Chapter Two: The Nine-Hundred-Yuan One-of-One

Lin did not expose him. “Mr. Luo, I am not here to hold anyone responsible. These were sold to me as trash. I want people to know Zhou didn't suddenly run from the game. He fought until the last day.” Luo's lips trembled. Dozens of dusty trophies stood inside. He removed the plainest one and unscrewed its wooden base. A DV tape lay within. “He forbade me from revealing the injury,” Luo said. “His sponsorship had three years left. If it leaked, the brand would demand damages and cut funding to the youth team. After he retired, I thought the truth had lost its use.” “It has one now. A fake signed shoe shouldn't get to tell his story.”