Chapter 12: Fleeing in Desperation
Xie Yang played Rakan terribly, regretting buying this champion.
He had completed so many system tasks and finally saved up 5500 blue essences, only to buy a champion he didn’t know how to play.
Xie Yang felt sorry for those 5500 essences, feeling terrible.
He didn’t know how many days it would take to save up 5500 essences again to buy another champion.
Being called out by teammates for playing badly made him even more upset.
[All] Demacia: Can Rakan even play?
[All] Master Yi: Rakan is our initiator; you’re the only one who can engage. If you don’t start fights, we can’t win.
While he had Qi Xu covering him in the bottom lane, when it came to team fights, Xie Yang realized he had to initiate.
He was the only initiator in their lineup.
[Team] Caramel Pudding: Brother, how do I initiate?
[Team] Caramel Pudding: I don’t know QAQ
It was his first time playing this champion, having already forgotten the tutorial videos.
Xie Yang could only ask the cool high-rank player in their duo queue.
Hoping he was in a good mood today and could teach him how to play.
After all, the cool guy rarely talked during their duo queues, probably noticing his awkward gameplay and occasionally giving him pointers.
These two weeks of duo queue had boosted Xie Yang’s confidence.
Xayah recalled to base to heal, standing in the fountain for a while.
[Team] CX330: Turn on your voice.
Voice chat?
Xie Yang hesitantly switched to speaker mode.
“Hey, can you hear me?”
At the moment CX330 spoke, Xie Yang thought the person on the other end was Qi Xu.
Too similar.
Although he rarely interacted with Qi Xu, he could recognize Qi Xu’s voice.
However, CX330’s voice was deeper and huskier compared to Qi Xu’s.
But Xie Yang knew CX330 wasn’t Qi Xu.
CX330 had mentioned he was 20 years old this year, while Qi Xu was only 18 like him.
And given Qi Xu’s personality, they wouldn’t be friends.
Nor would they duo queue together for so many days.
Let alone treat an online friend so well.
The thought that Qi Xu and CX330 could be the same person had just crossed Xie Yang’s mind, but he dismissed it immediately.
Qi Xu always avoided trouble; how could he enjoy guiding a newbie player online?
Impossible.
Come to think of it, over the past half-month of gaming with CX330, Xie Yang hadn’t paid much attention to news about Qi Xu.
It seemed he was focusing more on an online acquaintance, an unseen gaming friend.
The thing he looked forward to most every day was duo queuing with CX330 at eight o’clock in the evening.
Besides updating his daily life on his alternate account’s Moments, he occasionally shared fragments of his duo queue sessions with CX330.
Xie Yang didn’t understand why.
A two-and-a-half-year secret crush had been replaced so easily.
His gaze gradually shifted to someone else.
He wasn’t transferring his affections.
Nor did he currently like CX330.
Just that, perhaps he didn’t like Qi Xu as much anymore.
This fondness would also slowly fade with time.
Maybe he was a rather simple person; whoever treated him well would sway his heart.
Xie Yang had been lost in thought.
It wasn’t until Qi Xu’s voice sounded again that he quickly typed a response.
[Team] Caramel Pudding: I can hear you.
[Team] Caramel Pudding: Sorry, Brother, it’s not convenient for me to use voice chat here.
The voices of other dorm mates were noisy in the background, and he worried that opening voice chat would be too chaotic.
Besides, Xie Yang had never considered using voice chat for duo queuing with gaming friends. He was extremely shy and avoided social interaction. If he didn’t know someone, he wouldn’t chat with them via voice.
The last time he used voice chat for a five-player game was because his roommates insisted.
Even though he and CX330 had been duo queuing for half a month, they were barely friends now.
But he had never imagined a day when he would use voice chat for duo queuing with CX330.
Xie Yang felt his voice wasn’t pleasant, and using voice chat while gaming felt too intimate; typing would be better.
Qi Xu didn’t think much of it, just a little disappointed.
He always thought the little support’s voice would be sweet and gentle.
“Listen to what I’m saying.”
CX330’s voice was calm, faintly cool, fitting perfectly with what Xie Yang had come to understand about him.
Perhaps it was because of a cold, there was a slight nasal tone.
The deep and cold voice lingered around him, lazy and indifferent.
A tingling sensation, like feathers gently brushing over Xie Yang’s heart.
His voice was so pleasant that Xie Yang was intoxicated by it.
Qi Xu slowed down his pace fearing he might not understand, sounding unexpectedly gentle.
“Do you understand?”
Xie Yang was so immersed in his melodious and charming voice that he didn’t really pay attention to what was being said, his mind a jumble.
[Team] Caramel Pudding: Brother, can you repeat that? This time I’ll listen carefully, QAQ.
Qi Xu chuckled helplessly and patiently explained the combo skills of Lulu again.
“Did you remember?”
[Team] Caramel Pudding: Got it ^^
Although Xie Yang wasn’t naturally gifted in gaming, he wasn’t so clueless that he couldn’t even use ultimate skills. After a few attempts, he began to feel more comfortable with it.
Still, there were occasional mishaps like missing with his second skill and his skills getting mixed up.
Like this time, he dashed into the crowd with his second skill, cast his ultimate charm, and then used his third skill to return to Xayah’s side.
The combo wasn’t smooth, hesitating and stuttering a bit, which looked rather comical.
Qi Xu lightly chuckled.
Through the headset, a deep chuckle came through, making Xie Yang’s face feel a bit warm.
Xie Yang couldn’t help but accuse him.
[Team] Caramel Pudding: You’re laughing at me again, QAQ.
Qi Xu: “No.”
[Team] Caramel Pudding: I heard it QAQ
Qi Xu chuckled again, “You misheard.”
Somehow, in his mind, he pictured a well-behaved kitten suddenly fluffing up its fur.
It seemed quite similar to how his little support was acting now.
[Victory!]
As the game ended, Xie Yang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, no more public executions.
Xie Yang didn’t dare to show off his skills in front of Qi Xu anymore.
In the presence of such a skilled pro, he should play as terribly as possible.
How could he show off his skills in front of Qi Xu?
Just thinking about it made Xie Yang feel ashamed.
CX330 must be secretly mocking him.
So, in the next game, Xie Yang simply locked in Lulu.
Qi Xu chuckled, “Why not continue with Rakan?”
[Team] Caramel Pudding: QAQ
Xie Yang didn’t want to give him a chance to mock him again. Rakan didn’t require much skill.
[Team] Caramel Pudding: Feeling wronged.jpg
Qi Xu suppressed his smile and said seriously, “I’m not laughing at you.”
Xie Yang didn’t believe him, sullenly remaining silent.
Throughout the game, Xie Yang played decently, and even when Qi Xu teased him, he didn’t respond.
Qi Xu: “Why so quiet now?”
[Team] Caramel Pudding: QAQ
Qi Xu realized a bit belatedly that he might have annoyed his little support.
“Let me give you a blue buff as an apology, okay?”
His voice was magnetic, lazy, with a hint of amusement in his tone.
Suddenly, Xie Yang wondered if this cool guy was trying to placate him.
Xie Yang had never experienced someone trying to placate him like this before and felt a bit unsure, not sure if he should go along with it.
Originally, he wasn’t even angry.
Maybe because of the frequent duo queueing recently, he felt a bit spoiled.
[Team] Caramel Pudding: It’s settled then. Good boy.jpg
Lulu’s skills were mana-intensive, and having a blue buff would make playing much more comfortable.
But usually, mid-lane champions needed blue buff more, so Qi Xu took him to steal the enemy’s blue buff.
Qi Xu: “Do you want the kill?”
[Team] Caramel Pudding: No need.
Qi Xu: “What about red buff? Want it?”
[Team] Caramel Pudding: I’m not coming down to kill anyone, so red buff is useless, QAQ.
Qi Xu chuckled softly, “How can it be useless? Having both buffs makes you look so cool.”
Xie Yang somehow felt that CX330 had changed.
When they weren’t using voice chat, CX330 was cool and didn’t want to talk much with him. But after turning on voice chat, not only did he respond to every sentence, but he also started joking around with him.
However, Xie Yang always felt like CX330 was teasing him.
Even a simple phrase like “Lu Lu hanging around me” carried a teasing tone.
It was like teasing a kid, yet it also felt like teasing someone you’re dating.
Xie Yang blushed and his heart raced.
But he also felt it might just be his imagination, and CX330 didn’t mean anything by it.
After all, they were just playing games together, barely qualifying as online friends.
And besides, there weren’t that many gay people in real life.
It was probably just his imagination.
At eleven o’clock that night, after being teased by CX330 all evening, Xie Yang quickly left the game room and opened a private chat.
[Team] Caramel Pudding: See you tomorrow, brother!
[Team] Caramel Pudding: The dormitory lights are going off, and I have class tomorrow, so I need to sleep early.
[Team] Caramel Pudding: Good night, brother.
Watching the other person hastily leave, Qi Xu lazily replied, “See you tomorrow.”
The little support really couldn’t take teasing, running off after just a few words.
He didn’t seem to say much, just seeing how obedient he was, casually teasing him a few times.
He suddenly remembered what Sheng Fei had said before about liking someone who was both obedient and sweet.
Originally, Qi Xu didn’t intend to keep playing with Xie Yang.
It’s just that he couldn’t resist Xie Yang’s always pitiful appearance, which he found amusing.
Unknowingly, half a month had passed.
He quite enjoyed seeing Xie Yang obediently waiting for him online.
Qi Xu didn’t stay in the dormitory tonight but in an apartment near the school.
The maid made caramel pudding for him in the evening and put it in the refrigerator.
Qi Xu unprecedentedly took a photo of the pudding and posted it on his Moments.
With the caption: “Pretty sweet.”
[Is this a revival?]
[Someone who never posts suddenly posts on Moments, what does it mean?]
[It means he’s still alive.]
[Agree with the comment above.]
Qi Xu couldn’t be bothered to respond to the banter from his friends on Moments.
He opened the small package of pudding and took a few bites. It was indeed sweet, but somehow different from what he had bought at the cake shop.
Unconsciously, the face of the small shop assistant from the cake shop popped into his mind.
Was the little support also shy and sweet like that?