47. Keeping the appointment
The next day, Song Zhixu got up and started to tidy himself up, making a point of fixing his hairstyle.
He narcissistically flicked his hair in front of the mirror, then turned around and saw Shen Ju staring at him. Startled, he asked, "What are you doing, looking like a resentful woman?"
Shen Ju ignored him, his eyes dark with worry, and couldn't figure it out even after thinking about it all night.
What is it that Song Zhixu can know but I cannot?
Thinking of this, Shen Ju stared at Song Zhixu with resentful eyes.
After fixing his hair, Song Zhixu went back to tease him, "What's up? Want to go? I'll have the captain take you?"
Shen Ju threw the pillow at his face and said, "Get out."
"Damn, I just fixed my hair."
After Song Zhixu finished tidying up, she heard the sound of a door opening next door, as well as Lin Jiang's voice.
Shen Ju immediately got up, opened the door a crack to look out, and saw Lin Jiang standing at the door talking to Song Zhixu: "Are you all done cleaning?"
"All packed up, Captain. Shall we take a taxi or drive?"
"Let's drive, it'll be easier."
Lin Jiang stood at the door, casually, yet his gentle demeanor was undeniable. Even though Song Zhixu next to him was taller, it couldn't diminish his allure.
Shen Ju peeked at him through the crack in the door, and the thought of Song Zhixu riding in his car made him feel a pang of sadness.
Why does the team leader seem so versatile? Does he look good standing next to anyone?
Why is he so gentle to everyone? Doesn't he see me as different from everyone else?
Shen Ju was so jealous he was practically dying of jealousy when Lin Jiang outside happened to look over. He quickly closed the door, afraid of being discovered.
Lin Jiang: ?
What is this puppy doing?
Lin Jiang straightened his clothes and followed Song Zhixu downstairs. He paused for a moment, subconsciously recalling Shen Ju's longing look earlier.
He suddenly realized, "Let's take a taxi, it seems like parking is difficult over there."
"Great, it's easy to get a taxi."
Meanwhile, Shen Ju was brooding in his room, unable to understand what was so important that he couldn't know.
He opened his phone and subconsciously checked Yu Ming's information, but there didn't seem to be anything special about it.
Unconvinced, he kept scrolling down, looking at every piece of news he saw. Suddenly, his finger stopped on a video, an early interview with Yu Ming and his teammates.
For some reason, his teammate suddenly teased Yu Ming: "What's wrong? Are you still thinking about Captain Lin? Last time in Truth or Dare you..."
Then Yu Ming's face and neck instantly turned red, and he rushed over to cover his teammate's mouth, "What nonsense are you talking about?"
As a die-hard fan of Lin Jiang, Shen Ju immediately noticed something was wrong. He searched for videos from the same period and found that Yu Ming's gaze towards Lin Jiang was not innocent.
Shen Ju pulled out the contact information of a senior in the industry. He hadn't chatted with anyone in ages. As soon as he opened it, a string of messages came out: "Hello, may I ask you something?"
Meanwhile, Lin Jiang and Song Zhixu arrived at the restaurant and were surprised to find that the place Yu Ming had invited them to eat was so upscale.
As Song Zhixu entered, he couldn't help but mutter, "Captain, did we come to the wrong place? Why is he inviting us to eat in a place like this?"
Lin Jiang coughed. "It's alright, I think it's quite normal."
Song Zhixu was confused. When he arrived at the designated private room, he saw that Yu Ming was dressed very handsomely and had even styled his hair.
The private room we booked was for two people, and the atmosphere in the restaurant was somewhat ambiguous and hard to define.
Song Zhixu suddenly shut up.
Yu Ming has matured a lot in the past two years, but he still shows his unease. His eyes lit up the moment he looked up and saw Lin Jiang. "Lin Jiang, you're here."
When they filmed the promotional video last time, Lin Jiang sensed that Yu Ming hadn't given up yet, and today he saw that it was true. Luckily, he brought Song Zhixu with him today, otherwise it would have been really awkward.
Lin Jiang smiled politely, "Sorry to keep you waiting."
Yu Ming stood up. "How could that be? I just arrived too."
After he finished speaking, he saw Song Zhixu behind Lin Jiang and was clearly at a loss. He quickly asked the waiter, "Add another seat."
Pretending to know nothing, Song Zhixu stepped forward and greeted the other party warmly, "Hello, Captain Yu, I'm Song Zhixu. Oh, by the way, why isn't my cousin here?"
Yu Ming was even more embarrassed. He glanced at Lin Jiang and realized that he was trying to avoid suspicion. He also put away his inappropriate thoughts. "Xiao Shan has something come up and won't be coming."
Song Zhixu suddenly realized what was going on and quickly pulled out a seat for Lin Jiang, saying, "Captain, please sit down."
Lin Jiang sat down inside, and the waiter brought a chair for Song Zhixu, who sat down next to Lin Jiang without any hesitation.
This made Yu Ming even more embarrassed.
He handed the menu to Lin Jiang, and Song Zhixu took it for him, looking very serious: "What would you two captains like to eat? I'll order for you."
Yu Ming glanced at Lin Jiang and suggested, "Let's have steak, and a bottle of red wine, anything else is fine."
He remembered that Lin Jiang preferred light flavors, and when they were out together before, he had only ordered steak.
And the sound of Lin Jiang helping him out of an awkward situation that day was like a gentle breeze. I never thought I would remember it so clearly after so long.
Thinking of all this, Yu Ming's gaze softened. He took the initiative to set out the knife and fork for Lin Jiang, and when the appetizers were served, he also placed them in front of Lin Jiang and poured him more wine.
Isn't that too obvious?
Lin Jiang glanced at Song Zhixu beside him, thankfully he was rather dim-witted.
Song Zhixu was still helping him pick out food, saying, "Captain, have something to eat first to fill your stomach."
Lin Jiang coughed and began the conversation: "Did Song Zhixu's cousin cause any trouble for Captain Yu?"
Yu Ming was much more composed than he was two years ago. He smiled and said, "No, it's just a promotion trial. I only provided him with an opportunity and didn't help him much."
"Captain Yu's decision to give him a trial was already a huge help," Lin Jiang said, looking at Song Zhixu. "Aren't you going to thank Captain Yu?"
Song Zhixu quickly put down his fork and poured wine for the other person, "Thank you, Captain Yu. Let me toast you."
Yu Ming accepted it readily.
Just after he finished drinking, Song Zhixu stood up and poured him another half glass. "Captain Yu, you have a good capacity for alcohol. Let me toast you again. Thank you for the treat, Captain Yu."
After drinking two glasses of wine, my face felt slightly hot.
Yu Ming politely stood up. "Excuse me, I'll be right back in a minute."
The steak arrived as soon as he left.
Lin Jiang was cutting his steak when Song Zhixu suddenly asked him, "Captain, does Yu Ming like you?"
Lin Jiang paused, somewhat surprised. "How did you know?"
Song Zhixu was cutting his steak with his head down, the soft light falling on his face; it was rare to see him so focused.
He looked naive and easy to fool, but he was actually very shrewd. "I sensed it as soon as I walked into the restaurant. Who invites friends to dinner in a place like this, and to such a private room? If it were just a normal dinner between friends, he would at least bring Xiaoshan along, right? Just like the captain would bring me."
Lin Jiang realized that Song Zhixu wasn't stupid at all. He put down his cup, still wondering how to put it.
Song Zhixu started talking to himself again: "I know the captain agreed because of Xiaoshan's matter and couldn't refuse. Captain, don't worry, I won't embarrass you."
But why...?
Lin Jiang felt even more embarrassed.
He pretended not to care and took a sip of his drink, thinking to himself that he had misjudged the situation, thinking he had brought along a fool, but it turned out that he had been seen through at a glance.
Song Zhixu reassured him, "Don't worry, Captain, I'm very tight-lipped."
After he finished speaking, he handed the steak he had cut to Lin Jiang, saying, "Captain, you can have the steak I cut."
Just as they were changing, Yu Ming, who had just returned, saw them, and their eyes met briefly.
Then Song Zhixu's face instantly turned warm, and he stood up proactively: "Captain Yu, let me cut your steak for you! Don't be shy, we're all family, I can cut steak really fast, come on, come on..."
Lin Jiang looked at the steak in his hand and smiled.
Song Zhixu wasn't as silly as he seemed after all...
Thanks to Song Zhixu's tireless efforts, Yu Ming was soon forced to drink half a bottle of red wine.
After getting drunk, his gaze towards Lin Jiang became even more hesitant, as if he had so much to say to him, "Lin Jiang, actually I..."
Just as he reached out his hand, Song Zhixu grabbed him and said, "Captain Yu, why can't you stand? Let me take you home."
Yu Ming: "No, no..."
Song Zhixu: "Don't be so polite with me, I'll take you back. I'll also go see my cousin."
He then flagged down a car, shoved the person inside, and stuck his head out to greet Lin Jiang, mouthing, "Don't worry about me, Captain, could you please get my coat for me?"
Yu Ming tried to stick his head out to look at Lin Jiang, but Song Zhixu stopped him with his hand, saying, "Captain Yu, sit tight, we're about to leave."
Not long after, Lin Jiang received a message from Song Zhixu: Captain, you go back first, I'll be back after I finish delivering.
Lin Jiang: Hmm.
Looking at the dining table behind him after finishing, he couldn't help but sigh.
Young love is truly beautiful. After all these years, I never expected Yu Ming to still remember him.
Will someone as stubborn as Shen Ju take even longer?
Lin Jiang returned to his seat to get his clothes when a familiar figure suddenly walked past him. He didn't pay attention at first, until his assistant called out, "Young Master He, that looks like Lin Jiang."
The person in front stopped and suddenly turned around.
Lin Jiang paused as he picked up his clothes, looked up and met He Gu's eyes, whose gaze was also fixed on the dining table where they had just finished.
He turned around along with his assistants and salespeople, who were carrying briefcases. Five or six pairs of eyes all fell on him.
A faint awkwardness filled the air. Lin Jiang was still wondering what to say when He Gu spoke up: "Alone?"
Lin Jiang glanced at the dining table. "Hmm."
He Gu chuckled lightly, "Three steaks for one person?"
He gestured for his assistant to go first, then walked up to Lin Jiang, looked at the coat in his hand, and at the clothes he was wearing.
It's impossible for a person to go out wearing two coats. He Gu's gaze slowly faded, and he looked at Lin Jiang, "On a date?"
Lin Jiang hummed in agreement, then looked around. It was clear he really wanted to leave.
He Gu lowered his voice and asked, "Are you full? If not, have some with me?"
Lin Jiang replied, "I'm full. I ate three servings."
He Gu smiled again. Sometimes he felt that Lin Jiang was really like a hedgehog. When he was docile, he could be petted, but when he was angry, he would bristle with quills.
He took a deep breath and didn't ask who the person who was having dinner with Lin Jiang was, but he could tell that the meal was probably eaten by three people, and the other two seemed to have left first.
He invited him, "If you're not going to eat, could you sit with me for a bit? It'll be a pleasant way to pass the time after dinner."
Lin Jiang didn't want to talk to him at first, but then he suddenly thought of something, hesitated for a moment, and nodded in agreement.
The waiter prepared a very private room for them, just the two of them, sitting on opposite sides. They said they were catching up, but it was more like a business negotiation.
Lin Jiang ordered a glass of water, and He Hu ordered a cup of coffee.
Both of them seemed a little nonchalant.
He Gu spoke first: "I haven't congratulated you on winning the championship yet. I was there for your match that day."
Lin Jiang never expected that even after their falling out, the man would still come to watch his match. His mood suddenly became incredibly peaceful, just like when they were still friends.
He looked at the cup in his hand and nodded absentmindedly.
Then, hesitantly, he asked him, "I saw online that you withdrew your investment from KUG, is that true?"
KUG was He Gu's dream, and it was something he built from scratch. He had survived such difficult circumstances, so he didn't understand why he should give up.
He Gu smiled and said, "Mm."
Lin Jiang's heart tightened. "Why?"
KUG was indeed very important to He Gu in the past.
But later, his family members started to get involved, and various stocks were put in, and things gradually changed.
He Gu seemed to have become a puppet, his every move under surveillance, and his dreams had become a self-imposed prison.
They should have woken up a long time ago.
Those who hide in their boxes have no right to talk about dreams.
Only when he has accumulated enough power to open the box can he become his complete self.
He Gu gently stirred his coffee and said with a smile, "Why are you suddenly concerned about me?"
Lin Jiang put down his cup. "I'm just curious. I remember you said that KUG was your lifeline. I thought it was very important to you, but I didn't expect..."
I never imagined he would give up everything.
From himself to KUG, it seems that nothing can truly touch his heart.
He Gu laughed again. He looked at the watch on his wrist and suddenly remembered something from long ago.
"When I was little, I loved models and would always play with them secretly. Eventually, my mother found out. I cried and begged her not to throw them away. She said she wouldn't throw them away unless I behaved like her. From then on, that pile of models became a knife hanging over my neck. I didn't know when it would fall, and I was filled with fear and anxiety every day. Guess what happened to that pile of models in the end?"
He smiled and lowered his head, "I took it and burned it myself, and burned it very clean."
His cool voice echoed in the private room: "Since my preferences have become a weapon that holds me back, I might as well ruthlessly remove them, so that there is nothing in this world that can restrain me."
The water swayed slightly in the glass, which reminded Lin Jiang of He Gu from his previous life, and he suddenly felt a slight tightness in his chest.
KUG was He Gu's last line of defense. He didn't know what He Gu really wanted, or what it was that made him so eager to give up KUG in order to get it.
Lin Jiang's throat bobbed involuntarily as he picked up the water glass, his wrist trembling slightly.
He Gu noticed his hand and asked him with a smile, "Are you afraid of me?"
The small private room was eerily quiet, and Lin Jiang inevitably thought of his previous life again.
He used every means to trap himself in KUG and control his every move. He Gu seemed to be sick; the more he liked something, the more he wanted to destroy it.
Lin Jiang didn't know what he really wanted; he just vaguely felt that He Gu might not know what normal liking was like.
He Gu's expression was hidden behind his glasses. He was always unseen and difficult to read. "Lin Jiang, you don't need to be afraid of me. You can still tell the difference between liking and loving me."
Lin Jiang put down his cup, unsure of what to say. "No matter what, we're friends, and I still hope you can be happier."
He Gu was stunned for a moment. He looked at the watch that Lin Jiang had personally selected for him. He didn't keep many things for himself, but each one deeply stirred his heart.
He gently turned his watch, smiled, and said, "Thank you."
Lin Jiang's phone, which was on the table, suddenly vibrated. It was a message from Shen Ju: "Haven't you finished eating yet? I miss you."
He immediately picked up his phone, but He Gu still saw it.
The smile behind his glasses slowly faded. He looked out the window, his hands on the table repeatedly clenching together.
After Lin Jiang replied to the message, another vibration came immediately. Shen Ju on the other end sounded just like a lovestruck young man, not knowing how to hide it at all.
He Gu didn't know what messages they sent, nor did he care.
What he thought about most was the first few years after he met Lin Jiang, which were much better than everything now, but he had killed them with his own hands.
After sending the message, Lin Jiang glanced at him and said, "Sorry."
He Hu smiled politely, which was quite proper. He stirred the simmering liquid in his coffee cup and said, "What, you're out to dinner without even bringing someone along?"
There was actually an explanation, but Lin Jiang had some selfish motives and didn't answer, which was considered an admission.
He stopped stirring his coffee, staring at the swirling eddy in the cup with a restrained expression: "You got together so quickly? Why?"
Lin Jiang did not answer.
He Gu leaned back in his chair, the smile on his face completely vanishing.
He suppressed his emotions, trying his best to appear calm, but the coldness in his voice was unmistakable: "What's the difference between him and me?"
Lin Jiang didn't look at him. "There's a difference."
"There's a difference?" He Gu laughed in exasperation.
It turns out that all her manners and upbringing were no match for the power of Lin Jiang's words.
He blurted out almost immediately: "What's the difference between you choosing him and choosing me back then? Have you even met his family? Do you think his family would approve of you being with him? What's the difference between him and me back then? You're not willing to take that step for me, so do you think replacing him would make it easier?"
Lin Jiang gripped the water glass tightly, the light reflecting off the glass cold and sharp. "I'd like to take that step towards you, but have you ever given me a chance?"
"Lin Jiang".
He Gu stood up, his breathing somewhat labored.
He had a lot to say to him, but he felt it was too cruel and had been unwilling to tear down the facade all these years.
Lin Jiang's words today tore open his most painful wound.
He took off his glasses, leaned weakly against the table, and finally spoke his truest thoughts: "I'm my mother's own son, she won't do anything to me, but what about you? I don't think your affection for me can stop her malice. Since I already know it's hopeless, why should I even try?"
Lin Jiang laughed self-deprecatingly. It turned out that some people were inherently cold-hearted, so he thought everyone's heart was as cold as his.
He lowered his eyes and said softly, "I don't care what your mother thinks. She could cut me a thousand times and I wouldn't feel any pain, but if you stab me once, I'll die."
So when He Gu said "Let's just be ordinary friends," he completely killed Lin Jiang, who had been so brave for him.
He Gu felt all his strength drain away instantly, and he sat down.
Trying hard to remain calm, I said, "Let's both calm down."
Both of them simultaneously entered a state of self-calm.
Lin Jiang suddenly felt quite disheartened. He looked up at him and said, "He Gu, you have no idea how to love someone. Your mother never taught you."
Just like in his previous life, Lin Jiang stayed in KUG, but all He Hu gave him was endless control and extreme demands.
Thinking about this, Lin Jiang suddenly felt relieved.
This was a love affair destined to have no outcome; no matter what was done in the beginning, the result would have been the same.
He finished the water in his glass, put it down, and said softly, "Thank you for the treat."
He Gu lowered his head. "I'm different from her."
Lin Jiang sealed his fate with a single sentence: "To me, you are all the same."
He got up, grabbed his coat, and left without looking back.
He always thought he could warm He Gu's heart, only to find out in the end that he was wrong from the start.
Today's conversation completely erased the boy named He Gu from his heart. From now on, he will no longer be troubled by this matter and will live his life earnestly.
The cramped private room was filled with a suffocating atmosphere. He Gu hung his head and remained motionless for a long time until his cell phone rang.
"Young Master He, it's time for us to set off."
"good."
He put his glasses back on, looked at himself in the glass window, and carefully adjusted his tie, striving for perfection from every angle.
He Gu chuckled self-deprecatingly. Even on an occasion like today, he still had to suppress his emotions and quickly get into work mode.
From a certain perspective, he does indeed resemble his mother.
As expected, only cold-blooded monsters can be trained by monsters.
...
As Lin Jiang walked out of the restaurant, he caught Shen Ju spying on him right at the corner.
The two looked at each other in bewilderment.
Shen Ju felt a little guilty: "I just came out for a walk."
"You walked five kilometers from the base?" Lin Jiangcai didn't believe his story and looked him up and down. "How did you know I was here?"
“I asked Song Zhixu, and he said you were alone, so I came.”
Sure enough, Lin Jiang knew that Shen Ju wouldn't behave himself when he peeked through the crack in the door that morning.
Lin Jiang was too lazy to argue. He looked around, afraid of running into He Gu, and dragged Chen Ju into the mall. "Don't you want to buy anything?"
"No."
Didn't you say last time you wanted to buy a cup?
"But I've already bought it."
"Then buy another one, and you can switch between them."
"Um……"
The two arrived at a store specializing in daily necessities. Lin Jiang originally just wanted to kill some time, but when he saw a cup with a dog printed on it, he suddenly couldn't move.
He turned the cups around; one had a Samoyed printed on it, and the other a Golden Retriever. Both were incredibly cute and looked like couple cups.
He was still deciding which one to buy when a heavy hand reached out from behind him and took both of them. "Captain, let's buy them together, one for each of us."
Lin Jiang: ?
He suspected that Shen Ju was smuggling in ulterior motives, and he had evidence.
"I have a cup, I don't need it."
"We should alternate between the two cups, didn't the captain say that?"
Shen Ju glanced at him furtively, just like the little golden retriever on the cup, "It's just two cups, Captain, are you thinking something else?"
Lin Jiang: ? ? ?
Who is thinking the wrong way?
Lin Jiang, holding the cup, said, "Then I'll take this Samoyed one."
"Okay, the little golden retriever is mine."
Having chosen the cup, Chen Ju became even bolder, and he also picked up the same mousepad, saying, "Hmm, let's switch them up."
Then she picked up the same pair of slippers, saying, "Hmm, let's switch them up."
Lin Jiang followed behind, and for every item Shen Ju took, he would put it back.
When Shen Ju turned his head and saw the empty basket, he instantly became depressed. "Captain, can't we buy it for later?"
"cannot."
Shen Ju's expression at that moment was just like the little golden retriever on the cup, making Lin Jiang want to laugh.
He glanced around awkwardly, then secretly patted his head. "Be good, listen to me."
After he touched Shenju, Shenju immediately became obedient.
"Okay, whatever the captain says."
In the bustling shopping mall, the elevator doors slowly opened, and a group of people in suits stepped out.
The salesperson was giving a professional explanation of the report: "Young Master He, our new business district will be just like this one, attracting all the surrounding traffic..."
She was halfway through her sentence when the person in front of her raised their hand, signaling her to stop.
He Gu stopped at the entrance. Despite the large number of people, he immediately spotted Lin Jiang queuing to pay.
He was holding a cup, queuing to pay, and just like always, he liked simple and cute things. His easygoing personality was unlike that of a public figure.
He Gu's heart softened, and he took the initiative to ask, "What kind of shop is that?"
"It's a domestically-owned chain store specializing in everyday consumer goods. The quality of their products is quite good. If you're interested, Mr. He, we can accompany you inside for a look."
He Hu grunted in agreement and was about to leave when someone suddenly approached Lin Jiang, took another cup from behind him, and insisted on paying the bill with him.
The two naturally moved closer, and Lin Jiang smiled without any hesitation.
Shen Ju habitually rested his chin on his shoulder and waited with him.
The person who was texting him saying they missed him just a second ago will appear nearby the next second, accompanying him shopping, their eyes glued to him like an obedient dog the whole time.
He Gu seemed to understand why Lin Jiang liked Shen Ju.
Because he possesses exactly what Lin Jiang needs—a blatant favoritism.
He Hu suddenly felt a pain in his eyes. He didn't want to admit it, but he had to admit that Lin Jiang really would fall for such a passionate person.
The salesperson behind me was still enthusiastically recommending the store: "That store is very popular with young people, and it attracts mostly young couples. It's been doing very well in the domestic market in recent years..."
He Gu watched silently, his voice growing colder with each passing moment: "I understand. I'm in a hurry, let's move on to the next step."
After he finished speaking, he handed the schedule to his assistant and turned back the way he came.
After buying the cup, Chen Ju was as happy as a puppy, humming happily and taking it out to admire it every now and then.
Lin Jiang reminded him, "If you break it, I won't buy it for you."
Shen Ju quickly put it back. He obediently followed Lin Jiang's side, when suddenly a strange thought struck him: "Captain, you brought me to the mall... just to buy me a cup?"
Lin Jiang pressed the elevator button. "No."
"Isn't that right? But..."
Shen Ju stared at him stickily, making Lin Jiang feel a little embarrassed.
Honestly, who could stand being stared at like that every day?
The elevator arrived, Chen Ju went in and pressed the parking lot button, Lin Jiang canceled it and pressed the first floor button.
"Didn't the captain come by car?"
"no."
Then Lin Jiang saw Shen Ju staring at him with that look, so he coughed and explained, "There's a license plate restriction."
Shen Ju said "Oh," and then suddenly remembered: "Captain, your last four digits aren't..."
"Shut up."
Who the hell remembers license plate numbers?
Lin Jiang really wanted to crack open his head and see if it was filled with a love-struck brain.
He pulled Shen Ju out of the elevator and took a taxi home.
At first, Shenju was quite well-behaved, leaning against the window and looking at the scenery. After a while, she hooked her little finger around his hand.
Lin Jiang did not refuse immediately.
Then he heard Shen Ju ask him, "Does the captain like me?"
Lin Jiang withdrew his hand like a spring, helplessly rubbing his forehead. Love-struck people are truly terrifying.
"You're mute now, you're not allowed to speak."
Lin Jiang and Shen Ju returned to the base. Shen Ju put the bag on his desk and took one out of it for himself.
At first, Lin Jiang didn't notice, but when he went to get the bag that evening, he discovered that Shen Ju had taken his Samoyed and left him with a pitiful little golden retriever.
Lin Jiang looked at the cup, then at the table next to him.
I couldn't help but laugh.
Fine, a golden retriever it is then.
The next day, teammates and staff left one after another, leaving only Duren and a few staff members on holiday duty.
Song Zhixu was the last to leave, and Lin Jiang drove him to the airport.
As he left, Song Zhixu kept waving to him, saying, "Captain, I'll bring you some local specialties when I come back!"
Lin Jiang smiled and nodded, "Okay."
Shen Ju, in the passenger seat, scoffed, "Song Zhixu always says he'll bring back local specialties, but in the two years he's been doing it, I've never seen him actually bring any back."
Lin Jiang tapped him on the head, "Stop complaining."
Shen Ju obediently shut up.
He felt safe and then followed Lin Jiang back.
Time flies. These past few days have been busy cooperating with the official team to film promotional videos, and the two of them haven't left the base much.
Once the promotional video was finally filmed, Shen Ju couldn't wait to pack his bags that very night, wanting to go home with Lin Jiang to stay.
Lin Jiang watched him pack his luggage without realizing it and asked, "Are you going home?"
Chen Ju suddenly looked up. "Weren't we going to your house to play games?"
Lin Jiang had almost forgotten about it. He said "Oh," and then said, "It's okay, you can pack up now."
Shen Ju began packing his luggage again, panting heavily.
With nothing to do, Lin Jiang sat on the balcony, holding a coffee and scrolling through his phone.
KUG has been quite a scene these past few days. First, He Hu withdrew his investment, causing KUG's cash flow to dry up, making it unable to pay salaries and leading to massive layoffs.
Then, during the qualifying rounds, the entire team was in poor form and lost their chance to qualify for the World Championship.
Alike was then exposed for frequently visiting nightclubs and getting into a fight, which resulted in him being taken to the police station.
Then someone else revealed that Zeng Yuan was in contact with WG and might leave the team next year.
The series of events was alarming, and as a former core figure in KUG, Lin Jiang couldn't help but be concerned.
After thinking about it for a moment, he called Zeng Yuan to find out about his situation.
Zeng Yuan was aware of his situation. He told Lin Jiang, "My playing style is not suitable for KUG. Staying here will only lead to a slow death. Ah Jiang, after seeing you win the championship that day, I suddenly had this idea in my mind. I also want to muster up the courage to open up a new path."
Lin Jiang, of course, supported him.
I just think about how much abuse I suffered when I left the team, and how it took until now to completely clear my name.
He didn't know if Zeng Yuan would have the same good fortune as him, nor did he know if he could forge his own path after leaving KUG.
However, "Since you've made up your mind, then go ahead."
A professional player's peak period is too short. If they hesitate or stagnate, they will soon be abandoned by the times.
Admittedly, the process of change is painful.
But the moment of reaping the rewards is also captivating.
Lin Jiang picked up his coffee and looked out at the twilight outside the balcony, reflecting on the journey he had taken.
He had reached the summit and knew how beautiful the view was.
So I hope to go back there again.
"team leader."
Shen Ju's voice came from behind him, holding a cup. "Can I leave this cup at your house? In case I need to visit again later, I won't have to bring it with me..."
Lin Jiang chuckled, "Chen Ju, can't you think of anything else?"
Shen Ju suddenly walked to Lin Jiang's side, looked down at Lin Jiang who was sitting in the recliner, and stared directly at him.
"With you and the game installed, there's no room for anything else."
After saying that, she stared at him with those puppy-dog eyes, looked at his lips, her throat moved, and then she mustered up her courage and kissed his forehead.
Lin Jiang was stunned for a moment, not yet able to react.
Shen Ju asked him softly, "Is the captain not resisting because he likes it?"
He even tried to kiss him, but Lin Jiang immediately got up to beat him up. Chen Ju had already jumped two miles away and ran upstairs.
That brat Shenju.
We'll go up and deal with him later.
Lin Jiang, who was holding a cup of coffee, was initially feeling melancholic, but Shen Ju's outburst completely dispelled his mood.
Oh no, am I really going to bring Shenju home with me? I have a feeling this week isn't going to be peaceful.
When he went to sleep that night, Shen Ju was still particularly excited.
Lin Jiang would send him a message every now and then, and at first he would reply to him properly. After a while, there was a faint knocking sound from outside: "Captain, are you asleep? Can I come in and check on you?"
Lin Jiang: "Get lost."
All his good qualities vanished at that moment.
The next day, the two packed their things and prepared to leave.
Shen Ju thoughtfully bought water and snacks, and started asking all sorts of random questions as soon as he got in the car.
"Captain, am I the first person to stay at your house?"
"no."
"Then who else?"
“Zeng Yuan, Lao Mao, Yu Ge, and others have all come over. The gaming equipment at home was bought at their urging. Oh, and there are two computers too.”
"Captain, you have so many friends?"
"Yes, I prefer lively gatherings, but unfortunately everyone became famous and had a lot of things to do, so we haven't gotten together for a long time."
It turns out the captain only brought me home because he wanted to play games.
Shen Ju was not discouraged. "Captain, you can call me for anything you want to do in the future. I will accompany you unconditionally."
After he finished speaking, Lin Jiang suddenly glanced at him and asked, "Are you sure?"
Shen Ju nodded with unwavering determination, "I'm sure."
Then Lin Jiang quickly took him home, and in the afternoon he quickly took him to a nearby amusement park.
Shen Ju slowly raised his head, staring blankly at the endless roller coaster in front of him. "Captain, is this the lifelong dream you were talking about..."
"Yeah, you're scared?"
Lin Jiang grabbed his hand, his smile brighter than the sunlight behind him, "Little Shen, it's too late for you to regret this now!"
At that moment, Shenju's heart felt like it was about to jump out of his chest.
Shen Ju thought to himself, he has no regrets.
He's committed to following him for the rest of his life.
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