I Just Wanted to Play Soccer, But I Became a Hollywood Heartthrob

The next morning, at around 9 AM, Gu Ran woke up in pain.

Yesterday's match had been too intense, and the physical clashes were overwhelming. The accumulated fatigue was now hitting him all at once.

If only Maria was here…

His first instinct was to call her and book a session, but he quickly held back.

After yesterday's interactions, he could clearly feel that Maria was interested in him. And, well, his body was interested in her too.

But if he used up his energy without fully recovering, what was the point?

At least… he had to wait until they got through the group stage first.

Gu Ran took a deep breath and pushed through the searing muscle pain as he struggled out of bed.

At least his stamina had increased to 64 points—a full 5-point jump from his last match. That was the equivalent of 500 hours of foundational stamina training in terms of results. His recovery would be much faster than the average player.

Compared to other athletes, this level of progress was downright insane.

After two competitive matches, Gu Ran realized that his stamina needed further improvement.

Every high-speed dribble, every duel against a stronger opponent, consumed a massive amount of energy.

So, for now, his top priority was increasing his stamina.

The Buckhorn Stags' training was decent, but it still wasn't on par with professional-level conditioning.

But first—he needed to move out of the Turner household.

After packing up, he left behind a thank-you letter for Andrew and Sally, along with three months' worth of rent as a token of gratitude. Then, he quietly left.

At that moment, Gu Ran officially cut ties with his past life.

A new chapter had begun.

By the time he arrived at the Dune Beach Villa, the real estate agent was already waiting.

The two-and-a-half-story seaside mansion had been thoroughly cleaned, all equipment had been inspected, and even the pool water had been completely replaced. The docked yacht at the pier had been polished until it gleamed.

Gu Ran swiftly signed the rental contract.

The agent smiled professionally. "Congratulations, Mr. Gu! This Dune Beach Villa is now yours. Here's the key. If you need anything, feel free to contact me."

"Thanks."

"Oh, and Mr. Gu—" Just as the agent was about to leave, he turned back. "I forgot to mention… that yacht? It's broken."

… Son of a—!

Gu Ran's eyes twitched. "Broken? Can it be fixed?"

The agent shrugged. "Technically, it's just missing an engine. But hey, if you don't mind paddling, you could still use it."

Then he left, whistling.

Gu Ran stood there, his teeth grinding.

No wonder the guy agreed to my haggling so easily.

But whatever. He hadn't rented this place for the yacht anyway.

Once the agent was gone, Gu Ran flopped onto the massive leather sofa in the living room, stretching out in complete relaxation.

Finally.

A place to call his own.

After lying there for a while, he got up and started organizing his belongings.

There were four bedrooms in the house. He chose the largest master bedroom on the first floor, which had floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the deep blue sea.

Waking up to this view every morning?

That's the dream.

After unpacking, Gu Ran headed to the supermarket and bought a ton of Chinese groceries and household essentials.

He stocked up both refrigerators to the brim.

Even the swimming pool didn't go to waste—he bought a school of "doctor fish" and released them into the water. These fish naturally cleaned the pool by eating dead skin and bacteria, keeping the water fresh.

By the time he was done, it was already past 3 PM.

After a quick meal, he took a taxi to Globe Gym, the largest fitness center in Southampton.

Today was supposed to be a rest day, but his grind never stopped. Every day he picked up was another talent point earned.

And professional gyms?

They were the perfect hunting grounds.

As soon as Gu Ran walked into Globe Gym, he was impressed.

The top-tier training equipment, the Olympic-grade machines, and most importantly—the clientele. Everyone here looked like a fitness model.

These weren't your average gym-goers.

These people trained seriously.

Gu Ran casually scouted the area, thinking about how to "freeload" training results without making it obvious.

Obviously, he couldn't just start fights to trigger pickups.

That'd be way too dumb.

Just as he was contemplating a strategy, a flashy-looking couple entered the gym.

The man was 6'2", ripped, and wearing a tight tank top that barely contained his bulging muscles.

The woman?

She looked at least 60, drenched in perfume, and covered in jewelry from head to toe.

Wait a minute…

Was this guy…

A sugar baby?!

Gu Ran nearly choked on his own breath.

The guy was bold.

He wasn't just dating a sugar mama.

He was flaunting it.

Gu Ran stole a quick glance, half in amusement.

The wealthy old lady noticed and immediately locked onto him.

Her eyes lit up.

"You're quite a handsome young man," she purred, pulling out a golden business card and slipping it into Gu Ran's waistband.

"If you ever decide you don't want to work for the rest of your life… call me."

Then, she turned and sauntered off with her massive bodybuilder toy boy.

Gu Ran almost threw up his lunch.

But before he could even process what just happened—

DING! DING! DING!

System notifications exploded in his mind.

Around him, within a 10-meter radius, a storm of blue training bubbles appeared.

Wait. What?

Did… did these fitness freaks just drop bubbles out of jealousy?!

Were they actually envious of him getting hit on by a rich old lady?!

How much could a sugar mama even pay you guys?!

Gu Ran rolled his eyes and quickly scanned the bubbles.

Private Trainer-Level Stamina Training +10 Hours

Private Trainer-Level Strength Training +10 Hours

Private Trainer-Level Core Training +10 Hours

Holy crap.

He had expected it to be difficult to get training drops here.

But it turned out he didn't have to do anything.

He just stood there, looking handsome, and the results rolled in.

Gu Ran sighed dramatically.

This…

This must be what they call "being spoon-fed by fate."

He instantly absorbed all 10 bubbles—5 stamina and 5 strength training boosts.

With this, his strength stat was finally nearing an upgrade. By the end of the next match, it would likely increase again.

He even earned another Talent Point, but he decided to save it for the match against Rugby Golden Fleece.

Then, in front of dozens of jealous gym bros, he tossed the sugar mama's business card into the trash and strolled out.

Behind him—

A dozen muscle-bound men sprinted for the garbage can, diving to retrieve the card.

…

By the time he got home, he filled his bathtub with ice and soaked in it for recovery.

Cryotherapy pods weren't mainstream yet in 2010, so he had ordered one online, but it wouldn't arrive for another three days.

Until then?

Manual ice baths.

After three minutes, his entire body went numb, and he climbed out, shivering.

The match against Rugby Golden Fleece was in two days.

Gu Ran gritted his teeth and steeled his mind.

They would win.

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