113. What is merely a game to you is everything to someone else.

Often confined to offices and various professional settings, Yu Jiali found this expansive, open-air sports field a place where she could finally stretch her limbs and relax her body and mind. It seemed that some people were even secretly using their phones to snap pictures of the rare beauty standing by the pitch.

Watching Bai Haonan, who remained silent as if observing the players or pondering their previous conversation, she weighed her options and decided to sweeten the deal. "If you truly love football, what do you think about us acquiring that football club? Didn't you say last time it would only cost two million? We could continue to invest and build it into the best professional team in the province. I heard while eating at the training base that the entire province doesn't have a single professional team right now. Wouldn't there be great potential in us doing this? It could also be framed as supporting the government's image, and we could sustain it with ongoing investment."

Bai Haonan, who had been focused on observing the amateur players, quickly resisted this massive temptation and shook his head. "Two million is just buying the shell. You have no idea how enormous the later investments in this industry are. Nowadays, an investment of three to five million a year doesn't even guarantee a spot in the Second Division, and the annual operating costs for a Second Division team exceed ten million. That’s not even considering the ambition to reach the First Division or the top-tier Super League—investing tens or hundreds of millions a year. This thing is a bottomless pit. Invest too little and you don't even make a ripple; invest too much and you can never recoup the costs. Not to mention that pouring in money doesn't guarantee promotion or victory; there are just too many sordid deals inside. If I recommended you get into this, I’d be ruining you. Whatever you do, don't touch this. Even if we use the young players from this team to help the fitness center, we must never get involved in professional football. It’s absolutely disgusting."

His tone was like that of a friend trying to talk someone out of drug abuse. Yu Jiali liked this serious side of Bai Haonan. She crossed her legs, the sheen of her stockings catching Bai Haonan’s wandering gaze. "I told you yesterday that some of the people who used to smuggle cars with my father are still doing it today. They’ve always positioned themselves as criminals speculating with illegal methods, never once thinking about changing. I got that car from them; at most, it was just doing an old friend a favor. But my father’s accounts have long since moved away from such illicit things. Ten years ago, he started investing properly in automotive manufacturing, and now he’s partnering with large state-owned enterprises to run car factories. It’s the same business, but it can have completely different approaches and trajectories. I think football can be viewed the same way."

Bai Haonan mimicked Isha's tone: "You don't understand. This thing is beyond saving. Perhaps it’s like these amateur games we’re watching—playing without any ulterior motives, which can be called happy and enjoyable. Once you enter the professional system, the entanglements of interest involved are no less complex than the guys like Old Tan. This industry is already rotten to the core. Haven't you noticed that everyone sneers whenever domestic professional football is mentioned?"

Yu Jiali shook her head. "I don't know about other things, but twenty years ago, private cars were a rarity for ordinary families. Even the government didn't believe personal vehicles would take off. As a member of the CPPCC and the People's Congress, I have access to relevant documents. Just seven or eight years ago, the development of private cars wasn't even encouraged; the residential buildings built back then didn't even include indicators for garages, and domestic brands were pitifully scarce."

Bai Haonan conceded this point. "Ordinary people have money now, and other than professional drivers, the older generation barely drove. But more and more people are buying cars now. Still, what’s the point of comparing that to this?"

Yu Jiali’s logic was clear. "What I mean is that we need to broaden our horizons. The national economy needed new growth points, and they chose the automotive industry. It flourished in just a few years. Because my father had unique foresight and planned early, he has a huge advantage now. But privately, even he didn't believe this boom would come so quickly. If you want to talk about problems in the automotive industry, they are probably worse than what you described in football. The market is almost entirely dominated by foreign brands that strip away brand licensing fees from the country every year. The production processes are poor, the technology is lagging, and design capabilities are almost non-existent. But this situation cannot last forever. As long as the country pushes for development and as long as people are working hard, sooner or later, there will be a comeback. The first time I met you was when I was accompanying my father to visit the employee team activities of those car companies. I believe that football, like the automotive industry, will see a major development. This is what we call riding the trend."

Bai Haonan remained unconvinced. "Since when does manufacturing cars compare to playing football? I’ve heard of a car factory sponsoring a team or two, but nothing ever came of it. I don't look at things so abstractly, and I don't understand it. I’m just a guy who knows a bit about being a football coach, but I’m unwilling to continue compromising my conscience in this filthy environment. Once I leave this pitch, I don't know what I can do, but staying in this professional circle is truly impossible!"

Yu Jiali was undoubtedly an excellent helpmeet, patient and tolerant. "Then what is your dream, really? I would love to accompany you as you realize it."

Bai Haonan stared intently at the figures leaping on the green field in the distance and gave a silly smile. "A dream? A guy like me who doesn't know if he'll have a meal tomorrow—what right do I have to talk about dreams?" Having said that, he turned to face the girl with the earnest eyes, revealing a smile that wasn't quite as wicked as usual, but not exactly foolish either. "Little Yu, you're luckier than me. You grew up in a household with guidance and direction. You might think realizing your dreams is a matter of course, but for most people, the first step is just surviving. That girl I knew in the mountains could only eat roasted potatoes from childhood to adulthood. Her dream was just to escape, not to rot there her whole life, getting addicted to drugs or catching AIDS. You might ask why she didn't change herself or the conditions of the mountains, but in truth, most of us are nobodies. We don't have the power to change anything at the drop of a hat. Just staying alive is exhausting enough. My dreams rotted in my crotch a long time ago."

Yu Jiali looked at Bai Haonan's expression, somewhat mesmerized. "I like it when you call me 'Little Yu.' Could you say it more gently, with a bit of a lingering tone?"

Bai Haonan laughed. "Pah, there's no such chubby little fish. Alright, let me just try running the fitness center for now, okay? You said we wouldn't talk about these things—of course, if you want to go back on your word and kick me out, that’s fine too."

Yu Jiali shook her head gently. "Old Bai, you really are a man who is gentle and kind to women, and you have a clear head. If you could just get rid of your womanizing and truly recognize your own worth, you’d be perfect. I have patience. Just as you had the patience to mold me into a beautiful woman, I have the patience to mold you into the finest man."

Bai Haonan responded with a horrified grimace.

However, the next day, he did get his wish and drove the Rolls-Royce—a 6.6-liter super-luxury sedan. When he drove it to the training base to show off and said he wanted to take the young players out for a spin, not a single one of them dared to get in!

The Hummer H2 he had before cost over a million, but it clearly looked like a rugged, muscular off-road beast, and its "cool" factor mainly came from its rarity. But this Ghost that Bai Haonan brought in today, costing four or five million—the entire club probably wasn't worth half the car. It was ironic, wasn't it? Yet, seeing this car, which featured the most prestigious diamond on the crown of all automotive brands, and its unique coach doors, the weight of the Rolls-Royce brand and its hand-crafted quality made the young players only dare to squat by the doors to look. They didn't dare step inside, and they touched the brown leather and expansive walnut wood trim with extreme caution, terrified of leaving fingerprints.

Yu Jiali certainly made her man look good. She stood to the side, smiling as she watched. Last night, she had finally enjoyed a proper shopping spree with Bai Haonan. Even though he warned her that her figure could still be improved—that it was just a process—she seemed to be releasing some pent-up emotion, buying a pile of designer clothes and cosmetics. The various shopping bags had filled the Hummer's trunk completely. Just thinking about that massive trunk where two seats could be folded down, one could imagine the spending power of a woman pursuing beauty. So, today she had changed into a black long-sleeved outfit with a tight-fitting skirt. If Bai Haonan hadn't mocked her, saying her legs would need a few more days of training to really show results, this girl would have insisted on wearing a bodycon skirt regardless. He’d been salivating over her for years, after all!

So, with her in a good mood, her expression was pleasant, and she recommended to Qian Niu with a kind attitude, "Jianguo said you're dating someone. You should bring her out for a meal; we’d like to help you check her out."

This made Qian Niu quite flustered. "I know, I know. Old... Wang is great. He's very good to me. We've been close brothers since we were kids."

Yu Jiali adopted the manner of a sister-in-law. "He’s a bit unconventional, but he definitely has a future. That’s why he’s starting with a fitness center to get his feet wet before tackling bigger projects. You’re his good brother, so you should naturally support him, offer him more advice, and keep an eye on him so he doesn't get into trouble."

Qian Niu nodded vigorously, looking deceptively honest, and kept saying "yes." When he turned to the side, he whispered to Bai Haonan, "This woman is ruthless! She wants to control everything. Let me tell you, if Fen'er finds out, she'll definitely hang her from the goalpost like a piece of cured meat!"

Bai Haonan acted high and mighty. "Don't I know my own limits? I’m doing this for now. As soon as things are on the right track, you come over to work. You should find a woman to help you tidy yourself up. You look dusty and disheveled every day. You just got paid this week, so buy some clothes and make yourself look presentable. Don't just save every penny; you don't 'save' a wife into existence."

Qian Niu wanted to say something but stopped. Bai Haonan turned to the guy who was secretly touching the Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament and said loudly, "If you want to touch it, do it openly. Touching it won't break it."

The young player actually reached out to touch the famous Rolls-Royce hood ornament. Instantly, a crisp *click* was heard. The ornament, as if afraid of being snapped off, automatically retracted into the hood. The player must have thought for a split second that he had broken it, and he was so terrified that he sat right down on the ground, making everyone watching double over with laughter.

Yu Jiali was surprised. "It has that feature? That's quite fun... let's do it again."

For her, that was the only interesting part.

However, Bai Haonan winning over and leading these young players like this really made Coach Zhong feel as if he had completely lost face, as if all his soldiers had been taken away.