Honestly, the idea was kind of bad. On the surface, everyone seemed cheerful, but who knew if someone secretly hated each other (like him and the club president sister). If the lots matched you with someone you disliked, it would be a nightmare. The “Lan-Ning” fans could do anything for sugar—completely crazy! He would bet on Chu Cheng’s hair that the president sister would rig the draw to put Xie Lanzhi and Xu Ning in the same RV.
However, everyone else gave the president sister face and agreed. Wang Youyu, temporarily on the same side as Qin Shu, also had no objection.
Qin Shu sulked: “Aren’t you afraid Xu Ning and Xie Lanzhi will get matched together?”
Wang Youyu said: “The odds aren’t high; I could be matched too.”
Qin Shu sighed. Young people, you know nothing about the aura of a legit top guy and CP fans.
“Since everyone agrees, let’s do it this way,” the president sister said, her eyes shining with excitement. “I’ve prepared the slips in advance. Everyone draws one. Those with the same number are tonight’s temporary roommates.” She glanced around theatrically. “Let’s start with the most handsome school grass.”
She walked to Xie Lanzhi. “Lanzhi, draw one?”
Qin Shu’s eyes widened like copper bells. He stared unblinkingly at the slips in her hand, hoping to find proof of manipulation.
Xie Lanzhi didn’t approve of this so-called “excitement.” Living with a fairly neutral clubmate was far less comfortable than being alone. Still, he drew a slip: “3.”
“OK! Who’s next?”
A girl close to the president sister said: “Since the school grass drew, it’s the school flower’s turn!”
Tch, even an accomplice!
Everyone laughed. As everyone knew, their university’s “school flower” was actually a boy.
Xu Ning looked helpless: “My muscles are almost done, can you stop calling me the school beauty?”
The club president sister’s face went pale, but she forced a smile: “Xu Ning, why are you trying to build muscle? You’re fine as you are, you really can’t get any bigger!”
Xu Ning said: “I think I should get a bit stronger.”
Qin Shu and the club president-girl spoke in unison: “Don’t—”
Then both froze, and after locking eyes for a second, quickly looked away.
Whether it was “Lan–Ning” or “Cheng–Ning,” Ning was always the one in the back. But that didn’t change the fact that they were rivals.
The others looked on curiously. The president coughed lightly and handed the slips to Xu Ning: “Here.”
Xu Ning casually drew one. When he saw the number, he immediately turned to Xie Lanzhi: “I’m also 3.”
The president at once launched into exaggerated acting: “You two paired up so quickly, you must be destined!”
Qin Shu sneered: “Your acting’s terrible.”
Wang Youyu frowned: “How could it be such a coincidence.”
“I told you long ago, there’s some mysterious force pulling Xie Lanzhi and Xu Ning together.” Qin Shu’s smile was bitter. “But you wouldn’t believe me.”
“I believe in science.”
Qin Shu looked at Xie Lanzhi and Xu Ning, his tone sour: “I used to believe in science too.”
When it was Qin Shu’s turn to draw, the president-girl was practically strutting, a provocative smile tugging at her lips: “Well, Qin Shu junior, are you satisfied with today’s team-building?”
Grinding his teeth but helpless, Qin Shu drew a slip: “5.” Same as Wang Youyu. Both wore the expression of someone who just swallowed a fly. Each seemed to think they were the one getting the worse end of the deal.
When the drawing was done, the president-girl distributed the RV keys. “Everyone rest early tonight. Tomorrow, we gather at four sharp.”
Qin Shu’s hair practically stood on end: “F–four o’clock?!”
“Four,” Xu Ning confirmed. “There’s a mountain nearby. We’re going to watch the sunrise from the summit tomorrow.”
Every cell in Qin Shu’s body screamed rejection. “Fine, I admit defeat.”
Keys in hand, everyone dispersed. Seven RVs lined up neatly on the lawn, spaced three or four meters apart. Who knew how good the soundproofing was.
Carrying his luggage, Xu Ning walked toward one of the RVs. Passing Qin Shu, he said, “Good night.”
Wang Youyu spoke gently: “Ah Ning, aren’t you going to say good night to me too?”
Xu Ning’s smile thinned a little. “Good night.”
Wang Youyu: “…”
Qin Shu gazed after Xu Ning as he got on the RV, then Xie Lanzhi walked up to him. “Very disappointed?”
Qin Shu nodded without hiding it.
“Want to trade?”
The spark in Qin Shu’s chest flared again. “Of course I do! Senior, are you being the good guy again?”
Xie Lanzhi asked: “Who do you want to swap with? Me, or Xu Ning?”
“Do you even need to ask?” Qin Shu said. “Obviously with you! If I swapped with Xu Ning, that’d make his roommate Wang Youyu. Sure, it’s fine for him to wash veggies together with Ning, but sleeping together? Forget it.”
Xie Lanzhi: “Heh.” So even a playboy’s “fish” have rankings—favorites and less favorites. Another lesson learned about the ways of a playboy.
Qin Shu looked at him eagerly: “So, senior, will you switch with me?”
“No.”
Xie Lanzhi walked off without a backward glance, leaving Qin Shu with a head full of question marks.
Qin Shu and Wang Youyu entered their assigned RV. About as long as a subway car, compact but well-equipped: bathroom, toilet, sofa, dining table, even a little wardrobe. Simple but tasteful decor, and not too pricey either—no wonder it was a viral rental spot.
Seeing the bunk bed, Qin Shu almost spat blood—at least Xu Ning and Xie Lanzhi wouldn’t be sharing the same bed.
Wang Youyu grabbed his change of clothes. “I’ll shower first.”
Qin Shu flopped on the sofa like his soul had left him. “Mm.”
Meanwhile, he couldn’t help but wonder who would shower first—Xu Ning or Xie Lanzhi. Whoever it was, they’d end up seeing each other’s fresh-from-the-bath look. Just picturing it made Qin Shu uncomfortable even lying down. Too bad the sofa was too small for him to even roll around.
When Wang Youyu came out, freshly showered, he saw Qin Shu collapsed on the sofa, face buried in a pillow like a dried salted fish.
“Bathroom’s free,” Wang Youyu said.
Qin Shu sluggishly sat up, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. Without his glasses, Wang Youyu looked less scholarly. Now in pajamas, every button neatly fastened to the top.
He really was a good-looking guy, but after seeing too much of Xie Lanzhi, Qin Shu only had one reaction when looking at anyone else: heh, nothing special.
Qin Shu patted the seat beside him. “Come sit, let’s chat?”
Wang Youyu stayed standing. “Chat about what.”
“You saw everything today,” Qin Shu said. “Do you still think I was making things up when I said Xie Lanzhi is our biggest obstacle in chasing Ning Ning?”
Wang Youyu put on his glasses. “Ah Ning has never lacked admirers.”
“Comparing Xie Lanzhi to the other guys chasing Ning—you call that a comparison? That’s an insult to Xie Lanzhi.”
Wang Youyu’s lips quirked, half amused. “Reminder: we are also part of those ‘other guys.’”
Qin Shu waved it off. “That’s not the point. The point is, you need to remember this: Xie Lanzhi is our biggest enemy. Keep an eye on him. The rest you can ignore.”
Right now Qin Shu had to wingman for Chu Cheng, keep tabs on Xie Lanzhi, study hard, sleep in, and game—it was exhausting. If Wang Youyu could inherit his mantle of guarding against Xie Lanzhi, he’d free up energy for other things. Maybe even climb a few ranks in Honor of Kings. A flawless plan!
Qin Shu pressed on: “You’ve read Romance of the Three Kingdoms, right? Right now, Xie Lanzhi is the strongest—Cao Wei. You and I, we’re Sun and Liu. Ning Ning is the realm itself! With the world split in three, if we don’t form a Qin–Wang alliance, Ning Ning will definitely end up in Xie Lanzhi’s hands. Isn’t that the truth? Tell me, isn’t it?”
However, Wang Youyu wasn’t stupid either. “If the three of us are Cao, Liu, and Sun, then who’s the Sima clan that ends up taking the world in the end?”
It has to be my baby, of course. Qin Shu had just opened his mouth when his phone rang — a WeChat call from “Bad Baby~.”
Qin Shu said to Wang Youyu, “I’ll step out to take this call. When I come back, we’ll continue the Qin–Wang peace talks.”
He picked up his phone, got out of the RV, and walked a fair distance away before answering. “Hello, Chu Cheng.”
Chu Cheng’s voice sounded a little breathless. “How are things over there? Has Squid King bullied Xu Ning?”
“No,” Qin Shu said bitterly, “but tonight he has to share a room with Xie Lanzhi.”
Chu Cheng let out a sigh of relief. “Then I’m not worried.”
Qin Shu: “……” Looking down at the lush green grass under his feet, he thought it looked just like the “green hat” Xie Lanzhi had stuck on his baby.
“Tch,” Chu Cheng said impatiently, “If I’d known it’d be like this, I wouldn’t have come.”
Qin Shu’s eyes went wide. “What do you mean? You—you’re here now?”
Chu Cheng said awkwardly, “At the RV park where they’re doing their team-building. I came back from my grandma’s place early, and my mom chewed me out like crazy. D*mn.”
Qin Shu’s heart was pounding madly. “You came? You really came? You rushed back from your grandma’s place for Ning Ning?!”
“Can you f*cking lower your voice?!”
“I can’t!” Qin Shu growled in a low but fiery voice. His CP had just handed him a massive piece of sugar; not only could he not keep quiet, he wanted to shout it to the world!
Chu Cheng was flustered. “Can’t you pick another time to lose your mind?!”
“Chu Cheng, stay right there, don’t move. I’ll go buy you some oranges—wait, no, don’t move, I’ll come get you.”
“No need,” Chu Cheng said. “With Brother Lan around, Squid King definitely won’t dare do anything to Xu Ning. I’ll head home.”
“No, absolutely not, I won’t accept that!” Qin Shu said sternly. “You’re already here. If you dare leave, I’ll dump a nest of cockroaches on your bed!”
Chu Cheng: “……Say that again?”
“Anyway, don’t move. I’m coming right now!”
Qin Shu hung up and dashed toward the parking lot at full speed, heart soaring. His baby was obediently waiting at the entrance, though his expression looked like he wanted to eat someone alive. “Qin Shu, what kind of madness are you up to this time?!”
Qin Shu grabbed Chu Cheng’s wrist in one motion. “Come on!”
“Where to?”
“Of course to see Ning Ning!”
“F*ck, who wants to go—”
Compared to Qin Shu and Chu Cheng’s chaotic squabbling, the inside of Xie Lanzhi and Xu Ning’s RV was calm and peaceful.
The two entered one after the other. Xu Ning, noticing there were free drinks in the small fridge, asked, “Want something to drink?”
“No need,” Xie Lanzhi said. “I’m not staying here tonight.”
Xu Ning was surprised. “Then where are you staying? Tomorrow at dawn we’re climbing the mountain to watch the sunrise. You can’t possibly go back to the city.”
Xie Lanzhi looked down at his phone. “There’s a resort hotel nearby.”
Xu Ning thought about it, then said frankly, “I’m gay. If that makes you uncomfortable, then I’m the one who should go to a hotel.”
Xie Lanzhi hadn’t expected him to be so blunt. “I don’t discriminate against gays. I’m just used to sleeping alone.”
Xu Ning didn’t press further, just smiled. “Do whatever makes you comfortable. But if you were planning to sleep alone, why didn’t you say so earlier?”
Xie Lanzhi gave himself an excuse. “Didn’t want to kill the mood.”
Xu Ning nodded. “Already booked the hotel?”
“Mm.”
“Then be careful on the road,” Xu Ning said. “Don’t forget tomorrow’s sunrise.”
Xie Lanzhi’s luggage was still in the RV, so he didn’t need to take anything. At the door, he paused, turned back, and said, “Xu Ning.”
“What is it?”
Xie Lanzhi hesitated a few seconds, then said, “Qin Shu is gay too.”
Xu Ning blinked, not understanding why he brought that up out of nowhere. “Maybe.”
Since he’d broached the topic, Xie Lanzhi went on decisively. “Do you know he likes you?”
Xu Ning smiled. “Yeah, I know.”
“And what do you think? Would you accept him?”
“If we’re going to talk, let’s have a drink.” Xu Ning took a Sprite from the fridge and handed it to him.
“Thanks,” Xie Lanzhi said, taking the can but not opening it.
Xu Ning sipped some iced tea and said, “I’ve always felt that when Qin Shu says he likes me, he’s just messing around. He doesn’t actually like me.”
Xie Lanzhi raised a brow. “And you know that how?”
“Every time he sees me, he’s happy, but he rarely contacts me first, and he’s never asked me out alone. And you can tell from someone’s eyes whether they like you or not. That kind of gaze can’t be hidden.”
Xie Lanzhi chuckled. “Or maybe, he just likes everyone who looks good.”
Xu Ning smiled and nodded. “That’s possible.”
Xie Lanzhi’s feelings were complicated. Both of them were “fish in the sea,” yet Xu Ning could remain calm and unbothered, laugh it off, while he couldn’t help caring. His gaze followed Qin Shu everywhere, childish in a way that didn’t suit him.
“How do you do it?” Xie Lanzhi asked. “When he says he likes you, you don’t care at all?”
Xu Ning’s smile turned a little enigmatic. “I already have someone I care about. Doesn’t seem like I’ve got the energy to care about anyone else.”
“Caring isn’t the same as liking,” Xie Lanzhi said. “It’s not exclusive.”
“But when you care about someone, isn’t that already close to liking them?”
Xu Ning’s words landed lightly in Xie Lanzhi’s chest, like a pebble dropped into a lake.
Xu Ning added with a smile, “Of course, caring can also be between friends, between family, even between enemies.”
“You’re right,” Xie Lanzhi said. “There are many kinds of caring. … See you tomorrow.”
“Good night.”
Xie Lanzhi opened the door. From afar, he saw two dark figures sprinting their way over. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he said, “Xu Ning.”
Xu Ning walked over. “What’s wrong?” He didn’t need Xie Lanzhi to say it, he already understood.
A small lamp at the car door lit up a patch of space. Dragged along by Qin Shu, Chu Cheng stepped into the light, his handsome face revealed.
Xu Ning froze.
Qin Shu, oh-so-considerate, stood just outside the glow and nudged Chu Cheng’s shoulder. “Say something, are you mute?”
Chu Cheng really did feel mute—facing Xu Ning’s startled eyes, he couldn’t get a word out. Only after holding it in forever did he finally say: “Heard security’s bad in the suburbs. I just happened to pass by, so I came to check on you, this fragile, helpless type.”
Xu Ning broke into a smile. “Really just happened to pass by?”
“Of course! Why would I deliberately come to some godforsaken place like this?”
Qin Shu was so excited his vision blurred—oh my god, that look, he was sure, he was about to score the real deal!
“I even made a hammer,” Chu Cheng said awkwardly. “Maybe you can keep it for self-defense.”
Qin Shu: “???” A hammer? Where the h*ll did baby get a hammer?! Don’t tell me—
Under Qin Shu’s horrified gaze, Chu Cheng pulled a small hammer from his backpack—the exact one they’d made in lab class.
Qin Shu felt like his heart seized. He slapped a hand over his eyes. The picture was too beautiful, he couldn’t watch.
Xu Ning chuckled, eyes gleaming at Chu Cheng. “Thanks, I like it very much.”
Like it? Ning Ning said he likes it?!
Qin Shu felt like his heart was on a roller coaster, shooting up and down, the thrill about to explode him. His head went dizzy; in his eyes there was nothing but his CP, not even Xie Lanzhi standing right beside Xu Ning.
“It’s already late. You should stay here tonight,” Xu Ning said. “Just so happens Xie Lanzhi is going to a hotel, so there’s a free spot.”
Qin Shu thought he needed an oxygen tank. The waters of West Lake, his tears, quick, quick, he could still hang on.
Chu Cheng didn’t immediately agree. Instead he said: “I don’t want to impose, forcing you to take me in.”
“It’s not forcing,” Xu Ning said gently. “I’m gladly inviting you to stay.”
“Then I’ll reluctantly stay the night.”
That’s it, Qin Shu couldn’t hold on anymore. He was dead. But if he died after witnessing the gorgeous love of “Cheng-Ning,” he could die with no regrets.
Qin Shu was drowning in sugar, so much so he didn’t even notice Xie Lanzhi walking up to him.
“Qin Shu?”
Qin Shu, smiling like a doting aunt, was spacing out like in a daydream. Suddenly he felt a chill on his cheek—coming back to himself, he saw Xie Lanzhi holding a bottle of ice-cold Sprite. “Senior?”
“I’m going to stay at a hotel,” Xie Lanzhi said. “Do you want to come?”
Qin Shu didn’t react. “Hotel?”
Xie Lanzhi’s tone was cool. “Or do you prefer to sleep with Wang Youyu instead?”
What Qin Shu wanted most was to sleep with Xu Ning and Chu Cheng—even the floor was fine. But that wasn’t realistic. He’d done what he could; the rest was up to his baby.
“Is it a luxury hotel?” Qin Shu asked.
“…A five-star resort.”
Qin Shu immediately made his choice. “Then I’ll sleep with senior!” He’d come on short notice and had no luggage; after sending Wang Youyu a quick message on WeChat, he left with Xie Lanzhi toward the parking lot.
The moon on August sixteenth was rounder than Xie Lanzhi’s cat’s face.
Qin Shu had never been in such a good mood; he hummed softly to himself: “At the equator’s border the skies are clear, saying I love you a thousand times brings an echo. The rugged hills by the shore, the waves crash in, yet I can still pick out your voice with focus…”
Xie Lanzhi didn’t interrupt, waiting until he forgot the lyrics before saying: “Xu Ning’s spending the night with Chu Cheng. Very happy about that?”
Qin Shu’s smile froze. Right—according to his ‘likes Xu Ning’ setting, now was not the time for love songs.
“How could I be happy,” Qin Shu said gravely. “It hurts so much I could die. But I love Ning Ning, so no matter what choice he makes, I’ll respect it.”
Xie Lanzhi was quiet for a moment, then said: “Take it back.”
“What?”
“Take back what you just said.”
Qin Shu was baffled. “Why?”
“Because I don’t like hearing it.”
“Oh…” Qin Shu was utterly confused. From Xie Lanzhi’s expression, it didn’t seem like a joke. He cleared his throat and said very seriously: “Qin Shu has retracted a message.”
He thought he’d just made an excellent joke, waiting for Xie Lanzhi to laugh. But Xie Lanzhi didn’t. He said nothing more.
At the parking lot, Qin Shu asked: “Senior, whose car are we taking?”
“Yours,” said Xie Lanzhi. “You drive.”
Qin Shu’s heart skipped. “It’s so dark at night, I don’t dare…”
Looking at Qin Shu’s face, Xie Lanzhi couldn’t find a trace of acting. With acting like this, what a pity he wasn’t studying drama. What surprised him more was that he himself actually went along with it. “Don’t worry, I’m here.”
“I don’t know the way.”
“There’s GPS.”
“…Fine.” Qin Shu braced himself and got in the car. “Senior, I’ll probably drive really slow, don’t look down on me.”
“I won’t.” Xie Lanzhi opened the GPS. “Let’s go. Headlights on.”
“Which lights? High beams?”
“…Low beams.”
Qin Shu fumbled around. “How do you turn them on again…”
As a rookie driver, Qin Shu managed to drive a sports car at the speed of a tricycle. A trip that should’ve taken ten minutes dragged into half an hour. Xie Lanzhi endured without urging him. Being a playboy wasn’t easy—on top of attention to detail, it required endless patience.
Finally reaching the hotel’s underground parking, they spent another ten minutes looking for a space. At last they found one, but Qin Shu spent forever trying to back into it. He kept feeling the space wasn’t enough, that he’d hit the cars on either side. The rearview mirror wasn’t enough, so he stuck his head out the window, straining to look back. “Senior, help me check—can I make it this time?”
Xie Lanzhi said: “Judge for yourself.”
Qin Shu grew a little anxious. “No, but you said you’d teach me! Now you’re telling me to judge for myself—what’s that supposed to mean? Sh*t, I think there’s a car coming from behind, I’m blocking them! Senior, senior, senior—!”
Xie Lanzhi pressed his fingers against his brow. “Get out.”
Qin Shu quickly hopped out of the car, giving up the driver’s seat to Xie Lanzhi. Xie Lanzhi drove forward a little, adjusted his angle, and then reversed cleanly into the space in one smooth motion.
Qin Shu was generous with his praise. “Senior, your driving skills are amazing.”
Xie Lanzhi smiled faintly. “And your acting too.”
Qin Shu blinked. “What do you mean?”
Just then, the elevator arrived. Xie Lanzhi nudged Qin Shu inside by the shoulder. “I mean you’re interesting.”
They took the elevator to the lobby. Xie Lanzhi said, “Give me your ID.”
Qin Shu patted his pocket symbolically. “Cr*p.”
Xie Lanzhi didn’t even ask, just said, “Forgot to bring your ID?”
“How did you know?” He hadn’t even thought about the possibility of spending the night outside when he left home. The room at the hotel yesterday had been booked under his brother’s ID.
“If you don’t have your ID, you can only stay in the same room as me,” Xie Lanzhi said slowly. “And I reserved a king-bed room in advance.”
Qin Shu sighed. “In that case, do you mind, senior?” If Xie Lanzhi said he did, he’d have no choice but to slink back and sleep with Wang Youyu instead.
Xie Lanzhi’s lips curved into a smile. “I don’t mind.”
By the time they entered the room, it was already past eleven. The thought of having to gather again at four in the morning dimmed even Qin Shu’s giddy excitement about “Cheng-Ning” sleeping together tonight.
“You go shower first,” said Xie Lanzhi.
“But I’m so tired, I want to lie down and sprawl a bit first. Senior, you go ahead.”
Xie Lanzhi went into the bathroom. Qin Shu didn’t flop onto the sofa but instead stood in front of the full-length mirror. Staring at his own reflection with a serious expression, he said, “Qin Shu, this is the moment that will test whether your face-obsession is beyond saving.”
Lately, he’d been looking at Xie Lanzhi’s photos every day, and he’d had plenty of direct contact with him too. Sharing a bed was nothing—he could hold it together. Besides, Chu Cheng and Xu Ning were literally sleeping in the same room tonight. Just imagining what they might be doing already burned through his brain cells; how could he have any energy left to worry about Xie Lanzhi?
The sound of water came from the bathroom. Qin Shu couldn’t resist and sent Chu Cheng a WeChat asking what he was doing. No reply for a long while.
That was a good sign! Maybe the baby was doing something with his wife that left him no free hand to text back. Qin Shu could die a virgin for all he cared, as long as “Cheng-Ning” had a fulfilling sex life.
He opened Timi, planning to play a match. By the time Xie Lanzhi was done, one game would be over. He tapped into the main screen, frowned, sensing something off. He looked carefully—
“Overlord Chu, match time: 23 minutes.”
“???” I slaved to deliver your wife right into your bed, and you’re f*cking playing Honor of Kings? Baby, could you at least be reliable once—just once?!
Qin Shu’s mental state collapsed.
When Chu Cheng’s game ended, he replied: 【Just played a match of Honor of Kings. We were down by 15 kills but turned it around in the end. Awesome!】
Uncle Qin: 【(clutching-chest-in-pain.jpg)】
Uncle Qin: 【What’s Ning Ning doing.】
Bad Baby~: 【He’s asleep.】
Uncle Qin: 【Then why aren’t you sleeping with him?】
Bad Baby~: 【I can’t fall asleep.】
Uncle Qin: 【(beyond-words.jpg)】
Bad Baby~: 【Wanna duo queue?】
Uncle Qin: 【Ha. You think I’d stoop to your level?】
Xie Lanzhi came out of the bathroom, toweling his hair, while Qin Shu sat cross-legged on the sofa, holding his phone horizontally. After some frenzied tapping came the message: You have been slain.
Cursing, Qin Shu looked up—and froze at the sight of Xie Lanzhi fresh from the shower.
He wasn’t wearing the hotel bathrobe, but a loose off-shoulder T-shirt and long pants he’d brought himself. Droplets fell from his hair tips, his brows and eyes hazed by mist, his lashes no longer neatly defined but instead heavy with a kind of lush beauty.
…Fine, Qin Shu admitted defeat. Maybe some beauties lost their shine after three days, but no matter how long he looked at Xie Lanzhi, he felt he’d never tire.
“Qin Shu.”
Qin Shu barely found his voice. “…Yeah?”
“You’ve respawned.”
Qin Shu’s face burned, and he dropped his gaze back to the game. His skills were mediocre to begin with; distracted, his play became absolute garbage—terrible positioning, missed skills, feeding kills one after another.
Chu Cheng couldn’t take it anymore and started furiously typing insults. If Xu Ning weren’t sleeping beside him, he’d definitely have turned on his mic to scream.
Flushed and rattled, Qin Shu lost interest. He pressed the voice key and said, “Stop flaming, I’ll get my senior to play for me.”
Xie Lanzhi’s hand, mid-towel, stilled.
Barefoot, Qin Shu scurried over with his phone. “Senior, play for me, I’ll shower—but you have to win!”
Xie Lanzhi took the phone. “Okay.”
Same hero, same build, but with different hands, the results were worlds apart. Xie Lanzhi let Chu Cheng taste yet another glorious comeback. When the match ended, Chu Cheng still hadn’t had enough, sending another team-up request.
Xie Lanzhi declined. “We have to get up early tomorrow. Go sleep.”
Chu Cheng typed: 【Brother Lan, you’re just like my dad.】
【.】
【Seriously not playing?】
【Mm. Sleep.】
Xie Lanzhi quit the game. The screen returned to the main interface—and a photo popped up, familiar yet strange.
Strange, because he’d never seen this photo before.
Familiar, because of the person in it.
His eyes darkened. Leaning back, his body sank into the soft sofa. Tilting his head slightly to the ceiling, he gazed blankly for a moment, then let out a low laugh.
Author’s note: Senior: Even if I’m just one of the sea king’s fish, I’m still the one he likes best?
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