When Xiao Shengjing woke up, he wasn’t in bed but on the cold floor.
His head was throbbing, the lingering effects of traversing becoming increasingly severe. He felt nauseous and uncomfortable, as if his body, heavy and unfamiliar, needed considerable effort to adjust.
He propped himself up on the railing, looking at the open door.
Lin Lan lay quietly inside, not having left him.
Xiao Shengjing suddenly felt a bit weary. He slowly approached the bedside, his eyes revealing an undeniable longing and despair. “It would be so much better if you were more obedient,” he murmured.
Standing by the bed, sunlight fell on his knees, leaving the rest in partial darkness.
He slowly sat by the hospital bed, tenderly caressing Lin Lan’s cheek, his figure hunched, gazing blankly at the outside scenery. “The first time I saw you, I liked you so much. You were so dazzling on stage, like a star. I wanted to pluck you down and keep you in my embrace all the time, but I couldn’t because I knew you belonged to the sky.”
“So I tried hard to restrain myself. I’ve never been so patient. I willingly became your backdrop, guarding you, just hoping that one day you would see me…”
“But I was wrong, the star shines too brightly, and everything around fades. Of course, you couldn’t see me…”
Xiao Shengjing lowered his gaze, holding Lin Lan’s hand morbidly and stubbornly, gently kissing it near his lips. “Lin Lan, I will definitely bring you back. You don’t belong there; you are a part of this world.”
Clutching the cold hand on the hospital bed, he muttered to himself, perhaps unaware that his obsession had turned into a kind of madness.
He stayed until the sun set, leaving Lin Lan’s room only then and closing the door. Without his permission, no one was allowed to set foot in this place.
Returning to his own room, Xiao Shengjing keenly noticed that someone had tampered with things inside.
Especially the computer. There were some web pages open that he hadn’t accessed, and even posts on his social media accounts: “No one would joke about their own life. Death is a choice made when one is utterly disappointed with the world. Those who have never fallen into the abyss would never understand.”
Unexpectedly, this statement didn’t trigger online violence. Instead, it garnered empathy from many people.
Xiao Shengjing’s pupils contracted forcefully. He immediately looked at the watch on his wrist; the post was made just half an hour ago.
He didn’t post this; it was the Xiao Shengjing from another world who did. They had swapped bodies, and he used his own account to speak up for Lin Lan, receiving a lot of support.
In the five years before this, Xiao Shengjing had spoken up for Lin Lan, but it was never this strong and didn’t resonate with so many people.
The Xiao Shengjing from another world, with just one sentence, allowed Lin Lan to receive so much encouragement.
Xiao Shengjing inexplicably felt a wave of panic, and this panic stemmed from his self-awareness.
He wasn’t someone who liked to meddle in others’ affairs, and the Xiao Shengjing from another world wasn’t either.
So, there was only one reason he spoke up for Lin Lan: he liked Lin Lan.
Thinking about this, a surge of blood rushed to Xiao Shengjing’s chest. He forcefully slammed the computer on the table, attempting to erase these traces.
He was well aware of why Lin Lan attracted him, and he knew that the Xiao Shengjing from another world would also fall for him. He also knew that the other version of himself would go to great lengths to protect Lin Lan…
But why should he? What did he understand? He had known Lin Lan for only a few months. What right did he have to speak up for Lin Lan?
Lin Lan was his cherished treasure for five years, and he would not allow anyone, even another version of himself, to covet him!
Suddenly, he felt like he couldn’t breathe.
The fingers propped on the table clenched tightly, pressing until the knuckles turned white.
…
The next day, during training, Lin Lan greeted Xiao Shengjing as usual, but Xiao Shengjing looked at him as if he had seen a ghost, taking a detour when returning to his seat.
Lin Lan was puzzled. Wasn’t he the one who said everything would remain the same? Why did he start keeping his distance again?
Not only did he take a detour when he saw him and avoid him in every possible way, he was even going to the extent of turning back halfway on the way to the restroom just to avoid him.
Lu Shi understood. He mysteriously leaned in close to Lin Lan’s ear, “Did you reject the captain?”
Lin Lan was speechless, “I didn’t reject him.”
“Oh!” Lu Shi covered his mouth in shock, “So you agreed to him?!”
“Ugh, he didn’t even confess, okay?” Lin Lan had a headache. How did he get tangled up with Lu Shi again? “No, I mean, we have nothing going on at all. You’re really overthinking.”
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Why would the captain avoid you if nothing is going on?”
“I have no idea,” Lin Lan also wanted to complain.
Unable to hold back his thoughts, when he saw Xiao Shengjing coming out of the restroom and heading to the conference room to organize documents, Lin Lan immediately decided to catch up and get some clarification.
Lin Lan entered the conference room, finding only Xiao Shengjing inside. He knocked on the door, “Captain, I have something to ask you.”
Xiao Shengjing turned around and saw him. Although he appeared calm on the surface, his movements had started to become awkward. “What is it?”
Lin Lan closed the door, walked directly to him, and confronted him face to face, “Why are you avoiding me? Didn’t you say we could just pretend that it never happened and everything would be the same as before?”
The distance between the two was not close, but Xiao Shengjing felt an uncomfortably tight sense of suffocation. He recalled yesterday’s dream. He thought about Lin Lan in the hospital room, and the feeling of suffocation intensified.
He swallowed hard, trying to maintain composure as much as possible. “Ahem, I just need some time to adjust.”
“Adjust to what?”
Xiao Shengjing didn’t even know where to look, accidentally directing his gaze towards Lin Lan. Seeing the slight frown on his face, the palpitations surged again.
Poking at someone like this, it was challenging to convince himself not to hide him away.
He took a deep breath, “Lin Lan, I feel a bit awkward after that incident. Suddenly, I think you’re right. Maybe we should keep some distance.”
Lin Lan, the one who was confessed to, didn’t find it awkward, but the confessor was acting all hesitant?
Furrowing his brows, he didn’t know how to express his feelings for a moment. “We’re on the same team. How can we keep our distance? Should I deliberately avoid you even when going to the restroom? Moreover, we have a match tomorrow, and our positions are right next to each other. Do I need to apply for a change of position?”
After saying this, the more Lin Lan thought about it, the more he felt that Xiao Shengjing’s request was unreasonable.
Lin Lan reached out and pushed him against the wall, attempting to find a solution through communication. “So, how do you want to avoid feeling awkward? Are we not brothers? Just be normal, like with Lu Shi, isn’t that enough?”
As the other leaned closer, a faint fragrance unique to him began to spread in the surroundings, and Xiao Shengjing felt himself losing rationality again.
He lowered his gaze, looking at Lin Lan’s incessantly moving lips, and something suppressed within him surged madly. It was as if he could already foresee himself pulling Lin Lan into his embrace, desperately locking him into his body…
In the next moment, Xiao Shengjing abruptly woke up.
Oh no, he felt like he was a pervert.
He grabbed Lin Lan’s shoulders, swiftly switching their positions. Lin Lan, looking confused, was pressed against the wall by him, unsure of what he was about to do.
Suppressing his inner desires, Xiao Shengjing’s throat moved slightly, uncertain how to express himself. “Lin Lan, I’m not like Lu Shi.”
“I know, but, being deliberately distant, especially since we’re in the same team, doesn’t seem right. If word gets out, it might create misunderstandings about the synergy in DT’s jungle…” Lin Lan was trying to continue, but Xiao Shengjing suddenly interrupted him.
“I like you,” Xiao Shengjing said abruptly, emphasizing once again, “Lin Lan, I like you.”
His gaze was intensely heated, and for a moment, Lin Lan dared not look directly at him. He opened his mouth slightly but didn’t know how to continue. He found himself unable to meet Xiao Shengjing’s eyes.
“Ah?”
Xiao Shengjing’s chest seemed to be on the verge of exploding as he looked at the person in front of him. “What are you thinking now?”
“I… I…” Lin Lan struggled for a while, finally blurting out, “Captain, please don’t be like this. I’m a bit scared…”
Xiao Shengjing smiled, though it seemed a bit wretched. Nevertheless, he tried to control his emotions. “I know what you’re afraid of, and I’m scared too.”
Lin Lan’s expression was conflicted.
He was afraid the captain would turn into a fool.
“Captain, didn’t I tell you not to like me?”
“I know, but I can’t control these feelings. Every day, my mind is filled with thoughts of you. I can only see you each time, and I can’t control myself.” After saying this, Xiao Shengjing felt he had become too agitated. He quickly took a step back, giving Lin Lan enough space to breathe. “If you’re really scared, then keep your distance from me.”
As he spoke the last words, his tone became cold.
The conference room fell into a terrifying silence. Xiao Shengjing had been trying hard to suppress his emotions, but in the end, he couldn’t bear to stay any longer. He turned, opened the door, and left the conference room.
Is it clear enough this time?
Lin Lan probably wouldn’t dare to come find him again.
Despite feeling a chill in his heart, Xiao Shengjing maintained the demeanor of a captain with a cold face. “Put your training on hold for now. Coach Zhang is going to have a meeting with us soon.”
His gaze touched upon Lin Lan, who had just come out of the conference room, but Xiao Shengjing quickly looked away and left for the restroom.
In the restroom, there was a large mirror that reflected people quite clearly.
After washing his hands, Xiao Shengjing stared at himself in the mirror. For a moment, he seemed to not recognize himself. It even felt like the person in the mirror wasn’t him but someone else.
“Captain,” Feifei also entered the restroom, glancing at him. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
Xiao Shengjing shook his head, “Just didn’t sleep well.”
“Didn’t Xu Shengwei give you some incense? Didn’t it work?” Feifei turned on the tap, looking puzzled. “Strange, Lin Lan also said he didn’t sleep well after burning incense. Could that incense have a counteractive effect?”
That incense, Xiao Shengjing remembered.
Indeed, he did fall asleep quickly last time, and even in the dream, it felt as vivid as real life, indicating that the incense did have a sleep-inducing effect.
He had asked the doctor before; deep sleep could evoke one’s deepest fears. Did Lin Lan not sleep well because he dreamt of something unpleasant?
Xiao Shengjing’s mind wandered, and Feifei beside him continued talking on his own, “Captain, you and Lin Lan have been acting strangely lately. Did you have a fight? Or did you confess to him and get rejected?”
Suddenly returning to awareness, Xiao Shengjing’s expression stiffened. “What confession?”
“Oh,” Feifei realized he slipped up and apologized, “Lu Shi said you confessed to Lin Lan. Even if he didn’t say it, we could all see it. Captain, do you like Lin Lan?”
Xiao Shengjing’s expression was about to crack.
Was it really that obvious?
“Usually, you have nothing to say to us, but when you’re with Lin Lan, it seems like you talk a lot. Moreover, in front of him, you have a captain’s demeanor, always ready to fulfill any request.” Feifei paused for a moment, sneaking a glance at Xiao Shengjing’s expression. Seeing his unfavorable complexion, he quickly added, “Actually, Lin Lan treats you very differently too. Look, he doesn’t let others buy things for him, but he lets you buy him cola and a keyboard.”
Isn’t that because he knows how to take advantage of the situation?
Besides, he has drunk cola bought by many others.
“He often chats with you and visits your room.”
Isn’t that because he’s seeking the truth?
Every time the business discussion is over, he leaves without staying for even half a moment.
“And he jokes with you, plays with you so well, and never gets angry.”
He jokes with everyone, gets along well with everyone, and never gets angry with anyone.
“Alright, stop talking,” Xiao Shengjing said, feeling like he was getting internally injured. He thought Feifei wasn’t here to console him but specifically to twist the knife.
Coach Zhang returned and finished the meeting with them, arranged tactics, and called it a day for today’s training.
Tomorrow, they would be facing the veteran team YTF, a tough opponent. Everyone needed to rest up and be fully prepared for tomorrow’s match.
However, Lin Lan lay on his bed, unable to fall asleep.
He constantly thought about the events in two worlds, considering the existence of two Xiao Shengjings. Sometimes, he himself became confused and uncertain about what the future held.
Another person unable to sleep was Xiao Shengjing.
Restless in the adjacent room, he eventually got up, took Lin Lan’s keys, and knocked on his door.
Opening the door, Lin Lan was startled. He thought that the silly dog had crossed over again. Before he could distinguish clearly, Xiao Shengjing handed him the keys he had taken last time.
“Your keys. I can’t keep them for you anymore.”
Lin Lan could see that Xiao Shengjing hadn’t slept well either. Turning his face, there was a faint bruise under his eyes, appearing somewhat forlorn in the lamplight.
“Aren’t you afraid something might happen to me, and you won’t be able to open the door?”
Hearing this, Xiao Shengjing’s hand holding the keys visibly tightened, and he recoiled slightly. After some thought, he decided to return the keys to him. “You can give them to Lu Shi.”
Glancing up at him, Lin Lan reached out to take the keys. “He’s so reckless. What if he barges in while I’m changing or taking a shower?”
Xiao Shengjing immediately changed his mind. He snatched the keys Lin Lan had taken and held them back in his hand. “Then, I’ll give them to Feifei.”
Lin Lan stared at him intently, carefully observing his expression. “Captain, why did you decide not to keep them yourself?”
Xiao Shengjing slightly opened his mouth but still couldn’t bring himself to speak.
As the weather had yet to warm up, Xiao Shengjing was only wearing a thin nightgown. Lin Lan didn’t wait for his answer and invited him in, “Come in and talk.”
Xiao Shengjing hesitated for a moment but eventually stepped into his room.
Everything here was arranged by Lin Lan. Every corner bore traces of Lin Lan’s life. Just being in the same room with him brought a sense of satisfaction.
This satisfaction was something he couldn’t find anywhere else.
It was sweet yet accompanied by a sense of guilt.
He sat down, and Lin Lan fetched a jacket for him – Lin Lan’s team uniform, which carried a faint fragrance from him.
Lin Lan poured a glass of water for him and another for himself. “Now, tell me why.”
Holding the cup, still warm from within, the quiet room made it easy for people to calm down. Xiao Shengjing, after a calm moment, decided to confess to him, “Lin Lan, I desire you.”
He looked at Lin Lan, his eyes sincere.
Even though the actions and angles were the same, the feeling he conveyed to Lin Lan was entirely different from what the silly dog did.
Lin Lan swallowed the water in his mouth with a noticeable “gulp,” clearly feeling nervous.
In this enclosed environment, with the soft lighting, the 1.9-meter-tall young man saying he desired him would make anyone nervous.
Xiao Shengjing tightened his grip on the cup and continued to be frank, “If you don’t like me, it’s better to keep some distance because I don’t know how I might behave towards you.”
After saying this, he placed the keys in his hand on the table and lowered his gaze, “You better let someone else keep these keys. I can’t handle it.”
For some reason, after his confession, Lin Lan seemed to be less nervous.
The possessiveness, like the silly dog’s, which surfaced in various ways, subtly and unintentionally, seemed to be more chilling.
Lin Lan took another sip of water, silently looking at Xiao Shengjing. “If, I mean, if there comes a day when I have to leave here and need your help, would you help me? After helping me, you might never see me again. Would you still help me?”
Xiao Shengjing furrowed his brow, “I don’t know.”
Setting down the cup, Lin Lan moved to sit across from Xiao Shengjing, earnestly staring at him. “Let me be more specific. If you help me find the truth, and I decide to leave afterward, would you still help me?”
Xiao Shengjing met Lin Lan’s gaze. For some reason, he suddenly felt that Lin Lan was not joking, and his eyelids twitched uncontrollably.
He hesitated for a moment before making a difficult decision, “Yes. If we don’t find the murderer, won’t you live in constant anxiety? Moreover, we were not together, to begin with. You are free to go wherever you want without my consent.”
Xiao Shengjing’s response touched Lin Lan’s heart unexpectedly.
In Xiao Shengjing’s eyes, he couldn’t find any evidence of deceit. When facing him, Xiao Shengjing was like an open book, something he hadn’t seen in the eyes of the silly dog.
Silly Dog always presented himself with three parts calm and seven parts concealment. He seemed reluctant to let Lin Lan see his other side. But the more he hid behind, the more conspicuous it became.
Even though they shared the same genes, their different experiences shaped different perspectives and completely distinct individuals. They would do different things.
Lin Lan lowered his gaze and suddenly chuckled.
He picked up the key from the table and placed it back into Xiao Shengjing’s hand. “So, having you keep it makes me feel reassured, Captain.”
Before Xiao Shengjing could fully comprehend, Lin Lan added, “You are the person I trust the most. I feel the most at ease with you.”
In case he never woke up one day, at least there would be a key to open the door, preventing his body from getting cold.
Lin Lan stood up, “It’s getting late, Captain. Go back and get some sleep. We have a match tomorrow.”
Xiao Shengjing nodded, standing up and walking past Lin Lan. Suddenly, his heart started beating faster, feeling unusually close to Lin Lan for the first time.
That feeling is very subtle, a kind of strange connection built on a spiritual level.
Lin Lan seemed less resistant to him.
Xiao Shengjing turned to look at Lin Lan, then glanced uncertainly at the key in his hand. He couldn’t help but smile, “Well, you should go to bed early too.”
After saying that, he left, leaving Lin Lan puzzled.
Why does it feel like the captain’s mood suddenly became so cheerful?
He didn’t say much, did he?
The next day, Lin Lan noticed that Xiao Shengjing wasn’t quite himself.
The person who said yesterday that he wanted to keep his distance not only made coffee for him but also prepared some snacks for him on the way. The aloof captain turned into a gentle and caring guy.
Watching this, Lu Shi exclaimed, “Look at this, the sour smell of love.”
Lin Lan: ???
Lu Shi, you’re toxic, do you know that?
Everyone arrived at the competition venue together, and even before entering, they could feel the massive crowd. Many fans who couldn’t get tickets were waiting outside in the wind and rain.
DT members couldn’t help but comment, “Indeed, it’s YTF. Look at their fans.”
“I heard the ticket prices for this match were scalped to a thousand each.”
“Ah, during the finals of the Spring Season, YTF’s ticket prices were almost over ten thousand, and still, a bunch of people bought them. The fans of these established teams have very strong economic strength.”
“They’ve been a team for 12 years. While other teams’ fans are just growing up, their fans have already become directors.”
“Haha, is it true?”
“It’s an online joke, don’t take it seriously. But don’t underestimate their fans; although they seem easygoing, they have good combat power. There was a big streamer who made arrogant remarks before and almost got reported and banned.”
“Their fans are quite rational and intelligent.”
“Wow, that’s amazing! I want fans like that too.”
“When will we have so many fans? I’m getting envious and might cry…”
“No worries, it will happen in the future.”
Just as they were expressing their emotions, Lu Shi keenly spotted a girl wearing a yellow suspender skirt. “Hey, is that one of our DT fans?”
The girl held a DT light board and carried two large bags of support materials, looking fierce like a warrior as she headed towards the venue.
“Where, where, let me see!”
“Oh wow, she’s indeed our fan!”
“Not bad, I feel like our fans have strong combat power too!”
“We’re not losing to YTF at all!”
“Exactly, show them our strength!”
Lin Lan also noticed. Those two bags of support materials were probably too heavy for him to carry. Yet, the girl was briskly moving with them.
As he looked closer, he suddenly felt a sense of familiarity and sat up abruptly.
Oh my, isn’t this ‘Younger sister Qi’?
He remembered she was still in school, named Qi Rong, with explosive combat power. She was his ultimate hardcore fan.
Once, she spent an entire night online, engaging in verbal battles with numerous opponents, successfully shutting down all the haters collectively. This made her famous overnight.
Later, she became his fan leader, not only handling all the support materials for every match, using real money to suppress negative trends for him, but also managing ten fan groups and numerous communities simultaneously.
At that time, netizens even praised her as one of the strongest fans in the esports circle. Because of her, some haters would deliberately wait until Qi Rong was attending classes to criticize him. It was evident how formidable her combat power was.
Lin Lan never expected that, in this different world, he would encounter her again.
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