"Red Rebels?" Eva recognised the domineering car model on the colourful magazine cover the moment she saw it. She realised it was the car design Ethan had created. She had not expected it to make it onto a magazine cover.
"That's right, Eva. Have you heard of this car too?" Orlando looked extremely excited.
"Mm, a friend mentioned it!" Eva replied.
"He thinks this car is amazing too, right?" Orlando seemed to have found a kindred spirit. He opened the magazine and pointed to a page specifically introducing it. "Look, even many well-known sports car designers in Italy believe this design is a work of genius. I heard that the number of customers who have placed orders with the Lamborghini factory alone has already far exceeded Lamborghini's original expectations."
Eva was a little surprised. She had originally thought Ethan's sports car design was just rather unique, but she had not expected it to cause such a huge reaction, especially after seeing Orlando's fanatical enthusiasm.
"You like sports cars too?"
"Of course!" Orlando answered as if it were only natural, but he quickly deflated. "But this car is too expensive. According to the current news, Lamborghini only plans to produce 250 units, and each one is estimated to cost at least over one million pounds. On top of that, I heard it has to be paid in cash. I'm afraid I won't have a chance in this lifetime!"
Seeing Orlando's frustrated expression, Eva suddenly wanted to tell him that she also knew the designer of this car, and that he was a very close friend of hers. But just as she was about to speak, a thought suddenly occurred to her. What kind of relationship did she have with Ethan?
That was right. All this time, she and Ethan had been like friends, interacting closely, but gradually, it seemed as if things were no longer quite that simple.
In the past, she had rarely worried about romantic feelings, focusing entirely on her career. But for some reason, during this recent period, she seemed to have changed. She often wanted to find someone to talk to for no reason, and then she would call Ethan. Because of that, she had to face a huge phone bill every month.
Yet their relationship always seemed to remain just like that.
Eva suddenly remembered the time she attended Beckham and his wife's wedding. She had run into Scarlett Elan, whom Victoria had referred to as Ethan's girlfriend. That woman was really beautiful, and she lived upstairs from Ethan. Their relationship did not look ordinary either.
Every time she thought about this, Eva felt as if there was a thorn pricking her heart.
"So this sports car designer is British Chinese, and also the owner of a football club. He started from scratch and now has a net worth of hundreds of millions. He is crazy about football. Red Rebels is the nickname of the football club he founded. Sports car design is just one of his hobbies. Besides that, he can also write songs. He wrote a club anthem for his team, and it is highly praised."
"Wow..." Reading this, even Orlando could not help but admire him. "This guy is really talented, and he's quite handsome too. He must be very popular with British girls."
Orlando himself was a handsome guy, and thinking about the passion of British girls, he could not help laughing.
Little did he know, the more he said this, the more sour and uncomfortable Eva felt.
"I'm going back to England! Right now!" Eva suddenly said.
...
As a member of the Commonwealth, there were daily flights between New Zealand and England.
Eva took a flight directly to Manchester, but she did not notify Ethan. Instead, she planned to show up unannounced. Whether it was a surprise or a scare, she just wanted to appear suddenly. It would be best if she could scare him half to death.
But who would have thought that she would hit a wall the moment she left the airport?
"Hey, miss, I know New Manchester United, but how would I know where their office is? Are you having a laugh? You want to find someone without even having an address!" After saying this, the taxi driver walked away angrily.
Eva also stood there angrily, sulking. Who let her not even know where Ethan lived? Even if she wanted to find him, she had nowhere to go.
Could it be that I really have to call him?
Eva quickly abandoned this thought. She felt that this would be giving in.
But she did not seem to have thought about why she was competing with Ethan like this.
It had to be said that sometimes, women were such strange creatures. They suddenly got angry, and even they did not know why. In short, they were just angry!
"Miss, are you looking to go to New Manchester United?" Another taxi came from behind. The car window rolled down, and Jim poked his head out, smiling. "Don't mind that bastard. He's a Manchester City fan!"
Eva was stunned after hearing this, clearly not understanding.
"Oh, Manchester City and Manchester United are sworn enemies, and our New Manchester United was founded by Manchester United fans, so we're also sworn enemies with Manchester City. As for our relationship with Manchester United... anyway, it's very complicated. I could tell you, but you wouldn't understand. By the way, are you going to the Newton Heath Training Base?" Jim felt that explaining these things to a girl who knew nothing about football was a waste of effort.
Eva immediately nodded. She remembered Ethan had mentioned this place before.
"Then get in. I'll take you there!"
...
After getting in the car, Jim immediately drove out of the airport, turned onto the ring road, and got on the motorway.
"Let me tell you, miss, it's lucky you ran into me. If you had accidentally run into a nasty Manchester City bloke, he might have taken you to Bury. That's a long way from Newton Heath. Last time, some unlucky guy was tricked into going there." Jim joked while driving.
Eva was focused on thinking about what she should say when she saw Ethan later.
First, say hi, I came from New Zealand especially to see you, and by the way, to spend Christmas with you!
No, that was too sudden, and too forward. If others heard it, they would think she was Ethan's girlfriend!
Or say, Hmph, you single guy, how are you planning to spend Christmas this year?
That was too fierce. What if she made him angry?
She was an actress, after all. When she was lost in thought, even though she was wearing large sunglasses, her expressions were still vivid. Jim peeked through the rearview mirror and clicked his tongue in admiration. Even with sunglasses on, he could tell she was a stunning beauty.
"Hey, what are you looking at? Watch the road!" Eva noticed Jim's gaze and questioned him crossly.
Jim immediately smiled sheepishly. "By the way, miss, who are you looking for at the Newton Heath Training Base? Tell me, and I'll help you find them. I know almost everyone there!"
"Really?" Eva was a little sceptical.
"Hey, don't doubt me. I'm New Manchester United's designated driver. I've watched the club from the first day it was founded until now. Ethan wanted to invite me into the club's management at first, but I refused!"
Obviously, the first half was true, and the second half was bragging.
"Ethan?" Eva immediately picked up on the name.
"Oh, the owner of New Manchester United. A very remarkable person. Without him, there would be no New Manchester United, and no Red Rebels like us!" Jim laughed happily.
"So, you admire him a lot?" Eva asked tentatively.
"Of course. If I had to say who I admire most in my life, apart from my wife, it would be Ethan."
"But I heard people say that the boss of New Manchester United is very flirtatious, knows how to design sports cars, can write songs, and is very good at pleasing girls. Is that true?"
"Absolutely not!" Jim denied it without even thinking. "He has designed sports cars, sure, but that's a hobby. He is definitely not flirtatious. A few of us are even worrying about helping him find a girlfriend. That guy is completely focused on the club. As for writing songs, that's true, and they're quite good. Listen!"
After speaking, Jim pressed the taxi's stereo, and a beautiful melody immediately came from the speakers.
With the melody of "Wavin' Flag" playing, Jim could not help singing along. Eva, sitting in the back, listened attentively. Gradually, even she was stirred by the song. She had to admit that this was a very inspiring song.
He wrote this too?
With this question in mind, the taxi soon arrived at the Newton Heath Training Base.
Jim dropped Eva off at the main gate, called the security guard out, and then drove away directly.
When the security guard heard that Eva was looking for Ethan, he immediately let her in.
...
"Hey, Leo, come here, come here quickly!" Curtis, who was training, saw Eva.
"What's up?" Messi walked over, and Michael Johnson, who was with Messi, followed.
"Did you see that woman? Wow, she's really beautiful. Who is she looking for?"
"Yeah, she's really beautiful!" Johnson also looked amazed.
Not long after, not only the youngsters on the youth-team training pitch, but even the first-team players crowded around the iron fence, clearly shocked by the rare appearance of a beautiful woman at the Newton Heath Training Base.
"Hey, who do you think that beauty is looking for?" Essien also climbed onto the wire fence and asked Daniel De Rossi beside him. Because New Manchester United were short of players, De Rossi had been promoted to train with the first team, but he had not yet had a chance to play.
"Don't know. Look, she's walking to the office. I guess she's looking for the boss!"
"Is she the boss's girlfriend? She's so beautiful. She's a perfect match for the boss!" Essien was happy when he heard that.
Just as the players were discussing it, Bruce sent Eva out of the office, scaring the first-team and youth-team players into running back to continue training.
...
Eva left the Newton Heath Training Base in disappointment. Her mood was terrible. Even the sound of Bruce roaring behind her, ordering the players to double their training load, did not make her laugh.
After waiting for a taxi outside, Eva arrived at Ashton New Road, which Bruce had introduced, and came to this slightly old stadium. Bruce had said Ethan was working here, so she wanted to find him here.
Sitting in the taxi, she did see Ethan from afar, but there was a beautiful woman following him, none other than Scarlett Elan. The two walked out talking and laughing. Along the way, they glanced at the taxi Eva was in, but they obviously did not see her sitting inside.
The two of them chatted and laughed as they got into a BMW sports car.
This was a car Ethan had just bought. Eva had heard him mention it. But at this moment, her heart sank to the bottom the moment they drove away.
Are they... dating? Eva asked herself, heartbroken.
"Miss... Miss!" The taxi driver saw that Eva, who had already paid, did not get out of the car and was just staring blankly into the distance, her whole body limp in the back seat. Thinking something had happened, he could not help waking her up. "Are you getting out?"
"No, thank you. Please take me to the airport!"
(To be continued.)