Listening to his mother’s scolding, Brian Clark felt a bit helpless. This was exactly why he would rather live in the old man’s prefab house, earning a living by playing street soccer, than go home and ask his parents for a single cent.

“Alright, alright…” Brian Clark’s father persuaded his wife to stop, then took over to speak with Brian Clark himself.

“She’s just worried about you.”

“I know, Dad.”

“She had already pulled some strings for you here, hoping you’d come back to school, but in the end…”

“Dad, I’m really not cut out for studying. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have chosen to play soccer in the first place. I’ve been playing for so many years—if I go back to school now, what could I possibly learn?”

“As long as you can get a diploma, we can help you make connections…”

Brian Clark interrupted his father: “You always say you’ll help me, help me… but I can’t rely on you for my whole life, Dad. I love playing soccer, and it’s all I know how to do. I want to see if I can make it in football. Otherwise, wouldn’t the ten years I’ve put in be for nothing?”

His father fell silent. After a long pause, he sighed, “Actually, your mom doesn’t care if you become famous in football. She just wants you to be safe and healthy…”

“I know, Dad. I’ll be careful. I don’t want to come back in a wheelchair either.”

“They say a grown son can’t be controlled by his mother. If you’ve made up your mind, go for it. Don’t worry about the family—we’re doing fine.”

“Mm.”

Before hanging up, his father sighed again, “I really don’t know if letting you play soccer back then was a good thing or a bad thing…”

Brian Clark didn’t know if it was good or bad either. Football had brought him fame and joy, but also injuries and pain. Maybe, just like how soccer always has both black and white sides, everything in life has two sides—good and bad. You can’t just want the benefits without being willing to bear the costs.

Chapter 10 Mr. Harris

In a Sichuan restaurant you could find on any street corner, a few plates of home-style dishes sat on a somewhat greasy table. On one side of the table was a pile of empty beer bottles; on the other, a few freshly opened ones. Brian Clark and Director Harris sat facing each other, each with a glass of beer in front of them. Brian Clark’s glass was still two-thirds full, while Director Harris was already pouring himself more.

“I knew you wouldn’t give up on your professional dream, Brian! Ha!” Director Harris was clearly a bit drunk, his voice much louder than usual.

Brian Clark was still sober. “It’s just that we can’t play together for money anymore…”

Director Harris waved his hand exaggeratedly. “Hey! What are you saying! That’s not true, not true! Honestly, you didn’t have to give me a single cent of that money, but every time you split it with me half and half. All I had to do was make a few calls and I got half the money… Where else in the world does that happen? I know you’re not well-off yourself, Brian, I know you’re helping me, a cripple…”

“Mr. Harris!” Brian Clark tried to cut Director Harris off.

But a drunk Director Harris wasn’t so easily interrupted. At this moment, he seemed to have a bellyful of words he needed to say to Brian Clark. Maybe it was because he knew that from now on, he and Brian would be heading down completely different paths in life, and they might never see each other again. So if he didn’t say these things now, he’d never get another chance.

“Don’t interrupt me, Brian. I’m just a cripple, I know that. Whenever it rains, my knee hurts…” Director Harris slapped his right knee hard. “There’s nothing to deny. I don’t think being a cripple is shameful, it’s just that finding a job is a bit troublesome… So it’s you, Brian, who’s helping me. Just helping you set up a match earns me more than I make in three days. I don’t have many friends, but you, Brian, are truly good to me. I know that, I really do…”

“Mr. Harris, you’re drunk…”

“I know, of course I’m drunk. If I wasn’t, how the hell would I dare say all this?” Director Harris laughed, shaking his head. “I know you don’t want me to think you pity me, I know you’re looking out for my pride, and I’m really grateful, Brian… But honestly, I never wanted you to keep playing those matches just to take care of me. Really. That’s not the kind of football you should be playing. Professional football—Europe is where you belong! So I’m really happy for you now, Brian… really!”

“You were the most talented among all of us who played. Coach Young praised you every day. I still remember when you first came, we all thought you were Coach Young’s son… Otherwise, why would you get so many privileges? Later, we realized, Brian, you really are amazing! Everyone was convinced!” Director Harris gave a thumbs up to Brian Clark.

“You’re not bad yourself, Mr. Harris.”

“Me? Ha! I’m nowhere near your level!”

“If you hadn’t gotten injured, you could have played professional football too.”

Director Harris was injured while in the youth team at Dacheng Club. But to avoid losing his starting position, he didn’t get timely treatment, instead continuing to train and play through the injury. In the end, the injury got worse and became irreversible. Now, not only could he no longer play, but even walking left him with a limp.