729 He’s back (1/2)
”There are still two rounds left in the league, but these two rounds are the most important rounds for Nottingham Forest and Chelsea. Scolari's team has been eliminated. Aside from the Champion's Cup, they did not enter the finals at all. Scolari will probably still do well even if they are unable to participate in the Champion's Cup next season. Abramovich once said that Scolari would never be dismissed regardless of the results of the league, but who would believe his words?”
The television in the bar was playing ”Football's 90 Minutes” on Sky Television. Although its main host had been replaced several times, the program still had an important position in the hearts of the British audience. It was different from ”Match of the Day” on BBC channel, which aired after the matches on the weekends. It was the prospect of the matches following the program.
In the previous season, the away team, Nottingham Forest, tied with Manchester United. Because the match had not ended yet, this score line made several Nottingham Forest fans' hearts quicken as all of them thought this meant the end of the season. Surprisingly, Chelsea also had a draw before the end of the season.
That night, the Nottingham bar saw two extremes in the emotions of Nottingham Forest fans. Kenny Burns sold all his alcohol that day.
”Nottingham Forest rose from the dead. In the remaining two league matches, both teams have weak opponents. If Nottingham Forest can maintain and win both matches, they will be able to return to the Champion's league in the following league season. This has to be the happiest moment to a Nottingham Forest fan…
In the bar, a customer shouted, ”To be honest even just the league cup is fine! I don't want to stress them too much!”
Someone immediately rebutted, ”Don't get it wrong. It's not the kids that are stressed. It's that guy, Tony!”
”Let's hope everything is fine with his heart…”
”Hey, just a small piece of news… Shania sneakily returned back to Nottingham again…”
”Wow! Tony definitely won't be stressed!”
The group of guys raucously laughed with their mugs in their hands. Though Tony had not been there often in his bid to quit smoking and drinking, his presence still lingered in the bar. The longtime fans who gathered in this bar still stayed there as Tony Twain's supporters.
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Tony Twain spent the last night before the second league with his wife. Since these two matches concerned the future of the team and its financial status, the news reported that Tony Twain did not have it easy. Hence, Shania flew back specially for him in hopes of helping him tide over for two weeks.
Although Twain did not feel like his heart was that weak since he had met with such stressful situations many times, it did not seem like it was stressful at all this time. He was still glad that Shania, who was staying in the United States, could come back and accompany him. They were a married couple that lived separately. For someone who lived in a villa that spanned several thousand square feet, it was extremely lonely and cold.
To welcome Shania home, he personally cooked up a feast. British food really could not be considered a delicacy, so he only cooked Chinese food.
”Aren't you afraid I'll grow fat?” Shania asked with her hands on her hips as she took in the spread of food on the huge table.
Twain indecently held Shania's waist and said, ”I think there is no need to worry about that at the moment.”
”Hey!” Shania slapped Twain's hand, pulled out a chair, and sat down. She was not rushing to start. Instead, she looked at Twain sitting opposite her and said, ”It's been three months since we last saw each other. Did you miss me?”
”Are you aware that you've asked me that question 10 times today?” Twain asked. ”There's a saying that absence makes the heart fonder. Our reunion after the short separation feels like our honeymoon. That is what I'm feeling now.”
”There's such a saying, huh. Absence…” Shania looked up while deep in thought. ”In the future when I travel everywhere, wouldn't we always be our honeymoon period? If you say it like that, then separation will become a very romantic matter!”
She applauded as she beamed, quite proud of her discovery.
”I don't see it that way.” Twain pouted. ”If possible, I hope you'll always be by my side.”
Shania smiled as she looked at Twain, who looked slightly bummed. She asked, ”Did you know that while I was in Los Angeles, I went back to school?”
”Eh?” Upon hearing what she said, he was a little surprised. He did not know about that matter. She had not mentioned it before. He thought Shania had only been entertaining other movie stars and improving her own acting skills in preparation of the new film in Los Angeles.
”You're still going to school?” he asked. ”What are you studying?”
”Costume design.” Shania winked.
Twain thought about it and understood why. Shania, being a model, was naturally more sensitive to fashion trends and had her own insights. If it was about costume design, he believed she would excel in that more than acting. He still wondered why she suddenly thought of learning costume design.
”Hey, Tony, let's discuss something,” Shania said.
”Yeah?” Twain asked.
”If I get pregnant, I'll quit modelling and acting,” she said.
Twain was so shocked he dropped his spoon. He looked at Shania, who had a serious look on her face, and replied, ”You're kidding, right?”
”Why would I be kidding? I can't possibly act and walk down the runway with a huge belly, right?” Shania giggled, but her tone was still firm.
”You could wait until after you gave birth,” Twain said.
”The competition in this industry is cut-throat,” Shania said. ”Who knows what the world would be like after I lost my pregnancy weight? Now you know why I want to start learning about costume design?”
”You've thought that far, huh,” he replied.
”Far? Pregnancy is actually a simple matter.” Shania had a gleam in her eye as she looked at him. ”Let's start tonight!”
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Twain and Shania lingered in their home for the night. Every time he saw the young and beautiful Shania pliant and moaning under him, he was filled with a desire to conquer, one that raged strongly in his chest. This feeling did not fade after they made love. He rode on this high the next day during work.
He was kind of chauvinistic. Whether it was women or his opponents, conquering them brought him immense satisfaction. From this perspective, it was perfect timing for Shania to return.
In the city stadium's changing room for the home team, Twain passionately spoke to his team about the European Champions Cup. ”Although I've never won the league championships before, why should we still compete for some league cup if the league championships exist? There is only a one-point difference between Chelsea and us. They can turn the tides if we aren't careful. I don't want something like this to happen right before the end of the league season. All of you must know this well. I only want the Champion League Cup!
”An opponent like Middlesbrough should not even be a concern. You guys just need to perform as per normal, and the victory of this match will belong to us. Remember, do not give chances to our opponents, whether they are our opponents in this match or in the ones in the back waiting for us to make a mistake!”
The end result was Nottingham Forest winning at home 2:0 against Middlesbrough. Chelsea also won beat Hull City on its home field. While there was still a match left to the league, Nottingham Forest still led Chelsea by a point.
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