My Soulmate is A Libero
Yashenka was an open-hearted person, and he didn’t put up barriers with friends he had already recognized. Therefore, Qin Chunxiao directly retrieved a spare key from beneath the doormat at his doorstep and entered the house.
Then, he caught a whiff of a distinct bitter scent and saw Lu Yunchen sitting on a small stool, brewing traditional Chinese medicine.
Dongzi’s younger brother, what’s he doing here? Wait, he seems to be Yashenka’s soulmate. Maybe that could explain it… Yeah, right! They can’t stand each other, quite literally!
Qin Chunxiao was flabbergasted. The cherries in his hand dropped to the ground with a soft thud. In his mind, there was only one thought: How did this guy manage to bring his brewing equipment to Russia? How did the coal stove, medicine pots, and bags of Chinese herbs make it through customs?!
Lu Yunchen also stared with his mouth agape. “Qin Team, let me explain. I didn’t come because I heard Yashenka was sick. I came and found out he was sick, and out of the bond between soulmates, I decided to take care of him.”
Qin Chunxiao replied, “Why are you explaining this to me?”
Lu Yunchen said, “I didn’t want you to misunderstand and think I care about him!”
Qin Chunxiao looked at Lu Yunchen again. The image of the 6’2″ tall guy perched on a tiny stool was genuinely comical. His legs seemed to have no space to rest, and it was quite evident that Yashenka’s home hadn’t been equipped for brewing medicine before. So, there was a high probability that Lu Yunchen brought the equipment to Russia. But sending things internationally couldn’t be explained away with a simple “Lu Yunchen is a kind-hearted person.”
Lu Yunchen continued explaining, “The doctor said he needs to take the medicine consistently. When he was prescribed, the doctor mentioned three months of continuous use, changing the medicine each month. So, I had Yashenka buy it. But the cost of just one month’s worth of medicine was over a thousand yuan. Without proper equipment, the medicine wouldn’t be effective. So, I just decided to send it over.”
As for brewing the medicine now, it wasn’t for Yashenka to consume immediately. Lu Yunchen had stored it in the fridge, intending to wait until Yashenka had recovered before consuming it. After all, it was a gentle tonic. Lu Yunchen had consulted a doctor and was told that as long as the illness was cured, there wouldn’t be any issues.
Lu Yunchen seemed to feel that the more he explained, the more unclear it became. But Qin Chunxiao had understood. When Lu Yunchen translated for Yashenka during the medical consultation, he heard the doctor say that Chinese herbal medicine needed to be taken over an extended period for it to be effective. So, Lu Yunchen had instructed Yashenka to buy the medicine. However, Yashenka realized that the cost was quite high when he went to pay, which led him to worry about whether he could properly brew and take the medicine on time.
Of course, Yashenka had been taking the medicine. He boiled it in a pot, typically making a week’s supply at a time and storing it in the fridge. He even brought a thermos with the medicine to the club, and when he drank it, he’d scrunch up his face, leaving the other players who watched him brew the medicine terrified, wondering if Yashenka might be consuming poison.
People who had witnessed Yashenka brewing the medicine liked to say he resembled a male witch, like those from the Harry Potter series.
However, it was surprising that Lu Yunchen, the young master, also found the medicine to be expensive. It seemed that Winter’s lessons on frugality had been very effective.
Qin Chunxiao picked up the cherry basket and gently opened the bedroom door. Yashenka was still asleep on the bed, breathing evenly and looking peaceful.
“His mother said he’s been sleeping after taking the medicine. Katherine, his aunt, opened the door for me,” Lu Yunchen said, rubbing his trouser legs, clearly embarrassed.
Katherine was Yashenka’s mother’s name, a plump head nurse who, along with her second husband, a heart surgeon, worked busily at the same hospital. She typically didn’t pay much attention to her 30-year-old son.
Qin Chunxiao looked around. “Where is Katherine now?”
Lu Yunchen’s face turned red. “She… She thought I was Yashenka’s new boyfriend and left without any worries. She mentioned that there’s a complex surgery at the hospital, and she went to help. Could you explain to her later that my relationship with Yashenka is entirely innocent? I don’t even have her contact information!”
Qin Chunxiao straightforwardly said, “Sure, I’ll explain. Have you had dinner?”
After all, he was Dongzi’s younger brother. Qin Chunxiao thought he should look after him a bit. And what do Chinese people typically care about when taking care of others? Whether they’ve eaten or not.
Lu Yunchen replied, “Yes, I have. Katherine made dinner before leaving. There’s porridge on the stove, still warm. We’re waiting for Yashenka to wake up before eating. But after seeing me, she also cooked Russian dumplings from the fridge. They’re quite tasty. When you explain things, could you also ask her for the recipe for the Russian dumplings?”
It seemed that this young man was skilled at communicating with aunts, and this trait appeared to be working even in Russia.
Later, Qin Chunxiao learned another reason why Lu Yunchen came to Russia – Bai Ming’s overzealous fan had sent a dead mouse to the Lu family and threatened that if Bai Ming were convicted, this fan would drive and take everyone in the Lu family down with them. So, Lu Xuandong sent his brother abroad again.
It turns out that Lu Yunchen didn’t come for Yashenka at all. Lu Xuandong had booked a 15-day trip to Siberia for his brother, and he was going to join a tour group to Lake Baikal tomorrow. The equipment for brewing medicine was just a side gift.
Qin Chunxiao’s initial reaction upon hearing this was, “Are they crazy? Why would those people joke about sacrificing their lives for Bai Ming?”
Lu Yunchen replied, “Actually, I don’t think they genuinely wanted to die. Just before you arrived, my brother called me and said that when the police traced the fan’s address, it turned out to be an elementary school student who obviously can’t even drive.”
As a tall guy standing at 6’2″, Lu Yunchen wasn’t frightened by the dead mouse. On the contrary, he felt even more justified in sending Bai Ming to jail. After all, what does an underage child understand? The extreme fan culture and the distorted beliefs fostered by star-worshiping communities have caused a lot of harm, and the platforms haven’t done a good job regulating it, which led to a good child being influenced like this.
“Perhaps when she grows up and looks back on this, she’ll be utterly embarrassed. Anyway, as long as nobody actually loses their life over this, it’s fine,” Lu Yunchen laughed heartily, seemingly without a trace of psychological impact. “But the internet is really chaotic. I’ve only just realized that some people would deliberately deceive these young fans for money.”
Qin Chunxiao commented, “It’s only going to get more chaotic in the future. You’re an actor, shouldn’t you have sensed that?”
Lu Yunchen fell silent for a moment before giving a thumbs-up. “As long as your heart is open, everywhere is a beautiful world!”
Qin Chunxiao was briefly taken aback by his optimism. “You’re impressive.”
Perhaps this young man indeed had the potential to thrive in the entertainment industry; his mentality hinted at the qualities of an emperor—Emperor of the Box Office and Emperor of the Screen.
Then Lu Yunchen continued, “But honestly, I used to think that freedom of speech is the public’s right. Even though public figures may face baseless criticism because of it, their suffering can’t possibly outweigh the public’s right to free speech! If they choose to be public figures, they should mentally prepare themselves for online attacks!”
Qin Chunxiao asked, “And now?”
Lu Yunchen responded seriously, “I think some degree of regulation is necessary. It’s like whipping oneself to know what pain feels like.”
Qin Chunxiao thought to himself, “Since you’ve already criticized yourself, I don’t need to add to it.”
Seeing that Lu Yunchen didn’t have anything else to discuss, Qin Chunxiao was about to leave so as not to disturb Yashenka’s sleep. However, as he turned around, he noticed Yashenka leaning against the door frame, looking lazy and appearing as though he had just woken up.
Qin Chunxiao lifted the basket of cherries. “Are you feeling better?”
Yashenka replied, “Yes.”
Qin Chunxiao said, “I’ll wash the cherries for you, but don’t eat too many.”
Yashenka agreed with a mumbled response. He slowly walked over to the couch, plopped down with a thud, and his weight caused the soft sofa to sink, leaving an indentation. He hugged a pillow and leaned back, muttering, “Where’s my mom?”
Lu Yunchen squatted down and showed him his phone screen: [She went to work.]
Yashenka sighed, burying his face in the pillow. Lu Yunchen gently draped a blanket over him. Yashenka turned his head to look at him, suddenly mouthing an apology in Chinese. It was the Chinese version of the words.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have had such rosy fantasies about being soulmates from the start, and then be disappointed when you turned out to be just a regular person. From the beginning, I should have realized that a soulmate is a real individual, not a virtual ideal. You had no obligation to match the image I had in my mind. And I apologize for pushing you in the bathroom. You only heard me cursing at my phone, but you didn’t know the context. I shouldn’t have given you that unfriendly look,” Yashenka’s words flowed.
Lu Yunchen initially didn’t grasp what was being said, but when it finally clicked, he was so shocked that he plopped down onto the floor, index and middle fingers pressed together, silently chanting, “Jiushu, Qianhe Daochang, help me! Urgent as an imperial edict!”
Oh no, the Russian kid was possessed!
Yashenka stared at him expressionlessly. Lu Yunchen handed back the phone, typing out a few words: [Are you thinking of weird stuff again?]
An embarrassed Lu Yunchen reclaimed his phone and stubbornly defended, [Jiushu isn’t weird stuff. He’s an amazing person.]
Yashenka typed, [Who’s Jiushu?]
How should Lu Yunchen explain “Jiushu” to a Russian?
So, when Qin Chunxiao emerged after washing the cherries, he saw Lu Yunchen with a notebook open, showing Yashenka his collection of zombie movies.
Qin Chunxiao teased, “Spreading superstitious beliefs to foreign friends, not good, huh?”
Lu Yunchen waved his hand. “It’s fine, he also likes to watch ‘Battle of the Spirits.’”
Seeing that the two of them were getting along well, Qin Chunxiao thought that their compatibility was enough to form a friendship. He even mentioned it while chatting with Winter.
That evening, he told Lu Xuandong about this.
Lu Xuandong was indeed quite relieved. [I’ve always been worried that Yunzi would bully the team doctor. I didn’t expect him to be so sensible.]
Qin Chunxiao: “Your younger brother is already 19 years old; you can treat him like an adult. I think he’s quite mature.”
Lu Xuandong: “More mature than you?”
Qin Chunxiao: “No comparison with me ^_^”
Lu Xuandong: “Xiaozai, don’t forget you’re not even 18 yet.”
Qin Chunxiao: “But I’m just one month away from 18. My teammates are planning to use a winning streak record as my coming-of-age gift. So, you see, we haven’t lost in a long time.”
This was a promise within the hamster group. After all, the second-in-command, Lu Xuandong, had worked diligently for so long, earning many honors. Everyone had enjoyed the love and care he provided. Now, it was time for the kids to repay him.
So, before March arrived, the hamsters sang their team song “Running Forever on the Wheel” and swept through their matches with an unbeatable force. By March 2nd, they had achieved a ten-game winning streak.
On that day, while Qin Chunxiao was away playing a game in Irkutsk, he was inundated with gifts after the match. His opponents, teammates, both coaches, and many fans had prepared gifts for him.
Qin Chunxiao had previously mentioned on social media that besides the winning streak, he didn’t want any other birthday gifts. However, the people who liked him just had so much to give.
His phone was flooded with messages from his national team and provincial team friends who had sent gifts all the way to Saint Petersburg. They had learned how to send packages to Russia for Qin Chunxiao.
But most of them knew that Qin Chunxiao would be busy on this day, so they only sent text messages. However, Qin Chunxiao called his parents and sister.
Lu Xuandong didn’t belong to those people who sent birthday wishes right at 00:01.
In fact, from morning until 6 in the evening, Qin Chunxiao hadn’t received any messages from Lu Xuandong. This gave him a slight premonition. When he returned to the hotel after the match, he sat down to do his homework, waiting for the ringtone he was hoping for.
Ding dong.
Qin Chunxiao picked up his phone and found a text message.
“Go downstairs and walk to the left for two hundred meters.”
Qin Chunxiao smiled and quickly put on his coat. Meanwhile, Li Ling was studying for her English Level 6 exam and practicing for the postgraduate entrance exam. She shook her head and sighed, “It must be Dongzai.”
But at this time, Lingzai definitely wouldn’t disturb them.
Snowflakes began to fall from the sky, bringing a subtle sense of romance. As a guy from Guangdong, Qin Chunxiao took two years to get used to the fact that it could still snow in March.
In the distance, the sound of a piano started, playing “Over The Rainbow.” As the piano melody concluded, Lu Xuandong picked up his guitar and began to play, singing this century-old classic with deep affection.
Although it was an old song, and they were in Russia, Qin Chunxiao still sensed a warm and lively Hawaiian vibe in Lu Xuandong’s rendition. It was as if the sunshine had been brought here by Lu Xuandong’s singing.
Qin Chunxiao walked over. Lu Xuandong was still wearing his down jacket, and Qin Chunxiao was impressed that he could play the guitar so well without his hands shaking in this cold weather.
There were many people gathered around. Until the song ended, Lu Xuandong switched to Russian and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, a very special person to me is turning 18 today. He’s my best friend and has given me many wonderful memories. Could you all join me in wishing him a happy birthday?”
Everyone courteously shouted, “Happy birthday!”
Lu Xuandong bowed to those around him. “Thank you.”
Honestly, this side of Lu Xuandong that he was revealing was quite novel to Qin Chunxiao. He was confident and composed, interacting with the crowd and energizing their emotions. However, Qin Chunxiao wasn’t surprised, because as a former pop star, if Lu Xuandong didn’t have this ability, he wouldn’t have been called the Little King of the Music Industry and held so many concerts.
“I’m grateful that he’s here in Irkutsk today. It’s easier to set off fireworks here than in Saint Petersburg. In any case, I wish you a happy birthday and a lifetime of health and happiness.”
As Lu Xuandong’s words fell, a cluster of fireworks soared into the sky, exploding into the shape of a large cake.
Many people exclaimed in amazement and raised their phones to capture this romantic scene.
Qin Chunxiao also found it incredibly romantic. He held up his phone and started snapping photos.
A chime sounded, and Lu Xuandong picked up his phone.
“Wishing you health and happiness always.”
He smiled and, across the crowd, locked eyes with his soulmate. Then, Qin Chunxiao put his phone in his pocket and opened his arms to him.
Lu Xuandong immediately set down the guitar, maneuvered through the crowd, and ran toward Qin Chunxiao.
Amidst the fireworks in the sky, they embraced each other.
My Soulmate is A Libero
Yashenka was an open-hearted person, and he didn’t put up barriers with friends he had already recognized. Therefore, Qin Chunxiao directly retrieved a spare key from beneath the doormat at his doorstep and entered the house.
Then, he caught a whiff of a distinct bitter scent and saw Lu Yunchen sitting on a small stool, brewing traditional Chinese medicine.
Dongzi’s younger brother, what’s he doing here? Wait, he seems to be Yashenka’s soulmate. Maybe that could explain it… Yeah, right! They can’t stand each other, quite literally!
Qin Chunxiao was flabbergasted. The cherries in his hand dropped to the ground with a soft thud. In his mind, there was only one thought: How did this guy manage to bring his brewing equipment to Russia? How did the coal stove, medicine pots, and bags of Chinese herbs make it through customs?!
Lu Yunchen also stared with his mouth agape. “Qin Team, let me explain. I didn’t come because I heard Yashenka was sick. I came and found out he was sick, and out of the bond between soulmates, I decided to take care of him.”
Qin Chunxiao replied, “Why are you explaining this to me?”
Lu Yunchen said, “I didn’t want you to misunderstand and think I care about him!”
Qin Chunxiao looked at Lu Yunchen again. The image of the 6’2″ tall guy perched on a tiny stool was genuinely comical. His legs seemed to have no space to rest, and it was quite evident that Yashenka’s home hadn’t been equipped for brewing medicine before. So, there was a high probability that Lu Yunchen brought the equipment to Russia. But sending things internationally couldn’t be explained away with a simple “Lu Yunchen is a kind-hearted person.”
Lu Yunchen continued explaining, “The doctor said he needs to take the medicine consistently. When he was prescribed, the doctor mentioned three months of continuous use, changing the medicine each month. So, I had Yashenka buy it. But the cost of just one month’s worth of medicine was over a thousand yuan. Without proper equipment, the medicine wouldn’t be effective. So, I just decided to send it over.”
As for brewing the medicine now, it wasn’t for Yashenka to consume immediately. Lu Yunchen had stored it in the fridge, intending to wait until Yashenka had recovered before consuming it. After all, it was a gentle tonic. Lu Yunchen had consulted a doctor and was told that as long as the illness was cured, there wouldn’t be any issues.
Lu Yunchen seemed to feel that the more he explained, the more unclear it became. But Qin Chunxiao had understood. When Lu Yunchen translated for Yashenka during the medical consultation, he heard the doctor say that Chinese herbal medicine needed to be taken over an extended period for it to be effective. So, Lu Yunchen had instructed Yashenka to buy the medicine. However, Yashenka realized that the cost was quite high when he went to pay, which led him to worry about whether he could properly brew and take the medicine on time.
Of course, Yashenka had been taking the medicine. He boiled it in a pot, typically making a week’s supply at a time and storing it in the fridge. He even brought a thermos with the medicine to the club, and when he drank it, he’d scrunch up his face, leaving the other players who watched him brew the medicine terrified, wondering if Yashenka might be consuming poison.
People who had witnessed Yashenka brewing the medicine liked to say he resembled a male witch, like those from the Harry Potter series.
However, it was surprising that Lu Yunchen, the young master, also found the medicine to be expensive. It seemed that Winter’s lessons on frugality had been very effective.
Qin Chunxiao picked up the cherry basket and gently opened the bedroom door. Yashenka was still asleep on the bed, breathing evenly and looking peaceful.
“His mother said he’s been sleeping after taking the medicine. Katherine, his aunt, opened the door for me,” Lu Yunchen said, rubbing his trouser legs, clearly embarrassed.
Katherine was Yashenka’s mother’s name, a plump head nurse who, along with her second husband, a heart surgeon, worked busily at the same hospital. She typically didn’t pay much attention to her 30-year-old son.
Qin Chunxiao looked around. “Where is Katherine now?”
Lu Yunchen’s face turned red. “She… She thought I was Yashenka’s new boyfriend and left without any worries. She mentioned that there’s a complex surgery at the hospital, and she went to help. Could you explain to her later that my relationship with Yashenka is entirely innocent? I don’t even have her contact information!”
Qin Chunxiao straightforwardly said, “Sure, I’ll explain. Have you had dinner?”
After all, he was Dongzi’s younger brother. Qin Chunxiao thought he should look after him a bit. And what do Chinese people typically care about when taking care of others? Whether they’ve eaten or not.
Lu Yunchen replied, “Yes, I have. Katherine made dinner before leaving. There’s porridge on the stove, still warm. We’re waiting for Yashenka to wake up before eating. But after seeing me, she also cooked Russian dumplings from the fridge. They’re quite tasty. When you explain things, could you also ask her for the recipe for the Russian dumplings?”
It seemed that this young man was skilled at communicating with aunts, and this trait appeared to be working even in Russia.
Later, Qin Chunxiao learned another reason why Lu Yunchen came to Russia – Bai Ming’s overzealous fan had sent a dead mouse to the Lu family and threatened that if Bai Ming were convicted, this fan would drive and take everyone in the Lu family down with them. So, Lu Xuandong sent his brother abroad again.
It turns out that Lu Yunchen didn’t come for Yashenka at all. Lu Xuandong had booked a 15-day trip to Siberia for his brother, and he was going to join a tour group to Lake Baikal tomorrow. The equipment for brewing medicine was just a side gift.
Qin Chunxiao’s initial reaction upon hearing this was, “Are they crazy? Why would those people joke about sacrificing their lives for Bai Ming?”
Lu Yunchen replied, “Actually, I don’t think they genuinely wanted to die. Just before you arrived, my brother called me and said that when the police traced the fan’s address, it turned out to be an elementary school student who obviously can’t even drive.”
As a tall guy standing at 6’2″, Lu Yunchen wasn’t frightened by the dead mouse. On the contrary, he felt even more justified in sending Bai Ming to jail. After all, what does an underage child understand? The extreme fan culture and the distorted beliefs fostered by star-worshiping communities have caused a lot of harm, and the platforms haven’t done a good job regulating it, which led to a good child being influenced like this.
“Perhaps when she grows up and looks back on this, she’ll be utterly embarrassed. Anyway, as long as nobody actually loses their life over this, it’s fine,” Lu Yunchen laughed heartily, seemingly without a trace of psychological impact. “But the internet is really chaotic. I’ve only just realized that some people would deliberately deceive these young fans for money.”
Qin Chunxiao commented, “It’s only going to get more chaotic in the future. You’re an actor, shouldn’t you have sensed that?”
Lu Yunchen fell silent for a moment before giving a thumbs-up. “As long as your heart is open, everywhere is a beautiful world!”
Qin Chunxiao was briefly taken aback by his optimism. “You’re impressive.”
Perhaps this young man indeed had the potential to thrive in the entertainment industry; his mentality hinted at the qualities of an emperor—Emperor of the Box Office and Emperor of the Screen.
Then Lu Yunchen continued, “But honestly, I used to think that freedom of speech is the public’s right. Even though public figures may face baseless criticism because of it, their suffering can’t possibly outweigh the public’s right to free speech! If they choose to be public figures, they should mentally prepare themselves for online attacks!”
Qin Chunxiao asked, “And now?”
Lu Yunchen responded seriously, “I think some degree of regulation is necessary. It’s like whipping oneself to know what pain feels like.”
Qin Chunxiao thought to himself, “Since you’ve already criticized yourself, I don’t need to add to it.”
Seeing that Lu Yunchen didn’t have anything else to discuss, Qin Chunxiao was about to leave so as not to disturb Yashenka’s sleep. However, as he turned around, he noticed Yashenka leaning against the door frame, looking lazy and appearing as though he had just woken up.
Qin Chunxiao lifted the basket of cherries. “Are you feeling better?”
Yashenka replied, “Yes.”
Qin Chunxiao said, “I’ll wash the cherries for you, but don’t eat too many.”
Yashenka agreed with a mumbled response. He slowly walked over to the couch, plopped down with a thud, and his weight caused the soft sofa to sink, leaving an indentation. He hugged a pillow and leaned back, muttering, “Where’s my mom?”
Lu Yunchen squatted down and showed him his phone screen: [She went to work.]
Yashenka sighed, burying his face in the pillow. Lu Yunchen gently draped a blanket over him. Yashenka turned his head to look at him, suddenly mouthing an apology in Chinese. It was the Chinese version of the words.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have had such rosy fantasies about being soulmates from the start, and then be disappointed when you turned out to be just a regular person. From the beginning, I should have realized that a soulmate is a real individual, not a virtual ideal. You had no obligation to match the image I had in my mind. And I apologize for pushing you in the bathroom. You only heard me cursing at my phone, but you didn’t know the context. I shouldn’t have given you that unfriendly look,” Yashenka’s words flowed.
Lu Yunchen initially didn’t grasp what was being said, but when it finally clicked, he was so shocked that he plopped down onto the floor, index and middle fingers pressed together, silently chanting, “Jiushu, Qianhe Daochang, help me! Urgent as an imperial edict!”
Oh no, the Russian kid was possessed!
Yashenka stared at him expressionlessly. Lu Yunchen handed back the phone, typing out a few words: [Are you thinking of weird stuff again?]
An embarrassed Lu Yunchen reclaimed his phone and stubbornly defended, [Jiushu isn’t weird stuff. He’s an amazing person.]
Yashenka typed, [Who’s Jiushu?]
How should Lu Yunchen explain “Jiushu” to a Russian?
So, when Qin Chunxiao emerged after washing the cherries, he saw Lu Yunchen with a notebook open, showing Yashenka his collection of zombie movies.
Qin Chunxiao teased, “Spreading superstitious beliefs to foreign friends, not good, huh?”
Lu Yunchen waved his hand. “It’s fine, he also likes to watch ‘Battle of the Spirits.’”
Seeing that the two of them were getting along well, Qin Chunxiao thought that their compatibility was enough to form a friendship. He even mentioned it while chatting with Winter.
That evening, he told Lu Xuandong about this.
Lu Xuandong was indeed quite relieved. [I’ve always been worried that Yunzi would bully the team doctor. I didn’t expect him to be so sensible.]
Qin Chunxiao: “Your younger brother is already 19 years old; you can treat him like an adult. I think he’s quite mature.”
Lu Xuandong: “More mature than you?”
Qin Chunxiao: “No comparison with me ^_^”
Lu Xuandong: “Xiaozai, don’t forget you’re not even 18 yet.”
Qin Chunxiao: “But I’m just one month away from 18. My teammates are planning to use a winning streak record as my coming-of-age gift. So, you see, we haven’t lost in a long time.”
This was a promise within the hamster group. After all, the second-in-command, Lu Xuandong, had worked diligently for so long, earning many honors. Everyone had enjoyed the love and care he provided. Now, it was time for the kids to repay him.
So, before March arrived, the hamsters sang their team song “Running Forever on the Wheel” and swept through their matches with an unbeatable force. By March 2nd, they had achieved a ten-game winning streak.
On that day, while Qin Chunxiao was away playing a game in Irkutsk, he was inundated with gifts after the match. His opponents, teammates, both coaches, and many fans had prepared gifts for him.
Qin Chunxiao had previously mentioned on social media that besides the winning streak, he didn’t want any other birthday gifts. However, the people who liked him just had so much to give.
His phone was flooded with messages from his national team and provincial team friends who had sent gifts all the way to Saint Petersburg. They had learned how to send packages to Russia for Qin Chunxiao.
But most of them knew that Qin Chunxiao would be busy on this day, so they only sent text messages. However, Qin Chunxiao called his parents and sister.
Lu Xuandong didn’t belong to those people who sent birthday wishes right at 00:01.
In fact, from morning until 6 in the evening, Qin Chunxiao hadn’t received any messages from Lu Xuandong. This gave him a slight premonition. When he returned to the hotel after the match, he sat down to do his homework, waiting for the ringtone he was hoping for.
Ding dong.
Qin Chunxiao picked up his phone and found a text message.
“Go downstairs and walk to the left for two hundred meters.”
Qin Chunxiao smiled and quickly put on his coat. Meanwhile, Li Ling was studying for her English Level 6 exam and practicing for the postgraduate entrance exam. She shook her head and sighed, “It must be Dongzai.”
But at this time, Lingzai definitely wouldn’t disturb them.
Snowflakes began to fall from the sky, bringing a subtle sense of romance. As a guy from Guangdong, Qin Chunxiao took two years to get used to the fact that it could still snow in March.
In the distance, the sound of a piano started, playing “Over The Rainbow.” As the piano melody concluded, Lu Xuandong picked up his guitar and began to play, singing this century-old classic with deep affection.
Although it was an old song, and they were in Russia, Qin Chunxiao still sensed a warm and lively Hawaiian vibe in Lu Xuandong’s rendition. It was as if the sunshine had been brought here by Lu Xuandong’s singing.
Qin Chunxiao walked over. Lu Xuandong was still wearing his down jacket, and Qin Chunxiao was impressed that he could play the guitar so well without his hands shaking in this cold weather.
There were many people gathered around. Until the song ended, Lu Xuandong switched to Russian and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, a very special person to me is turning 18 today. He’s my best friend and has given me many wonderful memories. Could you all join me in wishing him a happy birthday?”
Everyone courteously shouted, “Happy birthday!”
Lu Xuandong bowed to those around him. “Thank you.”
Honestly, this side of Lu Xuandong that he was revealing was quite novel to Qin Chunxiao. He was confident and composed, interacting with the crowd and energizing their emotions. However, Qin Chunxiao wasn’t surprised, because as a former pop star, if Lu Xuandong didn’t have this ability, he wouldn’t have been called the Little King of the Music Industry and held so many concerts.
“I’m grateful that he’s here in Irkutsk today. It’s easier to set off fireworks here than in Saint Petersburg. In any case, I wish you a happy birthday and a lifetime of health and happiness.”
As Lu Xuandong’s words fell, a cluster of fireworks soared into the sky, exploding into the shape of a large cake.
Many people exclaimed in amazement and raised their phones to capture this romantic scene.
Qin Chunxiao also found it incredibly romantic. He held up his phone and started snapping photos.
A chime sounded, and Lu Xuandong picked up his phone.
“Wishing you health and happiness always.”
He smiled and, across the crowd, locked eyes with his soulmate. Then, Qin Chunxiao put his phone in his pocket and opened his arms to him.
Lu Xuandong immediately set down the guitar, maneuvered through the crowd, and ran toward Qin Chunxiao.
Amidst the fireworks in the sky, they embraced each other.
