This is just the beginning of the rest of their lifetime&h.e.l.lip; (Leave it to Tong Nian to remember that detail about her first time. LOL)

On the day of the finals, Gun gave her an official staff badge as well as a K&K team uniform.

The meaning was very clear: "Do not wear clothes that are too Loli to sit in the players lounge." She was thrilled that she finally owned a piece of his team's apparel. And he was thinking, miniskirts were just too eye-catching. Just looking at them put him in a bad mood. Not suitable for wearing out in public, especially since&h.e.l.lip; she had misunderstood that he liked those ear socks or whatever they were and had deliberately brought along a dozen or so pairs&h.e.l.lip;

The two of them were the last to arrive at the stadium.

All the K&K players were in their rest area, some drinking water, some chatting casually, and some even quipping and joking with the event commentators. When they saw Tong Nian dressed in the team uniform, their eyes all lit up.

Dang! That was the difference between a pretty girl and a n.o.body[1].

How come when Little Sister-In-Law wore a jersey and tracksuit, she still looked so cute. Was Leader bringing a team mascot to the tournament with her like this? &h.e.l.lip;

Gun surveyed the tournament site and saw that not far away in the SP rest area, the various leaders and executives of their China division had all made an appearance.

These were the national finals.

And that good friend and bro of his who had been drunk last night was now sitting in the front row on the far right.

Without uttering a word, he ambled indolently over and took a seat in the front row on the far left of K&K's resting area.

His manner was unlike the deadpan properness of SP's executives.

Once he sat down, he propped one leg up on the other knee, tugged the badge off his neck, and, wrapping the string around in a few loops, set it on his leg.

On the giant screen, the emcee was introducing the partic.i.p.ating teams and players of this compet.i.tion.

The camera was continually panning across each face, which brought about varying degrees of applause and excited exchanges between fans. The stadium was very large, and all the fans were in the back rows, relying on the broadcasts of these camera pans onto the big screen to identify their own idols and favourite players. Alas, the director very much knew how to keep people in anxious waiting and saved SP's and K&K's introductions for the very last.

Save the best for last.

Tong Nian followed him in and sat down.

It was not as if she had never watched a compet.i.tion with him before, but this grand scene as well as the number of people in the audience all caused her to feel a little self-conscious.

Wearing K&K's team jersey, sitting beside Gun—even just thinking about it felt inconceivable.

On their first meeting, behind the counter of that little cybercafé, she had been dozing while rather idly, with nothing to do, tapping away on the keyboard with one hand.

She, as someone who did not like video games, truly had not been able to muster up any interest for those little icons that were on the computer desktop.

Until a man had extended his hand forward.

Fingers, slender and well-defined, had casually rested on the counter.

Instinctively, she had lifted her head—

From that hand to its arm, and then continuing upward, it was the neckline of a black, cotton, short-sleeved t-shirt. In a somewhat sour mood, this man with a very large, black duffle bag slung diagonally across his back had leaned one arm on the gla.s.s top of the counter. "Overnights? Do you do them here?"

Countless times she had recalled that night in her mind.

And every time, it still felt unreal.

"Han Shangyan." She spoke his name in a soft voice.

"Mm." He answered her but did not turn his eyes to her, continuing only to watch the big screen.

"I&h.e.l.lip; want to get married."

Last night, he had asked her whether she wanted to.

At the time, she had been a little dazed, and as a result, she had ended up tossing and turning during the latter half of the night, unable to sleep and regretting why she had not told him "I want to."

The emcee was ecstatically introducing all the accomplishments and honours K&K had achieved since its establishment&h.e.l.lip;

Wordlessly, Gun returned her gaze and crooked a finger at her.

Huh? Tong Nian obediently leaned in closer.

His voice slid into her ear. "Look at the big screen."

The big screen?

She abruptly twisted her head around.

Right this moment, the big screen was showing a close-up of K&K, a close-up of Gun and her&h.e.l.lip;

Her back stiffened, and she dared not say much more as motionlessly, she sat there—beside him.

Gun straightened in his seat, giving an acknowledging nod to the camera, which could be considered his greeting to the audience members who were present at the site. His, Solo's, appledog's, as well as many of Team Solo's other players’ fans from the past had come many miles to this place, and when the camera turned here in his direction, they all screamed with exhilaration.

Right now, right here, right this moment, he was not just her Han Shangyan.

Rather&h.e.l.lip;

He belonged to everyone.

"No problem." He smiled at the camera, a shallow dimple even showing on his face. "After the tournament, we'll get married."

Apart from her, no one knew what he was saying.

They only knew that he was speaking to the young girl beside him.

He, Han Shangyan, had never been one who wore his heart on his sleeve. His feelings were held in his heart. Being romantic or whatever was not required, not necessary.

A lifetime is so long, and I give it all to you.

Tong Nian.

[0:44] Many times have I faced cold glares and ridicule, yet never have I abandoned the hopes and ideals in my heart. In a dazed moment, I feel as if something is lost, missing. Imperceptibly, the love within my heart has faded away. Who understands me?

[1:09] Forgive me for, all my life, being unruly and indulging my pa.s.sion for freedom. I, too, have fears that one day I will fall. To abandon one’s hopes and ideals is something anyone can do. I will not fear, even if one day there is only you and I.

—from Boundless Seas and Vast Skies

Today was Valentine's Day—a certain someone's birthday.

K&K eSports Club was holding a small, internal c.o.c.ktail and wine party. Leader had not known about it ahead of time. Why didn't he know? Because everyone wanted to give him a nice surprise. Therefore, when Gun, after braving the cold to rush back from the airport, was riding the elevator up with a black bag slung crossbody on his back and wearing a black down jacket, his entire mind was occupied with thoughts of the training plans that would be taking place shortly.

And while he was at it, he schemed about taking attendance. That way, anyone who wanted to go out to celebrate Valentine's Day would end up feeling sheepish about the idea.

The elevator doors slid open before Gun's eyes. Chewing gum, he step by step walked out of the elevator. His down jacket had already been shed, and with his right hand, he tossed it onto the chair at the reception desk.

n.o.body there?

Turning a corner, he followed the corridor and walked in. Inside the training room, the sounds of a.s.sault rifles and explosions seemed to rock the sky. The instant he poked his head in through the door, he was greeted by demo waving a deep green liquor bottle and crying, "Leader! Sister-In-Law is waiting for you!"

As if something had exploded, he paused in shock.

An entire room of wine and liquor bottles. Not a single sober person.

The next second, the doorway was once again empty. grunt was still sprawled on the windowsill, talking in low tones with Ai Jing, and clicking his tongue reproachfully, he sighed, "Dt, that punk, is just too low and underhanded. Just so he could go have a date with his girlfriend, he went and got Han Shangyan's wife drunk."

At the end of the corridor, on the left side—Han Shangyan's room.

When his hand contacted the cold, metal door handle, he even thought with furrowed brows, what would happen in just a moment? After rehearsing through some rough scenarios in his mind, he pushed down on the handle and stepped inside.

Utter darkness. He wanted to feel for the light switch.

Instead, his hand came in contact with the back of a soft, little hand. Very soon, a feeling he knew all too well came at him&h.e.l.lip;

"Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday." The octopus clasped his waist and began rubbing back and forth against him, from his face to his body. "Hurry up and say that you're really happy&h.e.l.lip;"

"&h.e.l.lip; I'm happy."

He still had questions he wanted to ask, but she had bit down lightly on his lower lip, and a little tongue had slipped into his mouth.

Well, he could taste them: beer, baijiu, plum wine, red wine&h.e.l.lip;

He shut his eyes.

Don't blow up.

Sh*t! Who the f*ck boozed her up?

A hot, little palm mimicked what he normally did, feeling its way to the nape of his neck. Pulling him in close to her, she kissed him, and quite merrily as well. Gun had no other option but to lift up her legs and hold them around his waist. In the blackness, he used his feet to grope around, trying unsuccessfully to find a chair.

No choice then. There was only the windowsill.

Once he was seated, Tong Nian delightedly pounced herself onto him.

Before he had a chance to react, the back of his head slammed into the gla.s.s.

Sh*t&h.e.l.lip;

Ziiiiiip. His zipper had nimbly been pulled open&h.e.l.lip;

"Tong Nian." Gun forced his voice to remain steady. "There's only 1 month until the wedding. 1 month. 30 days. 720 hours. 43200 minutes. Just hang in there a bit more&h.e.l.lip;"

The right shoulder of his track jacket was being pulled down as if her life depended on it.

"I'll do it, I'll do it&h.e.l.lip;" There was still a match tomorrow. He couldn't let things end up looking too ugly or else that bunch of little b.a.s.t.a.r.ds would be able to tell that something had been amiss.

Fumblingly, Gun tugged the zipper all the way down, leaned forward slightly, and, with both his arms behind his back, removed his track jacket. Before he had even tossed it onto the floor, Tong Nian was already pulling at his belt&h.e.l.lip;

Warm lips pressed against the bridge of his nose, his eyelids.

He tried as much as possible to make himself think about relatively innocent things. For instance, for the match against SP tomorrow, he could change out that entire group of little b.a.s.t.a.r.ds who were outside right now and replace them with the secondary team that was becoming increasingly formidable&h.e.l.lip;

In the darkness, the kid paused for several beats. Her gaze glimmered with expectation as she moved in closer and bashfully asked, "How come you're not moving?"

His large, broad palm caught the back of her neck, and with a slight huskiness in his voice, he replied, "My first time&h.e.l.lip; Don't know what to do. What now?"

Eh? Didn't he say men could figure it out without any teaching?

"Then&h.e.l.lip; I'll give it a try." She did not hesitate, and in a muddled state, she very neatly and effectively unbuckled his belt, yanked it out, and threw it aside. Then with much difficulty, she scrambled down. Her head feeling as if it was swirling, she began to tear at his jeans.

Gun was leaning back against the gla.s.s, at the breaking point from her teasing. Reaching his hands out to take her under the arms, he pulled the kid back up and set her on his thighs.

In that stillness, his hands grabbed the bottom of his short-sleeved shirt and pulled it up and off.

The kid's eyes seemed to gleam even more.

Gun had a feeling of being viewed, and the sight was being enjoyed&h.e.l.lip;

And so, he set her down on the floor. Feet bare, he hopped down as well, and with upper body unclothed, he bent down to look her in the eyes. "You really want to do it?"

She made a sound in answer. The more she thought about this, the happier she became, and in a quiet voice, she told him, "Your birthday gift. And it's also Valentine's Day."

He still had a feeling as if he was being bestowed the favour of sharing the emperor's bed.

Suppressing a smile that wanted to form, he eyed her over. "Don’t cry in a little bit."

She paused in surprise. "Huh? &h.e.l.lip;" A little nervous, she asked, "&h.e.l.lip; Do you have any cold medicine here? Nighttime tablets? I just need to take one and then I'll fall right asleep." She reckoned, that way, it wouldn't be too painful?

"It's alright. If I really start crying because it hurts, you just need to coax and comfort me and then I'll be good. I'm really easy to comfort." She first convinced herself.

And then, she decisively walked over and wrapped her arms around his bare waist.

He truly had not expected that he would celebrate his birthday in this way, where the instant he stepped in the door, he would be stripped of his clothes by his little girlfriend. Now there was no way to back out. Continue? It would not be easy to explain himself to her parents&h.e.l.lip; The wedding was so soon.

Not continue? Obviously, the sweat on his palms was reminding him that there was no running this time.

Bending at the waist, he scooped Tong Nian up into his arms, focusing his efforts on, from this moment onwards, making everything become dreamy and wonderful. The kid did not lose her memories after getting drunk. He could not let her suffer any sort of unhappiness.

However, the following morning, when Tong Nian, feeling as if her mind was stuffed with glue and her heart was bursting with happiness, hugged the quilt against herself and tried with all her might to recall the memory, only a few fragments were particularly clear. For example, he had kneaded her chest like he was kneading dough&h.e.l.lip;

Meanwhile&h.e.l.lip;

Gun sat on the steps downstairs of the building in the cold, blowing wind. Biting down and crushing the fruit candy in his mouth, he looked down at his stopwatch.

Off in the distance, all the K&K members were dashing back madly with all their might.

One after another, they collapsed in a spot by him. Tears had sprung from demo's eyes from the running, and clutching at Gun's leg, he bawled over and over, "Leader, I really can't run anymore. We honestly weren't the ones who did it&h.e.l.lip;"

[1]屌絲 "diao si." This slang term actually literally means "p.e.n.i.s hair." At the outset, this term, with its vulgar insinuation, was only meant to be derogatory and hence, is most commonly translated as "loser." However, the use of the term has gradually evolved. More and more, it is used in a joking fashion, or even to refer to oneself, as a way to describe a person who is a "n.o.body" based on social conditions and not necessarily because of faults of his own (for example, a person born into a humble social cla.s.s, unable to aquire any a.s.sets to his name because his normal, respectable job is barely enough to cover the high cost of living). Here, in this context, it's not describing monetary a.s.sets but rather, that the average-looking "n.o.body" cannot compare with Tong Nian's exceptional physical a.s.sets, i.e. her good looks.

The trilogy, consisting of 《神之左手》G.o.d’s Left Hand, 《密室困遊魚》Playing Fish Trapped in the Sealed Chamber, and Stewed Squid with Honey, was conceived quite early in Mo Bao Fei Bao’s writing career. G.o.d’s Left Hand, the prequel of everything, began in 2011 and was one of the longest standing pits (unfinished stories) of her line-up until she wrote the remaining two in 2014/15. Left Hand and Sealed Chamber would be the main plot line, a story about the pursuit of dreams, pa.s.sions, and fervour of youth, and tells the story of Team Solo, Gun, appledog, Solo, grunt (and his love interest, Ai Jing), and Dt (and his love story with appledog). I still remember MBFB saying that she needed to hurry and finish the story while she still could remember those intense feelings of being young and pa.s.sionate. Squid, on the other hand, was written as a side story to give Gun a happy ending and is much more light-hearted.

Hence, Beyond’s song, 《海闊天空》Boundless Seas and Vast Skies, a song about pursuing one’s pa.s.sions against the odds is an appropriately chosen conclusion to the story by the author. Translation of the lyrics is at the end of my ramblings.