Chapter 586 I’ll Give Myself to You as Payment

Zhao Chaojie took off his headphones and got a clearer sense of the atmosphere in the dorm room.

"Old Zhao, you know who you were just cussing out, right?" Qian Huabiao said slowly.

He was used to Zhao Chaojie trash-talking during games. While it was annoying, there was no stopping him. Today, with Lin Ruoxi here, was a perfect opportunity to really mess with Zhao Chaojie.

Zhang Xuelun added, "Old Zhao, the only thing protecting you is the law."

"Playing Lee Sin really made you blind." Taking advantage of the few seconds he had while respawning, Xue Rui got up and bolted the dorm room door.

Xue Rui was worried they’d attract a crowd from other dorms. If that happened, Zhao Chaojie would be completely ostracized...

GULP. Zhao Chaojie fidgeted, getting the distinct feeling he was about to get a "lesson" from four burly guys.

Lin Ruoxi was, without a doubt, the goddess of their class. Even students who felt no connection to their classmates would get animated when mentioning her to people from other classes, calling her "Sister Xi" and showering her with endless praise.

But whenever her boyfriend came up, they would all tacitly glance around before spitting on the ground in indignation, followed by nasty remarks like "that damn class president" and "what shitty luck"...

"Sister Xi, look, this is... I was just..." Zhao Chaojie scrambled to his feet, wiping his sweaty palms on his pants. Only then did he realize what a huge mistake he’d made!

Lin Ruoxi slowly walked up to Zhao Chaojie and began to apologize in a low voice, "I’m sor—"

Xue Rui had just yelled at Zhao Chaojie, so Lin Ruoxi felt it was best to apologize first.

"Oh God, please don’t say it!" Zhao Chaojie frantically cut her off. For a split second, he seriously wanted to get on his knees and kowtow to Lin Ruoxi.

’Lin Ruoxi is apologizing to me?’

’How could I ever show my face in class again?’

’Forget class, I wouldn’t even be able to survive in the guys’ dorm!’

Startled by Zhao Chaojie’s frantic reaction, Lin Ruoxi stumbled back and bumped into the chair behind her, which let out a CREAK.

"Why are you yelling?!" Xue Rui’s eyebrow twitched. He reached out and protectively pulled Lin Ruoxi into his arms.

"I’m fine..." Lin Ruoxi murmured against Xue Rui’s chest, her delicate red lips curving into a slight smile.

’He still cares about me so much.’

"Xixi, don’t cry." Xue Rui pressed her face into his chest, hiding her expression from everyone.

Looking at the Ashe on his screen, standing idle in the fountain, he was struck by a sudden, inexplicable guilt. ’Ah, I’m throwing the game for my teammates again!’

Xue Rui glanced at his roommates’ screens and remembered they were in a five-stack...

’Hm? Well, in that case, it doesn’t matter if we lose. The only people I’m screwing over are these clowns.’ So, Xue Rui relaxed and fully committed to being an "actor."

"Mmph, #@￥%@#..."

Lin Ruoxi tried to say she wasn’t crying, but with her face pressed against Xue Rui’s chest, the muffled sounds came out like sobs.

Hearing this, every hair on Zhao Chaojie’s body stood on end.

"What the hell? I can’t take this anymore! Old Zhao, give her a proper apology!"

The usually silent Zhang Xuelun was the first to move. He picked up a stool and walked over to Zhao Chaojie, looking as if he’d send it flying the very next second if an apology wasn’t forthcoming.

With the sound of dragging chairs, three burly guys surrounded Zhao Chaojie.

"Old Zhao, you still have an appetite?" Qian Huabiao asked, tapping the takeout container.

Cai Huazhou added, "And don’t forget the Wi-Fi Sister Xi set up for our dorm. You’re so generous, aren’t you? Giving out the password to everyone and then complaining at night when the internet is lagging."

Everyone in dorm 622 had benefited from Lin Ruoxi’s kindness. When she showed her gentle side to Xue Rui, they too were touched by that warmth.

In truth, no one had even noticed if the support’s ultimate was ready in the game. But the moment Lin Ruoxi "cried," the facts no longer mattered.

As Xue Rui watched his friends interrogate Zhao Chaojie, he let Lin Ruoxi lift her head from his chest and whispered to her, "Xixi, do you know how dangerous a beautiful woman can be?"

Lin Ruoxi shook her head dazedly. "N-no, I don’t."

"I’ll show you. Just do this..." Xue Rui whispered in her ear.

Lin Ruoxi nodded repeatedly, carefully committing every one of Xue Rui’s words to memory.

"What are you looking at me for? Did I say I wasn’t going to apologize? All of you, move." Zhao Chaojie didn’t dare to meet their gazes. He found a gap between the three of them and squeezed through, took a deep breath, and said, "Sister Xi, I—"

Lin Ruoxi pouted and said, "Zhao Chaojie didn’t mean it. Please, don’t be angry with him, everyone."

Zhao Chaojie’s eyes went wide. ’I haven’t even apologized yet, and she’s saying this?’

’And with that incredibly wronged look on her face, too! Isn’t this just adding fuel to the fire?’

"I’m sor—"

"No, no, no, it was my fault for being so bad at the game. I ruined it for everyone," Lin Ruoxi said, waving her hands dismissively.

She was doing exactly what Xue Rui had told her to, but Lin Ruoxi couldn’t help but feel that something was a little off...

"See how magnanimous Sister Xi is? Now look at yourself," Qian Huabiao said with a grin, pressing down hard on Zhao Chaojie’s shoulder several times.

Zhang Xuelun and Cai Huazhou also slapped Zhao Chaojie hard on the back a few times, venting all their pent-up frustration from his usual trash-talking.

Zhao Chaojie scratched his scalp weakly, a sense of utter helplessness washing over him.

"Come on, let’s get back to it. We’re about to lose," Xue Rui urged.

Everyone froze. The enemy team was already pushing their high ground. Could they really still play?

Zhao Chaojie shot Xue Rui a grateful look. ’The class president is magnanimous after all,’ he thought.

"It’s not a loss until the Nexus is down." Xue Rui sat back down at his computer and resumed playing.

He hadn’t wanted to give up in the first place. Once you start a match, you should see it through to the end.