It hurts like hell.
Damn it!
Is Kai kicking me out?
But then Cristiano Ronaldo saw Kai's parents walking up behind him.
Wait…
So Kai wants to move out and live on his own, but his parents won't allow it?
So he's asking me to move out first, hold the place, and then later he'll sneak out and share a place with me?
For some reason, Ronaldo suddenly felt a little… touched.
At least the guy still had some conscience.
"Yeah, Auntie," Ronaldo said with a smile, "I'm almost an adult now. It's not appropriate for me to keep bothering you here. After we come back from Moreirense this summer, I'll start looking for a place."
"Thank you, Uncle, Auntie, for taking care of me all this time. I'll come visit often… I won't forget you."
Kai's parents were so moved their eyes turned red.
"See?" Kai clenched his fists proudly and said, "I told you Ronaldo would understand! That means when Hathaway comes to visit this summer, she can just stay at our place."
"Oh, Dad, by the way—get some better latex paint and repaint the room pink. Proper girly pink. Replace all the furniture too. And throw out anything Ronaldo used—Hathaway can't use that stuff. The guy probably has athlete's foot…"
Watching Kai's parents seriously take out a pen and start writing this down…
Cristiano Ronaldo's heart dropped straight to the floor.
So…
I'm the extra one now?
"Uncle, Auntie… don't you forbid early relationships in China?" Ronaldo tried one last desperate move to sabotage things.
Unexpectedly, Kai's mother waved it off casually.
"That's more of a modern thing. In ancient times we even had child marriages. As long as it's real love and nothing illegal, whether it's early or late doesn't matter. We're quite open-minded."
Kai's father nodded seriously.
"Right. Ronaldo, why don't you pack your things while you're here? I'll ship everything back to Madeira for you. Then we can start repainting."
Ronaldo was shaking with anger.
Didn't you say you treated me like your own son?
Now that your future daughter-in-law is coming, I'm back to being a kid from Madeira again?
…
By the time Kai and Cristiano Ronaldo got on the bus back to Moreirense, Ronaldo still hadn't recovered.
He was furious.
Kai, you heartless bastard—got yourself a girlfriend and forgot your brother!
Damn it!
"These villa areas are pretty good," Kai said, casually patting Ronaldo. "Private golf courses, strong security. Take your time choosing. Money isn't the issue, but security and privacy are important."
Ronaldo didn't even turn his head, staring out the window.
"What the hell does my house have to do with you? Do I need your fake concern? You think I can't find a place in Lisbon?"
"Don't forget—I've got a decent five-figure balance now!"
For a Portuguese Liga player, that wasn't small money. Sure, not enough to buy a villa—but renting one for a year? Easy.
"Who said it's for you?" Kai replied casually. "Help me pick one. Hathaway's only staying at my place temporarily. Regular apartments aren't convenient."
"I'm getting more and more famous in Lisbon. If I keep living in a normal community, I won't even be able to train properly. I'll definitely move to a villa area anyway. Easier for Hathaway to visit too."
"If my parents weren't so used to apartment life, I'd have moved them out already."
Ronaldo froze.
So… Kai wasn't kicking him out.
He really wanted Ronaldo to help find a place…
Which basically meant finding a place for both of them.
"You still have some conscience," Ronaldo muttered, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
The bad mood instantly disappeared.
Still… Kai has a girlfriend now.
Does that mean I should find one too?
Otherwise… doesn't that make me look inferior?
Ronaldo's brain started calculating.
Meanwhile, Kai watched Ronaldo happily calling his brother Hugo to discuss house hunting and finally relaxed.
Truth be told, Kai knew something.
Winning the U17 Best Player award had affected Ronaldo.
Not jealousy.
Ronaldo just had insanely high standards for himself.
When someone else succeeded, he wouldn't envy them—he'd interrogate himself:
Am I falling behind?
Am I not improving fast enough?
What am I still lacking?
That constant pressure pushed him forward…
But when he wasn't mature enough, it could also strain relationships.
Friends might misunderstand and think he was competing or jealous.
And that could create cracks.
What?
How did Kai know Ronaldo was bothered by the U17 award?
Well…
First, he'd seen Ronaldo's diary.
Ronaldo: ???
Seriously—stop hiding stuff under your pillow, under the mattress, or in the gaps by the bedside table!
At that point, even your damn savings aren't safe, let alone a diary.
Second…
The system told him.
"Ding! You have been awarded U17 Best Player!"
"Rewards: Blue Fragment x3, Purple Fragment x3, Gold Fragment x1, Super Training Stakes x10, Donglong Special Drink x8, White Medicine Bandage x2, Star Drop x1!"
"Star Drop – 'The Championship Cristiano Ronaldo Missed': Due to heart surgery, Cristiano Ronaldo missed most of the U17 season and the title. Filled with regret, his fighting spirit burns. When facing an opponent who has won a championship, you will gain a random ability boost for the entire match."
Kai blinked.
Well damn.
Thanks for the gift, Cristiano Ronaldo.
This was the most interesting star drop he'd seen so far.
Just one word made it insane:
Random.
No indication of which ability. No clue how strong.
Pure chaos.
Pure potential.
Of course, the activation condition might be rare in lower leagues.
But in higher-level competitions?
With 18-man squads, finding someone who's won a title is ridiculously easy.
At the top level, almost everyone has won something.
Players without trophies are rarer than unicorns.
Honestly, even idiots have trophies.
Harry Kane: ???
…
May 21st.
The penultimate round of the Portuguese Liga kicked off.
Moreirense faced Vizela, who were second in the standings.
Before their match, Rio Ave—sitting first—had already played and won, reaching 51 points.
Gil Vicente, in fourth, finally got their act together and secured three points, bringing them to 48.
Vizela had no choice.
They had to beat Moreirense to stay level on points and push the title race into the final round.
If Moreirense failed to win…
They were out of the title race.
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