"Victory!"
With the final play, Winthrop's kicker booted the ball into the opponent's half and sprinted after it. As the last seconds ticked away, Winthrop erupted in celebration. Jiang Hai couldn't help but leap to his feet, pumping his fist in the air with excitement. Compared to the electric energy surging from the Winthrop crowd, Chelsea's side of the stands was noticeably subdued.
"Great job!"
Jiang Hai cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted enthusiastically toward the field.
Hearing his voice, Selsey and the others waved in his direction, even as they celebrated.
Rugby games are generally short, although still longer than a typical soccer match. A standard game consists of two 40-minute halves. Add in player substitutions and timeouts, and the total time stretches a bit—but it's still quicker than many other sports unless there's overtime or injury stoppage.
Basketball, by contrast, is one of those sports that seems short but can feel especially long. Take the NBA: the clock says 48 minutes, split into four quarters, but with timeouts and breaks, games regularly run over two and a half hours.
Today's football game, while not an official NL matchup, still ran close to two hours.
In the end, Winthrop emerged victorious with a score of 37–30. The star of the game was, unsurprisingly, Selsey—scoring five touchdowns and leading the team to a hard-fought win. As the final whistle blew, his teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders as he waved proudly to the crowd. This victory felt especially sweet.
Chelsea, on the other hand, wore expressions of frustration. True, their players were physically tougher—most of them being security guards—but raw aggression didn't guarantee success. Against seasoned fishermen who spent their lives at sea, brute strength wasn't enough.
Fishermen, after all, are used to tough encounters—run-ins with rival boats and the perils of deep-sea work. They're not easily intimidated and aren't shy about getting physical. Their technique also surpassed that of Chelsea's squad, making Winthrop's win almost inevitable.
"Let's head to Old Tony's and grab some drinks! What do you guys want? It's on me today!"
Jiang Hai clapped his hands loudly as the players approached. His shout sparked a fresh round of cheers.
After celebrating for ten more minutes, Winthrop's team reined in their excitement as Chelsea's players approached. Fortunately, they weren't looking for trouble. Though known for their rough play, Chelsea's team had enough sportsmanship to shake hands and show respect after a loss. Their manager, to his credit, had the grace to lose with dignity.
The two teams exchanged handshakes and a few words. While Winthrop's players remained upbeat, they didn't taunt their opponents. After all, both towns were neighbors. There was no need to create lasting grudges over a local league match.
"You guys played great today—congratulations," said Chelsea's captain as he shook hands with Winthrop's.
"Thanks," replied Winthrop's captain with a friendly smile.
After a few more polite exchanges, the Chelsea captain made his way over to Jiang Hai. As the man approached, Jiang Hai eyed him closely. According to what Dilily had told him, this guy wasn't your average team captain.
But on the surface, he looked pretty ordinary—around 5'10", maybe in his early thirties, with a blond buzz cut and a weathered face. Not handsome, not particularly striking—just a regular guy. Yet despite his plain appearance, he had quite the reputation in the area.
Not exactly a good reputation, though. What gambler ever does?
"Hey, I'm Christian Edis. I run a casino in Chelsea. If you're ever interested, stop by and play a few hands," he said, extending his hand.
"Jiang Hai. Nice to meet you," Jiang Hai replied, shaking hands. "But I'm not much of a gambler."
Edis didn't seem offended. He shrugged, gave a casual nod to his teammates, and turned to leave.
"Jiang, that guy's trouble. Better steer clear of him," Selsey muttered as he walked over.
Jiang Hai chuckled. He didn't need Selsey to tell him that. He could already sense Edis was the kind of person he'd rather not get involved with.
"Don't worry, I'm not planning to gamble anytime soon. Let's go celebrate."
To Jiang Hai, Christian Edis was just a passerby—someone he'd forget by tomorrow.
"Yeah!"
The group let out a cheer and piled into their vehicles, heading back to Winthrop and straight to Old Tony's Cowboy Song Bar.
There, they picked up crates of beer and a few bottles of decent imported liquor, then drove to Selsey's place.
Selsey's family was ready. The backyard was already set up with multiple grills and marinated meats. Someone had even ordered ten large pizzas. The party kicked off in earnest.
Inside the garage-turned-warehouse, the young folks ate, drank, and celebrated. Despite the festive mood, they kept the music low. Originally, there had been plans for loud music, but Selsey canceled it out of respect for Jiang Hai, who wasn't a fan of blaring noise.
Even without the music, the atmosphere was lively. Jiang Hai grabbed a large beer and a heaping plate of barbecue, then slipped into a quiet corner to eat. Despite wanting to blend in with the community, he still wasn't entirely comfortable. Making friends didn't come easily to him.
"Why are you hiding here all by yourself?"
Diliya approached with a bottle of pre-mixed cocktail in hand and sat beside him, smiling. These colorful drinks were popular in China—Jiang Hai had tried them before. But here in the U.S., brands like Bacardi were more common. Still, the sweet, vibrant bottles were favorites among the ladies.
Jiang Hai preferred beer.
"I don't know many people yet, so I'm just here eating and drinking," he replied with a grin.
"Are you full?" Diliya asked, giving him a curious smile.
"Almost. Why?"
He had just finished his plate. While he wasn't stuffed, he also wasn't starving. He looked at her, curious.
"If you're done, I want to show you something."
Smiling mischievously, Diliya stood up and motioned for him to follow.
Intrigued, Jiang Hai hesitated only a second before setting down his plate and beer and going after her.
She led him quietly through the crowd, avoiding attention, and brought him to the second floor of the factory.
The moment they reached the landing, Jiang Hai was taken aback. In the corner, a man and woman were passionately kissing. The man's shirt was off, the woman's jacket tossed aside. His hands had already slipped under her clothes—perhaps to keep her warm... maybe.
The couple didn't even glance at Jiang Hai. They were too absorbed in each other.
Jiang Hai's expression stiffened. He had followed Diliya without much thought—after all, it was broad daylight, and he didn't expect anything strange. But now, he was starting to second-guess that decision.
"Alright, here we are. I wanted to show you this..."
Before Jiang Hai could make up his mind about turning back, Diliya opened the door to the second-floor bathroom and pulled him inside.
To Jiang Hai's shock, she immediately lifted her shirt, revealing two perfectly full, round—
He quickly averted his gaze.
"Diliya, this… this isn't right. You have a boyfriend. And you know about my situation. I'm not the kind of guy who can afford to get involved like this. I can't explain this to Old George if anything happens."
Feeling her getting closer, Jiang Hai took a step back, his tone firm and serious.
"Relax, Jiang. I'm not looking for any kind of relationship," Diliya said, her voice calm and confident. "I still love my new boyfriend—at least for now. And I know you're not exactly the good guy type either. I'm not trying to be your girlfriend. I'm just… interested in you. That's all. No strings. If you really want to fit in around here, sometimes you have to let loose."
(To be continued...)