Tang En stared at the woman like that, lost in thought. Until the other party stood up and greeted, "Hello, Mr. Coach."
"Ah … Ah, hello, Madam. I'm sorry, I didn't expect you to be so young. "
George Wood turned back to glare at Tang En, then turned to explain to his mother, "He's the manager of Forest. I went to look for him, hoping to become a player. But he rejected me and sent me back. "
Tang En looked at Wood's mother and smiled. "I'm really sorry, Madam. Your son has never received proper football training, and he's a little old now … "
The woman looked at her son with an indescribable gentleness and love in her eyes. "George, go and buy some mascarpone cheese, okay? I haven't made snacks for you in a long time. I want to make some tiramisu. "
Wood did not seem willing. His mother took out a bill from her apron pocket and stuffed it into Wood's hand. She then kissed him on the forehead. "Don't worry, go."
Only then did Wood walk to the door. As he left, he glared at Tang En fiercely. Tang En was a little confused by his glare. Why did the look change so suddenly?
He saw his son walk out the door and heard him walk down the stairs and close the door. The woman suddenly walked up quickly, held Tang En's hand, and walked to another room.
"Hey, Madam …" Tang En was confused. What was going on?
The two entered the room. The woman closed the door and did not forget to lock it. Then Tang En saw her take off her clothes at lightning speed. Perhaps because she was nervous, her movements were a little stiff. Tang En's mouth was wide open, completely dumbfounded. He even forgot to stop her.
The woman had the same wheat-colored skin as her son, but under the swollen clothes was a beautiful curvy body.
She stood in front of Tang En, opened her arms, and said a little shyly, "Come on, we don't have much time."
Her words startled Tang En. He looked at the woman who was shivering slightly from the cold and frowned. "What are you doing, Madam?"
The woman walked back to the bed and lay on it. She looked at Tang En and said, "I hope you can give my son a chance as repayment."
Tang En walked forward and pulled the blanket over the woman. "I'm really sorry, I'm not here to visit a prostitute, madam." This woman's actions had shattered Tang En's beautiful impression of her. His words were much harsher and emotionless.
These blunt words struck the woman's heart, and she suddenly leaned over the quilt and began to cry. Twain, who was about to turn around and leave, was also stunned by the woman's sudden cry.
Tang En had never experienced love before, and with his character, he did not know how to comfort and coax a woman. He stood by the bed and was at a loss. "Don't cry, don't cry … I'm really sorry, Madam. It's not that I don't want to give your son a chance … What's going on? Stop crying! "He suddenly roared at the woman. This move was really effective, and the other party immediately stopped crying.
"I don't know why you did it. But this is not a deal. I'm sorry about your son, but I can't let him come to my team. From the perspective of a football beginner, he's too old … I also sympathize with your family's situation, but professional football is not a street game. I think it's better for him to go to school and then come out to find a job. "
The woman wiped away the tears on her face. Crying made her face rosy. It was even more alluring …
Tang En looked at the woman's face and her pitiful expression. He thought of how she stood naked in front of him just now. Suddenly, a rush of hot blood rushed to his head, and he hardened his lower body … It was not that he was a modern Liu Xiahui, but he was simply not mentally prepared to go to bed with a woman he had only met for less than a minute. Now that he had calmed down, he felt that this woman indeed had the ability to seduce him. But now was clearly not the time to be impulsive.
Damn it! He clamped his legs together and turned around.
The woman looked at him, and a smile suddenly appeared on her face. Then, she began to put on her clothes calmly, as if nothing had happened. "Mr. Coach … I still don't know your name."
"Tony Twain. You can just call me Tang En." In order to show friendliness, people usually called him by his first name. It was just that Tang En was from China, so that was his full name. He was still used to being called "Tang En" and not "Tony."
"Mr. Tang En, you must think I'm very cheap, right?"
"No, you don't." Tang En shook his head with his back facing her.
The woman took Tang En's reply as a perfunctory consolation and sighed. "You've seen it for yourself. It's not easy for a sickly woman to raise her own child in a place like this. I'm not begging for your pity. In fact, I'm already very satisfied, because God has given me a healthy and strong child … You can turn around now, sir. "
Tang En turned around and found the woman, who was already dressed neatly, sitting by the bed. Her bright eyes were looking at him. He felt a little guilty being stared at.
"I can understand … But Madam, can we talk outside? I don't want to be seen by your son who just came back. Although we didn't do anything, there are some things that can't be cleared up. "
The woman smiled. "Alright. But don't worry. The nearest supermarket that sells mascarpone cheese takes three quarters of an hour to walk there and back. "
Following that, George Wood's mother brewed a cup of black tea for Tang En. The two of them sat at the dining table, and she continued to peel the potatoes for dinner. At the same time, she told Tang En stories about herself and her son.
From the conversation, Tang En learned that George Wood had a rather rough life. His mother, Sophia, was Jamaican and had Jamaican and Brazilian blood. She was a standard mixed-race beauty. When she was seventeen years old, she fell in love with a tall and handsome British sailor. Then, it was an earth-shattering passionate love. The two of them quickly progressed to the stage of marriage. Unfortunately, Sophia's family did not approve of this marriage. They had already found her a rich man in Jamaica.
What followed was the plot of almost any clichéd romance novel. Sophia chose the latter between her family and her love. She eloped with her sailor boyfriend to the unfamiliar United Kingdom. At this time, she was already three months pregnant.
The boyfriend did not want the child, but Sophia insisted on giving birth to it. Because of this, the two of them quarreled for the first time. In the days that followed, the two of them quarreled a lot over this. In the end, the boyfriend threw down a sum of money and ran away. He continued to be a carefree sailor, while Sophia gave birth to George Wood in a simple hospital in Southampton with a big belly. "Wood" was his father's surname. The young Sophia was still using this method to commemorate that unforgettable love.
Because of the lack of nutrition during her pregnancy and frequent anger, Sophia's body had been very weak after giving birth to George. Even so, she had to work everywhere to earn money to support herself and little George. But because Sophia had initially come to England on a tourist visa, she continued to stay after the visa expired. Sophia was not registered in the United Kingdom's household registration. In other words, she was an illegal immigrant. It was impossible for an illegal immigrant to find a job with good pay. In order to find a better job and live in a cheaper house, Sophia moved around with little George. They went to Portsmouth, London, Birmingham, and finally Nottingham.
And that heartless man, ever since he ran away, he never contacted her again. He disappeared without a trace, as if he had never existed in the world. Sophia also gradually forgot about him and devoted all her efforts to her son. Just like that, they supported each other for 17 years. Wood knew of his father's existence, but he told Tang En that the man was already dead. It was obvious how much he hated his biological father. George, who graduated from junior high at the age of 15, did not go to high school, where his goal was to go to university, nor did he go to a vocational school. He chose to go straight to work. He had worked as a cashier in a supermarket, a courier for a courier company, a gas station worker, and a mover for a moving company. But the money he earned was not enough for a family with a mother who needed treatment at all times. Tang En also understood why Wood wanted to be a professional footballer. It was because the media always described professional footballers as young and rich nouveau riche. Anyone who saw it would be envious.
Tang En could see that Sophia's health was indeed very poor. She had to stop and gasp for air after she spoke a little more. Occasionally, she would cough violently. From the way this mother downplayed the past, he could not imagine how much this young mother had suffered. But there was one thing Tang En could be sure of. What Sophia had experienced was absolutely unbearable for an ordinary person.
One could imagine that a young girl in the prime of her youth had been filled with longing for love and the future. She had followed her true love to an unfamiliar England, planning to start a brand new life. She had dreams and goals. But 17 years later, what stood in front of Tang En was a woman who had been tortured by life to the point that she was only left with a broken body. The change from a "young girl" to a "woman" was really hard to explain in a few words.
Perhaps he felt that the topic was too heavy and did not want Sophia to recall the past that she could not bear to look back on. Tang En took the initiative to change to a slightly more relaxed topic. As he was the manager of a professional football team, he naturally began to talk about the exciting match a few days ago. Tang En did not know if Sophia liked football, but she was fascinated by it. When Tang En talked about the words he said when he shook hands with Rod, and then the complicated expression of shock and anger on the West Ham manager's face, Sophia also laughed with Tang En.
George Wood practically smashed open the door to his house and rushed up to the second floor in one breath. Then he saw his mother sitting at the dining table happily chatting with that manager, Tang En. Seeing him appear at the door, his mother glanced at the clock on the wall in surprise.
"It's only been 15 minutes … George, you didn't go?" Sophia stood up to welcome her son.
Wood took out the plastic bag behind him. Inside was the mascarpone cheese that his mother wanted him to buy.
Tang En noticed that George's complexion was rosy and he was panting slightly. He laughed in his heart. This kid must have run all the way back. But to be able to finish a journey that would normally take 45 minutes in 15 minutes, this kid's physical fitness must be pretty good.
Looking down at his watch, he felt that it was getting late. So he stood up and said goodbye. Sophia did not enthusiastically ask him to stay at home for dinner. She only asked her son to send Mr. Tang En out of the district. A stranger who looked like he was a rich person appearing in this area was practically a moving treasury. Anyone who saw it would be envious. It would be dangerous without a local accompanying him.
After saying goodbye to this mother, Tang En walked towards the main road with Wood accompanying him.
Darkness came early in winter. Now that the sky was dark, the street lights had long been lit. There were even waves of milk fragrance wafting from the windows of some houses. This chaotic place finally had some warmth. The gangsters looking for trouble had lessened, but the children asking for money were still the same. When they saw Tang En, they would come up to ask for money. But when they saw Wood, they would make faces at him and give him the middle finger. Tang En could not see the innocence of children in them at all.
Asking for innocence in a place like this? Tang En laughed at himself.
Looking at George Wood, who walked silently with his head down, and listening to stories about him, Tang En felt that this kid was mature beyond his age. But clearly, his self-promotion to Tang En in Wilford did not succeed.
"Hey, you and my mother … Nothing, right?" Wood suddenly spoke.
"Your mother is very hospitable. We chatted about some interesting things. I told her about my job, and she listened very happily. Also, she told me some things about you. "
Wood seemed relieved.
Tang En's next words made him nervous again. "Your mother is so beautiful. I couldn't tell that she would have a seventeen-year-old child."
Wood stopped in his tracks and turned back to glare at Tang En. He said to him fiercely, "Don't have any ideas about my mother!"
Tang En spread out his hands. "How is that possible?"
The teenager who was concerned about his mother snorted and turned to continue leading the way. But his low voice still clearly reached Tang En's ears. "If you dare to have any ideas about my mother, I'll kill you!"
Tang En knew that the kid meant what he said. He loved his mother more than anything.
"Don't worry, I haven't lived enough." He shrugged.
When they arrived at the main road, Twain thanked Wood, but Wood did not turn around to go back. "I can take a taxi back myself. You should go home too. "Tang En felt a little strange.
"Mother asked me to send you to the car." Wood shook his head.
Tang En smiled and did not refuse the other's kindness. The two stood on the street in the cold wind and did not see a taxi for a long time. Wood looked at Tang En looking around and asked curiously, "Don't you have an appointment?"
"What's that?" Tang En looked confused. When he took a taxi in China, he would stop at the roadside and then wave to stop. Why did he need to make an appointment to take a taxi in England?
"There won't be an empty taxi on the street for you to take." Wood was even more puzzled. Was this person really English? "Because gas is too expensive. If you want to take a taxi, you'll have to call the taxi company or directly find a driver you're familiar with. Are you really English? "
So that was it. Tang En's face burned, but he still had to maintain his dignity in front of a child. So he glared at Wood. "I was just distracted for a moment and forgot. Actually, I have … "He took out the name card left by the driver he took yesterday from his pocket and dialed the number on it. After giving his name, the other party very enthusiastically asked where Tang En was and said he would be there in 15 minutes.
What followed was another silent wait. Wood was not someone who liked to take the initiative to talk, and Tang En also felt that there was nothing much to say.
The driver was very punctual. After 15 minutes, his car stopped in front of Tang En.
Having completed his task, George Wood turned to leave but was stopped by Tang En.
He tore a piece of paper from the pad he carried with him and wrote down his phone number and name, as well as the address of the Forest team's training base. He then passed it to the somewhat surprised Wood.
"Take it. Come find me at the address on this at 9: 30 tomorrow morning. If the guard asks, tell him I asked you to come. "
Wood had not reacted yet, so he did not take it. Tang En simply stuffed it into his hands.
"I can give you a chance. But whether or not you can become England's most outstanding star player will depend on your own ability, kid."
Having said that, Tang En got into the car and closed the door. The fan driver started the car. Like a drop of water merging into a surging river, he quickly blended into the traffic and could not be distinguished.
Tang En turned back to see Wood still standing under the street lamp, like a statue in the cold wind. Behind him was the dark and gloomy Sneinton, and opposite him was the bustling, brightly lit city. The A612 road, Manvers Street, divided the city into two completely different worlds.
The seventeen-year-old George Wood desperately wanted to earn money so that he could escape with his mother. Without a high degree, he could only rely on football if he did not want to die on the streets or be thrown into prison one day. Today's experience made Tang En feel that real professional football was completely different from the European football that he discussed and quarreled with others in the bars and teahouses in his country. The latter was the most beautiful side of sports, just like the world on the left of this road. As for the former, it was far from being as cute as the domestic football fans thought. It was a side that people deliberately forgot, but it truly, cruelly and tenaciously existed, just like the slums of Sneinton on the right of this road.
That door had already opened. Under the surface of the beautiful scenery, Tang En saw a darkness that he had not previously understood. It really was a brand new world … he thought to himself.
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