Chapter 40

"Such nonsense training... Is he just looking for a good excuse for his own failure? This way, he can say that he underperformed because he got injured during training, avoiding embarrassment..." Reinaldo muttered beside Kaka.

Kaka also shook his head. He couldn't think of any special training that would cause so many injuries to a player...

But he didn't think Rongguang had gone to fight someone.

Recalling Rongguang's behavior in the restaurant, could it be that he was really giving up and looking for an excuse for his failure in advance?

For some reason, Kaka didn't want Rongguang to really give up.

***

When Coach Osvaldo saw Rongguang come to the training ground covered in injuries, he was also surprised.

"What happened, Rong?" he asked, frowning.

"I fell, Coach," Rongguang said. He noticed that no one seemed to believe he was really in special training, so to avoid trouble, he simply said he had fallen. After all, he did fall, so he wasn't lying.

"Fell?" Assistant Coach Mauro repeated Rongguang's words, but his tone clearly showed doubt.

Osvaldo also examined Rongguang's injuries, clearly not believing his explanation.

"Uh... I fell a lot..."

Rongguang scratched his head.

"Alright, what's really going on? You don't mind explaining, do you?" Mauro continued.

As the one who initially decided to sign Rongguang, Mauro had a certain authority over him.

So as soon as Mauro glared, Rongguang immediately told him about his special training.

After hearing Rongguang's incredible story, the two coaches and others had the same reaction.

"There's no special training that would leave your body in such a state, Rong," Mauro said.

"But I really didn't. It just looks scary..." Rongguang defended himself.

"You can't just say that. Jose." Osvaldo called over the team doctor, Jose Sanchez.

Jose Sanchez walked over. "What's the matter, sir?"

"Please take Rong for a full body check. I'm sure you've seen his injuries?"

Jose Sanchez had indeed seen them and was also surprised. Rongguang was fine yesterday, so how did he suddenly get so many injuries?

Twenty minutes later, Jose Sanchez and Rongguang returned to the training ground, where the teammates had already started their warm-up exercises.

"Although it looks scary, it's just superficial injuries, sir," Jose Sanchez reported to Osvaldo. "No problems with bones, ligaments, joints, or muscles."

Osvaldo was surprised. Despite the scary appearance, it was all just superficial injuries, with no bone damage?

He looked at Rongguang with concern.

Rongguang muttered, "So I said it wasn't much..."

Mauro also shook his head. "This kid's body is really good..."

Since there were no issues with Rongguang's body, Osvaldo could only let him train.

But he still reminded Rongguang to take care of himself.

"I know you want to change the current situation as soon as possible, but it's not always better to be too fast. It takes time. You need to be patient, Rong. You're only sixteen, and your future is bright. There's no need to ruin yourself by rushing."

Osvaldo spoke sincerely.

Rongguang naturally knew that the coach was doing this for his own good. However... he had his own reasons to work harder.

He had already lost seven or eight years of training compared to others. If he didn't work hard now, he would never catch up to Kaka!

***

Lucas Sutton was also surprised when he saw Rongguang at lunch.

"Did you fight with Reinaldo? Did you win or lose?"

Rongguang pouted. "Why does everyone think I was in a fight?"

"Wasn't it? Look at your injuries. It must have been a fierce fight. Was it a group fight or a one-on-one? Do you want me to get revenge for you?"

"It wasn't a fight, Lucas. It's special training! Special training!"

"Special training can make you look this bad?" Lucas didn't believe it.

Rongguang found that many people didn't believe he was really in special training.

So he pulled down his sock, revealing a circle of injuries around his right ankle.

"Who could fight and get this kind of injury?" Rongguang asked Lucas.

Lucas was also surprised when he saw the injuries on Rongguang's ankle.

This circle of abrasions was definitely not from a fight.

"You really are in special training?" He looked at Rongguang with surprise.

"Of course! I train every morning in the park near Gordo's house!"

"But what kind of special training would cause such injuries?" Lucas still found it hard to believe.

So Rongguang told Lucas about his encounter with the old sage.

After listening, Lucas didn't think Rongguang was making it up like Gordo did. He was more concerned with another question: "Are you really improving, Rong?"

"Of course, I am! Although it's still a little, I feel a new understanding of controlling the ball at high speed!" Rongguang was very excited when he talked about his improvement.

If he had trained once and seen no results, he might have doubted whether the old sage was just playing with him.

But when he really felt the improvement, he had no doubts and firmly believed in the old sage.

"That's great!" Lucas was also happy for Rongguang. "Is the old sage really a sage?"

"I think so!" Rongguang nodded seriously.

"Then why have I never met him?" Lucas frowned, thinking hard.

Rongguang asked, "Do you get up to run every morning, Lucas?"

Lucas shrugged. "I can't get up! Sleeping is so comfortable!"

"That's why you never meet a sage, Lucas. Sages like hardworking people."

"Damn, are you saying you're more hardworking than me?!" Lucas put his arm around Rongguang's neck.

"Ah, Lucas... I'm dying... I'm dying... I'm dying... I'm dying..."

***

In the evening, Gordo drove to pick up Rongguang.

Rongguang, sitting in the car, had already given up hope of convincing Gordo.

He was thinking about getting up an hour earlier so he could have an extra hour of special training.

To make money, Rongguang was willing to risk his life. A little injury was nothing.

Gordo seemed to be preoccupied today, driving silently without speaking to him.

But as they approached home, Gordo didn't drive straight home. Instead, he turned left, heading towards the park where Rongguang trained in the morning.

Rongguang was puzzled. "Gordo, this isn't the way home..."

"I know," Gordo replied simply.

Then he parked by the roadside, got out of the car, and opened the trunk.

Rongguang didn't know what he was doing.

Soon, Gordo returned to the car.

He was holding a plastic bag, which he threw to Rongguang after getting in.

"What's this, Gordo?" Rongguang asked curiously.

"Open it and see for yourself," Gordo said.

Rongguang opened the plastic bag and found a set of protective gear inside: knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, ankle guards, gloves... and even a bicycle helmet!

"Even if it's special training, there's no need to get so many injuries," Gordo said beside him.

Rongguang understood Gordo's good intentions.

He also realized that Gordo had finally agreed to let him do the special training!

He happily put on the helmet and looked at himself in the car's mirror.

"Gordo, I look a bit silly..."

"You're a fool anyway," Gordo grunted.

Rongguang laughed and scratched his head.

***

In the afternoon, the lakeside park was more crowded than in the morning, especially in the evening.

The sunset shone on the lake, casting a golden glow.

On the beach, many people were playing beach soccer in marked areas.

Even more people were watching.

Football is the most popular sport in Brazil, like mahjong in China, a national treasure.

People play football anytime, anywhere.

This is why the country's football level is so high.

If football in China were as popular and beloved as mahjong, even if the Chinese national team couldn't win the World Cup, making it to the finals wouldn't be too difficult...

The Brazilian people's love for football is heartfelt, ingrained in their blood and bones.

Rongguang had seen this clearly in the three months he had been in Brazil.

But for Rongguang, if you asked him if he liked football, he might give an "I don't know" answer. Football was just a tool for making money; he didn't play because he loved it.

So when he was sweating here, he had no time to enjoy football.

While others were enjoying football on the beach, Rongguang, fully equipped, continued his special training on the shaded path.

Like in the morning, he often fell.

But this time, with the protective gear, the situation was much better.

Especially the ankle guards, which prevented the net from rubbing directly against his skin.

***

"Hey, Oscar, what are you doing?" A child playing soccer on the beach noticed his friend suddenly stop and look at something outside the field, so he asked curiously.

"Look at that person, Enrico," Oscar pointed to the shaded path outside the field.

His friend looked over and saw someone dribbling a ball on the shaded path, but he kept falling.

"What's he doing?" Oscar was puzzled. "Why tie a ball to his foot? Isn't that just going to trip him?"

"Who knows, maybe he's a fool?" Enrico shrugged. "Forget about it, we're in a game!"

He patted his friend's shoulder and ran off.

Before running away, Oscar turned to look at the strange person one more time.

He was getting up from the ground.

Then he continued dribbling the ball.

Is he really a fool?