Just as Expected of Me

As for what Yan Xianjue said about being all bark and no bite.

He wasn't. He didn't. Don't talk nonsense.

The commotion of the group heading toward the dorms caught the attention of the club staff.

Yan Yi'an gestured for Yan Ci to disperse them.

Most importantly, he had to make sure no photos of Li Yang being held up by the coach got leaked.

Yan Ci nodded and quickly fell a few steps behind.

The coach noticed Yan Ci and wanted to listen in as well.

But the moment he moved, Yan Yi'an's sharp gaze made him stiffen.

No matter how slow he was, he should have understood by now that the Yan Household had discovered something Li Yang couldn't let others see.

The Yan family hadn't come to watch a friendly match today at all. This was a trap!

Since Yan Ci had asked them to go to the dorms, was the evidence there?

At that thought, the coach relaxed.

His deal with Li Yang had been made before Li Yang joined the club.

Li Yang had yet to successfully secure a main roster position on the first team.

So he hadn't had time to do anything yet.

Once the coach realized today's events most likely had nothing to do with him, his entire body relaxed.

Father Yan and Mother Yan watched the two people walking ahead with complicated emotions.

Li Yang, who was being forced forward, felt completely different from when they had first met him.

A trace of madness had already seeped into Li Yang's eyes.

Father Yan and Mother Yan felt somewhat regretful.

He truly had been blessed with an exceptional face. Even if he didn't enter the esports world,

he could still have made a living in the entertainment industry.

Why had he chosen to use drugs and do such shameful things?

Father Yan and Mother Yan doted on every child in the family.

But they had never spoiled them. To this day, the family had never produced a child with such warped values.

Li Yang had certainly broadened their horizons.

Only one person was genuinely happy right now: Yan Xianjue.

Even his inner voice revealed barely concealed excitement.

[Yes! As long as Li Yang gets arrested, Second Brother's team crisis will be more than halfway resolved.]

[Next, as long as Second Brother apologizes to Eldest Brother, the crisis between them can be resolved too.]

[I'm freaking amazing, aren't I? I only casually suggested calling the police, and the problem got solved just like that?]

[After this, I just need to find a chance to remind him to pay attention to the company's confidentiality work, and the male lead's scheme will naturally have no way to proceed.]

[Come to think of it, does that mean I should find an opportunity to visit Eldest Brother's company?]

[Maybe I can also establish an image for myself as someone whose grades are average but who's really good at judging people?]

[Then if I run into anyone with ulterior motives in the future, I'll have more of a say, right?]

Yan Xianjue suddenly thought it was a great idea. He clenched his right hand into a fist and struck it against his left palm with a crisp slap.

[That's settled, then! I'm such an ordinary little genius!]

[Just as expected of me!]

The Yan family all smiled knowingly at his proud tone.

Wasn't that right? If they hadn't been able to hear his inner voice,

who knew how badly Eldest and Second would have fallen out?

Although it differed from the solution Yan Xianjue had imagined,

the fact that this matter could be resolved so smoothly really was thanks to Yan Xianjue.

Mother Yan affectionately ruffled Yan Xianjue's hair.

Of all her children, the youngest was the one she worried about most.

Getting pregnant with him had been purely an accident.

After giving birth to Yan Ci, she hadn't planned to get pregnant again.

At her age back then, it had also been difficult to conceive.

So she hadn't taken any contraceptive measures.

Who would have thought that this child would come so suddenly?

After much hesitation, she and her husband had decided to keep this unexpected little life.

Even if he wasn't clever enough and was the most ordinary, most unremarkable child in the family,

he had still brought them a great deal of joy.

Compared with his gifted older siblings, who had matured early from a young age, this child had given them the rare experience of being ordinary parents.

He would hold up the little red flower he earned in kindergarten and loudly announce, "This one is for Mom. Next time, I'll give one to Dad. Teacher said ladies first."

He would wipe away tears while doing his homework because it was too difficult.

He would get them called in because he had failed an exam.

The couple had even set up a rotation system for parent-teacher conferences because of it.

Although the age gap between him and his older brothers and sister was huge, they always greeted him warmly whenever they came home.

There was no shortage of gossip among wealthy families, saying Yan Xianjue couldn't compare to the older children.

They said she had wasted her efforts giving birth to him at such an advanced age.

But she didn't think so. Her Xianjue was the best child.

She just couldn't help worrying that after she and her husband passed away, this child might not live abundantly enough.

Now, it seemed that he simply clashed with physics.

Deep down, he was actually a thoughtful child with plans of his own.

Mother Yan was like every other parent.

Once the child gets into college, everything will be fine. Once the child graduates from college, everything will be fine. Once the child gets married, everything will be fine.

She comforted herself with such thoughts.

Once Yan Xianjue got into college, everything would be fine.

He wouldn't have to study physics in college, and they wouldn't call in his parents either.

As they neared the dorm entrance,

Li Yang seemed to realize something.

He began struggling violently with all his strength.

The coach nearly couldn't restrain him by himself.

The coach had no choice but to use more force.

Fortunately, Yan Ci had finished handling matters within the club and caught up at that moment.

He also happened to hear Yan Xianjue's inner voice.

Apologize to Eldest Brother?

Yan Ci silently thought of that final message and hesitated.

With his mind occupied, his hands inevitably became a little too forceful.

Li Yang's muffled cry of pain snapped him out of his distraction.

Seeing Li Yang look at him pleadingly,

Yan Ci became even angrier.

Before Yan Xianjue exposed him, Yan Ci had truly believed Li Yang's pitiful sob stories.

Yan Ci said, "Were you pretending to be drunk that day?"

Li Yang desperately shook his head.

Yan Ci gave a self-mocking smile. He didn't say whether he believed him or not.

But judging by his expression, he probably didn't.

"Actually, I really thought highly of you. I had already planned to add you to the candidates for the main roster rotation."

"I would have let you gain experience in matches for a year. Someone from the first team will retire next year, leaving an opening for you to smoothly take their place."

"After a year of working together, the transition period wouldn't have much impact on the team's results."

Yan Ci calmly laid out the plan he had made for Li Yang.

He didn't deny that, besides Li Yang's decent skills, the complaints Li Yang had told him had played a significant role.

There was neither blame nor anger in his tone. He was simply stating the facts calmly.

Li Yang's struggles eased a little.

Just listening to Yan Ci, he could imagine it.

If things had truly gone as Yan Ci described, how bright his future would have been.

And he would no longer have needed to plaster a flattering smile on his face for anyone.

But Yan Ci had appeared too late. His soul was already rotten beyond repair; he could no longer turn back.

In his dazed state, Li Yang seemed to see himself standing on the stage, watched by countless people.

His eyes abruptly widened. When a police uniform entered his vision, he said, "Too late."