Internazionale Milano's performance this season was so disheartening that the suspense for the league title vanished, and the championship race lost its significance. Instead, the battle for Champions League qualification intensified.

Especially the competition between Napoli and Genoa, two southern teams engaged in a fierce struggle.

It was surprising to many that these two teams were competing for a Champions League spot. At the start of the season, no one expected either team to achieve such results. Genoa had never been a strong team, and their performance this season qualified them as a dark horse.

As for Napoli, the first half of the season was plagued by internal and external troubles: coaching changes, dressing room conflicts, and various other news items. But in the second half of the season, they suddenly exploded, catching up from tenth place to fourth.

This attracted the attention of many media outlets, who sought to analyze how Napoli had achieved such a transformation.

Walter Mazzarri, as the key figure in the team's rise, received much praise. In fact, Mazzarri had already proven his ability at Sampdoria, where he did quite well. He was now considered one of the best young local coaches in Italy.

Another key figure in Napoli's rise was Chen Yingxiong, the center forward who joined the team this season. His form was extremely unstable in the first half of the season, but he still scored six goals. Such a performance would have been unremarkable for other forwards, but some people criticized Chen Yingxiong for his poor form...

In the second half of the season, his form exploded. Starting with his four goals against Roma, his goals kept coming. He had scored twenty-one goals so far, temporarily ranking third in the league's top scorer list. Without these goals, Napoli would probably still be lingering around eighth or ninth place.

He proved to all those who doubted him with his illustrious record that Napoli made the right decision to buy him, and within Napoli, he was more competitive than Lavezzi. Lavezzi, who only knew how to break through and had mediocre shooting skills, couldn't compete with Chen Yingxiong.

Therefore, Lavezzi's departure was a natural consequence—anyone with a brain knew which of the two to choose.

Next season, as Chen Yingxiong fully integrated into the team and Mazzarri designed new tactics around Chen Yingxiong, it would be exciting to see what Napoli would achieve!

※※※

As the league neared its end, many people's futures were being decided. Whether it was the team, or the people around Chen Yingxiong...

Christine Cabral revealed to Chen Yingxiong her intention to terminate her contract.

"What did you say?" Chen Yingxiong seemed surprised.

He had grown accustomed to living with this ice-cold beauty. With her taking care of him, he didn't have to worry about anything. Why was he able to train hard in the game, confront Lavezzi in the locker room, prove himself on the field with goal after goal, and slap other people's faces this season? Wasn't it because he had Cabral by his side, who could handle everything?

"I believe your situation is safe now. The boos directed at you on the field have decreased, and you have gained more support in Napoli. I think... you no longer need my twenty-four-hour protection."

When Christine Cabral accepted Chen Yingxiong's employment, she didn't expect to stay by his side for almost a year. This was the longest protection assignment she had ever undertaken.

But in reality, she felt that she had hardly played any significant role. Most of the time, she was Chen Yingxiong's driver, his tour guide, his cook, but not his bodyguard.

So after nearly a year of observation, she came to the conclusion—Chen Yingxiong no longer needed her protection.

"Ah..." Chen Yingxiong opened his mouth and paused for a moment: "I don't think so, Christine. I'm still very dangerous here. Look, I haven't even been to the Ristorante Margherita even once. I don't dare to go out alone, and I don't even know where the nightclubs in Napoli are... Those newspapers are starting to praise me for behaving myself, knowing not to frequent nightclubs. But that's all bullshit! I want to go! But I don't dare... So, I think it's necessary for us to continue our relationship, Christine."

"Mr. Chen, if you want protection when you go to nightclubs, I suggest you rehire a few male bodyguards."

"Who the hell wants a bunch of stinky men protecting me up close..." Chen Yingxiong muttered. "I'm very familiar with you, and you're very familiar with me, right, Christine? We have a very good understanding, which can reduce your workload. If I find another bodyguard, then we'll have to readjust, and what if... I mean, what if something goes wrong? I'm most afraid of dying, so for my safety, I think it's better for us to stay like this."

Chen Yingxiong began to act shamelessly.

"The key is that you are not in danger now, Mr. Chen. I am a bodyguard, and when you are not in danger, there is no need for me to continue to stay by your side."

"Is it because I'm not paying you enough? I can continue to increase your salary." Chen Yingxiong had to resort to money to persuade her.

"It has nothing to do with money, Mr. Chen," Christine Cabral said expressionlessly, unmoved.

Seeing Cabral's unyielding attitude, Chen Yingxiong was helpless.

He really couldn't find an excuse to persuade Cabral to stay.

But he was unwilling to let her go just like that.

So he simply refused to answer, sitting on the sofa in silence, sulking.

Seeing him like this, Cabral stood up: "I hope you can think about it carefully, Mr. Chen. There's no need for you to waste your money like this."

"I'm willing to waste it, is it your business!" Chen Yingxiong, in a bad mood, rolled his eyes.

Cabral ignored the childish Chen Yingxiong, turned around, went upstairs, and returned to her room.

Back in her room, she sat at the table and began to repeat the series of actions of disassembling and assembling firearms.

This was her way of entertaining herself. Although her hands didn't stop, her attention was not actually on it.

Leaving was a decision she had made after careful consideration. Of course, she knew that Chen Yingxiong didn't want her to leave. As for why... Cabral felt that this star, who scored repeatedly in the Napoli team, was still like a child in his daily life. He needed someone to take care of him. With her around, he didn't even have to wash his clothes. She remembered that last Christmas holiday, when she returned to Chen Yingxiong's house, she found a mountain of dirty clothes piled up in the toilet that had already started to stink. The kitchen sink, cutting board, and table were also filled with used tableware.

Not wanting her to leave was probably because she could help him do these things.

But she was a bodyguard, not a nanny. Letting her do these things, doing them occasionally was fine, but doing them all the time, she felt it was meaningless.

She even felt that Chen Yingxiong should hire a nanny instead of her.

Suddenly, a loud door slam sounded behind her, scaring the unconscious Cabral. Her hand movements became disordered, and it took her a few seconds longer to assemble the gun.

She didn't continue to disassemble it, but put down the gun and looked back at the door behind her.

Opposite her was Chen Yingxiong's room.

She knew that was the sound of Chen Yingxiong returning to his room.

※※※

The depressed Chen Yingxiong returned to his bedroom, not forgetting to slam the door shut. He could only use this method to vent his frustration.

Having lived with Cabral for almost a season, Chen Yingxiong had fully adapted to this kind of life. He didn't think there was anything wrong with living with a female bodyguard for a long time.

He liked living with Cabral because he felt he had absolute space with this woman. No matter what he did, he wouldn't be questioned or disturbed by this woman. This was perfect for Chen Yingxiong, who desperately needed to improve himself in the game. If he continued to be with Sharapova, she would probably call and scold him if he didn't contact her for more than two nights. Chen Yingxiong couldn't stand that kind of nagging woman. He felt like he had no privacy or space at all.

Cabral wouldn't. She just silently protected him, didn't ask questions, didn't gossip, and didn't investigate what he did in his bedroom every night. He and Cabral had such a tacit understanding, so he didn't want Cabral to leave.

After sulking alone for a while, he began to think about how to keep Cabral from leaving.

That's right, didn't she say he was safe now?

Then... all he had to do was make her feel unsafe, right?

Chen Yingxiong jumped out of bed and began to rummage through magazines and newspapers. Then, he randomly selected letters from the newspapers and cut them out one by one with scissors...

※※※

On match day, Cabral didn't have to follow Chen Yingxiong around. She was sitting on the sofa in Chen Yingxiong's house, repeating the act of disassembling and assembling the pistol while watching the live broadcast of the match on the TV screen.

Napoli was hosting Torino at home. Napoli, determined to hold onto fourth place in the league, launched a fierce attack on Torino's goal amidst the waves of cheers from the fans after returning to their home stadium.

Now, even Chen Yingxiong couldn't hear the huge boos when he got the ball.

So Cabral's analysis was correct. Chen Yingxiong was conquering the fans and media here with his goal after goal, and his danger in the city of Napoli was getting smaller and smaller.

She had reminded Chen Yingxiong many times, asking him if there was any place he wanted to go, and he could go and admire the beautiful Bay of Naples.

But Chen Yingxiong was not interested in this. After returning home, eating dinner, he would lock himself in his bedroom, not knowing what he was doing. It was not until he was about to go to bed that he would come out of the bedroom, covered in sweat, to take a shower and change clothes.

If it weren't for the fact that she knew very well that there was no one else in this huge house besides herself and him, Cabral would really suspect that Chen Yingxiong was locking himself in and having sex with some woman.

Suddenly, a huge roar came from the TV, mixed with cheers and boos.

Chen Yingxiong scored!

"Oooooooooooh! GoooooooooooooooL!!! Napoli!" The Italian commentator roared. "They are leading Torino 1-0 at home! The scorer is... Chen Yingxiong!!"

After scoring, Chen Yingxiong ran straight to the stands with the banner "You are not even worthy to shine Diego's shoes, bastard!" and then, towards the fans there... raised his arm high!

"No way..." The commentator said in surprise.

Chen Yingxiong hadn't done this celebration for a long time, which was also one of the reasons for the improvement in his relationship with the fans...

Who would have thought that Chen Yingxiong didn't know which nerve was wrong today... he actually used the slap celebration again!

Smack!

This slap was solid and hard on the faces of those fans.

The fans in the stands were stunned for a moment, and then the boos suddenly increased!

Cabral in front of the TV was also stunned for a moment, and then frowned.

What was he doing?!