| Marry Me, I'm Super Well-Behaved [Esports] (MARRY ME) |
Xiao Qiao was dying of curiosity about his captain's wife and couldn’t wait to game with him tomorrow! He was a beast in ranked matches!
However, Chi Yu mercilessly rejected him: "Afraid you might scare him."
Meanwhile, Ning Nanzhou was in high spirits after seeing Qin Yong’s transfer news online and was about to charge straight to Diamond rank when his phone rang.
A woman’s voice came through: "Xiaozhou, it’s been three months since you came to Shanghai. Can Mom see you?"
Hearing her voice, his smile slowly stiffened, though his tone remained indifferent: "Not really convenient."
"Just at the restaurant across from your school," the woman softened her voice. "Is that okay?"
Perhaps unused to such gentleness from her, he fell silent for a moment before agreeing.
The meeting was set at a Cantonese restaurant opposite the school. Following the waiter to the private room, he hesitated briefly before entering.
Soon, he realized how laughable that hesitation had been.
A child’s innocent laughter drifted from inside. Upon entering, he was met with the sight of a harmonious family of three.
A bespectacled, refined man patiently coaxed his daughter: "Nannan can’t eat yet. Your brother hasn’t arrived. Daddy will peel the lobster for you later, okay?"
The three- or four-year-old girl spotted him, clambered down from her father, and wobbled over to call out, "Brother!"
Ning Nanzhou looked down at the child clinging to his leg, pursed his lips, then finally bent to pat her head.
As he did, he caught Qi Yidan’s hand tightening slightly.
Afraid he might do something to her?
A sardonic smile flickered across Ning Nanzhou’s lips as he sat down expressionlessly.
Qi Yidan exhaled in relief, beckoning her daughter over: "Our family is finally complete. Nannan kept asking every day when her brother would come, even before you arrived in Shanghai."
The man beside Qi Yidan added, "I often tell Nannan to follow her brother’s example—to grow up and test into a good university like him."
The little girl immediately nodded: "Nannan will go to university too!"
Hearing the words "our family," Ning Nanzhou clenched his fists, but seeing the child’s innocent face, he said nothing.
As dishes were served, the man peeled shrimp for his daughter.
Qi Yidan studied the silver-haired boy: "Your father probably never disciplined you. In your field, working at biotech companies, hair like this gives a bad impression."
Ning Nanzhou replied flatly, "I like it this way."
Qi Yidan was momentarily speechless before introducing, "This is Uncle Wu. He’s in pharmaceuticals and has many connections. If you need an internship, he can help."
The man waved modestly: "Xiaozhou is top-tier! We’d be lucky to have him—no need for 'help.'"
"I don’t need it," Ning Nanzhou stated.
"You're still young," Qi Yidan said in a tone of someone who had been through it all. "You don't know how tough the job market is now. Even with a degree from a prestigious university, without connections, you won’t find work."
"I don’t need it," he repeated.
This time, without waiting for Qi Yidan’s response, he stood up and left the table.
"Ning Nanzhou!" The woman couldn’t hold back her emotions. "Do you think you’ve had it so bad?"
"I didn’t fight for custody of you, but have I ever mistreated you all these years? Whatever I bought for Nannan, there was always a share for you—it was you who refused it! If you think you’ve had it bad, go ask how many people would love to be as ‘unfortunate’ as you!"
Ning Nanzhou paused, then walked out of the restaurant. He believed not everyone would want to know the taste of aphasia.
The December wind blew against his face, cooling his thoughts considerably.
Truthfully, Qi Yidan wasn’t entirely wrong. She had never shortchanged him materially, which was why he always lacked conviction when he wanted to accuse her.
Your mother has already been so good to you, your father has already been so good to you—what more do you want?
He slowly raised his head and noticed someone selling plush toys that children loved up ahead.
He walked over and bought a rabbit plushie, then squeezed it as he returned to the private dining room.
Inside, the little girl’s laughter still rang out. At her age, she didn’t yet understand what arguments were. There was also the sound of a man trying to mediate.
"You two haven’t seen each other in so many years. Why are you arguing with a kid? Are you happy now that you’ve given yourself crow’s feet? Give him more time."
Even if he didn’t want to admit it, the man was indeed good-natured. Qi Yidan had found herself a decent man.
"What crow’s feet?" The woman’s voice steadied somewhat. "That’s what I thought before, but look at his temperament. It’s better not to keep in touch. I’m afraid it might affect Nannan. It wouldn’t be good if she became as stubborn as him."
Nannan, sensing her mother’s unhappiness, piped up in her childish voice, "Mommy doesn’t have crow’s feet!"
Outside the private room, the teenager tightened his grip on the rabbit plushie. This was a good family too.
He had once boasted in his livestream that he could do anything. But it seemed there were things he couldn’t do.
His throat itched, and he instinctively reached into his bag for medicine, only to remember he hadn’t brought any.
Ning Nanzhou walked up to a trash bin, hesitating over whether to throw the rabbit away.
Just then, someone suddenly called his name: "Ningning?"
He turned around and saw Chi Yu’s handsome face.
"What are you doing here?" he asked reflexively.
"You didn’t read my message," Chi Yu stated matter-of-factly.
Ning Nanzhou’s ears grew warm.
Only then did he take out his phone and realize the other hadn’t mentioned last night’s incident at all. The message simply said he had business near the school and asked if Ning Nanzhou wanted to have dinner that evening.
At least the other didn’t mind what had happened. Chi Yu’s gaze fell on the plushie with its tag still attached in Ning Nanzhou’s hand. "Why throw away something you just bought?"
He looked down at the toy. "No one wants it."
In truth, the other person had a considerate father and a loving mother—he didn’t need his plush toy at all.
The man, who stood a head taller than him, bent down and asked in an impossibly gentle tone, “Then can you give it to me?”
He unconsciously licked his lips, unable to describe the feeling in his heart—as if a certain emptiness had been filled with overwhelming tenderness.
The silver-haired teenager gave a firm nod and handed the rabbit plush to Chi Yu. What he didn’t know was that from then on, Chi Yu would bring this plush to every match.
Chi Yu’s gaze lingered on the teenager’s glistening lips—they looked like they’d be very nice to kiss.
His eyes then fell on Ning Nanzhou’s faded cuffs and the overly slender wrists beneath them. He had never seen the boy wear such old clothes before.
Was he out of money to buy new ones, or did he always dress his best just to see him?
Remembering how the boy had worked part-time just to give him expensive gifts, how could he have ever thought Ning Nanzhou disliked him? He was clearly the most well-behaved kid.
Unable to articulate his emotions, Chi Yu looked at Ning Nanzhou and asked, “Shall we go eat?”
The teenager said yes.
“After that, how about a movie?”
The teenager said yes.
“Tomorrow, would you like to meet my teammates?”
The teenager said yes.
Chi Yu chuckled. “Why do you say yes to everything?”
Then, abruptly, he pressed close. “Would you say yes to trying a hundred different positions too?”
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