20 The Hearing Part 2 (1/2)
Chapter 20: The Hearing Part 2
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The three men left the café. It was already noon. They had casually found a restaurant to have their lunch and had taken a break, and were now driving to the location of the Football Association: Soho Square.
Tang En had never been to the English Football Association, both as Tang En or Tony Twain. He searched for Soho Square using the common sense he would use in China along the way. But when the car stopped, the lawyer, Landy, got out of the car while Tang En was still inside.
”Mr. Twain?”
”Oh? Have we arrived?” Tang En got out of the car and looked at a small green plot of land, where a few London plane trees were planted. Their branches almost covered the entire square. It was now winter. Had it been summer, perhaps only thick leaves would be seen when one raised his head to look up.
This is the square, huh? Tang En felt that compared to the two football field-sized squares built in his country, this was more like the size of a small embankment in his hometown.
”Well, this is my first time here, and besides, it's not very impressive...” he explained. The square was surrounded by very short buildings, and Tang En noticed that he had hardly seen any towering skyscrapers since he had entered London. Most buildings were three or four-story high Victorian buildings. The Football Association building in front of him was almost the same, but the facade had undergone some facelift. It was said that those modern buildings were located in the new district on the east side. But obviously the Football Association was not there; it was always in the center of London, on the north bank of River Thames and the south side of Oxford Street, a famous shopping destination.
”The English Football Association,” Landy introduced this place to the two visitors, ”is a governing body that was established by eleven clubs in England after they held a meeting on Fleet Street in 1863 to be responsible for the management of all football affairs in England. It is the oldest football association in history, older than both the UEFA and FIFA.”
Tang En sneered behind him, ”But I can only smell something rotten.”
Evan turned back and gave Twain a glance. ”Great minds think alike.”
”Mr. Twain.” Landy stopped in his tracks, turned to Twain in the foot of the glass entrance and said, ”Your current attitude is not conducive to your hearing, which is about to begin.”
He knew what the lawyer said was right, but Tang En could not stand his superior tone. He chuckled. ”Mr. Landy, I didn't know you are a part-time tour guide, too.”
For the first time since Landy had become a lawyer, he thought he might not beat a football manager in an argument. Because of this, he simply remained silent. After all, he could also be counted as his employer.
The three men had just set foot in the Football Association when a professionally-dressed woman walked up to them. She saw the three men enter and asked, ”Mr. Twain?”
Tang En stepped forward. ”I am Twain.”
”How do you do?” The woman smiled and extended her hand. ”I am Faria Alam. Please follow me.”
Tang En was startled when he heard this name. He then set his gaze on the woman facing him again. He wanted to take a closer look at how a 38-year-old woman had the charm to seduce two famous men into bed and turn the English Football Association upside down.
Her shoulder-length black hair, appearance of distinctive mixed-blood features, skin tone, and eyes. It was said that she had once been a model. Tang En's evaluation of her was that she was sort of ordinary; not as captivating as he had imagined, but not bad-looking either.
”Mr. Twain?” Alam found that Twain had only stared at her, not followed her. She was delighted that this man had such a reaction, as it showed that she was still attractive. But how would she know what Tang En was truly thinking?
”Uh, sorry. I was distracted.” Tang En shook his head. Evan snickered behind him.
Alam was pleased with men's reactions. She had just started work at the Football Association for only three days. She was highly ambitious, and she did not want to just be an ordinary secretary. The expressions of these men who saw her filled her with confidence for her future. I, Faria Alam, still possess a sex appeal that men are fatally attracted to.
Tang En followed Alam to the site of the hearing. From behind this woman, he observed the woman's coquettish way of walking with her hips swinging. He could not resist feeling disapproval of her flirtatious walk. He could imagine how logical the incident could have been if it happened later. But how would he know the significance of him meeting Alam, the new secretary of the Football Association today, and how it would become the sex scandal that shocked the British football world in the future?
Tang En had never imagined what an English Football Association hearing would be like, and whether it would be the same as the courtrooms he saw on television. But when Alam opened the door for him, he realized that it was only a slightly larger meeting room.
”Please enter, Mr. Twain.” The man who rose to greet him looked a little familiar. It was the Chief Executive of the English Football Association with whom Faria ignited the spark of passion—Mark Palios.
Palios saw Faria Alam, who had opened the door, and was stunned for a moment. Then his gaze rested on the body of this retired model. Tang En took in all the reactions of this big shot and suppressed a smile. Did you two adulterers meet because of me? Excellent, excellent!