Chapter 9

Xu Jiayan was so startled that he dropped his cigarette, abruptly looking up at her; his expression was beyond what the word 'wonderful' could describe. The determination in Su Zhan's eyes was also something he could not comprehend.

She only knows that she cannot let him leave; what if he faints outside, what should she do

How long have they known each other, just a few days?

12:00 PM the next day, San Francisco Airport

Su Zhan and Cheng Xue were having coffee together. The two had not seen each other for some time, and today was a rare occasion when Cheng Xue had no classes and Su Zhan was free. As soon as Cheng Xue sat down, she began to gossip with her, "Quickly tell me, what is the man who cooks for you like?"

Su Zhan: "I am just not sure if this is the meaning I understand."

He furrowed his brows, pondering how he should refuse her

The further one reads this article, the more intriguing and profound it becomes; otherwise, how could it be a work for which I spent three years developing the framework? During these three years, while eating, sleeping, and dreaming, the images of the two characters, Xu Buji and Su Buzhengjin, have repeatedly flashed through my mind.

In June of this year, I resigned and gave up a comfortable life. I chose this path because the urge to write this piece was overwhelmingly strong, and I was eager to share Xu Buji and Su Buzhengjin with you.

Come, let out a fart

As for me, I do not have any grand ambitions; I simply wish to pass my days at home, eating, drinking, sleeping, and waiting for death. In my spare time, I write a couple of articles for you to read. I have always just wanted to live my life in my own little comfort.

When the time comes and things get really busy, who will still have the time to care about her

Xu Buqi is unlike any male protagonist I have written before; each of my previous male protagonists was highly capable, perfect, and without a single flaw

The more seemingly frivolous one appears, the more profound their feelings often are

Su Zhan nodded, indicating that she understood, and then she analyzed for him: "This is what you call retirement syndrome"

She just wants him to take her out

I officially began writing in early January 2013. Those old readers who have seen my previous works are probably well aware that my writing at that time was simply unbearable. (Although my writing now is not particularly good, it has certainly improved compared to then.) I could not bear to tarnish my idol with my writing from that period, so I took three years to refine myself, commonly referred to as practicing my writing.

I have practiced writing for three years, and I have also conceived this piece for three years. Gradually, an outline emerged, and thus, this work came into being

It seems that every day I see these people waiting for me, waiting for me to continuously improve them, to shape them

In the end, it was added: "And you are not within my considerations."

In the midst of conversation, she sent a message to Daming: "Isn't your boss quite insecure?"

He zipped up to the top, lifted his foot to extinguish the cigarette butt on the ground, and while doing so, he said with a slightly mocking tone: "Are you eating from the bowl while still looking at the pot?"

... ...

At that time, Su Zhan was sending a text message to the Ming Dynasty. Hearing Cheng Xue's words, he took a sip of coffee and said, "No, I am cooking to cultivate my sentiments"

Eating and other activities are just being managed

But he was still burning with fever, his head pounding, lacking the strength and energy to deal with the little girl in front of him. The wind outside surged in waves, and looking at the little girl made his head hurt even more

It is also her mystery that gradually captivates Xu Buji

He lowered his head to glance at the medicine box in his arms, on which a piece of paper was prominently affixed, indicating one pill at a time. At this thought, he couldn't help but curve the corners of his mouth upward

Having been engaged in writing for such a long time, I have been preoccupied with flirting and have not taken the time to properly discuss the characters and the narrative with you all

En?" Xu Jiayan stopped and looked at him

How?

Hmm?

I do not know how you all perceive it, but I find great pleasure in writing. I write until 2 AM every night and wake up at 6 AM to continue writing, and it is truly enjoyable

He fell silent and took a few puffs, then with one hand he stuffed it into his pocket while the other hand brushed the ash off the ground. Seeing her like this, he decided to clarify things with her. "As of now, our relationship is simply that of neighbors. When you lose power, you can draw some electricity from me, and I am fine with that. However, if you want to think deeper about it, then I must make things clear for you. To put it simply, I am just a gamer, and I am about to retire. A man whose livelihood depends on youth and reflexes suddenly retiring—what does the future hold for me? I haven't even considered that."

Su Zhan thought for a moment, stood up, patted the suitcase, and said cheerfully: "Alright, then take me along!"

What kind of ridiculous metaphor is this

"The competition is very boring; you won't like it," he said

What does this mean? It means the same as being indecisive.

She insisted on his suitcase, "No, you still have a fever, you cannot board the plane"

Did he not say that he is just a loser playing games, and that following him leads to no future or prospects?

Where is Xu Buqi

Are you out of your mind? He couldn't be bothered to pay attention to him

What a joke

The phone on the table vibrated, and Daming replied: "Hahahahahaha, Su Xiaomei, what kind of joke are you making? The boss is feeling insecure? This is the funniest joke I have ever heard"

Su is not serious at all

It is a secret

Xu Jiayan was almost driven to the point of wanting to strangle her

Meng Chen took the suitcase and said, "I heard that witch say you have a fever?"

As he lowered his head to pull the zipper, he also asked, "Do you understand?"

As he zipped the zipper halfway, he paused, raising his head to glance at her

Although this girl always speaks to him with a sincere expression, saying some irrelevant things and occasionally teasing him, he is no longer the impulsive young man of seventeen or eighteen. Some words are just for listening and he does not take them to heart at all. He scoffed, shook his head, and continued to light a cigarette

I dedicate this document to my once passionate youth in esports

Xu Jiayan exhaled, held the cigarette in his mouth, put on his down jacket, and thought to himself that having explained so clearly, the young girl should have understood by now

After taking his medication, he slept for a few hours on the plane, which helped him regain some energy. He moved his neck a bit, shook his arms, and while walking, he asked, "Where are Daming and the others?"

She analyzed it thoroughly: "It is easy to understand. After being pursued for ten years and living on the shoulders of giants for a decade, suddenly having to leave that support can lead to confusion and helplessness. One might feel that apart from playing games, they possess no other skills and see no future prospects."

Su Zhan: "Did I say something wrong?" with an innocent expression

"Su Zhan." For the first time, he called her by her full name in a serious manner, his deep voice particularly pleasant to hear

You haven't even recovered from your fever, why are you rushing to catch a flight? You enjoy playing games, but you shouldn't risk your life for it

Although Xu Jiayan usually manages them strictly, during competitions he never interferes with them, trying to let them relax. When they are happy, a group of big men gathers together to smoke, drink, and chat. When they are not in a good mood, they each return to their hotel rooms to sleep soundly.

... ...

When TED went abroad to compete, he had a woman by his side. Women bring a lot of trouble and are not easy to deal with. It was originally quite manageable with just a few men together, but bringing a woman along means dealing with unfamiliar food and living conditions, and she doesn't understand the game. He certainly doesn't want to carry such a big burden with him

"Make way." Xu Jiayan said calmly

What is that saying called

Xu Jiayan maintained his last bit of patience, took a deep breath, bent down, met her gaze, and spoke in a gentle and slow tone, "I am not joking with you, I have to go. As for you, if you like, you can stay here and help me water the flowers or pull some weeds, anything is fine. Just don't go into that transparent room; other than that, you can freely explore everywhere, including my bedroom. But right now, I don't have time to play with you. If I miss my flight and delay the competition, I will really be angry"

He is not perfect at all, has many shortcomings, smokes, has a bad temper, lacks patience, is not very serious, loves playing games, and apart from being handsome and having a great physique, he is just a big boy

Anyway, my imagination is quite vivid right now. Let's talk tonight about how you perceive Xu Buqi and Su Buzhengjin.

This young girl is not very old, yet everything she possesses is of high value. Xu Jiayan completely believes in her capabilities, but he feels that she is merely indulging in a whim and does not take it to heart. However, he also does not intend to continue indulging her, so he pulls over his luggage and says, "Step aside, I need to catch my flight"

"A hotel, two stories high, almost got into a fight last night," Meng Chen said, sniffing his nose. "Wait a minute, that's not right—boss."

His patience finally ran out, and his expression showed a hint of impatience: "Can you make yourself clear, Miss Su? When did it become your business to meddle in my affairs?"

Su Zhan returned: "He told me that he does not know what to do after retirement"

The earliest conception of this story was in 2012, when I first played games with my boyfriend and learned about my idol (I won't mention who, but he is an esports idol). I spent two days on Baidu researching all of my idol's esports career and watching all of his interviews, which inspired me to write an article about him.

It is nothing, I can take care of you

Su Zhan sat on his suitcase, looking as if he absolutely did not want to board the plane

As soon as Xu Jiayan got off the plane, Meng Chen approached him and said, "Wow, you really came?"

Where are Daguang and the others

"Not bored?" Xu Jiayan leaned against the door frame, took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and casually glanced at her, the corners of his mouth involuntarily curving up. "You have only known me for a few days, and you already have such high hopes for me?"

"Aren't you a writer? Why are you asking me this?" Cheng Xue said, "Don't change the subject."

... ...

The hand that was about to light the lighter stopped, and Xu Jiayan glanced at her sideways

I am asleep in the hotel

The significance of this match to him is multifaceted, even someone like Ming understands it. He dedicated his best ten years to this industry, from the age of 16 to 26, the most passionate decade of a man's life

The way they flirt, the way they are in love, the way they argue, the way they break up, and the way they reunite. There is also Xu Buqi's ten-year dream of esports. This article contains not only these elements but many more.

Su Zhan has already packed herself up, just missing a bow on her head, "With you around, it won't be boring"

The story of Meng Chen and Da Ming is a tale of a group of people's youth. There is much more I wish to write about, including familial love, romantic love, and friendship

He is passionate and persistent, but at 26 years old, he is not very perceptive when it comes to love

The phone vibrated, and thus Ming responded

In recent years, I have devoted myself entirely to competitions; in my life, it is either those brothers or competitions and * diagrams * and books. I have not interacted with many women, let alone a bold woman like Su Zhan.

... ...

Having written two thousand words smoothly, I sat down and smoked a few cigarettes, my mind filled with the face of someone I found particularly annoying

"It feels like this thing has arrived; are you really going to hold it back?" she said frankly

Wait a moment

The hour hand is approaching 7 o'clock, and in less than an hour, the plane will take off

Why do I smell a woman's perfume on you? Damn, you wouldn't have done anything with that witch, would you?

After saying that to Su Zhan, the young woman seemed genuinely heartbroken. She did not stop him, threw the medicine at him, and reminded herself to take the medicine three times a day, three pills each time

Once again, a wave of annoyance washes over me

Xu Jiayan changed his flight to the early morning. While checking in, he encountered several fortunate fans. Soon, some quick-handed fans uploaded a send-off video on Weibo. He stood on the escalator, hand resting on the handle of his suitcase, wrapped tightly in a black down jacket, wearing a black mask, and remained silent. When fans called his name, he slightly raised his eyes and looked over, his gaze just hitting the camera. He appeared completely unrefreshed, with tired brows and eyes. Su Zhan scrolled through Weibo for a while, feeling annoyed, so he tossed his phone aside, lit a cigarette, and opened a document, typing word by word.

Cheng Xue snorted, "You still aren't being honest with me. I see that your seven souls have gone and six spirits are missing. As for your heart, it must have been taken away by that wild man, right?"

He has used this pathetic excuse to reject suitors eight hundred times already

He put on the mask and said, "I have taken the medicine."

It will indeed be quite angering

I have always said that this text has no prototype, no prototype, but in fact, there is one. I was afraid that if the prototype were revealed, your sense of immersion would be too strong, diminishing the unique characteristics of Xu Buji and Su Bugui. Therefore, I have consistently told you that there is no prototype.

... ...

Well

Then I set my phone aside, leaned back against the chair, held a cup of coffee to my lips, and my gaze leisurely fell on the pedestrians outside the window. "Cheng Xue, what does it mean to eat from the bowl while looking at the pot?"

Let's talk about the great master and the lamp tonight

... ...