The Summer Split of Forest of the Full Moon had officially begun.
The Summer Split was far more critical than the Spring Split. After all, the Chinese region only had four slots for Worlds each year, and every player’s hard work was dedicated to securing one of those coveted tickets.
As a result, every team went all out from the start of the season, giving it their all in every group stage match.
In KYM’s first two matches, they faced teams of average overall strength, allowing their fans to enjoy two satisfying wins. However, tougher matches against DXG and ZC were coming up, so while everyone was happy, they didn’t dare grow complacent.
[Forum Hot Topic]: First laugh of the day, check it out! [Video Link]
This post had been trending on the forum’s hotlist for two days. The video wasn’t about anything else—it was a clip from Tao Luo’s post-match interview during the Summer Split.
The video started out normally. The host followed the usual routine, asking about the strategies and tactics used in the recently concluded match.
But at the very end of the interview, the host asked, “Now that the new season has started, have you or your teammates experienced anything interesting that you’d like to share with your fans?”
Tao Luo’s expression suddenly became a bit evasive. “Teammates… they’re fine! There’s nothing interesting. Nothing at all.”
Her repeated “nothing at all” stunned the host for a moment, but they quickly smoothed things over, saying, “Uh, how about your coordination with the bot lane duo this season? Any strategic changes or adjustments there?”
The camera caught Tao Luo’s expression shifting dramatically the moment she heard “bot lane duo.” Her face flushed red, then turned pale, before blushing all over again.
After a long pause, Tao Luo avoided eye contact and glanced left and right nervously before loudly stammering, “Our bot lane duo is just… j-j-just fine! There’s nothing going on between them! Everything is exactly the same as before—absolutely n-n-nothing has changed!”
Host: “…?”
Tao Luo: “…They really have nothing going on!!”
[Top Comment 1]: Stuttered five times in just one sentence—truly worthy of being you, Ms. Tao Luo.
[Top Comment 2]: LOL, the host was clearly asking about strategies and adjustments with the bot lane duo, but Carrot just leaks everything as usual… So, what’s actually going on between Neither and Chef?
[Top Comment 3]: So, what’s actually going on between Neither and Chef +1????
[Top Comment 4]: Isn’t it obvious? They’re not getting along. What else? Don’t tell me everyone forgot the infamous livestream meltdown? Chef’s sharp tongue pissed off Neither so much that he stormed out. Their relationship is clearly a complete disaster at this point, and now even their teammates can’t cover for them anymore.
[Top Comment 5]: Just wondering… why does it have to be about them not getting along? Can’t it be something else? Like, what if those two are, I don’t know… dating?
[Top Comment 6]: HAHAHA stop, you’re killing me. Straight-A-Cancer Chef, in a relationship? The guy himself would probably pop up to debunk this comment if he saw it.
Aside from the matches themselves, fans loved to gossip about two main topics: the “not-getting-along theory” and the “romance theory.” Naturally, this post exploded with activity, racking up dozens of pages of comments.
The thing was, Yan Chengfeng’s past behavior and attitude were so blunt and aloof that most fans found the “not-getting-along” theory far more believable. Worried fans began creating new discussion threads all over the forum.
Late at night, after finishing the review of their earlier match, Yan Chengfeng went to the bathroom. The moment he stepped out, he found himself cornered by an irate Tao Luo.
She pulled out her phone and shoved the post in his face. “Look at this! Everyone thinks you’re such a Straight-A-Cancer that it’s impossible for you and Zhen Ning… Who would even think in that direction? This isn’t my fault, okay!”
Yan Chengfeng glanced at the post and said calmly, “Didn’t one person guess we’re dating? One is enough.”
Two days ago, after learning the truth, Tao Luo’s entire worldview had collapsed. She simply couldn’t accept this cruel reality.
At the time, she had yelled so loudly that Yan Chengfeng couldn’t help but be confused by her reaction. “Why is it so hard for you to accept this about us?”
Tao Luo ignored him and instead turned to Xu Minghe, dramatically wailing, “Lao Xu, why does a Straight-A-Cancer like him get to have a partner, while I’ve lived this long and never had a single omega interested in me? I don’t believe it, I don’t accept it, I don’t understand it…”
So it was just her alpha competitiveness acting up.
Still, you couldn’t really blame Tao Luo for struggling to process it. Even Yan Chengfeng himself didn’t fully grasp the reality of the situation.
After all, this was… his first relationship.
He had told Zhen Ning directly that he liked him, only to learn that Zhen Ning had liked him all along too.
They had kissed. He had marked Zhen Ning again—not just a temporary mark this time. They had also done… many very intimate things.
The aftereffects were so overwhelming that Yan Chengfeng had been in a daze for the past two days.
Whenever he had a quiet moment to himself, just thinking about Zhen Ning’s face, recalling a particular moment from the past few days, or silently repeating the word “partner” in his mind would make his chest burn unbearably. He had to stomp his feet in place or pace back and forth, adjusting his breathing for a long time just to calm down.
The matches over the past two days had been intense, keeping both him and Zhen Ning incredibly busy.
Although Yan Chengfeng performed well on the field, during breaks, his mind kept wandering. After mulling it over endlessly, he realized he had one lingering, unresolved worry.
That worry was the fact that, even though he and Zhen Ning had done everything couples usually did, they… had never actually confirmed their relationship out loud.
Were he and Zhen Ning officially dating now? The thought struck him like a bolt of lightning.
As an alpha, Yan Chengfeng wasn’t the type to fuss over ceremonial gestures, but without a verbal commitment, he couldn’t shake the unease.
Yan Chengfeng was growing increasingly anxious.
Snapping out of his thoughts, he quickly dismissed Tao Luo with a few words. As he headed back, he saw Xu Minghe and Xu Hao yawning as they walked out of the training room.
Zhen Ning was likely still inside. Yan Chengfeng knew him too well. Today’s win had been a close call, and after matches like this, Zhen Ning always liked to stay behind on his own for a while.
Yan Chengfeng paused for a moment before stepping into the training room. Sure enough, Zhen Ning was still seated in front of the monitor, quietly reviewing the match replay.
Yan Chengfeng walked over and cleared his throat. “Let’s do an extra one-on-one review of today’s lane phase.”
Zhen Ning glanced up at him. After a moment, he said, “Alright.”
Zhen Ning had a knack for post-match reviews and analyses. He was highly logical, unlike most younger players, who were impatient and restless. He could confront his own shortcomings and mistakes with composure.
Pointing at the screen, Zhen Ning calmly and methodically outlined the minor coordination issues in their laning phase. However, Yan Chengfeng had already gone over these points with Joe earlier, so his mind was elsewhere.
They finally had some time alone, so why were they only talking about the game? Yan Chengfeng felt anxious. Couldn’t Zhen Ning just change the topic himself?
But he knew he only had himself to blame, since he was the one who had suggested reviewing the game in the first place.
After all, he had always been a die-hard “straight alpha” obsessed with the game, and this was his first time being in a relationship. During Zhen Ning’s heat, the atmosphere and pheromones had given him the courage to say all sorts of shameless things—earning him plenty of slaps from Zhen Ning in the process.
But now that Zhen Ning’s heat was over and Yan Chengfeng’s head was clear, he found himself too shy to say certain things.
He stared at Zhen Ning’s face, hesitating for ages before finally blurting out, “Uh, does your back still hurt?”
He saw Zhen Ning’s expression turn ice-cold in an instant.
Yan Chengfeng realized his mistake right away and scrambled to change the topic. “Uh, I mean, the new team uniform… looks really good on you.”
The abrupt and almost comical shift in topic made Yan Chengfeng want to slap himself across the face.
Zhen Ning was silent for a long moment before locking eyes with him. “…Really?”
Yan Chengfeng forced himself to meet his gaze, his voice rough as he muttered, “Mm.”
Those words were heartfelt.
Before the start of the Summer Split, KYM had switched to one or two new sponsors, which had also brought a redesign of their team uniforms. While most online comments compared the change to going from “prison inmate” to “a slightly fancier prison inmate,” Yan Chengfeng thought the outfit looked infinitely better on Zhen Ning than on anyone else.
Of course, the new uniform wasn’t the real focus right now. Yan Chengfeng racked his brain but couldn’t figure out why that one simple question… just refused to leave his mouth.
“Zhen Ning.”
Yan Chengfeng took a deep breath, his mouth opening slightly. “Do you… do you now count as…”
But what if Zhen Ning thought he was being childish?
What if he thought Yan Chengfeng, having never been in a relationship before, was like a kid with zero sense of security, needing a label for everything?
Hearing his name, Zhen Ning looked slightly startled and turned to face him.
However, before he could even make out what Yan Chengfeng was saying, the alpha suddenly shot up from his seat with a loud whoosh.
The screech of the chair scraping against the floor echoed through the room. Face flushed red, Yan Chengfeng stood there, stammering for a long time before finally blurting out, “It’s nothing. I suddenly feel sleepy. It’s late, y-y-you should go to bed too… Don’t forget we have a match tomorrow. Pack up early to head to the venue. I’m going to bed first—”
Then, he bolted like the wind, his mind in utter chaos. If he made eye contact with Zhen Ning for even one more second, he felt like all his thoughts would be completely laid bare.
But before he could get very far, a voice called out behind him. “Stop.”
Zhen Ning’s voice was soft.
After a moment of hesitation, Yan Chengfeng obediently stopped at the training room door, took a deep breath, and turned around.
He watched as Zhen Ning rose from his chair and began walking toward him, one step at a time.
Zhen Ning’s expression was calm as he came to a stop in front of him. Yan Chengfeng thought he was about to say something, but instead, he saw Zhen Ning lift his right hand and reach toward the wall beside him.
Right then, he heard a sharp click.
Zhen Ning had turned off the lights.
The training room was instantly plunged into darkness. Yan Chengfeng was stunned. Since it was the dead of night, the windows outside were equally dark, leaving the entire space pitch black, with almost nothing visible.
With his sight now limited, Yan Chengfeng’s other senses seemed to sharpen. First, he became acutely aware of his own breathing. Then, he heard the faint sound of Zhen Ning letting out a soft sigh.
“…I’m currently your lover, your partner, your omega,” he heard Zhen Ning say.
The question Yan Chengfeng had been too embarrassed to ask, the one he couldn’t even summon the courage to fully articulate, Zhen Ning gave him the answer directly in the darkness.
Yan Chengfeng froze.
His mouth fell slightly open, but before he could say anything, something soft brushed against his lips.
—It was a kiss, warm and carrying the faint scent of apricots.
Then, he heard Zhen Ning whisper softly in his ear, “Goodnight.”
Author’s note:
Yan Chengfeng: I-I-I’m sleepy. I’m going to bed!
Also Yan Chengfeng: At 3 AM, covering his mouth and clutching a blanket, blushing furiously, wide awake all night.
Our cute couple is officially together!
