Chapter 45

Rong Yi decided to ask him.

“What’s wrong?”

Xiao Yin’s phoenix eyes lifted slightly, their usual cold and sharp light softening when they looked at him.

Xiao Yin paused for a moment. “What?”

“You don’t seem like yourself today,” Rong Yi tilted his head slightly, though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why. “You seem a bit fiercer than usual. Bad mood?”

“Nothing.”

Xiao Yin paused again, “Just some trivial matters, not worth mentioning.”

Rong Yi looked at him and nodded, not planning to say anything more. But Xiao Yin suddenly moved and asked, “Fierce? Did I scare you?”

His expression was serious, cold and composed.

“No, no.”

Rong Yi said, “I meant you seem sharper than usual.”

He added, looking at him, “Handsome.”

The words came out naturally and sincerely, without much thought.

Xiao Yin looked at him, and very rarely, the corners of his lips lifted slightly, the sharpness in his demeanor easing a bit.

Rong Yi then realized what he had said.

Upon realizing it, he felt that what he said was perfectly fine, no need for reflection.

If Xiao Yin weren’t handsome, he wouldn’t be so drawn to him.

Xiao Yin’s handsomeness is a fact recognized by humanity, and he just happened to state this fact in front of him.

Is there any problem with complimenting your boyfriend for being handsome? No.

So he couldn’t blush.

The break between matches ended, and the VTI team members returned to their positions.

With the first match won, VTI was in high spirits.

In the second match, RVG evidently abandoned their strategy of targeting the mid lane.

Even with the least favorable champion for kiting and defense, Xiao, in Rong Yi’s hands, could still create a 1v3 scenario. It would be unwise to target the mid lane again; no team currently had the ability to truly restrain Rong Yi.

Yin was banned.

Although Xiao Yin’s champion pool was extremely deep, banning Yin was still equivalent to banning a reaper. RVG had learned their lesson.

But this time, VTI had the first pick in the BP phase. Grey Cat suggested, “Shall we get Di for Yin-Ge? He’s been targeted pretty badly.”

“Even a crow repays a favor, and a goat kneels while feeding to show gratitude.”

Xiao Yin glanced up and chose Di, “To think I’d see this day.”

Everyone else burst into laughter. Rong Yi laughed too.

He realized that Xiao Yin could be very witty and could easily render people speechless.

As the game began, they moved into the second match.

RVG’s tactics this time were clearly not as sharp as the previous match. They aimed to play reactively and wait for the right moment, but unfortunately, VIT didn’t give them any opportunities.

Trying to play reactively often means handing over the initiative to the opponent for many teams.

Rong Yi got Li, and things became easier. He started roaming from the mid lane to support, entering the enemy jungle as if it were his own territory, and after getting fed, he began to coordinate with Xiao Yin to secure kills.

The audience gradually noticed that in VIT’s tactics, it was hard to see the same carry position two games in a row.

If the bottom lane carried the last game, it might not necessarily be the same this game.

In this match, VIT maintained their momentum throughout, ending the game very quickly.

“They might as well have targeted the mid lane.”

The audience and commentators began to discuss, “Targeting the mid lane at least puts some pressure on VIT. Without targeting the mid lane, the whole team just falls apart.”

With two matches concluded and a 2-0 victory, today’s win was secured. VIT maintained their undefeated record, while RVG faced their first loss in the second round of the Regular Season, leading to changes in the ranking.

In the commentator booth, the panel was still replaying VIT’s highlight moments for the audience.

“Look at this moment where Green gets caught! Very impressive. Easy repositioned and coordinated with Yin for the kill, with both of them executing flawlessly without hesitation or testing the waters.”

“It’s like they casually brushed past someone on the street and killed them. Incredible.”

This commentator’s description quickly resonated with a large part of the audience.

“People say VIT’s coordination isn’t perfect yet, but Easy and Yin’s synergy has never faltered.”

“VIT’s mid laner and jungler must have slept together to have such great coordination.”

“They definitely have! What do I do, I’m starting to ship VIT’s mid lane and jungle! Their vibe is just different from others!”

With the match over, everyone was relaxed.

The newly joined team members had already adapted to the domestic match process, and their mood was quite calm.

Hydralisk started asking, “What should we eat tonight? How about going out to celebrate?”

“Even though we have the evening off, I just want to go back, lie down, and order a hundred Yuan takeout, and have the boss pay for it,” Grey Cat said serenely.

Wu Daogu chimed in, “I second that.”

Rong Yi checked the time.

It was just half-past five, the usual time people got off work. The evening was still unplanned.

He usually just did some personal training by himself.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door of the VIT Training Room, and someone outside said, “Hello, may I come in? I’m Coach Li from Group B. The RVG team asked us to pass a message, wondering if they could invite you all out for dinner.”

Rong Yi looked down and saw a new message pop up on his phone. It was from Green, whom he hadn’t contacted in many years.

[RVG.GREEN]: “Captain Rong, do you have time for a meal? You can bring your club members along. It’s been a while, and maybe we can catch up?”

The tone was very polite and courteous.

Rong Yi put down his phone and asked, “Do you guys want to go out for dinner? With the RVG people.”

He also felt it was a bit sudden. Although he had some interactions with the RVG manager, an impromptu dinner invitation was quite odd.

Wu Daogu said, “I don’t want to.”

Grey Cat and Hydralisk raised their hands as well.

Xiao Yin looked at Rong Yi without saying a word.

Rong Yi said, “Alright, if you all don’t want to, then we won’t go.”

He replied to Green: “Sorry, we have a scheduling conflict with the team tonight. Maybe next time?”

[RVG.GREEN]: “Alright then.”

“I won’t force you, but maybe I could at least treat you all to some milk tea? In twenty minutes at the milk tea shop in the building’s shopping area. I’ve already bought it, Captain, could you come and pick it up?”

“Captain surely doesn’t want to avoid me, right? I actually want to apologize for being impolite a long time ago.”

With the conversation at this point, there wasn’t much room to refuse.

Rong Yi responded politely, “It’s fine, we’re all colleagues in the professional scene. Next time, VIT will treat you.”

Then he said to his team, “You guys go ahead. Give me twenty minutes.”

“What are you going to do?” Xiao Yin suddenly asked.

Rong Yi said, “Green is treating us to milk tea. I’ll go and bring back a cup for each of you.”

“Seriously, that persistent?” Wu Daogu glanced at Xiao Yin’s expression and started to stir up trouble, “Is this guy hitting on you, Captain Rong?”

Hydralisk chimed in, “Yeah, really! A grown man treating you to milk tea, Yin-Ge, you better watch out.”

Rong Yi raised an eyebrow and subconsciously glanced at Xiao Yin.

Xiao Yin’s expression remained unchanged. He said, “I’ll go with you. I’ll wait for you in the lounge area.”

Rong Yi thought it over. It wasn’t a problem since he wouldn’t be with Green for long. He agreed, “Alright, you come with me. We’ll have the driver take the others back first.”

Grey Cat began to protest, “Boss, that’s unfair! Last time, you left with the Captain first! Why is it you again this time?”

The others laughed and joked around. Rong Yi glanced at Xiao Yin and noticed something was off.

Xiao Yin’s expression was noticeably different. He pressed his lips together, his demeanor colder than usual, and the sense of irritation hadn’t dissipated.

Rong Yi tested the waters, “Are you tired? Maybe you should go back and rest.”

“If you’re tired, I won’t go.”

“It’s fine, you go,” Xiao Yin said. “I’ll wait for you.”

Rong Yi couldn’t figure out what was bothering him but nodded for now, “Alright then.”

Green chose the location well.

Knowing that the match had just ended and the audience and media were still lingering, he arranged to meet at the milk tea shop in the league building’s commercial area, which typically served internal staff.

Xiao Yin went upstairs with him and sat in the lounge area to wait.

Rong Yi considered asking if Xiao Yin, also a former youth training teammate, wanted to say hello, but thought better of it. He didn’t want to provoke Xiao Yin further when he was already in a bad mood.

When Rong Yi arrived, he saw Green waiting at the milk tea shop entrance.

Green, to be fair, had a decent look and demeanor, the type that girls might like a bit roguish and nonchalant.

Five years had passed, and he hadn’t changed much.

Rong Yi actually got along well with people like Green—they were both free-spirited and liked to have fun. However, the moment someone like Green wanted to start a romantic relationship with him, he couldn’t accept it.

Before the confession incident, Rong Yi and Green had a good time hanging out together.

You could say there was nothing wrong, it was just that Rong Yi happened not to like him that way.

“You made it?” Green smiled as he saw Rong Yi approaching, lifting the milk tea in his hand. “I didn’t know what your club members liked, so I ordered everything with regular sugar1. I got you your favorite, White Peach Milk.”

“Thanks. How about we treat each other today?” Rong Yi opened his phone to place an order. “You guys bought the milk tea, so I’ll get a few small cakes for your team. That way, we’re even.”

“Even, huh?” Green chuckled. “You’ve become polite, Captain Rong.”

Rong Yi smiled back, “Basic manners are necessary. After all, as the captain, if I don’t treat others, my team members might call me stingy.”

Every word was measured carefully.

Bringing up the past would be tactless.

This was something Rong Yi had gradually learned.

When he was younger, he could easily get along with anyone who shared his interests. But behaving that way made some people think he was doing it on purpose or had ulterior motives.

It was quite tiresome.

Worldly wisdom and smoothness—those were learned through bumps and bruises.

Fortunately, Green was tactful: “I see.”

He didn’t say more.

The two stood in front of the shop, waiting for the staff to pack up. Suddenly, Green asked, “I heard you and Yin got married?”

Footnote:

1. Sugar(糖): sugar refers to the sweet interactions or behaviors that couples share, which are seen as symbols of happiness and sweetness by others.