Chapter 18: Sleeping With Her
Washroom.
Jiang Yuan cupped cold water and washed his face.
Looking at himself in the mirror, he shook the water droplets from his hands and turned to leave.
After just two steps, he ran into the familiar chubby internet cafe manager.
The manager had an unlit cigarette in his mouth. Seeing Jiang Yuan, his eyes lit up.
“Coach Jiang!” He greeted enthusiastically. “Training your team again?”
Jiang Yuan nodded: “Yeah, just a few days left, actively preparing for battle.”
“Go for it!” The manager moved closer. “Let me tell you Coach Jiang, our internet cafe tournament has been held for several years now, and this is the first time we’ve had an all-female team make it to the offline finals! How rare!”
He became serious: “If you guys can win the championship, that would definitely be big news! There’ll definitely be surprises then, you know what I mean!”
Jiang Yuan smiled: “We’ll do our best.”
After saying goodbye to the manager, he walked back to the private room.
Just as he reached the door, he heard Su Wanwan’s slightly excited voice from inside:
“Amazing!”
Jiang Yuan pushed the door open and asked: “What’s amazing?”
Su Wanwan: “Dad, you’re back! I’m saying sister’s last-hitting is amazing!”
Jiang Yuan glanced at Mo Tong’s screen.
It was training mode.
He didn’t pay much attention to it.
Jiang Yuan said: “Stop watching her, hurry up and play ranked. I can’t stay very long today, I can only help you review a few games.”
Jiang Ruoxi’s game had already started.
Jiang Yuan stood behind her.
After her awareness improved to B rank, Jiang Ruoxi’s skill prediction accuracy, macro awareness, and decision-making were all much more correct than before.
After giving simple guidance for a few plays, Jiang Yuan stopped and looked at Su Wanwan on the other side.
Her screen was straightforward.
Less than ten minutes into the game, she was already 5/0.
Jiang Yuan nodded: “Wanwan, your skill level is too high now. Gold rank isn’t enough for you to play at. Climb ranks quickly.”
Looking at the time, it was getting late.
Jiang Yuan said: “Alright, Ruoxi, Wanwan, keep practicing. I have something to do, so I’m leaving first.”
“Oh!” Jiang Ruoxi quickly removed her hood in the middle of her busy game and stood up to bow: “Goodbye, Coach.”
Su Wanwan frowned, seeming to want to say something.
After hesitating for a moment, she didn’t speak.
A few seconds later, she asked: “Are we training tomorrow?”
“We’re training both tomorrow and the day after, final sprint.”
He turned to Mo Tong, who had been sitting quietly in the corner and had somehow exited the game and was now watching the Arcane Season 2 trailer: “Let’s go, Tong.”
“Mm.”
Mo Tong got up and said goodbye to Jiang Ruoxi and Su Wanwan.
Jiang Yuan took Mo Tong to the girls’ dormitory first to get her two large suitcases.
Then they returned to his dormitory building.
Yu Feng had already packed Jiang Yuan’s luggage. Seeing them arrive, he smiled and saluted:
“Brother Yuan! Sister!”
“Got everything packed?”
“All set!” Yu Feng patted his chest. “Guaranteed nothing’s missing!”
Jiang Yuan looked at him, originally wanting to say some words of thanks.
But then he thought the two of them didn’t need to say such things.
Yu Feng seemed to guess what Jiang Yuan was thinking. He punched Jiang Yuan’s shoulder and grinned:
“Bro, I won’t beat around the bush with you. I really like that Zhao Xiaomeng from your team. Help me set something up if you get the chance.”
“What about that curvy top laner girl?”
“Uh, she’s nice too, but not really my type…” Yu Feng spoke diplomatically.
Jiang Yuan smiled: “OK, after the internet cafe tournament, I’ll invite you to the celebration dinner.”
“You really have to go all out, Brother Yuan. I’m really looking forward to that celebration dinner!”
“Will do.”
Jiang Yuan called a taxi and headed straight to the pet hospital to pick up the mewing kittens.
Around 9 PM, the two arrived at their new home with the cats.
Turned on the lights.
The empty three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment felt a bit cold.
Jiang Yuan rolled up his sleeves.
Mo Tong set down the cat carrier. The kittens, facing the unfamiliar environment, didn’t dare step out of the carrier and only dared to meow softly inside.
There were many tasks for the new home: unpacking boxes, moving things, making beds, organizing clothes, cleaning, sorting miscellaneous items…
Mo Tong wanted to help, but Jiang Yuan dismissed her with “just watch the cats.”
She had no choice but to sit on the sofa hugging her knees, simply feeding the kittens some milk.
They stayed busy until after 11 PM.
Finally got both of their rooms organized decently.
Jiang Yuan collapsed on the sofa, feeling like his bones were about to fall apart.
He took out his phone and video-called his mom on WeChat.
Connected.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Son, how’s it going? Did you find a good place? Where’s Tongtong?” Mom’s voice was full of concern.
Jiang Yuan switched the camera to show the new home environment: “All sorted, Mom. Three bedrooms, one living room, nice environment.”
He then pointed the camera at Mo Tong, who was holding a small orange kitten and looking curiously at the screen: “Tongtong’s right here.”
Mo Tong obediently called to the camera: “Godmother.”
Jiang Yuan also filmed the kittens in the carrier: “Got the cats too, they just need to adjust to the environment.”
“Good, good!” Mom felt relieved. “That’s wonderful. You must take good care of Tongtong, you hear?”
“Don’t worry!”
Jiang Yuan thought to himself.
As long as the money’s in place, he’d guarantee to keep Mo Tong well-fed and plump.
After hanging up the video call.
Jiang Yuan stretched: “Alright, I’m going to shower first.”
After he finished showering, Mo Tong went in.
The sound of running water began.
Jiang Yuan dried his hair and lay on his new bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling inexplicably anxious.
Living with Mo Tong was fine, but he worried about one thing…
More than ten minutes later.
He saw Mo Tong standing at his bedroom door in cute rabbit pajamas, holding a hair dryer.
“Yuan, help me dry my hair.”
Jiang Yuan got out of bed.
Taking the hair dryer, he went to her room and plugged it in: “Come here.”
Mo Tong obediently sat on the small stool in front of the desk.
Warm air blew through her smooth black hair.
In the humming sound of the hair dryer, Mo Tong suddenly spoke, her voice very soft:
“Yuan, you have to sleep with me tonight.”
Sure enough!
What was bound to come had come!
This girl had been like this since childhood.
Whenever there was thunder and rain, she wouldn’t dare sleep alone at night and would run to find him next door…
This condition only improved somewhat after high school.
Jiang Yuan sighed, continuing to dry her hair while saying: “No, sleep by yourself.”
Mo Tong turned around, those dark eyes looking at him steadily. Her expression didn’t change much, but her hand grabbed Jiang Yuan’s sleeve, her tone carrying obvious dependence: “Coax me to sleep.”
Jiang Yuan: “…”
Long silence.
Mo Tong tugged his sleeve again: “I’m scared. Coax me to sleep.”
Her gaze was pitiful, clearly knowing that Jiang Yuan was susceptible to this approach.
Today, facing her sugar-buying acting cute, Jiang Yuan had already struggled hard to maintain his bottom line.
This time… he couldn’t quite hold out.
He knocked her on the head and sighed: “Just for these few days. Once you get used to it, you have to sleep by yourself.”
“Mm.” Mo Tong responded lightly, turned back around, and obediently let him continue drying her hair.