The Esports Big Shot Wants to Cuddle His New Teammate Every Day chapter extra side couple 13

Side Story 2: Side CP – Bai Chen × Bai Ke (4)

These past few days, Bai Ke’s obvious low pressure was noticed by everyone in Team YNG.

Qu Qingyue asked him with great concern if he was feeling unwell, as health was most important with a major tournament approaching. Bai Ke knew what she meant and forced a smile, saying he was fine. In fact, his results in recent training matches proved there was nothing to worry about. Emotions were emotions, and the game was the game; Bai Ke could separate them.

That night, provoked by the sight of Bai Chen with another woman, he had boldly sat on Bai Chen’s lap, forcibly kissed him, and even…

Although he was pushed away in the end, Bai Ke was still happy knowing his brother wasn’t completely devoid of feelings for him.

But this happiness didn’t last long: Bai Chen blocked him.

After seeing that glaring red exclamation mark, Bai Ke belatedly realized that he had really made Bai Chen angry this time.

Maybe… he never wanted to see him again.

Bai Chen’s birthday was in two days. For this day, Bai Ke had bought a gift early—a ‘Star’ watch. It was very expensive, but Bai Ke didn’t care. The first time he saw this watch, he had imagined Bai Chen in a suit, looking cold, with this watch on his wrist, so he bought it without thinking.

Now, it seemed very unlikely he could give it personally.

Due to his background, Bai Ke had his own pride regarding everyone and everything. Compared to the arrogance brought by identity and family background, this was more like the spikes a hedgehog raised instinctively to protect itself.

Although he was nominally the Second Young Master of the Bai family, after presenting as a Beta, he became a “discarded piece.” He had seen through Mother Bai’s mindset clearly since childhood, so everything happening now was within his expectations.

The only accident was Bai Chen.

At night, in the YNG dormitory, Bai Ke looked at the watch gleaming under the desk lamp and gave a bitter laugh.

Ten years ago, he got his wish and followed the Bai parents out of the orphanage and into a magnificent mansion. The worn T-shirt that had been patched a dozen times in the orphanage was replaced. Custom shirts and coats worth thousands or tens of thousands, limited edition sneakers, the latest smartwatches, computers, phones… Almost every luxury and entertainment item imaginable was placed before Bai Ke for him to choose at will.

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The extravagant life he couldn’t even dream of in the orphanage was now within reach.

Soon, Bai Ke was sent to a private aristocratic school. He had been self-studying since childhood and was bright, so he entered the top class directly with the highest ranking in the entrance exam.

Such schools had barriers to entry, so even middle-class families were rare among classmates. Basically, they were all wealthy young masters from famous families, possessing both money and power. There, Bai Ke thoroughly witnessed life in another world for the first time.

Back in the orphanage, he was surrounded by simple-minded children who only dreamed of someone taking them home. Bai Ke was smart and pretty, and knew how to highlight his strengths, so naturally, he stood out from the crowd.

But after entering that class, the first thing he felt was—inferiority.

Childhood experiences and the pitiful or contemptuous gazes of others were already etched into his bones. Looking at those classmates who were born into wealthy families with both parents and happy lives, Bai Ke felt the gap between him and them with unprecedented clarity.

Some people, seeing the gap, might give up on themselves, becoming cowering and gloomy, trying to minimize their existence.

But Bai Ke’s choice was to disguise himself. He hid all his humbleness and timidity deep in his heart and put on a cheerful mask.

After all, they were still students, and being in the top class, they weren’t too focused on mischief. The Bai family was a top-tier wealthy family, and Bai Ke’s grades were among the best. A person who was good-looking, had good grades, a good background, and was cheerful and smiley was naturally popular. Bai Ke soon mixed in like a fish in water.

When romance began to bloom, many in the class held hands. Many people confessed to Bai Ke—face-to-face confessions, saying they wanted to start as friends, secretly sending love letters…

But in Bai Ke’s eyes, none of them liked the real him, but rather the nonexistent Second Young Master Bai he pretended to be.

Just as the Bai parents didn’t really like him, but the cute, obedient, and sensible Bai Ke.

Sometimes Bai Ke found it funny and ironic: he had put the mask on himself, but now when he wanted to take it off, he couldn’t removing it no matter what.

After joining the esports team, Bai Ke initially went with a playful attitude of following Bai Chen. But later, he truly became addicted to the thrill of not needing to disguise himself and being able to freely show his truest side.

On the competition stage, in the team, he didn’t need to pretend to be cheerful or sensible; the gun in his hand did the talking. Therefore, he could fully expose his nature—irritable, cold, sinister…

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Yuan Shaofeng’s confession was probably the thing Bai Ke least expected.

Looking at the usually carefree tall Alpha standing in front of him, eyes red, sincerely saying he liked him, it would be a lie if Bai Ke said he wasn’t touched.

Probably because this confession was different from before. Yuan Shaofeng said the person he liked was the real, unmasked him. So Bai Ke was surprised to find himself wavering.

But soon, he thought of Bai Chen.

The man’s cold gaze seemed tempered with ice, instantly freezing and fixing his wavering heart.

In that moment, Bai Ke realized with unprecedented clarity that he probably wouldn’t fall in love with anyone other than Bai Chen in this lifetime. At least, there would absolutely never be another person who could make him give his heart and soul like this.

So he rejected Yuan Shaofeng without hesitation, leaving no room for negotiation.

But at the same time, he admired Yuan Shaofeng. Heaven knows how many times he had fantasized about confessing his feelings to Bai Chen, yet he couldn’t muster the courage to make it happen.

Perhaps it was also because he knew the ending was doomed that he never dared to be brave.

Now, Bai Ke earned over ten million a month, the zeros in his account countless, with numerous fans and a career in full swing. He was no longer that empty-handed child in the orphanage.

But under Bai Chen’s calm, indifferent gaze, all the scars and pain Bai Ke had wrapped up deep inside had nowhere to hide. And precisely because Bai Chen was always indifferent, Bai Ke felt a sense of peace in front of him—a feeling no second person could ever give him.

So, he remained the child in the Bai family living room, looking up and trying to catch sight of his back, stumbling along behind him. At first, he just wanted to call him Brother. Later, this longing changed flavor and became adoration.

And love has always been filled with ugly possessiveness.

Bai Ke asked himself, if given another chance, knowing this current outcome, if he returned to that night and had to choose again, would he confess to Bai Chen, kiss him, touch him?

The answer was, even if repeated hundreds of times, he would still make the same choice.

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It wasn’t that he didn’t regret it, but no matter what, Bai Ke couldn’t tolerate the fact of Bai Chen being with another woman.

He had even decided that if Bai Chen really entered an arranged marriage, he would leave the Bai family, cut off all contact, and never return.

Sitting for a while longer, Bai Ke finally made up his mind and sent a message to Xu Ziyan, asking him out for a meal.

No matter what, he wanted to give this gift to Bai Chen.

But to Bai Ke’s surprise, after hearing his situation, Xu Ziyan explicitly refused and urged him to give the gift personally.

Bai Ke could only smile bitterly. “How would he be willing to see me?”

Xu Ziyan insisted and guaranteed he would give him a chance to speak with Bai Chen on the day of the match between YNG and TWG.

Bai Ke looked at his good friend, incredibly moved. And… undeniably, deep down, he hoped for this too.

He wanted to see Bai Chen.

On the day of the match, Xu Ziyan kept his promise and gave him a chance to be alone with Bai Chen. Although it was only five minutes before going on stage, it was enough.

Bai Ke steadied himself and pushed open the door to the TWG lounge.

Inside, the screen on the wall was playing the broadcast. Bai Chen was leaning on the sofa, not playing with his phone. Hearing the noise, he turned his head, his expression slightly stunned. “Why are you here?”

Bai Ke gripped the watch box, his palms almost sweating. He squeezed out a smile. “Brother…”

He closed his eyes, and without waiting for Bai Chen to speak, continued, “I know you don’t want to see me, but it’s your birthday soon, right? I wanted to give you the gift personally. Just this one thing, really.”

Saying that, he took a few steps toward Bai Chen and carefully placed the watch box on the coffee table.

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Bai Chen didn’t look at the box at all. His brows furrowed, and his eyes stared fixedly at Bai Ke’s face. Bai Ke felt embarrassed under his scrutiny. Now that they had torn off the polite facade, he couldn’t act as usual, using the title of brothers to deliberately make intimate gestures.

Lowering his head to avoid the gaze, Bai Ke said, “Then… I’ll go now.”

Turning to walk to the door, looking at the handle in front of him, a voice in his heart screamed: If you walk out this door, it’s really over between you two!

Bai Ke gritted his teeth and turned his head back.

Only to see that Bai Chen had stood up at some point and walked silently behind him.

Seeing him turn back, Bai Chen was also stunned, but immediately after, he said, “Bai Ke, let’s talk later after the match.”

Bai Ke had been tossing and turning these days, thinking he and Bai Chen were truly finished. Seeing Bai Chen take the initiative to call out to him now felt like seeing dawn after being trapped in deep darkness. He suppressed the excitement in his heart and nodded vigorously. “Okay, then… remember to take me off the blacklist.”

Mentioning this, Bai Chen felt a trace of embarrassment. In a fit of anger at the time, he had let emotions override reason for the first time, doing something so unlike himself.

He gave a soft “Mn” and said, “I’ll wait for you in the parking lot.”