Opposite the Workers’ Cultural Palace in Licang District, Qingdao, Shandong, there is a hotel café. Qiu Zhonghui arrived in the lobby ten minutes ahead of the agreed time. His physique appears almost unchanged from his days as a professional footballer. Now aged 49, he was once a star player for the Jianlibao youth team, Qingdao Haoniu and Beijing Guoan; it is hard to imagine that he is now a food delivery rider. After the Spring Festival this year, Qiu Zhonghui posted a video of himself delivering food on his personal social media, attracting a great deal of attention. This stark contrast made him the focus of the football world for a time. “It’s just a job. I believe that the more experiences you have, the clearer you become about yourself in life.” Although the theme of the interview was ‘food delivery’, during the conversation, Qiu Zhonghui spent most of his time talking about youth football training. He was wearing a windbreaker emblazoned with the words ‘Chinese Football Association’, a clear reminder of his connection to the sport. For the past decade, he has been almost exclusively involved in youth development, sharing his many insights on the subject. His friends are unanimous in their belief that delivering food is merely a temporary phase for Qiu Zhonghui, and that sooner or later he will return to the world of youth football development. After finishing his coffee, he took the reporter to see the Workers’ Cultural Centre across the road. He had rented the sports hall there for three years, and as he walked around the grounds, he remarked wistfully, “Sometimes you imagine yourself to be quite capable, thinking you can solve all sorts of problems, but in reality…” Qiu Zhonghui is extremely punctual; he even arrived at the café early and specifically ordered an iced Americano to stay in shape. These little habits may stem from his experience as a food delivery rider. He speaks quickly and is very talkative, joking: ‘This is all down to talking to people a lot. Whenever I meet other riders on the road, I always ask them about their work.’ He feels that delivering food is very similar to playing football. “First, you need to be physically fit, able to run up and down; second, you need skill and a good head on your shoulders, knowing the most efficient route; and you must be keen to learn, asking others for advice when you encounter problems.” However, at 49, he cannot possibly have the boundless energy of a young person, so he chose to work as a rider for a café near his home, covering a three-kilometre delivery radius. He once delivered 70 orders in a single day and attempted to reach 100, though he ultimately failed; yet his competitive spirit remains undimmed. Qiu Zhonghui said, “There’s no shame in any job. I feel I had it too easy before; I hadn’t really engaged with society and didn’t understand my own needs. Now I need to take a fresh look at myself.” In his first month delivering food, he earned around 8,000 yuan. His former teammate Li Weifeng once invited him to work in the club’s youth academy, but he politely declined: “I don’t want to be a burden to others.” When asked if he was doing it for the attention, Qiu Zhonghui replied candidly: “I just believe you can’t sit back and do nothing in life. If you’re capable of doing it, you should give it a go.” He admitted that delivering food had brought him more attention, but more importantly, it had enriched his life experience. During the interview, Qiu Zhonghui was also busy commentating on the Qingdao derby and taking part in the Qingdao Marathon. Although his performance wasn’t as good as last year, he enjoyed himself and maintained his weight at 75 kg, the same as during his professional career. He sees the marathon as a metaphor for life: the start is exhilarating, difficulties arise along the way, but ultimately you cross the finish line, always striving to improve your time. He said that although delivering food, commentating on matches and running marathons have enriched his life, his heart still lies with football. During the May Day holiday, he will be coaching players aspiring to enter university through the independent recruitment scheme, passing on his football experience to the next generation. With his delivery work temporarily on hold, he realised his body was sending out warning signals. After working 12 to 14 hours a day, his knees and ankles would ache, and his heart would react too. He reflected, ‘You can’t deny the effects of ageing.’ Qiu Zhonghui also took the reporter back to the football pitch he used to rent. On the pitch, the slogans he had left behind were still there: ‘Character, Quality, Conduct’ and ‘Autonomy, Self-governance, Self-management’, among others. This place bears witness to his ten years of youth development work. He once founded the Zhonghui Football Club, dedicated to nurturing young players’ skills, and brought in youth development experts from Japan, organising exchange trips for the children to Japan. Despite his ideals, reality proved harsh; financial pressures and recruitment difficulties made it difficult to sustain the youth development programme. He was deeply distressed to see the children involved in match-fixing. He believes football should be part of education, but match-fixing casts a shadow over the children’s minds. He emphasised that youth development must prioritise the children’s needs, rather than catering to the vanity and interests of adults. For instance, at seven or eight, the focus should be on maintaining their interest; at ten, on strengthening their technique; at twelve, on tactical training; and from thirteen to fifteen, on increasing competitive training – only then can they develop gradually. Qiu Zhonghui said: “I am also waiting for the right opportunity, or for people who truly share my vision; I have no intention of leaving.” Even after experiencing life as a food delivery rider, he remains steadfast in his passion for football and youth development.