Birthday Banquet

In a rented room near Swallow City University of Technology, a young man sat at a computer desk, with a cup of water and an empty takeout container beside him.

The clatter of keys and game sound effects echoed through the room.

[So cool! That was seriously awesome!]

[Aaah, what a shame! That was almost a pentakill!]

[What is that support doing? If they'd healed the streamer just now, the enemy team would've been wiped!]

Yu Nian's fingers kept flying across the keyboard. Only once the hero he controlled had died did he spare a moment to glance at the chat.

Although his teammate had gotten him killed, Yu Nian wasn't angry. Instead, he smiled and reassured his viewers. "It's okay. We've got a huge lead already. We'll win the next fight for sure."

Still, he sent the support a message in the game.

[Marksman: Support, stay behind me for a bit.]

The other player quickly agreed.

[Nian Nian is so nice. If that were me, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from cursing them out.]

[Waaah, I was late healing a teammate last time too. I apologized afterward, but they still yelled at me. I wish I could run into someone as good-tempered as this streamer.]

Sure enough, after they respawned for the final team fight, the support obediently stayed behind Yu Nian, backing him up and healing him. With that teamwork, they pushed straight through and destroyed the enemy crystal.

[Awesome!]

[Can you play a mage next round?]

Yu Nian picked up his cup and took a sip to soothe his throat. His gentle, pleasant voice came through the microphone. "Sure. Which mage do you want to see?"

"Oh, right, just so you know, I'm going to a friend's birthday banquet tomorrow, so I won't be streaming tomorrow night."

The chat filled with wails.

[Aaah, what am I supposed to watch if you don't stream?]

[I count on your voice to fall asleep every night! How am I supposed to live without you?]

Reading his viewers' messages, Yu Nian felt a warm glow inside.

He had been streaming games for almost two years. Although his channel had never really taken off, he had gained a group of loyal fans who kept him company every day. He loved the feeling of being liked and needed.

Only after he reassured them some more and promised to stream longer next time did his viewers let him off.

Yu Nian finished his last match and ended the stream amid reluctant farewells in the chat. He tidied his desk, then finally noticed the messages from his boyfriend on his phone.

[Qin Yu: Nian Nian, come early tomorrow evening. I'll have the driver pick you up.]

[Okay, got it.]

Yu Nian replied, then took his pajamas out of the wardrobe to get ready for a shower.

The banquet he would be attending was Qin Yu's birthday celebration. As Yu Nian was his boyfriend, Qin Yu had repeatedly reminded him that he absolutely had to come.

Qin Yu's family was wealthy. Yu Nian had assumed his banquet would be like the ones on television, with celebrities and prominent figures from every field dressed in suits, conversing elegantly in a glittering hall.

When Qin Yu heard him say that, he couldn't help laughing. "My eighteenth birthday celebration was pretty much like that, but I don't really like those banquets where everyone's looking out for their own interests. My brother's the one who goes to them all the time."

"This is just a small party. I'm only inviting friends our age, people like us. You don't need to be nervous."

This wasn't the first time Yu Nian had heard Qin Yu mention his older brother.

Qin Yu's brother seemed very capable, having taken over the family business at a young age.

Whenever he mentioned his brother, Qin Yu couldn't help looking pleased and proud, though he would also make a couple of sour remarks to soothe his own sense of inadequacy.

But those were Qin Yu's family affairs. Yu Nian had no siblings and didn't understand those feelings, so he never pried.

Still, if it was only a small party, surely that meant a few friends coming over for dinner?

That thought put Yu Nian somewhat at ease.

As it turned out, however, he had relaxed too soon.

The Qin Family's mansion was grand and luxurious, ablaze with lights.

Inside, ribbons and gold foil were scattered all over the floor, with clusters of balloons and flowers everywhere. A mountain of presents stood in a corner, and a quick glance revealed an array of different designer logos.

Fruit platters and pastries lined a long table, along with an exquisitely decorated seven-tier cake.

Almost everyone coming and going was around his age, yet every one of them was impeccably dressed in formal attire.

That was the scene that greeted Yu Nian when he entered the hall.

He tugged at his light blue fleece jacket, feeling a little embarrassed.

Why hadn't Qin Yu told me I needed to dress up?

His gaze swept around the hall until he spotted Qin Yu chatting with someone nearby. With a faintly ingratiating expression, the person handed him an elegant gift box and wished him a happy birthday.

Yu Nian had been looking into luxury goods lately, so he knew that brand's prices started in the six figures.

He watched Qin Yu accept it with a smile and continue chatting.

Yu Nian tightened his grip on his own gift box and looked down at it.

I did my best, he thought.

He collected himself and walked over with a smile. "Ah Yu, happy birthday."

Qin Yu's eyes lit up when he saw him. "Nian Nian, you're here."

Yu Nian handed him the gift box. "This is my present for you. Take a look and see if you like it."

Qin Yu glanced at it. Perhaps because he was used to receiving gifts, he didn't seem particularly surprised or delighted. He accepted it and had a servant put it with the other presents, then led Yu Nian aside to sit down. "I'll like anything you give me. I'm a little busy right now, though, so enjoy yourself for a while. If you need anything, you can ask a servant."

Yu Nian pressed his lips together. His gaze fell on the pile of presents, where his gift box was gradually buried beneath designer brands. Seeing how happily Qin Yu was smiling, he didn't know what to say.

Qin Yu had barely finished speaking when someone came over to him. "Ah Yu, who's this?"

Yu Nian looked up at the man, who was also sizing him up. The blatant contempt in his gaze made Yu Nian uncomfortable.

Qin Yu didn't notice and introduced him. "This is my classmate, Yu Nian."

"Nian Nian, this is my good friend, Xie Lingfeng. He just got back from abroad."

Yu Nian gave Xie Lingfeng a polite nod. "Hello."

Xie Lingfeng ignored him and asked Qin Yu directly, "What does his family do? How come I've never heard of a Yu family in Swallow City?"

Qin Yu tugged at Xie Lingfeng, then turned to Yu Nian with a smile. "Nian Nian, wait here for a moment."

Yu Nian stayed where he was without saying a word.

As he watched the two walk away, their conversation drifted back to him.

Qin Yu said, "Yu Nian isn't from here. He's not part of our circle, either."

Xie Lingfeng's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Ah Yu, you're just too nice. How can you let anyone and everyone come to your birthday banquet? He actually had the nerve to show up dressed like that? Isn't he afraid people will laugh at him?"

Qin Yu sounded conflicted. "Don't say that. He's my friend, after all..."