I woke up and the first person I saw was Lu Xia and Zhou Zhi but also the other members were here as well.
"What happened?" I ask as I start to sit up.
"You fainted while you were playing a match with Yuan Chi from Hai Guang. They brought you here." Baiyang said as I look around to see that I was in the hospital room and was laying on the bed.
"We were so worried about you. After we heard about what happened, we went straight here." Qiao Chen said as the Coach and the doctor came in.
"Lu Lian. Your bone cancer is even more dangerous now and has spread. I predicted that you only have a few weeks left."
"Is there a way to stop the cancer from spreading?" Zhou Zhi asks, still worried.
"Well, for now, The only option is surgery..."
"I'm not doing it. We still have the nationals." I said, looking away from them.
"But in order to stop it from spreading..." Dayong mentioned but I interrupted him.
"I said no. I'm not going to do the surgery until after we win nationals." I said, still looking away from the looks that they were giving me.
I can tell that they were looking at me with concern and worry but I just ignored them.
TIME SKIP
I was now discharged from the hospital and I somehow managed the Coach to secretly let me play in the nationals and we were now gathered around in a small building.
"Thank you for your supervision and encouragement, we, from Yu Qing, finally regained the will to fight. So, today, I invite everyone to have a barbecue. Yan, have you finished arranging the seats based on everyone's preference?" Dayong said as he looked at Yan who nodded.
"Qiao Chen doesn't want to sit with Shen Weiming. Jiale must stay with you. Zhou Zhi and Lu Lian has to sit next to Zhou Yu and stay away from Guan Yue if possible. But Guan Yue has to stay with Zhou Yu too. Ji Jingwu needs to sit with Lu Lian but someone has to sit at the same table to grill meat for him." Yan said, finishing his arrangements.
"How about Lu Xia? Is he late again?"
"I'm here."
Sooner or later, I was sitting next to Zhou Zhi and Zhou Yu was sitting across from us until Guan Yue took a seat next to Zhou Yu.
I then feel Zhou Zhi glance between Zhou Yu and Guan Yue but I ignored it.
"This is a self-service barbecue restaurant. Just help yourself. Eat as much as you can. Let's dig in." Dayong said as he sat down next to Jiale.
"Eating alone is no fun. How about this? Let's hold a big eater contest. Each school selects one representative. The one who loses the contest has to drink... Yan Zhiming's specially made juice." Jiale said as he held up a full glass of Yan juice.
"Jiale, why are you proposing the contest?" Xinglong asked.
"Okay. Everyone from Yu Qing has reached a consensus. Our representative is... Qiao Chen." Jiale said as he pointed to Qiao Chen.
"Good. You can say I'm not the best player, but you can't say I'm not a big eater." Qiao Chen said before high-fiving Jiale.
"Hua Chonghong, go." Jingwu said, pinning it to his teammate.
"Zhou Yu." Guan Yue said, looking at Yu.
"Yu had the stomach flu when he was little. He can't eat too much." Zhou Zhi said, glaring at Guan Yue.
"So Guo Zi High School is exempted from this contest." Guan Yue said as I see Zhou Zhi smile.
Then everybody started to do the contest as I just looked at everybody rushing to eat it.
I then notice Zhou Zhi and Guan Yue give meat to Zhou Yu at the same time.
"Since you rely on me to give you advice, this is your payment." Guan Yue said as I look at all three of them in confusion.
Then Guan Yue took another piece of meat and puts it on my plate.
"I heard that eating well helps with your bone cancer." Guan Yue told me with a smile before smirking at Zhou Zhi who was giving him a death glare.
'How did he...'
"Let me grill the meat. You two just eat. I've had a big steamed bun before coming here. I'm stuffed." Zhou Yu said, stopping the awkwardness between the two before giving Zhou Zhi a piece of meat.
"You're really good at grilling."
"You grilled that one yourself." Yu said, making me chuckle.
"Did I?"
I then returned back to eating and Guan Yue kept putting meat on my plate.
Sooner or later, the competition ends.
"The one who loses the contest is... Qiao Chen." Jiale said as he started to open the Yan juice before taking a rather big gulp of it before collapsing in his chair.
The everybody started to leave, making us gather around together to do a toast.
TIME SKIP
After we were all done, I got a text from Siyang.
"Lu Lian. Did Jingwu speak to you about your bone cancer?"
Just then, I feel someone grab my hand. I look up to see Zhou Zhi smiling at me.
"Who is that?" He asked, looking at my phone.
"Nobody. It's just Siyang." I said, putting my phone away.
"What did he say?"
"Nothing. He was just asking how was everything."
"Did everybody leave?" I ask, looking around to see that nobody was around as Zhou Zhi nodded.
"I was going to leave as well but I didn't want you to walk home alone." He said with a smile as his grip on my hand tightened, comfortably.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"What about?"
"About what happened back at the barbecue place between you and Guan Yue." I mentioned as he stopped in place.
"Is this about him and I sending glares at each other?" He asks with a smile as he faced me.
"Not only that but I also noticed when Guan Yue put meat on my plate, you gave him a glare." I stated as he just looked away nervously.
"I did?" He asked as I start to hug his arm with a smirk.
"Don't tell me you were jealous." I said with a smile as I checked to see if he was blushing but he just moved his head away.
"Who said I was jealous?" He asks with a small laugh.
"Your face a second ago showed it." I said, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't know what you are talking about." He said, trying not to show that he was blushing.
"I didn't know you cared for me that much." I teased, still hugging his arm but he just moved away.
"Of course I do! You can't just let guys do that for you especially Guan Yue! Only I am supposed to do that!" He complained as I crossed my arms with a small smirk.
"So you were jealous?" I asked as he looked away, not saying anything making me laugh.
"Don't worry. You are the only guy I love." I said with a smile, hugging his arm.
Zhou Zhi looks at me before giving me a small smile.
"Did you just say that you loved me?" He asked, surprised.
"Maybe..."
"Say it again." He said, smirking.
"Say what?" I asked, pretending not to know.
"That you love me."
"I have no idea what you are talking about." I said, moving my head away.
And before you know it, I was into a fit of laughter.
"Zhou Zhi! Stop!" I yell out in between giggles.
"Not until you say it again." He continued with a laugh.
"Ok. Fine!" I yell out as he finally stops and looks at me with a raised eyebrow.
"Well?"
"I still don't know what you are talking about." I joked before running off but he caught up to me as we were both laughing.
Just then, fireworks started to show and Zhou Zhi hugs me from behind.
ZHOU ZHI'S POV
Lu Lian and I were now walking, hand in hand when I feel a small box in my pocket.
"Lu Lian." I say, keeping my eyes forwards as we walked.
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"After winning the nationals, I am going to ask you something very important. Promise me that you won't say no?" I ask with a small smile.
"Depends on what type of situation it is. Why?" She asks as we now stood in front of her house.
"No reason." I said, my other hand touching the small box in my pocket.
"Okay... Well, I'm here now. I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked with a smile as I nodded and let go of her hand.
After I make sure she's inside, I take the small box out of my pocket and open it, showing a diamond ring.
I take a small look at it and back at the house before giving the ring a small smile.
"When are you coming back? It's already late." I took out my phone and saw that it was Zhou Yu.
"I just dropped off Lu Lian. I'm on my way." I texted back before putting the phone back in my pocket.
I gave the ring one last smile before closing it, putting it in my pocket and heading back home.