"Is this guy a lunatic??"
"I thought he'd prove himself a bit more, but he just ran off with his tail between his legs!"
"So pathetic!"
Watching the retreating figure, Cao Baiming felt a strange sensation, a feeling that the person wasn't as simple as he seemed.
For some reason, this feeling defied all logic.
From every angle, that person bore no resemblance to a true football king, not even close. His basic football skills were far inferior to Messi's.
Perhaps he was at best a rather skilled street football player, but he was too arrogant. He had probably gotten into plenty of fights.
If this guy had joined his team, Cao Baiming couldn't even imagine the days ahead. He might have hit him more times a day than he ate meals.
He wasn't even sure if the guy would survive a month. Fortunately, he left!
Arteta quickly processed this unexpected turn of events.
It was good that he left. He didn't want this "rotten apple" anyway. While his skills were impressive, football wasn't just about skill.
Besides, with Messi, Henry, and Cao Baiming already on the team, they hardly lacked talented players. Even if he had stayed, there might not have been a place for him.
It was just past four o'clock, and the afternoon training continued.
"It really took our boss to make that guy flee in panic."
Henry walked over then, lamenting that he had missed the entire spectacle.
Under Arteta's guidance, everyone went through a series of training drills to maintain their form. They even played a small-scale training match before nightfall.
Half-field scrimmages were routine for them, and thirty minutes hardly depleted their energy.
For professional athletes, it was nothing.
After training, Messi, Henry, and the others found Cao Baiming to go to dinner.
"The party is tomorrow, right? We can't just have a casual dinner tonight, let's find a good place."
When Henry spoke, everyone around him understood what he meant.
"You want to go to *that* place again! Absolutely not!"
"How many times have you been there since you arrived? We're sick of it. It doesn't matter how delicious it is."
Whenever the topic of food came up, Henry always gravitated towards an Italian restaurant located near the stadium, just a ten-minute walk away.
"There's nothing interesting near the stadium anymore. I'll treat everyone today, let's go out!"
Everyone looked at Cao Baiming, who seemed to have just mentioned treating them.
For Cao Baiming, a meal didn't cost much, especially now that money was coming in so quickly. What was one more meal compared to tomorrow's gathering?
With that, they headed to the parking lot, where Henry spotted his old black Rolls-Royce.
"Hey, you! You brought my car!"
Henry said it playfully, but his heart still ached; it was his beloved car.
"Sorry, it's mine now. Don't you remember you lost the bet to me?"
Cao Baiming said with a smile, showing no intention of sparing Henry's feelings.
"How about this, if you really miss her, you can come to the back seat, and I'll give you a ride!"
"No, no, no, better not."
Turning away, Henry found his new car. It couldn't compare to the old one, of course, given the sentimentality.
However, this car was also worth a fortune – a deep brown, concept electric vehicle.
Messi and Vieira got into Cao Baiming's car, and they set off together.
"Where are we going today, Boss Cao?"
"A Tang cuisine restaurant. I want to let you experience the charm of Tang food in advance."
...
The navigation began. The twenty-minute journey was only a few blocks away, coincidentally not too far from the villa they had just picked out.
After a moment of thought, he decided against taking them there early. Although he was tempted, it was better to wait until tomorrow afternoon.
"By the way, that person this afternoon, did you feel like he was targeting Cao Baiming?"
Vieira suddenly said, and Messi nodded in agreement.
Messi, sitting in the driver's seat, overheard their conversation.
"I don't know what that person's deal is. I'm not worried about him; it's all in the past."
"That's true. He's just some arrogant punk who doesn't know his place. He's not worth mentioning."
"Aren't you worried he'll come looking for you after he's done?" Messi suddenly asked.
Cao Baiming paused. Worry? He had never known what that was.
What was there to worry about with a mere punk? He wasn't important enough to occupy his thoughts for even a minute.
As they chatted, they discussed the afternoon's events and gradually shifted to tomorrow night's party.
No one knew who the important guests would be. Only Cao Baiming knew.
This mystery made everyone even more excited, wishing time would pass faster.
Although they still had to return to the club for training tomorrow morning, they would have the entire afternoon off. The club management wasn't unreasonable; they approved the leave request for the entire team.
Unknowingly, the navigation system announced again.
They had arrived.
Henry's car followed closely behind, parking alongside them on the roadside.
"This is it."
Among them, there were actually people who had never tried Tang cuisine before.
Led by Cao Baiming, they all went upstairs directly to the VIP area.
Counting seven people in total, Cao Baiming ordered thirty-two dishes. In this type of restaurant, the portions were small, so even with so many dishes, it wasn't guaranteed that everyone would be full.
After tasting the food, they unanimously praised it.
"Tang cuisine emphasizes perfection in color, aroma, and taste. The ingredients and cooking methods are meticulously refined, aiming to create layered flavors in the food, which is the mark of superior cuisine..."
Listening to Cao Baiming's explanations, the group understood only half of it, but their mouths never stopped moving.
Later, they ordered a few more small dishes, as the initial servings were not enough to satisfy their appetites.
After everyone had eaten their fill, they parted ways and returned to their respective accommodations.
Back at the villa, Cao Baiming's mind drifted back to that person. His appearance and attire made him quite memorable.
There was no helping it.
He received some emails and text messages. Invitations for the party tomorrow night. Some people had already arrived in the city, while others, coming from afar, needed to fly. At this very moment, they were likely already checked into their hotels.