TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 42

As they talked, the doorbell suddenly chimed melodiously.

Shi Ya looked surprised, but He Youjin reacted first.

“Crap, it must be someone from the league office!”

Shi Ya let out a soft “Ah,” then asked, “Should I call everyone over?”

“Do it, do it, quick!” He Youjin clenched his fists, determined. “When we meet them, no matter how bad your mood is, keep smiling! Show no fewer than eight teeth! Keep your voice under 65 decibels! Leave the best impression possible! Anyone who doesn’t, I’ll—” He bent down, pulling a broomstick from who-knows-where, and gave it a couple of fierce whacks in his palm.

“You’re making us sound like ducks working at some sketchy club,” Shi Ya said, exasperated. “Whatever, at least Fire isn’t as fat as a duck.” With that, he turned to gather everyone.

He Youjin adjusted his clothes and composed himself, walking gracefully to the base’s front door. The P-team members gradually gathered in the hall, each putting on their best energy. Xia Tong, feeling a bit nervous, tugged on Lin Mingfei’s sleeve and received a reassuring smile in return.

Two seconds later, they heard He Youjin’s voice erupt in a hysterical roar.

“Fang! Hao! Yang?! Why is it you, you bastard?!”

The P-team: “???”

Shi Ya’s eyes widened in shock, and he fired off rapid accusations: “What about ‘always show sincerity no matter how bad your mood is, smile with eight teeth showing, and speak softly to leave the perfect impression’? What happened to that?”

Zhou Yan-Jun kept it normal, tilting his head. “Who’s Fang Haoyang?”

Lin Mingfei rubbed his chin in thought. “That name sounds familiar… Oh!” His eyes lit up as he suddenly remembered. “He’s my middle school classmate!”

“Your middle school classmate?” the others asked in unison.

“Yeah, and He Youjin’s too,” Lin Mingfei said, looking vaguely excited. “Now I know why He Youjin’s so pissed!” With that, he strode toward the door.

Outside, He Youjin stood like a riled-up rooster, glaring at the tall Alpha opposite him. The man was in his twenties, wearing black-framed glasses and a tailored, British-style long coat, exuding elegance and charm.

“Wow!” Xia Tong exclaimed as he peeked through the door. “He’s so handsome! No wonder he’s Zero’s classmate!”

“I didn’t realize you were such a little flirt,” Shi Ya chuckled, pinching Xia Tong’s ear. “You’re practically drooling.”

Despite He Youjin’s furious ranting and finger-pointing, Fang Haoyang remained composed. The slight arching of his brows, one higher than the other, was the only sign of his emotional reaction.

Lin Mingfei appeared at the base’s entrance, locking eyes with Fang Haoyang. He squinted and greeted him casually, “Old Fang, long time no see.”

“Yeah, it’s been a while,” Fang Haoyang replied.

Standing a full head shorter than the two Alphas towering over him, He Youjin glared up at them with gritted teeth. Their silent exchange of glances over his head felt unbearably arrogant. His refined features twisted with irritation.

“As expected! Alphas are the worst! I must have been out of my mind to agree to work with you lot!” he fumed.

Lin Mingfei, unfazed, shrugged indifferently, showing no interest in intervening in their old grudge. Fang Haoyang, on the other hand, pinched the bridge of his nose with a hint of exasperation.

“He Youjin, why are you still so petty? So I snatched one scholarship from you. That was years ago. Are you seriously holding onto this grudge?”

“What do you mean ‘snatched one scholarship’??” He Youjin’s face flushed red and then turned purple. “I lost a full twenty thousand yuan! Twenty thousand! Do you have any idea what that means?”

“That you had to skip buying a watch you had your eye on that month?” Fang Haoyang quipped dryly.

He Youjin: “…”

Zhou Yanjun, observing from the sidelines, muttered, “Wow, he’s asking to be punched.”

Shi Ya: “Classic pretentiousness.”

Bo Yu: “I think Manager He looks like he’s debating whether to strangle him.”

Sure enough, He Youjin lunged, growling, “Fang Haoyang, I’ll end you right now!”

However, the physical disparity between secondary genders quickly became apparent. Fang Haoyang easily subdued He Youjin’s flailing attacks. He sighed and said, “He Youjin, maybe twenty thousand was a big deal for you, but I had no idea about any of it at the time. My dad made that arrangement with the principal to make me happy. I wasn’t even pleased, to be honest, but it wasn’t my decision.”

“Like hell I’ll believe you!” He Youjin roared.

“How about this: I’ll transfer twenty thousand to you now? Actually, considering inflation, let’s make it fifty thousand,” Fang Haoyang offered calmly.

“…”

Zhou Yanjun, still spectating, whispered, “Wow, his self-awareness is impressive.”

Shi Ya: “A true master of humblebragging.”

Bo Yu: “Manager He looks like he just swallowed his dentures.”

He Youjin, feeling like he’d just thrown a punch into a pillow, was utterly deflated. He pointed a trembling finger at Fang Haoyang’s calm, smug face and growled, “Who the hell wants your dirty money?!”

Fang Haoyang: “Then how about an apology? I’m sorry, Top Student He.”

He Youjin: “…”

Fang Haoyang: “Anything else you need? Just say it.”

He Youjin: “You’re unbelievable…”

Straightening his sleeves, Fang Haoyang remarked coolly, “I don’t think so.”

Seeing that the two weren’t about to come to blows, Lin Mingfei chuckled from the side, crossing his arms. Finally, he stepped in to mediate.

“Alright, you’re both old classmates. Meeting again is fate. No need to keep glaring at each other,” he said.

“Exactly, exactly!” Xia Tong, unable to hold back any longer, darted out excitedly. He loved a lively atmosphere and shouted with enthusiasm, “Welcome to Polaris—ahh!”

Before he could finish, Xia Tong tripped over his own feet and executed a spectacular faceplant at the team’s entrance.

Everyone: “…”

In an instant, the Polaris members rushed over, swarming around Xia Tong to help him up.

“Is this… your new teammate?” Fang Haoyang asked, standing still and gesturing at Xia Tong. “Are you sure someone with his level of coordination can handle professional holographic esports?”

“I’m sure. Got a problem with that?” He Youjin shot back coldly.

Fang Haoyang: “Fine.”

Xia Tong was bruised and sore but determined to leave a good impression, just as He Youjin had advised. After being helped to his feet, he flashed Fang Haoyang a bright smile. “Hello, I’m Xia Tong.”

“Hello,” Fang Haoyang replied politely, nodding slightly. “I’m Fang Haoyang from the Alliance Registration Office.”

“He’s also a middle school classmate of mine and Manager He’s,” Lin Mingfei added, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “His dad was a teacher, and Manager He was the top student. The two of them had a bit of a class conflict.”

Fang Haoyang caught the hint of schadenfreude in Lin Mingfei’s tone and shot him a sideways glare. “Why don’t you tell them what you were like?”

“What was he like?” Zhou Yanjun asked curiously.

“A school bully,” Fang Haoyang said bluntly. “Every morning assembly, he’d get publicly criticized in front of the entire school. Eventually, he transitioned from skipping class for fights to skipping class for gaming. The teachers thought he’d turned over a new leaf, but they soon realized he’d just swapped delinquency for gaming addiction. And gaming addiction is a real problem.”

“I can confirm, that’s accurate,” He Youjin said.

Lin Mingfei: “…Ha-ha.”

“Wow, your class was full of talent!” Shi Ya commented. “Truly a gathering of misfits fit for the esports scene.”

Looking around at the now more relaxed atmosphere, Xia Tong smiled brightly. “Mr. Fang and Manager He seem to have such great chemistry!”

“Excuse me?” Fang Haoyang raised an eyebrow.

“I have great chemistry with him?” He Youjin laughed in disbelief. “Are you joking?!”

Xia Tong pointed and said, “Look, you two are wearing the same style of glasses! Isn’t that what they call… Oh, right, couple’s style!”

“???” Fang Haoyang and He Youjin simultaneously turned their heads, exclaiming, “Nonsense!”

Stunned by their outburst, Xia Tong let out a soft “whee” and hurriedly hid behind Lin Mingfei in a panic.

Lin Mingfei shielded Xia Tong behind him with a forced smile. “Looking at your chemistry, you might as well be soulmates. How about getting married, you pair of clowns?”

“…”

Bo Yu nudged Zhou Yanjun with his elbow, looking puzzled. “Uh… what’s going on now?”

“Right now? A 2v2 melee, I’d say,” Zhou Yanjun replied, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

“2v2? Who’s on whose team?” Bo Yu looked around, confused. “Isn’t it three against one?”

With a blank expression, Zhou Yanjun pushed Bo Yu’s head with his hand. “…Xiao Bo, you’re so clueless it pains me.”

–

Thanks to He Youjin’s intervention, Fang Haoyang stood out in the cold northwest wind at the gate for quite some time before finally being allowed into the P Team’s club.

All the way in, He Youjin kept grumbling, accusing Fang Haoyang of deliberately trying to intimidate him, knowing he’d be there. Fang Haoyang, uninterested in explaining, kept responding with a simple, “If you insult me, I’ll apologize,” which only made He Youjin more uncomfortable.

Lin Mingfei took Fang Haoyang on a tour of the facilities, while Xia Tong stayed on the couch in the lounge with Shi Ya and the others.

Pouting, Xia Tong was lost in thought. Shi Ya glanced down and asked, “What’s on your mind?”

Xia Tong pondered for a while before softly saying, “Manager He keeps yelling, but Mr. Fang hasn’t gotten mad once. He seems like a nice person, but for some reason, I think he’s a little dangerous. It’s so strange.”

“You’re not imagining things,” Shi Ya replied. “Looks like Xiao Xia is finally becoming sharp.”

Xia Tong furrowed his little brows.

“What if he doesn’t agree to let me join the team?” Xia Tong muttered. “After all, I did trip right in front of him earlier. Doesn’t make me look very smart.”

“If he doesn’t agree, I’ll kill him!” He Youjin huffed angrily, hands on his hips like an explosive firecracker. “I’ll go down with that scoundrel!”

Upstairs, Fang Haoyang stopped in the middle of touring the second-floor training room. Crossing his arms, he said, “That’s enough. No need to show me the rest. All team facilities are pretty much the same. From what I’ve seen so far, you have no particular weaknesses, but no standout advantages either.”

“We just need a foothold to re-enter the competitive scene,” Lin Mingfei replied. “Whether we have an advantage or not, you’ll see for yourself later.”

“An omega competing with a bunch of Alphas in holographic esports? Do you think that’s realistic?” Fang Haoyang said. “Frankly, it seems ridiculous—especially after seeing what your team’s Omega looks like.”

Before coming, Fang Haoyang had tried to picture the Omega that He Youjin had mentioned.

Even though he was an Omega, surely he must have some well-trained muscles that wouldn’t lose to an Alpha. He’d be striding confidently, exuding an imposing aura! Otherwise, how could he have the guts to compete with Alphas in holographic esports?

In his mind, Fang Haoyang had conjured the image of a short, heavily muscled Omega—a bizarre combination of bulging biceps and stocky proportions. Just imagining it was absurd!

Then he actually saw this little Omega… trip right in front of him in the most comical way possible.

The first impression this Omega left was—delicate.

This Omega boy was far too delicate. He was small, lightly built, with pale skin, big eyes, a petite nose and mouth, and soft brown hair in just the right shade. Everything about him was refined.

Even though he’d taken quite the fall, he didn’t cry, though his lips quivered in a telltale way. Instead, he quickly regained his innocent, cheerful demeanor. Every reaction was naturally endearing but not pretentious.

This little guy was like a treasure! He should be starring in idol dramas, not playing esports! How could he possibly enjoy hanging around a bunch of burly dudes?

Fang Haoyang couldn’t understand it and doubted Xia Tong could achieve much in professional gaming.

Instead of responding to his skepticism, Lin Mingfei leaned casually against the wall.

“Aren’t you going to defend yourself?” Fang Haoyang asked, confused.

“I think it’s better for him to speak for himself.” Lin Mingfei tapped Fang Haoyang’s back with his finger.

Surprised, Fang Haoyang turned around and found the little Omega standing silently behind him, staring at him with wide, bright eyes.

“Geez, you’re like a ghost!” Fang Haoyang exclaimed, stepping back in shock.

Xia Tong clasped his hands behind his back, puffed up his tiny chest, and said seriously, “You’re such a strange person. You’ve never even seen me play King’s Tomb. How can you say that my career choice is ridiculous?”

“And how can you prove that going pro is the right choice for you?” Fang Haoyang, intrigued, folded his arms and asked in return.

“Pros are all about putting on exciting and meaningful matches for the audience, right?” Xia Tong said. “Then let me ask you: between an Alpha defeating another Alpha and an Omega defeating an Alpha, which is more exciting?”

Fang Haoyang blinked, momentarily taken aback.

“You got me there,” he admitted. “Of course, it’s more thrilling to see an Omega defeat an Alpha.”

“Exactly!” Xia Tong stretched his neck proudly.

“But can an Omega really beat an Alpha?” Fang Haoyang asked.

“Why not?”

“Burden of proof lies on the claimant. Otherwise, it’s just a hypothesis,” Fang Haoyang replied politely but firmly.

“Well, if you don’t give me a chance, how can I prove it?” Xia Tong shot back, his eyes sparkling like stars.

Fang Haoyang took a sharp breath, intrigued. “What if I really don’t give in? What are you planning to do?”

“Then I’ll… tell Manager He!” Xia Tong replied with a mischievous smile.

Fang Haoyang: “?”

Xia Tong tilted his head, his big eyes narrowing slightly with a hint of cunning. “Aren’t you afraid of me telling Manager He?”

Fang Haoyang was momentarily speechless. “I…”

Xia Tong’s smile remained harmless, his tone slow yet somehow pressing. “Don’t you care even a little about Manager He’s feelings?”

Fang Haoyang didn’t respond but awkwardly tugged at his collar.

Xia Tong wasn’t in a rush. He simply stood there obediently, occasionally exchanging sneaky glances with Lin Mingfei beside him.

After a long pause, Fang Haoyang finally spoke. “Since you’ve put it like this, if I still don’t give you a chance, it’ll seem like I came here today just to cause trouble. Here’s the deal: find a professional team to schedule a practice match. If you win, I’ll approve your registration.”

“That’s fantastic!” Xia Tong clapped his hands excitedly.

Fang Haoyang cast him a sidelong glance and added coolly, “Of course, it has to be a team that participated in last season’s league. Don’t go finding some random amateur team.”

“We wouldn’t!” Xia Tong said cheerfully. “Right, Zero?”

“Of course,” Lin Mingfei nodded with a smile. “Our star player always keeps his word.”

Fang Haoyang sighed lightly, shrugged, and asked, “So, will your Manager still hold a grudge against me?”

“No way!” Xia Tong nodded firmly.

Fang Haoyang chuckled softly, turned, and headed downstairs.

As soon as He Youjin saw him come down, he immediately went into defense mode.

Fang Haoyang smiled at him, still casual and composed. “Let’s grab a meal sometime.” Without waiting for a response, he strode out of the P-Team base.

He Youjin: “??? What nonsense! What do you mean, ‘let’s grab a meal’? I don’t have time for that!” He yelled angrily toward the door before turning to Xia Tong. “So, how did it go?”

“Thanks to you, Manager He, it went perfectly!” Xia Tong smiled brightly and gave him a thumbs-up.

He Youjin looked utterly confused. “Thanks to me??”

Lin Mingfei walked over to Xia Tong and gave his waist a light pinch. The little Omega, who was ticklish, squeaked and jumped away.

“Hey!”

“Hey.” Lin Mingfei bent down slightly, hands in his pockets, and asked softly, “How did you figure out Fang Haoyang’s weak spot?”

“Eh? That’s his weak spot?” Xia Tong blinked in surprise.

“It seemed like he was planning to turn us down outright at first.” Lin Mingfei chuckled. “It’s thanks to your cleverness that we managed to turn the situation around.”

“Oh, it wasn’t a big deal.” Xia Tong scratched his head, blushing and grinning sheepishly. “I was just thinking about what things couldn’t have been explained over the phone. He could’ve avoided this trip entirely! But he came anyway, so I figured there must be a reason why he had to see the base in person. The rest was just intuition!”

Lin Mingfei’s expression turned slightly startled, then amused. “You’ve become so…”

“So what?” Xia Tong asked eagerly. “Have I gotten much smarter?”

“Yeah.” Lin Mingfei’s tone was noncommittal as he smiled. “When did this evolution happen? I didn’t notice at all.”

“Emmm,” Xia Tong mused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. After a moment, he replied seriously, “Probably when I started hanging out with Timer!”

Lin Mingfei: “.”

The smile faded from his face.

Xia Tong, still basking in his newfound brilliance, didn’t notice Lin Mingfei’s darkened expression until much later. “Zero, what’s wrong?” he asked, tilting his bright, curious face toward him.

Lin Mingfei drooped his eyelids, his mood sour. His tone was flat and lifeless. “Why don’t you guess what’s wrong?”

If you guess right, I might just stop being mad, Lin Mingfei thought to himself, quite seriously.

So Xia Tong pinched his chin and “emmmm”-ed for a long time, thinking deeply.

Zero was out training with Timer early this morning and only just returned. He didn’t even get a chance to rest before talking to me. Then Fang Haoyang showed up. Timer also mentioned earlier that Zero stayed up late last night…

“Ah! I know!” Xia Tong’s eyes lit up. He scurried off to the kitchen.

Lin Mingfei: “?”

A moment later, Xia Tong returned with a mug in hand, filled with freshly brewed coffee. “Big bro, you’re really tired, aren’t you?” he said earnestly. “Here, have some coffee to wake up!”

Lin Mingfei: “…”

Now, somehow, he was even more annoyed.

–Author’s Note:
Straight guy: Drink more hot water.
Xia Tong: Drink more coffee!

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