Xiao Yi was lucid enough to add a disclaimer to the words he was speaking. "Never mention this to my brother, or anyone else… Even sister-in-law. This will stay in this room."
V obediently nodded. If it was something that could be fixed by him, he might be able to settle it with lawyers without Xiao Yi knowing. He wouldn't mention that, though. He already knew he was taking advantage of this usually chilly guy's sickness, it's the most he'd heard the other speak.
Xiao Yi stared at his hands, opening and closing them. "They weren't supposed to disband us until after the upcoming world championship. That's what the company told me, anyway. I swallowed my pride and went to look for our parents, Xiao Qiu's parents, and asked them to help the company stay afloat for another year."
Xiao Yi leaned back on the bed and wiped the tears from his face, his voice becoming stronger as he stared at the ceiling. "They told me they would help me if I signed a contract stating I would not step into the esports world again if we don't win the next worlds. I added in a clause that asked that the members be freed from their contracts whether or not the company disbands… They were free from the moment I made that deal."
V sat on the edge of the bed and furrowed his brows. The championship was still upcoming… "Why'd you disband, then?"
Xiao Yi smiled wryly. "Part of the contract stated that the members of Team X could not contact other teams to buy their contracts before worlds, or the company would disband the team immediately. Mu Yichen and Chen Qiang began to contact other teams after a staff member let it slip that Team X had a chance of disbanding. The conditions were broken before I even left the lawyer's office."
"There's still time before worlds, if you won the championship then wouldn't the contract be void?"
Xiao Yi coughed into his hands and V quickly grabbed the tissues from the table next to the hospital bed, handing it over. After the coughing receded, Xiao Yi laid back down and looked at V with empty eyes. "Do you think that any team would take me in? I contacted a few to see if they could house me for a few days, I didn't even get the chance to speak before I was cursed out. Besides, if it's not with them then it isn't worth it. I don't want to fight against them in the future…"
V put his thoughts together and listed the things he'd heard. "So, you made a deal with your parents to keep the company afloat and they bought out the company, and would continue supporting the team."
Xiao Yi hummed and nodded obediently.
"The teammates had one condition - not to look for other teams before worlds. Your conditions were to win worlds again, or not step into the esports world."
Xiao Yi nodded again, his eyes still glassy.
"You bargained all this with your contract, so they didn't lose either way and they could choose their teams if they wanted, in case your parents went back on their words I assume. If you won, they would get money from the league, and if you lost, their son wouldn't be in the league anymore… How'd you end up getting disowned?"
"Ah - that was also in the contract. I will not look to my parents for help again and will sever my ties with them. Their fame and fortune has nothing to do with me, and my fame and fortune has nothing to do with them."
V glanced at his good friend's current state. Lying in a near-dead state in a hospital room. He couldn't keep himself from cursing the Xiao family in his heart.
They did great. They raised the cub, got glory for his excellent grades and temper, sent him out into the world, and abandoned him when he wasn't useful anymore. What a cunning, scary family.
He knew the Xiao family fairly well, they were also in the business world but the two young masters of the Xiao house weren't taken out in public since they were children.
Xiao Qiu was technically the heir, whilst Xiao Yi was just a young master. Alas, when Xiao Qiu graduated high school he decided he no longer wanted to take over the family business and passed the role on to their first cousin, Xiao Shen.
Were his parents taking their anger for Xiao Qiu's disobedience out on Xiao Yi, or was it something else?
He decided he didn't want to ask anymore, he had already taken advantage of Xiao Yi's fever to get the information he wanted and it would be too much to ask family business.
V led Xiao Yi into a comfortable laying position and rubbed his hair soothingly like his mother used to do when he was ill. Xiao Yi rubbed up against his hair and closed his eyes drowsily.
"I'll raise you. Call me father and I'll take you in."
V didn't get a response and chuckled, his previous anger having long been whisked away. He would end up helping him anyway.
He got Xiao Yi's cards unsealed and then set him up with a new card, helped him invest his savings over the years smartly, and unintentionally made Xiao Yi rich.
He dragged Xiao Yi back to Valley of Light, using the excuse that he could make more money to invest if he accompanied players. Later, Xiao Yi would play even when he wasn't accompanying anyone.
He involved Xiao Yi in game development, using it as an excuse to give Xiao Yi more money.
Yet, despite all of this, he couldn't think of how to get around the contract. He couldn't unlock Xiao Yi's invisible shackles and drag him back into the esports world.