The six of them carried their suitcases.
Following behind Professor Wang, they walked toward the hotel’s revolving glass doors.
A powerful blast of cold air instantly sealed them off from the sweltering heat outside.
Along with the cool air came a wave of noisy, vibrant chatter.
The entire hotel lobby was like a bustling, large-scale summer camp.
In the spacious lobby, people were packed everywhere—on the couches, in the rest areas, and even standing next to the pillars.
Accents from all over the country mingled and clashed.
As far as the eye could see, the place was filled with teenagers around fourteen or fifteen years old.
They were dressed in typical summer clothes.
Athletic short-sleeved shirts, jeans, and colorful sneakers.
They all radiated the vigorous energy unique to their age.
On a set of leather couches to the left side of the lobby, four boys were huddled together.
Each held a GBA handheld connected by a link cable.
The CLACK-CLACK-CLACK of button-mashing and their complaints were clearly audible.
"Hey, don’t steal my health potion!"
"Positioning, positioning! Kite him!"
In the rest area to the right, a few girls were gathered together, flipping through manga in their hands.
One of them had earbuds in, bobbing her head gently to the rhythm.
Nearby, two boys from clearly different provinces were standing beside a huge areca palm.
One held a vacuum-sealed pack of beef jerky, the other a bag of fried dough twists.
The two exchanged their snacks, patted each other on the shoulder, and chatted enthusiastically.
A crowd of exceptionally intelligent teenagers who were, at their core, still brimming with exuberant life.
Wang Huashao pushed his suitcase inside.
His eyes lit up at the sight.
He scanned the room, his gaze darting between groups of people holding snacks from their various home provinces.
Chen Zhuo paid no attention to the handheld games.
He was the captain, and he had a captain’s duties to attend to.
"Zhou Kai, you guys watch the luggage in the rest area."
Chen Zhuo instructed in a steady voice.
"He Gui, you’re with me. We’re going to the check-in desk to get the room keys."
He Gui nodded and followed behind Chen Zhuo.
Chen Zhuo walked toward the registration desk at the far end of the lobby.
There were two lines at the desk.
One was the check-in line for team leaders and coaches from each province, and the other was for contestants to verify their information.
Chen Zhuo went to the end of the contestant line.
He waited quietly in line.
He Gui stood beside him, sizing up the people around them.
In front of Chen Zhuo was a slightly chubby boy wearing a baggy basketball jersey.
The boy was carrying a plain red plastic bag, which was stuffed full.
The line moved forward.
As the chubby boy stepped forward, the bottom of his plastic bag suddenly caught on the metal post of a retractable belt barrier.
With a faint R-I-I-IP...
...the plastic bag tore open. Several golden oranges tumbled out through the rip.
They skittered and spun across the smooth marble floor.
One of them rolled right up to Chen Zhuo’s shoe.
The chubby boy froze for a second.
Then he hastily scrambled to crouch down and gather the scattered oranges.
Chen Zhuo bent over and picked up the orange by his foot.
He straightened up and held it out.
"Your orange."
Chen Zhuo said, looking at the boy.
The chubby boy scooped the oranges from the floor into the crook of his arm and stood up.
He saw the orange Chen Zhuo was offering him.
He grinned cheerfully, revealing a set of white teeth.
"Whoa, thanks, man!"
The boy spoke with a thick Northeastern accent.
"This stupid bag is so flimsy."
He took the orange and wiped it casually on his shirt.
He looked at Chen Zhuo.
"Which province are you guys from?"
"Su Province," Chen Zhuo replied.
"What about you?"
"Liao Province!"
The boy puffed out his chest proudly.
"First time at this hotel. The AC in this lobby is cranked up like a damn icebox. It’s freezing."
As he spoke, he enthusiastically pulled a few more oranges out of the torn plastic bag.
He shoved them directly into Chen Zhuo’s and He Gui’s hands.
"Here, try the oranges I brought. They’re wicked sweet! They didn’t go bad on the way here. Take ’em and share with your team."
Chen Zhuo paused for half a second.
He looked at the bright yellow oranges in his hand.
He didn’t refuse.
"Thanks."
Chen Zhuo accepted the oranges graciously.
"Good luck in the competition."
"Thanks, you too!"
The boy from Liao Province gave a cheerful wave and turned back to the line to verify his information.
Chen Zhuo held the oranges.
After verifying his information, he received a room key list and six magnetic key cards.
He turned and led He Gui back to the rest area.
Back in the rest area, Wang Huashao was deep in an enthusiastic conversation with a boy from another province, asking where to find the best zha jiang mian in the Capital City.
Miao Shian was sitting quietly on a suitcase, waiting.
Zhou Kai was looking at the large clock on the lobby wall.
Lin Yi was still leaning against her suitcase, lost in thought.
Chen Zhuo walked over.
He handed the room keys to Zhou Kai.
"One room per person. They’re all on the fourth floor."
Then, he placed the oranges he was holding on top of a suitcase.
"The Liao Province team gave these to us while we were in line."
Hearing there was food, Wang Huashao immediately ended his conversation and came over.
"Ooh, oranges! I was just getting thirsty."
He unceremoniously grabbed one and peeled it.
He broke off a large chunk and shoved it straight into his mouth.
A second later...
...Wang Huashao’s eyes went wide.
His entire face instantly scrunched up into a pained knot.
His features were practically squeezed together.
"HSSS~"
He clutched his cheeks, sucking in sharp breaths.
He wailed unintelligibly.
"What the... You call this ’wicked sweet’? This is so sour my teeth are about to fall out!"
Dubiously, Zhou Kai picked up a segment and put it in his mouth.
After chewing twice, his brow furrowed deeply, and he silently placed the rest of his orange back on the suitcase.
Lin Yi came over, curious.
Refusing to believe it, she broke off a tiny piece and popped it into her mouth.
The moment she chewed...
...she immediately shoved the rest of the orange back into Wang Huashao’s hands.
"Does this count as a biochemical weapon attack?"
She flicked her hand in disgust.
Chen Zhuo watched their reactions, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Meanwhile, at the check-in desk.
Professor Wang was holding a pen, signing his name in a thick coaches’ roster.
Just as he put the pen down, someone came up beside him.
"Old Wang, haven’t seen you in years. Your hair’s gotten a lot grayer."
Professor Wang turned his head.
An older man, slightly portly and wearing an old jacket, was standing next to him.
The badge on his chest read: Capital City Team Leader.
"Old Li."
Professor Wang greeted him calmly.
"That’s what happens when you worry too much."
Old Li laughed and offered him a cigarette.
Professor Wang waved his hand, declining it.
Old Li didn’t mind, simply tucking the cigarette behind his ear.
He followed Professor Wang’s earlier gaze over to the rest area.
He saw the six students gathered around the suitcases.
He saw Wang Huashao’s face twisted from the sourness, Zhou Kai’s furrowed brow, and Chen Zhuo methodically checking the room numbers on the key cards.
Old Li looked away and smiled.
"Are those the saplings you’re bringing up this year?"
His tone held the familiar banter of old acquaintances.
"They look pretty energetic. Your ’backyard steel-making’ training camp didn’t break them?"
Professor Wang picked up his cup.
He took a slow sip of water.
"They’ll have to do."
Professor Wang put down his cup, his tone casual.
"We don’t have the resources you do. They’re just a bunch of rough diamonds. I just brought them here to see the world."
Old Li pointed at him.
"You old coot, not a single honest word ever comes out of your mouth."
The two old men bantered back and forth in front of the check-in desk.
They exchanged a few meaningless pleasantries.
The lobby remained noisy.
The sounds of mashing game buttons, chatter, and the rolling wheels of luggage all mixed together.
Chen Zhuo finished distributing the key cards.
"Let’s go. We’ll head up and drop off our luggage first."
The group grabbed their suitcases and headed for the elevators.

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