Sorry for the late update… I was preparing for a job application test of some sort. Wish me luck~
For [Twenty Years], I’ll be uploading both updates for this week tomorrow!
The online discussions about Jiang Shi’s father were quickly suppressed by Yuan Yang, but the video had already spread, causing widespread resistance against Jiang Shi.
Especially some extreme fans of Xie Xu, who flooded the TLG official Weibo and players’ accounts daily, demanding that TLG kick Jiang Shi out.
Fortunately, Jiang Shi had a strong mentality, and these comments didn’t affect him in the slightest. However, he still decided to keep some distance from Xie Xu in public.
Xie Xu had quite a lot of girlfriend fans, and if they retaliated, it wouldn’t be good for Xie Xu.
The next day, the TLG team took a car to the competition venue for their match against ST. Usually, Jiang Shi was the last to get off the car, but this time, as soon as Yuan Yang got off, Jiang Shi quickly slipped out from behind him.
The usual formation was disrupted, and Jiang Shi was now separated from Xie Xu by Jiang Lele and Yu Hui, making him less conspicuous.
Many people were paying attention to today’s match between TLG and ST. Outside the venue, long security lines were set up, and fans crowded on both sides, shouting the names of TLG players from time to time, creating a noisy scene.
After greeting his fans with a grin, Jiang Lele leaned over to Jiang Shi. “Why aren’t you walking with the captain today?”
Jiang Shi made up a serious excuse, “I’m too nervous about playing against ST. I want to get to the lounge early and calm down.”
Jiang Lele: “?”
“Weren’t you the one who said on the bus just now that even if ST brought in the Korean import Smile, you’d still beat them into the ground?”
Just as he was about to say more, he suddenly noticed a fan nearby raising a banner. The abrupt movement caught everyone’s attention.
The slogan on the red banner was clear and direct—
[Time, get out of TLG!]
After raising the banner, they shouted at Jiang Shi, “Scum like you don’t deserve to be a pro player!”
“Get lost, trash! Don’t dirty TLG!”
“Shameless!”
Their voices were loud and in sync, instantly drowning out the previous clamor.
Jiang Shi stopped in his tracks, staring blankly at the group of fans who were red-faced with righteous indignation. Many of them were holding Xie Xu’s support items.
Since he was walking ahead, he was the closest to them, clearly seeing the anger on their faces and the disgust in their eyes.
Jiang Shi opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but his cap was suddenly pressed down, blocking his view.
Xie Xu had somehow appeared in front of him, speaking in a calm voice, “There’s nothing worth looking at, and nothing worth listening to.”
Jiang Shi didn’t say anything.
But these were Xie Xu’s fans.
Yuan Yang immediately called for staff to maintain order and remove the banner. The fans resisted, causing a significant clash between both sides.
Yuan Yang pushed the team members toward the venue. “You guys go in first, don’t worry about it.”
Irrational fans were capable of anything.
But before the five of them could leave, someone suddenly yanked Jiang Shi hard to the side, causing him to crash into Xie Xu’s arms.
A familiar citrus scent filled his nose. Before he could ask why Xie Xu was hugging him, he suddenly heard Xie Xu inhale sharply, his arms tightening around him.
With a loud clang, a large metal can of red Wangzai Milk fell from Xie Xu’s shoulder.
Judging by the sound, it was full.
Jiang Shi looked at the smiling cartoon face on the can and suddenly realized—it had been thrown at his head.
Where there was one, there was another.
Xie Xu immediately pulled up Jiang Shi’s hoodie over his team jacket, shielding him as they moved forward. But Jiang Shi firmly grabbed Xie Xu’s arm and stepped in front of him.
The next moment, a bottle of mineral water came flying toward them.
Jiang Shi’s gaze sharpened, and he clenched his fist, swinging it forward.
The water bottle was struck with immense force, deforming instantly. The cap flew off, and the bottle rebounded far away, spilling water everywhere.
The sheer strength of the impact immediately stunned the riotous fans into silence.
Jiang Shi bent down, picked up the deformed red can of Wangzai Milk from the ground, and stood behind Xie Xu, expressionless. “You guys walk ahead.”
His voice was ice-cold.
Jiang Shi walked on the outermost side of the team, holding the crushed can in his hand. His steps were steady. Though his face was emotionless, an oppressive aura radiated from him.
It felt as if if anyone dared to try anything else, that can would be hurled straight at their head.
Before joining the team, Jiang Shi had spent every day fighting on the streets—his aggression and ruthlessness were real.
The troublemaking fans seemed to have their throats clutched, their eyes wide with fear as they watched the group enter the venue.
Jiang Shi was the last to step inside. He turned back and locked eyes with a pale-faced girl in the front row. He tossed the can forward—it hit her shoulder before dropping to the ground.
The force wasn’t strong, but the warning was obvious.
Jiang Shi’s lips moved. “Idiot.”
Then he turned and walked inside.
The TLG members were waiting for him at the entrance. Jiang Lele threw an arm around Jiang Shi’s neck, howling, “T Bao, you were insanely handsome! How did you manage to punch a water bottle like that?!”
Jiang Shi pried off Jiang Lele’s arm. “Try delivering packages for a few years, and you’ll get there.”
He had acted purely on instinct, as Xie Xu was standing too close to him, and he wasn’t sure who the bottle would hit. So, he had simply punched it away.
Those people didn’t deserve to be Xie Xu’s fans, and he didn’t need to be polite to them.
Jiang Shi still had some lingering hostility on his face, but under Jiang Lele’s persistent questioning, it transformed into helplessness.
“T Bao, you’re amazing! If it were me, I’d be scared to death and probably start crying on the spot.”
“Teach me! I want to be that handsome too!”
Jiang Shi raised his fist in front of Jiang Lele’s eyes, his expression sincere. “Are you sure you want me to teach you now?”
Jiang Lele stared at the fist, as big as a sandbag, and imagined himself getting smashed like the water bottle. He wisely shut his mouth.
The team walked to the lounge. This time, Jiang Shi didn’t keep his distance and instead walked next to Xie Xu. “Captain, is your shoulder okay?”
Xie Xu moved his arm a bit. “I’m fine. It just sounded loud when it hit.”
“Let me see your hand.”
Jiang Shi was confused but obediently opened his palm.
Xie Xu glanced at him with a hint of helplessness, then flipped Jiang Shi’s hand over.
The back of his hand was red.
He squeezed Jiang Shi’s knuckles. “Does it hurt?”
Jiang Shi mimicked Xie Xu, flexing his fingers and clenching his fist. “It’s fine. It won’t affect the match.”
Yuan Yang, walking behind them, witnessed the small gesture of them holding hands and found it unbearable. He quickly strode ahead.
But unexpectedly, they ran into a familiar face—ST’s team.
The coaches of both sides exchanged “cordial” greetings.
ST coach: “I heard that you were blocked by fans outside, are you okay?”
Yuan Yang replied with a fake smile: “You think we are in trouble? I think it should be you, right? Bringing that Korean import for today’s match? I heard he has never played a formal game or a scrimmage, so are you even confident he can cooperate well?”
ST coach choked. “Don’t worry about this.”
The two exchanged perfunctory greetings before passing by each other.
Jiang Shi only knew that they had encountered ST’s team, but it didn’t stir any emotions in him.
Their teams were merely acquaintances at best.
However, just as he took a few steps forward, an arm blocked his path.
A somewhat awkward voice spoke: “Time, are you okay?”
Jiang Shi looked up, his gaze landing on the person’s face—or rather, their sunglasses.
Jiang Shi: “.”
This guy was even better at putting on airs than he was.
Seeing that Jiang Shi wasn’t responding, the person spoke again: “I’m Smile from ST. You can call me Xiaoxiao[mfn]笑笑, it can mean smile or laughter[/mfn].”
Halfway through speaking, he pulled a small notebook from his pocket, glanced at it, and then continued, “I like… you—”
As soon as these words left his mouth, Xie Xu, who had been talking to ST’s support, turned his head to look over.
Jiang Shi’s eyelid twitched, and he quickly distanced himself. “I don’t know you, and I don’t like you. Thanks.”
But before he finished speaking, Xiaoxiao, who was a beat slower, finally completed his sentence: “—r playstyle.”
Jiang Shi: “?”
Is this guy okay?
ST’s coach arrived late and explained, “His Chinese is fine for communication, just a bit slow. Time, he’s watched your matches, and your Senna left a strong impression on him.”
Jiang Lele felt a bit sour. “Isn’t Smile a mid-laner?”
‘Shouldn’t he be more impressed with me?!’
Xiaoxiao glanced at Jiang Lele but quickly returned his gaze to Jiang Shi—more precisely, to Jiang Shi’s hair. His tone remained slow: “Time, handsome. Like.”
A double kill.
Jiang Lele and Jiang Shi both felt their sanity crack.
Jiang Shi held back but eventually said, “Can you not throw around the word ‘like’ so casually?”
Xie Xu had already looked over several times, but he and this Korean import had never even met before.
“And also, don’t wear sunglasses indoors. It looks ridiculous.”
Jiang Shi’s tone was indifferent, making sure the sarcasm was clear.
Xiaoxiao might not have been able to express himself well, but he could understand. He glanced at the hood on Jiang Shi’s head and said, “You’re wearing something too. Two layers.”
Earlier, Xie Xu had pulled the hood of his sweatshirt over Jiang Shi’s head.
Jiang Shi: “.”
He gritted his teeth, just about ready to properly reason with this guy, when Xie Xu pulled down the hoodie from Jiang Shi’s head and said to Xiaoxiao, “He looks good in a hood.”
The unexpected compliment made Jiang Shi’s ears heat up, and for a moment, he forgot to bicker with Xiaoxiao.
Xiaoxiao also nodded in agreement. “Yes, Time handsome.”
Then he turned to Xie Xu. “Xu, I know you. North tells you to me. He the one who taught me Chinese. He tells me that if I meet into you in China, I should say hello and tell you he’s want to facing you again in Korea.”[mfn]T/L: I’m purposefully making his speech rather awkward[/mfn]
As soon as he finished speaking, ST’s coach immediately pulled Xiaoxiao back and explained hastily, “He’s just joking! Let’s not chat anymore—see you on the stage later!”
Then he quickly took Xiaoxiao away.
Everyone knew that last year’s Worlds had been a disaster—TLG had suffered a crushing defeat against YB, and North had claimed FMVP.
Xiaoxiao had spoken casually, but to the TLG players, it was like a dagger to the heart.
Seeing his teammates with their heads down, Xie Xu’s voice was calm. “You’re already losing confidence before we’ve even played? Raise your head.”
The heads snapped up instantly.
Jiang Shi hadn’t lowered his head in the first place, but hearing this, he lifted his chin slightly in cooperation.
That simple sentence from Xie Xu cleared everyone’s minds, making them focus on the upcoming match against ST.
They had to win the championship to qualify for Worlds and reclaim their honor.
When they stepped onto the stage, the crowd erupted in deafening cheers. Looking down, most of the banners were in support of Time.
After the chaos outside the venue, many of Xie Xu’s fans had their light sticks confiscated. Given Xie Xu’s intervention and Jiang Shi’s aggressive stance, they were holding in their frustration, sitting silently in the audience without making a sound.
This, of course, delighted Jiang Shi’s fans.
In the past, Xie Xu’s fanbase was always the loudest, drowning out everyone else. His fans were considered allies, so Jiang Shi’s fans had always been too polite to compete. But now—
The cheers from the crowd surged louder and louder, their voices raw from shouting.
“T Bao, go get ‘em! Mama will always love you!”
“Little White Hair, you’re the best!”
“You’re the GOAT! Kill them all!”
The fans’ support was deafening, and the camera sensibly zoomed in on Jiang Shi. The host chuckled and asked, “I’d like to interview Time—how are you feeling right now? Would you like to say something to your fans?”
It was rare to see such a young player with such a cohesive fanbase.
Jiang Shi, busy checking his equipment, didn’t even lift his head. It was only when Yuan Yang nudged him that he responded, “You guys are really loud.”
Even with noise-canceling headphones on, he could still hear them.
This was not the heartfelt response the host expected—Jiang Shi was just too cool.
Yet instead of getting upset, the fans screamed even louder.
The host didn’t quite understand their dynamic and was about to move on when, just before the camera cut away, Jiang Shi casually lifted his gaze and added,
“Save some energy. Cheer when TLG wins.”
