When Yu Sibai realized that a whole glass of beer had gone down without any effect, he genuinely thought his alcohol tolerance must have improved a bit with age.
Seeing that he was still clear-headed, no one stopped him when he got penalized with a second drink. After a while, he only felt a slightly overexcited buzz, so he even took the initiative to drink a third glass.
The moment he set the glass down, he knew something was wrong.
The intoxication hit him in a way that completely defied the normal pace of alcohol metabolism—sudden, overwhelming, almost violent. Before long, his gaze started to go unfocused.
Liang Lu noticed him shifting uncomfortably beside him and asked with concern, “Xiao Bai-ge, what’s wrong?”
“…Stuffed,” Yu Sibai muttered, reaching up to tug at his mask.
“Whoa—what the hell are you doing, man!”
Pupu, quick to react near the camera, immediately stopped him and shook his shoulder, understanding at once.
“He’s drunk. Xiao Lu, take your Xiao Bai-ge to the side. Don’t let him blow his cover on stream.”
Liang Lu froze for a second, then quickly got up. As he helped Yu Sibai up, he was startled by the weight leaning against him.
“I’m fine… just a little tipsy. I can walk,” Yu Sibai insisted, barely relying on him as he patted Liang Lu’s shoulder and made his own way toward the corner sofa. His pace was slow, but his path was still relatively straight.
Even so, Liang Lu didn’t leave. “Xiao Bai-ge, I’ll take you home later…”
The corner was quieter than the lively center. As he spoke softly, he could hear Pupu thanking viewers for gifts.
“Thanks to boss 404 for the SC… ‘Take a look at res’?”
…He really is popular.
As Liang Lu turned his head, he saw Yu Sibai finally seize the moment and yank his mask down to his chin. The black mask made his already refined face look even smaller.
Liang Lu suddenly felt his throat go dry.
“…Can’t show too close—just a quick distant shot.”
Hearing Pupu, Liang Lu snapped back to his senses. Without thinking, he pulled off his team jacket and tried to throw it over Yu Sibai’s head.
But it was his first time doing something so sneaky. The jacket traced an arc through the air and landed only on Yu Sibai’s shoulders—his face remained completely uncovered. The whole move ended up drawing even more attention.
“Hahaha, it’s fine, Xiao Lu,” Pupu laughed, seeing through his failed attempt. “My phone camera’s not that good. You can’t see clearly.”
“Oh… okay.” Liang Lu finally relaxed a bit, his embarrassment fading. After a moment’s thought, he pulled the jacket higher to cover Yu Sibai’s neck, treating it like a blanket.
“What are you doing… I’m not trying to sleep,” Yu Sibai waved him off, though his eyes were half-closed and his speech slightly slurred.
His glasses had slid down his nose, so Liang Lu simply took them off for him. “Xiao Bai-ge, you’re really drunk.”
Yu Sibai frowned. “I only had a few drinks… impossible.”
“Three glasses,” Liang Lu said.
“Three… three?!”
Realizing something, Yu Sibai suddenly sat upright, eyes wide, pointing dramatically at the ceiling.
“Tell Boss Xue to— to call Ka Shen here for me!”
Though Xue Jian had also been drinking, he was far more lucid. He laughed. “Go ahead and shout all you want—your Ka Shen isn’t coming to save you.”
Pupu, holding the mic, let out a mischievous cackle.
It was meant as a joke, but Yu Sibai seemed to hear something else. His expression froze for a moment. The brightness in his eyes dimmed; his raised arm slowly dropped, and his gaze lowered.
Liang Lu leaned closer, only catching fragments of his mumbling.
“Stop making me drink… I can’t… I…”
Then suddenly, he drew in a breath and shouted four words clearly into Liang Lu’s ear:
“I’m quitting!”
It sounded like he’d used all his strength, even as some random song blasted from the speakers.
Xue Jian burst out laughing, immediately leaning forward excitedly. “You’re quitting? Great! Res, come work for me!”
“I’ve always said, we should’ve dragged you and Pupu into the team back then—maybe you’d be part of a championship coaching staff now—”
Yu Sibai blinked, then let out a silly laugh, raising his voice to respond like he was singing a folk tune:
“Okay—! If I get another chance, I’ll make a championship wish myself, I’ll… make… Ka…”
His words became increasingly incoherent, until his ability to speak was completely swallowed by the dream overtaking him. His eyes closed, and just like that, he drifted back to a summer many years ago.
He had known Pupu longer than anyone else present.
Back then, because of streaming, Yu Sibai rented a place off-campus so he wouldn’t disturb his roommates. That’s when he met the baby-faced young man who was also looking for a roommate.
At the time, one was a rising streamer, the other a rookie player newly promoted to the second team with no dorm. Two broke young men hit it off instantly and rented a small room together—Yu Sibai streamed at night, Pupu slept during the day.
This continued until Yu Sibai graduated from university, when both their lives took a turn at almost the same time.
Yu Sibai received an offer from a design institute, with work and home on opposite ends of the city. Pupu got a trial invitation from ICG and was about to head to Shanghai.
Before moving out, Yu Sibai told him, You’re definitely going to win a championship. When you do, I’ll design the most beautiful trophy room for you.
Pupu replied, You’ll design the best buildings and become a master designer!
The two spirited youths waved goodbye.
But as his hand passed before his eyes, the scene suddenly shifted—to the low ceiling of the company break room.
In his left ear, through his headphones, came the excited roar of a championship victory. In his right ear, voices played like a carousel—
“You’re just a design assistant. What you need to learn is obedience and efficiency.” His mentor tossed his creative revisions into a shredder.
…
“Designer Yu, I believe your talent will shine at Tingji. We’ll cover the penalty for breaking your contract.” Qian Yuanxin smiled, extending an olive branch.
The next moment, his tone turned harsh—
“Yu Sibai! I hired you for efficiency. Don’t give me that ‘slow and meticulous’ nonsense. One more time and you’re out!”
…
Finally, a gentle voice with a smile:
“Ji Wenze will take over as general manager starting today… Team Leader Yu, I have high expectations for you.”
…No.
No.
In the dream, his refusal was firm. I won’t believe any of you again.
Yu Sibai suddenly threw a punch, smashing into the face labeled vaguely as “leader.” It shattered like porcelain.
The dream rewound, returning to the moment he and Pupu went their separate ways.
He paused, then tore up the job contract in his hand and said, under Pupu’s shocked gaze:
“I’m going to ICG.”
To the team where Execut2 once played. If he couldn’t be a player, then a coach; if not a coach, then an analyst…
“I’ll personally win the championship he never got for his team.”
Then, holding the trophy, he’d meet him once.
Tell him thank you, and also…
Also…
“What do you think he’s dreaming about?”
Xue Jian, having gotten up to sober up, crouched down and watched him frown one moment and smile the next.
“Maybe… he wants to throw up?” Liang Lu scratched his head.
Xue Jian froze.
Three beers meant nothing to them, but for someone like Res—who could barely handle even a capful…
He clicked his tongue, suddenly troubled. “He hasn’t told us his address yet…”
Only then did he faintly hear the notification sound coming from his pocket.
Still crouching, he pulled out his phone, unlocked it—and immediately collapsed onto the floor in shock.
That unreachable ancestor, Ji Wenze, had called him several times and sent over a dozen messages.
[Is this how you take care of people?]
[You know he can’t drink and you still let him get like this?]
[Do you not understand the risks of excessive drinking?]
…
[How much did he drink]
[Xue Jian]
[Pick up the phone]
And the last message nearly scared him to death:
[I’ll be there in five minutes]
You’re coming over—who do you think you are?! Give me my brother back!
Xue Jian smacked his own head hard, realizing this wasn’t a hallucination.
Wait—wasn’t this guy refusing to meet Respit2 just days ago? What changed? Saw the stream, thought the kid was stunning, and fell in love on the spot?
His mind was buzzing when suddenly—
The private room door was pushed open.
Everyone turned to look at the same time, instinctively falling silent.
The hallway light was brighter than inside. The man stood against it—tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in a black mask, silver-rimmed glasses, and a long coat. Completely out of place among the noisy chaos.
The room seemed muted, leaving only a rhythm that felt like it played just for him.
“Sorry for the interruption,” he said politely. His tone was gentle, but his voice carried a chill.
“I’m here to pick someone up.”