Pei Feng really liked to pounce on Jiang Shaoyu and hug him. Every time after ACE finished a game with a victory, Xiao Pei would run over excitedly to hug Jiang Shaoyu and say, “Master played in such a handsome manner!” If they lose, he would still run over and hug Jiang Shaoyu while saying, “Master, it doesn’t matter. You will win next time!”
Jiang Shaoyu didn’t like to have physical contact with people but he couldn’t be ruthless with his little apprentice.
Every time he met the adoring gaze of his little apprentice, he couldn’t help thinking of an image…
It was an image of a puppy wagging his tail at his owner.
Jiang Shaoyu would think to himself, ‘Why care about it? Xiao Pei is just a child and it is normal to be clingy. He left his parents at a young age and went to be a youth trainee in a distant place. As his master, it is right to take care of him more.’
Therefore, under Jiang Shaoyu’s indulgence, Xiao Pei’s movement of rushing over to hug his master became more and more skilled.
However, the situation back then was completely different from now. At that time, Jiang Shaoyu hadn’t different and Pei Feng was just a young teenager. An apprentice hugging his master was very normal in the eyes of outsiders and the feelings between master and apprentice were more like family affection.
Now Jiang Shaoyu had differentiated into an omega and Pei Feng was an adult alpha…
The moment he was taken into the alpha’s arms, Jiang Shaoyu’s back stiffened and all the pores in his body were transmitting uncomfortable messages.
It was the first time he got so close to an alpha since differentiating into an omega and he was being hugged by the other person.
Pei Feng should’ve used a pheromone spray because the pheromones on his body were covered up. Jiang Shaoyu couldn’t tell what smell it was but the alpha’s strong and powerful arms imprisoned him. This made Jiang Shaoyu instinctively resist.
Jiang Shaoyu frowned. He just wanted to push the other person away when he heard Pei Feng’s aggrieved voice, “Master, you haven’t contacted me in the past few years and you didn’t look for me when you returned to China. Are you angry with me and refuse to recognize me as your apprentice?”
Jiang Shaoyu: “……”
He heard his apprentice’s sad voice and didn’t have the heart to push the other person away.
Xiao Pei didn’t know that he had differentiated into an omega. Xiao Pei’s feelings for him were still the pure master and apprentice feelings.
After not seeing each other for five years, the apprentice rushed over and hugged his master in excitement. Wouldn’t he hurt Xiao Pei if he pushed this person away directly?
Jiang Shaoyu inwardly sighed before reaching out and gently patting his apprentice’s shoulder. “How can I not recognize you? I naturally have my own reasons for not looking for you… Cough, let me go first and we’ll find a place to talk slowly.”
Pei Feng let go of Jiang Shaoyu and looked at him seriously. “So Master still recognizes me as an apprentice?”
Jiang Shaoyu felt helpless. “Of course. You are the only one I have accepted as an apprentice.”
Pei Feng had a smile on his face as he asked with concern, “Master, have you eaten lunch?”
“I’ve eaten.”
Pei Feng thought about it for a moment. “Then shall we go to the opposite cafe? We can order some drinks and chat slowly.”
Jiang Shaoyu followed Pei Feng. The two of them crossed the street side by side and came to the cafe on the corner. They found a quiet private room and sat down.
The water stepped forward and asked, “Sirs, what would you like to drink?”
Pei Feng told him, “Two lattes, no added sugar, thank you.”
Jiang Shaoyu liked to drink the original flavor of coffee which was bitter in the mouth. Pei Feng had learned from his master’s drinking habit. The first time he drank it, he almost vomited from the bitterness. Later, he gradually got used to drinking it. Every time ACE ordered coffee as takeaway, their tastes were the same.
The waiter quickly brought the coffee.
Pei Feng carefully examined the person in front of him and said with some distress, “Master, you seem to have lost a lot of weight.”
Jiang Shaoyu: “……”
He had indeed lost weight. The years of long-term injection of omega inhibitors meant his gastrointestinal function wasn’t very good. He couldn’t eat a lot of fish and meat. He had a light diet every day and sometimes got indigestion. His body was slowly deteriorating. Meanwhile, Pei Feng was an adult alpha with a typical inverted triangle model figure. Once he took off his coat and rolled up his sleeves, he revealed the beautiful muscle lines of his exposed forearm and looked completely different from the teenager of the past.
It was difficult for Jiang Shaoyu to equate the alpha in front of him with the little apprentice in his memory. He took a deep breath, adjusted his mood and quickly accepted the adult version of Pei Feng. Then he changed the subject, “How did you know I was in the national team? Did Ye Zi tell you?”
Pei Feng answered, “Brother Ye didn’t reveal your information. I guessed it.”
Jiang Shaoyu wondered, “You guessed it?”
Have you opened a heavenly eye that you can directly guess the national team?
Just then, Pei Feng picked up his phone and sent a message in person.
Jiang Shaoyu’s mobile phone immediately rang and he opened it to see it was sent by Fred. It was a simple word.
“Boss~~”
“……” Jiang Shaoyu was stunned for a moment. He looked slightly embarrassed and coughed lightly, “You already recognized me?”
“Yes. Master’s style is very distinct. I started to doubt your identity when I cooperated with you in the parallel search. Then in the third match, I made a mistake and you scolded me for sleepwalking.” Pei Feng laughed lightly. “Previously, you also scolded me like this.”
Jiang Shaoyu: “……”
It seemed that he wore a transparent identity in front of his apprentice?
Jiang Shaoyu didn’t mind his identity being revealed by his apprentice and calmly asked, “You suspected that the boss was me so you privately asked the members of ACE to inquire about it? Then you came to the national team for verification?”
“Yes, they didn’t say you were back but I guessed it was the case through their reaction.”
Jiang Shaoyu gently rubbed his temples.
He really underestimated his apprentice’s understanding of himself.
Xiao Pei had followed him inseparably for a whole year and knew his speaking habits and life habits. It was difficult for him to disguise himself in front of Xiao Pei and he wasn’t a person with particularly good acting skills.
At this moment, Pei Feng suddenly put away his smile and said softly, “Master, I’m sorry.”
Jiang Shaoyu raised an eyebrow. “Why apologize?”
Pei Feng lowered his eyes and clenched his fists hard. “I failed to save the ACE team. I wasn’t a qualified captain.”
Jiang Shaoyu’s heart softened slightly when he saw the young man with his head hanging down and an attitude of admitting his mistakes.
He instinctively reached out to touch his apprentice’s head. Then he realized that the other person was already an adult alpha and withdrew his hand. He placed it on Pei Feng’s shoulder instead and patted it lightly, his tone rarely mild. “Don’t feel guilty. I didn’t blame you.”
Pei Feng raised his head and looked into a pair of calm eyes.
Jiang Shaoyu said, “I have already heard Sister Yu and Lao Lin talk about the disbandment of ACE. It isn’t your fault. You were so young at the time and it was impossible for you to fight against the big clubs. Over the years, you must’ve suffered a lot for the sake of ACE. Master knows this.”
The sentence ‘Master knows this’ was worth a thousand words of comfort.
Pei Feng endured the soreness from his nose and whispered, “Master, when you left, you trusted me so much and handed over the position of captain of the ACE team to me. Unfortunately, I was unable to return a complete ACE team to you…”
Jiang Shaoyu’s voice was calm. “It doesn’t matter. ACE was created by me and it ending in your hands can be considered a fulfillment in another type of way. It disbanded and left a legend, which is better than being used by capital to deceive fans. You did your best and there is no need to feel guilty. I am the one who left too hastily. The burden entrusted to you was too heavy.”
He looked at the young man in front of him and declared clearly, “Xiao Pei, let go of the past.”
Pei Feng let out a slight sigh of relief.
The knots in his heart that lasted for so many years were finally completely untied by Master.
The thing he feared most was that his master would blame him. At that time, he really had limited ability and failed to save his master’s efforts. However, it was as Jiang Shaoyu said. They were just powerless professional players back then and it was impossible to fight the capital behind the club. They had tried their best.
Master said he doesn’t blame me…
Pei Feng could finally put down the heavy burden in his heart.
Pei Feng controlled his emotions and asked with a smile, “Master, do you have any plan for coming back this time?”
Jiang Shaoyu asked, “Can you guess why I came to the national team?”
Pei Feng replied tentatively, “Does it have to do with the appointment of the new coach?”
Jiang Shaoyu nodded. “Yes, I have taken over the position of head coach of the national team.”
Head coach?
Pei Feng’s eyes widened slightly. He really hadn’t guessed this. He just thought that his master went to the national team to help Sister Yu. Unexpectedly, his master took over as head coach? It was the head coach of the national team!
After reacting, Pei Feng couldn’t help saying, “Master, you are too powerful.”
Jiang Shaoyu: “……”
Was this the time for exaggerated praise?
Pei Feng put away his smile and asked seriously, “Master, you hid it from me because the league won’t let you announce it officially for the time being, right?”
Jiang Shaoyu was silent for a moment. “In fact, I opened a side account and went to your live stream room to find you because I wanted to see your current strength and whether you are still interested in being a professional player or not.” He paused before explaining, “I didn’t tell you my identity directly because I didn’t want to put any pressure on you.”
Pei Feng heard the explanation and his heart was immediately wrapped in warmth.
It turned out that his master was afraid he would have psychological pressure after knowing it. Therefore, his master used a side account and came to him as a ‘club scout’ to see if he planned to play professionally, rather than using his identity as Pei Feng’s master to order him to make a choice.
The seemingly indifferent God Wing was actually a very gentle person.
He might be strict but he always gave Pei Feng full respect and freedom, rather than putting on the airs of a master and having his apprentice do things.
Pei Feng wondered, “Master, was this a surprise test? So after taking the test, are you satisfied with the performance of your apprentice?”
Jiang Shaoyu told him, “It is okay.”
Pei Feng couldn’t help complaining. “It is this evaluation again.”
Jiang Shaoyu raised an eyebrow. “In my opinion, your current strength is indeed barely passable. You are still far from excellent.”
Pei Feng immediately put on the posture of a good student listening carefully to a lecture. “I will continue to work hard in the future and strive to achieve excellence!”
Jiang Shaoyu was silent for a moment. Then he looked at the person in front of him and asked seriously, “Xiao Pei, since it is out there, Master will officially ask you today. Do you still want to be a professional player?”
Pei Feng fell silent.
“You don’t have to care that I am the national team’s coach. You just have to tell me what you really think.” Jiang Shaoyu’s voice was rarely gentle. “I know that you are now a successful streamer and it isn’t easy for you to have today’s status. A streamer’s life is easy and free and the income is high. You need to bear more pressure if you come back to be a professional player. Therefore, I hope you will carefully consider it before making a decision.”
Jiang Shaoyu privately hoped that Pei Feng could enter the national team. Pei Feng was the player with the strongest overall vision and sharpest tactical awareness in his mind. He wanted to train Pei Feng as the chief commander of the national team.
However, he also felt sorry for his apprentice.
In the past, Pei Feng rose from a streamer at the bottom with zero fans to the top of the circle with more than 80 million fans. He must’ve put in a lot of effort that was unimaginable for ordinary people and also suffered a lot. It wasn’t easy to have today’s achievements. There was no reason that he had to change his career just because his master came back.
Jiang Shaoyu still hoped that Pei Feng could make a rational choice. After all, it was Pei Feng’s own life and no one should interfere.
Pei Feng listened to the other person’s words and his heart was warm.
God Wing was indeed the best master in the world. He always respected Pei Feng’s decisions.
Pei Feng didn’t hesitate any longer and said decisively, “I have already considered it. Since Master is the coach of the national team, I will find a way to enter the national team.”
Jiang Shaoyu’s brow furrowed. “Don’t be impulsive and affect your future because of me.”
“Master, I am an adult and responsible for my own decisions.” The alpha’s gaze was calm and he didn’t seem at all like he was doing things impulsively. “Being a streamer has never been my ultimate goal. It was a forced choice. Moreover, there is no age limit for streamers. I can go back to it whenever I want to in the future. However, the peak of e-sports professionals is just a few years. I am in good shape now. If I don’t play professionally again, won’t I miss it forever?”
Jiang Shaoyu heard these words and couldn’t refute them.
Xiao Pei was right.
He could continue to be a streamer again when he retired in the future.
Meanwhile, professional players were very young. Pei Feng was in good shape now. If there was one or two more years of delay… he wouldn’t be able to be a professional player.
“Then what about your contract with the platform? Won’t the termination of the contract be very troublesome?” Jiang Shaoyu was worried.
“Master, rest assured, my contract with the Xing Network expires next year and I won’t renew it. After that, I will concentrate on preparing for the selection of the national team. Master is the head coach so I believe that the selection for the next national team will be fair and just. I will rely on my own strength to become a member of the national team.”
“I’ve never stopped training all these years. I hoped that one day when the opportunity was in front of me, I could seize it immediately.” Pei Feng smiled slightly before declaring firmly, “Master, I will definitely come to the national team to see you. I promise.”
The alpha in front of him had a very confident smile on his face when saying this.
It was also dazzling.
His apprentice had grown up. He had a clear plan for his future and was always ready to become a professional player again to make up for his regrets. Thinking that he changed his life plan impulsively for his master’s sake was just looking down on him.
Jiang Shaoyu looked at the young man in front of him. “Yes, then I will be waiting for you in the national team.”
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<3
Aawww🥺