TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 44

“Tsk.” Lin Mingfei examined the invitation letter in his hand and read it aloud. “Gourd Team.”

“Have we, Polaris, fallen this low?” Shi Ya sighed, pressing his palm to his forehead.

“At least there’s still a team willing to scrim with you. It’s not all bad,” He Youjin said. “And I didn’t even have to beg them—they reached out to me first.”

“Oh?” Shi Ya raised an eyebrow. “How did that happen?”

“I had just left Nine-Headed Bird’s club. That godforsaken place—completely isolated. No cars, no signal. I thought I was going to die out there. Then I bumped into the Gourd Team’s bus,” He Youjin recalled. “Their manager gave me a ride and kept venting about how if they don’t win a streamed match this year, they might not even make it to the prelims.”

“So you hit it off?” Lin Mingfei asked.

“Exactly. They kept thanking me and saying I had a spirit of sacrifice,” He Youjin said with a sigh.

“…”

The Polaris club room fell silent.

Xia Tong peeked out from behind Lin Mingfei, his eyebrows knitted, tears still staining the corners of his eyes. Slowly, he pouted, his little nose wrinkling as his pout grew.

“I don’t know why… but I feel so! Very! Angry!” he exclaimed.

Bo Yu: “Same.”

Zhou Yanjun: “Agreed. I’m furious that we couldn’t get a single scrim.”

Lin Mingfei drummed his fingers on his elbow, then turned to He Youjin. “And what did you say to them?”

He Youjin sneered. “I shook his hand and sincerely said, ‘I’m sorry, brother!’”

“You sure know how to burn bridges,” Lin Mingfei remarked.

“What else was I supposed to do? If you lose, I’m afraid the sponsors will demand all their money back! And if that happens, I’ll be so ashamed I’ll hang myself from the base’s front gate with Zhou Yanjun’s belt! Then you lot will owe me for life!”

Zhou Yanjun reeled, trembling as he leaned back. “No need, Manager He, really!”

Xia Tong: “We’ll do our best! QAQ!!”

–

This scrim negotiation felt like a bone stuck in their throats.

It seemed like everyone looked down on Polaris, confidently predicting their defeat. Even the lowest-tier teams were convinced Polaris would lose and were preparing to step on them to climb higher.

The oppressive mood lingered at the P-Team’s clubhouse until bedtime.

Since Zhou Yanjun and Bo Yu had been aimlessly messing around while playing with Xia Tong, Shi Ya took a more structured approach tonight. He coached Xia Tong in the 2v2 arena mode. As a skilled support player with sharp mechanics, Shi Ya could keep Xia Tong alive even with his subpar gear and stats. He would also give timely reminders to dodge skills or reposition for better kiting. However, Xia Tong struggled with stutter-stepping (attack-move mechanics). Once disrupted by opponents, he’d get flustered and lose control. As a result, while they didn’t lose outright, they couldn’t secure victories either, dragging every match into frustrating stalemates.

Shi Ya didn’t say much and maintained a gentle, patient demeanor. After they logged out, he even wished Xia Tong a good night. But Xia Tong was utterly dejected. He went back to his room to wash up, and as the silence settled, his guilt only grew.

Sitting on the edge of his bed, he stared blankly for a long time, unable to fall asleep. The mere thought of stepping into a practice match in his current amateurish state, potentially losing in front of a live audience, and humiliating the entire P-Team filled him with dread. His palms began to sweat with anxiety.

Around midnight, still unable to calm down, Xia Tong threw on a jacket and left his room.

The base was silent, the others likely asleep. The dim corridor lights cast long shadows. Xia Tong hesitated for a moment before turning toward Lin Mingfei’s door, only to stop short.

Wouldn’t it be rude to disturb Zero this late?

When he first arrived, he knew nothing and treated Lin Mingfei like a safety net, running to him with every little issue as if the sky were falling. But now, having learned a bit about social cues, he began to realize how inappropriate some of his behavior had been.

For instance, while Lin Mingfei was kind to him, he wasn’t a free therapist. Lin Mingfei, no matter how composed and fearless he appeared, was still human. He had his own vulnerabilities, quiet moments of sorrow and fragility that required comfort too.

Xia Tong scratched his fingers, glancing at the darkened crack beneath Lin Mingfei’s door. He must be asleep. Deciding against disturbing him, Xia Tong turned and headed downstairs, eventually stepping outside the base.

Since leaving home, Xia Tong had almost always been accompanied by Lin Mingfei or other P-Team members. This was his first time going out alone, without even Debon for company.

The night was serene. Most of the houses in this villa district were dark, their residents likely early sleepers with disciplined routines. The city’s clamor was muffled beyond the ornate fences, leaving the streets dimly lit and quiet, like a distant patchwork of shimmering silk.

Unconsciously, Xia Tong wandered out of the neighborhood and reached an intersection. To his left was a wide, brightly lit road leading to the bustling city center, vibrant and full of nightlife. To his right was a narrower, quieter path, marked by scattered and subtle lights.

Several young people emerged from the quieter road, carrying paper bags and plastic bags filled with fragrant food.

Xia Tong’s eyes widened with curiosity. Following their path, he soon found himself at a night market.

The sight before him was a feast for the senses—a lively street lined with food stalls offering an array of snacks. Steam and tantalizing aromas filled the air, causing his stomach to growl despite his earlier dinner.

He strolled past stalls selling spicy hotpot, stinky tofu, grilled sausages, and stuffed pancakes, his mouth watering at the sight and smell of it all. He couldn’t decide—everything looked so good! Why do humans only have one stomach? he mused. If only I were like a cow with multiple stomachs—one for stinky tofu, one for grilled sausages, and another for stuffed pancakes…

Eventually, Xia Tong stopped at a fried skewer stall.

The sign read Lao Gu’s Fried Skewers, messily scrawled in bold red marker on a metal cart. Behind it stood a middle-aged man, tall and broad-shouldered, with graying hair and striking features that hinted at youthful handsomeness. Despite the cold night, he wore only a single-layered shirt with the sleeves rolled up, exposing muscular arms.

The stall offered an assortment of skewers—bean curd, sausages, quail eggs—each portioned perfectly for someone like Xia Tong, who wanted to try everything but lacked the appetite for full servings.

“Uncle, I want some fried skewers!” Xia Tong’s eyes sparkled like stars.

“Then dig in!” The man bellowed cheerfully while flipping potato slices in the bubbling oil. He handed Xia Tong a basket. “Pick whatever you like. I’ll fry it up for you!”

“Okay!” Xia Tong clapped his hands in delight.

“Hey, kiddo!” A dreadlocked girl sipping beer nearby teased with a laugh. “Eating fried food this late? With such good skin, you’re gonna break out!”

“Let it break out then!” Xia Tong replied, grinning. “Pimples come and go, but happiness is forever!”

“I like your attitude! Cheers!” The girl raised her beer in approval before downing half of it in one go.

Xia Tong was infected by the lively atmosphere. It felt as though the golden beer bubbles had flowed into his veins, frothy and brimming with vitality. Excited, he picked up a small basket and started rummaging through the skewers.

“This looks so good, and this too… Oh, I want this one as well… Ah, and this!” he muttered to himself, bouncing around joyfully.

After a while, he finally finished picking and handed over a basket full of skewers to the vendor.

“Wow, small frame, but a big appetite,” the vendor teased, raising an eyebrow before pulling the tags off the skewers and placing them on an empty plate. “I’ll fry these for you. Go grab a seat over there. If you want more, you can come back for extras. Pay the bill once you’ve had enough.” He pointed to a nearby metal box. “I also have iced drinks and hot soy milk here. Help yourself if you need them.”

“Got it, got it!” Xia Tong nodded enthusiastically before cheerfully heading toward the seating area.

The so-called seating area was a collection of plastic stools paired with little folding chairs, where the stools doubled as tables. The distance between people wasn’t too close or too far—just right. Xia Tong plopped down, patted the seat, and began looking around curiously.

The diners were completely relaxed. Some were in pajamas and old slippers, sitting on folding chairs, eating meat skewers while scrolling on their phones. Others, bored out of their minds, turned the chairs into makeshift rocking horses, swaying back and forth until they almost toppled over, laughing at their own clumsiness. The dreadlocked girl from earlier suddenly burst into loud sobs, slamming her beer bottle against the plastic stool as she cried her heart out.

The late-night atmosphere belonged to the people. It was carefree, fleetingly peaceful, and a time to either forget or vent the stress of the day.

The vendor quickly delivered Xia Tong’s fried skewers in a disposable container, along with a few paper napkins. Xia Tong thanked him, then eagerly picked up a skewer of fried sticky rice cake. The golden, crispy surface was brushed with sweet soy sauce, and with one bite, it crunched delightfully. The inside was soft, savory, and sticky.

“Delicious!” Xia Tong’s eyes sparkled, his cheeks flushed with delight.

“Of course,” the vendor boasted. “My family’s fried skewers have been here for over ten years! The bank may have gone under, but I’m still standing. That says a lot!”

The neighboring vendor selling spicy hot pot snorted. “Here we go again. Who was it that got chased by city inspectors during the last sanitation campaign?”

“And who tripped and fell flat on their back? Care to explain?” the skewer vendor retorted with a glare.

“Who? Me? I don’t remember that happening!”

Xia Tong found their banter crisp and amusing, like biting into a freshly picked apple. He couldn’t stop laughing as he devoured his skewers. To his surprise, he managed to finish more than a dozen vegetable and meat skewers. Feeling warm and content, his mood brightened significantly.

“I’m full!” He patted his satisfied belly and cheerfully stood up from the folding chair.

“Not adding anything else?” the vendor asked enthusiastically.

“Can’t eat another bite!” Xia Tong grinned. “Uncle, let me settle the bill!”

“Alright, that’s 20.6 yuan. I’ll waive the change—just give me 20.” The vendor agreed readily.

Xia Tong nodded and reached into his pocket.

But it was empty.

“???”

Looking down, he realized he was wearing pajama pants—just like those other carefree diners he had admired earlier. The problem was his pajama pants didn’t have pockets.

No pockets, no phone. No phone, no payment.

Xia Tong broke out in a cold sweat, swallowing nervously.

He’d really been spoiled by Polaris, floating through life like a feather.

The vendor noticed Xia Tong fumbling around awkwardly. “What’s the matter? Are you trying to pay with cash?”

No phone meant no cash either.

Xia Tong forced a sheepish smile. “Uh… actually, I…”

“Don’t call me ‘uncle,’” the vendor interrupted, his previously kind face turning stern like a fearsome judge, making the little Omega shrink in fear.

“Who would’ve thought a decent-looking young man would turn out to be a scoundrel dining and dashing!” the vendor roared.

“Eek!!” Xia Tong’s face turned pale, and he started trembling, unsure of what to do.

“I didn’t mean to! I… I didn’t even realize I didn’t bring my phone QAQ. I swear it wasn’t on purpose!” he stammered, completely mortified.

The vendor squinted at him. Seeing how flustered and apologetic Xia Tong was, it didn’t seem like he was lying.

“Well…” The vendor stroked his chin, considering. “Twenty yuan isn’t a lot, but…”

“I’m not a hero, just Xia Xiao Tong,” the little Omega mumbled, eyes watering. “What… what do I do now?”

“Just find a way to get me 20 yuan, and I’ll let it slide,” the vendor suggested.

“Find 20 yuan?” Xia Tong looked puzzled. “How do I do that…?”

The vendor rolled his eyes, clearly exasperated. “Look, if you’re going to eat without paying, you’ve got to let go of your pride. Pride is something you earn through hard work. Got it?”

“I’m not being proud…” Xia Tong felt wronged, unsure why he was being mistaken for some pampered kid. “Can you teach me what to do? I’ll learn right now!” He tilted his head up, nodding earnestly.

The stall owner had braced himself for the boy to become flustered or defensive in response to his provocations, ready for a new wave of drama. But to his surprise, the boy’s attitude remained calm and even overly polite, his gentle and innocent demeanor leaving no room for criticism. The stall owner, who prided himself on his sharp intuition honed over years of dealing with people, found himself utterly disarmed.

Too obedient, too innocent—it was impossible to find fault.

The stall owner stared in stunned silence for a couple of seconds, his mind momentarily blank.

“Uncle, you really need to think of something!” Xia Tong looked even more anxious than he did, bouncing on his heels to prompt him.

“Ugh, you’re so annoying!” The stall owner ruffled his graying hair in frustration, snapping, “You’re rushing me, and I really can’t come up with anything right now!”

“Then I’ll just wait here…”

Xia Tong looked like a wilting cabbage battered by the wind, pitifully standing there, fidgeting with his fingers.

The stall owner racked his brain, thinking for quite a while before an idea finally struck.

“Ah, how could I be so forgetful! Took me this long to think of it!” He gave himself a few hard knocks on the head before pulling out a large stainless steel bowl from his cart and thrusting it into Xia Tong’s arms. “Here, take this.”

Xia Tong held the big bowl in his arms, completely baffled. “What… what is this for?” He dared not ask too loudly, afraid of offending the stall owner.

“This is the fastest way in the world to make money,” the stall owner declared proudly, leaning against his cart. “Begging.”

Feel free to donate for earlier/bonus chapter releases! Thanks for supporting me and enjoy reading 😀