It was already nightfall.
It was almost time for supper. The supper stalls on the entire street became more and more lively and noisy. The tables were filled with students who had finished their evening self-study in the university town.
The owner chatted with Lin Feng for a while longer before he smiled and excused himself. He then returned to his charcoal grill and busied himself with his business.
Lin Feng was left alone at the table, quietly finishing the rest of the barbecue on his plate.
Before he left, the owner smiled and said one last thing to Lin Feng.
"Little Qiu seems to be quite carefree and undisciplined.
But if he's resigned to his fate, he'll be so stubborn that even ten oxen can't pull him back.
"A few years ago, when he first came back … it was the first time I saw him so depressed. Similarly, only his teammate, 'Mo', came to look for him a few times. Only then did I see him smile again."
"So, I'm guessing that to him, the so-called 'teammates' should be the people that he values the most."
"Last night, I heard what you said to Little Qiu."
"This is probably the first time in many years that I've seen him with such an attitude and reaction."
I don't need to know what happened between the two of you. I don't need to know who's right and who's wrong.
You don't need to explain it to me or try to absolve him.
It's not that important whether it's right or wrong.
"After spending so many years with Little Qiu, there's one thing that I think I've come to understand. Although this child can be so stubborn when it comes to stubbornness, he will only be like this when it comes to the people and things that he truly cares about."
"In the past, I was just an outsider. Even if I saw it, I didn't know how to persuade him. But now … since you're here, maybe I don't need to worry about these things anymore.
"Since you're here …
"Then, you must have made up your mind."
So I wish you good luck. I hope that one day, when you come to my stall again, it'll be the two of you. Hahaha, I'll give you a case of beer and barbecue! "
The owner had already returned to the grill. Once again, he skillfully picked up a skewer and began to grill it over the charcoal fire. Hot white smoke wafted from the stall, carrying with it the aroma of barbecue.
Lin Feng gulped down the last can of beer on the table.
The empty wine jar was placed back on the table, along with the bill for tonight's supper.
He turned his head.
He glanced in the direction of Le Cheng Internet Cafe.
He heaved a sigh of relief.
He got up and left.
Coincidentally, shortly after a certain someone left in a taxi, Mu Qiu, who had seen Xia Ziyou and others off, walked out of Le Cheng Internet Cafe and came to the supper stall. He greeted the boss whom he had known for many years, and then ordered a few skewers of barbecue.
Mu Qiu seemed to have noticed something. He looked at the boss in front of the charcoal fire on the grill and quirked his eyebrows in curiosity.
"Uncle Zhang, you seem to be in a good mood today?"
"What good thing happened?"
The boss laughed.
"Oh, not bad."
"Just now … I met a rather interesting little friend, and he told me something worth looking forward to."
…
The next day.
At 10: 30 in the morning, when Xia Ziyou, Sun Zheng, and the others came to Le Cheng Internet Cafe again to prepare for the new day's training, they saw a familiar figure at the computer seat in the corner of the corridor as expected.
Seeing Xia Ziyou and others coming over, Lin Feng took off his headphones and greeted them with a smile.
Xia Ziyou, Sun Zheng and others also nodded politely and greeted him.
They were a little reserved.
Even Wu Tian, Zhu Ming and Zhou Yang were in awe of him.
After all …
Lin Feng's strength was unfathomable, and he was probably at the same level as their coach Brother Mu.
Although they still didn't know what kind of inside story there was between the two, it didn't prevent them from secretly making all kinds of associations and speculations.
Mu Qiu came over and didn't look at Lin Feng sitting in front of the computer. He just said to Xia Ziyou and others in a casual tone,
"You're here?"
"Let's go in and start training first."
The few of them looked at each other and nodded obediently.
Seeing Xia Ziyou and others swarming into the box, Mu Qiu turned and walked back to the front desk.
He passed by the back of someone sitting in front of the computer indifferently.
It seemed that there was still no interaction between them.
For Xia Ziyou, Sun Zheng and others, this was their third day of training in Le Cheng Internet Cafe.
Compared with yesterday, their condition had improved again.
As the "coach", Mu Qiu began to make more time on this day. He taught and gave them all kinds of advice in the box. They listened more attentively, so the results were more and more obvious.
Line up, team play, cooperation.
Every actual combat exercise seemed to be more mature and perfect than the last one.
The main reason was that they had determined that Sun Zheng's top laner was the core tactical system. The whole team began to have a plan and focus. It was difficult for the other Black Five opponents to compete with them head-on.
This also built up the confidence of the people in the box little by little.
During the lunch break, they began to discuss and plan the specific matters of the regional preliminaries in a month and a half.
"There are 40 days left in the competition, but … I think the registration starts now, right?"
"We haven't decided on the name of our team yet."
"Tsk, we have to give it a loud name! Maybe we can really rush into the LSPL and become a professional team. First of all, we have to make a name. "
Wu Tian, Zhou Yang, Zhu Ming and others were talking excitedly.
Xia Ziyou waved his hand.
"Alas, it doesn't matter. Anyway, it's not too weird."
"Speaking of registration, there are more important things to consider first."
As she spoke, she turned her eyes to Mu Qiu next to her.
"I checked on the Internet. In the regional preliminaries, the registered teams can have seven players, five main players and two substitutes."
"And only the registered players can play in the competition. No temporary additions are allowed during the competition."
"So —"
"Do you want to think about it?"
These words stunned Wu Tian and others next to him, and then they all reacted.
"Yes!"
"Brother Mu, you write your name first!"
"In case we can't beat them … At least we have Brother Mu to back us up. Don't say it all, just in case."
They all looked at Mu Qiu eagerly.
If the rules of the competition were so stipulated, then it was indeed necessary to confirm it in advance.
Although Mu Qiu had already given a clear attitude on this before, at this moment, Wu Tian and others could not help but hold on to a few last hopes and expectations.
However.
Facing the expectant eyes of the people in the box, Mu Qiu's expression remained indifferent.
"No need."
"I said, I won't participate."
*****
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