After finishing the meal and cleaning up the kitchen and dining room, it was very close to Leeds City’s away game against Warship Harbor in the afternoon.
Hu Lai and Li Qingqing sat side by side on the sofa and watched the game.
Li Qingqing has watched many Leeds City games, but this is the first time he has watched a Leeds City game without Hu Lai. After all, if Hu Lai doesn't play, what else is there to watch in a Leeds City game?
She is not a Leeds City fan.
As for sitting with Hu Lai and watching the Leeds City game without Hu Lai, this is an experience that Li Qingqing has never experienced before.
Warship Port is a traditional giant in the Premier League, commonly known as one of the "G6".
Because it was originally a team composed of workers working in a military port on the Thames River, it was named "Warship Port".
Of course, more than a hundred years later, this team has nothing to do with the original military port. Only the front silhouette of a warship on the team logo shows the relationship between this team and that warship port.
As a traditional giant of English football, Battleship Port has won a total of twenty English top league championships (including the Premier League and the English League One before the Premier League).
But it is a pitiful zero in terms of European honors.
This also makes their status and influence in English football inferior to the two giant rivals Tramed and Stan Park Rangers.
In the past ten years, Warship Port has also entered a trough. As a team competing for G6, in many cases it is difficult to even guarantee the top six in the league.
This season they are ranked 12th in the league with mediocre results.
However, one of the biggest charms of the Premier League is that the league ranking does not completely reflect the strength of a team, or that the team's performance in the next game cannot be prejudged from the league ranking.
If you think that Leeds City can beat Battleship Harbor in an away game because Battleship Harbor is ranked two places lower than Leeds City, that is a typical football-blind perception. Moreover, Leeds City does not need to be much better than Battleship Harbor. They are currently ranked tenth.
It is only two points more than the warship port.
What makes Hu Lai feel regretful is that although Morikawa Junpei was included in the squad, he did not play.
In this game, Clark arranged an offensive personnel configuration. The two midfielders in the midfield are Jay Adams and Pete Williams, and the two forwards are Jack Walsh and Charlie Porter.
Ismail Kamara and Dominique Laski.
During Hulay's absence for one and a half months, Lasky has worked very hard and has scored two league goals and one FA Cup goal, but Leeds City's overall number of goals is still low.
Since Hulay left the team to report for the national team on December 15, Leeds City has played nine games, seven of which were in the league and two in the FA Cup, scoring a total of twelve goals. This is a bit Versailles.
, is scoring 12 goals in nine games still too little? You must know that the last four teams in the league have played 23 rounds and have not scored more than 20 goals...
But for a team like Leeds City that advocates offense and is good at attacking, it is indeed less.
Comparing the data from the nine games before Hulay left, Leeds City also played seven league games and two in the Champions League, which is more difficult to play than the FA Cup.
How many goals did Leeds City score?
Twenty-four balls.
Hullet alone scored nine goals in these twenty-four goals, and also had two assists, creating a total of eleven goals, which is almost half of the twenty-four goals.
Hulai’s offensive importance to this team is evident.
"I think the characteristics and functions of Lasky and Kamara are slightly overlapping..." Li Qingqing, who was watching the game, commented. "Both of them have very good foot skills and can play on the wing, so both of them can play on the wing."
If you play as a forward with a partner, they will involuntarily run to the wings, leaving the center free... Especially Kamara, he especially likes to move on the wings. Laski is better, at least he is a serious forward."
Hu Lai also saw this problem. At the same time, he understood why Kamara played like this, because he was accustomed to leaving the space in the middle for himself... But now that he is sitting at home, he can only say that the power of habit
very powerful.
Kamara is originally a wide player, and he plays as a winger and a wide midfielder. It is really not suitable for him to play in the middle.
“... Let these two people partner as a forward, why not replace one of them and let your captain take over.”
“The captain was injured and has missed three games...” Hu Lai explained.
Lorenzo Esposito was injured in the FA Cup third round match against York United.
He actually performed well in that game and scored a goal, but he was injured in the second half and could not persist and was substituted.
Then he has been out until now. He is expected to be out for about another week. With luck, he will be able to return before the Europa League resumes.
“Ah, then there is no other way…” Li Qingqing immediately understood why Clark arranged his troops in such a way.
In the first half of the game, Warship Harbor, which played at home, took the lead. Their American forward Carl Lambert scored a goal to help the team take the lead at home.
After Leeds City adjusted at halftime, Lasky equalized the score just at the beginning of the second half.
After he scored, Hu Lai in front of the TV jumped up happily, raised his arms and shouted: "This goal is beautiful!!"
But in fact, this is a very ordinary follow-up shot in front of the goal, and it is not beautiful at all from an ornamental point of view.
Of course Li Qingqing knew why he was cheering so much. He covered his mouth and smiled: "So you are one step closer to the 'Red Hot Chili Peppers' dinner after the season?"
This is Laski's sixth goal in the league.
Counting one goal in the Champions League, one goal in the FA Cup and one goal in the League Cup, he has scored a total of nine goals in all competitions this season, and has almost reached the halfway goal of 20 goals.
There is still half a season left. If everyone works harder, it will not be a dream to eat at Red Chili Peppers.
The Leeds City players on the field obviously knew this very well, so after Lasky scored, they celebrated happily.
However, after Leeds City's equalizer, they were unable to hold on to the score.
Of course, they may not want to defend and are still attacking, trying to defeat Warship Harbor away from home.
As a result, the opponent succeeded in a sneak attack in the 77th minute. Lambert scored twice, and Warship Harbor led Leeds City 2:1.
This score was maintained until the end.
Morikawa Junpei sat on the bench for 90 minutes and was selected into the squad for two consecutive games, but did not play a single minute.
Commentator Matthew Cox comforted the Leeds City fans at the end of the game: "It doesn't matter, the darkness will eventually pass. Hu has ended his game in the national team and returned to the club. The next round of the league will play Walder
For the Hampden game, we might see him on the roster!"
Li Qingqing nudged Hu Lai with her elbow: "Do you feel like the return of the king?"
“What’s the matter? You want me to say: ‘Leeds City, your king is back’ before going out to play? Then the fans at the scene collectively shouted ‘HUHUHUHU’?”
Li Qingqing waved her hand: "Fans can't shout like that."
"Why?"
"Their momentum disappeared as soon as they shouted. It didn't sound like the king of Leeds City was back, but it sounded like the dog of Leeds City was back...ah hahaha!" At the end of the sentence, Li Qingqing couldn't hold it back and burst out laughing.
“Does a dog behave like a dog?” Hu Lai was furious.
Li Qingqing laughed so much that she rolled on the sofa holding her belly.
Hu Lai rolled her eyes, but did not urge her to go to the airport after watching the game as they had planned.
Until Li Qingqing calmed down, she sat up from the sofa and tied up her hair again.
The long hair that originally hung down was gathered into a ponytail, revealing the slender neck with soft curves.
Hu Lai was watching quietly from the side.
After finishing braiding, Li Qingqing stood up: "It's time for me to leave."
“Okay, I’ll take you to the airport.” Hu Lai nodded.
Li Qingqing did not go to pick up the luggage, but said to Hu Lai: "I actually came here to comfort you, but after I came, I found that you are very good and don't need my comfort."
Hu Lai: "Then I should lock myself in the house, turn off the phone, close the doors and windows, draw the curtains, and let you knock on the door hard outside and I won't pay attention?"
“Disgusting!” Li Qingqing said angrily, and then said seriously: “But it’s good to see you’re okay.”
"Don't worry." Hu Lai patted his heart, "Big heart!"
Then he hesitated and said: "Paris and Leeds are so close. If you want to come and play, you can come at any time."
Li Qingqing nodded first and then said: "You can also come to Paris."
But she quickly changed her mind: "But you have been busy since then, and you probably won't have this opportunity to take a vacation at home..."
And she actually doesn’t have that much time to waste on having fun.
In the summer of 2027, the 10th Women's World Cup will kick off in China.
Li Qingqing is the absolute core and star of the women's football team. In this World Cup at home, everyone has high hopes for her and the women's football team.
So a relaxing time like today is also a luxury for Li Qingqing.
Both people are very aware of their respective situations, so such an agreement is difficult to implement.
If professional players want to be dedicated, life is actually very boring. In addition to training, there are competitions, and there are many restrictions in daily life.
Although they have made a lot of money, they cannot, like ordinary people, eat whatever they want or play whatever they want.
It is a normal entertainment for ordinary people. In order to maintain a better competitive state, it is best for them not to touch it.
Training is boring and competitions are stressful. It is precisely because of this that we see news in the media about professional players visiting nightclubs, bars, and carnival parties.
If their self-control ability is slightly weaker, they will vent their stress and emotions crazily off the court.
But Hu Lai and Li Qingqing are obviously not such people.
For them, it is a rare relaxation to be able to have a homely meal together, chat, and watch a game like they did in the past two days.
“Let’s go, we won’t be able to catch the plane if we don’t leave.” Li Qingqing laughed again and walked towards the door.
"I'll see you off." Hu Lai took two quick steps, picked up the suitcase before her, and opened the door.
※※※
Parking the car in the parking lot of the airport, Li Qingqing refused Hu Lai to see her off: "Just don't get out. If someone recognizes you, you won't be able to run away."
After saying that, she opened the door and got out of the car to get the suitcase.
After taking the suitcase, he walked around to the driver's seat and said to Hu Lai: "After this season is over, I can't go back to China with you. We have to go back early to prepare for the World Cup..."
“I’ll tell my mother, she was still thinking about this before.”
“Say hello to my uncle and aunt for me, I’ll go back and see them after I finish playing the World Cup.”
"Then why should I do it? You can go and talk to them yourself."
Li Qingqing smiled: "That's right. Then wait until I go see them again."
After saying that, there was a sudden silence between the two of them.
They looked at each other, but no one said anything.
In the end, Li Qingqing forced out a smile: "Goodbye Hu Lai, thank you for staying with me for two days."
“I am the one who should say thank you, right? You came here specially.”
Li Qingqing smiled without arguing, and then waved: "Goodbye, Hu Lai."
“Goodbye.” Hu Lai also waved.
Li Qingqing turned around and left, walking towards the entrance of the terminal building.
Hu Lai raised his head and watched her back in the rearview mirror until he could no longer see her.
But he was still looking and did not look away.
This is not the first time he has parted with Li Qingqing, but it is the first time he feels reluctant to leave.
He even...had a ridiculous idea in his mind: How great it would be if time could keep repeating these two days...
Then he was amused by his absurd idea: Putting aside its possibility, doesn't repeated cycles mean that he has to experience the feeling of separation again and again? How can he bear it...
Hu Lai smiled and restarted the car, slowly drove out of the parking space, ran in the opposite direction from the terminal building, and drove towards the exit of the parking lot.
Behind the terminal building, planes took off and landed, bringing some people with them and taking some away with them.
