Chapter 39

Foshan.

Liu Hao's first impression of Foshan was... Fang Shiyu, the Foshan Shadowless Kick.

Although Guangzhou is known as the football city in southern China, the nearby Foshan doesn't really exude much of a football atmosphere.

Despite the name "Guangzhou Rizhiquan," the team's true home ground is in Foshan.

Liu Hao stepped onto the lush green turf of the Foshan Century Lotus Stadium.

Although it was a second-tier league match, there was hardly any attention, not even a cameraman in sight. Instead, a few couples were wandering around outside, their behavior suspicious, unsure if they were here for a secret rendezvous or to take covert photos.

This was the first time he had set foot on such a large football field.

It was also the first time he had met the former Chinese football superstar, Li Xiaopeng.

Li Xiaopeng personally welcomed Liu Hao, without any accompaniment.

At the age of thirty-nine, his face was etched with the marks of time, and his weathered smile carried a hint of confidence.

A week ago, Li Xiaopeng had treated Liu Hao as a favor to a friend, mixed with a bit of personal interest.

A week later, Li Xiaopeng's attitude had changed, and he greeted Liu Hao warmly.

Just like when he first met Li Tie in Beining City, Li Xiaopeng's attitude made Liu Hao feel honored and surprised.

However, Li Xiaopeng was a straightforward and honest person, and his words, though simple, were sincere.

He and Liu Hao had a private conversation in a secluded area.

"Comrade Xiaopang, I'm very glad you're here. On behalf of the team, I welcome you. I hope you can achieve great things in future matches and bring victory to the team! I'm really sorry that I didn't truly understand you at first. I feel ashamed that I thought you were just a random recommendation from Xiao Lai. But after watching your performance in the promotion match, I am convinced that you are the unique ace I need!"

Li Xiaopeng tightly held Liu Hao's hand, speaking sincerely, his words filled with both apology and expectation.

Respected by fans as the first person in Shandong football, Li Xiaopeng was not only a good player and a good person but also had a rich background.

His words carried a bit of official jargon.

This was because, after retiring, his resume was as impressive as his football career.

Competition Director of Shandong Luneng Club, Head Coach of Shandong Women's Football Team, Deputy Director of Shandong Football Management Center, Head Coach of China Women's National Team...

Such a resume could overwhelm anyone.

As a superstar, he had a twelve-year career without ever receiving a red card, any penalties, or negative news. Yet, even so, there were still people who tried to smear him, and he endured immense public pressure, showing just how dark the world could be.

Bravely moving forward in the darkness, Li Xiaopeng had gained a level of courage and determination that few others possessed.

Although the official jargon was somewhat redundant, the latter part of his words immediately touched Liu Hao's heart.

He had watched the match and then made his comments, at least he had done his research before speaking.

Li Xiaopeng hadn't said such things when he first watched Liu Hao's video highlights, which was a sign of sincerity.

Although Liu Hao's performance lasted less than five minutes, it had enlightened Li Xiaopeng.

Liu Xiaopang could be used in this way.

For a team lacking in players, reserving the final moments for such an ace was the best strategy. Trust those you use, and use those you trust!

So, upon discovering the issue, he immediately corrected his mistake.

Just for this, he could be considered a great coach!

Liu Hao, who had expected to be neglected after coming to Guangzhou, never imagined this outcome.

Is this real? Could it be that Lai Youwen had already arranged the scene and people, directing everyone from the sidelines with her phone? He really wanted to pinch Li Xiaopeng's old face to see if he was dreaming...

What else could he say? Tears of joy, perhaps!

Li Xiaopeng even assigned a dedicated fitness coach to Liu Hao, taking on the role himself to ensure the coach could focus on Liu Hao.

This was star treatment!

Even the three foreign players who joined Qingdao Zhongneng at the last minute were envious, drooling with jealousy.

Was this guy even better than the three of them? Just because he had a body like Maradona, could he become a football king?

Liu Hao's training was simple: taking corner kicks, taking free kicks, and then regular recovery training.

They say fat people are lucky, and this is true.

Unlike Li Tie, who trained one way in front of Liu Hao and another behind his back, pushing the players to their limits, Li Xiaopeng straightforwardly separated Liu Hao and gave him a special training plan.

When everyone ran ten thousand meters, the fat guy ran a thousand meters. When everyone did sprints, the fat guy could do the "Gangnam Style" dance...

You didn't mishear; Liu Hao's daily routine training was the "Gangnam Style" dance.

This was the weight loss method of the football superstar, the alien Ronaldo. If Ronaldo could slim down despite his size, why couldn't Liu Hao?

Of course, Li Xiaopeng's attention to detail didn't stop there. He even brought in the latest "Fox Call" dance for Liu Hao to practice.

A two-pronged approach! It would be hard for Liu Hao not to slim down!

Without a good body, it's impossible to play football well. Although Li Xiaopeng only needed Liu Xiaopang for a few minutes, a healthy Liu Xiaopang was more reliable, and besides, he had bigger plans.

Li Xiaopeng's unexpected training methods weren't new. When he coached the Chinese women's national team, he often did surprising things, like playing Lady Gaga's music during training, making it feel more like a party than a training session.

But... Liu Hao clearly remembered that when Ronaldo was losing weight, he had a bunch of beautiful women dancing with him. Did he get the same treatment?

Moreover, Liu Hao suspected that Ronaldo's weight loss success wasn't due to "Gangnam Style" but rather the company of these beautiful women...

If his teammates knew he was thinking this, they would all go crazy.

Of course, Li Xiaopeng wouldn't find a bunch of beautiful women to dance with him.

But he did need a "Gangnam Style" dance coach, a genuine weight loss expert, and an excellent fitness coach...

So, when a beautiful figure suddenly appeared on the training field, everyone's eyes lit up!

This... was full of spring.

Liu Hao's old face was filled with happiness for the first time.

This was what it felt like to enjoy football. He had come to the right place!

He didn't know where the strength came from, but something in Liu Hao's body started to stir.

Of course, his feet wanted to dance...