Back then, Ramos wasn't even a regular starter for the team.
A year and a half passed in the blink of an eye.
Ramos had become Spain's hottest new defensive star.
Su Hang… had even become Real Madrid's twentieth official captain!
"What's this?" Ramos stared at the trunk filled with foil boxes.
"Barbecue… though there's pizza and pasta too. But trust me, after tasting this barbecue, if you find any authentic Italian food better, I'll admit defeat!" Su Hang was full of confidence in his Sichuan-style barbecue.
Even if it wasn't as famous as the future Zibo barbecue, when it came to flavor, it was unbeatable.
"And what's this?" Ramos asked curiously as Su Hang pulled a white bottle from a red bag.
"Maotai! Baijiu—a traditional Chinese spirit," Su Hang explained. "One bottle sharpens the mind, two bottles keep you tireless, three bottles grant immortality!"
Ramos was doubtful.
Two hours later, the two had devoured mountains of barbecue and downed plenty of Maotai.
Ramos admitted he'd fallen in love with the drink.
But baijiu? After drinking it, didn't it just make you throw everything back up?
Ramos poured out his misery, looking completely miserable.
"The best way to handle this situation is to say nothing," Su Hang advised. "Whatever you say will be wrong. You'll either hurt the people who supported you before or the ones who might support you in the future."
"Even if you expose the truth about the club, it'll only look like an ugly split with your old team."
"If you trust me, I'll take care of this for you."
"Just wait for my call. Deal?"
Ramos nodded drunkenly. Whether he understood or not was another matter.
It didn't matter. After sending Ramos home, Su Hang called him the next day.
Ramos kept refusing.
But Su Hang tracked down a young model who was close to Ramos and used her phone to call him.
Ramos: "Baby, I'm not in the mood lately. Let's skip tonight… I drank this stuff called Maotai, and now I feel weak all over. I think I've been poisoned…"
Pfft!
Su Hang nearly burst out laughing on the other end: "Ramos, Maotai's good stuff—it strengthens you!"
Only then did Ramos relax, suddenly realizing: "Damn! How do you have Mary's number?"
Su Hang chuckled: "That's not the point. But if you hang up now, Marca will immediately run a story about a certain new Real Madrid signing allegedly caught in a scandal…"
"I won't hang up, I won't hang up. Forget Ramos—just call me Baby Ramos." Ramos now worried the signal might cut out, causing Su Hang—no, Captain Su—to misunderstand.
"Have you thought about what I said yesterday?" Su Hang asked.
Ramos played dumb: "What was that?"
Su Hang: "Hey, Clara, are you free for dinner tonight? I've got some time…"
"I'll do it! I'll cooperate!" Ramos cried out in despair.
"Oh, you're free? That's too bad—I'm busy now. Next time." Su Hang listened as Clara unleashed a stream of elegant curses before hanging up. "Ramos, don't be upset—I'm solving your problem here."
"If I weren't Real Madrid's captain, I wouldn't get involved in your mess."
"Because no matter how well I handle it, you might still curse me behind my back for ruining your relationship with your home club."
Ramos sighed, realizing he had a point.
Finally, he made his decision: "Captain Su, you take care of it. I know right from wrong. I'll remember this favor."
"From now on at Real Madrid, I'll follow your lead!"
Ramos knew exactly why Su Hang was helping him. Fools don't become superstars.
Neither Ramos from Sevilla nor Piqué from Barcelona was simple.
"Don't, don't, don't. I solve your Sevilla problem, and you immediately get close to me? Even an idiot would see the connection!" Su Hang shook his head. "My plan comes with after-sales service."
"Ever seen Mission: Impossible?"
"So you'll have to play Tom Cruise for a while."
Though confused, Ramos was flattered to be compared to Tom Cruise: "You know, I do think I look a little like him."
Su Hang: "Get lost! You look more like an Irish leprechaun!"
...
Soon after, Marca broke a story.
It revealed Sevilla's financial troubles in recent seasons.
Clara concluded: "So selling their valuable stars was Sevilla's best option—and that's what they did."
"Baptista, Ramos—they were all sold off by Sevilla."
"Some called them traitors, especially Ramos, Sevilla's own son."
"But I see it more as sacrifices the players made for the club. Even today, Ramos has stayed silent about his transfer to Real Madrid."
"Clearly, even if misunderstood by Sevilla fans, Ramos refuses to slander his home club—even though he was the one hurt."
The article drew attention from Spanish fans.
But Sevilla quickly declared their innocence.
They insisted again and again they never intended to sell their stars.
They claimed confidence in their finances and the desire to keep Baptista and Ramos, but Real Madrid snatched them away.
Soon, the Real Madrid executive in charge of the Ramos and Baptista deals gave an interview.
He said the Ramos transfer left a deep impression.
Real Madrid hadn't expected to land Ramos.
But during Baptista's transfer, they saw Sevilla's sensitivity to and dependence on money.
So they casually brought up Ramos—and to their surprise, Sevilla practically had "highest bidder wins" stamped on their forehead.
In the end, Real Madrid got Ramos.
No doubt, this executive had discussed the matter with Su Hang beforehand.
The title "Real Madrid captain" carried far more weight in Su Hang's hands than in Raúl's.
It was a key that opened doors, giving Su Hang enough time within Real Madrid—and Spanish football as a whole—to make his case.
That brief moment was all Su Hang needed to win them over.
Like this time: by stressing the difficulty and oddity of signing Ramos, he highlighted the executive's sharp instincts.
That's what made the transfer legendary—something that would be retold.
It might even become the executive's signature achievement.
He'd earn a promotion and a raise.
Why not?
Otherwise, the boss might think Ramos just showed up by himself.
An employee's most important job isn't just finishing the tasks assigned.
It's accomplishing the things the boss thinks can't be done.
...
(35 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser