Chapter 58
This year's World Championship is the largest ever. The number of participating countries has doubled, and the number of teams has also doubled. Even more concerning is the presence of several strong regions that weren't even registered in previous years, which immediately displayed overwhelming strength, completely disrupting the original competitive landscape.
The group stage and round-robin tournaments were very long, with each team playing almost every two days. VLG's strength was undeniable, but even they couldn't withstand this intensity. They lost two matches during the group stage: one against a dark horse team from the new region, whose unpredictable playstyle caught VLG off guard; the other was due to jet lag and mistakes caused by consecutive matches, leaving them exhausted throughout the game and repeatedly criticized on the forums.
Fortunately, the team had strong individual skills, with each player capable of carrying the team, and they ultimately advanced as the top team in their group.
The matches in the round of 32 and round of 16 were relatively easier. Their opponents were traditional teams from established regions, whom they had thoroughly studied, and VLG won decisively with almost no effort. However, the team's lax attitude was still evident, and the head coach very seriously instructed everyone to get back into form.
Next up is the quarterfinals.
The draw results are in, and VLG will face ASG. Since changing their head coach, ASG's strength has improved significantly, and Zhou Yifan has been in excellent form, performing exceptionally well from the middle to the end of the season, almost single-handedly carrying the team into the quarterfinals. ASG narrowly lost to CE in the playoffs, and VLG didn't face them, leaving them uncertain about their opponent's strength. This uncertainty adds considerable unpredictability to the match.
On the night of the draw, Chen Yuchuan had the team leader organize a team dinner, but not many people were invited, just the players and coaching staff. The dishes were plentiful and looked very luxurious.
The atmosphere was quite relaxed; the team members ate and chatted, occasionally cracking jokes. But Shen He could sense that everyone was still on edge. After all, it was the quarterfinals; a loss meant going home, and no one dared to truly relax at this crucial juncture.
As the match was drawing to a close, Chen Yuchuan glanced at everyone present and suddenly spoke, his tone heavy: "Play well in the upcoming matches."
The team members nodded in agreement.
"If we do well this time, you'll all get your share of the rewards," Chen Yuchuan said, pulling his car keys out of his pocket and slamming them onto the table.
Shen He recognized it; it was the key to his black sports car. This car wasn't the most expensive in Chen Yuchuan's garage, but it was the most stylish, and equally expensive—the implication was obvious.
Shenhe really couldn't stand his pretentious attitude, and his tendency to feel embarrassed for others kicked him hard under the table.
Chen Yuchuan's legs trembled slightly, but his expression remained unchanged. He reached under the table, accurately grabbed Shen He's hand, tightened his grip, and squeezed it hard. He still maintained his arrogant demeanor from before: "I've never asked anything of you before, and I didn't care what ranking we got before, but this time you must do your best, you must win the championship."
The team members all expressed their determination, saying things like "We must win" and "Don't worry, Brother Chuan."
Chen Yuchuan nodded in satisfaction before picking up his phone to continue looking at it. The atmosphere in the room instantly relaxed. Shen He glanced at him expressionlessly and then kicked him under the table again.
Chen Yuchuan turned his head away, a helpless smile playing on his lips.
It was almost 11 o'clock when I got back to the hotel.
Chen Yuchuan opened the door, casually threw his coat on the ground, and turned to look at Chen He.
Why do you keep kicking me?
Shenhe closed the door, took off his coat and hung it on the hanger, saying without turning his head, "I'm ashamed of you."
"Huh?" Chen Yuchuan was taken aback, his brows furrowing slightly. "What did I do to you this time?"
Shen He turned around, leaned against the door, looked up at him, and said seriously, "Don't you really think you were pretentious and stupid at the dinner table tonight?"
Chen Yuchuan held it in for a moment, but couldn't help but burst out laughing:
"I think I'm incredibly handsome, and I feel pretty proud of myself."
He walked up to Shen He, leaned against the wall behind him with one hand, pulled him into his arms, and leaned closer: "What do you think?"
Shen He stared at him for two seconds, then said expressionlessly, "Take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror."
"Hmm?" Chen Yuchuan narrowed his eyes.
“Every day, the moment you open your eyes, you start doing stupid things without a care in the world.” Shen He raised his hand and pushed his chest, not with much force, but with obvious disgust. “Get out of my way.”
Chen Yuchuan not only didn't give way, but moved even closer, his nose almost touching Chen He's, his breath spraying onto the other's face.
"Tell me, isn't this guy handsome?"
"ugly."
"You're lying." Chen Yuchuan laughed even harder, placing his hand on Shen He's waist, his thumb rubbing against the fabric. "You stared at me the first time we met, and you kept sneaking glances at me afterwards, and you even said I wasn't handsome?"
Shen He was silent for two seconds, then sighed.
"I really thought you were an idiot back then."
"..." Chen Yuchuan's smile froze for a moment.
“Really.” Shen He’s tone was calm, but every word hit home. “He’s the kind of kid who thinks he’s cool and handsome, who acts profound and fights against the whole world every day, but he’s just a little kid with a problem in his head.”
Chen Yuchuan chuckled, tightened his arms, and pulled Shen He up by the waist.
Shen He's feet left the ground, and he was startled by the sudden movement. He pushed Shen He away forcefully.
What are you doing?
"..." Chen Yuchuan stumbled from the push, taking two steps back and bumping into the edge of the table. He looked at Chen He, speechless. "Can't I even hug you?"
"No, it's weird for a man to hug another man."
Shen He noticed that Chen Yuchuan frowned slightly when he bumped into the table, and seemed a little guilty. He walked over to check if Chen Yuchuan had hurt himself, but as soon as he reached out, Chen Yuchuan pulled him back, causing him to fall into the other's arms.
"What on earth are you trying to do?" Shen He struggled, but couldn't break free.
"Trying to coax my stubborn wife, huh?" Chen Yuchuan pushed Shen He down onto the bed and leaned over him. He propped himself up on one side of Shen He's head with one hand and hooked Shen He's chin with the other. "Let him know how handsome her husband is."
Shen He looked at his face so close to hers, her eyes filled with helplessness. He was indeed handsome, but he was definitely out of his mind.
"Can you please stop calling me 'wife'? You're gay now, not straight."
"..." Chen Yuchuan paused for a moment, then lowered his head to kiss Chen He's lips, lingering for a while before letting go. His voice was hoarse as he whispered in Chen He's ear, "Can't you say something I want to hear? Hmm?"
"No, next time you drink, remember to rinse your mouth before kissing me, okay?"
"..." Chen Yuchuan bit him hard. "Fine, fine, you're just full of quirks."
Shen He raised his hand and pressed down on his fidgeting head, sighed, and said seriously, "Alright, I do have a lot of problems. If you ever get annoyed by me, just say so."
“I’ve been thinking about it. We’re a couple, so compromise and tolerance have to be mutual. You can’t just keep giving in to me.” He paused, his fingers unconsciously adjusting Chen Yuchuan’s collar. “That’s just my personality. I say what I think directly, and I can’t say nice things. I also have a lot of demands. But for other issues, you can bring them up.”
The room was silent for two seconds.
Chen Yuchuan froze, his arms around Shen He's waist tightened slightly, and he looked down at him, his eyes softening little by little, as if he had been burned by something.
"I was just talking nonsense. My baby doesn't have any problems at all."
Chen Yuchuan's voice was low and slightly nasal as he cupped Shen He's face in his hands, his thumb gently brushing against his lower lip. "You are the best and most perfect person in the whole world."
Shen He frowned slightly: "I'm serious about this."
“I’m serious.” Chen Yuchuan raised his head, his eyes filled with a stubborn determination. “Really, you’re perfect in every way.”
“You know what?” Chen Yuchuan smiled, “I’ve had everything since I was a child, but I can’t find anything I want to cherish. If a car gets damaged, I just throw it away; if my clothes get dirty, I just throw them away. I don’t care about anything.” He paused for a moment, “But you’re different.”
“You are the only person I’ve ever met whom I dare not touch, whom I’m always so careful about.” Chen Yuchuan said, then lowered his head and placed a kiss on his forehead. “You are you, and you don’t need to change for anyone or anything.”
Shen He stared at him for a few seconds, then raised his hand, placed his palm on the back of Chen Yuchuan's head, and gently patted it.
That's enough.
"What's wrong?"
"Stop talking." Shen He's voice was tinged with amusement. "If you keep talking, I'll start digging my toes into the ground again."
"Baby, how can you be so cute?" Chen Yuchuan sighed softly, finally uttering the words that had been hidden in his heart for a long time.
Shen He didn't say anything, but just squeezed his hand. Now he really felt embarrassed.
Before the match, Zhou Yifan arranged to have dinner alone with Shen He. Chen Yuchuan, as always, looked like a weirdo with eyes that didn't look like eyes and a nose that didn't look like nose.
They found a quiet restaurant near the hotel. Zhou Yifan ordered a lot of dishes, but hardly touched them. He just held his cup, rubbing his fingers back and forth on the inside, seemingly lost in thought.
"Nervous?" Shen He casually ate a little and looked at him, asking.
“Hmm.” Zhou Yifan didn’t deny it, his fingers interlaced and resting on the table. “The next match is against VLG… against you guys.”
He lowered his head, staring at the patterns on the table, his voice a little muffled: "I have a feeling... this might be the toughest match of my life."
Shen He put down his chopsticks and looked at him.
"ASG's performance this year has been very good, and reaching the quarterfinals is what I think is the team's limit," Zhou Yifan continued, his voice tinged with self-deprecation. "But I know I'm still not strong enough. If I lose to you guys again..."
"Don't think too much about it," Shenhe interrupted him, his tone calm. "What you need to think about now is how to enjoy the game and the opportunity to have a blast at the World Championship."
Zhou Yifan looked up, his eyes filled with confusion.
“The qualification for the World Championship is hard-won. You are ASG’s biggest contributor and core player. Without you, they would never have had the chance to play in the World Championship.” Shenhe picked up his teacup and took a sip. “So just play to your heart’s content and give it your all.”
"But……"
“No buts.” Shen He looked at him with a serious expression. “You care too much about the result. Winning is good, but losing doesn’t mean you’re not good. If I were 18, I probably wouldn’t have been able to lead the team to the World Championship.”
Zhou Yifan stared at him for a few seconds, his expression complex.
"Besides," Shen He picked up another piece of meat, "you shouldn't always be thinking about surpassing or beating anyone. That's not what you originally wanted to do in this game, is it?"
Zhou Yifan was stunned.
What do you think?
“…You’re right.” Zhou Yifan took a deep breath, feeling the tightness in his chest dissipate a bit. He looked at Shen He, “Brother Shen He, thank you.”
"...Why say such things?" Shen He shook his head and continued eating.
The quarterfinals began as scheduled. Zhou Yifan kept taking deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. But when he sat in the player's seat, put on his headphones, and looked at Shen He opposite him, who was relaxed and smiling as he talked to Chen Yuchuan, his heart still raced uncontrollably.
The match began. Zhou Yifan played very steadily, either protecting his teammates or providing vision, not giving VLG any opportunities. However, after the first small-scale skirmish broke out in the upper jungle, Zhou Yifan's rhythm was completely disrupted.
Chen Yuchuan seized the opportunity to invade his jungle, acting fiercely and decisively, giving him no time to react. Zhou Yifan instinctively chose to confront him head-on, wanting to prove that he was no less capable than Chen Yuchuan.
That thought occupied all his attention.
He began frequently attempting to counter-jungle, trying to gain an advantage in jungle resources, but neglected his teammates' positioning and vision control. Chen Yuchuan seized this weakness, and two consecutive counter-ganks caused Zhou Yifan to not only lose jungle monsters but also waste a significant amount of time.
Chen Yuchuan has gained a significant lead over Zhou Yifan in numerous skirmishes in the jungle.
Shen He looked at Chen Yuchuan's movements on the minimap and almost laughed.
Chen Yuchuan's playing style today was exceptionally aggressive. Every invasion precisely targeted Zhou Yifan's inevitable route, and every counter-gank was anticipated in advance. This wasn't just a simple tactical maneuver; it was more like a cat-and-mouse game. He was telling Zhou Yifan in the most direct way: you want to prove something, but you can't.
Shen He couldn't help but chuckle.
While operating the machine, Chen Yuchuan took a moment to ask, "What are you laughing at?"
"I'm laughing at how crazy you are all the time."
His teammates were all confused, but Chen Yuchuan just stood there with a disdainful look on his face.
On the other side, Zhou Yifan's palms were sweating profusely. He forced himself to calm down, and gradually, he finally regained his rhythm. He began to abandon those risky invasions, instead focusing on protecting his team's core damage dealers, coordinating with his teammates to provide vision, and controlling resources before team fights. He temporarily abandoned the jungle skirmishes, instead looking for opportunities in team fights.
Shen He noticed this change. Zhou Yifan no longer blindly clashed with Chen Yuchuan, but found his own rhythm. In several team fights, his flanking maneuvers were perfectly timed, allowing him to coordinate with his teammates to execute beautiful control chains.
Shen He's lips curled slightly; Zhou Yifan had finally produced something of his own.
Although that's not enough.
VLG's overall strength is undeniable: the coaching staff's tactical reserves, the players' abilities, and the highly motivated Chen Yuchuan. Zhou Yifan alone, lacking any major tournament experience, simply cannot carry the entire team.
VLG won the three games decisively, 3-0.
VLG's team members walked by one by one, shaking hands and separating. Zhou Yifan mechanically repeated this action, feeling the warmth of the other person's palm with each handshake. That warmth reminded him that the defeat at this moment was real, until Chen He walked up to him.
Shen He reached out his hand.
Zhou Yifan looked at the hand—long, clean, with distinct knuckles. He suddenly realized he couldn't just shake it and walk away.
He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Chenhe.
Shen He's body stiffened for a moment, then he placed his hand on Shen He's back and patted it gently. The gesture was restrained, carrying a hint of comfort.
Zhou Yifan buried her face in Shen He's shoulder, clenching her teeth, but tears still welled up without warning, either from a breakdown or from feeling suffocated.
He had played exceptionally well, better than ever before, yet he still lost to Chen Yuchuan. That feeling of pushing himself to the limit but still not being enough, that wish he had longed for countless times but could never fulfill, weighed heavily on him, leaving him speechless. Tears soaked Chen He's team uniform.
"You've really mastered it." Shen He's voice rang in my ears, soft yet clear. "Really."
Zhou Yifan didn't speak. He could feel the warmth of Shen He's hand through the team uniform, and that action made his inner breakdown even worse.
"Do you remember?" Shen He spoke again, "I told you back then that the most important thing when playing games is to have fun."
Zhou Yifan hugged him tighter, and Shen He glanced at Chen Yuchuan.
"Just enjoy yourself." Shen He continued, his voice remaining calm. "If we lose this year, we can always try again next year."
He paused for a moment, then said, "As long as you feel you're the best, that's all that matters, isn't it?"
Zhou Yifan closed his eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks. He suddenly realized something: he and Shen He weren't actually as close as he had imagined.
We're really not that close.
They've met privately only a handful of times, and their total conversations probably amount to less than an hour. Shen He is the kind of person who's hard to approach; he appears aloof on the surface, and is even more unapproachable on the inside. But for some reason, Zhou Yifan always can't help but want to talk to him, want to win with him, want to defeat him, want to become his friend, to become his brother, but one by one, these wishes are dashed.
After this competition, they probably won't have any further contact.
Gao Mingyuan said that Shen He was going back to school, while he would continue playing professionally, not knowing how much longer he would have to play. This thought made Zhou Yifan feel even more suffocated. He knew he was behaving inappropriately; his nose stung, his eyes burned, and his shoulders trembled uncontrollably. But he just couldn't stop.
Shen He felt a little helpless. Perhaps this regret was the charm of e-sports; being too persistent could trap you in the same place. Shen He patted Zhou Yifan on the back, then raised his hand, placed his palm on the top of Zhou Yifan's head, and patted his head again. The movement was slow, gentle, and nonchalant.
"Hold."
A voice of dissatisfaction came from the side. Shen He turned his head and saw Chen Yuchuan with a furrowed brow, looking irritable and about to burst with anger. He couldn't help but smile and gestured to him with his eyes not to do anything rash. Gao Mingyuan walked over at the right moment, hugged Shen He and Gao Yifan, and spoke with a comforting tone, easing the atmosphere.
After the meeting, Shen He and Chen Yuchuan had dinner alone. On their way back to the hotel, Chen Yuchuan held his hand tightly, and Shen He sensed his restlessness but did not pull away.
Back at the hotel, Chen Yuchuan leaned against the window, staring blankly at the night view outside, looking vexed.
Seeing his lifeless expression, Shen He walked to the sofa and bent down to pick up the cigarette pack on the coffee table. Chen Yuchuan was quick, grabbing the pack first and looking up at him.
"what?"
Here, have a cigarette.
"I really don't smoke."
Shen He raised an eyebrow and released his grip.
Are you jealous?
"No," Chen Yuchuan said in a muffled voice.
"Really?" Shen He straightened up, walked up to him, and carefully examined his expression. "I feel like you're not in a very good mood."
Chen Yuchuan was silent for two seconds, then a helpless smile appeared on his lips: "My darling is too popular, what should I do?"
Shen He chuckled, raised his hand to hug Chen Yuchuan, gently rubbed his face against Chen Yuchuan's cheek, and then patted his back.
It was like embracing Zhou Yifan on the field, but even closer.
Chen Yuchuan tensed up and hugged him tightly. Shen He raised his hand, placed his palm on the back of Chen Yuchuan's head, and ran his fingertips through Chen Yuchuan's hair to gently stroke it.
Chen Yuchuan's Adam's apple bobbed, and he chuckled softly.
The laughter was low, tinged with a hint of gritted teeth. He reached out and grabbed Chen He's waist, pulling him closer together.
Are you trying to comfort me?
"Hmm." Shen He's voice was tinged with laughter. "I was afraid that if you were in a bad mood, it would affect my chances of winning the match."
"You motherfucker..." Before Chen Yuchuan could finish speaking, he grabbed Shen He by the back of the head, pulled him close, and kissed him.
The kiss came suddenly and fiercely, with a clear sense of revenge. Chen Yuchuan bit Shen He's lower lip hard, and Shen He pushed him away in pain, but Chen Yuchuan held the back of his head, preventing him from escaping. His other hand slipped under the hem of his team uniform, his palm tracing the skin of Shen He's waist and moving upwards, stopping at his chest and slowly caressing it. Shen He paused for a moment, but did not stop him.
The kiss lasted a long time. Shen He raised his hand to wipe the corner of his mouth, frowning as he looked at Chen Yuchuan.
What did you eat tonight?
"Um?"
Shen He leaned back in disgust, which startled Chen Yuchuan, who genuinely thought there was something wrong with his oral health management.
Shen He pushed Chen Yuchuan away, "You're so jealous! Don't get jealous so easily in the future, okay?"
Chen Yuchuan looked at him with a smile in his eyes: "Then don't get so close to people in the future."
"Okay, okay, I'll just pet your head, is that enough?"
"No." Chen Yuchuan pulled him closer again, his forehead pressed against Chen He's, his voice lowered, "Why should I be treated the same as Zhou Yifan? I'm your boyfriend, can't I have some special treatment?"
What special treatment do you want?
"Let me take a bite and see how it tastes."
Shen He understood his unspoken meaning and couldn't help but slap him hard on the back of the head: "...Can you get lost?"
"Look at you, getting all worked up again. You can pinch me, really."
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