46. Post-match routine
After OT won the championship, he was on the trending topics list more than a dozen times, leaving many viewers who did not watch the finals stunned.
[The champion is OT? I've never heard of that.]
[Huh? Isn't this the bottom-ranked team in the Spring Split?]
[How did I win? Please, someone tell me!]
[Does Lin Jiang have some kind of magic? How can he lead this team to success?]
[I watched the match. TG's tactics were completely countered, and OT succeeded on all three fronts. TG's loss was entirely justified.]
[All teams are stagnating, only OT is improving.]
After discussing OT, netizens started digging into the past grievances between Lin Jiang and KUG.
Who would have thought that those who called Lin Jiang an ingrate and a loser would be dragged out and ridiculed again in less than three months?
[Have you lost your mind? Do you really think KUG is invincible?]
[I'm dying of laughter. What kind of rank do they have to think Lin Jiang is bad?]
[Although my rank isn't high either, I know that if Lao Mao and the others say someone is skilled, then they must be really skilled. What are they thinking, criticizing Lin Jiangcai?]
[Look at your own win rate. Lin Jiang still holds the record for the highest win rate among mid-laners after the entire Summer Split. What is Alike anyway?]
[Only elementary school students would think Alike is better than Lin Jiang.]
Even after digging this far, netizens haven't stopped.
They've started digging up those posts from back when the World Championship loss was blamed on Lin Jiang.
At the time, it was clearly an AD issue, and Lin Jiang was also one of those who were wronged, yet he still had to stand up and speak well of them.
In the end, Lin Jiang became a sinner condemned by everyone.
Everyone criticized him for not knowing how to play Lucian, which made the draft and ban phase passive.
They criticized him for relying on past achievements and not adapting to new versions.
He was criticized as a cancer to KUG, holding an important position but failing to deliver the expected results.
Some people also criticized him for putting the damage output pressure on the AD carry and for only playing weak, low-tier champions.
Even their coach said in an interview that he had a difficult job, saying that he couldn't just pick Lucian as the top laner if he wanted to, which is suspected to be an insinuation that Lin Jiang has more power than the coaching staff.
In that match, everyone was exonerated except for Lin Jiang, who was firmly branded with shame.
All the glory vanished in an instant. He didn't defend himself and continued on his path. But from then on, it was rare to see a smile on Lin Jiang's face.
In an era where fans are rapidly evolving, Lin Jiang has also entered his darkest period.
Only those who still remember his glory waited for him and looked forward to his return. After two years of perseverance, they received the news that he had left KUG and joined OT.
If even KUG has given up on him, can we really expect him to stand up again?
Fear, anxiety, unease.
Everyone is questioning Lin Jiang's choice.
—Without KUG, you are nothing.
—At this age, do you still want to defy fate?
—Admit it, you've been left behind by the times.
Just when everyone thought Lin Jiang was finished, no one expected that Lin Jiang would actually forge a bloody path and turn the tide against all odds!
Looking at Lin Jiang's still-smiling face in the photo, it really feels like the former peak demon king has returned!
[I'm sobbing, I'm crying so hard, does anyone understand?!]
[If I could see Lin Jiang win a championship in my lifetime, I would really cry.]
[I was almost condemned to death back then, and I've been keeping quiet for the past two years, but I never expected my innocence to come so suddenly.]
[During that time, I argued with trolls online every day, but I couldn't win; they were all just armchair critics.]
[I explain to them every day, but those elementary school kids still bombard my private messages.]
[My river, finally, the bitterness has ended and the sweetness has arrived!]
Not only was Lin Jiang exonerated, but also a very influential blogger from back then.
He recreated the match from that year and provided a comprehensive analysis of why Lin Jiang didn't pick Lucian.
In his blog post, he wrote: "KUG seems to have gotten used to being carried by River, so they are particularly rigid in their teamwork. Once Lin Jiang picks Lucian, his teammates stop playing the game."
He also drew a parallel with a foreign team, indirectly proving that Lin Jiang was right not to take it.
The blog post itself was well-reasoned and supported by evidence, but it was overwhelmed by the overwhelming public opinion at the time.
Many people didn't even look at it and directly called him Lin Jiang's lackey, and netizens who didn't know the truth all followed suit and cursed him as well.
This led the blogger to become disheartened and abandon the account, ultimately resulting in everyone losing access to high-quality posts.
Now that the truth has come out, countless people have gone to apologize, but that blogger hasn't logged into the account for two years.
When the harm is real, no amount of apology seems to have any effect.
It's hard not to think about the relationship between Lin Jiang and KUG, so Lin Jiang will never forgive KUG again, right?
The finger lingered on the photo of Lin Jiang winning the championship. Beneath the enormous trophy, Lin Jiang's face radiated undisguised joy.
That was their first year, and He Gu was also present at that match.
Then there was a second year, and a third year.
Then came the fourth year, the year He Gu left.
How come he didn't notice this before?
Lin Jiang's smiles became fewer and fewer over the year; he had grown up, but he had also become less happy.
He Gu stroked the photos and put them all into the packing box.
"Tap tap tap," footsteps approached.
"Young Master He, everything in the office has been packed up. Is there anything else that needs to be packed?"
"No."
He Gu stood up; he only took Lin Jiang's photo and didn't need anything else.
As he walked through the long corridor, he suddenly wondered if Lin Jiang had left in the same way that day.
This corridor is so long!
It looks like a cage.
At the end of the corridor, he saw Alike, who seemed unaware that he was leaving, staring blankly at him. "Brother, why are you moving your things?"
He Gu didn't say anything, but gestured to his assistant to take the things away first.
Alike immediately stepped forward to stop him, "Brother, what do you mean?"
The long corridor seemed like a monster about to devour him. It was the first time He Gu realized that KUG had lost its meaning for him without Lin Jiang.
He stood ramrod straight, his hands in his pockets.
His voice was cold and harsh: "Awen, I don't want KUG anymore. You'd better watch yourself."
After he finished speaking, he patted Alike on the shoulder and walked past him indifferently.
Alike's pupils dilated instantly, filled with fear.
He instinctively grabbed him, "Brother, what are you saying? KUG is your life's work, you built it from scratch! You even argued with the family back then, have you forgotten?"
He Gu hadn't forgotten, but once a person has a weakness, they will be limited in every way.
He reached out and brushed Alike's hand away, then composed himself and left calmly.
Suddenly, the vision went dark, and fear overwhelmed her. Alike reached out to grab him, but couldn't catch him no matter what she did.
"elder brother!"
"What about me? Don't you want me anymore?"
He rushed forward but was stopped by the security guard. He struggled desperately, almost to the point of madness, but the man didn't even glance back at him.
He pleaded with him in a desperate voice, "Brother! I was wrong, please come back!"
"Brother! Look at me! I really know I was wrong, I apologize! Can we go back to how things were before?"
He Gu didn't turn around; his eyes were cold as he strode away.
He knew very well that if a person wanted to become strong, the first thing they had to do was eliminate their weaknesses.
Previously, his weaknesses were Lin Jiang and KUG. Now that Lin Jiang is gone and KUG is no longer needed, he has nothing to worry about from today onwards.
After He Gu left, gossip started circulating wildly in the work group.
[Ahhh, KUG is going to be gone!]
[Oh no, they really withdrew their investment! The office is all empty!]
[I knew He Shao cared more about Lin Jiang; he didn't take anything except Lin Jiang's photo.]
[So it really is because of Lin Jiang, waaaaah...]
[KUG's management is incompetent!]
The news quickly spread online. At first, their fans didn't believe it, thinking that someone was maliciously targeting them.
KUG's poor performance in the qualifying rounds, with the entire team underperforming, led to their loss of their only chance.
Now the fans had no choice but to believe it.
Is KUG really going to disappear?
[Does Alike no longer want to be a part of the fandom?]
[What does this guy have to compare to Lin Jiang with?]
Why, after waiting for so long, is this what you show me?
[When you were being attacked online, I even spoke well of you, but you've disappointed me so much!]
Leaving without swearing is my last act of courtesy.
As news of "KUG's failure in the qualifying tournament" spread, OT also gradually became a trending topic. People compared the match videos of the two teams and found that there was a significant difference between them.
First, in the mid-lane position, Alike is like a reckless player. Once he falls behind or is targeted, he can't play the game anymore, just like the elementary school kids you encounter in ranked matches.
Secondly, there's the top lane. Before, with Lin Jiang supporting him on the flanks, he could play quite comfortably. Now, not only does no one support him, but he also has to go and support others, making the game as chaotic as fluffing cotton.
Then there's the jungler and bot lane duo, who used to be able to carry occasionally.
Now?
Three sports car soldiers.
The fans were so angry that they started swearing.
Looking at OT now, it has developed into a fairly complete system.
The top laners are both tanky and powerful, the two carries take turns dominating the game, and the support and jungler occasionally pull off some amazing plays, making the game full of surprises.
Old Mao was absolutely right, OT is indeed a team with a very high potential!
Countless viewers went back to watch that final, and many who missed the initial broadcast also tuned in to watch the replay.
As more and more people learned about the competition, everyone's opinion of OT began to change, and the number of fans skyrocketed, with even the players experiencing the surge in popularity.
Lin Jiang and Shen Ju already had a fan base, so the number of new fans didn't increase much.
Song Zhixu became the ultimate beneficiary of this surge in traffic.
Overnight, his true colors were exposed, and he went from being "unbeatable by anyone" to being "accessible to anyone."
His tremendous progress has attracted a large number of fans who believe he is a promising investment opportunity.
The next day, when Song Zhixu woke up and saw the screen full of messages and the surge in followers, her first reaction was that she had been cyberbullied.
I only realized I'd gone viral when I opened the messages!
He quickly scrambled to his feet and shared his joy with Chen Ju: "Dude, dude, look online, I think I'm famous..."
He leaned down and asked, "Hey, where did everyone go?"
The competition is over, where can he go?
At this moment, Shen Ju was jogging with Lin Jiangchen.
He asked Lin Jiang what he would do tomorrow before going to bed, and Lin Jiang said that if he had nothing to do, he might go for a morning run.
So Shen Ju got up early and, sure enough, heard Lin Jiang going for a run.
He immediately got ready and then naturally followed Lin Jiang's pace for his morning run.
Most professional players don't exercise much, and their physical condition is getting worse and worse. Lin Jiang's philosophy has always been: "Only when you take good care of your body can you have a good mental state."
Since Shen Ju took the initiative to suggest going for a morning run with him, he was naturally happy to accept.
After running two laps around the park, Lin Jiang felt he had done enough and gradually slowed down. "How does it feel?"
"That's good." Shen Ju followed beside him. "Captain, can you call me when we go running next time?"
"Sure, but I won't be able to call you during the holidays."
"Is the captain going home or back to his apartment on leave?"
"Back to the apartment."
Lin Jiang bought a small riverside apartment where he can breathe fresh air and enjoy the river view when he wakes up in the morning.
As he spoke, he suddenly looked at Chen Ju and asked, "What about you?"
"Me?" Shen Ju had no intention of going home; he'd only get slapped in the face if he did. He took a few steps and tentatively asked, "Captain, can I stay at your apartment?"
He felt a burning sensation on his ears after he finished speaking, and was about to change his tune and say that he was just joking.
To everyone's surprise, Lin Jiang replied the next second: "Sure."
"Anyway, I'm bored living alone. Why don't you help me clean? I can cook for you. I also have a two-player game I've been wanting to play but haven't had a chance yet. Will you play with me?"
If Shen Ju hadn't restrained himself, he probably would have burst out laughing on the spot.
He nodded and mumbled an "Mmm," then, fearing Lin Jiang might think he wasn't being sincere enough, added, "You won't stay for nothing; I'll buy you lots of delicious food."
Lin Jiang laughed when he heard that, a laugh that sent shivers down your spine and made your heart feel like it was about to fly away.
Shen Ju thought to himself that if Lin Jiang ever truly accepted him completely, he would probably die of happiness on the spot.
After the run, Lin Jiang took him to buy water, and the two of them each drank a bottle before they felt better.
Lin Jiang wiped his sweat with a towel, and seeing that Shen Ju didn't have one, he offered him his own, saying, "I used it, don't mind."
How could Shen Ju possibly find it disgusting? He took the towel, wiped his neck, and smelled a faint minty scent. Instantly, he felt his neck burning, and his hormones began to surge uncontrollably.
The two sat down on a park bench. The morning breeze was so pleasant, it made them feel refreshed.
Every now and then, two birds would fly down and land at their feet, adding a bit of fun for them.
How wonderful.
Shen Ju was thinking to himself, "Will being with Lin Jiang in the future make these wonderful days my daily life?"
Thinking about this, my throat involuntarily bobbed.
He glanced at Lin Jiang and saw Lin Jiang looking at the little dog next to him with an undisguised smile in his eyes.
Shen Ju suddenly thought of something, "Does the captain like keeping dogs?"
"Yeah, I like it, but my mom is allergic to dog hair, so we can't keep pets at home. I picked one up when I was little, but it was given away after a few days. Later, I became a professional player, bought my own house, and had to live with the team for a long time, so I never had the chance to keep a dog..."
Sometimes Shenju felt that Lin Jiang was really similar to him. He also had many strange and unusual pets when he was a child, but in the end, they all ended up being abandoned.
Later, he completely lost the concept of raising animals, and he felt indifferent to everything, as if it had nothing to do with him.
The first thought that came to him was when he saw Lin Jiang holding a milk tea. He thought that if he could see Lin Jiang drinking milk tea every day, that would be the happiest thing for him.
However, he wouldn't tell Lin Jiang about this.
Too much love can scare people away.
The little dog next to them sniffed around and sniffed until it reached their feet. Lin Jiang couldn't resist reaching out to pet it.
The puppy seemed to really enjoy being played with, jumping and joking around Lin Jiang's hand, kissing and licking it, so cute that you just wanted to put it in your pocket and take it away.
Lin Jiang laughed out loud. It was clear that he really liked it, and he was incredibly gentle when teasing the puppy.
Even though he was just teasing the dog, Shenju felt like he was being flirted with.
He buried his face in his pulled-up collar, revealing his red ear tips, and his gaze remained fixed on Lin Jiang, unwilling to look away.
I love it.
I really like it.
I want to reach out and hug him all the time.
I wanted to feel the warmth of his body.
The puppy played for a while and then went to find its owner. Lin Jiang watched it with reluctance, and couldn't help but turn back twice as he left.
Shen Ju, his face buried in his collar, suddenly blurted out, "Captain, let's get a dog."
Lin Jiang laughed and refused: "Wouldn't it starve to death if we both kept a dog?"
Shen Ju didn't mention it again, and Lin Jiang thought he had given up the idea. After a while, he heard him say, "When we retire, let's get a dog."
These words suddenly touched Lin Jiang. His greatest wish was to retire and raise dogs, but this was the first time he had heard someone say the word "we".
Actually, I have thought about it. After I retire, I want to find a quiet place to buy a house with the person I love, raise a dog together, take walks together, and do the things we want to do together.
...I just never thought it would be Shen Ju.
Lin Jiang coughed, interrupting his thoughts, "What are you thinking about? When did I say I wanted to be with you?"
Undeterred by the rejection, Shen Ju quickly followed Lin Jiang's footsteps, not letting his fantasies linger.
He's already thinking about what kind of breed to raise.
After a while, "Captain, do you think a Samoyed or a Golden Retriever is better?"
Lin Jiang: ? ? ?
"Sinking puppy, put away your dangerous thoughts. We're not together at all."
"I'm just thinking about it..."
"Don't think about it."
"Um."
The two returned to the base, and Lin Jiang, fearing that someone would notice something was amiss, strode upstairs.
As a result, Chen Ju insisted on following him, and when they passed by, he whispered to him, "Samoyed, do you think it's okay? It looks a lot like you, Captain..."
Lin Jiang quickly closed the door, feeling both angry and amused.
He felt that Shenju's personality was quite like a dog's: fierce to outsiders, but obedient and affectionate at home, and occasionally stubborn.
You know what, it really does look quite similar.
Lin Jiang suddenly felt that it didn't matter whether he kept a dog or not, since he had Shen Ju, the dog, which was enough.
After taking a shower and changing into clean clothes, he went downstairs. Everyone was almost up, and they were all indulging in their leisure time after finally getting a day off.
Some were unpacking packages, some were playing 3699 mini-games, some were indulging in a huge amount of snacks, and others were diligently practicing their ukuleles.
The most outrageous one was Song Zhixu. He was playing a shooting game, and the entire training room was filled with his voice: "Big brother, don't kill me! I'll give you an eight-times scope!"
The older brother shot him dead with a "bang," then immediately looted his 8x scope. "Can't I take it myself? Why did you have to deliver it to me?"
Ah Deng, watching from the side, was quite amused. "Brother Zhixu, is it possible that you could have killed him by using your line of sight just now?"
Song Zhixu, who didn't play this game much, blushed and said, "Ahem, I know, I just wanted to study it."
Lin Jiang, dressed in loose clothes, came downstairs after taking a shower. Looking at his diverse teammates, he felt for the first time how crowded the training room was.
He pushed aside the delivery box next to him with his foot, took a bag of snacks that Zhou Wen had bought, and came behind Song Zhixu, watching him do this with his foot.
Song Zhixu has always been the type who is bad at games but addicted to them. Lin Jiang usually doesn't let him play shooting games because he thinks it will affect his skills. Now, whenever he has the chance, he jumps around like crazy at the airport.
The parachute opened with a whoosh, and upon landing, there was an AK47.
Song Zhixu vividly demonstrated what it means to be flustered and disorganized, picking up things while dodging punches from the other side. In the midst of the flurry of blows, the other side remained completely unharmed.
The last one was the one with the frying pan; he was sent away in three quick moves.
Song Zhixu wailed again: "How did this person get behind me?! Even with a perfect start, I can't win?!"
After she finished yelling, she saw Lin Jiang and her eyes lit up. "Hey, Captain, you're down here?"
He quickly took off his headphones. "Want to play with me?"
Lin Jiang figured he hadn't played in a while anyway, so he decided to play a couple of rounds with him. He sat down and turned on the computer.
Shen Ju also came down and naturally joined their battle.
The three boarded the plane, and Lin Jiang asked, "Where are we jumping?"
"Airport."
"Airport."
Lin Jiang: ?
Don't do that, he's panicking.
As the plane approached the airport, the three of them jumped down together. Looking at the densely packed enemies around them, Lin Jiang could sense that a fierce battle was about to begin.
The teammates matched by the system abandoned them without hesitation, jumped to another location, and then died immediately upon landing.
Song Zhixu: "Don't be afraid, the three of us are enough."
The three landed and quickly gathered their equipment.
Lin Jiang was lucky; he found a rifle as soon as he landed, quickly loaded it, and killed the enemy, thus gaining a favorable position in the warehouse.
Based on the gunshots and the system's assessment, Lin Jiang could roughly estimate that there were at least 13 teams at the airport, 6 of which had just died, leaving approximately 7 teams remaining in this area.
While he was still counting heads, Song Zhixu had already become a box spirit. He exclaimed in surprise, "How did you die so quickly?"
Song Zhixu stammered, "I...I didn't just..."
He took off his headphones and leaned over to watch Lin Jiang's play. "Captain, can we still win?"
"I don't know, but let's give it a try."
Lin Jiang was clearly a seasoned player of this game, his shortcut keys and visual transitions were incredibly smooth.
He quietly ambushed the corner, mercilessly killing the opponent. He blocked the view, calmly loaded his gun, changed positions, and waited for Chen Ju to come over. The two of them then rushed to kill the remaining opponents.
At this point, only three teams remained at the airport.
The sound of a car starting could be heard outside; some people had already left.
Lin Jiang and Shen Ju then worked together to send away the stubborn team that had stayed behind, thus monopolizing the airport resources.
Ten minutes into the game, there were still 34 players left.
"Wow." Song Zhixu massaged Lin Jiang's shoulders with admiration, instantly turning into a little fanboy. "Watching the pro play games is so cool."
Song Zhixu was a novice, while Lin Jiang and Shen Ju hadn't played for a long time and their ranks had dropped significantly. They encountered almost no strong opponents in this game and quickly reached the final circle.
Lin Jiang glanced at the number of people and judged: "There are four teams left, two teams of four and one team of three, plus us."
Shen Ju grunted in agreement and quickly adjusted his position, "Let's go up there."
Song Zhixu was dazzled by what he saw and didn't know how they knew. Then, a gunfight broke out at the foot of the mountain, and both teams suffered heavy casualties. Chen Ju took down a low-health enemy with a long-range sniper shot.
At this point, there are 5 people left.
Lin Jiang realized, "The three-man team on the other side is very strong."
He had barely finished speaking when he was ambushed and surrounded by the enemy. He killed the attackers in close combat, but was then instantly killed by a 98K shot from a distance.
It was this gunshot that finally revealed the location of the sniper on the other side: "The hill opposite!"
Then Song Zhixu witnessed a high-level game strategy.
The moment the sniper pistol fired, Shen Ju accurately pinpointed the opponent's location, then instantly switched to an 8x scope and fired a blind shot, taking the opponent down with a "bang".
He then quickly adjusted his assault rifle, stood up, and unleashed a barrage of fire into the bushes, taking down the enemy who had been lying in ambush beside him.
Game won!
Good luck and may you have a chicken dinner tonight!
Song Zhixu, who was inexplicably caught in the crossfire, was completely bewildered. "How did Shen Ju know there was someone in the bushes?"
Lin Jiang explained to him, "My position was exposed just now, which means someone could see my location and report the direction to the other side. Because of the angle, only that patch of grass could possibly hide someone."
So the instant the gun went off, Chenju immediately pinpointed the location of the last two players and, with a single, precise maneuver, took them down.
"Wow!" Song Zhixu exclaimed, as if he had never seen anything like it before. "So this is how you play this game?"
He hadn't played this game much, and no one had guided him; he had always been in a state of trial and error. After watching Lin Jiang and Shen Ju's teamwork just now, he realized what a ceiling it was.
As expected, the captain and Shen Ju are truly talented; they can achieve perfect teamwork no matter what game they play.
Song Zhixu felt both envious and regretful that he was such a disappointment.
Lin Jiang opened the game results page and saw Shen Ju's data, discovering that he had played exceptionally well throughout the game.
He subconsciously looked at Shen Ju, who was also looking at him.
The game we just played...
To be honest, Lin Jiang didn't expect that he could take someone down with a blind shot and then immediately switch to an assault rifle.
Even I wouldn't dare to be so confident in that position, would I?
The moment the gun fired, Lin Jiang felt as if his heart had been struck; the shock lingered in his mind.
He returned to the team-up page, and Song Zhixu, still eager to start another game, asked, "Want to play again, captain?"
"I'm not playing anymore." Lin Jiang logged out of the game. "That's enough, let's rest."
Shen Ju obediently quit the game, leaving Song Zhixu alone to persist as a loot box spirit in the game.
We had lunch together, and then held a group meeting in the afternoon.
Although the competition is over, there are still many trivial matters to deal with, especially for Lin Jiang and Shen Ju, who have been specifically asked by the authorities to stay and film a promotional video. It is best for them not to leave the city for the time being.
As for the remaining Song Zhixu, A Deng, Zhou Wen, Zheng Yu, and Fang Luxing, barring any unforeseen circumstances, "you can leave the day after tomorrow."
"Oh, we have to part ways with the captain so soon?" Song Zhixu was still a little reluctant. "Can't I stay and play for a couple more days?"
Duren adjusted his glasses and told him, "The cook has taken the day off, so you'll have to find your own meals if you stay here. Also, the base staff will be on holiday."
Song Zhixu thought for a moment, "Then I'll just buy a ticket and go home."
He took out his phone and started buying tickets.
Lin Jiang closed the notebook in his hand, saw the expensive ticket price, and couldn't help but ask him, "You only have a half-month vacation, are you going back too?"
It's not the off-season now; the Summer Split connects to the World Championship, so players who qualify for the World Championship can't take a break.
Lin Jiang had taken into consideration that everyone was too tired during this period and had secured half a month of rest time. He did not expect that Song Zhixu would make a special trip back.
Song Zhixu hummed in agreement. "I have a few childhood friends back in my hometown. If I don't go back during the holidays, they'll think I've forgotten about them, and then when I go home, there will be no one to play with me."
"Aren't you afraid that when you go back, your stepmother will check your bank account?"
"It's nothing, my cousin covered for me." After saying that, Song Zhixu suddenly remembered something, quickly put down his phone, and looked cautiously at Lin Jiang, "Captain, my cousin didn't make any unreasonable demands, did he?"
"fine."
Lin Jiang only said a few good words for him to Yu Ming, and Cao Shenshan was moved to tears. However, the matter of Yu Ming insisting on treating him to dinner was still a bit tricky.
He looked at Song Zhixu, "What date did you buy a ticket for?"
"What happened to the person on the 25th?"
"Come have dinner with me tomorrow, and I'll introduce you to a friend."
Song Zhixu's eyes lit up instantly, "Great!"
Back in her room that evening, Song Zhixu began choosing clothes for the next day's outing. She felt they were a bit too casual, but when she added a hat, it felt too deliberate.
He asked Shen Ju for his opinion: "Do you think it's better for me to wear this hat, or not?"
Shen Ju didn't even bother to glance at it. "They're all the same."
"Can you give me some advice? The captain wants to introduce me to some friends tomorrow. It's okay to embarrass myself, but I can't embarrass the captain."
Shen Ju, who was about to get into bed, stopped abruptly. "What friend?"
"I don't know, huh? Why did you get into bed? Get up and give me some advice..."
Shen Ju is not only going to bed now, he's also getting a sore throat.
He huddled under the covers, listening to Song Zhixu's rambling, unable to fall asleep at all.
He opened his phone: Are you going out for dinner tomorrow?
Lin Jiang replied quickly: Hmm, Song Zhixu told you?
He was indeed going to take Song Zhixu out to dinner. Shen Ju's eyes darkened slightly, and the faint glow of the screen reflected in his pupils, filled with loneliness.
Shenju: Hmm.
Shenju: He said you should introduce him to your friends. What kind of friends?
Lin Jiang: DT Captain, Yu Ming.
Shenju: Can't you take me with you?
Upon receiving the message, Lin Jiang could imagine Shen Ju's expression when he asked that question. He stopped what he was doing and replied: No, you can't.
Although it had been a long time since Yu Ming confessed to him, there was still that relationship, and Lin Jiang didn't want Shen Ju to know.
Lin Jiang typed: Be good, I'll be back after I eat.
Shenju: Hmm.
Although he agreed, Shen Ju's mind was still racing. He couldn't fall asleep for a long time, so he turned on his phone again.
Shen Ju: Captain, you probably don't like Song Zhixu's type, do you?
After waiting for five minutes without a reply, I started to panic. After another five minutes, Shenju couldn't help but say, "Captain, I'm so anxious because you're not replying."
Five minutes later, Lin Jiang replied: Come to my room.
Shen Ju swiftly threw off the blanket, put on his clothes and pants, and left.
He pushed the door open and ran into Lin Jiang getting dressed, the rose tattoo on his waist faintly visible. He quickly pulled the door back.
Lin Jiang glanced back indifferently. "Come in and sit down. I just went to take a shower. I didn't mean to ignore your messages."
So that's how it is.
Shen Ju suddenly felt embarrassed.
He sat down next to Lin Jiang and saw that his table was covered with information about world championship teams. "Is the captain still working so late?"
"Hmm." Lin Jiang finished packing his things and sat down next to him. His collar was a little loose, and he still smelled of the damp scent of shower gel. "Seeing how energetic you are, I thought I'd ask you to help me with the paperwork."
After he finished speaking, he casually put on his glasses. The transparent, frameless design shone with brilliant colors under the blue light, like transparent candy wrappers placed in a glass bottle.
Shen Ju found himself unable to look away; the more he became engrossed, the more he wanted to see clearly, but the clearer he saw, the more engrossed he became.
Too close.
It's so close I feel like I'm about to commit a crime.
Shen Ju forcibly withdrew his gaze, his fingers tracing the pages. "These are all LCK data?"
"Yes, I asked Coach Fang for it. He is indeed very good at data analysis, but it is too scattered and needs to be summarized and organized."
Shen Ju rolled up his sleeves. "Let me help you. Which team do you want? I'll find one for you."
"Could you help me find an SPG first?"
"SPG? Is that the team the consultant used to work for?"
"Yes, I heard they did pretty well in the Summer Split and are a sure thing for the World Championship, so I thought I'd take a look at them first."
The LCK matches ended much later than the LPL matches; the LCK matches were already finished while the LCK semifinals hadn't even started yet.
Shen Ju helped Lin Jiang organize the documents, and before they knew it, it was already 2 a.m. He suddenly realized that Lin Jiang had a lot of work to do every day.
So that's how he gradually brought OT into the workforce.
Shen Ju's heart began to beat faster again. He felt that he liked Lin Jiang more and more, and he felt happy just being in the same space with him.
People tend to take advantage of others once they've had their way with them. What will he do if Lin Jiang doesn't accept his confession later?
He put down the documents and couldn't help but call out to him, "Captain."
"Um?"
Lin Jiang turned around and saw Shen Ju looking at him with a somewhat forlorn expression: "Can't you really take me to dinner tomorrow? I'll eat less and not say anything, just sit and watch."
But Lin Jiang still shook his head, "It really won't work."
He stepped forward and touched Shen Ju's ear, thinking that it was indeed very easy to pinch. "It's just a meal. You should rest well at the base and not go."
Lin Jiang's hands are so gentle...
Shen Ju's eyes darkened slightly, and he lowered his head to rest on Lin Jiang's shoulder like a puppy, hugging him. "I'll just hug you for a bit and then I'll leave."
Lin Jiang's breathing became erratic.
To be honest, Shen Ju looks young, but he's actually an adult. You can feel the hormones emanating from him when you get close, making you unconsciously think about those things.
Moreover, Lin Jiang was not young, and fearing that things might go wrong, he quickly pushed him away.
"It's late, you should go home and get some sleep."
Shen Ju was stunned when he was suddenly pushed away. He looked at Lin Jiang's suddenly indifferent profile, his lips slightly parted, but he didn't say anything and obediently went back.
But when she goes to sleep at night, she can't help but think about why Lin Jiang rejects her. Is it because she got too close?
But……
I really like him.
When I see him, I want to get close to him and hug him.
It's completely out of control.
Shenju buried his face in the blanket and curled up, as those white monsters began to invade his dreams again.
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