DSF Chapter 44

“Have you bought this before?” Yan Yibing scrutinized Han Mo’s expression, curious.

Han Mo paused for a moment and shook his head.

Yan Yibing smiled, “Of course, Captain Han’s salary is so high, he wouldn’t wear this brand.”

Even the sportswear on the outside had a long thread hanging from the collar, indicating extremely poor quality.

But Han Mo quickly returned to normal and no longer paid attention to the discounted sportswear. Instead, he asked Yan Yibing in a soft voice, “Do you want to buy diving equipment?”

“Sure, why not,” Yan Yibing could only snorkel; he learned it when he was underage, taken on trips by his parents.

He had plans to get a diving certificate, but with one competition after another, that plan was put on hold.

In a small section of sports equipment, Yan Yibing bought a diving mask, a breathing tube, and flippers.

He preferred to prepare these items himself since they came into contact with the body. He didn’t like using public rentals.

But when he casually asked about the brand of the diving mask, “What brand did you choose?”

Han Mo replied, “I didn’t buy these. I got a diving certificate.”

If it was just snorkeling at three or five meters, he didn’t need this equipment at all; he could just go down in a diving suit.

For deep diving, bringing things like oxygen cylinders onto the cruise was too troublesome. He would prefer to rent on-site.

Yan Yibing, holding the diving mask, was slightly surprised. “Where did you find so much time?”

Han Mo casually said, “Just sleep less.”

Yan Yibing asked, “How much is considered less sleep?”

Han Mo paused, helping him put the diving mask into the cart, and said softly, “There was a period when I had trouble falling asleep, so I found something to do.”

He didn’t elaborate, but Yan Yibing wasn’t stupid.

Yan Yibing’s expression became complicated, a sour and throbbing feeling in his heart.

So, Han Mo had experienced insomnia?

But even if he couldn’t sleep, he didn’t waste time with his eyes open. Instead, he filled it up with various activities.

This person, how much he could make one’s heart ache.

That’s right.

Yan Yibing’s heart ached for Han Mo.

He once knew nothing, casually telling Han Mo to get lost.

But if he had known a little more back then, that word would never have come out no matter what.

This was his favorite… disciple.

Yan Yibing’s eyes trembled slightly, he turned his head and changed the subject, “Ahem, should we bring an Xbox? The cruise ship rooms have screens, so we can play.”

When he mentioned playing games, he wasn’t talking about intense games like PUBG that required mental effort and practice.

Instead, he meant single-player games on the gaming console, purely for relaxing and not caring about winning or losing. Actually, there would probably be a place on the cruise that provided gaming consoles, but mostly for underage passengers.

Like them, adults were not allowed in.

Han Mo was also miserable. If he had gone two years earlier, he wouldn’t even be eighteen yet.

So young.

Thinking about this, he couldn’t help but say, “If you’re not an adult, you can enter the game room on the cruise. Even kids can go in.”

Han Mo glanced at him and emphasized, “I’m not a kid.”

Yan Yibing casually replied, “I know you’re not now.”

As Han Mo pushed the cart downstairs and created some distance in the elevator, he whispered, “You don’t know.”

Yan Yibing couldn’t hear clearly and asked in confusion, “What?”

Han Mo calmly replied, “It’s nothing.”

Putting all the items on the checkout counter, Yan Yibing swiftly swiped his card. The two carried bags full of snacks and equipment back to their residential area.

Han Mo took the initiative to carry the heavier bag and handed the one filled with chips to Yan Yibing.

Yan Yibing’s lips moved, seeming hesitant, but Han Mo picked up the bag and left without giving him time to refuse.

At the doorstep, Yan Yibing put down the plastic bags and clapped his hands.

The palms were slightly reddened from being squeezed, and it took a couple of empty-handed grabs before they returned to normal.

Once he relaxed his fingers, he remembered Han Mo.

The cola and Häagen-Dazs that Han Mo carried must be even heavier.

Without much thought, Yan Yibing directly grabbed Han Mo’s hand, opened his palm, and looked down.

There was a deep imprint on Han Mo’s palm, sunken from the pressure.

After putting down the heavy items, the palm quickly reddened, making the marks more prominent.

This was a top-level professional player who had just won the PCL championship.

His hand was squeezed like this just to carry things.

Because they were in the same profession, Yan Yibing could empathize. Subconsciously, he used his own palm to rub the indentations in Han Mo’s hand.

While rubbing, he sighed, “It’s still too heavy. I should have known better not to buy so many.”

Han Mo was shocked and dared not move.

Yan Yibing was standing very close, emitting a scent of shower gel mixed with sunshine.

His semi-long hair hung loosely, swaying in the sporadic wind, casting delicate shadows on his side face that glowed with the sunlight.

Yan Yibing’s hand was soft too, with damp and tender palms, gently rubbing against his hand.

The force seemed to rub into his heart.

Even though massaging the marks didn’t really help, he didn’t mind being rubbed a little longer.

However, Yan Yibing soon realized that rubbing wasn’t effective, and he had to wait for the skin to recover on its own.

So, he withdrew his hand disappointedly, saying, “It’s useless.”

Han Mo felt a slight chill in his palm, the soft touch disappeared, and there was a tingling sensation in his heart.

Staring at Yan Yibing’s slightly curled eyelashes, his voice deepened, “It’s useful.”

Yan Yibing looked at him, puzzled, “Useful for what?”

Han Mo remained silent for a few seconds, his gaze trembling, before turning his head away and taking a deep breath. “I’m going home.”

“Oh.” Yan Yibing was stunned for a moment, only then realizing that his interactions with Han Mo today were a bit dreamlike.

It was time to end it.

Yan Yibing asked Auntie for help and brought the things he had bought back home.

As he lazily lay on the bed, he suddenly remembered that he had forgotten the two bags of potato chips he promised to give Han Mo.

He sat up in a hurry, walked quickly to the kitchen, and looked through the window toward Han Mo’s villa.

The window was open, but no one was visible. The curtains, as always, fluttered freely.

Yan Yibing bit his lip, then slowly went back upstairs.

What was he thinking just now, trying to estimate the distance between the two villas and see if he could throw the potato chips into Han Mo’s window from afar?

The chips were too light; they probably wouldn’t make it, unless he stuffed a stone inside.

Moreover, even though he’s accurate with sniping in the game, in real life, he can’t even hit dolls at a street vendor’s stall

Yan Yibing lay down again, picked up his phone, and casually browsed the news.

As he read, he absentmindedly started searching for Han Shi.

This brand was established two years ago, initially intending to become a Chinese luxury brand, taking the high-end customization route. But high places are cold, and wealthy people still firmly believe that foreign brands are better. They took many detours, and their sales plummeted to ten thousand pieces per quarter at one point.

Later, Han Shi changed its business philosophy, completely abandoning the high-end boutique route and starting to heavily discount their prices, targeting a wider range of customers. The clothes that used to cost tens of thousands now only cost one or two hundred.

Because Han Shi had previously done many high-end and atmospheric advertisements, it created the impression among some consumers that their clothes were expensive, luxurious, and unaffordable.

So, once the prices dropped, they felt like they could afford a big brand and started indulging in vanity consumption.

In just one year, Han Shi’s sales increased more than a thousandfold.

Yan Yibing unintentionally saw the name of Han Shi’s founder.

His surname was also Han, called Han Tang.

He was forty-three years old this year, divorced once and married his current wife a few years ago, but they still didn’t have any children.

His wife comes from a scholarly family; her father is an Xth-generation heir to a famous calligrapher in Jiangbei, well-respected locally.

His wife’s name is Zuo Yunshi, and the brand name Han Shi was derived from their names.

According to the encyclopedia, Han Tang came from a humble background, a model of hard work and starting from scratch. This year, he was honored as an honorary entrepreneur in Jiangbei and registered as a member of the Magic City Chamber of Commerce.

However, there were also rumors that he was a “phoenix man,” but news without evidence was never believed. After all, he and his wife were very affectionate and often attended events together.

Yan Yibing couldn’t understand why Han Mo showed such a disgusted expression when he saw the sportswear from this brand.

After reading for a while, he lost interest.

He didn’t know why he bothered checking on a random entrepreneur.

Although Han Shi was a well-known company in Jiangbei, doing increasingly well in business, it was barely noticeable in the Magic City.

There were too many wealthy people in Magic City, and too many well-known businesses. Most bosses were very humble because encountering someone stronger than themselves was very easy, and even walking on the street, one might encounter one or two extremely rich individuals.

On the day of boarding, the pre-booked cruise shuttle was waiting at the entrance of the community.

Yan Yibing carried his heavy suitcase into the car.

His suitcase was heavy, filled with clothes and gaming equipment, and of course, the latest Xbox.

The tickets for all professional players were uniformly arranged by the staff, so they had to board together during the check-in process.

When Yan Yibing arrived at the port and got out of the car, he saw familiar faces waiting at the pavilion.

There were quite a few people who came, more than ten in total. They were mostly team captains from major professional teams and players who had a good relationship with Chen Yan.

When Yu Yan saw him, he lazily sat on the stone slab and waved.

Yan Yibing complained, “Didn’t you see that Dad brought such a big suitcase? You didn’t bother to lend a hand, unfilial child.”

Yu Yan sneered, “Dad still has to carry the suitcase for his wife. You’re so lazy, why don’t you find a husband to help you carry it too.”

Yan Yibing scornfully said, “What does Ding Luo see in you? Wife? No morals when it comes to the opposite sex.”

Yu Yan smirked, “Look at how handsome I am. Does it concern you?”

Chen Yan helplessly said, “Brothers, I’ve retired. Can you shed a tear or two?”

Yu Yan said, “Stop pretending. You’ve achieved success and are going home to enjoy life.”

Song Tang ran over, holding a sun umbrella for Yan Yibing, “Captain, why did you bring so much stuff? I just have a backpack.”

Yan Yibing replied, “Clothes, snacks, toys, just stuff them in randomly, that’s all.”

Actually, he wasn’t good at organizing; everything was stuffed haphazardly. Even with a large space, it easily filled up.

Chen Chi checked his watch, “Who else hasn’t arrived? We should go in.”

Xiao Nuo smiled and said, “Our captain hasn’t arrived yet, but he’ll be here soon. He’s stuck in traffic.”

Ding Luo leaned on Yu Yan’s shoulder and curiously asked, “I heard that Han Shen and Bing Shen live in the same community. Why didn’t they come together?”

Yan Yibing muttered, “He went back to the club a couple of days ago.”

Ding Luo straightened up, hooked her arm around Yu Yan’s shoulder, and made a meaningful “oh” sound, “So Bing Shen knew that Han Shen had gone back to the club. They planned to come together but it didn’t work out?”

Yan Yibing hesitated, feeling uneasy, “Originally, I was planning to come alone. The special car’s trunk can only fit one suitcase, max.”

Ding Luo nodded obediently, with an expression that indicated she indeed believed him.

But Yan Yibing felt like she didn’t believe him.

After waiting for another twenty minutes, Han Mo finally arrived.

He wore a black short-sleeved shirt, layered with a red and white checkered shirt on top. His lower half was clad in tight ripped jeans, and he wore a duckbill cap on his head with Bluetooth earphones in his ears.

Due to rushing, he had broken out in a light sweat. The sweat on his neck shimmered with a radiant glow, making his Adam’s apple appear exceptionally sexy.

The guests at the port, who were unfamiliar with esports and didn’t know Han Mo, frequently glanced at him.

Yan Yibing sat on a stone bench, swinging his legs and pursing his lips.

Han Mo’s popularity with women was surprisingly good, he wasn’t that lucky.

Chen Chi said, “Hurry up, we’ve been waiting for you.”

Han Mo nodded, handing over his passport, “Sorry.”

Entering the port hall, they first checked their passports, registered, and received their expense cards and ship identification.

They had booked the MSC Golden Romance cruise ship from Italy, which traveled from Magic City to the coastal areas of Japan. The cruise ship was known for its excellent Italian pasta and pizza, but to cater to the Chinese taste, they also had hot pot and noodle shops on board.

After queuing for registration and receiving their expense cards, they followed the guide and took the VIP route, going straight upstairs.

Before boarding the cruise, there was a photo session with the ship.

Passengers could get one free photo, but if they wanted more, they had to pay.

A few scattered VIP guests were waiting in line for photos.

More than ten professional players were obediently at the end of the line.

Fortunately, there was free orange juice to drink in the waiting area, so they didn’t find waiting in line boring.

Yan Yibing was the first among all the players, after all, he had the most experience and the highest status. Han Mo, on the other hand, was near the end because he was younger, with only Xiao Nuo insisting on standing behind him.

Yan Yibing absentmindedly sipped on the ice orange juice while looking at the glass corridor outside the cruise.

It was sweet enough, but unfortunately, it felt a bit cold in his stomach. He frowned and put it down.

Coincidentally, he was called to take a picture. Distracted, he forgot about the cup of orange juice and quickly went forward to take the picture.

The cup of orange juice was left on the edge of the table.

After taking the photo, Yan Yibing carried his suitcase and boarded the ship without waiting for the others. Anyway, their rooms were all next to each other, and they would meet later.

The people behind him naturally picked up a cup of orange juice to drink before taking their photos. However, seeing Yan Yibing sip from that cup, they all silently avoided it.

This made Yan Yibing’s cup of orange juice particularly conspicuous.

Han Mo, however, didn’t notice.

Before he left, a package he ordered arrived. He was asked to pick it up, but he’d be away for seven days, and there was no one else at home. So, he was currently communicating with the delivery person.

He asked the delivery person to send it to a post office or a package locker, but they said they couldn’t store it for that long and he needed to find someone he knew to receive it.

Unfortunately, in his neighborhood, apart from Yan Yibing’s family, he didn’t really know anyone.

And he feels uncomfortable asking Mama Yan to help.

As he walked to the front, he instinctively picked up the most conspicuous cup of orange juice and took a sip, finding it had a strong artificial sweetener taste, so he put it down.

Xiao Nuo quickly reminded him, “Captain! Bing Shen just drank from that cup!”

Han Mo paused slightly, put down his phone, and glanced at the table with the orange juice.

Xiao Nuo pointed, “Didn’t you see that they all avoided it?”

“Hmm,” Han Mo calmly responded.

Then, he picked up the overly sweet orange juice again, finished it in one gulp, and even unconsciously licked the edge of the cup.

Author’s Message:

Han Mo: Indirect kiss acquired.

Thank you for reading!