As time passed, everyone's spirit also became sluggish in the daily pressure, and the dark circles under the eyes became heavier and heavier.

In this tense and busy time, Qingdao High School still took the time to hold a Christmas party.

It was also the first Christmas that the first graders spent in Qingdao.

On this day, many people sent gifts to Qingdao one after another.

Even the superintendent didn't know which students sent them over.

Rong Chun's mobile phone also experienced the bombardment of holiday greetings again, and after opening the mobile phone, it almost made the mobile phone crash.

Before dinner, Rong Chun slowly replied to all the messages before waiting.

After the managers brought the finished cake, Rong Chun's eyes lit up.

Seeing Rong Chun getting closer and closer, Kuramochi funnily wrapped his arms around Rong Chun's neck,

"Oh~~~"

"Haha, don't worry."

"You're getting too close!"

The other first-year students who gathered around were also frightened by Rong Chun's overly excited appearance.

"I don't know if it's enough..."

The managers were a little worried, and the third-grade senior sister even deliberately brought one to the third-grade side.

Looking at the cake full of appetite, Masuko couldn't help but pick up the fork, and Isashiki was also a little surprised,

"Do we have one too?"

"Goo-goo...."

On the other hand, Miyuki has already started to taste the cake made by the manager of the same grade.

He made a small piece of cake like a gourmand and tasted it himself.

"Well...., so-so is delicious."

"That's so-so!"

"Well, don't argue with either of you..."

There were also people pestering the minister to sing, although he had been shy to excuse himself, but the minister's hand couldn't help but pick up the microphone.

Everyone also rarely saw Superintendent Kataoka's clothes in addition to baseball uniforms, and the suit version of Superintendent Kataoka had to say that he was handsome, and the flavor of a mature man came out all of a sudden.

In contrast, the other overseer, Ochiai, is a bit of a Christmas mascot, with a Santa hat and the same bitter melon face as usual, and he can't see how happy he is.

Maybe on such a beautiful holiday, he would like to be by his daughter's side.

However, I have to say that the Christmas party has given everyone some room to relax in this cold and tiring winter training, and their hearts have become warm.

Perhaps it was the joy of Christmas that made everyone's spirits more abundant, and the next day's training burst out with unimaginable energy.

However, this phenomenon only lasted for about half a day before it ended.

In the evening, everyone became out of breath again.

'Oops, the senses of the body are going to disappear....'

Such thoughts gradually came to everyone's minds, and then they survived the day's training.

Another day passed, and my body was a little stiff unconsciously, and there were more mistakes in garrison training.

'Hahaha, before I knew it, I laughed out loud. ’

During the winter training period, many players came to Qingdao in advance to visit.

Looking at the training of Qingdao Road, the faces that seemed to have turned into zombies made no one smile, whether it was the players or the parents.

'It's ridiculous...'

'A few days to come...'

'I don't want to think about it...'

Now whether it is the first grade or the second grade, everyone's spirit has been squeezed to the extreme, especially the first grade, after failing again and again, after a lot of training,

'What the hell is it for...'

'For whom...'

'Is baseball something that has to be done to this point?' ’

'Enough is enough!' I'm going to die...'

"What kind of era is this~~'

I guess we can push us to the limits. ’

'It's going to break...'

'Hurry up and give us relief.' ’

Day by day, no matter who has such thoughts in their minds, they have reached the limit, and it seems that they can no longer squeeze anything out of themselves.

Only then did I realize that so much time had passed,

'But there's only one day left...'

'I can't stand it...'

'There's still one day'

'This is the last time...'

It doesn't make sense! ’

'Damn, no kidding....'

Looking at the dark night before the victory, Rong Chun looked up at the sky,

'Just do it!' ’

Kanemaru propped his arms and kept panting,

'Who is afraid of whom!' ’

Minato wipes away the sweat that keeps remaining,

'Who is afraid of whom!' ’

Tojo stared at his eyes and breathed heavily,

'Who is afraid of whom!' ’

'It's come to this point, why can't you give up!!' ’*n

On December 30th, the morning air is still a little cool, but the slowly rising sun can also bring a hint of warmth.

The seniors, supervisors, and managers all looked at the players in the center of the training ground with excitement and satisfaction, and kept clapping.

Someday, maybe this time it will be a good memory. ’

The players looked at the sun in front of them, not knowing whether it was the dazzling of the sun or the irrepressible excitement in their hearts, and the tears couldn't stop flowing.

'Still, I have to say....'

'No matter how many times you say it, say it....'

"Thank you for the advice!"

"Its gas!!"

I don't want to come back a second time!! ’

After the ordeal, the Qingdao Baseball Club ushered in their annual long vacation, and the players packed their bags and left the training ground after a year of hard work.

The moment Rong Chun stepped out of the gate of Qingdao, he couldn't help but raise his hands and shouted loudly,

"I'm free!"

"Rong Chunjun, you're very noisy."

Kominato Haruichi turned around and complained, but he couldn't stop Rong Chun's excitement,

"I'm free.... I'm free...."

Looking at Rong Chun like a puppy who had just been released for a walk, Tojo smiled softly,

"Do you have any plans for this time of the year, Shinji?"

"I want to relax, but I don't have any specific ideas."

"Can you accompany me to practice?"

"No problem, let's make an appointment after that, I don't have a plan anyway."

"By the way, Sawamura, if you go home, shouldn't you go in the direction of the station?"

Tojo looked at Rong Jun, who had walked all the way with them, and asked strangely.

Rong Chun's excited blush couldn't go away for a long time, and said happily,

"Well, after all, after leaving, you won't be able to see you until after the Chinese New Year, and before that, you have to meet a few friends again."

"Is it someone from outside the school?"

"Could it be, Inami?! Or is it a pharmacist!? Or is it both? ”

Kanemaru asked a little nervously, after all, Rong Chun's range of friends is too wide.

Although he is not a bad person, as an opponent, Kanemaru still can't help but worry about Eijun.

"Hmm.... Wait a while, Shirakawa-senpai and Chris-senpai, a few of us are going to meet before leaving, and then Sanada-senpai invited me to his house, saying that there was something for me.

Tianjiu wants to ask me to go to the strike hall, but I'm not sure if I have time....."

As Eijun said one by one, both Kanemaru and Tojo felt a little numb.

'Shall I also contact my former friends and opponents, such as the Sun?' ’

Seeing that Rong Chun made such a wealth of friends, Tojo was also a little tempted, because he had heard Rong Chun say before that he would exchange pitching experience with pitchers from other schools, which was very useful.

"Don't play too late and get on the bus home! I can't go back to the dormitory! ”

Kanemaru reminded that Rong Chun didn't care a little, just met for a while, and wouldn't waste too much time.

"So, bye~~"

Rong Chun waved goodbye to the two of them and walked to the agreed place.

The first person I met wasn't Whitewater, nor was Chris.

"Senior Qian? Sun? ”

"Ah, Sawamura! Why are you here...."

"I made an appointment with someone to meet here, are the sun and senior Qian also together on vacation?"

"Of course, after all, you have to cultivate a tacit understanding!"

The sun responded quickly, in fact, Qianxian was forcibly dragged out by the sun, but he still had to save face for his trump card outside.

"It's so good, a little envious."

"What's so envied about this, you can also ask your catcher out."

Rong Chun imagined the picture of himself going to make an appointment with Yuyuki, because it was too terrifying, and his brain crashed.

"Sawamura, you're already here..."

A gentle voice came from behind the sun and Qianxian Gang, and when he heard this familiar voice, Rong Chun suddenly eased up,

"Chris Senpai~~~"

'Ah, it's him....'

The sun evokes a strange smile,

I remember this guy was the guy who played against Inami in the summer liga qualifiers. ’

"Ahem, since the person you are waiting for is here, then we will also leave, Sawamura's next competition will be the Kanto Competition, and I will be ashamed!"

"I'm not going to lose!" After bidding farewell to Didong's throwing and capturing combination, Chris set his eyes on Rong Chun,

"Sorry, I'm late..."

"No, no, I've just arrived, speaking of which, why do seniors have to go home."

Both of them went out at school, but Chris didn't need to pack his things, so he went home.

"This is for you, my dad asked me to give it to you."

Chris handed Rong Chun a bag, and Rong Chun took it curiously,

"My dad has always wanted to thank you for finding out that I was injured before, but he never had the chance, and this time he specially asked me to send you something, saying that it was a thank you gift and a Christmas gift."

"No, I didn't do anything...."

Referring to the previous incident, Rong Chun's expression was a little strange,

"I've never regretted telling Takashima-sensei about finding out you're hurt, but.... But at that time, the seniors were also mentally prepared and wanted to go to Koshien with those seniors. ”

As Rong Chun experienced more and more games, Rong Chun could also understand Chris's mood at that time.

In any case, even if it is a lonely bet, you have to go to Koshien with everyone.

Rong Chun's sudden speech made Chris flutter for a moment, and then the tenderness in his eyes became more and more, as if he was about to overflow,

'Really.... There's enough gentleness...'

"I had a little bit at the beginning, only a little bit Oh, I resent Rong Chun for making this matter clear."

Rong Chun's face turned white all of a sudden, feeling Rong Chun's huge psychological fluctuations at the moment, Chris touched Rong Chun's head,

"But at the same time, I felt relieved, not to mention my body, and I felt like my spirit was about to reach its limit.

Sawamura also had that feeling, feeling that he was not strong enough, feeling that he was not doing enough, so he was desperately squeezing himself. ”

Rong Chun thought of the time in the Xia Jia qualifiers, and he didn't know why, it was the obsession of not admitting defeat, or the pride of not wanting to be left behind, anyway, it made him feel depressed.

Knowing that after the end of the First World War, he saw that his seniors had been smiling and crying when they laughed, and he suddenly understood.

It's because of these seniors, these excellent seniors who have given him a lot of help.

I don't care anymore, my body warned me again and again, and Rong Chun ignored it, or forcibly suppressed it.

"In that year's competition, I stood in the stands and watched Inami defeat those seniors I respected, and I couldn't calm my heart anymore, and I couldn't even concentrate when I was recovering.

Then I thought of you, and I thought of the first time I met you, and you said to me,

'You too, senior, take care of yourself. ’

And the words that the teacher of Takashima brought in the back,

'Please wait for me for a year, I'll go back to Qingdao to find you, let's make the best match!" ’

My heart calmed down, and it really made me uncomfortable not being able to repay those worthy seniors.

But I want to form a shooting partner with you, and I want to support you like my predecessors so that you can grow up healthily.

This thought is my biggest obsession in my painful rehabilitation, except for returning to the baseball field.

No matter what others say, Sawamura...."

Chris looked at Rong Chun, gentle, firm,

"You saved me!"

Chris's gentle voice made Rong Chun's eyes fog for some reason, and he gradually couldn't see everything in front of him clearly.

It was a little rough, but the warm hands wiped away the tears that Rong Chun had left unconsciously.

"Sawamura, it's up to you next, and then you're going to become a senior, so it's not okay to cry like this."

"I... I didn't cry... Woo..."

"Yes, yes, it must be too cold outside, why don't you find a shop to stay for a while?"

Chris protected the heart of his little pitcher with a smile, and Rong Chun responded with a crying voice.

"Hmm...."

After the two of them sat down at the roadside shop and ordered a drink, Bai He was the most late.

"I'm sorry, I'm late, senior Chris, good afternoon, Naruto guy, I heard that I'm coming to you, so you have to pester me with you."

Bai He first apologized, then greeted Chris, and finally explained to Rong Chun the reason for being late.

"It's okay.... What about the seniors of the palace? Didn't you say that you were pestering you to come? ”

"I said that I also made an appointment with Chris senior, and Ming won't mention it anymore."

After all, with two Chris blows and a real person, Cheng Gong Ming, who is fighting alone, can't hold on.

"But he asked me to bring you a message, saying that next time you remember to look for him, don't always mess with me as a guerrilla, and ask you if you want to change careers to become a guerrilla before coming to me."