TCWSITD – Chapter 35.2

Chapter 35.2 – Applying Medicine For Him

Lin Jiang returned to the office and discussed his ideas with Duren, who respected his opinions and agreed to almost everything.

Soon after, news about the team getting a new coach spread throughout the base. Duren even prepared a dedicated lounge for the newcomer.

Song Zhixu kept trying to pry information from Lin Jiang. “So, about that new coach…”

“Not a coach, a consultant,” Lin Jiang corrected.

“Ah, right, that new consultant. He doesn’t seem very reliable.”

Lin Jiang chuckled and simply said, “He used to be a consultant for SPG.”

Song Zhixu’s eyes widened. “SPG? Wait, didn’t they win both LCK’s Spring and Summer championships last year? That no-name was their consultant?”

“Mm.” Lin Jiang nodded seriously. “He’s low-key and doesn’t like the spotlight. He mostly works behind the scenes.”

Low-key…?

Song Zhixu recalled that ostentatious leather jacket—how was that low-key?

But if the captain chose to act that way, there had to be a reason behind it.

Reinvigorated, Song Zhixu said, “Captain, let’s get started with training.”

Lin Jiang logged in and played their usual practice matches.

Song Zhixu was improving incredibly fast. Sometimes Lin Jiang had to stay hyper-focused to avoid falling into his traps.

Later, he played a few duo matches with A’Deng.

Maybe it was a shift in attitude—A’Deng’s moves became far bolder and started looking genuinely skilled.

For now, Lin Jiang was quite satisfied with OT.

It’s just that…

His gaze drifted to Shen Ju next to him.

Lately, Shen Ju had been pushing himself beyond his limits, grinding out some of the most technically demanding AD champions. His hand was clearly suffering—every match ended with him rubbing his hand out of habit.

Lin Jiang couldn’t watch anymore. He packed up and shut down his computer. “Song Zhixu.”

“Hm?”

“Get some rest early. Take care of your hands. Don’t end up like some people who ruin them while they’re still young.”

Shen Ju’s hands froze, realizing Lin Jiang was calling him out.

By the time he looked up, all he caught was Lin Jiang’s retreating back. He had packed up and left without another word, no longer trying to persuade him or getting angry no matter how late he stayed.

The teammates around him left one after another. The clock on the wall ticked to 1 AM.

Time passed so quickly.

Each day comes to an end too quickly.

And the time left to him grows ever shorter.

As his body relaxed, exhaustion suddenly washed over him.

Passing by Lin Jiang’s door on his way upstairs, he noticed the light was still on. Lin Jiang’s nose was framed by rimless glasses, fingers clicking steadily on the keyboard.

Even the captain worked so hard every day.

Shen Ju wanted to talk to him but didn’t know how to start.

In the end, he just trudged back to his room, defeated.

He wanted to speak with Lin Jiang, but he was afraid the conversation would inevitably circle back to training.

The showerhead above him poured cold water over his head, yet it still wasn’t enough to clear his mind. He turned the temperature lower and lower until his body shivered from the chill—only then did it feel right.

Wiping the fog off the mirror, he saw his own face, pale from the cold.

Water dripped steadily into the sink.

Suddenly, he was pulled back into that eerie white dream world—faceless creatures slithered from the walls, cackling cruelly, reaching to drag him down into hell.

With a sharp motion, he shut off the shower.

The monsters vanished at last.

Knock, knock. Song Zhixu’s voice came through the door. “Shen Ju, you’ve been in there for an hour. I need to use the bathroom.”

Shen Ju opened the door, letting out a gust of cold air.

Song Zhixu shivered. “It’s not even summer yet. Why are you taking cold showers?”

Shen Ju didn’t respond. Wearing only shorts, he stepped onto the balcony and tossed his dirty clothes into the washing machine.

Next door, the door swung open, warm yellow light spilling out onto the balcony.

Lin Jiang caught sight of Shen Ju—shirtless, lean at the waist, a red string necklace around his neck holding a translucent jade Guanyin pendant.

As he straightened, the pendant swung against his chest, the red and white forming a stark contrast.

Truly the pampered child of capitalists. He was raised so well.

Lin Jiang cleared his throat awkwardly.

Shen Ju snapped back to reality and quickly grabbed a clean shirt, throwing it on haphazardly.

He hadn’t dried off yet—water droplets still clinging to his skin.

A damp, chilly aura clung to him.

Lin Jiang found Shen Ju oddly contradictory.

He radiated coldness, yet his palms burned with heat.

Lin Jiang’s gaze lingered on Shen Ju’s chest, his mind drifting back to the jade pendant hanging from his neck.

Shen Ju’s skin was so flawless it made the jade seem dull in comparison. Normally, he doesn’t look like he has much flesh on his body, but once clothes were stripped off, he was unexpectedly well-built.

Even though Lin Jiang wasn’t gay in the traditional sense, the sight stirred something in him.

Lin Jiang cleared his throat awkwardly again. “Shen Ju, come to my room.”

Lin Jiang’s room was originally Shen Ju’s room. Stepping back into this familiar place, Shen Ju felt that something was off everywhere.

The lighting was too soft, as if filtered through a gentle haze, and the room was small—making accidental touches inevitable.

Shen Ju didn’t dare to walk around. He grabbed a small stool and sat by the table, watching Lin Jiang, unsure of what he intended to do.

Lin Jiang reached up and opened the cabinet above, his shirt lifting slightly at the waist. Shen Ju hadn’t even fully registered it before Lin Jiang pulled down a box.

“I asked Ryan to prepare a first-aid kit for me. If you ever get sick, you can come to me for medicine.”

He took out ointment and gauze, gesturing to Shen Ju. “Hand.”

Shen Ju obediently extended his hand.

Lin Jiang gently grabbed Shen Ju’s wrist and placed it on the table. He carefully spread the ointment, rubbing it in with his fingers.

The ointment needs to be heated to take effect. The doctor had suggested either using a heating lamp or slowly massaging it in using the warmth of their fingertips.

Clearly, Lin Jiang had chosen the latter.

As he worked the ointment in, he teased, “I told you not to train, but you wouldn’t listen. I told you to go to the hospital, but you refused. Even after getting the ointment, you didn’t use it. Are you born in the year of the Ox? So stubborn.[mfn]Based on Chinese Zodiac, people born on the year of the ox are very stubborn; it is hard to change their mind when they have already decided on something. They are usually calm, but when they are at their limit, they can turn into a violent person.[/mfn]”

It had been a long time since Shen Ju had felt this kind of warmth.

Those cold monsters never showed up at moments like this.

Shen Ju sat quietly beside him, glancing up at him from time to time. The warm light fell on Lin Jiang’s profile, casting an indescribable softness and haze.

His throat moved involuntarily, and his wrist twitched slightly.

Lin Jiang tightened his grip, warning in a low voice, “Keep this up and I’ll get angry.”

Feeling defeated, Shen Ju let him continue the gentle rubbing without resistance.

Fingertips glided along his veins, warmth spreading steadily—Shen Ju’s ears flushed red from the heat.

Something inside him seemed to itch. The more he tried to ignore it, the more it made his heart tremble. He could only clench his fist.

Lin Jiang paused, his voice soft but concerned. “Does it feel uncomfortable?”

Shen Ju shook his head. “Feels itchy.”

Lin Jiang adjusted his position, leaning even closer.

Shen Ju’s ears flushed from the tips all the way down to his neck. After finishing one ear, Lin Jiang moved to the other.

Unsure where to look, Shen Ju lowered his gaze to the shadow cast at his feet.

Lin Jiang was wearing slippers, his toes a little too close for comfort. Shen Ju shifted slightly, feeling a little uncomfortable.

Without warning, Lin Jiang shifted forward and accidentally brushed their toes together.

Startled, Shen Ju jerked his foot back.

Lin Jiang’s hand froze, bewildered by Shen Ju’s sudden jump. “Am I making you uncomfortable? Should I get Song Zhixu to do it instead?”

“No,” Shen Ju said quickly, nerves evident as he gripped Lin Jiang’s hand tightly, “Only you, captain. No one else.”

The well-behaved Shen Ju seemed like a little puppy depending on him.

Lin Jiang smiled softly, lowering his head to continue the gentle massage.

Under the soft, intimate glow of the light, his fingertips moved tenderly along the veins, just like at the hospital, spreading a soothing warmth that relaxed Shen Ju’s entire body.

“Is it helping?” Lin Jiang asked.

“Mhm.”

“Then you need to keep coming every day for the medicine.”

Lin Jiang looked up at him, expecting him to make another excuse.

Instead, Shen Ju’s ears turned slightly red. “I’ll listen to the captain.”

When the ointment was finished, Lin Jiang tossed the container back into the box and stood, preparing to put it away. The chair at his feet was awkwardly positioned, forcing him to tiptoe just to set it down.

Worried he might fall, Shen Ju reached out to steady him.

Then he saw Lin Jiang’s shirt lift slightly, revealing a black tattoo. Shen Ju froze completely.

As Lin Jiang pulled back, his elbow accidentally jabbed Shen Ju’s head. “Sorry,” he apologized hurriedly. Stepping back, he tripped over the chair once again.

Alarmed, Shen Ju wrapped his arms around Lin Jiang’s waist. “Captain, watch out!”

Lin Jiang felt a sudden squeeze at his waist before Shen Ju completely tackled him to the floor.

Lin Jiang: ?

He wouldn’t have fallen so hard otherwise.

The scorching palm tightened forcefully, brushing against the cool skin at Lin Jiang’s waist—right where the rose tattoo was inked.

Dazed by the unexpected fall, Lin Jiang looked up as the overhead light flickered uncertainly.

With the backlight obscuring Shen Ju’s face, Lin Jiang could only hear faint breaths—and in the dimness, something lightly brushed against his leg.

Shen Ju pushed himself up hurriedly. “Sorry!”

Then, without a word, he scrambled to his feet and fled.

The confused Ling Jiang: ?

The next day, Shen Ju dodged him at every turn.

Baffled, Lin Jiang assumed he was trying to skip the medicine application. That night, he personally dragged Shen Ju into his room. “Have you taken a shower?”

“Yeah.”

“Sit.”

Shen Ju sat down, but the moment he caught sight of Lin Jiang’s waist, the chair suddenly felt scorching. He stood back up. “Captain, maybe I should take it back and have Song Zhixu apply it for me.”

Lin Jiang eyed him suspiciously. “You really think you two will stick to it?”

With Song Zhixu’s half-hearted attitude, he’d probably slap it on carelessly and run off.

Shen Ju stayed silent and sat back down.

Lin Jiang followed the routine and applied the medicine, his fingers growing warmer with each stroke.

His neck was right in front of Shen Ju, who appeared calm on the surface but was inwardly in turmoil.

What was Lin Jiang like when no one was watching?

When he was with his girlfriend, did they do intimate things too?

His fingers clenched lightly on his thigh as a complex emotion began to spread through him. “Captain, what does it feel like being with your girlfriend?”

Lin Jiang raised an eyebrow. “Why do you ask all of a sudden?”

Shen Ju turned his face away, flustered. “I’ve never dated anyone… just curious.”

Lin Jiang laughed, the sound sending a tingling sensation straight to Shen Ju’s heart. “Once you have a girlfriend, you’ll understand.”

His laughter was like a passing breeze, making the heart flutter with a sweet itch.

Yet beneath that warmth, Shen Ju’s heart ached—why was someone as amazing as Lin Jiang meant for someone else?

Back in his room that night, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

He dreamed of that beautiful woman in high heels, her face blurred, and only her hands were visible.

She perched on Lin Jiang’s lap, nails painted a vivid red, tenderly pulling at his shirt. The black rose tattoo beneath came alive beneath her fingertips, bursting with a fiery red glow.

Lin Jiang was good-tempered even in dreams. He looked up at the other person with movements so tender they could never cause discomfort.

Shen Ju’s heart tightened with longing as those hands grasped him. He reached out, desperate to see who could possess Lin Jiang.

When he finally approached, his entire body froze in place—that person was none other than himself!

Desire surged within him, magnified beyond measure.

His hand moved uncontrollably to Lin Jiang’s neck, fingers pressing down where the scent of him, so clean it drove Shen Ju mad, lingered.

He leaned in to kiss him deeply, but Lin Jiang resisted. So he pinned him down forcefully into the flowerbed.

Everything spiraled out of control from there.

All reason and restraint vanished in that moment.

He interlaced their fingers, gripping tightly.

Lin Jiang, gazing up at him, looked like a blooming rose, his fingertips tinged with a delicate pink.

Shen Ju bent down, kissing Lin Jiang’s neck over and over, feeling like his whole body might combust.

The dream stretched on too long.

So long that Shen Ju began to lose himself in it.

Could he really get this close to Lin Jiang? Would he really not be disliked for it?

He hesitated, his fingers tracing Lin Jiang’s cheek—soft as a cloud—before he couldn’t resist leaning in for a kiss.

Something inside him tugged, transforming him into someone new. His fingers roamed over Lin Jiang’s lips, craving to be bitten fiercely, yet aching to bite him back just as fiercely.

But Lin Jiang was too gentle. Even in the dream, he only kissed Shen Ju’s wrist lightly, afraid of hurting him.

In that moment, Shen Ju suddenly felt utterly defeated before him.

How could he…

…still be this tender even now?

An overwhelming loneliness crashed over him. He yearned so desperately for Lin Jiang’s warmth—something he would fight with everything he had to keep.

“Lin Jiang… can you promise not to leave me?”

“… Mm.”

He pulled Lin Jiang into a tight embrace, not caring if this was just a dream or not.

In the dream’s final moments, he clasped Lin Jiang’s hand, wandering through the dreamscape. Around them, wild rose vines grew unchecked, twisting and entwining. He surrendered his heart, willingly imprisoned in the rose garden.

If he could choose, he wished to remain in this dream with him forever.

The next morning, sunlight spilled gently across his face. He slowly blinked open his trembling eyes, his vision still blurred and unfocused.

From outside came Lin Jiang’s voice.

“…Shen Ju, aren’t you up yet?”

Startled, Shen Ju jolted awake.

Suddenly, a sharp realization hit him, and he buried his face in his hands.

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