CH 16

Ch16 - Amusement Park

It was late into autumn and not quite yet winter. The sky was gray with muted brightness.

Yao Tong, who had been strolling down the streets of Bangkok in his dream, was awakened by the rapid knocks at his door before he could even hold the hand of his new girlfriend. He almost jumped out of the bed, expression in shock, having thought that there was a burglary at the base.

Li Zhongchen shouted through the gap of the door. “You with the surname Yao, it’s time to get up. Those plants and flowers of yours are still waiting for you to water them.”

“……” It was quiet for a long time inside, followed by Yao Tong’s roar of rage. “Fuck, it’s only seven! Why don’t you water the plants with the water flooding your brain?!”

Li Zhongchen answered cheekily. “I really can’t sleep anymore. Open the door, let’s chat for a while.”

Despite having said that, Yao Tong still opened his door, albeit sullenly.

Thus began a painful day for Comrade Xiao Yao.

“Is there any difference?” Yao Tong looked at the black jackets Li Zhongchen laid on the bed with a drowsy look in his eyes. “Black, black, this one is also black.”

Li Zhongchen was expressionless as he introduced them one by one. “He bought this one for me in Paris. I remember him complimenting this one before. And this one can be considered a couple’s outfit, it’s just that there are few differences in the details of the design….”

Yao Tong clutched his head, on the verge of an emotional collapse. “Brother, please let me go this early morning. You really plan on sneaking into the amusement park with Zheng Xiaokui?”

Li Zhongchen accidentally learned that Zheng Xiaokui and MW’s Sugi, Su Ruiqi, had a friendly relationship in private.

It was said that the two young ones would go to Happy Valley amusement park on their day off over the weekend. Their relationship could be considered as them coming to a mutual understanding after exchanging blows, the own goal from that day became a pivoting point, resulting in them becoming friends.

Li Zhongchen explained, “Zheng Xiaokui said that Qiao Yi would go as well, so why can’t I?”

“……Then is this your first time going on a date with Qiao Yi? Didn’t you two meet during the rookies’ finals last week?”

“It’s not the same, if I’m a little more meticulous about it, maybe it’ll put him in a better mood and he’ll immediately agree to sign the contract.”

Yao Tong gave him a perfunctory thumbs up. “Turns out you’re planning on using your face to save the world through twisted means. Amazing.”

After dithering for a while and having chosen the combat uniform for his comrade, Advisor Yao could finally be said to be able to clock out from work.

But the sleepy bugs had long been driven away. The two men with heights over 1.85 meters sat down on the bed. Yao Tong and Li Zhongchen sat side by side as they smoked, fogging up the room.

“Although our team is short on healers, I don’t think that Xiao Qiao would really be willing to come. He probably doesn’t want to be your teammate,” Yao Tong sighed. “And besides, the arguments online have caused such an upheaval. Your fans have been angered, and the fans on Xiao Qiao’s side also think that you’re being sarcastic and dissing him. Only those CP shipping little sisters are celebrating and dancing around happily, it’s no different from that year. If we were to really become a family, wouldn’t there be infighting?”

Li Zhongchen exhaled a breath of smoke. “If he’s willing to come, will I let him continue to be wronged? Everything can be resolved in advance.”

“……Then alright. But you have to pass the first stage first before there is anything worth talking about.”

That was the truth. A waterloo already happened on his first step, so he should explore slowly.

Li Zhongchen changed the topic. “Do you have other news about Wing and Lau? The year when we first formed our team, they had already signed to the European server and have played there until now. There shouldn’t be a reason for them to come running back now that they are almost at the age of retirement. Are they playing around?”

He slumped as he sat down, long legs spread apart, his expression carrying a vague sense of exhaustion.

A sudden glare was shot his way. The sharpness and coldness of those eyes made Yao Tong shrink his neck involuntarily. He was well aware how upset Li Zhongchen felt on the inside.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

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Li Zhongchen had a hunch. “So you’re saying that Wing and Lau’s return to the domestic server is not that simple.”

“Wing, Yu Wen, 25 years old. He’s a sniper that immediately climbed to the top after returning to the domestic server. His marksmanship is so stable that even his teammates in the European server were willing to admit defeat. His most frequently used Legend is Revenant that was introduced in the fourth season, an assault assassin that is adept in concealing himself,” Yao Tong analyzed. “Lau, Luo Yuji, 24 years old. His playstyle is an absolutely violent healer type, and the biggest difference between him and Xiao Qiao is……”

Li Zhongchen himself continued. “The difference is that Qiao Yi can play any Legend, and he can play them all well. But this violent healer only trains with Lifeline. He takes all his weapons and equipment and integrates them to the point that it’s like he’s born into the same body as Lifeline. Lifeline’s body size, skills, strengths, and weaknesses, no matter what weapon he is matched with, he is able to immediately grasp the tactical play style of his teammates.”

Yao Tong was tongue tied. “How frightening. He even snatched Xiao Qiao’s position in MW. It’ll be even worse after the official announcement, a bloody storm that is predestined to happen.”

Li Zhongchen said coldly. “Remember to mark and kill him when you meet him in matches.”

“Then it seems like Wing will have to risk his life against you.”

“?”

“Don’t you know about their sham business? Privately, they seem not to get along well, but on the surface, those actions of theirs have fed an esports circle CP pairing well. I heard that the number of fanfictions written about them could circle the earth twice.”

“…….”

Li Zhongchen had no interest in learning about this.

He’d wait and see. As long as they returned to the domestic server, it was likely that they would be playing against one another in a few days.

In the afternoon, at the Pizza Hut next to the main entrance of Happy Valley amusement park.

Dense clouds clustered in the sky. The weather was not very pleasant. There was no sunshine, creating a seemingly gloomy atmosphere.

The wind that day was slightly chilly, which made people unknowingly feel cold.

Li Zhongchen was seated at a table outside the store. He wore a pair of sunglasses, his hairstyle specially styled into a side part. Whenever someone passed by, they could not help but sneak secretive glances at him, thinking to themselves that this handsome guy had superb qualities. If he was not a celebrity, he should at least be a model.

A girl wanted to ask for his contact information, but she did not dare come up to strike a conversation.

Until Zheng Xiaokui retrieved the food and drinks she had ordered and exited through the doors.

The two pretty girls that had been seated at the table nearby the door stopped her, asking secretively. “Hey little sister, I saw that you were sitting with that brother who’s wearing sunglasses and playing on his mobile phone over there. May I ask what is the relationship between the two of you?”

“Hm? Mas…….” Zheng Xiaokui hesitated for a moment. “He’s my older brother!”

“Ah, then that’s great. I already said they wouldn’t have been a couple.”

“Is he your biological brother? The difference in both your genetic makeup is too big. Are you 1.6 meters tall?”

“I……If I wear insoles, I will be 1.6 meters.” Zheng Xiaokui’s eyes shifted towards Li Zhongchen. With the plastic bag with her take out still in her hands, she dazedly responded. “Big Sisters, is there something wrong? If there is nothing, then I’ll……”

“Does your brother have a girlfriend? Can you share his WeChat here?” One of the girls interrupted her, and even shook her phone, trying to curry favor with her. “We can treat you to some milk tea, and it’s not just once but for half a year.”

“Are you touched? Come, little sister, why don’t we add each other as friends first?”

“Ah, what a shame! My brother already has a partner, and they’ve been together for seven or eight years already!” It was rare that Zheng Xiaokui did not fall for another’s deception. After speaking, she quickly slipped away as though she was escaping from the plague.

She had lingering fears.

Returning back to where Li Zhongchen was, she specially left a seat between them and sat down, eager to please.

“Master, Master,” the little girl grinned. “I’m so nervous. I’ll be able to see Xiao Qiao Gege later!”

“……” Li Zhongchen pressed the bridge of his sunglasses with his index finger. He pulled it down slightly, revealing a helpless gaze. “Didn’t you say two o’clock? It’s now half past three.”

Zheng Xiaokui whined and cried. “I’m also a victim, Master! Xiao Suzi told me about the change of time at the last minute, otherwise we wouldn’t have had to go out in a hurry and can only make do with having lunch here.”

Li Zhongchen sighed.

To be honest, he did not really have an appetite. He treated Zheng Xiaokui, ordering a bunch of food and randomly bought himself a hamburger. He put it aside after eating a couple bites. “Oh right……”

Zheng Xiaokui had just taken a bite out of her onion ring and casted a puzzled look at him. “En? What’s the matter, Master?”

“What is the situation with you and MW’s Xiao Su?” Li Zhongchen pushed his sunglasses back up, perfectly concealing his gossiping spirit. “You hated him to the point that your teeth were gnashed, but here you are now on a date with him.”

“What the!” Zheng Xiaokui’s raised her voice. “It’s not a date, Master, can you not tarnish the sincere love of your only beloved seedling disciple towards her Xiao Qiao Gege!”

“……” Li Zhongchen’s head began to hurt a little from how loud she was. “Fine, then tell me, during those days that your Master did not train you, what happened that made you go against your conscience and fool around in Kings Canyon with the future pillar of MW? I receive feedback notifications whenever you team up.”

Zheng Xiaokui was guilty. “……”

Li Zhongchen knew that she did not dare to be careless with her words. He twisted off the bottle cap and lifted his head, about to drink water.

Who could have expected Zheng Xiaokui to murmur the words ‘he wanted me to share your WeChat with him, I’m guessing that he’s crushing on you’ coldly. Li Zhongchen was unprepared. “Pff——” and spat water onto the ground.

“……” Zheng Xiaokui was shocked, “Master, are you okay? I, I, I didn’t give it to him!”

Li Zhongchen took the tissue she handed over and only felt his head hurting. “Zheng Xiaokui, I’m seriously suspecting that you were sent by Qiao Yi to be my nemesis.”

Zheng Xiaokui complained tearfully. “I wished! But I feel that Xiao Qiao Gege dislikes me a little. It’s all because he saw us the last time when Master was comforting me wu wu wu, what is this, I have a sick brain, and it’s even flooded with water.”

“So you promised to practice match ups with others, because you wanted Qiao Yi’s WeChat?” Li Zhongchen asked according to her logic. “In the end, neither of you were willing to give the other, so it just dragged on to see who would compromise first?”

Zheng Xiaokui nodded sullenly, a little dull.

He had to concede to them, truly.

His disciple was the fan girl of his ex-boyfriend, and his ex-boyfriend’s disciple always covertly made advances towards him. What kind of sin had they committed to result in these circumstances for these two little ones to have entered the wrong school.

“If you dare to give my WeChat out to just anyone,” Li Zhongchen had nothing more to say. “Then just wait to be expelled.”

His words scared Zheng Xiaokui.

That pair of twinkling, almond-shaped eyes blinked and blinked, not daring to make a peep. Under the pressure of Li Zhongchen’s authority, they seemed extremely pitiful.

But Li Zhongchen gave out a candied date once again. “But if you want to curry favor with Qiao Yi, you can do that too. If you manage to coax him, not only gifting rockets and yachts during his live streams, even if you were to gift him a real sports car, I can fork out that money on your behalf……”

“As long as he is willing to accept it.”

His words were spoken like a badass, but wasn’t it all because Qiao Yi was not present?

But as soon as Zheng Xiaokui heard it, her shiny eyes immediately became even brighter. She laid on top of the table and asked in a low voice. “Master, actually, I’ve always wanted to ask. You and Xiao Qiao Gege……”

She had not even finished speaking yet.

Suddenly, her gaze shifted to the back, and the expression on her face abruptly changed. The corners of her lips lifted, smiling as she waved her arm. “Hey! Over here, over here!”

Li Zhongchen sat in his original position, turning to look back.

Only to see Su Ruiqi, who was full of youthful energy next to Qiao Yi, who was in casual wear, as well as a certain individual who Li Zhongchen could never be in a good mood after seeing——

Ni Naru, an actress whose career had been on the rise ever since she received the Golden Sparrow award.

“Hello, Xiao Qiao Gege!!! I am Xiaokui, do you still remember me?”

“Ah, God, God Zhong, hello! Zheng Xiaokui did not say that you would come too……”

“……” The two children babbled according to their instincts. Li Zhongchen and Qiao Yi, who were their Masters, both choked up with strange expressions on their faces.

As for Ni Naru, she was dolled up in a refreshing and youthful manner.

Seeing such a mystical scene before her eyes, not only did she not feel strange, she even laughed out loud. “You are all so interesting.”

Li Zhongchen looked Qiao Yi in the eyes, his gaze savoring and sincere.

That guy seemed to have become thinner again. The black roots of his hair had grown out less than a centimeter, but because of the casual sportswear that he wore, it made him look full of youthful spirit. He was so beautiful that Li Zhongchen’s heart trembled.

But it was apparent that Qiao Yi was stunned for a moment before he quickly hid his gaze on purpose, and avoided him deliberately.

It was inevitable that Li Zhongchen felt a little empty. He turned to look at Ni Naru, only to see that Miss Ni had put away the prudence she once had, revealing a high spirited arrogance, as though she was really Qiao Yi’s current partner.

Li Zhongchen laughed outrageously and spoke words that shocked everyone. “Miss Ni, even after many years of not meeting, you are still as sweet and moving. The American must be good, Miss Ni’s skin looks many times better as compared to when you were filming that commercial. It’s glowing and supple, anyone is bound to be moved just by looking at it.”

Ni Naru suspected that she was being dissed. “???”

Qiao Yi: “…”

In fact, after saying those words, Li Zhongchen felt nauseous inside.

He vented internally. Qiao Yi, didn’t you always mind that I did not treat Ni Naru kindly in the past? She is your friend, so I shouldn’t be impolite to her. Look at how much face I’m giving you now, are you still unhappy?