"Her acting is truly remarkable. She's already had a number of opportunities, but I hope this event will bring her even more exposure and help her land a film or TV role truly worthy of her talent."
"For someone destined to become a superstar, that very first project is crucial."
"Just like for a footballer destined to be a star, their first official appearance is equally important."
"I also hope our friends in the media today will help promote Jennifer Lawrence. And if you ever want some Real Madrid insider stories in the future, I'd be happy to share a few."
"She's from…"
Su Hang turned to Jennifer.
Jennifer quickly supplied the name of her agency and her contact information. She swore she had never been this lucky in her life. She'd met a genuinely good person. Maybe this was what people meant by a true benefactor.
That very morning, however, Jennifer had been discouraged. Her original "red carpet partner" had been taken from her. The other agency was more powerful, and the model who replaced her was already somewhat well-known. That player's ranking was higher than Su Hang's, which meant her walk came later in the order.
With the exception of the top five, all players walked the red carpet in reverse order of their Ballon d'Or ranking. Su Hang was ranked 47th. Considering that some lower-ranked players wouldn't make the trip, others couldn't attend due to matches or injuries, and many spots were already reserved for friends or family, only a handful of opportunities remained—basically five or six.
Jennifer's agency had secured a decent slot early on by paying in advance: No. 22. That was supposed to be… Cristiano Ronaldo, wasn't it? Yes, that was the name.
But then a young model swooped in and took Ronaldo. Which left Jennifer with this "Su." At a glance, he seemed to be Asian. Jennifer wasn't dismissive, but in these circles, it was rare to see Asian players who had broken through to worldwide fame. None came readily to mind, at least for outsiders in Europe.
And yet… just look at Su Hang now. The way he carried himself, the way he handled everything—it was incredible.
As Jennifer silently thanked fate—because smiling girls never have bad luck—Su Hang himself was also pleased. Jennifer was bound to make it big in Hollywood sooner or later. Early favors always leave a mark on young people, something they remember for life. When the time came, Su Hang wouldn't ask for much—maybe a small role in one of Jennifer's films, just to make some pocket money. If it also helped expand his family's entertainment and media ventures, even better.
Bringing his football ventures back to China wasn't realistic under the current circumstances. But the film and entertainment industry? That was a golden opportunity. If he could, Su Hang was more than willing to contribute to his country through taxes, jobs, and meaningful content.
...
Once inside the venue, Jennifer's shock only deepened. Logically, a player ranked 47th like Su Hang should have been seated far back. With heavyweight guests and nominees for other awards, players ranked outside the top ten usually started from the third row. Su Hang figured he'd end up in the fifth or sixth.
Yet the staff led him directly to the front row.
Oh my god.
To make sure she wasn't mistaken, Jennifer even checked the name tag on the seat.
Hang Su.
It really was him!
Why?
How could this be?
This…
Jennifer was now certain: when that young model who stole her No. 22 partner found out where the "lowly No. 47" Su Hang had been seated, she would cry herself unconscious in the bathroom.
Soon, the players began arriving. Few stopped to greet Su Hang. By contrast, several others also ranked outside the top forty—though older—were laughing and chatting comfortably. That was the disadvantage of youth. Of course, it also had to do with their seats being further back.
"Who's that in the front row?"
"That's Su."
"The Real Madrid captain?"
"This guy's unbelievable—front row in his very first year."
"Just hype."
"No, his ability is real. Second in La Liga's scoring charts: ten goals and three assists in thirteen matches—he's averaging a goal per game. That efficiency is insane."
"I heard Manchester United wanted him. Now Milan and Bayern are interested too."
"No chance. Real Madrid won't let him go. Su will become the club's new flagbearer."
"He's incredibly fortunate. So many big stars never got the chance to stay long at Real. Look at Owen…"
"The real shock is Raúl actually giving him the captain's armband. No one saw that coming."
Jennifer perked up, realizing that even though Su Hang was new to this scene, the entire football community was already buzzing about him.
Soon the heavyweights began arriving, and naturally their presence drew greetings from those around them. The atmosphere grew livelier. Su Hang also took the initiative, greeting a few stars—Roberto Carlos and Raúl, for instance. After all, they were teammates. Unfortunately, since both were seated in the second row, there wasn't much chance to chat further.
Then Jennifer spotted that young model again. She walked in on Cristiano Ronaldo's arm, clearly hoping he'd mingle with stars and pick up more camera time. But instead, the ice-cold Ronaldo went straight to his second-row seat. The poor model was left with zero social interaction.
Worse, on the red carpet Cristiano had walked so quickly it was like he was in a race. When asked questions by the host, his answers were clipped to the extreme. He didn't even acknowledge his female companion. The red carpet exposure was minimal.
Still, the young model remembered one question from the host: "Cristiano, many people compare you to Su Hang. What do you think of him?"
Cristiano answered with clear arrogance: "I haven't paid attention to that player. I ranked 22nd in the Ballon d'Or. My focus is only on the 21 players ahead of me."
"Hm?"
Cristiano frowned, staring directly at the seat in front of him. The seat belonging to… Su Hang.
Now there was no ignoring him.
At that moment Su Hang turned his head, eyes lighting up.
"Cristiano! Oh wait, Chris! I can't believe I'm meeting you in person. It's such an honor! You're one of the greatest players in my eyes!"
Su Hang stood up at once, extending his right hand.
Unbelievable.
This was Su Hang's true benefactor. No exaggeration—Cristiano Ronaldo's Moment Card was the strongest Su Hang had ever used. And Ronaldo's trademark heading ability, tied to his iconic early "instant Noodle Ronaldo", was still one of Su Hang's core skills to this day. His entire playing style revolved around it.
So… would my Ronaldo consider dropping a few more treasures?