“Huff.”
In the room, the shirtless man braced himself on his hands, sweat beads tracing down his sharply defined jawline before dripping onto the floor, forming tiny puddles.
Zong Cheng breathed in and out slowly, every movement precise, almost as if measured with a ruler. His back was glistening with fine droplets of sweat, crisscrossed with faint scratch marks.
The unspoken intimacy made his back appear even more alluring than his already toned chest muscles.
Yin Chen, dragging his sore legs to the bathroom, passed by the sofa and caught sight of this scene.
“Whoa~”
He silently admired the beautiful view before him.
The next moment, he froze in thought. Hadn’t they already spent yesterday in the office, then returned to the villa afterward? Why did Zong Cheng still have the energy to work out?
For a moment, Yin Chen was stunned. He had already been exhausted, and yet—stronger? At this rate, Zong Cheng might just be unstoppable.
Though it was exhilarating, his concern for Zong Cheng’s well-being nagged at him.
Yin Chen’s gaze lingered on Zong Cheng’s chest muscles, and for the first time, an unfamiliar thought crossed his mind—were these pecs a little too big? A shiver ran through him, and Zong Cheng instinctively rose from the floor.
As he stood, he noticed Yin Chen at the doorway.
Zong Cheng paused, his gaze landing on Yin Chen’s loose shirt. The straight legs, marked with purplish-red scratches, peeked out beneath the hem—a view at once strange and familiar. His Adam’s apple twitched slightly.
Noticing the movement, Yin Chen’s arm hairs stood on end.
Danger!
He instinctively retreated, letting the door block most of the view, leaving only his blushing face visible. Though thrilling, he couldn’t handle more. His kidneys, limbs, and particularly sensitive areas protested faintly.
“How did Zong Cheng… fit in something so big?” Yin Chen thought, marveling at the human body.
“You’re awake?”
Startled, Yin Chen’s waist was immediately circled by familiar arms. A strong hand pressed against his lower back, sending a wave of indescribable soreness through his body. His legs gave way, and he sank into Zong Cheng’s embrace.
Zong Cheng instinctively held him, and Yin Chen, meeting his gaze, saw the slight embarrassment but also the quiet expectation in his eyes.
He understood. After that realization, a question formed in his mind—what exactly was Zong Cheng still hoping for?
He remembered Zong Cheng was just a little younger than him. Both were men, yet Zong Cheng’s energy was so boundless. Was it due to… the top-and-bottom roles?
Though the books suggested the one on top tires while the one below enjoys more, Yin Chen dismissed the thought of trying it himself—he had to help clean Zong Cheng and the bed afterward.
Instead, he massaged Zong Cheng’s waist while Zong Cheng stepped back slightly.
“I’m sweaty,” Zong Cheng mumbled.
“Dirty? Weren’t you even dirtier yesterday?” Yin Chen teased.
Zong Cheng had no comeback, so he decided to fully embrace Yin Chen.
Satisfied, Yin Chen relaxed and enjoyed the massage, then asked, “Those things… were from Tang Chen, right?”
“Mm? Hmm?” Zong Cheng answered instinctively, then grew guilty. How could Yin Chen know?
Indeed. Tang Chen had orchestrated it all. Yin Chen leaned against Zong Cheng, realizing the large box of the previous night had been put to use under Zong Cheng’s guidance.
So Zong Cheng wouldn’t have bought these himself. Yin Chen looked at his boyfriend’s profile silently. It was Tang Chen’s doing—should he thank him for the assist or be annoyed at the disruption? He pondered.
“Achoo!”
Tang Chen sneezed loudly, startling Zhang Taining, who nearly lost his balance.
“Just a little accident,” Tang Chen muttered, helping him up.
Zhang Taining inspected him and commented, “Even though it’s spring, don’t dress too skimpy. The guys at the base wouldn’t appreciate it anyway.”
“I’m not dressed skimpy!” Tang Chen retorted, glancing repeatedly at Zhang Taining, wondering why his vocabulary had improved so rapidly.
“Whoever sneezed knows best—it wasn’t me,” Zhang Taining shrugged, returning to his game.
Soon, Xie Liu appeared.
“Everyone, pause. We need a quick meeting.”
Groans echoed. “Another meeting?”
They all reluctantly went to the conference room. Xie Liu looked serious, tapping the table, then calling out several names.
The youngest, panicked, blurted, “I haven’t been slacking! I’ve been training!”
Xie Liu glared. “You’re guilty simply because you think you might be! I’ll have you monitored—slack off, and I’ll know.”
Tang Chen perked up. “I’ll help supervise!”
Curious, he asked, “So what’s this meeting about?”
Xie Liu’s expression darkened. “After your recent training matches, I know you feel your skills have improved—good. But BZ hasn’t played a single official match yet. Remember, we’re just an ordinary team. Don’t get complacent.”
Tang Chen was confused. Was this to demotivate them?
Xie Liu continued: “Also, you know ZWG’s team captain King has been publicly exposed for an unstable private life, including multiple affairs with fans. I hope you’ve heard of it.”
Tang Chen gasped. When did this happen? So explosive?
Zhang Taining, noticing Tang Chen’s shocked expression, was baffled. Hadn’t he already told him?
Xie Liu’s tone turned sharper: “This caused a huge stir. It’s natural for young people to be impulsive, but dating fans is strictly forbidden. You have to focus on training and competitions to make your own name.”
The team exchanged glances, a mix of shame and realization on the faces of those named.
Xie Liu took a deep breath. “Another thing: BZ exists because of Yin’s support. Yin issued a directive—reach top three in the Spring League, or…”
He handed out photos. Zhang Taining felt a bad premonition.
Tang Chen exclaimed, “What the heck? This is worse than a pigsty?”
Zhang Taining closed his eyes. Top three. Must give it their all.
Satisfied that the team was motivated, Xie Liu dismissed them. “Check King’s news to learn from it. King has been permanently banned from the league.”
Tang Chen pulled out his phone to search, and Zhang Taining finally asked, bewildered, “Didn’t I already tell you this?”
Tang Chen blinked. “Huh?”
Zhang Taining sighed. “Yes, I mentioned it last time when you were spacing out. Why act like you don’t know now?”
Tang Chen’s expression grew even more confused. “Ah?”