As a Captain, You Must Be Cold - Chapter 109

Yu Zhaohan and his boyfriend started their week-long long-distance relationship. Seven days, a considerable test for these clingy individuals. Fortunately, he had prepared in advance and learned the art of long-distance relationships. Now it was time to put theoretical knowledge into practice by leaving their love in text memories on WeChat.

The first thing he did when he woke up every day was he would say “Good morning” to Shi Du. However, instead of the expected “Good morning” in return, Shi Du would directly send a video.

This wasn’t the first time. During these days of long-distance relationship, every time he messaged Shi Du on WeChat, as long as there was no one around them, Shi Du would respond with a video call. Despite his efforts, their text memories were limited to the format [Call duration xx:xx].

The guy on the phone screen had turned double eyelids into multiple eyelids due to sleep. His eyes were half-open or half-closed, as he lay in a side-lying position, and a bit of gray hair hung down, slightly blocking his face.

Seeing him, Shi Du smiled through his sleepiness, “Good morning, Yuyu.”

“Good morning, Shi Du, but this is not how long-distance relationships work.” Yu Zhaohan said, “You should reply to me with messages, not always with video calls.”

“Why type a message when I can see you on video?” Shi Du lazily replied, “Aren’t your hands tired?”

Shi Du’s reasoning made sense. Yu Zhaohan pondered for a moment before saying, “Because words have a power that videos cannot replace. Words can be preserved.”

Shi Du raised an eyebrow, “Okay, I get it.”

“Well, I’ll end the video. You reply to me in text. Thanks.” Yu Zhaohan was also in bed, wearing a white big-eared dog coral fleece pajama. He wrapped himself in a quilt while video calling Shi Du.

Shi Du looked at him, and his Adam’s apple rolled lightly.

“Wait a moment.” Shi Du lifted the quilt to take a look inside, showing an innocent expression, “It’s also awake.”

According to the law of separation between man and chicken(cock), it is an independent entity, not controlled by Shi Du. It seems to have its own thoughts and should be treated differently from Shi Du.

Yu Zhaohan said, “Then let me say hello to it too.”

“Come on.” Shi Du turned the camera to the rear-facing state and slowly moved it down.

Playing like this for the first time felt a bit embarrassing.

Yu Zhaohan said to the bulging pants, “Hello, it’s been a few days. Do you miss me?”

Shi Du waited for a while but didn’t wait for more words.

Is that it? Just a greeting?

Shi Du’s tone was subtly playful, “It says it misses you a little. What about you? Do you miss it?”

“I do, but only a little.” Yu Zhaohan lightly tapped the screen, “I miss its owner more.”

These sweet words were soothing to hear.

Shi Du barely held back his laughter, “Don’t tap so hard; it hurts.”

Yu Zhaohan looked at his hand and suddenly realized – Shi Du was trying to engage in a text/love session with him.

Finally, the moment had arrived.

Yu Zhaohan understood in his heart and said, “Okay, I won’t tap. I’ll just touch.”

Shi Du’s breath tightened, and he asked softly, “How do you want to touch?”

“I…” Yu Zhaohan hesitated.

He silently recited “Text/Love Techniques: Advanced Video Edition” in his mind but couldn’t find the standard answer to this question. He could only organize his words, “I’ll make three circles to the left, three circles to the right? I’ll twist a bit, lick a bit, and then soak a bit?”

He didn’t have a problem with licking and soaking, but maybe twisting was a bit too much.

Shi Du: “Just tell me, did you eat sandwich cookies yesterday?”

“Yes,” Yu Zhaohan wondered, “How did you know?”

Shi Du: “.”

Not hearing Shi Du’s voice, Yu Zhaohan thought it was because the network was lagging: “Shi Du? Hello? Husband?”

Shi Du said quietly: “Thank you, baby, I’m going to wilt again.”

“You lied to me,” Yu Zhaohan stared at the little tent, “It’s clearly so energetic.”

Shi Du just laughed, “Oops, got caught.” Shi Du noticed that it was already the usual time for Yu Zhaohan to have breakfast, “Are you hungry? Do you want to eat first…”

After struggling to find a suitable beginning for the text/love in the tutorial, Yu Zhaohan blurted out, “Shi Du, guess what color underwear I’m wearing today.”

Shi Du, who had just calmed down a bit, showed signs of agitation again, “Pink lucky cat?”

“No,” Yu Zhaohan replied.

“Then it must be a big yellow duck,” Shi Du guessed.

“That’s not it either,” Yu Zhaohan said.

“What if I can’t guess,” Shi Du chuckled, “Can you show me?”

Yu Zhaohan agreed happily, “Sure.”

He lifted the blanket, holding the phone in one hand and removing the fluffy sleep pants of the big-eared dog with the other.

Inside was a plain-colored underwear without any pattern or decoration.

Shi Du smiled, “Wearing something so plain on New Year’s? ”

“No,” Yu Zhaohan explained, “There’s a pattern on the back.”

“Really? I can’t see it.”

To show the pattern on the back to Shi Du, Yu Zhaohan placed the phone on the bed, turned around in front of the camera on all fours, and asked, “Can you see it now?”

Shi Du’s voice was hoarse, “Still not clear, can you come closer?”

Things began to get out of control. Yu Zhaohan forgot everything from the tutorial, his mind went blank, relying only on instinct and the conversation with Shi Du on the screen.

Yu Zhaohan and Shi Du’s first kiss and first night both went through failures before succeeding. However, their long-distance relationship text/love achieved a perfect victory on the first attempt.

This was a celebration-worthy achievement. Just this was enough to dispel the haze of being an idiot couple.

Yu Zhaohan lay on the pillow for a moment, and his consciousness had entered a state of emptiness.

Shi Du was angry that he was not with Yuyu, so he could only coax him through the screen: “Wake up Yuyu, put on your clothes first, be careful of catching a cold.”

Yu Zhaohan remained motionless and said without any emotions: “Shi Du, do you find this kind of thing interesting? After the revelry, there’s only endless emptiness left.”

Shi Du: “…”

“Baby, are you awake?” Mother Yu knocked on the door outside the bedroom, “Breakfast is ready.”

When Shi Du heard his mother-in-law’s voice, his ears suddenly became clear as if he were listening to fairy music. He immediately woke up and his heart was beating fast. It was the thrill of being caught in puppy love.

But then he realized, both of them were already out of the closet, what’s the thrill?

Yu Zhaohan responded to his mother with a low voice, “I’ll be right out.” He slowly got up and said to Shi Du, “I’ll get up first.”

Shi Du said, “Okay, go ahead.”

After hanging up the video, Yu Zhaohan was going to wash up when Shi Du sent a text message as promised.

[Timeless: Good morning]

[Timeless: Miss you]

[Timeless: I also want to sleep with you]

Yu Zhaohan suddenly realized the power of words. Staring at the last two sentences sent by Shi Du, there was a slight fluctuation in his heart, but it wasn’t enough.

Previously, when they practiced their long-distance relationship, similar words were said, but at that time, he was still a virgin and had only a vague understanding of intimate matters. Now it’s different; as soon as he saw those sentences, corresponding memories automatically surfaced in his mind, and his body recalled the feelings from that time

Unfortunately, he was still in the sage-like state.

So, he said—

[Shine: Please mind your manners.]

Shi Du was about to visit his house soon, and politeness was essential.

[Timeless retracted a message]

[Timeless: May I come over for a bit? Just a moment is fine.]

[Shine: Sure, no problem [bowing emoji]]

[Timeless: Thank you so much [bowing emoji]]

[Shine: It’s just a small favor, nothing to worry about]

During the Chinese New Year, the most lively place was the RH team’s group chat, with red envelopes of all sizes constantly popping up. The team chat had also become a place for everyone to vent and share frustrating or amusing experiences, bringing joy to the brothers.

[Old Tan: Can’t get through a single day this year. Just escaped from grandpa and grandma’s matchmaking, and now my 16-year-old nephew is pestering me, earnestly asking if he can join RH for training. He wants to pursue his dream in the esports world [sweating emoji]]

[Timeless: Of course, why not? Having a dream makes anyone remarkable.]

[Lu Youshan: Send me his gaming records, and I’ll evaluate.]

[Stone: By the way, have you participated in this year’s Spring Festival activities? It’s quite interesting. This wave of planning has ensured the safety of the entire family.]

In addition to the basic control-point battles in the game, during festive seasons, there were also limited-time game modes.

This year’s event was a game of hide-and-seek, encouraging players to put down their guns and enjoy a harmonious and friendly gaming time. For this, the official team designed a Chinese-style map filled with festive elements. Completing event missions allowed players to obtain limited-time gestures and spray paints for the Spring Festival.

[Shine: Nope.]

[Shine: @Xian, in-game event?]

There was a reason why Yu Zhaohan only called Qi Xian.

Qi Xian had completely severed ties with his family in his early years to pursue a professional gaming career, and to this day, they still had no contact. Qi Xian didn’t return home for the New Year; in the past, if he wasn’t spending it alone, he’d be at a teammate’s place for the New Year’s Eve dinner.

As far as Yu Zhaohan knew, Qi Xian hadn’t gone to a teammate’s house for the New Year this year, meaning he was truly alone.

[Qi Xian:

]

[Qi Xian: Sorry, captain, I’m a little busy, let someone else accompany you]

In the video sent by Qi Xian, Yu Zhaohan saw a blonde girl singing while holding a guitar under dim lighting, and a hand holding a glass of wine.

That hand, long and pale, appeared particularly slender and white in the sparkling light of the wine, with a faint scar on the wrist.

Qi Xian was having a good time at a bar abroad, and as the captain, he didn’t need to worry about him.

[Shine: Okay, have fun]

[Stone: Hmm… is it just my imagination, or is Cheese unusually quiet this year?]

[Old Tan: I knew something was off. I checked, and out of over 99 messages, not a single one was from Cheese.]

[Jiang:@Cheese]

[Cheese: Well, say what you want. I choose silence [facepalm]]

[Cheese: Just pretend I’m dead.]

[Jiang: Captain, if you need someone to accompany you, I can play hide-and-seek with you.]

[Timeless: ?]

[Timeless: Thanks, Big Brother Jiang, but I’m not dead yet [smile]]

[Jiang：.]

[Shine: Log in]

Yu Zhaohan and Shi Du log into the game and play hide-and-seek mode in two-row matches.

Many people were participating in the event, and they quickly found a match. In this round, Yu Zhaohan played as the ghost catching others, while the other three hid.

Using their well-known IDs with the pro player certification symbol, as soon as they entered the room, Yu Zhaohan heard screams from a male and a female.

“Ah, is that really Shine? Damn, it’s really Shine?!”

“Shine, I’m your fan! Tilss, I’m your bro!”

Shi Du: “No need for introductions; your ID has already exposed everything.”

“I can’t handle this; my hands are shaking, really,” the girl said in a trembling voice, sounding excited and almost on the verge of tears. “Shine, I’ve been your fan since high school. I used to send you private messages to cheer you up before every match. I even went to the venue to cheer for you during last year’s finals!”

Yu Zhaohan smiled: “Thank you.”

The male fan followed the lead of the female fan, “I’m an even bigger fan of yours! I’ve been a fan since elementary school! Can I get a friend request?”

Yu Zhaohan asked, “How old are you?”

The male fan replied, “Twenty-two!”

The map transitioned to a traditional Chinese courtyard on the eve of the Lunar New Year. Square walls enclosed the courtyard, adorned with Spring Festival couplets and “福” (blessing) characters on the doors. Red lanterns hung under the eaves, and a pile of fireworks sat in the yard, emitting occasional puffs of smoke from the kitchen chimney.

In the hide-and-seek game, players could choose to transform into one of several models on the map and hide among them.

Yu Zhaohan chose to become the Ice Maiden, in line with the festive atmosphere. Among a row of lanterns, he noticed a narrower gap between two of them. Using his ice cone, he prodded one, revealing the true identity of the male fan.

[R.H. Shine found out ‘I’m Yu Zhaohan’s dog’]

I’m Yu Zhaohan’s dog: “F*ck, the Ice Maiden hit me so accurately! It feels so good!”

Shi Du furrowed his brows, then promptly reported his teammate with the reason: [Inappropriate speech].

Next, Yu Zhaohan uncovered the girl disguised as a dumpling in a pot of dumplings.

[R.H. Shine found “Counting Money, Counting Stars”]

Once found, the two fans stuck close to Yu Zhaohan, emulating the in-game actions and expressions.

Yu Zhaohan wandered around the courtyard, poking suspicious spots twice, but he just couldn’t find Shi Du.

With only a minute left on the countdown, if he didn’t find Shi Du, the system would declare his defeat.

Yu Zhaohan decided to stop searching. Standing in the courtyard, he focused on the game’s audio. Amidst the festive background music, he keenly detected a “whoosh” sound.

It was the sound effect of Shi Du’s Seeker’s recall skill.

Shi Du hadn’t transformed at all; instead, he utilized the Seeker’s teleportation ability to move around the map. He would be in the front yard when Yu Zhaohan checked the back, and vice versa, explaining why Yu Zhaohan couldn’t find him.

What a cunning Timeless.

[Countdown: 49, 48, 47…]

Counting Money, Counting Stars: “Did you miss a poke on that pot of dumplings just now? Should we poke it again?”

I am Yu Zhaohan’s dog: “Have you checked by the fireworks?”

Counting Money, Counting Stars: “Checked twice already.”

Shi Du chuckled, “Where are you two from, anyway?”

Yu Zhaohan said, “Quiet.”

The two fans obediently fell silent, with the girl even covering her mouth with her hand.

Since Shi Du hadn’t transformed, the best perspective for finding someone was from above.

Yu Zhaohan returned to the starting point, changing from the Ice Lady to the Black Swan. After going out, a grappling hook flew into the air, and the sniper stood on the top of the eaves, overlooking the entire map.

Soon, he saw a petite figure in the sniper scope – the female assassin Seeker was hiding behind a door, just like him, holding her breath and focusing on every faint sound.

The Black Swan firmly locked onto the Seeker’s position, about to pull the trigger. However, the Seeker suddenly used her recall ability, returning to her position from a few seconds ago.

The Black Swan’s crosshair followed instantly, but it still missed by a hair’s breadth.

This shot exposed the Black Swan’s location. Yu Zhaohan descended from the roof, facing Shi Du head-on.

In hide-and-seek mode, except for the “ghost,” others couldn’t shoot. Shi Du could only hide, and in half a minute, he would secure victory.

It was time to test the agility of the assassin and the marksmanship of the sniper.

In the game’s lore, the Black Swan and Seeker were opposing protagonists, clashing multiple times in various assassination missions, with victories and defeats on both sides. While the official records confirmed the clashes, the notion of a romantic connection was mainly a product of players’ imaginations.

The stunning and aloof sniper vs. the lively and honest girl assassin—a tantalizing setup that inspired numerous fanfictions and artworks.

The Seeker circled around the Black Swan. She had three teleportation abilities and could also recall. Despite being one of the smallest heroes among the dozens, it wasn’t easy to shoot her tiny head.

Especially when it was Timeless controlling her.

[Countdown: 20, 19, 18…]

Ten seconds passed, and Yu Zhaohan hadn’t fired a shot. However, his crosshair consistently followed Shi Du, quietly waiting for the perfect moment.

After being teammates for so long, Shi Du could probably predict when Yu Zhaohan would shoot. Sensing imminent danger, he decisively triggered the recall.

This recall caused the Seeker to collide with the Black Swan, and their foreheads aligned with the barrel of her gun.

Yu Zhaohan anticipated Shi Du’s anticipation.

Your captain will always be your captain.

—Bang.

Fireworks in the courtyard ascended, unfolding and blooming at the highest point, forming the golden characters “Happy New Year” in the night sky.

[R.H. Shine found R.H. Timeless]

[R.H. Shine achieved a perfect victory]

The two fans knew it well—Shine had too many fans, and it was impossible to befriend everyone. As soon as the game ended, the room disbanded. This might be their last chance to talk to Shine in the game.

Counting money, Counting stars: “Happy New Year, Shine! I love you forever!”

I’m Yu Zhaohan’s dog: “Shine is awesome. Make sure to successfully defend your title next year!”

Yu Zhaohan said, “Alright.”

As the game ended, the voices of the two fans disappeared.

Yu Zhaohan asked: “Do you want to change to the alternate account?”

“Let’s play another round,” Shi Du insisted, “I don’t believe I won’t encounter my only fan.”

Just as he finished speaking, he heard another “bang,” not a game sound effect, but a real sound coming from Yu Zhaohan.

Shi Du asked, “What’s that sound?”

“It’s fireworks.” Yu Zhaohan looked out the window. “They’re really setting off fireworks here.”

Shi Du chuckled, “Awesome—Is it beautiful?”

“Yeah.” Yu Zhaohan watched for a while and whispered, “Shi Du.”

“Yeah?”

Yu Zhaohan put on his headphones, and his eyes reflected the brilliant fireworks: “Suddenly, I felt that it would be nice if you were by my side at this time.”

Even though it was only the third day of their long-distance relationship, he was already starting to miss Shi Du.