Fox in the Penalty Area

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Li Qingqing squatted next to the slice of fried eggs, laughing so hard that she couldn't lift her head, her flowers and branches trembling.

"Hey, that's too much!" Hu Lai stood beside her and protested helplessly. "The fried egg's bones are still cold, how long are you going to laugh?"

"'It's time to show the real technology'? Haha! It really is the real technology! Hahahaha!" Li Qingqing looked up at Hu Lai, and couldn't help laughing again.

"It's just an occasional mistake..."

Li Qingqing stood up from the ground clutching her stomach, then imitated Hu Lai's tone and said, "'Show yourself!' Hahahaha! Hu Lai, you are sincere!"

Hu Lai gave her a blank look and gave up defending.

Then he sniffled: "What's the smell?"

Li Qingqing, who was smiling happily, froze for a moment, the smile froze on his face, and then screamed: "Steak!"

She jumped to the stove, picked up the tongs and flipped the steak, and saw that the side that was attached to the pot was charred...

Hu Lai looked at the steak and chuckled: "How mature is this?"

Li Qingqing glared at him: "It's all your fault!"

"It's the result of your gloating!"

Li Qingqing changed the subject: "Is there any more steak?"

"Yes, there is, but it hasn't been thawed..." Hu Lai said helplessly, spreading his hands. "This piece was taken to the upper floor in advance to thaw before I went out for training today."

"Alas..." Li Qingqing sighed, and tried to ask: "Why don't you make do with it? Shall I peel off the layer of paste?"

Hu Lai looked at her and said nothing.

Li Qingqing also felt that it was outrageous, so she had no choice but to throw the steak, which was reminiscent of carcinogens, into the trash can.

Then she asked, "What shall we eat now?"

※※※

Hu Lai and Li Qingqing sat opposite each other at the dining table.

On the table between them was a plate of fried potatoes,

In addition, there are two bowls with plates upside down, exuding a familiar fragrance.

Hu Lai glanced at the kitchen timer on the table: "It's time!"

After finishing speaking, he lifted the plates from the two bowls and was scalded: "Wow, it's so hot..."

Li Qingqing looked into the bowl and asked, "Why do you have instant noodles here?"

Hu Lai blew on his burnt fingers, and replied: "Phew... the logistics support materials brought by the Asian Cup national team. It was originally prepared to enter the semi-finals, but we were eliminated in the quarter-finals." Huh... there are still some left. I just want to bring some back to lighten their burden. Huh... This stuff is not rare in China, and it is still a good thing here in Leeds. Huhu..."

Li Qingqing got up and put the two fried eggs in the pan into bowls, one for each person.

Make the instant noodles in the bowl look more attractive.

But it's still instant noodles.

"I really didn't expect... to come to Leeds specifically, but you treat me to instant noodles." Li Qingqing was speechless.

"Instant noodles are also very good. Don't you think it is very happy to be able to taste the taste of the motherland in a foreign country?" Hu Lai picked up the noodles, blew on them, and snorted and sucked them into his mouth.

Then he closed his eyes, with an intoxicated expression on his face: "The taste of the motherland is... the taste of sauerkraut and beef in the old altar!"

Li Qingqing was amused by his exaggerated performance, and picked up the noodles and smelled them: "It's true that I haven't eaten instant noodles for a long time. I used to eat instant noodles when I was young. My dad said it was bad for my health, but I just love it..."

She took a bite, and closed her eyes like Hu Lai, showing a look of reminiscence.

Hu Lai asked: "How is it? Have you found the taste of childhood?"

Li Qingqing, who closed her eyes, laughed: "When I was young, my favorite food was braised beef..."

"Ah, there was braised beef flavor back then, but I didn't want it...Xiao Xingxing and the others got a few points."

Li Qingqing opened his eyes and looked at Hu Lai who was a bit regretful: "After what you said, why do I have the feeling that you guys split up the luggage at the end of this Asian Cup? You got Laotan sauerkraut and beef noodles, and Chen Xingyi and the others got it." Braised beef noodles……"

Hu Lai was amused by Li Qingqing's description: "I didn't have it at first, so it makes sense for you to say that...but in fact, everyone was quite sad at the time, so the scene was not happy. After all, I just lost...now It’s much better, and we have to look forward. The local Asian Cup in four years’ time will definitely not be like this again.”

Four years later, the 2031 Asian Cup will be hosted by China.

At that time, Hu Lai was 27 years old, Zhang Qinghuan was 31 years old, Wang Guangwei was 29 years old, Chen Xingyi was 28 years old, Luo Kai was 27 years old, Xia Xiaoyu was 26 years old, and Zhou Zijing was 26 years old. , Lin Zhiyuan is twenty-five years old... Everyone is in the mature stage of their careers. The age structure of the team is reasonable, young and experienced.

It's time for the results.

If such a team is still unable to produce a satisfactory report card, it will not be justified anyway.

"It's good of you to think so." Li Qingqing said with relief.

Hu Lai heard it, and he asked, "What are you doing? Do you think I will be depressed?"

Li Qingqing smiled without saying a word.

"Hey...don't underestimate me!"

Li Qingqing smiled and shook her head: "I don't underestimate you, you are the one who wants to win the World Cup!"

Hu Lai pointed at Li Qingqing: "Irony?"

The girl quickly waved her hand, put away her smile, and looked at Hu Lai seriously: "The truth, Hu Lai. Under the circumstances at that time, I admire you for being able to say this goal."

Hu Lai was suddenly a little embarrassed by Li Qingqing's serious gaze, and it was rare that he didn't climb up: "Hey, I was scolded badly when I said it..."

Li Qingqing shook her head slightly: "Don't care about their reasoning, say what you want to say, do what you want to do, I will always support you."

After she finished speaking, she rested her chin on one hand and stared at the person in front of her like this.

Hu Lai became vigilant: "How many meals do I owe this time?"

Li Qingqing didn't hold back her posture and emotions just now: "What!"

"Ah? Didn't you just say that to let me treat you to dinner?"

Li Qingqing was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said: "If you want to say that, indeed, then you owe me... ten meals!"

As she spoke, she took out her mobile phone in front of Hu Lai, opened the memo, and began to revise it.

Seeing this, Hu Lai called out, "Good guy, don't you need my consent now?"

Li Qingqing glanced at him: "Don't you want to invite me?"

"Think about it, please please!" Hu Lai nodded without saying a word. "Isn't it just eating? Can eating make me poor?"

※※※

After a simple dinner, Hu Lai showed Li Qingqing a brief tour of the villa he rented.

When entering Hu Lai's room, Li Qingqing saw the football on the table at a glance.

She widened her eyes and showed a surprised expression: "Ah! You brought it to Leeds?"

She stepped forward to pick up the football, turned it around, and saw the phone number she had written down.

The writing is slightly faded, but still legible.

Holding the football in his hand, Li Qingqing looked back at Hu Lai.

Hu Lai pointed to the football in her hand and said, "This is my first football."

Li Qingqing looked down at the football in his hand again, and then remembered the first time he met this boy.

At that time, how could she have thought that she would be closely bound with him in the future, and they were closely related?

"What are you in a daze for?" Hu Lai asked strangely seeing that Li Qingqing suddenly fell silent.

"It's nothing, I suddenly thought of how we met..." Li Qingqing put the football down with a smile. "It feels like it hasn't been that long, but it's been almost ten years."

"Is that an exaggeration?"

"2019 to 2027, what do you think?"

Hu Lai took a breath, and he realized that it had been almost eight years since he came to this time and space.

He was suddenly in a daze—if I hadn't time traveled, would I still meet Li Qingqing in that secret base in the original time and space?

Is there Li Qingqing in that time and space?

What would I be if I hadn't met her?

It's just a person who is so ordinary that he can't be more ordinary. He will know other people and live an ordinary life.

However, no matter which time and space Li Qingqing is in, I am afraid that she will eventually become the dazzling one...

"What are you in a daze for?" Li Qingqing asked with her head tilted.

"When you say that, I think of high school."

"At that time, did you ever think that one day you would become a professional player and play football in England?" Li Qingqing asked.

"Then who can think of it?" Hu Lai shook his head, "Can you think of today?"

"I didn't expect it either. At that time, I thought it would be good if you could enter the school team... Who would have thought that you have played in the Premier League now! I think those classmates of yours can brag: We rejected the Premier League gold medal." Boots and World Cup Golden Boots!" Li Qingqing laughed.

Hu Lai was speechless: "Do you still remember this shit?"

"Remember, why don't you remember? Although so many years have passed, I still remember." Li Qingqing leaned against the edge of the table.

"Have I ever told you that my dad didn't like you at the beginning?"

Hu Lai nodded: "I heard you said it."

"Then you know what I was thinking?"

"do not know."

"What I think is, if he doesn't recruit you to the school team, then I will train you for a year, and you can sign up for the school team when you are in the second year of high school. After you are admitted to the school team, I will go to my father and tell him that you are me. Bring it out, haha!" Li Qingqing laughed and trembled.

"It turned out that you haven't waited for a year yet, you ran away first!"

"Oh, at that time, you were already on the school team anyway, what am I still doing in school?"

"But what if I wasn't on the varsity team?"

Hu Lai asked a question that was difficult for Li Qingqing to answer. She frowned and remained silent for a while, then shook her head and said, "I don't know..."

"Idiot, of course I have to go too! That's a chance to play professional football!" Hu Lai said anxiously.

Seeing him like this, Li Qingqing clapped his hands and said, "I remember now!"

"What do you remember?" Hu Lai asked in a daze.

"I remember you said the same thing back then, and you scolded me!"

Hu Lai showed a puzzled expression: "Call you? What should I scold you for?"

"You call me a 'stupid woman'!" Li Qingqing pointed at Hu Lai who was sitting on the edge of the bed with his hand compared to a gun, and squinted one eye and slightly tilted his head as if aiming.

"Is there such a thing?" Hu Lai frowned and asked back.

"Of course. You said you were going to wake me up as a 'stupid woman'... I really hold a grudge! But if you can buy me ten more meals, I will forget a lot of adults!" Li Qingqing's "pistol" Still aiming at Hu Lai.

Hu Lai raised his hand and surrendered: "I thought Charlie was the most capable person I've ever seen, but it turned out that one mountain is higher than the other, and you are better than him..."

Seeing that Hu Lai had conceded, Li Qingqing put away her "weapon" with a smile and made a "V".

Then she took out her mobile phone and added the ten meals:

"Hu Lai, you owe more and more, but you have to work harder to pay it back!"

"hehe."

"What does 'huh' mean?"

"literal meaning."

"If you don't have a correct attitude, add another ten meals!"

"... Li Qingqing, haven't you heard a word?"

"What words?"

"The one who owes the debt is the uncle!"

"..."