I'm a Detective, So Why Are You Telling Me to Become a Soccer Player?

Deep in the woods, among lush trees and tall bamboo.

A detective is secretly watching Gao Zhibo, a legendary football star.

Gao Zhibo: "Why are you skulking around? What are you up to?"

Yan Xiu: "I'm practicing tai chi."

"Do you need a whole arsenal of cameras and lenses to practice tai chi?"

"I'm a photography enthusiast."

"And the scissors, rope, and superglue? Are those for tai chi, too?"

"Actually, I'm a handyman by trade."

"Look at those well-developed muscles, those long legs, that excellent physique. Have you trained before?"

"What are you getting at?"

"Ever thought about switching careers and becoming a footballer?"

??

"I think you've got real potential!"

"Are you kidding?"

"Football in our country is like sowing seeds in a desert. We need people to rally the crowds, and we need people with vision who are willing to devote ten, twenty, even an entire lifetime to nurturing the game. Only then might we see a green shoot!"

"But I'm just a private detective. You want me to play football?"

"Come on, you've been caught seven times in just seven days. Do you really think you're cut out to be a detective?"

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual people or events is purely coincidental. Please do not imitate.