428 I” (1/2)
”Uncle Tony, I saw that week's show, but can I make a suggestion?”
”Sure.”
”The next time you go on television, remember to iron your suit.” Shania started laughing in delight.
Tang En, holding the phone on the other end, scratched his head.
Ever since the matter with Inter Milan, he had managed to patch things up with Shania. That probably made him even happier than eliminating Inter Milan. Just like before, they could chat on the phone or the internet. Clarice Gloria was no longer a problem. Still, Tang En still maintained contact with that beautiful woman.
During the period after the away match against Inter Milan, the English media attempted to stir up the gossip between him and Gloria. This time, Tang En completely ignored it, letting it pass. He did not appear in front of the media to explain his relationship with Gloria, and the lady in question made no further response. With time, their audience started to get bored. Or, more accurately, they found some other topic that piqued their interest. The relationship between them slowly fell out of the limelight, and everyone's interest in Tang En refocused itself on football.
Shania laughed loudly over the phone. Her peals of laughter, sounding like silver bells, were like a song with a graceful melody. Tang En liked hearing it, so he said nothing.
”No matter what, you're a huge star now. You have to be more attentive to your public image.”
”It's alright, I do attend to it… I think it's already pretty good that I'm not out every day wearing just sports attire. You haven't seen how Dunn dresses. That's what I call terrible!”
Tang En could almost sense Shania rolling her eyes over the phone.
”Two men living together. That's the end of the world. How often do you clean the place? And how often do you wash your clothes?”
Tang En suddenly felt that Shania's tone was not exactly one that a younger person should take on when addressing their elders.
”Uh, it's fine.”
Shania sighed. That must be some kind of chronic disease for men. There was nothing she could do, so she changed the subject. ”How's Auntie Sophia? How's her health?”
”It's okay. She's still recovering and maintaining her health. Now, Dunn and I have dinner with her once every two weeks. She's been in good spirits.”
”I'm really sorry. We couldn't spend Christmas together last year, and this year is unknown as well. Christmas is the busiest time for me. I really hate this job!”
”Shania.”
”Alright, alright. I'm just saying. I'll stop here, I've got to sleep. There's still work tomorrow.”
”This early?” Tang En raised his wrist to look at his watch. It was only 9:03 pm.
”I need rest so that I can maintain myself better.”
Hearing Shania act maturely and say something like that made Tang En smile. ”Okay. Good night, Shania. Sweet dreams.”
”Good night, Uncle Tony.”
After hanging up the phone, Tang En walked down from his room upstairs. Dunn was still silently watching recordings from the matches and training. Tang En stood at the staircase and took in the mess in the living room; all sorts of packaging from the recordings, clothes, and newspapers were strewn all over the floor and on the sofa.
He had always lived in that kind of environment. But, after having it pointed out by Shania, he also found it somewhat unbearable. He walked down and began cleaning up the house.
Dunn heard some sounds behind him and turned to look. ”What are you doing?”
”Cleaning up.”
”Now?” Dunn looked up at the wall clock.
”Of course. I have to do it when I remember it.”
Dunn saw that he was about to arrange the packaging of his recordings and hastily stood.
”I'll take care of that.”
Tang En passed the mission of cleaning up the record packaging over to him. He himself took the dirty clothes on the sofa into the washroom and dumped them into the washing machine. When he came out, he was holding a rag to wipe the table.
”You… finished chatting with Shania?”
Seeing Tang En being so Zealous, Dunn could guess the reason behind it.
Tang En nodded.
”Is she coming?”
Tang En looked up and glanced at Dunn before shaking his head.
”No. I just thought that it was scary that we've been living in a pile of rubbish.”
Dunn grimaced but said nothing.
”Hey, Dunn. Shouldn't you consider getting married more?”
Looking at Dunn, who was so casual that he was somewhat slovenly, Tang En thought that having a woman who could take care of Dunn's living conditions, entering his heart and occupying an important position, could effectively change his character and temperament.
”But I'm not interested in women now.”
”Oh, stop… I get nervous whenever you say that.”
Dunn saw Tang En's anxious face and suddenly broke into a smile; it lasted for a mere second before disappearing.
”The law in China states that a male can only get married when they're above 23 years of age. According to my age, I have only just crossed the average. There are still many in their thirties who aren't even married.”
”But your true age…”
Tang En thought about the unique situation of their identities, and said, ”Ah, how weird…”
”I'm Dunn now. 24-year-old Dunn.”
Tang En coughed twice. ”That's right, that's right. I am Tony, Tony Twain.”
”37-year-old Tony Twain. Haven't you, as well, yet to consider your own marriage?”
Tang En glared Dunn. ”There's history behind that. And there's something I'm really interested in… How many memories do you have of me, Dunn? I've only retained memories of the period after you arrived here. I know nothing further back. What about you?”
”The entirety,” Dunn answered. ”Since I began understanding things up to now.”
”I thought it was an equivalent exchange…” Tang En grumbled. He never knew the memories of the previous Tony before coming to Nottingham Forest. After meeting Dunn, it was not told to him. So, Tang En figured Dunn was purposefully trying to avoid letting people know. Perhaps, that was an extremely important or beautiful period for him, so he did not wish to share it with others. But it was no matter. If Dunn did not wish to talk about it, Tang En would not force him to. It was not as if he could not live on without having those memories. He did not care about those things.
”Because I… In the past, I've tried very hard to forget those days. Maybe that's why you don't remember them.” Dunn said, as if he knew what Tang En was thinking. Tang En would not be surprised if that were the case. When they were together, there was always a sense of telepathy between them. Perhaps it was due to having exchanged their bodies and souls.
It seemed that they were bad memories…
”Then, have you forgotten?”
”…No.”
Tang En did not wish to pry into his privacy. So, even though he was greatly curious as to what kind of period it was for Dunn to so desperately try to forget, he did not continue asking.