translator: xiin
editors: apricot & juurensha
Southern Cross Star’s Ming Family was a standard overbearing president family.
Ming Yao’s father was the overbearing president, Ming Yao’s mother was the overbearing president’s wife, and Ming Yao’s elder brother was the family heir.
And Ming Yao’s last name was ‘Ming’.
The character for ‘Ming’ was made up of the sun and the moon. They shone down on the same stretch of heaven and earth, blessing the world with its light and sending the aura of an emperor right to one’s door.
So, after the year-end quarterly settlement, the company’s subordinates sent a full box of ‘emperor fruit’ to President Ming.
They were called ‘emperor fruit’, but in fact, they were wax apples.
Ming Yao, who was still in grade two of primary school, watched cartoons while gnawing on wax apples every day.
President Ming was shocked. The wax apples weren’t as good for the body as okra, but Ming Yao was still eating them every day. It meant that this son of his would bear great responsibility.
However, wax apples couldn’t be eaten so often.
Madame Ming was trying to cultivate Little Ming Yao’s understanding of ‘delayed gratification’. Madame Ming spoke in a gentle voice, “Mama will give you a fruit. If you eat it today, you won’t have any tomorrow. If you return it to mama tomorrow, you’ll have two.”
The First Young Master of the Ming Family saw his younger brother holding the fruit in his hand, wanting to eat it, and wanted to cultivate Ming Yao’s ‘financial management consciousness’. Brother Ming said patiently, “The fruit in Little Ming’s hand, if you eat it today, it’ll be gone tomorrow. If you give it to big brother today, it’ll turn into three fruits tomorrow, and nine fruits the day after tomorrow.”
Little Ming Yao immediately placed the fruit from his mother into his elder brother’s small bank.
10 days fixed deposit.
The next day, Madame Ming walked into Ming Yao’s small room and found 0 fruits.
Madame Ming was very surprised and sent a message to her friend, “Little Ming isn’t learning how to delay gratification. What should I do?”
Her close friend, “Children at that age haven’t developed their personalities fully yet. How about sending him to learn to play chess and archery?”
That afternoon, Little Ming Yao was sent to the Jingyi youth archery class.
The Jingyi battle team hadn’t made many achievements that year, and they didn’t receive much income from advertising. Fortunately, the team manager was very capable and had arranged a training class in order to earn extra money. Having the trainees become part-time tutors was a wonderful thing.
A whole team of luxury suspended cars sent Ming Yao to his archery class. As the president’s son, he received very special treatment, and it was a one-on-one class. The little bow had been specially selected to not harm the hands, and the target distance was two meters––in order to ensure that Ming Yao wouldn’t miss even with his eyes closed. There was also a small screen on the target that played cartoons for Ming Yao to watch.
However, Ming Yao kicked up a fuss, wanting to go home.
The archery hall manager cajoled him, “If you can hit the 7th ring on the 10 meter target, you can go home…”
There was a thud.
Little Ming Yao waved his bow, and the arrow hit the 9th ring on the 10 meter target, close to the center, “I want to go home!”
The manager: “……”
A few minutes later, a supervisor came in. The manager whispered, “Yes, it’s his first time touching a bow. Although the arm strength required for the bow has been adjusted for his age, and there is an arrow guidance pad, the students are basically untried and still manage to hit the wrong target most of the time…”
Little Ming Yao wasn’t concerned about these things. He sat on the ground on his own and started watching cartoons.
The manager from the battle team side thought about it, “Have Little Zuo come.”
The door squeaked open.
Someone came to stand behind Ming Yao.
Ming Yao turned around. There was a 12 year old boy standing there in a pale white shooting uniform, narrow sleeves, and a gold hook hanging from his waist. He looked like a jade-faced youth who’d just stepped out of a painting.
The teenager weighed Little Ming Yao’s toy bow, “Target position 15 meters.”
The target slid back along its rails, and the youth spoke kindly, “15 meters. If you hit the 10th ring, you can go home.”
Little Ming Yao was indignant, “You guys don’t keep your word!
The teenager: “Their words don’t count, but mine do.”
Little Ming Yao snatched back the toy bow and shot randomly at the target. None of the arrows landed any closer than the 6th ring. The teenager came close to correct his movements, then returned to his original position when he was done, every time.
The little child holding the bow and arrow narrowed his eyes at him.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Zlcu Tjb kjr erejiis mjiifv Tbecu Zjrafg Zlcu ktfc tf kjr bearlvf, jcv ja tbwf, tf kjr mjiifv Olaaif Zlcu.
It was the first time anyone had called him ‘lordling’.
It sounded very gentle.
Ming Yao continued to narrow his eyes, “Why are you dressed like that.”
The teenager: “Jingyi’s shooting uniform.”
Ming Yao wondered, “Why don’t you have a jade pendant?”
The teenager: “I’m not old enough yet.”
Ming Yao: “Then why do you have a golden hook?”
The teenager: “Because I can shoot better than they can.”
The 9 year old Ming was arrogant and willful, and the 12 year old teenager was full of energy.
Ming Yao: “What’s your name.”
The teenager: “My name is Zuo Botang.”
Zuo Botang led Little Ming Yao to load the arrow and aim, then returned back to his original position
The bow that had been adjusted for power curved. Ming Yao released his fingers and shot.
10th ring.
Little Ming Yao stared at the bow and arrow in shock for a long time before suddenly becoming interested and shooting out one arrow after another. He didn’t like the first few trainers, but Zuo Botang was just right. Little Young Master Ming talked to Zuo Botang about anything and everything, talking about how he didn’t like doing his homework, how he liked eating waxed apples, about how his father and mother and elder brother didn’t accompany him to play.
Only then did Zuo Botang discover that Ming Yao was a little chatterbox.
When the Ming Family drove over to pick up Ming Yao, Ming Yao was very reluctant to leave.
So, the next day, Ming Yao came over to join Jingyi’s shooting class again.
Archery classes with sky high prices continued on like this for five years.
During these five years, Zuo Botang was there sometimes, and sometimes he wasn’t.
Ming Yao’s form of address to Zuo Botang changed from ‘hey’, to ‘what’s his name’, to the very loud ‘Brother Zuo, ‘Today, my Brother Zuo’, ‘My Brother Zuo said’…
The golden hook on Zuo Botang’s waist was replaced by a jade pendant. When he was away, he occasionally went to a training match or participated in some insignificant leagues for senior high school students.
There were no live broadcasts for these kinds of low end competitions. Little Ming Yao saved up a month’s worth of pocket money and purchased a live sponsorship for the game. A series of ‘Go, Zuo Botang!’ banners were displayed all around the edge of the venue, and it was a sponsorship that definitely lost money.
For Ming Yao, when he ran out of pocket money, he’d just get more the next month.
For Zuo Botang, he severely criticized Ming Yao for wasting money.
However, the next day, Ming Yao had a direct confrontation with his family over wanting to go and play in survival shows.
The Ming Family instantly exploded.
By the time Ming Yao went back to the archery hall again, Zuo Botang was there waiting for him.
The antique stone table held Zuo Botang’s training gun.
For once, Zuo Botang wasn’t smiling, “I know that the captain advised you to come and compete, but playing professionally isn’t a joke.”
The gun was assembled easily, the magazine unloaded and tossed to Ming Yao, “In the competitions, the weapon you’ll encounter the most is the gun. The life-saving capsule will only pop out at a critical moment between life and death. If you play well, you’ll have an audience. If you don’t play well, the audience will leave.”
Ming Yao looked straight at him.
His two eyes were bright, “I’ve never touched a gun. Brother Zuo… Big brother, can you show me?”
Zuo Botang bowed his head and almost choked. Ming Yao’s expression was just like that of the fangirls and fanboys in the team who wanted to touch the gun magazine, and take photos and post on their Star Blogs.
Zuo Botang thought to himself, had something gone wrong with what he’d taught Little Ming?
During the years when Ming Yao frequently visited the archery hall, Zuo Botang had watched over him as he did his homework, criticized him for contradicting his parents, and would beat up the Ming Yao who skipped school.
So, Zuo Botang tossed Ming Yao out of the hall directly and told him to think carefully about whether he wanted to be a carefree young master at home, or come and fight in the survival shows.
Ming Yao came back a week later.
Not only did he sign a contract with Jingyi, he’d also brought along all his belongings. Ming Yao pushed open the door to the Jingyi team and went to the training room. “My elder brother booked out a shooting range for me, and I trained for a week. How about it! Brother Zuo, am I good enough to be your deputy!”
A standard dynamic target, standard shooting rifle, 10 rings.
The high-level Jingyi staff who’d come to perform the trainee evaluation was stunned and immediately promoted Ming Yao to an S-level trainee contract.
He became a reserve trainee for the second team.
On that very day, Ming Yao started following Zuo Botang, cheerfully calling out ‘Captain’ every day.
Others might change their form of address for Zuo Botang to ‘Brother Zuo’ when they became more familiar with him, but Ming Yao somehow changed from ‘Brother Zuo’ to ‘Captain’. It was as though, after calling him ‘Captain’, he had firmly stuffed himself into the Jingyi Battle Team. He mixed in with the other trainees, eating common meals and talking about beautiful girls, and he didn’t have to participate in social events with his elder brother, didn’t have to play at stock speculation, and completely liberated his nature.
Most importantly, he could even sleep with Zuo Botang at night!
Ming Yao had caught everyone off guard with his arrival. Jingyi didn’t have extra bed space, so they could only squeeze him in with Zuo Botang. However, there were quite a few younger trainees in the team who all wanted to sleep with Zuo Botang and listen to their little Captain Zuo tell them bedtime stories before sleep.
On summer evenings, Zuo Botang’s single bedroom was stuffed full of people.
They nibbled on watermelon as they listened to his stories.
Ming Yao complained as he snatched up more watermelon, “It’s already 10 in the evening, time to sleep! What are you all doing here? You’re disturbing the captain’s rest!”
The others criticized, “That’s no good, Captain Zuo belongs to everyone, ah, Little Ming, didn’t they reallocate bunk beds tonight? Why are you still squeezing in with Captain Zuo?”
Zuo Botang immediately remembered this matter.
At 10:30, Ming Yao and the others were driven out.
When Ming Yao went back to his own bed, he thought about it and felt unhappy. So, he took advantage of a time when nobody was paying attention, picked up a small pillow, and rushed to Zuo Botang’s room! Jingyi often carried out surprise night training at three or four o’clock in the middle of the night. Ming Yao rushed inside, then took out a giant padlock, setting it in place on the door!
Other than him, nobody else should even think about coming in!
Zuo Botang: “… What are you doing with a padlock?”
Ming Yao scratched his head, “… I bought over a dozen locks, but this one arrived the fastest.”
Zuo Botang was helpless.
There was still half an hour before lights out. Zuo Botang was taking advantage of the time when the lights were still on to read.
Jingyi’s performance hadn’t been very good in the last two years, but they were still considered a big player in the league. Zuo Botang, as a core trainee, would have his training clothes scented with sandalwood after they were washed.
Ming Yao stared at Zuo Botang in a happy daze.
Zuo Botang gestured for him to come over and sit down. “After coming to Jingyi, a gentleman’s six arts: rites, music, archery, chariot driving, calligraphy, and mathematics, all need to be covered. For you, Jingyi’s single powerful shot isn’t hard. However, you still need to learn the other accompaniments.”
Ming Yao asked deliberately, “What accompaniments!”
Zuo Botang knew that he was asking on purpose and laughed, “The first time I taught you to hold a bow, that was one of them.”
Ming Yao was instantly excited.
The three years that came after surprised everyone.
The little lordling of the Ming Family not only became an intern for three years, he also enjoyed himself and was just like a fish in water. When President Ming and Madame Ming came to visit Jingyi, they were shocked into a daze.
The one rolling around in the mud, dodging behind bunkers at any time, and pulling out guns to kill was actually the Ming Yao who used to just watch cartoons all day long?!
From then on, nobody tried to stop Ming Yao from pursuing his career.
Ming Yao earned himself the vice c-position of team one in his fourth year as an intern.
He cooperated with Jingyi’s future captain, Zuo Botang.
That year, Ming Yao was 18, and Zuo Botang was 21. There was a year to go before they entered the Crosson Show, and two years before they officially participated in a professional game.
On the night when his placement was announced. Ming Yao proudly set up a hot pot takeaway with champagne and cola to celebrate with in his dormitory. His fellow trainees expressed, “You snipers really like to make a big deal out of things. It’s just a placement evaluation, yet you had to go and arrange for a full banquet. It’s not like us assault players––ah, this chicken wing is really tasty. Little Ming, give me another one!”
But Zuo Botang didn’t show up.
Ming Yao hugged the pot to protect it, “Don’t eat it all! What about my captain! How did you guys lose him!”
Veteran members of the team laughed and cursed, “Little Ming, other than you, who else would dare to do anything with your captain? Isn’t he downstairs? Hey, don’t rush out, it’s raining!”
Ming Yao chuckled and ran downstairs in a tangle of limbs with a box of beef.
When a big group of men got together, they would basically only eat spicy hot pot.
Ming Yao coughed as he went out the door. The heat from the hotpot was really intense, it had even burned up to his face.
The rain downstairs was intermittent.
Through the bars of the gate at the entrance to Jingyi, he could see Zuo Botang standing on the street in the distance.
There was a girl beside the captain.
Her head was on the captain’s shoulder.
Zuo Botang reached out and patted her on the shoulder.
Inside the gate, Ming Yao was stunned.
His hurried and enthusiastic footsteps stopped. He didn’t know if it was because he’d gotten drenched in the rain or something, but he felt cold and numb.
They were still drinking and eating hot pot upstairs.
The spicy scent drifted down, making the bottom of his stomach hurt.
Ming Yao stood there in the rain just like that.
The Young Master of the Ming Family hadn’t suffered any setbacks from childhood, but he felt very miserable at this time. He slowly sat down beside the rain-soaked eaves, waiting until Zuo Botang had swiped his key and entered the gate.
Zuo Botang was also holding a food box in his hands, and it looked like he’d just finished his meal. Ming Yao could guess that he wouldn’t want his own box of quick-boiled fatty beef.
His captain came over and held up an umbrella for him. The captain clearly had an umbrella, but his clothes were half wet. It seemed that he’d been holding the umbrella up for someone else the whole way back.
“What’s the matter, little lordling?” Zuo Botang smiled and asked.
It was ‘little lordling’ again.
Ming Yao bowed his head, his nose sour. Then, he quickly came back to his senses and wiped his nose, “Captain, come up and eat hot pot! I can’t take the spiciness anymore––”
At night.
Ming Yao hid beneath his quilt, holding up his terminal and communication with his childhood friend.
His friend: “Your captain has fallen in love, and you feel sad?”
Ming Yao: 1
His friend: “Ah, holy shit, you’re in a bad mood and don’t want to type; doesn’t that mean I have to type more for you? Isn’t it just that I’ve spoiled you! Are you straight or gay, if you’re straight, hit 1, if you’re gay, hit 2.”
Ming Yao thought about it for a moment. The captain was straight, and he took the captain as his idol, so he was also straight: 1
His friend: Then, isn’t it great.
His friend: Spring is coming. You see your captain falling in love, so you also want to fall in love!
His friend: This is too normal. Whatever your idol does is what you also want to do. You brainless star chasers are all like this!
Juurensha: Yesssss it’s the Jingyi double C!
xiin: oh, Ming Yao… the captain isn’t straight…
Oml… The childhood friend… His advice will basically make ZB eat tons of vinegar…
Thanks for the chapter~
Ouch,, when MY saw ZBT with a girl and he was sad,, that was right in the kokoro QnQ but when xiin said ZBT isn’t straight :DDDDDD ε٩(๑> ₃ <)7з
thanks for the chapter~
oh, let me clarify – it never said anywhere in the text that ZB was straight, (actually it doesn’t really say anyone is straight… haha, even ‘straight’ Caesar watches gay porn) but MY thought he was. it’s also possible that ZB did a ‘gay for you’ thing, but it’s left unclear.
also, during that scene in Azure Blue when MY’s cat ears were quivering like crazy when he saw ZB, ZB’s reaction wasn’t ‘omg ew’ but more just.. shock. so. at least he was never anti-gay~
Oh oh u meant it that way, thanks for clarifying!! I’m excited to find out where it goes, then! :DDDDD
MY’s mentality is so…
Thanks for the chapter~~
Oh No…ZB shall become a vinegar machine….
Thanks for the chapter~
Wait, ZB isn’t straight? What? Why’d I didn’t know? How? Am I left behind? And all this time I thought ZB is straight but somehow become bent little by little after MY confession…. 😲
Thanks for the chapter! ^^)❤
I think more to he’s gonna get bent
Ughh they’re so cute…I think we all deserve a cute young romance after all the heavy background from little witch and big boss (not saying I hate it of course, but this dose of innocence is much needed) 😀
It’s bittersweet but why do I feel like crying moreee….
JINGYI DOUBLE C CP HEHEHE wuwu poor ming yao… bet he’s gonna find a girl and captain is gonna be like wait what and then
I knew this was gay but I wasn’t sure since he never said anything, from this I can confirm that Ming yao likes Zuo Botang (I hope im. Not wrong)
Thanks for the chapter!
Oh Ming Yao, neither of you are straight…
Ohhhh it is this childhood friend of Ming Yao thar lead him astray! 😂 No wonder he didn’t realised his love and become foolish stalker fan lol. Thin Fire should really look closely, this is the real “stalker-captain-fan”, the other one is of mutual love 🤣🤣.