GSCCO Chapter 6

Lan Sha’s friend was an organizer in the gaming reality show and had a deeper understanding in the behind-the-scenes process. Seeing that Mu Huai seemed interested in the reality show, Lan Sha took out her phone and called her friend to inquire.

Mu Huai lowered his head, carefully choosing his words. A few moments later, two more messages appeared on the chat.

Mu Mu: Sorry!!!

Mu Mu: Wrong number!!!

Mu Mu: I meant to send it to my manager!

Mu Mu: Please ignore it!!

The more exclamation marks he used, the more suspicious it seemed like he was trying to be cute. Mu Huai leaned against the window, half-closing his eyes, and typed another string of exclamation marks. After sending it, he stared at the screen for a moment, suddenly realizing it was already afternoon, and Yu Yi hadn’t replied to these wrong messages at all, not even a question mark.

While he said he wanted Yu Yi to ignore it, Mu Huai actually harbored the idea of ​​using this opportunity to draw Yu Yi’s attention to the show. He knew a little about Yu Yi’s habits; the handsome anchor was also known for his strong personality, but had rejected all the invitations he had received in the past.

Mu Huai’s plan was well thought out, though he suspected the streamer might have forgotten the password to the WeChat account, whose moments were only filled with aluminum cans.

He was a rather aloof person, and his flamboyant ways had inevitably led to a degree of arrogance. He’d even taken the scumbag label upon himself and was incredibly confident in his charm. Yesterday at the concert, he’d so obviously tried to woo Yu Yi, this ice-cold beauty, yet Yu Yi hadn’t reacted at all.

Mu Huai suspected it was precisely Yu Yi’s unapproachable personality that fueled his mischievous thoughts.

“There have been a lot of online game reality shows before. Why haven’t I seen you interested?” Lan Sha asked him.

Yu Yi didn’t reply, glancing at Yu Yi’s live stream room. The “I am not here” notice was still there. Mu Huai was a little distracted and casually asked, “Were there any handsome guys before?”

“What?” Lan Sha was taken aback. Remembering Mu Huai’s bisexual orientation, her expression turned somewhat strange: “Do you know who would participate?”

“Huh?” Mu Huai snapped back to reality. “No, I don’t know.”

Lan Sha didn’t believe him.

Sitting in this position was uncomfortable, and Mu Huai was severely sleep-deprived. Despite his discomfort, he awkwardly shifted his sleeping position, using his actions to indicate that he didn’t want to explain anymore. Lan Sha was used to his behavior and subtly rolled her eyes.

“There are too many reality shows with online game competition. They mean they’ll simulate a game environment for real-life gameplay,” Lan Sha said casually. “This show can help you unlock a new persona and mitigate the negative reviews about your poor acting. After all, you’re an idol. Any negative history you have to remove is beneficial. You still need to control your image.”

With fewer competitive players, the chances of Yu Yi being interested were even lower.

“Got it.” He plugged his earphones in and quickly drifted into an unsteady sleep.

Lan Sha didn’t mention the game reality show again, and Mu Huai considered the matter forgotten. Yu Yi didn’t reply to those messages, so the next day Mu Huai deleted their chat window. After Valentine’s Day, there were many magazine shoots coming up, and the vague longing seemed to fade away as he immersed himself in his busy work.

His junior colleague, who had been following Mu Huai all the way, asked if he wanted to grab a bite to eat after work. The two were dressed in matching black suits, drawing attention even outside the camera’s view.

Mu Huai knew he was one of his kind when they took photos together earlier. The other man’s gaze was so intense, which rekindled Mu Huai’s pent-up frustration after his encounter with Yu Yi.

“It would be my pleasure,” Mu Huai said, a slight smile playing on his lips, accepting the invitation.

His junior colleague had a cool, aloof persona. And when he was silent, he easily reminded Mu Huai with Yu Yi.

After a very busy day, they finished filming quite late. Mu Huai and his junior colleague squeezed into a private room for what could be considered a late-night snack.

Eating barbecue at night was great. Mu Huai, taking advantage of not having to face the camera for a while after today’s filming, ate heartily. His junior colleague, however, wasn’t interested in the barbecue and, being mindful of his figure, barely touched it. Looking at Mu Huai’s skewers of lamb and chicken wings, his soul felt a long-lost hunger. 

“Didn’t you like the takeout for dinner?” He asked while drinking, then suddenly remembered that Mu Huai had eaten quite a bit of takeout for dinner, and couldn’t help but laugh as soon as he finished speaking.

Mu Huai wasn’t embarrassed, raising an eyebrow: “You really aren’t eating?”

“Huai-ge, please let me off the hook?” his junior colleague mimicked his staff.

Mu Huai didn’t force him, nor did he point out that it was him who had invited Mu Huai out to eat.

The junior colleague didn’t hold back for long. In his eyes, Mu Huai clearly already knew what he was thinking. This guy was a notorious scumbag in the industry, but it didn’t matter; he was good-looking… and had a great physique too.

“How does Master Huai manage to eat so much without gaining weight?” His junior colleague’s question carried a hint of ambiguity.

Feeling slightly full, Mu Huai was nearing the end of his meal.

Mu Huai took a sip of his drink and smiled mysteriously, before casually glancing at him.

Master Huai was an expert in this art, knowing how to make someone weak in the knees with just a look. His junior colleague’s spring-like gaze proved this. If things went smoothly, they could have a pleasant evening together.

But Mu Huai found himself unhappily uninterested.

Being alone for a long time sometimes makes one crave romance, perhaps because spring had arrived. In the past, Mu Huai would seek out flirtation to alleviate this loneliness, which was why he had come out to dinner with his junior colleague. But this time, he seemed reluctant to get close to anyone else.

Even though he had specifically chosen someone who resembled Yu Yi.

Mu Huai made an excuse to go to the restroom to pay the bill. After paying, he didn’t go back. He lit a cigarette at the door and took out his phone to text his junior.

He said, “I had to leave early,” feeling bad for interrupting his junior’s mood. He’d treat him to a proper meal another time—Mu Huai’s “scumbag” nature stemmed from his ability to leave a lasting impression.

His finger paused, hovering over a newly popped-up chat window. He then skipped it to find his junior’s chat window and finished sending it. And only returning to the chat window he thought he wouldn’t receive a reply to, even though it only contained two sentences.

Yu Yi: It’s nothing.

Yu Yi: Go to sleep early.

He glanced at the reply time.

17:45

The junior streamer was aloof and didn’t say much, replying with just five words. Mu Huai couldn’t help but wonder, “Go to bed early around 5 or 6 pm?” He suddenly remembered something and scrolled back to the time he’d sent the wrong message in the middle of the night: 5:20 am. A sudden pang of unease gripped his heart, even though the guess lacked concrete evidence.

His junior replied, the message pausing briefly at the top of the screen, essentially saying, “It’s okay. Let’s meet up another time.” Mu Huai glanced at it and opened an app to call a car for his junior. He’d driven his junior here. Now, even if he didn’t take him home, he had to at least get him a ride.

Having not finished his cigarette, Mu Huai lingered in the shadows, pondering what to reply to Yu Yi.

He stood there, worried that his junior would see him when he came out. A group of young people shoved and jostled their way out of the door, their faces youthful and noisy. Perhaps it was because he’d been thinking about Yu Yi more lately, but Mu Huai felt one of the young men looked remarkably like Yu Yi—the same golden ratio legs, and a cool, aloof aura that even the darkness couldn’t conceal.

Mu Huai squinted for a moment, then stubbed out his cigarette before tossing it into the nearby trash can.

That’s Yu Yi, for crying out loud.

Mu Huai’s house was in the same city as the concert venue, but he flew back for the last filming stop to make rest easier. So, it seems the game anchor lives in this city.

The college department’s get-together had been building up for a long time, and they finally managed to drag Yu Yi out after much pleading. They spent the whole day partying. And before they even got to the clubbing, they were all completely drunk.

The students were having a wild time. And Yu Yi, not to be outdone, drank quite a bit before calming down a bit when he felt unwell.

“Little Yu! You really don’t want to be the department head?” The former department head, his eyes glazed, put his arm around Yu Yi’s shoulder.

The current department head slapped him: “I’m the department head!”

Yu Yi was the only one sober in the group. He called several cars and crammed this bunch of weirdos inside. Since he didn’t live on campus, he wouldn’t go with them.

“Yu, you must remember to come see me.” The former department head, caught up in his dramatic act, clung to the car window, sobbing.

Leaving behind a long-haired boy with a small braid, he gave Yu Yi a quick kiss on the cheek, grinning and teasing him: “Get lost. Yu is mine.”

Before he could finish his smugness, a cold glint flashed in his eyes, and Yu Yi grabbed his neck: “Guan Yang?”

“Yu-ge, I was wrong, I was wrong, I was wrong!” Guan Yang begged frantically.

Guan Yang was Yu Yi’s childhood friend, and they were used to messing around together. The other students laughed heartily, and the car drove off with a series of chuckling sounds, leaving Guan Yang and Yu Yi behind.

Yu Yi reeked of alcohol. Guan Yang held him for a while, then couldn’t take it anymore: “Brother Yu, you’re drunk! Let go so I can help you get home!”

The two of them had also driven over. Yu Yi glared at him before releasing him. He then shoved the car keys into his hand. If Guan Yang hadn’t been sober and able to drive, Yu Yi would have embedded him in the paving stones and wouldn’t have been able to pry him out.

Yu Yi didn’t get drunk easily even when he drank a lot, but he would feel unwell. And when he felt unwell, he would become irritable. Guan Yang didn’t dare to provoke him any further, took the keys, and led him to his car.

“Hey, there’s a car just like yours parked over there,” Guan Yang said.

Yu Yi saw it and narrowed his eyes slightly. He felt nauseous and didn’t want to talk, so he walked towards it in a sullen voice.

Wait, Yu-ge!” Guan Yang caught up.

A figure flashed past them. Yu Yi frowned and looked up. A man wearing a black hat and a mask was standing in front of his car.

Guan Yang: “Who is it…”

The car keys jingled crisply in the man’s fingers. Mu Huai pressed the button, and the car behind him opened its door. Guan Yang’s voice trailed off. He realized they’d gotten into the wrong car.

“Yu Yi, where do you live? I’ll take you home?” His voice was magnetic, alluring.

He’d caught a drunken streamer.

The overwhelming pleasure was undeniable. Mu Huai, seeing the two kids wanted to go home, walked over without a second thought. Afraid the streamer wouldn’t recognize him, Mu Huai pulled his mask down with his finger.

Yu Yi stared blankly, while Guan Yang, who had followed, exclaimed, “Holy crap!”

Guan Yang: “Aren’t you that Mu something-or-other guy who went to a hotel with some young actress?”

Although he didn’t often show off, it wasn’t bad to flaunt it occasionally. Yes, I’m a well-known singer… Who the hell went to a hotel with some young actress? He’d almost forgotten he was a celebrity with a scandalous past if Guan Yang hadn’t mentioned it.

Mu Huai gritted his teeth, pretending not to hear.

“Shall I take you back?” Mu Huai smiled slightly and repeated.

“No need…” Guan Yang was filled with questions. Hearing Mu Huai’s words, he instinctively refused. He was about to hand over his car keys when Yu Yi interrupted him.

“Thank you for your trouble.” Yu Yi’s voice was cold, his expression calm. He consciously walked to the passenger side, opened the door, and got in, silencing the two people outside who were about to refuse or continue their advances.