Chapter 54

After that day, Chen Yuchuan behaved much better in public.

Training was training, and matches were matches; there were no more overly intimate gestures. His teammates were a little unaccustomed to Chen Yuchuan suddenly acting normal.

But getting home is a completely different story.

After Shen He changed his shoes, Chen Yuchuan pinned him against the wall and started biting him. Shen He's lips hurt a little from Chen Yuchuan's bite, and he pushed him away, but Chen Yuchuan not only didn't let go, he bit even harder.

"You have rabies?" Shen He frowned.

"So what?" Chen Yuchuan released his lips and instead kissed the bridge of his nose. "Outside, I can only be your brother, but at home, I'll be your boyfriend. Is that okay?"

Shen He looked at him, a sense of helplessness welling up inside him.

Chen Yuchuan's demeanor clearly indicated that he was trying to shift the focus. He had taken to heart what he said that day, but he had no intention of changing. He was just behaving himself in a different way, restraining himself in public but becoming even more unruly at home. He was incorrigible, but Shen He couldn't do anything about it. This man's shamelessness had reached a certain level; he would never give up until he got something out of Shen He.

"Alright." Shen He pressed down on his shoulder. "Let's eat."

"Let's kiss for a while first," Chen Yuchuan said.

"Chen Yuchuan".

"Okay, okay, eat, eat, eat." Chen Yuchuan reluctantly let go.

With that expression, Shenhe clearly didn't want to talk to him.

This week's opponent is last season's champion team, CE.

The atmosphere at the pre-match meeting was much more serious than usual. The coaches discussed the opponent's possible strategies, and the players listened attentively. Last season, VLG not only lost to this team in the regular season but also missed the championship in the playoffs. Going back to their many past encounters, VLG had never gained the upper hand, and everyone was still unwilling to accept those defeats.

"We must win this time; we can't afford to lose again."

"If we lose again this time, I feel like I'll be ridiculed on the forum for half a year," Yi Yang joked.

"Half a year is too short," Li Xiuyan chimed in.

The coach glanced at Shenhe and then said, "The best solution against a team with such varied strategies is to let the AD carry farm uncontrollably."

“We can’t predict the opponent’s playstyle, and they like to pick some unexpected counter-pick lineups,” the coach said. “But if we can get our carry to get strong heroes, and the other positions can pick counter-picks depending on the situation, we can have enough advantages throughout the game, and their rhythm will be disrupted.”

The assistant coach nodded: "This idea is good, but it's also very risky. If we give all the resources to the AD carry, what about the other lanes?"

"Just keep the other lanes stable," Chen Yuchuan said. "We don't need to gain an advantage, just protect our AD carry."

Li Xiuyan looked at Shen He: "How do you feel? Don't you feel a bit pressured?"

Shen He shook his head: "As long as you trust me, I can do C."

He spoke calmly, but his tone carried an undeniable confidence.

Chen Yuchuan looked at him, a smile playing on his lips.

The coach said, "Our coaching team will refine the specific strategies further."

On the day of the match, the stadium was packed with spectators. When the two teams took to the stage, the cheers from the crowd nearly lifted the roof off.

In the draft phase, Shenhe picked Ranger, and the opponent immediately countered by picking a tanky support and an AD carry who could farm minions in lane, clearly intending to avoid fights and avoid the opponent's power spike.

When it was Chen Yuchuan's turn to choose a hero, everyone thought he would pick a high-attack, high-mobility jungler as usual, but he locked in a tank.

"This choice is a bit unexpected," the commentator said. "Tank junglers are not strong in the current version. They have a slow jungle clearing speed and it is difficult for them to create momentum in the early game."

“Yes, the opposing team only needs to pick one strong warrior, and they will definitely invade the jungle like crazy in the early game,” his partner added. “VLG’s lineup… is a bit risky.”

"Protect the AD carry," the commentator guessed. "They want to give all the resources to Rangers so that Styx becomes unstoppable."

"But that would put a lot of pressure on the other lanes," his partner added. "And if the Ranger can't get ahead, this lineup becomes meaningless."

"Yes, VLG is gambling on this game," the commentator added, "gambling that Styx can gain a significant advantage in the early game."

The game has finished loading.

Chen Yuchuan didn't follow the normal jungle route and ran into the enemy's strong mid and jungle who were trying to steal his jungle camps. VLG's bottom laner prioritized pushing the lane and ignored the neutral objectives, choosing instead to support the jungle. Chenhe took the opportunity to share Chen Yuchuan's experience and gold in the jungle.

The Ranger focused on farming and roaming, avoiding prolonged fights and helping Chen Yuchuan speed up jungle monster respawns. The mid-laner voluntarily ceded some resources, working with the bottom lane and jungler to establish an economic advantage. CE repeatedly targeted the bottom lane, but thanks to the protection of VLG's mid and support, they couldn't find an opportunity to kill the Ranger.

Fifteen minutes later, team fights broke out frequently. At this time, everyone realized that the tank jungler did not need to have good equipment. As long as he could withstand a burst of damage, the Ranger could continue to output damage. Therefore, he could recklessly give all resources to the bottom lane.

In the final team fight, the Rangers had a significant economic advantage and equipment, coupled with high burst damage and high mobility, resulting in a 2-for-5 exchange that secured the team fight. They then took control of Baron Nashor and destroyed CE's base.

The crowd cheered.

Shen He took off his headphones, his expression calm.

"How was it, Styx?" Chen Yuchuan said. "Did I protect you enough?"

Shen He glanced at him: "Not bad."

In the second game, the opponent had clearly made tactical adjustments.

In the draft phase, they secured a strong mid-jungle duo with plenty of crowd control and high burst damage. From the start of the match, the opposing mid-jungle duo targeted VLG's mid-lane relentlessly, giving them no chance to breathe.

VLG's mid laner was completely suppressed and found it difficult to roam and provide support. On the contrary, CE coordinated their attacks to catch and kill their opponents one by one.

"This strategy is very clever," the commentator exclaimed. "By dragging down the mid lane at its source, preventing him from supporting the bottom lane and controlling the tempo, the bottom lane naturally won't be as comfortable as it was in the previous game."

“Yes, and look at CE’s lineup,” another person pointed out. “They’re playing a split-push lineup, and VLG doesn’t have anyone who can handle split-pushing on the side lanes.”

After the laning phase ended, the opposing top laner started pushing lanes, forcing VLG to send players to deal with him. Meanwhile, CE used their minion wave advantage to take control of resource team fights, gradually chipping away at VLG's map vision.

Although VLG's development was good, they were unable to cope with the opponent's split-push strategy, and in the end, VLG's base crystal was destroyed.

A narrow defeat.

Back in the rest room, the coach comforted everyone: "There's still one more game. Everyone, stay focused. We can't let the opponent's rhythm get us down. We need to make them follow our draft picks."

In the decisive game, VLG picked their first three champions, and their teammates opted for a more protective lineup: a tanky top laner, a control mid laner, and a protective support.

The opposing team followed suit, choosing the carry-protecting strategy and even getting the Ranger first.

"Is it a four-protect-one strategy on both sides?" the commentator wondered. "But the mid-range marksmen who can be the main carry have all been banned, leaving VLG with heroes that have fatal flaws."

VLG's last two picks. Shenhe locked in a mage-type AD carry, Yaoling, who has extremely strong late-game capabilities but is very weak in the early game.

The commentator was stunned: "This hero is too weak in the early game, and VLG already has a mage mid laner. If they pick another mage AD, as long as CE stacks magic resistance, both carries will be useless..."

Chen Yuchuan then locked in an unpopular assassin jungler.

"This hero is indeed strong in the early game, but he lacks strength in the late game. He can only be played as a support hero, which is useless!"

"In the early game, the jungler sets the pace and controls resources, while in the late game, the AD carry takes over the game. But what about the mid-game?"

"This lineup... is too risky."

"Teleport?" The commentator noticed Shenhe's summoner spell. "Styx isn't taking a shield or cleanse this game?"

"This means he has given up his ability to fight online, and his margin for error in team fights is also low. There are many variables in this game."

The game begins.

Shenhe's playstyle was indeed very stable. He didn't engage in direct fights with the enemy AD, but instead used his skills to last-hit minions and gain experience. The enemy wanted to push the tower, but since the mid and support players on both sides were evenly matched, the enemy clearly didn't want to take such a risk.

The enemy ranger wanted to gank other lanes to gain farm and establish a rhythm, which highlighted the advantages of the assassin jungler: constant harassment, ganks, and counter-ganks, posing a significant threat and causing considerable trouble for the enemy's lane rotations. The enemy jungler's presence relieved the pressure and gave the bottom lane more room to farm.

After finishing the bottom lane minions, Shenhe still had time to go to the mid lane to share his experience with his teammates.

By the time VLG engaged in a major team fight, the core items for the Demon Spirit were almost complete. VLG's three players focused on protecting the Demon Spirit, while Chen Yuchuan split-pushed to create pressure. CE's carries faced a difficult output environment, and ultimately, neither their macro play nor their team fights were enough to retaliate.

They won the game beautifully.

Moreover, they won by using the opponent's own playstyle system.

Chen Yuchuan looked at Shen He, wanting to say something, but after glancing at the surrounding cameras, he held back. His teammates were all excited, while Shen He's expression remained unchanged, though a slight smile played at the corners of his lips.

Chen Yuchuan looked at him, his eyes filled with pride. Shen He noticed his gaze and turned to look at him. They stared at each other for a few seconds, then Chen Yuchuan raised an eyebrow at him.

Having overcome their inner demons, everyone at VLG was very excited.

Inside the locker room, some were cheering, some were making a ruckus. This victory was significant for them; they had not only broken through their own personal limits but also defeated all the teams in the league.

Chen Yuchuan squeezed through the crowd and hugged Shen He tightly. Shen He didn't push him away, but simply patted his back.

Chen Yuchuan whispered in his ear, "I won."

"Mm," Shen He responded.

Chen Yuchuan smiled, let go of her hand, and looked into Chen He's eyes: "It's good that you came."

We went out for dinner to celebrate that night. This time, no one pressured anyone to drink, but everyone still drank too much.

Excitement, agitation, and release—a mix of emotions made it hard not to get drunk. Lin Xiaoyu's face was as red as a monkey's bottom as he clung to Yi Yang's shoulder, babbling incoherently.

"I told you, we could definitely win," Lin Xiaoyu said, his tongue slurring. "We definitely could win."

"We are the champions." Yi Yang was also a little confused, laughing like a fool.

Lin Xiaoyu suddenly turned his head, drunkenly staring at Shen He and Chen Yuchuan: "Hey, I'm talking to you two..."

Chen He took a sip of water, his expression unchanged.

"You two have been acting strange lately," Lin Xiaoyu said, trying to clear his tongue.

Yi Yang leaned closer: "Yeah, the strangest thing is that neither of you are selling BL anymore."

Chen Yuchuan leaned back in his chair and, unusually, chimed in: "It's so annoying to be talked about by those people over and over again."

“That’s true.” Yi Yang nodded. “Those people online talk nonsense, sometimes it’s pleasant and sometimes it’s unpleasant.”

Li Xiuyan sat opposite, quietly drinking. Hearing this, he put down his glass and looked at Shen He and Chen Yuchuan: "But I can sense that you two have a very good relationship."

Chen Yuchuan raised an eyebrow: "Is it obvious?"

“Hmm,” Li Xiuyan said, “When the two of you are together, Shen He won’t be so tense.”

Shenhe looked at him.

“Yuchuan too,” Li Xiuyan continued. “You’re no longer all sullen; you finally look like young people in your early twenties.”

Shen He paused for a moment, then laughed: "We're just young people in our early twenties."

“But not like before.” Li Xiuyan said seriously, “You two both look… quite repressed.”

Shen He didn't speak, but just looked down at the water in the cup.

Chen Yuchuan squeezed Chen He's hand, but his mind was on what Li Xiuyan had said.

Many people felt that Shen He seemed very relaxed around him, unlike his usual tense demeanor, and he didn't deliberately keep his distance. Chen Yuchuan liked seeing him like this; that relaxed state made Chen Yuchuan feel satisfied, excited, and even addicted. He felt it was proof of "liking," a unique mark of an intimate relationship.

But then Chen Yuchuan realized something was off.

Is Shen He relaxed around him because he likes him, or is it just because he's used to it?

Chen Yuchuan recalled the conversations Shen He had had with him. Shen He didn't need expensive gifts, just instant noodles; Shen He had no expectations of him; Shen He told him to think about his own life and not to place all his emotions on him. At the time, he thought Shen He was just being considerate, but now, thinking about it carefully, the tone of Shen He's words sounded more like a statement of opinion than a genuine expression of emotion.

Lin Xiaoyu and Yi Yang were still fooling around, while the coach had already fallen asleep on the table. Li Xiuyan finished his last sip of wine, stood up, and said he had to leave first. Everyone said their goodbyes. Everyone's face showed excitement or exhaustion, except for Shen He, who calmly played with his phone.

Chen Yuchuan looked at Shen He's profile and suddenly felt uncertain.

Does Chenhe need him?

Or rather, does sinking the river require anyone?

He seemed to need nothing. He needed no money, no material possessions, no companionship, and no attention or approval from others. He was like an island, self-sufficient, complete, and independent.

Chen Yuchuan simply happened to be near the island and was allowed to stay on the shore.

The party ended, and Chen Yuchuan's driver was already waiting at the door.

Shen He hadn't actually been drinking; he was just a little sleepy and driving wasn't safe. Chen Yuchuan, on the other hand, had drunk quite a bit and seemed a little out of it. He had his arm around Shen He's shoulder and was walking unsteadily.

Back home, Chen Yuchuan pinned Shen He against the door and kissed him.

The kiss was more urgent than usual, carrying some indescribable emotion. Chen Yuchuan cupped Shen He's face in his hands, his thumb stroking his cheek, as if confirming something.

Shenhe let him kiss her, neither pushing him away nor responding too passionately.

Chen Yuchuan stopped, pressed his forehead against Shen He's, stared into his eyes, and mumbled, "Playing professionally, are you really happy?"

Shen He looked at him and nodded: "Mm."

"Are you with me?" Chen Yuchuan asked again. "Li Xiuyan said you seemed very relaxed, is that true?"

“Really,” Shen He said.

Chen Yuchuan stared into Shen He's eyes for a long, long time, then suddenly hugged him tightly.

Shen He could sense that Chen Yuchuan's mood had suddenly become strange tonight, but he didn't know where the source was. He let Chen Yuchuan hug him for a while, then pushed him away and told him to go wash up.

Chen Yuchuan staggered into the bedroom, with Shen He following behind him. Looking at his back, Shen He frowned slightly.

After washing up, Chen Yuchuan sat down on the edge of the bed, head down, hands resting on his knees. The alcohol had made his thoughts somewhat muddled, but some ideas were becoming increasingly clear.

He doesn't need to sink the river.

This realization is like a thorn stuck in my heart, causing a dull ache.

Chen Yuchuan recalled what Shen He had said, his excessively calm demeanor, and his gentle, almost polite, reactions whenever he faced Chen Yuchuan's enthusiasm.

Shen He was with him, perhaps out of gratitude, perhaps because they had known each other for so long, perhaps because she couldn't bear to hurt him, but not because of love.

He tried so hard to hold onto Shenhe, to keep him by his side, to give him everything, but what about Shenhe? Shenhe just stood there, like watching a clown play a role.

Chen Yuchuan looked up at Shen He standing at the door. The light was dim, and he couldn't see Shen He's expression, but his eyes showed no dependence, need, or longing; they remained calm, a calmness that was unsettling.

"Honey, what are you doing standing outside?" Chen Yuchuan asked, trying to break the truth.

Shen He walked in and glanced down at him: "Chen Yuchuan, if you've had too much to drink, go to bed early."

Chen Yuchuan looked up at him. The face had delicate features and a clear outline, but his eyes and brows conveyed a coldness and aloofness, always maintaining an unapproachable air. He wanted to ask something, to confirm something, but the words caught in his throat.

What good will asking do? The answer won't change just because he asked.

Chen Yuchuan smiled, took Shen He's hand, and made him lie down with him. He leaned back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

“We’ll always be together, right?” Chen Yuchuan asked.

Shen He was silent for a few seconds before finally answering, "Mm."

Chen Yuchuan closed his eyes, hugged Shen He tightly, and said nothing more.

It turns out he's started to get greedy. Having gained Shenhe's attention, he's now even fantasizing about Shenhe's love.

Wanting too much means you're destined to never be satisfied.