42
As the night deepened, the base fell completely silent, with only the security indicator light at the end of the corridor emitting a faint green light.
Shen Qingyu lay in bed, unable to sleep. Every cell in her body seemed to be clamoring, recalling every detail of the moment in the garden—his solemn confession, his warm embrace, the precious kiss he had placed on her forehead. The air seemed to still linger with the clean scent of cedar, bringing peace of mind and a throbbing heartbeat.
She rolled over and picked up the phone beside her pillow. The screen lit up in the darkness. The WeChat interface was frozen on a chat with Yu Wang, the last message a few days ago, a brief exchange about a work handover. Her fingertips hovered over the screen, hesitant, a strange yet familiar, girl-in-love throbbing sensation spreading through her heart. She'd only just separated, but she was already missing him.
At this moment, a new message popped up at the top of the screen.
Yu Wang: "Are you asleep?"
Something seemed to hit her chest gently. Shen Qingyu almost immediately opened the dialog box.
Shen Qingyu: “Not yet.”
As soon as the message was sent, the other party replied almost instantly.
Yu Wang: "I can't sleep either."
Yu Wang: "Thinking about you."
The straightforward and simple words, though piercing the cold screen, carried a scorching heat, burning Shen Qingyu's fingertips and cheeks. She buried her face in the soft pillow and couldn't help but laugh silently. She felt as if she were soaking in warm honey water, so sweet that it was sickening.
She thought about it and typed a reply:
Shen Qingyu: "Me too."
After sending it, I felt that these three words were not enough to express the surging emotions in my heart, so I added:
Shen Qingyu: "I'm still thinking about the fragrance of the flowers in the garden."
Shen Qingyu: "And...your words."
This time, Yu Wang didn't reply immediately. The phrase "The other party is typing..." at the top of the dialog box appeared intermittently several times.
About a minute later, his message came.
Yu Wang: "Those words have been hidden in my heart for a long time."
Yu Wang: "From now on, I can tell you about it every day."
Shen Qingyu's eyes warmed again as she read the two lines of words. She could sense the earnest yet slightly clumsy tenderness in his expression as he typed them. The man who dominated the court and made calm decisions always revealed this almost youthful sincerity when they were alone with her.
Shen Qingyu: "Okay."
Shen Qingyu: "But if I say too much, I'll get proud."
She tried to use some jokes to dilute the overly sweet atmosphere, fearing that she would drown in it.
Yu Wang: "You can be proud."
Yu Wang: "With me, you will always have all the capital to be proud."
Shen Qingyu was completely speechless. She cradled her phone and rolled gently on the bed, pressing her burning cheek against the cool pillow, trying to cool down. This man...was he still that good at flirting after three years? Or was it just his genuine sincerity that made every word so touching?
Yu Wang: "I won't bother you anymore, go to bed early."
Yu Wang: "What do you want to eat tomorrow morning? The shrimp dumplings and preserved egg and lean pork porridge made by the aunt at the base are pretty good."
He began to care about her daily life in detail. This natural consideration made Shen Qingyu feel more at ease than any love words.
Shen Qingyu: "All good."
Shen Qingyu: "Good night, Yu Wang."
Yu Wang: "Good night, Qing Yu."
The conversation came to a temporary halt. Shen Qingyu placed the phone against her chest, feeling the rhythmic vibrations gradually sync with her heartbeat. She closed her eyes, and her mind no longer recalled the heartbreaking misunderstanding on the rooftop three years ago, but rather the eyes filled with starlight and love as he gazed at her tonight.
It turns out that this is what true letting go and starting over feels like. It's not about forgetting, but about carrying those experiences forward into a more certain future.
At the same time, in a room at the other end of the base.
Chen Chenchen sat at his computer desk, the screen lit but displaying a blank document. He leaned back in his chair, unconsciously turning the unfinished can of Coke in his hand, his gaze fixed unfocused on a single point in the void.
The conversation on the terrace and Qu Shengsheng's eyes, which were cunning and had a subtle hint of relaxation when he finally agreed to come to the game and reminded him not to forget the cake, kept replaying in his mind.
He opened WeChat, and the newly verified profile picture of Qu Shengsheng lay quietly at the top of his contacts. The picture was a blurry, colorful nightscape, perfectly matching the vibe she gave off—passionate, hazy, and a bit unpredictable.
Their conversation still remained at the point of their previous brief exchange about tickets and cake.
He moved his fingers, clicked on the input box, typed a few words, deleted them, typed again, and deleted again.
He found that compared to his calm command on the field and his composure in front of thousands of spectators, how to naturally send his first "official" WeChat message at this moment actually made him feel a rare sense of difficulty and nervousness.
He didn't want to seem too eager, but he also didn't want to cool the mood.
Finally, he carefully considered sending a message that seemed the least likely to go wrong.
Chen Chenchen: "Back to the room?"
After sending the message, he waited anxiously. Time seemed to stretch, each second becoming exceptionally clear. He could even hear his own rapidly beating heartbeat.
A few minutes later, the phone finally vibrated.
Qu Shengsheng: “Yeah.”
Just one word.
Chen Chenchen frowned slightly. The reply was too brief, making it impossible for him to judge her emotions. Was she tired? Or... regretting adding him back?
He took a deep breath and decided to be more direct.
Chen Chenchen: "Regarding next Friday's game, the KING team has recently developed a new tactical system that tends to focus on suppressing the top and jungle in the early game. This may be a bit of a target for our top and jungle positions."
He tried to find a topic that she might be interested in and that was relevant to him. After all, their initial connection stemmed from gaming.
This time, the reply came a little faster.
Qu Shengsheng: "Oh? Then how are you going to deal with it?"
Qu Shengsheng: "Can Xiao Y handle the pressure?"
Seeing that she cared about the game and the team, and even mentioned Xiao Y, Chen Chenchen felt a little relieved. At least, she was willing to respond.
Chen Chenchen: "We practiced several counter-attacks in the training match. Xiao Y has a good mentality and delicate mechanics, but he definitely needs to hone his experience."
Chen Chenchen: "When the time comes, you'll know when you come to see it on site."
He cleverly brought the topic back to the "scene".
Qu Shengsheng: "Okay, I want to see how Captain Chen leads the team to break the deadlock."
It was followed by a slightly provocative [eating melon] expression.
This expression instantly made Chen Chenchen seem to see the lively and slightly proud girl who followed behind him in the game a few years ago, shouting "666" and occasionally "questioning" his commands.
The corners of his mouth rose unconsciously, and most of his tension dissipated.
Chen Chenchen: "I won't let you down."
Chen Chenchen: "It's late, I won't disturb you to rest."
He knows how to quit while he's ahead.
Qu Shengsheng: "Well, you should go to bed early too."
Qu Shengsheng: "Good night."
Chen Chenchen: "Good night."
Putting down his phone, Chen Chenchen leaned back in his chair and breathed a long sigh of relief. While the conversation wasn't long, it was at least a smooth, positive start. He looked out the window at the dark night, and the corner of his heart, long desolate, seemed to be rekindled with a hint of life thanks to this tiny, tenuous connection.
He remembered the "cake" she mentioned. Tomorrow, maybe he should take some time to check if that cake shop she mentioned she liked, which required reservations long in advance, is still available.
---
The next morning, sunlight filtered through the gauze curtains, waking up the sleeping base.
Shen Qingyu's biological clock was very accurate, and she woke up naturally at 7:30. After washing up, she opened the door and happened to see Yu Wang walking out of the room opposite.
He had changed into a clean, light grey tracksuit, and his hair was still slightly damp, as if he had just washed his face. He looked fresh and upright. The moment he saw her, his eyes softened and he walked over quickly.
"Did you sleep well?" He asked in a natural and low voice, and took the empty water cup from her hand. "I'll go get some water."
"Very good." Shen Qingyu nodded, followed him, and walked towards the kitchen together. The base was particularly quiet in the early morning, and the only sounds in the corridor were the two of their footsteps.
At the kitchen door, they ran into Ji Feng, who had also just woken up. Seeing them appear together, Ji Feng's eyes flashed with a glimmer of understanding, but he didn't ask anything. He simply nodded calmly as a greeting: "Good morning."
"Good morning." Yu Wang responded naturally.
Ji Feng took a cup of warm water and went straight to the training room, leaving the two of them alone.
Yu Wang poured a glass of warm water for Shen Qingyu and another for himself. The two of them leaned against the kitchen counter. Outside the window was the rising sun, and the golden light poured in, falling on the countertop, emitting a warm glow.
"Auntie should be here soon to make breakfast." Yu Wang said, "I told her about shrimp dumplings and porridge yesterday."
"Yeah." Shen Qingyu took a sip of water, feeling the plain yet warm morning time.
After a while, the team members also got up one after another. The fat man with a messy head of hair walked into the kitchen yawning. Seeing Yu Wang and Shen Qingyu standing together, he immediately winked at them. When Yu Wang gave him a cold glance, he immediately became obedient and went to find milk.
Hulu and Xiao Y came in arm in arm, and when they saw Shen Qingyu, they politely called her "Sister Qingyu".
Qu Shengsheng was the last to appear. She was wearing comfortable casual clothes and had no makeup on, but she was still bright and charming. She saw that the atmosphere between Shen Qingyu and Yu Wang was obviously different from yesterday, and winked at Shen Qingyu in understanding.
Shen Qingyu blushed slightly and responded with a faint smile.
The atmosphere at the breakfast table was even more subtle than last night. Yu Wang sat next to Shen Qingyu naturally, occasionally pushing side dishes she might like towards her, or refilling her soy milk when her cup was empty.
These subtle movements were all observed by the other team members. Everyone kept silent and focused on eating, only occasionally exchanging glances that said "you know what I mean."
The fat man tried to make a joke several times, but Hulu kicked him under the table every time. He could only hold back his laughter and concentrate on eating the shrimp dumplings.
Qu Shengsheng sat opposite Shen Qingyu, drinking her porridge slowly. Her eyes occasionally swept across the man and woman opposite who exuded an invisible tacit understanding, and then passed by Chen Chenchen who was sitting diagonally opposite, eating breakfast quietly but looking at her from time to time. She felt a strange feeling in her heart.
After breakfast, the team members went to the training room one after another to start the day's training. Shen Qingyu and Qu Shengsheng returned to their rooms to deal with their own work.
Yu Wang sent Shen Qingyu to the door of the guest room.
"I have a few scrimmages to attend this morning," he whispered. "Shall we have lunch together?"
"Okay." Shen Qingyu nodded.
"Feel free to WeChat me if you need anything." He paused and added, "Or you can just come to the training room and find me."
The indulgence and intimacy in his words were self-evident.
"I know. Go quickly and don't delay training." Shen Qingyu pushed him.
Yu Wang looked at her with a smile in his eyes, and finally turned and walked towards the training room.
Shen Qingyu returned to the room and just turned on the computer when Qu Shengsheng slipped in, closed the door with his backhand, crossed his arms, and looked at her mischievously:
"Miss Shen, it seems the battle was intense last night? These pink bubbles are almost overflowing the base."
Shen Qingyu blushed and glared at her angrily: "Don't talk nonsense."
"How could I be talking nonsense?" Qu Shengsheng came over and sat down next to her. "Come on, tell the truth! Is this considered... officially a reunion?"
Shen Qingyu looked at her friend's concerned and gossipy eyes, nodded slightly, and the corners of her lips were sweet and could not be suppressed: "Yeah. It's all clear."
"That's great," Qu Shengsheng said sincerely, patting her shoulder. "I knew it, the way Yu Wang looks at you, he's never let go." She paused, her tone tinged with self-mockery, "Unlike some people, who have to rely on 'cake' to break the ice."
Shen Qingyu keenly caught the message in her words: "Cake? Chen Chenchen?"
Qu Shengsheng shrugged and pretended to be relaxed, briefly telling the story about what happened on the terrace last night and adding people back on WeChat.
"He said... he would invite me to the next home game and give me cake as well."
Shen Qingyu smiled: "Isn't this a good start? It shows that he really cares about the misunderstanding from that year."
"Who knows?" Qu Shengsheng fiddled with his nails, his tone a little vague. "Let's take it one step at a time. After all... it's been three years, and a lot of things have changed."
She looked out the window and could faintly hear the team members talking during training from the direction of the training room.
"No matter what," Shen Qingyu held her hand, his voice gentle, "just follow your heart."
Qu Shengsheng held her hand back and smiled: "Don't worry, I am Niu Hulu Shengsheng now."
The two smiled at each other, and the sunlight came through the window, filling the entire room with warmth and brightness.
A new day at the base officially began, amidst an atmosphere of sweetness, tentativeness, focus, and anticipation. The crisp, dense clacking of keyboards echoed through the training room, accompanied by the team members' focused conversations. And on this land dedicated to their dreams, love quietly grew, gently embracing the morning light.
Future games and future relationships are like the rising sun, full of infinite possibilities.
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