Shi Du’s simple words hit Cheese like a thunderbolt, leaving him stunned. At this moment, he really didn’t have the time to worry about Qi Xian.

Cheese’s face showed a mix of uncertainty, confusion, and perhaps a hint of curiosity. “What… do you mean?”

Shi Du likes this kind of fun. “Literally.” He spoke clearly and unhurriedly, “Shine and I are in a relationship—”

Cheese couldn’t bear to hear more and let out a desperate cry, “No, no, no! I don’t believe it! I can’t accept it!”

His reaction was even more dramatic than Shi Du had expected.

“I’m sorry,” Shi Du said with delight, “but that’s the truth.”

Cheese heard himself asking: “But aren’t you all men?” Suddenly an idea flashed across his face, “Are you gay?”

Shi Du nodded: “Yes, I didn’t expect it as well.”

Cheese really didn’t expect it, and his voice trembled: “You are committing a crime.”

Shi Du shrugged: “It’s not a crime to be gay.”

Cheese argued, “Being gay isn’t a crime, but spreading rumors and dragging the High Cold Flower of R.H. into a relationship is definitely illegal.” Cheese insisted. While refusing to accept it, he also found an excuse for Shi Du’s behavior, “Little brother, you must be infatuated with the Captain, couldn’t have him, and then developed some strange delusions, right?”

Faced with Cheese’s accusation, Shi Du was calm and composed: “If you don’t believe it, turn left when you go out and ask the captain yourself.”

Cheese looked at death and said: “I will!” He turned left when he went out and broke into Yu Zhaohan’s room: “Captain—”

Shi Du followed.

He didn’t know if it was a crime for Shine and Timeless to be in a relationship within R.H., but Cheese must have known that entering Shine’s room without his permission was a crime. One can imagine how high-minded Cheese was now.

Yu Zhaohan had just finished taking a shower and came out of the bathroom with the little yellow duck. The sudden entrance startled him, and he dropped the rubber duck, which made a quacking sound as it hit the floor.

Cheese stared at the little yellow duck on the floor, his face seemed to round in shock again.

It only took Yu Zhaohan 0.4 seconds to find the solution: “Timeless, put away your toys.”

Shi Du took the pot very skillfully: “Mine, I forgot to take it out after taking a bath.”

A glimmer of hope ignited in Cheese’s heart.

No, it couldn’t be. How could the Captain possibly be in a relationship with an immature goofball who brings a rubber duck into the shower? Even if that goofball was incredibly handsome, it couldn’t be possible!

Yu Zhaohan glanced at the cheese with his cold eyes and said coolly: “You don’t know how to knock on the door?”

Under the captain’s fierce aura, Cheese couldn’t help but swallow his saliva and asked tremblingly: “Um…Captain, Timeless said you are his boyfriend?”

Yu Zhaohan glanced at Shi Du who was following Cheese and said, “Indeed.”

Cheese: “…”

Cheese was strangled by fate at this point, and his eyes had lost their luster. When he walked out of Yu Zhaohan and Shi Du’s room, he seemed to have survived a great disaster.

Shi Du looked at Cheese’s fleeing figure, and his desire to cause trouble was greatly satisfied. “Okay, Cheese should not only be thinking about Brother Xian for the time being.”

Yu Zhaohan could almost guess what Shi Du and Cheese said, and sighed: “Shi Du, you are so smart.”

Shi Du picked up the little yellow duck on the ground, stuffed it into Yu Zhaohan’s arms, and patted his head: “It’s the captain who taught me well.”

For Yu Zhaohan, the only thing he needed to hide from his teammates was his potential foolishness in everyday life, which affected his image as the Captain. If that were exposed, his teammates might not be as obedient. Other than that, his sexual orientation and even kissing Shi Du were not things he needed to hide from them. If it weren’t for Shi Du, he would have already come out to everyone.

Yu Zhaohan said: “But didn’t you say coming out is a big deal? That we should pick an auspicious day to tell everyone?”

“Today’s an auspicious day,” Timeless casually replied. “Plus, Cheese knows now, so the whole base will probably find out soon. Saves us the trouble of coming out publicly.”

Yu Zhaohan agreed with that. Cheese had a mouth as loose as a belt buckle, which meant that he couldn’t keep a secret.

“Does that mean everyone will know about us being gay tomorrow?”

“It should be.” Shi Du’s mouth curved, “I’m really looking forward to their expressions. I’m even more looking forward to dating Yu Zhaohan openly.”

Yu Zhaohan said out of nowhere: “Yu Zhaohan is me.”

Shi Du chuckled, hugged Yu Zhaohan, and kissed him on the lips: “Yu Zhaohan is the complete body of Shine and Yuyu- that is, you, baby.”

Caught off guard by the sudden hug and kiss, Yu Zhaohan’s ears turned red in an instant. He understands what Shi Du means. In front of his teammates, he would always be Shine, and he would only be Yuyu when he was alone with Shi Du.

So Shi Du has been in love with Yuyu, and Shi Du hasn’t even kissed Shine yet. If it had been Shine who exchanged their first kiss with Shine, he was sure Shine wouldn’t have made such a fuss.

Although he didn’t know how to use Shine’s identity as Shi Du’s boyfriend at the time, but…

“Yu Zhaohan also looks forward to dating Shi Du openly,” he said.

Shi Du had been mingling in Shine’s fan circles for a long time, and he had seen through the true nature of some “fans.” Cheese’s reaction today was a clear example. According to his estimate, the next day at the temporary base would be a complete mess. Yu Zhaohan believed him and went to bed early to prepare himself for the impending storm.

The next day was a day off. At noon, the R.H team gathered around the dining table. Old Tan was still taking care of their meals from miles away. He had ordered takeout to be delivered to the temporary base and privately informed Yu Zhaohan about Qi Xian’s decision to undergo surgery.

“The surgery is scheduled for next week, and I’ll accompany him,” Old Tan said in a video call. “The doctor said he needs at least two months of recovery after the surgery, and during that time, it’s best if he doesn’t touch a mouse and keyboard.”

Yu Zhaohan frowned slightly: “Two months?”

The regular season was about to end, followed by a short two-week break before the playoffs. Unlike the regular season that spanned several months, the playoffs were only a little over a month long. Qi Xian might not make it in time.

“Yeah,” Old Tan sighed. “We’ve done everything we can. From here on, we can only leave it to fate.”

Yu Zhaohan nodded lightly: “Understood, I’ll hang up now.”

However, Old Tan stopped Yu Zhaohan before ending the call. “Wait, don’t hang up yet! Qi Xian asked me to check on Cheese’s current condition. I heard that you scolded him yesterday? Sigh, please understand him a bit. He’s like that; he can’t keep things to himself. Give him some time, and in a few days, he’ll be fine.”

Yu Zhaohan glanced in the direction of the dining table: “Alright.”

The sparkle in Cheese’s eyes had not returned yet, and he ate the kimchi absentmindedly. When he saw the captain coming back from making a phone call and sitting down next to Shi Du, his body immediately tensed up.

They sat together!

Come to think of it, no matter where they were, the Captain and Timeless always sat together…

Cheese looked at the two of them secretly. Leaving everything else aside, the sight of Shine and Timeless together was truly eye-catching.

Shi Du asked: “What did he say?”

Yu Zhaohan said: “Qi Xian’s surgery is scheduled for next week.”

Jiang Di responded, “As long as the surgery can be done.”

Stone asked nervously: “Are there any risks in this surgery?”

Lu Youshan asked, “Is there a temple nearby? I want to get a protective amulet for Qi Xian and send it to him.”

Except for the distracted Cheese, everyone else looked the same as before.

Shi Du said: “Isn’t Cheese going to comment on Brother Xian’s surgery?”

Cheese reacted slowly: “Oh… Xianxian told me on WeChat last night.”

Shi Du asked: “What then?”

Qi Xian had told Cheese about the surgery, so Cheese should have mentioned their relationship too.

Cheese felt complicated talking to Timeless, “What do you mean, ‘And then?'”

Yu Zhaohan and Shi Du looked at each other.

Yu Zhaohan looked at Shi Du and said with his eyes: Where is the promised upcoming storm?

Shi Du’s eyes said: I’m curious about this too.

Suddenly, Stone exclaimed, “What the heck, these two are actually together!”

Yu Zhaohan Charming felt a tightness in his chest. Here comes the storm.

Cheese suddenly raised his head: “You know it too?!”

“I just found out,” Stone lamented, “I can’t believe it. How long have they been together and their bellies are so big? This short gun has taken a big advantage.”

Yu Zhaohan glanced at his belly subconsciously.

Cheese almost bit his tongue: “Who are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about Chongqing Eau’s short gun and that female streamer called Feifei,” Stone said bewildered, “Who are you talking about?”

Cheese: “…”

Shi Du: “…”

Yu Zhaohan: “…”

After dinner, Yu Zhaohan found an opportunity to be alone with Shi Du and asked him what was going on.

Shi Du didn’t quite understand the current situation, saying, “It shouldn’t be like this.”

“Why not? I think you are wrong.” Yu Zhaohan pointed out, “Coming out is not a big deal in the first place. You see, everyone is indifferent. You are the only one who takes this as a big deal.”

Shi Du decisively said, “That’s impossible.” He knew that coming out was a significant event, so what was the problem?

“Could it be that Cheese hasn’t told anyone else?” Shi Du chuckled. “He must have a tough time if that’s the case.”

Yu Zhaohan said distressedly: “If this is really the case, he must be really struggling.”

“Don’t rely on others,” Shi Du said. “Let’s handle it ourselves.”

Cheese was indeed going through a difficult time, so much so that even on their day off, he didn’t feel like playing and wandered aimlessly around the base.

The coach was studying the upcoming playoff opponents, Stone was streaming, and the captain and his little brother were locked in their room doing who knows what. Cheese roamed outside the villa and ran into Jiang Di, who was jogging around the neighborhood.

Jiang Di also saw him, slowed down, and stopped in front of him: “Is something wrong?”

Cheese looked at Jiang Di’s taciturn look and suddenly felt envious. He asked: “Xiao Jiang, how do you manage not to talk?”

Jiang Di: “…?”

Cheese frowned and said, “I’ve learned a secret, but I can’t tell anyone, and it’s making me so uncomfortable.”

Jiang Di glanced at Cheese somewhat unexpectedly. “You have a secret too?”

Cheese had thought Jiang Di was mocking him at first. “Why can’t I have a secret?”

“I mean, I have one too.”

Cheese was stunned: “You have one too?”

Jiang Di said “Yes”: “Like you, I have secrets that need to be protected.”

Moved by this revelation, Cheese’s eyes welled up with tears. “Xiao Jiang, we support players really have a lot in common…”

Jiang Di said, “If you really can’t hold it in, you can tell me. I won’t tell anyone.”

Cheese agonized, “I can’t say it!”

Coming out was a significant matter, and the captain had trusted him by sharing this secret. The captain surely didn’t want others to know.

Thinking about it, he was indeed the player Captain cherished the most. He couldn’t betray the captain’s trust. As for Timeless, it was a different story.

Cheese made up his mind, “Even if it costs me my life, I will keep this secret for him!”

Jiang Di closed his eyes and clenched his fists, saying, “Me too.”

“Wuwuwu, Xiao Jiang, you too!” Cheese cried, “You understand me, and I know you understand me!”

Jiang Di replied, “I understand you.”

Cheese felt like he had found a kindred spirit, saying, “To be honest, this is the most compatible conversation we’ve had since you joined R.H…”

They kept talking, with Cheese doing most of the talking and Jiang Di listening, until both of their phones vibrated at the same time.

It was a message from the R.H WeChat group.

[Timeless: Let me tell you something]

[Timeless: The captain and I are together now.]

Cheese: “…”

Jiang Di: “…”