Chapter 7

7

Jack: “CatClaw went over to Boss Yang’s place. For the contract specifics, we’ll have to discuss in detail when he’s back tomorrow. But we still need to negotiate the finer points with BOX.” He turned and asked Yan Xiu: “Where are you staying? Is it close to Shanghai? Convenient to head back?”

Yan Xiu had just stood up from his chair and was about to answer when Huarong came down the stairs, her voice penetrating: “He’s from Suzhou. Super close, just 30 minutes on the high-speed train. It’s only past four, your tryout is already finished? No need to play more?”

Bai Wei: “Playing more would be a waste of time. VE Second Team is already bankrupt. Unless they can get possessed next game and salvage some gear. Of the other four teams in the T3 Scrims, only one streamer team is even remotely threatening. No need to continue.” He looked towards Yan Xiu.

The black T-shirt greatly accentuated the young man’s pale complexion. But it was unclear if it was a distressed-style fashion piece or truly worn out—the fabric was also a bit faded to white.

Bai Wei asked again: “Going back tonight, or staying overnight?”

Yan Xiu had now grasped his meaning.

He looked up at Bai Wei: “I’ll go back to Suzhou…” He paused, then added: “It’s fast.”

Bai Wei’s gaze swept over the young man’s features once, then drifted away lightly: “Alright.”

All five Second Team members in the training room stood perfectly straight, motionless like bodyguards.

Only after Bai Wei had left did they one by one relax.

Jack: “There are four more scrim matches. Carrier Pigeon, Superman, Pipi, you three play. Aim for a triple-brick run.”

“Yes!”

Jack said to Yan Xiu: “Show, later come find me in my office on the third floor.”

Yan Xiu nodded.

Down in the Second Team training room, only a few Second Team members remained, continuing their scrims.

Packing his mouse and keyboard back into his backpack, Yan Xiu slung the bag over his shoulder, thought a moment, and asked: “Um… Tao Shi, which office on the third floor is Coach Jack’s?”

Tao Shi wasn’t slated for the scrims and was lounging on the sofa scrolling TikTok. Hearing this, he leaped up like a carp: “I’ll take you there.”

“Thanks.”

Tao Shi: “How old are you, bro?”

Yan Xiu: “19, turning 20 the month after next.”

Tao Shi: “Damn, so you’re younger than me. I’m 23 already.”

Tao Shi pressed the elevator button, saying: “Our base is six floors total: five above ground, one basement. Boss Yang’s private property. Fifth floor is the First Team dorms. Fourth floor is where CatClaw, Jack, and the higher-ups stay, Auntie Wang too. Third floor is offices. Second floor is the First Team training room and photography studio. First floor is dining, and our Second Team dorms are there too.”

Yan Xiu had never seen a villa with an elevator installed inside. He followed Tao Shi to Jack’s office.

Like a student approaching the teacher’s office, Tao Shi, before even reaching the door, hurriedly threw out a “We’re here, we’re here,” turned tail, and fled.

Yan Xiu knocked and entered.

The moment he opened the door, he saw the shock of white hair sitting on the sofa directly facing the door.

…So blinding.

“Those kinds of idiots really think they have skill just from getting results. Without Legal, they’re nothing. Just small-minded people getting smug.” Jack’s tone was disdainful.

Bai Wei frowned: “Legal has skill. Can’t CatClaw poach him?”

Jack: “Can’t. Signed a dead-end contract with BOX. Unless Boss Yang bleeds heavily. Spending that much to find a new data analyst isn’t that worth it, and even bleeding heavily might be useless. He says Nestle was his benefactor—back when he was about to starve, Nestle set him up with a computer, taught him how to stream, gave him account boosting jobs, and later brought him into the DFL. That’s why he has his career today.”

Hearing the familiar name, Yan Xiu, who had his backpack on, straightened his posture slightly.

Bai Wei glanced at him: “Nestle isn’t completely pointless either. His team discipline training has some method to it.”

Jack asked directly: “Show, what exactly happened between you and Nestle?”

Yan Xiu hesitated for a long moment. Before he could answer, Jack bluntly said: “Before contacting you, we already asked BOX. BOX’s side claims you refused to cooperate with training, clashed with team members, and even disobeyed the coach’s instructions during matches.”

After hearing that Yan Xiu was this unmanageable, CatClaw wasn’t even planning on letting him try out. But Bai Wei and Qin Baotian jointly vouched for him, getting CatClaw to open a back door, which led to today’s tryout.

Yan Xiu was silent for a moment: “I barely played any scrims. When I was at BOX, I was a substitute. As for conflicts, Cola really didn’t like me, but I had no issues with anyone else. Not following the coach’s commands…”

“That doesn’t matter.”

The light, slightly husky voice interrupted Yan Xiu’s words. He stared blankly at the speaker.

Jack smiled bitterly: “I’m the coach here, Young Master Bai. How can disobeying my commands not matter?”

Bai Wei let out a soft laugh.

Yan Xiu: “There’s other stuff, but… it’s not convenient for me to talk about. It’s unrelated to the matches.”

Jack pondered for a moment, tapping his fingers on the table a few times: “I heard your transfer fee isn’t low.”

Yan Xiu looked up, his gaze resolute: “That’s fine. I can handle it.”

Bai Wei watched him thoughtfully.

Yan Xiu: “One thing…” He hesitated, hesitantly adding: “I want to confirm. My contract with BOX still has just under two years. If I transfer, it should still be about a year and a half. So… will I have a chance to play?”

Jack: “Well, that…”

“Yes.”

On the gray fabric sofa, the white-haired youth leaned back, his hair resting against the wall. Yan Xiu looked at him, confused. Bai Wei smiled, very openly letting him look. After a while, he added: “You’ll have a chance to play next season. My word.”

The sour bitterness that had been pressing down on his heart for over a year suddenly seemed to dissolve. Yan Xiu: “Thank you.” His voice was very soft, his lips pressed tightly together, yet the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but curl up.

In his three-plus hours at the OLG club, this was the first time he smiled.

Bai Wei’s eyes flickered slightly. Only when Jack and the new substitute began discussing some detail-handling issues from the earlier scrim did he snap out of it amidst their voices.

– He has a dimple.

~

By past 5 PM, Yan Xiu and Jack had discussed everything they could. The rest needed CatClaw to come back and decide.

Yan Xiu wasn’t eloquent, but Jack was meticulous. Later, Huarong also came into the office. Sister Hua thoughtfully asked Yan Xiu some lifestyle-related questions.

“Do you mind sharing a room with someone?”

“I don’t mind. I think my habits are pretty decent. When I lived in dorms during middle school, no one ever complained. Would I be rooming with a teammate?”

Huarong: “Just asking. Our fifth floor has three rooms total. Danger and the others each have their own. Before, Little Gun, our previous sub, roomed with Qin Baotian. Qin Baotian and him both snore when they sleep, so they didn’t bother each other. The Second Team has always shared rooms. We’ll see how it goes then, whether you want to room with Qin Baotian or Rose, or you could go to the Second Team dorms too. Carrier Pigeon on the Second Team is 18 this year, might have more in common with you.”

“Do you smoke?”

“No.”

A pro kid who didn’t smoke was a rare find; on average, you’d only find one in two entire esports teams. Huarong’s interest grew: “What about drinking?”

Yan Xiu paused, a little embarrassed: “I’ve never drank alcohol…”

Huarong’s eyes lit up: “Wow, a national treasure!”

Yan Xiu looked away from her gaze, the fair tips of his ears flushing red.

The last time he’d chatted this closely with a girl was back in school. As for being praised by a girl, that had to be elementary school days. Although Sister Hua looked quite a few years older than him.

Huarong: “Your hair is so long, it’s covering your eyes. How about, since you’re heading back kinda early today, you get a haircut?”

Yan Xiu didn’t react: “A haircut?”

“Qin Baotian also needs a haircut,” Bai Wei suddenly interjected.

Both of them looked at him.

Huarong: “Qin Baotian too? That’s perfect. Let him take Show with him.”

Bai Wei nodded: “Okay.”

The three went up to the fifth floor.

Qin Baotian was lying on his bed, not even wearing a shirt, just his flowery shorts, playing on his phone with complete disregard for image. Seeing the group enter his room, he was so spooked he quickly threw on a T-shirt: “What’s up? How come everyone’s suddenly looking for me together?”

Yan Xiu hadn’t entered the room, standing just outside the door. He quietly observed Qin Baotian’s room.

The fifth floor had three bedrooms and one bathroom. The innermost bedroom was probably the master suite, corresponding to the living room and kitchen area downstairs, very spacious. Qin Baotian’s room was the middle one, facing south, with a small balcony, also quite roomy. The room had two beds. One bed was empty, but the mattress was still there—Little Gun must have just moved out a few days ago.

Huarong: “Didn’t you need a haircut? Perfect, take Show with you.”

Qin Baotian’s eyes widened as he pointed at himself: “Me?”

Bai Wei: “When we were in Riyadh, you said it was too hot, wanted to shave your head for a buzz cut.”

Qin Baotian thought about it with a confused look: “Did that happen…? Wait, did that really happen…”

Bai Wei swept him a highly oppressive glance and stated with certainty: “It did.”

Qin Baotian: “…?” Something felt a bit off.

Qin Baotian crawled out of bed: “A buzz cut is the ultimate test of a true handsome man!”

Dragging along his flip-flops, Qin Baotian led Yan Xiu towards the basement. The three entered the elevator. Qin Baotian comforted him: “Zhang Wei’s cutting skills are decent, don’t worry, he won’t mess you up.”

Yan Xiu touched his hair, which nearly reached his shoulders. His fingers were long, threading through the strands: “It’s fine, I don’t care about hair. I could just buzz it all off.”

Sister Hua instantly blocked that: “Don’t! You’re not allowed to buzz it! Qin Baotian, you keep an eye on him! You can shave yourself bald for all I care, but not him.” She looked around the elevator, her gaze settling. “Cut it to about Danger’s length. Not too short.”

Sister Hua only took the elevator to the first floor. The elevator was left with just Yan Xiu, Qin Baotian, and Bai Wei.

Qin Baotian looked at his teammate oddly: “Why are you going to the basement?”

Bai Wei had his hands in his pockets, his gaze clear and restrained. Using his height advantage to look down at Qin Baotian, he asked in return: “Aren’t you guys going through the underground garage to get a haircut at the entrance?”

“Yeah. The sun’s way too strong outside. Taking the garage route avoids the sun—straight shot all the way to the community gate.”

Bai Wei: “I’m going to the supermarket to buy a pack of cigarettes,” he paused, “On the way.”