“Ethan is the most gifted young player I have ever seen.”
“His passing is genuinely startling.”
“If Liverpool can bring in a talent like him, I believe this club will climb out of its slump.”
“I’ve already spoken with sporting director Michael Edwards.
There are no technical obstacles left to signing Ethan.”
“I’m confident that with his ability, Ethan will establish himself at Liverpool very quickly.”
Gerrard had barely walked through the door before he started praising Ethan without restraint.
Ethan’s parents were overjoyed.
“We never imagined our boy was even better than we thought.”
“This really is fate.
For Ethan to be discovered by a star like you at Tottenham, of all places.
It’s the best arrangement heaven could have made.”
Ren Jianjun was already heading toward the kitchen to cook a few of his signature dishes for Gerrard.
Gerrard waved him off politely.
“No, no, thank you.
I came today to put your minds completely at ease.”
“I’ve already booked flights to Liverpool for today.
If Ethan has no objections, we can leave right now.”
Ethan’s parents nodded, smiling.
As they said their goodbyes, Ren Jianjun suddenly remembered something.
He hurried into the back and returned with a camera.
“Gerrard, would you mind a photo?
I’d like to hang it in the restaurant.”
Ren Jianjun’s mind worked fast.
A restaurant personally visited by Premier League superstar Steven Gerrard would draw even more business.
Gerrard agreed happily.
After the group photo, Gerrard asked for a separate picture with Ethan alone.
Then he smiled and said, “Mr.
Ren, with Ethan’s football talent, I believe the person who brings customers to your restaurant in the future won’t be me.
It’ll be your son.”
After seeing Ethan and Gerrard off, the couple finally relaxed.
The day had been one surprise after another.
Looking at the photo of Gerrard and Ethan, Ren Jianjun lit another cigarette, thrilled.
“Look at our son.
Handsome, sharp, composed.
Even standing next to a superstar like Gerrard, he holds his own.”
“Like father, like son.
Gao Xiaoyi rolled her eyes at him.
“Ethan’s always been gifted.
Of course he’s got it.”
“As for you, whether you’ve got it or not, you know the answer yourself.”
Ren Jianjun nearly choked on his cigarette smoke.
“Hey, woman.
I feel like there’s something hidden in that sentence.”
Liverpool.
Liverpool Football Club offices.
Sporting director’s office.
“Michael, this is not what you said on the phone yesterday.”
“In seventeen years at Liverpool, I have never recommended a young player to this club with this much conviction.
But Ethan’s talent absolutely deserves it.”
“He doesn’t just deserve a first-team contract.
He deserves first-team minutes.”
“I believe he will make his name in the Premier League.
I believe he will become a star.”
Inside the office, Gerrard faced sporting director Michael Edwards with a hard expression and a firm tone.
He was not giving the man an inch.
Edwards was a senior club executive.
Any Liverpool player treated him with respect.
But the man standing in front of him was a historic symbol of the club.
Liverpool was a Premier League giant with over a century of history.
Apart from the ancient legend King Kenny Dalglish, no one held a higher place in the club’s story than Gerrard.
So even Edwards had to give the living legend some room.
Besides, Gerrard was normally easygoing and rarely lost his temper.
The fact that he was this angry meant he was genuinely furious.
It also made Edwards glance at Ethan, standing behind Gerrard.
What kind of talent did this Chinese-English kid have, to make Gerrard take him this seriously?
“Steven, calm down.
This has been difficult for me too.”
“I trust your judgment.
Giving a young player a contract is no problem at all.
But first-team minutes are not my call to make.”
Edwards’s words drew a low sigh from Gerrard.
Since taking over two years ago, Brendan Rodgers had always told the media how important Gerrard was as captain, on the pitch and in the dressing room.
But in the team’s tactical system, he had clearly and deliberately weakened Gerrard’s central role.
Gerrard was past his peak, but his experience and leadership still made him a major contributor on the pitch.
Rodgers’s marginalization had strained their relationship.
This season, Rodgers had made another major tactical shift.
Gerrard’s position had been pushed even further back, until he was almost entirely a defensive midfielder.
The team’s results were poor, Gerrard was unhappy, and the conflict between the two men had only deepened.
Anyone paying attention could see that Rodgers wanted to strip Gerrard of his influence entirely.
In his tactical vision, Gerrard should have stepped aside already.
As for whether this young player was a genius with stunning talent, Rodgers could not have cared less.
Liverpool’s league form was dreadful.
Tenth place.
Even if the kid was talented, could he be an immediate force and turn the club around overnight?
In Rodgers’s view, obviously not.
A sixteen-year-old could not possibly do that.
Gerrard turned to Ethan, apologetic.
“I’m sorry, Ethan.
I didn’t expect this.”
“But I promised you.
Not just that you’d become part of Liverpool, but that you’d get first-team minutes.
And I will fight for that.”
“I’m going to see Rodgers right now and lay this out.”
As Gerrard stood, Edwards grabbed his arm.
“Wait.
Steven.”
“You know how stubborn Rodgers is.”
“No matter how calmly you two start, it’ll end in argument and conflict.”
“One is the manager, the other is the spiritual leader of the club.
If that blows up, it won’t be easy to contain.
It’ll only hurt the team more.”
Edwards’s words cooled Gerrard down instantly.
Seeing Gerrard’s intensity, Edwards was even more astonished.
How extraordinary was this kid named Ethan Cross?
Knowing Gerrard as he did, Edwards had never seen him this invested in any young player.
Now Edwards’s own interest was fully sparked.
“Steven, as stubborn as Rodgers is, signing Ethan doesn’t mean he’ll lose his chance to develop on the pitch.”
“I have another way.”
Edwards’s words immediately lifted both Gerrard and Ethan.