Chapter 16.2

Editor: Uncia

Proofreader: DarkSapphire 

When Lin Xiting returned home, she saw her brother and Ji Beiling sitting on the sofa.

Because of this startling scene, she hesitated at the door for three seconds before walking in.

The two mothers had gone into the kitchen before to prepare dinner hand in hand and left their two sons to socialize in the living room. Lin Xizhou was nervous and awkward. He had been plucking at the blanket on the sofa. The poor blanket was on route to early balding.

When Lin Xiting walked in, Lin Xizhou knew there was a high probability that his cover could not be kept. He watched as his sister entered, waved and greeted Ji Beiling. 

“Hello North God, we meet again.”

Ji Beiling smiled and said to her, “Hello, Custard Cream Pineapple Bun’s younger sister.”

Custard Cream Pineapple Bun himself: “…”

Lin Xizhou covered his face in despair.

Lin Xiting also didn’t expect Ji Beiling to be so direct and muttered, “Uh…What is the chance that you would believe me if I told you I have another brother?”

Ji Beiling turned to look at Lin Xizhou, asking with a smile, “En? Are you ashamed to be my fan?”

Lin Xizhou reflexively shook his head frantically. “Of course not, Nor-Nor-North God must never say that!”

Feeling thrilled, Ji Beiling looked at the young man who was wrapped up in a coat and as if he just returned from Siberia. Lin Xizhou blushed like the younger him in the photo taken during his kindergarten performance, festive and adorable. 

Lin Xizhou blinked. “So, North God…I really earned those donations myself.”

Ji Beiling nodded. “You’re great. I’ve watched your dramas before.”

Feeling as if he had difficulty breathing, Lin Xizhou clenched his fists and cheered for himself inside. “Then, in the future, if North God has the free time, could we play a match together?”

“Of course.” Ji Beiling smiled. “But don’t give me gifts anymore.” 

Lin Xizhou was a little dazed, and he bluntly voiced out his heartfelt words, “Why? There is still a lot of money on my gift card…”

Lin Xiting silently watched her brother continue to act stupid—acting like a fool, completely contradicting his usual actor temperament—when sitting next to Ji Beiling. He supported the professional esports player, Ji Beiling, financially in a way similar to the entertainment circle, where backing was exchanged for ‘special favours’. This was really unsightly.

But from another angle…there was an unexplainable…strange…and subtle harmony.

She quietly snapped a photo to record this moment. 

“Donations on my livestream would be split between the host and the platform.” Ji Beiling frowned. “Hasn’t your mother taught you not to waste money?”

The embers in Lin Xizhou’s heart could not be extinguished. He would not back down so easily as he licked his lips. “Then I will send you red envelopes on WeChat directly, or I can wire transfer the money to your account. I’ll pay for the handling fees.”

…

The petite hand that was snapping pictures secretly trembled. 

Why did her brother suddenly jump from the plotline of a weak-little fan and a charming idol to the overbearing financial backer keeping a lover?

Eww, just thinking about it gave her goosebumps.

Ji Beiling gave Lin Xizhou a funny look. How could there be a fan who was so obsessed over giving him money?

“Is it more important to play matches with me or give me a donation?” 

Lin Xizhou pondered over it very seriously. “The first one…but if there are not enough gifts in your livestream, it will fall off the leaderboard, and you won’t be number one anymore!”

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Feeling very helpless, Ji Beiling knew that if Mother Lin knew that Lin Xizhou had given him a donation, she would most likely skin him alive. Ji Beiling had to say in a firm tone, “Then I won’t allow you to play matches with me if you send me gifts.”

Lin Xizhou looked very pitiful on the outside, but on the inside, he was plotting: That’s fine. I can stream snipe you myself.

Vlut. 

Why was there someone who didn’t want money?

Being a fan was so hard.

Olc Wlhtbe mieamtfv bcab atf yijcxfa’r oeg jujlc. Ktlr alwf, tf wjcjufv ab qeii bea j tjcvoei bo fzqfcrlnf oeg.

Lf cbalmfv atf oeg raglqqfv ogbw atf yijcxfa. Nfgs fwyjggjrrfv, tf aglfv ab rtbnf atf oeg yjmx bc atf yijcxfa jcv delfais oijaafcfv atf oeg klat tlr olcufgr—atlr kjr j cfk ojnbeglaf bo tlr wbatfg, jcv tf tjv ab oiff atf rmfcf bo atf mglwf jr rbbc jr qbrrlyif. 

Lin Xizhou laughed awkwardly. “If North God says stop, then I’ll stop!” He stood up and then walked two steps toward his room.

“How about we go play a match?”

Ji Beiling watched the whole process of Lin Xizhou’s crime. He glanced at the blanket that had been ravaged like it had been gnawed on, and he had a new understanding of his fan. Without pointing out Lin Xizhou’s actions, he stood up cooperatively and nodded.

“Alright.” 

Lin Xiting vetoed awkwardly, “I don’t know how to play League of Legends.”

Lin Xizhou was also a little bit distressed. Indeed, he only had a laptop here, but there was another option—they could play mobile games. Lin Xiting posted her end game record in Moments a few days ago!

So, ten minutes later, the three sat in Lin Xizhou’s room and opened Honor of Kings.

Ji Beiling doesn’t play Honor of Kings very much. The most he played was with his younger cousins during Chinese New Year, but he did successfully let them experience the happiness of being the strongest team in Honor of Kings during the holidays. 

Lin Xizhou also played when he was bored because it was more convenient to play. But since the paparazzi started to leak Honor of Kings’ player ID of famous people, he suspended this small form of entertainment.

A new account was created on Custard Cream Pineapple Bun’s WeChat, and the three started their battle in the Valley of Kings.

Since there were only a handful of matches on Ji Beiling’s account, Lin Xiting has the highest rank, which was platinum. Lin Xizhou and Ji Beiling queued up for a few games and soon reached her rank.

Lin Xiting did not have her brother’s talent in gaming and can be regarded as having zero awareness, plus she only played Luban No. 7 and Xiao Qiao. With Ji Beiling and Lin Xizhou on her ranked team, she was being carried by support Lin Xizhou and jungler Ji Beiling. Time flew by as they played the mobile game. When Mother Ji and Mother Lin called for dinner, she had climbed all the way to Diamond I. 

There were a few times in the middle of the match when the other team would surrender within fifteen minutes because they were beaten so bloody that none of them wanted to walk out of the spring.

Lin Xiting, who had never experienced such a game, closed the app in a daze and saw a series of question marks sent by her friends on WeChat, asking her how she got to Diamond I so quickly and whether she had hired a booster.

Lin Xiting replied: [Holy cow…it’s scarier than a booster.]

She even sent out a message in Moments absent-mindedly: [No one can guess who I was playing with in Honor of Kings.] 

Would anyone believe that Ji Beiling would play Honor of Kings with her?

None.

Too scary.

After an entire afternoon of gaming, she quickly recovered her state. Lin Xizhou, who was sitting next to Ji Beiling, was also chattering about understanding the game’s intricacies. At this moment, her brother had completely lost the awkward image from before and began truly acting like himself. He even asked “What do you think of my skills,” or “Why don’t I get professional with Honor of Kings” out loud. 

Ji Beiling was actually nodding his head seriously and praising Lin Xizhou’s skills.

The two mothers made enough dishes to fill the large dining table. There were many delicious foods that smelled divine, and even desserts were brought out. The refreshments and wine were homemade as well.

Mother Lin saw her son was chatting away with Ji Beiling, so she secretly patted her son and pulled him away.

“What do you think you’re doing, young man? Xiao Ji trains very hard and still has to listen to all your chattering during his rest time.” She groaned, scolding her own stupid son with her eyes. He wasn’t leaving room for his sister to intervene—only talking about things that boys understand. 

Lin Xiting faintly smelled a fishy scent, knowing that her mother was at her old self again, trying to connect her with a possible partner. She slipped aside very consciously. Before her mother had time to speak, Ji Beiling had already sat down next to Lin Xizhou.

Ji Beiling also smiled gently and reassured, “It’s alright, Xiao Zhou is very good at gaming, and this helped spark our conversation.”

Mother Lin immediately laughed lovingly. “Ah, Little Porridge’s skill is amazing. This kid didn’t admit it before, but compared to you, there is nothing to write home about.”

“Your training is no laughing matter, and you also have to pay attention to your usual exercise. In the past, Little Porridge almost damaged his spine from gaming too much, and it almost scared me to an early death.” 

Mother Ji had many thoughts on this and immediately sighed. “He injured both his hands and back. I asked him and he refused to tell me. I should just go ask the doctor, this kid.”

The topic shifted to Ji Beiling’s injuries, as the two mothers began to discuss which medical treatment was the best. Lin Xiting secretly breathed a sigh of relief and slowly disappeared.

If she and Ji Beiling became a thing, she was afraid that her brother would assassinate her regardless of their sibling relationship.

And now that she thought about it, from the look of things, North God seemed to be interested in his brother equally, if not more, right? 

Just don’t hurt this innocent passerby!

At this moment, Bighead was pinging Ji Beiling crazily in their team group chat.

Bighead: [[email protected]@Northland!]

Bighead: [I’m not seeing things, right? North God is actually playing Honor of Kings with Custard Cream Pineapple Bun!!!] 

Dreamy Dreaming Dream: [?!!]

Luckly: [Really? North God and his fan are playing Honor of Kings?!!]

Bighead: [Screenshot][Screenshot]

Bighead: [Really! All afternoon as well, my god! Is North God sprouting his feelings of love? Maybe behind Custard Cream Pineapple Bun’s avatar is a gorgeous babe!] 

Dreamy Dreaming Dream: [QQQ, I want love with a rich fan too!]

Bighead: [It was three in the party. Could the other one be Custard Cream Pineapple Bun’s younger sister?]

Glutinous Rice: […Really?]

Dreamy Dreaming Dream: [Little kids are not allowed to gossip. Could the owner of the chat please kick this kid out!] 

Bighead: […Uh, I think that would be North God. I think I took his phone to create this chat.]

Luckly: [Why hasn’t North God shown his face yet?]

Dreamy Dreaming Dream: [Maybe they’re having a romantic date!]

Ji Beiling glanced at the lively group chat, then back at Lin Xizhou, who was secretly fighting with the grim reaper for his idol by taste testing everything to pick out which dishes were made by his own mother. The older man did not directly ignore these gossipers as usual and instead, replied unnaturally. 

Northland: [What are you talking about? Custard Cream Pineapple Bun is a guy.]

Bighead keenly read the underlying meaning—a guy! But did not deny courting!

He quickly synthesized the information.

Bighead: [!!! (fear) (fear) North God is dating a male fan!!!] 

A blue vein on Ji Beiling’s forehead bulge.

In the next second.

[’Bighead’ has been removed from the group chat ‘BLK Hotties Gathering Place’]

The other team members seemed to feel North God’s raging wrath from their screen, and they all chose not to play chicken. Only the young and fearless Glutinous Rice insisted on asking. 

Glutinous Rice: [Did you play with Custard Cream Pineapple Bun’s younger sister?]

Ji Beiling replied.

Northland: [Yes, I asked. She didn’t know you at all and is also not your fan.]

Glutinous Rice, who was holding his phone in one hand and biting the other hand’s fingernails, read the message and accidentally bit his finger. 

He sent out a series of ellipses and then left the group chat himself.

The sixteen-year-old boy who had his first heart emotionally moved was ruthlessly destroyed by Ji Beiling just like that.

Mr. cold-and-ruthless Ji Beiling locked his phone and raised his head. His bowl was already piled up with dishes like a small mountain.

Lin Xizhou, the hardworking delivery worker, leaned in his ear and whispered, “North God, I have tried them all. These dishes were made by Auntie Xu. Don’t grab anything else. My mother’s cooking is unpalatable.” 

After speaking, he made a small expression of eating something gross.

Ji Beiling felt like there was an itch in his ears, like being rubbed by a furry little animal. He subconsciously lifted his finger and rubbed his ears with his index finger.

The younger man who picked dishes for him took off his thick coat, leaving a pale pink sweater. When he was leaning forward to grab food, Ji Beiling could see his delicate collarbone.

This youth who was passionate and enthusiastic was like ambiguous bubbles, and the scent of warm orange surrounded the older man. 

The bubble lightly and gently landed on Ji Beiling’s heart and then popped into a wave of large ripples.

The young man who grabbed and put his mother’s dish into his mouth made a face. His facial features were wrinkled, like a hamster with a broken tooth.

Ji Beiling looked like he wanted to laugh. He grabbed the same dish and tasted it—it didn’t taste that bad, right?

Lin Xizhou’s eyes were round as he watched his idol eat that lousy dish and was able to smile. 

He was afraid that his mother could see it and approached Ji Beiling again.

“Don’t eat it. My father makes better sweet and sour short ribs. I know how to make it as well. Next time, I’ll make it for you. My mother’s cooking is simply not fit for human consumption—” 

Before Lin Xizhou finished speaking, Ji Beiling heard his own voice.

An “Okay” full of smiles.

Ji Beling was stunned by his own reply. Before he had the time to study his reaction, he was drowned out by Lin Xizhou boasting about his cooking skills.

Only Lin Xiting, who was sitting nearby and watching silently, recorded all this with her eyes. 

She opened Weibo, pondering for a long time on how to describe this. This strange impulse inside her heart…

Finally, she gritted her teeth and typed a line.

Porridge Alone is Beautiful: [I’m dying, a new cult has appeared.]

She was also a groupie who had fought bravely at close quarters with other CPs and with impressive military victories to boot. She even created RPF and nsfw fanart. Having been the biggest CP fan once before, she has a sharp nose on these types of things. 

At this moment, she seemed to witness a slowly developing CP nova belonging to Lin Xizhou.

But this treat was something only she could enjoy.

Life was truly as lonely as snow.

Translator has something to add: 

Teo: To answer readers’ comments from chapter 15. Yes, Mother Lin is very generous in selling her little cabbages, but she is selling the wrong cabbage.