Chapter 17

Chapter 17

With the school's sports festival ongoing for two days, there were no classes, and at night, the food stalls were filled with students.

Luo Qingshan lounged on a bench with his legs crossed, not engaging in the conversation around the dinner table.

His glass was nudged by someone beside him. "What are you lost in thought about?"

Lifting his chin slightly, Luo Qingshan picked up his glass and took a sip. "Nothing much, where were we?"

"He's been like this lately, it's just a breakup," said his friend, pouring him another drink. "Here, drink up, a few times and he'll be fine."

"Don't pour him more, who's going to carry him back when he's drunk?"

"Su Nian."

Su Nian sat right across from Luo Qingshan. Upon hearing this, he couldn't help but glance at Luo Qingshan.

Luo Qingshan didn't even spare him a look, only shaking his head. "No need for anyone to carry me, it's just beer, I won't get drunk."

After a while, Luo Qingshan suddenly blurted out, "Isn't Yan Zhun here?"

Everyone at the table were his classmates from the same major, and they all froze upon hearing this.

"Aren't you tipsy?" a friend looked at him in surprise. "When has Yan Zhun ever come? Only on your birthday."

"I did invite him," Lin Kang poured himself some wine. "He said he had something to do and couldn't make it."

"Damn." His friend swiped through his phone and gasped when he saw a certain Weibo post. He turned his phone around for everyone to see. "Is this Yan Zhun?"

It was a Weibo post from TZG's sharpshooter, which read "Grilling some skewers after training". On the right side of the photo, someone had accidentally been captured in the frame. The boy leaned lazily on an e-sports chair with an exceptionally handsome profile.

Someone in the comments had asked who he was.

The sharpshooter replied: My brother. Not a trainee, so don't guess.

TZG could be considered the top e-sports team in the country, especially in recent years with their success in both PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and League of Legends. They were a hot topic among male gamers, almost all of whom followed them.

"It really is…" Lin Kang retracted his gaze and shook his head, tsking. "For someone from TZG to call him 'brother', Yan Zhun must be quite the deal."

"Yes, if I had his talent, why would I bother studying? I'd have entered the e-sports scene and made a fortune. With that face of his, he could still earn from girlfriend fans even if he wasn't good at gaming." His friend nudged Luo Qingshan's arm, recalling something. "Hey, didn't you play games with Yan Zhun before? Was he impressive?"

Luo Qingshan felt strangely disinclined to respond.

Staring at the photo for a moment, he took a sip of wine and smiled. "What's the point of being so great at gaming?"

"Bro, it's already 2022. Why are you still saying things like that? Do you know how much those professional gamers earn in annual contracts, how much they win in championship prizes, or how much they get from endorsements?" Lin Kang chuckled. "If Yan Zhun had gone pro back then, he would've definitely achieved great things."

"What, do you have psychic abilities?" Luo Qingshan scoffed. "There are so many talented people out there. How could it have been his turn?"

"You don't understand. TZG's coach came to our school to look for him several times. I saw them myself..." Lin Kang pondered. "What's up with you today? You sound weird."

Luo Qingshan fell silent for a moment with his head lowered before shaking it. "It's nothing."

In the middle of the banquet, Luo Qingshan found it uninteresting and left early.

He made an excuse to decline Su Nian's offer to accompany him and returned to the dormitory alone. Along the way, he couldn't resist taking out his phone to send a message to Pei Ran but remembered halfway through typing that Pei Ran had blocked him.

The dorm was dark and empty. Luo Qingshan switched on the light and glanced at Yan Zhun's bed.

The desk held nothing but a computer and headphones, mirroring its owner's dull and uninteresting demeanor.

Back at his own seat, Luo Qingshan turned on his computer casually.

Lost in thought, his mind kept replaying the scene he had witnessed in the lounge—Pei Ran sitting on the bed, clutching the sheets in pain, while Yan Zhun supported his knee with one hand and bent down to blow on it.

It seemed as if Yan Zhun was kissing Pei Ran's leg.

A notification disrupted Luo Qingshan's thoughts. It was a gaming friend asking if he wanted to play PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), one player short of a full team.

Unable to sleep anyway, he logged into the game and glanced at his Steam friends list, spotting the username "Ranbaobei" playing.

Luo Qingshan frowned slightly.

Pei Ran didn't really enjoy this game due to its quick endings, which offered little gaming experience. In the past, Luo Qingshan would have to coax him for a long time before Pei Ran would reluctantly log in.

However, lately, Pei Ran appeared to be playing frequently.

After a moment's consideration, Luo Qingshan ignored the incoming team invite and exited to check Pei Ran's game records.

Then, he discovered that Pei Ran had indeed been playing this game frequently during this period, logging in every day during the seven-day break.

Furthermore, his records were impressive, almost to an eerie extent.

Pei Ran's kill count was usually 0, occasionally with one or two kills, and his total damage dealt wasn't high either.

However, scrolling through his match history, there were numerous indicators of "top ten" and "victory royale."

Luo Qingshan's Adam's apple bobbed as he clicked into Pei Ran's detailed records and saw the IDs of his teammates.

Almost every round, there was "111GOD."

The only time 111GOD was absent was when Luo Qingshan had invited Pei Ran to play that one game some time ago. Following that match, 111GOD reappeared.

Luo Qingshan found it hard to believe and started checking each match individually for confirmation.

Until he reached the game where he had invited Yan Zhun and Su Nian for a squad match.

Luo Qingshan gritted his teeth throughout, only relaxing gradually when his cheeks began to ache.

He sat still for a moment before reaching for the phone on the table and locating his roommate's chat thread on WeChat.

"Luo Qingshan: You're playing PUBG too? Who are you playing with? Add me in."

After an unknown amount of time, a reply finally came.

"Yan Zhun: Not joining."

"Luo Qingshan: Seriously? So heartless?"

In the meantime, Lin Xuhuan's voice echoed throughout the base, "Ran baby! Run, Ran baby! There are so many people behind you! Jump as you run! Quick, come over to me! I'll protect you - hey, why are you going to my brother?!'

Looking at the person running towards him, Yan Zhun let out a soft laugh. After eliminating the opposing team, he picked up his phone to type.

"Yan Zhun: Hmm, there's no spot for you."

-

Yan Zhun stayed at TZG Base for several consecutive days.

The group was hooked, insisting that he accompany them for more training matches. Yan Zhun reluctantly agreed, appreciating the spacious and quiet room they had arranged for him.

On their day off, Lin Xuhuan dragged Pei Ran out for dinner.

TZG's base was very close to Yan Zhun's school; just a short walk across the road – the location was ideal, with its affordable luxury homes and lack of distractions for the team members.

As they passed by a computer shop, Yan Zhun casually glanced inside and then halted in his tracks.

"How much would it cost to fix it?" Pei Ran asked, looking at his laptop.

The shop owner stroked his chin. "Not too expensive, around... three to four thousand."

Pei Ran nodded, about to pay a deposit when he heard a voice from behind him. "What's wrong with the computer?"

Pei Ran turned around to see Yan Zhun.

Yan Zhun wore a cap, his eyes drooping lazily beneath the brim. "Broken?"

Pei Ran acknowledged with a soft "Mm." "I accidentally dropped it, and now the keyboard is damaged."

"Ran darling?!" Lin Xuhuan's eyes widened in surprise as soon as Pei Ran finished speaking.

Pei Ran was startled by the call and stared at him blankly.

"It's me! Me! You know, your... Xuhuan Daddy!"

Lin Xuhuan's gaming username was "nihuandie."

Pei Ran's voice was too distinctive, with its moderate tone that was pleasant to the ear. Lin Xuhuan could recognize it instantly.

Yan Zhun looked at the shop owner. "You just said how much for a new keyboard? Four thousand?"

His face revealed no emotions, yet it sent a chill down the onlookers' spines.

"Four thousand?!" Before the owner could respond, Lin Xuhuan exploded. "What kind of keyboard are you going to install? A black switch? Custom keycaps? Or a personalized ID label?"

Stunned, Pei Ran watched as Lin Xuhuan snatched his computer back from the owner, grumbling about the dishonest store as he walked out.

"Don't come to this place again," Yan Zhun snapped him back to reality. "They're just after your money."

The shop owner behind them fell silent. "...

Pei Ran nodded gently. "Oh, okay."

"Come on," Yan Zhun said casually. "Let's have dinner together."

At the restaurant, Lin Xuhuan couldn't help but continue scolding the proprietors.

"You looked too easy to fool," Lin Xuhuan said. "Did you actually plan on paying just now?"

Pei Ran replied, "I'm not very familiar with the prices here."

Lin Xuhuan tsked in disapproval.

Of course, someone who could afford to hire Yan Zhun as their gaming companion wouldn't be bothered by such a small sum of money.

But Pei Ran's appearance had still caught him off guard. He had initially imagined Pei Ran to be an ordinary otaku who loved gaming and had a nice voice, spending money lavishly.

However, the moment he laid eyes on Pei Ran, he sensed that there was something... something special about him.

Lin Xuhuan, who had dropped out of junior high to pursue esports, found himself at a loss for words.

Gazing at Pei Ran, he found the man bowed his head, meticulously soaking the utensils in hot water.

His slender, fair fingers contrasted starkly with the old-fashioned, colorful patterns on the porcelain spoon.

Suddenly, Lin Xuhuan understood. Pei Ran's presence was remarkable; his straight back resembled a graceful crane standing still, elevating the shabby and disordered repair shop with an air of sophistication.

No one like this had ever been around Lin Xuhuan, and he felt intrigued, instinctively sliding his chair closer to Pei Ran.

"Treasure Ran, what's your real name?"

Pei Ran disclosed his name.

"Nice!" Lin Xuhuan inquired further. "Did you attend the same university as my brother? Since you're classmates, did he give you a discount when taking your order?"

Pei Ran pondered for a moment. "Yes, he did."

Well, he supposed there should have been a discount.

"How much was the discount, and how much did you pay?" Lin Xuhuan asked.

"What does it have to do with you?" Yan Zhun interrupted their conversation.

He took off his hat, revealing slightly tousled hair that, paired with his aloof expression, gave him an odd charm.

Pei Ran found himself staring at those unruly strands before their eyes met by chance.

"Is your leg better?" Yan Zhun asked.

Pei Ran acknowledged with a soft "Mm-hmm." "It was fine a few days ago."

"I want to take a look," Yan Zhun said.

Pei Ran remained silent.

Seeing his silence, Yan Zhun raised an eyebrow.

Pei Ran glanced first at Lin Xuhuan and then, subconsciously, at Yan Zhun's thigh. Just as he was about to refuse, Yan Zhun curved the corners of his mouth into a smile.

"I meant for you to roll up your pants to let me see," Yan Zhun clarified. "Not put your leg on mine."