Chapter 18

The shell wind chime hanging at the entrance of the coffee shop near the D.K Training Base clinked crisply as the automatic door slid open. The barista’s voice was sweet. “Welcome!”

“Hi, what can I get for you? These are our signature coffees: the Standard Iced Americano, Raw Coconut Latte, and Thick Cream Cloud Coffee. Everything on the menu is available today.”

The young man didn’t even glance at the menu, his voice lazy as he ordered. “One Raw Coconut Latte, one Matcha Cloud. Thanks.”

Because his voice was so pleasant, the barista subconsciously looked up at him after taking the order.

In the sweltering summer heat, the man was still wearing a black windbreaker, a black baseball cap, and a white face mask. A few stray hairs peeked out from under the cap, and a pair of half-rim glasses rested on the bridge of his nose.

He was fiddling with his phone, head bowed, and when he looked up, he revealed a pair of sharp, narrow eyes. He swept a dismissive glance over her, turned around, and found an empty seat in the shop.

Not long after, the wind chime rang again.

The barista was a little puzzled. Their shop usually wasn’t very busy; most of their orders were deliveries from nearby residents. People who came in for a coffee were rare. Today was surprisingly lively.

A bright, handsome, slightly chubby young man in a t-shirt walked in. He scanned the room and walked straight toward the man in the windbreaker.

He seemed a little afraid of the young man across from him, sitting down cautiously. He only relaxed a bit when he saw the drink placed in front of him and called out, “Bro Chu, is this for me?”

Chu Fengyi had been frowning at his phone. He looked up sharply at the words and said coldly, “That one costs 28 yuan. You can transfer it to me now.”

Sprite: “…”

He brazenly pretended not to hear, took a sip of the cold drink to shake off the summer heat, and sighed comfortably. “How are you not burning up in this weather wearing so many layers, Bro Chu?”

Chu Fengyi impatiently pulled down his mask. “You called me out here just to spout this nonsense? Sorry, I’m busy. I don’t have time for this.”

Meeting his sharp gaze, which seemed to have already seen through all his intentions, the slightly chubby young man immediately felt immense pressure.

He coughed a few times, choosing his words carefully. “Actually, it’s like this. Little Flower has been sneaking out on dates with a stray cat lately, living that puppy love life. It doesn’t listen to anyone but you, so I wanted you to come back and talk some sense into it.”

Chu Fengyi picked up his phone from the table and stood up with a cold expression. “Sorry, I have something to do. Gotta go.”

Sprite slid onto his knees to stop him. “Bro, I’ll talk! Just don’t rush off.”

Chu Fengyi sat back down, crossed his arms, and said impatiently, “Spit it out.”

Sprite was on the verge of tears. “It was actually the Manager who sent me. He said you blocked him and he couldn’t reach you. He wants to talk.”

He rushed through the explanation at lightning speed, then lowered his head guiltily and sipped his coffee. He waited for a long while but got no reply from Chu Fengyi.

Looking up, Chu Fengyi was staring at him with a faint, unreadable smile.

“Wang Liuyi, did you really think you could hide anything from me? I knew what was going on the moment you asked to meet at this shop.”

“Ah, don’t just blurt out my full name, you’re scaring me,” Sprite forced an ingratiating smile. “Bro Chu is mighty indeed. So… what do you think?”

He still remembered, of course, how fierce the argument had been between Chu Fengyi and their manager when Chu Fengyi left D.K. It had reached the point of a complete break.

After Chu Fengyi’s departure, D.K’s match history had been lackluster. The manager never said it, but everyone knew he regretted it. He regretted drawing such a hard line.

But the middle-aged man was all about his reputation, too proud to humble himself and beg.

So he took a roundabout route and found Sprite, the most even-tempered player on the team and closest to Chu Fengyi as his mid-laner.

Although Sprite didn’t want to run errands for the manager, deep down, he still hoped Chu Fengyi could come back. After D.K’s Three-Peat, when Chu Fengyi had a bit too much to drink, he said he wanted to lead them to one more championship before retiring. Sprite had etched every single word of that into his memory.

So he accepted the task.

He knew D.K had wronged Chu Fengyi. When their captain was arguing with the manager, no one on the team dared to speak up for him, afraid of getting on anyone’s bad side.

Now, to say something so shameless made him blush with shame. He couldn’t lift his head, desperately gulping his drink to hide his embarrassment.

Chu Fengyi saw his guilty conscience at a glance, and it only made him more irritated.

When he left back then, he had no attachment whatsoever. He even returned his professional account, which he’d used for years, without a moment’s hesitation. But now, with a brother he’d once held trophies with standing right in front of him, he found it impossible to be ruthless.

After a few seconds of silence, he said coldly, “Then let’s go back and take a look.”

Seeing the big boy’s head snap up, eyes filled with nervous hope and surprise, he clicked his tongue. “Just a look. I didn’t say I was going back.”

“Alright, Bro!”

At least his attitude had softened. Sprite was already overjoyed.

As the two stood up to leave together, the barista watched them push the door open and walk out.

Walking down the street, Sprite nudged Chu Fengyi with his elbow. “Bro, I noticed this when we used to come here for coffee. Does that barista have a secret crush on you or something? She always stares at you.”

Chu Fengyi’s gaze was downcast, his expression nonchalant. His nose bridge was high, and as his half-rim glasses slipped down, he casually pushed them back up.

Sprite smacked his lips, still tasting the bitterness of the coffee. “But Bro, you really are the most handsome guy among professional players.”

Chu Fengyi’s commercial value was undoubtedly massive. If it weren’t for the huge disagreement with the manager over team operations, that slave-driver Skinner Zhou would never have let Chu Fengyi go.

Power was more tempting than money, and Chu Fengyi’s influence within D.K was too strong. A clash between the two was inevitable.

At Sprite’s praise, Chu Fengyi merely tugged the corner of his lips faintly.

He pulled out his phone to check it every minute or two. It was too unusual; Sprite couldn’t help but notice. When Chu Fengyi took his phone out again, Sprite stole a peek.

His eyes immediately widened in shock. “Isn’t that that little streamer? Are you two actually serious?”

Getting no reply from him was making Chu Fengyi irritable. “If you can’t speak properly, then shut up. No one’s accusing you of being mute. He has a name. Show some respect.”

“No, that’s not the point,” Sprite said, his expression strange.

Seeing that Chu Fengyi was unconcerned, he patiently explained, “He’s obviously reeling you in. Can’t you see it? It’s a super popular meme online right now. He definitely sent that to you on purpose.”

Unexpectedly, after he finished, a faint smile flickered across Chu Fengyi’s face. “Really?”

Sprite: “…”

Chu Fengyi’s mood instantly lifted. He tucked his phone into his pocket and said with feigned profundity, “You just don’t get it.”

Sprite: “???” What didn’t he get?

He really didn’t. He didn’t understand why a hunk like Chu Fengyi was being treated like a fish on a hook, yet had such a dreamy expression on his face.

Chu Fengyi: “He’s very innocent. He probably just wanted to make a joke. And even if he is reeling me in, it means he cares about me. What about you? Does anyone even want to reel you in?”

By the end, his voice was laced with undisguised mockery.

Sprite felt an inexplicable sting, as if an arrow had shot into his knee. Hello? Bro Sprite had plenty of face-fans too, okay? And he’d actually been persuaded by Chu Fengyi’s twisted logic.

He was furious but dared not speak up. He remained silent for the rest of the way.

Back at the base, Chu Fengyi followed Sprite upstairs with practiced ease. In the elevator, they ran into a former teammate. The big boy, who had just woken up, looked at him and thought he was hallucinating, rubbing his eyes frantically.

Before he could even show his wild joy, Sprite stopped him with a single look. He had to carefully greet him: “Hey, Captain.”

Chu Fengyi swept a glance over him, suppressed the urge to retort, and merely snorted coldly.

They walked all the way to the manager’s office. Opening the door, Sprite shrugged at the middle-aged man. “I brought the person you asked me to get. You two can talk about the rest. I’m out.”

He shot Chu Fengyi a meaningful look, turned, and walked out, closing the door behind him.

The manager had already stood up the moment he saw Chu Fengyi. He busied himself pouring him a cup of tea. “Sit, sit, sit. Don’t just stand there. Why are you so distant after all this time?”

Chu Fengyi found it utterly ridiculous.

He sat on the sofa, long legs crossed, picked up the hot tea, and took a slow, deliberate sip before cutting straight to the chase. “What do you want? Let’s get straight to the point.”

The manager adjusted his glasses and sat down opposite Chu Fengyi.

He slid a contract across the table.

“What happened back then, I was truly in the wrong. I’ve reflected on it. I hope you can let bygones be bygones, return to D.K, and continue to lead this team forward.”

At the very least, his attitude was sufficiently humble. “Your team members, they have no idea what really happened, but in their hearts, you’ll always be their Captain.”

“Even if you’re still angry at me, think of them. Some of them are already 25. How many more years can they play Glory? Can you bear to see the highlight of their professional careers stopped at that one Three-Peat?”

Chu Fengyi listened quietly.

When the man finished, there was a few seconds of silence before a cold laugh. He lifted his chin, looking down at the man opposite him with condescension. “Zhou Xun, you’re a great businessman. That speech just perfectly embodied the hypocrisy of a businessman.”

“First, my coming back doesn’t guarantee D.K a championship. My decline in form—you said that yourself back then. Are you taking it back now? Second, don’t try to guilt-trip me. I alone don’t have that much ability. If D.K can’t win without me, it means that trophy never belonged to them in the first place.”

Zhou Xun sighed.

Then, he smiled again. “You truly are ruthless. Since an emotional appeal won’t convince you, why not take a look at this contract I meticulously prepared for you? I believe the conditions inside will satisfy you.”

Seeing the look of smug certainty on his face, Chu Fengyi’s eyes darkened with malice.

He also smiled. “If you’re sincere, I can sign a renewal contract with you. But I have one condition.”

The corner of his mouth curled into a malicious grin. “Get on your knees and beg me, and I’ll sign.”

Zhou Xun’s smile froze on his face.

…

As soon as Lin Linya started his stream, the danmaku was flooded with interrogations.

[Middle school dropout? Streaming for money? Getting bold, daring to lie to the people who feed and clothe you?]

[Gonna pinch our little Yaya’s cheeks hard! If I hadn’t stumbled upon that official video from S University, I almost believed your damn lies.]

[I even sent you private messages, worried you’d been out in the real world too young and easily tricked. I can’t believe the clown was me all along.]

Lin Linya felt a guilty conscience. He tried to act cute to muddle through. “You guys were saying stuff like that, I was so scared of having my secret identity exposed.”

“Alright, alright, stop scolding me.”

His fans were both amused and annoyed. One by one, they seized the opportunity to make demands. [Extra streams or crossdressing. Pick one.]

Lin Linya pressed his palms together. “I really can’t add any more streams, sisters. I’ll literally drop dead. Please, have mercy on me.”

Unlike streamers who could broadcast 24/7, he had classes during the day and various activities to earn credits. His nightly streams were just to earn some pocket money. He wasn’t suited for staying up too late.

The danmaku immediately erupted with the other option, the speed of the scrolling messages revealing their excitement.

“Crossdressing isn’t suitable either… I said before, it’s for the million-fan Fan Service,” he declared self-righteously, his own face flushing despite himself.

He was emboldened by the fact that he currently had only tens of thousands of fans, far from the goal, so he wasn’t worried at all.

He’d clearly been the one to deceive them, yet now the danmaku was giving him a chance to make amends, and he was taking advantage of their indulgence, refusing both options. He was so bad.

He had completely forgotten that he was the one being taken advantage of here.

How could his fans possibly be satisfied with that? [Then you tell us what to do.]

Lin Linya was distressed. He thought for a long time, then a brilliant idea suddenly struck him.

The outfit he’d brought back was still lying on the sofa in his rented apartment’s living room. He showed the video to the camera and asked, “Do you like this? I can wear this and stream for an evening for you.”

After getting their approval, Lin Linya blocked the camera and went to rummage for the butler outfit he’d almost forgotten about.

[Yes yes yes!]

[Mommy, I thought it was a rented costume, I didn’t know it was yours! You bad baby, don’t tell me you’ve secretly stashed a bunch of spicy clothes and little toys…]

[Looks like a serious gaming streamer on the surface, but behind the scenes, he’s secretly contacting fans for money. As long as you pay enough, anything’s viewable. Forced to wear really over-the-top clothes, he can only lie in bed, covering his face shyly, and still has to ask, ‘Are Big Bro and Sis satisfied?’]

[Enough, shut it! If you keep going, this won’t be broadcastable on our platform anymore!]

[LMAO, I told you the mod is one of us. When it’s Yaya Baby, you can say crazy stuff on mic and not get banned.]

When Lin Linya returned in the changed clothes, the danmaku had already reverted to normal. They were discussing the hero changes in the new Glory patch and talking about baby food supplements—a thin veil of denial.

The butler outfit had a waist so tight it cinched his figure to the point where an arm could circle it. A white ruffled frill framed his slender neck, making his face look tiny.

Although it lacked the alluring atmosphere when paired with voice acting, it looked even more pure and innocent than in the short video clips.

The danmaku was instantly stunned, a torrent of flattering praise pouring out.

[So pretty, shoulders so narrow! I could just hold Baby in my arms, so delicate tvt.]

[Looks just like those cat photos online where the cat’s wearing a maid outfit. Super cute.]

Lin Linya’s lips curved up. If he’d known it was this easy, he wouldn’t have been so anxious all afternoon. He loved seeing the danmaku compliment him, even if the compliments were a bit weird.

“A handsome guy like me can naturally rock any style.”

[I don’t believe you, unless you crossdress.]

Lin Linya’s full, rosy lips pouted. “How can you be like this? So mean. We agreed you’d stop teasing me after I changed.”

[Damn it, we can’t let the stinky baby get too cocky. Voice Chat, Voice Chat, he must do a Voice Chat.]

[Right, our Little Yaya hasn’t done a Voice Chat yet.]

Voice Chat was a feature on Wolf Fang that boosted streamers’ popularity. It randomly matched two streamers who opted in, allowing them to compete for popularity or just chat.

Lin Linya was a bit shy about talking to strangers, but he couldn’t out-argue them.

Reluctantly, he opened the Voice Chat function. “Fine, just one. No matter who it is, after this I’m going to play games. And if the other person hangs up, you can’t blame me.”

[Impossible. Who could bear to reject the cute Yaya?]

[What if he connects to a pretty sister from the Dance Section? Yaya will definitely be too shy to speak. I’m so nervous!]

He clumsily initiated the Voice Chat. The livestream screen split in two, the other half black. He stared at the screen anxiously, as if something scary might jump out at any moment.

Soon, the other half lit up. He breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t anything weird. It was a handsome guy with red hair styled in a wolf-cut, sharp, downturned eyes, though his expression was a bit sour.

For some reason, looking at him, Lin Linya felt he looked slightly familiar.

At that moment, the danmaku flew past again. [Holy crap, Picky on the first connect? What kind of luck does our Yaya Baby have!]

[Maybe… it’s some kind of luck for attracting Jungle Gods… (weakly)]

[Picky is so handsome! Truly worthy of being our Game Section’s visual representative!]

[Where does that leave our Yaya Baby? Does being a little noob mean he doesn’t belong in the Game Section? LMAO.]

Lin Linya saw his ID was “Picky.” He was handsome but looked difficult to get along with. Carefully, Lin Linya offered a small smile and was about to greet him.

But the sour-faced handsome guy’s expression relaxed significantly upon seeing him.

His gaze traveled down from Lin Linya’s covered Adam’s apple, lingering on his chest. He raised an eyebrow meaningfully and asked, “A girl?”

Lin Linya realized the misunderstanding. He quickly spoke up, his voice a pleasant, youthful tenor that made it obvious he wasn’t a girl. “Hi there! No, I’m a guy.”

“Fuck…”

A sudden curse word exploded from the other side, startling Lin Linya so badly he jumped. He had no idea what he’d said wrong and just stared blankly at the screen.

The guy who had just moments ago softened his expression toward him now looked even more sour.

He didn’t even acknowledge him, cutting the Voice Chat connection without a second’s hesitation.

Before the connection ended, Lin Linya heard him mutter, “What a drag.”