Sorry, Stuck Again [Esports] Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Pei Yun Chang didn't reply to Pei Jing's message until the next day, when he casually found an excuse to brush it off. Surprisingly, Pei Jing didn't say anything more.

The two-day holiday flew by, and the team started their pre-match intensive training again. However, the hectic training didn't affect the joyful cohabitation of the four at all.

Whenever Pei Yun Chang trained with the main team, the other three would always wait at the door, and Bian Yan would even secretly take photos of Pei Yun Chang training and send them to him.

"If you can't get it, just come out, bro. Let's go eat."

Three meals a day weren't enough. Ever since Pei Yun Chang moved in, the frequency of late-night snacks in room 305 skyrocketed, and Bian Yan ate so much that his cheeks puffed out, making him look even younger.

When Pan Shi's mom called to check in, the three of them would take turns pretending to be the team coach, making up stories about Pan Shi's situation. Once, Lu Chang Kong got carried away and casually mentioned that Pan Shi had found a girlfriend. As a result, Pan Shi's mom insisted on getting to the bottom of it.

Lu Chang Kong had to call Bian Yan "dad" twice to get him to help cover up the lie with a falsetto voice, and then call Pei Yun Chang "grandpa" twice to get an AI-generated picture of a girl to reassure the elders. The whole operation was a heavy loss.

When Bian Yan video-called Bian Tang, Pan Shi and Lu Chang Kong would fight for the camera to greet Bian Tang. But Bian Yan ignored them both, shoved the phone in front of Pei Yun Chang, and blocked Lu Chang Kong and Pan Shi with his body, making Bian Tang laugh uncontrollably.

Even a few days before the Bo Heng match, Lu Chang Kong suddenly had a hemorrhoid flare-up. The three of them took him to the hospital for surgery and ate all sorts of delicious food in front of him, making Lu Chang Kong curse them out, earning several stripes of anger.

When he was discharged, Pei Yun Chang and Bian Yan specially made a welcome banner for him—

"Rectum in good shape, the chrysanthemum is great!

—Wishing Huang Mao a happy discharge!"

Lu Chang Kong, holding his butt and limping, was supported by Pan Shi as he walked out of the hospital room, only to see the two of them holding the banner, attracting everyone's attention, with mischievous smiles on their faces.

"Can you guys put away that embarrassing thing?!" Lu Chang Kong, still in pain, was infuriated by the two, reaching out to grab it.

But not only did Bian Yan nimbly dodge, he even raised it a few inches higher.

"Nope, not putting it away~"

Lu Chang Kong tried to stop them, almost losing his balance and falling flat on his butt, which scared him into behaving.

"Me and Bian Yan went to get it custom-made early in the morning, why aren't you grateful?" Pei Yun Chang stepped forward, smiling as he steadied him.

"Hiss… I'm only worried if my broken body can make it to Bo Heng." Lu Chang Kong winced in pain.

Pei Yun Chang carefully folded the banner and placed it on the ground, while Bian Yan went over to help Pan Shi with Lu Chang Kong's clothes.

"Don't worry, if you can't sit, the three of us will carry you." Bian Yan laughed so hard at the sight of him holding his butt that he couldn't straighten up. "Everything's packed, the flight's in the afternoon, if we don't leave now, we'll be late."

The four of them finished the procedures and were about to leave when Pei Yun Chang suddenly received a call.

"Yes… I'm at the hospital… Mm, I know… Okay… I'll be right back."

Bian Yan noticed his face suddenly turned pale and asked worriedly, "Who was that?"

"My uncle came back just before we left and wants to see me before I go." Pei Yun Chang put away his phone, his expression unchanged.

Bian Yan's brow twitched, feeling that Pei Jing's timing was too coincidental.

——

[Pei Jing's Office]

"Uncle."

Pei Yun Chang walked in and closed the door.

Pei Jing seemed to have just returned, his coat still on, looking travel-worn.

He deliberately didn't speak, letting Pei Yun Chang stand there, as he slowly took off his suit jacket and draped it over a chair, rolling up his sleeves leisurely.

Catching a glimpse of the lingering smile on Pei Yun Chang's face, a trace of displeasure flashed in Pei Jing's eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

"Want some tea, Yun Chang?"

Pei Jing put on a proper smile, his tea-making movements particularly pleasing to the eye.

"No, thanks." Pei Yun Chang frowned slightly, naturally pulling over a chair in Pei Jing's office and sitting down. "Are you in a bad mood?"

Noticing Pei Yun Chang's familiar actions, Pei Jing's expression softened a bit.

"Is the air conditioner in your dorm broken?" Pei Jing awkwardly changed the subject.

Pei Yun Chang remained calm, "Yes."

"Why didn't you report it to Xu Ke to have someone fix it?"

"Too much trouble."

Pei Jing let out a faint snort.

"You moved to… room 305? Isn't it too cramped? I'll get you a single room, and I'll have someone renovate it while you're at the Bo Heng match."

Pei Yun Chang wasn't stupid; he could clearly see Pei Jing's mood was off, so his tone softened a bit.

"There's really no need, Uncle. You're so busy, no need to worry about me. I can live anywhere, and besides, living with Bian Yan and the others is quite fun."

Pei Yun Chang's words seemed to hit a nerve with Pei Jing, causing his flawless smile to crack slightly, and he let out a low growl.

"You love living with him so much?!"

After shouting, Pei Jing realized he had lost his composure, closed his eyes, and said nothing more.

After a long silence, Pei Jing took a tissue to wipe the moisture from his earlier emotional outburst.

"You should still live in a single room. Your mom asked me to take good care of you…"

"Uncle."

Pei Yun Chang's expression turned cold, interrupting Pei Jing stiffly, "Do you have a problem with Bian Yan?"

If the earlier cold shoulder was just Pei Jing's small test, then Pei Yun Chang's blunt question was the real trigger.

Pei Yun Chang didn't expect himself to say it so easily, and realizing his slip, he wisely shut his mouth.

"You really like being with him…" Pei Jing tapped the rosewood tea tray in his hand, the metal cufflinks glinting coldly, pausing subtly, "with them?"

"Yes." Pei Yun Chang straightened his back, speaking neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Uncle, I'm not a child anymore. I can manage my own social life and living arrangements."

Pei Jing let out a disdainful snort, changing the subject: "Do you remember when you first told me you liked esports?"

"Fifteen." Pei Yun Chang, though puzzled, answered as usual.

"Then do you remember when WIN was established?"

In Pei Yun Chang's memory, after his father passed away, Pei Jing naturally took on the responsibility of supporting the family, often so busy that he was rarely seen, but his concern for him never waned.

Pei Jing was young and talented, with exceptional business acumen. Not only did he inherit the Pei family's real estate foundation, but he also expanded further, establishing a company and continuously expanding his business territory.

But for some reason, a few years ago, he suddenly had the whim to establish the WIN club.

Since then, Pei Jing had been running back and forth between two places, rarely seen at WIN, with most affairs managed by Shen Chuan.

Counting it, WIN had been established for three years.

Three years…

Pei Yun Chang's heart skipped a beat, a terrifying suspicion spreading in his mind. He didn't want to believe it, hesitantly looking up, his gaze filled with a bit of fear.

"Three years."

Pei Jing's lips curled slightly, smiling seemingly indulgently, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Do you like it, darling? The gift I've been preparing for three years, finally given to you when you came of age."

Pei Yun Chang's expression froze instantly, his eyes filled with disbelief, unconsciously leaning back against the chair, seeking a bit of comfort, but his heart was in turmoil.

He never imagined that a casual remark from him would be worth Pei Jing secretly spending three years running a team, paving every step for him to achieve his dream.

Even in the two years before he joined the team, WIN wasn't just an empty shell, with money and time invested as usual, maintaining normal operations like other teams, buying one strong professional player after another.

This gift was too heavy and terrifying, making the recent retirement of Ji Feng seem like a joke, and the shock it brought far outweighed the joy.

"I…" Pei Yun Chang was momentarily speechless.

He seemed to have never truly understood Pei Jing.

Little did he know, Pei Jing's next words were even harder for him to accept.

"Without you, where would your so-called friends have a place to realize their dreams, right?" Pei Jing's tea was finally ready, and he leisurely lifted the teapot, slowly pouring out the amber tea.

"I'm willing to spend money to indulge you, but that doesn't mean I have patience for those young punks. You want to compete, so I'll find you the best teammates to highlight you, so you can win happily." Pei Jing pushed a cup of tea to Pei Yun Chang, swirling the one in his hand.

"Just like they said, you just need to be the young master, but why don't you listen?"

Pei Jing's tone carried a hint of coldness.

"Your uncle must have been a domineering CEO in a past life, why not just keep you at home?"

In his memory, Bian Yan's teasing voice echoed in his ears.

Pei Yun Chang always prided himself on being mature and sensible, but at this moment, he realized Pei Jing's desire to control him was so strong, and he hadn't seen through it as clearly as Bian Yan had.

Lu Chang Kong could stay up late and wake up early for a month to improve his skills, and Pan Shi had said countless soft words to his mom to play esports, which he knew.

And then there was Bian Yan…

So young, out in the world, with a strong sense of pride and competitiveness, willing to do anything to improve.

But their dreams, in Pei Jing's eyes, only amounted to a dismissive "no patience."

Pei Jing was used to the real estate business, decisive and strong-handed, running the team like slicing through butter.

But this time, his target wasn't a cold project, but living, breathing people with their own dreams!

Perhaps this was why WIN lacked warmth.

What Pei Jing wanted was always obedient teammates who could elevate him.

They might have value, but in Pei Jing's eyes, their value all pointed in one direction, which was himself.

Pei Yun Chang couldn't accept it.

"Then what about Bian Yan?"

Pei Yun Chang's throat tightened, his voice dry, "If it was for me, the team already had a marksman, why bring him in?!"

His tone carried a hint of resentment.

Pei Jing swallowed the tea in his mouth, tilting his head in thought, as if recalling some insignificant stray cat or dog.

"Him…"

Pei Jing "ah"ed, as if suddenly remembering, his eyes gleaming with shrewdness, his tone a bit excited, "He was a good seedling that Old Shen personally went to the Youth Training Camp to bring back."

"What do you mean?"

"Protective acquisition, can't you see it, darling?"

Pei Jing's voice struck like a thunderbolt in Pei Yun Chang's mind!