YING CHEN was still a distance away from them, so Luo Yan had time to stare at the other. He still looked like one of those pretty high school boys that was the favorite of younger girls.


    No matter in which angle Luo Yan looked, Ying Chen was really simr to his game avatar’s appearance. The only difference was the color of his skin, hair, and eyes. But otherwise, it was the very image of him.


    The only reason Luo Yan wasn’t able to immediately know it was him when they met during the prelims of the Rookie Carnival was because the other never crossed his mind. He only thought that the other was familiar. Until he remembered the teenager who bumped purposely into him while he was walking out of the elevator.


    Besides, there was also that thing when the panther beastkin mentioned Huang Wen. After that, it was easy to connect the dots. So, he quickly realized that the dark elf named Malekith was actually Ying Chen.


    "There’s another one?" Yu Jiao said in response to what he said earlier. "Who is it?"


    "The one walking in front of us and is probably about to call Huang Wen," Luo Yan said in a low voice.


    After he said that, Ying Chen did call Huang Wen.


    "Ah Wen!"


    Yu Jiao sharply nced at the direction where the call came from. When she saw Ying Chen, there was an unbelieving look on her face. Obviously, she still remembered that little antic that the other pulled before.


    "Are you sure?" she asked, still feeling doubtful.


    Luo Yan nodded. "Very sure."


    Ying Chen finally noticed the two people about to walk past him. A displeased expression immediately appeared on his face the moment he saw Luo Yan. He was still annoyed at this shorty because of what happenedst time. He received a lot of scolding from Huang Wen because of that. Which he still felt unfair until now. After all, he only did what he did for him.


    It might be wrong in some way but that was the only way he could show his sincere feelings for Huang Wen. Because he couldn’t go about saying it out loud. Because he was afraid that the moment he did, the other would cut off the only connection the two of them had – their friendship. He wasn’t sure if he could take that kind of blow.


    Or maybe he was simply a coward and he just wanted to vent his frustration on this shorty.


    Well, whatever the case, he still didn’t like him. More so now because of that Arcadia yer Noctis. Knowing that that was probably how this brat would look like once he grew a bit taller just irritated him for some reason.


    Luo Yan, of course, saw the annoyed expression on Ying Chen’s face once the other saw him. Instead of being offended, he instead smiled sweetly at him. Just to, you know, irritate him more.


    And he seeded. Because the other indeed became more irritated.


    Ying Chen resisted the urge to push this shorty again. He would never think that the other was a silly white sweet. He still remembered this brat’s evil smile when the other tripped him. Then after that, proceeding all innocent and concerned. What an evil spawn.


    He decided to just quickly walk past the other. The moment he did, he almost immediately stopped. Because a thought suddenly shed in his mind – did that shorty grow taller?


    He shook his head and promptly decided to erase that thought in his mind. He simply quickened his steps until he reached Huang Wen.


    Luo Yan secretly nced at the two. Ying Chen’s annoyed expressionpletely disappeared and was now reced by a sweet smile on his face. That was obviously directed at the teenager in front of him. Luo Yan could almost literally see small hearts beaming from those eyes.


    He now suddenly had an idea why the other was so antagonistic towards him. Because Ying Chen liked Huang Wen that way. The other probably got jealous of him because of what happenedst time when Huang Wen chose to take Luo Yan’s side instead of his. He should have noticed the very obvious clues.


    Well, he shouldn’t really be med for not seeing it clearly. After all, the thought of a boy liking another boy wasn’t really the first thing that woulde to anyone’s mind. He was no different. He probably just got more sensitive because he himself was now in love with someone of the same gender.


    He took back his gaze and just continued to walk with Yu Jiao.


    "Ah, he’s the dark elf!" Yu Jiao suddenly blurted. But her voice was still low when she said it. Probably because she instinctively knew that shouting such a thing would be bad.


    "Ping-pong!~" Luo Yan said yfully, confirming her guess.


    It didn’t really take that long for Yu Jiao to realize it. After all, once the idea that Ying Chen was one of the finalists of the Rookie Carnival, it was easy to match his face to the yers who made it to the finals. And she really did find someone who matched the other’s facial features.


    "Those rumors going around was probably about him, right?" she asked.


    Because if she could easily realize that the dark elf was Ying Chen, then others surely also could.


    "Definitely," Luo Yan said. Because there’s no way it would be about him or Luo Jin. "By the way, you’re going to watch the finals live tomorrow, right?"


    Yu Jiao was still surprised from the fact that Ying Chen would actually be part of the Rookie Carnival’s finals. So, she almost wasn’t able to keep up with the sudden change in topic.


    "Yes," she managed to say at the end.


    "You should watch with the other members of team Yunyue," Luo Yan said. "They already acquired VIP seats for the finals."


    Yu Jiao wanted to refuse but then remembered that during the prelims, she also watched with them. So, refusing now would actually look much ruder. "Okay, if they’re fine with it."


    "Of course, they’re fine with it," Luo Yan said with a smile. "Then, can I ask Jiao Jiao a favor?"