Jiang Min is sick.
He sniffled, with a fever-reducing patch on his forehead and a mask on to prevent infecting others at the base. He was in his room, arranging things.
As for how he got sick, it wasn’t due to recent emotional distress affecting his health; it was related to Xiang Mian.
Ever since the manager of the CC Club, Xiang, learned that the child he had raised was going to be sold, he had been downcast for several days.
His gloomy aura affected even the operations department of the base, and everyone looked somber.
Upon receiving the official signing time from JW and the notice to pick up Jiang Min, Xiang felt even more despondent.
He knew that player transfers were normal, and many of the kids he had nurtured had come and gone.
But Jiang Min was the one he had been with the longest. Since learning that the boss was going to sell him, he felt like he had a stone in his heart.
He didn’t want to let Jiang Min go.
However, for Jiang Min’s future, sending him to another first-tier league club was the best choice for now.
Jiang Min was in his prime, and he couldn’t waste time and potential in CC.
Even if JW didn’t come, Xiang Mian believed that JW was the best choice. He even planned to contact JW after Jiang Min’s contract protection period expired.
Who could have imagined that JW not only came on his own but also offered an unprecedented high price.
Xiang Mian felt relieved for Jiang Min’s future on one hand but was also immersed in the sorrow of parting with the child.
He didn’t expect that the day of separation would come so quickly.
So, on a cold winter night, Xiang Mian and Jiang Min spent the evening drinking on the rooftop of the base.
They talked freely, and Xiang Mian poured his heart out, much of it venting about the new and old bosses of CC.
“I swear I’m resigning this year! I can’t stand this damn atmosphere anymore!” Xiang Mian exclaimed while drinking beer, tears welling up in his eyes.
The result of spending the night in the cold wind on the rooftop was that Jiang Min caught a cold and fever the next day.
Xiang Mian fared a little better but had a sore throat.
He felt deeply sorry about Jiang Min falling sick.
“Ah Min, have you packed your things?” Xiang Mian knocked and entered the room.
Jiang Min looked around the room.
He didn’t have many belongings. Aside from some casual clothes, he didn’t have much luggage. A large suitcase would do.
His gaze fell on the team photo of the championship-winning squad from that year and the championship medal he received.
After winning, the event organizers would give the championship club a smaller version of the trophy displayed on the stage, along with a medal for each player and coach.
Jiang Min walked over and took the photo, holding onto the gold medal.
The front of the medal bore the WPL logo, and the back had his ID, “CC.Lollipop”.
Starting today, this ID would become history.
CC.Lollipop would disappear from the CC Club’s roster.
Jiang Min rubbed his finger over the ID on the medal. Today, for him and CC, it truly was the end.
“Min, I’ll help you move your things downstairs. JW’s car is waiting downstairs,” Xiang Mian said.
JW’s people had arrived early in the morning, half an hour before the scheduled time. They successfully signed the official player transfer contract with CC’s boss, Lin Hongzheng, and they would take Jiang Min away today.
Usually, after signing the contract, players are given a few days of buffer time before moving to the new club.
But CC was in a hurry to sell, and it seemed that JW was eager to receive the player, so they decided to arrange the contract signing and player transfer on the same day.
“Well, I’ll go to the training room to take my peripherals, and that’s about it.” Jiang Min checked his room, which had been his residence for four years, to make sure he hadn’t left anything important behind.
“Alright, I’ll move some stuff first. Take your time,” Xiang Mian said, pulling the large suitcase Jiang Min had packed.
“Brother Xiang , thank you.” Jiang Min looked at Xiang Mian and continued, “You didn’t have to help with this.”
Xiang Mian was the team manager, and he didn’t need to personally help with moving.
“Well, what are you saying?” Xiang Mian smiled with a hint of bitterness. “You’re the child I’ve watched grow. It’s only right that I see you off.”
“… Well, thank you.” Jiang Min continued, “Thank you for taking care of me all these years, Brother Xiang.”
Upon hearing this, Xiang Mian couldn’t hold back any longer and rushed forward to hug Jiang Min.
“I really can’t bear to part with you, Jiang Min! Damn it! Even though CC is the team I’ve worked so hard to build, you better crush CC next season! Show them, bring home the championship!” Xiang Mian’s voice choked up.
Jiang Min helplessly said, “Brother Xiang , if you hold me any tighter, I’m going to suffocate… Don’t worry, I’ll win the championship.”
He was full of hope for his new team’s future.
“Not just the WPL championship, I’ll aim for the world championship.”
—
Jiang Min went downstairs to the WOC Branch 2 training room and detached his gaming peripherals, including his keyboard.
His keyboard had a light blue base color with white keycaps, a fresh and clean color scheme that was much more normal compared to some players’ flashy pink keyboards.
At this moment, it was still late morning, and the Branch 2 training room was empty.
“Sugar God, are you really leaving CC?” a voice suddenly came from the doorway.
Jiang Min finished packing his keyboard and looked up.
It was Jian Ran, the fifth player of the first team.
Jian Ran was currently the youngest player on the first team apart from the newly added mid laner Ye Peilan. He had worked alongside Jiang Min for two years, receiving care and inspiration from him.
For Jian Ran, Jiang Min was not only a key player on the team but also a mentor of sorts.
Skilled in mechanics, with a clear shotcalling system and a sharp mind, a rare talent for a second position player like him. Jian Ran couldn’t understand why the team wanted to sell him.
“Yeah.”
Jian Ran pursed his lips, looking disappointed, struggling to find the right words.
While others saw Jiang Min as aloof, Jian Ran, who knew him well, understood that Sugar God only appeared aloof. Once you got to know him, he wasn’t cold at all, instead exuding a somewhat mischievous quality. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so lively during livestreams.
Truly aloof individuals wouldn’t be as cheerful and talkative during livestreams like Sugar God was.
“Sugar God, I…”
Jian Ran was close to Jiang Min, just as Jiang Min understood him.
Jiang Min had a pretty good idea of what Jian Ran wanted to say, and he patted his shoulder, saying, “Ar Ran, focus on playing with the team and don’t let your emotions affect your performance on the stage.”
“But Sugar God, it’s just that…” Jian Ran’s words were cut off as Jiang Min stopped him.
Internal tensions weren’t absent from the first team either, and Jian Ran and others could clearly see that the first position player You Guanyu had some animosity toward Jiang Min.
Now, with the news of Jiang Min being sold by the club, You Guanyu had been acting like he was on top of the world every day, making Jian Ran increasingly unhappy with him.
“Focus on supporting your first position.” Jiang Min said, “Remember, you’re a player first and then my friend. Don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment on the field.”
Jian Ran had a troubled expression, “I know, Sugar God, I understand… I just…”
At this moment, someone else appeared at the entrance of the Branch 2 training room.
You Guanyu, the first position player of the first team.
It was quite unusual for him to be up so early; he usually slept until lunchtime.
“Ar Ran, what are you doing?” You Guanyu spoke directly to Jian Ran as if he hadn’t even noticed Jiang Min.
“Sugar God is leaving the team today, and I’m here to see him off,” Jian Ran suppressed his inner annoyance and replied.
You Guanyu raised an eyebrow, “Oh? Is that so? I almost forgot. I can’t believe someone that CC sent down to the second team doesn’t want to keep, actually got a club to buy him.”
Jiang Min couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to him and silently coiled the wires on his keyboard.
“Sugar God was sold for thirty million? Isn’t that an exaggeration? You actually believe the rumors on Weibo?” You Guanyu said with a mocking tone. “After you leave, Sugar God might not even get to play. He might just warm the bench.”
“You…” Jian Ran wanted to retort, but Jiang Min stopped him.
“Whether I sit on the bench is a decision of the team, and it has nothing to do with you,” Jiang Min said. “See you on the field next season.”
You Guanyu sneered, “Haha, Sugar God is quite confident, thinking he can play in the first-tier league. I’m curious which club is willing to pay three million to buy you. Maybe it’s a first-tier league goalkeeper? Haha, don’t get embarrassed.”
The information about team transactions was still confidential. Apart from the high-level management of CC, no one knew that JW, a top-tier team, had bought Jiang Min.
“Sugar, I’m here to pick you up~”
In an instant, excited words entered the ears of the three people in the Branch 2 training room.
Yu Hao walked in wearing JW’s black and white-trimmed uniform, his fluffy brown hair bouncing with each step. He smiled as he walked in, followed by Xiang Mian.
As soon as he saw Jiang Min, Yu Hao didn’t care about the others’ reactions and went straight to hook Jiang Min’s neck, saying, “Sugar, we’re teammates from now on. Please take care of me!”
Jiang Min felt quite helpless with Yu Hao’s overly familiar behavior of hooking arms as soon as they met.
This was only their second meeting, and although they were familiar with each other in the game, Jiang Min, who was slow to warm up, found Yu Hao’s actions overly enthusiastic.
You Guanyu and Jian Ran were both stunned.
Of course, they recognized this person, and he looked extremely familiar.
The captain of JW, the team ranked among the top three in the WPL League this season and representing the Z country in the World Championships, Yu Hao.
“Ah, these two must be your former teammates, Sugar?” Yu Hao seemed to notice the presence of the other two in the training room only now, displaying a bright smile towards them. “While I appreciate your care for Sugar in the past, from now on, he’s with me. Next season, we’ll team up to crush you guys!”
1TL: YSIAD “You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you ”
