When Tony Twain returned to Nottingham with the FA Cup, everyone knew what his next goal was. At this point, if he did not win the Treble, he would be letting down the previous two championships.
Just like in the league tournament, Tang En gave the team a day off after they won the championship to let the players and coaches have a good rest. Then, they prepared to face a strong opponent.
Tony Twain, who had won two championships, once again became the focus of the media. The reporters were unwilling to give up every opportunity to get close to him and interview him. Even if it was a day off, there were still reporters who wanted to interview him.
Pierce Brosnan was one of them. He had an advantage over the other reporters — he had Twain's private phone number. He could contact Twain anywhere and at any time. The other reporters did not have such a privilege. Twain hated the media. Although he would not be as successful and arrogant as he was now without the media, he did not have a good attitude toward the media. Therefore, if the other media wanted to interview Tony Twain alone, they could only submit an application through the club and wait for a reply. Usually, their application would not receive a positive response. That was why Twain was known as "England's most difficult manager to interview" and was ranked first on the "Reporters' Most Unpopular Managers" list.
Brosnan planned to contact Twain through his private phone today to arrange an interview.
However, he had made three consecutive calls since eight in the morning, and Twain's phone was switched off.
Brosnan shook his head in confusion. He thought for a long time and could only attribute the reason to Twain being either sleeping or entangled with his wife, which was why he did not turn his phone on.
It looked like it was indeed difficult to interview this man …
※ ※ ※
Brosnan thought Twain must be doing his morning exercise with his wife. But in fact, he was wrong.
At eight o 'clock, Tang En drove the car out of the house alone. Shania, on the other hand, was still asleep on the bed after a night of passion.
Even if Shania woke up, Twain would not take her with him. Twain did not want anyone to disturb the place he wanted to go and the things he wanted to do, even if it was his most important wife in his life. In order not to be disturbed, he even turned off his phone.
His destination was in the south of Nottingham, near Clifton, where, like the north, there was a thick forest, and there was a church on a knoll, behind which was a graveyard hidden among the trees.
Gavin Bernard, the first fan in George Wood's life, was laid to rest here.
In fact, Twain had been here not long ago. Although he was an Englishman, he had not forgotten some of the traditional Chinese customs in his bones. For example, he would come back here every year on the Qingming Festival to visit Gavin's grave. Twain would definitely find time to come on this day. If the team had a game on the day of the Qingming Festival, he would also come a day earlier or later. The people around him didn't quite understand why he would choose to visit Gavin at this time because there was no such thing as the Qingming Festival in the West.
When Tang En returned more than a month later, he brought Gavin two pieces of good news.
"The league title and the FA Cup title." Tang En stood in front of Gavin's tombstone and said to him, "The people outside are going crazy with joy. Do you know how many years it has been since Nottingham Forest won the FA Cup? Fifty-five years, half a century. Hey, to be honest, I really didn't think of such a problem before the game. But when the reporters asked after the game, I realized that it had been so long since we had won the FA Cup. Now it's all good. Fifty-five years of resentment is over. "
"Did you watch those two games? It was so hard to win the league title. I almost gave up … I'll be honest, I'm only saying this to you, Gavin. No one else knows … I was really going to give up in the last three minutes. I even thought about how to deal with those annoying reporters. Eat the table? I can eat the chocolate cake table as I please. Anyway, I didn't say what kind of table it was! Ha! "
Tang En laughed triumphantly.
"It's really tiring being a manager. I almost came down here to accompany you. But I'm a stubborn person. So many people want me to die, so I won't. So I'm still alive and continue to win championships for you. But … "Tang En thought about it." There's something I've buried in my heart for almost a year. I didn't tell anyone, not even my wife. Now I've decided to tell you because I know you won't talk nonsense … I'm going to give them a big surprise! "
Tang En turned his head to look around. There was no one else in the small cemetery except for him. The wind in the forest passed through the cemetery. The rustling of the leaves was the only sound here.
Tang En knelt on one knee and held the tombstone with his hand, as if he was stroking Gavin's little head. He lowered his head and moved his lips beside the tombstone, but no sound came out.
With that, he stood up again with a smile on his face. "What do you think of this idea? I really look forward to seeing their shocked expressions when the time comes. But I have to say sorry to you … Forget it. You won't be the chairman of the Nottingham Forest Football Club anyway. If you can really do it, I'll continue to sit in that position even if I'm 98 years old. Sometimes I look forward to that day. Just thinking about it makes me excited. "
Tang En tilted his head as if he was fantasizing about that future.
"But …" He retracted his gaze and focused on the tombstone. "I can only think about it in my head."
"There's only one championship left." Tang En sighed. "I suddenly feel tired, like I'm about to reach the finish line. Do you feel that way, Gavin? When you've experienced a marathon long run and you're about to reach the finish line, your body starts to feel strange. You don't want to run anymore, your legs are weak, you can't breathe, and it's like you're going to stop. I'm tired. "
Tang En simply sat on the ground, facing the tombstone.
"I really don't want to run anymore, but I can only talk to you here and complain. If I really fall before the finish line, I'll just kill myself. No matter what the outcome of the next game is, I can't give up before the game is over. Do you know, Gavin? So many people are watching me. My players, my colleagues, my boss, my supporters, my opponents … Countless pairs of eyes are staring at you from behind. You can't make a mistake. If you do, your supporters will be disappointed, and your opponents will clap their hands in joy. You must be wondering why I put myself against so many people, don't you? Who asked me to have such a bad temper? I really can't pretend to be a good person. A warm and watery personality doesn't suit me. I'm just that extreme. If I don't die, then they die … I'm already forty-five years old, but I'm still like a child. "
"Ahem, actually, I'm not that old …" Tang En coughed. He felt uncomfortable saying his age. "I'll tell you another little secret. It's a secret that even the people closest to me don't know. I … Hmm … "He looked around again. There was still no one else. "I come from another time and space. In that time and space, I'm not the manager of the Forest team. I'm not even English. I'm very ordinary, and I don't know you. If I hadn't come, you probably wouldn't be lying here, right? "
Tang En shook his head. "Let's not talk about this. I'll lose the will to fight if I talk too much. "
While he was still sitting on the ground chatting with Gavin, a man turned in from the entrance of the cemetery.
※ ※ ※
George Wood bought a bouquet of flowers outside the church and asked for a card. He wrote in a crooked manner, "To Gavin, your George."
He was the best at writing "George." This was the result of practicing signing autographs for the fans every day.
As he wrote it on the card, he remembered how Tang En had mocked him for his ugly handwriting in the beginning.
"Look at your handwriting. It's worse than a primary school student's!"
Wood inserted the card into the bouquet and carried it out of the florist shop.
It was only then that the florist dared to ask himself in a low voice, "Is it really George Wood?"
When Wood walked through the door, he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him.
Wood did not say much. He picked a bouquet of lilies and asked for a card. He paid and left just like that. The entire process from entering to leaving the shop did not take more than a minute. He only said two sentences.
"Please give me a bouquet of lilies and a card."
"Thank you."
Wood did not have the habit of wearing sunglasses to hide his identity when he went out, but he would not take the initiative to expose himself. The florist did not react at first because he did not expect George Wood to visit his little flower shop. It was not until Wood left that he reacted.
"What is he doing here?" He murmured with a frown, unable to figure it out.
※ ※ ※
When Wood walked into the cemetery, he saw a man sitting in front of his destination. He seemed to be talking about something.
When he got closer, he recognized the man sitting on the ground as the boss.
Tang En also noticed Wood, who was leaning over. Neither of them was surprised to see each other here.
Tang En stood up and gave his seat to Wood. Wood walked forward and placed the bouquet in front of the tombstone, next to the bouquet Tang En had placed before.
"Do you want me to give you some privacy?" Tang En planned to leave first.
But Wood shook his head. "No need. I have nothing to say. "
"You're so heartless, George." Tang En joked with Wood.
He did not expect Wood to reply, "I don't know what to say."
Tang En froze for a moment, then waved his hand. "Then let's go. I'll drive you back."
Wood nodded.
The two men glanced at Gavin Bernard's tombstone at the same time and turned to leave.
"Are you still not going to buy a car, George? You're a big star. A big star without a car will be a laughing stock. "
"There's no use for it at the moment."
"You have such low expectations for life … Aren't you going to find a girl? How old are you, George? "
"Twenty-seven."
"Twenty-seven. You're not looking for a girl. Do you want people to say you're gay?"
"I love my mother."
Tang En turned his head to look at Wood and did not say anything.
It was hard to believe that a twenty-seven-year-old star player was still single. But when it came to George Wood, it was a matter of course and reasonable. It was as if his life could only accommodate one woman, and that was his mother. This Oedipus child could never imagine what it would be like to have another woman share his love. Even Tang En had a deep-rooted belief that if there was a woman who was not his mother by Wood's side one day, the scene would be very strange …
※ ※ ※
When he sent Wood home, Tang En saw Sophia.
Sophia was also very happy to see Tang En. Her face was even a little red. She wanted to ask Tang En to stay for lunch, but Tang En declined because he had to go home to accompany his wife. Shania must have prepared lunch and was waiting for him.
Sophia was a little disappointed, but she quickly concealed her expression.
Tang En did not even enter the door. Every time he faced Sophia, it made him feel complicated. He knew Sophia's feelings for him, but he was a man with a wife. He did not think it was suitable for him and Sophia to be together. In order not to continue to give Sophia such delusions, sometimes he had to deliberately keep a distance. Of course, this would hurt Sophia a little, but it was better than lying to her, right?
When Sophia asked Tang En to stay for lunch, Wood stood by the side without saying a word.
Tang En thought of Wood's words and felt strange. He did not stay for long and directly said goodbye to the mother and son.
In his heart, he only hoped that Sophia and George could live happily ever after.
※ ※ ※
Pierce Brosnan called all day, but Tang En's phone was still switched off. He was confused. Tang En's cell phone was rarely switched off. Even at two or three o 'clock in the morning, if you wanted to call him, it would still go through. Of course, it was not surprising to be scolded by him after the call went through and then hung up.
He thought of many possibilities in his mind. In the end, the more he thought about it, the worse it got. He simply did not dare to think about it.
It was not until after nine o 'clock in the evening that he finally got through to Tang En.
When he heard that the other side did not remind him that the number you dialed was switched off, but instead, it was a beep, beep, beep. He almost had the urge to cry.
"I've been calling you all day, Tony!" Brosnan shouted excitedly on the phone.
"Are you trying to woo me? Unfortunately, I don't like men, Mr. Reporter. "Tang En joked with Brosnan.
"I want to arrange an interview with you. You're a big star now. I'm afraid you'll be snatched away if I'm late …"
"I'm not a commodity … Alright, I'll promise you. But not now, not tomorrow, not the day after tomorrow … I won't accept any interviews until the Champions League final. I've rejected all of the interview requests sent to the club. You and I are no exception, even though our relationship is not bad. "
"Is it to prepare for the Champions League final with peace of mind?"
"Of course. Actually, I'm letting you off easy by doing this, Mr. Reporter. When I get the Champions League title, it'll be difficult for you to arrange an interview with me again, "Tang En said seriously over the phone.
Tang En was putting on airs, but Brosnan did not care. It was fine as long as Tang En agreed to accept an interview.
"That's good. I'm here to confirm this matter … Uh, I won't disturb you guys anymore …" Brosnan hurriedly hung up because he heard Shania's laughter over the phone.
※ ※ ※
Shania could not help but laugh when she saw Tang En putting on airs in all seriousness.
Tang En put down his phone and opened his arms to Shania.
Shania obediently leaned forward and nestled in her husband's arms.
"Where do you want to go this summer, Shania?" Tang En asked as he gently sniffed Shania's beautiful hair.
"Aren't you going to be very busy? The BBC is looking for you to commentate on the World Cup in South Africa, right? When the World Cup is over, the team will have to train again, "Shania asked curiously.
Tang En smiled. "Who can say for sure what will happen in the future? Where do you want to go? "
Shania curled up her body in Tang En's arms and closed her eyes to enjoy Tang En's caress. She muttered, "Anywhere is fine, as long as I'm with Uncle Tony …"
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