It was already late at night when Pei Ran finished his homework. He got up to wash his coffee cup, and before going to sleep, he casually scrolled through Weibo.

He hadn't logged into Weibo for a long time. There were several hundred unread private messages, many of which were asking him for commissions.

Pei Ran had taken on a few commercial commissions during high school. He liked trying new things and had also experienced the harshness of clients back then. After completing a few pieces, his followers had grown to sixty thousand, but he hadn't accepted any more since starting university.

He roughly scanned his private messages and was about to post a statement that he wasn't accepting commissions when a private message preview caught his eye.

[TZG Saigao: Do you take private commissions? I want to commission a drawing of Lin Xuhuan...]

It was a fan of Lin Xuhuan. Before this message, they had also sent a few photos of Lin Xuhuan playing games. His hair was very short, and they looked quite old.

[Fei Yu Yi: Any requirements?]

The other person replied instantly.

[TZG Saigao: !!! Aaaahhh!]

[TZG Saigao: No requirements! No requirements at all!! It's just... about how much would the commission fee be QAQ...]

[Fei Yu Yi: How much do you usually pay for commissions?]

[TZG Saigao: The last piece I commissioned was 800...]

[TZG Saigao: Ah, I don't mean for you to draw it for 800! I know your art is very expensive! It's just, I'm a student QAQ, so I really can't afford too high a price. You can name a price, and if it's suitable, I'll commission it. If not, I'll just quietly remain your little fan. I really, really love your art!]

Pei Ran's art was indeed expensive. The last time he took a commercial commission, the fee was over ten thousand.

Pei Ran long-pressed the images and saved these photos of Lin Xuhuan to his phone.

[Fei Yu Yi: Thanks. Eight hundred it is, then. Is it convenient to give me an email address?]

After noting down the other person's email, Pei Ran closed his private messages, posted on Weibo that he was not accepting commissions, then turned off his phone and went to sleep.

-

The next time he received a call from Lin Xuhuan was on the weekend.

"Baby Ran, your computer is fixed," Lin Xuhuan asked, "When are you free to come get it? Or I can have someone deliver it to you."

"I can go get it myself." Pei Ran took out a pen and paper, holding the phone with his shoulder. "Is it convenient to tell me the address? Or maybe you can leave it at the security office?"

"No, just come straight to the Base. You can come hang out with me while you're at it." It was a bit noisy on the other end of the line, and Lin Xuhuan's tone was rushed. "Alright then, I'm off to order takeout. I'll send you the address on WeChat."

By the time Pei Ran finished breakfast, Lin Xuhuan still hadn't sent the address.

'Could he have been busy with training and forgotten?'

Pei Ran thought for a moment. Just as he was about to open WeChat to leave him a message, a new message arrived. It was a voice message.

"Baby Ran, wait a bit, my brother will come pick you up in a while."

The second the voice message ended, a voice call from Yan Zhun came in.

Pei Ran tapped twice before managing to answer.

"Have you eaten breakfast?" Yan Zhun's voice was a little hoarse, sounding like he had just woken up.

"I have," Pei Ran asked, "What about you?"

Yan Zhun said, "I'll eat when I get there. Are you busy this morning?"

"No, it's the weekend, I'm free all day." Pei Ran glanced at the time. "Why don't you sleep a bit more?"

A short honk sounded from the street. Yan Zhun said, "I'm almost at your campus gate. Get ready and come out."

After hanging up, Yan Zhun stuck one hand in his pocket and lowered his eyes to continue reading the chat in the WeChat group.

The active members of TZG were all guys in their late teens and early twenties. They were talkative and rowdy, and when they weren't training, the group chat could easily hit 99+ messages.

Today's topic in the group was Pei Ran.

That brat Lin Xuhuan had found out about him being a companion player for twenty yuan, and within two hours of returning to the Base, everyone knew.

[Your Assault-player Dad: @Yan Zhun I'll pay fifty. I want your fully-kitted M4 too.]

[Your Sniper-God Dad: @Yan Zhun I'll pay eighty. You don't have to do anything, just be my target practice for a few rounds.]

[One Shot to Sister's Heart: @Lin Xuhuan's Dad Are you sure his client isn't a pretty girl?]

[Lin Xuhuan's Dad: Not a pretty girl, a pretty boy.]

Yan Zhun scoffed and typed.

[Yan Zhun: @TZG Coach, Brother Yong Their cigarettes are hidden in the vase in the first-floor hall. Go confiscate them.]

[TZG Coach, Brother Yong: .]

The group was instantly flooded with question marks.

[Lin Xuhuan's Dad: Bro? I trusted you this much? You do this to me? Bro???]

[Yan Zhun: Do you know what day it is today?]

[Lin Xuhuan's Dad: ?]

[Yan Zhun: The annual TZG Base No-Smoking Day]

[Lin Xuhuan's Dad: Why the fuck didn't I know about this holiday!]

[Yan Zhun: It was just established today]

[Lin Xuhuan's Dad: ......]

Yan Zhun shoved his phone into his pocket, and as he looked up, he saw Pei Ran.

Pei Ran was walking quickly. There was some distance between the campus gate and his dorm, so he was slightly out of breath. "Have you been waiting long?"

"Just got here." Yan Zhun turned around. "Let's go, it's not far."

Pei Ran followed him. After a couple of steps, he took something out of his pocket and handed it to Yan Zhun.

"I don't know if they have milk at their Base," Pei Ran said, "so I brought a cup. You can have it with your breakfast later."

The TZG Base had just been through a commotion, and now everyone was gathered in the living room eating breakfast.

The main door opened, and everyone looked up in unison to see Yan Zhun walking in slowly, his face as cold and indifferent as usual, carrying an unopened carton of milk in his hand.

Following behind Yan Zhun was another boy, wearing a white t-shirt with a gentle expression. The boy nodded at them. "Sorry to intrude."

"Damn." The Assaulter sitting on the right side of the sofa came to his senses and said in a voice only a few of them could hear, "So he really is a pretty boy."

"Baby Ran!" Lin Xuhuan immediately waved at him. "Come have breakfast!"

Pei Ran quickly said, "I've already eaten."

Lin Xuhuan said, "Oh. Then have a seat and wait? I'll get you the computer after I finish eating."

As the noble team of the esports circle, TZG's Base was very luxurious. The sofa in the living room was large and comfortable, and the members all liked to use the sofa area as their dining table.

The individual sofas on either side were both occupied. Yan Zhun walked over to Lin Xuhuan. "Move over."

Lin Xuhuan scooted over to make some space. Yan Zhun sat down, lifted his gaze to meet Pei Ran's, and then gestured to the empty spot beside him.

Pei Ran slowly sat down, his hands and feet placed primly, and said nothing.

The man sitting on the left picked up a glass of plain water and made a toasting gesture at Yan Zhun. "I just confiscated four packs of their cigarettes and fined them twenty thousand. I'll transfer you the informant's fee in a bit."

"Who cares." Yan Zhun gave a bland smile. "Save it. I have nothing to clink with you."

"Didn't you bring a carton of milk?" the Coach frowned, puzzled. "Have you had a change of heart today? Don't you hate drinking this stuff the most?"

Pei Ran, his back against the sofa, froze for a second upon hearing that.