Sitting in the car, William Grant told the driver to start the engine, then turned around to Brian Clark in the back seat and said, “What’s going on between you and Mr. Young? A perfectly good farewell turned into this mess…”

Brian Clark just smiled and didn’t answer.

Seeing this, William Grant hesitated for a moment, but still said, “Your Coach Young really cares about you. Actually, there’s something Mr. Young never let me tell you… The travel expenses and room and board for your trial at Sassuolo this time were all paid out of his own pocket, with his own money…”

“It was his private stash, wasn’t it?” Brian Clark suddenly asked.

“Huh?” William Grant didn’t catch on.

Brian Clark continued, “I know Aunt Wang keeps a tight rein on the old man. It can’t be easy for him to save up a little private money. That old man…”

At this point, Brian Clark paused, then said to William Grant, “That old man has brought out so many people, but even now he can only run a training class with barely any business in this rundown place. I asked him why he doesn’t go coach a professional team—it’d be so much easier than running this training class, and he’d make more money. Guess what he said, Uncle Grant?”

William Grant shook his head.

“He said he just likes working with kids. But as a result, hardly anyone’s ever heard of him. Who would want to send their kids to a coach with no reputation… So, Uncle Grant, I have to succeed. When I do, I want the whole world to know that the old man is my coach.”

William Grant stared blankly at Brian Clark, forgetting to turn his body back around.

……

David Young sat alone in his office for quite a while before coming out, and to his surprise, the first thing he saw was that kid Director Harris, standing right outside the office.

“What are you doing, being punished to stand here?” He glared at Director Harris.

“Coach Young, I’m leaving. I’ll come back to visit you. If you ever need anything, just call me, I’ll definitely come. Even though Brian isn’t here anymore, I’m still your student. I may not be as promising as Brian, but as long as you call, I’ll never refuse!” After saying this, Director Harris gave Coach Young a ninety-degree bow, then turned and walked away without hesitation.

David Young reached out, wanting to call him back, but though his mouth opened, no sound came out.

He just stood there at the edge of the field, dappled with tree shadows, watching Director Harris’s figure disappear through the gate.

The wind blew, rustling the leaves, stirring his white hair, and scattering his sigh into the breeze.

Chapter 12 A Bit Unfamiliar

When Emily Brooks brought her younger brother to soccer practice again, she found that the tall, handsome figure was no longer in the training class.

Just as she was looking around searching, Coach Young’s voice sounded behind her: “He’s gone.”

“Huh?” Emily Brooks looked at Coach Young in surprise. “Gone? Did he go home?”

“No, he went to play soccer.”

Emily Brooks was stunned for a moment, as if wondering whether “went to play soccer” meant the usual amateur games, or something more.

“He probably won’t come back.” Coach Young looked at the lovestruck girl and added, then turned and walked toward the soccer field, ignoring her.

Emily Brooks stood there alone, motionless, like a statue.

Owen Brooks glanced over at his sister and saw her sitting by the field, not moving at all. Even from a distance, Owen Brooks could tell she was lost in thought.

It was the first time he’d seen his sister so absent-minded.

“Owen Brooks! Why are you spacing out during training? If you don’t want to practice, go take a break!” Coach Young’s scolding quickly snapped Owen Brooks’s attention back.

After scolding Owen Brooks, David Young also glanced at the girl and shook his head slightly.

That brat…

……

After training, Owen Brooks packed up and went home with his sister. On the way, his sister didn’t say a word, as if all her spirit had left her.

Owen Brooks knew it was because she hadn’t seen Coach Clark. Actually, during practice he’d heard from his teammates that Coach Clark wouldn’t be here anymore, but as for where Coach Clark had gone, he didn’t know.

So his sister’s mood probably had to do with never seeing Coach Clark again, but he still found it strange.

“What’s so great about Coach Clark anyway…” Owen Brooks pouted.

“What do kids know?” Emily Brooks snorted.

“How do I not know? I know you like Coach Clark, don’t you?”

Emily Brooks glanced at her brother but said nothing.

“I don’t see what’s so good about Coach Clark. He’s always goofing off… I heard it was Coach Young who took him in, but he still often makes Coach Young angry… What’s there to like about someone like that?”

Looking at her brother’s indignant face, Emily Brooks suddenly asked, “Don’t you think Coach Clark likes to smile a lot?”

Owen Brooks hadn’t expected his sister to ask that. He thought about it seriously, then nodded. “Yeah, you always see him smiling. I don’t know what could make him so happy all day…”

“Have you ever noticed that every time Coach Clark smiles, there’s a bit of sadness in it?”

Owen Brooks stared at his sister, dumbfounded. “He’s clearly smiling, where’s the sadness?”

His sister knocked him on the head. “That’s why I say, what do kids know!”