"Twain!" An angry voice rang in his ears, jolting him out of his reverie.
He raised his head and looked in confusion at the balding middle-aged man wearing black-rimmed glasses. He looked much older than his actual age. This person looks familiar …
Wait, isn't this the department head in my company?
Huh?
Twain looked left and right. Small cubicles separated by desks appeared in front of him. Everyone raised their heads to look in his direction. After seeing Twain, they all chose to lower their heads and continue with their own work.
Isn't this where I used to work?
Twain was no stranger to this place. He had found many jobs after graduating from university. The last stable job he had was a copywriter here.
"You stayed up late to watch the game again? What do you think this is, Twain? This is a company! Not your bed! " The department head realized that Twain was no longer looking at him and could not help but fly into a rage. He bent down and angrily rebuked Twain.
This time, Twain turned his head toward him, but his eyes were not focused on him.
He was still in a daze.
… Why am I here? Shouldn't I be directing the game from the manager's seat in the City Ground? Where's Dunn? Where's Kerslake? And my players, where are they? Did Newcastle equalize the score …?
Thinking of this, he suddenly stopped his train of thought.
There was still a dull ache in his heart.
Ah, so it was all a dream …
The corner of his mouth curled up.
It was a dream … Should I say "that's great" next, or feel a little regretful?
George Wood, Sophia, Michael, Gavin, Dunn, Des Walker, Kenny Burns … and Shania. They are all characters in my imagination. They only appear in my dreams. How can a lowly employee in China become a super manager who directs a team to promotion and two consecutive Champions League titles? How can a beautiful, lively, and adorable world-renowned model and superstar like me, a good-for-nothing otaku? If this is not a daydream, then what is?
Nothing happened, so I have not lost anything.
But the ache was even more obvious. For some reason, his heart was empty.
— I gave you a chance, kid. But whether you can become the best football star in England depends on you.
Hey, Tony! If we're not in the Premier League next season, I don't mind showing you what it means to be a hardcore fan!
— — When I have money in the future, I will definitely buy Nottingham Forest Football Club! Then I'll invite you to be the manager for life!
The one who was laid to rest here was Michael Bernard and Fiona Bernard's beloved son, Nottingham Forest's most loyal fan, and George Wood's eternal supporter, Gavin Bernard.
— Victory! I only want victory! I only want the championship! Apart from this, I will not accept any other result! Let them be afraid! Let them curse us to hell! The fiercer they curse, the stronger we are!
It took Tony Twain and his team four years to go from England's second division league to the UEFA Champions League. It was as if we could see Brian Clough's shadow behind him … That glorious team once again appeared in our sights. … This was not an accident. This was a red storm! Nottingham Forest, a team that had won the UEFA Champions League two years in a row, was now dominating Europe for the third time!
I'm so sorry, Tony. I'm afraid the club doesn't have the money to meet your request … We're out of money due to the economic crisis.
— — I can't wait … I love you, Uncle Tony, I love you.
…
What a joke!
I've laughed, cried, felt happy, and felt sad. How could all these experiences that seemed to have just happened to me be a dream? Which dream could have such realistic feelings?
If there really was such a realistic dream …
Then it would not be called a "dream"!
That was reality, and this was a dream!
Twain raised his head abruptly and glared at the department head who was still clamoring in front of him.
"… What do you think this place is? We can easily find a young lad like you who just graduated from university a few years ago! Don't think you're so great just because you came in. Let me tell you, if I fire you here, there will be hundreds and thousands of people outside racking their brains to climb up to your position! You think a thousand dollars is too little, but there will be countless people fighting for seven hundred dollars! Why are you looking at me? You can't accept it? If you can't accept it, then scram! I've tolerated you for a long time! Your work ability isn't that great, and your temper isn't small either. You bunch of youngsters are getting worse … "
Looking at the anger mixed with fear, and the old face that was a little distorted from being overly agitated, Twain suddenly laughed.
This was him in his dreams … He had been acting like the old man's grandson for a year. Because of his unsociable personality, he did not get a share of any good things and was ostracized everywhere at work. Those who had a good relationship with the old man could get better bonuses and shares. He could not save much money after a year of hard work, but others could buy a car in a year as long as they had a good relationship with their superiors. No matter how much dissatisfaction he had, he did not dare to vent it out, afraid that it would be difficult to find another job after he lost it. His parents' expectations and his own future were like heavy burdens on his shoulders, forcing him to slowly move forward with his back hunched.
Only now did he realize that this place was not suitable for him at all. He was completely different from those coworkers who were hiding in the cubicles with their heads buried in fear. He did not belong here. He belonged to the battlefield filled with passion and hot blood, the battlefield of pure men! One was one, two was two, a win was a win, a loss was a loss, the winner was king, and the loser was a bandit!
What was the point of nesting in this small cubicle? No matter how great his ambition, how heroic his spirit, and his initial dream … they were all trapped in this small cubicle, unable to break free. Then, surrounded and assimilated by countless cubicles like this one, they gradually disappeared, disappeared, and could not be found, as if they had never existed in life.
After working hard for half a lifetime, he could not even afford a toilet in a new house with the money he had saved. The rich changed girlfriends every day, and as long as he showed the inventory in his wallet, he could make those gorgeously dressed, glamorous, and sexy women turn into flies that saw cream. But he could only watch Japanese AV players shoot while fantasizing that God would give him a girl in his heart. He tried his best to please his boss, saying insincere words, and doing things that went against his conscience and beliefs, just to hold on to this small bowl of rice now that the employment environment was becoming increasingly tense. The older generation resented him for not living up to their expectations, and repeatedly stressed that they were the generation that had fallen. The younger generation spoke in Martian language in a very unconventional manner, saying, "We have fallen behind, it is time for us to rise up" (You have fallen behind, this world is ours). Drinking beer and barbecuing at food stalls, and opening their mouths to curse at China's football was the best way to vent their emotions …
The worst thing was that he had to continue living like this. But what could he do?
If he could not stand up at thirty, he would be confused at forty. Looking back, what had he done in the first half of his life? What had he left behind? What was he going to do for the rest of his life?
The low ceiling of the office made it hard for people to breathe; the office cubicles limited people's thoughts to a square inch of one meter by one meter; going beyond that was offside; the white energy-saving lights reflected a deathly pallor on everyone's faces, like fish that had lost water.
Tang En really wanted to laugh out loud.
This was the place where he had once worked.
This was the place where he had almost resigned himself to his fate.
This was a dream! The most absurd dream!
He pushed aside the department head in front of him and walked straight out.
The department head, who was almost pushed to the ground by him, roared behind him in exasperation, "Where are you going! It's office hours now! Tang En! You brat … If you dare to take one step out of this office, you will be fired today! Do you hear me? Fired! You are fired!! "
The two-hundred-square-meter office hall was completely silent, and only the old man's heavy breathing could be heard. He had probably never scolded someone so hoarse and exhausted, as if he had fought 300 rounds in bed with his wife who was as ferocious as a tiger despite her age.
Tang En stood at the door and turned back to look at the pitiful department head. He smiled at him and said, "Why do you care where I go, damn baldy."
Having said that, he strode out without looking back.
※ ※ ※
"… I don't know if this is good news for Nottingham Forest's opponents. Even though I don't think this news makes people happy at all … Tony Twain suddenly fainted and fell to the ground at the end of the match between Forest and Newcastle United this afternoon. He was sent to the hospital for emergency treatment and is still in a coma … "
The news anchor on the television broadcasted the news he had just received with a serious face.
The scene changed to the entrance of the Royal Hospital of the University of Nottingham Royal College of Medicine, which was crowded with reporters. There were also taxis that stopped there, and hurried reporters jumped out one after another.
A white-haired man wearing gold-rimmed glasses was clustered in the middle, like a small boat on a turbulent sea.
He waved his arms and raised his voice, saying, "We are doing our best to save him, and he is not out of danger yet … I can't guarantee anything, I can't guarantee anything! Can you please let us through the main door? I'm sorry … I can't say anything, I don't know the exact situation … We will hold a special press conference, but not now, not here … "
A group of people sat on the bus, looking up at everything broadcasted on the television in silence.
This group of people were the Nottingham Forest players who had just finished the match and were preparing to return home.
The match was stopped when Tang En suddenly fell to the ground. No one could react at first. The Newcastle United players were celebrating the goal. The Nottingham Forest players were at a loss and did not know what to do. The fans could only use silence to express their dissatisfaction.
The commentator was still teasing Tony Twain, wanting to see his facial expression at that moment. The camera lens flashed, but it did not see the person who was supposed to be standing in front of the technical area. Instead, it captured the image of the China assistant manager, Dunn, suddenly pouncing out of the technical area. Following Dunn's movement, everyone saw the main character lying motionless on the ground.
Dunn shouted, attracting the attention of the people around him. Everyone panicked. Even the Newcastle United players who were celebrating the goal looked in the direction of the Forest team's technical area, not knowing what to do. George Wood sprinted to the side of the pitch, and the person behind him was the referee who had noticed something was wrong.
The Newcastle United fans stopped singing, and the City Ground suddenly quietened down.
The stretchers that were originally used to treat the injured players were carried over, and the ambulance parked outside the stadium also rushed in with its siren blaring. Even when Tang En was carried into the ambulance and sent to the hospital, most of the people in the stadium still did not react.
The match was over, and Nottingham Forest had suffered four matches without a win in the league. Their ranking would continue to slide … But at that moment, was there anyone who cared about that?
Dunn immediately jumped into the ambulance and left with Tang En. Everything after the match was handled by Kerslake alone. The press conference was canceled at the last minute. Alan Shearer was also very concerned and asked him what had happened to Tony Twain.
After the match, the locker room was lifeless. The Forest players were not depressed because they did not win, but because they were afraid that something had happened to Tony Twain.
Sitting in the back of the car, Gareth Bale hugged his head and sobbed softly. Although more than half an hour had passed, the thought of Tang En suddenly falling to the ground, his whole body twitching, made him feel afraid. It was as if his own boss was already dead.
His sobs broke the silence in the car. Kerslake stood up and clapped his hands hard. "Go back … Don't think too much about this. That's not something you should worry about. Tomorrow … continue training. "His voice was filled with helplessness and a trace of panic.
Tony, please don't let anything happen to him!
※ ※ ※
When Tang En woke up from the darkness and chaos, what he saw was, as he expected, a white ceiling.
He heard a whooshing sound.
Turning his head to look in the direction of the sound, he was a little surprised to see a familiar figure.
The slender figure was lowering her head to blow at a cup that was steaming with passion. After blowing for a while, she picked up a spoon and put it to her mouth to test the temperature. In the end, she was so scalded that she almost threw away the stainless steel spoon in her hand.
"Ha …" Tang En laughed.
His weak laughter startled the figure on the other side. This time, she was so shocked that she almost threw the cup in her hand.
"You're awake, Uncle Tony!" The figure turned around, her voice filled with indescribable surprise.
Who else could it be but Shania?
"What a … cliché … line." Tang En was a little weak. He had to take a few breaths to say a sentence.
Unexpectedly, Shania began to cry. Tears rolled down from her bright eyes, and she couldn't stop them, leaving two silvery tear stains on her beautiful cheeks.
"What are you crying for?"
Shania was still crying and did not answer.
"I'm … fine."
Hearing his words, Shania wiped away her tears and held Tang En's hand. Her voice was sobbing as she said, "You were unconscious for a whole twenty four hours. There was a period of time when the doctors almost gave up … Dunn called me, and I rushed back as fast as I could. I was afraid, I was afraid … "
Tears rolled down again, and she could not continue speaking.
"I'm … fine …" Tang En could only repeat what he had just said.
Shania cried as she continued to say, "They were going to Tokyo to promote … I didn't go. It doesn't matter if I'm not famous. I prayed to God with all my might, hoping that you could wake up again … "
Tang En listened to her cry about how she had endured the past twenty-four hours and felt a little guilty. He noticed that Shania's phoenix eyes were a size bigger than usual. The rims of her eyes were red and swollen from crying. Just how many liters of tears had she shed in these twenty-four hours? Tang En would probably never find out for the rest of his life.
A warm feeling rose in his heart. He raised his hand with difficulty, wanting to help Shania wipe away the tears hanging on her cheeks. However, he found that there were tubes in his arm and it was difficult for him to move.
So, he only lifted the corners of his mouth and smiled at her. "Don't … worry. I'm an evil person. God won't want me."
Shania did not reply. She only lowered her head and sobbed non-stop, as if she wanted to vent all her grievances and fears in front of Tang En in one go.
This would not do. How could he let such a lively and cute little fairy be so sad?
Tang En decided to change the topic. He turned his gaze to the cup that was still steaming behind Shania. "Is that water in the cup, Shania?"
Shania shook her head. "No, it's not water. It's the paste you fed me when I had a fever … Are you thirsty, Uncle Tony? I'll get you some water … "As she spoke, she was about to get up.
Tang En waved his hand to stop her. "I'm hungry, Shania. Can you feed it to me? "
Shania stood up in a flurry and turned to pick up the cup, almost knocking it over again.
Tang En lay on the bed and watched everything quietly. He was indeed hungry. He had been unconscious for twenty-four hours, an entire day …
Shania carefully picked up the cup and scooped out a spoonful of black, sesame-fragrant paste. She blew on it before feeding it to Tang En.
This was the black sesame paste that Tang En fed her when she had a fever and fainted back then.
He did not expect her to remember it.
After eating half a cup, Tang En waved his hand to indicate that he could not eat anymore. After eating the food, he recovered some of his energy. Once again, he lay on the bed and quietly looked at Shania, whose face was flushed from excitement.
"Uncle Tony is an evil person. Evil people live long lives. I won't die. Don't cry. Look at your eye bags. How are you going to go out on the runway and do publicity like this? "He joked with Shania. It was not good to be crying at this time.
"I've pushed back my work. I'll be by your side for this period of time!" Shania said resolutely. "Don't think of leaving me behind and running away by yourself again!"
Tang En did not say anything. He only continued to look at Shania.
Looking at her tear-stained face, Tang En thought of the absurd dream he had previously. If he was still that office worker who did nothing but eat and waited to die, would he still have the chance to have a life and death farewell with a world-famous model? If he was still that office worker who achieved nothing, would Shania still be able to say "I love you" to him?
Even if this was a dream, he would rather live in such a dream. The him of that world … if he died, so be it! Who cared!
He stared straight at Shania, making Shania feel a little embarrassed. The two of them had known each other for five years, but this was the first time that Uncle Tony had stared at her so openly and unabashedly. What made her feel embarrassed was that there was something in his eyes that didn't exist in the past.
"Shania, did you know? I just had a very interesting dream."
"Ah? What dream? "
"I dreamed that I was going to die. Then I wanted to go to heaven, but God threw me out. He said that I was born an evil person, and when I died, I would be a demon. A place like heaven is not something I should come to. "Tang En slowly narrated like a storyteller. "At this time, that bastard Satan appeared in front of me. He used a voice full of temptation to tempt me, asking me to follow him …"
Shania stared at Tang En with wide eyes. She did not know whether Uncle Tony was telling the truth or not at this time. After all, Uncle Tony had often joked with her in the past. He was full of nonsense and was never serious.
"I thought about it … Yes, I was indeed made to be a demon. So I decided to follow him. I didn't expect that bastard Satan to block me with a wave of his hand. He pointed to a pitch-black door in front of him and said … "Tang En imitated Satan, making his voice a little hoarser. "Whether you're going to heaven or hell, it means that you're voluntarily abandoning everything you have on earth. If you want to go with me, you have to forget all your feelings on earth and walk through this door. "
At this point, Tang En stopped to take a breath and looked at the beauty again. Even though Shania's eyes were swollen from crying, she was still beautiful. And there was a sorrowful and melancholy beauty … Just like Lin Daiyu.
"Actually, I'm not afraid of death. I don't think it's a big deal to die. As long as I have nothing to worry about in this world, death is death. Even if I'm alive and not dead, it's no different from being dead. What glory, what money, what reputation … We can't bring them with us in life and we can't bring them with us in death. What's there to miss? I planned to walk forward through the door. But I suddenly thought of something that made me hesitate again. Do you know what it is, Shania? "
Shania frowned and shook her head. "I don't know …"
Tang En looked at her confused look, which was very cute. He laughed. "I forgot that I still owe someone an answer."
"Ah …" Shania looked up in surprise at the smiling Tang En.
"I, Tony Twain, never owe anyone anything. I don't want someone to chase me to hell just to hear this answer. I can't afford that responsibility … Then I said to Satan apologetically, 'Mr. Satan, I'm so sorry, but I can't go be a demon with you. Why? Because I realized that the world is very beautiful. I still have too many things that I can't let go of! I can't go with you. ' Satan was very depressed and scolded me for being too greedy. Good things can't be kept, and it's better to forget them as soon as possible. I shook my head and said that I can't. I'm just greedy. I just like beautiful things. I just want them to stay by my side for a long time. I just can't bear to let go of someone … "
After saying so much, Tang En once again stopped to take a breather.
Shania did not continue. She sat on the chair and quietly waited for Tang En to continue.
"Isn't it too late to say sorry now?"
Shania pursed her lips and shook her head vigorously with tears in the corner of her eyes.
Tang En reached out and gently squeezed Shania's soft little hand.
"I'm so sorry. I was so stupid. I almost went to the grave with my stupidity and regret. If something big hadn't happened, my stupidity might have been incurable for the rest of my life. Luckily, I almost died and I also understood a lot of things … "Tang En's voice was a little weak. He thought that saying so much after that was too exhausting.
"Can you still continue to call me 'Uncle Tony'?" he asked.
Shania nodded a little nervously.
Tang En made a hand gesture, indicating for her to bend over and lie by his side.
Then he turned his head with great effort and placed his mouth next to Shania's ear. He whispered, "I love you too, Shania."
Hearing this, Shania's eyes widened. She was surprised and surprised, and did not know what to say for a moment.
This sentence seemed to exhaust all of Tang En's strength. After saying it, he fell back down on the bed and looked at the ceiling. He muttered, "I'm tired. I want to sleep."
Shania became nervous. It was not a good idea to say such words at a time like this. She gripped Tang En's hand tightly and did not want to let go. At the same time, she planned to press the emergency call bell at the head of the bed.
Unexpectedly, Tang En stopped her with a wave of his hand.
"It's okay. It's just a nap." He smiled and comforted the panicking girl in front of him. "I still have a long life ahead of me. There are still many beautiful things I can't let go of. I just found out that I've fallen in love with someone. How can I bear to find that guy Satan again? Don't worry, I promise … I won't sleep for too long this time … "
He slowly closed his eyes. Soon, the sound of even breathing could be heard.
This time, he really fell asleep.
Maybe he dreamed of something again, but he believed that this time it would be a beautiful dream.
※ ※ ※
PS: Today's two updates have been completed. Please look forward to tomorrow's two updates.
See, I didn't lie. Shania and Tang En's relationship was finally completed.
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