ATIBTF Chapter 85

“An argument?” Hao Qianyi, always the most eager when it came to gossip, was picking up a piece of grilled meat while eyeing the staff member.

Fan Dadi, realizing the topic wasn’t suitable for public discussion, quickly turned off the livestream.

Luckily, the noise in the BBQ restaurant was so loud that the viewers in the stream hadn’t caught much. After all, even to hear what Fan Dadi was saying required him to shout, so it was impossible to hear what the WPL staff member, seated far away, was saying.

The viewers just complained that Fan Dadi had cut them off from celebrating with the players via the stream.

Fan Dadi, having exited the stream, had no idea what the viewers were saying about him in the now-black screen chatroom.

“They were arguing pretty fiercely,” the staff member said. “But they were speaking in Korean, so no one really understood what it was about.”

At the end of the day, this was just something for people to gossip about. Since PH wasn’t a domestic team, people were at most curious, but not invested enough to dig deeper.

The esports world is like any other industry—teams aren’t always perfectly harmonious.

Just like how it was in Jiang Min’s former team, CC, maybe PH was also experiencing internal conflict between players.

When playing for the same team, getting along means you’re like brothers. If the relationship is more neutral, it’s like being coworkers. Not every team treats each other like close friends.

“I knew it! They played so well in the first four games, but suddenly fell apart in the fifth. There had to be a reason,” Hao Qianyi said. “Honestly, if the fifth game had gone like the first four, it would’ve been a real fight to the death. We might not be the ones lifting the shield right now.”

“Come on, we’ve got the championship, no point in dwelling on it,” Wei Yabo nudged Hao Qianyi lightly. “We’ve got the points, and that’s what matters.”

“Still, though,” Fan Dadi said, taking a sip of his drink, “it’s really unprofessional for something like this to happen during a match. PH is a top-tier team, and losing because of internal arguments and bringing emotions onto the stage? People are definitely going to talk about that. We’ll keep it to ourselves, but let’s not spread it.”

Fan Dadi, having been around the scene for a while, understood the implications, and the group generally followed his lead.

And with that, the issue with PH was closed.

It was the first time in a while that WPL had taken home a substation championship, so everyone was ready to celebrate wildly.

After nibbling on a bit of food, they started drinking in earnest.

After a few rounds, Yu Hao got up to use the restroom.

On his way back, he was stopped by Yun Ning.

“Captain Yu, I… I have something I want to talk to you about.” Yun Ning’s cheeks were slightly flushed, possibly from alcohol or something else.

Yu Hao suspected what Yun Ning wanted to say. He had been planning to sort that matter out after the R Country substation tournament, so he said, “Let’s go. It’s too loud here. We can talk outside.”

The two walked side by side towards the restaurant exit.

Hao Qianyi, freshly turned 18 and inexperienced with alcohol, was already feeling tipsy. He insisted on dragging Jiang Min to accompany him to the restroom.

Jiang Min, unable to refuse, helped him to the bathroom, just in time to see Yu Hao and Yun Ning walking out together.

Jiang Min froze in place, feeling a bit panicked.

“Huh? Sugar God, why did you stop?” Hao Qianyi, feeling dizzy, complained, “I really need to pee, but if you don’t help me, I’m afraid I’ll just collapse in the bathroom. Please, help me!”

“Oh… uh, okay.” Jiang Min reluctantly tore his gaze away and helped Hao Qianyi walk away.

———-

“Um, Captain Yu…” Outside the restaurant, there was a quiet alley, just like the ones you’d see in anime or dramas from Country R. Late at night, aside from a few night owls, there were hardly any people walking around.

Yun Ning nervously tucked her hair behind her ear.

Yu Hao looked down at her.

He had long suspected what Yun Ning wanted to say.

But during the R Country substation tournament, he didn’t have the time or energy to address it. Now that the competition was over, he could finally deal with it.

“I… actually, I…” Yun Ning mustered her courage, “Actually, I… li… like you…”

Yun Ning had imagined how Yu Hao might react to her confession. Maybe he’d accept it happily, or perhaps he’d reject her coldly.

She wasn’t the type to desperately cling to someone; after all, she had plenty of admirers.

But she had a particular fondness for someone like Yu Hao, which made her persistent enough to try.

However, she hadn’t anticipated Yu Hao’s blank expression and the simple response: “I know.”

… “I know”?

What did “I know” mean?

Was that a yes or a no?

Yun Ning was utterly confused.

“I know,” Yu Hao repeated. “But I believe I’ve also made it clear that I won’t accept.”

Yu Hao wasn’t oblivious—he had been aware of Yun Ning’s feelings for a while.

But with so many people around, he didn’t want to embarrass her by rejecting her outright. After all, she was the official WPL host and had a reputation to maintain.

He had assumed that by not responding, Yun Ning would give up after a couple of times.

Unexpectedly, she kept coming back without a clear explanation, showing surprising determination.

However, Yu Hao hadn’t found the right moment to clarify their relationship until now.

“… Huh?” Yun Ning, who had been showered with attention her whole life due to her looks and personality, was being rejected for the first time. She felt both hurt and confused. She wanted to know the reason.

“… Can you tell me why? Is there something wrong with me?”

“…” Yu Hao awkwardly scratched his face with his index finger. “I like someone else.”

“…” Yun Ning was speechless.

She had spent all this time trying to win his affection, only to find out that his heart already belonged to someone else.

“I see…” Though disappointed, Yun Ning was a generous person at heart.

She had no shortage of potential partners, but facing rejection from someone she liked was frustrating.

“Then, I wish you two the best.” Yun Ning forced a smile.

“…Thanks.” Yu Hao’s mind immediately flashed to Jiang Min’s face.

Judging by the current situation, it seemed like he still had a long way to go.

Just then, Jiang Min came out of the restaurant, supporting Hao Qianyi.

Hao Qianyi, feeling queasy after leaving the restroom, complained that he wanted to throw up. The restaurant felt too stuffy, so he insisted on getting some fresh air.

Jiang Min thought it would be better for Hao Qianyi to vomit in the restroom instead of outside, but ultimately, he couldn’t convince him and had to bring him outside.

As soon as Jiang Min opened the door, he saw Yu Hao and Yun Ning.

It seemed like they had been in the middle of a private conversation, but his entrance had interrupted them, and they both turned to look at him and Hao Qianyi.

“Uh… sorry to interrupt.” Jiang Min felt a bit awkward.

“Sugar God, I really need to throw up!” Hao Qianyi wailed beside him.

Jiang Min pursed his lips and, without saying anything more, guided Hao Qianyi toward a trash bin by the street.

Yu Hao stood there, staring at him.

Yun Ning, standing next to Yu Hao, glanced at Jiang Min, then back at Yu Hao.

From the moment Sugar God came out, Yu Hao’s gaze hadn’t left him.

As for why she didn’t think Yu Hao was looking at Hao Qianyi, the answer was simple:

A woman’s intuition.

Yun Ning suddenly had a flash of insight, and a wild thought popped into her head.

“I… I… No way, Captain Yu, are you…?” Yun Ning blurted out, immediately covering her mouth.

How could she accidentally say out loud what she was thinking!?

“Yes, that’s right,” Yu Hao admitted openly.

He had also had quite a bit to drink that night. Though still relatively sober, he felt a bit stifled by the unresolved emotions in his heart.

Now that someone had pointed it out, he actually felt relieved to admit it.

Besides, Yun Ning didn’t seem like the type to gossip, so it didn’t matter if she knew.

“What the heck!” The WPL’s glamorous host rarely used such language. “What the heck!”

And she said it twice.

“Surprised?” Yu Hao asked, still staring at Jiang Min, without caring whether Yun Ning was paying attention. “I’ve liked him for a long time, since he was in CC. To be honest, I started playing professionally because of him. But it seems like he has no idea… Do you think if he found out, he’d think I’m weird?”

From this distance, Jiang Min couldn’t hear what Yu Hao was saying, but Yun Ning caught every single word.

So that’s why Yu Hao had been so indifferent to her—it was because of Sugar God.

In this day and age, not many young women didn’t have a bit of a “fujoshi” side.

On the surface, Yun Ning was the glamorous official WPL host, but in secret, she was a writer on the Green Book City platform, specializing in writing all kinds of BL (boy’s love) novels.

Being in the WPL, she was naturally aware of many things in the esports world.

As a result, Yun Ning often drew inspiration from the esports circle, added a bit of artistic flair, and turned it into her stories.

She never imagined that one day she would come across a real-life couple in the esports world!

And one of them was even someone she liked!

She didn’t know whether to feel sad for herself or happy to have perfect material for her writing.

“I think he’ll understand,” Yun Ning said, feeling incredibly excited inside but managing to stay calm on the outside. “As long as you express your true feelings, I believe he’ll accept them.”

As a seasoned BL (boys’ love) author, Yun Ning immediately set herself a new life goal.

A rookie looking up to a star player and that star player—this couple was just too perfect! She was determined to make this happen!

So, the first step was to boost Captain Yu’s confidence.

Judging by their situation, it seemed like neither of them had made the first move, and Yu Hao was definitely the one taking the initiative.

She absolutely couldn’t let Yu Hao give up!

“Don’t you think it’s weird? Liking someone of the same sex, and a teammate at that…” Yu Hao was surprised by Yun Ning’s calm response.

“Not at all,” Yun Ning replied. “There’s a saying that everyone has the potential to fall in love with the same sex—it’s just a matter of meeting the right person. I think you’ve met your right person!”

“…”

Yu Hao hadn’t expected Yun Ning to not only be unaffected by his rejection but to seem even more energized.

Are all girls this strong-minded these days?

“Don’t worry, Captain Yu! I’ll fully support you two!” Yun Ning almost pounded her chest in assurance. “If you have any issues, feel free to ask me! I might not have practical experience, but I’m a master of theory!”

…Seriously? A “master of theory” but no practical experience… Is this girl really okay, or did I break something inside her?

Yu Hao now saw Yun Ning in a whole new light.

Meanwhile, Jiang Min was still watching Yu Hao and Yun Ning talk, noticing how close they seemed. He couldn’t hear what they were saying from this distance.

Next to him, Hao Qianyi was throwing up in a mess, and while Jiang Min patted his back, his thoughts drifted far away.

These days, Jiang Min had been thinking a lot—reflecting on his interactions with Yu Hao, as well as how Yun Ning’s presence had caused his emotions to fluctuate. All of a sudden, he realized something.

He just hadn’t dared to take that next step.

But now, it seemed that if he didn’t act soon, it might be too late.

Maybe… it was time to find an opportunity to confess to Yu Hao?

¹“omg are we getting a love confession soon ?!?!?!

You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you and Enjoy reading! ❤️” -TL: Ysiad

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  “omg are we getting a love confession soon ?!?!?!
  
  You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you and Enjoy reading! ❤️” -TL: Ysiad