Fox in the Penalty Area

After eating and tidying up the kitchen and dining room, it is 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 games, but this is the first time to watch a Leeds game without Hu Lai. After all, if Hu Lai doesn't play, what else is there to watch in the Leeds game?

She is not considered a fan of Leeds City.

As for sitting with Hu Lai to watch the Leeds game without Hu Lai, this was an experience that Li Qingqing had never experienced before.

Warship Harbor is one of the traditional giants of the Premier League, commonly known as "BIG6".

Because it was originally a team of workers working in a naval port on the Thames, it was named "Battleport".

Of course, more than a hundred years later, this team has nothing to do with the original military port. Only the frontal silhouette of a warship on the team badge shows the relationship between this team and that military port.

As a traditional giant of English football, Warship Harbor has won a total of 20 championships in England's top leagues (including the Premier League and League One before the Premier League).

But in terms of European honors, it is a poor zero.

This also makes their status and influence in English football inferior to the two giant opponents Tramed and Stan Park Rangers.

In the past ten years, the warship port has also entered a trough. As a BIG6, in many cases, it is difficult to guarantee the top six in the league.

They are twelfth in the league this season with a mediocre record.

However, one of the greatest charms of the Premier League is that the league ranking does not fully reflect the strength of a team, or it cannot be preconceived to judge the team's performance in the next game from the league ranking.

If you think that Leeds City can beat Warship Harbor in an away game because the ranking of Warship Harbor is two places lower than Leeds City, it is a typical ball-blind cognition. Besides, Leeds City doesn't need to be much better than Warship Harbor-they are currently ranked tenth, and they are only two points ahead of Warship Harbor.

It is a pity for Hu Lai that although Junpei Morikawa entered the squad, he did not start the game.

In this game, Clark arranged an offensive staffing. The two midfielders were Jay Adams and Pete Williams, and the two sides were Jack Walsh and Charlie Porter.

The forwards are Ismail Kamara and Dominic Lasky.

During the one and a half months of Hou Lai's absence, Laski performed very hard and scored two league goals and one FA Cup goal, but the overall number of goals for Leeds City is still relatively small.

Since Hu Lai left the team to report to the national team on December 15th, 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-so to say In some Versailles, is it less than twelve goals in nine games? You must know that the last four teams in the league have played 23 rounds in the league, and none of them scored more than 20 goals...

But for a team like Leeds City, which advocates offense and is good at offense, there are indeed few.

Comparing the data of the nine games before Hu Lai left, Leeds City also played seven league games, and two games were the Champions League, which is more difficult to play than the FA Cup.

How many goals have Leeds scored?

Twenty-four balls.

Among the twenty-four goals, Hu Lai scored nine goals alone, and also had two assists, creating a total of eleven goals, almost half of the twenty-four goals.

Hou Lai's offensive importance to this team can be seen.

"I think the characteristics and functions of Lasky and Kamara slightly overlap..." Li Qingqing, who watched the game, commented. "Both of them have good footwork skills, and they can both play on the wing. If you let the two of them play forward together, they will involuntarily run to the wing, and the center will be empty... Especially Kamara, he likes it very much. Playing on the wing. Lasky is better, at least he is a serious striker."

Hu Lai also noticed this problem, and at the same time, he quite understood why Kamala played like this, because he habitually left the space in the middle for himself... But he is sitting at home now, and he can only say the power of habit very powerful.

Kamara was originally a wide player, and he played as a winger and a full-back. It is really uncomfortable for him to play in the middle.

"...It's better to replace one of these two with the striker and let your captain play."

"The captain suffered a little injury and missed three games..." Hu Lai explained.

Lorenzo Esposito was injured during the FA Cup third round tie with York United.

In that game, he played very well in the first game and scored a goal, but he was injured in the second half and couldn't insist on being substituted.

Then it has been absent until now. It is expected to be absent for about a week. If you are lucky, you can come back before the Europa League reignites.

"Ah, then there is no other way..." Li Qingqing immediately understood why Clark had to line up his troops in such a way.

In the first half of the game, Warship Port, which played at home, took the lead. A goal by their American striker Carl Lambert gave the team the lead at home.

After Leeds City adjusted during the intermission, Lasky equalized the score at the beginning of the second half.

After he scored, Hu Lai in front of the TV jumped up happily, raising his arms and shouting: "This ball is beautiful!!"

But in fact, this is a very ordinary supplementary shot in front of the goal, and it is not beautiful at all in terms of viewing.

Of course Li Qingqing knew why he was cheering so much, covered his mouth and smiled: "So you are one step closer to the 'red pepper' dinner after the season?"

It was 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 almost half of the 20 goal goals have been achieved.

There is still half a season left, everyone will work harder, it is really not a dream to go to the red pepper for dinner.

The Leeds City players on the field obviously knew this very well, so they celebrated very happily after Laski scored.

However, after Leeds City's equalizer, they were not able to hold the score.

Of course, they may not want to hold - they are still attacking, trying to beat Warship Harbor on the road.

As a result, in the 77th minute, the opponent succeeded in a sneak attack. Lambert scored twice, and Warship Harbor led Leeds City 2:1.

This score has been maintained until the end.

Junpei Morikawa sat on the bench for 90 minutes and was selected to the squad for two consecutive games, but he didn't play a minute.

Commentator Matthew Cox comforted the Leeds fans at the end of the game: "It's okay, the darkness will pass. Hu has finished his national team and returned to the club. The next round of the league is against Wald. Hampton, we might see him on the roster!"

Li Qingqing pushed Hu Lai with his elbow: "Is there a feeling of 'the return of the king'?"

"What's the matter? Before I play the game, I need to say: 'Leeds City, your king is back'? Then the fans at the scene collectively shouted 'HUHUHUHU'?"

Li Qingqing waved his hand: "The fans can't shout like that."

"why?"

"They lost their momentum as soon as they shouted. It doesn't sound like the king of Leeds is back, but rather like the dog of Leeds... Ah ha ha ha!" Li Qingqing couldn't hold back his laughter at the end.

"Does it sound like a dog!" Hu Lai was exasperated.

Li Qingqing rolled on the sofa with her belly in her arms while laughing.

Hu Lai rolled her eyes, but she didn't urge her - according to their previous plan, they had to go to the airport after the game.

It wasn't until Li Qingqing calmed down by herself, sat up from the sofa, and tied up the hair that had fallen out with laughter.

The long hair that was hanging down was gathered into a ponytail, revealing a slender neck with soft curves.

Hu Lai watched quietly from the side.

Li Qingqing stood up after braiding her hair: "I should go."

"Okay, I'll take you to the airport." Hu Lai nodded.

Li Qingqing didn't go to pick up the luggage, but said to Hu Lai: "I actually came this time to comfort you, but after I came, I found that you are fine, so I don't need to comfort you."

Hu Lai: "Then I should lock myself in the room, turn off the phone, close the doors and windows, draw the curtains, and even if you knock hard on the door outside, I will ignore you?"

"I hate it!" Li Qingqing said angrily, and then said seriously: "But it's good to see that you are fine."

"Don't worry." Hu Lai patted his heart, "Big heart!"

Then he hesitated and said, "Paris and Leeds are so close, you can come whenever you want."

Li Qingqing nodded before saying, "You can also come to Paris."

But she quickly changed her words again: "But you've been busy since then, and there shouldn't be such an opportunity as this time to take a vacation at home..."

And she herself doesn't actually have that much time to squander on having fun.

In the summer of 2027, the tenth Women's World Cup will open in China.

Li Qingqing, as the absolute core of the women's football team, is the star player. Everyone has high hopes for her and the women's football team for the World Cup at their doorstep.

So a relaxing time like today is also a luxury for Li Qingqing.

Both of them are very clear about their respective situations, so such an agreement is hard to come by.

If a professional player wants to be dedicated, life is actually very boring. In addition to training and competition, there are many restrictions in daily life.

Although they make a lot of money, they can't be like ordinary people, eat whatever they want, and 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.

The training is boring and the competition is stressful. It is because of this that the news of professional players going to nightclubs, bars, and carnivals is seen in the media.

If their self-control ability is slightly weaker, they will vent their pressure and emotions frantically off the court.

But Hu Lai and Li Qingqing are obviously not such people.

For them, being able to have a home-cooked meal together, chat, and watch a game together like these two days is already a rare relaxation.

"Let's go, if you don't go, you won't be able to catch the plane." Li Qingqing smiled 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: "Don't go down, if you are recognized by someone, you won't be able to escape."

After speaking, she opened the door and got out of the car to get the suitcase by herself.

After picking up 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 it before."

"Say hello to my uncles and aunts. I'll go back and see them after I finish playing the World Cup."

"Then what should I do? Wait for you to talk to them yourself."

Li Qingqing smiled: "That's right. Then wait until I see them."

After speaking, there was a sudden silence between the two.

They looked at each other, and neither of them spoke.

In the end, Li Qingqing forced a smile: "Goodbye Hu Lai, thank you for staying with me for two days."

"I should say thank you, right? You came here specially."

Li Qingqing smiled without arguing, then waved: "Goodbye, Hu Lai."

"Goodbye." Hu Lai also waved his hand.

Li Qingqing turned 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 watching, and didn't look back.

This was not the first time he parted with Li Qingqing, but it was the first time he felt reluctant.

He even... had an absurd idea in his mind: If time could keep repeating in these two days, that would be great...

Then he was amused by his own absurd idea: Putting aside the impossibility, doesn't the repeated cycle mean that he has to experience the feeling of parting at this time repeatedly? How can I bear it...

Hu Lai restarted the car with a smile, slowly drove out of the parking space, ran away from the terminal building, and drove towards the exit of the parking lot.

Behind the terminal, planes take off and land, bringing people with them and taking others away.