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Actually, later on, Shen Yanming didn’t bring up that groundless nightmare again. It was difficult for He Changkong, who had been keeping it in mind all this time, even sending him messages before bedtime.

However, Shen Yanming wasn’t truly afraid of the dark or too scared to sleep. If he had to pinpoint it, the person causing this so-called “nightmare” was none other than He Changkong.

Lying on his side, Shen Yanming rubbed his face against the pillow and resolutely declined He Changkong’s invitation to share a bed.

He continued reading the replies to the post he had just made. A few kind-hearted people had left lengthy comments analyzing his situation and offering comfort, saying that discovering a shift in one’s orientation from previous perceptions could naturally lead to anxiety and confusion, which was entirely normal.

Amid a harmonious atmosphere, an internet troll suddenly appeared.

[I am the embodiment of etc]: Why is everyone above talking about showing affection? I don’t find the description of the senior’s actions particularly special. Isn’t this how people with slightly better personalities and emotional intelligence treat others? Doing a little something to help you win a scholarship might be a small gesture for him, and consoling you is just part of social niceties! Can this be it? Is this all? Maybe your senior treats other juniors the same way. Just wash up and go to sleep, stop dreaming here.

Soon, others started arguing with this internet troll.

– User ID [RollingEyes.jpg]

– Even if his senior is a warm guy (??), what’s wrong with a little straight guy’s heart fluttering? Can’t he come to the forum and talk about it?

– I don’t know if others have high emotional intelligence, but I can tell yours is pretty low.

– If you can’t stand it, leave the post. Why so much empty talk?

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Shen Yanming got annoyed as well. Maybe if this person had approached him more tactfully, he might have thought it was possible, but this internet troll, who he hadn’t even met, jumped in with a mocking tone right from the start. Shen Yanming wasn’t a saint, so he immediately engaged in an argument.

[Confused Little Bird]: Mind your own business. I didn’t describe all the details of our interactions. My senior is with me almost 24 hours a day except for sleeping. He doesn’t treat others like this.

[I am the embodiment of etc]: Hehe, to be honest, I’ve already decoded you. I’m another junior of your senior. He’s actually texting me right now, asking what I want for breakfast tomorrow.

– Unfolding of the plot???

– Is this for real???

– So, is this the scene of the scene of a shipwreck?

[Confused Little Bird]: You’re talking nonsense!

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After holding back for a while, Shen Yanming replied with these three words and an exclamation mark. Although he felt the internet troll probably hadn’t actually decoded anything, he couldn’t fathom the purpose behind the false assumptions. Besides, He Changkong wouldn’t be the kind of person who asks someone else about their breakfast plans for tomorrow. He and Shen Yanming ate breakfast together every day and weren’t particularly picky; they just ate whatever the cafeteria aunt cooked. He Changkong probably didn’t have any other breakfast companions either. Yet, once he entertained the internet troll’s hypothetical scenario, Shen Yanming felt uncomfortable.

Just as he was thinking about what more to say, he refreshed the thread and saw a reply from the internet troll.

[I am the embodiment of etc]: Yep, I was talking nonsense. Stupid OP, just look at how anxious you got. As soon as I refuted you, you were in such a hurry to deny that you’re not special to your senior. You practically wanted to strangle me upon reading that your senior had other juniors. As the previous commenter said, do you not have a clue about your feelings for him? Still seeking answers here, what a joke. Get lost with my blessings.

[Confused Little Bird]: …???

– So, the ETC guy was intentionally provoking, damn!

– Provocation is amazing, the 36 strategies are never wrong1“三十六计,诚不我欺” (sānshíliù jì, chéng bù wǒ qī) is a well-known Chinese idiom. It translates to “The 36 stratagems, truly never deceive” or “The 36 strategies are never wrong.” It conveys the idea that the strategies and tactics outlined in the “36 Stratagems,” a classical Chinese text on warfare and strategy, are effective and reliable. It’s often used to emphasize the cleverness and effectiveness of a strategy or tactic.

– Has the OP figured it out now?

– No one who comes here can leave with a clear mind!

– Judging from the original post and the patched-up story that follows, this senior of his probably has some feelings for him. I’m looking forward to the OP coming back in a few days with a “Thank you, everyone, we’re together now.”

– I’m confused. What kind of school allows students from different grades to stay together all the time, except for sleeping? A graduate student and a senior who stays on as a teaching assistant? Judging by the way the OP talks, it sounds like they’re in high school.

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– “+1, the senior is interested in him.” But then again, it might not be the case. In reality, treating someone nicely could be due to various factors. I wouldn’t advise the OP to immediately confess after reading our baseless analyses. It could be awkward if they don’t feel the same way…

– At the very least, try to test if he’s into guys or girls first.

After thanking various internet users, Shen Yanming exited the forum. Feeling somewhat guilty, he deleted the app from his phone.

After all, he was an independent-thinking adult. He could consider the words of internet users as a reference, but ultimately, his actions depended on his own thoughts.

He lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling for a while.

It’s indeed a bit strange for a straight person to become gay.

But if the target of his affections is Kong ge…

It doesn’t seem impossible either.

All along, as long as it’s Kong ge, it seemed like there was nothing impossible.

The people on the forum kept asking him, “Do you like him? Don’t you have a clue?” It seemed to be like that. Every moment of kindness from He Changkong that he listed was a moment when his heart fluttered. Every time he argued forcefully, it was his possessiveness at play.

Two weeks had passed. These two weeks were business as usual – playing matches when there were competitions, and training together at the base when there weren’t.

Meng Yan’s fishing endeavors had recently made significant progress. According to the gathered information, Moonlight and his little boyfriend had been quarreling frequently lately. Moonlight had grown impatient and wanted someone new.

The other party even took the initiative to ask Meng Yan out.

Initially, they proposed to meet at a hotel, but Meng Yan and the others definitely wouldn’t agree to that. Their goal was to get the person out, record a video in secret, and leave. The hotel environment would easily expose their intentions.

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Thus, Meng Yan cited his shyness and unease as reasons and instead arranged to meet in a public place. He mentioned that they could grab a meal and watch a movie before proceeding to the next step.

The other person reluctantly agreed.

After setting a time, a problem arose. While Meng Yan was supposed to see this fishing endeavor through to the end, the team manager suddenly contacted him, saying that a live streaming platform had invited him to participate in a mage brawl exhibition match. He had no reason to refuse.

Among the remaining team members who were aware of the plan, Pudding had already been admitted to the hospital, and Sunday had just returned to school to take an exam – even if he weren’t taking the test, the other team members were concerned whether he could handle this task.

Finally, after some discussion, they decided to have Shen Yanming and He Changkong, who relatively had more free time, go to the meeting location to record the video.

The meeting place was a shopping plaza near a certain university, and it wasn’t too crowded on a weekday.

During this time, Shen Yanming found a moment to redo his hair. Now he looked like the lively Little White Wolf with beautiful white fur, no longer needing to wear a hat. However, his hair was quite eye-catching, so he had to hide it when going out for business. He tied his hair into a little bun and wore a large fisherman’s hat that covered the back of his head, concealing the bun within.

At first, the two of them sat in a nearby café, waiting for the right moment. He Changkong ordered a latte, with sugar and milk.

Shen Yanming was quite surprised. He had never paid much attention to He Changkong’s preferences, as he was used to seeing him eat anything and everything. He hadn’t expected He Changkong to add sugar and milk to his coffee.

Shen Yanming also ordered a fancy-looking drink. When the waitress brought their orders, Shen Yanming playfully remarked, “Ge, do we look like a couple on a date?”

During this time, Shen Yanming would occasionally say things like this. After spending a few days observing his own attitude towards He Changkong, he realized that he enjoyed sticking to him. He felt happy when they were together, and he always had He Changkong in his thoughts.

Unmistakably gay.

Of course, he had always been like this, but upon closer examination, among all the players he admired in the thrones, he couldn’t count them all on one hand.

Only He Changkong was special.

When the two of them live-streamed duo matches, viewers in the barrage would tease saying that the strongest support-assassin couple of the throne was online again. Shen Yanming would play along, and even asked the viewers to come up with a ship name for them.

As he said these things, he would also observe He Changkong’s reactions.

However, he wasn’t sure if he had said these kinds of things too often. In the past, when he casually made such remarks, He Changkong would stop him from talking nonsense, appearing somewhat annoyed. But now, He Changkong’s face remained calm and without ripples.

Shen Yanming felt a bit frustrated, as if he were the protagonist in “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.”

This time was no different. After asking if they looked like a couple on a date, He Changkong remained noncommittal. He even asked if Moonlight had said anything else.

Shen Yanming pursed his lips.

Meng Yan had handed over his account to Shen Yanming. After countless attempts to verbally probe He Changkong yielded no results, Shen Yanming had fully invested himself in the fishing endeavor. While chatting with Moonlight, he observed various passersby outside the window. After chatting for a while, Moonlight mentioned that he had arrived, but he was standing near a different sculpture in the opposite direction.

Shen Yanming pulled He Changkong to their feet, both of them donning masks. They left the café and made their way to the location Moonlight had mentioned. Finding a suitable spot for cover, they retrieved professional equipment and began recording a video. Using a smartphone to record would result in blurry footage, and from this distance, faces would be barely discernible, appearing as pixelated figures. Sending out such poor-quality footage wouldn’t be convincing at all.

As Shen Yanming recorded, he provided commentary, “Oh my, my little brother I’ve been chatting with is here. The first real-life encounter in an online romance is a bit nerve-wracking. I wonder if he’s handsome in person.”

Even though he knew his voice would be adjusted later, he still said it in a slightly squeaky tone. His tone was teasing and even slightly coquettish.

He Changkong glanced at him.

Shen Yanming adjusted the focus to ensure the camera could clearly capture Moonlight’s face. Moonlight was also cautious, wearing a mask and a hat. However, from the visible eyes and ears, it was clear who he was. Shen Yanming then feigned surprise and said, “This little brother looks quite familiar. Isn’t this… that gamer, Moonlight?”

After a few more seconds of recording, concerned about being discovered, Shen Yanming saved the video and quickly packed up the equipment, preparing to make a hasty exit.

Initially, Moonlight had been standing near the central sculpture in the plaza, looking at his phone intermittently and scanning the surroundings. However, as he didn’t find the person he was expecting and hadn’t received any response, he grew anxious and started walking in other directions, as if he was looking for someone.

And he was walking right toward Shen Yanming’s direction.

Shen Yanming clapped his hands, “Oh no, we can’t let him see us.”

He reacted swiftly, directly hugging He Changkong’s waist from the front, “Hold me ge, and lower your head. Don’t let him see our faces.”

Being hugged so suddenly took He Changkong by surprise, but he quickly caught on. Even if Moonlight recognized them, it wouldn’t matter much since they were on the morally righteous side. However, exposing themselves could still cause some trouble. After all, they had been working on this scheme for so long; failing now would be regrettable.

He Changkong hesitated for a moment before he reciprocated the hug, lowering his head. Their faces were almost touching, and Shen Yanming’s hat partially covered He Changkong’s face.

Moonlight approached. Shen Yanming whispered again, “…My hat is about to slip off, ge, help me hold it”

Following his instructions, He Changkong gently held the back of Shen Yanming’s head. From behind, it looked just like they were about to kiss.

Not only from behind, but even face-to-face, they both thought the same.

Shen Yanming even felt his breathing becoming erratic. Their gazes locked, and he couldn’t help but imagine, what if they weren’t wearing masks?

Would he really have kissed him?

Thank you for reading! 

Hope you enjoy the rest of your day

If you like reading my translations, do consider supporting me with ko-fi

1“三十六计,诚不我欺” (sānshíliù jì, chéng bù wǒ qī) is a well-known Chinese idiom. It translates to “The 36 stratagems, truly never deceive” or “The 36 strategies are never wrong.” It conveys the idea that the strategies and tactics outlined in the “36 Stratagems,” a classical Chinese text on warfare and strategy, are effective and reliable. It’s often used to emphasize the cleverness and effectiveness of a strategy or tactic.

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