Chapter Text
1
Ye Xiu is a little stupid.
It’s true.
He’s intelligent, provocative and tempting, but he’s definitely a bit dumb when it came to romance. He was fifteen when he ran away from home and didn’t bother to think too much about marriage, dating or anything like that.
Then again, why would he? Before he ran away, he was subjected to the thoughts of never do anything sexual before marriage and Ye Qiu’s epic cockblocking, not wanting to share him with anyone. During his time on the run, Su Muqiu took up the mantle as protector, pushing away his own feelings so that Ye Xiu wouldn’t be burdened with such thoughts. When he passed, Su Mucheng and Wu Xuefeng had an agreement to make sure he was well cared for. No one was allowed to even get within a few feet of him. When Wu Xuefeng stepped down as vice captain, Su Mucheng took her work more seriously. It was only her against the entirety of Excellent Era. Regardless of what Liu Hao or Chen Yehui said, they both had eyes for her pure brother Ye Xiu.
It certainly didn’t help that most of the pro players that he came across made sure that he had no knowledge of the others’ love for him. Well, maybe it did help Su Mucheng in her quest to save him from ever finding out the dirtiness Glory pro players thought of when they saw him, but it didn’t help Ye Xiu’s clean mind in the slightest.
So of course, he stayed pure. He still thought that even a small kiss would mean that he’d have to date the person. So anything worse would possibly mean that he would have to be engaged, or even married to them, according to his status quo.
But she knew she had her work cut out for her from the beginning. Ye Xiu was too interesting, a walking contradiction.
2
Su Mucheng had to stay constantly vigilant, especially around Fang Rui and his wayward hands. Bao Rongxing, even though he was an innocent child, he was way too touchy and liked to hug Ye Xiu when everyone least expected it. Even Wei Chen was subjected to this scrutiny, sharing cigarettes and carelessly putting his arm around Ye Xiu’s neck. It was an accidental kiss waiting to happen! She couldn’t chance that happening, Su Muqiu counted on her!
The juniors were just as concerning. Cute little Qiao Yifan had to be watched as well. His starry eyes and little blushes won’t get by her. And though An Wenyi was young, and Luo Ji even younger, they looked at Ye Xiu as if he was a piece of meat. Youngsters these days were very brave. Mo Fan, claiming to dislike her Ye Xiu-ge, always gravitated around him. Is this what they call a Tsundere? Whatever his personality was, she didn’t like it one bit.
Tang Rou and Chen Guo seemed indifferent to it, but Su Mucheng had reason to believe that it was because caring for Ye Xiu would be akin like caring for a child. Albeit a very cute, very shameless child that liked to smoke and play Glory till the end of time. She was glad to have some sort of backing like this, around these bent players.
Calling them out on what they think were subtle acts of showing affection, do the members of Happy think she’s both blind and stupid? Only someone like Ye Xiu wouldn’t realize they were being taken advantage of.
“Bao Zi, hands off, don’t touch his waist or rub your chest on his head.”
“Mo Fan, do you think you’re a real ninja? Your mouth says hate, but your red face says otherwise.”
“Luo Ji… I have no words.” Su Mucheng shook her head and dragged him to sit far away from Ye Xiu, “Maybe instead of getting help from Ye Xiu to be a adequate Summoner, I should teach you how to be a gunner. Tomorrow, we can start with a few hours of training.”
“Fang Rui, your innocent eyes are dirty. Why do you look at Ye Xiu’s body like it’s a pin up?”
“An Wenyi, don’t you think you should go off and practice? Didn’t you say you wanted to take time off getting wild bosses for that?”
“Old Wei, stop giving Ye Xiu cigarettes. Do you want his lungs to shrivel up? You too, stop smoking, it’ll help you and your tired body.”
“Qiao Yifan… Big-Eyed Wang would be sad about your unfilial acts.”
Everytime she told them off, they would either splutter or look at her in shame.
“Good, at least you know what you’re doing is wrong.” Her heart wasn’t calm.
Tang Rou only petted Ye Xiu, telling him that no wild man will get near him with the three women around. Chen Guo could only laugh at Happy’s predicament.
And Ye Xiu? All he wanted was to steal a boss. What man are they talking about?
3
When they were heading off to Zurich, Su Mucheng knew she was left to fend for Ye Xiu herself. Tang Rou offered the two of them to ride around the world on a personal plane while heading to their destination to ensure that Ye Xiu would be protected from all the pro players that went after him blindly, but Chen Guo immediately said no.
“Why shouldn’t I?”
“You still have to practice with the team. Regardless of what guy comes and picks up Ye Xiu, Happy needs to work to keep up with the other teams next season.”
“I can do that while I’m flying to Zurich with them.”
“Xiao Tang.”
“There are pro players that I can play against.” She didn’t want to back down.
“You do know that they’ll be too busy trying to practice with their own teams? For, you know, the international Glory Tournament? Xiao Tang, don’t be like this.”
“I can fight against the people that came to watch them.”
“ No. ”
4
It was a lot harder than keeping Happy away from Ye Xiu. Everyone played dirty tactics to make sure they spent time alone with Ye Xiu. Su Mucheng was glad Han Wenqing wasn’t invited, or else she’d have more of a problem on her hands. That man’s face can make you bow down and hand anything over, usually a wallet, but with Ye Xiu on the line, Han Wenqing would definiety use his ruggedness to his advantage.
Her first instance of seeing this was Wang Jiexi. Ye Xiu didn’t enjoy riding in planes, getting airsick easily. The big-eyed man dared pat her honest brother on the back?!
“Ye Xiu, you can rest your head on my shoulder. Are you tired?”
Thankfully Fang Rui barged in the moment, breaking the good atmosphere Wang Jiexi crafted.
5
Su Mucheng learned that Zhou Zekai was a deadly enemy. His face was godly, temperament peaceful, and one of the best in Glory. Thank god he wasn’t a smooth talker or a slag. If he was, then Ye Xiu would be shipped off to him with a bow. Ye Xiu did like this little junior best.
She stared at the moving ahoge that curled up into a loose heart as Ye Xiu got up from his seat to sit by the quiet man. Su Mucheng could almost see unclean thoughts that floated in his head as Ye Xiu fell over in a slump, red-face and whimpering.
“Senior… ok?”
“Hm.” Ye Xiu turned his head to lean on his chest and groaned.
The air around them turned pink, with flowers floating about.
6
At Zurich, in the lobby of the hotel, they came across another problem. Rooms. If she wasn’t a girl and Chu Yunxiu didn’t need a roommate, she would offer herself up.
Yu Wenzhou had the audacity to claim that he and Ye Xiu should share a room, “As the captain and Senior the leader, we should sleep together.”
Ambiguous words!
“Captain how could you say that? Old Ye should be with me, we’re good friends-”
“Shaotian, he blocked you on QQ.”
“Yeah.”
Tang Hao and Li Xuan asked each other to be their respective roommate. They don’t want to get bent in the process of fighting for China’s Glory.
“I think I should be with Ye Xiu.” Zhang Xinjie raised his hand, “I can wake him up when I do, then he won’t miss team practice-”
“No, no thanks.” Ye Xiu quickly retracted the man’s statement, “Oh, I don’t want to room with Zhang Jiale either.”
“Why?!”
“Your luck would rub off on me, not good.”
Sun Xiang tried to get a word in, but couldn’t, being blocked by Wang Jiexi, “I should room with Ye Xiu. Everyone here has a person that they’re able to room with.”
He proceeded to list everyone down: obligatory Chu Yunxiu and Su Mucheng as they were the only women in the team, Yu Wenzhou and Huang Shaotian, Sun Xiang and Zhou Zekai, Tang Hao and Li Xuan, Zhang Jiale and Zhang Xinjie, lastly Fang Rui and Xiao Shiqin.
Xiao Shiqin was too busy dying in a corner, still sick from the plane ride like their leader. So only Fang Rui protested wildly at the claim, “I should be with my wife-”
“If he’s your wife, then you’re wearing a big green hat.” Chu Yunxiu couldn’t help but shake her head at the childishness of China’s Glory Team.
7
In the end, when Ye Xiu felt better, he choose to room with Zhou Zekai. The ahoge was wiggling side-to-side and his ears were red with happiness, “Senior, take care.”
Ye Xiu nodded.
“Oh? Why him?! Why not this Sword Saint, why didn’t you pick me? Am I that forgetful?!”
“Xiao Zhou is a good child. Quiet and very handsome. He won’t badger me to death, won’t crush me to death or glare at me to death. There’s no magical eyes, bad luck curses or waking at the crack of dawn. He is the best choice.” Ye Xiu gave him a big grin, “Plus, don’t you want to room with your captain?”
8
From what they learned, Ye Xiu can’t hold his alcohol.
When they were celebrating their win, someone gave Ye Xiu a glass of wine.
“Old-Old Ye?!” Huang Shaotian was about to tease Ye Xiu for growing a dark red at that little bit of alcohol, but shouted instead. Ye Xiu dropped on the spot, toppling over Sun Xiang, who was handed a nonalcoholic drink, in the wake of it.
The poor green Sun Xiang didn’t know whether or not to push him off or hold him in place.
They proceeded to fight over who would care for their Senior Ye, knowing full well that they can make use of this.
Su Mucheng secretly moved him back to his room, stumbling with the help of Chu Yunxiu. She didn’t trust any of the other players.
Only she forgot about Zhou Zekai being Ye Xiu’s roommate.
9
“We’re getting married.” The next day Zhou Zekai and Ye Xiu appeared in front the players who were either nursing their hangovers after a rare night of drinking or eating breakfast.
Sun Xiang did a spit take, showering Xiao Shiqin with a mouthful of milk.
Zhou Zekai smiled as everything went to shit.
“I thought you love me? You throw away your husband so carelessly for a good face?!” Fang Rui sounded like he was the abandoned husband that caught his wife cheating.
Zhang Xinjie’s glasses were broken by Zhang Jiale accidentally tripping over him.
Ye Xiu ignored the commotion, busy trying to move away from Zhou Zekai’s grip and failing, “What cheating? Since when were we ever together?”
“My wife!” Fang Rui was shoved away by Huang Shaotian.
“Old Ye, wu-what?! Why are you marrying this gourd? Is he forcing you to? Do you need me to help you-”
“Away.” Zhou Zekai, shook his head and frowned, “Unimportant.”
Huang Shaotian wanted to tackle him down but was held back by Yu Wenzhou. He couldn’t afford harming the face of Glory. That was a lawsuit waiting to happen, friendships be damned. Zhou Zekai’s face was ensured by Samsara and it wasn’t something Blue Rain, let alone Huang Shaotian, could afford.
“Senior… what happened last night?”
“Oh, Xiao Zhou and I slept together.” He said it like he was explaining the weather.
“Taking responsibility.” Zhou Zekai spirited away his new bride, trying to get away from the players congregating towards the two of them.
Ye Xiu called out from his arms, “We’ll send you the wedding invites. I just have to tell my family that the registry will have a new name.”
Chu Yunxiu watched on eagerly, not bothering to comment on Su Mucheng’s frozen smile or Wang Jiexi’s same sized eyes.
The two straight men in the team only congratulated the running party, shoving food in their mouths and wondering what would happen next. A dog blood drama?