Lu Chuan picked up his phone and dialed the number Miguel had given him.
The call connected, and a slightly hoarse male voice with professional fatigue came from the other end: "Who is this?"
"Hello, Mr. Carlos? I'm Lu Chuan, Miguel's friend."
"Miguel mentioned you to me, the Chinese player who just joined Leganés B Team?" Carlos's voice revealed no emotion.
"Yes, I'm looking for an agent, and Miguel recommended you."
Silence fell for a few seconds on the other end, as if he was processing more important information, before he replied indifferently: "Send me your latest match videos. I'll talk after I've watched them."
"Beep beep beep..."
The call was abruptly cut off. Lu Chuan held his phone, feeling a little empty inside; the other party's attitude was even colder than he had imagined.
Thinking about it, it made sense. An agent of his caliber wouldn't be optimistic about a player from China, a 'football desert'.
He silently sent the edited videos of his warm-up match and first official game.
"Don't worry, Carlos is always like that," Miguel poked his head out from the top bunk, saying nonchalantly.
"He won't easily agree to anyone, but once he's interested in you, he'll fight for all your interests like a hound."
"Come on, don't think about it anymore." Miguel jumped off the bed, putting an arm around Lu Chuan's shoulder, "My treat, I'll take you to a good place."
Lu Chuan was half-pushed, half-coaxed out of the dorm.
"There's a Chinese restaurant nearby; I'd like to try some hometown food," Lu Chuan suggested.
The two walked for ten minutes and arrived at a Chinese restaurant near the club called "Old Sun's Restaurant."
The shop was small but clean and tidy, with a few Chinese landscape paintings hanging on the walls.
"Welcome!" A Chinese man in his fifties greeted them, his Mandarin carrying a slight Spanish accent, "What would you two like to eat?"
"Boss, are you Chinese?" Lu Chuan's eyes lit up.
"My ancestral home is Fujian. I've been running a restaurant here for over twenty years. My surname is Sun, everyone calls me Old Sun," Old Sun greeted them warmly. "You're also Chinese, aren't you, young man? Your accent sounds like it's from Guangdong."
"Meizhou, Guangdong." Lu Chuan nodded, adding, "I play for Leganés B Team."
The menu in Old Sun's hand almost dropped to the floor. He widened his eyes, scrutinizing Lu Chuan carefully: "You're that Lu Chuan? The Lu Chuan who scored two goals right after arriving?"
"You went to watch the game?"
"Of course! My son is in the club's U17 academy; how could I not go watch!" Old Sun rubbed his hands excitedly, his voice rising by an octave. "My son came back and told me that a really amazing Chinese guy joined the B Team, and I didn't believe it! I didn't expect it to be you! You played beautifully! You've really brought honor to us Chinese people!"
A warmth welled up in Lu Chuan's heart; in a foreign land, such recognition and support from a fellow countryman were especially precious.
"Come, come, come, quickly sit down! Today I'll cook personally; order whatever you like!" Old Sun shoved the menu into Lu Chuan's hand, then bustled into the kitchen, still shouting, "Wife! Come out and see! Our star player is here!"
Soon, the table was filled with colorful, fragrant, and delicious Chinese dishes. Miguel took a bite of Kung Pao Chicken, his eyes widening like copper bells: "My goodness, this is a hundred times better than that so-called high-end Chinese restaurant I ate at downtown last time!"
Lu Chuan picked up a piece of braised pork, and the familiar taste melted on his tongue, instantly stirring his longing for home.
"Wait." Miguel suddenly put down his chopsticks, his expression becoming serious. "Lu Chuan, these dishes are indeed delicious, but if you want to go further in your professional career, it's best to eat less pork and similar foods."
"Why?" Lu Chuan was a bit puzzled.
"Pork has a high fat content, which can easily accumulate in the body, affecting stamina and explosiveness," Miguel explained logically. "Professional players' diets are very particular; fish, chicken breast, and beef should be the main protein sources. For carbohydrates, you should choose oats and brown rice. But..." He looked at the table full of dishes, swallowing, "Today is an exception. Today, you are a hero!"
Old Sun came over, carrying a freshly cooked plate of sweet and sour pork ribs, and happened to hear this, nodding repeatedly: "Xiao Mi is right! My son is in the academy, and the coach requires the same. But eating it occasionally once or twice is fine; the key is self-discipline normally."
Lu Chuan nodded thoughtfully. In his previous life, he wasn't strict about diet management, which was one of the important reasons for his later decline in physical fitness.
"Oh, right, Lu Chuan!" Old Sun suddenly slapped his thigh, exclaiming excitedly, "I have an idea! You're the only Chinese star player here right now. Can I hang a photo of you dining on the wall? I can reserve a VIP seat for you, and... lifetime free meals!"
Lu Chuan was stunned for a moment. Was this... an endorsement?
"Of course," he agreed with a smile.
Old Sun immediately took out a brand new camera from behind the counter and started snapping photos of Lu Chuan and the table full of Chinese dishes, the flash blinding Miguel.
"Excellent! From now on, this will be Lu Chuan's exclusive table!" Old Sun was as excited as a child. "I'm going to print out the photos, frame them with the best frames, and hang them in the most prominent spot!"
Miguel was laughing heartily beside him: "Congratulations, Lu Chuan, your first endorsement deal is born."
"The endorsement fee is lifetime free meals," Lu Chuan also couldn't help but laugh. "This must be the cheapest endorsement I've ever signed in my life."
"Don't underestimate this," Old Sun said with a serious expression. "This place is a gathering spot for fans; many people will come to see your photo. Maybe when you become a big star in the future, this place will become a pilgrimage site for fans!"
After the meal, the two bid farewell to the enthusiastic Old Sun. Walking back to the dorm, Miguel's tone became serious: "You know what? Old Sun is right. This place is indeed a gathering spot for fans, and this free meal endorsement is actually very clever."
"Is that so?"
"You don't have much fame right now, so big brands won't look for you. But this kind of small-scale, community-rooted cooperation can quickly help you gain popularity here, turning you from an 'outsider player' into 'one of us.' This will be good for you in the future."
Lu Chuan nodded, secretly admiring Miguel's business acumen.
Back in the dorm, Lu Chuan's phone suddenly rang, displaying Carlos's name on the screen.
He took a deep breath and pressed the answer button.
"I've watched the videos," Carlos said from the other end. "Are you free tomorrow afternoon at three? Come to my office; we must meet and discuss in detail."
Lu Chuan gripped his phone, his heart pounding.
The agent matter had taken a turn for the better.
The first "endorsement" became the cheapest endorsement of his life.