Chapter 40: Holding Each Other Tight
The provincial tournament was usually held in the capital city of each province.
Luckily, Qingnan City was the capital of Shannan Province, so Team RSNDM didn't have to travel far.
The provincial tournaments across the country lasted a total of twenty days, with each province's matches taking about ten days.
The competition in Qingnan City was held in an indoor stadium, quite a distance from Qingnan University, so Team RSNDM had to leave early every day.
If they had classes, they had to ask for leave.
Fortunately, reaching the provincial tournament was considered an honor for the university, so getting permission was easy.
"Check that you've brought your ID card and student ID."
On campus, inside a seven-seat van, Coach Chen Jie, who was also today's driver, reminded everyone to check their documents before leaving.
Today was the first day of the tournament.
They couldn't afford to make a careless mistake before the competition even started.
After everyone confirmed they had everything, the van slowly drove out through the university gate.
"The provincial group stage uses a double-elimination format," Chen Jie said, trying to ease everyone's nerves before the match.
"So don't put too much pressure on yourselves. Even if you lose one match, you won't be eliminated. Just do your best every game."
"Don't be nervous, okay?" Zhuo Feng said to Lin Wan, who was sitting beside him.
Staring out the window, Lin Wan shook his head.
"I'm not nervous."
"Really? Then why are you squeezing your hands so hard your fingers have turned white?"
Lin Wan quickly relaxed his grip, worried that it might affect his gameplay later.
"Come on, watch a funny video and relax."
Zhuo Feng opened a comedy video and leaned shoulder-to-shoulder with Lin Wan so they could watch together.
Yu Sen crossed his arms over his chest, his sleeves looking as if they were about to burst from his muscles.
"Captain, I want to watch too~"
Ding Hanwei raised a delicate hand in an exaggerated pose.
"Yeah, yeah! I want to watch too~"
Han Jinsong put on an aggrieved expression like a heartbroken heroine.
"So you've stopped loving us and only want to share with your little darling. I suppose us old companions are only disturbing your peaceful time together."
The other teammates immediately started teasing Zhuo Feng, complaining that he was playing favorites.
They had already competed in this tournament once before, so they were much more excited than nervous.
Zhuo Feng got goosebumps all over. "Get lost! Don't you all have your own phones?"
"You don't love us anymore!"
"Our friendship is over!"
"Fine! Fine!"
Watching everyone joke around, Lin Wan couldn't help smiling. He almost laughed out loud. After all the joking, he felt much less nervous.
When they arrived at the stadium, they checked in and then went to the spectator seats to wait.
There were too many teams, so there were no private waiting rooms.
The spectator area had become everyone's resting place.
After waiting for almost an hour, a staff member finally told them to get ready.
The current match was almost over.
They would be playing next.
After checking their keyboards, mice, and other equipment, the team moved to the waiting area beside the stage.
During the match...
Lin Wan still felt a little nervous before the game started.
But the moment the match began and his hand settled on the mouse, all his attention went into playing.
He completely forgot about being nervous.
Only after they won did he suddenly remember...
Oh right.
I'm playing on a tournament stage.
Day after day, they kept winning.
Before they knew it, they had reached the finals.
Perhaps it was fate.
Just like last time, they faced the team from the University of Science and Technology in the championship match.
But this time, things were different.
The opposing team was no longer made up of the same players.
Two of their old members had already graduated.
Only three veterans remained.
Their overall strength had dropped significantly.
Team RSNDM swept them without giving them a single win.
The moment they won the championship, Coach Chen Jie rushed onto the stage and excitedly hugged all of his players.
Zhuo Feng pulled Lin Wan into the middle of the group hug, holding him tightly in his arms while quietly blocking everyone else's arms from reaching him.
Finally, the tournament organizers presented them with the championship trophy.
Along with it came a prize of 3,000 yuan.
By the end of April, the provincial tournaments across the country had all finished.
As the champions of Shannan Province, Team RSNDM earned the right to represent the province at the National Regional Tournament, which would be held in early June.
The regional tournament would crown one champion from each of the four regions. East, South, West, and North.
Those four teams would then advance to the National College League Finals.
The final stage would be held at the Hudong Stadium in Shanghai, where two final matches would decide the champion, runner-up, and third-place team.
……………………
After the provincial tournament, everyone finally had a chance to relax.
During the May Day holiday, Lin Wan quietly returned to his hometown.
He had always remembered what his grandfather once told him, ‘Come back and visit whenever you have time.’
While passing through the town, he bought some fresh ingredients. He wanted to cook a good meal for his grandfather.
When he arrived at the house, the front gate was closed.
Just as he expected, Grandpa wasn't home.
Lin Wan guessed that his grandfather had gone fishing again.
After all, living alone in such an empty house probably made the old man feel lonely. It was better to spend the day fishing. Time would pass more quickly, and before he knew it, the year would be over and his children and grandchildren would come home again.
Lin Wan unlocked the door and went straight into the kitchen.
Cooking was actually something relaxing.
The difficult part was preparing all the ingredients and seasonings, since that took a lot of time and effort.
But once the dishes were finished and served on the table, seeing the hot food with its delicious smell always gave him a strong feeling of satisfaction.
After cooking two dishes, Lin Wan called his grandfather.
"Grandpa, where are you?"
"Xiao Wan?"
"Yeah. Grandpa, I'm home for the holiday. Dinner is already ready, so come back and eat."
"Alright, alright! I'll pack up my fishing rod and head back."
Lin Wan carried the dishes to the table and then waited in the yard for his grandfather.
Not long afterward, a slightly stooped figure slowly walked toward the house.
The moment Lin Wan saw him, a smile spread across his face.
He shouted from far away, "Grandpa!"
Seeing his grandson, Lin Youfu couldn't stop smiling.
"When did you get home?"
"This morning."
"How many days off do you have?"
"Three days. I have to go back to school the day after tomorrow."
Lin Youfu walked over and looked him up and down, surprise showing in his eyes.
Lin Wan knew exactly what his grandfather was surprised about.
So he started running and jumping around the yard.
"Don't worry, Grandpa! I'm getting healthier and healthier. Look, I can run and jump now! I'm in even better shape than I was during the New Year. My appearance has changed a little too, of course!"
"Good, good! As long as you're getting healthier."
At his age, he no longer wished for his children or grandchildren to become rich or famous.
He only hoped they would stay healthy, free from illness and disaster.
No matter what they looked like, as long as they were safe, that was enough.
Lin Wan led his grandfather to the table, served him a bowl of rice, and the two of them chatted while eating.
First, Lin Wan complained that the hot water at school wasn't actually hot and that he had to walk a long way to get to class.
Then he happily told his grandfather that he had made many good friends at university, and they all treated him well.
Listening to his grandson, Lin Youfu felt that he had become much brighter and more cheerful than before.
He was so happy that he ate an extra bowl of rice.
The next morning...
Lin Wan woke up to the sound of birds singing.
Going to bed early and getting up early, opening the window, looking out at the distant mountains covered in light mist, and taking a deep breath of the fresh morning air—it made him feel completely refreshed.
After going downstairs, he found that Grandpa had already gone to work in the fields.
Older people usually needed less sleep and woke up very early.
A bowl of warm rice porridge had been left for him in the kitchen.
A clean, plump boiled egg floated gently in the bowl.
After finishing breakfast with some pickled vegetables, Lin Wan walked through the town toward the east.
There stood a rather unusual temple.
Normally, temples were dedicated either to Taoist gods or to the Buddhas of Buddhism.
This one, however, was different.
Its philosophy seemed to be, ‘Why choose? We'll worship everything!’
The temple consisted of three halls with gray-tiled roofs.
The eastern hall was for Taoist gods.
The western hall was for the Buddhas.
The middle building was where the temple's elderly abbot lived.
Very few people came to burn incense here, so the place was usually quiet and empty.
When Lin Wan arrived, the only person there was the old abbot sitting inside the middle room.
The front door stood wide open. The old man sat behind a table covered with a blue cloth.
It was hard to tell whether he was dozing off or secretly watching dance videos on his phone.
His gray-white Taoist hair bun, held together by a wooden hairpin, leaned crookedly to one side as his head nodded up and down.
"Hello, Grandpa."
Lin Wan gently called out as he walked over.
"Hmm?"
The old abbot slowly opened his sleepy eyes.
After putting away his phone, he lifted his head with some effort.
"Incense, one yuan. Yellow prayer paper, fifty cents. Fortune-stick interpretation, five yuan. Fortune-telling, ten yuan."
"Uh... Grandpa, I'd like to get a safety charm."
Oh?
A big customer?
The old abbot's eyes suddenly lit up. The wrinkles on his old face gathered together as he smiled brightly.
"Do you want a Buddhist safety charm or a Taoist one?"
"Is there any difference?"
"The Buddhist safety charm is fifty yuan."
"The Taoist safety charm is also fifty yuan."
Lin Wan: "......"
"I'll take one of each."
"Good, good! Little girl, come with me."
The old abbot stood up, took out a ring of keys, and prepared to unlock the eastern and western halls.
"Grandpa... I'm a boy."
"Mhm. Little girl, this way."
Lin Wan: "......"
They entered the eastern hall.
The old abbot had Lin Wan kneel on a prayer cushion and bow three times while quietly chanting something under his breath.
Then he took out a thumb-sized iron plate.
He dipped a leafy branch into a bowl of water, sprinkled a little onto the iron plate, and handed it to Lin Wan.
Afterward, he led him into the western hall and repeated exactly the same process before giving him another identical iron plate.
Lin Wan looked at the two thin metal pieces with the words "Peace and Safety" stamped on them.
The more he looked at them, the more they seemed like cheap items bought wholesale at a street market.
"Um... Grandpa... can I bargain a little?"
The old abbot pressed his thumb and index finger together and rubbed them meaningfully.
"Amitabha. Infinite Heavenly Worthy. Those who have the proper connection will receive the safety charms."
The meaning behind the gesture couldn't have been more obvious.
"But... I only have forty yuan."
"Hmm."
"The immortals and Buddhas are generous and understanding. What matters to them is your sincerity. They won't blame you. That's acceptable."
Lin Wan: "......"
Why do I suddenly feel like these safety charms aren't very reliable...?