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Golden rain continued to fall. On the stage, the five members of Team WIN embraced each other tightly, unwilling to part. The cheers from the crowd were like endless waves, one after another. Yu Wang could still feel his heart beating wildly, and the sound of his teammates' excited sobs filled his ears.
"We did it! We really did it!" The fat man hugged Ji Feng beside him with tears and snot, completely disregarding his image.
Although Ji Feng still maintained a calm expression, his red eyes and slightly trembling hands betrayed his inner excitement.
Little Y had already burst into tears. This boy, who had just turned eighteen, had reached the top of the world in the first year of his professional career.
Chen Chenchen tightly grasped Yu Wang's shoulders and said in a hoarse voice, "Old Yu, we won."
Yu Wang nodded heavily, his gaze once again directed towards the familiar direction below the stage. Shen Qingyu was already in tears, but she still managed to put on her brightest smile for him and clapped her hands vigorously. Their eyes met, and a thousand words were conveyed in that one glance.
After the award ceremony, the team members returned to the backstage carrying the heavy trophy and were immediately surrounded by the media and staff. Flash cameras flashed one after another, and various microphones were extended in front of them.
"Cat God, this is your first world championship in your career. How do you feel right now?"
"Yang Shen, how did you make the decision during the last crucial teamfight?"
"Player Xiao Y, as the youngest member of the team, how do you feel about winning the championship in your first World Championship?"
Questions came one after another, and although the team members were tired, they still answered patiently. When Yu Wang was answering questions, his eyes always unconsciously searched for Shen Qingyu's figure. Seeing her standing quietly on the edge of the crowd, looking at him gently, he felt very at ease.
After finally escaping the media siege, the entire WIN team attended the official celebration banquet. A champagne tower shimmered with alluring luster, and a variety of exquisite dishes filled the long table. But the players were clearly more immersed in the joy of winning the championship, splashing champagne on each other and laughing and joking.
Just as the atmosphere was at its most heated, there was a small commotion at the entrance of the banquet hall. Jiang Ye walked in, accompanied by tournament officials. He was still wearing his simple black suit, and his temperament was outstanding.
"God Jiang!" Little Y was the first to discover it, and was so excited that he almost spilled the champagne in his hand.
The other team members immediately quieted down, and each of them looked like a fan who had successfully chased their idol.
Jiang Ye walked straight towards the WIN team with a faint smile on his face: "Congratulations on winning the championship."
These three simple words made the five young people so excited that they didn't know how to respond.
"Jiang, Jiang Shen!" Chen Chenchen, the team leader, was the first to react. "You are my true mentor!"
As a fellow jungler, Jiang Ye nodded gently: "The Yangtze River's back waves push the front waves forward."
The fat man came over excitedly and said, "Master Jiang, can I take a picture with you? I've been watching you play since I was a kid!"
Little Y quickly raised his hand: "I want one too!"
Ji Feng silently took out his cell phone.
Jiang Ye met their requests one by one. Looking at this group of energetic champions, a trace of nostalgia flashed in his eyes, as if he saw himself when he won the championship.
"Hey, isn't this Coach Lu?" Jiang Ye saw Lu Hu coming up with a glass of wine from a distance and joked with a smile, "Long time no see, congratulations."
Lu Hu bumped into Jiang Ye, and the memories of their time together on the same team came back vividly: "I didn't expect to see you at the celebration party for the finals, and I didn't expect you to come and congratulate us on our win."
Jiang Ye exaggeratedly said: "As expected of Brother Hu, WIN's performance this time is worthy of the championship."
The two of them reminisced for a moment, and Jiang Ye's gaze casually swept across the room, finally landing on Shen Qingyu, who was chatting quietly with Qu Shengsheng. He paused slightly, then walked over with his glass of wine.
"Miss Shen." Jiang Ye's voice made Shen Qingyu turn around.
"Mr. Jiang." Shen Qingyu was a little surprised, but still maintained a decent smile. Seeing this, Qu Shengsheng tactfully found an excuse to leave temporarily.
"Congratulations to your friend for winning the championship." Jiang Ye raised his glass.
"Thank you." Shen Qingyu clinked glasses with him.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Jiang Ye casually asked, "I heard some time ago that Sui Yue and Shen Shuangci were going back to China?"
Shen Qingyu was slightly startled. She had not expected Jiang Ye to ask about her two cousins. Sui Yue and Shen Shuangci were the daughters of the Shen family's eldest daughters, about the same age as her. The three of them grew up in different places and did not interact much.
"Yes," Shen Qingyu nodded. "Sui Yue's work on Wall Street has come to an end, and Shuang Ci's gallery is opening a branch in China. They should be back next month."
Jiang Ye nodded thoughtfully, without asking any more questions, and just smiled faintly: "Give them my regards."
After a few brief conversations, Jiang Ye politely said goodbye and turned to greet other acquaintances.
Shen Qingyu looked at his back, feeling somewhat puzzled. Although Jiang Ye and her cousins were in the same circle, they didn't seem to have a close relationship. Why would he suddenly ask about their return to China?
At this time, Yu Wang took advantage of the gap and quietly pulled Shen Qingyu to the terrace outside the banquet hall. It was relatively quiet here, and the cool night breeze blew away the heat in the room.
"Are you tired?" Shen Qingyu looked at the bruises under his eyes and asked with concern.
"It's okay," Yu Wang tucked her wind-blown hair behind her ear, his fingertips lingering on her delicate cheek, "I'm not tired anymore when I see you."
Shen Qingyu's cheeks were slightly hot, and she held his hand: "You played really well today. My heart almost jumped out of my chest in the last team battle."
"Everyone played well," Yu Wang said with a rare relaxed smile. "Monsoon's Ornn held the front line, Xiao Y's Zoe consumed the enemy's energy very well, Fatty's roaming was also crucial, and Lao Chen..." He paused, looking into her eyes, "Without them, I couldn't have done it."
Shen Qingyu looked at the recognition and gratitude in his eyes towards his teammates, and her heart softened.
"Oh, right," Yu Wang seemed to remember something, and carefully took something out of the inner pocket of his team jacket and handed it to Shen Qingyu, "This is for you."
It was a piece of golden foil shaped like a raindrop, gleaming with tiny rays of light in the moonlight—it was a piece of the “golden rain” that had just fallen on the stage.
"I caught it when I came down." His tone was slightly nervous. "I want to share this honor with you."
Shen Qingyu looked at the light yet heavy golden raindrop in her palm, and her eyes became moist again. She carefully closed her palm and held it tightly in her palm. She looked up at him and said softly but firmly: "This is the best gift I have ever received."
The dim light on the terrace made her silhouette appear particularly soft. Yu Wang looked into her watery eyes, his heart moved, and he slowly lowered his head. This time, his kiss no longer fell on her forehead, but gently covered her slightly cool lips.
This kiss carried the sweetness of champagne. Shen Qingyu was slightly startled, then closed her eyes, put her arms around his neck, and responded awkwardly but firmly.
In the distance are the lights of thousands of homes in the city, and nearby is the faint noise coming from the banquet hall. In this quiet corner, two hearts are tightly attached to each other, and all the waiting and misunderstandings disappear in this kiss.
After an unknown amount of time, the two slowly separated. Yu Wang rested his forehead against hers, his breathing still a little unsteady, and his voice was hoarse: "Qing Yu, I love you."
"I love you too." Shen Qingyu responded without hesitation, burying her face in his chest with a faint scent of cedar. Listening to his strong heartbeat, she felt unprecedented peace of mind.
---
At the same time, in the banquet hall, Qu Shengsheng was being forced to drink by Xiao Y and the fat man.
"Sister Shengsheng! We agreed! If we win, you have to drink three cups in a row!" Little Y raised the cup excitedly.
"That's right! This is the champion wine!" The fat man cheered on the side.
Qu Shengsheng's alcohol tolerance was not a good thing, and today was the second day of her menstrual period. Her lower abdomen was aching so much that she felt like dying, but she couldn't go back on her promise. Just when she felt a little embarrassed, a bony hand reached out and gently took the wine glass from her hand.
"She can't drink much, I'll drink for her." Chen Chenchen came over at some point, his tone calm but unquestionable. He then tilted his head back and drank the champagne in one gulp.
Little Y and the fat man winked at each other, then tactfully slipped away to make trouble somewhere else.
Qu Shengsheng watched Chen Chenchen's quick and decisive movements, a bit stunned. He was wearing a slim-fitting suit, unlike his usual team uniform, which made him look less casual and more calm and dignified.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"You're welcome," Chen Chenchen handed her a glass of warm water. "It should be your period today, so warm up your stomach."
Qu Shengsheng couldn't help but laugh: "You really remember it."
"I remember everything about you." Chen Chenchen looked at her with focused eyes.
Surrounded by the noisy voices of the crowd, beneath the dazzling crystal chandeliers, his eyes were particularly serious. Qu Shengsheng felt her heart skip a beat. She mustered up the courage to ask, "Chen Chenchen, what are we...now?"
This question lingered in her mind for a long time. She added him as a friend, came to watch the game, accepted his kindness...it seemed like they were getting closer, but the barrier between them still existed.
Chen Chenchen was silent for a few seconds, as if he was trying to decide his words. He put down his glass and looked at her seriously. "I know the misunderstanding from three years ago can't be erased with just an apology. I also know that we're not the same anymore."
He paused, his voice low but clear: "I'm not asking you to go back to the way things were. I just hope you can give me a chance, so we can get to know each other again and start over. Start as... friends, and take it slow."
His honesty surprised Qu Shengsheng, and it also dispelled some of the uncertainty in her heart. She looked at him. The man before her was no longer the naive, somewhat arrogant boy she remembered from across the screen. Instead, he was a mature, steady, and responsible professional athlete. Someone who... deserved another chance.
She picked up the warm water and gently clinked her cup with his. A relieved yet playful smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. "Okay, then... let's get to know each other again. My name is Qu Shengsheng."
Chen Chenchen's eyes lit up instantly. He also picked up a glass of wine and solemnly clinked it with hers: "Chen Chenchen. It's nice... to meet you again."
The two smiled at each other, and a subtle and harmonious atmosphere filled the air. The barriers of the past had not yet been completely eliminated, but a new bond had quietly been formed.
The celebration lasted until late at night. When we returned to our hotel, everyone was exhausted but still excited.
Shen Qingyu and Qu Shengsheng lived in adjacent rooms. Just before entering, Qu Shengsheng suddenly called out to Shen Qingyu and shook his phone. The screen displayed a dialog box with Chen Chenchen, the latest of which was "Goodnight" from him.
"It seems that someone's journey to becoming a 'friend' has gone quite smoothly?" Shen Qingyu joked with a smile.
Qu Shengsheng rarely refuted, but just curled the corners of her mouth: "Let's wait and see. But..." She looked at Chen Qingyu, "Seeing you and Yu Wang, I think... maybe giving the past a chance is not a bad thing."
Shen Qingyu held her hand: "Follow your heart."
Back in the room, Shen Qingyu finished her shower and lay down on the bed, but she felt no sleep. She took out the golden raindrop, carefully placed in a tissue, and looked at it carefully under the light, replaying every moment of the night in her mind - his dazzling figure holding the trophy high, his passionate kiss on the terrace, the serious look in his eyes when he said, "Let's start over"...
The phone vibrated. It was a message from Yu Wang.
Yu Wang: "Are you asleep?"
Shen Qingyu: "Not yet. I'm looking at your 'gift'."
She sent a close-up photo of the golden rain foil.
Yu Wang: "There will be more in the future."
Yu Wang: "Not just the trophy, but also... all the scenery I want to take you to see."
Shen Qingyu: "Okay, I'll wait for you."
Yu Wang: "Good night, Qing Yu."
Shen Qingyu: "Good night, Yu Wang."
Putting down her phone, Shen Qingyu pressed the golden rain against her chest, feeling its cool touch, her heart filled with immense happiness. The glory of being at the top of the world was certainly heart-stirring, but what made her feel more real was this lost and regained love, and the promise of supporting each other into the future.
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