Chapter 3 – The Rougher the Seas, the Pricier the Fish
London's financial district—where every inch of land is worth its weight in gold.
On a mere 2.6 square kilometers of land, the district is home to countless banks, stock exchanges, and financial institutions, employing close to a million people.
The world-famous Tower Bridge is located right here.
After decades of development, the influence of the financial district has long since expanded beyond its core, stretching into surrounding areas.
Elvino Asset Management Ltd. was based on the western edge of the City, northwest of King's College and the London School of Economics.
Accompanied by Lin Zhongqiu, Yang Cheng followed the address provided by Chris Hunter and arrived in a quaint street with classic British charm. On either side stood street-facing apartments.
Some housed restaurants, others were famous international hotel chains.
From afar, Yang Cheng saw a sharply dressed young British man in his thirties waving to him at an entrance.
That was Chris Hunter.
"Hello, Chris."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Yang. You're younger than I expected."
After introducing Lin Zhongqiu to Chris Hunter, the three of them headed upstairs to the second floor.
Elvino wasn't a well-known firm and was barely noticeable within London's financial elite circles.
Which was exactly what Yang Cheng wanted.
The truly famous firms—like Blackstone or Rothschild Investment Bank—were too large to bother with a struggling club like Bayswater Chinese. Cooperation was out of the question.
Yang Cheng even had a senior alumna working at Goldman Sachs, but he didn't plan on using that connection—not yet.
If he wanted to sell the land outright, sure, those companies were a good option.
But right now, Yang Cheng wanted money. He needed to help the club survive this storm.
They sat in a small but bright meeting room on the second floor, overlooking the street. Fresh, steaming coffee was promptly served.
"Mr. Yang, you said on the phone yesterday that you were planning to sell that piece of land?" Chris Hunter got straight to the point.
Finance professionals were often like that—time was money.
Yang Cheng had been observing Chris since the moment they met, already forming a read on him.
Lin Zhongqiu, however, still looked confused. He had no idea what Yang Cheng was planning.
Yang Cheng took a calm sip of coffee—too hot—so he set it down.
"There's been a change of plans, Chris."
"A change?" Chris looked surprised.
"I spoke with my father last night. You know he's very emotionally attached to this club. He thinks it's still worth saving."
Chris Hunter furrowed his brows. "So…"
"I think we could explore a different kind of partnership."
The young Brit found it all the more puzzling.
"To be honest, we're facing a cash flow crisis. A lot of our funds are stuck in China and can't be transferred over, which has plunged the club into serious trouble."
It wasn't a secret. Chris had approached them precisely because of this situation.
"I'd like to ask if your firm would consider lending us the money we need to get through this."
Chris's eyes flashed with a touch of awkward helplessness, as if he had seen this coming.
Lin Zhongqiu, on the other hand, lit up with a trace of hope.
But in the next instant—he was disappointed again.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Yang. I handle bankruptcy restructuring. Any lending would have to go through one of my colleagues," Chris said gently, but clearly.
Then he added, "And to be frank, Mr. Yang, given your current situation, I doubt any bank or institution would dare lend you money. The risk is just too high."
Yang Cheng glanced at Lin Zhongqiu and saw the hope drain from his eyes.
"You're right, Chris. But I'm sure you've heard this saying before," Yang Cheng said, locking eyes with him and speaking word by word: "The rougher the seas, the pricier the fish."
At that moment, Chris Hunter finally understood.
Yang Cheng had never intended to sell the land. He had come to borrow money.
"Mr. Yang, as you know, even firms like ours need to assess the risks when lending money."
"I understand. That's why I've prepared a proposal that minimizes your risk."
Seeing Yang Cheng's confidence and ease, Chris became intrigued.
He could tell Yang Cheng was young, perhaps idealistic, but there was no harm in hearing him out.
Reality would reel him back in—and then they could talk about selling the land.
"I'd like to borrow five million pounds, for a period of four years. At the end of those four years, I will repay ten million in a single lump sum."
"If I fail to repay, then all of Bayswater Chinese FC's assets—including the land—will be transferred to your company."
"And during those four years, if I sell the club or the land early, you will receive a 20% cut of the deal."
Yang Cheng had come fully prepared, and he laid it all out in one breath.
Now it wasn't just Chris—Lin Zhongqiu was stunned as well.
Five million pounds. Four years. Repay ten million?
That was an outrageous interest rate!
It was practically usury!
Lin immediately became anxious, but Yang Cheng reached out again to calm him down.
This was a high-stakes gamble.
There had been a similar and very famous case in 2024 back in Yang Cheng's past life—Zhang Suning, a Chinese tycoon.
During his ownership of Serie A giant Inter Milan, Zhang had borrowed from U.S.-based Oaktree Capital using a similar structure, though the interest was slightly lower.
But there was no other way. Yang Cheng believed that unless he offered high enough returns, no one would be tempted.
That was why he approached Elvino.
Blackstone and other giants wouldn't blink at this pocket change.
But for Elvino—this was a massive deal.
In Yang Cheng's previous life, Zhang Suning had ultimately failed and lost Inter Milan to Oaktree.
But Yang Cheng had far more confidence in himself.
Chris Hunter, too, was quick-witted. The math was easy:
In four years, five million becomes ten million. A 20% bonus on early sales. No matter how you looked at it, it was worth a shot.
Even if Yang Cheng couldn't repay, the club and the land would be theirs.
A League Two club still had some resale value.
Players, facilities—there was money there.
And most importantly—that land.
If within four years they could find a good buyer and flip it at a high price, that 20% bonus plus the interest earned...
Chris's mind worked fast. He instantly realized—this deal was worth doing.
"What do you think? Want some time to think it over?" Yang Cheng offered with a smile.
Chris was flustered.
He found himself struggling to say no to Yang Cheng.
But how could someone this young be so...
…
Yang Cheng and the increasingly restless Lin Zhongqiu drank coffee in the meeting room for nearly an hour.
Chris Hunter soon returned with news.
The company was very interested in the partnership.
But some details had to change.
Yang Cheng had asked for five million, but based on their audit of Bayswater Chinese's finances and debts, they were only willing to lend two million pounds.
Their reasoning? Risk control.
The four-year term was also cut to two years.
In two years, the club would need to repay three million pounds.
The rest of the terms were similar to Yang Cheng's original proposal.
But this was still just a preliminary agreement.
Next, both sides would bring in accountants and lawyers for formal negotiations and contract signing.
As Yang Cheng and Lin were about to leave, Chris even introduced him to the boss of Elvino Asset Management—showing strong interest in a long-term partnership.
As soon as they stepped out of Elvino, Lin grabbed Yang Cheng.
The interest was way too high!
He had held back in the meeting, but now he couldn't anymore and let it all out.
"The most important thing, Ah Cheng—two years from now, how are you going to repay three million pounds?" Lin said, visibly distressed.
"Uncle Lin, just watch," Yang Cheng replied with a smile full of confidence—and something deeper, more enigmatic.
Lin was stunned.
He truly couldn't imagine a solution.
When they had bought the club, they'd been misled by Cash Harris, underestimating how hard it would be to run.
They had poured money into League Two for two years, but the results were disappointing.
The Premier League was a fantasy. Even League One seemed far away.
The competition was brutal.
In League Two, with foreign owners, a tiny fanbase, pitiful matchday income...
And now—no players, no coaches—it was a miracle they could even field a squad.
As far as Lin was concerned, there was no hope.
"Ah Cheng, if this were three years ago, I'd still have faith in you. But now…"
He sighed bitterly. "Our best players, our coaches—they're all gone."
"We really can't go on, can we?"
Yang Cheng heard the helplessness, frustration, bitterness, and disappointment in his words.
The past few years must've been ruthless for him.
"It's okay, Uncle Lin. That's all in the past."
Yang Cheng patted his shoulder, turning the tables and comforting the wounded middle-aged man.
"From now on—everything's on me."
Lin stared at him in surprise.
"Trust me, Uncle Lin. Within two years, I'll turn this around."
"By then, that three-million-pound debt will be nothing. Every problem will be solved."
"I'll bring you a surprise like you've never imagined."
Lin was dumbfounded.
He never expected Yang Cheng to speak with such conviction.
He didn't know whether to praise his ambition or scold his blind optimism.
But in that moment, he clearly saw the shadow of Yang Jianguo's entrepreneurial spirit in this young man.
Bold. Fearless.
"Old Lin, this world belongs to the bold!"—those were Yang Jianguo's words from back in the day.
And now, Yang Cheng was the embodiment of those words.
Full of energy. Full of passion.
And full of confidence.
But Yang Cheng had something else in mind.
In his past life, he spent thirty years coaching, tossed around by the whims of rich clubs—never even winning a single title.
Now, he had a second chance.
He would use it to make every elite club in the world remember his name.
"Uncle Lin, just wait and see. One day, I'll make all of European football—no, world football—tremble at the feet of Bayswater Chinese FC!"
From Lin's point of view, the rising sun was shining brightly behind Yang Cheng.
It bathed him in golden light.
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