DSF Chapter 37

With the coffee in hand, Yan Yibing suddenly didn’t feel in a hurry to go back.

He peeled off the lid, inserted the straw into the cup, and took a long sip.

Cool and sweet, the aroma of coffee mixed with the softness of ice cream tantalized his taste buds. Satisfied, Yan Yibing half-closed his eyes, resembling a content cat.

Han Mo didn’t drink. He walked to the door, pressed a switch, and the light bulb suddenly lit up.

The warm, pale yellow glow illuminated the entire room, truly the entire room.

Because it was so spacious, there was nowhere for shadows to hide.

Yan Yibing, sitting on the sofa, frowned.

The decoration was too simple. If he didn’t know the basic salary of the team captain, he would have thought that Han Mo had run out of money after buying the house.

“Do you live here alone?” he asked.

Han Mo went to the sink, washed his hands, and threw the used light bulb and packaging into the trash.

“Otherwise?”

Yan Yibing bluntly said, “It’s too simple. It seems like there’s nothing here.”

Han Mo replied, “It’s enough.”

Yan Yibing lightly bit the straw, and his eyelids trembled.

Well, for someone who spends most of their time gaming throughout the day, how much personal life can they have?

Actually, he was quite curious if Han Mo had any other family, like a father or something.

But Han Mo had never mentioned it, perhaps because they were no longer alive.

For some unknown reason, Yan Yibing suddenly found the coffee a bit bitter.

He quickly stirred the ice cream floating on top with the straw, blending it into the coffee.

Han Mo’s gaze fell on his chest, his eyes darkening. In a hoarse voice, he said, “The clothes are dirty.”

Yan Yibing was startled, and it took him a while to realize that Han Mo was referring to him.

Lowering his head, Yan Yibing discovered two grayish traces on the chest area.

Just now, when he hugged Han Mo’s leg, his clothes accidentally rubbed against the heel of his shoe, causing the stains.

Yan Yibing furrowed his brows and shrugged, “Oh, it’s fine. I don’t plan to keep it anyway. I’ll throw it away when I get back.”

He intended to finish the ice cream float coffee and leave.

He was planning to take a shower anyway, and he didn’t mind a little dirt.

But Han Mo’s gaze lingered particularly heatedly on the stained area. After a while, he calmly stated, “I have a new short-sleeved shirt. Let me get one for you.”

Yan Yibing quickly waved his hand. “No need. This one’s not worth much. I’ve had it for a long time, so I won’t feel bad about throwing it away.”

“I’ll get it for you,” Han Mo insisted firmly, turning to head upstairs.

His staircase was also simple, not designed like a European-style spiral staircase, nor was it the solid and elegant brown of traditional Chinese design. It was just a simple white step and white handrail, like any ordinary staircase in public facilities.

Soon, the light on the second floor illuminated a few steps, and Yan Yibing faintly heard the sound of things being rummaged through.

The sound stopped, and Han Mo came down. He held a packaged bag, and through the transparent plastic, Yan Yibing could see neatly folded clothes inside.

Han Mo walked up to him, tore open the package, and took out the short-sleeved shirt.

“It’s a gift from the brand, but it’s pure black without a logo. It won’t have any impact on you.”

Most of Han Mo’s clothes were dark, but Yan Yibing preferred warm colors and rarely wore black.

Worried that Yan Yibing might refuse to wear it, Han Mo explained clearly. Even if he kept the shirt, it wouldn’t displease any of Zero’s sponsors, as it genuinely couldn’t be identified as any particular brand.

However, Yan Yibing probably wouldn’t keep it.

Taking the shirt, Yan Yibing muttered, “I said it’s not necessary.”

The shirt was indeed new, unopened, and had a faint scent of new fabric.

Han Mo’s clothing size was one size larger than his, but wearing it wouldn’t look particularly exaggerated.

“You change. I’ll go up…” Han Mo started to say, but before he could finish, Yan Yibing had already pulled off the oversized white short-sleeved shirt.

Han Mo: “!!!”

Yan Yibing seemed slender, but his body wasn’t thin.

After all, he was only twenty-five years old, with a fast metabolism. Even without much exercise, he could maintain a good physique.

However, he rarely saw sunlight, so his skin was extremely fair, almost the same color on his neck, chest, and lower abdomen.

Perhaps the chest was even whiter.

Earlier outside, Yan Yibing had been draped in a towel, barely exposing any skin. But now, Han Mo was caught off guard by the unexpected sight.

Han Mo felt his blood boiling. His face, which had always been cold, couldn’t help but flush. The sofa, the person, the environment, the lighting—everything was perfect.

It was a perfect crime scene, if he were a beast.

Han Mo fiercely bit his cheek, and the taste of blood slowly spread. The tip of his tongue also tasted the warmth and saltiness.

Fuck.

Because he cherished it too much, he couldn’t act like a beast in front of Yan Yibing. Yet, he couldn’t tear his eyes off him either.

How could a guy be raised this delicate? From fingertips to strands of hair, all untouched by the trials of life. Moreover, he exudes immense self-confidence, experiencing a smooth-sailing life, akin to a proud swan shaking its feathers in the clear waters of a serene lake.

Although Yan Yibing had his share of quirks and flaws, he wasn’t in the least bit detestable; on the contrary, he was quite adorable.

No one can dislike him.

He makes people both love and hate him.

Yan Yibing shook the black short-sleeved shirt, slipped it over his head, stretched his arms, and adjusted the shirt at his waist, and the hem of the short-sleeved shirt naturally hung down.

He rarely wore plain black clothes and subconsciously looked around, afraid it might not suit him.

However, Han Mo lightly raised his eyebrows.

Yan Yibing’s skin was fair, and black made him appear even whiter, like a freshly peeled peanut kernel, pleasing to the eye.

“Thanks. It was a gift from a brand anyway, so I won’t return it,” Yan Yibing said without any pretense. After all, this piece of clothing was not important to Han Mo.

He casually balled up his soiled clothes, preparing to toss them into the trash by the door.

Han Mo reached out, “Give it to me; I’ll help you throw it away.”

Yan Yibing hesitated for a moment, frowned, and said, “No need; I’ll toss it on my way home.”

Han Mo insisted, “It’s no trouble. I’ll help you, and I’ll also return the ladder for you.”

“Oh.” Yan Yibing almost forgot about the ladder; he really didn’t want to move it.

He quickly finished the ice cream float coffee, making a slurping sound with the straw.

Yan Yibing shook the cup and threw it into the trash can.

Han Mo handed him the other cup, “Take it with you and drink it, I’ll take you back.”

Yan Yibing’s eyelids drooped slightly as he stared at Han Mo’s hand, smiling, “You’ve been unusually polite lately, and I’m not used to it.”

Han Mo replied calmly, “Hmm, people need to keep learning. If the method is not right, try a different approach.”

Curious, Yan Yibing asked, “Learn what?”

Han Mo’s gaze lingered on Yan Yibing’s face for a moment, then he said slowly, “Learn how to be human.”

“Huh?”

Are nineteen-year-olds nowadays so profound?

Recalling the things Han Mo had done to him before, occasionally they were quite inhumane.

Was Han Mo reflecting on his own actions, feeling he had been a bit too much?

In truth, he also had his faults, and Yan Yibing felt a bit ashamed.

However, amidst his shame, he also felt gratified. Even if Han Mo wasn’t with Zero anymore, there were still lessons to be learned from him.

He truly deserves to be Han Mo’s master.

Yan Yibing faintly felt that his image had grown taller again.

Unaware of Yan Yibing’s sudden sense of pride, Han Mo dismantled and folded the ladder, carrying it in his hands. He whispered to Yan Yibing, “Let’s go.”

They left the door, walking back the same way they came.

Yan Yibing pointed to the side of the road, “Recyclable trash bin.”

“Hmm,” Han Mo didn’t bother looking, “Throw it on the way back.”

Yan Yibing wanted to ask what the difference was between throwing it now and later, but he felt he was talking too much, so he decided not to ask.

They arrived at the entrance of the Yan family’s home.

Han Mo still didn’t enter the house; he stood not too close, not too far away, seemingly merging into the darkness of the night.

He handed the ladder to Yan Yibing, waved casually, turned around, and walked away.

Yan Yibing, holding the ladder in one hand and the coffee in the other, leisurely entered the house.

He returned the ladder to the basement and walked upstairs along the stairs.

When he reached the living room, Mama Yan turned her head and glanced, “Ah, you went out after taking a shower?”

Yan Yibing leaned against the railing, lowered his eyes, and lazily replied, “Haven’t showered yet.”

Mama Yan frowned, “You went out without showering. When did you lose your cleanliness obsession?”

“Oh, I had something to do. I won’t talk anymore; I’m going upstairs.” Yan Yibing said.

Mama Yan caught sight of the ice cream float coffee in his hand and grunted, “Something to do? Buying junk food behind my back again.”

Yan Yibing quietly hid the ice cream float coffee behind his back, “I’m going to take a shower.”

Mama Yan casually remarked, “Nice shirt.”

Yan Yibing hesitated briefly, feeling uncomfortable, he rubbed his stomach and tugged at the corner of his T-shirt, murmuring, “I think so too.”

Raising his head from his law books, Papa Yan casually mentioned, “By the way, seems like a cruise ticket arrived at home. I placed it in your room. Take a look.”

Yan Yibing remembered, “Oh right, I’m going on a seven-day trip to Japan in a while. Do you need anything to be bought?”

Mama Yan’s eyes brightened with enthusiasm as she lifted her head, “Qiao dou ma dai,¹桥豆麻袋(Qiáo dòu mádài), it is like the chinese pronunciation of ちょっと待って(Chottomatte), which is Japanese, and in english it means wait a minute. I’ll send you the list tomorrow!”

Yan Yibing hesitated for a moment and said politely, “… how about sparing your son? Let’s skip the electric rice cooker and toilet seat.”

Mama Yan smiled elegantly, as if bathed in a spring breeze, “Mom needs a stove here.”

Yan Yibing sincerely said, “Goodbye, Mom.”

In the empty living room, Han Mo didn’t turn on the lights.

He leaned on the sofa, his eyes gradually adjusting to the darkness.

Just a moment ago, there was still another person’s warmth here, but now it was just him.

It’s truly deserted.

Han Mo closed his eyes, slowly lifting the white T-shirt that had gotten dirty on his hand.

He buried his face into the shirt, unable to restrain himself, taking a deep breath.

The shirt carried Yan Yibing’s scent—sweet, gentle, an exhilarating aroma that stirred the blood.

He lied to Yan Yibing about throwing it away. How could he? He wanted to keep all of his belongings.

Han Mo squeezed the T-shirt tightly with a little force of his fingers.

His cheeks were warm and his mouth dry, but he greedily refused to part with it.

He still didn’t understand how to express his feelings for Yan Yibing.

He resented Yan Yibing’s indifference. Even if Yan Yibing had shown him a bit of attachment or reluctance back then, he would have willingly sacrificed everything for the team’s reputation and for Yan Yibing’s principles.

Yan Yibing could take his life if he wanted.

But there was none of that—no tenderness, no helplessness, no struggle. Just the cold word “get out.”

It made him feel like the time they spent together was a mere illusion.

Not only that, but he also lost his mother.

He sat by his mother’s bedside, physically and mentally exhausted, lost and helpless.

Two hundred thousand—enough for one treatment. After that, he’d have to use means that Yan Yibing would disapprove of to earn money, drifting further from his goals.

He knew he had fallen into a vortex, but he couldn’t save himself.

In the end, it was his mother who freed him.

Han Mo’s mother, unable to sleep due to pain, sat in the hospital room, both of them silently gazing at each other, only the gentle moonlight enveloping the window.

Han’s mother weakly smiled, “Mom won’t undergo treatment, okay?”

She wasn’t hysterically venting emotions but calmly discussing them with Han Mo.

She treated the seventeen-year-old Han Mo as someone capable of deciding everything.

Han Mo hadn’t fully matured yet. The cold and handsome face still bore a trace of youthful innocence.

Biting his lip hard, he shook his head.

A patient was sleeping in the adjacent bed, so Han Mo didn’t dare speak loudly.

In a strained voice, he said, “No.”

Han Mo’s mother raised her hand and gently ran her fingers through his hair.

In the darkness, Han Mo couldn’t see if tears were in her eyes.

Softly, Han Mo’s mother said, “I want to live peacefully for the rest of my days. I don’t want to stay in the hospital. I remember you said you wanted to watch the PGC Global Finals. Mom will accompany you, alright?”

Han Mo suppressed a sob, and hoarsely said, “I don’t want to.”

Han Mo’s mother turned her face away, looking at the quiet night sky outside the window. She spoke softly, “The meaning of life is not in its length. Everyone will sleep forever eventually, so why cling to just one or two years? When I was young, I thought life was so long. How could there be so many things to do? I liked flowers and wanted to open a flower shop. I did. I liked the bustling city life and wanted to settle in the city. I did. I wanted a baby when I was young, so that when the child starts school, others would think I’m the child’s sister. I did that too. You see, my life has no regrets.”

Han Mo held her hand, tears dropping on the hospital’s white bedsheets. He hoped his mother couldn’t see whether he was crying or not.

Han Mo comforted her, “Mom, wait a bit longer. I will succeed.”

Due to the effects of medication, Han Mo’s mother’s fingers, once smooth, had become rough and cracked. She placed her hand on Han Mo’s hand.

Her son was still so young, his palm warm, his hand tightly gripping hers, his fingers strong.

He could have had a bright and glorious future.

Could have.

Han Mo’s mother shifted on her back.

Prolonged lying made her back ache as if pricked by needles. She had to change positions frequently to alleviate the discomfort.

“Mom’s life is already fulfilling, but yours has just begun. You shouldn’t have a bad start. Listen, Han Mo, we’ve had seventeen years of fate. I will remember every bit of these years because they mean everything to me. But you have decades of life to experience. You can’t be trapped here. Go and beg your captain. As long as you sincerely apologize, he will let you go back.”

Han Mo shook his head gently, “No, he’s a responsible captain, an outstanding professional player. In his eyes, he can’t tolerate what I’ve done.”

Han Mo’s mother sighed with some regret.

“Don’t resent anyone. No one owes us. They did the right thing, especially your captain. You often talk about him with me. I know he’s a good person, an excellent player, your role model, your idol. He must have said those things in anger. You can’t transfer your emotions to innocent people. Mo Mo, being a kind and forgiving person will make you happier. Maybe you can’t understand it in the short term, but you will understand one day. Don’t hurt the people you love, or you will surely regret it.”

Han Mo knew that his mother was considering his well-being in every aspect, fearing he might vent his anger on Yan Yibing and fearing he might obsess over it.

But in reality, he felt truly helpless towards Yan Yibing. He even felt guilty; even so, he couldn’t bear to harm Yan Yibing in any way.

His admiration for his master was sincere and passionate.

Han Mo murmured, “Thank you.”

Seeing him listening, Han Mo’s mother smiled with relief.

“I won’t say things that would implicate you because if I were in your shoes, I’d find a way to save you even if it meant going to jail. It’s just that Mom doesn’t want to suffer anymore. Mom wants to give up. Mom isn’t strong enough, brave enough, and doesn’t have the perseverance to fight the disease to the end. I’m really sorry.”

Han Mo’s head throbbed, and his stomach churned. His teeth trembled as he whispered, “Don’t leave me alone.”

Han Mo’s mother hooked her fingers with his, mischievous yet earnestly said, “Life is so long; you won’t always be alone. Someone will be willing to accompany you. You just have to wait.”

Han Mo raised his eyes, only to discover that his tears had soaked Yan Yibing’s clothes.

His Adam’s apple rolled up, the tips of his hair hung in the corners of his eyes, and his handsome jaw tightened.

He couldn’t wait any longer.

This person cannot be reached by just waiting.

He wanted him, crazily wanted him.

From the moment that Yan Yibing stepped into the house, the defenses in his heart had completely failed against him.

---

Author’s Message:

Han Mo: Later, after getting him, I found that I kinda hated the clothes on him.

---

Thank you for reading! 

Hope you enjoy the rest of your day 🍀

If you like reading my translations, do consider supporting me with ko-fi🌼

 

• 1
  桥豆麻袋(Qiáo dòu mádài), it is like the chinese pronunciation of ちょっと待って(Chottomatte), which is Japanese, and in english it means wait a minute.