Chapter 45

On the day of the official announcement, Chen Yuchuan stayed in Shenhe dormitory and refused to leave.

The two were sprawled out on the sofa, Chen Yuchuan taking up most of the space, his long legs draped over the armrest. Shen He leaned against the other side, casually scrolling through his phone. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his spot had been encroached upon, leaving only a small portion, and couldn't resist kicking him lightly.

"What time will it be dispatched?" Shen He asked.

"Three o'clock in the afternoon." Chen Yuchuan glanced at the time. "Good timing."

Shen He felt Chen Yuchuan's gaze, turned his face, and their eyes met.

“I told the operations team to keep a low profile,” Chen Yuchuan said, “so that a bunch of people won’t start spouting nonsense and bother you.”

Shen He looked away and continued staring at his phone screen: "Hmm."

The official announcement was like a bombshell dropped during the otherwise peaceful offseason.

The poster design is flawless. The main visual is a promotional photo of Shen He wearing VLG's new team uniform. The lighting is just right, and the contrasting red and black colors make him appear even more aloof and sharply defined. His features are particularly striking under the interplay of light and shadow, and his gaze is focused and sharp.

The copywriter spared no expense in praising Shen He to the extreme, from his appearance to his operations, from the data to his overall perspective. Even someone as thick-skinned as Chen Yuchuan was speechless for Shen He after reading it.

In addition to the main image, VLG's official Weibo account also posted several other posts. The profile of Shen He sitting in his gaming chair, focused on the screen; the expression of him slightly furrowing his brows while playing the game; the back view of him looking up while drinking water in the lounge... Each photo was taken with great care, with impeccable composition, lighting, and angles. However, most of them avoided showing his face directly, only showing his back or the outline of his profile.

The topic surged to number one on the trending searches, and the comment section exploded:

"Holy crap! Who's that? Styx?"

"This poster is so cool, he's really good-looking!"

"It seems like VLG is taking this quite seriously. I wonder if there will be a welcome ceremony or a press conference or something. I'm really looking forward to it."

"VLG's official Weibo account is like my dad! They know exactly what I want to see!"

"This completely makes up for the regret that ASG doesn't have any everyday photos of Styx!"

The discussion on the forum became even more heated:

"When VLG's AD carry got injured and had to leave the game, I was worried that they might not be able to find a replacement, but I didn't expect them to sign Styx directly!"

"This is a powerful alliance, and I declare this lineup invincible."

"This is a sure thing. VLG seems really ambitious, always aiming for the world championship every year."

"I feel like we're finally seeing a fully-fledged Styx!!!"

"I can't wait! VLG shouldn't waste its potential!"

"Styx seemed a bit listless in the second half of last season, right? He did okay in the playoffs, but he wasn't nearly as impressive as he was at the beginning of the season."

"Yes, they were really amazing at the beginning of the season, but their performance got worse and worse as the season progressed."

"Won't it affect a rookie's performance if he frequently changes teams?"

"Yes, he switched teams after only one season. That's too inconsistent."

Someone immediately objected:

"The reason for their poor performance is that ASG played too chaotically! The coach's command was terrible, and no one could perform well under his leadership."

"Exactly, Zhou Yifan said that Styx deserves the most credit for making it to the playoffs, they're already incredibly awesome, okay?"

"It's just mutual flattery."

"You're only third in the league on your first professional game, what are you guys so unhappy about?"

"I will not allow anyone to disobey Styx!"

The debate intensified, with voices of support and skepticism intertwined.

The fans who shipped the couple went into a frenzy.

"Aaaaaah? My dog ​​sister-in-law is suddenly on the same team!"

"Holy crap, did Trump really marry his wife?!"

"That's enough, stop talking like VLG is some kind of Trump dog..."

"So what? Anyone with eyes can see that VLG was formed to support Trump, right? I don't need to elaborate on Styx's background."

"I'm really fed up with you CP fans. Can't you show some respect for the two of them and the other contestants?"

"There's no need for respect, hehe."

"I'm sorry, but I can also give you an explanation. It is true that my product team was officially announced as being on the same team."

Zhou Yifan was the first to retweet VLG's official announcement:

"The dream of winning the championship with my brother is over [crying][crying][crying] But congratulations, He Ge! Play well at VLG, and I'll treat you to dinner when you win the championship!"

The accompanying photo is of the two of them having dinner together on the day Shen He left. Chen Yuchuan was cropped out of the picture; only Zhou Yifan was making a peace sign at the food, while Shen He sat opposite him, looking away, but appearing very relaxed.

The comment section was instantly flooded:

"Waaaaah, I'm so reluctant to say goodbye! My beloved bro and dog couple!"

"This photo is so heartwarming; the two of them have a really good relationship."

"Even though we're on different teams now, our friendship will last forever!"

"Alright, alright, I'll stop kowtowing here for now. I'm going to get something else to eat."

"I'm dying of laughter, they just got their faces pressed together by the couple next door like that."

Gao Mingyuan followed closely behind:

"You told me I was your best support, but I never told you you were the most creative and skillful ADC I've ever supported! Take good care of yourself at VLG, see you on the field! (But who will I talk to about our relationship after you leave? [thinking])"

His words left the comment section completely bewildered:

"It's not surprising that you like shipping couples, but...???"

"What??? Styx has this kind of hobby???"

"Gao Mingyuan, what did you say? Say it again!"

"Did I hear that right? Talking about shipping??? Styx???"

"They have such a good relationship. Styx must be a good person because Gao Mingyuan is a good person."

"I'm a little touched. I feel that everyone who can become friends with Styx has their own unique qualities."

When Shen He saw Gao Mingyuan's Weibo post, his eyebrows twitched, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He sent Gao Mingyuan a message: "Why all this sentimentality?"

Chen Yuchuan leaned over for a look and couldn't help but laugh out loud: "You're actually talking about being a couple with Gao Mingyuan?"

Shen He looked up at him and said, "None of your business."

Chen Yuchuan laughed even harder, leaning closer to Shen He and putting his elbow on his shoulder, insisting on reading the random posts Gao Mingyuan had sent him. Shen He found him annoying and pushed his head away.

The news kept popping up, and ASG officially reposted VLG's announcement with a caption full of praise. The comment section was peaceful, filled with blessings and gratitude. The entire transfer saga concluded amicably, without any drama or conflict, in a dignified and heartwarming manner.

During the off-season, there weren't many people at the VLG training base, so Chen Yuchuan simply dragged Shen He back to his home.

Shenhe wakes up naturally every day, eats something casually after getting up, and then the two of them start playing ranked matches.

They also play other games, shooting games, survival games, all kinds.

Shenhe gradually discovered some things that he had overlooked.

He wanted to play jungle, so Chen Yuchuan would take a strong mid lane to help him establish an advantage. Shen He wanted to be carried, but Chen Yuchuan, who also played AD carry, said, "You AD carry players are all pampered young masters. If you keep feeding like this, people will curse you."

The teammates he was matched with that day were terrible, and Shenhe was a little annoyed. He casually said, "They don't deserve to win." Chen Yuchuan suddenly started pushing lanes and not team fighting in the game, putting up an even more blatant act than Shenhe.

The next day, a post appeared on the forum:

"A professional player suddenly fell seriously ill late at night and gave up, which is a serious breach of his professionalism."

In the accompanying picture, Chen Yuchuan's ID is clearly visible.

Shenhe opened the post, and the comment section was already in an uproar. Just like last time, it was all people cursing Chen Yuchuan, saying he had poor manners and that he didn't deserve to be a professional player.

Shen He stared at the comments, his brows furrowing.

He closed the forum, but some things started to come to mind.

When the two were still in school, Chen Yuchuan was just a few games away from making the leaderboard. At that time, Shen He was practicing a new hero and insisted on playing ranked games with Chen Yuchuan, wanting his good brother to cover for him.

That day, he was heavily criticized by his teammates. Chen Yuchuan helped him by scolding them while also carrying the team with all his might, but they still lost all their qualifying matches.

Shen He remembered that Chen Yuchuan looked blank and sat there for a long time without saying a word. He thought Chen Yuchuan was about to get angry, but Chen Yuchuan just smiled and said, "It's just a game, as long as you have fun."

Shen He didn't think much of it at the time, only that Chen Yuchuan had a good attitude, and he also felt a little sorry for his brother.

Looking back now, what Chen Yuchuan probably meant at the time was: "As long as you're happy."

The same applies to other games.

A rare item appeared on the map. Chen Yuchuan rushed over and pretended to snatch it. The two argued for a long time. Chen Yuchuan clearly got it, but in the end, he deliberately made a mistake and left the item for him.

"Fine, I'll let you have it," Chen Yuchuan said casually, as if he really didn't care.

Shen He held the equipment without saying anything.

But now that I think about it, it seems a bit too deliberate.

Not just games, not just now. There's so much more.

Even now, when I think back on how many times I've been buried in the river, I wonder how I could have missed it.

"It's just one loss, when did you become such a stat-obsessed player?"

Chen Yuchuan's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Shen He snapped out of his daze; the game was over. Staring at the defeat screen, he suddenly spoke: "Chen Yuchuan."

"Um?"

Why do you always give in to me?

The air was still for a few seconds.

Chen Yuchuan paused on the mouse for a moment, then turned his head to look at him.

After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice sounding somewhat helpless: "Because when you're unhappy, I'm unhappy too."

He paused, then smiled and said, "It's because I like you."

Shen He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.

He closed his eyes, his mind filled with Chen Yuchuan's words, "If you're unhappy, I'm unhappy."

And then there were those things he overlooked: Chen Yuchuan's repeated concessions and compromises.

He always thought he was very clear-headed and that he could see everything clearly.

But he never truly understood what Chen Yuchuan had done to him.

Perhaps it wasn't that I didn't see it clearly.

Instead, he was constantly running away, afraid to look at it, and unwilling to admit it.

He kept moving forward, constantly changing, striving to become more independent and stronger. But Chen Yuchuan remained the same as before.

Or rather, it was his deliberate avoidance that left Chen Yuchuan stuck in the past.

On the day the offseason ended, Shen He and Chen Yuchuan returned to the base together.

Several teammates are already in the training room.

Top laner Li Xiuyan was the first to see the two, and nodded to Chen He: "Chen He, welcome to the team."

Li Xiuyan is considered the eldest brother in the team. He is calm, reliable, and speaks with composure, giving people a very reassuring feeling.

Mid laner Lin Xiaoyu came over and patted Chenhe on the shoulder with a grin: "I didn't see it clearly in the last match, bro, you're just ridiculously handsome!"

Lin Xiaoyu is only eighteen years old, about the same age as Zhou Yifan. He is talkative, loves to laugh, and has a rather eccentric personality.

Chen Yuchuan walked over from behind, pretending to be good buddies, and put his hand on Shen He's shoulder.

Lin Xiaoyu chuckled twice when he saw his expression.

Yi Yang, the support player, had been playing ranked games without saying a word. Only after finishing his task did he slowly turn around and look at Shen He: "Hello, sister-in-law."

The air suddenly went silent for a second.

Shen He was stunned and didn't react.

"Shut your mouth." Chen Yuchuan's voice turned cold as he stared at Yi Yang. "Don't fucking talk nonsense."

Yi Yang shrugged, looking indifferent, and turned back to continue queuing.

Shen He ignored them and went to his position to start adjusting the equipment. Chen Yuchuan followed behind, giving Yi Yang a fierce look as he passed by.

VLG has scheduled several practice matches.

Shenhe sat in his seat and put on his headphones. The team's voice came through the voice chat, everyone talking to themselves, it was quite lively.

Then Chen Yuchuan's voice rang out, drowning out everyone else.

"Yi Yang, you're in charge of protecting the bottom lane this game," Chen Yuchuan said. "Don't worry about the other places."

Yi Yang replied, "I understand, Brother Chuan."

“Shangzhong, follow my rhythm,” Chen Yuchuan said again.

Li Xiuyan and Lin Xiaoyu both agreed without any questions.

As Shen He listened to the sounds in his headphones, his fingers paused on the mouse.

Chen Yuchuan's status in the team was even higher than he had imagined; his word was law. Everyone revolved around him, whether it was the experienced top laner or the mid and support players who consistently ranked in the top ten of the ladder.

After the game started, Shen He noticed that Chen Yuchuan was beating him pretty hard.

He spends most of his time in the jungle, relentlessly invading the enemy jungler and pinning them down. Occasionally, he'll gank the top lane, or help the mid laner secure the dragon, and then clear vision in the bottom half of the map.

Shenhe was farming in the bottom lane, and Yiyang was protecting him, occasionally initiating a team fight.

The opposing team tried to target the bottom lane several times, but because the support stayed close by and had deep vision, the opposing team could not find an opportunity.

Meanwhile, Chen Yuchuan had completely controlled the jungle and was far ahead of the opposing jungler in terms of economy.

In the final team fight, Chen Yuchuan charged straight into the enemy backline, tearing apart their entire formation. Shen He casually dealt damage from behind, contributing almost nothing, and the team fight ended.

victory.

Shen He took off his headphones, and Chen Yuchuan turned his head to look at him across the middle lane, his eyes asking a question.

Shen He understood what he was asking.

He wasn't interested in the game, so Chen Yuchuan simply ignored the bottom lane and let Shen He stay put. Anyway, he could rely on his absolute dominance in the jungle to make Shen He play comfortably in the bottom lane and win the game. Shen He just needed to stay in the back and farm.

"It's alright," Shen He said.

Chen Yuchuan nodded and said nothing more.

Lin Xiaoyu joked from the side, "Why don't we just put your seats together? That way I won't have to watch you two flirting in the middle."

Chen Yuchuan seemed to be deep in thought, and called over the manager: "Change the positions."

Shen He glanced at him sideways, feeling somewhat helpless at his young master-like behavior.

After several days of training matches, the results were very good, but there were also some minor issues. The coach called everyone together to review the match.

He pointed to the replay on the screen, analyzed the details of several team fights, and then said, "I think the bottom lane still needs more practice. Shenhe and Yiyang, you two should duo queue more often to develop your synergy."

Yi Yang responded.

Just as Shen He was about to nod, Chen Yuchuan suddenly spoke up: "No need."

The coach was taken aback: "What?"

"Just duo queue in the jungle," Chen Yuchuan said. "You don't need to have good synergy with the support in the river."

The coach was speechless: "How are we going to lane if the bot lane doesn't have any synergy?"

“I said no, and that means no.” Chen Yuchuan interrupted him. “The support just needs to follow the marksman’s rhythm.”

Yi Yang suppressed a laugh, while Shen He looked at Chen Yuchuan and suddenly found it rather amusing.

Chen Yuchuan looks a lot like a dog guarding its food.

"Whatever," Shen He rarely spoke, "If it doesn't work out, then three rows."

Chen Yuchuan glanced at him, his expression relaxed, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

The coach sighed and ultimately gave up.

At lunchtime, Shen He suggested, "Let's eat out."

Chen Yuchuan was a little surprised and looked up at him: "Where are you going?"

“I saw a lamb bone soup place when I passed by last time, and I think you would like to eat it.”

The two drove out and found the shop. The shop wasn't big, but it was very popular and packed with people.

They found a corner to sit down, ordered some side dishes, and two servings of mutton bone soup.

When the soup was served, it was steaming hot and smelled delicious. Shen He took a sip, but the taste was just average. However, Chen Yuchuan ate with great enjoyment, drinking the soup and gnawing on bones at the same time.

"Why did you suddenly decide to invite me to dinner?"

Shen He was very relaxed today and seemed to be in a good mood. Chen Yuchuan also unconsciously relaxed.

Shen He looked up at him, thought for a moment, and said, "It's nothing, I just thought today was quite interesting."

"?"

“You,” Shen He said, “are being far too possessive of your food.”

Chen Yuchuan paused for a moment, then burst out laughing: "I told you long ago that I wanted to be a dog, but you always pretended not to hear me."

Shenhe sighed, "Don't always be like this, it's creepy."

Chen Yuchuan stared at him and then resorted to his shameless act: "Fine, if you want me to be a human, I'll be a human; if you want me to be a dog, I'll be a dog. Is that alright?"