Sweet Side Story
On the day Lin Jiang officially announced his retirement, many people in the industry called him. Zeng Yuan sent his blessings from afar: "Congratulations! After 8 years of fighting, you can finally rest."
"Your eight years doesn't sound like a compliment; it sounds like you're mocking me for getting old."
"What do you mean?" Zeng Yuan laughed heartily. "Are you really not going to hold a retirement ceremony for you? Even if it's not a big one, shouldn't you at least have one privately?"
"No, that's too exaggerated. Besides, wouldn't a lot of people cry in that kind of scene? I hate seeing people cry the most."
"That's true. Your little dog is probably going to cry its eyes out. Your fans will definitely miss you too. You're only 25, why don't you play for another year? You don't seem that old."
Lin Jiang reluctantly took off his glasses. "I'm 26, okay? I really can't play anymore. I'm not planning on having a retirement ceremony, but I can invite you to my birthday party tomorrow."
"Then it's settled! You must invite me! I'll call Lao Mao again."
"Um."
After hanging up the phone, Lin Jiang put his glasses back on and looked at the contract. Although he had retired, he had no intention of leaving OT, and the team had also offered him a plan to rehire as a coach.
If all goes well, he will still be on the court next season and play alongside Shen Ju.
He took a sip of coffee, and Shen Ju returned.
His voice rang out from the living room: "I'm home!"
Lin Jiang sold that apartment and bought a two-bedroom apartment. Every time he worked in his study, he could hear Shen Ju come back and howl like that.
He took off his glasses and went into the living room, where he saw Shen Ju starting to take off his clothes to prepare for a shower. "What have you been up to lately? You come back every day covered in sweat."
"I'm going to exercise." He leaned in to kiss Lin Jiang, then sniffed his own sweaty body and quickly grabbed his clothes to take a shower.
Lin Jiang put the contract down, held his coffee, leaned against the door, and glanced inside. "Chen Ju, are you hiding something from me? Why are you taking a shower in broad daylight?"
"No," Shen Ju opened the door, stuck out her little dog head, and kissed him. "Don't overthink it. I really went to exercise. Is there anything you want to eat tonight? I'll take you."
Lin Jiang wasn't appeased and asked him again, "It's my birthday tomorrow, are you really not coming?"
Shen Ju nodded. "I want to rest at home."
His gaze was still so intense as he looked at him. "Lin Jiang, go have fun with Lao Mao and the others. I'll make you a cake when you get back."
Lin Jiang looked up at him, but couldn't detect anything amiss. "You don't like Mao and his men?"
"No, I just feel that whenever I'm around, you guys can't really talk freely. You see, every time you guys have a gathering, I'll go to the side and wait for you to finish talking."
His words were reasonable and well-founded, and Lin Jiang couldn't refute them, but he was a little disappointed. "You really didn't hide anything from me?"
"Don't worry, I'm really fine." He closed the door and continued washing. "Lin Jiang, could you get me a clean set of clothes?"
Lin Jiang handed him the clothes, then thought for a moment, "Actually, it's not necessary to invite them. If you don't like it..."
Shen Ju opened the door again, pulled him inside, and kissed him with a smile. "Why do you keep asking? Are you worried that I'm having an affair?"
In recent years, Shen Ju's facial features have matured, and he looks more and more mature. He really looks like he has seven or eight ex-partners. Even Mao Zedong is telling him to keep a close eye on him.
Lin Jiang turned his face away uncomfortably, "I didn't think that way."
"Then why do you keep asking?" Shen Ju kissed him again, a little happy. "Don't overthink it. I just want to rest at home. You can celebrate your birthday with them. When you come back, I'll take you to the amusement park to see your favorite teddy bear dance."
At least he has a conscience; he remembered his birthday wish.
Lin Jiang let him off the hook, saying, "Go wash properly."
The next day, Lin Jiang got up, straightened his clothes, and looked at Chen Ju playing games on the sofa. He was still a little disappointed. "Are you really not coming with me?"
Shen Ju didn't even look up. "I'm not going."
Lin Jiang didn't quite understand.
Is it really true, as some people say online, that once someone gets their hands on you, they don't know how to cherish you?
"I'm leaving?"
"Um."
"Really gone?"
"Bye-Bye."
You bastard.
Lin Jiang cursed as he closed the door.
He originally didn't invite many people to his birthday party, but word spread and more and more people came, including Song Zhixu and A Deng.
It was a rare occasion for everyone to get together, and the atmosphere was lively. Old Mao even offered his arcade for free, and everyone had a great time.
Song Zhixu competed with Lin Jiang in motorcycle racing, losing all five races.
Lin Jiang couldn't stand it anymore and started to teach him: "Don't be so stiff with your feet. Your posture should follow the machine, understand?"
Song Zhixu studied diligently, but after a while it suddenly dawned on him: "I'm not even on overtime anymore, so why am I still being so obedient?"
The people next door burst into laughter, "Hahaha, it's probably become muscle memory now. Lin Jiang's thousands of solo matches weren't for nothing."
"You little brat, Lin Jiang was the one who brought you up back then, wasn't he? You're lucky."
Song Zhixu laughed heartily, seemingly quite pleased with himself. He played a few more rounds with Lin Jiang, then suddenly remembered, "Why isn't Chen Ju here?"
The atmosphere suddenly quieted down. Everyone seemed to have noticed the problem. It was the off-season, and even Song Zhixu and A Deng had come running over. It was hard to imagine why Shen Ju wouldn't come.
Lin Jiang explained, "He's resting at home."
Staying home to rest might be because you're not feeling well.
Everyone went back to doing their own thing, but Lin Jiang was pulled aside by Zeng Yuan to chat, and they ended up talking until evening.
During dinner that evening, Lin Jiang messaged Shen Ju again: "Really not coming? Song Zhixu and A Deng are both here."
It took a long time to receive the message.
Shen Ju: ? What's Song Zhixu doing here?
Shen Ju: Lin Jiang, didn't you say you were going home for dinner? Hurry up and go home!
Shenju: Hurry, hurry, come back alone. I'm waiting for you to eat cake.
Why are you being so secretive about just eating cake?
Lin Jiang also wanted to go home, but Lao Mao kept him chatting for a long time, bought a cake, and insisted on eating it at his house: "We haven't seen your new house yet, so we can go and get acquainted with it!"
Since we're eating cake anyway, let's eat it together.
He led a group of people back to the new house, and as soon as he entered the password to open the door, he saw the whole house filled with bursting ribbons.
A banner hanging overhead read "Happy Birthday Lin Jiang," the room was filled with balloons, and the music was deafening. Then, a person dressed as a teddy bear stood up.
Lin Jiang seemed to understand something, "Wait!"
The music was so loud that Shen Ju had no idea what he was talking about. He was wearing a clumsy bear costume and performed a dance that he had only learned in three days.
It's bulky, but it's also very alluring.
Shen Ju originally thought it would be very difficult, but he got more and more excited as he jumped, so he simply gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and finished jumping with all his might.
She spun around 360 degrees, then knelt on one knee, removed her hood, and took out a gift she had prepared beforehand, handing it to him: "Lin Jiang, happy birthday!"
Then Lin Jiang helplessly rubbed his forehead. Behind him stood most of the e-sports players, staring at him in shock, before bursting into thunderous laughter: "Hahahahahaha...!"
"Holy crap, I thought I had selected the show, but it turned out to be Shen Ju!"
"Ah, let me see, is it Shenju?"
"I was wondering, which bear was jumping so energetically..."
"Is it really Shen Ju? Hahahaha..."
"Kneeling on one knee, I thought it was a marriage proposal!"
"Lin Jiang, you're amazing! You're eating so well behind our backs!"
Shen Ju was already contemplating jumping off the building. He glared at Lin Jiang, "Didn't I tell you to come back alone?"
Lin Jiang: ?
Little did he know he was so brave!
The laughter outside grew even louder, with Song Zhixu laughing the loudest: "Chen Ju, you're going too far!"
Enraged, Shen Ju threw down the hood. "Song Zhixu, you dare to film me like this! Is this for you to see?!"
He was about to rush up and beat Song Zhixu up when Lin Jiang picked him up, carried him back to the room and locked him in. "Don't move, I'll handle this."
Shen Ju tried to get up, "No, I must silence Song Zhixu. He'll definitely spread the word..."
Lin Jiang pressed him down on the bed and kissed him without hesitation. He kissed him deeply, making Shen Ju's face flush and panting as he lay on the bed watching him.
The teasing outside grew louder. Inside the room, their eyes met. Lin Jiang vigorously rubbed Chen Ju's lips, then leaned down and kissed him. "Wait for me, I'll go take care of it."
Shen Ju blushed, his body buried in the clumsy doll costume, as red as an apple. "Then, I'll wait for you to come back."
Lin Jiang couldn't resist and kissed him again.
He got up and saw everyone outside the door away, saying, "Go away, go away."
"Didn't you say you wanted to eat cake? Lin Jiang, you're putting your girlfriend before your friends!"
"Hahaha, let alone Lin Jiang, who could withstand someone as skilled as Shen Ju?"
"Now I finally know how he won her over..."
"My heart still trembles when I think about it now. Lin Jiang, you were eating such good food behind our backs!"
Lin Jiang was speechless after being teased by them. He escorted the person to the bottom of the building and reminded them, "The photos have all been deleted. I'll get angry with anyone who posts them."
"Don't worry, no photos were taken at all!"
"Damn it, who dares to post Shen Ju's photos?"
"Hahaha, I can't out-argue him..."
Lin Jiang could only let them tease him, unable to refute a single point.
When he left, he deliberately pulled Song Zhixu aside and said to him, "Well, Shen Ju is easily embarrassed, so just pretend that what happened earlier never happened."
Song Zhixu stared at him with bright eyes, then laughed, "Captain, you're so good to him, I'm so envious."
Lin Jiang patted him on the shoulder and teased, "Then good luck, hurry up and find a girlfriend."
Song Zhixu smiled but didn't say anything.
When Lin Jiang returned home, Shen Ju had already showered and changed his clothes. She looked at him awkwardly and said, "You said your birthday wish was to see Little Bear dance, but I didn't want you to watch others, so I went to learn it myself."
So I've been acting all mysterious these past few days because I wanted to prepare a surprise for him.
Lin Jiang picked up the bear costume from the ground, a little regretful, "Can I jump again?"
Shen Ju's expression changed, and he refused to jump again no matter what.
He forcefully pressed Lin Jiang onto the sofa, saying, "Forget about what just happened, and don't mention it again!"
Lin Jiang wanted to laugh but didn't dare to. After laughing, he felt a little regretful, "It's a pity I couldn't see it very clearly just now."
Shen Ju kissed him, his cheeks still a little red. He seemed to be having an internal struggle, and after a while he whispered, "Then, make another birthday wish."
Lin Jiang quickly closed his eyes and made a wish: "I want to see the little bear dance again."
Before he could finish speaking, Shen Ju picked him up from the sofa and carried him straight to the bedroom.
"Huh? My wish is for a little bear to dance."
"Let me start by performing a puppy dance for you, to liven things up."
I don’t know if that incident had a big impact on Shen Ju, but he was particularly ruthless that night, as if he was determined to make up for the grievances he had suffered.
The next day, Lin Jiang couldn't get out of bed and canceled the gathering he had agreed to.
Old Mao teased him in the group chat: "You must be exhausted after a long night? I just don't know if it's your back that hurts, or Chenju's back?"
Clever Guy: Isn't that obvious? Look at how fawning Shen Ju was yesterday, it's definitely Lin Jiang who's on top!
Brother Yu: Not necessarily. Shen Ju has better stamina, while Lin Jiang's back isn't so good...
Lin Jiang was looking at the dirty jokes in the group chat and was already thinking of leaving. Sigh, these single people are really interested in his private life.
Shen Ju woke up behind him, still half asleep. He instinctively massaged Shen Ju's back. "Does it still hurt?"
Yesterday, not only did Lin Jiang suffer from back pain, but Shen Ju wasn't much better either. He went too far, and Lin Jiang lost control, scratching his arms and back until they bled.
Now that the passion has faded, looking at the marks on his body, Lin Jiang is starting to doubt whether he really wasn't interested in the matter anymore.
Shen Ju pulled him into the blanket, his body burning hot behind him. "Does your back hurt a lot? Lie down and I'll rub it for you."
Lin Jiang thought it best not to rub it anymore.
Otherwise, my back will still hurt first thing in the morning.
It's over, really over. I've written everything I wanted to write.
My next book will be an infinite flow novel called "Transmigrated into a Game World Disliked by Everyone". You can read the synopsis by clicking on my author page. It's a thrilling and exciting story, and it will probably be released next month.
I originally planned to write an e-sports novel, but I realized halfway through that writing too many e-sports novels would cause my inspiration to dry up and my writing skills to weaken, so I want to take a break before writing more.
I bow again to my loyal fans!
Thank you so much for your support, which has kept me writing!
grateful.
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