Chapter 45: Summer Tournament (Part 3)

Chapter 45: Summer Tournament (Part 3)

The crowd was bustling. By the time Xu Lang found his seat and put down his belongings, he turned around to find that the two people who were supposed to be behind him had vanished.

He spun around, scanning the crowd left and right, and just as he spotted the two emerging from the throng, he waved. Once they noticed him, he finally settled into his seat, patting the space beside him.

As he wished, Second Brother Bai took the seat next to him. The moment he sat down, Xu Lang felt that indeed, studying all summer long was worth it, and he thanked himself for working hard enough to convince Ms. Jiang and Mr. Xu to let him come out to play.

Three seats in a row, with Chen Erbai in the middle, he slumped against the back of the seat, slightly lifting his cap to look at the stage.

He hadn't watched many matches from the audience before. It turns out that watching from the stands felt like this.

The high school student beside him lowered his head to glance at his phone for a moment before looking up again and whispering, "Qingzhou seems to have arrived. Does Brother Bai want to check it out?"

The man slumped in the seat then slightly sat up, asking, "Where?"

Xu Lang checked his phone and scanned the venue before pointing in a direction, saying, "Over there."

The spectator area was polygonal in shape. They were seated on the side near the front, close to the stage. The seats arranged by Fruit Broadcasting for the streamers were on the opposite side, partially blocked by the protruding stage.

From this angle, they couldn't see the people sitting, but they could see the crowd holding phones, constantly taking photos from the side of the seats, and the camera facing the seats directly.

"..."

Chen Erbai pressed down his cap, deciding to postpone it for next time.

An objectively correct decision. With no players appearing yet, that section of the audience became the liveliest spot on the field. Later, security personnel even came to maintain order.

While one side was lively and crowded, the other side enjoyed tranquil peace.

The high school student, not much of a photographer, took a few photos for his two friends studying languages at home and sent them over. Meanwhile, Chen Erbai was giving his good neighbor a brief explanation of the tournament format.

His voice was quite low, muffled slightly by the mask, but since this side wasn't as noisy as the other, those around could hear if they listened carefully. They couldn't help but glance sideways, thinking this person's analysis was strangely accurate and professional.

Then they watched this accurate and professional commentator take out his phone and search live with the person beside him to find out which teams were about to compete.

And he comforted the person beside him, saying, "It's okay if you don't know them; I don't know them either."

The surrounding spectators: "...?"

As the clock struck an exact number, the audience members who weren't in their seats returned. The lights in the spectator area of the arena dimmed, leaving only the stage illuminated.

The host appeared.

A very professional host, he immediately energized the entire atmosphere upon entering. Although Chen Erbai didn't recognize the host, he politely clapped softly.

After the host warmed up the crowd, it was time for the player entrance. This time, the atmosphere team leader didn't applaud; instead, he pulled out his phone to search for the names of the teams announced by the host, keeping himself quite busy.

A good memory came in handy in strange places. In a short period, Chen Moubai successfully memorized the names and matched them with the people.

While he was busy remembering faces, his good neighbor was gently called by a big brother from behind, who said he hoped he could lower his height a bit because he was too tall, blocking the view.

"..."

Chen Erbai's natural smiling lips appeared for an instant.

The music was deafening as the players completed their entrance, and the match began.

The players were tense, and so were the spectators below. The high school student, merely an ordinary spectator and not a fan of any team, wasn't nervous, only focused.

Chen Erbai didn't disturb him, turning to serve as his good neighbor's exclusive commentator.

Not understanding was fine; former professional commentator Master Chen could easily clarify the situation on the field and predict its trend in a few words.

Amidst the continuous cacophony, his voice was drowned out by the surrounding noise, audible only to his good neighbor who was close by.

They were close, Xu Sinian turning his head to listen to the voice beside him. His eyes, which were originally fixed on the screen, shifted slightly, his dark pupils lowering.

From this angle, he could perfectly see the messy strands of hair under the person's cap brim and the half-hidden eyes in the light.

The other party was still intently watching the screen, diligently serving as an exclusive commentator that even someone who had never played the game could understand.

"..."

He withdrew his gaze and continued looking at the screen.

When the afternoon was halfway through, the match went into halftime.

Players adjusted their states, while spectators went to the restroom or bought water, and some took out their phones to make comments online.

Though it was halftime, the venue remained unchanged, with the spectator area lights still off, only the basic lighting on the stage.

Bathed in the faint light from the stage, the high school student got up to use the restroom, and Chen Moubai slumped back into his seat once more.

His good neighbor turned to ask him, "Do you want some water?"

Indeed, after being busy for nearly two hours, Master Chen was genuinely thirsty.

So his good neighbor got up to buy water. With many people out and about, Master Chen was left in place this time.

Around him were faint voices, the lights dim, and the air conditioning at a comfortable temperature. He sat in his chair, choosing between idly chatting with friends and playing on his phone or peacefully closing his eyes.

People who could fall asleep anywhere did just that. With his cap brim pressed down, he was instantly isolated from the world.

The person sleeping like he was in a coma was eventually woken by the sound of a chair moving behind him.

Opening his eyes, still blurry, he looked around and realized that not only had Xu Lang, who went to the restroom, and his good neighbor who went to buy water not returned, but also the people around him who were there before he fell asleep were gone. The area nearby was empty, with only the person who accidentally bumped the chair and caused the noise standing behind him.

It was the big brother who asked his good neighbor to lower his height earlier. Noticing that he lifted his head, the big brother apologized and then asked, "Excuse me, friend, can you take a photo for me?"

Eyes still somewhat blurry, Chen Erbai scanned his surroundings once more, finally confirming that Big Brother was indeed addressing him.

Big Brother had just crossed the seating area to reach the aisle beside it for a photo with someone. The person standing there, silhouetted by faint light, wasn't very clear, but one could tell they were quite tall.

The ever-helpful Chen Erbai took the phone and preemptively warned in a low voice, "My photos probably won't look very good."

As it was just a matter of taking a photo with a phone, Big Brother didn't think "not very good" would be that bad. He waved it off, saying it was fine.

With Big Brother's assurance that it was alright, Chen Bai stepped forward directly. He raised the phone, which already had the camera open, and aimed it at Big Brother as he crossed over the seats to stand beside the subject for the photo. With a click, he pressed the shutter button, and then thoughtfully considered that one might not be enough, so he clicked two more times.

The phone's flash illuminated the dim space suddenly, and he saw the person posing for the photo in the sudden burst of light. His eyes, adjusted to the darkness, squinted, unable to see clearly, but he was left with the impression that this person was rather tall.

After taking the photos, he handed the phone back to Big Brother.

"Mr. Li, we need you over here..."

A voice came from the dark aisle, and the person posing for the photo nodded to Big Brother before stepping away.

Big Brother hadn't planned on sitting down; he had only stopped when he encountered someone who insisted on having a photo together. He had temporarily asked someone to take the photo, thanked them after it was taken, and then left.

With the last of Big Brother's entourage gone, no one had returned yet, and he couldn't fall asleep either. Thus, Chen Moubai lowered his head, pulled out his phone, and glanced at it.

He received a message from his study partner, who kindly asked if he was enjoying himself during what should have been working hours.

The partner seemed to say nothing and everything at the same time, conveying deep emotions through ordinary words.

Chen Yibai guessed that today, the other party likely had many scenes opposite the female lead, and progress had been touching thus far.

He sent an emoji of a pat on the shoulder for cyber comfort and casually snapped a photo of the stage, telling his partner that he was having a great time and there was no need to worry.

"..."

After a moment of silence, the study partner sent a smiling yellow bean emoji.

Upon receiving the message, Chen Moubai finally put his phone away happily, waiting quietly for Good Neighbor and Little Xu to return.

The two returned one after another before the second half began.

Good Neighbor brought back more than just ordinary water; Chen Yibai received one icy cold soy milk. Little Xu was picky and didn't drink much soy milk, even the iced variety with added ingredients, so he brought orange juice instead. The personal shopper, having no particular preferences, bought himself a bottle of mineral water.

Taking the icy cold soy milk, Chen Yibai slightly lowered his cap brim. As the lights dimmed, he removed the mask stuck to his face, lowering his head to take a sip.

For a moment, Xu Sinian felt as though small flowers had blossomed around the person next to him, as if he were soaking in a spring breeze.

Soaking in the spring breeze, the person slumped down and held up his thumb without hesitation. "Comrade Little Xu, you're the best!"

Having tasted the soy milk, Comrade Old Xu had transformed back into Comrade Little Xu.

Comrade Little Xu smiled and twisted open the water bottle.

As he opened the lid, a bottle of soy milk appeared under his eyelids.

The soy milk had preemptively taken the spot where the water bottle should have been. Turning his head, he saw the person seated beside him, who had just finished drinking two mouthfuls of soy milk, quickly put their mask back on and muffled through it, "Delicious. There's no one nearby now, quickly take a sip."

Xu Sinian looked down at the soy milk still being held up by the person, fell silent for a moment, then screwed the cap back on and removed his mask to take a sip.

The soy milk was flavored with jasmine, icy cold, and fragrant with floral notes.

Chen Moubai said with a smile, "Tasty, right?"

Comrade Little Xu responded affirmatively.

Little Xu, who had gone to the restroom, was the last to return, making it back just in time. Upon returning, he grabbed the wild orange juice that had appeared on his seat and chugged it down.

The kind Second Brother Bai asked tactfully, "Is your stomach bothering you, little brother?"

"..."

Using all his strength, Little Xu swallowed the orange juice in his mouth. He patted his chest, took a couple of breaths, and finally managed to speak. "No, it's just that there were too many people over there."

He explained that near the restrooms, a celebrity had been recognized, who must have been quite famous. Fans and onlookers had blocked the area, all wanting autographs. This made it difficult to enter or leave the restrooms. Eventually, security arrived to maintain order, and the crowd dispersed.

Listening to this, Chen Yibai quickly removed his mask to drink some soy milk, then quickly put his mask back on. He simply commented, "How unfortunate."

Then he expressed his most plain and sincere wish, saying, "I hope he got to use the restroom."

If the person had been blocked while on their way to the restroom, they must have been uncomfortable from every perspective.

Xu Lang: "…"

Xu Lang found it reasonable.

Although the angle was peculiar, it was indeed very logical.

Having expressed his wishes, Chen Yibai casually pushed down the brim of Good Neighbor's cap and whispered, "Comrade Old Xu needs to be careful."

He himself wasn't particularly worried. After all, he had only shot two dramas so far, one of which was still in post-production. By any measure, he was just an ordinary newcomer. Wearing a cap and mask was merely to reassure his money-making partners that he wouldn't cause trouble with his face.

The high school student sitting beside him watched his relaxed demeanor, feeling that this person's self-perception might not be entirely accurate.

As the only person present who didn't need to wear a cap or mask, he ultimately chose to remain silent.

The second half continued the atmosphere of the first, with a closely contested match where neither team had a significant advantage. The scores were tightly contested, with players fully focused. The audience below was quiet, not daring to say a word more, with only the commentator's voice continuously echoing throughout.

A certain professional commentator surnamed Chen, holding a cup of soy milk, slumped in his seat, temporarily offline.

The second half of the competition, in a sense, justified the ticket price. In the following two rounds, the dark horse team emerged unexpectedly, their points soaring. They punched and kicked their way up the rankings, becoming the temporary leaders of the scoreboard. If they maintained their form in tomorrow's matches, winning the trophy could be anticipated.

The venue had air conditioning running, but after several matches, the players were drenched in sweat. Even the spectators couldn't help but feel nervous and perspire. When the deafening music and drumbeats sounded at the end, adrenaline surged.

Having witnessed the birth of several champions on the scene and having seen his fair share of grand spectacles, Chen Erbai remained as dry and composed as ever, still playing the role of atmosphere creator, clapping along with others as the competitors exited.

No comment on anything else, but at least he provided emotional value.

As the audience began to disperse, Chen Erbai and his merry band of friends learned from the near mishap with his hat being nearly snatched away, choosing this time to linger in their seats for a while longer, waiting until the crowd thinned out before departing.

By the time they emerged from the stadium, dusk had settled in, the sky ablaze with crimson clouds stretching to the horizon where the sea met the eye.

There were few people around now, and Chen Bai guessed that many must have gone to stake out the back exit for the departing competitors. With the crowds gone, it was perfect for them. Crossing the overpass, the hotel stood opposite the stadium.

Having dined in his hotel room, the high schooler, thoroughly spent from an afternoon of unbridled fun, still brimmed with energy and suggested a stroll by the seaside.

He and his friends had already done their homework, knowing that during the peak tourist season, a night market would spring up along the beach. Unlike his friend who relished shopping, he could have stayed in the hotel all day long as long as he had his phone.

But there were three famous sayings among Chinese people: "Since we're here," "It's the New Year," and "Everyone has left." Topping the list was "Since we're here," and it just so happened that Second Brother Bai was present.

Since they were already here, it made sense to venture out for a walk. Chen Moubai, who enjoyed being part of the crowd, didn't oppose the idea.

The choice of the hotel’s location was excellent, perfectly suited for post-dinner digestion. Right next to it lay the coastline; exiting the hotel and following the road straight ahead would lead them to the illuminated sands of the beach.

The night market, though called such, offers everything under the moon—late-night snacks and all sorts of peculiar trinkets. Some, with a shrewd business acumen, even sell team merchandise here, whose authenticity is debatable but the variety is impressive enough to lure in curious customers.

Stretching along a long street, the market saw Good Neighbor receiving a call midway through their stroll—a work-related matter that prompted his temporary departure.

The dependable high schooler, feeling a sense of duty, took it upon himself to entertain Second Brother Bai, engrossing himself so thoroughly that he nearly forgot about his own flesh-and-blood brother.

The night market, with its late-night eats, oddities, and various games, had never been particularly appealing to him before. He had always found them childish. But this time, with an enthusiastic companion egging him on, he found himself giving in to the temptation.

And give in he did, for half the length of the market.

On his first try at these games, Xu Lang figured he wouldn't be particularly good, yet the enthusiastic crowd clapped and cheered as if he were a seasoned pro, making it hard to discern reality from their praise.

Regardless of whether his older brother, who was still engrossed in work somewhere out of sight, approved or not, Xu Lang was thoroughly enjoying himself. He played those once-dismissed childish games and collected numerous small trinkets as prizes.

However, the adage holds true: joy can quickly turn to sorrow. One moment, an anonymous high school student, basking in his hard-earned spoils amidst the bustling crowd, felt his phone vibrate twice in his pocket. A glance was all it took.

In that instant, his lifted spirits plummeted, and the smile that had graced his lips faded as swiftly as it had come.

Walking alongside him, Chen Bai slightly lifted his cap and asked, "What's wrong?"

Good Brother turned to look at him, wiping his face.

"..."

To put it simply, Xu Lang needed to find a place to print his homework, and after printing it, he would have to start hustling hard on it.

His grades improved significantly in the second half of this semester. Accustomed to doing well academically, he had forgotten that at the beginning of the term, he was a blockhead whose speed in solving problems rivaled that of a Fuxing high-speed train. He also forgot that someone who failed the monthly physics exam needed to do more exercises.

He had completely forgotten about the homework until his deskmate poked him through the chat window, asking to borrow his work for copying. That was when it dawned on him.

With only two days until the start of school and an entire day of matches to watch tomorrow, after much deliberation, he decided that the only option was to catch up on his homework tonight.

"..."

The story was convoluted, yet heart-wrenching.

Unable to offer more substantial help, Second Brother Bai patted him on the shoulder in consolation and asked, "I'll wait here for your brother, once he's done with his call we can head back together. Can you manage on your own?"

The high schooler assured him it would be fine, saying he could ask the hotel staff to help print out the materials, and then head straight back to his room upon finishing.

A high school student, still burdened with summer homework, departed.

Watching him leave, Chen Moubai estimated that Hao Linbo would take some time. Glancing at the time on his phone, faced with the choice of waiting where he was or finding a quiet spot, he decided to continue walking ahead.

Bad news: the night market was packed, much like when he nearly had his hat snatched off at the gymnasium earlier that day.

Good news: this time, he remembered to hold onto his hat himself, ensuring no one could take it off his head.

Indeed, holding his hat while moving forward turned out to be the right decision.

The night market led into an ordinary street, bustling with people who had come out for their evening strolls. At one point along the way, a crowd had gathered around something, indicating that there was some sort of spectacle to see.

Chen Moubai, always at the forefront of such commotions, hesitated for no more than half a second before stepping forward. He intended to join in the onlookers, and if the event proved to be sufficiently captivating, he might share it later with his good neighbor and Brother Xu.

He pushed through the crowd, randomly querying passersby, and learned that it was a heartfelt confession taking place - a girl confessing her feelings to a boy.

Chen Moubai decided to stay, joining the throng of spectators watching this sincere declaration of love, where they could only see the backs of those in front, not the protagonists themselves.

If his good neighbor were here, perhaps he could have lifted Chen up or provided a play-by-play commentary thanks to his height advantage.

Seeing nothing, he sighed regretfully; the man who failed to grow over ten centimeters taller could only withdraw in disappointment.

—But withdrawal was not an option.

Turning around, Chen Moubai noticed for the first time that several rings of people had surrounded him without his awareness, layer upon layer, all craning their necks to see inside.

Indeed, the instinct to revel in a spectacle is deeply ingrained in the national DNA.

Those inside couldn't leave even if they wanted to, while those outside strained to get in. Carried forward by the crowd behind him, Chen Moubai unwittingly found himself in the inner circle.

Having taken his place in the inner circle, Chen Bai finally caught sight of the couple at the heart of this earnest confession.

Contrary to what he had imagined, the atmosphere wasn't particularly charged. The recipient of the confession wore a slightly furrowed brow, looking somewhat distressed.

The female lead was unfamiliar, but the male figure stirred a sense of recognition; they had met twice before. He was that guy from the florist, who Chen Bai had briefly encountered on set.

The world, it seemed, was indeed smaller than he thought.

As his mind was still processing and recalling stored information, the crowd behind him started to push forward. Surrounded by the press of bodies, Chen Bai felt something brush past the top of his head. Sensing trouble, he instinctively reached up to protect his hat, only to find his hand tangled in his unruly mop of hair instead.

"..."

Something felt off; he reached up to pat his head again. It was still fluffy, still a little soft—it was his own hair.

His hat seemed to be gone.

Author's note:

—So tragic.

—Comrade Little Xu must be careful.