Chapter Text
Yu Liang is playing another round of Go with his father, the Great Yu Xiao Yang (well, what else would you expect from a pair of Go enthusiasts to do during their free time, right?) They’ve been at it for hours now. But no one complained, and no one seems to want to stop either. They’re enjoying themselves way too much.
“I haven’t seen Shi Guang in a while.” Yu Xiao Yang said, while putting down his first piece on the board.
“He’s been very busy lately. I’ll tell him to come over our house sometime, if you like?” Yu Liang answered, as he too puts down a stone on the board.
His father nodded, and then remarked.
“That kid’s really something!”
Yu Liang smirks in agreement as he thought to himself. You have no idea!
“I wonder what happened to his mentor though. I did ask for him to arrange another game for the two of us. I’ve waited long enough.”
And at those words, Yu Liang froze and looked up to his father inquiringly.
”Mentor? You mean Bai Lǎoshī? Zhu Lǎoshī? Or Ban Lǎoshī? “
As he recited each name one by one, his father shook his head from side to side. Yu Liang frowned. Of course, father didn’t have a match with any of them lately or even in these past few months.
So who else did Shi Guang consider as his mentor then? Could it be that Monk at the Lan Yin Temple? Or could it be….
“Pa, who are you referring to?” said Yu Liang, waiting to hear what he suspected of hearing.
“Well, Shi Guang did ask me before to keep this a secret from you. But you two are so close by now, I’m fairly certain he’s already mentioned it to you.”
Now this is getting interesting.
Yu Liang also thought he knew a lot about Shi Guang by now. Having shared one bed for a few weeks when they were training for the Hokuto Cup. Living under one apartment for more than a month after the Hokuto Cup, because Shi Guang insisted that it’d be wiser to just live under one roof, since they attend the same events anyways. Plus, it’s more convenient if they’d just go together, than wait for the other one to arrive at press conferences or interviews and whatnots. (Personally, Yu Liang thought Shi Guang was just being smart about it, because Hong He is still back in their home to take care of his father, so Shi Guang had no one else to share the rent with.) People gossiped about their decision to live together until this day, which confused both Yu Liang and Shi Guang, because they were just two good friends living under one roof.
What’s the big deal with it?
Yu Liang found it quite annoying. However, for Shi Guang, it’s a form of entertainment. Like every now and then, he checks online forum’s to see what weird news people has come up with. The weirder the the rumor the happier he gets. Seriously!
Obviously, they did spend a lot of time together. And they had talked a lot about themselves, things about life and stuff. Shi Guang even told him of the time he had to jump in the lake near their school, and almost drowned, because he lost to a game of Go with his high school friend, He Jia Jia, who at the time wasn’t his friend yet. Although Yu Liang is pretty sure Shi Guang wouldn’t have told him that, if he wasn’t drunk at the time. He knows Shi Guang well enough to know that the guy can be a bit too arrogant sometimes. He’ll never tell you something if he knows you might use it against him one day.
“Son? It’s your turn.”
*cue in: broken record music*, as he met his father’s gaze and he just smiled nervously.
How long was I spacing out?
And he hurriedly took one stone from the container, placed it on the board, without really thinking. His move resulted to his father making a noise somewhere between choking and laughing.
Yu Liang frowned to his father. And then he went to look back at the board, and there he saw the reason why his father was now snickering. He felt his face growing hot out of shame. He, Yu Liang, after so many years of playing Go, actually made the mistake of putting a stone inside the square instead of putting it on the intersecting lines of the Go board.
How humiliating!
If he knew any better. His father would’ve scolded him by now, had this happened way before his retirement. But since he’d turned his back from the World of Professional Go, he’s now more relaxed and just enjoying life with his family and acquaintances. He’s not as strict as Yu Liang remembered him to be.
"What’s wrong son?” His father asked, instantly stopping his fits of suppressed laughter.
“Pa, I don’t think Shi Guang ever told me that he had another mentor, other than those three I mentioned.”
“I knew it! Anything concerning Shi Guang bothers you.”
Yu Liang opened his mouth to protest.
But Yu Xiao Yang suddenly added teasingly, “Don’t think I don’t know what people are talking about you two!”
"Pa!!! Don’t listen to those ridiculous rumors! ” Yu Liang retorted, half annoyed, half embarrassed.
“Oh, If you could only see your face right now!” His father mischievously implied.
Yu Liang couldn’t believe his father right now. This is way too much out of character for him. He suddenly felt like the whole room just got 10 times hotter than it used to. Why did he even have to bring those rumors up? Just as he thought he’s had enough teasing from his Shixiong Fang Xu, Shi Guang’s friends from Yijianghu, his teammates in Weida G.C., and that’s just to name a few.
“PPPPPAAAAA!!!! Will you stop it already?” Yu Liang felt like he’s on the hot seat now!
Where’s Shi Guang when you need him?
“Okay, okay, you don’t have to get so defensive! I was just messing around with you. You looked so tensed after I mentioned Shi Guang’s mentor.” His father stated cheerfully.
“It’s just that I’ve had these suspicions a long time ago. And whenever I bring it up, Shi Guang will always change the subject and avoid answering it.” Yu Liang confided to his father solemnly.
Yu Xiao Yang took some time to find the right words to say, his smile slowly fading away while realizing how serious Yu Liang was. Finally he responded to his son’s troubled look. “Well maybe he has his reasons for doing so.”
“But Dad, I’ve been dying to find out the truth, for years now….” A ringing silence filled the room, as Yu Liang pleads with all his might to his father with his words.
"It’s Chu Ying isn’t it?” Yu Liang eventually declared, doing his best to look as dejected as ever, so his father would have no choice but to give in.
Yu Xiao Yang felt the yearning in his son’s words. He could tell how desperate Yu Liang was to get to the bottom of it. And that no matter what he tells him now, he’ll just keep bringing up this subject whenever they’re together. Maybe it’s the price to pay for having an only child.
Sure enough Yu Xiao Yang exhaled a sharp long breath. Looked at his son thoughtfully and nodded his head very lightly.
And almost immediately he saw the effect that it had on Yu Liang. His poor son’s reaction is a mixture of disbelief, relief and resentment. Almost like he wanted to hit someone in the face at that very moment. (Shi Guang we’re looking at you.)
Yu Xiao Yang however found it amusing all of a sudden. He stood up snickered and shook his head.
“Oh, son, I guess there’s no way we can continue with the game now. I’ll leave you with your thoughts.” He said, as he patted his son’s back. He started to walk away when Yu Liang’s phone rings all of a sudden.
Yu Liang looked at his new phone with the screen facing upwards on the table beside the Go board, checked who the caller was, and picked it up at an alarming speed.
“We need to see each other. Right now!!!” Yu Liang answered indignantly, through the phone.
The person on the other end of the line must’ve been flustered to have heard the urgency in Yu Liang’s tone and completely forgot why he had made the call in the first place.
“Are you coming over to our house or should I go to your apartment instead?” Yu Liang asked impatiently and then pausing for his caller to talk. “Okay, I’ll wait for you here then.” He replied and hangs up the phone. He slumped his back on the armchair instantly as he closed his eyes in an attempt to relax himself. And almost immediately a broad smile formed in his face.
I can finally get an answer after all these years! - But what if he’ll still deny it? - No, I will get to the bottom of this today. I’ll even shamelessly drag my father into this if I have to.
Yu Liang just grew more anxious after having internal arguments with himself. He didn’t think it’d be possible for him to relax now.
Meanwhile…..
Shi Guang, is now frantically looking for a taxi to get to Yu Liang’s house ASAP. He had only intended to call Yu Liang for some pointless gossip that he’d heard while he was in his club training earlier. As usual, he found it absolutely hilarious, so he wanted to tell Yu Liang right away. The thought of how Yu Liang would react to the rumors that Fang Xu Gē and Bai Chuan Lǎoshī are secretly in a relationship with each other, made him laugh hysterically, so that his Club teammates all turned towards him and gave him a weird look. To which he only brushed off while he held both hands up in the air and said sorry to everyone.
But things turned to a complete 180° when Yu Liang answered with real urgency in his voice. Did something bad happen?He quickly slapped his own mouth.
Don’t think like that. Surely it’s nothing serious. Shi Guang tried to convince himself, as he successfully stops a taxi and hurriedly hops on. He promptly tells the driver where to take him.
"Sir, can you please drive faster? I’m in a hurry!” He added urgently. His heartbeat dangerously doing drum rolls in his chest. Yu Liang I’m coming..
The trip to Yu Liang’s house didn’t take too long. Thanks to the taxi driver who really did drive as fast as he was legally allowed to.
Shi Guang jabbed on the doorbell alarmingly as fast, and as many times as he could. He didn’t stop until someone finally opened the gate for him, and he was so relieved to see that it was Yu Liang.
“Ohhh, Yu Liang, you’re fine!” He practically threw himself towards Yu Liang to give him a really tight hug. “I was so worried! How are your parents, is everything okay? What’s wrong?” he mumbled through the collars of Yu Liang’s shirt.
Shi Guang finally pulls away and catches the incomprehensible reaction written on Yu Liang’s face. “What?”
“We need to talk.”
Yu Liang then shuts the gate close behind them and briskly took hold of Shi Guang’s right hand, before drastically dragging him to their living room, where he deliberately forces Shi Guang to sit on the couch.
Shi Guang was now wildly looking around for someone. He’s totally baffled at Yu Liang’s actions. He could feel the tension building and he feels nothing good will come out with being around Yu Liang right now.
What is happening here? Someone save me, NOW!
Miraculously, as if on cue, Yu Xiao Yang walks in on the peculiar scene ever so casually, like he knows what’s happening. Shi Guang breathes out a big sigh of relief.
"Yu Lǎoshī!!!” He shouted. “Thank God you’re fine.”
Yu Xiao Yang chuckled at Shi Guang’s words.
“Hǎojiǔ bùjiàn, Shi Guang!”
Shi Guang bowed his head low and stuttered, “N...Ni....Hao, Yu Lǎoshī.” He kept his head low, and suddenly became aware of the dirt in his shoes. He attempts to brush it off with the back of his hand when he suddenly heard Yu Liang clearing his throat.
“Ehem!”
“I’m sorry.” He quickly blurted out. Not even knowing what he might have done this time.
Yu Xiao Yang however was the one who broke the unusual tension in the air, by saying. “Shi Guang, how’s your mentor Chu Ying doing?” And he seated himself opposite Shi Guang.
Shi Guang took an audible gulp, pursed his lips and looked up in distraught. He felt like he was cornered. There’s no escaping this now. He thought of using his Grandfather as an excuse again. But that won’t work this time, since Yu Liang have already seen how his Yeye plays. And it doesn’t take a genius to tell that it is nowhere near the the playing style of the great Chu Ying.
He heaved deeply before finally saying. “I know you’ve been waiting for some time now sir. But unfortunately, Chu Ying couldn’t play with you anymore, ever again. If you haven’t noticed, his Wei Da account even got deleted for a long time now.”
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Yu Liang immediately regretted what he’s done when he saw the sadness that’s now written all over Shi Guang’s face. That face that he’s seen in Shi Guang when he quit Go for half a year. The expression he has every time he mentions the name Chu Ying. It’s enough to make everyone feel anxious. He couldn’t bear to see the sadness in Shi Guang’s eyes.
So he walks away towards the kitchen to get Shi Guang a cup of water. He took his time in doing so. Because he felt guilty for what he’s done. Clearly Shi Guang was closely tied to Chu Ying. But since it’s hard for him to talk about it for now, maybe he’ll have to choose another day to ask him. At least in a way, he did confirm that Chu Ying and Shi Guang really are somehow related.
To Be Continued…..