54: Chapter 54 Did you ruin Chen Dazui's job? Yu Yun: I only said one sentence!

After training ended the next day, Claudio Ranieri didn't beat around the bush. He went straight to the whiteboard in front of the entire team and wrote down the starting lineup for the weekend's away match against Bournemouth.

He read out the names one by one. The defense was solid, the midfield was the iron gate of Drinkwater + Kante, Vardy led the line up front, Mahrez was on the right... and in the left-wing position, he wrote the name Marc Albrighton.

No Yu Bai.

This was expected. After all, Marc Albrighton was a regular starter for the team, experienced, and more balanced in attack and defense.

Yu Bai sat below, his expression calm. The faint expectation in his heart quietly receded, but he quickly adjusted—a substitute is a substitute, as long as he could get on the pitch, it was fine.

"Alright, meeting dismissed!"

Claudio Ranieri closed the tactics board.

The players stood up one after another, laughing and chatting as they walked towards the locker room. Yu Bai was also preparing to leave to do some extra Shooting practice.

"Yu, wait a moment."

Claudio Ranieri called him back.

After the others had mostly left, Claudio Ranieri pulled Yu Bai aside. With the gentle smile of an elder caring for a nephew on his face, he asked in a low voice:

"How is it? Did the celebration go well yesterday? In these two days at Leicester, have you encountered any problems or difficulties in your daily life or in getting along with your teammates? You can tell me anything."

Yu Bai was a little flattered and quickly shook his head: "No, Boss, everything is fine. The teammates are all great and look after me very well."

He was telling the truth. Yesterday's dinner and the support on the pitch made him feel that he had integrated much faster than he had imagined.

Claudio Ranieri patted his arm, his smile deepening, a flash of shrewdness in his eyes. He leaned in closer and said with certainty, in a volume only the two of them could hear:

"The starting lineup only determines the order of appearance; substitutes are often the ones who seal the deal. Yu, remember this, you will definitely play in this match. You are my secret weapon, my trump card. So, keep your form and be prepared!"

Because of these words, Yu Bai's heart skipped a beat, and was immediately filled with a burning sense of warmth and fighting spirit.

Secret weapon!

Trump card!

This feeling of being so trusted and given a special mission by the head coach was more exciting than being told he was starting.

"Yes, Boss! I am ready at all times!"

Yu Bai nodded vigorously, his eyes shining brilliantly.

...

After finishing his extra practice, he got into Wen Wan's eye-catching Maybach S600 and returned to the apartment. It was already five in the afternoon. The setting sun gilded the streets of Leicester with a golden edge.

Wen Wan seemed to be in a good mood today. She had bought groceries in advance, put on an apron, and looked quite professional.

"I'm cooking tonight! It's been a long time since you've had my cooking, right? Have you been craving it?"

She waved the spatula, her tone light, trying to hide a hint of complexity in her eyes.

Yu Bai sprawled on the living room sofa, only then finding the time to take out his phone and call back the missed call labeled "Handsome Dad". The call connected almost instantly.

"Handsome Dad, what advice do you have for me?"

Yu Bai asked lazily.

From the other end of the phone came Yu Yun's booming, slightly resentful voice: "You brat! Your old man is still in Leicester and hasn't left yet! You, on the other hand, had a Hat-trick in your debut and a celebration party, and you completely forgot about your own father? Not planning to host me? Do you still have me, your old father, in your eyes?!"

Yu Bai slapped his forehead; he had really forgotten about this. After the match that day, he was completely immersed in the aftertaste of the game and the system's rewards, and later he celebrated with his teammates, so he completely forgot that his father was still in Leicester.

"Fine, fine, my fault. I'll send you the address. It's the apartment arranged by the club, it's not bad, come on over."

Yu Bai was straightforward.

"That's more like it! Do you need me to bring anything? Food? Supplies?"

Yu Yun's tone instantly shifted from cloudy to sunny.

Yu Bai held the phone, his gaze drifting towards the kitchen.

Wen Wan, who was sneakily pricking up her ears to listen, immediately retracted her head like a startled rabbit the moment she met his gaze, pretending to be focused on preparing the food. She looked very busy, but it was unclear what she was actually busy with.

Yu Bai found it a bit funny. Who was it that was acting coquettish last night, using the alcohol as an excuse to ask for expensive wine? Why was she acting so timid now? He deliberately raised his volume and said into the microphone:

"Dad! No need for anything else, just bring some wine! The kind that is very expensive, very expensive, super expensive!"

A "clang" sound came from the kitchen, as if a spatula had fallen to the floor.

Wen Wan: "???"

Yu Bai! Are you trying to kill me? Do you want to get me killed and then inherit my Ant Huabei debt?!

Yu Yun on the other end of the phone was silent for two seconds, then his voice suddenly rose, filled with the heartache of someone who hates that iron won't turn into steel: "Xiao Bai! You cannot drink! You are only 17! You are going to be a big football star! Alcohol will affect your form, your career..."

"It's not me who wants to drink," Yu Bai interrupted his father's nagging, his tone sounding especially "innocent", "It's Sister Wen Wan. She said she wanted to drink something good and asked me to treat her. I'm just... a bit tight on money recently, you know."

He passed the "blame" so cleanly and efficiently.

Yu Yun hung up the phone while grumbling on the other end.

His son has no money? As if! As for Wen Wan wanting to drink? He believed that! Because someone had been "reporting" the movements of these two to him all along.

"Little girl, you've got quite a lot on your mind..."

Yu Yun stroked his chin, his eyes deep.

If this Wen Wan was too tactless, or had some improper thoughts, then it was time to let her "get lost".

While thinking this, he still instructed his driver to drive to a wine shop. He not only bought top-tier red wine but also casually picked up several sets of the latest seasonal luxury women's clothing and jewelry.

The strategy was to be polite before resorting to force, using both soft and hard tactics.

That had always been Yu Yun's philosophy for handling things.

...

When Yu Yun arrived at the apartment carrying big bags and small packages, before his butt had even warmed up on the sofa and before he had taken a sip of tea, he was met with his son's "interrogation". He hadn't even had a chance to "question" Wen Wan yet!

"That matter with Chen Hejing, it was you, right?"

Yu Bai shoved his phone in front of Yu Yun. On the screen was a screenshot of Chen Hejing's latest long Weibo post. The content was tearful, accusing Yu Bai of using "family power" to exert pressure, which led to him being unilaterally terminated by the "Wanshitong" streaming platform, his rice bowl smashed, and calling on netizens to uphold justice. The comment section was already in an uproar.

Yu Bai was annoyed; he just wanted to play football and didn't want to get involved in this mess.

Yu Yun glanced at it, scoffed, crossed his legs, and his tone was righteous, with a hint of condescending disdain:

"Chen Big Mouth? Him? I'd target him? What is his status, and what is mine? What is his level, and what is mine? Does he even deserve it?!"

"Old Yu!"

Yu Bai knew his old man too well; this reaction was obviously a guilty conscience. "Don't feed me this nonsense! Tell the truth!"

Yu Yun felt a bit guilty under his son's glare, touched his nose, and put on an "innocent" expression of "I just said hello":

"Alright, alright... I admit it, I know the boss of 'Wanshitong'. I just gave him a call, chatted, and happened to ask: 'Mr. Wang, I heard you have a streamer on your platform who's quite active, always targeting my son with insults? Do you have any issues with me, Yu Yun, or with my Xiao Bai?' I only asked that, really! I didn't say anything else! I swear!"

Yu Bai: "..."

You might as well have written 'Ban him' on your face! Did you need to say anything else?

He couldn't be bothered to investigate further anyway; he was indeed disgusted by Chen Hejing's face. Especially since this guy had become even more insane after losing his job. His latest statement was:

"Bullying an EFL League One rookie is such a big deal? If you have the guts, get a Hat-trick in the Premier League! If he can do that, I, Chen Hejing, will acknowledge Yu Bai as my father on the spot! And that Riley, too young and inexperienced, if it were me, I wouldn't have been dribbled past that badly!"

Yu Bai rolled his eyes — I'm only 17! You're comparing youth with me? And you want to be my son? This guy is truly crazy.

Yu Bai got up to go to the bathroom. As soon as he left the living room, the "innocence" on Yu Yun's face instantly vanished. Like an old cat, he tiptoed to the kitchen door, folded his arms, narrowed his eyes, and stared at Wen Wan, who was frantically handling a fish, her back stiff.

"Xiao Wan," Yu Yun spoke, his voice not loud, but carrying an invisible pressure.

Wen Wan's body visibly shuddered, and the knife in her hand almost cut her.

Yu Yun leaned forward, lowered his voice, with a smirk on his face. He extended his left hand to make a small circle and used his right index finger to make a "poking" motion, as vivid as it could possibly be:

"Tell me honestly, have you and Xiao Bai done that?"