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1
It was subtle at first.
If Ye Xiu wasn’t as observant as he was, he would’ve missed it.
There were short glances, lingering gazes and long, hard stares.
He could care less if it was on him, but they all seemed to be directed to his precious little sister.
First it was Hundred Blossom's Zhang Jiale during their 2nd season. Even though he was a good, strong candidate for Su Mucheng, his luck was absolutely atrocious. What if it rubbed onto her and effect her play?
Then Han Wenqing threw his hat into the ring, managing to get him running. As much as he loved his sister, to cross Han Wenqing, one must have a lot of money to throw away to his face.
“Ye Xiu, why are you staring at Tyranny?” Su Mucheng asked, turning her head to face his as they stepped away from the stage, letting Wu Xuefeng handle everything else. She still had yet to debut, but Su Mucheng was here to cheer them on.
“Protecting virtue.”
“At least you know it’s on the line.”
2
Season three was scary. A man with two different sized eyes won’t leave the two of them alone.
“Please stop staring, your eyes aren’t going to go back to normal.”
“This is how they really look.”
“Oh.”
“Are you two dating?”
Su Mucheng called for security.
3
Season four was a bit more troubling.
“You’re Ye Qiu? Really? You aren’t lying? That can’t be right, you’re very different from what the players are saying!” Huang Shaotian nagged him relentlessly. It must be to distract him so that he’d be able to get closer to his little sister. Thankfully Yu Wenzhou was always nearby to stop him.
“Senior, Su Mucheng.” He would greet him respectfully first, because that's who Yu Wenzhou was. Then he’d promptly stare at Su Mucheng harshly.
4
When Season five and six blasted by, Ye Xiu was met with a very tough opponent.
“Ye… Senior Ye… very…” Zhou Zekai stuttered, face red and unable to continue.
“Xiao Zhou.” He was cordial, as one should be.
“I...give you.” Not even a second after shoving something into his hands, he ran. If Ye Xiu was a lesser man, he’d admire his speed.
It was a little trinket of Cloud Piercer, making a gun with his fingers.
Jiang Botao smiled cleverly and said that was for Mucheng, hinting that it meant something more. Being filial, he gave him a Samsara jacket.
“To keep you warm.”
Ye Xiu had yet to realize that Jiang Botao gave his actual team jacket, the one with his name plastered on the left side.
5
“You have many people going after you.” Ye Xiu wanted to complain to Su Mucheng, dropping off the keychain. He held onto the jacket and had the mind to throw it away. Just because Jiang Botao paid respects, doesn’t mean he’s going to sell her away.
“You’re stupid.” She threw it towards his head as he was leaving.
6
“He doesn’t get it. Xiuxiu, he doesn’t understand.” Chu Yunxiu only laughed at her predicament.
“Just go along with it.”
“It’s not easy to when most of them think I’m a threat. But good, they all should.”
Chu Yunxiu choked on her drink, “W-what’s this? You like Ye Qiu? That shameless thing?”
“Of course I do, but he should only have eyes for one person.”
“Oh? Who?”
“My brother, who else?” Su Mucheng was very irritated.
“...You have a brother?!”
6
“Mucheng, Ye Xiu.”
“Oh, you’re still alive?”
Su Muqiu laughed under his breath, “What do you take me for? I won’t kick the bucket that early on.”
“Good, because if you do, you won’t hear the end of it from me.”
“Please stop feeding me dog food, it’s horrible and tooth rotting.”
Su Mucheng grinned as her brother spluttered in the hospital bed. Ye Xiu was too busy teasing him about the nurse that kept passing by to check up on him.
7
“I heard that Ye Qiu is already seeing someone… that they’re very possessive and that’s why he never shows his face-”
“What was that?” Huang Shaotian rounded on the gossiping group, his face looking like murder. If he was slightly taller, it would’ve been more intimidating.
8
He kept this tidbit from his captain of course. They were rivals and he was an opportunistic person. Any advantages he could get, he would take by the balls.
But his mouth was always too big to contain it all.
So most of the pro players know it by the time it was lunch.
9
Tao Xuan stood while Sun Xiang sat down on one of the chairs.
“Before you sign, there’s just one thing I want to confirm.” The man was so serious that even the green Sun Xiang didn’t speak up to hurry the process.
“Muqiu… is he the reason you didn’t take any ads?”
“Yes.” Ye Xiu owed it all to him, his partner and the silver weapon gifted to One Autumn Leaf, and his love for Glory. In turn, he cared for his sister when he couldn’t. It was normal to give back.
“I see.”
Too bad Ye Xiu didn’t make the connections Tao Xuan and Sun Xiang did.
Su Mucheng gave them a mocking smile.
10
[Ye Qiu retired to care for his lover?!
It seems that Tao Xuan, Boss of Excellent Era, confirmed this yesterday! Ye Qiu, a mysterious figure that managed to elude the journalists for years, drops a bombshell without even showing his face. Sun Xiang, the newly minted captain for Excellent Era, was there when Ye Qiu retired and also confirmed that Ye Qiu did indeed hide away because of his jealous lover. Is it because he’s too beautiful or too ugly? Both interviewees refuse to comment on that, but we can infer by Sun Xiang’s blush when questioned that Ye Qiu may be a big beauty.]
He stared long and hard, cursing Tao Xuan. Ye Xiu didn’t curse Sun Xiang though, the boy was too young and was probably coerced by Tao Xuan.
He could vaguely hear Chen Guo making bets that the sweetheart was a man.
11
“So I heard you had a little lover to cherish now-”
“Muqiu.”
“You got a cute little thing to pamper and didn’t even tell me? Are you planning on throwing me away to collect dust?”
“Muqiu, shut up.”
“Ah, that’s not any way to treat your husband. Aren’t I your darling?”
The nurse who had a crush on Su Muqiu heard this and fainted as soon as she walked pass the door.
12
Ye Qiu, his brother, messaged him many times on QQ.
Ye Xiu ignored said messages every time.
Maybe he shouldn’t have, because now he’s standing right in front of him and his boss Chen Guo.
13
“Bastard brother, is it true?” If Ye Qiu was younger, less muscular and angry, he’d look very cute pouting.
“What is?”
“You’re keeping a lover in secret! Why didn’t you tell me? Don’t you think something as important as bringing someone into the family needs approval? I have to find out if their backgrounds are sound, their pay good and face aesthetically pleasing so that they wouldn’t drag you down-”
“Have you always been this stupid? Your brother isn’t keeping a pet.”
“Then-”
“I’m not one myself.”
14
Ye Qiu refused to leave.
They ended up entertaining him and pacifying him with drinks.
Of course it just led to more misunderstandings.
Su Mucheng held up her phone, readying to take a snap of the two people in front of her. If she didn’t know they were siblings and if they didn’t have similar facial features, she’d think that they were together.
The image was of two bodies side by side on the couch, passed out and holding one another. Their faces weren’t shown for obvious reasons.
Chen Guo asked if she could send those to her.
[Excellent Era] Su Mucheng V: Ye Qiu and his most favorite person ♥
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Well, Su Mucheng didn’t lie. Ye Xiu was Ye Qiu’s most beloved person.
15
Han Wenqing came knocking into his QQ.
Huang Shaotian created new QQ accounts just to spam text him.
Zhou Zekai kept crying in emotes to him.
Like all messages he received in the last few hours, he ignored them.
For good measure, he blocked most of the pro players, just in case.
16
Ye Xiu could only stare listlessly as almost all of China’s Glory Team decided to tackle him down.
“Er Xiang, Tang Hao, you’re my favorites so far.” They were good kids, bright and didn’t converge to him on the spot.
Said people shivered. Yu Wenzhou ordered them to PK with the others. The rest gladly went along with it.
Su Mucheng was busy sending video evidence to her brother that his wife was being stolen.
17
Somewhere else, Su Muqiu practiced on his legs faster. So that he’d be able to block anyone from going near Ye Xiu.
“Sir, you’re going to-”
Su Muqiu fell.