This chapter is brought to you by Fatima, thanks for the ko-fi! (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
Chapter 71 – Tell The Truth After Drinking.
Tan Mo was pulled down by Sang Ye, his back bending lower. Just as their noses were about to touch, he stopped.
There were no streetlights nearby, but the moonlight tonight was bright, casting a soft glow on the boy’s flushed face.
In this quiet, cool natural light, Tan Mo’s gaze swept over Sang Ye’s face inch by inch, memorizing every detail. Even years later, when he recalled this moment, his heart would still flutter.
—The boy’s eyes shimmered like rippling water, his delicate, snow-white skin tinged with a natural, healthy blush. His lips were like moist flower petals, fragile enough to crumble with the slightest touch.
Even this close, the scent of alcohol couldn’t mask the fresh, sweet fragrance of his skin.
His eyes, his face, his entire being—his very existence—was a temptation as forbidden as the fruit in the Garden of Eden.
Sang Ye tightened his arms around Tan Mo’s neck, clinging like a restless little puppy, letting out a soft, impatient whimper. “You’re ignoring me…”
“I’m not ignoring you. But first, be honest with me,” Tan Mo’s voice remained steady, though unintentionally husky. “What did you tell your parents about me?”
Sang Ye’s lips curled up slightly. His long lashes drooped halfway, making him look smug. “I told them… you like me.”
Tan Mo’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His fingers clenched against the wooden bench, barely holding back an impulse. “Just that?”
For a split second, Sang Ye reacted like a sensitive mimosa plant touched at its softest spot—his grip loosened, his once-proud posture lowered. Looking up at Tan Mo with his black-and-white eyes, he appeared both innocent and pitiful.
“…Just that,” he murmured.
Tan Mo stared at him in silence. And in that moment, he realized—there was something Sang Ye refused to admit, something he kept buried deep inside, even in his drunken state.
“If you don’t say anything, I’ll assume you’re avoiding me,” Tan Mo said bluntly. “I only brought Xiao Pai along when picking you up because I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. I’m not forcing you to give me an answer. You don’t need to answer me now. I just want to know why you won’t admit it.”
Sang Ye finally let go completely, lowering his head and twisting his fingers together.
A long, long silence followed.
But Tan Mo remained patient, simply watching and waiting.
At last, Sang Ye hesitantly spoke, his voice slow and uncertain—
When Sang Ye saw Tan Mo as his idol, he could give his love freely and without hesitation—it never felt exhausting.
But when Tan Mo said he liked him, Sang Ye began to crave Tan Mo’s love in return. Yet, at the same time, he doubted—was someone like him really worthy of it? And even if he was, how much of it could he truly receive?
The mockery and insults from the internet never made him feel inferior. But Tan Mo’s love did.
Tan Mo’s heart ached for him. Keeping his expression neutral, he freed a hand and gently wiped the dampness from the corner of Sang Ye’s eyes.
Only now did he finally understand why this little liar had been avoiding giving him an answer.
—It wasn’t that he didn’t want to. He just didn’t dare to.
Sang Ye had listed out all the ways in which he fell short. The more he dwelled on it, the more he wanted to hide himself. The closer Tan Mo got, the further into a corner he shrank. But he also knew that he couldn’t keep going like this. The only way he could think of to “save” himself was to win a world championship—to compensate for his perceived shortcomings and to add more weight to his worthiness of being loved.
“You…” Tan Mo started to say something, but looking at the tipsy boy in front of him, he licked his lips and stopped himself.
Sang Ye only saw what he lacked—he never realized what he had.
After all these years of looking up at others, he had forgotten to look down and appreciate just how precious and remarkable he was.
Tan Mo lightly patted Sang Ye’s cheek and said, “We’ll talk when you’re sober.”
Sang Ye shifted to the side, resting his head on Tan Mo’s arm, which was propped against the bench. “I am sober.”
Tan Mo asked, “So if you don’t win the championship, are you planning to give up on me too?”
Sang Ye suddenly smacked Tan Mo’s arm, his expression serious. “Don’t jinx me! Warning you now—I’m very fierce.”
Tan Mo chuckled. “So, it looks like you’re determined to have me, no matter what.”
“…” Sang Ye instinctively wanted to argue, but he reacted half a beat too slow. In the end, he muttered, unconvinced, “You’re not wrong.”
Tan Mo reached out and ruffled his hair.
Adorable. Absolutely brainless.
But gradually, Sang Ye’s lashes drooped, and his small face visibly dimmed. “But I can’t even step out the door right now… I might not be able to play this year.”
Tan Mo wasn’t the least bit concerned. “That’s something your father-in-law can fix with a single phone call.”
Sang Ye didn’t catch his meaning right away. He lifted his gaze and drew out a confused, “Huh—?”
“Come here,” Tan Mo said softly.
Sang Ye’s eyes flickered, and in an instant, he forgot all about the conversation. “Why?”
But even as he asked, he instinctively leaned in, his lips parting slightly without realizing it.
Tan Mo lowered his head and kissed him—deep and unrelenting.
Sang Ye was nearly out of breath.
But just as quickly, Tan Mo let go of him.
Sang Ye stared at the man in front of him, dazed.
Tan Mo placed both hands on Sang Ye’s lower back, lifting the boy seated on the bench. “Get up.”
“No… why… I don’t want to go back yet…”
“I want to kiss you while standing.”
…
Beside the park bench, their shadows stretched long under the dim light. The silhouettes of trees swayed gently in the October night breeze, casting flickering patterns over them.
After a long, long time, the two figures—one tall, one short—finally parted as if melting away from each other.
With an arm still supporting his waist, Sang Ye leaned back, feeling like the whole world was spinning. He was dizzy beyond belief.
At the same time, he felt incredibly happy, grinning as his eyes curved into crescents. “You kissed me so much I’m going to pass out~”
Tan Mo held him close, steadying his breath, and whispered against his ear, “I was the one being kissed…”
That last word was deliberately softened, but Sang Ye still caught it.
His face heated up. He glanced at Tan Mo and murmured a tiny protest, “You’re mean.”
The hand pressing against Sang Ye’s lower back tightened ever so slightly, pulling him even closer.
The cool night breeze brushed against Sang Ye’s skin as he tilted his head up toward the sky. The deep blue clouds hung heavy like an oil painting. There weren’t any stars like the ones he could see back home, but it was still breathtaking. He couldn’t help but sigh out loud in admiration, “It’s so hard!”
Tan Mo immediately clamped a hand over his mouth. “………”
After standing for a while longer, Sang Ye’s intoxication finally caught up with him, making him too dizzy to walk.
Tan Mo crouched down and carried him on his back.
Sang Ye sprawled over the broad shoulders, his long arms and legs dangling lazily. His cheek rested against Tan Mo’s shoulder, his eyes fluttering shut as he drifted into a sleepy daze. Even then, he was still mumbling—
“I’m going to win the championship…”
Tan Mo walked steadily, his lips tugging into a small, helpless smile.
The voice behind him grew fainter, like the murmurs of a dream—
“I’m going to give it to you…”
Tan Mo’s gaze softened. “Thank you.”
“…As a dowry…”
“……”
…
When Sang Ye woke up the next day, it was already close to eleven. He squinted his eyes and frantically checked the date.
Sunday. No training.
With a soft plop, his white-haired head flopped back onto the pillow.
The October sunlight was gentle, neither too harsh nor too weak, spilling through the open window and creeping onto the boy’s bare, fair calves, tickling slightly.
Sang Ye instinctively curled his legs in reaction to the sensation. He lingered in bed for a while longer, until his mind gradually cleared. Then, he turned over, lay flat on his back, and slowly opened his eyes.
The memories of last night were soaked in alcohol, scattered into blurry fragments.
He remembered feeling down, drinking a lot… and crying?
Who was with him at the time?
Was it Talk?
He vaguely recalled stopping to rest at the small public park behind the base on the way back.
Sitting up, Sang Ye spaced out for a moment, then rubbed his hair before getting out of bed to wash up.
While brushing his teeth in front of the mirror, he noticed a red mark along the sharp angle of his jaw.
He leaned closer to the mirror, tilting his face to examine it.
The mark was a deep, muted crimson, standing out starkly against his pale, thin skin.
“…What the hell?” Sang Ye frowned, baffled.
And then, in the very next second, a flood of sensory memories surged back, shocking his nerves.
—Dark woods, a park bench, the firm embrace of a man, the wet warmth between lips and tongue…
—“Get up… I want to kiss you while standing…”
Talk wouldn’t even let him sit and rest properly.
And the very last thing he recalled was… something pressing against him…
Sang Ye’s breath hitched for a full five seconds.
Then, without a word, he lowered his head and resumed brushing his teeth, his face blank.
Just what the hell had Talk done to him while he was drunk?!
…
Sang Ye picked up a packed lunch and headed to the practice room. He hesitated at the door for a moment, then stepped inside, moving cautiously as if trying to avoid attention.
However, inside the practice room, only Xiao Pai and Hu Fu were present.
That’s when Sang Ye remembered—on non-training days, Tan Mo would likely go home.
Xiao Pai turned around. “Bai Mao.”
Sang Ye instinctively propped his chin up with his hand, trying to cover that spot, and looked at him. “What?”
Xiao Pai asked, “Just checking—are you okay?”
Sang Ye turned his head away, confused. “What could possibly be wrong with me?”
“Hey, don’t force yourself,” Xiao Pai said, genuinely concerned. “No one at the table managed to keep an eye on you last night, and you ended up drinking way too much. Luckily, my brother showed up… Oh, right, you remember all this, right? No blackout?”
Sang Ye didn’t turn back, but the side of his neck flushed red. He waved a hand dismissively. “I don’t remember. Don’t talk to me about last night.”
“What’s the big deal?” Xiao Pai let out a “ha!” and said, “Everyone at the table has been drunk at some point. You actually handle your alcohol pretty well—you just sat there giggling. When Old Hu gets wasted, he’s the type to start kissing people.”
Sang Ye buried his head lower, practically hiding in his takeout box, grateful that he didn’t have a habit of hugging and kissing people when drunk.
But Talk…
How could Talk…
Sang Ye furrowed his brows, turning the situation over in his mind from every angle, but nothing made sense. In the end, he sighed inwardly and decided to stop thinking about it.
The fact that Tan Mo would take advantage of him like that was completely beyond his expectations.
…
After finishing his meal, Sang Ye browsed the forums for a while. The news about his visa rejection had spread throughout the esports community, and netizens were actively discussing it.
Original Post: [This is absolutely ridiculous. He got an invitation to Worlds and still can’t go?]
1st Comment: [An invitation is useless. The visa officers don’t care; they treat everyone the same. Plus, there’s a lot of complicated politics involved in this.]
2nd Comment: [Ugh, I really didn’t expect this to happen. I was looking forward to seeing Songbao and Tan God on the same stage at Worlds, but now it’s completely impossible.]
3rd Comment: [It’s so messed up. Song was the one who turned things around at the last moment to secure the team’s Worlds spot, and now he can’t even go himself.]
…..
94L: [Could it be that Song was rejected because of his poor spoken English?]
95L: [What does a gamer need good spoken English for? They’ll definitely arrange a team translator for Worlds.]
96L: [I wonder what the visa officer was thinking. With Song’s poor English, he’s probably the least likely to get a visa.]
…
250L: [Hahahaha, good rejection, excellent rejection, this is so satisfying. Without this little marketing prince, the PCL players can finally focus on their games!]
251L: [The person above must be sick, remember to take your medicine.]
Sang Ye liked the [remember to take your medicine] comment, then closed the forum and opened a custom room in the game.
Whether he could participate in Worlds was still uncertain, and his mindset was definitely affected.
But he couldn’t let the uncertainty about his visa stop him from training.
It was already mid-October, and while WLG was still stuck due to visa issues, players from other countries had already started heading to Berlin, the location for this year’s Global Invitational.
BTF was flying out today and waiting at the airport.
Gal posted a selfie on Twitter, taken from a high angle that made him look very confident.
[We’re coming for Worlds [sunglasses]. I’ve adjusted my mindset, nothing is going to take me down this time.]
As soon as he posted, one of his underlings couldn’t believe it and said, “Boss, that kid isn’t participating in Worlds this year, Song, the one from WLG.”
Gal raised an eyebrow, adjusted his sunglasses, and shrugged. “What a shame. Last time he got away with an eye injury, but I was hoping to show him the harsh reality of the world. Looks like I’ll have to leave that for next year… Why can’t he play this time?”
“Visa got rejected,” the underling said with a grin. “From what the netizens are saying, it’s because his English isn’t good enough. They say he couldn’t understand English, so he couldn’t get the visa.”
Gal paused for a moment before asking, “He doesn’t understand English?”
The underling replied, “That’s what they’re saying.”
Gal took off his sunglasses, slouched in his chair, and wiped his face in frustration.
The first day heading to Worlds, and his mindset was already falling apart.
When Sang Ye practiced until nearly two in the afternoon, he took his thermos and headed to the tea room to get some water.
As soon as he reached the door, he saw Tan Mo rummaging through the top storage cabinet.
Hearing the noise, Tan Mo turned around, and their eyes met.
“Hey.”
“Hey… hey.”
Sang Ye stood hesitantly at the door, holding the cup.
Tan Mo pulled out a box of new tissues, casually tossed it aside, and stepped aside, leaning against the edge of the counter.
Seeing that Tan Mo didn’t seem like he was going to leave anytime soon, Sang Ye gathered his courage and went inside to get water, with his back to the man.
“I thought you went home.”
Tan Mo asked from behind, “When have I ever gone home without telling you first?”
Sang Ye closed his mouth and didn’t reply.
The water dispenser made a bubbling sound, and Sang Ye released the switch.
Tan Mo placed one hand on the counter behind him and asked, “Are you awake now?”
Sang Ye glanced back, screwed the cap back on, turned around, and stood a little distance away from Tan Mo. His nervous hands twisted the bottle, and his face turned slightly red. “I’m awake now. Last night, I… drank a bit too much…”
“I understand,” Tan Mo lowered his eyes and said, “Men… we all have our limits sometimes.”
“…”
Tan Mo said, “Let’s talk about our situation.”
Sang Ye blinked. “Our situation?”
The confused expression on his face seemed to say, What situation could we have? He shrugged it off entirely.
Tan Mo looked at him for two seconds and nodded. “If you don’t remember, that’s fine. Just listen to me.”
Sang Ye, however, became a little flustered by Tan Mo’s words, gripping his thermos tightly.
Did they talk last night?
What did they talk about?
Tan Mo said, “I liked you from the first time I saw your livestream. I simply thought you were good-looking, nothing more.”
“…” Sang Ye was caught off guard, his hand shaking as he almost dropped the cup. He barely managed to steady it, calming his nearly erratic heartbeat, and asked, “W-what livestream?”
“The one where you were connected with Lu Qikai,” Tan Mo replied.
Sang Ye’s face burned up, and he could hardly look Tan Mo in the eye. “I didn’t even notice you.”
“Xiao Pai dragged me into watching it, but I didn’t log into the main account,” Tan Mo said casually, continuing, “But that’s not the point. The point is, after getting to know you, your personality really clicked with me. So you don’t need to be anyone else; just be the way you are, and I’ve liked you like this, from the past until now.”
Sang Ye rubbed his face, feeling so embarrassed he was about to explode. “What did I say to you last night?”
Tan Mo looked at him, tilting his head. “You said a lot.”
“What?”
“I’m not telling you.”
“…”
“I’ve said enough,” Tan Mo straightened up and walked over to Sang Ye, looking down at him. “I hope you won’t doubt that I like you anymore, and don’t equate my liking you with your worth.”
Tan Mo didn’t believe that just a few words could ease Sang Ye’s inner unease. He also didn’t care to repeat “I like you”—if a man only has words, Tan Mo himself would advise Sang Ye to stay away, because such a man is not only useless, but getting close to him would also bring misfortune.
Sang Ye was still too young. Even though he appeared proud like a little lion on the outside, he was still filled with fear about many things he had never experienced in this world. He was using what he thought was the right way to protect himself from getting hurt.
Tan Mo was willing to wait for Sang Ye to grow.
Sang Ye felt a bit desperate, wondering if he had asked Tan Mo “Why do you like me?” last night, that kind of unbearable question. He didn’t know how to respond to Tan Mo’s confession again.
In the end, he hung his head in defeat. “Thank you…”
“Don’t thank me so soon,” Tan Mo said. “I won’t be careful with you anymore, and there’s no use hiding.”
Sang Ye looked up, confused. “Huh?”
“Huh, what?” Tan Mo’s gaze slid to the side of Sang Ye’s jaw, raising his hand to gently rub the little mark, like a strawberry. “Just so you know, I’m a man who has feelings for you. You walk around in front of me every day, and never reject me. It makes it very easy for me to get impulsive.”
Sang Ye felt a little ticklish from Tan Mo’s touch. The little strawberry mark on his chin was almost ripe. He awkwardly pulled back his neck, then, in a more obedient tone, asked, “How should I reject you?”
Tan Mo paused for a moment, then lowered his hand. “Don’t treat me like an idol. If there’s anything you don’t want, just say no, and I’ll understand.”
“Okay… got it.” Sang Ye lowered his eyelashes, his gaze shifting elsewhere, his cheeks turning bright red.
Tan Mo glanced at Sang Ye’s thermos, about to ask if he wanted to leave.
At that moment, Sang Ye looked up at him, his eyes soft and dark, his face slightly troubled. “Can we not do what we did last night again?”
“…” Tan Mo blinked slowly, confused. “What do you mean by that?”
“When I’m sober, it’s fine to do that kind of thing… well, not exactly fine, but everything can be discussed…”
Sang Ye rubbed his burning face again. It was still a bit embarrassing and difficult to say it out loud, but since Talk had already said it, he had the right to refuse.
“When I’m drunk, you shouldn’t kiss… kiss me anymore. It feels a bit strange, especially since you did it when I wasn’t prepared… it’s not very good. If there’s another time, I’ll be really worried…”
Sang Ye thought far ahead, thinking that this time it was just a kiss while he was drunk. But what if next time, when he wakes up, he finds himself lying on Tan Mo’s bed?
“……..”
Tan Mo clarified one thing: Sang Ye had completely forgotten everything from last night. If Sang Ye did happen to remember something, his impression of Tan Mo would probably be that he had some special fetish.
Tan Mo suddenly understood—Sang Ye was the type to sleep around and leave right after.
Sang Ye didn’t look at Tan Mo, feeling uneasy inside, especially since this was the first time he had pointed out that his idol did something wrong.
Then, with a loud “bang,” Sang Ye jumped in surprise.
Tan Mo placed both hands on the counter on either side of Sang Ye’s back and stepped closer. His body leaned over, and his breath grazed Sang Ye’s eyelids, making the hair on his skin tingle.
Sang Ye scratched his itchy eyelids and looked up.
But just then, Tan Mo bent his back, tilted his face deeply, and his tall frame pushed forward with no regard.
“!”
Facing Tan Mo’s enlarged handsome face, Sang Ye widened his eyes for a moment, holding his breath. His heartbeat seemed to stop.
In the split second, his mind raced rapidly, torn between saying “no” and directly pushing him away. In the end, he chose to shrink back and tightly shut his eyes.
The next second.
He heard a soft “sizzle.”
At the same time, the clean, cold breath of the man slightly withdrew.
Sang Ye immediately opened his eyes, just in time to see Tan Mo take the box of tissues from behind him and then step back.
“……..”
It was hard to tell whether to feel relieved or disappointed, but one thing was certain—it was awkward.
Sang Ye cleared his throat, adjusted his expression, and looked around for somewhere to place his gaze. His face was bright red: “I knew you were going for the tissue… I was just about to hand it to you.”
Tan Mo almost laughed: “Right, right, you’re the purest, most innocent.”
Sang Ye: “…”
It didn’t sound like a compliment.
Tan Mo tossed the tissue box, caught it easily, and said, “Here’s the deal: to prevent you from not wanting me to pick you up when you’re drunk, or thinking I’m a pervert, I won’t kiss you unless you cry and beg me, and let me record it as evidence.”
“…I wouldn’t do something weird like that,” Sang Ye lowered his head, holding back for a long time before saying this, then added softly, “Besides, it’s not necessary… people should trust each other.”
“Exactly.”
Tan Mo smiled.
Otherwise, Sang Ye would be the type to drunkenly cling to his neck and demand kisses, refuse to go back to the base unless he got his way, then turn around the next day when sober and accuse him of taking advantage of the situation.
Tan Mo turned toward the door, then glanced back. “By the way, your visa situation is sorted. See you at the world championship.”
With that, he left.
Sang Ye stood there in a daze for a while before lowering his head, unable to stop the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.