Chapter 22

Lu Qingyuan recognized Lin Linya at first glance. Their table had booked a great spot with a view so good the entire stage was in sight; it would be a VIP seat even at a concert.

Precisely because the view was so good, the effect was much more striking than what others saw. He could hear a guy at the same table murmur in a daze, “That waist…”

Lu Qingyuan’s gaze shifted from the young man’s fair, powdery face to that slender, delicate waist, the outline beneath the white t-shirt faintly visible.

The oversized clothing made the figure wrapped inside seem even more slight. A sleek, pale hand gripped the neck of the guitar, pressing the strings. The tautness formed a very alluring curve. The swaying waist was supple as if boneless, strands of hair swaying along with it.

Looking again at that already flushed face, he was completely immersed in the music. He was like a carefree gust of wind, brimming with a heart-stirring youthful vibe, reminiscent of an evening glow seen when looking toward the horizon after walking out of a school building.

When he finished a song and high-fived the bassist sitting next to him, his bright and cheerful manner was exactly like the male lead from a Taiwanese campus drama.

After the performance ended, Lu Qingyuan’s roommate, sitting beside him, rubbed the back of his head. “I don’t know why, but the wine glass in my hand suddenly turned into a glow stick.”

As soon as he said this, the entire table burst out laughing, though everyone’s gazes still subtly followed that pretty young man dashing through the crowd, the ends of his hair bouncing along.

Only Lu Qingyuan remained silent, still calming his own surging emotions.

He watched Lin Linya jog over next door and squeeze in, and also saw a tall guy pull him in with one arm. The two seemed very familiar with each other.

Faced with the guy’s closeness, Lin Linya showed no discomfort whatsoever, and even subconsciously leaned closer to the tall guy. It was a natural intimacy and trust.

Clearly the result of spending a lot of time together day after day.

After finishing the fruit platter, Lin Linya started craving beer. Seeing everyone else with a glass, he anxiously tugged at Chen Chun’s sleeve. “Pour me a glass too.”

“What are you drinking for? You’re a noob with an overblown addiction. If you get drunk, I’m not taking care of you.”

Annoyed by him, Chen Chun searched around the table for ages before finally finding a freshly opened beer bottle cap, smaller than a coin. He poured a capful of beer and shoved it perfunctorily into Lin Linya’s hand, like coaxing a child. “There, drink up.”

Lin Linya, “…Who are you looking down on!”

Just as he was bickering with Chen Chun, Lin Linya failed to notice someone approaching. A large hand suddenly landed on his shoulder. Lin Linya was very sensitive to touch, and he flinched like a startled cat puffing its fur.

He looked up, bewildered. The man in the black tank top who had been DJing was standing right beside him, a wine glass in one hand, the other resting familiarly on his shoulder, squeezing lightly through his clothes. “Hey, come hang out with us over there.”

Lin Linya had just seen him flirting with someone else earlier and frowned with distaste. Anywhere the man had touched felt unbearable.

He brushed the man’s hand off unceremoniously. “No need, all my classmates are here. I’m hanging out with them.”

“Oh, really? What a coincidence, then.” The man in the tank top’s gaze fell on the bottle cap in Lin Linya’s hand. He couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Lin Linya, “…” Do you have any manners?

That man in the black vest had been itching to come over ever since Lin Linya glanced at him earlier. Unable to hold back any longer, he came over to hit on him. Seeing Lin Linya’s obvious rejection, he still didn’t give up.

So what if he was a guy? He was so pretty; messing around wouldn’t be a loss.

“Your classmate’s so stingy. Come to our side, you can drink whatever you want, and it’s all people you know, from the band just now.”

Under the dim lights, Lin Linya’s innocent and obedient face was as delicate as a BJD doll. His soft, smooth cheeks made the man want to reach out and touch them.

However, the hand adorned with a string of silver rings was caught the moment it reached out.

Chen Chun had been holding back for ages. If he hadn’t been afraid Lin Linya would throw a fit, he would have chased the guy off already. Now, seeing this greasy man trying to get handsy, he blocked him without hesitation.

His face turned cold, a rare sight. “Get lost.”

This little cabbage he had painstakingly protected for three years, and this guy dared to try and pluck it right in front of him, without even asking his opinion.

The man in the black vest wasn’t someone to be trifled with either. A flash of anger rose in him instantly, but the increasing pressure on his arm and the menacing look between Chen Chun’s broken eyebrow made him realize that provoking this man wasn’t a wise move.

Chen Chun’s muscular arm clearly showed he worked out year-round, while the man in the black vest was constantly indulging in drink and lust. If things got physical, he would definitely be at a disadvantage.

“Hey, I was just joking. Your friend’s too serious.”

Quickly weighing the pros and cons, he chuckled nervously and tried to pull his hand back, but the arm he was holding wouldn’t budge. His expression finally changed.

He looked down at Lin Linya. From this angle, Lin Linya was completely enveloped within the protective range of the man behind him. Lin Linya was tilting his chin up, the corner of his lips hooked in a smirk, gloating at him.

Like a cat spoiled by favor, knowing someone would protect it, smug as can be.

Lin Linya raised his own beer bottle cap and lightly clinked it against the glass in the black-vested man’s hand. “Cheers. Take care, don’t let the door hit you.”

After the man slunk away dejectedly, Lin Linya let out a lazy yawn. “How is it almost 1 AM already? I can’t hold out any longer. I’m getting a ride home to sleep.”

Seeing him struggling to keep his eyes open moments later, Chen Chun knew he was tired. “I’ll send you back.”

Lin Linya knew Chen Chun liked Fang Wenxue, so he winked and gestured for him to send the girl home. Seeing Chen Chun wasn’t picking up on his hint, he grew anxious. “I can just use a ride-hailing app myself. I don’t need you to send me.”

Chen Chun stared at him steadily for a few seconds, then drawled, “What are you doing? Is your face cramping?”

Just before Lin Linya could lose his temper, Chen Chun suddenly sighed. “Alright, I get it. Be careful on your way.”

Lin Linya slung his guitar onto his back. Although already very sleepy, he forced himself to perk up and say goodbye to everyone before leaving.

Less than a minute after that figure with the large instrument case left alone, although Chen Chun was still swirling his glass in his hand, his mind was clearly elsewhere.

Fang Wenxue had been watching the commotion from the side with her arms crossed. Seeing his distracted state, she suddenly spoke up, “Go send him home. I’m a little worried about him going alone.”

Chen Chun lifted his eyelids to glance at her. “He’s not a kid anymore. What could happen taking a cab alone? Can I watch over him his whole life?”

They were silent for a few seconds. Chen Chun suddenly put down his wine glass, grabbed his jacket and draped it over his forearm, turned, and hurried after him.

The temperature difference between day and night in Sea City was vast. The summer night at dawn wasn’t bone-chillingly cold, but the air was icy cool. Lin Linya stood by the roadside, quietly gazing out, waiting for his ride-hailing car.

In front of the stage and the camera, he was clearly like a star that could twinkle and shine. Now, with the excitement dispersed, his frail figure exuded a sense of thin, lonely isolation, like a long-waiting traveler with no one ever walking by his side.

A jacket devoid of any warmth covered his head. He pulled the garment down and put it on over his short sleeves, then turned around. Chen Chun stood behind him, looking down at him.

A taxi with its high beams on slowly pulled in from the dark night. The two got into the car. After Lin Linya recited his phone’s last digits, he muttered softly, “At this rate, when are you ever going to get the girl?”

Chen Chun’s voice was gruff. “None of your business.”

Lin Linya, a notorious chatterbox, surprisingly didn’t reply for a long moment. Chen Chun turned his head to see him already leaning back against the seat, eyes closed, thick, dense lashes fanned out over his eyelids like tiny fans.

Sleeping like this wasn’t very comfortable. Lin Linya adjusted his posture and leaned his head on Chen Chun’s shoulder.

Lin Linya looked thin, and the weight leaning against someone else was feather-light. Chen Chun didn’t need much effort to support him, so he let himself be used as a pillow, turning his head to look at the scenery flashing rapidly past the window.

……

Lin Linya liked posting on WeChat Moments. Sometimes it was food he ate or a little dog he met on the road, sometimes it was his own selfies, paired with some copywriting he found online.

After he started playing Glory, he began posting game screenshots.

His latest post was a game screenshot of his 25-Star Promotion Match victory: 【This green field has never lacked talent. No watermark, do not steal.】

Chu Fengyi had just woken up. Happily opening Moments, he prepared to see what kind of dumb stuff today’s idiot netizens were posting. Upon seeing this one, his mind was full of question marks.

At first, he didn’t pay much attention to who it was. He casually commented underneath, 【Did you play with a fake leg?】

Once he realized who it was, he silently deleted his original comment and typed a new one: 【That’s impressive. Ever consider going pro?】

A few minutes later, Lin Linya replied to him seriously, 【Not considering it for now, haven’t received an invitation yet.】

Chu Fengyi didn’t even need to think to imagine Lin Linya’s tone when saying that. But precisely because Lin Linya replied, he took another careful look at that Moments post and noticed something off about the accompanying picture.

The match history page showed a three-person party. When Lin Linya took the screenshot, the other two were still waiting in the team room.

A sense of crisis immediately arose within him.

Clearly, during the days he was swamped with work, Lin Linya not only didn’t lack people to play with, but they had also helped him climb the ranks, already bringing this little noob from low stars up to 25 Stars.

This sparked anxiety in him. If this continued, Lin Linya might not even need him to rank up anymore. After all, Lin Linya’s aspirations for the game weren’t high; whoever helped him climb the ranks made him overjoyed.

So he quickly replied, 【Wanna play together tonight?】

Afraid Lin Linya wouldn’t see it, he specifically opened their private chat window. His tone was sour, like a jealous husband. 【Who have you been queueing with these past few days? Having fun? Does he give you Blue Buff and escort you back to the Fountain too?】

【Wait till I’m back and queue with me. Don’t go playing with others? Wow, you’re really something. You really have the nerve.】

Lin Linya didn’t reply.

Chu Fengyi waited ages. Out of boredom, he clicked back into Lin Linya’s Moments, but couldn’t see that latest post showing off his KDA anymore.

“…”

He was in utter disbelief. He went back to the chat interface and typed furiously, 【You spent three minutes figuring out how to brush me off, and your solution was to block me from seeing your Moments?】