SITS CH67

Chapter 67: Spring and Him

The next day, the manager booked a private banquet room equipped with a television so they could eat dinner while watching the broadcast of the escape room variety show.

With their own team claiming the championship title once again, the boss showed up too. Delighted, she handed out thick red envelopes to everyone, though when her gaze landed on Xu Zhouye and Shen Man, her expression turned slightly subtle.

Noticing her stare, Shen Man raised an eyebrow in her direction, silently asking what she wanted.

The boss simply pretended not to see. As long as the two of them didn’t spell it out openly, she would pretend to know nothing.

Ever since Xu Zhouye joined ACE, the club’s results had climbed steadily higher. After winning the Summer Split and the World Championship last year, they had kicked off this year on a high note by capturing the Spring Split trophy, instantly turning the squad into the darling of corporate sponsors.

The boss accepted sponsorship deals until her hands grew sore. Although Shen Man disliked taking personal endorsements, he still had to wear the team uniform; their jerseys were now covered head to toe in flashy sponsor logos.

Dishes were served, and the variety show began. Everyone was chuckling cheerfully, except for Zhao Rui.

Even though he had braced himself mentally, watching himself shriek like a rubber chicken on screen still shattered his defenses. Zhao Rui raged: “AAAAAAAHHH! Are you guys even human, insisting on campaigning votes for me?!”

Liu Shishi sighed dramatically: “Rui, saying things like that really breaks the brothers’ hearts. Faced with such an amazing opportunity to gain followers, none of the brothers could bear to campaign a single vote for ourselves; we poured every bit of effort into campaigning for you. How could you turn around and blame your brothers?”

He spoke with such heartfelt sincerity that Zhao Rui nearly looked like an ungrateful heartbreaker.

Shaken by his tone, Zhao Rui’s confidence wavered: “Huh? Really? You guys campaigned for me because you genuinely wanted to give me the opportunity?”

Liu Shishi smiled warmly: “Silly boy, of course that’s a lie.”

Zhao Rui: “?”

Liu Shishi burst out: “Hahahahahahahahaha! Hurry up and look at your face right now, so hilarious!”

That was the true essence of brotherhood: so long as it didn’t threaten your life, they always wanted to pull a petty prank just to watch you make a fool of yourself.

Still, truth be told, if everyone had been as calm and unbothered as Shen Man and Xu Zhouye, the show would have had zero entertainment value. Watching Zhao Rui and Qin Yixing was far more entertaining.

Speaking of Qin Yixing…

“Didn’t he brag on his livestream about having huge guts?” Stuffing a shrimp into his mouth, Xu Xiaochong still found time to critique. “How did he end up screaming even more pitifully than Zhao Rui?”

As the actual participants who had been on set, Xu Zhouye and Shen Man let out a synchronized cold scoff.

At first, nobody around the table understood what their scoff meant, until the broadcast reached the water vat stage.

On screen, Shen Man and Luo Zhile sat calmly inside the room awaiting their doom, while just outside the door, four grown men roared at the top of their lungs; Xu Zhouye and Zhou Yao out of sheer urgency, and Qin Yixing and Zhao Rui out of pure terror.

“Laughing my ass off, hahahahaha!” Cackling with unrestrained glee, the boss slapped the table. “Look at Qin Yixing’s pathetic face! Looks like he’s about to collapse flat on the floor!”

Tugging at the corners of his mouth, Zhao Rui stared at his own funeral expression on the television screen, completely unable to force a laugh.

Everyone else was laughing too, even Shen Man, though he was laughing out of sheer exasperation. He had assumed Xu Zhouye’s team was enduring some grueling, complex trial to stall for so long, only for it to be this?

Anyone unaware would have thought the production crew ordered them to drink all the water in the vats dry.

Clearly, the editors adored the comedic value Zhao Rui and Qin Yixing brought to the table, giving their faces countless close-up shots without bearing to cut a single frame.

Everyone watched until tears formed in their eyes: the teammates cried from laughing, while Zhao Rui cried from pure rage.

“Look at Xu Zhouye’s face while pedaling that stationary bike!” The boss was having the time of her life tonight. “His feet are practically striking sparks, while those two idiots beside him are casually playing the claw machine!”

“Those two idiots” referred directly to Qin Yixing and Zhao Rui.

Unable to bear watching another second, Zhao Rui picked up his rice bowl and began shoveling food furiously into his mouth in silence.

Finally, the broadcast reached the climax. Seeing Shen Man actively ask Xu Zhouye for his padlock to take his place, everyone around the table wore expressions of astonishment.

The editing team knew exactly what they were doing, cutting together the lock-swap sequence with dramatic background music and lingering facial close-ups, making it look like a heart-wrenching farewell between life and death.

On screen, Shen Man gazed at Xu Zhouye with a gentle smile, an expression that took on a completely different meaning in the onlookers’ eyes:

“Zhouye, your life is still long. Live well in my place…”

Looking dazed and oblivious, Xu Zhouye had no clue what Shen Man was planning, merely obeying docilely until Shen Man began sinking slowly beneath the floor. Only then did realization dawn, prompting a piercing cry: “Ge!”

The mournful wail of a suona horn echoed through the room, leaving viewers momentarily unsure whether it was wedding music or a funeral dirge.

“It literally made me cry,” the boss murmured, always sentimental as she dabbed the corner of her eye with a tissue before turning to Xu Zhouye. “Were you super touched back then? Watching Shen Man smile at you like that, he was definitely thinking about letting you live on.”

Touched? Touched my ass. Being intimately familiar with each other in bed, how could Xu Zhouye not know what was really going through his captain’s head? Shen Man had still been sulking out of jealousy back then; he had smiled when asking for the lock, sure, yet that smile had been pure sly mischief, knowing full well Xu Zhouye would lose his temper.

And Xu Zhouye really had lost his temper, furious beyond belief; had cameras not been rolling, he would have charged straight over and hauled Shen Man back up through the floorboards.

That scene served as the dramatic climax of the entire episode, prompting teammates to applaud warmly for their touching “brotherhood.”

Only Zhao Rui and the boss sat quietly wearing subtle expressions. Zhao Rui’s subtlety stemmed from debating whether to check Weibo right now to see how many people were roasting him, whereas the boss’s subtlety stemmed from knowing full well there was zero “brotherhood” between those two.

True to their status as top popularity draws in the HCC, the episode shot straight onto Weibo’s trending searches the moment it aired.

Scarcely anyone roasted Zhao Rui; everyone was too busy laughing at Qin Yixing instead.

Having boasted confidently on his livestream beforehand that he wouldn’t flinch once, Qin Yixing had teamed up with Zhao Rui to form the “Quail Duo,” looking ready to spit their souls out of their mouths at the slightest rustle in the dark.

Weeping dramatically, Zhao Rui posted a Weibo update crying: Someone tried to set me up! Someone actually tried to set me up!

Instantly, netizens recalled the clips of ACE campaigning votes for Zhao Rui, roaring with laughter as they commented that they had assumed ACE’s roster campaigned out of pure team camaraderie, never realizing this trap had been waiting for him all along.

Zhao Rui replied in the comments: Justice has eyes, truly upright magistrates.

Both Shen Man and Xu Zhouye landed on the trending list as well, listed under their player IDs: SLOW and FEST.

“By the way, I never asked you—why is your ID ‘FEST’?” Shen Man asked curiously. “Is it commemorating some festival or holiday?”

Glancing at Shen Man, Xu Zhouye stayed silent.

Shen Man: “?” “What’s wrong?”

Xu Zhouye admitted sheepishly: “My finger slipped and typed ‘fest’ instead of ‘fast.'”

Shen Man: “…”

Xu Zhouye, could you secretly be a genius?

Fast. He had originally intended to pick a sweet matching couple ID to go with SLOW, only for his finger to slip off track into nowhere.

While the two chatted quietly, everyone else had turned their attention to the solo interview segment on screen.

First up was Shen Man. The moment his line—“I like this kid Xu Zhouye a lot. Couldn’t bear to see him die, so I wanted to go in his place”—rang out across the room, the noisy banquet hall fell dead silent. Every head turned in unison to stare at Shen Man.

What had Shen Man just said? Liked Xu Zhouye a lot? Couldn’t bear to see him die? Wanted to take his place? Those words had actually come out of the mouth of Shen Man, a guy normally too lazy to offer even a facial expression?! Good heavens!

Picking up a stalk of asparagus with his chopsticks, Shen Man chewed unhurriedly. Under the collective stare of the entire room, his expression didn’t flicker once; swallowing calmly, he asked, “What are you all staring at me for? Jealous?”

Everyone: “…”

Slightly jealous, though not by much.

Next came Xu Zhouye’s solo interview. Compared to Shen Man’s relaxed, cheerful demeanor, Xu Zhouye looked visibly grim, devoid of his usual smile and sitting stiffly like a dark-faced god of wrath. Since Xu Zhouye smiling and unsmiling looked like two completely different people, the interviewer had grown noticeably nervous, phrasing her questions with utmost caution.

When asked how he felt about Shen Man risking his “life” to save him, Xu Zhouye curled the corner of his mouth in a hollow, mirthless smile: “Naturally, I’m deeply touched. Once we get back, I’ll definitely thank the Captain properly. Since he gave so much for me, I’ll make sure to give back even more for him.”

Perking up eagerly, the interviewer asked, “What exactly will you give back?”

Xu Zhouye: “Every ounce of my stamina.”

Everyone around the banquet table burst into applause, deeply moved by Xu Zhouye’s dedication to the team, remarking that no wonder Xu Zhouye ground solo queue past midnight every day—it was all to repay Shen Man for saving his life!

Only Shen Man tightened his grip slightly around his chopsticks, shooting a sharp glance at Xu Zhouye as he realized instantly that this shameless bastard had said those exact words on purpose.

Every ounce of his stamina, indeed. Clearly recalling certain explicit memories, a flash of embarrassed anger crossed Shen Man’s eyes as he silently mouthed a single curse at Xu Zhouye: Beast.

Reading his lips effortlessly, Xu Zhouye grinned even brighter than a blooming flower despite being cursed, raising his glass: “Ge, come, come, let me toast you! Cheers to our sincere brotherhood!”

Shen Man: “…” Xu Zhouye, you really are getting more shameless by the day.

Even more shameless than Xu Zhouye was Qin Yixing, who had cast his MVP vote for himself during the final segment. Currently streaming live and facing a sky-blotting barrage of mocking comments, Qin Yixing demonstrated the ironclad mental fortitude of a seasoned pro.

“You guys have no idea how terrifying that escape room was,” Qin Yixing declared boldly. “Walking out with dry pants was already my final shred of pride.”

The chat roared with laughter at his unabashed shamelessness.

Qin Yixing pressed on: “Stop laughing at me—none of you would fare any better if you went in! What? Shen Man wasn’t scared? As if you guys don’t know his personality; how many people on earth can stay that deadpan?”

Everything else aside, Qin Yixing’s mental resilience was genuinely top-tier, explaining how he had maintained peak competitive form across so many years. More often than not, pro players shouldered far more than match results, enduring relentless public scrutiny from every angle; in that regard, Qin Yixing was built for this industry.

Still, no matter how well-suited one was for the industry, there were limits to shamelessness.

Sure enough, a dozen minutes later, the hashtag Qin Yixing claims he is the true escape room MVP shot straight onto Weibo’s trending list, drawing waves of amused spectators.

“This guy really has zero fucking shame,” Zhao Rui marveled in shock. “He screamed even louder than I did, and he still had the nerve to vote for himself?”

“Forget it, let him be.” Familiar with Qin Yixing’s bizarre thought processes, the boss held zero interest in him, waving a hand dismissively before turning to Xu Zhouye: “Where’s that giant noob dog plushie you brought back?”

The giant noob dog was the MVP prize, roughly half the size of a person, bright green and remarkably adorable.

Xu Zhouye pointed at Shen Man: “Gave it to the Captain.”

Boss: “…Shen Man actually wanted that?”

Shen Man raised an eyebrow: “Why wouldn’t I?”

Lowering his head, Xu Zhouye pressed his lips together to hide a grin. Lately, Shen Man hugged that giant noob dog every night while sleeping; whenever Xu Zhouye walked into his room, he often found Shen Man leaning lazily against the stuffed dog scrolling on his phone. That cool, aloof face paired with the goofy green plushie created an oddly harmonious contrast that made Xu Zhouye’s heart melt into mush.

With the Spring Split trophy safely secured, the coach—who had worked everyone ruthlessly for nearly a month—immediately granted a grand pardon, awarding three full days off.

Everyone was thrilled, though none more so than Xu Zhouye, who dragged Shen Man straight out to his apartment that very evening.

Blessed with youthful stamina, the two tossed and tangled together all night long.

Neither managed to wake up the next morning, sleeping straight through until noon.

Sunlight filtering through the curtains finally roused Xu Zhouye from sleep. Blinking open his drowsy eyes, he spotted Shen Man sitting by the window in profile. Bare-chested and wearing only a pair of jeans, his long, straight legs rested against the edge of the bed, pale blue veins faintly visible beneath the fair skin of his instep. Soft morning light fell like powdered sugar over fresh-baked bread, illuminating Shen Man’s side profile until he looked every bit as delectable as a warm pastry.

Bathed in light and shadow, that expressionless face with lowered lashes seemed detached from the mundane world.

Outside the window lay spring; right before his eyes sat Shen Man.

Xu Zhouye sat up on the bed.

“Awake?” Shen Man turned his gaze toward Xu Zhouye.

“Mm.” Walking over and bending down, Xu Zhouye pressed a soft, shallow kiss to his lips.

Shen Man’s lips carried the crisp scent of mint—the unmistakable scent of Shen Man.

Without speaking further, Shen Man lay back quietly. Sitting across from him without a word or movement, Xu Zhouye gazed at him with overwhelming tenderness, radiating the deep contentment of having both desire and love fulfilled at once.

Resting a bare foot lightly against Xu Zhouye’s knee—not hard, carrying the subtle, catlike coquetry of a feline hopping onto its owner’s lap—Shen Man murmured: “Hungry.”

Xu Zhouye asked softly: “What do you want to eat?”

Shen Man said, “Noodles.”

Xu Zhouye smiled: “I’ll go make some.”

Shen Man let out a quiet “Mm.”

While Xu Zhouye headed into the kitchen to cook, Shen Man drew open the curtains to let warm sunlight flood the entire bedroom, sitting quietly for a while until Xu Zhouye called him out.

“Food’s ready,” Xu Zhouye said, poking his head through the doorway.

Shen Man stood up.

Sitting bathed in spring sunshine, Shen Man looked like a ripe, juicy peach preserved inside a glass jar. Faint bite marks and intimate red traces lingered across his shoulders and neck, as though someone had recently savored him thoroughly, looking dangerously alluring.

Yet he remained completely oblivious to his own allure—or rather, not oblivious, merely accustomed to it.

Slipping on an oversized T-shirt casually, Shen Man padded out to the dining table, picking up his chopsticks to eat his noodles.

Without touching his own chopsticks, Xu Zhouye simply sat staring at him.

“What?” Running a hand through his hair—he had washed up, though hadn’t bothered combing it, leaving it slightly messy—Shen Man asked, “Just going to stare at me instead of eating?”

Xu Zhouye murmured: “Ever heard of a sight so gorgeous it feeds the appetite?”

Shen Man replied dryly: “I only know humans are iron and rice is steel.”

Tousled hair softened Shen Man’s usual icy aura considerably, lending him a boyish, innocent purity that carried an entirely different kind of fatal charm. Unbothered by Xu Zhouye’s steady gaze, Shen Man kept to his own unhurried pace, leaving a neat bite mark on his fried egg before reminding him: “Your noodles are going to get soggy.”

Only then did Xu Zhouye pick up his chopsticks.

After finishing their noodles, the two lounged tangled together on the sofa for a good while.

Suddenly remembering something, Shen Man asked: “What happened to that stalker who used to follow me?”

Xu Zhouye blinked: “Which one?”

Shen Man: “Who else could it be?”

Letting out an “Oh,” Xu Zhouye chuckled: “Weak mental fortitude. We drove him to a complete breakdown.”

Shen Man: “…”

Xu Zhouye remarked: “He couldn’t even hold a candle to you.”

Shen Man had endured being trailed for three full years—simply growing too lazy to go outside without ever breaking down—whereas that creep hadn’t even lasted a single month before cracking, weeping and begging forgiveness while swearing never to follow Shen Man again, finally bringing the ordeal to a close.

Xu Zhouye sighed: “You really have terrifying patience.”

Genuinely feeling it hadn’t been that bad since he disliked going out anyway, Shen Man shrugged: “It was alright.”

“Not alright at all,” Xu Zhouye countered firmly. “Next time anything like that happens, tell me immediately. I have plenty of ways to deal with them. You have a good temper, so I won’t let people take advantage of it.”

That statement was wildly biased; across the entirety of ACE—or even the entire HCC—scarcely a soul alive would ever claim Shen Man had a better temper than Xu Zhouye. In all likelihood, Xu Zhouye was the sole person on earth who genuinely believed his Man-man was soft, adorable, and blessed with the sweetest temper imaginable.