“I didn’t expect Bai Yu to build a team and sign you guys. If I’d known, I would’ve flown back and signed up too…”
“Get outta here. You were the first to bolt back then.”
“Hey, I had special circumstances, okay? My wife was pregnant, I was a mess, how could I focus on competing?”
“Even if you came back, Bai Yu wouldn’t want you.”
“That’s not a given. Bai Yu, what do you think?”
“I definitely wouldn’t take you. What are you thinking? You’d struggle in a Diamond game now…”
“Wow, that’s harsh.”
“Hahaha…”
Bai Yu leaned back in his chair, eyes crinkling with laughter. Chen Shi'an sat across from him, Xu Bo beside him, and on the other side was Cheng Yuan. The group chatted like old friends.
The other side of the room was less lively. Lu Sheng sat with arms crossed, legs propped up, staring coldly at the group.
Fang Zhixu sprawled on the couch, muttering unhappily, “What’s so great about their chat? It’s been forever…”
Only Qi Yi relished the lack of attention. He sat at the other end of the couch, neatly packing his things into his bag, even aligning his earphone cables perfectly.
Suddenly, Bai Yu called, “Qi Yi, come here.”
Qi Yi flinched, then saw it was Bai Yu and relaxed, setting down his bag to join them.
Bai Yu shoved Xu Bo to the other side, making room for Qi Yi, who sat obediently. Bai Yu looked at him with clear satisfaction, chatting and laughing, as if proudly showing off his star pupil.
Cheng Yuan grinned, flashing eight teeth, and pinched Qi Yi’s cheek, “Wow, he’s really cute!”
The group burst into chatter again. Bai Yu, half-propping his head, gazed at Qi Yi with a warm smile, even ruffling his hair.
Lu Sheng’s gaze darkened. Fang Zhixu grew more bitter, fingers digging into the couch, “Of course Qi Yi’s Bai Yu’s favorite…”
As he spoke, Bai Yu called him too.
Fang Zhixu’s expression flipped instantly, bounding over like a puppy, grinning sweetly, “Captain~”
Lu Sheng scoffed, full of disdain, and shifted his posture.
Bai Yu, laughing about something, had crescent-moon eyes that sparkled under the lights, his hair almost glowing, “Really?”
Lu Sheng’s eyes drifted to him unconsciously.
Cheng Yuan eagerly recounted, “Yeah, yeah, I was in the audience today. That flash-W of yours took me back to TG’s glory days…”
He paused, scratching his head as something clicked, “Wait, was Kun-ge the only one missing today?”
The room fell silent.
Chen Shi'an’s smile faded, his gaze thoughtful on Bai Yu. Xu Bo went quiet. Fang Zhixu stopped talking. Even Lu Sheng, sitting far away, shifted his posture.
Bai Yu blinked, acting unbothered, “Yeah, he’s a busy guy. No time for a place like this.”
Cheng Yuan, oblivious, pressed on, “Haven’t you kept in touch? Back in the day, you two were the closest. I thought he’d show up when you built the team.”
Now even Bai Yu went silent. He picked up his water cup but didn’t drink.
Fang Zhixu, sensing the mood, laughed to change the topic, “Cheng-ge, can I add you as a friend? I’ve got some questions for you.”
Cheng Yuan whipped out his phone, “Sure, but I haven’t played pro in years. I’m out of touch with the meta, so I might not be much help…”
The topic shifted, and the moment passed.
Zhou Xunwen checked the time and told them to pack up and head back.
Cheng Yuan’s family was waiting, so he wrapped up, “Next time I’m free, I’ll bring my daughter to the base.”
Bai Yu smiled, “Sounds good. You’re welcome anytime.”
After Cheng Yuan left, the smile on Bai Yu’s face slowly faded, his voice cool and quiet, “Let’s go.”
The break room filled with the sound of packing, everyone too cautious to speak, even the usually loud Xu Bo staying silent.
On the way back, Qi Yi couldn’t hold back. He tugged Xu Bo’s sleeve and whispered, “That Kun-ge guy, did he and Bai Yu have a falling out?”
Xu Bo lowered his voice, “Kun-ge was Bai Yu’s mentor. Bai Yu got pulled up from the second team because of his weaknesses, or he’d have been stuck for years. I don’t know the details, but they were super close. The day before Kun-ge retired, they had a huge fight, like, explosive. After that, Kun-ge quit, and Bai Yu left for SG. They act like they’re fine publicly, but they haven’t spoken privately since.”
Qi Yi didn’t know why they fought, but with someone as great as Bai Yu, it had to be the other guy’s fault.
His eyes narrowed, “It’s definitely that guy’s fault.”
Xu Bo nodded, “I think so too. Bai Yu leaving because of him broke my heart for a while…”
Their conversation reached Lu Sheng’s ears. He trailed behind the group silently, watching Bai Yu take a window seat on the bus, staring out with barely a blink, lost in thought.
Lu Sheng had never seen Bai Yu so quiet. It was so still it felt like something pricked his heart.
Back at the base, Bai Yu gave brief instructions and went upstairs to rest. Teammates trickled out, but Lu Sheng stayed.
He lingered by the vending machine downstairs, knowing it was broken but tossing coins in anyway.
Footsteps stopped behind him, and Chen Shi'an’s voice came with a faint smile, “You’ve been abroad too long, still stuck on coin habits.”
He slammed the machine twice, and a drink rolled out.
Lu Sheng crouched to grab the cola, gripping it tightly. He looked up at Chen Shi'an, “Got time? Let’s talk.”
The night was chilly, with a strong breeze at the wind’s mouth.
Chen Shi'an sat on a bench, hands in his pockets, legs crossed, maintaining a poised demeanor even in such a casual setting.
Beside him, Lu Sheng sat carelessly, arm slung over the backrest, staring at the half-drunk cola in his hand, seemingly weighing how to start the conversation.
Chen Shi'an knew what was on his mind, “Still hung up on Lin Kun’s existence?”
Lu Sheng didn’t hide it, letting out a blunt, “Yeah.”
The question that had haunted him for three years finally found the courage to surface today, “What’s the deal with him and Bai Yu?”
Chen Shi'an smiled, his expression warm but his gaze carrying a subtle scrutiny as he looked at Lu Sheng, “I can answer that, but first, you answer me. Are you still into Bai Yu?”
Lu Sheng didn’t deny it, nodding with a soft, “Yeah.”
His candor earned Chen Shi'an’s approval. He smiled, looking into the distance, and said quietly, “Lin Kun and Bai Yu aren’t what you think, but their bond might be even closer than you imagine. Lin Kun was Bai Yu’s guide. During his toughest days, it was Lin Kun who pulled him up.”
Chen Shi'an paused, considering how to phrase it, “Like Xu Bo and Bai Yu. No matter how much Bai Yu pushes him away, Xu Bo will always come back unconditionally when Bai Yu needs him.”
Lin Kun debuted two years before Bai Yu. When Bai Yu joined the main roster, Lin Kun was already a top-tier mid laner in the domestic scene.
Lu Sheng could almost picture how Bai Yu saw Lin Kun back then, the same way he himself once looked at Bai Yu.
The cola can in his hand was gripped tightly, starting to deform.
Chen Shi'an pretended not to notice and continued, “Their bond was impenetrable, something no one could break into. When Lin Kun retired, Bai Yu left TG for SG. Oh, and something you probably don’t know. When you joined the main roster, Lin Kun was already set to retire. It was Bai Yu who fought to keep him on the starting lineup, delaying his exit.”
Lu Sheng’s hand froze, the cola can hovering in his grip, its surface slightly dented.
The answer he’d waited so long for, though he’d suspected it, still hit like a bone-deep stab in the moment it was confirmed.
He’d thought Bai Yu might have passed on him due to team loyalty or because he couldn’t refuse Lin Kun’s plea. Never did he imagine it was Bai Yu’s own stubborn choice, even demoting himself to the first team to keep Lin Kun from retiring, as if Lu Sheng was some insignificant trash from start to finish.
Chen Shi'an wasn’t surprised by Lu Sheng’s reaction. In fact, he felt a twisted satisfaction, like he’d finally found another victim in the same boat, “Everyone wants to prove themselves to Bai Yu, but the truth is, no one’s ever come close to replacing Lin Kun in his heart.”
The cola can was suddenly crushed in Lu Sheng’s grip. He didn’t want to hear more, stood up, grabbed his bag, and walked off without looking back.
Chen Shi'an’s smile widened, “Ah, another one’s broken.”
He meticulously wiped his cola can, took a sip, and grinned contentedly, “Nothing beats dragging someone else down to make life interesting.”
—
Bai Yu tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. He gave up, opened his eyes, pulled a cigarette from his pocket, and went to the balcony to light it with practiced ease.
The flowerpot’s flowers had been replaced by Zhou Xunwen with a new batch of daisies, thriving with a wild vitality that somehow reminded Bai Yu of the chamomile Lu Sheng had plucked.
Speaking of which, these days, aside from winning matches, his greatest amusement was watching Lu Sheng get flustered. A guy so formidable outside, yet Bai Yu could rile him up with a few words. Quite entertaining.
He chuckled, taking a drag, his mood lifting slightly. But thinking of certain things, his smile faded.
Leaning on the open balcony railing, he stared into the night, silent for a long time until the cigarette burned his fingers, snapping him back.
He took a final drag, stubbed it out in the flowerpot, and the once-vibrant daisies wilted slightly from the smoke.
Bai Yu absentmindedly poked at them, finding Lu Sheng’s sulky face amusing again. He reached for another cigarette, about to light it, when he heard a sound from next door.
Lu Sheng lived there. Where was he going this late?
Bai Yu pricked up his ears, hearing footsteps heading downstairs. He pulled the cigarette from his mouth and followed to see what was up.
Lu Sheng, in a loose jacket, black tank top, and shorts, bare arms exposed, wore the team’s standard plastic slippers, completely mismatched with his vibe.
He stood by the first-floor vending machine for ages, not inserting coins or scanning a code, just staring down at it.
Bai Yu thought he looked like he’d lost his soul, or maybe he was sleepwalking.
Could you even wake a sleepwalker?
Lu Sheng suddenly moved, heading toward the third-floor training room, walking slowly with a creepy, rhythmic “tap tap tap.” He didn’t turn on the light, yet somehow found his seat, rummaging under the desk.
Was he actually sleepwalking?
Bai Yu put the cigarette back in his mouth, curious to see what was going on. Then he saw Lu Sheng hit the computer’s power button, log in with his account, and launch the game.
The cigarette fell from his mouth with a clack.
Bai Yu’s voice dripped with exasperation, “Lu Sheng, are you nuts? Training in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?”
Downstairs, by the vending machine.
Lu Sheng sat on a spacious bench, still reeling from Bai Yu’s scolding, eyes narrowed, still in fight mode.
Bai Yu, annoyed at his state, pinched his cheek.
“Did you hear me? Why are you training at this hour instead of sleeping? If we had a match tomorrow, you think you’d be in any shape to play? Speak, don’t play mute.”
Lu Sheng’s face reddened from the pinch, but he stayed silent.
Bai Yu had never seen such a stubborn guy, “Lu Sheng, are you bringing personal issues into training? Didn’t we agree to keep things professional when you signed? What’s this about? You really think I won’t bench you?”
He laid down the law, but Lu Sheng still didn’t react.
His tall frame hunched slightly, the bench barely fitting his long legs, which bent awkwardly.
He looked like a scolded kid, staring at the concrete, wearing the team’s cheap slippers, silent, with red marks from Bai Yu’s pinch.
Bai Yu thought of how Lu Sheng came back from so far, paying a 90 million penalty, only to wear these lousy slippers in his rundown base. His heart softened.
“What’s wrong?”
Lu Sheng leaned back, turning to look at him, his gaze dim and weary, “Bai Yu, I’m in a bad mood. I want to hug you.”
Bai Yu’s eyelid twitched.
The wind at this spot was freezing, but Lu Sheng’s stare made his body heat up.
He took a breath, instinctively resisting the shift, and pinched Lu Sheng’s other cheek red, “Lu Sheng, are you a creep? I’m asking about your game state, and you’re talking nonsense?”
Both sides of Lu Sheng’s face were red, but he didn’t back down, “Others can hug you, why can’t I?”
Bai Yu grabbed a cigarette, stuck it in his mouth, a bit angry, “Lu Sheng, I told you before signing, keep it professional. If you can’t, we’ll start the termination process.”
Lu Sheng’s gaze darkened, like he’d been tossed out like garbage.
The night was cool, the surroundings quiet.
Bai Yu’s mood was complicated. He prided himself on handling everything well, but on this, he wavered, wanting a clean break yet not ready to let go. He shoved the choice onto Lu Sheng.
Bai Yu clasped his hands, choosing his words carefully, “If you regret it, just tell me. I won’t stop you.”
Lu Sheng’s hands hung limp, not looking at him.
Bai Yu explained, “I want you to stay, but our contract was never equal. So I’m giving you a choice. Don’t overthink it.”
Lu Sheng still didn’t speak, something off. Bai Yu patted his shoulder, but he ignored it.
Bai Yu leaned in, “You’re not crying, are you?”
Lu Sheng’s hand covered Bai Yu’s face, blocking his view, his voice still cold, “Termination? Fine, pay me back the 90 million breach fee first.”
Bai Yu: ???
Sell him, and he still wouldn’t have that much…
He tried to pull Lu Sheng’s hand away, but it stayed firm, refusing to let him see. Bai Yu paused, “You’re… acting so weird today. Something happen?”
Lu Sheng retracted his hand, still looking half-dead.
“Bad mood.”
Bai Yu leaned closer, checking for tear tracks. He just seemed down, nothing else, “Why the bad mood? Tell me, I’ll cheer you up.”
Lu Sheng pushed him away coldly, hands in pockets, standing up, “Not full.”
Bai Yu clearly saw him devour three bowls of rice at lunch. Not full? What a lame excuse. It pissed him off.
Lu Sheng walked ahead on the stairs, with Bai Yu following behind. They reached the third floor, one in front of the other.
Bai Yu noticed the training room’s light was still on, so he went to turn it off. When he returned, he saw Lu Sheng waiting for him, leaning against the railing. Though Lu Sheng stood tall, giving an air of looking down from above, he showed no trace of impatience.
This reminded Bai Yu of their time at TG, when Lu Sheng would always wait for him at the tripod spot downstairs, no matter how late, before heading back to rest.
Bai Yu’s steps slowed. As these memories surfaced, something seemed to shift subtly within him. He called out, “What would make you feel better?”
Lu Sheng didn’t quite understand the question. “What do you mean?”
Bai Yu climbed the stairs, stopping one step below him, his hand on the railing just a centimeter from Lu Sheng’s.
“I said, what would make you feel better?”
Lu Sheng stood against the light. It streamed from his side, casting a glow on Bai Yu’s face, strikingly beautiful.
He seemed to glow entirely, his pale lips parting slightly. “If I hug you, would that make me feel better?”
For the past three years, Bai Yu had only existed in Lu Sheng’s memories. Yet now, he stood before him, willingly opening his arms.
Lu Sheng held his breath, nearly frozen as he reached out, grabbing Bai Yu and pulling him into a tight embrace, enveloping him from above. In that moment, every void felt filled, brimming to the point of overflowing.
Bai Yu’s frame was slighter than Lu Sheng had imagined, as if he might buckle under too much pressure. Still, Lu Sheng instinctively leaned closer, his weight pushing Bai Yu back against the railing with a sharp hiss. Only then did Lu Sheng ease up.
His hand reached for Bai Yu’s lower back to check for injury, but the moment they touched, both froze.
Lu Sheng quickly moved his hand to Bai Yu’s shoulders. Bai Yu pushed lightly, but Lu Sheng held firm, so the push failed. Feeling the awkwardness, Bai Yu clarified, “It’s just teammate encouragement, nothing more.”
“Mhmm,”
His arms tightened around Bai Yu.
Bai Yu pushed again, still unable to break free, and added, “I hug Qi Yi and the others like this all the time. Teammate hugs are normal. You get what I mean, right?”
Lu Sheng said, “Got it.” Yet his hold tightened further.
Bai Yu: ???
You clearly don’t get it.
Lu Sheng’s warmth and the closeness of their contact unsettled Bai Yu’s heart. He patted Lu Sheng’s shoulder, signaling him to let go. Finally, Lu Sheng looked up, his gaze lingering on Bai Yu’s face, as if something was shifting dramatically.
To avoid any misunderstanding, Bai Yu adopted his captain’s tone. “No matter what happens, maintain a good mindset. That’s a professional player’s basic quality. If you’re really down, you can talk to me. Just don’t let it affect your performance in matches, got it?”
Lu Sheng’s eyes stayed fixed on Bai Yu’s face. “Got it.”
As Bai Yu started to head upstairs, Lu Sheng lowered his head and asked seriously, “Then under what circumstances can I kiss you?”
Bai Yu thought he misheard. “What?”
Lu Sheng repeated, “I said, under what circumstances can I kiss you?”
Bai Yu raised his hand and delivered a sharp slap.
He really asked a second time…
—
The next day, Song Bo arrived at the training room for routine work and exclaimed, “Huh? Lu Sheng finished all his training? Is he cheating?”
Lu Sheng scoffed, thinking, This is nothing. If I’d kissed Bai Yu yesterday, I could’ve conquered the planet.
Then Bai Yu approached the training desk, took out a pen, and said coldly, “Lu Sheng, 100 more training matches.”
Qi Yi, watching nearby, clutched his water bottle and ran to Xu Bo. “Xu Bo, Lu Sheng’s doing this well and still got punished. Are we in trouble too?”
Xu Bo let out an “ah” then checked and confirmed Lu Sheng’s extra 100 matches. Panicked, he returned. “We’re done for. Bai Yu’s even stricter than three years ago.”
The training room fell unusually quiet. Bai Yu surveyed it, nodding with satisfaction.
Song Bo handed over the latest data. “We’re playing FFT next match. Here’s our scrim data against them. We usually have an advantage early game, but they out-macro us late. Basically a plus version of OT. Our overall win rate is only around 44%. Should we call a meeting to discuss?”
Bai Yu looked at the numbers and immediately thought they were screwed. “This is bad”
Since there was a problem, a meeting was held. Song Bo sent the info he’d gathered to everyone and gave a rough rundown of the opponent.
Basically, an upgraded OT, solid laning and strong macro in the mid to late game. In other words, a nightmare opponent for RAG’s. The few wins they had, were when FFT was testing new comps. Otherwise, they basically lost all the rest.
Anyway, Bai Yu still said the same thing: “If we win, no problem. If we lose, I’ll do a frame-by-frame review. No objections, right?”
Then he swept his gaze across the room. Whoever met his eyes instantly shut up. No one dared to speak or push back.
After the meeting, Chen Shi'an saw Lu Sheng walking out with both hands in his pockets, looking completely at ease. Smiling, he said, “God Lu, you look pretty relaxed. Already thought of a counterplan?”
Lu Sheng was blunt, “No.”
Chen Shi'an stopped walking, genuinely impressed. The double-champ all-round king really did have that kind of presence.
But there really did seem to be something different between those two.
Earlier, when Bai Yu was sweeping the stage with his death glare, even the janitor by the door got caught in the blast but not Lu Sheng.
Chen Shi'an crossed his arms and smiled at Bai Yu.
Bai Yu was baffled by the stare and touched his own face. Nothing seemed off. Then something came to mind.
“Come with me for a sec. I want to show you a video.”
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