TTCs second team wasnt doing very well in the current LDL spring season, so the second teams coach sought out Ding-ge to discuss it numerous times. After Ding-ge solicited the agreement of the first teams members, he finally set up this practice match with the second team.

After the second teams members entered the lobby, they collectively greeted the first team in the chat, calling every single one of them ge.

[TTC-K Xiao Ya: Rong-ge, good evening.]

Everyone else laughed when they saw Jian Rong being addressed as ge.

[TTC Qian: Dont call him that, Xiao Rong probably isnt even as old as you all are.]

[TTC-K Xiao Ya: then how should I address him 0.0]

[TTC Bye: Esports male god.]

Jian Rong ignored Xiao Bais deafening laughter in his headphones and expressionlessly typed.

[Just Watch My Gameplay: You can just call me Soft]

[TTC-K Xiao Ya: Okay!]

After entering the game, Xiao Bai pulled up the scoreboard out of habit and voiced the problem that he had been dying to ask about all along. Jian Rong, look at your game ID.

Jian Rongs thoughts were focused on that iPad in his room. Whats wrong with my ID.

Xiao Bai said, It doesnt match at all with ours.

Jian Rongs competition account was named TTC Soft, but he had never changed the usernames of his own LoL accounts, including all his side accounts and his Korean account.

Jian Rong originally wanted to say were teammates not a married couple why do we have to match, but then when he saw his own ID placed next to Lu Boyuans, he felt like it was indeed out of place.

It was just an ID. A name change cost only a few dozen yuan, and Jian Rong wasnt that stingy. As a result, he asked, Should I change it then?

Lu Boyuan said, No need.

When Jian Rong heard that, he subconsciously glanced to the side out of the corner of his eyes. He couldnt openly look over, so he could only see Lu Boyuans hand as it gripped his mouse.

His fingers were curled, and he appeared to be very relaxed.

Lu Boyuan spoke again. No one will force you to change your ID, you can make it whatever you like.

Its true that there isnt such a rule in the team. Ding-ge was standing behind them. Before, it was because Xiao Lu chose this name on his new account, so the others also ended up changing their own IDs when they saw it.

Jian Rong was startled. New account?

Mn, at the time Ding-ge was about to say something but hesitated. Finally, he said, In short, he created a new account.

The old account was used in an account-sealing bet with someone, and I lost, so I stopped using that account. Lu Boyuan played it down. After that, I just kept playing on my friends account, which had a lot of champions. I only created this account after joining the team. I was too lazy to come up with a name, which is why I used the team ID.

Jian Rong was stunned, and he nearly missed a minion.

He actually didnt know what to be more surprised about

Lu Boyuan made an account-sealing bet with someone before?

And he freaking lost???

It wasnt just Jian Rong; everyone else was astonished as well.

So something like that happened before Yuan Qian was dumbfounded, and he focused on pretty much the same thing as Jian Rong. You actually lost?

Isnt it normal to lose a game? Lu Boyuan effortlessly ganked the second teams jungler. He seemed to recall something, and his lips quirked up. It wasnt that bad for me, that account didnt have any skins. XIUs account had all the skins and all the champions, it was the most impressive account in all those internet cafes and it was gone just like that.

Xiao Bai sucked in a breath through his teeth. XIU was there too? So it was a 5v5 account-sealing bet? That exciting?

Even Pine asked, Why accept the account-sealing bet?

Lu Boyuan went silent for two seconds. I forget.

It was something that happened quite a few years ago, and Lu Boyuan had long since forgotten the reason why he accepted the bet. He only remembered that back then, he had been brash and impulsive, agreeing to the bet without hesitation. In the end, when they had to seal their accounts, it felt like they were burying their wives. As soon as the five teenagers left the internet cafe, they went to hunker down at the corner of the street and smoke, and XIU was the one who had given them the cigarettes.

At the time, Lu Boyuan was fighting back against his dad, so he would play truant and skip class to hang out in internet cafes; he didnt have a single cent on him.

Yuan Qian recalled something and chuckled. I thought about it, and the old you really was capable of doing something like this.

Jian Rong spaced out while listening, his curiosity skyrocketing.

As long as this kind of curiosity made an appearance, it would be impossible to restrain. Jian Rongs mind was full of thoughts like

What was the old Lu Boyuan like?

And what was the not yet eighteen years old Lu Boyuan like, the one who hadnt started playing competitively yet, the one who hadnt stood on a stadium stage yet?

Agreeing to an account-sealing bet, and losing to boot: that sort of thing was way too childish, and it was disgraceful too. Ding-ge couldnt help but interrupt them. Enough, play properly, respect the second teams members, okay?

How are we disrespecting them? Xiao Bai immediately said, Im playing properly, P-baby come get my heal.

Pine: No thanks, recalling to base.

They played three games in the practice match, which they all won.

Just as Lu Boyuan exited the game client, his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID before he stood up and answered it. Hello.

Bro. There was a lot of background noise on the other end, and XIUs voice blended into the wind. You free? Come out and chat a bit? Oh you just finished playing a match today, right? Forget it then.

Lu Boyuan could tell that his tone of voice wasnt right. He hesitated briefly and checked the time.

Send me your location.

It was the same barbeque stand as before.

XIU hadnt ordered any barbeque, but he had ordered a few bottles of beer. By the time Lu Boyuan arrived, one bottle was already empty.

Youre here, youre way too slow. When the seat next to him was pulled out, XIU didnt even look up. He merely picked up an opened but untouched bottle of beer. Drink a bit?

Wasted some time with Ding-ge. Lu Boyuan rejected, Not drinking. Dont you have a match tomorrow?

XIU knocked back a gulp. Its fine, as long as I dont get drunk.

Lu Boyuan sat there quietly. He knew clearly what was going on, and he asked bluntly, They told you about the new jungler?

Mn. XIU took a drag on his cigarette. Just a few days after you told me, management came to discuss it with me.

Lu Boyuan lifted his eyes. What did they say.

XIU clenched his teeth. What else? They said they had signed a new jungler, and what happened next would depend on my spring season performance. If I play well, hell be my sub in the summer season. If I dont play well Ill be his sub.

At that point, XIU was already extremely fed up and angry, but he still had no choice but to keep his voice down. Logically speaking, I didnt perform poorly in the last summer season, did I? We havent lost a single game in the spring season yet, and though I havent gotten MVP a lot, my jungle has never exploded before. My hand is injured, true, but Ive never gone on break for it, nor have I ever missed a single practice match and then what? Just because of this bullshit reason called youth, I have to yield to someone else? What kind of fucking logic is this?!

It was very illogical.

But this was just what it was like to play competitively.

XIU didnt perform poorly, but his hand injury was severe, and perhaps he wouldnt be able to go up and play one day. A developed esports club had to take care of everything, to prevent any accidents from occurring.

Lu Boyuan understood that, so XIU definitely understood it too.

But understanding something didnt mean that you could calmly accept it. XIU thought about it for two days, but he still felt suppressed and unwilling to give up.

Theyve already signed the contract, that jungler moved into the base today. XIU said weakly, I just want to know how did you manage to put up with it? Youre much stronger than me, but you still allowed that trainee kid to be your substitute, and you even let him play in the semifinals. If it were me my mentality wouldve been completely shattered.

Lu Boyuan lowered his eyes and rubbed his fingers together without replying.

A long while later, just when XIU thought that he wasnt going to receive a response at all, Lu Boyuan finally said indifferently, I didnt put up with it.

Which is why Im still playing. Lu Boyuans voice was deep and low. Concerning the substitute, management went around Ding-ge and came to talk it over with me. I also consented, but I made it clear in advance I wouldnt be yielding my position. The person they found would either have to be stronger than me, or they would always stay as a substitute. Management agreed.

Why else do you think they let me pick a substitute from among the trainees? They couldnt recruit anyone else.

No registered professional player dared to come.

Lu Boyuan sneered. Nobody felt like they could beat me, nor did they want to wait and endure until I retired.

XIU looked at him, stunned. Quite a while later, XIU ducked his head and laughed out loud.

He laughed for some time before he suddenly asked, Do you still remember Ah-Yang? That mid laner who participated in the account-sealing bet with us before.

Lu Boyuan raised his eyebrows, indicating that he hadnt forgotten him.

A while ago, he called me up and was sighing about how time doesnt stop for anyone. He talked about how that person who used to have to solo other people eight or ten times a day in the internet cafe back then, cigarette hanging from his mouth, had now become the captain of a top team. He even praised you for being low-key and unflustered bullshit, you still behave the same way as before. XIU chuckled and said, The funniest thing was, the day after we finished chatting, the news about you kicking someone filled my entire Weibo.

Lu Boyuan laughed as well and tilted his head to the side, too lazy to bother with XIU.

Only after XIU brought that up did he remember to ask, Oh right, did you have to face disciplinary action for it? After all, those LPL people are the strictest when it comes to regulations.

Lu Boyuan hummed. Penalty.

Not bad, at least it wasnt a competition ban. XIU asked again, That little mid laner of yours was also penalized, right?

The same as me.

When Lu Boyuan said that, the corner of his mouth curled up.

XIU stared at him for a bit before his tense shoulders relaxed slightly. You know, some of the devils advocates werent wrong. That person was already restrained by the security guards, he wouldnt be able to charge over, so why did you have to go and add that kick youre not afraid of being banned from competing?

No professional player wanted to be banned from competing. Lu Boyuan was the same.

Suffering for over ten hours every day in a practice room, wasnt it all for a chance to go on stage?

I am. Lu Boyuan said mildly, But I wasnt thinking that much.

XIU nodded and asked teasingly, Secretly speaking up for Soft in the post-game interview, depositing money for him to pull skins, beating up someone on his behalf and getting the first disciplinary penalty of your five-year professional career do all captains nowadays have to treat their teams newcomers like this in order to meet the standard?

Lu Boyuan went silent for a few seconds, before he also laughed hearing that. Who knows.

It doesnt matter if other people know or not, the question is whether Soft knows. As XIU spoke, he handed Lu Boyuan a cigarette. Have a stick. If youre discovered and fined, Ill pay for you.

Lu Boyuan didnt actually care whether he was fined, but having reached this point of the conversation, he did indeed want to smoke.

XIU lit the cigarette for him. The two most popular veteran junglers of the current LPL sat in front of the barbeque stand and started smoking together.

Before, XIU was only guessing. After all, he knew Lu Boyuan way too well; Lu Boyuan hadnt concealed his fondness for that kid, and it was too obvious.

He exhaled a mouthful of smoke. Whats Softs attitude? Oh what the hell am I asking, he listens to you the most. Even the cooking auntie in my team knows that.

Lu Boyuan bit down on the end of his cigarette. At that moment, the person who normally appeared calm and collected had gained a bit of a bad boy aura. A long while later, he finally said, I think that the rose-colored glasses he looks at me through are too thick.

XIU scoffed. Bullshit. What kid in the LPL doesnt look at you through rose-colored glasses? If I were to send out a questionnaire right now asking them which pro player they like the most, how many of them wouldnt pick you?

It was a compliment, but Lu Boyuan didnt feel that happy to receive it.

Precisely because of this, Jian Rong interacted with him like a fan would with their idol, or an underclassman with their upperclassman. As for any other ways of thinking Lu Boyuan wasnt able to tell at all.

If they kept talking about this, just one cigarette wouldnt be enough.

Lu Boyuan put out his cigarette. Enough with that, lets keep talking about how youll be smashed to death on the shore by the next wave.

XIU was dumbfounded for a moment, and the gloomy emotions that he had before coming here were completely swept away. Damn, who the hells gonna be smashed to death

By the time Lu Boyuan returned to the base, it was already almost two in the morning.

The light in the second floor practice room was still on. The others wouldnt practice for too long the night after a match, so the only one who could possibly be in the practice room was their teams new mid laner.

But their new mid laner wasnt actually practicing at that moment.

Jian Rong was wearing his headphones and taking advantage of the game queue time to watch a compilation video.

A water friend had edited together the video, which contained a variety of little clips taken from their teams matches. However, these clips only featured him and Lu Boyuan.

It was paired with sweet and pleasant background music, and a few hearts would even pop up on the screen occasionally.

Jian Rong bit down lightly on his left thumb, watching the video as attentively as he did their match recordings. The sound in his headphones was turned up extremely high, so he only sensed that something wasnt quite right when a faint whiff of tobacco slipped into his nose.

He slowly turned his head.

Lu Boyuans gaze was still focused on Jian Rongs computer screen. About two seconds passed before he finally cast his eyes downward to look at Jian Rong.

Jian Rong:

Jian Rong rapidly exited the video-watching software, revealing the webpage that he had just finished perusing but hadnt closed yet.

It was a Baidu search. Written big and bold in the search box wasLPL player Roads early years experience.

Countless smaller windows were opened next to the webpage. The webpages summaries were respectively: Road debut photos, Roads early period interview video (extremely blurry), and Listing all of Roads dating scandal partners.

Jian Rong:

Jian Rongs face burned red, and he expressionlessly closed the websites. He thought, as long as he didnt act awkward, Lu Boyuan would be the one to feel awkward.

Until Lu Boyuans voice floated down: Who was listed for my dating scandal partners?

Fuck.

Jian Rong pressed his lips together, opened them, and pressed them together again. Then he gave up in despair and said, I only remember Tang Qin, forgot the other peoples names.

Lu Boyuan let out an en. Its fake, Ive never been with anyone before.

Oh. Jian Rong turned his head back around and frowned while he slowly and forcefully rubbed his own face. He didnt know how to explain why he wasnt practicing this late at night and was instead here searching up his captains personal affairs.

This was his first time doing something like this, and he ended up being caught red-handed too

Lu Boyuan looked down at Jian Rongs completely scarlet ears, and he said, In the future, you can ask me directly about anything you want to know. You dont need to waste time looking it up.

For a brief moment, Jian Rong couldnt tell if Lu Boyuan was angry, or if he was being serious.

But he found out the answer to that soon enough. Lu Boyuans hand descended, sinking into his hair and ruffling it very gently.

However, let me tell you in advance, Lu Boyuan paused for a second before continuing, Im not as good as you think I am.

Wei: Poor Jian Rong, he always gets caught by Lu Boyuan at the worst possible times LOL