Starting With Real Madrid

What's it like to suddenly find yourself with nothing to do?

Honestly, it's not a bad feeling.

Every morning, Gao Shen woke up to find Su Qing already gone to work, but there was always breakfast waiting for him on the stove.

After eating, his days were a mix of leisurely activities—watching the news, browsing websites, catching up on TV, and exploring new hobbies. During this downtime, Gao Shen stumbled upon something unexpected on Twitter.

As it turned out, Twitter was beginning its Series B funding round in May, seeking $15 million. Gao Shen decided to invest a third of that—$5 million.

Coincidentally, this was almost exactly the bonus and salary he earned for leading Napoli to the Serie A and Coppa Italia titles.

The investment gave him a 6.5% stake in Twitter.

As a shareholder now, he figured he'd need to promote his "business" more actively.

---

Around eleven each morning, Gao Shen left the apartment and walked to Su Qing's office.

Every day at lunch, Su Qing would take him to explore different parts of the city, trying out local delicacies.

Both were from the south, so they weren't used to certain northern foods. But with Su Qing "testing the waters" first, Gao Shen didn't have to worry, he just followed her recommendations. She rarely got it wrong.

In the afternoons, Gao Shen often went grocery shopping and wandered around the area, soaking in the sights.

When Su Qing returned home in the evenings, she would start preparing dinner.

Working in a core department of a powerful ministry was demanding. Her schedule was unpredictable, and her workload heavy.

But it was obvious she loved her job, it gave her a sense of accomplishment.

"It feels like I'm part of shaping history," she said proudly one evening.

"You're a world-renowned manager now, a rising star. As your friend, I can't afford to be too ordinary, can I?"

Gao Shen nodded, watching as Su Qing glowed with enthusiasm.

People shine the brightest when they're chasing their dreams, he thought.

---

Gao Shen didn't visit his hometown during this trip to China.

There was no one there anymore.

After he invested in farms and wineries in Chile and Peru, both his parents and Su Qing's parents left their hometown and moved to Shanghai. To make their transition easier, Gao Shen bought two apartments for them there.

While the farms and wineries themselves weren't highly profitable, the trade business tied to them was booming.

Even Su Qing's father, Su Zhijun, hadn't anticipated such success. The market was still in its early stages, but it was already thriving.

The two families now lived in Shanghai, with the company based there as well. They even made regular trips to Chile and Peru to oversee operations.

Business was growing more prosperous by the day.

Naturally, Gao Shen made a point of visiting them upon returning to China.

But by coincidence, his father and Su Zhijun were out of the country when he arrived. After a short stay in Shanghai, Gao Shen returned to the capital, just in time to meet with the Inter Milan delegation regarding their coaching offer.

---

Before the Inter representatives arrived in the capital, Gao Shen had already spoken with Marco Branca and Angelo Moratti by phone and politely declined.

Coaching Inter Milan right now wasn't the right move for him.

First, there was the lingering tension from last season. Napoli had thoroughly outplayed Inter, and many Inter players felt a mix of dissatisfaction and even hostility toward Gao Shen and his team.

Taking over as manager under such circumstances would mean walking into a highly constrained situation.

Second, Inter's squad wasn't well-suited to Gao Shen's tactical style. The team had too many aging players who couldn't execute the high-intensity, attacking football he preferred. Reshaping the squad into something more dynamic was possible, but at this stage in his career, why should Gao Shen compromise or settle for a defensive style that didn't reflect his philosophy?

He wasn't the same young manager desperate for an opportunity, as he had been at Real Madrid.

If he were to take the Inter job, restructuring the squad would be a necessity. But that raised other issues: the cost of such a rebuild, the time it would take, and whether the team could still be competitive during the transition.

This was where Inter's plan came into play.

When Moratti, Branca, and Lele Oriali arrived in the capital, they presented a bold vision. They were willing to restructure the team and invest heavily to make it happen. Their approach centered on raiding Napoli for talent, effectively transplanting Gao Shen's successful blueprint to Inter.

While this strategy would save time and streamline the adjustment process, one significant hurdle remained: Zlatan Ibrahimović.

Inter's star player was someone Moratti was determined to keep, but Gao Shen had his doubts about building a team around Ibrahimović.

In Gao Shen's view, Ibrahimović was a "system player"—a superstar whose style dictated the system rather than elevating it. His presence imposed a ceiling on what the team could achieve.

Gao Shen suspected that Guardiola, in another timeline, had likely come to the same conclusion when he decided to part ways with Ibrahimović.

Ultimately, despite several in-depth conversations, Gao Shen remained firm in his decision.

He did not want to coach Inter Milan.

Moratti and Branca left disappointed but respectful of his choice.

---

Though Gao Shen was on vacation in China, he remained in close contact with Europe.

Before he left Italy, Napoli had officially submitted an offer to Sampdoria and sent scouts to Marseille to explore potential signings.

While enjoying his downtime, news from Europe arrived regularly.

The situation in Marseille progressed smoothly.

Gao Shen's recommendation, Madhi Benatia, wasn't even in Marseille at the time. After missing an entire season due to a severe knee ligament injury, he had been released by the club. Gao Shen's scouts tracked him down to a small town on the southern outskirts of Paris, where he was playing informal matches with local amateurs.

The scouts reported that Benatia looked promising despite his circumstances.

When the offer from Napoli arrived, Benatia was stunned.

To go from being a forgotten, injury-prone player to receiving an offer from the Serie A champions, it was like a dream come true.

Overwhelmed, Benatia immediately accepted.

Gao Shen quickly arranged for a team doctor and two of his key staff members, Buenaventura and Pintus, to fly to Paris. They conducted a thorough medical evaluation and developed a detailed rehabilitation and strength-training plan for Benatia, ensuring he would be fully recovered by the start of training camp.

Reports from Europe indicated that Benatia was responding well to the plan.

"If he sticks to it, he'll surprise you during training," Buenaventura assured Gao Shen.

Meanwhile, negotiations for another target, Sampdoria's Maggio, were more complicated.

Maggio had expressed his desire to move to Napoli, eager to play in the Champions League and join a more ambitious project. However, Sampdoria's initial asking price of €15 million was exorbitant.

Napoli's general manager, Marino, traveled to Genoa twice to negotiate. After several rounds of talks, the two clubs finally agreed on a fee of €8 million.

While Napoli recouped some funds by selling Domic and Garics, De Laurentiis still had to cover part of the cost out of his own pocket.

In the end, however, Napoli secured their top-choice right-back.

---

With Benatia and Maggio signed, and Domic and Garics sold, Napoli's overall strength had improved, though they'd spent relatively little—just €2 million net.

To some, this modest investment seemed underwhelming for a Serie A champion preparing to compete in the Champions League.

At the press conference introducing Maggio, Marino announced that Napoli's primary transfer objectives had been achieved. The club's focus would now shift to renewing contracts with key players, rewarding them for their exceptional performances last season.

At the same time, De Laurentiis ramped up efforts to secure sponsorships, hoping to capitalize on Napoli's recent success. The Serie A and Coppa Italia titles, combined with Champions League participation, presented a golden opportunity to attract investment.

Without additional funding, De Laurentiis knew Napoli couldn't sustain its momentum alone.

It was during this delicate period that news broke in Spain: Barcelona had made Gao Shen their top choice for head coach.

The report sent shockwaves through Italy.

De Laurentiis and Marino, who were already worried about retaining their young manager, became even more anxious.

Meanwhile, Spanish media confidently framed Gao Shen's appointment at Camp Nou as inevitable.

To them, Soriano, Begiristain, and Guardiola's upcoming trip to China was merely a formality, just the final step before Gao Shen's coronation as Barcelona's new king.

***

For every 500 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on patreon to read 45+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Blownleaves.