Chapter 160 Skrtel's Heart

Winning against Everton made everyone happy, so on the plane back to St. Petersburg, everyone was chatting and laughing, very relaxed. Besides, the holiday would start as soon as they got back. They had worked hard for a year and could finally have some fun, so their mood was naturally good.

But not everyone was carefree and only knew how to have fun.

Skrtel seemed a bit silent on the plane back.

Chen Hero was the first to notice this. He found it strange. "Hey, Martin, are you tired?"

Skrtel saw it was Chen Hero who had come over and shook his head.

"What's bothering you?"

Seeing Skrtel's serious, earnest, and troubled expression, Chen Hero guessed something.

Normally, Skrtel should be enthusiastically shouting, "Let's organize another event for the 'Eat, Drink, and Be Merry' group before the holiday!" How could he be so silent today?

"Well...my agent called me before boarding the plane."

"Is it about Liverpool?"

It was no longer news that Liverpool was interested in Skrtel; it should be called "old news." Chen Hero had naturally heard about it as well.

At that time, he was even envious because Liverpool was, after all, a giant club. Although their performance had been fluctuating in recent years, they were able to reverse a three-goal deficit against AC Milan in the final to lift the Champions League trophy when they were good, and it was normal for them to end a season empty-handed when they were bad…

But no matter what, they were a team in the English Premier League. They were not in the same league as Zenit St. Petersburg at all.

Skrtel had asked Chen Hero at the time if he should go, and Chen Hero remembered telling him decisively, "Go!" not "Go to hell," but "Go to Liverpool."

"Well... I'm telling you this, but don't spread it, Hero. This matter is confidential now. My agent says the success rate is very high." Skrtel looked around. His teammates were playing, sleeping, listening to music, watching movies… Everyone was busy, and he lowered his voice and said to Chen Hero.

"Uh..." Chen Hero frowned.

His small action did not escape Skrtel's eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"You're transferring this winter?" he asked.

"I think so... My contract expires next summer, and I haven't signed a new contract with the club. The club also plans to sell me now while they can."

Chen Hero fell silent again.

In fact, he hoped that Skrtel would leave next summer because they had a very important competition in the first half of next year – the knockout stage of the UEFA Cup. He was the team's main center-back, and if he transferred, it would definitely be a loss to the team's strength, and a significant one at that.

But after hearing what Skrtel said, he felt that it was impossible for Skrtel to stay until the summer. The club would never allow a situation where they lost both the player and the money. Since Skrtel was not renewing his contract, they would sell him while the contract was still valid and earn a little.

Seeing Chen Hero's silence, Skrtel suddenly thought of something. "Ah, are you worried about that bet? Don't worry, Hero, if you lose, even if I'm in Liverpool, I'll take a plane back for you to treat me!"

Chen Hero rolled his eyes. "I'm afraid you'll have to come back and treat us, Martin!" After rolling his eyes, he said to Skrtel, "Are you really going to Liverpool?"

"You were the one who told me to go..."

"Uh, can't I regret it now?"

"Are you worried about the UEFA Cup?" Skrtel wasn't stupid and knew what Chen Hero was really worried about.

Chen Hero shook his head. "The hell I'm worried about that! We'll win without you!"

Skrtel laughed.

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Zenit St. Petersburg disbanded on the spot after returning to St. Petersburg, and the players' long-awaited and planned vacation began.

But because the vacation was already starting on December 22nd, and the UEFA Cup Round of 32 matches would begin on February 13th next year, everyone couldn't really rest for long. They would have to return to the team in mid-January to start training.

So Chen Hero wouldn't be able to stay at home for more than a month before returning like last year.

In fact, even if it wasn't for the UEFA Cup, his vacation would be relatively tight.

The actual time he could spend at home would only be one week. For the rest of the time, he would have to go to Spain first to visit the Spanish headquarters of zArA, which was also considered a commercial activity. Since he had taken their money, he naturally had to do things for them. Chen Hero had become the top scorer in Russia and broke Veretennikov's record, and he was very popular during that time, which also boosted zArA's popularity in Russia.

Therefore, the Spanish headquarters of zArA, which was not very optimistic about the Russian market, became interested in this spokesperson and invited him to visit zArA's headquarters to let him truly experience the company's culture. It was also considered a promotional activity.

After all, they were paying 300,000 euros a year for a two-year endorsement. It wasn't a lot of money, but they were still spending it.

After going to Spain, he also had to go to the United States to find Sharapova.

The two hadn't seen each other for a while and were a little restless.

Of course, this meeting was a secret operation. Sharapova didn't even tell her father because she knew her father would be furious.

Last time, after winning the year-end finals in Madrid, her father questioned her for a long time about her acceptance speech.

But Sharapova didn't budge, so Sharapov didn't find out who that "he" was.

He had wondered if it was that unsuccessful soccer player who played in Russia, but he had no evidence and could only guess.

After spending some time with Sharapova in the United States, Chen Hero had to return to China.

In China, his agent, Dekula, had arranged for him to sign an endorsement contract with a Chinese company and participate in a TV interview.

This season, he scored like crazy in the Russian league, which was different from last season. Everyone in China knew about every goal as soon as it happened. China Central Television would broadcast news of Chen Hero's goals in the sports news after each round of the Russian Premier League. Thanks to CCTV's publicity, Chen Hero was now very popular in China. Everyone knew that there was a Chinese center forward playing in the Russian Super League who was very good at scoring goals and very strong.

He was even more popular than when he returned to China last year.

Naturally, domestic companies also came to him for endorsements.

He wouldn't just stay in Chengdu when he returned to China. In fact, he wouldn't spend much time in Chengdu, perhaps only two or three days.

He had to go to Beijing and Shanghai.

The peaceful life he had last year, when he and his agent quietly returned to China, traveled around like ordinary people, and went clubbing, was gone forever.

From now on, his life as a big star had begun.

※※※

When he saw Sharapova again, Chen Hero couldn't help but tease her. "What kind of image is this... At first glance, I thought you were an old lady!"

Sharapova, wearing a white wig, rolled her eyes under the cover of sunglasses.

"You think everyone is as unknown as you!"

Chen Hero grinned. "I won't be an unknown soldier for long!"

Sharapova snapped her fingers. "That's right, congratulations to your team for entering the knockout stage!"

"Just verbal congratulations?" Chen Hero tilted his head.

Sharapova leaned over and gently touched Chen Hero's lips, then smiled at him. "Is that okay now?"

"Not bad..."

"You insatiable guy!"

Both of them had carefully disguised themselves, but Sharapova was obviously better prepared. She wore a white wig, and huge sunglasses were enough to cover half of her face. That wasn't enough; she also wore a baseball cap with the brim pulled down low.

Chen Hero's disguise was much simpler—a pair of sunglasses. He didn't have to worry about being recognized. Although Chen Hero's photos had appeared in American media when he was rumored to be dating Sharapova, so much time had passed. How many Americans could still remember this Chinese guy? Moreover, in their eyes, Orientals—whether Japanese, Chinese, Koreans, or North Koreans—all looked the same. They couldn't tell who was who at all…

The two of them were dating not in Los Angeles, but in Chicago. The time they could be together was very short, only three days. During these three days, Chen Hero and Sharapova turned down all activities—mainly Sharapova turned down activities to accompany Chen Hero. They disguised themselves and went out shopping. If they were tired, they would find a cafe to sit down and rest, order a cup of coffee or some other hot drink, chat intimately, and put their heads together. Sometimes Sharapova would affectionately pinch Chen Hero's cheeks, and Chen Hero would immediately retaliate.

They were together, enjoying the life that a normal couple should have.

However, they couldn't be too ostentatious to avoid being discovered by the pervasive media.

If they were exposed, this hard-won vacation would be filled with ubiquitous paparazzi, and of course, Sharapova would have to face her father's anger…

So most of the time, Chen Hero and Sharapova were entangled in the hotel room opened in Chen Hero's name, doting on each other day and night, as if to make up for all the time they hadn't seen each other in so long—in fact, they had only been apart for a month…

Why open it in Chen Hero's name? Because that way, their identities wouldn't be exposed. Chen Hero's name when he appeared in Western media was "hero_Chen," but his name on his passport was "Chen_yingxiong." Foreigners couldn't equate these two names at all… unless someone pointed out the mystery.

In order not to be disturbed by the media, the two of them had tried their best and painstakingly.

Of course, these efforts were worthwhile because when Chen Hero left the United States, the American media didn't know that under their noses, Sharapova and Chen Hero had dated for three days and four nights and spent a Christmas together.

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ps, here's an extra chapter! Another extra chapter! You're happy, and I'm happy too! The monthly votes are rising and rising, and my heart is floating and floating!

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