Chapter 19: Chapter 19
"What are you doing?!"
The deep, exasperated voice of a middle-aged man with a suburban London accent echoed through the yard.
"Uncle Sol!"
"Dad!!"
Gao Bo and Roy exclaimed simultaneously, turning their heads to see who had interrupted them.
As their eyes met in mutual surprise, the realization struck.
York Sol, Roy's father, and a longtime Luton fan, stood at the gate, his face a mix of shock and anger. His lungs felt ready to burst.
He had just returned from his dental clinic only to witness his daughter and Luton's head coach in a position that couldn't look more compromising.
York Sol had been supportive of the club's decision to rent out one of his apartments to their new head coach. As a dedicated fan, he'd even defended Gao Bo against the skepticism from others, believing him to be a hardworking and talented coach. Stories from the training base about Gao Bo's commitment only strengthened Sol's admiration for the man. But now? Now, all he could see was a wolf preying on his precious daughter—his cabbage!
No father could stand by idly in such a moment. Especially when his daughter was shoeless in public!
For twenty-five years, Sol had nurtured his "cabbage," only to see it potentially trampled by what he now perceived as a pig.
His gaze darkened, and his earlier admiration for Gao Bo vanished.
Under the dim lights, the scene between Gao Bo and Roy did indeed appear ambiguous. Roy, barefoot and flushed, was pressed against the wall. Her high heel was held above her head in one hand, while the other hand was restrained by Gao Bo. To make things worse, Roy's knee was against Gao Bo's waist, as if trying to block his approach.
The combination of dim lighting, close proximity, and physical entanglement made it impossible for Sol to interpret the situation innocently.
The two finally seemed to realize the awkwardness of their position. Roy pushed Gao Bo away, her face still burning with anger.
"Dad!! What's going on?!" she shouted.
Dad? Gao Bo's head tilted slightly in confusion. So this was a family matter?
"I should be asking you what's going on!" Sol roared. "Who is he? No, wait—what is he to you?! What's your relationship?! And how far has it gone?!"
"Uncle Sol..." Gao Bo tried to interject, sensing the need to clarify.
"Shut up!!" father and daughter yelled in unison.
---
Fortunately, the misunderstanding was eventually cleared up, though Sol and Roy both shot Gao Bo glares of disapproval. Shrugging it off, Gao Bo retreated to his apartment, eager for some peace.
Inside, Gao Bo lay down on the soft bed, savoring the first proper rest he'd had in two months. The following morning, he woke up refreshed, stretched luxuriously, and enjoyed the satisfying crackle of his joints loosening.
After washing up, he put on a black suit from his closet—his choice of attire for his debut as Luton's head coach in an official match. It was a big day, and he wanted to dress the part.
Breakfast was simple: a fried egg, two slices of bread, a banana, and a glass of juice. Setting it on the table, Gao Bo went to the door to retrieve the morning paper from the mailbox.
As a Chinese coach working in England, Gao Bo was trying to adopt local habits, like reading the paper over breakfast.
However, as he unfolded the paper, a familiar voice broke the quiet morning.
"After today, your lies won't hold up. Whatever tricks you've used, let's see if you can back them up on the field, Mr. Gao Bo!"
Gao Bo turned to see Roy, fresh from her morning run, dressed in a white sports vest and shorts. Her athletic figure was hard to ignore, though Gao Bo noted the impracticality of her choice given her, well, physique.
"Miss Roy," Gao Bo replied calmly, rolling the paper into a tube, "you don't need to concern yourself with my reputation. Whether I'm a fraud or not will be decided on the pitch, not by you."
"Oh really?" Roy countered with a smirk. "Why don't you turn to page nine of The Hat Seller? Sam Parker has some... flattering opinions about you."
Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. Gao Bo opened the newspaper and flipped to the page she mentioned. It contained coverage of the pre-match press conference for Luton's opponent, Port Vale, and prominently featured scathing comments from their coach, Sam Parker.
"...There's no doubt Gao Bo is a fraud. He deceived Chelsea, and now he's deceived Luton's owner, David Morton. He claims to hold a UEFA A License, but no one's ever seen it. And his decisions since taking over Luton? Laughable. He's recruited two boys from amateur leagues, bricklayers and masons by trade, and expects them to compete in the professional league.
He's a narrow-minded, arrogant man, imposing his will without listening to reason. He's trying to be a tyrant in Luton. But I'll show him what real football looks like in this match!"
Gao Bo read the tirade with amusement, his expression unfazed.
"Wait and see, fraud!" Roy sneered. "Pack your bags—you'll be leaving Luton after today."
As Roy turned to leave, Gao Bo's eyes lingered momentarily on her figure as she walked away. Her tight athletic shorts hugged her curves, and the hollowed-out vest revealed her toned back.
"I don't think so, Miss Roy," Gao Bo called out confidently. "This match will mark the beginning of a great coach's legacy."
He rolled the paper in his hand and walked off in the opposite direction, a small smile on his face.