Little Fish and Mint - Chapter 10

“Do you want some black fish?” a voice asked. Xu Yitong, lost in thought, mumbled, “Fish? What fish…?”

Yiyi nudged her. “Stop staring at Fish. You’re starting to babble. Order something. What do you want?”

“Oh!” Xu Yitong took the menu, startled, then whispered, “Was I that obvious?” She’d thought she was being discreet.

Yiyi sighed. “You practically climbed into his lap on the bus.”

“Hee hee,” Xu Yitong quickly picked a few vegetable dishes and passed the menu. “I just get happy looking at him. I can’t help it.”

Yiyi, seeing her like this, whispered, “Any progress?”

Xu Yitong thought for a moment, her mind drifting back to the bus. She hadn’t expected any reaction to her drawing.

But he’d signed his name.

Beneath the little fish…

Was it intentional? she wondered.

“Maybe?” she said finally, her gaze drifting back to Yu Ge.

He was chatting casually with someone, swirling the water in his glass.

Someone offered him a cigarette, which he declined.

“Yu Ge doesn’t smoke?” Xu Yitong asked.

Yiyi thought for a moment. “Rarely. I haven’t seen him smoke much.”

“Wow, he must smell really good,” Xu Yitong said dreamily.

Yiyi chuckled. “You haven’t given up after all this time. And you’re having dinner with him. You’ve already surpassed ninety-nine percent of his pursuers.”

“He has a lot of admirers, huh?”

“Not really,” Yiyi unwrapped her chopsticks. “Most of the girls I’ve met in the gaming scene like either Wan or Fish. But Wan’s taken, and Fish…”

“What about Fish?”

“He’s the master of the ‘unfeeling path,’ you know,” Yiyi gave a knowing look. “He looks at everyone like they’re trash, male or female. Fine if you’re a fan, but if you have romantic intentions… you’ll get your heart broken a hundred times over.”

“Is he really like that?”

Xu Yitong wasn’t convinced.

Everyone, even those online, described him that way.

But she kept remembering him at the bench, alone with his beer and cookies, nursing his sadness. And at the hospital, facing those vicious insults, he’d remained calm, protecting his sister.

Yu Ge wasn’t the type to casually hurt others.

He was actually kind. Why didn’t anyone see it?

She fell into thought.

…

The hot pot restaurant was crowded, with no private rooms, just a large hall divided into sections. Since the OG team was a large group, they split into three tables. Little C, clutching his wallet, insisted on paying for only one table. Naturally, Xu Yitong joined them.

The restaurant seemed popular. Hui-ge explained that since LPL matches were usually held at the nearby stadium, many teams came here for post-game dinners.

Xu Yitong’s heart skipped a beat. Would Chen Yuzheng and TG be here too?

She looked around, relieved not to see any familiar faces.

The men ate and chatted noisily. It was Xu Yitong’s first time interacting with Yu Ge’s circle, and eager to learn more about him, she listened intently, barely touching her food.

They were funny and engaging, creating a lively atmosphere. Even though she didn’t understand their gaming talk, she enjoyed their company.

As the meal progressed, Hui-ge ordered a case of beer. He stood up and poured for everyone, skipping the girls.

Yu Ge covered his glass, indicating he preferred water.

Hui-ge clicked his tongue. “Just one glass. It’s fine.”

“He can’t hold his liquor!” Xu Yitong interjected. “I’ll drink it! I can handle it!”

Yu Ge looked at her.

Hui-ge paused, surprised. “You know that?”

“Of course,” she smiled brightly. “I’m his fan! It’s my duty to protect my idol!”

Hui-ge hesitated. “Are you sure?”

“It’s fine.” She could outdrink an entire table of men at a club. This was nothing.

But…

Glancing at Yu Ge, she thought, If he’s watching, I might just get drunk off one beer.

“Really?” Hui-ge asked.

She nodded, finishing her cola. “Pour away.”

“Alright.”

A beautiful woman offering to drink—Hui-ge didn’t hesitate. But before he could pour, someone took the bottle.

Silence fell as everyone exchanged knowing glances.

Hui-ge turned to see Yu Ge, who, without a word, poured half a glass into a new empty cup.

Seeing this, Awen said, “Don’t get Fish’s fan drunk. It’ll look bad.”

“Yeah, girls should stick to cola,” Little C chimed in.

Xu Yitong bit her lip, trying to hide her disappointment. “Okay, I won’t drink.”

Her heart squeezed.

She looked down, not daring to meet Yu Ge’s eyes.

Many people, both male and female, had stopped her from drinking before. But never had she felt so shy about it.

He hadn’t said anything, and maybe he hadn’t meant to protect her. But her heart fluttered. All her efforts seemed worth it now.

The moment passed.

Unsure if it was the heat or the steam from the hot pot, Xu Yitong’s face was flushed, despite not drinking. She ate quietly, her earlier exuberance gone.

The men continued drinking, Yu Ge having a couple of beers.

The conversation shifted to Roy and Yiyi’s relationship. Will recalled how, when they’d first met, Yiyi had only played support. Roy had asked them to help her rank up. They’d encountered a “princess squad” (a team of girls playing together) and lost bot lane. Roy, getting relentlessly mocked by the enemy team, had begged Yu Ge to take over…

Listening intently, Xu Yitong resolved to reinstall League of Legends. She wanted to play with Yu Ge too…

As the drinking continued, Awen suddenly said, “My old boss asked me about Fish’s contract again yesterday.”

“Zuo Ming?” Hui-ge was alert. “He hasn’t given up?”

“The transfer period is coming soon. I heard YLD is planning a roster rebuild next year.”

“He can forget about it,” Hui-ge scoffed. “The boss would never let Fish go.”

The topic of player transfers triggered a shared memory, and they all looked at Yu Ge, laughing.

“Being handsome has its perks,” Roy said cryptically. “Everyone wants to buy our Fish.”

Yu Ge, as usual, remained expressionless, unfazed by the gossip.

Curious, Xu Yitong whispered to Yiyi, “What are they talking about?”

As someone close to OG, Yiyi knew a lot of insider information.

She cleared her throat, recalling the incident.

“It happened years ago, when Yu Ge was just promoted from the trainee team. WR was dominating the LPL, and OG wasn’t a top club. Even as a starting player, he barely had any fans.”

They whispered.

“Roy told me a manager’s daughter, a few years older than Yu Ge, liked him.”

“And then?”

“Roy said she was pretty, but a bit… clueless. She went to the OG base to confess, or whatever you call it.”

Intrigued, Xu Yitong asked, “What did she say?”

Yiyi mimicked the girl’s tone. “Hey, pretty boy, I heard you’re poor. Consider being with me.”

“…”

“Did Yu Ge react?”

He did.

But he hadn’t understood.

There were different versions of the story, but one thing was certain.

The girl had been arrogant in her confession, like a proud swan.

She hadn’t expected someone even more arrogant.

Yu Ge, usually indifferent, had looked genuinely confused. “Auntie, the transfer period hasn’t started yet. Which team are you from?”

“Pfft,” Xu Yitong giggled. “He’s so cute.”

Yiyi looked at her strangely.

No one had ever called Yu Ge “cute.”

It sounded… wrong.

“Cute?” Yiyi repeated, hesitant.

“Yeah,” Xu Yitong nodded vigorously. Super cute.

She adored his aloof, arrogant demeanor, his world-weariness. It was… cute.

Yiyi looked at her, incredulous. “Your filter is too strong.”

“Is it?”

Xu Yitong couldn’t explain.

She’d been drawn to Yu Ge at first sight. But it wasn’t blind adoration. The more she got to know him, the more she saw him as a special gift.

Every part she unwrapped brought her joy.

✧✧✧

The dinner lasted nearly an hour. The men, their alcohol tolerance clearly low, were getting tipsy after just a few beers.

While everyone else continued eating and drinking, Xu Yitong kept her attention on Yu Ge. She noticed when he stood up and headed for the exit.

Sensing something was wrong, she followed him.

She caught up outside.

The summer night was hot and humid. The street was bustling with activity.

Yu Ge stopped at the bottom of the steps, looking at her.

He frowned. “Stop following me.”

“But…” she protested weakly. “You drank so much…”

She looked at him.

Under the bright sign, his ears and the base of his neck were flushed.

She didn’t dare imagine the rest.

His voice, slightly hoarse from the alcohol, was low. “So?”

She shivered at the sound. Such a seductive voice…

“I’m worried about you…” she mumbled.

So close, under the bright light, she noticed his delicate features, his gentle, clean appearance. He was incredibly handsome.

A thought popped into her head.

Would it be illegal to kiss him while he’s drunk?