Sorry, Stuck Again [Esports] Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Bian Yan pushed open the door and immediately noticed the two conspicuously empty seats in front of him. Once everyone was seated, Pei Yun Chang nonchalantly turned off his phone and took his seat. Bian Yan casually flicked the water droplets from his hands and sat down earnestly next to Pei Yun Chang.

It was then that Lu Chang Kong realized Pei Yun Chang had deliberately separated himself from Bian Yan.

"Brother Pei, are you guarding against thieves?"

"What are you talking about? I don't understand."

Lu Chang Kong nodded in resignation and turned to chat with Pan Shi.

This was the team's first big dinner after their name change and roster update. With the points round-robin just concluded, they were rewarded with a half-month vacation. No one held back with Pei Yun Chang, and they devoured the first wave of dishes like a storm, ordering plenty of alcohol as well.

Pei Yun Chang called for the waiter, but Lu Chang Kong intercepted him.

"I want to order."

Pei Yun Chang gestured with a "please" motion.

Lu Chang Kong gleefully took the menu and picked the most expensive items, quickly filling the table with dishes.

Pei Yun Chang didn't seem to notice, quietly sipping hot water at his seat.

After a few rounds of drinks, everyone except Pei Yun Chang, who barely drank, was a bit tipsy. The conversation grew louder, and the initial restraint faded away.

Pan Shi and Lu Chang Kong dropped their facades, almost ready to sing "Friends Forever" together.

Bai Yao Xing, satisfied with a mouthful of hotpot and a sip of alcohol, slurred his words as he asked Pei Yun Chang, "Brother Pei, why aren't you eating?"

Pan Shi seemed to have been triggered by some switch, suddenly turning his head, his face flushed from the alcohol, and his speech slurred.

"He… he can't eat too much at night, or he won't be able to sleep…"

Bian Yan, who was already tipsy, lifted his head from the table upon hearing this, grabbing Pei Yun Chang's sleeve and stammering, "Can't sleep… why can't he sleep?"

Lu Chang Kong also suddenly sobered up, trying to figure out the reason, but couldn't even focus his vision.

Everyone was drunk, and drunkards are the most forgetful.

Pei Yun Chang casually made up an excuse, "Prone to insomnia," and brushed it off.

The dinner ended.

Bian Yan was so drunk he couldn't even stand, and Pei Yun Chang, needing to settle the bill, had to entrust him to Pan Shi.

"Don't worry… don't worry, Brother Pei, he won't fall!"

Pan Shi laughed foolishly, his breath reeking of alcohol as he waved his hands to assure Pei Yun Chang.

Pei Yun Chang frowned, gave a few instructions to the less-drunk Lu Chang Kong, and reluctantly left.

"Brother Stone, let me go, I'm fine."

Bian Yan's face was flushed, but his eyes were no longer as dazed, and he spoke much more clearly.

"Huh…?" Pan Shi hiccupped, "You're not drunk?"

Lu Chang Kong shook his head, trying to stay awake.

"Brother Stone, you said earlier that Pei Yun Chang can't sleep well if he eats too much at night. What's that about?" Bian Yan, still smelling of alcohol, didn't seem like someone who was completely wasted.

Pan Shi blinked a few times, as if suddenly remembering, and waved his hands randomly.

"Oh! That… it's nothing major, just… hic… just too many late nights in the past, couldn't sleep… for more than a few hours a day, wore his body out, now he has neurotic insomnia, can't sleep all night."

Pan Shi rambled on, seemingly about to vomit, and Bian Yan, fearing Pei Yun Chang might come over, had to lead him to a tree pit by the roadside.

"Why did he stay up so many nights?"

Bian Yan pressed on.

Pan Shi plopped down on the ground, trying hard to recognize the person in front of him, then suddenly laughed, "Of course… for you…"

Lu Chang Kong was also startled awake, "What?!"

"You guys don't know, do you… Back then, Brother Pei had thoughts of transferring teams, but he was under contract, and Pei Jing might not let him go, so he had to earn the breach fee day and night…" Pan Shi's thoughts were jumbled, speaking whatever came to mind, "So he trained and competed while also signing the longest hours with a streaming platform against opposition, managing to sleep… two hours a day was good."

"As for why he wanted to transfer, I think he was just too kind. He wanted to switch to jungler but didn't want to push Self out, so he had to… had to leave himself, but he was afraid you…"

Pan Shi pointed at Bian Yan.

"He was afraid you wouldn't be willing to go with him, so he needed to earn a lot of money to have the confidence to take you and find a suitable team."

Bian Yan felt the alcohol in his body being rapidly drained, his mind becoming incredibly clear, and his heart involuntarily aching.

"You think being his little Pei is easy…" Pan Shi, sobered by the wind, continued, "Just to contend with Pei Jing, his identity as a professional player wasn't enough. He had to pick up their family's previous business on top of training, such a workload… how could he not have neurotic insomnia? Ever since you went to KP as an assistant coach, I haven't seen him sleep a full night."

Lu Chang Kong frowned, "But didn't Self find out later, and decided with strength whether to stay or leave, so he didn't need to transfer. Why still work so hard?"

Pan Shi looked at Pei Yun Chang's back at the hotpot restaurant's front desk, his tone a bit pained, "He bears far more than you can imagine."

Bian Yan was almost frantic, "Brother Stone, can you stop speaking in riddles and explain clearly?"

"I told you, it's all for you." Pan Shi smiled bitterly, pointing at Bian Yan with a hint of frustration, "You little brat, do you remember how many years you signed with Shen Chuan? Which team's player signs for such a long term?"

Bian Yan felt a chill in his heart.

"You got banned for hitting someone, breached the contract, and the breach fee alone was ten million. Plus, Pei Jing and Shen Chuan, those two bastards, deliberately made things difficult for you, demanding two million in medical and emotional damages." Pan Shi spoke with gritted teeth.

"But I…"

"But you didn't know, did you?" Pan Shi's emotions were a bit agitated, "Do you know who took the fall for you? It was him! At the time, Brother Pei would rather fall out with Pei Jing than bother you with this, keeping it all a secret, paying double compensation to stop Pei Jing from suing you. Twenty-four million, almost drained his savings from all those years."

Bian Yan sat on the ground, stunned.

Back then, all the matters after the ban were handled by Bian Tang, and Bian Yan had already flown abroad to relax. He always thought the breach fee was paid by Bian Tang, never imagining Pei Yun Chang had taken it upon himself.

"Xiao Yan…"

Pan Shi sighed, his voice trembling, "Brother is telling you the truth, Brother Pei really has it tough. I've been by his side all these years, I know how much he's done for everything now.

"I know it was wrong for him to disappear back then, but aside from having a disgusting little uncle, he really did nothing wrong…"

Pan Shi's words were suddenly interrupted by a deep, rich voice from above—

"Pan Shi."

Bian Yan looked up with red eyes.

It was Pei Yun Chang.

"You…"

Bian Yan choked.

Pei Yun Chang pulled him up and hugged him, sighing at Pan Shi.

"We agreed you'd keep it a secret for me."

Seeing Bian Yan's state, Lu Chang Kong bit his lip, also struggling to hold it together.

"Let's go back, everyone's waiting."

Pei Yun Chang led Bian Yan away first.

Lu Chang Kong dutifully helped Pan Shi up from the ground and followed everyone back to Wing.

At the base.

Bian Yan looked like he was about to vomit, and Pei Yun Chang quickly made some arrangements before helping him back to the room.

In the room, Bian Yan leaned over the sink, vomiting until he was dizzy, tears streaming down his face.

Pei Yun Chang gently wiped his tears, teasing with a smile, "You were fine listening to secrets earlier, but now you're too drunk?"

Bian Yan splashed water on his face, and while Pei Yun Chang wasn't paying attention, he turned and hugged him tightly.

The force was too strong, causing them to crash uncontrollably into the cabinet, and Pei Yun Chang quickly protected Bian Yan's head!

Bang—

Pei Yun Chang winced in pain.

Bian Yan hurriedly apologized, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

Pei Yun Chang shushed him, silently hugging Bian Yan back, burying his head in his shoulder.

"Quietly, let me hold you for a while."

Bian Yan broke down instantly, choking as he embraced him.

"How long have you been sleeping poorly?"

Pei Yun Chang comfortably nuzzled into Bian Yan's neck, speaking truthfully, "Two or three years."

"Why did you pay my breach fee?"

Bian Yan cried uncontrollably.

Pei Yun Chang released him, gently wiping his tears, though they wouldn't stop, his heart aching, "Blame Pan Shi for having a big mouth…"

"Why?" Bian Yan stubbornly pressed.

"No reason, just didn't want you to worry about these trivial matters anymore." Pei Yun Chang smiled.

Bian Yan bit his lip, tears uncontrollably falling.

"Then why did you retire for half a year?"

Pei Yun Chang feigned lightness, "Without you, I didn't want to play, felt it was meaningless."

"Why did you come back?"

"Because Lao Miao told me you were streaming, so why should I give up? I have to pave the way for you, to bring our Xiao Yan back." Pei Yun Chang patted his head.

Bian Yan sobbed uncontrollably.

He gave up studying to stream because he couldn't bear to part after seeing Pei Yun Chang once.

Pei Yun Chang's return from retirement was because he saw Bian Yan's stream.

Round and round, they couldn't let go of each other.

"You know, when I rushed back to Guangleng and found out you were gone, I was terrifyingly calm. I methodically negotiated with Shen Chuan and Pei Jing, decisively got rid of Self, and was willing to take everything on for you." Pei Yun Chang sighed.

"But when I found out about your contract length."

"I couldn't hold it together."

That year, Bian Yan, with an uncertain future, signed for five years.

From 18 to 23.

And all of this was predicated on Pei Yun Chang signing for seven years, from 18 to 25.

He was willing to stay at Wing with Pei Yun Chang, so he signed for a long time.

But he didn't want to stay too long, preferring to retire at 23 during his prime alongside 25-year-old Pei Yun Chang.

When Bian Yan signed the contract, he was recklessly trying to find a way out for them.

So this special term was the best confession he could give Pei Yun Chang.

They had long been entangled in countless moments.