This chapter is brought to you by Fatima, thanks for the ko-fi! ( ˘ ³˘)♥
Chapter 50 – Shopping on Taobao.
After draping himself in the oversized white bath towel, Sang Ye glanced at the sunscreen beside him.
Was Talk really going to help him apply it to his back?
Talk’s hands were so good-looking. If they were covered in that white, creamy lotion… How could he even dare to imagine that…
“……”
Sang Ye bit his lip, lowered his head, and absentmindedly kicked his legs more vigorously in the water, causing waves to ripple wildly.
Just thinking about Talk’s hands made an unfamiliar restlessness rise within him.
What Sang Ye didn’t know was that the most disappointed people in the entire pool were the ones constantly sneaking glances at them.
Chen Qiao, a social media influencer here to take pictures, held a drink in one hand and whispered to Huo An beside him, clearly disappointed: “Forget it, he’s taken. And his boyfriend is way too possessive—can’t even let people look for more than a second. Total king of jealousy.”
The two of them stared toward the corner of the pool.
“I don’t think so,” Huo An said, even more disappointed than Chen Qiao. “If they were actually dating, wouldn’t they already be all over each other? Instead, they’re just sitting there all polite and proper.”
“See the tag on the little cutie’s chest?” Chen Qiao pointed at the boy with the tiny umbrella from his drink.
It was the locker key tag assigned to every guest.
After Talk used it to clip the bath towel in place, everything below Sang Ye’s neck was completely hidden—no more glimpses of that shockingly pale, soft cherry-blossom skin.
“I see it,” Huo An frowned. “What about it?”
“That’s not just a locker tag,” Chen Qiao declared. “That’s a claim tag of love.”
“……”
“Trust me. A woman’s intuition is never wrong.”
Meanwhile, Sang Ye was still sitting there “politely and properly” with Talk, exuding nervous tension from head to toe.
Talk squeezed a coin-sized amount of milky-white sunscreen into his palm, rubbed it between his hands, then gestured at Sang Ye. “Turn around.”
Sang Ye tilted his head, confused.
Talk reached out and spread the sunscreen across his face.
“Mm…”
Sang Ye had no choice but to close his eyes and tilt his face up, just like a child on a winter morning when their grandmother applied face cream.
However, Sang Ye’s face was too small—Tan Mo’s palm could almost cover it entirely—leaving a surplus of lotion.
Tan Mo’s gaze lingered for a moment, his hand hesitating before naturally gliding downward, spreading the excess sunscreen along the boy’s slender, pale neck.
Sang Ye’s shoulders twitched sensitively. His long lashes lowered as the flush on his face spread, chasing after the warmth of Tan Mo’s palm.
His skin seemed to absorb the touch, and Tan Mo, rather than pulling away, continued to smooth the sunscreen evenly—again and again.
——“Brother, help me put some on too.”
The thick, almost sticky atmosphere shattered in an instant.
Xiao Pai splashed through the water, swimming over.
Sang Ye immediately turned his burning face away.
Tan Mo withdrew his hand, rubbing his fingertips together, as if savoring the lingering smoothness.
When he looked up, he was met with Xiao Pai’s beaming, sunshiny grin.
Xiao Pai pointed at himself. “Help me out too. Neither Bai Mao nor I brought any sunscreen. If my handsome face gets sunburned, Yu Gonggong will kill me. The club’s still counting on me to land endorsements!”
Tan Mo said nothing—just lifted his foot and pressed it against the big, yellow inflatable duck Xiao Pai was floating on.
“Eh? Eh?!” Xiao Pai, still stuck in his swim ring, was slowly pushed away, flailing in the water. “Brother?!”
Tan Mo said flatly, “You don’t need a pretty face to endorse spicy strips.”
Xiao Pai took a critical hit, nearly leaping out of the water. “BROTHER!!!!”
Hu Fu’s booming, bronze-bell laughter echoed through the thirty-story-high rooftop pool:
“Honkhonkhonkhonkhonkhonk~~~!”
…
The group played by the pool until dinner time and then agreed to go to the restaurant together.
In the Changing Room
Xiao Pai and Hu Fu weren’t too particular about privacy. They started changing right on the wooden bench between the lockers, joking with each other while completely bare.
Sang Ye, on the other hand, hugged his clothes and walked off to find an empty private stall.
However, since it was peak time, all the spots seemed to be occupied.
Just as he was about to wait for one to free up, he turned around and almost bumped into a man who had just pulled open the curtain to step out.
Huo An’s eyes lit up when he saw the young man. Holding the curtain aside, he stepped to the side and offered, “Need a spot? This one just opened up.”
Sang Ye glanced at the man, murmured a quiet “thanks,” and stepped inside, pulling the curtain shut behind him.
Huo An was delighted. Seeing that Sang Ye hadn’t turned him down, he decided to linger outside instead of leaving. He fantasized about striking up a conversation afterward—maybe even inviting him to dinner.
Excitement bubbled in his chest, making him pace in small circles, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
At that moment, a tall and striking man approached.
Huo An followed the movement with his eyes, and his heart sank halfway when he realized it was the same man from the pool—the one rumored to be the “boyfriend.”
The “boyfriend” barely spared him a glance before knocking lightly on the doorframe. “Are you done changing?”
Hearing Tan Mo’s voice, Sang Ye peeked his head out from behind the curtain. His expression shifted completely—like a bright-eyed puppy straight out of a Disney movie.
“Not yet.”
“There’s a private elevator to the guest rooms. Let’s head back to the room to change,” Tan Mo suggested. “We can take a quick shower before going downstairs for dinner.”
“Okay.” Sang Ye agreed without hesitation and immediately ducked back inside.
Before long, Sang Ye came back out, still holding his clothes, and left with Tan Mo.
Huo An remained standing there, watching their figures disappear into the distance, his heart filled with jealousy.
Now, he was sure—that guy was definitely the boyfriend.
Thinking about them going back to their room together, not just to change clothes but also for a steamy couple’s bath, left a bitter taste in his mouth.
He refused to believe they’d still have time or energy for dinner after that.
…
After leaving the swimming complex, the air conditioning followed them all the way down the corridor.
Even though Sang Ye still had the bath towel draped over him, he sneezed—a small, cat-like sound.
Tan Mo pulled out a clean towel and casually placed it over his head.
“Thanks…” Sang Ye muttered sheepishly, pressing a hand against the soft fabric as he rubbed his head. He couldn’t help but think that Tan Mo was incredibly meticulous and considerate.
Not only did he bring sunscreen, but he also had a clean towel ready—unlike Sang Ye, who showed up with nothing but himself.
Tan Mo asked, seemingly offhandedly, “Do you know that guy?”
“Who?” Sang Ye turned to look at him, blinking in confusion. After two seconds, he realized who Tan Mo meant. “Oh… No, I don’t. He just gave up his spot for me.”
Tan Mo’s eyelashes lowered slightly. “He seemed very interested in getting to know you.”
Sang Ye looked puzzled, unsure why Tan Mo was saying this. “Huh…?”
Tan Mo turned his gaze toward him.
The boy’s milky-white hair stuck up in soft strands, still damp with droplets of water clinging to his face. His fair, porcelain-like skin shimmered under the sunlight, giving him a translucent glow. His delicate features carried a natural innocence, making him look a little dazed.
Tan Mo observed him for a long moment before shifting his gaze away. His voice was low as he said, “A boy as good-looking as you tends to attract a lot of attention… including from men.”
Sang Ye’s heart skipped a violent beat. He felt lost, an unfamiliar dizziness washing over him, making his head feel hot.
Tan Mo continued, “I know it’s not really my place to say this, but you’re young, and I worry you might not understand certain things—”
“I understand! I understand!”
Sang Ye cut him off in a panic.
His sudden outburst made Tan Mo pause, glancing at him with curiosity.
Sang Ye’s chest tightened, and he rushed to explain, “I don’t want to get to know him. You don’t have to worry… And also, you—you can rest assured, I’m not that kind of person…”
Tan Mo narrowed his eyes slightly. “What kind of person?”
Just then, the elevator behind them chimed as the doors slid open.
Xiao Pai and Hu Fu stepped out, laughing and chatting.
Seeing the two standing there, Xiao Pai called out, “Hey! You guys aren’t done yet?”
Sang Ye let out a quiet breath of relief, clutching his clothes tighter against his chest. Keeping his head low, he quickly walked past them. “I’m heading back first.”
Tan Mo stood at the doorway, watching the boy’s hurried retreating figure, his brows furrowing slightly.
Even in the shower, Sang Ye couldn’t stop thinking about what Tan Mo had said.
Was he worried that, because of his age, he wouldn’t know how to guard against men who liked other men with impure intentions?
—Like that executive who once tried slipping Talk a room key.
Sang Ye couldn’t help but feel relieved once again.
Good thing I’m straight.
I don’t have any improper intentions toward Talk.
Talk doesn’t need to be on guard around me.
After finishing his shower, Sang Ye changed into fresh, clean clothes and sat on the edge of the bed, towel-drying his hair.
Xiao Pai fixed his appearance in front of the mirror, then grabbed his phone. “Let’s go, Bai Mao”
Sang Ye’s hands slowed as he wiped his hair. After a moment, he put the towel down and said quietly, “You guys go ahead. I’m not going.”
Xiao Pai was briefly stunned. “Huh? Why not? What’s up with you?”
Sang Ye casually came up with an excuse. “I’m doing a livestream later. Too lazy to go to the restaurant.”
Xiao Pai didn’t overthink it—everyone was used to being laid-back. He simply asked, “Then what about your dinner?”
Sang Ye lay back on the bed. “I’ll order room service.”
Xiao Pai shrugged. “Alright, then I won’t bring anything back for you.”
Once the door shut, Sang Ye remained motionless on the bed for a long time before rolling over to face the window.
It was almost six o’clock, but the sky outside was still bright. The soft hues of pink and orange clouds looked like they carried the scent of fizzy orange soda, evoking the lively feeling of a summer evening. Inside, however, the room was cool, the air conditioning humming gently, filling the space with a quiet and peaceful atmosphere.
For the first time since winning the Summer Championship, Sang Ye reflected on his journey since leaving home.
He admired Talk. He wanted to be by Talk’s side. So he worked toward it—and he made it. On top of that, he even won the Summer Championship.
He felt incredibly lucky. In just a few short months, he had already exceeded his dreams.
So Sang Ye believed he had everything he wanted—there was nothing more to long for.
When they returned to the base, the spot that once belonged to Shine in the first team would undoubtedly be his. Talk, having regained his form, could also rejoin the team. That meant he could continue sitting next to Talk, continue admiring his idol, and live every day as a happy fan.
That was enough—it was more than enough.
But despite telling himself everything was perfect, Sang Ye’s expression didn’t look happy.
Lying on his side, he puffed out one cheek slightly. His pale, slender fingers absently twisted the damp towel he had used to dry his hair, the moist texture feeling a little uncomfortable.
The place in his heart that had once felt complete—at some point, a gap had begun to form.
Young as he was, he couldn’t quite understand what that gap was, nor did he know how to fill it.
…
After meeting up in the hallway, Xiao Pai and Hu Fu went together to knock on Tan Mo’s door.
Tan Mo’s hair was only half-dry when he opened the door. Seeing it was just the two of them, he asked, “Where’s Song?”
Xiao Pai explained, “He said he wants to livestream tonight, didn’t feel like going to the restaurant, so he ordered room service.”
“Livestreaming tonight?” Tan Mo frowned slightly and glanced in the direction of Sang Ye’s room.
Xiao Pai shrugged. “Maybe he’s worried he won’t complete his streaming quota.”
Tan Mo thought for a moment, then said, “You guys go ahead. I have something to do.”
“Huh?”
As the door shut in their faces, Xiao Pai was left dumbfounded.
…
One after another—why was nobody going to dinner anymore?
At the restaurant downstairs, Xiao Pai and Hu Fu were happily feasting on a spread of four dishes and a soup, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Meanwhile, at a table diagonally across from them, a man sat gloomily, pouring himself drink after drink, his face full of frustration.
Chen Qiao nearly rolled his eyes. “Can you cut it out already?”
Huo An downed his drink in one go and waved a hand dismissively. “Mind your own business.”
He had arrived early to save a seat, but instead of the white-haired boy, only his two friends came downstairs—his so-called boyfriend was missing too.
Sure enough, they were still in the room, taking a romantic bath together.
At that thought, Huo An couldn’t help but down another couple of drinks.
…
That evening, Sang Ye ate a little, but for some reason, he lost interest in indulging in his usual CP fantasies. Instead, he went downstairs to the practice room to start a livestream.
He hadn’t announced the stream in advance, but the moment he hit the start button, over a million viewers flooded in instantly. Within seconds, the chat was filled with scrolling messages.
The most common comments were: [“WLG is insane!”] and [“Song God is a beast!”]
The summer tournament had only ended two days ago, and the hype in the esports community was still going strong.
Honestly, Sang Ye enjoyed the attention.
He felt like a celebrity.
Adjusting his headset, he said, “Thanks.”
However, his honeymoon phase with the fans barely lasted five seconds.
—— [“Fu Gui in a dress!”]
Sang Ye pressed his lips together.
What did they mean by better late than never?
Fake fans were always on the move, and reminders about cross-dressing never failed to appear.
This had been going on for nearly six months now.
Sang Ye asked, “So as long as I’m active on the internet, you guys will never forget about the dress thing?”
The chat army responded concisely: [“Yes.”]
[“We’ll remind you all the way to Worlds.”]
[“We’ll remind you till the end of the world.”]
Sang Ye imagined the horror of making it to the World Championship, only to see his fans on the big screen holding up signs that said Rich bro in a dress. Just the thought of it gave him chills.
But Sang Ye was nothing if not stubborn. Even if he had no ground to argue, he still held his ground.
“Fine, then. Keep remembering it.”
He clicked on the game icon and firmly reiterated, “I’m a proper guy. I don’t wear dresses.”
[“……”]
[“But even Talk God said you’d look great in an elegant dress.”]
Sang Ye’s gaze caught on that particular comment, and his hand froze for a moment.
[“It’s not that we want to see you in a dress, it’s that we think Talk God wants to see you in one.”]
Sang Ye sneered inwardly.
Yeah, right. Like hell he’d believe that.
At that moment, however, the audience all saw it—on camera, the boy’s once unwavering gaze, full of “I’m a proper guy” conviction, wavered ever so slightly.
[“So it’s not cross-dressing, it’s “Talk God Happiness Attire”!”]
[“Don’t you want your hubby to come home early?”]
[“Don’t you want your hubby to stay away from those vixens outside?”]
[“Don’t you want your hubby to go seven rounds a night?”]
“…………”
Sang Ye’s face reddened slightly. He ran a hand through his bangs, feeling utterly annoyed.
These guys were getting more and more ridiculous.
He was a rock-solid straight guy—why the hell would he wear a dress?
So weird.
Sang Ye had enough. He shut down the chat overlay. “Solo queue practice. Not reading chat.”
[“He’s mad, he’s mad.”]
Sang Ye ended his stream close to 9 PM and returned to his room. Xiao Pai wasn’t back yet.
Sitting on the edge of his bed, Sang Ye picked up his phone and started scrolling Weibo. As he browsed, an ad slipped in between posts—
[Summer Brand Day—Premium Women’s Wear, Waiting for You!]
Sang Ye’s face darkened. He swiped it away.
Two seconds later.
His face still dark, he swiped back.
Then, the boy flopped onto the bed, kicked his legs up, and started browsing Taobao.
“……”
Just as Sang Ye’s shopping cart was filling up, the doorbell rang.
He assumed it was Xiao Pai being too lazy to dig out his room key, so he swiped up to close the app, grabbed his phone, and got up to open the door.
The door swung open, and Sang Ye froze.
It was Tan Mo.
Tan Mo glanced into the room and asked, “You’re alone?”
Sang Ye nodded. “Xiao Pai’s probably still eating. He hasn’t come back yet… Didn’t you go with him?”
He had assumed that Tan Mo had gone downstairs for dinner with Xiao Pai and the others.
“I didn’t go.” Tan Mo looked at him and asked, “Have you eaten dinner?”
Sang Ye didn’t have time to think about anything else and simply nodded. “Yeah, I have.”
“Finished your stream too?” Tan Mo continued.
“Yeah.”
Only then did Tan Mo hand him two invitations. “These are for tomorrow’s awards ceremony. They have the event schedule inside. I brought them over for you and Xiao Pai… You know you’re the MVP, right?”
Sang Ye took one and immediately opened it to check. “Yeah, the manager told me.”
Tan Mo said, “That’s impressive. You got MVP in your first year. I didn’t get anything in my first summer season.”
Sang Ye’s face warmed slightly as he put the invitation away. “I wouldn’t have gotten it without you.”
Talk had supported him in so many matches. Without his coordination, Sang Ye never would’ve secured MVP.
Technically, now that Tan Mo had delivered the invitations, he could have left. But he remained standing at the door.
Sang Ye looked at him with bright, expectant eyes, as if he didn’t want him to leave just yet.
After a brief silence, Tan Mo leaned against the doorframe and casually picked a random topic.
“I heard from Auntie Lu that you bought a lot of snacks for Chunshan?”
At the mention of Chunshan, Sang Ye’s tone immediately became eager. “Did they arrive?”
“Yeah.” Tan Mo asked, “What did you get him?”
Knowing how much Tan Mo treasured Chunshan, Sang Ye figured he might be worried about the quality of the snacks. Without hesitation, he unlocked his phone to show him. “I got them from a highly-rated store. They’re all imported canned food and freeze-dried treats.”
He opened Taobao.
The screen was filled with women’s clothing.
“……”
For a brief moment, it felt like even the air had stopped moving.
Sang Ye stood there, holding his phone, seemingly forgetting what to do next.
Tan Mo glanced at the search bar at the top of the screen, where the bold characters “women’s clothing” were prominently displayed.
Which meant that this page hadn’t appeared by accident—someone had searched for it on purpose.
Sang Ye swallowed quietly, clinging to his last shred of defiance. With steady fingers, he swiftly exited the page and entered the order management section.
As the silence stretched on, he figured it was better to give an explanation.
“Sometimes…”
The moment he spoke, his voice seemed to have been shipped straight back to Shanghai.
Sang Ye quickly cleared his throat, bowing his head deeply while tapping the screen, his voice barely above a whisper. “Sometimes, Xiao Pai borrows my phone to browse Taobao…”
Tan Mo bit his lip, barely managing to hold back a laugh. “Mhm. Makes sense.”
Sang Ye took a deep breath, pulled up the dog treats he had ordered, and lifted his flushed face. “Here, look—”
And immediately, he was met with Tan Mo’s expression—one that was this close to breaking into laughter.
Sang Ye’s breath caught in his throat.
Embarrassment, shame, and frustration surged through him like a flood bursting through a dam.
He couldn’t take it anymore. His voice, sharp with indignation, carried a hint of a whimper. “Ahhh! Stop laughing!!”
“Pfft—”
Tan Mo couldn’t hold back any longer. He simply leaned his forehead against the boy’s shoulder, hiding his face to keep Sang Ye from seeing just how hard he was laughing.
But his naturally relaxed arm trembled violently, giving him away.
Sang Ye’s chest heaved with anger, his breathing ragged.
Though he wasn’t quite sure who he was angry at.
It was all the fake fans in the livestream chat’s fault! Stirring up trouble for no reason!
It was all Talk’s fault! Saying he’d look good in women’s clothing, and now laughing at him!
So annoying! So, so annoying! He wasn’t going to play along with these people anymore!
Sang Ye stubbornly declared, “I was just looking around! I wasn’t planning to buy anything!”
Tan Mo finally managed to stop laughing, but he didn’t lift his head, still leaning against the boy’s shoulder. “Mhm… so, did you find anything you liked?”
Sang Ye huffed, “I’m not looking anymore!”
Tan Mo asked, “Did you see anything suitable?”
Sang Ye blurted out, “No—” then stiffened his neck and added, “I told you, I was just browsing! I wasn’t actually going to buy anything.”
Tan Mo licked the corner of his lips and fell into a brief silence before saying, “How about I pick something for you?”
“……”
Sang Ye’s breathing hitched without warning.
Tan Mo slowly slid his hand down the boy’s slender arm, brushing over the back of his hand before intertwining their fingers and touching his phone.
His voice was softer now, coaxing, “Hmm?”
Sang Ye’s ears burned hot, his lashes trembling as he lowered his gaze.
From his angle, he could see Tan Mo’s loose neckline, revealing the curve of his shoulder and neck, where a flame-like red scar stretched across the skin.
Sang Ye pursed his lips.
He stubbornly held out for a few more seconds.
Then, his fingers relaxed, letting go of the phone.
…
On the day of the summer season awards ceremony, everyone got up early, packed their luggage, and went directly to the airport after receiving their awards.
When Xiao Pai came, he was in a box, but when he left, he found that he could not even fit into a single box.
“Sh*t, what did I buy?”
Although people don’t like shopping, online shopping has never stopped in this month.
Finally, we packed our things and went to the front desk downstairs to check out. The large group of us was particularly eye-catching.
Huo An came out of the gym at this time and glanced casually at the crowd. This glance made him stop in his tracks.
He spotted the milky white head in the crowd. Not only that, the boy was wearing the same coat as everyone else.
Upon closer inspection, I was surprised to find that the other person was actually an e-sports player.
Then the man who seemed to be intimate with the boy before…
Huo An didn’t have to look far to find the tallest man in the crowd, who was also wearing a team uniform.
From this perspective, the two of them are purely teammates.
Huo An couldn’t contain his excitement and immediately strode towards the front desk.
Sang Ye was lying on the front desk filling out user reviews.
——Fill out one form and you can get a travel pack of Schwarzkopf toiletries. Xiao Pai asked him for it.
At this moment, a figure suddenly stood beside him.
Sang Ye took a look and continued filling out the form.
“Hello, can you add me on WeChat?”
The man took out his cell phone and asked him.
Sang Ye said without even looking up: “No card, thank you.”
“…………”
Tan Mo heard the noise, turned his head to look for a moment, and walked over at a leisurely pace.
Huo An looked down at his gym attire and chuckled helplessly. “You’ve misunderstood. I’m not trying to sell you a gym membership. We’ve met before—just yesterday, in the swimming pool locker room.”
Sang Ye’s hand, which was holding a pen, paused for a moment as he recalled—ah, the person Talk had warned him about.
He continued writing. “Oh.”
Huo An was still eagerly asking, “I feel like we have some kind of connection. Can I add you on WeChat?”
Sang Ye replied coldly, “No need.”
Tan Mo leaned against the front desk, resting an arm on the counter. Tilting his head slightly, he asked, “What’s going on?”
Sang Ye glanced at him and said, “Nothing.”
Huo An gave Tan Mo a once-over, his gaze carrying a hint of hostility. Then, he turned his attention back to Sang Ye and took a step closer. “I mean no harm, I just want to be friends—”
However, the moment Huo An stepped forward, Sang Ye slid away with his evaluation form, turning his head and impatiently declaring, “I’m straight!”
“……”
His voice was a little too loud, carrying through the spacious lobby with an especially clear and pleasant tone.
Almost instantly, every single gaze in the room snapped toward him.
Huo An’s face flushed red, and he awkwardly left.
Sang Ye muttered under his breath and continued writing. He had just written two words when he suddenly sensed a gaze from beside him.
Looking up, he asked, “What?”
But Tan Mo didn’t seem as composed as he usually was.
He licked his lips, tapped his fingers lightly on the counter twice, and, after a brief moment of hesitation, averted his gaze before walking away. “It’s nothing.”
…
The flight departed from Guangzhou in the afternoon, around 3 p.m., and they arrived back at the base by 10 p.m.
The moment Sang Ye stepped through the base’s front gate, he was ambushed by a golden retriever.
With the fastest sprint it could manage, Tan Chunshan launched itself at Sang Ye’s face after a long run-up.
If Tan Mo hadn’t grabbed the dog’s waist in time, Sang Ye would have definitely suffered a concussion.
Tan Chunshan was overjoyed. After circling Sang Ye a few times, it then excitedly ran around Tan Mo, nudging his leg in search of affection.
But Tan Mo simply narrowed his eyes slightly and stared at the dog, unmoving. “Exactly who is your dad?”
After all, the first person a dog rushes to usually reveals who holds the most importance in its heart.
Sang Ye pressed his lips together, holding back a laugh. He could tell that Tan Mo was feeling a little jealous.
Honestly, it wasn’t Tan Chunshan’s fault. Tan Mo had always been strict with the dog, while Sang Ye constantly sneaked it treats. A last-minute betrayal was inevitable—what choice did a little golden retriever have?
Xiao Pai watched as the retriever wagged its tail, happily trotting back and forth between Tan Mo and Sang Ye. With a snort, he said, “You three look exactly like a little family.”
…
After a night’s rest, Sang Ye couldn’t wait to move his setup from the second-floor training room of the secondary team down to the main floor.
Once he finished moving his own equipment, he diligently started carrying Tan Mo’s as well.
Tan Mo hadn’t shown up yet, but since he had mentioned in a message last night that he’d be moving his gear today, Sang Ye took the initiative.
Miao Sen, who was busy untangling his mouse cord, watched in disbelief as Sang Ye carried in yet another computer tower. With a wry smile, he said, “Why do I feel like you’re rushing me out? You don’t have to be this eager, you know?”
After years of waiting, Sang Ye’s dream was finally coming true—of course, he was excited!
But he still replied in a calm, indifferent tone, “Not at all. Take your time.”
Then, without hesitation, he walked out again.
Miao Sen shook his head with a smile.
Suddenly, Sang Ye turned back, leaned against the doorframe, and peeked in, showing only his white-haired head. “Need help packing?”
Miao Sen: “……”
And he said he wasn’t in a hurry.
Maybe it was because there were a lot of things to handle after the summer season, but even after Sang Ye had finished dinner, Tan Mo still hadn’t shown up.
He returned to the main team’s practice room, where Xiao Pai and Huf were huddled together, looking at pictures of female streamers.
Maoya Platform had just released a new round of [Most Attractive Streamers] rankings—the first one in half a year.
The last time they held the competition, Sang Ye and Tan Mo had won [Most Beautiful Female Streamer] and [Most Handsome Male Streamer] respectively.
Xiao Pai called him over. “Bai Mao, come take a look. Cast a vote.”
Sang Ye sat down, found it boring, and was about to refuse when someone walked in.
It was Tan Mo.
Sang Ye met his gaze and suddenly paused, lost in thought.
Tan Mo raised a hand slightly. “Good evening.”
Sang Ye hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Evening.”
Then, pushing off with his foot, he spun his gaming chair around and squeezed in between Xiao Pai and Huf.
As Tan Mo passed by, he glanced at their screen—
It was filled with pictures of female streamers.
“……”
He took another look at the white-haired boy.
Tan Mo sat down at his station and booted up his computer. From behind, he could still hear their conversation.
Xiao Pai: “This one, this one—this one’s really pretty.”
Hu Fu: “I prefer the gentle-looking type.”
Sang Ye: “This one… The straight-haired ones look nice.”
Xiao Pai: “Dude, almost everyone on this page has straight hair.”
“……”
Tan Mo found himself completely excluded. He pressed his lips together, stretched his arms, then leaned back in his chair. After a moment of silence, he suddenly turned his head. “Hey, did you set up my equipment?”
Sang Ye glanced over briefly before quickly turning back, as if unwilling to miss even a second of looking at the girls. “Yeah.”
Tan Mo’s hand, which had been raised mid-air, slowly relaxed. “Thanks.”
Without looking back, Sang Ye waved a hand dismissively. “No problem…” Then he immediately pointed at the screen. “That girl’s eyes were really pretty.”
Tan Mo stared at his own monitor.
The conversation behind him continued, as if they were in two separate worlds.
Hearing Sang Ye repeatedly comment “This one looks good” and “That one looks good,” Tan Mo propped his head up with one hand, gradually lowering his posture until he was almost slumped over the desk.
Finally, he bit his lower lip, ran a hand through his hair, and sat up.
Without turning around, he reached back and hooked his fingers onto the back of Sang Ye’s chair, pulling it toward himself.
Sang Ye, still seated, was suddenly dragged backward. “?”
“Stop looking.” Tan Mo snapped his fingers at him. “Come duo queue with me.”
Author’s note:
Talk: Baby, pay attention to me.
Song: Shh! Don’t interrupt. I’m still trying to blend in with the straight guys.
Ahhh it was getting tense in the hallway!!! But I think there was error halfway through the scene? One got repeated and I think another got cut off? Thank you for you’re hard work!!
It’s all Xiao Pai’s fault, Tan mo