"The discharge procedures have been completed, and the doctor said that you have no problems at all. Let's go, we have a match the day after tomorrow."
That afternoon, when Lucas had accepted the fact that he had become a professional football player from an ordinary graduate, a tall and sturdy black man walked into Lucas's ward.
Hearing the tone of the caller, he seemed to be very familiar with Lucas. Lucas thought carefully through his memories and figured out the relationship between this guy and himself.
Reggie Bowen, a professional footballer, was a big shot in lower-league senior player. He also never attracted any attention of the bigger clubs during his youth career. He has played in the lower leagues for three years but still hasn't attracted the attention of any Premier League team despite his not so bad stats.
But like most players, Reggie hasn't given up his dream and is still full of hope for making it to the Premier League. Therefore, he stays in the challenging environment of the lower leagues.
At Brentford FC, Reggie and Lucas have become good friends. As someone new to the team, Lucas initially felt a bit isolated. But Reggie alone was extremely friendly and enthusiastic towards him.
When Reggie heard that Lucas hadn't found a place to stay in London, he generously invited Lucas to crash at his place for a few nights. Nowadays, Reggie often invites Lucas over for meals.
If Lucas had to evaluate him, Reggie is a really good person. This may be related to his years of experience as a lower-league player.
As a player at the bottom of the football pyramid, Reggie knows the difficulty each lower-league player faces. So, he's particularly sympathetic to Lucas.
"What's wrong, mate? Are you still dazed? I've told you before, it's not a good idea to push too hard during training. Don't worry, the club has already covered your medical bills. You don't have to worry about the cost of the ambulance ride from yesterday," Reggie smiled and patted Lucas on the shoulder.
In England, emergency medical care can be costly. The ambulance ride alone can set you back quite a bit. Then, there's the examination fee in the emergency room, which is much higher than in regular departments. After all is said and done, the bill could easily reach a significant amount.
Lucas also recalled a joke he'd heard in his previous life about an Chinese student who fainted on the street. The last thing the student said before losing consciousness was, "Don't call an ambulance!"
But right now, Lucas wasn't thinking about the ambulance; he was trying to adjust to the sudden appearance of this good friend.
"Thanks for picking me up, Reggie." Lucas didn't know what else to say, so he could only thank his teammate, who was also chasing his dream.
"Do we need to talk about this? Let's go, come over to my place for dinner this afternoon. My mum bought some good chicken thighs; you'll have a feast tonight."
Reggie said this and walked out of the ward with his arm around Lucas's shoulder. Lucas was still a little unaccustomed to Reggie's enthusiasm, but having a friend wasn't a bad thing.
----
Walking down the streets of London, Lucas was full of curiosity about everything around him.
Although London is a big city, it was still overwhelming for Lucas, who was exploring it as a "foreigner" for the first time.
"I say, why are you acting weird today?" Reggie noticed Lucas's strange behavior and frowned. "Yesterday, you fainted during training, but after all the tests, they found nothing wrong with you. Are you sure you're okay?"
Reggie said this while reaching out to touch the back of Lucas's head.
"I'm fine, Reggie. I just feel like I slept for a long time." After being silent for most of the way, Lucas quickly removed Reggie's hand. If he didn't say something soon, it might raise suspicions.
If it was discovered that his soul didn't actually belong to this body, Lucas feared the authorities might take him away for some bizarre experiments.
The two continued their conversation as they walked into a seemingly run-down neighborhood. This was Reggie's home, where he grew up—a less remarkable corner of London.
When he was in Brazil, Lucas imagined British cities to be bustling and full of life. But to be honest, the situation in this part of London couldn't compare to his memories of Brazil.
Although it was his first time in England, as someone living in the information age, Lucas had never been here before, but he'd seen enough in movies and online to know where he was.
There was no doubt he was in a rough neighborhood. If it wasn't for Reggie being with him, Lucas wasn't sure he'd be able to walk safely down the street.
On the edge of the neighborhood stood a small two-story building that was Reggie's home. Next to the house was a mini football pitch. According to Bowen, that's where his love for football began.
"Mum, I'm back! And Lucas is with me, thank God his head's alright," Reggie shouted as they approached the house.
Soon, a short and chubby black woman opened the door, wearing an apron and a kind smile.
"I told you, God would bless Lucas. Come here, lad, let me have a look. God, when Reggie told me you fainted yesterday, I was so scared."
Reggie's mother, Ivory, examined the back of Lucas's head with concern, then hugged him. Although this made Lucas feel a bit embarrassed and unsure of how to respond, it also brought a sense of warmth to his heart.
Yes, Lucas in his previous life had lacked parental care since he was a child. He hadn't experienced the feeling of home in a long time...
Once inside, Lucas looked around. From the old, worn-out sofa to the cluttered living room, it was clear that Reggie's family wasn't well off.
Reggie's father was in jail for drug-related offenses. His mother, the kind lady he'd just met, had raised Bowen and his sister on her own.
Although Reggie is now a professional player, there's no doubt that a lower-league footballer's salary isn't enough to significantly improve the family's financial situation.
Unlike the Premier League stars who earn hundreds of thousands of pounds, the total wage budget for a lower-league team is far lower. Compared to the Premier League, it's just a drop in the ocean.
Reggie, as a "veteran" with three years of experience in the lower leagues, earns just £15,000 this year. That's right, not £150,000, but £15,000! Per year!
For comparison, the average annual salary in the UK is around £30,000. So, although they're called professional players, Reggie and Lucas's income places them in the lower middle class in the UK.
"Lucas, you'll be okay for tomorrow's training, right?" While Mrs. Bowen was busy in the kitchen, Reggie and Lucas started chatting on the sofa.
"Uh... to be honest, I'm not sure," Lucas smiled awkwardly. Although he was earning just £10,000 a year in the lower leagues, the current situation was that Lucas wasn't sure if he'd even be able to secure that income.
Lucas was a football enthusiast in his previous life, like most Brazilian, sure, but his actual skills were mediocre at best. He couldn't even make it onto the local team. So now that a lousy player like himself had found his way into the body of a professional, could he really play professional football? Lucas was skeptical.
"What happened?"
"I...I just got out of the hospital, and I don't know if I can keep up. How about this, after dinner, will you come with me to your place to practice?"
Lucas wanted to see if he could still play football before tomorrow's training. If not, it might be better to switch careers early...
After all, as an older rookie who had spent four years playing academy echelon football, Lucas was already 22. He couldn't afford to waste all his youth in the lower leagues.
Having the chance to start over is rare. Of course, Lucas didn't want to continue living in poverty. Dreams are great, but a person still needs to eat. It's not practical to struggle every day for a dream without seeing any results.
"Sure, I'll go with you for a workout after dinner. But if you ask me, I think you'll be just fine," Reggie readily agreed to Lucas's suggestion.
"Yeah..." Lucas tried to cover up his nervousness with a fake, slightly awkward laugh.
Playing football with a professional? He might be in for a rough ride.