Chapter 16

Liu Hao had just stepped out of Guiyang when news about him started to spread like wildfire.

At 9:30 PM, the sports news began to detail the match that afternoon.

Among the reports, Liu Hao's outstanding performance appeared on the news.

However, the media did not focus on the Super Team's promotion. Instead, they somewhat tragically highlighted the pain of the Sea Cows' defeat.

"The chubby player from the Super Team, Liu Xiaopang, made his first appearance for the Sea Cows this season. He came on as a substitute before halftime, first indirectly orchestrating the Sea Cows' equalizing goal, and then miraculously scoring a free kick. Not only did he send the Super Team to the first division, but he also relegated the Sea Cows to the second division."

"Liu Xiaopang not only made his first substitute appearance but also has no prior competitive experience, which is truly unbelievable."

This was the news report from CCTV5.

One can imagine that Liu Hao was suddenly in the spotlight, but unfortunately, he didn't dare to face the media.

Therefore, people still didn't know where he came from or when he started playing professional football.

However, he was already quite satisfied, even laughing to himself as he slept on the bus.

When he suddenly returned home, Zhang Yu was startled.

Her expression was indeed a bit exaggerated.

Zhang Yu looked at the TV on the left and then at Liu Hao entering the door on the right, feeling a bit dizzy.

She then pinched her thigh in disbelief, speechless with surprise, and even forgot the joy of Liu Hao's sudden appearance.

How could it be so similar? This was the question on Zhang Yu's mind.

"You... come here!"

"The chubby guy on TV, how can he look so much like you?"

"Ah! I'm back, and you're still staring at other men on TV. That's really a blow!" Liu Hao pretended to be angry, knowing full well that Zhang Yu was watching the sports news, and the guy on the news was none other than him.

"But it really does look like you! Except for the hairstyle, everything else seems to be a perfect match. Wait, could it be..." Zhang Yu's big eyes widened, and a terrifying thought popped into her head.

"Uh..." Could she have figured it out? Liu Hao's heart sank. Was she that smart?

"I saw Dad a few days ago, and he seemed flustered. Could it be..." Zhang Yu's eyes darted to the TV, "You're lying. You didn't go to Guiyang for treatment; you went to visit your half-brother!"

Zhang Yu, like someone who had cracked a big case, suddenly raised her voice and stared at Liu Hao's eyes as if interrogating a suspect.

"Ah! Ah?!" Liu Hao was completely stunned, thinking Zhang Yu had figured out it was him on TV.

But, could she have deduced this logic?

"Ha ha, ha ha, you're killing me, wife, you're too strong!" Liu Hao laughed heartily, giving Zhang Yu a thumbs up, "Your god-like deduction leaves me speechless, but as Chairman Mao said, practice is the source of truth, and without investigation, there is no right to speak. I suggest you ask Dad if it's true..."

"Forget it, do you think I would dare to ask? It's just a suspicion, no real evidence." Zhang Yu pouted, "But I remember Dad mentioned that many years ago, when he was selling traditional Chinese medicine, he did go to Guizhou. Could it be then..."

Once a woman's mind is set on something she suspects, she will dig deep and find many reasons to convince herself. Zhang Yu was in such a state.

Many things that seemed impossible to connect suddenly seemed to have intricate links.

"Hmm, now that you mention it, I think it's possible... But, I've been hungry for eight hours on the bus. Can't you reward me, a man who has just recovered from a serious illness?"

"Hee hee... I was just too happy to see you back. Since you've recovered, there shouldn't be any problems. I'll cook you something delicious. We made a small profit of four thousand from those three matches last time."

"Ha ha, that's more like it," Liu Hao plopped onto the sofa, not even taking off his shoes, and lay down lazily, "Sigh, it's still good to be home... By the way, wife, that guy really does look a lot like me..."

At this moment, Zhang Yu had already gone into the kitchen and didn't see Liu Hao's smug smile.

"So I really suspect it's a seed Dad left there back then... You know, nine out of ten men are bad."

"Fortunately, there's still one like me, ha ha..."

"Like you? I think you're not even as good as the guy on TV. At least he became famous in one match, but you're still the same old Liu Hao."

"Hmph, as long as it's my brother, it's still a matter of pride..."

...

Thus, Liu Hao's temporary professional career quietly came to an end.

The chubby player who made a name for himself in the playoff match disappeared from the public eye overnight.

Neither the professional media nor the football fans knew where Liu Xiaopang had gone.

Liu Xiaopang seemed to have vanished like a ghost from professional football, as if the Super Team had never had such a player.

When interviewed by the media, Ling Zhenbang and Huang Rongzheng, two players from the Super Team, could not answer where Liu Xiaopang had gone.

Perhaps every player on the Super Team knew Liu Xiaopang's special status within the team, but they didn't know where he came from or where he had gone.

"He is a mysterious legend..." Ling Zhenbang pondered for a moment and answered the reporter's question with a light and calm tone.

At the same time, a ripple of emotion stirred in his heart, "Thank you."

This heartfelt gratitude was known only to Ling Zhenbang himself. At least, he hadn't truly expressed it to Huang Rongzheng...

...

Since that hasty return from Guiyang, Liu Hao had not been able to contact Cai Jin.

Although the Super Team had returned to Beining City, which was only a hundred miles from Yinzhou City, Liu Hao had no plans to go to Beining.

He had a premonition that the reason he couldn't contact Cai Jin was largely due to himself.

As for the specifics, he couldn't figure it out.

He just kept thinking about when he could repay Cai Jin for his favor.

He still needed to take Cai Jin to Wenfeng Road, which had been Cai Jin's dream for ten years...

But he didn't expect that before he could repay the favor, he received a big gift from Cai Jin!

A call from a car dealer in Beining City scared him.

"Hello, the Audi Q5 you ordered has been delivered to the Yinzhou sales point..."