Chapter 31

"Tell me, what kind of contract has Armani offered me?" In a small café near the Cobham training ground, Qiaowanxian was leisurely sipping his coffee.

Ye Xuan still had her usual cold demeanor, but due to the contract, a hint of joy could be seen in the corners of her eyes. As Qiaowanxian's agent, Ye Xuan would receive 10% of all his contract earnings as commission, which was an astronomical sum for a young girl. Moreover, she knew that as Qiaowanxian's reputation grew, so would hers.

Ye Xuan lowered her head, a strand of hair falling to cover half of her clear and beautiful face. Her arched eyebrows resembled the moon, and her red lips were like drops of dew. With a calm expression, she replied, "They have offered a two-year sponsorship contract worth a total of 400,000 pounds. The condition is that you must wear Armani's windbreakers and suits during matches."

"Only 400,000 pounds for two years? That's too little, isn't it?" Qiaowanxian frowned, somewhat dissatisfied with the beautiful agent. Your negotiation skills aren't up to par.

Ye Xuan also noticed Qiaowanxian's displeasure and said with a hint of helplessness, "They are giving you free high-end clothes and even paying you for it. What more do you want? Even Mourinho's clothing sponsorship is only 600,000 euros, which is less than what you're getting!"

"Rubbish, he's a middle-aged man, and I'm a handsome young guy. How can he compare to me?" Qiaowanxian rolled his eyes.

Ye Xuan frowned and patiently explained, "This is a very good deal. There are no non-compete clauses, meaning you only have to wear Armani's clothes on the pitch. Off the pitch, you can collaborate with any company you want! Anyway, I've already signed the contract, so you have to accept it whether you like it or not."

Qiaowanxian glanced at Ye Xuan, drank his coffee sullenly, and wiped his mouth with his sleeve, a bit angry. "This little girl, selling me for 400,000 pounds, hmpf! Well... but if I get a high-end windbreaker from Armani for each match, I can open a clothing store after this season. That's a good idea..."

Qiaowanxian's eyes darted around, and as he thought, he felt more and more pleased.

Seeing Qiaowanxian smile, Ye Xuan finally breathed a sigh of relief. She hesitated for a moment, bit her lip, and cautiously said, "Q... Qiaowanxian, I requested that the 400,000 pounds be paid in full upfront. The money has already been transferred to your account."

"Good, it seems you are quite sensible! Don't worry, I'll transfer your 10% commission to you tomorrow." Qiaowanxian waved his hand.

Ye Xuan bit her lip and hesitated, "Qiaowanxian, can... can I borrow some money from you?"

"Borrow money? Why?" Qiaowanxian paused, quite curious.

A hint of melancholy flashed across Ye Xuan's beautiful face, and she sighed softly, "When I was ten, my parents divorced, and my mother brought me to London. Later, when I grew up and understood, I learned that my biological father was burdened with a huge amount of high-interest debt and was living on the edge of death in Taiwan..."

Qiaowanxian had no patience to listen to Ye Xuan's story. He had already made plans to meet Duan Xuan for an interview. He waved his hand decisively, "I see, you want to borrow money to pay off your father's high-interest debt? How much do you owe?"

Ye Xuan glanced at Qiaowanxian secretly and nodded lightly, "Over 15 million Taiwanese dollars, which is about 300,000 pounds."

Qiaowanxian sighed. No wonder Ye Xuan was so cold; it was due to her family background! He pinched his chin and pondered for a moment, then asked curiously, "Where do you live now?"

Ye Xuan whispered, "I still live in the school dormitory. I plan to continue my postgraduate studies... I didn't expect the work of an agent to be so complicated. I want to study hard at school."

Qiaowanxian nodded vigorously, "That's a good idea. Once you become more proficient, I'll introduce you to some promising players, ensuring you make a fortune. Alright, here's a card with 400,000 pounds. Take it to pay off your debt, and use the remaining money for your studies. The password is six eights."

Saying this, Qiaowanxian took out a bank card from his pocket and placed it in front of Ye Xuan.

"What... what?" Ye Xuan's eyes widened, her mouth slightly open, her face full of shock, and her heart felt as if it had frozen.

Qiaowanxian looked as if it was the most natural thing in the world and said casually, "Alright, I have some other matters to attend to, so I won't keep you company. See you later?"

With Ye Xuan in a daze, he left a 20-pound note on the table and got up to leave.

"Why... why does he trust me so much?" Under Ye Xuan's usually cold expression, a few complex emotions appeared. Looking at the bank card neatly placed in front of her, a warm current surged in her heart...

Duan Xuan was not tall, had a sunny appearance, a magnetic voice, and a kind smile, making people feel close. Outside the Cobham training ground, Qiaowanxian immediately spotted the famous football commentator from CCTV5.

"Brother Duan, did you wait long?" Qiaowanxian wanted to be friendly and show hospitality to the guest from far away, so he extended his hand to shake.

Seeing Qiaowanxian, Duan Xuan and his staff smiled broadly, but Duan Xuan was a bit puzzled, "Brother Duan? Are you calling me that? I'm 32 this year, and you're only about 20, right?"

Duan Xuan shook hands enthusiastically and said excitedly, "Mr. Qiao, I have long heard of your name. It's a great honor to meet you today!" Then he briefly introduced his colleagues and the main purpose of their trip to London—to conduct an in-depth interview with Qiaowanxian at Chelsea.

Qiaowanxian didn't bother with the others but was particularly warm to Duan Xuan, smiling, "Sure, it's an honor. However, the club isn't just my decision. For a comprehensive interview, I need to discuss it with Kenyon. But you can freely film at the Cobham training ground and Stamford Bridge."

Duan Xuan was delighted, "Mr. Qiao, thank you so much!"

For the entire afternoon, from the Cobham training ground to Stamford Bridge, the enthusiastic Qiaowanxian accompanied the Chinese guests, deeply touching the program team members who were far from home. They ignored all the rumors and had only one thought: "Although Qiaowanxian has British nationality, he still has the blood of the Chinese people, and he is so warm and friendly..."

Finally, sitting in the coach's seat at Stamford Bridge, they settled down and had a detailed conversation.

Setting up the camera and holding the microphone, Duan Xuan displayed his image as a famous CCTV host, "Mr. Qiao, could you briefly introduce yourself? Let our Chinese fans get to know you better."

"My name is Qiaowanxian, and I am a Chinese person with British nationality!"

Qiaowanxian's voice was firm, making the program staff extremely excited: "We haven't heard that he has been to China, but how does he understand Chinese conversation so well? Is it really in his blood?"

Duan Xuan smiled and asked, "You are very young. As the head coach of a top club like Chelsea, do you feel a lot of pressure?"

"Pressure?" Qiaowanxian smiled and shrugged, "Pressure is also motivation. Moreover, I have a team of the best players who respect me. The chief architect of the reform and opening-up said that science and technology are the primary productive forces. In football, tactical thinking is the primary secret weapon! Fortunately, my tactical ideas are world-class and unique!"

A few staff members couldn't help but laugh. This Qiaowanxian is indeed the 'Big Cannon' that European media have been promoting, full of hot air!

Duan Xuan's neck turned a bit red, and he swallowed, then asked, "The league has had two matches. Your Chelsea first defeated Manchester United and then thrashed Birmingham, achieving the best start in Premier League history. Mr. Qiao, what are your goals for Chelsea this year?"

"Of course, to win the championship!" Qiaowanxian laughed heartily.

The key point came, and Duan Xuan focused even more, "Mr. Qiao, which championship will your Chelsea aim for this season? Or which championship are you determined to win?"

Qiaowanxian counted on his fingers, "The Premier League, the English League Cup, the FA Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and of course, the English Community Shield and the UEFA Super Cup next year. I heard the Club World Cup will restart in December next year, so that should be included too."

Duan Xuan's head felt a bit heavy, "What's up with this Qiaowanxian? Does he not understand Chinese? I didn't ask him to list all the cup names; I asked which championship Chelsea would win!" But thinking about it, he understood. After all, Qiaowanxian lives in London, and it's already quite remarkable for someone of Chinese descent to speak fluent Chinese. It's understandable if he occasionally misunderstands.

Duan Xuan sighed and had to clarify, "Mr. Qiaowanxian, perhaps my expression wasn't clear. I mean, in the 2004-05 season, which championship do you plan to win with Chelsea?"

Qiaowanxian frowned, completely puzzled, "Didn't I just say? The Premier League, the League Cup, the FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League."

Duan Xuan's mind was a mess. In the 2004-05 season, were there other championships? Do you want to win all the championships Chelsea can participate in?

He pinched his thigh hard and finally cleared his thoughts. The surprise in his heart even caused him chest pain: "Four... four championships? In Premier League history, only Manchester United in 1999 won a true treble, and Liverpool in 1984 only won a small treble. You, a newcomer to football, are talking about an unprecedented quadruple? Big Cannon, Big Cannon, you truly live up to the nickname the media gave you!"