Zong Cheng’s editor had never been so nervous in his life.
Right now, he felt like a freshly baked dish that had just come out of the oven—everyone was staring at him, ready to rush up and take a bite.
Actually… not just “felt like.”
The editor reflected for a second.
Feeling the occasional glances landing on him from every direction, he experienced a faint sense of suffocation.
Seriously.
There were so many things to prepare for this author conference. Could all his colleagues please stop staring at him?
Even if they had to stare, could they at least not do it this often?
He tried hard to avoid those looks.
But it was useless.
No matter where he went or what he did, those gazes followed him like shadows.
The scariest part was that sometimes he didn’t even see anyone nearby!
And yet he could still feel those eyes tangled around him.
Terrifying.
Absolutely terrifying.
He choked up inside. Wasn’t it just because he accidentally revealed, while working overtime, that Zong Cheng would be attending?
Zong Cheng, that trouble-magnet!
Hurry up and get to the venue already!
He couldn’t handle this alone!
Just as he was silently crying inside, their team leader suddenly walked over with a cheerful smile and patted his shoulder.
“Little Qi, I remember you saying the King of Pigeons is coming today? Has his schedule been confirmed? Is he already on the plane?”
Even you too, Team Leader?!
Editor Qi was about to think that when a strange expression crossed his face.
He slowly looked at his team leader and asked a soul-searching question.
“Team Leader… why do you also call him the King of Pigeons?”
His team leader froze for a moment, then his gaze went slightly blank.
“Then… what’s his name again?”
Wasn’t it the King of Pigeons?
Why was that the only thing he could remember?
“Well of course it’s…”
Editor Qi’s words got stuck in his throat.
After a long pause, he and the team leader looked at each other in silence, tears nearly streaming down their faces.
One look was enough to understand.
Both of them had been stood up by him too many times.
Otherwise, how could they forget such a simple name?
The news that the author of Eye of the Abyss would attend the author conference had already spread among many readers.
At seven in the morning, some sleepless night owls had already begun discussing it.
“An excited heart! Trembling hands! Friends, sleep is for the weak—get up and party!”
“? Didn’t you stay up all night? I saw you online at midnight.”
“You noticed that? Impressive.”
Mixed into the group chat, Wen Liu couldn’t help sighing.
Did these people live on American time or something?
Getting up this early?
Terrifying.
Absolutely terrifying.
Completely ignoring the fact that she herself had also woken up early, Wen Liu quickly typed.
“So why are you all up this early? What’s there to celebrate?”
“???”
“No way, no way, no way. Is there seriously someone who doesn’t know about the author conference today?”
Oh right!
Wen Liu jolted.
She had almost forgotten!
She typed quickly.
“By the way, do you think the King of Pigeons will really show up today?”
Now that topic instantly energized the group.
Even though it was only seven in the morning, a huge crowd suddenly appeared in the chat.
“If that bastard dares not come!!!”
“He’ll definitely come! He must come! And bring family too!!!”
“Hah. If he doesn’t show up, I’ll immediately spam a hundred comments—begging the King of Pigeons to attend the next one QwQ”
That level of humility wasn’t necessary…
Awakened by the message notifications, Yin Chen looked at his phone and thought calmly.
Your beloved author will indeed attend.
And—
He’ll bring family.
Thinking that, Yin Chen glanced at the chat again.
The group had already moved on from whether he would come and was now debating the “family member” issue.
“Honestly, since family members are allowed this time, will the author’s partner show their face? I’m so excited!”
“? Excited for what? With someone like the King of Pigeons, you think he has a partner? I don’t believe it! No one could see updates earlier than us readers!!!”
“Damn, you reminded me. If you’re a partner, you could definitely see updates earlier, right? I’m so jealous. I’m turning into a lemon!”
“! There’s such a benefit? Then I’d like to apply for the position of the author’s lover.”
“Me too…”
“I have a friend—wait, no! I’m that friend!”
That might be a bit much…
But the partner really would have those benefits.
Smiling, Yin Chen typed a message in the group.
“I think it’s more than that. Maybe they can even read the draft folder in advance—or urge updates in person.”
“!!! A whole new world has opened! Damn! I suddenly have a bold idea!”
“Friends! I’m going to start writing! I’ll become a rising star! Then I’ll meet the author at the conference and become his woman!”
“…Uh? But would you even have time? Do you think the author will stay single until then? Seems unlikely.”
“I don’t care! People need dreams! What if it happens! Think about the author’s straight-guy comments! Well, straight-girl comments maybe? Doesn’t matter! I bet the author won’t get into a relationship!”
“…When you put it that way, I kind of agree.”
“? If that’s true, doesn’t that mean I have a chance too? Sisters, farewell! I’m going to register a writer account right now! The great literary renaissance begins with me!”
Trouble magnet indeed.
Looking at the suddenly quiet chat, Yin Chen couldn’t help poking Zong Cheng’s sleeping face.
After poking him for a while, he couldn’t help smiling.
Come to think of it, wasn’t he the biggest winner in life?
Just look at his boyfriend—inside and out, absolutely top-tier.
One in ten thousand wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
So the real question was: when could he lure the man into living in the villa?
And, while he was at it… devour him completely?
Yin Chen pondered this while casually feeling the excellent texture of those eight-pack abs.
Closing his eyes, he gradually drifted back into sleep.
His breathing grew long and steady. Then his slender fingers were suddenly grasped by a large hand.
Zong Cheng slowly opened his eyes, slightly embarrassed.
He exhaled softly, carefully climbed out of bed, and quietly slipped into the bathroom.
Soon the familiar sound of running water echoed from inside.
Outside on the balcony, Brian glanced over and curled his lips.
Tsk.
Chinese people were just too shy!
He clearly had a boyfriend, yet he still got up early every morning to take cold showers. Thinking about it was just pitiful.
The author conference was approaching fast.
Coincidentally, this day was also when Dongfang Wan brought the DF team to the BZ base for a practice match.
“President Yin isn’t here today?”
The moment Dongfang Wan arrived at the base, he started looking around. After a while, he frowned and asked Xie Liu, whom he had ignored for several minutes.
Xie Liu didn’t seem offended.
After all, compared to Dongfang Wan, he wasn’t on the same level.
But President Yin was.
So he calmly replied,
“President Yin doesn’t watch every practice match.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Dongfang Wan’s expression immediately darkened.
Not every match?
So he wouldn’t watch this one, but he would watch the one with ZWG next time?
Was Yin Chen looking down on him?
Xie Liu blinked.
“I didn’t mean anything. Just stating a fact.”
Dongfang Wan stared at him for a long moment. When he realized Xie Liu had truly said it casually, he became even angrier.
Why did he have to personally lead his team for matches like this, while Yin Chen could just toss things aside like letting ducks run free?
His gaze swept past Xie Liu and landed on March standing behind him, making his chest feel even more stifled.
So this guy really had been poached by Yin Chen—and from the looks of it, he was even being valued?
Dongfang Wan’s heart sank.
If Dongfang Feng hadn’t suddenly appeared, would he have fallen to the point of clinging to such trivial things?
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and his expression hardened.
His gaze landed on March again, then suddenly froze.
He looked stunned.
“March is your BZ team captain?”
There was an armband on that guy’s arm!
What did BZ mean by this? What did Yin Chen mean?
Someone he had discarded—BZ was treating him like treasure?
Xie Liu let out an “oh” and instinctively glanced at March.
“Yeah. Why?”
Why?
Dongfang Wan immediately felt humiliated.
He almost wanted to leave right away, but after a moment’s hesitation he asked bitterly,
“His skill and teamwork are pretty average, right? Is BZ really that short on players?”
You made someone like that captain?
A traitor!
Xie Liu, who never paid attention to entertainment or financial news, only felt confused.
Just as he was about to explain, Tang Chen suddenly bounced over and slung an arm around March’s neck.
“Young Master Dongfang must be joking. March is great, and his teamwork with the squad is like this!”
He gave a big thumbs-up, then turned with a grin.
“Brother Zhuo, Zhang Taining—don’t you agree?”
Zhuo Fan naturally nodded.
Zhang Taining felt he was better, but the arrogant tone from Dongfang Wan annoyed him, so he nodded too.
“Of course. Just look at who his teammates are.”
Tang Chen: “?”
How did that suddenly turn into praising yourself?
Amazing.
But whatever!
Tang Chen kept grinning at Dongfang Wan’s twisted expression.
At the same time, he glanced at the former BZ player in Dongfang Wan’s group and secretly shot him a contemptuous look.
The man saw it and was furious!
He wanted to speak up, but when he looked around—
The DF players were basically ignoring him and even standing far away.
No surprise.
He wasn’t very good and had a terrible temper.
No one knew how he had earned Young Master Wan’s favor and been poached over.
Half an hour later, Dongfang Wan himself began to question the same thing.
He stared in disbelief at the match results, then at the player he had personally recruited.
“That’s… your level?”
What the hell had he just been playing?
Dog shit?
The player sensed Dongfang Wan’s gaze and froze.
It wasn’t his fault! None of his teammates were cooperating with him—what could he do?
On the other side, Tang Chen happily jumped on March again.
“Nice one, March! That coordination just now was perfect!”
Zhang Taining snorted approvingly.
“Yeah, not bad.”
Xie Liu walked over and patted March’s shoulder.
“Well done. I’m confident in you as captain.”
Dongfang Wan nearly coughed up blood.
Grinding his teeth, he changed his earlier thoughts.
There was no way he would try to befriend Yin Chen just to secure the inheritance.
Yin Chen was destined to be his lifelong enemy!
“Ah-choo!”
The moment Yin Chen stepped out of the car, he sneezed. Zong Cheng looked at him with concern.
“I told you to bring a scarf, but you wouldn’t listen.”
Yin Chen shook his head.
He glanced at the stunned crowd inside the venue and felt extremely satisfied.
What a joke. This was the perfect chance to declare ownership—how could he worry about warmth?
Of course style came first.