Chapter 51

“Do you mind accepting this?”

Xiao Yin asked in a low voice.

He placed it on the edge of the desk, adjusting its position slightly.

The tables in the VIT Training Room were quite large, and Rong Yi preferred a low keyboard and a high monitor setup to protect his spine and wrists. Xiao Yin’s Trophy fit perfectly under Rong Yi’s monitor stand, in the most prominent spot.

The pure gold Trophy was designed in the shape of a Starbuck statue, with a dark blue base and a single wing extended.

Three years ago, Xiao Yin won the MVP and Rising Star player Trophy at QILIN. This Trophy was the most prestigious, awarded only to the “most valuable player” in the World Champion team, and it rotated every three years.

In theory, a chosen World Champion could only keep it for a year before passing it on to the next year’s MVP. However, Xiao Yin maintained his World Champion and MVP status for three consecutive years, achieving a permanent record in the League, making this Trophy his personal, exclusive one.

This was ultimate prestige.

Countless Pro Players would give anything just to see or touch this Trophy. They didn’t need to own it, just witnessing its glory was enough.

Rong Yi was no exception.

He knew Xiao Yin had this Trophy, but he didn’t expect Xiao Yin to bring it to VIT instead of leaving it in the NA Region.

“I can’t accept this,” Rong Yi said seriously. “This is your Trophy. How can you give it to me?”

“Giving it to you. Past glories are just that past. I hope in the future, the Captain’s desk will be filled with countless Trophies. This won’t be our only World Champion Trophy.”

Xiao Yin said earnestly.

The people around them started clapping, “Awesome!”

Rong Yi thought for a moment, then couldn’t help but smile, finally nodding honestly, “Alright, put it here then.”

He looked at it a few times, feeling a thrill, and even moved a coaster aside to give the Trophy a dedicated spot.

This was the World Champion MVP Trophy!

Its allure was irresistible, stirring the blood of every Esports player.

Rong Yi kept a composed face, thinking it wouldn’t be proper to take out his phone and snap a picture in front of everyone.

He’d sneak a photo later tonight.

“Alright, let’s clear the area. Non-essential personnel, please step out. We’re about to start filming.”

The assistant director checked the time and clapped his hands. “It’s a live broadcast.”

He poked his head in, speaking cautiously, “Yin-Ge, is now a good time? Can we start?”

Xiao Yin raised his hand, signaling to wait a moment, and looked at Rong Yi.

Rong Yi nodded and said, “I’ll take a nap and let Gu-Ge and Hydralisk rest as well. You two handle the filming, and later I’ll work on the laning strategy with the three of them.”

“Alright.” Xiao Yin checked the time on his watch. “Training should be about done after the interview. Perfect timing for dinner; I’ve made reservations. The last segment will be filmed at the restaurant, but it won’t be part of the live broadcast.”

“Got it.”

Rong Yi acknowledged and headed upstairs.

Before his nap, he took a shower and changed into fresh clothes.

When his alarm went off right on time, Rong Yi got up, his hair tousled, and called the other two to start laning practice.

A few days ago, the game had some skill changes and mechanism adjustments, so their previous training needed to be updated accordingly.

Adapting to game patches and continuously discovering new combinations is part of what makes esports both complex and captivating.

Since the Training Room was being used for filming, they crowded into Xiao Yin’s room for their meeting.

After their discussion, their part was done, but the live broadcast was still ongoing, and the downstairs area was packed.

Hydralisk asked Rong Yi, “Captain, are you hungry? Should I bring some food up?”

Rong Yi, still engrossed in the PPT, replied, “No need. You guys can disband here and go downstairs to hang out. Just call me when we’re about to head out.”

He knew Hydralisk and Wu Daogu didn’t want to leave him alone, but he wasn’t that particular and preferred that his Camera Phobia be treated as a normal thing.

Fortunately, everyone at VIT respected his feelings. Knowing he genuinely didn’t mind, Hydralisk and Wu Daogu went downstairs to have some fun.

Rong Yi continued reviewing the PPT, summarizing notes, while on the other side of his split screen, he practiced and studied the new skill mechanics.

The intelligent Competition Training system developed by Xiao Yin could do far more than just lane simulation and resource balancing. It could read massive amounts of real details, including bugs that emerged after skill changes and new combo methods, all of which could be updated and tracked in real-time.

In professional Esports, tactical knowledge down to the millisecond could very likely determine life or death in the Arena.

After doing some personal training and summarizing in Xiao Yin’s room, Rong Yi finally realized he had completed his training tasks for the week.

He couldn’t continue training.

The physiotherapist that VIT had previously hired had clearly told him that his training hours needed to be controlled. He couldn’t continue high-intensity extra training as before; he had to stay within the team’s average standard, or he would risk permanent injury.

Rong Yi flexed his fingers, recalled the doctor’s advice, casually closed the PPT, and changed his position to lie on Xiao Yin’s sofa, starting to play on his phone.

Downstairs, the live broadcast was in full swing, so he decided to watch the replay.

The team’s daily variety show content wasn’t anything unusual, but it was very enjoyable and relaxing.

Just like last time, the number of viewers in the live chat was still incredibly high.

Of course, it was likely that the hype around Xiao Yin’s love bite over the past couple of days had reignited everyone’s enthusiasm.

“Stop filming objects, I want to see people! Where’s Yin-Ge?”

“Where’s Yin-Ge +1, where’s his wife! Is she in the team?”

“Tonight, we’re going to find them frame by frame! The love bite at least means they’re especially close! VIT is in the perfect position, so it’s very likely someone within the team!”

Rong Yi turned over, and then turned over again.

His face was flushed and his ears were hot.

Dating a public figure was like this. The relationship didn’t need to be announced; it would eventually be known to the world. Soon, everyone would know who his boyfriend was, and who Xiao Yin’s wife was.

Although he thought—it might almost not need to be dug up at all.

“I’m telling you, it’s definitely Easy.”

Netizens were discussing, “Did you see that super hot post on the esports gossip board yesterday? There was a gossip post that didn’t name names but was definitely talking about Yin and his partner! It’s absolutely Easy.”

Rong Yi clicked on the link to the post.

It was all too familiar.

He could almost guess which VIT employee had written it.

The title read: [Let’s Chat About Our Boss and His Partner’s Relationship. Take Everything I Say as Nonsense, None of It Is True, Safety First.]

[The boss is the one you’re thinking of, after all, I’m posting in the Esports section! Who would care about a Club investor’s relationship anyway? He’s definitely a straightforward insider.]

[The boss is very cold, probably because he’s so capable that he doesn’t like to waste words, and he’s very efficient in everything he does.]

[His partner has the exact same style. They are absolutely career-driven people. To what extent, you ask? At first, none of us could tell they were in a relationship. It was so clean that even though the boss had been helping his partner with utensils and things for a long time, none of us thought it was unusual. We just assumed it was the boss appreciating a collaborative partner.]

[Looking back now, we were so naive!]

[They seem to separate work and personal life very well. You would never guess how close they are and how much fun they have in private.]

[Here’s something you might not know: it took the boss quite some effort to recruit his partner.]

[I was one of the earliest members of the boss’s team, mainly responsible for HR, so basically, all recruitment went through me. When the boss came back, he immediately started looking for people. He didn’t want anyone else, just his partner.]

[Of course! His partner is incredibly impressive! In every aspect, he’s worth setting up a special recruitment just for him!]

[But when you think about it, it’s quite suspicious! As mentioned before, the boss is highly capable and has a wide network. I’ve handled many impressive candidates who said to consider them if we ever needed someone.]

[The thread starter has deleted recent content.]

The replies below were full of:

“? What was deleted?”

“I saw it! Don’t delete! Everyone knows who you’re talking about! There’s only one insider who’s also a boss!”

“Hahaha, I can guess with my eyes closed what the thread starter deleted. It was definitely something like ‘after all, the allure of a World Champion team is no small thing’. I know, but I won’t say.”

“Let’s all pretend we don’t know. Please continue, thread starter!”

“Quick, tell us more! I’m getting more and more curious about the big shot’s partner. Does this count as a leak? If it’s not someone from the same department, it must be a team player.”

The Thread Starter resumed updating.

[His partner initially refused to come. The boss used my account to send a message and got rejected outright.]

[The boss’s expression at that time… well, just imagine an iceberg looking dumbfounded. I watched him smoke for half an hour.]

[I don’t know the specifics! But I heard from some people that the partner and the boss had a falling out, and they hadn’t been in contact for years.]

[But somehow, the boss managed to get him back.]

[Everyone’s asking about the boss’s partner! I’m a bit scared to say much because his partner is also a formidable figure, and we respect him a lot. We feel he probably doesn’t want to be a public figure.]

[Let me briefly address the most pressing questions.]

[First, his partner is incredibly good-looking.]

[Seriously, stunningly good-looking, the kind that makes it hard to look away. The first time I handled affairs with him, I didn’t know where to put my eyes.]

[His partner has a lot of rumors around him, but once you meet him, you know they’re absolutely, absolutely not true.]

[I’ll just say this: his partner’s working hours are the highest in the company, even more than the boss. He’s practically mentoring our players hand-in-hand.]

[There are some business projects he refuses because he thinks they interfere with his working hours. Honestly, he could make a lot of money in no time if he wanted to.]

[And this brings us back to our boss. I can’t reveal specific things because it involves company secrets, but as far as I know, the boss has more money than you can imagine.]

[Even some unexpected things in this circle are backed by the boss.]

[Does his partner know? How would I know? I’m just an employee working under the boss. But let me tell you, working with capable and well-connected people is awesome!]

[I suspect the boss hasn’t come clean about some things with his partner, but that’s just my suspicion.]

[The boss is ruthless and decisive, but he’s so gentle when it comes to his partner. I’ve held back many times, reluctant to reveal this to his partner.]

…

By this point, Rong Yi’s emotions were quite complex.

Someone was praising him so highly.

Although he personally felt it was completely overrated, he was still very happy.

Secondly, Rong Yi quickly opened his Smurf account on his social media and found the private message from when VIT approached him.

[Violet Team Manager]: “Hello! Mr. Rong Yi, we are Violet, a new team in the League. We are interested in acquiring you as a player for our team. Would you be interested in discussing this in detail on this private account?”

“May I ask why? We would also greatly appreciate your advice and insights.”

If this gossip post was true.

Were these messages actually sent by Xiao Yin himself?

Rong Yi read them over and over again.

Damn, it really seemed like it.

There was a faint hint of a translated tone and politeness.

Rong Yi laughed softly on the sofa, then rolled over, scratching his head.

If it were true, it would be too hard to imagine!

The more Rong Yi thought about it, the more he felt a little claw scratching at his heart. He rolled back and forth on the sofa, finally calming down after a while, and switched back to continue watching the livestream.

After a short break, the number of viewers in the livestream surged again.

Rong Yi took a closer look.

Everyone was spamming: “Happy forever, happy forever, happy forever.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, there’s a big scoop.”

There was a delay in the livestream, and the camera showed their Training Room’s desks from fifteen minutes ago.

The host said, “Everyone can take a guess, which player does each of these desks belong to?”

For most casual viewers, it wasn’t easy to guess.

The living habits of VIT members weren’t that distinctive. At first, everyone was making random guesses.

“So many notebooks, does the captain use a lot of notebooks? Is this desk EASY’s?”

…

The camera zoomed in on each desk, and when it reached Rong Yi’s desk, everyone held their breath.

“What is this eclectic style…”

There was a Dancing Music Sunglasses Trumpet Flower, a calm Little Black Cat figurine, and an incredibly shiny World Champion Trophy.

With that trophy on display, the entire Training Room seemed to radiate an aura, and you could almost hear the applause from the championship podium.

“This has to be the boss’s desk! It’s the most decorated and well-furnished! Very impressive! I bet it’s Yin’s.”

“This is Yin’s World Champion Trophy! I finally get to see it up close! Yin never even showed it in photos!”

The variety show host chuckled and asked Xiao Yin, “Yin-Ge, everyone is guessing this is your desk. Can you reveal the answer for us?”

On camera, Xiao Yin’s expression was as calm as still water, but his sharp, deep eyes softened slightly.

“It’s not my desk.”

“This is our captain, Easy’s desk.”

The host, clearly aware of the recent hot gossip, skillfully added, “Oh! I couldn’t have guessed. Mainly because your World Champion Trophy is here, everyone assumed this was your desk.”

“Unexpected?”

Xiao Yin’s expression remained very composed.

But somehow, through the livestream, the audience sensed a hint of arrogance.

Yes, arrogance.

Hidden beneath his calm and indifferent demeanor was extreme arrogance.

“I gave it to him.”

“Oh my god, this is totally a bombshell! Look how smug Yin is!”

“Damn, his face is practically screaming, ‘We’re definitely in a relationship!’”

Watching the livestream from upstairs, Rong Yi couldn’t help but roll around on the sofa, unable to stay calm.

How could Xiao Yin be like this?

So serious, how was he supposed to handle this?

Rong Yi stood up and went to the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face.

His phone vibrated.

Rong Yi looked at it and saw that it was Hydralisk calling.

“Captain, captain, you can come downstairs now. The filming is wrapping up. They just need to shoot a bit of us discussing where to eat, and then the livestream will end.”

“Okay, I’m coming down.”

After washing his face, Rong Yi straightened his clothes and checked himself in the mirror.

The person in the mirror looked calm and composed.

A perfect example of a Captain.

Rong Yi exhaled, grabbed his phone, and headed downstairs.

As he descended, he continued to watch the livestream, though he had it on mute.

The camera was still positioned in the Training Room. Rong Yi walked to the door and knocked lightly.

The livestream viewers held their breath.

“Is Easy here? Are they going out to eat?”

Rong Yi kept his head down.

Based on the livestream’s camera angles, he decided to stay outside, leaning against the wall by the door to avoid being caught on camera.

Inside, Xiao Yin made a hand gesture, and the cameraman, understanding his cue, did not follow him outside.

Xiao Yin pushed the door open and looked at the person on the other side: “We’re ready to leave. Today’s dinner is Thai food. They wanted it. Is that okay with you?”

“I’m fine with it,” Rong Yi replied from the other side. “I’m not picky. As long as they like it.”

The conversation was natural and businesslike.

The livestream chat began to buzz.

Rong Yi looked up and saw Xiao Yin still standing there, staring at him.

Xiao Yin rarely looked at him like that. Feeling a bit uneasy, Rong Yi asked, “Is there something else?”

“Nothing.”

Xiao Yin suddenly moved closer, his hand lightly touching Rong Yi’s head, his voice dropping to a cool, casual tone, “Why is your hair so messy, babe?”

Xiao Yin’s voice was indifferent yet affectionate, and although he was a bit away from the microphone, everyone heard that casual endearment clearly.

The bullet screen in the livestream exploded instantly.