Chapter 13: Having a good time
Very introverted, afraid to play games at an internet cafe.
How could anyone say such a thing???
Yun Ci instinctively wanted to open his mouth to mock, but his gaze fell on that string of district name and ID name, and surprisingly couldn’t speak.
For the first time, he felt that rather than having a fight with Yu Xun, he was more thinking, why would he remember?
Even he himself had long forgotten the game account, so even if they had played the game together back then, why would Yu Xun remember so clearly?
The friendships among the boys at West High were maintained not only by basketball but also by something else that held equal importance among the boys: games.
The black internet cafe near West High was a sacred place protected with all their might by all the boys in the school.
Even though Yun Ci and Yu Xun’s groups were at odds during high school, they nonetheless chose the same stance when it came to the internet cafe.
This led to Yan Yue’s not-so-great track record in this regard during those three years.
Their group would often run into Yu Xun’s group at the internet cafe.
“Yo—here comes Ci-ge who only dealt eight thousand damage in the match at half-past four yesterday afternoon.” Liu Zi was always the first to speak when he saw them, “I don’t know how eight thousand damage was dealt; our Yu-ge dealt thirty thousand last match.”
Yun Ci: “Don’t call me that.”
He walked in and sat down opposite Yu Xun: “If you have the guts, let’s duel.”
…
Back then, they all wore the West High uniform.
The teenagers couldn’t hide their youthfulness, sneaking into the somewhat dim black internet cafe. Various drinks were placed on the old computer desks, and their schoolbags hung crookedly on the backs of their chairs.
Some of them played games while frantically copying homework during breaks.
“Catch this—this is the Chinese test paper, who needed it just now?”
“I finished my math, who has the answers for the English reading?”
…
Compared to the orderly state during the day, this place was practically a lawless land for students.
…
Yu Xun successfully swapped seats with Luo Sifang using his “introversion” and sat next to him.
The introverted Yu Xun logged into his game account and familiarly asked him, “Do you want a drink?”
Yun Ci: “…?” Hell no.
Yu Xun was holding a bottle of cold drink in his other hand, the bottle was very familiar. He lifted it and placed the drink on Yun Ci’s desk: “Mint water, I noticed you liked it before.”
From Yun Ci’s perspective, those two boxes of water had nothing to do with “like.”
Yu Xun bringing it up now seemed more like a provocation.
“Keep it for yourself.” Yun Ci reached out and pushed the bottle back.
After pushing it back, he looked at Luo Sifang and said, “I want to change seats.”
Luo Sifang, who just changed seats: “…”
Yun Ci: “I don’t like people who are too introverted; sitting next to me will affect my performance.”
Luo Sifang: “…”
Damn it, what do you want me to do?
In the stalemate among a few people, Yu Xun took his hand off the mouse and leaned back: “What?”
After saying this word, he deliberately paused.
After a couple of seconds, he continued, “Being so picky about seating for gaming, does it really affect your performance… or are you afraid you can’t beat me?”
Yu Xun knew very well what to say to get a reaction from Yun Ci. As expected, Yun Ci, who was standing up and ready to change seats, or even change to another internet cafe if he couldn’t, sat back down.
He put on his headphones and said nothing.
His fingers entered the password and directly entered the game.
“……”
[Battle start]
Internet addict Luo Sifang becomes particularly talkative when playing games; even a single click of a basic attack can make him say ten sentences.
Yun Ci hardly spok, and Yu Xun talked a lot, but every sentence was precisely centered around a certain teammate.
Yu Xun: “Xiao Ci, there’s a gun here.”
Yun Ci: “I can see it, I’m not blind.”
Yu Xun: “If you want it, you can try begging me.”
Yun Ci: “? Who cares.”
After a while, Yu Xun said again: “There’s someone opposite, they’re camping you, be careful. If you need me to save you—”
Yun Ci: “I said I’m not blind.”
“……”
The neglected Luo Sifang continued to speak: “Yes, yes, yes, the target appeared, aim.”
Luo Sifang: “Good! Ci-ge! Now’s the time!”
Their team immediately got the first kill!
Luo Sifang felt a familiar excitement rising, e-sports is just like this! Passionate and thrilling! This is men’s passion!
The next second.
System broadcast: Player yc1293sdjkce killed player yuxun.
This game allows teammates to attack each other. Generally speaking, except for slip-ups, no one does this.
Told you to aim at people. Who are you aiming at!!!
Luo Sifang’s blood suddenly ran cold.
That night, there was one more person who couldn’t sleep.
[608 Brothers Temporary Secret Chat Group (without Yu Xun and Yun Ci version)]
Luo Sifang: I’ve fallen out of the top 56,000 in the whole server.
Luo Sifang: I lost more ranks today than in all previous seasons combined…
Luo Sifang: I’m starting to think that eSports should be a solo activity. It’s really not suitable for team-building.
Luo Sifang: How can someone keep watching their teammates die all the time!!!
Wang Zhuang: +1
Liu Sheng: +2
Peng Yiyuan: +3
Compared to Luo Sifang, another person in dorm 608 also couldn’t sleep.
Yun Ci hadn’t been this sleep-deprived since high school.
Since starting college, he hadn’t had a good night’s sleep. And every night, his feelings grew more complicated.
He looked at the black avatar in his contact list for a while, unable to resist poking Li Yan.
yc: [Do you remember what my game account is called]
Li Yan was playing a mobile game and replied after a while: [?]
Li Yan thought for a moment, Yun Ci hadn’t played many games, so it wasn’t hard to guess: [Which game, Endless Glory?]
Li Yan: [Are you crazy? That string of gibberish, who would remember it.]
yc: [What if someone remembers.]
Yun Ci’s fingers paused, wanting to type another sentence.
But he didn’t know what else to say. He couldn’t even figure out what he wanted to know.
So, this question was sent out unfinished.
Li Yan still replied with a question mark.
[?]
Being long-time friends, Li Yan was amazed he could understand Yun Ci’s meaning from these few words: [Based on my understanding of you, if it’s who I think it is.]
Li Yan: [You two fought so intensely at that internet café outside West High, you practiced combos all night to catch up on points, you even wanted to print out the game result where you beat Yu Xun by 200 points and post it all over West High, remember?]
yc: […]
Li Yan: [If anyone remembers your gibberish account, it could only be that person. After all that, anyone would remember your account.]
Li Yan: [Can’t retrieve your account?]
Li Yan: [If you can’t retrieve it, there’s nothing you can do. You can’t go ask that Yu guy.]
Yun Ci replied with the last four words.
yc: [Goodbye, going to sleep.]
***
The weekend passed quickly, and Yun Ci spent all day Sunday reading the new textbooks to hand in a study report for Yan Yue. The textbooks, along with various materials Yan Yue had sent him in advance, piled up in a thick stack at the corner of the dorm’s long table.
In freshman year, the main focus was on three foundational courses: Constitutional Law, Jurisprudence, and Legal History.
After classes started, Yun Ci focused on these three subjects.
Yu Xun, on the other hand, began to leave early and return late. Every morning, Liu Zi appeared at the door of dorm 608 at the same time, and the two of them would leave together.
Liu Zi’s entrance was always the same: arms crossed, lounging around, leaning against the doorframe, giving Yun Ci a sidelong glance.
His eyes carried a silent warning.
Yun Ci: “…”
Yun Ci sat at the long table, one leg bent, elbow resting on his knee, idly twirling a black pen in his hand, pretending not to care.
“Damn,” Liu Zi said as he walked out with Yu Xun, “why do I feel like I was despised?”
Yu Xun said: “I don’t think he meant it that way.”
Just as Liu Zi was about to say, “How could he not mean it that way? It totally looks that way,” Yu Xun added: “He probably just thinks you’re a bit of an idiot and is quite speechless, wondering why he sees your face every day.”
Liu Zi: “…”
What’s the difference?
Did you really need to detail Yun Ci’s thoughts like that?
Ever since Yu Xun switched dorms, Liu Zi had been secretly worried about Yu Xun’s life in the dorm. He believed his Yu-ge must be having a tough time.
Even though his Yu-ge inexplicably started acting up in sophomore year and always smiled at Yun Ci, Liu Zi saw it as a sign of a master’s composure—not taking you seriously, not getting angry, even approaching you proactively. That’s real strength.
A strong person should be like that.
But he wouldn’t express this concern too openly because of the unspoken understanding between men, and more importantly, because he understood a man’s pride.
Like many years before, Liu Zi didn’t speak too directly, only asked subtly: “How have things been lately?”
Yu Xun didn’t pay much attention as he lowered his head, texting someone: “Why do you suddenly ask that?”
Liu Zi: “Can’t I show some concern?”
“Sure,” Yu Xun said after sending the message, “things have been good lately.”
Liu Zi: “And by good, you mean—”
Yu Xun even curled his lips as he spoke: “Quite happy.”
Liu Zi: “…”
Sarcasm. Laughing out of frustration, clearly.
A man’s pride won’t let him show vulnerability. It’s okay, words need not be explicit, he understood.
Following Yu Xun, Liu Zi thought his Yu-ge must be mentally on the verge of collapse after switching dorms.
Yun Ci twirled his pen, watching Liu Zi leave, finally enjoying some peace.
However, this feeling didn’t last long. The black avatar popped up in front of him again.
[yx: Went out.]
[yx: Found a part-time job with Liu Zi.]
Yun Ci’s pen stopped: “…”
He couldn’t help but instinctively start typing: Who cares what you’re doing.
After typing the first three words, he realized he was actually responding to Yu Xun.
The phone in his hand suddenly felt a bit hot.
He turned off the phone screen and continued to look at the case analysis in front of him.
Before classes officially started, the other roommates never imagined Yun Ci’s study state would be so terrifying. He needed to master every course in advance, study whenever he had free time, and constantly memorize.
Yun Ci buried himself in his books for over half an hour when Wang Zhuang peeked over from his bed to chat: “I have a cousin.”
Yun Ci decisively said: “Don’t introduce her to me.”
Wang Zhuang finished his sentence: “…her birthday is about to arrive.”
Yun Ci: “…”
Wang Zhuang: “I wanted you to come with me to order a cake near the school. She hasn’t liked the ones I’ve chosen before, maybe I’m too fashionable. So, I wanted you to help me pick one.”
Yun Ci paid the price for his quick mouth and put away his law books to go out with Wang Zhuang.
They walked through the east gate and into the commercial street with the internet café. At the beginning of the school year, many shops had posters saying “Hiring part-time students.”
“This one looks okay.” Wang Zhuang stopped in front of a store.
Yun Ci didn’t pay much attention and followed him inside. As soon as he stepped in—the waiter standing near the entrance, who was initially standing well, suddenly leaned over dramatically.
Yun Ci’s right eyelid twitched.
He looked up and saw that familiar disdainful gaze.
Liu Zi turned his head away, and for the sake of money, said to the air, “Welcome.” This word sounded like it burned his mouth.
Yun Ci couldn’t be bothered to argue with him.
However, seeing Liu Zi made Yun Ci instinctively look for another person.
Sure enough, behind the cashier counter, there was someone sleeping.
That person was sleeping like he was in class, mostly hidden by the computer, one hand on the table and the other behind his neck, with his hair falling down, only revealing his nose and sharp jawline.
So, this was the part-time job Yu Xun had mentioned.
It’s not uncommon for college students to have part-time jobs.
The work environment here was pretty relaxed, and there weren’t many customers at this time, which was why they hired students to watch the shop.
But these two didn’t look like it was their first time; they were quite adept, mostly in saving effort where possible, like the one who dared to sleep.
When enemies meet, they are particularly jealous of each other.
Liu Zi’s welcome exhausted all his politeness. Soon, he said, “Are you buying or not? If not, leave.”
Yun Ci: “Is it any of your business?”
Just as he finished speaking, the sleeping person moved.
When Yun Ci looked again, Yu Xun had already changed his posture. He lowered his hand from behind his neck and sat up slightly, still looking sleepy. He glanced at the computer screen and said, “There’s an online order for a tiramisu.”
He reminded Liu Zi, “Go pack it.”
Liu Zi’s newly ignited anger was temporarily extinguished. Before leaving, he said, “…Don’t leave, wait until I’m done packing.”
Yun Ci: “…”
After Liu Zi left, only Yun Ci, Yu Xun, and Wang Zhuang were left facing each other.
In normal roommate relationships, one would at least ask a question or show some concern.
But Yun Ci would rather die than say something like that, so he couldn’t find any words to start with.
Wang Zhuang didn’t have such concerns. Today, he wore a new silver chain around his neck, as trendy as always: “Yu-ge, why are you working part-time here?”
And that Liu Zi, no wonder he used to sell instant noodles against the rules.
When Wang Zhuang asked, he had an illusion. He felt that Yun Ci, who stood beside him with an attitude of wanting to slam the door and leave, actually had his ears pricked up secretly—because he turned his head but pursed his lips.
Yu Xun didn’t elaborate much: “To earn some money.”
Wang Zhuang: “I didn’t know you liked sweets so much…”
Someone seemed to purse their lips tighter.
Yu Xun: “Oh, this place has the highest hourly wage.”
Wang Zhuang: “…” Very reasonable and realistic.
After saying that, he looked at Yun Ci and asked, “Are you here to buy a cake? Employee discount of 20%, take your pick.”
Is this person really short on money?
Yun Ci didn’t know much about Yu Xun’s family situation. Yan Yue might know more, but he wouldn’t disclose such personal matters.
Yun Ci put his hands in his pockets and said coldly, “I’m going outside.”
Wang Zhuang: “…? What about my cousin?”
Yun Ci pointed to the large glass window outside where the cakes were displayed: “I can see clearly from outside.”
Wang Zhuang: “…”
Sometimes he really thought.
These two going to such lengths for each other, it was really rare.
Not long after Yun Ci and the others entered the store, more precisely, after Yu Xun sat up, another customer came in. But this customer was clearly not attracted by the displayed cakes.
It was a girl, dressed fashionably, with brown curly hair. She walked to the counter and smiled slightly: “I… want to order a cake for a friend, but I can’t decide today. Can I add you as a friend first?”
“Sure.”
Yu Xun was very decisive.
Without any hesitation, he gave a string of WeChat numbers.
Liu Zi, who was packing, found the number increasingly familiar. Isn’t that his WeChat?
???
“My colleague’s number, contact him if you want to buy a cake,” Yu Xun explained with a smile, “As for me—I don’t have much money, still working to save up for a phone.”
Liu Zi: “…”
Just as Yun Ci was stepping out: “…”
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