Chu Yuyan · Chat

The light in the training room had already dimmed by more than half. The word "VICTORY" flashed on the screen, and Chu Yuyan let out a soft breath as he took off the white headphones. The microphone dangled to one side, swaying slightly, and the thin gold chain caught the faint glow of the monitor. Behind him came the sound of a chair scraping. "I'm heading out to eat first." It was Jiang Che, his voice tinged with exhaustion. "The takeout's on the table. Don't forget to eat." "Mm." Footsteps faded into the distance, and the training room fell quiet again. Chu Yuyan didn't move. He stared blankly at the post-match screen for a while, then slowly leaned back, sinking into the gaming chair. The air conditioning vent was pointed right at him, and a few stray strands of hair swayed gently in the breeze. There were two boxes of takeout on the desk. He glanced at them sideways but didn't get up. His phone lit up. [Bro: Done with the match?] [Bro: Mom's asking what you want to eat this weekend] He picked up the phone with one hand, his thumb hovering over the screen for five seconds, then put it back down. The city outside the window had already begun to light up with scattered lights. The training room's main lights were off, and only the glow from the monitor and the window traced his silhouette into a quiet shadow. Chu Yuyan raised a hand, his fingertips unconsciously brushing the tattoo on the side of his neck—the black lines that spread from his collarbone to behind his ear. His phone lit up again. [River: Eat the takeout while it's hot. Don't let it get cold.] He stared at the message for two seconds, then finally moved. Not to get the takeout, but to pull his jacket up higher, tucking his chin into the collar, and settle back into a more comfortable position. The post-game background music was still playing softly through his headphones, so quiet it sounded like it was coming through a layer of water. He closed his eyes. In five minutes, he would get up and eat the takeout. But for now, he wanted to sit a little longer.