Meal

The next day, Xue Wei woke up naturally.

Their match against SSQ was in the afternoon, so they still had time for makeup and rest in the morning.

Compared to his calmness, the other few started feeling anxious and regretful in the middle of the night.

Wanshi got up in the middle of the night and went to another room to discuss tactics.

At breakfast, they reported to Xue Wei together.

Xue Wei sat at a first-floor buffet table, slurping his beef noodles.

The beef noodle soup was bright red, emitting a hot and spicy aroma.

Wanshi, Zhao Xiaoyi, and Dangdang sat in a row before him, each with dark circles under their eyes, and a small notebook in front of them, adopting a posture as if reporting to a coach.

“Brother Xue, we sincerely regret that we went out to have fun with the national team yesterday; we really shouldn’t have. We got up in the middle of the night, thought it over, and formulated several plans against SSQ. Please review them, Brother Xue,” Dangdang said.

They didn’t even dare to call him Naonao anymore.

The other two were also sitting upright, their gazes burning.

Xue Wei: “Mm.” He picked up a piece of blanched greens, glanced at them, and neither confirmed nor denied.

Zhao Xiaoyi immediately understood and began to report: “We haven’t played against SSQ before. Only Wanshi encountered them once when he was in the playoffs, but never head-on. We’re not very familiar with their playstyle, but we’ve observed that they only have two lineups: one is a single-core sniper defense lineup centered on Ming Xu, and the other is a highly aggressive lineup with assaulters as the main force, and Ming Xu providing vision from the rear.”

Wanshi said: “This is the All-Star Game; they are heavily promoting Ming Xu, so they won’t abandon the lineup with him as the core. Therefore, they will mainly play defensively. Brother Nao, do you think I’m right?”

Xue Wei nodded, picked up another piece of blanched greens, placed it on his beef noodles, and dipped it into the soup, eating without even looking up.

“It depends on the draw. If they get the T side and play defensively, we’ll just have to hard-push. We discussed it, and then you’ll play sniper, and the three of us will all switch to assaulters and push hard,” Wanshi said. “If they’re CT, we have you, so we can have an advantage. Then the three of us will protect you. What do you think?”

Xue Wei picked up his bowl to drink soup.

The other three stared at him in unison.

The young man’s skin was fair, his lips stained by the heat.

White mist rose, blurring and dampening his dark eyelashes.

He finished his soup, picked out the last golden bean from the bottom of the bowl with his chopsticks, and finally brought his gaze back.

Xue Wei nodded seriously: “You’re right.”

He stood up with his tray and walked to the other side.

The remaining few continued to exchange glances.

“So Brother Nao… approved?” Wanshi asked blankly, “Our strategy passed? Or does he think our discussed strategy isn’t important, so he doesn’t need to listen attentively?”

“Stop spouting nonsense. If he thought we weren’t important, would he have bothered to discuss tactics with us against North America?” Zhao Xiaoyi slapped him on the head. “Alright, alright, finish eating and go back to get a feel for it.”

It was already past nine o’clock.

The hotel was preparing lunch, and the morning buffet area was empty, with only two or three people.

Xue Wei put the stack of bowls he had just finished eating into the recycling area.

Then, without pausing, he wandered over to the beef noodle section again.

The noodle soup at this hotel was made fresh.

A chef was stationed nearby, and the cooked noodles were kept in an alloy insulated container, then served into small bowls and placed on the counter for easy access.

But each bowl was only a few bites; he hadn’t eaten enough.

When Xue Wei arrived, the chef had just taken off his hat and was preparing to leave.

He went over and glanced; there was nothing left on the counter but some puff pastries and desserts.

The chef noticed him: “Little one, no more noodles. The last few bowls were just taken. If you want to eat tomorrow, come earlier.”

He then pointed to Xue Wei: “There are also fries and chicken wings over there you can check out.”

Xue Wei said: “Oh.”

He expressionlessly put down the tray, staring at the remaining sweets and pastries, as if deep in thought.

After watching for a while, he looked back at the empty beef noodle stall, feeling somewhat unhappy.

He decided not to eat any more.

Xue Wei took his tray to the recycling area.

No sooner had he placed it down than he turned around and suddenly saw a man sitting at a table in the back corner.

The man was dressed in black, playing on his phone, with several meal trays in front of him.

Xue Wei glanced at him, hands in his pockets.

Just as he was about to walk past, Wen Man said: “Morning.”

Xue Wei said: “Morning.”

The national team’s breakfast time was 7:30 AM; Wen Man was late by that standard.

“Come eat.” Wen Man didn’t even look up, “I snatched them for you; the last three bowls of beef noodles are all yours.”

Xue Wei looked.

Indeed, there were three small bowls of beef noodles on the three trays in front of him.

After their face-to-face meeting broke the ice yesterday, he felt that he and Wen Man were now friends.

So he sat down and dragged all three trays towards himself.

As he dragged the last one, Wen Man reached out and unceremoniously held it back: “You’re eating four bowls by yourself? Leave some for me.”

His palm was large, with clearly defined knuckles.

Xue Wei: “Oh.”

He released his hand.

So he had two trays, and Wen Man had one.

Wen Man tucked his phone into his pocket and picked up his chopsticks to eat.

Xue Wei felt subtly embarrassed.

He ate with his head down, silently, not looking up.

His eating posture also became refined, like a cat daintily sipping, slowly eating.

His cool tea-colored hair fell down, soft and obedient.

Just that one small bowl of noodles, two or three bites’ worth, he ate for a long time, until Wen Man piled the contents of the other two plates onto his plate in front of him.

His movements were leisurely, as he set down three pieces of pastry for him.

Mung bean cake, egg yolk pastry, a small egg tart—all his favorites.

Xue Wei ate in silence.

Wen Man smiled: “No thank you?”

Xue Wei still focused on his bowl: “Then, thank you.”

Wen Man didn’t mind.

After he finished eating, he relaxed and leaned back, crossing his legs and starting to play on his phone.

His attitude was relaxed, and Xue Wei also slowly relaxed.

He began to eat his second bowl of beef noodles.

After finishing the last two bowls of beef noodles, Xue Wei was full.

He still had a few pieces of pastry left, which he wrapped in a plastic bag meant for eggs and stuffed into his jacket pocket.

He glanced at Wen Man.

Wen Man was motionless, still playing on his phone.

Xue Wei said: “I’m done eating.”

Xue Wei pulled out his phone: “Meal voucher… I’ll transfer the money to you. Consider it my treat.”

His voice sounded honest.

“No need to transfer; consider it your treat,” Wen Man leaned over, took a small steamed bun from his tray and ate it, “Time to go for makeup; the match is coming up.”

“Oh.” Xue Wei took out his small notebook, drew a stroke for the tally mark on the last page, then put it back.

Wen Man looked up at him, his dark peach blossom eyes studying him: “Keeping track of the meals, are we?”

Xue Wei also glanced at him.

Wen Man stood up, put a hand on his shoulder, lightly pulled him closer, then let go: “Let’s go.”

The makeup room this time was equipped with humidifiers, and even diffusers for aromatherapy, making it warm and comfortable.

Xue Wei took off his mask and obediently let the makeup artist apply makeup.

Wen Man was still sitting on a sofa on one side, reading a magazine, just like yesterday.

SSQ was getting their makeup done on the other side.

They had arrived early, and the head makeup artist had already gone over there, leaving only a few novices on their side.

A group of grown men didn’t care much about how they looked.

They discussed playstyles while getting their makeup done.

“SSQ also had a match in the Spring Split before… Hey, wait, how did you guys do his makeup? Brother Xue, how did he end up like this?” Zhao Xiaoyi looked up abruptly and saw Xue Wei had panda eyes.

The eyeliner was very thick, and the contouring had flattened his eye bags.

A perfectly handsome and delicate face was actually downgraded by the makeup.

Xue Wei himself hadn’t reacted.

Wanshi and Dangdang also yelled: “Do it again, do it again! He’s EGT’s face! Makeup artist, you’re not sent by the other team, are you?!”

The makeup artist smiled awkwardly.

For some reason, her smile held a hint of guilt: “Then tell me, how should I do it? I can change it.”

There were only a dozen minutes until they went on stage; there definitely wasn’t enough time to redo it.

From behind, Wen Man suddenly said: “Take it off. I’ll do his makeup. You go about your business.”

The makeup artist still had something to say, but when she turned and saw it was Wen Man, she dared not say anything.

She handed him the makeup supplies.

Wen Man raised a hand to block them: “No need.”

He pulled out a makeup remover wipe and walked over.

Xue Wei, sitting in the chair, hadn’t even reacted before Wen Man started clumsily wiping his face.

Xue Wei blocked him, then yelped: “I’ll do it myself; you’re wiping too hard.”

Wen Man then stopped, a smile in his eyes:

“Meow.”

He handed over the wipe.

Xue Wei then turned to the mirror and hurriedly wiped his face.

“Then if I do your makeup, I’ll have to touch your face,” Wen Man said behind him.

Xue Wei said: “Let’s not do makeup.”

He clearly found it troublesome, annoying, and didn’t understand the purpose of stage makeup.

He still felt makeup was a girl’s thing.

A clean, fair, and handsome face was naturally the most beautiful.

Wen Man sat down beside him and handed him another item: “This, lip balm.”

Lip balm reluctantly gained Xue Wei’s approval.

He took it, twisted it open, and a fresh, pleasant orange scent spread.

He haphazardly applied it.

His lips were slightly red and glossy.

He showed no expression, but seemed a bit uncomfortable: “Is that okay?”

Wen Man tilted his head, reached out, and turned Xue Wei’s chair, his expression cold and calm: “Almost there. I’ll do it. Close your eyes.”

His expression was so serious it was impossible to find anything amiss.

Xue Wei had no choice but to obediently close his eyes.

He heard Wen Man stand up.

A shadow covered him.

The scent of lime clung to his cheek.

Warm breath brushed past him.

Wen Man whispered: “I’m going to touch you, Naonao.”

Xue Wei nervously closed his eyes, and he didn’t know what he replied, perhaps a faint “Mm.”

Wen Man reached out, his fingertips gently pinching his chin.