Bab 9: Chapter 9: So Big, So White
Zhang Ning woke up early.
The first thing she did upon opening her eyes was check her clothes.
After confirming that neither her clothes nor her underwear had been disturbed, she finally felt relieved.
Sometimes, she felt so conflicted, even torn, about how long she should maintain this strange relationship with Yang Huan.
When she thought of Yang Huan, she was surprised to find that not only was she alone in bed, but the bed across from her was also empty.
Where was he? Where had he gone?
She sat up in bed, leaning against the wall, fully convinced that Yang Huan had spent the night in her bed.
That meant they had slept in the same bed for an entire night.
Although nothing had actually happened, who would believe that if she told anyone?
Suddenly, her phone on the nightstand rang with a strange ringtone.
"Your husband is calling! Your husband is calling!"
Zhang Ning instantly felt disgusted. She picked up the phone and saw that it was Yang Huan calling.
When did that jerk secretly change my ringtone?
"Hello." Despite her annoyance, she had to answer.
"How do you like the new ringtone, honey?" Yang Huan's voice came through the phone, clearly proud of his prank.
"Disgusting and cheesy!" She didn't hesitate to give him a bad review.
But Yang Huan just laughed. "Excellent.
From your review, I can tell you love it. So, you're not allowed to change it back. I'll check randomly, and if I find out you changed it, I'll dock your pay and fire you."
Zhang Ning was speechless. Couldn't he come up with something more original?
But the threat worked. She needed the money.
"Don't worry, I only changed it for your calls. Everyone else's ringtone is the same."
That at least gave Zhang Ning some relief. If all her calls had that ringtone, she'd want to die from embarrassment.
"I'm downstairs in the restaurant having breakfast. You have five minutes to freshen up and get dressed. I expect to see you in five minutes, so hurry up!" With that, Yang Huan hung up.
"Five minutes? I—" Before she could finish her sentence, the line went dead.
"This is so unfair!" She felt like pulling her hair out and threw the phone onto the bed.
But she had no choice but to rush into the bathroom, hurriedly brushing her teeth and washing her face, getting herself completely soaked in the process.
When Zhang Ning walked out of the bathroom, still wiping her face and undressing, she was left wearing only a mysterious set of purple lingerie.
At that moment, the door clicked open and then shut again.
Yang Huan walked into the room, his eyes immediately drawn to Zhang Ning's seductive lingerie and her alluring, curvaceous figure. He froze for a moment, his expression exaggerated. "So big, so white!"
"I… you…" Zhang Ning yelped, turning and running back into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.
Outside, Yang Huan couldn't stop laughing. He approached the bathroom door, putting on an innocent tone.
"Didn't I call you just now and tell you I'd be here in five minutes? Why did you choose this time to change clothes? Could it be you're trying to seduce me?"
Without waiting for a response, he sighed dramatically, shaking his head. "You know, I'm pretty weak when it comes to resisting beauty. You wouldn't even need to take off your clothes, just a few sweet words would be enough for me to give in."
Then, as if giving advice, he added, "So, let's just forget this happened. Next time, don't do it again."
Inside the bathroom, Zhang Ning was furious, nearly ready to lose it. This jerk was clearly doing it on purpose but acting as if he were the victim.
Good grief, how could there be someone so shameless in this world?
"Oh, by the way, I prepared breakfast for you. Hurry up and come out to eat. After that, I'll take you shopping!"
Still, there was no movement from Zhang Ning in the bathroom.
"Hey, come on now! What's the big deal? I only saw a little. Stop dragging this out!" Yang Huan teased from the other side of the door.
Zhang Ning clenched her fists, wishing she could punch him into oblivion. What did he mean by "what's the big deal"?
If the roles were reversed, wouldn't he be shocked?
But on second thought, Zhang Ning despaired. Knowing Yang Huan, if she accidentally saw him changing clothes, he probably wouldn't even be embarrassed. He might actually strike a pose!
"Alright, alright, I'll leave. Is that okay?"
Zhang Ning heard the sound of the door opening and closing again. After a moment, she cautiously opened the bathroom door just a crack and peeked out. Only when she saw that the room was empty did she step out.
There was indeed a breakfast on the table. Zhang Ning stuck out her tongue at the door, "One of these days, I'll strangle you and throw you off a building. Let's see if you're still so smug then!"
Muttering to herself, she walked toward her luggage.
But just as she took two steps, the door clicked open again.
Yang Huan, grinning, stood in the doorway, staring at her smooth, fair skin.
"Oops, I forgot my phone." He stepped closer, retrieving his phone from the bed.
Zhang Ning felt like she was about to lose her mind. This guy was shameless—utterly, completely shameless!
Fine, let him look!
Zhang Ning decided she had nothing to hide. Right in front of him, she started searching through her luggage for clothes.
"I have to say, Zhang Ning, I think you should try black next time. With your size and complexion, black would really enhance the visual effect. I'll take you to try some later—it'll look great."
"And by the way, your bra seems a bit too small. You should go up a size; it'll be more comfortable."
"I think Victoria's Secret would be a good choice. Those models look pretty eye-catching in it. Let's buy a few sets for you to try on."
Yang Huan sat on the bed, casually critiquing her appearance.
Zhang Ning's figure was indeed flawless, but it wasn't the type that was overly voluptuous to the point of being overwhelming. Hers was more of a balanced, golden ratio kind of beauty, the kind that was pleasing to the eye, and one could never tire of admiring.
Soon enough, she put on the Valentino business suit Yang Huan had specifically taken her to buy. It was the most beautiful, and the most expensive, outfit she had ever worn in her life.
"I told you, don't button the top two buttons. Show a little cleavage—it'll be more attractive."
Yang Huan stepped forward and unbuttoned the top two buttons of her blouse. As his hand brushed past her soft, sensitive skin, Zhang Ning felt her breath quicken slightly, though she managed to maintain a calm façade.
"Can we go now?" she asked coolly.
"Let's go."
As Yang Huan turned around, Zhang Ning made a playful strangling motion behind his back.
Unexpectedly, he turned back, grinning at her. "Do that again, and I'll dock your pay before firing you."
With that, he left the room, leaving Zhang Ning shaking her head in exasperation.
...
While Yang Huan was out shopping extravagantly with Zhang Ning along London's famous Piccadilly and Oxford Streets, splurging on luxury brands with abandon, Cash Harris had flown to Switzerland to meet with Katharina Liebherr, who had recently inherited a £3 billion estate.
It was clear that Katharina was already intent on selling Southampton FC.
She had no interest in football, believing that it wasn't a profitable venture. On the contrary, she'd have to invest heavily every year for transfers, and even with that, there was no guarantee the team would get promoted.
She never really understood why her father decided to invest in Southampton the previous year. Perhaps it was just because it was cheap.
But the truth was, a year later, they were losing money!
When Cash Harris relayed Yang Huan's offer to purchase the club, Katharina didn't resist. She quoted a price of £25 million, but Harris immediately rejected it, outlining the changes and challenges Southampton had faced over the past year.
"With all due respect, Ms. Liebherr, West Ham United is based in the incredibly valuable real estate of London, but their club is only worth about £100 million. They're in the Premier League, where broadcast revenue alone brings in over £40 million a year—something that a League One club like Southampton could never achieve."
When it came to football investments, Cash Harris was an expert, and he spoke with authority.
"In order to turn Southampton around, further investment is essential. Promotion to the Championship is a must. But the situation in the Championship isn't ideal either. To see a real return on investment, you'd need to invest heavily and aim for promotion to the Premier League. However, the difficulty is immense, and the risks are high. If you fail, the investment could evaporate."
In the English football league system, the Premier League sits at the top of the pyramid, while the Championship and League One are not faring well financially.
"Mr. Harris, what's your opinion then?" Katharina Liebherr asked.
Cash Harris smiled. "If you insist on a price above £20 million, then I would suggest holding onto Southampton for the time being. Perhaps after being promoted to the Championship, you might attract some investors, and there could be potential."
He paused for a moment before adding, "However, with the current economic crisis, that could take three to five years."
"If you're not keen on holding onto the club for that long, I would recommend seriously considering the offer from China. After all, in today's market environment, there aren't many buyers willing to make such an offer."
As a middleman, while Yang Huan's consultant fee was enticing, Harris's reputation in London's financial district was built on maintaining neutrality—or at least the appearance of it.
Katharina was already inclined to sell Southampton, and after hearing Harris's advice, that feeling grew stronger.
Her father had purchased the club for £13 million. In just two hours, he acquired the Saints from the administrator, brought in players like Rickie Lambert, Lee Barnard, and José Fonte, and spent £2.5 million.
However, those players had still been unable to help the team return to the Championship.
The offer from the Chinese investors, as relayed by Harris, was £15 million. While that meant the Liebherr family would lose some money, the loss was minimal and within Katharina's acceptable range.
"Mr. Harris, are the Chinese investors firm on their offer?" Katharina asked.
Harris nodded. "Very firm, because they have other options, like Newcastle and Charlton. Both of those clubs are quite attractive, although their asking prices are higher—one is in the Premier League, and the other is in London."
Katharina had already anticipated this, given that Southampton was in League One.
"Alright then, £15 million. I'll sell!" Katharina, inheriting her father's decisiveness, made the decision on the spot.
She didn't even consult with the club's chairman, Nicola Cortese, which further proved the rumors that their relationship had deteriorated.
"I'll go back and make the preparations. We can sign the contract in London."
Cash Harris was secretly pleased—Yang Huan's £2 million consultant fee was as good as in his pocket!
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