Chapter 71

The weather was good today. A batch of flowerbed seedlings that Papa Huo had ordered some time ago arrived, and the butler was arranging for people to plant them in the garden. Since there was still some time before lunch, Papa Huo decided to check on the seedlings in the garden.

However, just as he picked up the seedlings, he heard two of Ye Leyao’s inner thoughts in succession.

Huo Ze brought someone back?

And he’s an undercover agent?

What’s going on?

Papa Huo immediately tossed the seedlings aside and hurriedly walked back to the living room.

At that moment, Mama Huo was in the kitchen. A few days ago, Ye Leyao had been eating hot pot or barbecue while filming a show, so Mama Huo decided to personally cook some soup for Ye Leyao and Huo Yan to nourish their stomachs.

She had just put all the ingredients into the pot when she heard Ye Leyao’s inner thoughts.

Mama Huo was so startled that she forgot to take off her apron and quickly rushed out.

“Has Lao San been tricked again?”

Upstairs, Huo Yan, who had been dawdling, stopped hesitating after hearing this. He quickly changed his clothes and prepared to go downstairs.

As for Huo Ze, the protagonist of the current situation, he was standing at the entrance, looking bewildered.

Undercover agent?

Ye Leyao must be mistaken, right?

This was the new team member he was about to recruit. How could he be an undercover agent?

Ye Leyao walked into the living room, just in time to see both Mama and Papa Huo coming over.

Mama and Papa Huo exchanged glances, and Mama Huo was the first to look at Huo Ze and the boy standing behind him. She smiled at the two of them and said, “You brought a friend back? Why are you standing there? Come in.”

Only then did Huo Ze snap back to his senses, glanced at Mama and Papa Huo, and then took a quick look at Ye Leyao.

He couldn’t panic.

Since he still didn’t understand the situation, he absolutely couldn’t panic.

Huo Ze quickly put on a smile and introduced, “This is Li Chi, my new teammate.”

Li Chi smiled at Mama and Papa Huo as a greeting, then turned to Huo Ze and said, “I’m not in a rush. How about we talk about the contract tomorrow instead? I don’t want to impose…”

The moment Ye Leyao recognized Li Chi, he remembered this part of the plot.

[Good, good. It looks like the third brother isn’t dumb enough to sign the contract right away. At least he had the sense to bring the guy home first. I need to find a way to remind him that he absolutely can’t sign this contract!]

Huo Ze: “…”

In fact, the contract was right in his bag. He had met with Li Chi today specifically to sign the contract.

However, before signing, Huo Ze realized he had left the team’s official stamp at home, which is why he came back to get it.

How well did Mama and Papa Huo know their son?

Just by looking at his expression, they already knew what was going on.

Fortunately, the contract hadn’t been signed yet. As long as it wasn’t signed, it could still be fixed.

But before that, they needed to figure out why Huo Ze wanted to sign an undercover agent onto his team.

Didn’t he do a background check?!@@novelbin@@

Mama Huo smiled and said, “You’re not imposing at all! Li Chi, right? Come in and sit down. You can talk business at home too.”

Papa Huo followed up, “Yeah, we have a study at home. It’s almost mealtime as well. You can eat with us and then discuss things slowly afterward. Come on in.”

Since both parents had invited him in, any further refusal would seem forced.

After thinking for a moment, Li Chi nodded, “Sorry to trouble you.”

At this moment, Huo Yan came downstairs, glanced at Li Chi, and recognized him.

Huo Yan wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about the esports scene, but because of Huo Ze, he occasionally watched esports matches. He had also seen Li Chi at a recent championship, so he had some impression of him.

So, Huo Yan was even more puzzled.

What reason would Li Chi have to become an undercover agent in Huo Ze’s team?

Huo Ze couldn’t figure it out either.

This year, Li Chi’s team, MH, although they didn’t win the championship this season, they were still the runner-up team. Li Chi, as MH’s star player, had always been the core member of MH.

At the same time, MH, being a well-established and prestigious team, had a deep foundation, and their tactical system was much more complete than Huo Ze’s team.

Logically speaking, such a well-organized and excellent team would have no reason to cripple themselves by sending their most important player, Li Chi, just to figure out Huo Ze’s tactics.

So, could there be some misunderstanding here?

Li Chi was only 20 years old, right in the prime of his career as a professional player.

There was absolutely no need for him to ruin his future!

While Huo Yan and Huo Ze were puzzled, Mama and Papa Huo were even more confused.

After all, Li Chi was a guest, and since nothing had been clarified yet, it wouldn’t be appropriate to leave him hanging. So, they invited him to tea and started chatting with him.

Taking advantage of the time when Mama and Papa Huo were entertaining the guest, Ye Leyao had already opened his notes and re-read this part of the plot. After reading it, Ye Leyao’s brows furrowed deeply.

Huo Ze was sitting directly across from Ye Leyao. Seeing his frown, Huo Ze’s heart immediately sank.

No way, could it really be that just because they lost to them once, MH would send over an undercover agent?

And they’d send over their star player?

That’s crazy!

It was then that Ye Leyao finally spoke up:

[So that’s how it is, so Li Chi has something being held over him!]

[I knew it. Li Chi wasn’t treated poorly at MH. Even though his contract with MH has expired, if he wanted to renew, there’s no way MH wouldn’t agree to it.]

[Turns out he’s being threatened, but the thing he’s being blackmailed with…]

Ye Leyao sighed.

Mama and Papa Huo exchanged a glance.

Something being held over him?

Huo Ze also straightened up a bit.

Something being held over him?

As long as it’s not something like match-fixing, it shouldn’t be a big problem, right?

Before he could finish his thought, he heard Ye Leyao’s inner voice continue—

[Tsk, tsk, tsk. This Li Chi really has guts. He’s actually been involved in match-fixing!]

Huo Ze’s heart sank to the bottom of the ocean.

No way?!

It really was match-fixing?!

When did that happen?

It couldn’t have been during the finals against them, right?

But why would MH intentionally lose to them and then send their star player over?

Huo Ze was shocked and couldn’t make sense of it.

Huo Yan was equally shocked.

If it really was match-fixing, and if it were proven, Li Chi would most likely face an official suspension.

And the suspension wouldn’t be short—typically between six months and a year, and if it was serious, two years was also possible.

Even just six months without playing would significantly affect a player’s form.

For a professional player, the prime of their career only lasts a few years.

What’s more, if this matter were exposed, other teams wouldn’t dare to sign Li Chi.

After all, no team would trust someone who had once sold out their own team for personal gain. Who could guarantee that he wouldn’t be tempted again in the future?

Once this was exposed, Li Chi’s career would be over.

But why didn’t Li Chi want to renew his contract with MH?

Could it be that Li Chi felt indebted to MH for developing him, so he didn’t want to stay and harm MH further, and instead came to sabotage Huo Ze’s team?

Huo Yan suddenly felt like laughing.

No wonder the more he looked at Huo Ze recently, the more he thought he looked like a sucker.

Mama Huo couldn’t help but glance at Huo Ze as well.

Sigh.

It seems Huo Ze’s career luck isn’t great this year.

Ye Leyao had finished reading this part of the plot. It didn’t mention exactly when or where Li Chi had fixed a match, or who had caught him. He skimmed ahead but couldn’t find any relevant descriptions, so he simply put away his phone.

[I need to find a way to remind Third Brother not to sign the contract…]

As he thought about it, Ye Leyao’s gaze fell on Li Chi, who was sitting diagonally across from him.

Papa Huo was still chatting with Li Chi.

It was unclear whether it was due to Li Chi’s personality, but he didn’t speak much and appeared a bit aloof. Most of the time, when Papa Huo spoke to him, Li Chi would only respond with a brief acknowledgment, sometimes just nodding or shaking his head.

[Hmm, Li Chi seems pretty calm, but I don’t know if he’s genuinely not in a hurry or just pretending.]

Huo Yan also glanced at Li Chi, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Although Li Chi didn’t show much expression, it seemed like his patience was running out.

Sure enough, after Papa Huo wrapped up the latest conversation topic, Li Chi couldn’t hold back any longer. He slightly tilted his head toward Huo Ze and asked, “Captain Huo, did you get the official stamp? Can we sign the contract now?”

Ye Leyao immediately panicked:

[No way, Third Brother, you absolutely cannot sign the contract with him!]

[Ahh, I need to think of a way to stop Third Brother from signing the contract!]

Ye Leyao was extremely anxious.

And the ears of the entire Huo family were in agony.

Huo Yan couldn’t help but glance at Ye Leyao.

Stop panicking!

Although your third brother is a bit of a fool, now that he knows Li Chi’s true intentions, there’s no way he’ll sign the contract.

Unfortunately, Ye Leyao couldn’t hear Huo Yan’s thoughts and was still shouting internally.

And Huo Ze, hearing these piercing cries, finally snapped out of his daze.

Losing such a talented player was indeed disheartening, but Ye Leyao’s inner voice was really starting to get loud!

He was on the verge of covering his ears.

Huo Ze endured the discomfort in his ears and turned to glance at Li Chi.

Li Chi had suddenly contacted their team manager last night.

When Huo Ze heard that Li Chi was interested in joining their team, he was overjoyed. After all, Li Chi was the star player of MH, and his skills were widely recognized!

If they could get Li Chi to join their team, their overall strength would definitely see a huge improvement.

So Huo Ze didn’t even think twice. That same night, he said he would personally meet with Li Chi to discuss things, and the whole family rushed back from the filming site to the city.

Huo Ze spent the entire night discussing the details of the contract with Li Chi, afraid that Li Chi might suddenly change his mind or that another team might poach him. Even though Li Chi’s requested salary was a bit high, Huo Ze gritted his teeth and agreed.

They quickly finalized the contract details that night, and Huo Ze, still worried that Li Chi might back out, arranged to meet the next morning to sign the contract.

Unexpectedly, Li Chi was very cooperative and came out immediately when Huo Ze made the offer.

At the time, Huo Ze thought it was because Li Chi was genuinely eager to join the team, which is why he agreed to sign the contract so quickly.

But it turns out, this was all a trap set up to sabotage their team.

It seemed not only was he afraid of Li Chi slipping away, but Li Chi was also worried that he might not sign the contract with him.

At this thought, a flicker of anger flashed in Huo Ze’s eyes.

Damn it, how dare he try to trick me!

The hefty salary was a minor issue. Even if he had been tricked, Huo Ze could live with it.

But what he couldn’t accept was someone fixing matches in his team, making the hard work of the other players go to waste!

Although he wasn’t sure who had sent Li Chi, it didn’t matter anymore.

In any case, Huo Ze had already decided not to sign the contract with Li Chi, and he would get to the bottom of this matter.

Huo Ze took a deep breath, quickly composed himself, and smiled, saying, “The official stamp is in my room. There’s no rush to sign the contract. Let’s eat first.”

Just then, the butler walked over to inform them that lunch was ready.

Hearing this, Ye Leyao finally breathed a small sigh of relief.

[Okay, it seems my third brother isn’t so foolish as to sign the contract right away, or else I would’ve snatched it from him myself!]

Huo Ze: “…”

What part of him was foolish!

Ye Leyao, could you stop labeling him like that?

And how was snatching the contract right in front of everyone not foolish?

Huo Yan, on the other hand, could barely contain his laughter, almost bursting out.

It was only fair that Huo Ze got a taste of what it felt like.

Papa Huo quickly chimed in, “Yes, the contract can wait. Let’s eat first.”

Li Chi frowned slightly and glanced at Huo Ze. Seeing nothing unusual on his face, he relaxed a little.

Li Chi’s glance was subtle, but Ye Leyao, who had been watching closely, noticed the shift in his expression.

The corner of Ye Leyao’s mouth curved up:

[Looks like Li Chi’s in a bit of a hurry.]

Huo Ze invited Li Chi to sit down, a smile tugging at his lips.

Since Li Chi was getting anxious, he had even more reason not to rush.

Huo Ze had no intention of confronting Li Chi just yet. Mama and Papa Huo also picked up on his intentions, so they continued to treat Li Chi as warmly as ever.

Li Chi didn’t notice anything strange and joined the family for lunch.

After the meal, Papa Huo suddenly said, “The garden’s redesign should be finished. Do you all want to take a walk with me?”

Without thinking, Huo Ze smiled and said, “Sure! Li Chi, want to come take a look?”

Li Chi frowned.

He hadn’t come to the Huo family’s home to stroll around their garden.

But since Huo Ze had extended the invitation, and the rest of the Huo family was looking at him, Li Chi tightly pressed his lips together.

He couldn’t very well refuse.

So, with no other choice, Li Chi nodded in agreement.

At this point, Ye Leyao also sensed something. He glanced at Huo Ze.

[Hmm? Why do I feel like Third Brother isn’t in a hurry to sign the contract?]

[Could it be that my foolish third brother has finally noticed something’s wrong?]

Huo Yan finally couldn’t hold back anymore and let out a couple of chuckles.

Huo Ze: “…”

Huo Ze quickly stepped forward, wrapped his arm around Ye Leyao’s shoulder, and put him in a headlock.

Ye Leyao’s eyes widened, “Third Brother, what are you doing!”

Huo Ze let go of Ye Leyao and huffed heavily.

Ye Leyao was exasperated, rubbing his neck as he frowned and muttered to himself:

[That’s weird. Third Brother’s not that young anymore—could it be he still hasn’t outgrown his rebellious phase?]

Huo Yan almost couldn’t suppress his laughter.

Huo Ze clenched his jaw in frustration.

What did he mean by “he’s not that young anymore”?

He was only two years older than Ye Leyao!

Huo Ze took a deep breath, deciding not to argue with Ye Leyao, and turned his attention back to Li Chi.

The garden Papa Huo had redesigned was beautiful, but since it was still midsummer, they only strolled around for a short while before heading back inside.

Once they were back in the living room, Huo Ze smiled and asked Li Chi, “I noticed you kept looking at our pool earlier. Do you want to go for a swim?”

Li Chi frowned, looking a bit resistant. “No, I was just glancing around…”

Huo Ze directly pulled him up, “Come on, don’t be shy with us. I’m feeling hot too. Let’s swim and discuss the contract details afterward?”

At the mention of the contract, Li Chi’s expression visibly changed. He looked up at Huo Ze, feeling a sudden wave of frustration.

They had already discussed the contract last night, so why bring up the details again?

Could it be that Huo Ze thought the salary he had requested was too high and had changed his mind?

That couldn’t be right.

Last night, Huo Ze had agreed and was in such a rush to sign the contract.

Li Chi actually wanted to keep Huo Ze on edge, but he was also afraid that if things dragged on too long, something unexpected might happen. That’s why he agreed to sign the contract this morning.

But he couldn’t figure out what Huo Ze was up to. First, he said he forgot to bring the company seal and had to go home to get it. Yet, even after returning home, Huo Ze didn’t seem eager to get the seal and sign the contract. Instead, he leisurely invited Li Chi to stay for lunch.

Now they’d had lunch, toured the garden, and Huo Ze even suggested going swimming…

Huo Ze hadn’t mentioned a word about signing the contract for so long. It wasn’t that Li Chi was being overly suspicious—it really seemed like Huo Ze might have figured something out.

Could it be that Huo Ze had discovered the real reason Li Chi was joining his team?

Li Chi was startled but quickly calmed himself down.

Impossible.

Gu Song had promised him that as long as he joined Huo Ze’s team, nothing about his past match-fixing would be exposed before the plan was completed.

So then…

Could it be that Huo Ze thought his salary request was too high?

A thousand thoughts raced through Li Chi’s mind, but to others, it had only been a matter of seconds.

Li Chi took a soft breath and stood up to walk outside with Huo Ze, testing the waters as he asked, “But didn’t we already settle the contract? Is there a problem?”

Ye Leyao, of course, wouldn’t miss such a perfect opportunity to join the fun. He immediately followed Huo Ze. “Third Brother, I want to go too!”

Huo Ze didn’t answer Li Chi right away, instead laughing as he turned to Ye Leyao. “Aren’t you afraid of swimming?”

Ye Leyao replied, “I’ll just play in the water for a bit!”

Huo Ze chuckled, then finally turned back to Li Chi, saying, “There’s a small issue…”

He hesitated, as if finding it hard to bring up. Once they were a bit further away, Huo Ze finally said, “It’s about the salary. After thinking it over, I feel like the amount might be a bit too high.”

Pro players typically earn around a million a year, but each player’s base salary varies depending on their reputation and skill level.

For someone like Li Chi, a skilled player with some fame, his base annual salary would typically start in the two million range. Including bonuses and profit sharing, he could earn three to four million a year.

However, last night, Li Chi asked for a base salary of four million.

That was exceptionally high.

But in order to sign Li Chi, Huo Ze had agreed without blinking.

Huo Ze had thought that if Li Chi could lead the team to good results, paying a bit more was worth it. After all, players as good as him were hard to come by, and once missed, they were truly gone.

But looking at things now, it might have been better to let him slip away.

After Huo Ze finished speaking, he turned to Li Chi.

As expected, Li Chi’s expression immediately changed.

His brows furrowed, and there was a flicker of anger in his eyes, though he quickly suppressed it. “But we already agreed on the terms last night, and you accepted them, Captain Huo.”

Ye Leyao, observing, curled his lips into a smile.

[Hmm? Li Chi asked for a higher salary?]

[If they can’t agree on the price, then the contract won’t be signed, right?]

With that thought, Ye Leyao felt at ease.

[Good, good. Looks like Third Brother is starting to use his brain, so I can relax now!]

Huo Ze: “…”

You’re the one just starting to use your brain!

Huo Ze held back from looking at Ye Leyao and smiled at Li Chi. “You know, our team is new. Although we were lucky enough to win a championship last season, and a lot of investors are now interested, we have a lot of players to support, and we’re also short on a few strategy analysts. So, funding is really a bit tight.”

“This is my fault, too. I didn’t think about this last night and just agreed on the spot. I’m very sorry, which is why I wanted to discuss it with you again.” Huo Ze looked at Li Chi as he finished speaking.

By this point, Li Chi’s face was already a bit dark.

The three of them had reached the poolside.

Ye Leyao had no intention of getting in the water, so he simply lounged on one of the nearby beach chairs.

Huo Ze asked Li Chi, “We’ve got swimwear ready in the room—want to change?”

Li Chi, with a gloomy expression, didn’t respond.

Huo Ze raised an eyebrow and was about to go change into his own swimsuit when Li Chi suddenly spoke.

“Captain Huo, I decided to join your team because I really like the atmosphere, and I have a lot of respect for you.”

Huo Ze paused mid-step and turned to look at Li Chi.

Li Chi continued, “You must know that my termination with MH hasn’t been made public yet. This was something I agreed upon in advance with MH. Once the news is out, there will be no shortage of teams trying to recruit me, giving me plenty of options.”

Ye Leyao’s eyes widened at that.

[Whoa, is he starting to threaten us now?]

Ye Leyao quickly glanced at Huo Ze.

[Third Brother! You can’t let him threaten you!]

[Missing out on a good player is unfortunate, but someone like Li Chi isn’t worth it! If you miss him, you’ll find a better opportunity, a better true teammate!]

Huo Ze: “…”

Could someone please shut Ye Leyao up?

He kept spouting nonsense, completely throwing off Huo Ze’s thoughts!

Huo Ze felt a headache coming on, amused yet annoyed. For a moment, he couldn’t keep his expression straight.

Since his back was to Li Chi, he didn’t turn around.

To Li Chi, Huo Ze’s posture looked like hesitation.

Unable to resist, Li Chi allowed a small smirk to form on his lips.

He knew it—Huo Ze would give in.

After all, his skills were undeniable, and the weakest link in Huo Ze’s team was the top lane.

The new season was about to begin. Where else could Huo Ze find such a suitable top laner besides him?

Though his salary request was indeed a bit high, there was nothing Huo Ze could do about it.

Li Chi never thought that the events from a few years ago would be dug up. With this leverage hanging over him, he could never feel at ease.

Since the matter of his match-fixing would inevitably be exposed sooner or later, he figured he might as well make one last big score before it did.

No matter what, Li Chi wasn’t going to back down.

Huo Ze took a long pause before finally composing himself. He turned and asked, “So, you’re saying you have other teams in mind?”

The truth was, Li Chi could only join Huo Ze’s team.

But Li Chi still replied, “Yes, I’m just prioritizing your team. If Captain Huo can’t agree to the salary, I might choose another team…”

“That’s fine.”

Li Chi’s words trailed off, and then he suddenly looked up, eyes filled with shock as he stared at Huo Ze.

Wait, what did he just hear?

Ye Leyao immediately burst out laughing.

[Hahahahahahahahaha, what a perfect ‘that’s fine’!]

[Alright, alright! It looks like Third Brother has truly woken up now. I can finally relax!]

Huo Ze felt like laughing when he heard Ye Leyao’s laughter. He had intended to hold it in, but in the end, he couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from curling up. He didn’t bother to hide it anymore.

Looking at Li Chi in front of him, Huo Ze smiled warmly, like a spring breeze. “If you have a better option, I won’t force you to stay. After all, it’s a two-way choice. There’s no need for anyone to hang themselves on a single tree.”

Li Chi: “…”

To hell with your two-way choice!

Huo Ze could have other options, but Li Chi had none at all!