Chapter 19 – The bet

Chapter 19: The Bet
Translator: Xena
Proofreader: Wint8

Chen Xiangsui couldn’t understand how such a simple gesture could make him so embarrassed that he wanted to look away from the screen.

“Ah… When Gege mentioned the camera just now, my heart also started racing. Is it the same thing?” Cheng Yinian’s movements seemed a little unnatural, as if he was nervous. 

Chen Xiangsui pondered for a moment. He felt that he seemed to value Cheng Yinian as a friend more than he had imagined, and that Cheng Yinian cared more about his online friend Age than he had thought. It was just that he found it somewhat unbelievable that friends would feel so anxious over something like this. 

“Maybe.” Chen Xiangsui wanted to say something original and flattering, but after thinking for a long time, he could only come up with, “I really like you, you’re such a pretty… girl.” 

Cheng Yinian couldn’t help but chuckle softly on the other end. “Just talk like you usually do, Gege. I was just joking last time.” 

“It’s okay, I’d like to say more too.”

“So, shall we play together during the live stream tomorrow?” While speaking, Cheng Yinian showed some of the icons on his computer. “This is a classic shooting game. I’ve been practicing it for a long time. I can play it online with Gege.” 

“Okay, let’s play tomorrow.” Chen Xiangsui said, “I started playing this game a long time ago, and I’m very skilled at it.” 

“Then I’ll look forward to settling the score with Gege tomorrow.” Cheng Yinian’s tone was tinged with amusement. 

……

Zhou Chengyi went live on Sunday according to his schedule. He double-clicked to log in to the game “Obstacle Tank,” a classic title with traditional gameplay and a long history.

[It’s been so long, I never thought I’d see this game again]

[Omg, this game has been gathering dust on my computer. I haven’t opened it since I got stuck on a level]

As Cheng Yinian entered the game’s homepage, the top-left corner displayed that his gameplay had reached over 1,800 days. He created a new match room and invited Chen Xiangsui to join, only to discover that the other player had been playing for over 1,900 days. 

[I feel like big boss is not to be taken lightly today.]

[This is worth watching! Let’s see if big boss can break the undefeated legend Nian Gao]

Without saying a word, the two of them clicked “start” and immediately took control of the tank, firing wildly. Though Cheng Yinian navigated the map exceptionally fast, Chen Xiangsui was no slouch either. Their times for clearing the first level differed by only a fraction of a second, with Cheng Yinian narrowly emerging victorious. 

“Let’s continue.” Chen Xiangsui suddenly spoke up. “If I win the final round, will you agree to do one thing for me?” 

“Sure, but what is it?” Cheng Yinian replied immediately. 

Chen Xiangsui pressed the ‘ready’ button. “I’ll tell you later.” 

[The material is here, authors, start writing!]

[Just say it! Is it something we cannot know?] 

[I suggest that the big boss let me know first and I’ll forward it to Nian Gao later.]

The later levels become increasingly difficult. At first, the two players fight on separate battlefields without interfering with each other. Later on, the two tanks could attack each other and even computer-controlled tanks that attack indiscriminately would be added. The map would become larger and larger, and there would be more and more obstacles.

Chen Xiangsui unexpectedly showed a strong desire to win. His gameplay was just as smooth as Cheng Yinian’s and he even destroyed Cheng Yinian’s tank several times.

[Big Boss, Big Boss how dare you?]

[I’m dying of curiosity, what is the big boss thinking, wanting to win so badly? huhu]

[I’ve already imagined the sweet ending, thank you everyone, I can die while nibbling]

The two were evenly matched, with Cheng Yinian barely maintaining a slight advantage over Chen Xiangsui. Occasionally, his opponent would catch up for a few rounds, and the score tied several times.

[I’m so excited, lezgooo!]

[This couple civil war is hilarious]

The two streamed from afternoon until dusk before reaching the final level. The screen was filled with a hail of bullets and explosions. Anyone with less-than-perfect eyesight might struggle to distinguish friend from foe. However, Cheng Yinian and Chen Xiangsui seemed utterly unfazed, continuing to battle it out in the scene as if their lives depended on it. The last two bullets were fired simultaneously, and no one could tell which side had won.  

The comments were filled with heated debate, and it wasn’t until later that Cheng Yinian finally said he would watch the replay later. “If that doesn’t work, we’ll just have another match.” 

[How did it turn out like this?]

[I’ve accidentally entered a passionate youth competition. Sorry, I’m out]

Cheng Yinian could tell that Chen Xiangsui was taking this bet seriously. Although he didn’t mind losing to Chen Xiangsui outright, he knew that his opponent would not accept an easy concession. When the broadcast ended in the evening, Cheng Yinian connected with Chen Xiangsui again and started screen recording. He planned to edit and upload it later. 

“Why did Gege suddenly want to make this bet with me?” Cheng Yinian asked while operating his tank. 

Chen Xiangsui replied, “Because you always break your promises. If you lose to me, I can force you to listen to me.”  

“You’re being too cunning.” Cheng Yinian smiled helplessly. “And when did I ever go back on my word?” 

“…..” Chen Xiangsui paused for a moment and then said, “Let’s begin.”

They loaded the save file directly to the final level. Cheng Yinian attacked his opponent earnestly and diligently throughout the game, but at the very end, he deliberately delayed firing his bullet by a few seconds. “This time, I truly lost to you.” 

“You did that on purpose.” Cheng Yinian seemed to be able to sense Chen Xiangsui’s complaints even through the screen. 

Cheng Yinian pretended to be innocent. “No, I didn’t. I accidentally knocked over my water cup and got delayed, so I lost.” 

Chen Xiangsui seemed to believe his explanation. “Then promise me that you’ll tell me whenever something upsets you.” 

“Is that all?” Cheng Yinian’s heart trembled, as if some indescribable warmth was slowly flowing through him. “I thought…” 

“That’s it. I’m your boyfriend, you should tell me more. I want to know about you too.” After saying this, Chen Xiangsui began recounting instances from his childhood on Xunxi Old Street. He spoke cautiously, avoiding any overlap with what he’d previously discussed with Cheng Yinian in the dormitory. He spoke of his parents, who were always occupied with their business, of growing up in a three-story house at the end of Xunxi’s Old Street, and of being an only child cherished deeply by both his parents and grandparents.    

Cheng Yinian couldn’t help but curve the corners of his mouth as he listened. “I envy Gege’s life.” 

He then spoke of his childhood, when his father left home and his mother started a business from scratch and got busy developing the company. He had to learn to manage all the household affairs at an early age while also taking care of his younger sister, who was six years younger and could barely speak at the time. It wasn’t until his younger sister grew up a bit, learned to take care of herself, and the company got on track that he finally had the time to pursue his own interests. 

“But it’s all fine. After all, I can’t let Mom suffer alone.” Cheng Yinian curved the corners of his mouth slightly, his tone devoid of complaint. “In any case, our family got through it all and now we’re all living well.” 

Chen Xiangsui almost blurted out Cheng Yinian’s name. “Everything will surely go smoothly from now on.” 

“Hmm, thank you, Gege.” Cheng Yinian revealed a dimple on his left cheek and said, “You too, everything will keep getting better and better.” 

……

Cheng Yinian talked with Chen Xiangsui for a long time that Sunday evening, so he went to bed late and had trouble getting up the next day to catch the train. By the time he returned to his dormitory, it was almost noon. As soon as he reached his seat, he noticed cold meat buns on the table, along with a steaming hot plate of shredded chicken rice. 

“Did you get up late?” Chen Xiangsui noticed the other person entering the room and asked. 

Cheng Yinian nodded once. “Hmm, I stayed up too late.” 

“The buns have gone cold, so don’t eat them. But I just bought the meal, so it should still be warm.”

The disposable lunch box was opened, and the aroma of shredded chicken wafted into the air. Cheng Yinian shoved all the food into his mouth and then decided to take a shower first. The climate in the southeast coastal region was unpredictable. It was bitterly cold the day before, but the temperature rose today, so he wore too many layers and was sweating profusely.  

He walked into the shower. When he was almost done drying himself off and was ready to get dressed, he realized that he had somehow left his pants behind. There was only him and Chen Xiangsui in the dormitory. He felt a little awkward about walking out directly, so he thought for a moment and took his cell phone from the partition wall: [Xiangsui, can you get my pants from the bed?] 

[Mn.]

Cheng Yinian sighed with relief when he saw the other person’s reply, but not long after, Chen Xiangsui replied again: “There are no pants on the bed.”

He couldn’t let Chen Xiangsui go through his closet; the skirts he had given him were there after all. Before he could come up with a plan, Chen Xiangsui sent another message: [Just come out and wear it. If you’re cold, I’ll turn on the heating for you.]  

At this point, Cheng Yinian couldn’t think of anything to say to refuse, so he could only put aside his embarrassment, open the shower door, and pretend to casually walk out. When he entered the room, Chen Xiangsui was still looking for the air conditioner remote control. He finally found it on Xu Zitang’s desk and adjusted it. 

“I’m sorry, I opened it too late. You’re already out.” As Chen Xiangshui spoke, he unconsciously fixed his gaze on Cheng Yinian. The person across from him was wearing only a loose-fitting white long-sleeved shirt with a thin jacket casually draped over it. The snow-white skin near his collarbone seemed reddish as if scalded by hot water. His jacket barely covered his lower body, exposing a pair of completely bare legs that were still damp with water droplets that hadn’t been wiped dry.   

Cheng Yinian quickly turned away from Chen Xiangsui, embarrassed. Before he could find his pants in the closet and put them on, the other person had already opened the balcony door and walked out, his footsteps more hurried than anything else.

Cheng Yinian subconsciously walked to the balcony and peeked out from the door, asking, “What’s the matter? Is something wrong?”  

“……Nothing.” Chen Xiangsui seemed to be forcing himself to stay calm. Without turning his head, he replied, “You should get dressed first.” 

Cheng Yinian had no choice but to rummage through the closet for a pair of pants and put them on before walking over to Chen Xiangsui, who was still standing by the balcony. He noticed that the back of the other man’s ears had turned a faint shade of red.

“Are you feeling unwell?” Cheng Yinian carefully scanned Chen Xiangsui up and down, but merely saw him shake his head and then avert his gaze. “No, don’t try to guess.”  

Cheng Yinian sighed helplessly. “If you need anything, remember to ask me for help.” 

He walked to the door, then turned back to look one last time, only to find Chen Xiangsui gently pinching his own reddened earlobe.

It seems that his ears really hurt, Cheng Yinian thought.

The author has something to say:

I read all the comments, but I’m not very good at expressing myself, so I don’t reply to every single one. Thank you quq.