Chapter 362: The Balance of Favor and Indifference (Bonus Chapter 3)

Returning to the hotel, William quietly walked up behind Abigail, who was reviewing some antique documents, and embraced her from behind.

"Ah!" Abigail glanced back and saw it was William, then playfully scolded, "You jerk! You almost scared me to death."

William kissed her on the cheek. "What are you looking at?"

"Documents sent by Baron Cabaret. Boss, among these antiques, some are quite sensitive. Five experts from China suggest you consider returning some of them to the Chinese government at an appropriate time, or that you personally visit China to discuss it with certain individuals."

"And what's your suggestion?"

"My suggestion? Keep them. Don't exhibit them. Whatever their sensitivity, it has nothing to do with us. After all, we didn't cause these issues," Abigail replied with a smile.

"Sending a few items back isn't out of the question, but the timing isn't right. Given my status as a British noble, gifting one or two pieces is fine. But if I give too many, those who dislike and resent me will definitely use it to cause trouble. Plus, considering the sheer number of Chinese antiques we're about to acquire, many of which China would love to get back, sending too many might make them think I have ulterior motives. So, if they want them, they can trade for non-Chinese antiques.

As for visiting China, let's put that off for a bit. There's no need for me to go in person. Some things can be discussed with the five experts, and such private exchanges suit me better."

"Yes, with so many people watching you here in England, it's wise to be cautious," Abigail agreed, nodding. Giving away one or two items is a gesture, a favor. But too many, and people will start wondering. This principle applies everywhere in the world.

"Alright, it's late. Getting to bed early is good for your skin," William said, leading Abigail to wash up, work out, and then sleep.

The next morning, William accompanied Abigail and his mother for breakfast. As they ate, the hotel butler, David, walked in with a smile, holding a newspaper. "Sir, here's today's paper. The front desk also reports that a lawyer named Anthony, along with five or six attendants, is requesting to meet with you."

Taking the newspaper, William instructed, "Ah, Anthony is here at my request. David, please arrange breakfast for them. If they've already eaten, have them wait for me in the lounge."

"Very good, sir. I'll take care of it. Enjoy your meal, Mr. Devonshire, Lady Lena, Miss Abigail."

"Thank you."

After the butler left, William opened the paper and asked his mother, "Mom, when do you plan to take over Chelsea Football Club?"

"I'll head over right after breakfast," Lena said without looking up, clearly engrossed in the Chinese wontons she was enjoying. She was particularly fond of the shrimp and pork wontons that morning.

"So soon?" William asked, surprised. "Aren't there still some formalities that haven't been completed?"

"You said it yourself, it's just formalities. As long as the shares are in hand, the rest is minor. Besides," Lena raised her head and gave William a stern look, "if I don't step in soon, the club could fall into chaos. I heard from Kenny that Ranieri might be planning to resign, leaving us with a mess, all because of what you said to the fans that insulted him."

"Kenny? Who's that?"

"Didn't you hear me say the coach is planning to quit?" Lena snapped, clearly irritated.

"If he resigns on his own, all the better. That way, I won't have to pay him any severance. Two million pounds may not seem like much, but that's enough to buy a 150-square-meter apartment in central London," William said, then turned to Abigail. "How about you go look for an apartment? Consider it a reward for your hard work lately."

Abigail glanced at Lena, relieved to see no sign of displeasure on her face. She smiled and quickly accepted, "Thank you."

"Haha, you really don't hold back, do you?"

Abigail flashed a sweet smile. "Sorry, boss, I'm American. I don't know what holding back means."

"Yeah, right," William rolled his eyes. "Someone who can speak fluently with Chinese experts in technical terms doesn't know what it means to hold back? Fine, I'll let you have this one."

"Mom, you still haven't told me who Kenny is."

Lena finished her last wonton before answering, "Kenny is Manchester United's operations manager. I poached him with triple his salary."

William snapped his fingers, and his earpiece immediately filled with Sunday's detailed information on Kenny. After listening, William nodded in approval. "Mom, you poached Manchester United's operations manager, and yet there's no news of Sir Alex Ferguson complaining in the papers?"

"Kenny's resignation was with Ferguson's approval. They had already fallen out over different management philosophies. Now that Kenny's gone, Ferguson has no reason to kick up a fuss," Lena calmly took a sip of soup. "I'm not stupid. I wouldn't cause unnecessary trouble for the team. I approached Ferguson's son, who's an agent. As a result, Kenny resigned the day before yesterday, and I received Manchester United's response yesterday."

"Alright then. I'm heading to take over the team. Are you coming with me?" Lena asked, wiping her mouth.

William thought for a moment. "No, I'll pass. I'd rather avoid the awkwardness of running into Ranieri."

"Hmph." Hearing her son mention Ranieri, Lena's temper flared. "This is my final warning: stay out of the team's athletic decisions."

"Got it." William stood and walked over to his mother. "Remember to keep Antonov and his team close at all times."

"Yes," Lena patted William's cheek before pulling his head down to kiss his forehead. "See you tonight, son."

"See you tonight, Mom."

After sending Lena off and finishing breakfast, William escorted Abigail to meet the five Chinese experts at the bank vault to continue appraising the antiques provided by the Duke of Devonshire.

Just before she got into the car, the lead expert, Professor Lai, hesitated before speaking. "Mr. Devonshire, there's something I've been pondering for days. I've finally decided it's best to tell you directly."

Noticing the professor's hesitation, William already had an idea of what was coming. Although Sunday was a great help, it was the year 2000, and China's internet was still in its early stages. On top of that, William had imposed restrictions on Sunday, making it difficult for the AI to gather information about China. So, William was curious about his estranged family situation. "Go ahead."

"Your father was Chen Jing, from Shanghai, correct?"

"Yes," William nodded. There was no reason to hide it. They would have already found out by now anyway.

With a sorrowful expression, Professor Lai continued, "I have some unfortunate news to share, and I hope you'll stay strong when you hear it."

"Unfortunate news?" William pretended to be surprised and joked, "Don't tell me I have a long-lost half-brother or sister, and that this sibling I've never met has passed away?"

Seeing the indifferent look on William's face, Professor Lai and the other four experts sighed internally. They realized that it wouldn't be easy for William to accept the news that he still had family in China.

_________________________

[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [www.p@treon.com/Mutter]

[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]

[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]