IF Extra: Jiang Yan Meets Little Wen Ran
Wen Ran felt smothered and frantic. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he could barely breathe.
He tried to move his body, but he couldn’t move at all.
Something was holding his waist tight.
He must be having a nightmare again.
He had escaped from that home for some time now, but he would still occasionally dream of that pitch-black room, Zhao Quanâs kicks, and Li Fenlanâs verbal abuse.
He had these dreams often and had grown accustomed to them.
But the fear still lingered in his heart.
After countless times of grabbing Li Fenlanâs pant leg in his sleep and saying, “Mom, I want to go to school,” Wen Ran snapped his eyes open.
He was awake.
The room was still his familiar oneâa very cheap rental with peeling paint on the ceiling. This was the best place he could afford.
To the side was half a cakeâleftover discounted items from the dessert shop the day before.
Wen Ran tried to sit up. He wanted to go pour a glass of water when he realized something was wrong.
This narrow single bed, though small, was more than enough for a person of his stature. But today, it felt cramped.
There was someone else next to him.
Wen Ran rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasn’t seeing things.
There was actually a man sleeping next to him!
Though the manâs face was incredibly handsome and refinedâmaking him wonder if this was some celebrity prank showâno show would ever target a poor person with nothing to his name like him.
Then the handsome guy reached out, pulled him back, and planted a very practiced kiss on his cheek. “Let Brother hold you for a bit.”
If Wen Ran hadn’t dodged quickly, the kiss would have landed on his lips.
Wen Ran was petrified on the spot.
Though he liked men, it wasn’t as if a boyfriend would just drop from the sky, right?
After three seconds of daze, Wen Ran forcefully shoved away the hand the handsome guy was trying to slip under his shirt.
He grabbed the blanket and scrambled to the side. “Who the hell are you?!”
The question snapped Jiang Yan awake instantly.
He carefully took in the roomâs furnishings and then looked at the terrified Wen Ran beside him.
Though the face was the same, the person in front of him looked more youthful and greenâand younger.
Jiang Yan asked tentatively, “How old are you this year?”
After Wen Ran answered, he clutched the blanket and stared at him warily. “Why?”
Jiang Yan: “???”
He finally realized… he had apparently… traveled through time.
Soon, a fatal problem occurred to him. Wait, what did I just do to Little Wen Ran?
Even for someone as thick-skinned as Jiang Yan, he felt a bit of shame, not quite daring to face Little Wen Ranâs clear gaze.
He thought for a moment before speaking to Wen Ran. “Actually, I am a space-time traveler. I accidentally dropped here while completing a mission. Now, I need you to give me a hundred yuan to help me finish my grand plan.”
Wen Ran: “…”
“Do you take your father for an idiot?”
Jiang Yan: “…”
It seems his talent for flaming was cultivated from a young age.
Little Wen Ran went silent for a moment, then added, “You ran away from home, didn’t you?”
Jiang Yan: “?”
He looked at his clothes; he was wearing pajamasâa matching set he had bought with Ran Ran.
But since it served as an explanation, Jiang Yan just followed along. “Yeah. My dad beat and scolded me all the time, forcing me to do things I didn’t like. I took the chance to run away while he was sleeping yesterday.”
Little Wen Ran was still innocent. Upon hearing that Jiang Yan had run away from home, his heart softened with sympathy, and the wary look in his eyes turned to gentleness.
“My name is Wen Ran,” he took the initiative to say. “Whatâs your name?”
“Jiang Yan.”
“Jiang Yan…” Little Wen Ran repeated the name, then threw back the covers and got out of bed. “You could sleep here last night, but you have to go now. Iâm heading out.”
Jiang Yan was confused. “Where are you going?”
Little Wen Ran looked at him with disbelief. “To earn money, obviously.”
Jiang Yan went silent, re-evaluating his surroundings.
The environment of this rental was abysmalâthe lowest-tier housing possible. A tiny window, the kitchen and bedroom crammed together, and the bathroom and shower were in a public area outside.
Wen Ranâs cookware was also simple: just an electric pot, much like the kind Zhao Dou used in the school dorms. It could boil and fry, and it had a steamer attachment. It was convenient, and it had been washed clean and set aside.
At this age, Wen Ran should have been studying peacefully in school, yet he was forced to worry about making a living.
Jiang Yan spoke up. “Can you take me with you?”
“Take you?”
“Yeah,” Jiang Yan said. “Look, I ran away alone and have nothing to my name. I can’t just starve on the streets. You have a way to make money, so take me along.”
Little Wen Ran seemed to seriously consider this. He sized Jiang Yan up and down. “Do you know how to play Lingxiao?”
Jiang Yan looked into his eyes. “I’ve played a few times.”
“Only a few times?” Little Wen Ranâs eyes lowered. “Then account boosting…”
Jiang Yan finished his sentence, “Itâs too simple.”
“Stomping every match is boring.”
Wen Ran: “…”
How can this guy brag so much?
“You must be playing against AI, brother. At least play two ranked matches before you start bragging,” Wen Ran didn’t believe him at all. “You come with me today. Father will show you what real skill looks like.”
He spoke with a hint of pride, like a kitten curling its tail.
“Wen Ran,” Jiang Yan called out to him again. “I have one more request.”
Little Wen Ran: “?”
Jiang Yan pointed to himself. “I can’t exactly go with you wearing these pajamas, can I?”
“Why are you such a hassle?”
Wen Ran shot him a glare, but he still went to the wardrobe and pulled out his few pieces of clothing.
As it turned out, Jiang Yan couldn’t fit into any of them.
Little Wen Ran wasn’t even 1.7 meters yet, while Jiang Yan was already 1.85 meters. The height difference made Wen Ran feel annoyed and jealous. “F*cking hell, what did you eat to grow this tall!”
Jiang Yan reached out and patted his head. “You’ll still grow.”
“As if I need you to tell me!” Wen Ran huffed as he put his clothes back. He shot a glare at Jiang Yan. “Stay here and don’t move. Wait for your father to get back!”
About twenty minutes later, Wen Ran returned carrying a bag containing a T-shirt, shorts, and a pair of flip-flops.
“Hurry up and change. I’m almost late!”
Jiang Yan was deeply moved. One thing about Ran Ran never changed: he looked fierce, but he was kinder than anyone else.
By this time, Lingxiao had already been popular for a while. Many internet cafes would host various tournaments to attract customers.
Wen Ran had always relied on these to make money. Since Lingxiao was a team game, he still needed four teammates.
The internet cafe tournaments weren’t very formal, so Wen Ranâs teammates weren’t fixed. Usually, it was a best-of-five format, and you could call in people as needed.
You could even switch players mid-match.
Wen Ran usually participated in Solo matches or proactively sought out teams to join for a share of the prize money.
Because he had great mechanics and high-level operations, he could often find a team even as a solo player.
The match today was one of those tournaments; the winning prize was a thousand yuan.
The captain of Team A, where Wen Ran was located, was a bald man. Seeing Wen Ran arrive, he immediately called out, “Little brother, why are you so late? Team B is already saying we’re cowards!”
Before Wen Ran could explain, a tattooed man with a cigarette dangling from his mouth swaggered over. He sized Wen Ran up. “Baldy, I thought you found some secret weapon. It’s just a little brat. Does he even know if his homework is finished? You guys are destined to lose today!”
“You’ve never seen what he’s capable of,” the bald man snorted. “Don’t come crying to me when he beats the hell out of you. Let’s see if you can still laugh then.”
Once both sides were seated and the room was set up, the match officially began.
The internet cafe was lively, and a crowd had gathered to watch.
Wen Ran was likely the youngest among the ten players.
But he was the most skilled.
Jiang Yan stood behind him the entire time, watching Wen Ran maneuver his hero to cut the carry and initiate team fights. He output perfect damage and then made a stylish exit. Jiang Yan couldn’t help but marvel; he really was a naturally gifted player.
However, his teammates were less than satisfactory. They each had their own way of being “trash,” especially the Jungler. The guy only knew how to farm and leach economy, but he couldn’t output any meaningful damage or serve any purpose. He even lost every dragon to the enemy.
On the other side, while Team B didn’t have a high-level player like Wen Ran, their overall skill level was consistent, and their coordination was much better.
Consequently, they won the first two matches in a row.
The tattooed man mocked them without restraint. “Baldy, you’re about to lose.”
The bald manâs teeth ached with rage, but he had no idea what to do.
Jiang Yan tapped him on the shoulder. “Baldy brother, how about I play Jungle?”
Baldy: “?”
The bald man didn’t quite believe him, but at this point, he had no choice but to try anything.
Little Wen Ran looked at him in surprise, his gaze seemingly asking: Where do you get the nerve?
Jiang Yan responded with a gentle smile. “Don’t worry. With me here, we won’t lose.”
Jiang Yan took over the Jungle role and sat down next to Wen Ran.
The tattooed man threw out some sarcasm: “Are you guys really out of people?”
“You have to just grab someone from the crowd?”
But once the match started, the tattooed man was overwhelmed. This Jungler was on an entirely different level compared to the previous one.
Not only could he farm economy and gank perfectly, but his coordination with Wen Ran was seamless. They didn’t give the opponents a single chance to breathe. Team B lost completely.
They were thoroughly crushed.
All three matches were practically steamrolls. By the end, the tattooed manâs face had turned green.
“Dammit, where the hell did you dig him up from? If Iâd known, I would have found a ringer too.”
The bald man had won, and his face was full of triumph. “Tsk tsk. Don’t be a sore loser.”
“It’s just a thousand yuan, isn’t it?” the tattooed man muttered, his face turning red with frustration. “As if I care about losing one match.”
The tattooed man and his group left grumbling. The bald man turned to Jiang Yan with a beaming smile. “Brother, your skills are incredible.”
“How about joining us? We could definitely sweep all the tournaments in this area.”
“No thanks,” Jiang Yan declined with a smile, casting a tender look at Wen Ran. “I’ll go wherever Ran Ran goes.”
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