Sometimes, happiness comes too quickly and too suddenly, leaving people feeling helpless and even instinctively resistant.
The smarter and more rational a person is, the more cautious they become.
Vardy was just such a person.
From home to the factory, he was like a zombie—driving, clocking in, working on the assembly line, moving materials...
It was all routine work he did every day, now muscle memory.
But unlike usual, his mind was blank today.
He kept asking himself the same question over and over again: Even if a pie really fell from the sky, why would it land on me?
He thought about it repeatedly but couldn't figure it out.
It wasn't until he finished work at noon and was getting ready for lunch that a call from a stranger finally snapped him back to reality.
"Hello, Jamie, I'm Gao Shen."
The first words from the caller almost made Jamie Vardy drop his phone.
Gao Shen!
"Hello… Hello, Mr. Gao," Vardy replied with difficulty.
Just a few days ago, he had watched Gao Shen's Champions League final. It was electrifying. At the time, he had wondered what kind of player would be lucky enough to catch the eye of a manager like Gao Shen?
But he never imagined that a few days later, he'd be given such an opportunity.
Of course, not to play under Gao Shen directly, but to play for Gao Shen's team.
"I believe you already know that Leeds United has decided to sign you. Are you willing to play for Leeds United?"
"Yes, I… no… I… I'm very confused right now. I can't think straight." Vardy was flustered.
He'd never felt this nervous before. Not even when he confessed to his first love.
"It's alright. Take your time. Tell me what's on your mind," Gao Shen said with a smile over the phone.
Hearing that, Vardy took several deep breaths, slowly calming down enough to start thinking clearly.
"Mr. Gao, I don't understand… why?" Vardy asked the question that had been bugging him most.
He was just a part-time player in the seventh tier, not even full-time.
Why had Gao Shen picked him?
"A friend of mine watched your matches and recorded some footage for me. I think your ability stands out, whether it's at the seventh, sixth, or even fifth tier. I believe you can feel it yourself—your teammates and opponents can't keep up with your pace."
Vardy could feel that.
If he really wanted to, he could have scored even more goals.
But he couldn't. Lower-tier leagues were full of rough physical play. If you scored too many and rubbed opponents the wrong way, you never knew when a brutal tackle might come your way.
So, he held back.
It was a smart decision.
"I know there are plenty of players from professional academies in the lower leagues, many of them excellent. But you stand out from them. I see a different kind of light in you."
Vardy was flattered by Gao Shen's words, but he quickly remembered his own history.
When a person has been unlucky for too long, they begin to doubt whether they're still worthy of good fortune.
"You know, Mr. Gao, back when I was at Sheffield Wednesday, they said they couldn't see any light in me."
"Ha. Then they'll definitely regret it," Gao Shen replied confidently.
"I'm really not talented, Mr. Gao." Vardy still lacked confidence.
Sure, in the seventh tier, or at Halifax, he was definitely confident. But with Gao Shen, with Leeds United, he couldn't find that same self-assurance.
Because he understood the enormous gap between Halifax and Leeds United, a gap that would normally take years or even decades to close.
"Jamie, I've always believed that talent determines a player's ceiling, but hard work determines their floor."
Gao Shen spoke earnestly, "Honestly, your talent may not be enough to win the Ballon d'Or or FIFA Player of the Year. But your hard work will absolutely make you an incredible player."
"For example, starting striker in the Premier League. England international. I don't think that's a problem at all."
Vardy was stunned.
He even wondered if he'd misheard.
"Mr. Gao… are you… talking about me?"
"Of course. I'm really looking forward to the day you win the Premier League Golden Boot and lead Leeds United to the title."
"This… I…" Vardy was at a complete loss.
It was like someone with nothing being told they'd become the richest person in the world.
Who would believe that?
But it was Gao Shen saying it.
"I've heard your story, Jamie. You have a lot of bad habits that need to change, but the most valuable thing about you is your love for football. It's a pure kind of love, and your fighting spirit on the pitch."
"You know, I see a bit of Suarez in you. The two of you are very alike in that regard."
Vardy was speechless.
"Think carefully about what I've said, Jamie. You still have a lot of potential to tap into, and Leeds United and I want to help you catch up."
"Of course, the process of catching up will be painful. Jumping from the seventh tier straight to the Championship won't be easy. So I hope you'll think it over carefully. If you believe you can take on that challenge, then grab this opportunity!"
"Trust me, Jamie. It will change your life!"
…
Two days later.
Leeds United officially announced the signing of 24-year-old striker Jamie Vardy from Halifax for £100,000.
The news was posted on the club's official website and their newly created Twitter account.
At first, it drew little attention. But not long after it was posted, Gao Shen retweeted it and commented: "He is a man who lost at the starting line, but he will win at the finish line with hard work and sweat!"
Gao Shen's tweet immediately sparked massive reaction online.
Having just led Manchester City to a historic Treble and become the most celebrated active manager in football, Gao Shen's interaction with Leeds United seemed to confirm the rumors surrounding his involvement with the club.
Even if the media hadn't yet found evidence of his direct role in the club's management, it clearly showed a close connection.
Soon, the media began digging into just who Jamie Vardy was.
Halifax?
Even local fans in England barely knew the name. As the media looked deeper, people discovered it was a semi-professional team that had just been promoted from the seventh tier to the sixth.
Leeds United had actually gone to a semi-pro team to sign a player?
And he was a 24-year-old striker?
It was unbelievable.
But that wasn't the end.
Soon after, Leeds United's official Twitter account announced the signing of young defender Harry Maguire from Sheffield United for £100,000.
The 18-year-old had only made five appearances for Sheffield United, mostly as a substitute. The team had since been relegated to League One and was in disarray.
Gao Shen retweeted this post too, though without any comment.
Then, Leeds United officially announced the signing of 19-year-old Brazilian-Italian midfielder Jorginho from newly promoted Serie B side Verona for €100,000.
The young midfielder had only played one season in Italy's fourth tier. Aside from a single goal, he had no notable stats and was known for his slender frame.
Next came Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas, signed from relegated Spanish Segunda side Albacete for €300,000.
If the first few transfers seemed underwhelming, Navas was at least a recognizable name. But he hadn't even been a starter at Albacete, which felt a bit underwhelming.
Media covering Leeds United started to notice that the club's transfers appeared extremely low-end.
All of the signings had transfer fees under seven figures, far from the wild spending spree many had expected following the club's rumored acquisition by Chinese capital and its ties to Gao Shen. More importantly, the signings were mostly from lower leagues and completely unremarkable.
Later, Leeds United announced the signing of Argentine striker Mauro Icardi from Barcelona for €270,000 and paid a €500,000 training compensation fee to sign full-back Héctor Bellerín, also from Barcelona.
Bellerín became Leeds United's most expensive signing of the summer.
Previously, the media hype around the rumored Chinese investment in Leeds United and its connection to Gao Shen had fueled great anticipation and excitement among fans.
Now, that excitement had turned into disappointment.
There was no massive spending spree, no splashy signings—just a string of obscure, low-cost deals.
Even the two players signed from Barcelona's youth system were minor transactions.
Without Gao Shen's involvement, these signings wouldn't have made the news.
Now, nobody could understand Leeds United's transfer strategy.
Many experts commented that, rather than signing unknown players from the lower leagues, it would have been better to spend the same amount to loan promising youth players from Premier League clubs.
After all, most of the best young talents in England are already in the academies of Premier League and Championship teams.
Expecting to find real gems in the lower leagues seemed unrealistic.
Players like Navas and Vardy—already not young and barely known—didn't look like they had much potential. To outsiders, it looked more like the new management at Leeds United simply had no money for signings.
"Fernando Lucas might be the best data analyst in the world, but clearly, he's not suited to running a club. You can see that from his transfer business. He's far too inexperienced!"
While the recruitment drive faced criticism, Leeds United was also under threat from poachers.
Most notably, Jonathan Howson, the second player favored by Lampard, had begun attracting increasing attention and interest from fans, with transfer offers already coming in.
(To be continued.)