The Doctor said I Have to be A Kept Man - Chapter 3

A few hours later, Chi Ruanfan sat at his computer desk, head in his hands, contemplating the meaning of life.

Before him were two sets of items: one was the result of his brain scan and psychiatric evaluation, and the other was a property inventory he had just written.

In the past few hours, Chi Ruanfan had taken a taxi across half the city and visited a hospital for a check-up. Ultimately, he was left with one piece of good news and one piece of bad news.

The good news was that he had zero psychiatric issues. The disappearing Light Elf class, the game maps from years ago, his healthy, injury-free body, and the “resurrected” neighbor; all of it was simply because he had been reborn.

The bad news was that the fortune he had accumulated over his five-year professional career was gone. He had returned to his most destitute period: his pockets were cleaner than his face, with only 300 yuan left in his bank card and a WeChat balance of 28.

“Damn it,” Chi Ruanfan ran a hand through his hair, forcing himself to calm down.

Rebirth was a settled fact. No matter how much he fretted, he could not fast-forward five years. It was not like he could go find a car to run into him just to see if he could travel back.

Wait, Jin Zhu was right beside me when the accident happened. Since I am back, could Jin Zhu also be?

Chi Ruanfan’s eyes lit up. He grabbed his phone to contact Jin Zhu. No WeChat, no QQ, not even a number in his contacts. Five years ago, he did not even know Jin Zhu, so how could he have his contact info?

He felt a momentary lapse in energy. “If I had known it was a rebirth, I would have asked for his number during the game.”

Wait, the game! I can try adding him as a friend!

Chi Ruanfan powered on his computer. The moment he logged in, over a dozen friend requests popped up. They were all players he had gamed with; some wanted to duo, others wanted to be a “CP.” He rejected them one by one until he saw a certain pure white avatar.

“Jin Zhu actually added me? The verification message: ‘Are you interested in playing professionally?’ Heh, trying to pull me into Team Chaoge? Picking up a three-time FMVP right off the bat; quite the plan.”

Chi Ruanfan quirked an eyebrow and clicked “Accept.” He opened his friend list, found the newly added Jin Zhu, and typed rapidly.

Chi Fou: Why are you looking for me to play professionally?

Chi Ruanfan was not sure if Jin Zhu had also been reborn, so he decided to test the waters. Jin Zhu was online and replied quickly.

Chaoge-Jin Yi: Your awareness, mechanics, and reactions are all very strong. Team Chaoge needs a player like you.

Chi Fou: Does the ‘East Factory’ need a talent like me?

Chaoge-Jin Yi: ?

“He did not catch the meme. Did he really not be reborn?”

Chi Ruanfan decided to probe further: “Do you know who the FMVP for S8 through S10 was?”

On the other side of the screen, Jin Zhu stared at the question, his brow furrowing slightly. After a moment, he called out to a teammate playing nearby: “Guzi, who were the FMVPs for S8 through S10?”

“Huh?” Guzi froze. “Jin-ge, do you mean for Infinite? Infinite Tower Defense has only had six seasons of professional leagues. This year is S6.”

S8 had not even happened yet; who could possibly know who the FMVP would be?

Jin Zhu did not ask further. He looked at the chat, wondering how to respond. Chi Fou was clearly a frequent player; it was impossible for him not to know which season it was. Instinct told Jin Zhu that the man was not looking for the literal answer.

After a moment of thought, Jin Zhu tapped the keys.

Chaoge-Jin Yi: If you join Chaoge, we can work toward that goal together.

Chi Ruanfan sighed. “It really seems to be a non-reborn version of Jin Zhu.”

Chi Fou: You are not trolling me, are you?

Chaoge-Jin Yi: ?

Chi Fou: I mean, about joining Chaoge and all. I still need to think about it.

Chaoge-Jin Yi: Mn. Take your time. You can ask me anything you want to know.

Chi Ruanfan pulled his hands back and drummed his fingers on the desk. He definitely intended to play professionally, whether for a living or for the glory of the championship. As for the team:

In his previous life, he had not join any team, but instead recruited people to form a “three-nothings” team. No venue, no fame, and no money; there were only the teammates he had scraped together. Building a team from scratch and competing against major organizations involved hardships that were difficult to put into words. Joining a big team would definitely be easier than starting from zero.

While searching for team data on his phone, he typed with one hand:

Chi Fou: What positions are you missing?

Chaoge-Jin Yi: What positions can you play?

Chi Ruanfan let out a low chuckle.

Chi Fou: Your brother here is an all-rounder.

Chaoge-Jin Yi: Then you can try them all.

Chi Ruanfan had several question marks in his head. “Wait, I have not even agreed to join Chaoge yet.”

Chaoge-Jin Yi: I see your location is also in S City. When are you free? Shall we meet and talk?

A face-to-face meeting. Chi Ruanfan did indeed want to see Jin Zhu: the “Little Jin Zhu” from five years ago.

Chi Fou: I have got time recently. Tomorrow at 12:00 PM, at…

He almost typed “the usual place” before quickly correcting himself.

Chi Fou: How about meeting at Fanwan Restaurant?

Chaoge-Jin Yi: No problem.

A moment later, Jin Zhu sent another message.

Chaoge-Jin Yi: Are you free to duo tonight?

Chi Fou: Probably not. Let’s raincheck.

He still had to research teams. Chi Ruanfan vaguely remembered that this year was the low period for Team Chaoge; they would not start their ascent until next season. Checking their current records, the massive swathes of red “Defeat” markers made him gasp.

“Never mind, never mind.” Chi Ruanfan quickly exited the page. Team Chaoge was a no-go; he would pick someone else. He was too poor right now; his total net worth was not even enough for next month’s rent. He wanted to reach his previous life’s achievements as quickly as possible, and Chaoge likely would not even make the World Champions Cup this year. A year of time was too precious to waste.

Even if Chaoge had Jin Zhu, he had to slip away.

[Ding: You have received a new email from King’s Club.]

“Huh? Why is Team King’s emailing me?”

Respected Mr. Chi Ruanfan:

Thank you for submitting your resume to King’s. We have carefully reviewed your information. Your mechanics still need improvement, and your overly conservative playstyle does not fit the style of Team King’s. We regret to inform you that we cannot offer you a position at this time.

Chi Ruanfan: “…”

He had apparently sent resumes to several pro teams back then, but what kind of feedback was this? Mechanics need improvement? Overly conservative? He could stomach the former: mechanics always have room for growth: but where did “conservative” come from? Who exactly was King’s hiring to screen resumes?

He deleted the email and continued his research until dawn.

At 11:00 AM, the alarm rang. He got up, tidied himself, and used his last 28 yuan to take a taxi to the restaurant.

Inside the private booth, Jin Zhu had already arrived. He had his laptop open, watching replays of yesterday’s matches. The more he watched, the more shocked he became. This Chi Fou was too strong. If roles were reversed, Jin Zhu was not sure if he could pull off the same plays with the Night Hermit.

Click: “Sir, this way please.”

The door opened. A blond boy with fair skin walked in. He looked about seventeen or eighteen, tall, with delicate features and a brilliant spark in his eyes: handsome enough to have walked off a magazine cover.

“Why haven’t you ordered? Aren’t you hungry?” Chi Ruanfan was used to being casual with Jin Zhu. He sat down, took the menu, and skillfully ordered several dishes they both liked.

“Are you Chi Fou?” Jin Zhu asked, sounding uncertain.

Chi Ruanfan paused, looking up to meet Jin Zhu’s eyes. This Jin Zhu was younger than the one in his memories: still handsome and cold, but the gaze lacked intimacy and held a sense of distance.

Was I really the only one reborn?

Chi Ruanfan lowered his eyes to hide his emotions, straightened his posture, and extended a hand. “Real name Chi Ruanfan. Game ID Chi Fou. Call me whatever you like.”

Jin Zhu saw the flash of loneliness in the boy’s eyes before he looked down, and he felt an odd twinge in his chest. Had he made him unhappy? Was it because of his question?

Jin Zhu pursed his lips and lightly shook Chi Ruanfan’s hand. “Chaoge-Jin Yi. You can also call me by my name: Jin Zhu.”

“Actually, you don’t need to introduce yourself. I’ve known you for a long time.”

Jin Zhu was not surprised. Yesterday in the game, the other party had called him “Great God Jin Yi.” They clearly knew of him. After introductions, Jin Zhu said, “With your skills and appearance, you have a high chance of becoming a star player once you hit the pro stage.”

You might not believe it, Chi Ruanfan thought, but two days ago I was the star player among star players. Now; sigh, let’s not talk about it.

Seeing that Chi Ruanfan did not want to dwell on that, Jin Zhu went straight to the point: “What are your salary requirements?”

“None.” Because he did not plan on joining.

“If you join Chaoge, we will give you the maximum salary for a newcomer: two million a year.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Chi Ruanfan’s expression changed.

“Not enough?” Jin Zhu asked.

“It’s not that,” Chi Ruanfan knew this was an incredibly high offer for a rookie: many veterans did not even make that much. It was just that the gap was too large. Before his rebirth, his base salary was tens of millions, not counting bonuses or endorsements.

“Five million,” Jin Zhu stated.

Chi Ruanfan: “???”

If any other pro had hiked the price like this, Chi Ruanfan would have suspected a scam. But this was Jin Zhu: the owner behind Team Chaoge and heir to the Jin Group. In Chaoge, Jin Zhu’s word was as good as a contract.

“It really isn’t a money issue,” Chi Ruanfan said helplessly. Joining Chaoge meant skipping the World Champions Cup this year.

“Ten million.” Jin Zhu looked him straight in the eye.

Chi Ruanfan was bewildered. He never knew Jin Zhu was this reckless with money. Being rich meant being willful, apparently.

“Let’s not talk about money, it hurts the feelings,” Chi Ruanfan tried to bargain. “How about I play for another team for a year, and next year I give Chaoge priority?”

Jin Zhu paused, then spoke again: “Thirty million.”

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