WG - 72

The night of the Lunar New Year’s Eve wasn’t very peaceful.

Firecrackers and fireworks went off intermittently, creating a noisy atmosphere.

Chi Zhiyu woke up several times during the night, but each time, someone would pull her into their arms and gently pat her back.

The presence was familiar.

It chased away all her worries.

________________________________________

Early the next morning.

Chi Zhiyu naturally woke up, feeling a bit groggy as she opened her eyes. She suddenly met Xie Ye’s gaze. Her mind was slightly slow, but seeing him didn’t surprise her.

Last night had been so noisy, and she had been in and out of consciousness. She knew Xie Ye had stayed with her and slept beside her.

Seeing his closed eyes, clearly still asleep, Chi Zhiyu didn’t feel like getting up either. She lowered her head back onto his chest, stared blankly for a while, yawned, and decided to get up since she couldn’t sleep anyway.

Chi Zhiyu tried to move his hand from her waist, but as soon as she lifted it, the man in front of her stirred, tightening his grip around her waist and forcefully pulling her closer to his chest.

Making her stay put and sleep.

“…”

Chi Zhiyu leaned against him, blinked, and looked up at him.

Xie Ye’s eyes were still closed, and his breathing sounded steady. Whether he was awake and just didn’t want to open his eyes or not, she couldn’t tell.

Chi Zhiyu stared at his face and then tilted her head slightly to kiss his lips lightly.

Sure enough, the next second, Xie Ye slowly opened his eyes, lazily looking down at her with a sleepy expression, appearing completely at her mercy.

Chi Zhiyu reached out to touch his face and softly said, “I’ll go downstairs first; you keep sleeping.”

After saying that, seeing his utterly lazy demeanor, Chi Zhiyu couldn’t help but lean over and kiss him again. Then, as she was about to sit up, Xie Ye suddenly cupped her face, pressed his lips against hers, kissed her, and bit her lip lightly.

Chi Zhiyu blinked, somewhat confused by his actions.

His voice was a bit hoarse from not being fully awake, but his tone was leisurely, “Taking advantage of me and leaving? What a nice thought.”

“…”

Looking at his matter-of-fact expression, Chi Zhiyu felt like she was the one being taken advantage of.

She almost choked, pushed him away, and sat up. Only then did she realize this wasn’t his room. She turned her head and called out to him, “Do you want to go back to your own room to sleep?”

Xie Ye lay back on the bed, “What?”

Chi Zhiyu reminded him, “Didn’t Aunt Zhì say last night not to go to the wrong room? What if they find you sleeping here later?”

And he had arrogantly said he wouldn’t make such a mistake, though… Chi Zhiyu didn’t want to embarrass him further, so she didn’t continue.

However, Xie Ye seemed to have no sense of having done anything wrong and raised an eyebrow, “Where did I go wrong?”

“?” Chi Zhiyu looked completely baffled, “Isn’t this the guest room?”

“Oh.” Xie Ye slowly and calmly uttered two words: “No, it’s not.”

“…”

Chi Zhiyu almost believed his blatant lie.

Giving him face, she reluctantly nodded and hummed, “So, whose room is this?”

Xie Ye stared at her face, his fingertips slowly rubbing her eye corner. He smirked shamelessly and said, “My room.”

“…”

This time, Chi Zhiyu couldn’t help but slap his hand away, casually covered him with the blanket, and said indifferently, “Alright, I’m going downstairs. You keep dreaming.”

“…”

After finishing washing up and changing clothes, Chi Zhiyu came out of the bathroom to see Xie Ye still lying in bed with his eyes closed, seemingly asleep again.

Last night, besides the explosions outside, he also took care of her, so he didn’t sleep well.

Chi Zhiyu carefully backed out of the room, quietly closed the door, and headed downstairs with her phone.

Jian Yazhi heard the sound in the kitchen and glanced over, smiling faintly, “Why are you awake so early? Was it too noisy last night?”

“It’s alright.” Chi Zhiyu walked over and took the warm water Jian Yazhi handed her, thanked her, took a few sips to moisten her throat, and watched her prepare things. She asked, “Is there anything I can help with?”

Jian Yazhi looked around, “Then help Aunt Zhì wash some vegetables. How about we cook some porridge for you later?”

“Sure, I can do anything.”

Chi Zhiyu agreed and started washing the vegetables nearby. As they chatted casually, she mentioned something about Xie Ye’s competition and her usual class schedule.

“So, what are your plans afterward?” Jian Yazhi asked.

“Recently, I received an invitation from the theater. If I have time, I should go and check it out. It’s also a good opportunity to adapt to the dance drama in advance.”

“That’s good. In the future, doing what you’re good at and love will be great.” Jian Yazhi thought for a moment, furrowed her brow slightly, “But Little Ye has these competitions every year. I don’t know how long he intends to continue. After all, you two will eventually get married…”

Hearing her murmur, Chi Zhiyu paused, lowered her gaze, and stared at the flowing water, lost in thought. Afterward, she placed the washed bok choy aside and called out, “Aunt Zhì.”

“Hmm? What is it?” Jian Yazhi turned to look at her.

Chi Zhiyu lowered her gaze and pursed her lips slightly, “I think I haven’t told you much about my family situation. My parents—”

“They are who they are.” Jian Yazhi interrupted her gently, “Little Yu, you are different from them. Auntie likes you very much, and it has nothing to do with others.”

Chi Zhiyu looked up, speechless and staring at her.

“Auntie may not know the specifics, but I am an adult too.” Jian Yazhi spoke softly, “And I’ve never talked to you about Xie Ye and me. You’ve never asked, and I’ve always wanted to find a chance to tell you.”

Chi Zhiyu struggled to speak, opening her mouth but making no sound.

Jian Yazhi smiled and continued, “Actually, there’s nothing major. It’s just that Xie Ye has some issues with his grandfather. The old man, being somewhat stubborn, always wanted Xie Ye’s father to inherit the family business properly. But Xie Ye’s father had no intention of doing so, which led to some conflicts between them.”

“Later, Xie Ye’s father had some health issues, but he kept it hidden from us. Finally, when he couldn’t hold on anymore and ended up in the hospital, we and his grandfather found out about it.” Jian Yazhi chuckled, “But you know Xie Ye’s temper. He thinks it’s because his grandfather kept pressuring his father, so he resents him a bit.”

“After a big argument between the two, my health wasn’t good at the time either. So, without a second thought, he moved here to accompany me during my recovery.”

Jian Yazhi explained in a very calm tone.

Listening quietly, Chi Zhiyu could imagine there was more to the story. At the same time, she suddenly recalled the image of a young Xie Ye sitting alone in his room, playing games in solitude.

Was he always like that back then, enduring the pain of losing his father while facing the pressure of inheriting the family legacy from his stubborn grandfather?

He also had to deal with the sympathy and pity from those around him.

Losing his father at a young age.

That was his label.

Also his constraint.

________________________________________

“Hmm?” Jian Yazhi noticed the figure at the door and raised an eyebrow, “You’re finally awake? Even Xiaozhi woke up earlier than you. What happened?”

Xie Ye leaned against the wall. Hearing this, he raised an eyebrow and glanced at Chi Zhiyu, “You should ask this early riser here.”

“…”

Chi Zhiyu quickly finished washing the last piece of vegetable and smiled at Jian Yazhi, “Aunt Zhì, I’m hungry. When will the porridge be ready?”

Reminded by her, Jian Yazhi immediately started cooking the porridge and let the two wait in the living room.

Her little scheme succeeded, and Chi Zhiyu breathed a sigh of relief. Then she glared at Xie Ye and pulled him out.

Xie Ye lazily lay on the sofa. Seeing his drowsy state, Chi Zhiyu poured him a glass of water, “Why didn’t you keep sleeping?”

Xie Ye took it and glanced at her, “Without you, I can’t sleep.”

“…”

Chi Zhiyu’s expression remained calm, “You’re still dreaming.”

“Do you even have a conscience?” Xie Ye drank the water, his tone leisurely, “Last night, I held you, and you don’t even know how well you slept, clinging to me all the time—”

“No.” Chi Zhiyu interrupted him, speaking calmly, “I wasn’t asleep last night. Don’t try to fool me.”

Xie Ye nodded, “Oh.”

Chi Zhiyu blinked, “What do you mean, oh?”

“No fooling you.”

“…”

Just as Chi Zhiyu was about to call him out for his contradictory behavior, her phone in her pocket rang. She took it out, glanced at the screen, told Xie Ye to watch TV first, and answered the call casually.

“Xiaoyu, are you still there?” Aunt Wang’s voice came through.

Chi Zhiyu hummed, “What is it?”

“It’s fine, nothing major.” Aunt Wang said, “Mr. Chi just left, and Mrs. Bai’s emotions are a bit unstable.”

Chi Zhiyu calmly responded, “Mm, let her stay in her room. Remove all sharp objects. Don’t bother her; let her adjust herself. After all—”

“She chooses not to wake up.”

________________________________________

After the winter break, Chi Zhiyu returned to school, and Xie Ye, after slacking off for more than half a month, naturally stopped being lazy and prepared for training again.

The life of a professional player might be monotonous—training, sleeping, and resting. But Xie Ye had one extra thing compared to others: chatting and meeting with his girlfriend.

Chi Zhiyu was basically in sync with him, except she practiced and rehearsed dance moves. In the evenings, she video-called or simply phoned him.

Both of them lived fulfilling days. Later, Chi Zhiyu gradually began contacting theater troupes, sometimes participating in simple performances or dance dramas.

During the summer and winter breaks of her sophomore year, Chi Zhiyu and Wu Xuan were invited to join the theater troupe for training and performances.

Entering her junior year, Chi Zhiyu became busier, while Xie Ye spent the entire year participating in PUBG’s PCL summer and autumn tournaments. In three seasons of competition, YG team won two championships and one runner-up.

The results were excellent, and Xie Ye’s performance stood out. His reputation and popularity soared, making him the hottest focus among professional players.

At the same time, fans were indulging in the sweetness of him and Chi Zhiyu. Sometimes, when Chi Zhiyu visited the base to see Xie Ye, Yang Bin, the big-mouthed one, would mention during live streams that “Sister-in-law is here, Wild isn’t,” or similar comments.

This made fans curious about the identity of Wild’s girlfriend, yet there were no traces of her online.

Later, they started searching in Xie Ye’s direction, asking if Wild’s sister-in-law watched every match.

Xie Ye replied, “Yes, she sits in the audience.”

After this statement, fans frantically searched for audience footage in the game livestreams. After hours of searching, they found nothing useful, but one thing was clear: fans noticed that Xie Ye always looked toward the audience at the start and end of each match.

They guessed it might be because he was locking eyes with Wild’s sister-in-law.

Later, they gradually built up Chi Zhiyu’s identity into something mystical. Some said she was a child star or famous actress, while others claimed she was from a wealthy family. Various versions circulated.

One day, during one of Xie Ye’s live streams, a comment asked about Wild’s sister-in-law’s identity.

Xie Ye gave an official response, “A college student.”

Everyone was stunned, not expecting such an answer—it was practically meaningless.

The fans weren’t satisfied and immediately asked how he and Wild’s sister-in-law met.

Xie Ye: “Since childhood.”

Since childhood.

After this day, fans began tirelessly searching for Wild’s spoiled little childhood sweetheart.

________________________________________

Chi Zhiyu didn’t pay attention to these matters. Wu Xuan, the number one fan, told her everything and occasionally raved about Xie Ye.

At first, Chi Zhiyu couldn’t quite accept it, but hearing it continuously until her senior year in college, she numbly nodded, “Mhm, yes, your Wild is the strongest, the best.”

“No, no, he’s not my Wild. He’s yours, yours.” Wu Xuan rejected the statement. Seeing her holding a familiar gift box, she raised an eyebrow, “Your dad sent you something again?”

Chi Zhiyu nodded, forcing a smile, “Father’s love.”

Wu Xuan laughed sarcastically, remaining noncommittal.

Chi Zhiyu opened the packaging box only after returning to her dormitory. Upon seeing the familiar items inside, she raised an eyebrow.

After being confronted by Chi Zhiyu on New Year’s Eve, Chi Yan hadn’t made any moves or called.

He occasionally maintained some father-daughter contact, sending expensive cosmetics, bags, and jewelry via his secretary every few months.

Chi Zhiyu didn’t know what he intended to do. Each time, after receiving them, she rejected them and asked the secretary to return them with a message attached.

—”These things aren’t as practical as money. If you must send something next time, please send a card.”

It seemed Chi Yan took her words to heart. In the following years, Chi Zhiyu indeed received his cards.

“Chi Yan is still quite generous.”

That evening, Chi Zhiyu was on the phone with Xie Ye, “So, whatever you want to buy in the future, just say it. Sister will buy it for you.”

The Xie family had indeed kept their word. After Xie Ye graduated from high school, they didn’t give him another penny.

Chi Zhiyu originally supported him, but not with Chi Yan’s money.

Instead, she used the salary she earned from performing at the theater over the years. Though it wasn’t a large sum, she wanted to give it to him.

But Xie Ye didn’t accept it. He teased her, pinching her cheek and saying that his girlfriend had plenty of money, so she should save it to buy candy or set it aside as a dowry.

Upon hearing this, Xie Ye smirked, “Are you really planning to support me financially?”

“Yes,” Chi Zhiyu tapped the card with one hand, “If I said I’d support you, then I’ll definitely do it.”

“Oh.” Xie Ye said indifferently, “Then when will you collect my payment?”

Chi Zhiyu exclaimed, “What payment?”

Xie Ye lazily asked, “You’re supporting me. What kind of payment do you think I can give you?”

“…”

Chi Zhiyu’s mind froze. Based on the typical dynamic of financial support relationships, one gives money, and the other—

“Physical compensation.”

Xie Ye’s two words echoed in her ear, coinciding perfectly with her thoughts.

Realizing the implication, Chi Zhiyu’s face instantly turned red. Fortunately, they were on the phone, so he couldn’t see her current state.

Chi Zhiyu coughed, suppressing the heat in her cheeks and steadying her voice, “There’s no physical compensation. I haven’t even supported you yet. You haven’t given me a chance to pay.”

“Oh.” Xie Ye’s arrogant voice came through, “Next time, I’ll definitely give you a chance to pay. Wait for it.”

The last two words made Chi Zhiyu’s scalp tingle. She felt there was something off about his words and hesitated before changing the subject, “Do you have time?”

Hadn’t this person been preparing for the world tournament recently?

But upon hearing this, Xie Ye raised an eyebrow and asked leisurely, “Are you in a hurry?”

“…”

This time, Chi Zhiyu not only blushed but her ears burned as well.

Although he hadn’t spoken clearly, she somehow understood what he meant.

Chi Zhiyu pursed her lips and pretended to remain calm, “Why would I be in a hurry? I’m the one paying. What’s worrying me is… it seems like you’re the one in a hurry.”

Before her words faded, Xie Ye succinctly replied with one word after a few seconds, “Fine.”

“Hmm?”

Xie Ye was honest, “I admit it.”

“I’m in a hurry.”