After a moment of hesitation, Cao Baiming pressed the connect button.
The call came from the Football Association of Tang Country. They began with pleasantries and greetings.
Cao Baiming listened, growing impatient, and was about to hang up.
At this moment, he heard the crucial piece of news.
A football-related event was being planned to be held in Tang Country. They intended to capitalize on Cao Baiming's popularity to generate a buzz!
The event was being organized by them, with numerous major sponsors supporting the idea, such as Nike, Adidas, and Jordan. These brands were sponsoring enthusiastically, to the point of practically fighting for the opportunity.
In a few short sentences, the other party explained the situation clearly, and Cao Baiming understood it well.
Since it was an event, regardless of the financial aspect, interacting with fans was a good thing. Cao Baiming readily agreed, even surprising the other side.
After giving an affirmative reply, Cao Baiming hung up the phone.
He turned to look at Wu Xue.
He recounted the content of the phone call in its entirety. They were planning a round-the-world trip, weren't they? This was the perfect opportunity to detour to Long Country. The money earned from this trip would likely be enough for their entire round-the-world journey!
Wu Xue was flattered. She was just a small streamer, and Cao Baiming wanted her to attend the event with him!
Soon, the date was set. Tang Country specially dispatched a plane to pick them up, and on the way, the general arrangements for the event were explained.
Cao Baiming's immense popularity during this period was not limited to Europe. The fervor in Tang Country was ten times more terrifying, and ten times more crazy than in Europe!
From the streets and alleys of Tang Country to major sports weeklies and magazines, and even other media platforms, this name had taken over.
Cao Baiming's fame in Tang Country had far surpassed that of a mere football star; he had become a national hero. Everyone, regardless of their profession, had heard his name.
Even the grandmothers haggling at the vegetable market might mention him in conversation. Such was Cao Baiming's influence!
And Cao Baiming, who had been diligently playing in various competitions within Britain during this time, still hadn't had the opportunity to return to Tang Country to see for himself.
Fans could only express their love and adoration from thousands of miles away through online channels.
The Tang Country Football Association naturally would not let this opportunity slip by. Cao Baiming was now on vacation, and there were no other matches or commitments requiring his attention. This was the perfect time to discuss the World Cup and engage with fans.
For the arrival of this day, the most excited were undoubtedly Cao Baiming's fans in Tang Country. This was a massive group with a fanbase numbering in the hundreds of millions!
What kind of concept was a group numbering in the hundreds of millions? It could be said that even the most popular idols, singers, or movie stars today could not boast a fanbase exceeding one hundred million.
Cao Baiming's fanbase had reached nearly half the population of the entire Han-Country, meaning that on average, one out of every two people was a fan of Cao Baiming.
Fans today might not have heard of Henry, or even recognize Messi. Maradona, Puskás, and the two Ronaldos were even less likely to be known, but they would recognize Cao Baiming.
With such enthusiasm, Cao Baiming himself was highly anticipating it. He even thought he might be able to help Wu Xue gain some fans through this opportunity.
Amidst everyone's anticipation, Cao Baiming's plane finally landed in Tang Country.
Although both Cao Baiming and Wu Xue had been abroad, they were true Tang Country citizens. Upon entering Tang Country, a sense of homeland sentiment surged involuntarily.
Although it was still night outside, and they could only see a network of scattered yellow lights on the ground through the airplane window, they immediately recognized it as their homeland!
A familiar and warm feeling reached their hearts across thousands of miles in the sky!
Officials from the Football Association proactively engaged with them for final preparations before disembarking.
The plane landed at an airport near the Football Association. Although the itinerary was kept confidential, the news of Cao Baiming's imminent return had been widely publicized days ago. It was likely that many fervent fans had been waiting around the clock.
As the plane slowly descended, there seemed to be no activity outside the window.
However, as they exited the tarmac area and approached the main entrance, a cacophony of sounds erupted!
The crowd outside had spotted Cao Baiming through binoculars and recognized him instantly!
"Cao Baiming! God of Asia!"
A loud voice shouted from the crowd, followed by a chorus of fans echoing the cry, joining the ranks!
It was Wu Xue's first time witnessing such a scene, and she nervously clutched Cao Baiming's arm.
"Don't worry, you're my girlfriend!"
Hearing this, Wu Xue's nervousness seemed to subside slightly.
Continuing forward, the fans could only shout from a distance. They couldn't enter the gate and could only peer in.
A middle-aged man in a suit, a high-ranking official from the Football Association, came to greet them. Then, the group walked towards the building.
The closer they walked, the nearer they got to the crowd of fans!
Cao Baiming's face was a picture of helplessness, even embarrassment!
"I should have expected this! Sigh!"
Cao Baiming couldn't help but lament.
"What's wrong?" Wu Xue asked caringly.
"Listen to them, 'God of Asia'... Can you handle that title? It's so awkward, all thanks to that damn host!"
"Hahahaha..."
A soft chuckle came from Wu Xue, and hearing this, she relaxed considerably.
Soon, they arrived in front of the building.
Here, the presence of major sponsors could be seen, with advertisements even displayed.
Indeed, Tang Country's football hadn't changed much, focusing primarily on making money without much regard for improving skill.
"Sigh...!"
Wu Xue held Cao Baiming's hand tightly. This scene was captured by numerous tabloid reporters in Tang Country.
This was major news. Everyone knew how incredibly Cao Baiming was performing abroad, and they also knew about his return to Tang Country. However, no one knew he had a girlfriend!
Inside the headquarters building, they met with several senior executives. They had a brief discussion, mainly to inform them of the event's arrangements and to inquire about Cao Baiming's own opinions.
Cao Baiming stated that he had no objections, and they could do whatever they pleased; it was just for fun.
It was then decided.
One man finalized the decision and left with the documents.
It was past one in the morning, and no one had the patience to continue discussing matters.
"I've prepared a hotel for the two of you. Follow me!"
The two followed the man, thinking, finally! Finally, they could get some sleep.