Chapter 57 part 1
The phone call brought Bai He back to his senses. He stood up and went to a corner to answer it. Qin Yao’s voice was as warm and fiery as ever.
“Are you done, baby?”
Bai He hummed an agreement, leaning against the wall, his free fingers playing with the plant in front of him. “What about you?”
“I have to wait until I get off work,” Qin Yao said. “Do you want to come to FREE? I can pick you up.”
There was still some time before Qin Yao got off work. In the past, Bai He would have definitely refused this offer, but now, he really wanted to see Qin Yao. There was a burning fire in his chest that couldn’t be extinguished, and his emotions wouldn’t settle.
“Okay,” Bai He lowered his head, gazing at the tips of his shoes for a long time. “I’ll wait for you.”
After hanging up, Bai He didn’t immediately return to his seat. He exited the interface, opened the recording app, put on his headphones, and dragged the progress bar to listen to the conversation he had just had with Zhang Yao.
The recording was successful; another piece of evidence secured.
Bai He didn’t quite understand. Did Zhang Yao come to find him just to annoy him? Bai He admitted the other party had indeed caused him some mental distress.
But nothing else happened. He even provided Bai He with evidence. That guy Zhang Yao seemed to be lacking in the brain department, introducing himself right off the bat.
Bai He backed up the recording and returned to the sofa.
“I’ll submit the application to the rights organization as soon as I get back,” Bai He looked at Mu Lin. “Mu Lin, please continue trying to contact the president when you have time.”
“No problem!” Mu Lin still had cake in her mouth, her eyes determined. “It’s just making phone calls. Simple task. I guarantee I’ll keep calling!”
“Shen Hao, thank you for organizing our conceptualization process.” Bai He lowered his eyes. “Zhang Yao shouldn’t dare to do anything now. My friend’s side, that is FREE, won’t use the copy for Tiandi. We just need to watch out for Zhang Yao.”
“We need to stay in touch at all times,” Mu Lin put her hands on her hips. “We just have to wait for the Tiandi open beta. Everything will be easier after that.”
Waiting for the Tiandi open beta was necessary. Before that, they couldn’t reveal too much about the game content. CORONET‘s promotion was arranged in advance, and they couldn’t leak anything else through their livestream. Bai He worried less; they had leverage over Zhang Yao, so he should behave until the open beta.
Since Zhang Yao failed to use FREE, he couldn’t continue using the copy revised by Bai He and the others.
Unless that guy was crazy enough to send the copy to other game companies.
Without thinking too much, a car stopped outside the coffee shop. Bai He turned to look. Mu Lin and Shen Hao’s attention was already on Bai He, so they naturally followed his gaze.
Qin Yao was extremely tall, standing out in the crowd like a crane among chickens. He wore a dark gray trench coat, left unbuttoned, revealing a black turtleneck sweater underneath. His straight-leg trousers accentuated his long legs. His wolf-cut black hair was blown messy by the wind, complementing his sharp face. Surprisingly, it didn’t look messy, but rather exuded a nonchalant handsomeness.
“Wow, what a supermodel figure! Those legs are insane! They’re probably longer than my life!” Mu Lin exclaimed with wide eyes, watching the handsome guy through the glass window. She watched him push open the coffee shop door and then walk towards them.
“Holy crap? He’s coming towards us??”
Bai He kept his eyes on Qin Yao. He knew Qin Yao had worn this outfit when leaving in the morning, but why did he suddenly find it so good-looking now?
His heart was pounding. Qin Yao came over to them, placed three cups of hot cocoa on the table, and smiled. “Good afternoon. I’m here to pick up Bai He. Is it convenient to let him go?”
Bai He was stunned. Mu Lin, sitting next to him, took a deep breath and exclaimed, “Oh~~ Here to pick up our Little Bai He?”
Mu Lin covered her mouth and turned to look at Bai He, winking. “Convenient, convenient! How could it not be? We’re done talking. Giving him back to you right now!”
Shen Hao was only surprised for a moment. He nodded to Qin Yao. “Hello, Senior Qin.”
They were all transfers from Alpha University. Qin Yao was already famous there, so it wasn’t surprising that Shen Hao knew him.
Qin Yao looked at Bai He with a smile. “Let’s go, baby. Stop daydreaming.”
“Tsk, baby.” Mu Lin’s lips curled up, her gaze wandering between Qin Yao and Bai He, her eyes seemingly filled with surging waves.
Bai He stood up, thought for a moment, and asked Mu Lin and Shen Hao, “I’m going to FREE with Qin Yao. Do you want to come along?”
He paused, then looked at Qin Yao.
Qin Yao read the seeking of opinion in Bai He’s eyes. He raised his eyebrows and put his arm around Bai He. “Join us, everyone?”
Actually, Bai He understood very well. Everyone in the club had a wish to go to a big company. Their hearts were pure, and they wouldn’t do things like Zhang Yao. Mu Lin and Shen Hao were hardworking and capable.
“Us?” Mu Lin pointed at herself, looking surprised. She looked at Bai He, then turned to size up Qin Yao next to him. “Bro, who are you?”
Qin Yao raised his eyebrows, not minding the background check at all. “I’m Bai He’s boyfriend.”
Bai He didn’t refute, tacitly agreeing.
“I have eyes; I can see that.” Mu Lin hissed. “I mean, are you the friend Bai He mentioned who works at FREE?”
Qin Yao raised his eyebrows and turned to look at Bai He. “Baby, you told them I’m your friend.”
Bai He didn’t elaborate, just felt it wasn’t necessary. “Qin Yao works in the upper management of FREE.”
Qin Yao smiled, tacitly accepting Bai He’s statement. He asked again, “So, want to go see? Junior brother and sister?”
After two seconds of silence, Mu Lin and Shen Hao agreed simultaneously.
“Go! Why not!”
“Rare opportunity.”
“Although I did revise the copy for CORONET‘s Tiandi, we didn’t sign a contract with CORONET!” Mu Lin stood up with a grin, adjusting her shoulder bag. “So this doesn’t count as jumping ship. I’m doing it openly and honestly!”
Speaking of jumping ship, Bai He thought of Zhang Yao again and asked casually, “Did Zhang Yao sign a contract?”
“Him.” Mu Lin pouted. “He didn’t sign a labor contract, but he interned at CORONET. Heard there’s a position reserved for him.”
“What a piece of work, biting the hand that feeds him.” Mu Lin shrugged. “Already decided to work at CORONET, yet still thinking of sucking up to FREE. Sending Tiandi to FREE, he clearly wants to jump ship.”
Bai He fell silent. The group walked out together, Bai He leaning closer to Qin Yao.
“What’s wrong?” Qin Yao sensed Bai He’s closeness, the corners of his lips unconsciously rising.
“You also think Zhang Yao wants to go to FREE?” Bai He asked.
Qin Yao hummed an agreement and smiled. “It’s obvious.”
“……” Bai He was silent for a moment. He reached out and grabbed Qin Yao’s sleeve, his expression very serious. “You are not allowed to have anything to do with Zhang Yao. Next time he finds you, ignore him.”
Qin Yao was stunned. He suddenly laughed out loud, leaning down close to Bai He. “I ignored him last time too. Can I get a reward, darling?”
Bai He: …?
He raised his eyelids. “Can you be serious? I’m talking about serious business.”
“Okay, okay, okay.” Qin Yao nodded, scraping Bai He’s nose tip with his finger, and stood up straight. “I won’t pay attention to him. Don’t worry, Little Bai He. I promise you, I’ll definitely do it.”
Bai He was silent, then asked again, “Not asking me why?”
“I trust you unconditionally.” Qin Yao lowered his voice. “I’m happy to listen whenever you want to tell me. It doesn’t matter if you don’t.”
Bai He remained silent. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to say; he didn’t know how to say it.
After a long while, he reached out and pinched Qin Yao’s fingers. Those fingers were long and warm; pinching them made him not want to let go.
“Baby.”
“Hm?”
Qin Yao’s smile deepened. “If we don’t go, your two friends will be waiting for a long time.”
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