WCG Chapter 90.2

He pointed to the exhibition not far away,” The balloon car with merch hanging on it, and the layout of the exhibition… are they the same for every team?”

“The layout changes according to the venue, but each team has its own special elements. For example, TLG are always decorated with a blue and white color scheme, while Lion is always pink.” Xie Xu explained, “But that car is unique to the TLG team.” 

The car was decorated with various TLG endorsed merchandise. Since TLG has won many, many championships, they do have the strength to deploy such an ostentatious car. 

Then, Yuan Yang called them from nearby. “Come here, you will go on stage to speak later!”

During the whole process, Jiang Shi was not in good condition. Fortunately, he did not need to say much. The entertainment match was also given to Chengcheng from the second team.

Relying on his memory, he successfully found a small table behind a flower screen in the venue.

This place is far away from the exhibition center and was blocked, so it was quite hidden. 

There are several plates of snacks on the small table, including chocolate, candy, and Want Want snow cakes, which are almost exactly the same as in his memory.

After the speech, Jiang Shi asked Yuan Yang if the types of these snacks were also the same every year.

Yuan Yang told him that these were all purchased internally by TLG, so it’s about the same every year. 

But when he asked about the plushies, Yuan Yang said that they would not give away Snowman plushies. They’re only given to special prize winners. 

So, Jiang Shi sat, his thoughts floaty. He kept staring at the three plates of snacks in front of him with an empty gaze. 

By the time he realized something, he had already stuffed several snacks into his pocket until it was bulging. If he didn’t cover it, the snacks would fall out.

TLG really gave them enough snacks.

Someone spotted Jiang Shi and came over to him happily to ask for his autograph. Jiang Shi could only retract his right hand that was covering his pocket, and then, the Want Want Snow Cakes fell all over the floor.

The fans were obviously a little surprised. “Time, doesn’t the team give you food?”

Jiang Shi made an excuse. “I didn’t have breakfast this morning.”

The fans reminded him to take care of himself, and left after asking for autographs.

Still unsure why, but Jiang Shi felt his brain was numb. The moment he saw the familiar exhibition layout, a guess emerged in his mind, but he felt it was too impossible.

How could it be such a coincidence?

Jiang Shi rubbed his face and let out a breath. Just as he was about to bend down to pick up the fallen Want Want Snow Cakes from the floor, a pair of hands moved faster than him, picking up the cakes one by one and handing them to him.  

“Why are you hiding here?”  

Jiang Shi’s hand froze midair, and for a moment, he didn’t look up.  

In truth, he had already forgotten what that person looked like. He had even forgotten their voice. Yet, at this moment, memories buried deep in his mind surged forth all at once.  

The same noisy background. The same opening words.  

“Why are you hiding here?”

“Do you like Want Want Snow Cakes?”  

“Do you like Want Want Snow Cakes?”

Even though he was talking to a completely different person, Xie Xu repeated the words exactly the same way.  

Jiang Shi’s eyes suddenly stung. He blinked, lifted his head, and took the Want Want Snow Cakes from Xie Xu’s hand, stuffing them all into his pocket.  

The crinkling sound of plastic grew louder. Jiang Shi saw Xie Xu turn around and walk away.  

His movement paused.  

Sure enough, this was still too undignified.  

The next moment, the empty snack plate in front of him was once again piled high with snowy-white Want Want Snow Cakes.  

“Take your time. I grabbed them from the table next door,” Xie Xu said naturally. “If you don’t like this kind of event, it’s okay to hide for a while.”  

Xie Xu spoke a lot, but Jiang Shi remained silent. Sensing something was wrong, Xie Xu lifted Jiang Shi’s chin and saw his reddened eyes.  

Xie Xu’s expression stiffened, his gaze turning cold for a moment before he quickly masked it. “What’s wrong? Did you run into anti-fans?”  

Jiang Shi pulled at the corner of his mouth. “You think I’d be scared of them?”  

The last thing he feared was an offline battle.  

Jiang Shi looked down at the bulging snacks in his pocket. After a brief hesitation, he finally spoke. “Captain, three years ago, did you also give food to a kid like this?”  

“You even pulled down a Snowman plushie from a balloon car and put it in a bag with the candies from the table.”  

Jiang Shi revealed so many details that Xie Xu was suddenly struck by realization. “That kid… was you?”  

He recalled encountering a thin and frail child at an expo once. His pockets were stuffed full, and when he saw Xie Xu, his face was full of wariness.  

Xie Xu had a deep impression of that child. “You should have been 16 back then. But that kid looked no older than 13…”  

He trailed off.  

Jiang Shi had no mother, and Jiang Youcai didn’t take proper care of him. It wasn’t surprising that his development lagged behind his peers.  

That child’s face had been dirty, with fresh wounds as if he had just been in a fight. Though he wasn’t short, he was so thin that he was practically just bones, looking both fierce and difficult to approach.  

But when he saw Xie Xu, he hesitated, as if considering returning the snacks in his pockets.  

Aside from a single photograph, this was the first time Xie Xu had faced Jiang Shi’s past so directly.  

His chest felt stifled.  

Jiang Shi, having passed the initial wave of emotions, regained his usual composure and curled his lips. “I know I looked weak back then, but no one there could beat me.”  

After speaking, he suddenly glanced at Xie Xu.  

Even though he had always been reckless and fearless, he had immediately backed down when faced with Xie Xu back then.  

Xie Xu had been too tall, looking cold and unapproachable. Afraid of getting hit, Jiang Shi had been ready to return the snacks.  

Jiang Shi pressed down on the snacks in his pocket and said in a low voice, “I thought you’d blame me for stealing.”  

Xie Xu was momentarily speechless. “Why would I? Those were meant for the fans.”  

“But I wasn’t a fan.” Jiang Shi looked up. “And I didn’t win any prize. Why did you give me candy and a plushie?”  

Xie Xu met his gaze and, after a pause, answered, “Because you looked very hungry at the time.”  

Jiang Shi felt the weight in his pocket and murmured, “I really hadn’t eaten for days back then. Those chocolates and biscuits filled me up.”  

Xie Xu wanted to say something comforting, but his throat was dry. He opened his mouth, yet not a single word came out.  

After a while, he finally said, “There was plenty of food on the other tables too.”  

“My pockets were already full.” Jiang Shi was easily satisfied, but he suddenly remembered something. “I remember… back then, you told me I was welcome to come again.”  

His voice held a hint of grievance as he looked up at Xie Xu. “I went back for several days in a row, but there was no more exhibition.”  

Xie Xu’s tone was gentle. “Mm, I broke my promise.”  

The exhibition had only been a one-day event, and there was no way another would be held in the same place anytime soon.  

But Jiang Shi was just speaking casually. He pulled out a Want Want Snow Cake from his pocket, tore it open, and took a crunchy bite. With his mouth full, he mumbled, “Forget it. I only went to get free food anyway.”  

Xie Xu watched him finish, then unwrapped another and handed it over.  

After eating three packs in a row, Jiang Shi finally stopped Xie Xu from opening another. “No more.”  

He rummaged through the candy dish for a long time, but not finding any lemon-flavored ones, he picked one at random and tossed it into his mouth. Then he lazily looked at Xie Xu. “Captain, were you always like this?”  

Jiang Shi thought for a moment and found a more precise word. “A flirt.”  

Xie Xu wiped the biscuit crumbs from the corner of his lips. “I’ve never given food to anyone else.”  

It had just been a coincidence back then. Plus, little Jiang Shi had looked both fierce and cute, so he hadn’t been able to resist giving him a Snowman plushie too.  

He chuckled. “Besides, I’m just an old man. Who would be interested in me?”  

Jiang Shi nearly choked on his candy when he heard the familiar phrase. His face flushed red as he coughed a few times. Fortunately, a bottle of opened mineral water was handed to him just in time. He gulped down a few mouthfuls before recovering.  

Still red-faced, he muttered, “I just said that randomly back then.”  

How was he supposed to know that person would turn out to be Xie Xu? He only remembered looking up at someone.  

Though, even now, things weren’t much different.  

Just then, Xie Xu’s phone rang in his pocket. Yuan Yang was calling, urging him to go on stage for a casual match.  

Jiang Shi could slack off, but Xie Xu couldn’t.  

“Captain, you should go. I’ll just stay here.”  

Still embarrassed, Jiang Shi was eager to send him away.  

Xie Xu found it amusing and lightly flicked Jiang Shi’s red ear with his fingertip. “Trying to get rid of me? Forget it, I can see this spot from the stage.”  

Jiang Shi rubbed his ear and hummed in response. “I won’t wander around.”  

Xie Xu seemed like he wanted to say more, but Yuan Yang called again.  

Xie Xu sighed. “I’m coming.”  

Before leaving, he took a hat from the car and placed it on Jiang Shi’s head, covering his eye-catching white hair. “This way, you won’t get caught slacking off.”  

Then, his slender fingers sifted through the candy dish, pulling out an orange-yellow wrapper. He tore it open and held it up to Jiang Shi’s mouth. “Lemon-flavored.”  

Jiang Shi paused, then took a bite.  

There was something he hadn’t told Xie Xu — why he had taken all the snacks but hadn’t touched the candy dish.  

Back then, his pocket held a pack of gum he had just stolen from a supermarket. It was the first time he had ever stolen something.  

They said that chewing something could stave off hunger.  

But Xie Xu had given him a bag full of colorful candies, shimmering under the sunlight—just like the person in front of him.  

Later, he returned the gum and never stole again.

When Jiang Shi was lost in thought, a balloon car passed by. Xie Xu turned around and said a few words to the staff there. Then, he took down the most beautiful Snowman plushie from the car, wrapped a balloon around its hand, and put it on the table. “If you leave, take it with you, and I will find you soon.”

Jiang Shi looked at the doll, and then at the balloon that was hanging long and seemed to be floating into the sky.

He thought, ‘The sun is so bright, will it explode if it floats up there?’

The plushie was heavy enough and pretty enough that the balloon shouldn’t float. It should stay where it was. 

Moreover, the plushie below is held tightly.

Jiang Shi reached out, grabbed the plushie, and wrapped a section of the long line around his palm, together with the Snowman.

The balloon will also hold the snowman tightly.