After a long wait, a senior figure finally spoke.
"The fireworks display this afternoon, right? Down at Pino Bay. My two cousins are going. I heard the show lasts until eleven tonight, so what's the rush?"
"What are you talking about! Can an eight billion pound deal really be compared to a fireworks show??" The club owner was even more exasperated.
Cao Baming thought for a moment and then said.
"It is quite urgent. It's clear you don't often attend fireworks displays. The most spectacular parts are usually at the beginning and the end. If you miss the 4:30 opening ceremony, you'll definitely regret it!"
At this moment, everyone was rendered speechless. They had no way to say anything that would make them appear sane.
As time wore on, those with vested interests in the room began to leave, one by one. In the end, only Cao Baming, Mike, several senior executives from Manchester United, and the relevant legal personnel remained.
"Alright, alright. Since you're in such a hurry, we'll finalize this deal today. We'll extend the contract by two years and increase the transaction price by 200 million pounds, just as you said."
As the team's owner, he was still somewhat bewildered by Cao Baming, but at this point, he was eager to sell the club and get the money. After all, despite how irritating Cao Baming had been, his offer was undeniably attractive.
That was an additional 200 million pounds and a two-year contract extension!
"Sign this paper quickly, so you don't miss your fireworks show, sir."
His voice carried a tone of helplessness, even a hint of mockery. But none of that mattered. The paperwork was processed swiftly. Cao Baming had already memorized these procedures, and Mike was intimately familiar with the entire process.
"Finally, just sign here. Starting tomorrow, this club, Manchester United, will be yours! Cao Baming."
"No, Mr. Cao!"
Indeed, he was now Mr. Cao. He was the biggest shareholder behind the entire club, so how could he be addressed by his given name? "Cao Baming" sounded like an insignificant nobody.
The contract was now agreed upon. The moment Cao Baming pressed his final fingerprint onto the document, it became legally binding. However, apart from the eleven people present in the room, no one else knew about this.
Not only were the media and fans in the dark, but even the players of Manchester United were unaware. They had some inkling that the club might be changing owners soon, and that the owner might sell the team in the near future, but they had no certainty about who the new owner would be or if the sale would indeed happen.
Cao Baming could barely contain his excitement, imagining the look on Mike's face when he eventually learned that his new boss was Cao Baming himself.
Once everything was settled, Cao Baming turned and left immediately, with Mike following closely behind. Buying a club was no simple matter; there would be a mountain of subsequent affairs to handle. But not today, for Cao Baming had no intention of wasting any more time here.
Watching Cao Baming stride out of the room with hurried steps, Mike felt a surge of curiosity.
"Boss, do you have something urgent to attend to? You seem in such a rush," Mike asked, quickening his pace to keep up.
Without turning back, Cao Baming replied directly, "Didn't I just say? I'm going to the fireworks display at 4:30. It's already 4:11 now. I don't even know if I'll make it in time. What if there's traffic?"
As he spoke, Cao Baming sped up, walking without pause. Staff members along the way respectfully greeted him, as they were already aware that he was their new boss from today onwards.
"Wha- what? So, everything you said earlier was true?"
"What else would it be???"
"Sigh! I thought you were just joking around with those old guys. You're really going to watch the fireworks? Alright, alright."
"I am going to watch the fireworks display! This is a big event!"
Saying this, Cao Baming glanced at his watch again. Unbeknownst to him, another three minutes had passed. It was now 4:15. The current location was about a ten-minute drive from the seaside. If he drove fast enough, he might still make it within ten minutes.
"Okay, I'm heading off now. You remember to handle these follow-up matters for me. There will definitely be a pile of trivial tasks to deal with, so I'm counting on you!"
"No problem," Mike replied readily.
After all, working for Cao Baming was not something just any manager could do. These tasks required not only strong professional skills but also a mastery of various fields. Most importantly, the workload was beyond what an ordinary person could handle.
However, it had to be said that the salary Cao Baming offered was also beyond compare. Not to mention anything else, just the 1 million dollar bonus he had given him once out of sheer good mood was still mostly untouched, sitting in a stable investment product, slowly appreciating.
Sometimes, he could even get his hands on a few promising stocks from the boss, which was an even more pleasant bonus.
His abilities meant that Cao Baming never lacked money. Money, at this point, was like grass on the street, easily plucked, with no novelty or preciousness attached.
After parting ways with Mike, Cao Baming got into his car. A group of people behind him were still waving goodbye and greeting him. Even after Cao Baming's car drove away, they bowed deeply behind it.
He didn't even look back, paying them no mind.
Now that he was truly the owner of the club, he needed some time to process it all... Cao Baming mused as he drove.
A player becoming the owner of another club, while not explicitly forbidden, had never been done before for a reason.
Whatever happened next, good or bad, was bound to be interesting. Cao Baming's heart began to race with excitement.
The car sped along the highway, heading towards the seaside.