Honey Stewed Squid

Chapter 6

Continuously staying up late for several days is simply exhausting.

At four o’clock she finishes the game.  Finally, able to summon her courage, she ventured to ask the question. Next time, when will you be online? His reply: Uncertain. Very quickly, he logged off the game.

……She didn’t even have time to request a leave of absence.  She would not be able to go online for two days…

At four o’clock in the morning, surrounded by the silence, her mom and dad are still sleeping downstairs…

But, she needs to begin to prepare her luggage to go on a flight at seven to go overseas to partic.i.p.ate in the winter festival. The organizers offered a place for her to live for one night. It was just right for her and her local friends to get together. On one hand she made herself a hot cup of honey, while her other hand holds some promotional materials that she is carefully looking over. Soon, attracting her attention, in her line of sight was ‘Chamber Storm’.

Eh? Eh?

Her eyes lit up.

……

The whole way she stares at ‘Chamber Storm’s’ introduction. She is contemplating to request those staff members that she is familiar with to help her with an introduction.  She must definitely be introduced to the person that is in charge of the game company, to see if she can guest perform a few of the game characters’ cosplay…

He is so fond of this game……maybe if one day he sees the game’s homepage and suddenly sees her cosplay photo…

She is done for. Her hands are starting to feel numb……

She blushes. Fiercely rubbing the palms of her hands together, she continues to cram into the pile of Chinese tourists, waiting for her flight’s baggage to be transported out.

CA ah, this isn’t my flight……

She looks at her cellphone, the time is still early.  She is just afraid that it will be too late and she’ll have to rush over.  Afraid that there’s not enough time for her vocal exercise and will be losing her face (1) ……

When she puts the phone back down in her jacket pocket, she suddenly saw from across that there are a few tall men all dressed in red and white jackets.  Just like an athletes’ unified sports clothing.

Basketball meetup? Soccer team? She guessed, and very curiously, she looks twice more…

These people are carrying away the suitcases one by one. Unaware of who it is, someone said “Leader, we’re ready now” …

“Oh.” All along, behind everyone, sitting on top of the luggage cart playing with a cell phone, a man stands up.  He did not bother to raise his head, but continues playing on his cellphone, while turning towards the exit to leave.

Hallucination?!

She was dumbfounded. She was just about to move a step, when the conveyer belt suddenly starts to move …

Each and every luggage was coming out. “Clang dong” “Clang dong” as they fell on to the conveyor belt……Tong Nian was really heartbroken as she anxiously awaits her luggage. She looks on as each and every one of those people walk out, going further away, until their backs disappeared.

He is an athlete?

Tong Nian randomly guessed, as a silver suitcase pa.s.sed by her front. Awakened, she hurriedly picks up the suitcase. Going in the same direction and she hurriedly goes out, wanting to catch up with them, or at the very least to see what kind of symbol is on uniforms ah……

She didn’t expect, that the airport is already empty outside.

In the end, precisely because of this chance encounter, all her activities went by all muddle-headed. Except for when she is doing an opening on stage. She went back to her natural state, and started her song .  When she went off the stage, her fans ran over slipping her a pile of small gifts. Somewhat halfhearted and sluggish, from beginning to end she did not act like herself.

“Your highness, cuttlefish,” Lan Mei, her close friend in charge of all the activities softly tease her, “Cold elegance and into a new realm ah.”

“Ah?” Tong Nian confusedly looked at her.

Lan Mei pfft a laugh: “Not teasing you anymore. Look at you, last time because of an IELTS (2) word, you forgot me and forgot to thank your fans, being criticized about, forgot it?”

……How can I forget? I secretly cried at home for two days……

“Do you know, if recently there has been any sporting compet.i.tion here? Basketball game? Soccer game? Or something else……Maybe professional athletes in training?” Lan Mei was asked until she was stupefied. She touched her forehead: “You’re not dimensionally confused, are you? How come a singer is concerned about a basketball game?”

Tong Nian heave a sigh. Somewhat depressed, she blows her bangs, also having no clue…

“Oh that’s right, just now you asked me about .  That game has also recently hosted a professional league game.”

“Ah?” Tong Nian once again with perplexed eyes.

“It is just professional gamers playing a game to start this year’s new round of matches. My husband is an eSports (3) fan, who especially came with me, just to watch the game. Should be……three o’ clock?” Lan Mei lifts her wrist, and looks, “It has already begun.”

“Professional gamers……” Tong Nian continues to digest this new term, suddenly has an epiphany, “Similar to athletes, wearing the same uniforms?”

“Of course they will ah, it’s particularly according to standards. Furthermore, a genuine high professional gamer plays to earn a lot. It is said that today there is a team, and this half year each person gets a bonus of……$800,000?”

……

Probably……they are not…… so incredible, right?

She seems to have found hope. She wags her tail at Lan Mei asking her to call her husband, to check if there is really a team with red and white jersey. She didn’t expect in return, that really is indeed one! “Then let’s go.” Tong Nian immediately stood up, wanting to watch the game…

“I cannot go-ah, “Lan Mei with the index finger poked her forehead: “Your Squid Highness, I have to wait until the end of the whole exhibition, to do a ending show!  How about this, let me call my husband, and have him give you the address. You go by yourself.”

“Mm, Mm.”

Thus, she the opening guest performer just like this disappeared from the exhibition, dragging her luggage. Even staying at a hotel she doesn’t have enough time to go.  Just on the basis of that strange address, she finds a small stadium.  She wandered outside the door for a long time, only then to find a scalper to buy an admission ticket. Once inside, she sits down gasping for her breath. She watches the fierce compet.i.tion on the big screen, just feeling as if she truly finally found the right place.

But glancing around, there isn’t any red and white uniforms……

Where did they go……

“There is n.o.body here?” Suddenly a voice from behind her asks, “There is n.o.body here, then I’ll sit.”

Tong Nian momentary shocked, turned around, dumbstruck she stares at him taking off his coat.  From behind her, the man wearing a black short sleeve shirt manages to step across row of seats, to seize the opportunity to sit beside her.

That extremely dark and bright pair of eyes sweep towards her, he smirks: “Where is your boyfriend? Not coming?”

“……”

“Specifically came here to watch the game?” He glances at the luggage by her feet…

“……”

“Forgot me already?” Still thinking that he had frightened the little girl, he tentatively asks the sentence…

“……”

“Don’t be afraid.  I’m just purely saying a greeting.” How come I feel that every time I meet this little girl, I am able to frighten her so? He reviewed himself and decisively got up, “Take your time, I−−”

Suddenly, he stopped.

A small hand is pulling on the hem of his clothes……

Notes: