By Zephyria 
After regrouping, ME. and QT. quickly entered the second half of the match.
They were matched on the most classic haunted house map. Sheep had once experienced the hell mode of this map, but now, with ME. holding the point advantage from the first half, the final victory wasn’t too difficult.
At the decisive moment, the system displayed a prompt on the screen:
「ME.WIN！」
The commentators’ voices reached a peak of excitement:
“Let’s congratulate ME. Team for advancing to the semifinals!!”
“ME. has also broken their own national tournament record in the past five years!”
“Let’s thank both teams for their outstanding performance in this quarterfinal match.”
“Congratulations, ME.!!”
“Congratulations!!”
Not far behind the commentators, not only the players’ seats but even the substitute bench erupted in cheers. The team members rushed onto the stage, embracing each other in a wave of exhilaration.
Jing Mian noticed that after the match, the dull ache from his wisdom tooth had faded considerably.
He even felt more composed than usual during the post-match interview.
It wasn’t until he changed in the restroom, packed his bag, and took off his mask that he froze for a long moment, staring at his slightly swollen right cheek in the mirror.
Mr. Ren was coming to pick him up soon.
Realizing this, the young man silently put his mask back on.
“Brother Ren, these are all the details we have on Dawn.”
“Dawn’s real name is He Zhiyang.”
“…” Chen Ke paused for a few seconds before continuing solemnly, “He’s the only son of the He family.”
The He family from the northern district.
The same He family that, even before the young heir Ren Xingwan took power, had already been the most influential and wealthy in the business circle, a family whose status was in a league of its own compared to the Ren family.
The He family had once tried to sabotage the marriage arrangement between the Jing and Ren families and replace it with their own.
Jing Mian just didn’t know about it yet.
“We’ve thoroughly investigated everything.” Chen Ke handed the compiled information to the man. Even without flipping through it, his tone grew increasingly awkward as he spoke. “That’s right… this young master He… has feelings for Mr. Jing and even pursued him.”
“Before that, they often played games together, logging on at scheduled times. They were practically fixed partners in duo queues.”
The man’s brow twitched slightly.
At that moment, it probably wasn’t Chen Ke’s imagination, he could sense the atmosphere around the man instantly turning icy and oppressive.
“…However.”
Chen Ke swallowed hard and continued seriously, “After this Mr. He expressed his feelings and wanted to take things further, Mr. Jing completely cut off their relationship.”
“Blacklisted him as a friend, unfollowed him on Glory’s homepage, returned to solo queues… Given the situation, if they had any real-life contact, he must’ve deleted all his contact info too.”
He sighed. “You could call it a full-scale rejection.”
In other words, this CP that Glory players lamented and gossiped about was nothing more than an unrequited one-sided affair.
Yet, even after saying all this,
Chen Ke noticed that the faint, oppressive aura around Mr. Ren still hadn’t dissipated.
When presenting these findings himself, President Ren showed no signs of surprise. Chen Ke vaguely felt that although the business circle was vast, there were only a handful of truly prominent figures. Perhaps, apart from confirming that Dawn was the only son of the He family, Mr. Ren might not be unfamiliar with He Zhiyang, they might have even crossed paths before.
As if struck by a thought, Chen Ke pulled out a photo from his pocket and handed it to Ren Xingwan, saying, “This is what I found, aside from the national competition footage, it’s a casual photo of He Zhiyang in everyday clothes.”
The man looked at the photo in silence.
Chen Ke: “?”
Chen Ke: “Brother Ren, what’s wrong?”
Ren Xingwan lifted his gaze and said calmly, “This is an old photo of me.”
Chen Ke: “!!?”
The person in the photo was strikingly beautiful, with fair skin and a gentle, refined demeanor, though the faintly intimidating aura beneath those long lashes made one hold their breath. But what was undeniable was that this was a textbook example of a stunning beauty.
What was Teacher Ren’s relationship with him?
Wait, Brother Ren meant…
This was his old photo?
??
This beauty…
was Brother Ren!?
Chen Ke felt his brain short-circuiting.
After a long pause, he finally managed to stammer, “Brother Ren, how… how have you changed so much…”
Then, realizing this wasn’t something he should ask, Chen Ke quickly added, “You’ve become so much more handsome.”
The man’s expression remained unchanged as he asked, “Why was Jing Mian playing games with him back then?”
Chen Ke thought for a moment and explained, “Dawn’s skills were quite impressive. Based on the livestreams from that time, he seemed very considerate, leveled up quickly, and was always gentle with Mr. Jing, like an older brother next door.”
“Also…”
Chen Ke added, “His looks might have played a part too.”
Who could resist such a beauty?
Especially one who bore some resemblance to Mr. Ren’s former appearance.
Suddenly, a strange thought crossed Chen Ke’s mind, could it be that Mr. Jing had grown close to Dawn back then because he saw a bit of Brother Ren in him…?
Chen Ke swallowed hard.
He suspected Mr. Ren had thought of this too.
“So, what he liked was Dawn,” the man paused before slowly continuing, “…or the old me.”
Chen Ke hesitated for a few seconds, not daring to speak.
As someone skilled at reading the room, after all, only the sharpest could become Ren Xingwan’s assistant, Chen Ke sensed the faint chill and hint of jealousy in the air. Neither answer seemed to be what the other wanted to hear.
That Mr. He was out of the question, of course.
And as for Brother Ren’s mention of “the old me,” the modifier was “old.”
Chen Ke tentatively asked, “Why don’t you ask Mr. Jing directly?”
“……”
Ren Xingwan didn’t respond.
People often fear the answers to questions they can’t bring themselves to ask.
Under the lamplight, the night air mingled with floating dust, settling around the man’s suit jacket as it slowly descended. Only the ring on his left ring finger glimmered brightly.
After the session, Jing Mian first went to the doctor for an IV drip.
Mr. Ren had prior commitments but mentioned he would pick him up later. During their call, Jing Mian had initially wanted to suggest Master Ye come instead, but he couldn’t think of a suitable reason to voice it.
And so, at nine in the evening.
When Jing Mian got into the car, he was holding a large bouquet of flowers.
As Mr. Ren glanced over, Jing Mian’s cheeks flushed slightly as he explained, “They’re from a fan.”
The man gave a soft hum. He had started the car earlier, and now the warm air from the heater filled the entire cabin. He asked quietly, “Won’t holding it tire you out?”
Jing Mian shook his head. But after a brief moment of thought, he decided it would be better to place the bouquet in the backseat while driving.
Just as he turned to set the flowers down, however, he noticed another stunningly vibrant bouquet nestled quietly in the corner of the backseat, wrapped in pristine white pearlescent paper.
Jing Mian froze for a few seconds before carefully placing his own bouquet aside. “Are these flowers from a fan, Husband?”
“No.”
Mr. Ren’s hands rested on the steering wheel as their gazes met under Jing Mian’s slightly bewildered expression. “They’re my flowers.”
Jing Mian blinked in surprise.
The man’s low, unhurried voice continued:
“Congratulations on your victory.”
…
Even as they exited the car, Jing Mian still held that bouquet in his arms.
Only now, it was an entirely different one.
A crisp, refreshing fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose, subtle yet distinct, much like the owner who had quietly gifted him these flowers.
“Does your tooth still hurt?”
Jing Mian shook his head. “It’s much better now.”
“The doctor said it’s healing well. The inflammation has subsided, and if there’s no pain, surgery won’t be necessary.”
Mr. Ren replied, “Get it checked again before then.”
Jing Mian nodded. “Okay.”
“Why are you still wearing that?”
Jing Mian paused. “…?”
It took him a few seconds to realize his husband wasn’t referring to the flowers in his arms but to the face mask he hadn’t removed since leaving the competition venue.
His heart tightened in that instant.
He had hoped to at least make it home first, where Mr. Ren would be occupied with his own affairs or retire early, and thus wouldn’t notice anything amiss.
But now, caught off guard by the question, Jing Mian swallowed hard and stammered, “Because… I’m holding the flowers. If I take it off, I won’t have any free hands…”
Only after speaking did he realize his mistake, his words sounded more like a hint for Mr. Ren to take the bouquet from him.
Yet before he could react, the man had already reached out. His slender fingers hooked around the thin strap behind Jing Mian’s ear, and in the next moment, the black fabric covering his face slipped away.
Jing Mian, still holding the flowers, met his husband’s gaze.
“…” Despite the IV treatment, the right side of his face hadn’t fully recovered from the swelling, leaving it slightly puffed up.
Jing Mian thought he probably looked about half as bad as if he’d been stung by a bee.
He expected this to turn into an awkward, prolonged stare, ending with his husband’s typically impassive expression. But then, Jing Mian, who had lowered his eyes, suddenly sensed something unusual.
When he looked up again, he saw that Mr. Ren seemed to be smiling.
—Unlike any smile before, it wasn’t just a slight curl of the lips but a genuine, heartfelt one. The light caught in his lowered lashes, softening his features remarkably.
The smile was faint, almost soundless.
Since their marriage, this was the first time Jing Mian had been so stunned by his husband’s expression that he was left at a loss.
For no other reason than…
It was simply too beautiful.
All his earlier embarrassment and discomfort vanished in an instant, leaving only an uncontrollable pounding in his chest.
The pearlescent paper of the bouquet in his arms rustled faintly as his fingers curled slightly.
Mr. Ren suddenly spoke. “Your opponent today was Dawn.”
Jing Mian made a soft sound of acknowledgment.
“He used to be a gaming friend. Did facing him as an opponent affect you?”
Jing Mian was momentarily stunned. Rather than the question itself, he seemed more surprised that Mr. Ren would take an interest in Glory. The young man shook his head and answered truthfully, “No.”
“Then why,”
The man paused for a few seconds before speaking softly, “did you duo queue with him?”
Mr. Ren was likely referring to that time, before they got married. Jing Mian pressed his lips together, recalling carefully: “Because Dawn is skilled, climbs ranks quickly, and doesn’t talk much. He doesn’t hold me back.”
“…Leveling up faster gives me a better chance to compete for Shadow Guard.” The young man quietly added.
Shadow Guard… naturally referred to Ash.
Jing Mian didn’t mention the name.
Perhaps compared to Dawn, he was more worried that the ID “Ash” might be misunderstood by his husband.
Jing Mian and Mr. Ren stepped into the elevator, the scent of flowers permeating the enclosed space.
“Does he resemble me?”
Jing Mian: “?”
It was a question that left the young man somewhat bewildered. He asked, “Dawn?”
Mr. Ren: “Dawn.”
Jing Mian’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly.
The same question had been brought up earlier in the lounge, He Jing had said Dawn somewhat resembled his lover. At the time, it had seemed absurd, but now it appeared it wasn’t just He Jing’s illusion. Even his husband had noticed?
Jing Mian shook his head. “No.”
After a moment’s thought, he added, “Not in the slightest.”
The man seemed taken aback, repeating, “Not in the slightest?”
“Mhm.”
Holding the flowers, Jing Mian murmured softly, “…Husband is much better-looking.”
……
Silence enveloped them.
Yet, within this subtly tense quiet, Jing Mian detected a faint trace of relief, something unfamiliar, something he couldn’t quite put into words.
Or perhaps, he had a vague sense… that Mr. Ren’s mood had improved.
The door unlocked with a fingerprint. Jing Mian puffed his cheeks slightly as he carried the bouquet his husband had given him to the balcony. He removed the tissue paper, trimmed the stems at an angle, and placed them in a vase filled with water.
By the time he settled onto the sofa, Mr. Ren approached with something in hand, a white gauze bundle, cool and damp to the touch.
Only when the chill touched his face did Jing Mian realize it was an ice pack wrapped in gauze, meant to reduce swelling.
As the man leaned down, their eyes met at the same level.
“In what ways are we not alike?”
Mr. Ren’s question caught him off guard.
Jing Mian blinked, realizing the topic had circled back. Maybe it was his imagination, but his husband seemed to enjoy hearing about the differences between himself and Dawn?
After a moment’s thought, Jing Mian began, “Husband is much taller than him.”
“And more handsome.”
“More successful in your career, the youngest leader in this industry.”
……
Unconsciously, the list of differences had turned into a series of compliments for Mr. Ren.
The young man’s ears gradually reddened. Seeing that his husband was still waiting, with no intention of stopping him, he steeled himself and continued, “Husband married earlier.”
“Found a partner before Dawn did.”
Mr. Ren chuckled softly. “Mhm.”
“There’s just one thing, Dawn…”
Jing Mian’s voice trailed off abruptly, as if hesitating whether to mention the next point.
Mr. Ren: “?”
The brief silence made the man pause before he prompted, “What is it?”
Jing Mian pressed his lips together and whispered:
“He’s better at gaming than Husband.”