DSF Chapter 5

Yan Yibing held the scar removal cream in his hand and thought back to what Han Mo had said during the day when no one else was around, “Why didn’t Master call me ‘husband’?”

He vigorously rubbed his face and muttered softly, “What the hell is all of this?”

He felt like he was getting old and couldn’t keep up with the way young people think.

He had no idea what Han Mo was thinking.

The only thing he was sure of was that Han Mo still resented him.

But… was giving him scar removal ointment a form of revenge?

He casually tossed the ointment onto the bedside table, pulled the hem of his sweatshirt, and removed his shirt, revealing his fair and toned back.

Then he climbed into bed shirtless, pulled down his eye mask, and went to sleep without a care in the world.

It felt a bit chilly under the thin blanket.

But where had he put the spare, thicker blanket?

He couldn’t remember, so he let it go.

Yan Yibing curled up his legs and tugged the blanket closer around his neck.

Yan Yibing was someone who particularly disliked trouble. He came from a well-off family, and ever since he was a child, his aunt and parents had arranged everything for him. Now that he had grown up and was living in the club’s base, no one took care of him like they used to, and he could make do with anything.

Early the next morning, Sun Tianjiao knocked loudly on Yan Yibing’s door.

“Captain! Bing Shen! The league chairman invited you to dinner today, don’t forget!”

Before the League Exhibition Matches started, the chairman would gather the captains of the four major powerhouse teams for a meal.

The meal itself was secondary; the main purpose was to strengthen their relationships.

If the relationships among the four major teams were harmonious, it would make the league’s operations smoother.

The Exhibition Matches was held every two years, and the previous attendees included Yan Yibing, CNG’s Yu Yan, AXE’s Chen Chi, and Prince’s Gu Ming.

This year… Prince’s team captain was Han Mo!

Yan Yibing rolled out of bed in a hurry, yanking off his eye mask.

Before he could say anything, he felt a tickle in his nose and let out a hearty sneeze.

He sniffled and wrapped the blanket tighter around himself, then called out to the door, “Can I not go, please?”

Sun Tianjiao responded coldly, “No, you can’t. You have to show the chairman some face. Besides, it’s been a while since you hung out with Yun Shen. CNG has probably come up with some new tactics. You can catch up.”

Yan Yibing was astonished. “Do you really think I can trick tactics out of my buddy?”

Sun Tianjiao’s tone remained unaffected, “You can, and you can also accidentally reveal our tactics while you’re at it.”

Yan Yibing: “…”

He wrapped the small blanket tighter around himself and coughed heavily a few times toward the door. “I have a cold, I can’t go.”

Sun Tianjiao lightly chuckled, “Don’t pretend. If you don’t go, it’ll seem like Zero is afraid of Han Mo, and we neither owe him anything nor intend to plot against him. What are we afraid of?”

Yan Yibing collapsed onto the bed, sighing deeply.

Although he held a high position in the club, when it came to official matters, he still had to listen to the team manager.

An invitation from the league chairman was not something he could easily decline with just an excuse.

But he felt like… he was genuinely coming down with a cold. Yan Yibing reached up and touched his feverish forehead.

Professional esports players usually kept late hours, but the league chairman didn’t. The elderly gentleman had a healthy daily routine, so the gathering was scheduled for noon.

They had reserved a cozy little bar with an artistic and fresh ambiance, and the lighting was dim.

When the chairman arrived, he held a teacup and immediately called over a waiter, saying, “Could you please bring me some hot water?”

Yan Yibing and the others were unfazed and each ordered a cocktail.

As soon as Han Mo entered, the room grew quieter, and his presence brought a chill. He took his seat, his thin lips tightly pursed.

Yan Yibing furrowed his brows, feeling uncomfortable all over.

He remembered the atmosphere during the previous year’s gathering, which had been lively, and everyone had been so exuberant that they almost declared their brotherhood on the spot.

Since he had nothing to say, Yan Yibing resorted to drinking.

The alcohol dissolved the salt grains on the rim of the glass and, along with the ice cubes, flowed into his mouth.

The cold and spicy liquid stung his throat as it flowed into his stomach, making him shiver involuntarily.

His throat felt hurt when he swallowed, as if it had swollen.

The chairman looked around and raised an eyebrow, saying, “You don’t have to mind me; go ahead and chat. I’d like to hear your thoughts.”

Yu Yan and Chen Chi were both aware of the tension between Yan Yibing and Han Mo.

Yu Yan smirked and said, “Oh, we rarely have fresh blood here. How about this? Gou Bing,¹“Gou Bing” (狗冰) is a nickname or playful term used to refer to Yan Yibing, it combines “Gou” (狗), meaning “dog,” with the first character of his last name, “Bing” (冰), which means “ice.” This kind of nickname is not meant to be derogatory but rather a humorous or affectionate way to refer to someone. It’s common in casual or friendly conversations among friends or teammates. on behalf of everyone, have a drink with the newcomer.”

Yan Yibing raised an eyebrow, half-smiling, “No need to trouble a certain newly single dog. I have short arms; I can’t reach that far.”

He was purposely seated two meters away from Han Mo.

Yu Yan and Yan Yibing had the best private relationship, and they often joked with each other without boundaries, poking fun at each other’s sensitive spots.

Yu Yan teased, “Just reach across the table, that’ll do. I didn’t ask you two to drink from the same cup.”

Upon hearing this, Han Mo’s finger twitched slightly, and his eyes grew colder.

Chen Chi intervened, trying to smooth things over, “Alright, you two, stop teasing each other. So, what are your thoughts on the Exhibition matches?”

Yan Yibing lazily replied, “Friendship first, competition second. Let’s keep it peaceful and not turn it into a life-or-death battle.”

Yu Yan chimed in, “Exactly, forget about R City, P City, or the airport. If we want to drop somewhere, let’s go to the wild area’s restroom and give other small teams a chance.”

Yan Yibing chimed in, “It’s also for the development of the league. We’ve always been the Four Major Powerhouses; how can other teams rise to the top?”

Yu Yan suggested, “I propose that we each get a pistol and a set of crossbows, and whoever finds a 98K or M4 becomes the boss’s grandson.”

Chen Chi’s mouth twitched. “You two, every time it’s ‘grandson’ this and ‘grandson’ that!”

They had fantasized about a gentle and peaceful Exhibition Matches in the past, but despite their good intentions, once they entered the game, these two went all out to outperform each other.

Chen Chi grumbled, “You two were the students who didn’t do your homework and didn’t study in school but still managed to get top grades!”

Yan Yibing proudly stated, “Even if I didn’t cheat, I would still be number one during my school days.”

His academic performance had indeed been outstanding; he had even ranked first in the city during his junior high school final exams and appeared on television for it.

Entering the world of esports had been an unexpected turn of events for Yan Yibing. At that time, a friend had brought him to Zero’s youth training camp, and he had ended up staying until now.

The league chairman chuckled and said, “Alright, do your best in the matches, but also manage your fans. Don’t get into any more on-site brawls during competitions, especially… Zero and Prince. I won’t mention that old saying about making up with your enemies, but for the sake of the bigger picture, I believe you all know what needs to be done.”

Yan Yibing’s lips curled up slightly, his eyelids drooping, and his thick eyelashes trembled imperceptibly.

The Chairman’s words had turned a bit serious, and it made him feel uncomfortable.

He had some grievances with Han Mo, but at twenty-five years old, he wasn’t about to engage in physical altercations with a nineteen-year-old kid.

Just as he was about to say something to lighten the mood, Han Mo, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke up.

“I can do everything that Bing Shen can do.”

His expression was cold, his eyelids drooped, and his voice was soft.

After saying that, he raised his glass, took a sip, and downed a cocktail in one go.

Yan Yibing felt a bit stifled in his chest.

It was one thing to answer, but did he have to mention his name so ambiguously and with such a strange tone?

His mouth was dry, and his temples throbbed as the alcohol began to heat up and swell in his stomach. It felt like he was burning up all over.

“I’ll let you guys drink first; I’m going to the restroom.”

He pushed himself up from the couch, tossing his coat aside, leaving only a soft and thin silk shirt underneath. Yet, he didn’t feel cold at all; he broke out into a sweat.

Yan Yibing walked over to the bar, raised an eyebrow, and tapped the countertop playfully. “Hey, sis, do you have any cold medicine here? Give me two pills.”

He suspected that his cold was getting worse, and if he continued like this, he wouldn’t be able to drink the alcohol.

The waitress hesitated, her face filled with concern as she whispered, “We do have some, but can you take medicine after drinking alcohol?”

Yan Yibing blinked in confusion, “Huh? Can’t you take medicine after drinking? I took two pills before coming out.”

He had absolutely no common sense about this.

Since he didn’t think a cold was a big deal, he hadn’t notified the team doctor and had randomly taken two pills he was used to.

“You took medicine? How are you feeling now? Shouldn’t you let them know?” The waitress was somewhat worried, but she was also young and didn’t know how to take care of someone properly.

Yan Yibing waved his hand, “No need to bother them; I’ll just wash my face.”

He felt a bit lightheaded, but he steadied himself and could still stand.

Han Mo sneakily glanced at Yan Yibing from a distance and noticed him swaying slightly, which made him furrow his brows.

As soon as Yan Yibing arrived, Han Mo found that his face appeared unusually flushed.

Han Mo put down his glass and stood up, saying, “I’ll go too.”

In the bathroom, Yan Yibing twisted open the faucet at the sink. He cupped his hands under the cold water and ruthlessly splashed it onto his face.

The instant coldness contracted his pores, tightened his muscles, and sent sharp pain radiating from his temples.

The water droplets were quickly warmed by his body temperature, tracing down his chin and disappearing into his soft shirt.

Yan Yibing was panting heavily, his eye sockets turning slightly red, and his disheveled hair clung to his temples.

He took a deep breath and blinked his eyes forcefully, but his body was becoming increasingly unsteady.

He knew that the alcohol he had consumed earlier was finally taking effect.

But his alcohol tolerance had never been this poor before. How could he start feeling dizzy after just one drink?

Yan Yibing pressed his palm against his temples, intending to wash his face, but the splashing water droplets wet his cuffs, and his clothes clung uncomfortably to his skin.

As he was about to pat the water on his face, his wrist was suddenly grabbed from behind.

Cold water trickled down through his fingers.

Yan Yibing froze, and before he could even see who it was, a strong force pushed him relentlessly against the ceramic tiles on the wall.

His collarbone collided with the hard wall, causing a dull, throbbing pain.

He wanted to resist with force, but he couldn’t overpower the other person at all.

Yan Yibing felt a rush of anxiety, and he wanted to curse, but instead, he started coughing heavily, his face turning red, tears welling up in his eyes.

Han Mo twisted his wrist and pressed him against the wall, his jaw clenched, and the veins on his forehead bulging.

He leaned close to Yan Yibing’s ear, his voice low, cold, and ruthless.

“I hate you so much, but I can’t bear to harm a single hair on your head. If you don’t cherish your own body, you might as well let me vent my frustrations!”

After saying this, Han Mo increased the pressure on Yan Yibing’s wrist.

Yan Yibing felt dizzy, and his legs went weak. He was still somewhat supported against the wall, but with the force applied by the other person, he couldn’t endure it.

Yan Yibing’s lips trembled, his eyes hazy, and his eyelashes were dampened by tears.

He gasped rapidly for a moment, then suddenly murmured, “Han Mo… it hurts.”

Han Mo instantly released his grip, looking flustered.

The next moment, Yan Yibing’s eyes closed, and he collapsed limply into Han Mo’s arms, his consciousness fading.

To support him, Han Mo had to hold him tightly by the waist.

Author’s Message:

Yan Yibing: Can we not talk about the waist issue? I just want to ask if it was necessary to take off my clothes?

Han Mo: They got wet.

Where did it get wet? Please elaborate. (Not what you’re thinking.)

Thank you for reading! 

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  “Gou Bing” (狗冰) is a nickname or playful term used to refer to Yan Yibing, it combines “Gou” (狗), meaning “dog,” with the first character of his last name, “Bing” (冰), which means “ice.” This kind of nickname is not meant to be derogatory but rather a humorous or affectionate way to refer to someone. It’s common in casual or friendly conversations among friends or teammates.