"Don't worry. You'll be recovered in two to four weeks at most. I'm very confident when it comes to treating muscle injuries," Dr. Meersseman, head of Milan Lab, said to Ancelotti with a smile.
"But isn't a muscle tear a serious injury? How can I recover so quickly?"
Huang Kaiwen asked, unwilling to accept it.
Damn it, wasn't Milan Lab supposed to be full of quacks? How could they still get him fit for the opening match?
Dr. Meersseman wasn't offended by Huang Kaiwen's doubts. Instead, he gently reassured the team's star player. "Thigh muscle tears vary in severity. Yours is relatively minor, so you'll recover faster."
"But it really hurt. At the time, it felt like my leg was about to split open. Could you take another look? I feel like mine must be serious." Huang Kaiwen was still making one last attempt.
Ancelotti put an arm around Huang Kaiwen's shoulders and reassured him. "Don't worry. I know you're afraid it wasn't treated properly and might happen again, but Milan Lab is the best sports rehabilitation facility in the world. We use the most advanced equipment and focus on prevention first, treatment second. Every Milan player gets the best care."
Huang Kaiwen silently gave Ancelotti the middle finger. Listening to Ancelotti, you'd think this was some cutting-edge lab in Central City.
In his previous life, Milan Lab had been a prime example of the quack school. Dr. Meersseman often appeared in news stories about star players being misdiagnosed.
Dr. Meersseman also made a guarantee, thumping his chest as he said, "If you haven't recovered within a month, I'll resign."
Who wanted to recover within a month?
Huang Kaiwen wasn't exactly thrilled that he wouldn't be sidelined for a few months.
Seeing his unhappy expression, Ancelotti continued to reassure him. "Don't worry. Even if you're injured, you won't lose your starting spot. You played brilliantly today. Your long passes will also become an important part of our attack. I had no idea you were not only great going forward but also such a good provider. That's fantastic."
Fine, whatever you say.
Ancelotti got Huang Kaiwen into a wheelchair and cheerfully pushed him along.
As soon as he wheeled him to the club entrance, reporters swarmed around Ancelotti.
"Carlo, is Kevin's injury serious? How many matches will he miss?"
"Will this injury affect Kevin's standing on the team?"
"Mr. Ancelotti, will Kevin's injury affect your lineup?"
"Does Milan have a plan to deal with this? When Kevin got injured, did Milan switch back to a 4-4-2 diamond midfield?"
Ancelotti handed Huang Kaiwen over to Barbara and asked the club staff to put the wheelchair and crutches in the trunk. Then he drew the reporters' attention to himself.
"Kevin is an important player for the team, and everyone at Milan deeply regrets his injury. The ability he's shown has been a great help to the team. We'll keep working hard even while he's away. Victory isn't the responsibility of just one or two players. I believe in every member of the squad, and I hope Kevin recovers as quickly as possible..."
Barbara floored the accelerator and left the reporters behind. Then she asked with concern, "How are you?"
"I'll be recovered before the season starts," Huang Kaiwen said, sounding annoyed.
Barbara gently reassured him. "It's okay. As long as you're ready for the start of the season, you don't have to worry about your place at Milan being threatened."
Seeing Huang Kaiwen's unhappy expression, she quickly changed the subject.
"My girlfriends said you were great today. If you hadn't been injured, I would've introduced you to them. The company you signed with before, Fendi, belongs to a friend of mine's family."
"Are they pretty?"
Screech—
Another sudden stop.
The young lady had some kind of problem. Whenever she got excited, she slammed on the brakes.
A flicker of pain crossed Huang Kaiwen's face. Barbara, who'd been about to scold him, hurriedly apologized. "I'm sorry. I forgot you were injured."
"It's okay. I was just teasing you. Don't be mad," Huang Kaiwen said with a smile.
Even if he couldn't take a long break, that was no reason to take his frustration out on Barbara. He'd been in a bad mood just now.
"You're awful. Don't do that again."
"Okay."
Huang Kaiwen nodded, feeling a little guilty.
After they got home, Huang Kaiwen realized that his hellish life was only just beginning.
Barbara dressed very lightly at home.
And because he wasn't allowed to do any strenuous exercise, Barbara put him on a strict period of celibacy.
Huang Kaiwen didn't have to go to the club for the time being, so he played video games until after two before finally falling asleep.
When he got up, he realized Barbara hadn't gone to work.
"You're up? I'll make you breakfast."
More than ten minutes later, she served him a simple sandwich and fried egg. That was the limit of the young lady's cooking skills.
"Where's today's paper?" Huang Kaiwen asked.
"It—it didn't come. I'll call and complain in a bit!" Barbara said, averting her eyes.
"Bring it out."
Huang Kaiwen knew Barbara too well. He gave her a pat on her ample chest.
Barbara reluctantly handed him the paper, grumbling, "Don't listen to their nonsense. La Gazzetta dello Sport is always making things up. They have no credibility."
Huang Kaiwen smiled at Barbara to reassure her, then began reading the paper.
"Kevin's pained expression and the wheelchair suggest his injury may not be as minor as Ancelotti claims. He could miss half a season or even longer. This injury may affect Kevin's career. Every talent suffers some decline after an injury, and some players leave the sport while still young. Here's a rundown of the ten stars whose careers were ruined by injuries..."
Huang Kaiwen's eyes lit up as he read.
That's right.
If he didn't play as well as before, he could just say the injury had affected him.
La Gazzetta dello Sport had already come up with the explanation for him.
If I don't perform well, it's all Milan Lab's fault.
Seeing Huang Kaiwen smile, Barbara's heart ached. He must have been smiling to put her at ease.
He had to be hurting inside.
Talents like Kevin were all extremely proud. Being mocked by these clueless reporters, who were predicting a bleak future for him, must have made Kevin terribly upset.
The young lady decided to use her connections to find sports injury rehabilitation experts from all over the world. She would drag them to Milan if she had to, just to treat her beloved.
While eating brunch, Huang Kaiwen felt a chill. It was probably because the injury had weakened his immune system.
Whatever.
Huang Kaiwen decided to rest properly for the next few days. Once his teammates who'd played in international matches returned, he'd go back to the club and make his presence felt.
He, Huang Kaiwen, wasn't one to play favorites. Some of his teammates had missed the meal he'd treated them to last time, so he'd invite them again.
He wasn't very mobile.
Why not just invite a chef over to the house?
He'd have Maldini make sure to bring everyone along.
That settled it!
There were quite a few Brazilians on the team. He could serve some Brazilian-style dishes; wouldn't that bring everyone closer together? Damn it, even Inter Milan had the Barbecue Gang. Our Samba Milan couldn't fall behind. As the team's social committee chairman, he had to make sure his Brazilian teammates felt the love from their fellow players.
Before you continue