Journalists are always passionate. They throw out all kinds of questions to make things difficult for their interviewee. Even things that did not seem the least bit connected would be regarded by them as questions that had to be answered.
Tang En’s method of dealing with such annoying inquiries was simple and uncouth: he turned down all of them.
After squeezing their way through the airport and getting straight on the team’s coach parked outside, it was only two hours later that the team finally arrived in the Nottingham they were familiar with.
At the gates of Wilford Training Grounds, Tang En dismissed the team and announced that the players had the day’s afternoon and the next day’s morning off; two half days.
As Tang En was about to leave, Wood repeated, “Eight o’clock at night.”
Tang En asked, “Is Dunn invited?”
Wood stood there thinking for a moment before he shook his head. “Mum didn’t say so. I’m guessing not.”
“Oh. Okay.” Tang En nodded. “Head on home early, don’t let your mum wait. I’ll be there later.”
Wood turned and left. The cars in the parking lot drove off one by one. All the players had left. Some had gone home to enjoy some peace, while others had gone to indulge themselves. Tang En stood alone in the empty parking lot, scratching his head.
Was this a dinner with only him?
※※※
From the moment Tang En returned, Dunn noticed him tidying up his appearance; bathing, shaving, combing his hair, changing, and polishing his leather shoes.
He was curious. Tang En was not usually this meticulous about how he dressed and looked.
“Are you heading out?”
Tang En nodded. “Oh, yeah. Dunn, you’ll have to settle on your own tonight.”
“Shania is back?”
Tang En paused in his polishing and turned to look at Dunn. “Why would you think of her first?”
Dunn shrugged. “I don’t know. Is it not?”
Tang En shook his head, continuing polishing his shoes. “No. It’s Sophia, George’s mum.”
“Oh.” Dunn fell silent.
Tang En lowered his head, repeatedly scrubbing at the shoe he held despite the fact that it was already gleaming.
Why would Dunn mention Shania first? The girl should have already returned to the UK from Brazil, right? Recently, he had been so busy, he had not contacted her at all. When they parted ways, he had even said he would call her, but once he started busying, he could care less about anything else. She couldn’t be angry, right?
Dunn heard the polishing become monotonous. He instantly knew Tang En must have been in some sort of stupor again.
※※※
Tang En reached Wood’s place slightly before the agreed time.
“It’s been a long time, Tony.” Sophia smiled as she opened the door for Tang En.
“Yes, it’s been a long time… You look great.”
After entering the house, Tang En realized that the big place seemed empty of anyone else. So, he asked, “Where’s George?”
“He went out to buy something. He’ll be back in a while.” Sophia continued looking at Tang En smilingly, making him a little embarrassed. He sat down with a cough.
“Do you want sugar in your tea, Tony?” Sophia asked.
“No, thank you.”
Sophia retreated to the kitchen to make tea for Tang En. At that moment, a knock sounded from outside the door. Tang En rose to stop Sophia, who had run out from the kitchen.
“I’ll open the door.”
He thought it was Wood who had come back. That way, it would diffuse the current awkwardness. He opened the door and found himself unexpectedly faced with a child’s face.
The child opened his mouth, but a matured voice sounded instead from behind it. “Ah, Boss! I didn’t expect to see you here.”
Hearing the English words accompanied by a heavy Italian accent, Tang En immediately knew who the visitor was.
“Demi!” Tang En felt elated. Inviting Albertini for a meal was certainly a good way of helping Wood work through what was troubling him.
Albertini laughed at the side, while his wife, famous model Uriana Capone, carried the child. The beautiful former model greeted Tang En with a smile. “Good evening, Mr. Twain.”
“Good evening, Madam. Please come in. George has gone to buy some things while Sophia is making tea. I’m lending a hand to our host.” He opened the door for them and made a gesture welcoming them in.
“Hello, little Albertini.” Tang En reached out and nudged the child’s nose, making him giggle in his mother’s arms.
Tang En was no stranger to Albertini’s wife. When Albertini had transferred to the Forest Team, their family had moved from Italy to the UK. Despite not being quite used to the UK’s terrible climate, Uriana continued staying by her husband’s side. Occasionally, she would bring the child back to the grandfather’s place in Italy. Usually, however, so long as there was a home match for Forest, Urina would make sure to wear Forest’s red jersey and bring along their child to cheer for her husband from the spectator’s stand luxury box. They were a happy family of three.
Albertini’s quick adjustment to English football and Nottingham Forest was, in large part, attributed to his wife’s devoted care and full support of him.
The cup of tea Sophia brought out from the kitchen became three, and everyone sat together for a leisurely chat. From the looks of it, Tang En seemed more like the head of the house.
Until Wood returned.
Even though it was said to be dinner, the food was not of much importance. It was the conversation that was important. The women chatted about what interested them as the child played by the side. The men also flocked together to discuss their matters; the real aim of the day’s dinner.
The topic started with Albertini’s injuries.
“How’s your leg, Demi?” Tang En asked as he sat by Albertini with a cup of tea.
“Fleming says I’ll be able to return to the field at the end of next month if everything goes well.”
“And what do you feel about it yourself?”
“I’m sure you wouldn’t agree if I said I can return to the field right now, Boss.”
The two laughed.
George Wood joined them after helping his mother clear away the dishes. In truth, he already knew why his mother suddenly wanted to host a dinner at home, especially when the ones she invited were Albertini and Tang En.
As Wood sat down, Tang En glanced at him before giving Albertini a wink.
Naturally, Albertini knew what the real purpose of the dinner was. He looked at Wood and asked with a grin, “George, how does it feel to be captain?”
Faced with Albertini, Wood was somewhat embarrassed. He lowered his head and kept silent.
Tang En started laughing beside them.
“It’s not looking too good, Demi.”
He stopped laughing and said to Albertini, “This kid… he’s always trying to imitate you. Am I right, George?” He looked at Wood again.
Wood raised his head and said to Tony, “You made me the captain, and you’re the one who asked me to learn from Demi.”
Tang En did not reply, but Albertini continued. “George, tell me honestly. Do you think there’s anything we have in common?”
The question stumped Wood. He considered it carefully. Demi was a warm-hearted person. Despite being unable to speak much English when he had first joined the team, he could get everyone on the team to accept him in the shortest possible time. He was always happy to help the teammates who had difficulties, regardless of whether they had often interacted with him or not. His face always had a smile on it, and he was polite to everybody. Whenever he spoke in the locker room, everyone would naturally quieten down… Perhaps that was the unique charisma Demi had.
And did Wood have those qualities? Even though Wood did not always plaster an unfriendly look on his face, he gave off an impression of being unapproachable. Albertini used a month’s time to get his teammates’ acceptance and liking. But Wood took nearly a year and a half. He rarely went out to play with the others; after training every day, he would rush back home to accompany his mother. He also did not go out to drink or visit clubs to seek the company of beautiful ladies. He didn’t get involved in relationships or have any after-hours hobbies. He lived a simple life.
Wood shook his head. “No.”
Albertini laughed and gestured questioningly. “If we’re so different, why do you still think you have to become a captain like me?”
Wood squirmed for a bit before saying, “I think a captain… should be like you…”
Albertini was one of the captains George Wood had worked with the longest. It was very normal for him to have such ideas.
“No, no. It’s not like that.” Albertini shook his head.
“Since people have different characters, there would be different types of captains as well. You shouldn’t try to be a captain like me. You should try to be a captain like you.”