Winner Takes All

Title: 谁把谁当真 (Winner Takes All)

Author：水千丞 (ShuiQianCheng)

Translator: 月野 見事 (TsukinoMigoto)

Protagonists ：黎朔 (LiShuo), 赵锦辛 (ZhaoJinXin)

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Li Shuo and Chang Wenyou sat on the bench beside the court to rest. Both were sweating profusely, their hair was wet, their faces were flushed, and their chests were still undulating vigorously.

Li Shuo unscrewed a bottle of isotonic drink and handed it to Chang Wenyou.

“Thank you.” Chang Wenyou took it and took a big gulp. After gulping so fast on it, he choked and coughed.

Li Shuo patted him on the back lightly, and said with a smile: “Be careful, drinking so urgently after exercise is not good for your health.”

Chang Wenyou’s face flushed red after choking, he smiled: “Mr. Li is really amazing. And he said that he hasn’t played for a long time, so humble.”

“It really has been a long time.” Li Shuo flipped his racket, “Thank you for asking me to play today. I feel much better.”

“Why? Is there anything bothering you?”

Li Shuo smiled and said nothing. He took a sip of a drink and suddenly remembered something. He pulled out the phone from his bag and looked at it, only to find that the phone was out of power without his realization. It was no wonder that his phone was quiet all afternoon…

“What’s the matter? Is the battery out?”

“Well, do you have a charging cable?”

“I have a power bank in my bag, you can look for it.” Chang Wenyou pointed to the bag near Li Shuo’s feet.

Li Shuo flipped through it but couldn’t find the power bank.

“Maybe in the mezzanine. Yes, that mezzanine…” Chang Wenyou leaned over. “See, the silver one.”

Li Shuo took out the power bank: “Thank you…” As soon as he turned his head, he found that the two of them were very close. As soon as Chang Wenyou looked up, their eyes met, and both of them were stunned.

Chang Wenyou pursed his lips and smiled, his eyes looked a little infatuated, and his body moved forward, Li Shuo tilted his head to catch the traces of what’s coming but he avoided the worthy lips.

Chang Wenyou stiffened but he still kissed Li Shuo on the cheek.

Li Shuo didn’t want to embarrass him so he smiled slightly.

Chang Wenyou also smiled and said, “Just as the rent for the power bank.”

Li Shuo turned his head to look directly at Chang Wenyou, and said gently with seriousness: “Wenyou, you are a very good person, and it’s very pleasant to get along with you, but I already have someone I like.”

Chang Wenyou smiled embarrassedly. He was not without disappointment in his eyes, but he still said as freely as possible, “Hey, I can probably guess, it’s just… It’s been a long time since I met someone who moved me like this.”

Li Shuo rubbed his hair: “Sorry.”

“However, if you have someone you like, why are you still single?” Chang Wenyou looked at Li Shuo, “How can someone not like someone like you? Is he a straight man?”

Li Shuo’s eyes became a little gloomy: “Well… sometimes even if you are in love, you may not be able to be together.”

“Two people who love each other should be happy, why can’t they be together?” Chang Wenyou spread his hands, “In this world, it is not easy to meet someone you really like. Now that you have already met one, shouldn’t you overcome all difficulties to love each other? “

Li Shuo sneered and said, “I didn’t expect you to be an idealist.” He was smiling, but Chang Wenyou’s words made his heart bleed. Zhao Jinxin and him are in love, but they can’t be together… Yeah, why, why is it so?

Because Zhao Jinxin destroyed all of his trust and confidence in that relationship.

“I am not an idealist. On the contrary, I have special respect for science.” Chang Wenyou laughed, “Just like the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen will produce water, in this world, some things are destined. People are also made up of a bunch of things. Composed of complex chemical components, all emotions are produced by a series of chemical reactions. Why do you like others without feeling anything for me? It must be because he has some elements that I don’t have, so you can react only to him.”

Li Shuo smiled: “This theory is very interesting, but it is still too idealistic. At best, he and I are like burning fire. When the fuel is gone, the fire will go out, leaving only a mess of burning waste.”

“Then try not to let the oxidizer burn out. Whose feelings are not like this? At first, it was full of raging passion, and then the flames became smaller and smaller. In fact, there is air everywhere around us. If you burn to the end of your life, you can’t just say that the air is not enough before it burns out.”

Li Shuo laughed. He looked at Chang Wenyou: “Why did you persuade me to follow my heart?”

Chang Wenyou patted his forehead, looking annoyed: “I have been a teacher for six years. It’s an occupational disease.”

The two looked at each other and laughed.

Li Shuo said sincerely: “Wenyou, thank you, I have benefited a lot from this passage, and I will think about it.”

Some things are not invisible to him, but he deliberately escaped from the bottom of his heart, but sooner or later, he will still have to face it .

Face himself and also face Zhao Jinxin.

The two of them had a rest and played again until it got dark. When the venue was almost closing, the staff came to urge them to finish their game.

They changed their clothes and walked out side by side, but as soon as they walked out of the locker room, Li Shuo was stunned.

He saw Zhao Jinxin in the empty corridor.

Zhao Jinxin put his hands in his pockets, his back pressed against the wall, and a pair of long legs overlapped randomly. He was wrapped in a black down jacket, with a white mask on his face, his messy bangs hanging down in front of his forehead. Although only a pair of eyes were exposed on his entire face, Li Shuo recognized him at a glance.

Those were one of the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. At this moment, those eyes are wet, staring at him quietly.

Chang Wenyou also paused, looked at Li Shuo, and then at Zhao Jinxin.

Zhao Jinxin came over and Li Shuo subconsciously blocked Chang Wenyou behind him; this was his judgment based on his past experiences.

That back-protection action was like a sword plunged into his chest, which made Zhao Jinxin’s body froze for a moment. He pulled off the mask, took a breath, and said hoarsely: “What do you think I will do to him? Kill him?”

Li Shuo frowned: “When did you get here?”

“When you started to play the first game.” Zhao Jinxin coughed a few times, and looked at Li Shuo lifelessly, “Murder is illegal. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything to him.”

Li Shuo said: “Wenyou, you go first.”

Chang Wenyou nodded, sighed lightly, bowed his head and left.

Li Shuo said: “You are not well. I will send you back.”

“Where are you sending me back?”

“Send you back to your house.”

Zhao Jinxin mocked: “You should leave me alone, why pretend to care about me?”

“Even if it’s a stranger, I won’t let him fall on the side of the road.”

“So I’m just a stranger in your heart, isn’t it?” Zhao Jinxin’s voice trembled, “You ran to the hotel to avoid me, and you went out to play with… your new boyfriend?…”

“He is just a friend…”

“I saw him kiss you!” Zhao Jinxin yelled, his emotions burst out suddenly, and his fist slammed against the wall.

It is said that a sick person is weak, but Li Shuo didn’t see that Zhao Jinxin had lost much of his strength at all.

“I see you wearing exactly the same clothes, seeing you playing, seeing you talking and laughing, seeing him kissing you, and you touching his head…” Zhao Jinxin said as he walked towards Li Shuo.

Li Shuo clenched his fists and said coldly: “So what?”

“I think…” Zhao Jinxin frowned, eyes deep in sadness, “You guys seem to be very happy, at least you are much happier than being with me.”

Li Shuo said solemnly: “I will take you home.” He took Zhao Jinxin’s arm and tried to drag him out.

Zhao Jinxin hugged Li Shuo and said softly, “Is it painful to be with me? Is it annoying? You don’t even want to stay at your own house.”

“I have no obligation to explain anything to you. If you don’t want me to take you home, then you can go back by yourself.”

“Okay, let’s go home.” Zhao Jinxin narrowed his eyes and said softly, “You send me home.”

Li Shuo faintly felt a hint of danger, but he couldn’t tell what it was. He pushed Zhao Jinxin away and strode out.

The staff of the venue closed the door after they left, only the parking lot was still lit. Due to the large area and the site was located in the suburbs, the surrounding area seems very desolate. Without the main light source, the environment suddenly became a little gloomy.

Li Shuo was a little flustered for no reason, he didn’t know what was wrong.

Before he reached his parking space, the door of a van parked not far away from his car suddenly opened, and seven to eight people came down in an instant.

Li Shuo froze, Zhao Jinxin subconsciously blocked Li Shuo behind him and looked at the group of people coldly.

Li Shuo saw Xu Darui and ‘Lao Diao’ at a glance, his heart jumped. Even if he turned around, they might not have time to get in the car at this distance.

“Mr. Li.” Lao Diao looked at him quizzically, “What a coincidence.”

Li Shuo subconsciously wanted to grab the phone, but his phone was out of power… He calmed down and said in a deep voice, “What do you want to do?”

“Mr. Li still wants to ask me what I want to do.” Lao Diao narrowed his eyes. “We could solve it peacefully. But you decided to find someone to deal with me?”

“You blackmailed me six million and still want to settle it peacefully with me?”

“Why, aren’t you worth 6 million?” The old man said fiercely, “The person you found, unfortunately, has beaten my brother before. Adding up this new hatred and old hatred, who should I count?”

Zhao Jinxin said coldly: “You want 6 million, don’t you? I’ll give it to you.”

Lao Diao looked at Zhao Jinxin: “Where did you come from? Oh, I heard Xu Darui say that Mr. Li is gay. You two, hahahaha, must be in that kind of… hahahaha…”

A group of people laughed obscenely.

Zhao Jinxin stared at him gloomily, and said every word clearly: “Do you want money or not?”

Lao Diao was instantly startled, he hurriedly stood up, “Yes, how will you give it to me?”

“Jinxin…” Li Shuo pulled Zhao Jinxin’s arm.

“Don’t be afraid.” Zhao Jinxin patted Li Shuo’s hand, “How do you want me to pay?”

“One of you stays, one goes to withdraw the money. I only need cash.” Lao Diao took out a document, “This is a contract for liabilities, don’t say I kidnapped someone for extortion. You voluntarily repay the money in place of Xu Darui.”

Zhao Jinxin smiled coldly: “Okay, I will stay.”

“No!” Li Shuo said sternly, “Lao Diao, you are just looking for money, there is no need to go this far.”

“I don’t care. Who told you to be dishonest?” Lao Diao shook the document, “Who will sign the contract?”

“Give it to me.” Zhao Jinxin walked towards Lao Diao.

Lao Diao cried, “You stand there and don’t move.” Lao Diao handed the file to Xu Darui, “Take it to him.”

Xu Darui turned his head down and walked over.

Zhao Jinxin’s eyes glowed dangerously.

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Next update: 2022/03/28 (on knoxt), 2022/03/30 (on wattpad)

*Translator’s Note: I honestly think if Xu Darui and the loan sharks didn’t come, Zhao Jinxin was planning to really lock Li Shuo up somewhere no one can find. -K