Ch14 - “You Have Never Once Thought Of Him”

The women he has slept with cannot be counted with both hands?!

Everything else was fine. It was only this sentence that made Li Zhongchen more and more annoyed as he looked at it. The loss of his mother at a young age led him to becoming completely ignorant on how to get along with those identified as the opposite gender. As a person who tended to reject those of the opposite gender, he only felt that this rumor was too ridiculous. 

Forget about elementary school. Later when he went to vocational school, those in his major were destined for hard labor, hence they had never once seen even a strand of a woman’s hair in his class.

He had only gone to school on and off for a year. Later, he even had to drop out of school and enter society in order to pay off his debts. It was arduous.

He met a group of drinking buddies, and they were brothers that were a few years older than him and they were loyal to one another.

All the guys that he was close with were gay, and they were all invited and present at the bar tonight. 

“This is obviously someone…” Qiao Yi frowned. “Targeting you?”

He was also worried about using the wrong terms.

Li Zhongchen taught him a more accurate way of saying it. “Someone wants to mess with me.”

“Can you guess who it is?”

“Not a clue.”

It was true that Li Zhongchen had offended many people.

There were many monsters and freaks that existed in society. He had come into contact with people with all sorts of problems. Although he was someone who did not speak much cruel words, it was common for others to trip him up behind his back.

Until they returned to the room on the third floor. 

By now, there were thousands of comments under the Weibo post. The most popular comment even exposed additional information. “Ah, I’ve met this handsome guy before. Last time, when I accompanied my friends to a bar, I thought he was a bartender or something like that. He was too handsome, my sisters even wanted to chat him up, hahahahaha. My sister is a 0.”

It was supposed to be a wonderful and special day, but the atmosphere became strangely depressing.

Li Zhongchen hid in the bathroom for a call.

The manager at that time was not Old Wang. It was someone from another department that was temporarily assigned to supervise them. “Xiao Li ah, although you’re supposedly on vacation today, since you know that something like this has happened, shouldn’t you be coming back to the base instead of galavanting outside?! It’s easier for us to discuss a solution for this face-to-face too.” 

“I have urgent matters. Sorry, I really can’t go back right now.” Li Zhongchen frowned. “We can talk over the phone.”

“Ai, look at you. I know your character well. Because of your family’s circumstances, it hasn’t been easy for you since you were young. It’s all because our club is small and is easily bullied. Initially, we thought about relying on your appearance to attract some traffic, but who could have expected that the focus of their attention was fabricated so outlandishly. Why not this…I’ll negotiate with the higher ups about issuing a clarification statement on Weibo in a couple of days. The soonest will be the day after tomorrow, alright?”

His words made Li Zhongchen feel extremely gloomy. If he were to translate it to human words, it would be: who cares if it’s a scandal, there is attention! Let’s let this topic fly for a bit before washing you clean of injustice, no need to rush!

But in fact, Li Zhongchen more or less understood. 

The only thing they could blame was that SVG was too shabby. Because they had youth trainees, it was natural that a team would be formed. But why was it that investment of the higher ups of the Apex branch ended up being like phoenix feathers and qilin’s horns? It was all because at that time, all the active teams of the various branches under SVG were ranked from the back no matter what competitions they were in. They were weaker than 2T of seven years later and did not have much presence.

What was so bad about attracting a wave of attention?

Since the subject was brought up and will be washed clean at a later time, perhaps the team could take advantage of the popularity and be on the uptrend. Livestreaming could pull in quite a large sum of money, and who in the world did not love money?

Until he came out of the bathroom. 

He knew that Qiao Yi must have heard everything judging from the expression he saw on his face.

Qiao Yi smoothed his fur. “I know that whatever was written on the exposé is fake. What campus bullying, wasn’t that because back then there was someone that bullied Xiao Xun, so you went to beat that person up? The others are even more exaggerated. If it wasn’t to repay debts, who would be willing to make money so desperately…”

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Li Zhongchen hugged him for a moment. “Actually, it’s alright. I’m not some kind of debuting celebrity. It’s fine as long as it doesn’t affect the others in the team.”

Pcrafjv, Hljb Tl rjlv, “atfgf lr jirb j agfcv bo mtjrlcu mfifyglas qijsfgr lc atf frqbgar mlgmif. Pa’r cfnfg ubbv ab yf wlrecvfgrabbv ys batfgr. Olrafc ab sbeg wjcjufg jcv ub yjmx ab atf yjrf. P’ii rfcv sbe atfgf.” 

“P’w cba ublcu yjmx. Pa klii yf gfrbinfv joafg j mbeqif bo vjsr lo kf ifjnf la yf.” Ol Itbcumtfc gfoerfv rafgcis. “Lbk mjc P cba jmmbwqjcs sbe bc sbeg ylgatvjs.”

Qiao Yi appeared moved. “I’m also quite worried about you. Maybe I’ll think of another way.”

But Li Zhongchen did not expect that the other way that he meant was to step up and explain for him.

While he was taking a shower, Qiao Yi reposted SVG’s official announcement, and even said a lot on his behalf— 

@MW-Joe: Congratulations to the official announcement of the new SVG team. I have interacted with assault player Echo in the past. He is a very hardworking person with excellent qualities. I hope that everyone will not be misled. There is no need to question his character.

At that time, everyone was stunned.

[Team SVG? Where did this country bumpkin team come from?]

[??? Joe of MW reposted SVG’s official announcement and even offered up his blessings? I’ve gone stupid = =] 

[Was MW healer’s account stolen??? Banned by the account stealing dog team?]

[Wu wu wu Qiao Qiao, if your account was stolen, can you blink your eyes TAT Mummy will come save you!]

Even Yao Tong and the rest could not believe it and called him. “Damn, Brother Zhong, you actually know MW’s Joe?! That’s the unstoppable, hottest star player right now, why have I never heard you mention this before!”

Li Zhongchen was utterly confused by everything that happened all so suddenly. He did not usually pay attention to social media platforms, and did not know about the development of the public’s opinion. 

On the other hand, Qiao Yi sat cross-legged on the bed, his gaze soft as he stared at Li Zhongchen’s abdominal muscles. “It’s already one, if we still want to continue paying attention to them, should the both of us just close our eyes and sleep?”

Li Zhongchen’s face burned, and he kissed the other as he whispered, “you don’t have to do this for me.”

Yet a few days later.

The heat of popularity did not just slowly rise. It was more like the explosion of a seething cauldron. 

Originally, Li Zhongchen’s appearance already attracted many girlfriend fans. In addition to his exciting and aggressive gameplay style that was so blindly dazzling, fanboys who played Apex were also attracted to him.

There were even some people who followed the vine to get to the melon. After learning what happened to him, they were deeply affected by it.

As for Qiao Yi.

After being brought in for a private conversation with Boss Qin, it did not take much for one to know that it was not a pleasant conversation. 

But at that time, these were the original words that Qiao Yi said: “At most, I just have to turn in my Weibo account and not be able to use it. But I don’t want others to misunderstand you. You’re obviously such a good person.”

In the end, this incident.

It marked the beginning, but it was also a splintering point.

Ever since that incident, SVG’s Apex branch team began to have some fame because of Li Zhongchen. 

They were a grassroots club by origin; yet within half a year, not only were they able to do well in all sorts of domestic competitions, they were poised and ready. Under the watching eyes of thousands, they were invincible in the Asia regional challenger circuit. Even MW was almost suppressed.

The team was too brilliant, and the fans that followed were also competitive and very arrogant, especially Echo fans. Even the term “considering others beneath their notice” was not too far fetched as a description for them.

If they encountered something they did not like, they would deliberately provoke the group, and then continue to insult and scold another group the next day.

Did Li Zhongchen not care? 

Initially, he tried to manage them. But later, those things that happened on the internet were too annoying. He was not a person that took everything to heart, and really believed that if he did not bother to pay attention to them, the internet would become peaceful.

As for the entanglement between Echo fans and Joe fans.

It all started with the first anniversary after SVG’s debut.

In the first year of the pre-season’s preheats, the organizer photoshopped Li Zhongchen’s height on the promotional poster to be shorter than he was. It looked as though he and Qiao Yi were about the same height. Echo fans who were bored and had nothing else better to do went to the official blog for a personal attack. They had even questioned if the graphic designer was blind and told them to eat lutein supplements. 

In the second year, the JuJu incident happened. A revolt broke out.

In the third year, fans fought over a banner advertisement outside the stadium of the national competition and utterly embarrassed themselves.

In the fourth year, Qiao Yi randomly put on a jacket that belonged to Li Zhongchen at home and went out. It was an unintentional action, but he was slandered behind his back by E-fans, saying that he had done it on purpose, that he was a scheming bitch, and was shameless to the point that he specially bought the same article of clothing just to become a topic of conversation.

In the final year, they welcomed the end with exhaustion. Because of problems with his contract, Qiao Yi had to return to America. Li Zhongchen lost the national competition, and having been willing to gamble and admit his defeat, he retired— 

Echo fans hated Qiao Yi to the core.

Joe fans looked at Li Zhongchen with colored lenses, saying he was ungrateful and scolded that he deserved it.

They came this whole way.

Li Zhongchen rarely took things that were said on the internet to heart, and Qiao Yi did not say a word about it. From the beginning to the end, he had thought that the others did not care. 

It was not until later that Yao Tong woke him up with a scolding. But by then, Qiao Yi had already left for more than half a year.

“I really thought the two of you were just buddies at first, just like us and Cub Hang. If it wasn’t because of what you said after we got you drunk……Ai, who would have known that Xiao Qiao was that first love that we teased you about in the past. In the end, he came here because of the promise he made with you to walk to the summit together. Initially, he did not have much aside from you, all his friends and family were back in America.”

“The situation at the beginning was a little difficult. The conflict between the two of you was essentially a clash of your characters. After we went to Busan, there were even more of those problematic acts. Fuck, it really was damned…”

In his entire life, Li Zhongchen had only ever cried for two people. 

When he was young, he did not understand. When his mother was not around, he continued to play in the mud. All he knew was that his mother had not returned home for a long time.

On the day of his father’s death, Li Zhongchen held onto Qiao Yi as he cried his heart out, his vision blurred from tears. Qiao Yi continued to stroke his back, comforting him who cried like a child.

Qiao Yi’s nose stung as he continued repeating over and over again. “You still have me. I will be with you.”

As for the second person. 

It was Qiao Yi, who had once told him ‘you still have me’. Everything shattered like ceramics, and he had completely lost Qiao Yi.

In the past, Qiao Yi gave so much for him. When they were in love, there was only good in his eyes. The vows they made together for their dreams, all the obstacles in their way, sharing weal and woe. Being able to stand together with you at the top was a dream I once believed was beyond my reach.

It was like he had experienced a long dream. Once he had completely woken up, everything was gone.

. 

The hands of time turned back to seven years later.

Twilight merged into darkness. The black sedan came to a stop at the empty area behind SVG’s base. Li Zhongchen, who sat in the passenger seat, had reddened eyes.

Qiao Yi lit a cigarette. He had become more skillful in the action, yet he was also someone who often persuaded Li Zhongchen time and time again, who had been severely addicted to cigarettes, “can’t you smoke less? What kind of lungs do you have that can tolerate such torture from you.”

It was too quiet. 

Qiao Yi changed the radio station, and music began to fill the car—

“At that time / Only you rushed forward with me / Sometimes / I felt happier being hurt

We braved the wind and flew / Sliding across the vast ocean and open skies / without a care / We threw the world behind us…”

Li Zhongchen smelled the scent of smoke and heard Qiao Yi ask, “I’ll light one for you?” 

He shook his head lightly. “I’ve quit.”

Qiao Yi seemed a little surprised.

The music continued to play. It was like their experiences in the past few years could be sung within the span of a song.

“So, why did you come back? You’ve already won the Galactic championships in the American server. The biannual Global Series Championships will be held in the latter half of next year. After getting top three and retiring, isn’t that good?” Li Zhongchen suppressed the acidic feeling that was bubbling within him. “Why on earth did you come back?” 

Qiao Yi lowered his gaze and responded absently. “Isn’t it the same wherever I compete?”

Li Zhongchen pressed. “So? If you’re not planning on renewing your contract with MW, where are you intending to sign? OPW? Are you going to squeeze Xu Hang down to take the role of a substitute?

Qiao Yi: “Can you not insult him? Xu Hang is not as noob as you say.”

Both of them calmed down at this moment. 

The tense atmosphere in the parking lot had long since disappeared.

“Then what can I do to help you?” Li Zhongchen did not give up. “If you don’t want to renew your contract with MW, then your old teammates and that person with the last name Qin would at most treat you with plastic-like politeness. Even if something happened, they wouldn’t bother about you. In the past, it was because I was too arrogant. Having gotten used to it, I even forgot that you are from a foreign country. There were many things that I did not consider well which led to them getting worse.”

It was as though Qiao Yi had heard a joke. “It’s not as bad as you say. I’ve never been one that needed someone to take care of me. It was only because I liked you that I could not leave you, no?”

As he said this, Qiao Yi turned his head to look at Li Zhongchen, both their eyes meeting. 

At this time, Qiao Yi’s eyes were red. He exhaled the smoke towards Li Zhongchen. It was as though the untainted person who he held at the tip of his heart back then had suddenly changed so much to the point that Li Zhongchen almost did not recognize him.

He did not know what he could say at that moment. He understood better now the contradictions between them all those years, and they were kept intact to this day.

“Li Zhongchen, I already do not know why I want to continue competing. Is it a hobby, or is it because if I left the professional scene I would not be able to support myself?” Qiao Yi’s gaze was complicated. His voice was soft and delicate, yet spoke of the most sorrowful words. “I seem to have everything, yet at the same time, I have nothing. Only when I returned to America did I realize how pitiful losing one’s sense of belonging is.”

Hearing that, Li Zhongchen felt as though his body was being cut by a sharp blade. 

The pain was not obvious at first. But with time, as it continued to spread, it stung deep into his marrows, invading his last line of defenses.

Qiao Yi continued. “Why do all of you think that MW has reserved a place for me, that after my return I would still be the commander of team 1? How awesome am I that it’s worth it to put Brother Qin through it for my sake one more time?”

“…” Li Zhongchen realized that something was not right after listening to him. “What did you say?”

Qiao Yi smiled bitterly. “I am but an outcast that no one wants now. Do you still not understand?” 

Noa’s Notes:
The song that was played in the car is 梦见你梦见我 (A dream where you dreamt of me) by Yoga Lin! (song | lyrics)
On a side note, due to some work schedule changes, we won’t be able to post strictly on schedule as we did for the next two weeks. We will still try to release 2 chapters a week, but we hope for your understanding and patience! Regular release schedule will resume on the 26th ^^