Chapter 1 Chen Yingxiong's Interview

Chen Yingxiong wasn't going to Beijing to be interviewed by some local TV station, but by China's largest television station—China Central Television (CCTV).

As soon as the season ended, CCTV's flagship sports program "Football World" called Chen Yingxiong's agent, Decula, to inquire whether Chen Yingxiong had plans to return to China during the break.

Of course, Chen Yingxiong was going back to China. He still had a huge market there, and he had to return to participate in commercial activities and sign endorsement deals. With his title of top scorer in Serie A, his popularity in China skyrocketed, and his commercial value increased significantly. Even those Fortune Global 500 companies were planning to sign commercial contracts with Chen Yingxiong, despite his less-than-perfect image, obvious flaws, and the controversy he often stirred up.

But this was precisely the kind of idol that consumers born in the 80s and 90s liked to idolize, because he was uninhibited, acted willfully, yet had a strong sense of gratitude and resentment, was self-centered, and full of confidence and an aura that looked down on all authority.

Hearing that Chen Yingxiong was returning to China, "Football World" proposed the opportunity to interview him. They would dedicate an entire episode to him, inviting a hundred of Chen Yingxiong's fans from across China to the recording studio to interact with him.

After hearing Decula's account, Chen Yingxiong couldn't help but laugh: "Aren't they afraid of pressure from above this time?"

But he was just joking.

Ever since the national Olympic team suffered a humiliating defeat at the Beijing Olympics, his reputation in China had instantly improved. Those who had previously criticized him for disobeying leadership and disregarding the overall situation changed their tune, praising him for leaving that cesspool in time, otherwise he would have been disgraced along with the national Olympic team.

Now many people believed Chen Yingxiong's earlier statement that the national Olympic team was hopeless. From the team's performance in the three group matches, it was clear that Chen Yingxiong's words were true.

The team had no unified strategy, and the preparatory training was a mess, so that the players couldn't do anything on the field, and all they could think about was fighting for the country's glory, resulting in players being crippled. Zhang Wei, who was knocked unconscious by Chen Yingxiong with a punch during the Olympic preparations, deliberately elbowed his opponent in the match and was sent off with a red card.

He also became one of the culprits for the team's ultimate loss to Belgium. As the team's biggest star, the strongest player on the national Olympic team, and the captain, he not only failed to perform at his due level and set an example, but also buried the team's hopes in the Olympics with a red card.

After the game, he became the target of media and fan criticism.

At this time, everyone said: "Why didn't Chen Yingxiong's punch cripple this kid directly? If we had replaced him from the national Olympic team, maybe this wouldn't have happened!"

When Chen Yingxiong was expelled from the national Olympic team and blacklisted indefinitely by the Chinese Football Association, everyone thought that Chen Yingxiong was like a stray dog and could only run to Italy with his tail between his legs. Who would have thought that in just a few months, the fate of him and those lucky ones on the national Olympic team would have undergone a subversive change. The national Olympic team was criticized in China, while Chen Yingxiong, as the first Chinese player to play and score in Serie A, received much attention and was pinned with high hopes. His impulsive punch, although it took away the opportunity to participate in the Olympics, also allowed him to avoid being embarrassed in front of the world with such a team… If he had been there, maybe the more eye-catching thing during the Olympics would not have been how many gold medals the Chinese delegation had won, but the legendary story of Chen Yingxiong fighting against Xie Yalong of the Football Association and the bullies of the national Olympic team…

Now, with Chen Yingxiong's good performance in Serie A, his popularity and reputation in China are increasing. It can be said that CCTV's interview with him is in line with public opinion. Everyone wants to learn more about this legendary figure's life and football career in Serie A.

This was the only thing that could bring warmth in the cold winter of Chinese football.

Anyway, the Olympics were almost a year over, and the sports channel had restored its original logo and name. China's Olympic strategy was over, and the State General Administration of Sports could no longer use the Olympic strategy to pressure the media.

So there was no pressure at all to interview Chen Yingxiong now.

Being able to promote himself on CCTV was also a good thing for Chen Yingxiong. Besides, this kid was inherently vain and liked to show off. What kind of TV station was CCTV? It was a national-level TV station. People who could appear on CCTV must be incredibly awesome—this was Chen Yingxiong's simple idea rooted in his mind since childhood, so he gladly agreed to CCTV's invitation.

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In fact, Chen Yingxiong had been interviewed in both Russia and Italy, but this was the first time he had been interviewed on his own national television.

However, Chen Yingxiong showed great composure. He wasn't stage-frightened at all, and he didn't seem as restrained as the staff had expected. In fact… he was even more active than the host at the recording studio…

Even many times, it wasn't the host who was interacting with the audience and fans, but himself. He often had some impromptu performances that hadn't been discussed beforehand, resulting in the recording of the show, which was only forty minutes long, taking a full three and a half hours…

But everyone was very happy, whether they were working on the show or watching it live. The atmosphere was enlivened by Chen Yingxiong, this active young man.

Chen Yingxiong had thick skin, so he was the most suitable person to let loose and liven up the atmosphere in this kind of occasion.

After the recording, the host, Duan Bin, had a very good relationship with him. He joked to Chen Yingxiong: "Fortunately you went to play football. If you had come to be a program host, I guess I wouldn't have anything to do."

"Isn't it just right to commentate on football matches?" Chen Yingxiong asked.

Duan Bin smiled: "Haha! That's true!"

He patted Chen Yingxiong on the shoulder: "Young man, do a good job! Almost everyone in our station is your fan now!"

After saying that, he took out a lot of things and asked Chen Yingxiong to sign them, saying: "This is for Liu Jianhong, this is for Zhang Bin, this is for Teacher Zhang Lu, this is for…"

Chen Yingxiong grinned. He always felt a little strange to be chased by people from CCTV…

In addition to the fans inside CCTV, the fans from all over the country who were selected by CCTV to participate in the recording also took out things they had prepared long ago and asked Chen Yingxiong to sign them. During the signing process, he had to stand up from time to time to pose and take photos with the fans.

So the recording took three and a half hours, and the signing and photo session took another hour. By the time he came out of the CCTV building, it was already five hours later…

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After finishing his work in China, it was already July, and it was time to return to the team.

Chen Yingxiong flew directly from Beijing back to Naples. Decula flew back to St. Petersburg. The next time the two met would be in Naples, where Decula and Vera would move from St. Petersburg to establish their base.

But this was a long-term plan. The immediate thing was the lawsuit.

Decula flew back to St. Petersburg to handle Chen Yingxiong's lawsuit. It had been a year since the lawsuit was filed, and the whole year was spent on legal procedures and both parties collecting evidence. The next step was the court hearing.

Chen Yingxiong didn't understand any of this, so he didn't care and left it all to Decula.

All he needed to do was return to Naples to train.

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When Chen Yingxiong arrived at Naples airport after a transit in Milan, he saw his bodyguard, Christine Cabella, at the pick-up gate. She was still dressed in a capable outfit, wearing sunglasses, and her face was unsmiling, looking very cool.

Seeing Chen Yingxiong appear at the exit, she stepped forward and took the heavy-looking leather suitcase from Chen Yingxiong's hand.

Seeing the beautiful bodyguard again, Chen Yingxiong was in a good mood—she really didn't leave.

"How long have you been here?"

"An hour."

"Ha! I was really worried you wouldn't come."

"We have a contractual relationship. If I don't come, I'll be in breach of contract."

"Uh… is it just because of the contractual relationship?" Chen Yingxiong was a little depressed.

Cabella, who was walking quickly in front pulling the suitcase, looked back at Chen Yingxiong. "What kind of relationship do you hope it is?"

"For example, living under the same roof, developing feelings over time… that kind of relationship. Haven't you seen the movie 'The Bodyguard'? The male bodyguard eventually sparks a romance with the female star…"

"That's a movie, it's artistic exaggeration."

"No matter how exaggerated art is, it has to come from life. Don't you think we're living that kind of life now?"

After a vacation, Chen Yingxiong enjoyed flirting with his bodyguard Cabella.

Cabella put the suitcase in the trunk of the car, then took the backpack and another leather suitcase that Chen Yingxiong was carrying, and stuffed them all into the trunk. She walked to the front and opened the car door for Chen Yingxiong.

Chen Yingxiong got into the car, and Cabella got into the driver's seat.

"Napoli!" He took a deep breath of the air and said, "I feel like I haven't been back here for a long time. How did you spend your vacation, Christine?"

"The same as usual."

"That's really boring. You know what? I went to Milan and had a romantic encounter there… It was a beautiful Milanese holiday…"

He leaned back in his seat and recalled the three days he had spent with Ivanka.

Ivanka was right, when you treat it all as a memory, you will feel it is perfect. If he continued to be with Ivanka, what would happen, he didn't know. Would it be like before with Sharapova? Eventually have a big fight, and then… never see each other again?

While driving, Cabella took the time to glance at Chen Yingxiong in the rearview mirror. Her master was leaning on the back of the seat with a look of intoxication and loss, his eyes staring blankly ahead, not knowing what he was thinking.

Chen Yingxiong looking like this was not common, and could even be said to be very rare. She had been with Chen Yingxiong almost day and night, but it was the first time she had seen him like this.

"That woman must be very beautiful." For some reason, she suddenly said.

"Yeah, as beautiful as an angel…"

Chen Yingxiong murmured.

Then he suddenly reacted and sat up abruptly from his seat: "You actually replied to me?"

"What's wrong?"

"I thought you would only be a listener and never be interested in my affairs."

"I'm also an ordinary person, I'm not a killing machine," Cabella replied.

"Is that so?" Chen Yingxiong chuckled.