[Football] Bad Boy Batty

At the end of December, after Manchester City successfully defended its Club World Cup title and had a wonderful Christmas, Manchester welcomed the heaviest snow in nearly 12 years.
The temperature has hit a record low, and combined with the recent outbreaks of infectious diseases in Asia, many people believe that this is not a good sign.

At the same time, the Premier League's intensive Christmas schedule has come to an end. Laporte's early return from injury has filled the vacancy of Manchester City's central defender in time, allowing them to gradually narrow the gap with the top of the standings.

Before the New Year's bell rings, there is still a big thing waiting to be completed. The most prestigious and influential award in world football, the Golden Globe Awards ceremony, will be held in Paris.

Batistuta was selected for the final 10-man list, but this time he was only ranked 5th. Thanks to his outstanding performance in the America's Cup and the new season, Neymar once again won the top 3. He, Messi and Ronaldo reproduced the 2015 Golden Ball Award.

It’s just that this year Neymar is no longer a foil to the other two but the biggest favorite.

A few days before the award ceremony, Neymar received a call from the UEFA president, who congratulated him implicitly. This meant that the favorite was not just a favorite, and if nothing unexpected happened, the trophy would be his.

That night, late at night, Neymar knocked on Batistuta's door in his pajamas, and then ran around the house like a big excited dog who had just taken a bath.

Batty was sincerely happy for him and was looking forward to seeing him go on stage to receive the award in person, but unfortunately, he could not realize this wish.

As the awards ceremony approached, the Manchester City king caught a bad cold.

Due to his own carelessness, the low immunity caused by the virus soon led to inflamed gums, and his whole body was like a small furnace.

With heavier game schedules coming up in January and February, Guardiola has issued a strict order, strictly forbidding him to leave the apartment before he recovers.

So on the night of the Golden Globe Awards ceremony, Batistuta could only watch the live broadcast at home wrapped in a blanket while taking various medicines prepared by the team doctor.

"What a shame, I was hoping you could come and see me win the award," Neymar said, blowing a kiss to the camera. "But I'm glad you didn't come, Batistuta, it's freezing here, I regret not having more layers under this suit."

But you went to the scene anyway.

Batty huddled on the sofa, blew a few bubbles in dissatisfaction, then raised his foot and poked the tablet standing on the coffee table not far away.

"Have you gone in yet?" he asked. "Is the heater on?"

"No." Neymar took out his phone to take a look around. "There are a lot of people inside. If I go in and call you, I won't be able to hear what you are saying."

"Don't use me as an excuse." Batty sniffed, "I think you just like freezing. It makes you look more handsome and cool, right?"

"That's not the case. Look, there's no one here." Neymar turned the camera again. The surroundings were very deserted. There were no reporters or players, and even few staff on the scene.

Humph, okay, just take that as true.
So why not go in?

Just when Batistuta was about to drive Neymar inside so he wouldn't freeze there -

"I didn't go to your award last year, and you can't come to my award this year." Neymar suddenly joked, "Bati, do you think this is a special arrangement of fate?"

"...Yes, it's very special, so special that I celebrated it by getting sick." Batty gave him a fake smile and half a middle finger, "If it must be the same as last year, then in the thank you list after you receive the award-"

"Don't worry, I won't thank you." Neymar smiled mischievously, "It's your fault that you weren't here. You can't blame anyone."

He can hold a grudge. At last year's Golden Globe Awards, some winner-seeking bastard didn't mention him at all.

"Okay, I believe you." Batty changed his half middle finger into a whole one. "You'd better not thank me, or I'll definitely infect you with this damn flu when you come back!"

"I'm waiting for you to infect me, preferably mouth to mouth." Neymar blew him a kiss again, "When I come back with the Golden Ball, you have to rush over and kiss me, and then we exchange trophies, you hold the one with my name on it, and I hold the one with your name on it, what do you think?"

Exchange trophies?
Like exchanging rings?
Barty bit his lower lip and chuckled silently.

Good suggestion, he thought.
There is a romantic feeling that only belongs to football players.

"Okay." Batty agreed with his eyes half closed. He coughed twice, "If this is discovered one day, we can claim to the public that—"

Just when he was halfway through his words, a hand suddenly stretched out from behind, holding a transparent spray bottle, and started spraying Batty without saying a word.

The moment the tip of his nose touched the mist, Batty made his judgment.

"Alcohol?" He turned aside and looked back. It was Qiao Lin. "What the hell?"

I don’t know why, but she wore a mask even though she was indoors and looked as if she was facing a serious enemy.

"What are you doing?" Batty asked in astonishment. "Did I do anything that required disinfection? And your mask, didn't I tell you that my cold has a low infectious rate!"

"No, no, no, dear, who knows if you have a cold or something else," said Qiaolin.

She sprayed more than half of the bottle of alcohol and stopped only when Batty was almost half wet.

"Don't you watch the news? The new coronavirus is raging, and the situation in China is very serious. My friend said that the city has been locked down," she explained.

"I saw it, but we are in England, are you crazy?!" Batty's eyes widened.

As he was speaking, Loach came out from behind, also wearing a mask.

"Hey!" Batty couldn't believe his eyes.

"I'm sorry." Loach sat down on the sofa next to him, "I didn't want to wear it, but she forced me to wear it."

"Oh my God! It's terrible. Li Qiaolin forced you to wear a mask and you did it!" Batty said sarcastically in an exaggerated tone, "You do whatever she says. What's the matter? Does she have something on you or something? You have to figure out who your boss is!"

The loach dared not make a sound.

It's true that Batty is his boss, but Jolene does have something on him, such as getting back together with that crazy vegetarian lady without telling Batty, and being caught by Jolene on a date one day, so she became the second person after Lucas to know this secret.

"Don't be distracted! Listen carefully!" Qiao Lin snapped her fingers several times in front of Batty. "This is a serious matter. It's not like the Middle Ages now. Countries are closely connected. Don't underestimate the speed at which the virus spreads. Maybe the UK will have it in a few days!"

That's horrible.
But Batty still didn't take it seriously. "You're too nervous, Qiaolin." He waved his hand, "Trust me, it's okay, just stay here and put your heart at ease. Even if the virus comes, professional players like us are in good health, so it's okay."

"You're still running a fever and taking medicine, baby! How can you say that the players are in good health?" Qiao Lin raised her voice, "Listen to me, Batistuta, prepare antibiotics, antipyretics, and various common painkillers. Just in case, we have to be fully prepared. Do you understand?"

"Ah—" Batty rolled his eyes towards the ceiling.

Spare him.
He hasn't recovered from his cold yet, and he's dizzy and has a headache. He's still a patient who needs care.

The tablet was just there on the coffee table, and the video call was still going on. Neymar watched the entire interaction between Batistuta, Joline and Loach with great interest.

He was not interested in the virus they were talking about. What attracted his attention was Batty, who seemed to be glowing in this small group.

Loach and Joline are like Batty's family, which is different from his godfather in Hollywood. Batty can completely rely on his godfather, but he will not fight with his godfather or make cheesy jokes. After all, he is his elder and someone he respects.

And now the two people beside him are more like brothers and sisters. Batty trusts them very much, and they trust him too. No matter how badly they say, they love each other in their hearts.

Neymar stared at Batistuta.

Batty is much stronger now than when they first met. Back then he was like a wounded hedgehog, always liking to curl up in a corner and arm himself with sharp thorns, but now - see the warm smile on the corner of his mouth? Batty is now more lively and more like a child from an ordinary family.

"Hey, Ney? Neymar? Where are you looking?"

Batistuta's call pulled Neymar out of his own little world.

"Ok?"

"It's almost time, aren't you going in?" Batty pointed at his watch. "You don't want to be the first Golden Globe winner who wasn't present when he won the award, do you, dear?"

"I'll be in right away." Neymar took out a small headset from his pocket and put it on. "Don't turn off the call, just stay connected, I'll broadcast it live to you."

Batty agreed. He took the tablet and adjusted it, then turned on the TV, watched the live broadcast on TV and then looked at the picture on the tablet.

"Come and sit down." He patted the seat next to him and said to Qiao Lin.

Qiaolin hesitated and sat at the edge.

Tsk.
Batty rolled his eyes.

It's just too sensitive, nothing will happen.

……

Watching the award ceremony at home was almost the same as watching it in person. It was still so boring before the Golden Globe award. Batistuta rubbed his nose and opened a small window on his tablet to play "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds".

To his surprise, Richarlison was also online.
So Batti pulled him over, turned on the mute, and the two of them had a lot of fun playing in a duo.

Neymar, on the other side, was performing funny pantomime with his fingers in front of the camera of his mobile phone because he was afraid that he would fall asleep out of boredom. Hearing the laughter and exclamations coming from the headphones from time to time, Neymar thought it was his own credit and happily made a victory gesture in his heart.

Soon, the award ceremony came to an end.

It’s time to reveal the latest and biggest prize.

Neymar put down his tablet and took off his headphones, then followed the staff to wait behind the curtain. He believed that at this moment all the people he loved were concentrating their attention on the podium, and he wanted to go up there in the best condition.

Unfortunately, Barty had just started a new game.

"There's someone over there! Pigeons, pigeons! Quick, drive! Drive over there! Let's go and exchange gunfire!"

[The winner of this year's Ballon d'Or for best male player is——] The UEFA president opened the envelope, [Neymar! Congratulations!]

Accompanied by applause, Neymar walked up to the podium.

"Ohhh! Did you hear that, pigeon?" Batistuta threw off the blanket and jumped up. "It's Neymar, the Ballon d'Or is Neymar's! He only needs one more World Cup to win the Grand Slam!"

Richarlison was obviously also paying attention to the Ballon d'Or, and he cheered with Batistuta.

Then, at the suggestion of a friend, they found a suitable building in the game and used bullet holes to spell out the words "Neymar! The new Ballon d'Or winner."

Just as Neymar's A was about to be completed, Batistuta heard his name called.

"——Unfortunately, the person I want to thank the most is ill and cannot be there to witness me holding the trophy, but I believe he must be watching me through the TV at this moment."

"You heard me, Buddy? Even though you didn't thank me last year and you were an idiot who caught a cold during award season, it doesn't matter. I'm still going to love you!"

Oh, that's so sweet.

Batty was holding the tablet and grinning.

[Squeak——]
It was Qiaolin again, and she raised the disinfectant and sprayed it at him again.

"Hey!"

The pink bubble burst.
In the face of Batty's puzzled look, the Asian woman gave him a very fake smile.

“Oh, sorry honey, it’s not because of the virus this time,” she said. “Please stop smelling sour because there’s a single person here who just got scammed by a jerk!”

(End of this chapter)