Chapter 5: Watching a Beautiful Woman Make a Fool of Herself

"I refuse to agree!" Yang Wenfeng's attitude was very firm.

As the son of a high-ranking official, even when he ventured into business, he remained very low-key, handling every matter with caution. It was this cautious approach that allowed him to accumulate the vast Yang family fortune.

Football, especially European football, was never a profitable business; it was more about spending money for the sake of reputation. Many well-known British investment banks had approached him, inviting him to participate in their professional football investment forums, but he had always declined, having seen through the game.

Another important reason was that investing in European football was a losing proposition for Chinese investors due to exchange rates. Currently, an English Premier League team would cost at least £100 million, which translates to around 1 billion RMB. Adding subsequent investments, it would require at least 4 to 5 billion RMB over three years, and seeing results would be challenging.

If one were to invest like the Middle Eastern conglomerates, they would need to spend over 10 billion RMB. Was it worth it just for the sake of prestige?

Yang Huan didn't have his father's level of contemplation; he simply smiled faintly, "I didn't intend for you to agree. I'm just letting you know."

"What do you mean?" Yang Wenfeng's frown deepened, disliking his son's attitude.

"I won 300 million last night, and I plan to use that money to invest in a European football team."

Yang Wenfeng suddenly burst out laughing, "300 million, still in RMB, and you think you can invest in European football? Do you know the exchange rate? Do you understand the RMB to Euro rate?"

He was no longer angry but found his son's actions absurd.

"Who told you that 300 million RMB isn't enough to buy a European team?" Yang Huan was puzzled, wondering if the world was different from his previous life.

Yang Wenfeng himself wasn't very knowledgeable about football, but he didn't want to lose face in front of his son, so he said, "Let's put it this way, Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, and La Liga teams all cost tens of millions of Euros, even over a hundred million. Many of them also have tens of millions in debts. With just your 300 million RMB, you'd only make a small splash."

"Dad, not to criticize you, but you're a real fake football fan!" Yang Huan said, finally understanding

"What?" Yang Wenfeng felt a bit self-conscious.

Yang Huan patiently explained, "The Premier League is the top tier of English football, but below it are the Championship, League One, and League Two. La Liga also has the Segunda Division, Serie A has Serie B, and the Bundesliga has the 2. Bundesliga. I'm talking about buying a team, but I didn't say it had to be the top tier."

"Then again, it's understandable. You're a big boss, dealing with hundreds of thousands or millions, and doing business with tens or even hundreds of billions. You probably wouldn't understand the struggle of us poor fans who work hard to start from nothing, right?"

This complaint from Yang Huan actually made everyone present, including his grandparents and parents, burst out laughing.

If this young master of the Yang family is considered poor, then how many people would be unable to survive?

However, from his mention of starting a business, it was clear that Yang Huan wanted to strike out on his own. He didn't want to grow up under the protection of his elders but wanted to go out and create his own career.

"You little brat, are you mocking me?" Yang Wenfeng was also amused by his son.

"No, I absolutely didn't mean to mock you."

Yang Baoping watched his son and grandson with great interest. Having met many people in his lifetime, he felt that Yang Huan was completely different from before. He even started to wonder if this was still his grandson.

Of course, he wouldn't doubt that Yang Huan had been replaced, as there had been people watching over him the entire time.

The only explanation was that winning money from gambling last night had boosted his confidence. For a person, especially a successful one, confidence was crucial.

"Ah Huan, tell us about your plans," Yang Baoping said with a smile, appearing somewhat supportive.

Yang Huan was excited to talk about it. In his previous life, he was a die-hard football fan and had many ideas about the sport.

"Grandpa, what do you think is the most lacking thing in the 21st century?"

"You little rascal, are you testing me?" Yang Baoping chuckled. "Didn't Feng Xiaogang say in his movie? Talent!

"Exactly!" Yang Huan nodded in agreement, his expression suggesting that his grandfather was still sharp.

"A football team is no different. Talent—meaning players and coaches—is the most important foundation of a team. Whether the team is in the top league or an amateur league, does it matter?

Yang Wenfeng, listening from the side, sneered, "So according to you, teams in the top leagues and the European Champions League are just like amateur teams? If that's the case, the Chinese team would be the same as Spain's."

"Right, but also not right!" Yang Huan wasn't upset. "It's right in that, essentially, they are the same. The difference is that their coaches and players are of a higher level, which is why they win the World Cup, while we can't even make it to the final stages."

When it came to football, Yang Wenfeng couldn't really argue with Yang Huan.

"And then?" Yang Baoping, intrigued by Yang Huan's eloquence, asked.

Yang Huan looked at his father and smiled, "Today's era is an era of attention economy, or eyeball economy. The power of media and the internet is extremely active. Therefore, as a new-age investor, when evaluating a company, profit is no longer the most important factor. The key is how to attract attention!"

Listening to Yang Huan's words, not only Yang Wenfeng but also Yang Baoping was stunned.

Was this really their son and grandson speaking?

If it had been just minutes ago, they would never have guessed Yang Huan would say such things, but now, he had.

The eyeball economy had been proven repeatedly in recent years.

"So, what's your specific plan? I only have a general idea, but I can guarantee it's different from what you expect. If you're interested, then invest in me!"

Yang Huan's expression, speaking like someone seeking investment, was not like that of their son and grandson at all.

"Alright, here's the deal: you can go ahead and do it. The family will fully support you. We'll give you three years to prove yourself. If you succeed, your father and I won't interfere in your affairs. But if you fail, you'll have to come back home and accept the family's arrangements. Deal?"

Upon hearing his grandfather's words, Yang Huan nodded without hesitation, "Sure, it's a deal!"

Yang Huan left, satisfied with the unconditional support he had secured, but Yang Wenfeng remained full of doubts.

"Dad, I don't understand why you agreed to let Ah Huan invest in football?"

Money wasn't the most important thing to him; he was more concerned about having his son return to the company to take over his role.

Yang Baoping laughed and didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked, "Do you feel that Ah Huan is different today?"

"Yes, he seems more confident, but I still don't understand."

"You're confused because you care too much!" Yang Baoping stood up from the soft sofa. "Do you remember what you said when you decided to go into business? Did you ever think you'd end up where you are today?"

Yang Wenfeng fell silent.

Although he had a background as a high-ranking official, starting a business wasn't something that could be solved with connections alone. Every year, countless people with backgrounds and connections failed in business, barely making a ripple.

Sometimes, success required not just connections but also courage and determination.

When he decided to go into business, he had spent ten days worrying about an uncertain future, unable to sleep well.

But in the end, he made it through!

"Ah Huan is right. The world today is more open and developed, and it belongs to the younger generation. In the coming years, China will experience a wave of going international, and football is the most popular sport in the world. Since he wants to give it a try, let him."

With that, Yang Baoping patted his son's shoulder.

"Children grow up. They need to adapt to the world on their own. Stop trying to keep them under your wing. Only through the harsh trials of society can they better survive."

He said no more and went to take his wife out for a walk in the park.

...

Yang Huan was unaware of what happened after he left. When he returned to his room, he realized he had missed one issue.

There was no one around!

As the saying goes, "One man with three helpers," he had ideas but didn't know how to execute them alone.

"Looks like I owe my dad another favor!"

So, Yang Huan called his father, saying he needed to recruit people for his company.

Fortunately, being father and son, otherwise, Yang Wenfeng might have gone mad.

Eventually, he promised full support as long as it didn't affect company operations.

"Hello, Zhang Ning, where are you?" Yang Huan called Zhang Ning.

After a short absence, he missed her. She wasn't allowed to take any more vacations in the future.

"I'm at the bank. What's up?" Zhang Ning answered the phone, her voice slightly trembling.

"Not much, just that I need you to come back and drive me."

"But... I specifically asked for a day off!" Zhang Ning felt wronged, as it had been less than two hours.

This unreliable guy really knows how to make excuses.

"Yeah, I was planning to give you the day off, but something came up. Just consider it overtime for now!" Yang Huan chuckled, feeling a bit guilty himself.

"I..."

One could imagine that Zhang Ning on the other end of the line was pouting in frustration, probably looking quite charming despite her irritation.

"Stop with the 'I's, do you want to work with me or not? Get back here quickly. I want to see you in half an hour. If you're late, I'll dock your salary first and then fire you!" Yang Huan said before hanging up the phone.

Being a boss these days means you can't always be polite, or people might think you're a pushover and lose their respect!

Twenty minutes later, Zhang Ning appeared at the gate of the Yang family villa. Her pretty face was flushed, whether from anger or hurry, making her look even more attractive.

"Here's the key. Come with me to the company!" Yang Huan threw the key to her without waiting for her to speak and got into the car himself.

Zhang Ning had a lot of complaints, but seeing that Yang Huan wasn't giving her a chance to vent, she stomped her foot in anger, breaking the heel of her high-heeled shoe and nearly stumbling.

Yang Huan, sitting in the passenger seat, laughed heartily. It wasn't every day that a beautiful woman made a fool of herself.

Meanwhile, the Yang Group headquarters was in chaos, preparing for Yang Huan's arrival.