Chapter 179

Mo Yin wiped his lips with his fingers, slipped his phone into his pocket, and stood up. He and Ye Chi squeezed onto the same step, the narrow space feeling precarious.

Ye Chi’s eyes were fixed tightly, heatedly, and unabashedly on Mo Yin. He no longer feared anything now.

Their bodies touched through the thin fabric, no air conditioning in the safety corridor making it hot, sweat silently crawling up their spines, and body temperatures rising rapidly.

Ye Chi moved his dry lips slightly.

“Creak,” the door to the safety corridor swung open.

“Oh my, Captain, you really are…”

The words froze in Chen Dong’s mouth as he pushed the door open and saw the two. He quickly stood straight and moved to the side, smiling apologetically. “MY is here too.”

Neither of them looked away, their gazes locked on each other.

Chen Dong sensed the tense atmosphere and wisely remained silent.

The eerie silence lingered for a few seconds. Mo Yin’s gaze turned cold and sharp as he looked deeply at Ye Chi before turning away.

Chen Dong hurriedly stepped aside, opening the door for Mo Yin.

After Mo Yin walked out, Chen Dong closed the door and nervously looked at Ye Chi.

Ye Chi’s expression was no longer as lifeless as it had been a few days ago; there was finally a spark in his eyes. Yet there was still an intimidating presence that made Chen Dong hesitate.

Chen Dong cautiously asked, “Captain, are you… going to have a showdown?”

It was REAL’s turn to play. Today, Ye Chi played exceptionally aggressively and irascibly. Sparks flew on the field, with commentators enthusiastically declaring the action, and the audience below thoroughly entertained, exclaiming in excitement.

The match ended 2-0 cleanly. After interviews and photos, the team leader called everyone to leave. Ye Chi stood back, holding his bag strap, saying, “You guys go ahead, I need to stay for a bit.”

The teammates turned back.

Chen Dong hesitated with words on his face.

Sun Yuanyang interjected, “Is the league asking you to do another program?”

“Still discussing,” Ye Chi replied smoothly.

“Huh?” The team leader looked puzzled. “The league has activities for you? I haven’t received any notification.”

Chen Dong caught on and helped Ye Chi by pulling a teammate over, “Let’s go, let the captain handle his business.” He glanced subtly at Ye Chi, who nodded in silent gratitude.

After the teammates left, Ye Chi received a WeChat message from Chen Dong.

“Boss, don’t act rashly, if you have something to say, say it properly!!!”

Ye Chi smiled, realizing Chen Dong had completely misunderstood.

He had acted impulsively today, but he had no regrets.

At 7 o’clock, DSG team appeared on time, their style consistent, the villain’s entrance music complementing the cold-faced players.

Mo Yin looked as confident as ever today, exuding the same aura and expression each time he appeared, commanding attention. Just as he raised his hand to wave, his gaze paused briefly in the audience seats below the stage, then his expression slightly darkened as he walked directly to his seat.

The audience below, who were waving and screaming, were momentarily stunned. Then they began speculating wildly: who did Mo Yin see? Why did his expression suddenly change? It seemed like he was angry.

In reality, Mo Yin wasn’t angry at all. It was an act.

He had seen Ye Chi in the audience.

In the dark corner, behind the staff, Ye Chi had somehow obtained a cap and was carrying a single-shoulder bag, looking up at the stage. Just as during the spring tournament when Mo Yin watched Ye Chi’s matches from the audience, Ye Chi had stayed behind, hiding in the crowd to watch Mo Yin play.

With everyone present, providing appropriate feedback was necessary for this game called ambiguity to continue.

Mo Yin’s performance on the field was as dazzling as ever.

The silky smooth operations of the hero on the big screen combined with the cold face in the bottom left corner made him irresistibly cheered and fascinated by the audience.

Ye Chi exchanged greetings with the staff and discreetly stood among them, looking up at Mo Yin’s dominance on the stage.

Ye Chi had watched every one of Mo Yin’s matches. He knew Mo Yin’s style of play inside out—efficiently crushing opponents was Mo Yin’s ultimate goal in a match. He rarely showed off flashy maneuvers or sought kills; his only aim was to win.

But today, Mo Yin seemed a bit irritable. ADT’s mid-laner was being beaten badly, and Ye Chi clearly heard someone from ADT mutter a perfectly enunciated curse.

The commentators chuckled on stage, swiftly diverting the topic.

“Wow, today’s two matches were really intense.”

“Indeed, especially the two mid-laners. Quit was also quite aggressive in the last match.”

“I’m looking forward to their showdown in the summer season. It’s bound to be thrilling.”

The first game ended in thirty minutes with ADT’s base exploding. Mo Yin immediately removed his headphones and left, seeming to not want to linger on the stage.

Offstage, Ye Chi’s heart clenched slightly, hurt by Mo Yin’s avoidance.

But wasn’t this actually a good sign?

Compared to being ignored.

There was a twenty-minute break.

The players returned to the stage, Mo Yin holding a paper cup, head lowered, eyes sparingly meeting anyone’s gaze, yet almost all eyes on the stage were fixed on him.

In the second game, Mo Yin seemed to calm down, returning to his usual pace of play. DSG also won the game more efficiently than the first.

Compared to the start of the season where Mo Yin carried the team alone, the entire DSG team was swiftly returning to their former glory as champions, defeating the spring season runners-up again, proving that DSG was still DSG.

During the fan interaction segment, a lucky fan went on stage for a photo with the team. Fans below were all taking pictures with their phones. In the darkness, Ye Chi also raised his phone, zooming in with the camera. From his angle, he could only capture a side profile of Mo Yin, whose gaze was focused in a direction away from him.

After the interaction, the players left the stage. Apart from the unusual wave before the first game started, Mo Yin showed no sign of being affected.

The members of the DSG team returned to the locker room together. Everyone seemed a bit agitated today, footsteps echoing in the empty corridor. Mo Yin loosened his collar, glancing around. Through a crack, he saw the safety corridor door faintly ajar.

A spring door didn’t crack open for no reason.

Someone must be pulling it open from behind.

Mo Yin withdrew his gaze, his lips curling slightly into a curve, then immediately suppressed it.

He was completely replicating what he had done during the spring season.

Was this a kind of suggestive provocation?

You clearly don’t look like you’re indifferent to me on the surface, do you?

That narrow crack conveyed such a question.

In the locker room, everyone rested and drank water, preparing for interviews. Mo Yin took a sip of warm water, set down the paper cup, and walked out of the locker room. No one inside the locker room looked up.

For Mo Yin, suddenly leaving the team was as normal as it could be.

The safety corridor was in the middle of the hallway.

Mo Yin walked out of the DSG locker room, steadily approaching the safety corridor, the gap becoming clearer from afar.

Ye Chi was waiting for him.

To see if he would be provoked or offended by pride and come to explain.

Behind the safety corridor door, the space was completely stuffy. Sweat was already oozing from Ye Chi’s forehead. The footsteps drew closer, and he knew, it was Mo Yin; he could recognize him from his footsteps alone, unbelievably.

Very close now.

Just a few steps away.

Ye Chi gripped the door handle, his heartbeat accelerating with each step.

The footsteps didn’t stop, passing by the safety door and continuing forward, farther and farther away.

Ye Chi suddenly pulled open the safety door. The door swung open with a piercing sound. At the end of the hallway, Mo Yin had already entered the restroom.

Inside the restroom, a staff member was coming out from a cubicle, saw Mo Yin, and greeted him with a smile. Mo Yin nodded slightly. The staff member wiped his hands with tissue, looked up again, and smiled, “Quit, still here?”

The staff member’s appearance calmed Ye Chi’s emotions slightly. He forced a smile and replied, “Yes.”

Mo Yin seemed indifferent to whether he followed or not, and walked toward one of the stalls.

“Still busy?”

“Yes.”

Ye Chi replied, unable to control his peripheral vision as Mo Yin seemed to want to keep his distance and walked to the innermost stall.

Ye Chi restrained his impatience and spoke to the staff member. Fortunately, the staff member didn’t say much and left.

After the staff member left the restroom, Ye Chi hurried over and, in the instant Mo Yin pushed the stall door, his palm pushed forward, squeezing into the same stall.

Two tall men over six feet immediately cramped the stall full.

“Because Ye Chi was so impatient, Mo Yin was pushed forward from behind by him. His reflexes were sharp; his long legs instinctively spread apart with inertia, straddling the sides of the toilet. His palms braced against the wall, Mo Yin turned his face, eyes flashing with a cold, stern look. ‘Ye Chi, have you lost your mind?’

‘I want to talk to you.’

Ye Chi whispered softly. His breathing was steady, but not calm—rather deliberately restrained.

‘I don’t want to talk to you.’

Ye Chi stared into Mo Yin’s eyes.

Mo Yin’s posture was awkward, his back to Ye Chi, twisted slightly from cheek to waist. He seemed hyped from a game, a bit sweaty, the DSG summer white jersey clinging tightly to his body, muscles subtly defined, hinting at restrained explosiveness, as if ready to pummel Ye Chi at any moment.

Ye Chi’s muscles tensed. There were things he might not have the courage or opportunity to say to Mo Yin again if he didn’t say them today.

‘I…’

He started, heat rising from deep within his lungs, throat dry from the burning fire in his heart.

Ye Chi licked his lips.

Mo Yin’s pupils slightly contracted.

His change in expression didn’t escape Ye Chi’s gaze.

He cared.

Ye Chi’s heart pounded wildly.

He wasn’t as unaffected outwardly as he seemed.

Mo Yin’s lips tightened, a touch of displeasure at the corners.

Ye Chi felt his chest about to explode. Instinctively, or perhaps testing the waters, his face leaned forward slightly. Mo Yin’s eyelashes fluttered with his movement, seemingly startled by the warm breath Ye Chi exhaled, so cold and distant yet irresistibly drawing closer.

Mo Yin lifted his left hand, gripping Ye Chi’s collar, knuckles pressing against his throat, forcefully halting Ye Chi’s next move.

Icy eyes warned Ye Chi.

A dry ache rolled inside and outside Ye Chi’s throat.

Mo Yin’s knuckles stood out distinctly against his throat, swallowing, the Adam’s apple rolling between his fingers like a blade scraping bone.

“Enough.”

Mo Yin relaxed his grip slightly, allowing Ye Chi’s throat to pass through smoothly.

“Get out.”

Mo Yin shrugged off Ye Chi’s collar.

Ye Chi remained still. “I…”

Voices came from outside.

“MY?”

It was Tang Qi.

“MY, are you there? Interview time.”

“Coming.”

Mo Yin raised his voice, glaring coldly at Ye Chi once more.

“Alright, I’ll go back first.”

Footsteps walked away.

Mo Yin pushed backward with his elbow, bumping into Ye Chi’s chest. He gestured for Ye Chi to leave. Ye Chi indeed took a step back, but it was just a moment. Ye Chi moved forward again, arms wrapping tightly around him—a person he fell for at first sight, love so deep even confessing was difficult.

Bodies pressed together, heat instantly transferring between them.

Mo Yin took a deep breath, his abdomen tightening slightly. Leveraging his waist, he pulled back slightly from Ye Chi. “Let go.” His tone remained icy, yet on closer listen, there was a hint of stiffness.

Ye Chi’s arms crossed in front of his chest.

Mo Yin’s chest rose and fell with his arms like waves.

Ye Chi pressed forward again, filling the gap Mo Yin had created. His breath and voice sprayed onto Mo Yin’s shoulder, partly murmuring, partly uncontrollable. His chest heaved heavily, lungs almost steamed hot with breath, struggling for air.

Heartbeat going crazy.

Ye Chi’s arms tightened, unbearable force. Slowly easing off, his palm lightly rested on Mo Yin’s shoulder. He lowered his head slowly, the fabric on Mo Yin’s back sinking, outlining a downward curve. Bodies leaned forward, suspended by a slight, sparse distance, almost touching.

“Ye Chi, do you really want to die?”

The tone had reached freezing point, yet couldn’t cool the high heat in Ye Chi’s chest.

“I’m sorry, I’m a bit crazy.”

Ye Chi’s palm slowly slid down.

“I’ll be waiting for you at the north entrance of the venue. Don’t stand me up.”