133: Chapter 133 St. George's Park, the director has arrived!

The air in the living room seemed to have frozen.

Wen Wan's words, "Don't be useless," carried a sense of desperate embarrassment and provocation, echoing in the quiet air.

She maintained that bent-over, butt-in-the-air posture, the curves outlined by her loungewear looking breathtaking under the warm yellow light.

Her earlobes were completely red, and her heart was drumming wildly in her chest, but she stubbornly refused to move, as if competing with Yu Bai and with herself.

Yu Bai looked at this scene, his brain lagging for about 0.5 seconds.

The indicator light on the game controller in his hand was still on. On the screen, his nearly completed "killer move" was frozen at the final moment because of the pause. But at this moment, his attention was no longer on the game.

Was Wen Wan... challenging his bottom line?

Yu Bai took a deep breath and put down the game controller. He didn't speak, but stood up directly and walked behind Wen Wan.

Wen Wan felt the movement behind her, and her body involuntarily stiffened.

She could hear her own heartbeat getting louder and louder, feeling the heat carrying the faint scent of shower gel as Yu Bai approached.

The next second—

"Smack!"

A crisp and loud slapping sound exploded in the living room!

Yu Bai had actually done it! It wasn't the light pat of a couple flirting, but a real smack with a hint of punishment! His palm landed on Wen Wan's firm, perky right buttock, sending a clear vibration and warmth through the thin loungewear.

"Ah!"

Wen Wan let out a cry of surprise, her body jerking forward as she almost lost her balance.

She covered the spot where she had been hit, spun around sharply, and widened her eyes, her face filled with disbelief and shame: "You... you actually hit me?!"

Yu Bai withdrew his hand, the palm still retaining that elastic and slightly soft touch, making his heart flutter slightly. However, he tried his best to maintain an innocent expression that said "You asked me to hit you," and even raised an eyebrow: "Wasn't it you who told me not to be useless?"

"You—!" Wen Wan was too angry to speak, her cheeks flushed, not knowing if it was from shame or annoyance.

Yu Bai didn't give her a chance to continue. He stepped forward. Wen Wan subconsciously retreated, her calves hitting the edge of the sofa, and losing her balance, she gasped and fell backward into the soft sofa.

Yu Bai took the opportunity to lean in, placing one hand on the sofa backrest beside her ear, forming a highly oppressive "sofa wall" posture.

He looked down at her, his eyes carrying a hint of playfulness and unquestionable authority: "Are you still going to disturb my gaming?"

Trapped in the narrow space between the sofa and him, Wen Wan could clearly feel the heat radiating from him and smell the scent mixed with the fragrance of laundry detergent and the unique aroma of a young man.

Her heart beat even faster, her eyes darting away, not daring to look directly into his overly bright eyes.

"I... I..."

She stammered, putting on a brave front, "I still need to prepare the clothes for you to wear tomorrow..."

"We'll talk about clothes tomorrow."

Yu Bai interrupted her, his tone carrying an undeniable dominance, "Answer me first, are you still going to disturb my gaming?"

Wen Wan looked at his "I won't get up unless you agree" posture, both embarrassed and angry. Yet, with her body trapped by him and unable to move, she finally had to give in, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum: "No... I won't disturb you anymore..."

"That's better." Yu Bai curled his lips in satisfaction, then straightened up and released her.

Having regained her freedom, Wen Wan immediately sprang up from the sofa like a frightened rabbit. Not daring to look at Yu Bai again, she grabbed the few pieces of clothing scattered on the sofa, blushing, and hurried out of the living room without looking back, the sound of her footsteps disappearing at the end of the second-floor corridor.

"Click." A soft sound of the door closing followed.

Yu Bai stood where he was, watching Wen Wan's fleeing back, then looked down at his right hand that had just spanked her. His palm seemed to still retain that astonishing temperature and elasticity.

He shook his head, trying to shake the somewhat risqué image out of his mind, sat back down on the sofa, picked up the game controller, and pressed continue.

On the screen, his player charged with the ball again, easily bypassed the goalkeeper, and sent the ball into the empty net.

"Killer move! Beautiful!"

He muttered to himself, but the tone lacked the pure excitement from just a moment ago.

He realized that he couldn't seem to concentrate fully on the game. His mind kept involuntarily replaying Wen Wan's expression of shame and annoyance, her swaying figure as she ran away, and the real sensation on his hand...

Yu Bai grabbed his hair in frustration.

He had to admit that some things really seemed different now.

In the past, he would have been shy, at a loss, or even subconsciously avoided intimacy when facing a girl. But just now, not only did he not retreat, he took the initiative, and even... took action.

Does this count as... growth?

He leaned against the back of the sofa, looking at the intricate crystal chandelier on the ceiling, a complex smile unconsciously curling the corners of his mouth.

Perhaps.

About to turn eighteen, he was shedding his youthful greenness at a speed he hadn't even anticipated, moving toward a more mature and powerful man.

And Wen Wan was undoubtedly one of the important factors catalyzing this process.

Upstairs, in Wen Wan's bedroom.

She leaned against the closed door, her heart still pounding "thump-thump," as if it were about to jump out of her chest.

She pressed the back of her hand against her burning cheeks, trying to cool down, but her mind kept replaying the heart-racing scene in the living room just now.

Yu Bai's domineering gaze, his unquestionable tone, and that slap on her butt...

Wen Wan bit her lip, unable to describe what she was feeling. There was shame, surprise, but it seemed... there wasn't much genuine anger. Instead, there was a strange feeling, a sense of... realization that "that little boy has really grown up."

He was no longer the little Bai who would blush at her closeness or shyly avert his gaze. He had begun to possess the aggression and desire for control of a man.

Wen Wan walked to the bed, sat down, and touched her still-hot cheeks, but the corners of her mouth curled up slightly without her realizing it.

Perhaps, such a change wasn't too bad?

The next morning.

Yu Bai got up early, washed up, and put on the clothes Wen Wan had matched for him overnight—

A well-tailored new Chinese-style mandarin collar Tang suit in a steady yet vibrant ink blue, with exquisite hidden embroidery. He paired it with simple black casual trousers and a pair of limited-edition white sneakers.

He looked both refined and restrained like an Eastern youth, yet possessed the fashionable vitality of a modern young man.

He put on sunglasses, picked up a simple duffel bag, and walked out of the villa.

Wen Wan, who had been waiting at the door, brightened up slightly when she saw his outfit. The awkwardness of last night seemed to have passed; she had returned to her professional assistant persona, though her eyes flickered with a hint of unnaturalness when they met Yu Bai's.

"The car is ready," Wen Wan said softly.

"Hmm." Yu Bai nodded, opened the car door, and sat in the back seat.

The car slowly drove away from the Kensington villa area, heading toward the St. George's Park National Football Training Center.

At the same time, the news of Yu Bai's arrival to report to the England National Football Team, along with photos of him, had already caused a huge stir on the internet.

In the photos, Yu Bai wore sunglasses and a new Chinese-style Tang suit, standing tall with an outstanding aura. Under the rare London sunshine, he walked into the training base gate with a calm pace. That temperament, which blended Eastern charm with international style, instantly struck the hearts of countless netizens.

"Holy crap! The young master's outfit! So handsome!"

"New Chinese style! This is real cultural output!"

"Link for the same style please! Link please!"

"It's already on Taobao! 'Yu Bai same-style Tang suit'! Go, go, go!"

"The merchants are welcoming massive traffic! Thanks, young master!"

Within a few short hours, the entry "Yu Bai Tang suit" topped the Weibo hot search list, with over 100 million views.

Major fashion bloggers and outfit accounts began to analyze the details and brand of Yu Bai's outfit, even digging up the price of the white sneakers on his feet.

On Taobao, various "Yu Bai same-style new Chinese Tang suits" sprang up like mushrooms after rain. Many merchants worked overtime overnight to rush production, and some even posted "pre-sale" links directly to welcome this wave of "sky-high wealth" that fell from the sky.

At the same time, Yu Bai's marketing team was also operating busily behind the scenes.

They knew very well that Yu Bai's choice to play for the England National Football Team would inevitably cause huge controversy and criticism domestically.

In order not to let negative public opinion affect Yu Bai's national team debut, the team had long ago formulated a detailed public relations plan.

On one hand, they contacted a group of influential sports self-media and football commentators to write articles objectively analyzing the pros and cons of Yu Bai's choice, guiding rational discussion.

On the other hand, they also deployed a large number of internet water armies and positive marketing content on major social platforms, emphasizing Yu Bai's professional choice and personal development, downplaying nationality controversy, and highlighting his side as the "pride of the Chinese," attempting to guide public opinion in a direction favorable to him.

"Controlling comments across the web, marketing, buying water armies—after this combination of moves, although there are still many criticisms in the comment section, the overall public opinion environment is already much better than expected."

The head of the marketing team looked at the backend data report and breathed a sigh of relief.

"The young master's influence is truly top-tier."

St. George's Park Training Center.

Yu Bai, under the guidance of the staff, walked into this magnificent building known as the "heart of English football."

The base facilities were advanced and full of modern atmosphere.

Photos of legendary England players and classic match scenes hung on the corridor walls, telling the long history of The Three Lions.

In a small conference room, Yu Bai met the coaching staff led by head coach Roy Hodgson, as well as several teammates who had arrived earlier.

"Yu, welcome!"

Roy Hodgson was all smiles, took the initiative to greet him, and warmly shook Yu Bai's hand, "Finally waited for you!"

"Thank you, Mr. Roy Hodgson." Yu Bai responded politely.

"Come, come, let me introduce you."

Roy Hodgson pulled Yu Bai and turned to the other members of the coaching staff, "This is Gareth Southgate, our U21 head coach, and also the chief assistant coach during the European Cup, you have met him before. This is Ray Lewington, our assistant coach..."

Yu Bai shook hands with the coaching staff members one by one.

Afterward, he met several teammates. Harry Kane was already an old partner; the two gave each other a warm hug upon meeting.

"Hey, Director! We're teammates again!" Kane laughed and patted Yu Bai on the back.

Dele Alli also came over, smiling and fist-bumping Yu Bai: "Director, I'm really looking forward to fighting side by side with you on the international stage!"

Other teammates, such as Jordan Henderson, Gary Cahill, Danny Rose, etc., also expressed their welcome to Yu Bai. Although some had a hint of scrutiny and curiosity in their eyes, the overall atmosphere was quite harmonious.

After all, everyone was a professional player and knew Yu Bai's strength. Moreover, Roy Hodgson's attitude was very obvious—Yu Bai was personally recruited by him, and there were even rumors that Yu Bai had been designated the No. 7 jersey, symbolizing core status and glory.

Everyone knew what this meant.

At this juncture, going against Yu Bai meant going against "Old Man Hodgson." There was no need to ask who Old Man Hodgson would choose.

There were even gossip media reports that if Yu Bai really wanted the No. 10 jersey, even the team captain Wayne Rooney would probably have to yield it obediently.

Although this news was unverified, it was enough to show Yu Bai's weight in Roy Hodgson's heart, as well as the special status he might enjoy within the England National Football Team.

"Alright, boys."

Roy Hodgson clapped his hands to attract everyone's attention, "Next, we will have two very important friendly matches."

"On March 27, we play away against the powerful Germany. On March 30, we return to Wembley to face the Oranje, the Netherlands."

"These two matches will be an excellent opportunity for us to test our lineup and integrate tactics, and also a stage for us to show the new England National Football Team to the whole world!"

His gaze swept over every player present, finally falling on Yu Bai, carrying expectation and trust.

"I hope everyone can bring out their best state. Especially you, Director."

Roy Hodgson said with a smile, "You don't mind if I call you Director like everyone else? Great nickname!"

"Welcome to The Three Lions. Prove to everyone that your choice is correct."

Yu Bai met Roy Hodgson's gaze and nodded solemnly.

He knew that from the moment he stepped into St. George's Park, he was no longer just the "Director" who dominated at the club.

He would wear The Three Lions jersey, shoulder the expectations of the whole country, and... countless doubts and criticisms.

But it didn't matter.

He was ready.

He remembered his mother's instructions on the phone and his father's feigned calm, proud tone.

They all told him they would be there to watch his match and witness his national team debut with their own eyes.

"I won't let you down."

Yu Bai said silently in his heart.

He raised his head, looked through the conference room window at the distant green training field, his eyes full of determination and expectation.

Germany, Netherlands.

I'm coming.

The Director is here.

[Switzerland - 1.75 will be a dark horse; Morocco + 0.75, it's not that I don't think highly of Brazil, it's that Morocco is definitely not bad; Haiti + 1, it's possible the first game will be 0:0; Turkey - 0.75, Turkey's lineup is very strong; Just one person's opinion, for reference only.]