Chapter 28: Old Rules
When Shen Guanchao received Chen Zhongwen’s call, he was on his way to the competition venue. He looked languid, giving a faint “Hello” and asking, “What is it?”
“Is it about that little boyfriend of yours coming to find me again?”
“No.” Chen Zhongwen’s tone was somewhat apprehensive. “I just wanted to ask you, do you know what Mu’s friend, the one surnamed Xie, does for a living?”
Shen Guanchao closed his eyes. “He does art.”
Chen Zhongwen countered, “Are you really sure?”
“You must like him, right? I saw you acting very off during the New Year break. I found some things these past few days, don’t know if I should tell you…”
“Talk after the match.” Shen Guanchao intuitively felt it wasn’t good news. He pretended to yawn and said, “Don’t casually affect a player’s emotions before a match; it’s troublesome to adjust.”
“I’m going to sleep for a bit. I’ll call you back when it’s over.”
Chen Zhongwen: “Fine, hanging up.”
Shen Guanchao: “Mn.”
“Little Ting?” Lu Wuxu saw his expression change several times while on the phone. He actively reached out to smooth Shen Guanchao’s sleep-tousled hair and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
Shen Guanchao simply flopped down to sleep on his lap. His expression recovered bit by bit as he said, “Nothing. Sleeping.”
The people in this bus were all players with hearts of steel. Who hadn’t experienced a storm of public opinion? They wouldn’t be easily affected. Zoe even used alternate accounts to fight anti-fans on forums every other day.
But Chen Zhongwen mentioned Xie Jingchu, so Shen Guanchao’s mood was inevitably affected a little.
He pursed his lips, trying his best not to think about it.
On the other side.
The lights were off in the dim apartment. Chen Zhongwen stood on the balcony, lighting a cigarette, the crimson glow jumping before his eyes.
Mu Xinyue stepped out from the darkness behind him. He had obviously heard their phone call clearly just now. He asked coldly, “What did you just do?”
“Speak.” He stepped forward and used his fingertips to pinch out the cigarette in Chen Zhongwen’s hand before it could reach his lips. The delicate, fair skin instantly turned red, and a stinging pain crept into his heart.
Chen Zhongwen simply threw the cigarette away and smiled faintly. “I found leverage on that friend of yours. Satisfied?”
That laugh carried a poignant desolation.
Mu Xinyue stared at him with red eyes. “Why drag Xie Jingchu into the mess between us?”
Chen Zhongwen retorted, “Tsk—you were able to discover my identity was wrong so quickly and come make a scene with me; do you think I don’t know why?”
“He told you, didn’t he?”
“I lied to you. So what?”
“Aren’t you still going to obediently stay by my side now? A-Xin.”
He easily lifted the person onto his shoulder, walked back to the living room, and while holding Mu Xinyue, rummaged carefully through the medicine cabinet.
“As my friend, isn’t it normal for him to tell me if he inadvertently discovers something wrong with the person beside me?” Mu Xinyue came back to his senses and tried to push Chen Zhongwen away.
Chen Zhongwen was much stronger than him. He patted his back mockingly, eyes dark, and coaxed, “Be good.”
“I couldn’t tell you had such deep feelings for that Mr. Xie. But I had to tell Shen Guanchao about those matters in his family. How can the son of a murderer be with our big star?”
Mu Xinyue froze for a few seconds, reacting to his words. “What are you making up again…”
“Whether I’m making it up or not, you’ll know if you check.” Chen Zhongwen threw him onto the sofa and indiscriminately held his hand down to apply medicine. “That Xie Jingchu had excellent grades in middle school, ranking top in the county. But in the third year, he didn’t take the high school entrance exam. Instead, he dropped out to work. Did you know that?”
“He has a biological mother who also dropped out in high school, a biological father in prison for manslaughter, and a stepfather who is a ruffian doing nothing honest all day. These things, did you know?”
“He told Shen Guanchao he does art. Did you know that?”
“He is also a liar.” Chen Zhongwen lowered his eyelids. “Why don’t you hate him? Why hate me?”
He touched Mu Xinyue’s hair. “Alright, can I kiss you?”
Mu Xinyue reached out to slap his hand away, but his wrist was caught.
Chen Zhongwen held the back of his head with one hand and kissed down forcefully.
Lips met, and Mu Xinyue’s breath was instantly stolen by another presence. He struggled with difficulty, resentfully biting Chen Zhongwen’s lip until it bled. Taking advantage of the moment he was in pain, Mu turned and ran back to the room, dialing the number of the eldest Chen brother.
The call was connected quickly, and Chen Yunlian’s gentle voice sounded: “Hello?”
“A-Yun…” Mu Xinyue wanted to ask him for help, but halfway through, his mouth was tightly covered from behind by Chen Zhongwen who had chased after him.
“Since when are you so close with my big brother?” Chen Zhongwen pressed his face close to the side of Mu Xinyue’s neck and asked with complex emotions.
The only response he got was a “Get lost.”
Mu Xinyue bit his lower lip tight and glared at him.
“Alright, I’m sorry.” Chen Zhongwen didn’t get angry at the cold shoulder. He hung up the phone for him and wiped away his tears. “It’s all my fault. Forgive me, okay?”
This was the first time this scoundrel of the Chen family cared so much about someone. In the past, if someone made a scene, he would have felt annoyed long ago.
Mu Xinyue tired himself out from the fuss and fell asleep. Chen Zhongwen looked at his watch; more than three hours had passed. Shen Guanchao should have finished the match by now.
In the lounge, Shen Guanchao was a bit weary, resting his head on Lu Wuxu’s legs, eyes closed. They had just played against Team WZ, a team that loved to drag the game to the late stages, playing an operational flow that was very draining on the players. It didn’t help that Shen Guanchao had just been sick a few days ago.
Head Coach Pei Zhi pushed the door open and called out to the others, “Pack up, we’re heading back.”
Zoe immediately jumped up to follow him.
Shen Guanchao climbed up and patted Lu Wuxu’s shoulder. “You guys go first. I have plans with someone, I’ll go back later.”
Lu Wuxu looked at him calmly. “That little fan again?”
“Mn.” Shen Guanchao nodded slightly.
Lu Wuxu didn’t ask further, giving a dry laugh. “Come back early. Old rules.”
That smile hid unwillingness and loneliness. He still chose to respect Shen Guanchao’s choice, even if that choice wasn’t him.
He knew there was no fairness in love, or in any emotion.
Their “old rule” started on a rainy night.
At that time, they had just become registered players not long ago. They weren’t as disciplined as they were now, and Pei Zhi and Cheng Shuyi weren’t there yet. Shen Guanchao always ran out after training and wouldn’t come back until the middle of the night. But he happened to be the one who performed best in every match, so no one dared to set rules for him casually.
Finally, Lu Wuxu, the most senior member of the team, spoke up. He caught Shen Guanchao returning from another night out with a gentle smile and said seriously, “From now on, come back before this time, okay?”
“Little Ting?”
Shen Guanchao, like a kid caught by his guardian, responded somewhat guiltily, “Okay…”
“Don’t make me worry.”
Since then, Shen Guanchao always listened very seriously to Lu Wuxu’s lectures.
Of course, whether he followed them depended on his mood.
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