Rongguang nodded, "Yeah."

Lucas whistled, "Cool! I heard a lot of people were cursing you, and the field was in an uproar? How did you feel, did you feel a lot of pressure?"

Rongguang shook his head, "Not at all."

Lucas laughed, "I knew you'd say that!"

He was no longer as surprised as the first time he heard Rongguang say he would beat Kaká, and he didn't come over to ask, "Are you crazy?" After almost two months of getting to know Rongguang, and fully understanding how powerful his learning ability and how fast he progressed, he had become Rongguang's staunch supporter. He supported and believed that Rongguang could truly pose a threat to Kaká.

Just for Rongguang's incredible learning ability!

Perhaps Lucas was the only one in the world who believed Rongguang could do it.

Challenging the world is truly a lonely path...

But Rongguang didn't care.

He still ate the unpalatable nutritional meals in the restaurant, oblivious to the surroundings.

At this moment, a group of people suddenly walked over and stood next to Rongguang and Lucas.

Rongguang kept his head down, eating, not even lifting it.

Lucas, however, turned his head and frowned.

"Kleber, what are you doing here?"

It was Kleber, the forward of the youth team, who had been substituted out by Rongguang during a match, thus losing his chance to join the first team—Kleber saw it that way.

"We're here to watch the fools, and there are two of them!" Kleber laughed, very pleased, as if all the pent-up frustration in his heart had been released. "Challenging Kaká in front of so many people? But who couldn't even stand after being dribbled by Kaká? Who ended up sitting on the ground? Hahaha! Idiot, do you think you can challenge Kaká?"

The people behind Kleber also showed mocking smiles, and they joined in his laughter.

Their laughter drew the attention of others in the restaurant.

Many people cast curious and surprised glances in their direction.

However, Rongguang and Lucas were blocked by the people Kleber had brought, so they couldn't see much.

Only Rico, from a distance, knew what was happening.

He wanted to help Lucas, but the thought of being labeled as part of "Rongguang's gang" made him hesitate...

Hearing Kleber's mocking words, Lucas was taken aback, but he didn't stand up to yell at Kleber. Instead, he continued to sit, looking at Kleber with a sympathetic gaze.

Kleber didn't expect Lucas to show no reaction to his provocation, and even to look at him and smile... What was he smiling about?

What's so funny about my face?!

At this moment, he heard Rongguang, who had been eating with his head down, say, "Get lost, youth team! Don't disturb me, a first-team player, while I'm eating!"

"Ha!" Lucas laughed in perfect sync.

Kleber's face changed dramatically when he heard this.

He knew why Rongguang said that.

Because Rongguang was now a first-team player, and he was in the youth team!

This was a mocking reminder that he hadn't outperformed Rongguang...

"Damn, you..."

Before Kleber could finish his sentence, he saw Lucas stand up, his 1.83-meter height towering over Kleber's 1.72 meters.

"Kleber, what do you want?" he said with a smile.

Kleber thought about the consequences of causing trouble in the training base's restaurant... and decided to abandon the idea.

He looked at Lucas, who was smiling at him, and then at Rongguang, who was still eating with his head down.

"Acting so tough? One match, and you'll be sent back to the youth team!" he huffed, then looked at Lucas and said, "And you, Lucas, don't forget the 100,000! If you can't pay up, don't cry!"

With that, he left with his group.

Lucas made a face at him as he left.

"What 100,000?" Rongguang's ears perked up at the mention of money.

"Hey, I bet on when you'll return to the youth team. Kleber bet 5,000 reais that you'll be back in the youth team after one match. The odds are 20 to 1. So if I lose, I have to pay him 100,000," Lucas said casually, as if it didn't bother him at all.

"5,000?" Rongguang's eyes lit up.

When he signed with the club, he signed the lowest-tier youth team contract, with a weekly salary of only 453 reais, and almost no bonuses.

Godinho hadn't thought much about it at the time, just hoping that Rongguang could join São Paulo and start learning systematic and professional football skills. Then, after a few years, if he performed well in the youth team and gained some fame, he could sign a professional contract.

5,000 reais was almost ten times Rongguang's weekly salary.

How could his eyes not light up?

"Split it with me, Lucas!"

"Of course! Do I need to say it? You get 70%, I get 30%. I've already thought it through!"

The two began to enthusiastically discuss how to split the money, seemingly not considering the possibility of losing.

※※※

"Hey, Rong, you're in the newspaper," Godinho said the next day, passing a newspaper to Rongguang during dinner.

"Where?" Rongguang's voice was excited as he grabbed the newspaper, which was the "Lance."

On the inside page was a report about Kaká's return from injury.

There was a photo of Rongguang standing in front of Kaká, saying, "I will beat you."

Godinho already knew about this, so he wasn't surprised, and his tone was slightly teasing, as if it were a funny matter.

"Your first time in the newspaper, a memorable moment!"

Rongguang read the article, but his reading skills were far worse than his listening and speaking skills, so he read very slowly and with difficulty.

After a long struggle, he found that the "Lance" hadn't mentioned the incident at all!

He had been excited for nothing!

He thought he had really made it into the newspaper.

"Mostly just a photo, and some media mentioned it in passing. Your name didn't even appear," Godinho said. "Even though you were the focus at the time, in the media, you're still a nobody."

"Damn..." Rongguang threw the newspaper on the table.

"No one believes you can win, Rong. That's why there's no media coverage, because they think it's not worth mentioning."

Rongguang asked Godinho, "Do you believe in me, Godinho?"

"Of course I do." Godinho spread his hands—could he say, "I'm a bit hesitant" at this moment?

Rongguang was the player Godinho was now pushing, so he couldn't undermine his confidence.

※※※

Since Rongguang issued his war declaration to Kaká in front of so many people, everyone in the first-team locker room treated him like a lunatic and an idiot, looking at him with either disgust or contempt.

No one even wanted to talk to him, and Rico was even more afraid to.

However, these first-team stars were different from Kaká's fans in the youth team.

They were upset with Rongguang because he was clearly a rookie, yet he said such things, which was extremely disrespectful.

They had seen arrogant people before, but did you have the right to be arrogant?

You don't, so why are you acting so arrogant?

In short, Rongguang had not shown his strength before making such statements, which made him look detestable.

Kaká was their teammate, and they had watched him grow from a substitute in the youth team to a star.

The things he had experienced, you don't even know. What gives you the right to challenge Kaká?

Who do you think you are?

This disdainful attitude from the first-team players made Rongguang feel very isolated, and even Rico avoided him intentionally or unintentionally.

But Rongguang was completely unaffected by this atmosphere.

He still greeted Rico enthusiastically every day, regardless of whether Rico responded.

He also continued to train extra on the field before and after each training session, ignoring the cold remarks that mocked his efforts as futile.

In the restaurant, he and Lucas would fantasize about how they would live after becoming famous and making a lot of money, debating whether beautiful women or delicious food were more important... and he was still trying to break the record of eating four sandwiches at once.

You couldn't see any signs of his difficult situation in the first team from him.

Days passed, and São Paulo's home match against Corinthians, the "Majestic Derby," finally arrived.

Since only 18 players could be on the first-team roster, Rongguang was very honored to be included in the 18-man squad, allowing him to participate in a professional match!

"This is something to celebrate, Rong!" Godinho said when he heard that Rongguang was in the 18-man squad. "The first club to reject you was Corinthians. If you get a chance to play tomorrow, make them regret their decision!"

In reality, he didn't believe Rongguang would get a chance to play—Rongguang seemed to be just filling a spot on the roster. But he didn't want to dampen Rongguang's enthusiasm, as he was so eager to call and report the good news.

So he had to tell a lie he didn't even believe to deceive Rongguang.

Sure enough, Rongguang was very excited.

"You'll see, Godinho!"

He seemed full of fighting spirit.

"Sure, but first..." Godinho placed a copy of the latest FIFA football rules in front of Rongguang.

"What's this?" Rongguang was confused.

"You need to understand the rules of football. I don't want you to make the same stupid mistakes you made in the youth team matches," Godinho said.

He had never taught Rongguang the rules of football before, for a simple reason: he didn't think it was necessary at the time.

He always believed that Rongguang should focus on basic training and learn the fundamentals. He never thought Rongguang would play in the youth team, and in fact, Rongguang had always done basic training alone in the youth team, never playing a match. So there was no need to learn the rules.

Godinho planned to teach Rongguang the rules when he had a solid foundation, was qualified to train with the team, and had a chance to play. Otherwise, he would have to review the rules later.

But who would have thought... in less than two months, Rongguang was not only promoted to the first team but also made it into the 18-man squad for a match!

If he got a chance to play... and Rongguang made a mistake on the field due to not knowing the rules, it would be very embarrassing!

So now he had to quickly teach Rongguang the basic rules of football, so he had a basic understanding and wouldn't embarrass himself on the field.