At 6:30 AM, Jiang Lin's door was knocked upon.
Ailin stood outside the door, with a pot of black tea on a silver tray.
"Mrs. Wendell asked me to bring this."
Jiang Lin took it.
"Thank her for me."
Just as Ailin was about to leave, footsteps approached from the other side.
Martin held a silver tray with a cup of black coffee.
"Mrs. Montclair asked me to bring this."
Ailin looked at the coffee.
Martin looked at the black tea.
Neither spoke.
Jiang Lin looked down at the black tea in his hand, then at the coffee on Martin's tray.
"Put it on the table."
Martin entered the room and placed the coffee on the small table by the window.
Ailin placed the black tea on the other side.
Before the door closed, Chen Qian came from the end of the hallway, carrying files.
She was also holding a thermos.
Seeing the black tea and coffee in the room, she stopped.
Jiang Lin looked at her.
"What do you have in your hand?"
"Hot water."
Martin coughed lightly.
Ailin looked down at the carpet.
Jiang Lin reached out.
"Give it to me."
Chen Qian handed over the thermos.
Jiang Lin opened it; it contained warm water.
"Very good."
Martin spoke: "Mr. Jiang, Mrs. Montclair is waiting for you in the breakfast room at seven."
Ailin added: "Mrs. Wendell will go to the Greenhouse first at 6:55."
Chen Qian whispered a reminder: "Madam asked me to remind you that media will be coming to the Training Ground today."
Jiang Lin picked up his coat.
"Let's go."
Martin looked at the two cups.
"The black tea and coffee?"
Jiang Lin picked up the thermos.
"I'm drinking water."
In the Greenhouse, Victoria was already sitting by the window.
Seeing the thermos in Jiang Lin's hand, she raised an eyebrow.
"Not to your taste?"
"I haven't had a chance to drink it yet."
"And the coffee?"
"Haven't had a chance either."
Victoria looked at Chen Qian.
"You've managed to drink Miss Chen's water, though."
Chen Qian immediately lowered her head.
"I was just worried that drinking tea on an empty stomach in the morning would hurt Mr. Jiang's stomach."
Victoria smiled lightly.
"Very thoughtful."
Isabella entered from the other door.
"What's thoughtful?"
Victoria looked at her.
"Miss Chen brought water, and Mr. Jiang didn't drink the black tea or the coffee."
Isabella glanced at the thermos in Jiang Lin's hand.
"Wise."
Jiang Lin sat down.
"Today's schedule."
Ailin placed the itinerary on the table.
"At 9:00 AM, a supplementary meeting of the club board."
"At 10:00 AM, media opening at the Training Ground."
"At 11:30 AM, Sir Simon arrives at the castle to verify the data from last night."
"At 2:00 PM, representatives from Hall Capital wish to meet again."
Victoria sneered.
"They dare to come back?"
Jiang Lin opened the itinerary.
"They will bring a new offer."
Isabella sat down.
"And new trouble."
Chen Qian handed over a printed news summary.
"This morning, three media outlets published similar content."
Jiang Lin took it.
The headlines were straightforward.
"Eastern Consultant Dances Between Two Noblewomen: Has the Asset Audit of the Wendell Family Been Affected by Personal Relationships?"
"From French Widow to English Countess: Jiang Lin's European Upper-Class Springboard"
"Mrs. Montclair and Mrs. Wendell Escort Him Simultaneously: What Is the Ambition of This Mysterious Easterner?"
Isabella finished reading, her expression calm.
Victoria gently turned her teacup.
"It's written quite nastily."
Chen Qian whispered: "They also used photos from the hallway last night."
Jiang Lin flipped to the second page.
In the photo, Isabella was standing at his door, holding a scarf.
Another one showed Victoria adjusting his scarf at breakfast.
The third was Chen Qian handing him files at the Training Ground, looking as if she were bowing her head coquettishly.
Chen Qian: "I didn't…"
Isabella directly flipped the photo face down on the table.
"It's a matter of perspective."
Victoria looked at Ailin.
"Who took them?"
"Someone from inside the castle. I will investigate."
Jiang Lin closed the news summary.
"Don't investigate yet."
Isabella looked at him.
"They are using women to attack you."
"And they are attacking you too."
Victoria put down her teacup.
"How do you plan to handle this?"
Jiang Lin looked at Chen Qian.
"Have you finished the Training Ground revenue chain you organized last night?"
"It's finished."
"The old collection and jewelry?"
"The first draft is done."
"The duplicate expenses for the stables and maintenance?"
"That's also done."
Jiang Lin nodded.
"For the media opening today, change the theme."
Isabella asked: "Change it to what?"
"The outside world says personal relationships are affecting the audit, so let's make the audit basis public."
Victoria looked at him.
"You're going to put the data out there?"
"Only the parts that can be displayed."
Chen Qian immediately opened the file.
"The Training Ground can be made public."
"The payments to Mason's wife's company can be made public."
"The contract cache between Hall Capital and Gray Architectural Consultants can be made public."
"Don't make the old collection fully public yet, only the missing catalog."
Isabella nodded.
"Don't touch the core testing of that Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres painting."
Victoria looked at Jiang Lin.
"What about these photos?"
Jiang Lin picked up one of them.
"Since they say personal relationships affect the audit, let the outside world see clearly who is actually affecting the asset transaction."
He tapped Mason's file.
"Mason, Hall, Gray Architectural Consultants."
He tapped the old collection file.
"Edward, Harold, the restoration party of the old collection."
Isabella took over.
"Shift the topic from romantic relationships back to money."
Victoria added: "From tabloid gossip back to asset loss."
Chen Qian quickly wrote it down in her notebook.
Jiang Lin looked at her.
"Before ten o'clock, organize a one-page explanation."
"Okay."
Breakfast was served.
Just as Jiang Lin picked up the bread, Isabella pushed the coffee toward him.
"Drink a little."
Victoria pushed the black tea over.
"You should also taste the tea."
Chen Qian silently placed the warm water in the middle.
"Drink water first."
Jiang Lin looked at the three cups on the table.
"Do you insist on watching me choose today?"
Isabella said calmly: "It's just breakfast."
Victoria smiled: "It's just a drink."
Chen Qian whispered: "It's just water."
Jiang Lin first picked up the warm water and took a sip.
Chen Qian just breathed a sigh of relief when Isabella already handed the coffee to him.
"Now drink the coffee."
Victoria immediately put the teacup on his other side.
"Drink the tea after the coffee."
Jiang Lin put down the cup.
"I'm going to be stuffed today."
Victoria laughed.
"At least you won't be on an empty stomach."
Isabella looked at Chen Qian.
"Miss Chen deserves credit."
Chen Qian blushed.
"I'll go organize the explanation."
At 10:00 AM, at the Wendell Training Ground.
There were more media than yesterday.
Hall Capital did not send anyone to the scene, but legal letters had been sent to several media outlets.
A reporter spoke up.
"Mrs. Wendell, the outside world questions your overly close relationship with Mr. Jiang, claiming that trust affairs will lose independent judgment."
Victoria stood by the Training Ground, with fans and youth players behind her.
"My judgment is based on documents, not distance."
Chen Qian distributed the materials to the reporters.
Victoria continued.
"First, Hall Capital's offer lacks support from an independent valuation of the Training Ground."
"Second, Gray Architectural Consultants previously participated in the preliminary research for the redevelopment of the Wendell Training Ground."
"Third, the family company of club vice-chairman Mason received relevant consulting fees."
"Fourth, the Training Ground transaction has been suspended by the board of directors."
The reporters immediately flipped through the materials.
A reporter from The Times Sports pressed: "Did Mr. Jiang participate in organizing these documents?"
Jiang Lin spoke.
"I did."
"Has your personal relationship with Mrs. Wendell affected your judgment?"
Isabella walked in front of the camera.
"I also participated."
The reporter was stunned.
"Mrs. Montclair?"
"Montlais Winery has an intention to cooperate with Wendell Club. We do not want our cooperation partner to lose the Training Ground, nor do we want a potentially problematic transaction to tarnish the brand."
She picked up the materials.
"This is called commercial due diligence."
Victoria added: "If you are all more concerned about scarves, black tea, and photos, you can continue writing."
She paused.
"But if you are concerned about the club, the fans, the youth training, and the trust assets, please look at the documents first."
Applause rang out in the crowd of fans.
Arthur stepped out.
"The Training Ground is not for sale; that is the point. Who stood at whose door last night, I don't care. The fans don't care either."
A fan shouted: "We only care about whether Hall gets lost or not!"
The crowd roared with laughter.
The reporters continued to film.
Chen Qian handed a simplified version of the document to a young reporter.
"This page is the clearest."
The young reporter glanced at her.
"Are you that Chinese assistant in the reports?"
Chen Qian nodded.
"Yes."
"In the photos, you were handing files to Mr. Jiang; some say your relationship is unusual."
Chen Qian's face flushed for a moment, then she quickly steadied herself.
"I was handing Mr. Jiang materials related to Hall Capital; the copy in your hand is exactly that."
The reporter looked down at the document.
Chen Qian added: "If that counts as an unusual relationship, then I have an even deeper relationship with this document."
Isabella glanced at Chen Qian.
"That was a good answer."
Victoria also nodded.
"Indeed."
Chen Qian retreated behind Jiang Lin and whispered.
"I didn't say anything wrong, did I?"
"No."
Isabella spoke from the side: "Don't always ask him."
Chen Qian immediately corrected herself: "Madam, I didn't say anything wrong, did I?"
Isabella smiled.
"No."
At 11:00 AM, representatives from Hall Capital arrived early at the Training Ground.
When Richard Hall got out of the car, his expression was visibly poor.
Besides his lawyers, there was a middle-aged woman in a dark coat behind him.
Ailin whispered a reminder: "That is Hall Capital's PR Director, Margaret."
Hall walked up to Victoria.
"Madam, we need to talk."
Victoria looked at the press area.
"Talk now?"
Hall lowered his voice.
"It's best if we do."
Jiang Lin walked over.
"A new offer?"
Hall looked at him.
"You are very smart, Mr. Jiang. But you should know that being too greedy will make people hate you."
"The offer."
Hall handed the document to Victoria.
"Hall is willing to raise the acquisition price of the shares held by Wendell to 4.5 million pounds, with a commitment to retain the Training Ground for sports use for five years."
Arthur heard this, and his expression changed.
Robert also looked over.
4.5 million, much higher than before.
Victoria didn't speak immediately.
Isabella looked at Jiang Lin.
Jiang Lin finished flipping through the document.
"Where is the commitment written?"
Hall pointed to the third page.
Jiang Lin finished reading.
"Retain sports use, but allow the Training Ground to undergo 'comprehensive commercial operation optimization'."
He closed the file.
"Word games."
Hall's smile turned cold.
"Mr. Jiang, this is already a very sincere price."
"Yesterday you offered 2.8 million, today 4.5 million."
Jiang Lin looked at the press area.
"The price rose so quickly, which shows that yesterday's offer was indeed too low."
Hall's expression darkened.
"Don't burn your bridges."
Victoria spoke: "The Training Ground is not for sale."
Hall looked at her.
"Madam, you are missing out on a sum of cash."
"I have already missed out on many things; one more doesn't matter."
Hall turned to Isabella.
"Mrs. Montclair, do you also support her refusal?"
Isabella looked calm.
"I do."
"Can a French winery afford the risks of a British club?"
"It cannot, which is why we must not cooperate with capital that enjoys word games."
Margaret, standing behind Hall, finally spoke:
"Since everyone is present, I will be blunt. The media will continue to focus on the relationship between Mr. Jiang and the two ladies. If personal emotions are mixed into business transactions, the reputational risk will be very high."
Isabella smiled.
"Ms. Margaret, who are you trying to threaten?"
"It is a reminder."
Victoria took a step closer.
"Then I will remind you as well."
She picked up Hall's new offer document.
"This offer of 4.5 million pounds will be submitted to the trust supervisor alongside yesterday's offer of 2.8 million pounds."
Margaret's expression changed.
Victoria continued:
"You increased the price by sixty percent in one day, yet you still claim yesterday's offer was fair. This story is more entertaining than a scarf."
Someone in the press area had already turned their camera toward them.
Hall suppressed his anger.
"Madam, there is no need to take things this far."
Jiang Lin spoke up:
"Then make the contract with Gray Architectural Consultants public."
Hall stared at him.
"Are you determined to burn bridges?"
Jiang Lin looked toward the press area.
"You brought this upon yourselves."
Margaret immediately whispered a reminder:
"Richard, don't say it here."
Hall took back the document.
"We will talk again."
Victoria replied:
"Wait until you have prepared a clean offer."
Hall turned and left.
The media immediately crowded around.
"Has Hall Capital increased its offer?"
"Mrs. Wendell, will you consider the 4.5 million pounds?"
"Is the Training Ground completely excluded from the sale?"
Victoria only replied with one sentence:
"The Training Ground stays, and the club continues."
The fans cheered again.
Noon, beside the castle stables.
After the reporters left, the Training Ground quieted down.
Jiang Lin and Arthur watched Ethan's extra practice.
Ethan shot ten times in a row and scored seven.
Jiang Lin spoke:
"Let him start on Saturday."
Arthur frowned.
"The pressure is too great."
"The fans need to see the future now."
"The coach will be worried."
"I will talk to him."
Arthur glanced at him.
"Are you starting to manage the starting lineup now?"
Jiang Lin looked at Ethan.
"He can score."
Ethan shouted from the distance:
"I can!"
Arthur laughed and scolded:
"Practice your left foot properly first!"
Ethan took another shot.
It was ridiculously wide.
Jiang Lin shook his head.
"The left foot definitely needs practice."
Ethan scratched his head in embarrassment.
In the afternoon, everyone returned to the castle.
As soon as they entered the hall, Sir Simon had already arrived.
He held copies of Hall's two offers.
"Mrs. Wendell, I need to confirm, 2.8 million yesterday, 4.5 million today?"
Victoria nodded.
"Yes."
Sir Simon looked at Jiang Lin.
"Mr. Jiang pushing to pause the transaction objectively protected the trust assets."
Edward had just come down the stairs and heard this sentence; his expression turned ugly.
"Have you been persuaded by them too?"
Sir Simon turned around.
"I was persuaded by the numbers."
Edward sneered.
"Numbers can be manipulated."
Chen Qian took out the two offers from a file bag for comparison.
"That is why I have listed the originals, the sending times, the recipients, and the modified clauses."
Sir Simon took them.
"Very good."
Edward looked at Chen Qian.
"You are becoming quite good at picking sides."
Chen Qian's face went pale.
Isabella walked in front of her.
"She is standing on the side of the accounts."
Victoria also stepped closer.
"And your accounts look terrible."
Edward stared at the two women, then finally looked at Jiang Lin.
"Hiding behind women, it must be comfortable, right?"
Jiang Lin stepped forward.
"Do you want to hear me speak?"
"What are you trying to do?"
"Publicly explain the discrepancy between Hall Capital's two offers."
Edward shut his mouth.
Jiang Lin continued:
"Or publicly explain the consulting fees for Mason's wife's company."
Edward's expression was gloomy.
"Do you really think you can stand firm in the UK by relying on a few women to protect you?"
Isabella immediately picked up the conversation:
"A few?"
Victoria looked at Edward.
"That is not an accurate statement."
Chen Qian stood behind, her voice soft but clear.
"And the documents."
Sir Simon closed the files.
"And the trust supervisor."
The hall was quiet.
Edward looked at them, his face livid, and turned to go upstairs.
Victoria suddenly spoke:
"Edward."
He stopped.
"Before dinner, hand over the remaining two contracts for the restoration of the old collection."
"In your dreams."
"Then I will invite the police to the castle tomorrow."
Edward turned back.
"You dare?"
Victoria looked at him.
"You can try."
Edward stormed off.
Four in the afternoon, East Wing study.
Jiang Lin had just sat down when Isabella came in with an interview invitation.
"Claire wants to come to London."
Jiang Lin took it.
"She acts fast."
Victoria happened to enter.
"That female reporter from Paris?"
Isabella looked at her.
"Mrs. Wendell has a very good memory."
"I make a note of anyone related to Mr. Jiang now."
"Then you will be very busy."
Victoria smiled.
"That sounds like a reminder."
Jiang Lin put down the invitation.
"I won't let her come now."
Isabella nodded.
"I think so too."
Victoria asked:
"Why?"
"If she comes, the topic will return to the tabloid news."
Jiang Lin continued:
"Let her come when the evidence of the old collection is more complete."
Victoria walked to the desk.
"You even use reporters in stages."
"She will also use me in stages."
"Fair."
Isabella looked at the two.
"You two chat quite smoothly."
Victoria smiled.
"Does Mrs. Montclair not like it?"
"Business is fine."
"And personal matters?"
Isabella did not answer.
Jiang Lin stood up.
"I will go check Chen Qian's materials."
Isabella grabbed his cuff.
"Stop."
Victoria stepped half a step closer.
"Mr. Jiang, your escape is too obvious now."
Jiang Lin looked down at the cuff being held by Isabella.
"Shall I sit down then?"
Isabella let go.
"Sit."
Victoria pulled out the chair on his other side.
"Sit here."
Jiang Lin looked at the two chairs, left and right.
Isabella sat on the left.
Victoria sat on the right.
He had just sat down when Chen Qian came in holding documents.
Seeing this seating arrangement, she stopped at the door.
"Did I come at a bad time?"
Isabella looked at her.
"Come in."
Victoria laughed:
"Perfect, the third glass of water has arrived."
Chen Qian's face turned red instantly.
"I brought documents this time."
Jiang Lin reached out.
"Give them to me."
Chen Qian handed over the documents.
"Of the two remaining contracts for the restoration of the old collection, one appeared in the index Harold submitted, but the original is missing."
"The other one is not even in the index."
"However, I found the corresponding number in the insurance records."
Victoria's expression changed.
"That means one contract has been completely deleted?"
"Yes."
Jiang Lin opened the insurance numbers.
"Which collection item does this contract correspond to?"
Chen Qian took a look.
"The catalog says: French female portrait, nineteenth century, grey dress."
The study fell silent instantly.
Isabella looked at Jiang Lin.
Victoria took the document.
"the lady in the grey dress by the window."
Jiang Lin nodded.
"Found it."
Victoria stared at the insurance number.
"Where is this contract?"
Chen Qian whispered:
"If it hasn't been destroyed, it should be in Harold's hands, or Edward's hands."
Victoria turned and left.
Jiang Lin stood up and followed.
Isabella followed.
Chen Qian followed, holding the documents.
At the end of the West Wing corridor, Edward's door was tightly shut.
Victoria knocked directly.
There was no response.
She knocked again.
Still no response.
Aileen hurried over.
"Madam, the Earl just left the castle."
"Where to?"
"London."
Jiang Lin looked at her.
"What did he take?"
"A black document case."
Victoria's expression turned cold.
Isabella looked at Jiang Lin.
"He took the contract."
Chen Qian gripped the documents tightly.
"He might have taken other evidence of the old collection as well."
Victoria immediately spoke:
"Prepare the car."
Jiang Lin was already walking toward the stairs.
"To London."
Isabella caught up.
"I'm coming too."
Victoria followed as well.
"Of course."
Chen Qian trotted to keep up.
"I'm going too; I have the numbers and the index with me."
Jiang Lin glanced at her.
"Keep up."
Outside the castle, the car had already pulled up to the steps.
The rain began to fall again.
The four of them got into the car.
Isabella sat on Jiang Lin's left.
Victoria sat on his right.
Chen Qian sat opposite, holding the document case.
The car door closed.
Victoria took out her phone.
"Aileen found that Edward's car is heading toward London."
Isabella looked at the rain curtain outside the window.
"He is either looking for a buyer or destroying the documents."
Jiang Lin picked up the insurance number document.
"There is a third possibility."
Victoria looked at him.
"What?"
"Using the contract to trade for terms."
Chen Qian looked up.
"With Hall Capital?"
"Or a buyer for the old collection."
The car drove out of the castle gates.
The driver accelerated.
Rainwater drummed against the car windows.
Victoria suddenly reached out and fastened Jiang Lin's cuff for him.
"When meeting people in London, your cuffs cannot be messy."
Isabella glanced at it, took out a handkerchief, and wiped the rainwater off his shoulder.
"Your shoulder is wet too."
Chen Qian looked down and flipped through files, and after a few seconds, silently handed over a dry towel.
"Your hair is wet too."
Three items landed on Jiang Lin simultaneously.
Cufflinks.
Handkerchief.
Towel.
Jiang Lin looked at the three of them.
"Can we discuss Edward now?"
Victoria withdrew her hand.
"Yes."
Isabella put away her handkerchief.
"Go ahead."
Chen Qian handed the towel into his hands.
"You should wipe yourself first."
Jiang Lin took the towel.
Outside the car window, the lights of London were blurry.
The driver spoke from the front row:
"Madam, Earl Edward's car has entered the London city center."
Victoria asked:
"Specific location?"
"Mayfair."
Isabella's eyes turned cold.
"Private club district."
Jiang Lin put down the towel.
"He is going to meet someone."
Victoria dialed Aileen's number.
"Check what private art transactions are happening in Mayfair tonight."
The car interior went quiet.
A few seconds later, Aileen called back.
"Madam, at nine tonight, there is a private collector's reception in Mayfair. The host is Lord Grant."
Victoria's expression sank completely.
"He specializes in handling old aristocratic collections."
Jiang Lin looked out the window.
"Hurry over."