"I don't know about that, Fourth Ye..." Fifth Ye said unsurely as he looked up at the tall building, pulling his hoodie lower and even covering his eyes.
"What are you being nervous for?" Fourth Ye snorted as he looked at the pathetic reaction his younger self shown.
"Aside for the fact that we were gone without telling Second Ye nor Third Ye? Much. But are we seriously gonna do this? Because this is just..." Fifth Ye trailed off.
"Genius? Exciting? Absolutely must be done?"
"... No, I was gonna say stupid and reckless but well..."
"C'mon, Fifth, I need your help in this plan," Fourth Ye held Fifth Ye's shoulders gravely. "I can't bring Second nor Third. Meanwhile, Little Ye is still young and inexperienced."
"Fourth, we can't just storm into Excellent Era building, pretending like pretentious young masters and demanding 'Ye Qiu's whereabout," Fifth Ye said blankly.
"Why not?" Fourth Ye pushed back his dark-rimmed glasses and raised an eyebrow.
"Second Ye will kill us."
"He'll laugh it off, don't worry. The older we are the more patient we turned out," Fourth Ye smiled.
"Seriously?" Fifth Ye tossed a judgemental look towards Fourth. The last time he checked, Fourth Ye was a short fuse too.
"I mean, look at our Third Ye, so patient, detached and virtuous, tsk, he's really suited to be someone else's househusband," Fourth Ye gestured.
"You know very well that you just said YOU are really suited to be a househusband right?" Fifth Ye said.
"Anyways, let's get to a cheap salon," Fourth Ye grabbed the second youngest by hand and started to lead the way.
Fifth Ye blanched, "Salon? What for?" He demanded.
"Changing our hairstyles."
"Fourth Ye- you're taking this too far!" Fifth Ye exclaimed.
"Come on, it's not like we'll be getting tattoo, don't overreact!" Fourth Ye dissed and both of them disappeared into the crowd.
A few minutes after they're gone, a small silhouette emerged and started to look around. "Bad luck! I lost the both of them!" Little Ye, who was tailing behind the older two all this while, cursed out.
"It's not so bad, Deception, either join or be killed. The answer is easy as pie," Second Ye chuckled as he taunted the Ninja who is currently in his alt.
"How do you even know that it's me?!" Mo Fan roared in disbelief.
"That's," Second Ye started, "Is another reason for you to join us, you can know the answer of that question after you joined."
"Are you fucking with me?" Mo Fan growled.
"No, I'm negotiating with you. As I already said it, we really need a talent like you, shameless, despicable, not afraid to be hated, those are your best points," Second Ye said calmly.
"... Speak, have I killed and stole your belonging somewhere?" Mo Fan said exaperately.
Second Ye paused for a second, "As in fact, at some point of time You did steal from me."
"I knew it," Mo Fan groaned. "Why do you even want me in your team? You already have so many people in your little boat, where are the Blademaster brat, and another Lord Grim?"
"As in fact, they are-" Second Ye paused to look up only to find no one is in the training room. "What the-"
"Night?" Ye Xiu called out to get Second Ye's attention.
"... Big Lord Grim, we have a situation."
"Fourth, are you sure we're okay?"
"..."
"Fourth, people are looking," Fifth Ye hissed.
"I have eyes, Fourth Ye, I notice that as much," Fourth Ye said blankly.
Fifth Ye shifted his shoulder slight in discomfort as they kept walking, he could handle stares, really. Especially having someone as beautiful as Su Mucheng as a kinda-little-sister, it's bound for Ye Xiu to get stared at whenever he walked with the pretty lady.
But this is just too much. Practically the entire vicinity is staring. At least with Mucheng it was never this much (granted, his Mucheng wasn't a complete lady yet, but still...), and let's not forget some highschool girls who were not so discreetely stalked them since God knows when.
Fifth Ye findled with his newly styled hair nervously before putting his hands back down when some girls squealed and giggled like mad, "I wanna go home..." He tugged on Fourth Ye's sleeve.
Fourth Ye looked at his younger self with three parts of annoyance, three parts of impatience, and four parts of pity, "Calm down little one, remember? Detachment is important for outside appearance, just pretend everything before you is a wind, you can freak out about it later, when we are home."
"Umn," Fifth Ye tugged his hoodie ever lower and Fourth Ye looked away, putting on his sunglasses-
Many girls squealed like a hungry pteodactyl again, giggling crazily.
Even Fourth Ye is affected now, "Damn it, did that hairstylist messed with us or something? I knew it was a bit suspicious with the sudden discount. I never understand about fashion," Fourth Ye cursed out as they walked even faster.
"Aiya, such handsome guys! Where are they from?"
"Aaah, so handsome..."
"... who... celebrity?.."
".. Hold my.."
The two time-travellers walked even faster like they're afraid something dangerous would soon popped out of nowhere, like Big Ye or Second Ye- erm.
"How about we go home? If we do look ridiculous, we'll just gonna be more degraded," Fifth Ye, keeping his pace, suggested anxiously.
"It's fine, as long as we looked like Young Master and wear fancy expensive clothes, we're fine. Remember when cousin Ye Zeyan showed up in that one charity party with ridiculous hairstyle and it ended up become a trend when we were fourteen?" Fourth Ye asked.
"Zeyan was a bit wrong in the head, we can't set him up as an example-"
"Not example but resource."
"That's even more wrong! Oh my two years older self, what's happened to you?"
"Three championships, that's what happened," Fourth Ye said blandly.
"The saying was right, the higher the person reached without errors, the more arrogant he is..." Fifth Ye murmured.
"Thank you nice aunty~" Little Ye beamed sweetly to the middle aged woman who sold pastries, the madam smiled back just as bright to the cute boy who had accidentally wandered around her store.
"You're welcome dear, you're still gonna search for your big brothers right? Are you sure you don't want to just go home? I can ask my child to get you home, just tell us the address," The middle aged lady looked concerned.
Little Ye smiled, "No need to worry aunty, I know my limit, my house is near I can go home by myself anytime."
"If you insist so, such a handsome boy shouldn't wander around if you don't want to be kidnapped," the lady warned.
"Haha, that won't happen," Little Ye shook his head, knowing this aunty is just exaggrating.
"Here, just take another," Cannot resist such a handsome smile and attitude from the young boy, the middle aged lady randomly picked another cupcake and some snack to be shoved to the boy's full hands, sneaking a pinch on the cheek after that.
"Aunty, this is too much, you're doing a bussiness after all..."
"Oh, hush! I'm not so poor to get bankrupt after gifting some things to a good boy like you," The aunty smiled and the bell jingled as the door opened.
"Aunty Nie, good afternoon," A teen entered and greeted the middle aged lady politely.
"Good afternoon, dear, what's your order?"
"Just the usual," The teen said as he readjusted his sling bag.
"On it," The middle aged lady said playfully and get the usual order for the teen. "Hard work for today again,eh? Little Qiu?"
Qiu Fei nodded solemnly at the question, "Mm." However, his eyes quickly looked into space in daze again.
"You shouldn't push yourself too hard, little Qiu," Aunty Nie said in concern.
"I understand, I won't push myself too far," Qiu Fei looked up and accepted his order. He looked inside and took out a box of strawberry milk and putted it on the counter, "Aunty, how many times do I have to tell you to stop giving me secret freebie."
Aunty Nie sighed lamentingly, "Ai, boy, your guard is really high now."
Qiu Fei looked at Aunty Nie with exasperated look, "Aunty Nie, I seriously do not need it, you can sell it to others instead."
From Qiu Fei's side, Little Ye snorted, "Aiya, Aunty, are you always like this to your costumers, it won't be a long time before you went bankrupt," Little Ye snickered playfully.
Qiu Fei looked at the boy beside him in surprise, the boy is wearing a baseball cap and red jacket, overall he looked pleasing to they eyes. Qiu Fei then noticed various treats in the boy's arms and shook his head exasperatedly at Aunty Nie, "You too?" Qiu Fei asked Little Ye.
Little Ye shrugged and nodded, "She insisted, I don't know how to refuse a fair lady," out of habit, Little Ye slight bent down towards Aunty Nie who immadiately went to a shock to see such a perfect gentleman manner within a boy.
"My~ you're still young and already know how to waver a woman's heart, when you grew up, you'll be very popular with girls!" Aunty Nie joked.
"Aunty, stop teasing me," Little Ye looked up and acted bashful by looking sideways.
Two pairs of eyes met and time seemed to freeze for Qiu Fei.
"You..." Qiu Fei started and turned to face Little Ye entirely, "You really looked like him."
Excellent Era is in panicky, tense, and awkward mess as two guests suddenly visited them in the light of day, demanding (elegantly) about Ye Qiu's wherabout and also demanded (elegantly) to see the boss.
"Eh? So our elder brother truly had been kicked out?" Fourth Ye said leisurely.
Cui Li was a bit nerved with the accussing tone but still, maintaining his smile, he replied, "Ye Qiu had formally resigned and broke his contract with us, we tried to make him stay but..." Meaning, Your brother kicked himself out, we're completely not at fault.
"Surprising, I surely thought he just faked another news to get rid of us from his track," Fifth Ye ignored Cui Li's statement and instead turned to Fourth Ye to have some brief 'exclusive family talk'.
"That troublesome brother, he had always be the best out of the siblings," Of course, Fourth Ye still took the chance to shamelessly praised himself.
"Oh, what should we say to Second Brother?" Fifth Ye said in worry.
Fourth Ye sighed dramatically, "That's really too bad."
"So, did our brother say anything like where he would live or something after you guys kicked him out?" Fifth Ye said casually as he picked the teacup on the table and sipped it slightly before not-so-discreetely scrunched up his face and putted it back, pulling out a hankerchief and coughed slightly into it. Expressing his clear distaste of the tea.
Fourth Ye, who was watching his younger self's action from the corner of his eyes, couldn't help but giving a five stars rating for Fifth Ye's acting.
Cui Li's face became a bit weird, mixed of awkwardness, annoyance, and humiliation while at the same time still trying to be pleasant. Cui Li coughed slightly, "About that, after Ex-Captain Ye Qiu formally resigned and broke his contract. We didn't really get any news from him..." Cui Li lied.
"Huh? What a crude management," Fourth Ye murmured to himself, purposefully a bit louder than necessary so Cui Li could hear it.
"You can't even keep track of your veteran even for a few months after retirement? How strange, is this how lower bussiness work, Si ge?" Fifth Ye turned and asked innocently to his 'elder brother'. Cui Li and some workers almost coughed out blood.
"I don't know, di. We should do survey about that," Fourth Ye said seriously.
"Understood," Fifth Ye nodded obediently. What survey? Damn, this conversation of theirs is really fancy that they didn't even know whether to laugh or cry. As expected the blood of a young master of rich family is still flowing smoothly in them.
"Your big brother resigned, not thinking about the team in the middle of season, how could we keep a track of him?" Even though he knew Ye Qiu sometimes worked in the night shift of the Internet Cafe downstreet, Liu Hao still talked righteously and blamed it on Ye Qiu. Moreso, he's even more envious of Ye Qiu now, only blind person who will think these two young men, who greatly resembled Ye Qiu only more groomed, are just ordinary handsome young men. They're obviously rich! What's with those branded clothigs?! Even though what they wore tipped more to casual side rather than formal, they still looked really dignified in them.
Fourth Ye and Fifth Ye looked at Liu Hao. Liu Hao almost glared when that familiar judging, disregarding, regal eyes landed on him. How familiar.
Fourth Ye and Fifth Ye then turned to talk with each other in hushed voice, pretending to have another 'exclusive family talk' again, "Okay, now what?" Fifth Ye asked.
"The contract, let's take a look at the contract and make more fuss," Fourth Ye said.
"You wanted to make a little fuss or big trouble?" Fifth Ye asked incredulously.
"Relax, I don't think they would be that stupid to really let us taking a look of the contract, so it will just be a little fuss," Fourth Ye whispered and ended the exclusive family talk. "So, as you said, our eldest brother 'broke the contract unresponsibly in the middle of season'. Was there something wrong with the contract?"
"Absolutely not. We have given him a fair condition, not different from the rest of the team at all," Cui Li readjusted his glasses and said confidentally.
"Maybe because it was no different that he broke it," Liu Hao snorted to himself, but purposefully made it a bit louder than necessary to be heard by the brothers to splash more black water on Ye Qiu whilst simultaneously cleaning their name from any impurity.
Fourth Ye looked at Liu Hao, there's something burning in that gaze. The pride of the three times champion is still strong in him, and it demands justice. However, that gaze was gone as soon as it appeared, replaced by the original elegance and dignity, "Really? Then, can I take a look at the contract?" Fourth Ye then casually said.
Everyone went silent all together.
Cui Li narrowed his eyes, "I'm sorry, but player contracts are exclusive bussiness between us and the said player, it's against the rule."
"Why? I'm his family, naturally that rule is not applied to me and my brother at that," Fourth Ye gestured to Fifth Ye.
"It's still can't be done, my apologies," Cui Li's tone began to get agressive as a warning.
But they're here to cause a fuss, why would they back up? "Why? So it's right after all, there was something wrong with the contract?" Fourth Ye accussed with a mild tone.
Cui Li glared and once again readjusted his glasses, "That's not the problem, this is our problem with our employe, and there's no reason for us to disclose it to outsiders. If you want to ask about the contract, then find Ye Qiu and ask him yourself. We have no obligation to fulfil your request."
"Even if we find him and asked him, what's the use? The real contract is in your hand, if we took our brother's anwer and accussed you for mistreatment of an employe, you can defend yourself by telling us that our brother lied. And because we never saw the real contract, we don't have any proof to say otherwise," Fourth Ye said unhurriedly.
Cui Li leaned back slightly, readjusting his glasses again, he calmed himself down, "We still can't, we're sorry."
"You don't have to," Fifth Ye smiled, "What's the use of saying sorry when you're not sorry at all?" that statement made the others in the room startled again. The blunt accussion was in sync with the earlier blantant one.
Cui Li was about to say something when the door to the briefing room suddenly opened and Tao Xuan came in, "What's wrong?" Tao Xuan furrowed his brows, he got the report earlier about Ye Qiu's family came and made a fuss. He can't believe this mess will happen.
Tao Xuan looked at the people inside, Cui Li, some other assistant managers, some players and there are two unfamiliar man inside. Tao Xuan froze when he saw the two guests, terribly shocked of their similiarity to his old friend when he was young, only more groomed and dignified.
"You must be the boss," Fourth Ye stood up, eyes staring unblinkingly into Tao Xuan's eyes, boring deeply as like wanting to see what's in Tao Xuan's head. What made him tossed the friend, who had walked along with him since the start, away. What made him to coldly let his subordinates bully the friend he had once treasure like a delicate pearl. What made him forget those years of warm friendship to throw him aside.
In reality, Ye Xiu is an extremely prideful person. His beloved twin planned to run away and leaving him behind? Instead of getting angry and scolding the said twin, he simply took the bag and ran away himself, See? That's what happened if you want to leave me behind, I'll leave you behind instead. For him victory is not simply something achieved, but something that has to be done.
Otherwise, why would he lost nights of sleep back in the day just to make sure Excellent Era did not lag anything behind despite starting with grassroot team and guild? What made him to never cower in front of intimidating people? It took a lot for Su Muqiu to convince him to live together, before reasons won and he accepted. He's stubborn. Prideful. Anything he did since childhood had always ended up with perfection, the better part of the twin they said. Academically, practical ability, secondary skills, and many other things...
But Glory is his passion.
The first season was won by the sheer amount of determination for his late friend, he won.
The second season was another that was fueled by determination and thirst for victory, he won again.
The third season took the cake, many promising players were born, many promising players were growing, but Ye Qiu was still the best. This kind of pride where he never experienced any errors...
In the fourth season, however, he suddenly fell. An error had occured, he was angry of course, disappointed. But he learnt something from this, a slight loss, surely next year will be better. And then continue on... more losses in the next few seasons, he kept learning more things, he still kept doing his best, before he was forced to stop.
Even so, his pride... His love for Glory is still burning fiercely. More refined. And brighter than ever.
However, that was only achieved after countless errors, failures, stumbles and missteps. Losses.
If you put Fourth Ye who had never experienced a loss in this situation, the young and precarious Fourth Ye... It won't be pretty.
When you never experienced any stumbles, mistakes, nor missteps and suddenly forced to stop... It's really hard for you to stop peacefully.
Fourth Ye's lips quirked up as he stared straight into Tao Xuan's eyes, "I want to see my big brother's contract."
How to stop when you've already invested everything in this race?
"Want some?" Little Ye offered one of his cupcakes to Qiu Fei who gently refused it.
"No, I already have mine," Qiu Fei raised his own plastic bag as a proof yet again.
"Okay," Little Ye bit into the cupcake.
Qiu Fei glanced again at the boy walking beside him, the more Qiu Fei looked at him the more similiar he is to a certain ex-captain of Excellent Era. Clearing his throat, Qiu Fei asked, "So where's your house? I'll take you there."
Little Ye rolled his eyes, "You don't need to take Aunty Nie's words seriously, I don't need an escort. I'm fifteen, I know which way to take."
"Then why did you follow me out?"
"Eh, I just wanted to get out peacefully and let that aunty attend her peace of mind," Little Ye shrugged.
Qiu Fei glanced back at the younger teen and smiled slightly, "You're really similiar to someone I know..."
Little Ye perked up and looke at Qiu Fei, "Really?"
"Yes," Qiu Fei nodded and said nothing more.
Little Ye, who waited patiently for a continuation, frowned in displeasure. What a letdown, he already said it like that but he didn't elaborate! What a cliffhanger... secretely grumbling, Little Ye took another bite to his cupcake.
"He's... someone who liked peace," Suddenly, Qiu Fei started talking again, surprising Little Ye.
Little Ye blinked, 'This guy, he's so awkward. Did he formulated that answer while he was silent just now, or did he recalled the person of his memory to get him silent?' Little Ye thought observantly.
"He also mostly kept to himself, so as to not make his close friends worried..." Qiu Fei continued as his gaze was cast down.
Little Ye also looked down thoughtfully, "That's a commendable personality," nodding, Little Ye is satisfied with his formulated answer.
"It really is," Qiu Fei nodded, agreeing. "But sometimes also could be very frustrating... I never could guess what's in his head, I think no one ever could."
"Hmm, a closed up personality, they'll open up to you when the time is fit," Little Ye said.
Qiu Fei bitterly smiled, "Ah... But I don't think I'll have that 'time', he has gone... Not long ago."
Little Ye paused, he looked at Qiu Fei's bitter smile and sorrowful answer, he immadiately straightened and coughed mournfully, "I'm sorry, my condolence..."
Qiu Fei blinked away from his flashback to look at Little Ye incredulously before realizing his words were ambigous, "No, he's not dead," Qiu Fei hastily said. He's still very much alive! It will be a bad luck to just say he's dead!
Little Ye looked up at him and blinked, the person is not dead? Ah! He translated a false alarm!
"What I meant is, he was gone from the place we usually go to, stop working, resigning... that's what," Qiu Fei slowly gestured.
"Aah, I see. I'm sorry," Little Ye ducked his head in apology. "So, this person... broke up with you?"
Qiu Fei almost tripped over the air after that statement was out of Little Ye's mouth, "Wh- what? What made you think he- he was my lover?" Qiu Fei asked incredulously, losing his composure again.
Little Ye cursed in his head, damn! He was reading the situation wrong again! So it's not a lover nor a break-up?! "Erm, you said it like you were dumped... I'm sorry, I was wrong," Little Ye scratched his head.
"No, it's okay..." Qiu Fei shook his head and sighed.
"So..." Little Ye cleared his throat, "What are they to you?" Little Ye asked.
"Someone important, someone I terribly respect, someone who always encouraged me... Someone that I wanted to stand by his side to, as an equal..." Qiu Fei said after a lot of thought.
Little Ye mused for a while, no matter what... it sounded like a one-sided love. Little Ye patted Qiu Fei's shoulder lightly, "Big brother, it's fine, you like them do you?"
"... Hah?" Qiu Fei looked at Little Ye again, a bit flustered this time.
"It's fine, I'm not really a naive child you know? I know love when I saw one," Little Ye said seriously.
"That's..." Qiu Fei looked away awkwardly. "That's inappropriate, I can't have that kind of feeling," Qiu Fei coughed. He didn't deny it but rather saying he's inability to really accept his real feeling.
Little Ye sighed, "It's okay to love, to like or to have a crush on someone, there's nothing inappropriate in it," Little Ye paused. "Unless they're married already?"
"What? No," Qiu Fei shook his head.
"Then go for it!" Little Ye slapped Qiu Fei's shoulder.
"I can't... he's... a bit too older for me, different generation and all," Qiu Fei said.
Little Ye hummed thoughtfully, recalling the beautiful adult Su Mucheng who was simply too devastatingly beautiful, that lass could make any boys from any age range fell for her in one look... Too bad, in his future, Little Ye would treat her like a little sister, hence now Su Mucheng is only treating him like a little brother.
After musing for a while, Little Ye said, "It's good as long as you're not brother-zoned, you still have a chance."
"... He didn't. But he did son-zoned me," Qiu Fei said blankly.
Little Ye's face scrunched up, "Hang in there big bro," He's screwed. "There would always be a way out, he'll look at you as an equal one of this day because of his departure," what Little Ye didn't say was for Qiu Fei to just move on. Son-zoned, gosh.
"You two are deplorable," Ye Xiu said sternly to Fourth Ye and Fifth Ye. After Second Ye told him the three youngest had disappeared from home, it was already a foreboding feeling. Without telling Second Ye and sneakily went outside, they must be having an agenda.
It was almost too late in the middle of chaos inside the briefing room, when Su Mucheng made it there. She had locked herself in her room per usual and was too lazy to go out even more when it was said there are guests. Probably just some sponsors or more pretentious people... She didn't know it was her two new little brothers who had come to cause trouble.
But after she got a call from Second Ye, she reluctantly goes out and checked who were their guests. Yup, she had to exhaust her acting skill prowess to bail them out politely and without causing any damage. Ye Xiu was already there when they got to the lobby.
"They were looking for you," Su Mucheng said softly, pretending to not know the 'brothers' personally while at the same time telling Ye Xiu the background and setting for the situation.
Ye Xiu pinched the bridge of his nose, "Why are you guys so stubborn? To cause me such an inconveniece, I will go home eventually."
Sighing in relief that Ye Xiu got the memo, Fifth Ye huffed, "You always said that, but did we see you were ever going home? No."
"We were just asking to see your former contract, that's all. Yet, they started overreacting and all defensive about it, a guilty conscience no doubt," Fourth Ye snorted.
"This is not at home where you can act as you pleased," Ye Xiu sighed in annoyance and turned to lookat Tao Xuan and the rest, "Old Tao, I hope you don't mind my two didi."
"Who would mind? It's not like we're burning half of the building down or cause any harms, we were just asking to look at the contract, we're family why can't we see it?" Fifth Ye clung to Ye Xiu's arm and acted spoiled.
"Enough you two, Old Tao please just ignore them both, I apologize for their troubles." Ye Xiu nodded curtly.
"Why apologize?! Our family's sons can't just apologize randomly!"
"Gege, we absolutely did not get out of the line!" The two instantly whined to their big brother and Ye Xiu quickly yanked them by their collars.
"You two. Out. Now." Not waiting for Tao Xuan to even express his okay (To be honest, he did not look like he would say it's okay), using the pretense of a nice big brother who doesn't want his little brothers causing more troubles, Ye Xiu dragged Fourth and Fifth Ye out of Excellent Era building.
"Excuse us," Ye Xiu loudly said opened the glass doors to outside.
"AH!" A familiar voice shouted and the three Ye's looked towards the source to find Little Ye there, looking at them with wide eyes and shocked look.
"Little Ye?! I was just asking myself where you could be, come home now," Ye Xiu squinted his eyes to the youngest. "Turn out you two left the youngest outside to wait?" Ye Xiu turned his disapproving stare to Fourth Ye and Fifth Ye who immadiately feel wronged.
"What? We didn't even take him along! He probably sneaked out himself!"
"We're innocent!" The two cried out in their defense.
Ye Xiu then turned is stern and disappointed gaze towards Little Ye who tensed, "They were acting all strange, I was tailing them before I lost them in the crowd. I did not sneak out by myself, I'm with them until I lost them!" Little Ye turned back the words.
""That's not our fault still!"" Fourth Ye and Fifth Ye defended in sync.
"Enough, you three are going home now," Ye Xiu furrowed his brows and stated.
"Captain...?" Qiu Fei, who was silent since the beginning out of shock and delight, finally called out to Ye Xiu.
Hearing the familiar voice, Ye Xiu finally shifted his gaze to the boy beside Little Ye and was pleasantly surprised, "Qiu Fei...?"
"Captain, you... How are you?" Qiu Fei shifted awkwardly and asked.
"I'm good, how are you? Still working hard? How's your progress?" Ye Xiu asked pleasantly.
"I'm doing decently," Qiu Fei nodded, looking straight at Ye Xiu's eyes. "You...? How about you?"
"I'd say I'm doing pretty well myself, if only it's not for these troublemakers," Ye Xiu said in a pleasant way.
Qiu Fei nodded and looked at the two young men behind Ye Xiu and then looked at Little Ye beside him, "So, he's your little brother?" Qiu Fei gestured to Little Ye.
"Apparently yes, come here Little Liu," Ye Xiu beckoned generously to Little Ye who coughed and awkwardly went to his side. "Alright, we're done here, see you around Little Qiu," Ye Xiu bade his ex-successor a goodbye and was about to drag his three little 'brothers' off when Qiu Fei asked again.
"Where do you live?"
"Huh?"
"I want to visit you sometimes, is that alright?" The lone and desolate look in Qiu Fei's eyes spoke clear of his desire to stay in contact.
How could Ye Xiu refuse that look?
Smiling gently like a father will do towards his son, Ye Xiu answered, "You can always see me in the Internet Cafe downstreet, I worked in thhe night shift but you can still see me around afternoon."
The block in Qiu Fei's heart melted down in relief at the answer, looking at the internet cafe downstreet he nodded thoughtfully, "I will visit often," He said. Determination in his tone.
"No need so often, you must be quite busy already with school and the camp. Once in a while is alright," Ye Xiu suggested.
Qiu Fei nodded obediently, "I'll visit whenever I'm free."
The two sides bade each other a goodbye and went their own way, Qiu Fei entered Excellent Era's building whilst the four Ye's walked further away from it.
In the middle of argument about Fourth Ye and Fifth Ye's new hairstyles and how it looked dumb (Ye Xiu's words) and how so many girls are staring, Little Ye is fiddling with his thumb dazedly, pale and a bit scared of reality.
Little Ye then tugged on Ye Xiu's sleeve and asked, "My good Third Ye, say... Who was that Qiu Fei to you?"
"He was originally my successor for One Autumn Leaf," Ye Xiu answered distractedly.
"Our successor? No wonder he looked so pleasing to the eyes," Fourth Ye approved.
Meanwhile, Little Ye dawned in a horrifying realization. "Oh my God..." Did he just encourage his future successor to keep pursuing his future self?
Little Ye screwed up so many times today...
I tried hard to get this done because I would be extremely busy and if I was extremely busy and had a small interest, my muses won't get it done.
I hope you enjoy this chapter and please excuse the typos and grammar mistakes. I don't have anyone to re read and edit it and I'm too lazy to do that right now. Toodles!