Chapter 50: The Girl Blessed by Fortune

Although Evergrande secured victory in the first leg of the AFC Champions League final, Cannavaro’s head was once again throbbing, and what troubled him most was the ever-escalating matter of Dai Zhiwei. This season, with Evergrande focused mainly on two major competitions, Dai Zhiwei has established himself as the team’s leading striker, scoring an astonishing fourteen goals in the AFC Champions League—making him the tournament’s top scorer by a wide margin, and all but assured to finish as the competition’s golden boot.

In the domestic league, Dai Zhiwei has also shattered records, netting thirty-nine goals—more than double the combined tally of the second and third top scorers. Added to that are the seven goals he scored for China in World Cup qualifiers. Carefully tallying up, this twenty-one-year-old prodigy has already notched sixty goals this season—and the campaign isn’t over yet. Besides the upcoming second leg of the final, Evergrande still has a shot at the Club World Cup.

With World Cup qualifying also ongoing, Dai Zhiwei will likely push that number even higher. Such brilliance has led foreign media, including those from Japan and South Korea, to declare that this year’s Asian Footballer of the Year must be Dai Zhiwei.

While the Asian Footballer of the Year award may not carry the same prestige as its South American counterpart—let alone the Ballon d’Or or FIFA World Player of the Year—at twenty-one, winning it would be dazzling enough. Were it not for his being based in Asia, many regional journalists believe Dai Zhiwei's accolades and performances would make him a contender for Europe’s Golden Boy award.

As these honors, undisputed and almost miraculous, gather around Dai Zhiwei, a hot topic has ignited on national sports sites and in print media: which European league should Dai Zhiwei join?

Among those who care about domestic football, it’s widely accepted that Dai Zhiwei’s time at Evergrande is ticking down. The only question is when he’ll leave for Europe: will it be one of the top five leagues, or perhaps a secondary one such as Turkey’s Super Lig or Portugal’s Primeira Liga? This has become the focus of everyone’s attention.

Everyone knows that transfer requests for this red-hot young talent are almost certainly piling up on the desk of Evergrande’s transfer manager. As long as the club doesn’t adamantly declare Dai Zhiwei untouchable, suitors will not be in short supply.

Nearly everyone speaks with conviction that Dai Zhiwei is no longer willing to stay at Evergrande. After all, even though he came up through Evergrande’s youth academy, it is the dream of every player to play in Europe’s top leagues.

Thus, all the questions boil down to a single point: Will Evergrande sell Dai Zhiwei?

Were Cannavaro to answer, there would be only one response. In his eyes, having a domestic player who can rival or even surpass foreign imports grants the team infinite tactical possibilities.

But if you ask Evergrande’s fans, the answer becomes far more complicated. On one hand, Dai Zhiwei is indispensable; on the other, supporters hope to see a homegrown star shine abroad—like South Korea’s Son Heung-min.

Now Cannavaro faces this dilemma, for the decision is not his, nor the fans’, but rests with the club chairman—Liu Yongzhuo.

Liu Yongzhuo also finds the matter thorny. He is well aware of Dai Zhiwei’s importance, yet he doesn’t want to be branded the man who blocked the nation’s top striker from going overseas.

After all, right now, Dai Zhiwei may be China’s only player with a real chance of breaking into one of Europe’s top five leagues.

In truth, Cannavaro already suspects that Dai Zhiwei will not be under his charge next season.

Though Cannavaro is loath to accept such an outcome, he knows that to Liu Yongzhuo, everything is business—Evergrande cannot risk incurring the wrath of the nation’s football fans by forcibly keeping Dai Zhiwei.

…

While Cannavaro was still vexed over Dai Zhiwei’s predicament, Dai himself was busy attending to his own business affairs.

“Old Jin, I just bought a new car!” Dai Zhiwei grumbled as he popped a wild duck soup dumpling into his mouth in the restaurant.

“You could always turn down this endorsement deal, you know,” Jin Chang replied with a hint of exasperation. “It’s not like my commission is much anyway.”

Dai Zhiwei forced a laugh. “These wild duck soup dumplings are pretty good—no wonder they’re a local specialty here in Yancheng. Try some!”

He was in town to sign a new endorsement contract—a two-year, twelve-million-yuan deal with Dongfeng Yueda Kia. After signing with them, Dai Zhiwei would be required to drive only Kia vehicles in public.

Although the contract wasn’t overly restrictive—like other Kia ambassadors such as Zhang Jike and Lin Dan, he could still be seen in luxury cars like Range Rovers—Dai Zhiwei knew that such behavior would certainly not win points with the company. For the sake of future endorsement deals, he resolved to stick to the brand he represented.

The reason Dai Zhiwei was in Yancheng to sign with Dongfeng Yueda Kia was, naturally, because it was the company’s headquarters.

“I’m not limited to just the K3, am I?” Dai Zhiwei asked.

This time, he was endorsing the Kia K3 sedan, as Yueda believed his youthful, passionate image and indomitable sporting spirit matched perfectly with the K3’s “extraordinary power” concept.

“Of course not,” Jin Chang replied, slurping some Dongtai fish soup noodles. “Any Kia model is fine.”

“Then have the company supply me with a Sorento in the contract,” Dai Zhiwei responded, referring to Kia’s more upscale SUV.

Though “upscale” was relative—the top-spec Sorento cost just over three hundred thousand yuan, making it still the cheapest car among Evergrande’s players.

“But the Sorento isn’t made by Yueda; it’s a full import, you know?” Jin Chang protested helplessly. “We’re already pretty much set on the contract; making changes now won’t be easy.”

“It’s all still Kia, isn’t it? Just ask for it!” Dai Zhiwei grinned. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Though Dai Zhiwei loved giving Jin Chang trouble, Jin could only comply with his star client’s wishes. Jin managed over a dozen players, but none brought in as much commission as Dai Zhiwei. Besides his salary, Dai Zhiwei’s endless stream of endorsements set him apart from ordinary players.

That’s the difference between a true football superstar and the rest.

“Sir, here is your Yangcheng Lake drunken crab,” a slender waitress announced, bringing Dai Zhiwei’s order.

Dai Zhiwei instinctively turned to look, and his eyes froze.

The waitress before him was not yet twenty, with a delicate, oval face, flawless features, and skin as fair as snow—all accentuating her breathtaking beauty. The simple uniform fit her youthful frame perfectly, outlining her exquisite curves as if it were tailored just for her. Her flat stomach, long legs, and alabaster arms were all on display.

From a man’s perspective, this waitress was the goddess of countless dreams.

But Dai Zhiwei was no longer the impressionable young man who would drool at the sight of a pretty face. After experiencing beauties like Zhong Luchun, he had grown more disciplined.

What truly stunned him, however, was that he recognized this girl—or rather, had known of her in his previous life.

The “Lucky Carp Girl,” Yang Chaoyue.

“So she really did work as a seamstress and a restaurant waitress; it wasn’t just a story,” Dai Zhiwei thought, masking his surprise and regaining his composed demeanor.

With a warm smile, he addressed Yang Chaoyue politely, “Thank you—your service is even more attentive than Haidilao’s! May I have the honor of knowing your name?”

At just seventeen, Yang Chaoyue was unfazed by the question. She replied courteously, “My name is Yang Chaoyue. It’s a pleasure to serve you.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you here,” Dai Zhiwei replied with a smile. After a pause, he added, “Do you accept WeChat Pay here? My friend and I didn’t bring credit cards or cash.”

Yang Chaoyue smiled politely, her tone a bit cool. “Sir, is Alipay all right? Our restaurant hasn’t set up WeChat Pay yet.”

“Oh dear, what should we do?” Dai Zhiwei feigned distress, then as if struck by inspiration, said, “Do you have WeChat? Maybe I could add you and transfer the payment to you, and you could pass it on to your boss?”

“Here’s my WeChat. You can just scan me.” Dai Zhiwei took out his phone and, smiling, extended the invitation to the beautiful and reserved waitress.

Seeing his handsome face, the latest iPhone 6S in his hand, and his expensive attire, Yang Chaoyue hesitated only a moment before taking out her own modest phone and murmuring, “I’ll add you.”

After the two had added each other on WeChat and Yang Chaoyue pushed her service cart away, Jin Chang gave Dai Zhiwei a sly, knowing grin. “Not bad—impressive!”

“Meeting is fate. If you let fate slip by, you waste heaven’s good intentions,” Dai Zhiwei replied with a satisfied smirk.

He never denied his fondness for beautiful women—a desire bordering on obsession. Since Yang Chaoyue hadn’t rejected his subtle invitation, it was clear she didn’t mind.

With that psychological barrier removed, Dai Zhiwei knew the chance to truly get to know this “Lucky Carp Girl” was close at hand.

He glanced at her WeChat profile, at the lively selfies in her feed, and couldn’t help but look forward to their next encounter.