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Chapter Text

Lue Yue was getting his livestreaming hours in, the afternoon sun wafting in through the wide windows when the doorbell rang. He ignored it knowing that Xiao Rui would be more than anxious to leave his reports (ZGDX’s stakeholders always wanted a ton of documentation after all) and to see who was coming in.

All his attention needed to be on Tamamo-no-mae after all. The Shikigami’s player Smiling was incredible, and with both Zhe Yan’s and Yu Ming’s voice in his mind, Yue did his best to support his temporary team as Smiling proceeded to decimate them. His showing wasn’t shabby by any means (the comments in the chat switching from jeering to commiseration and back) but it wasn’t the kind of game Yue wanted to end on.

“I think I have time for one more game,” Yue started to say to his audience when Pang’s excited voice rang out from his chair to Yue’s left.

“What is that?!”

Yue glanced up, game selected but not yet entered, Rui was struggling under a massive box. It was clear he was staggering towards the table, but Yue didn’t know if he’d make it given Rui caried it in front of his face.

“Second thought,” He said cheerfully to his fans, “I think I better go now and see what Rui’s uncovered. Thanks for joining me today! Smiling – you are amazing, but one day I’ll beat you just wait!” He gave a happy wave and exited the livestream, standing up and immediately regretting it as his muscles, still sore and bruised from training that morning, protested. He stretched once before he made his way to their kitchen table where, drawn by Pang’s exclamation Zhe Yan and Yu Ming had come out of their joint office.

“This is massive,” Pang cried.

“Whose it from?” Ming asked curiously.

“Who cares who it’s from!” Pang cried, now drawing Lao Mao from their gym “who’s it to?”

“It’s to us,” Xiao Rui said, slapping Pang’s hand away. “Don’t touch it, I’m still looking up who it’s from.”

“Then why bring it inside?” K said sidling up beside Yue and earning a smirk and glare. (Smirk from Yue, glare from Rui.)

“It’s from, oh.” Xiao Rui said clearly surprised.

Pang and Mao deflated as one. “That means it’s on the restricted list.” Lao Mao said bitterly, and Pang nodded.

“No, it’s not.” Rui said shaking his head. “It’s from Life Support. Chengye’s Life Support.”

“What?” Yue (and everyone) asked. His brother’s Life Support (also was that really the name that Rui had in his phone under accepted addresses?)

“Excellent!” Together Pang and Mao ripped apart the packaging opening up the hoard below eager to see if, once again, they had their own baskets.

They did, but for once, Yue wasn’t interested in the treats as much. Why had Life Support chosen now to give the gifts?

“Does Life Support know your brother’s not here?” K asked, accepting the basket Mao thrust into his hands. “After all, I’m not sure his yogurt drinks will still be good by the time he comes back.” (The drinks he had kept in stock had, upon his abrupt departure, magnanimously been drunken by the rest of the team.)

“No,” Zhe Yan said thoughtfully, and in his hands, he held a single sheet of paper. “Life Support knows that our captain isn’t here.”

“How do you know?” Yue asked curiously a frown on his lips. Most people didn’t know his brother’s location. (Not that it was a secret, it just hadn’t been publicized and as far as Yue could tell his brother hadn’t exactly been going out to wine, dine and party during this trip.)

Zhe Yan opened his mouth and read the short note. “For putting up with Chessman.”

“What?” Yue asked again. Sure, his brother could be a pain, he knew that better than anyone (hello slippers to the head), but he didn’t know that many people who would brazenly call his brother out like that.  

“That doesn’t mean he knows Chessman’s not here.” K refuted and Ming nodded his head. “It just means that wherever Chessman is – he annoyed Life Support.”

“What a pity!” Pang cried with relish. “I got two things of dried pork for that and some amazing sweets!”

“That’s not what I got.” Mao said. “I got – ” Mao cut himself off pulling open and showing them top of the line protein powders and bars that Mao loved but rarely got. “Yes!” He cheered. “I love Life Support! Chengye should annoy him all the time!”

This package was different, Yue realized as he finally dug into his own. The last time Life Support had sent them things, he didn’t know anyone’s favorite treats. They’d all received the best of the best – but the only one’s that were personal was his brothers.

This time all of theirs were much more individualistic. His own basket was full of sour treats and salty snacks. Everything he loved in one neat package. Unless Life Support knew all of them (highly unlikely since the only one who could get people out of blind dates so willingly was probably in their family circle, plus the amount of money dropped on the top-of-the-line luxury products) it meant his brother had told Life Support about them. His brother who kept almost everyone, including the team and, at times, him at a distance.

Whoever Life Support was, Lu Yue thought, pulling out his phone to take a picture by his basket showing the words “Still My Favorite Youngest Lu” and attaching it to a message for his brother, his ge trusted and liked Life Support – and Yue couldn’t help but agree with him. Even if, the only reason was Life Support too enjoyed annoying his brother.

***

“So…” Yu Ming said, when it became apparent that Zhe Yan despite what he was thinking wouldn’t say anything. “Are we going to discuss the elephant in the room?”

Zhe Yan, always so Zen to Ming’s mind, tilted his head at the question their abandoned plans in front of them.

“Life Support,” Ming said, gesturing to their baskets (that they’d have to hide later as the rest of the boys would devour theirs in a quarter of the time it would take them) “is a girl.”

A flash of a smile told Ming he was right, not only in his suspicions but of their coach’s knowledge. “What makes you say that?” Ming narrowed his eyes but dutifully responded to the unneeded question.

“That revenge had a decidedly feminine flair to it. No other words for it.”

“Yes,” Zhe Yan admitted, “I do think you’re right. Life Support is most decidedly a girl, and Sicheng did something to tick her off. Whether she thought he was here and deliberately left him nothing, or to show him she could treat us whether he was there or not. Regardless, she undoubtedly made her point – if our teammates scurrying to their phones was any indication.”

“Why did he lie?” Ming mused, thinking back to the time they were all seeking answers after they’d won the summer tournament.

“He didn’t.” Zhe Yan countered, and Ming frowned. He remembered it, the morning seeming almost surreal to him. They’d won – and he wasn’t retired. He got to play one more season. The box had arrived and soon the interrogation. “Chengye said no.”

“He said no to one of two questions poised.” Zhe Yan refuted. “I thought at the time that it might have been strategic, but I never asked him about it. I realized today that I was correct. Life Support is decidedly a woman. More than that, Chessman trusts her.”

He had to, didn’t he? Ming thought, otherwise his basket wouldn’t be brimming with things he personally liked. “Well,” Ming said, wondering if they’d ever learn who Life Support was and just who and what she was to Sicheng, “Here’s to Sicheng and Life Support’s friendship – it seems we’re profiting from it.” He rose his water in a mock toast only to see Zhe Yan accept it with his own.

“To Chengye and Life Support, and can I just say, I wish I saw his face when he learned what she’d done!” Ming smiled, he wished he’d seen it too.

Chapter Text

Yue lost himself in OPL, desperately trying to follow Ming’s lead and coaching as he worked to strengthen his mid lane. His wasn’t a minor role and if his team wanted to stay the best – he’d have to work harder and put in even more hours than he currently was doing. He was a good mid, but Ming was a great one. He could get there, it just required more practice and a better understanding of the rest of the map and his enemies’ weaknesses.

Victory was hard won, and Yue smirked, his body relaxing with his win. He left the cluster of boys, Pang livestreaming away somehow giving a commentary of his favorite new sweet while simultaneously crushing the opposing team. Ming was studying YQCB’s latest match and K was watching someone’s livestream. Instead, he meandered to their kitchen pulling out his leftover meal he had from dinner the night before with Jingjing and his brother.

He finally met saozi. It hadn’t been that much of a wait, his brother hadn’t been dating Jingjing for long, but he never had gotten a straight answer to when they met. All he knew was Jingjing’s friend had sent an A-list celebrity in her place and Jingjing actually went. He still didn’t understand how they got from there to here; he knew his brother, Ge wouldn’t care if Jingjing was a celebrity – a blind date was a blind date. He would have ran the opposite direction. Yue sighed; he might have to wait until his brother got sick again in order to get the details.

The front door opened and Chengye walked in, face carefully neutral, but body fully and completely relaxed. Yue snorted, the power of love. Cheng’s eyes flickered to him and Yue blinked at him innocently, as if he didn’t know his brother had lingered around Jingjing’s event so he could have a few minutes more with her as they drove to the airport.

Yue wiggled his eyebrows, safe from their teammates eyes and Cheng scowled.

“Chengye,” Rui said, more surprised than he should have been, “When did you get back, have you been with Su Lou? You vanished yesterday.”

“I’m live streaming!” Pang called, “Keep it down Xiao Rui for another minute!”

Rui flinched at the glares they all directed at him, he knew better than to ask personal and sensitive questions this late in the month when someone was always making up live streaming hours.

“No,” Cheng said frostily, Jingjing infused mood dissipating (a pity Cheng was much easier to handle when distracted). For a few more moments Cheng just held poor Rui’s gaze, but Yue couldn’t find it in his heart to feel sorry for him.

“Okay – now I’ve ended the live stream!” Pang called happily, “Ask him where he’s been.” As, if Pang couldn’t ask him himself, much better for someone else to be thrown into the fire.

K looked up a small smile on his lips, “Careful Chengye we might implement a curfew at night.”

Cheng ignored him, making his way to the fridge for yogurt instead.

“Maybe he was with a girl – someone other than Su Lou,” Pang said with a smile, “Otherwise he’d tell us!”

“Ayyye,” Yue said, mouth scrunched up, “You forget I had dinner with Ge last night, in what world would my brother let me tag along on a date, and why would I want to crash it?”

It was his best, annoyed younger brother voice, and a question not a lie. Why would he want to crash his brother’s date? Easy, he wanted to finally meet her. His brother didn’t want him there, he just knew what battles to pick, and this wasn’t one of them. Not if he wanted Yue’s help fielding his mother’s matchmaking tendencies.

 He was rewarded by Cheng’s hand swatting his head. “I was out because of family business,” Cheng reported calmly, as if he wasn’t once again confirming just what he wanted Jingjing to be to Yue, “It was a quick trip and things needed to be finalized so I got home late. Ask Cat, we gamed together for a few hours last night, and I had to leave again early this morning.”  

Yue felt Cheng subtly relax as they all turned back to their own games, Cheng disappearing was fun to tease, but if it was a family thing, it really didn’t leave any ammunition to be anything but boring. He hip checked Cheng teasing him about his escape by skirting the truth, grinning as Cheng coughed at the sloshing of his drink. Yue’s eyes widened darting towards his computer before his brother could retaliate.

It was too much work for Cheng to throw the slipper, right? He might hit a computer.

Pain burst on the back of his head and Cheng’s slipper dropped to the ground beside him. He turned glaring at his unrepentant brother who merely stalked passed him, easily sliding his slipper back on as he did before stopping at his own computer. He settled, king to peasant ignoring Yue rubbing his head and K and Pang’s laughter.

Laughter almost immediately drowned out by a large wail from above them.

“What?” Pang asked, but there was no need Mao came charging down the stairs waving his phone violently.

“Did you see this? Did you see this? Qiao Jingjing celebrated her birthday today.”

Yue choked, a quick glace to Cheng seeing his brother twitch for half a moment, eyes flickering to Yue’s before he turned, fully in control, towards their loud and over-the-top roommate.

“I mean,” Pang sniped, “How dare she?”

“She was here! In Shenzhen!” Mao cried. “This is your fault K, I wanted to go to the party, and you told me not to!”

K held up his arms in defense even as Rui said, “what does Qiao Jingjing’s birthday have to do with you?”

Pang snatched Mao’s phone presumably scrolling through the photos of Jingjing at her fan’s party. Yue already knew what he’d see, Jingjing very much ‘on’, happy and put together with her fans all of them completely oblivious to the real reason saozi had chosen Shenzhen to celebrate her birthday.

Yue eyed, Cheng again, wondering not for the first time what his brother had gotten her for her birthday. Yue had sent his gift on a head to Shanghai and he couldn’t wait for Jingjing’s reaction.

“Qiao Jingjing,” Mao said loftily, “celebrates her birthday with her fans, but you never know where that’s going to be. She’s been in Shanghai lately with Glory and so everyone assumed she’d celebrate with them,” His face crumpled again, “But she didn’t!”

Yue’s eyes flickered to his brother again, unsurprised to see his tight jaw and lack of comments. It was one thing when he just knew Jingjing as a celebrity but knowing her as his saozi put Mao’s fan worship into a whole different category.

“I’m not sure if you knowing exactly where she is all the time, is healthy Mao.” Yue said, nose scrunched up, ignoring the glare Mao threw at him. Really, he was only helping him, if Mao kept this up his ge was going to get revenge with Mao completely oblivious to the reason.

“Wait a minute.” Pang said, “I know this location, it’s way north, there’s no way you would have gone to this party Mao. I remember you talking to us about it. You said the costal resort was way more likely. You wouldn’t have seen her anyways!”

Mao gaped at him, eyes wide with the realization and Yue didn’t bother hiding his snicker. Once again ignoring the heated glare from Mao.

“Cheer up Cat,” K said, standing and patting his friend on the back, “At least this way you didn’t end up at the wrong party.”

Cat crumpled into K’s vacated chair, “I almost got to meet her,” He growled.

Yue could feel his brother’s order to stay quiet before he opened his mouth, but Yue, carefully keeping his gaze on Mao, ignored it. (What was he going to do throw another slipper in front of everyone?) “Cheer up Mao! You’ll get your chance to meet her one day – I’m certain of it!”

Chapter Text

If you had told Yu Tu that Qiao Jingjing from high school would pop up frequently in his thoughts at the beginning of the New Year, Yu Tu wouldn’t have believed it. He was happy for her, glad that she succeeded in her career even if the first time he walked past a poster of her in the streets he blinked twice in ‘I know that person’ surprise. But it had been years since it had caused him to falter. Jingjing’s charm, looks and abilities shot her up into fame and hit dramas. Their high school class chat every so often would buzz around her and her projects. She never responded on it, though he didn’t know if it was because she hadn’t joined or was too busy to check in on old classmate things, nor did he care.

He had blinked the first time she appeared at a Glory of Kings event giving out discount codes to King players as the new brand ambassador, but he’d adjusted quickly to that as well. Not quite avoiding her but trying hard not to pay attention to her either. After all, it was weird, he knew her (sorta once knew her).

It should have been the end of it, and like with movies and posters, he’d just avoid any other mention of Jingjing. It wasn’t hard. His mother’s illness, work and the ever present, and becoming more prevalent, worry about finances needed for his mother more than justified in keeping him busy.

Still, when his friend from high school, Li Ming, linked him an article saying, ‘you’d better read this,’ Yu Tu couldn’t help but wonder how and why after so many years he was being drug into Qiao Jingjing’s drama without either of their consent. His mind flashed to his rejection of Jingjing wondering how much of the article was true, because as much as he hated to admit it, he didn’t remember all the details. It sounded arrogant of him, but Jingjing wasn’t the only girl who confessed to him in high school, and the nuances of what he said had long faded from memory.

Still, she didn’t deserve this. For her past and innocence to be weaponized like this. He hadn’t disliked Jingjing in high school, and it certainly wasn’t because she wasn’t pretty or smart – he just hadn’t wanted a girlfriend, too intent on trying to get into Tsinghua to bother with something that young Yu Tu considered frivolous. (it also wasn’t like Xia Qing had anything to do with rejecting Qiao Jingjing or that their relationship had lasted beyond university anyways). He hadn’t found a way to get in contact with her, or the people who had written the article in order to give a clarifying statement and so he thought that was the end of it.

Once again it wasn’t. Almost immediately after Jingjing was trending again, this time in something he did pay slightly more attention to: Glory of Kings. He had been playing Glory with his friends when talk revolved around Jingjing and he realized that despite being brand ambassador, Jingjing wasn’t very good at Glory. If even Zhai Liang thought she was horrible, then she must be.

It should have been the end of it, and all his attention should instead be wallowing at watching his dream – the one he’d sacrificed for – over long years, sleepless nights and endless cycles of numbers and physics fade into bitter dust, and yet he couldn’t because once again with no warning Jingjing popped into his life. This time literally.

He’d only agreed to go to the dinner with Zhai Liang and his old classmates from Finance because Zhai Liang practically dragged him there. Sitting next to the ever snooty and arrogant Qu Ming was not his idea of a good time. Especially when Qu Ming really started to dig in on all the things Yu Tu was struggling with. Mocking him for wanting to start over, as if giving up on the stars and galaxy was something Yu Tu wanted to do. It wasn’t Yu Tu’s fault that he was smarter, worked harder and that Xia Qing had liked him in university.

Somehow acting like a complete ray of sunshine, Jingjing was there, not only taking away the sting but healing it instantly due to the shocked chagrin on Qu Ming’s face. Through hors d’oeuvres to the table and the expensive top-of-the-line Domaine for Yu Tu she’d somehow implied Yu Tu, poor compared to the rest of his peers, was again class king.

He was surprised how normal she still was. It was clear she was only there to pick up food due to the takeout bag sitting beside her, that she only stuck around only to help him was obvious. Who would have thought that a person like Jingjing, dressed in what could only be described as casual clothes, and a floppy hat, would actually be getting her own dinner? But, for him, an old high school classmate, she chatted and raised his status, eyes not once filtering or looking at his classmates as she easily navigated them through necessary small talk.

Somehow, without even realizing he’d done it, when she asked what he was doing these days he answered, “aerospace engineer” rather than “finance.” He was further shocked at the absolutely beaming look she sent back at him, as if she knew that’s what he would be doing and that he couldn’t or wouldn’t be working anywhere else.  

She’d left soon after and it was only then that he wondered if the polite thing to do was exchange WeChat information before he shrugged it off. It didn’t matter, and it wasn’t like he was likely to see her again. Neither of them typically showed up for class reunion events.

His university classmates were absolutely gobsmacked that not only did he go to school with Jingjing, but that they were still on good enough terms that she would seek him out.  He did his best to seem like Jingjing’s friendship didn’t surprise him when the opposite was true. He fielded their ceaseless questions by either deflecting or ignoring them because it seemed like the nicest way he could repay her kindness. Qu Ming’s face made every bit of the awkward encounter and fielding of questions worth it.

It should have been the end of it, and yet somehow his public encounter with Qiao Jingjing was enough to bring Xia Qing to his doorstep once more. They’d broken up years ago, and dating Xia Qing again wasn’t an experiment he wanted to try again even with her ‘newfound understanding’ of his profession. (How understanding did you have to be when Yu Tu was being forced to quit?)

His encounter with Jingjing had briefly helped distract him, but all thoughts of the actress and attention she inadvertently brought him disappeared the instant he got the phone call of his satellite’s issues. Almost immediately going from remedying that crisis to watching his friend and mentor Guan Zai collapse forced everything else out of his mind.

Watching his friend in the hospital – and all of Guan Zai’s dreams potentially broken brought realization crashing down on Yu Tu. Yu Tu could give up the stars for himself, but he couldn’t give up on Guan Zai’s dreams as well. The relief he felt with his decision told him everything he needed to know, and Yu Tu returned fully and completely to the world he loved. Working harder to put more money aside and to use his finance degree to invest his meager funds as carefully and as rewardingly as possible.

He realized later he shouldn’t be surprised when Jingjing popped up once more onto his radar less than a week later through her Glory appearance. She blew up across all channels on both class chats (university and high school), his old roommate chat, and Weibo highlighting her fantastic gaming tactics and the clever way she supported Snow and in turn was braced by Full Moon. He even somehow saw a clip, her original playing of Donghuang Taiyi side by side next to her masterful performance in the second. Clearly she’d worked hard to get ready for that night – and from the way everyone was reacting had done more than anyone in Glory hoped.

The speculation of who taught her dominated Weibo and the large number of retried players, many of them marksmen, in the audience (supporting their friends still playing), gave credence to the fan theory that Jingjing’s teacher was one of them. It made sense that Jingjing had wanted to bring up her teacher for one last moment of Glory only for them to decline.

To Yu Tu, the theory was sound. Jingjing had to learn how to play from someone and her best bet would be a retired player who had proven his worth but probably didn’t have the same reflexes as he did before, forcing him to retire. The poor lad had also probably signed an NDA forcing him to keep his silence now. (Maybe Jingjing really did have lawyers present that night and they stopped her from calling someone up because it would be in violation of their signed contract.) As more time passed and no one with authority professed to be Jingjing’s teacher, Yu Tu’s theory definitely became the more popular one. With more and more people gushing that they had seen various retired players and wondering if he or she was the one to teach Jingjing.

Part of him was surprised and dissatisfied Jingjing didn’t highlight the player. Oh, she acknowledged them in her speech, but he couldn’t help but feel disappointed that she refused to name the person who had obviously devoted a lot of time getting her to the incredible King ranking (practically to 50 stars!) in time for Glory’s award ceremony.

It should have been the end of it, and yet somehow once more it wasn’t. His mother, bless her soul and her much better health, was determined more than ever to set him up. Finally in a move of desperation he resorted again to walking in the cool January winter night. He took his preferred path to the wealthy neighborhood as there were always less people wandering around and he had fewer chances of either being jostled by or running into people he knew.

Yu Tu couldn’t help but feel reflective as he slowly turned and trudged his way home. Reviewing his last year back and forth in his head. He was more than grateful for his decision to remain as an aerospace engineer, not willing to contemplate how truly miserable he would be without the opportunity and determined to be even more frugal as he sought to invest his leftover funds.

Movement in a shadowy alcove driveway had him turning his head in curiosity blinking twice in incomprehension. Jingjing? Again? Not just Jingjing, but from the way her companion’s arms were wrapped around her meant he was much more than just a friend.

He should go. He should really go. Except Jingjing had clearly recognized him and smiled widely at him before making her way towards him.

Yu Tu hesitated but stayed where he was. He most certainly did not want to be here for what was definitely going to be a painfully awkward conversation. He wouldn’t tell on her, surely she knew that. It would be in everyone’s best interest if he was just allowed to go his way.

“Yu Tu. Hi, have you had a good New Years?” Yu Tu swallowed. Small talk with Jingjing twice in one year. Others would probably die for this opportunity. He wasn’t one of them.

He smiled back, not quite sure he was able to hide how awkward this felt, meeting his high school classmate locked in her boyfriend’s embrace. “Jingjing.” His eyes flickered to the man still holding Jingjing’s hand wondering if another famous movie star was standing beside him.

It wasn’t. It was Lu Sicheng. Lu Sicheng, the Lu heir and businessman conglomerate, from a financial perspective, following Lu Enterprise trends were always a safe bet. But that wasn’t all he was, was it? He was also the champion player and face of OPL.

Markman. AD.

Huh, well then that was unexpected. He was wrong after all. Jingjing hadn’t tried pulling up a retired player, she’d tried pulling up her boyfriend; a rival player. That was awfully bold.

Hurriedly he continued, “It’s been good. Busy as always. You?”

Jingjing smiled at him once more, eyes drifting to her companion. “It’s been great. Sicheng I’d like to introduce you to Yu Tu. We went to school together during middle and high school.” Wait they did? It wasn’t just high school? Yu Tu flushed, wondering how he’d missed on that fact. She sent him an ironic and knowing smile and Yu Tu quenched the desire to flinch.

“Yu Tu, this is Lu Sicheng.” For a moment it looked like that’s where she’d stop the introductions, even though they all knew who and what they were, before she added “My boyfriend.” She gestured to the home behind her which must belong to her parents (She bought her parents a home and what had Yu Tu managed in that time?) “We’re actually taking advantage of the New Year to allow my parents to meet Sicheng without arising any outward suspicion.”  She said leadingly and Yu Tu nodded, glad he could finally reassure her.

“I see. It’s nice to meet you.” He said politely, eyes filtering to Lu Sicheng’s again. “Congratulations. I imagine with both of your statuses having a quiet relationship is difficult.” This was beyond awkward, and he couldn’t help but hope they were wrapping up their impromptu meeting soon. “Don’t worry,” he said as calmly as possible. “I won’t say anything.” He forced himself to smile hoping it was genuine. “Congratulations again – and good luck.”

Jingjing positively beamed and for a moment Yu Tu was taken aback. She was absolutely breathtaking when she was happy. “Thank you.” She said, tugging slightly on Lu Sicheng’s hand intent to go home.

The Lu heir inclined his head, but it wasn’t in agreement, thanks or acknowledgment. No, with Jingjing turning away Lu Sicheng’s face morphed, and Yu Tu couldn’t help his breath of surprise even as Lu Sicheng and Jingjing moved towards what was probably Lu Sicheng’s car given the make and model.

Yu Tu moved as if in a daze resuming his walk towards his home. He was a smart man. He always had been, most times he was easily the smartest man in the room and that was with him being humble, but that look...

Lu Sicheng knew their history he suddenly realized. He knew that once upon a time in a long-forgotten and lost grove of trees, Jingjing had confessed to him. Might have even loved him once. Lu Sicheng knew this. He didn’t look at Yu Tu as if he was jealous or envious. No, the look Lu Sicheng had seared him with moments before following Jingjing let Yu Tu know that no matter how smart his degrees and practical knowledge made him, Lu Sicheng believed he was an idiot and that nothing Yu Tu could ever do would change his mind.

Whatever relationship Lu Sicheng had with Jingjing, it was clear from that look alone the man loved her, because only someone who truly cared about her would be so incensed on her behalf of an injury that Jingjing had long since forgotten about. Yu Tu had taken a lot of insults over the years some more deserved than others, but no one had ever managed to communicate with just a single look as much as Lu Sicheng.  Nor had anyone ever implied he was dumb. Implied and meant it, all without saying a word.

Finally, Yu Tu thought as he slowly made his way silently into his house the rest of the occupants long since in bed, this should be the end of it. But as he crawled into bed unbidden to his mind another thought stirred for the first time…

What would have happened all those years ago if he had actually said yes to Jingjing? And where would they be now?

Chapter Text

Liu Te, paced back and forth along the edge of OPL’s massive domed Shanghai arena waiting impatiently in the cold for the impossible money shot. The final game of the season had arrived with the two competing teams already sequestered in the building. She’d gotten a beautiful shot of a game-faced Ai Jia and another two of the younger Lu and Xiao K each of them looking exactly as they should: determined.

None of the shots were a money shot however. Or if Liu Te was honest, necessarily worth waiting in the cold.  The only good thing was none of her company’s competitors had gotten it either. There was the expected VIP guests like Streamer Gu An who’s fascination with OPL was legendary, but it could hardly count as a money shot since he streamed his own excitement and entrance. There were a few other prominent household names, but nothing that needed to be sent back to work with speed less they were the second with the scoop.

Which left Liu Te pacing, frustrated once again that she had to be the person who was stuck in the cold February weather. Movement caught her on her spin and only a quick sidestep prevented her from hitting the ground. What was this?

Five gentlemen stepped out of the entrance all of them in suits four of them obviously security and Liu Te rose her camera automatically clicking on the team as they did so. It was clear they were waiting for the large van just pulling up now. Liu Te waited breath hitching in anticipation.

That was a large team of security – especially given it was private and not any of the security OPL was already using to protect their event. The van rolled to a stop idling for a long moment before the door opened and two beautiful women stepped out.

Liu Te’s jaw dropped, and she barely resisted squealing like a little girl. That was Qiao Jingjing. Qiao Jingjing! Her fingers clicked automatically even as she continued to gape in shock. Qiao Jingjing, in a beautiful white coat and dark black pants, heals, signature curls and beautiful red lips, greeted the man in front of her warmly. Familiarly. Who was he? What was his connection to Qiao Jingjing?

They talked for barely any length of time before he gestured toward Liu Te and she gaped as Qiao Jingjing tossed her, just-trying- to-make-a-living Liu Te (and the poor other suckers who were cold like she was) her warm inviting smile before she followed the man into the building her security fanning around her.

Liu Te swallowed even as she hurriedly, and slightly on auto pilot, messaged the team waiting in the office. “MONEY SHOT!!!!” If her team hurried, they might just be the one to break the news that Qiao Jingjing was not only in Shanghai… but at OPL.

Now that was worth the cold.

***

Pei Pei hadn’t been this excited for something since both her own wedding and when Jingjing had first hit the big screen and she could finally reassure her friend that yes, she really was that good, and no, she wasn’t just saying it. In typical Jingjing fashion once her friend had decided on a course of action, she was all steam ahead.

She was just like her boyfriend in that regard. Heaven help the person who tried to get in the way of their determination because with Jingjing’s charm and Sicheng’s power, they could probably turn the world permanently on its head.

Jingjing’s mere presence somewhere always spiced up the location… but given the fact she was the face of a competitor showing up at OPL’s final…? All of that before anyone saw her outfit. Jingjing knew how to do subtle, her whole year-long (not always romantic) relationship with Sicheng was proof of that.

But when she chose not to… she didn’t.

Which is why Pei Pei didn’t even try to keep the smirk off her face as whispers immediately broke out as Jingjing walked into the main arena a walking advertisement for everything ZGDX. The only thing she didn’t initially proclaim was who in ZGDX was she here for. But something told Pei Pei the instant Sicheng saw her he’d make the answer decisively known.

 This was much better than watching it on TV.

It was unfortunate that Chu Kong took such diligent care of Jingjing, ensuring a large gap protected her from the rest of the crowd, because Pei Pei would kill to know what the whisperings were saying right now. Especially as the crowd who hadn’t seen Jingjing arrive, were treated with a massive view of their faces. This right here was the reason it took Pei Pei so long to get ready today even if no one was currently looking at her. Jingjing flashed them a smile before promptly ignoring everyone sending out one last text to Sicheng (man was her friend whipped).

Pei Pei waited in breathless anticipation her phone blowing up with comments from friends as well as netizens all berating Jingjing for showing up at an event she legally should have nothing to do with. Just wait. She thought giddily, just wait.

The lights dimmed and the music stopped as the announcers who introduced themselves as Du Dou and Xiao Fan announced the two teams and everyone watched interviews of the starting line up (no Lu Yue which was a pity, Pei Pei had a feeling they were going to get along great).  Sicheng’s interview was everything Pei Pei had come to expect from her friend’s boyfriend, cocky to the point of overboard. A quick glance at Jingjing told her that her friend disagreed with her assessment. Well, Jingjing couldn’t be right about everything.

Finally, the two teams rose amidst smoke, and Pei Pei yelled and cheered with Jingjing, waiting for the moment of realization. “I think I.” Jingjing breathed, and Pei Pei frowned leaning into her friend.

“What?” She yelled.

“I should have warned him! I’m going to knock him out of his persona!”

Pei Pei couldn’t help but scoff loudly. Of all the things she had to be anxious about… “There are a few things you have to worry about – like getting that lovely red lipstick on your teeth, you don’t have to worry about Sicheng’s performance today. He’s going to crush it.” As soon as he recovered from the shock that is.

She waited breathless as Sicheng’s attention snapped to Jingjing and Pei Pei couldn’t help her squealing, desperately trying not to pull attention to herself as suddenly everyone became a spectator for two people. She held it in tighter hands covering her mouth in giddy excitement as Sicheng immediately tried to go to Jingjing obviously with no knowledge of why he shouldn’t, forcing Yu Ming and Xiao Pang to shackle his wrists in alarm.

Yes, Pei Pei thought giddily, she was here for all of this.

***

Lu Wang Lan was going to kill her oldest. Just as soon as he replaced himself with grandchildren that was. Why on earth hadn’t he warned her that Jingjing was coming to the final game? She could understand not informing others, but she was his mother and was now – finally – in the know. Around her ZGDX’s key stakeholders and CEO sat impatiently waiting for the game, and the moment of their investment, to begin.

“Why is Qiao Jingjing sitting in the stands wearing our uniform?” Hao Dei asked bluntly the frown on his face visible through his voice. “We should be aware of this, correct?” Wan Lan sighed, some people just had to be dramatic for no reason.

She spoke before anyone else could splutter out a nonanswer. “Leave her alone. My daughter-in-law is merely supporting my son, both I assume, during his final match.” She said with the perfect level of calm confidence that could override the blustery man beside her.

Her words froze the room as each of them seemed to turn as one towards her. Wang Lan didn’t look away from the screen showcasing her daughter-in-law. Qiao Jingjing clearly knew she was on camera but other than a single, happy, smile Qiao Jingjing ignored the camera and the crowd. Instead, talking with her friend or on her phone a poised woman despite the eyes of thousands.

Wang Lan didn’t bother to hide her slight smile. Her son had chosen well. Independent enough not to ride on her son’s coat tails. Wealthy enough not to go after his money and somehow just plain good. Fame hadn’t destroyed her heart allowing her closed off son to once again enjoy life rather than just bulldozing through it.

Wang Lan’s smile turned to a smirk as her scarily controlled son lost it the moment his eyes landed on his girlfriend, proud when he immediately sent his brother to protect her and suspicious at the gleam in his eyes almost immediately afterwords.

It looked like Wang Lan was getting two gifts today. ZGDX winning nationals and an official daughter-in-law.

Excellent.

***

Do Dou, OPL’s best commentator if he did say so himself, settled into his chair finishing one last check with his counterpart Xiao Fan before they went live.

“Be advised,” Their manager said suddenly in their ears and they both paused, “Qiao Jingjing is in the crowd. Yes, that Qiao Jingjing and she’s apparently wearing a ZGDX uniform, and we don’t know why.”

Do Dou choked unable to resist looking over the edge of his balcony for the famous celebrity. Their position allowing him to see her, and another woman, surrounded by security. He swallowed once. Yes. That was definitely Qiao Jingjing. How was she even prettier in person?

“What’s she even doing here?” Xiao Fan asked. “I mean… shouldn’t she not be? Isn’t she Hunter’s Gate’s ambassador?”

“Glory of Kings” Do Dou said automatically.  He remembered the unceasing and heated complaints and the gossip around the water cooler when that news had come out people either jealous or skeptical. The skeptics had been justified by that horrible video… right before she made everyone eat their words with her fantastic playing in two different positions. “Maybe she didn’t read her contract?” Do Dou asked doubtfully. But even if she hadn’t… why on earth was she here wearing a ZGDX uniform? Who was the celebrity here for? He’d say for a Lu, but if the years at OPL had taught him anything, it was that the pair of Lu’s were never swayed by a pretty face.

“I don’t need a commentary on it!” Their manager said annoyed. “I was just making you aware of it. Keep your head where it’s supposed to be! In the game!”

Do Dou and Xiao Fan centered themselves before giving the go-ahead nod to their team on the other side of the camera. Music dimmed and Do Dou officially opened up the final game of the season to a roar of cheers and applause.

Almost immediately after the two teams sat it became apparent Do Dou was wrong. Qiao Jingjing and Chessman left no doubt just who she was there for. The face of OPL, Lu Sicheng. Du Dou swallowed hard. That he hadn’t seen coming.

“Is anyone else seeing this?” He couldn’t help but ask forgetting for the first time in his career he was miked. “I think Chessman’s experiencing a little bit of a shock right now.”

Neither Chessman nor Qiao Jingjing acted like they heard him, rather they had entered a bubble that refused anyone else’s entrance.

Xiao Fan swore softly as Chessman ignored the game – the final match of the season – pushing back the meticulously planned schedule of the first round by refusing to look away from Jingjing or put his headphones on. If it was any other player refusing, someone would step in or they’d start without them. Since it was Chessman, everyone stopped with him holding their breath in anticipation.

Lu Yue burst onto the scene shamelessly using the tucked away tunnels to pop out where he wanted. Du Dou watched amazed as he immediately found his brother’s eyes before he raced off to join Qiao Jingjing jumping the barrier and catching her in a massive familiar hug as he did so.

Do Dou swallowed. What on earth had Qiao Jingjing decided to reveal today at OPL’s championship? One thing was for sure, game or no game, this one was going to trend.

***

Pei Pei smiled when, as promised, five minutes into OPL’s game Glory of Kings officially announced the upcoming parting of ways with their ‘Beloved Spokesperson.’

“Glory of Kings and Qiao Jingjing to formally part ways.

“Glory of Kings prides itself on being a game that constantly brings people together. While we couldn’t have guessed it would extend to our competition, we’re pleased to wish @Qiao_Jingjing and @Chessman (@LuSicheng) the best in all their future endeavors and formally announce an end to our official partnership with Qiao Jingjing.

Don’t worry! We’re sure she’ll be back as a guest!”

The formal press release, including a very complimentary statement from the CEO (Yah right! Pei Pei remembered how much grief he gave Jingjing thank you very much!) and merely said Qiao Jingjing and Glory were amicably choosing to sever her contract and role as brand ambassador early without any teasing of the situation Glory and OPL found themselves in. Nor was there any mention of Lu Sicheng although her presence and their immediate Weibo post ensured everyone knew the why.

She wished she could see what was happening in OPL’s offices right now and how angry they must be at Sicheng for not giving them any warning. Still, they didn’t have anything to complain about really. Jingjing wasn’t leaving their company and, if she was reading and seeing this right, Jingjing’s fans who didn’t watch OPL were suddenly tuning into the final and watching Qiao Jingjing’s boyfriend absolutely annihilate.   

***

Smiling, aka Tong Yao to those who actually knew her, groaned at ZGDX as her long-time friend and bestie’s boyfriend was killed again even as she admitted to herself that ZGDX held the momentum. Had held it since the beginning of round one. Before the beginning. Her eyes flickered reluctantly towards Qiao Jingjing, and she flushed. The young woman, only a few years older than herself, must know she was being filmed religiously but she didn’t seem to care. Tong Yao couldn’t see herself ever being comfortable with that many people looking at her. (Not that anyone ever would even if she did want to be a professional gamer.)

Qiao Jingijng’s whole focus and being was absorbed in the game, and if the opening of the game was to be believed, on Chessman. Smiling shook her head, a lump in her heart. Poor girl. Qiao Jingjing had never dated a gamer before, she’d learn. Gamers might be the best in their lane… but they sacrificed being a good person in the meantime. Ai Jia was the only one who had figured it out… and even then, it took him a long time to do so.

It wouldn’t last. Qiao Jingjing had put herself out on a limb for this, for a chance with Chessman, and it wouldn’t be enough. Her name might be powerful, and she might be beautiful, but Qiao Jingjing would leave to film and Chessman would get lonely or distracted by another pretty face. If Qiao Jingjing had any self respect, she would leave.

Her sudden anger took her by surprise. Qiao Jingjing should know better. Should know that people cheated. They lied. Just because someone was good looking and had a lucrative career didn’t mean it was something permanent.

And yet… Tong Yao did game. She’d watched ZGDX win the Spring tournament had watched with one eye as they fought their way to victory throughout the season. She’d popped into the livestreams for all of their players, but if she was being honest, she’d watched Chessman’s the most even when Ming or Yue’s would be more important for her given her position. She’d never seen Chessman as anything but controlled and decisive. She’d certainly never seen him so obviously affected as he was today.

He'd ordered his brother to join Qiao Jingjing where he could see her. She wasn’t sure if it was controlling or protective and everything she knew of Lu Sicheng told her either was possible. However, that didn’t explain the literal fire lit under Chessman that he seemed determined to burn YQCB with.

It was working.

Ai Jia’s team couldn’t best Chessman’s newfound synergy or drive. Even Hierophant, Chessman’s counterpart and typically his equal, faltered under his pressure. Which is why Smiling couldn’t help but frown when Chessman suddenly staggered and died under Hierophant’s shot before Old K was suddenly there smashing Hierophant backwards.

“Finally.” Jinyang said relieved. “They’ve finally killed Chessman!”

“No…” Tong Yao said, and she could feel her friend’s look of surprise. “I don’t…” She didn’t finish. It made no sense even though her instincts told her Chessman died on purpose. “Chessman’s never been afraid of dying.” She murmured more to herself than Jinyang. Her eyes looked up tracking Xiao Pang and her heart stopped.

“No!” She yelled. “Don’t! Take the top lane! Chessman’s going up the top lane!” It didn’t matter, no one could hear or listen to her especially YQCB. She could only watch as Old K, clearly under orders, drug out his kill. Hierophant wouldn’t be able to revive in time. If Chessman played this right… he’d just won the game. Hierophant probably knew it too which explained the vicious way he fought against K, but he was too close to the other’s jungle and already hurt too badly to succeed.

Chessman would win the first round in the national final… by deliberately dying once.

“He’s amazing.” She said.

“He’s amazing?” Jinyang asked confused. “Yao I don’t get it… what’s happening?” Her friend had made a lot of progress about caring for her boyfriend’s interests this last year, but that didn’t mean she understood strategy.

“ZGDX just won the game.” Tong Yao confirmed.

“What?” Jinyang asked confused but Tong Yao didn’t look away from Chessman as Chessman revived, watching in sick fascination as he did exactly what she feared, cutting through YQCB’s remaining territory with almost casual ease positioning himself not at the nexus, but at the respawning area.

His relationship with Qiao Jingjing wouldn’t last, Tong Yao thought sadly, even if the small still willfully naive part of her wanted them to, but in the meantime clearly, she was a powerful, motivating factor.

***

Gu Zao couldn’t help but feel gipped as the camera showcased the celebrity again. Sure, she was pretty with her wavy curled hair sitting next to her ZGDX obsessed and uniform wearing friend, but… they’d already showed her how many times and clearly she was set on ignoring them. That didn’t even count how many times they’d showed her before he’d sat down. He wished they wouldn’t, though he’d heard the name Qiao Jingjing before at school from giggling girls who weren’t as invested in their future as he was. He guessed she was pretty, but this was OPL’s final they didn’t need to keep showcasing her!

OPL was the single outlet he allowed himself as he studied for the Gako intent on his goal to get into a Tier One University. It was going to happen he promised himself. He would make it happen.

There was a reason that Chessman was his idol. Chessman had managed to achieve both his dreams – attend a Tier One and become a professional gamer. Gu Zao could do it too and in a few months, he’d prove it to everybody.

Chessman was probably the reason OPL had become a symbol of winning to him. He loved the strategy, teamwork and different abilities that everyone needed to master in order to compete and play at the professional level. Chessman’s unceasing dedication to his craft inspired Gu Zao late in the night when Chessman opened up another livestream. When he did, Gu Zao allowed himself a break. He didn’t watch every livestream, too much study time wasted, but he knew by heart all of Chessman’s best moves though Chessman was too good to ever lock himself into a pattern.

He wanted to watch Chessman kill it today during the final match and had spent all his money on a ticket. Chessman would be more than a little motivated, since rumor had it Yu Ming was going to be retiring, Chessman would want his friend to leave on a high note.

If only the camera would stop showcasing the celebrity and the fan. He cheered loudly as Do Dou and Xiao Fan (Xiao Fan was his favorite announcer) started the final and the cameras switched from the crowd (and the celeb) to the pair.

Finally, finally the two teams settled down and Gu Zao let out an excited breath. Only a few minutes now. Suddenly Chessman, who never looked at the crowd during a good day, let alone on a final, looked up eyes focusing on the celebrity and her friend… only the celebrity was the fan wasn’t she? The way she locked on Gu Zao’s idol while the pretty woman with her half ponytail giddily covered her face while looking back and forth told him it was the fan who everyone was going crazy about.

Including his idol. Chessman, he thought frustrated, repeating the words his parents told him repeatedly even though he rarely needed it. “Don’t forget your real goal!” He muttered.

Lu Yue raced over to, Qiao Jingjing, that was her name, clearing the barrier and warmly welcoming her. So, Lu Yue didn’t know she was coming either. Huh, someone had to know she was coming here. YQCB and ZGDX started to ban Shikigami and Gu Zao let out a relieved breath, finally they could stop focusing on Chessman’s apparent love life.

***

 Yue personally thought Jingjing’s timing was both perfect and horrible. He’d always planned on sitting back and enjoying the show when Jingjing and his brother went public, they’d done such a good job at being under the radar that they’d taken everyone by surprise today. But he couldn’t sit back and enjoy it because the game was much more important.

Typical.

***

Zheng Yi might not be Qiao Jingjing’s biggest fan, but she’d always considered herself Qiao Jingjing’s second bare minimum. She always knew Qiao Jingjing’s rumored projects and correctly guessed if they were going to happen or not. She was not surprised in the slightest when Qiao Jingjing smashed the Glory of Kings award show with her gaming because her idol was never afraid of hard work.

Which is why she felt somewhat betrayed when the images started trending of Qiao Jingjing in a ZGDX uniform (a team she assumed) at a game show that wasn’t Glory of Kings. What was she doing there? With absolutely no warning? If there was a warning, Zheng Yi would know of it especially since she’d been filming in Beijing yesterday.

She hadn’t quite managed to get onto the stream when new images popped up regarding Qiao Jingjing and someone called Chessman. (A player?) and everyone’s excitement at seeing Lu Sicheng (the same person?) taken so aback and yet obviously pleased to see his idol. She finally got in just in time to see someone else (also in ZGDX uniform) jump the barrier before giving Qiao Jingjing a massive and very familiar hug before he turned back to the player who was playing (the good looking one without the headphones must be the mentioned Chessman) and nodded. Only then did the player seem to get back to the game.

Zheng Yi didn’t care about the – was she watching the final game? – of… OPL, but she did care about figuring out just what was going on and she wasn’t disappointed. Thousands of comments, speculations and guesses flooded in about Qiao Jingjing’s relationship only to be silenced or vindicated by Glory of Kings’ (of course Zheng Yi followed them her idol was their brand ambassador!) announcement that Qiao Jingjing and themselves were parting ways.

Well, that was horrible, Zheng Yi was just beginning to understand how to play the game and that each position should be played differently. Did this mean Qiao Jingjing wouldn’t play anymore? No, Glory specifically said she’d be back as a guest. But why did dating a rival player mean she had to quit? There were plenty of cross franchise relationships who didn’t have that same problem.

He wasn’t just a rival player though, was he? As more and more comments flew in Zheng Yi came to the bitter realization that just because she thought she knew everything there was about Qiao Jingjing’s life, didn’t mean she did. Because comments full of understanding and comprehension kept popping up on the fact that Lu Sicheng (and why was his name so important… oh, oh! He was heir to Lu Enterprises and that was a lot of assets (what on earth was he doing as a gamer?!)) aka Chessman taught Qiao Jingjing how to play Glory of Kings fantastically while ‘working in Shanghai for the family business’ in between OPL’s seasons.

Zheng Yi had a headache.

But even with her headache and no knowledge of how to play the game (although it looked a little similar to Glory now that she thought about it) it was obvious Qiao Jingjing’s boyfriend(?) was dominating the competition.

She snorted they must not be very good if this Chessman could seemingly beat them so easily in the final. She ignored the comments sliding in about Chessman being a man on a mission (no duh! Qiao Jingjing was watching him!) and blinked twice when he centered himself on the respawning area.

“Hey!” She yelled. “That’s what Qiao Jingjing did during Glory of Kings match! He’s copying her!”

***

“Talk” Shao snarled, Lee Kunhyeok blinked at the uncharacteristic aggression in the normally passive man as they crowded him in their personal backroom.

“Chessman is seeing Qiao Jingjing.” He said slowly in their broken language. “He has now for,” he paused, would Cheng and Qiao Jingjing admit how long they were dating? Luckily his team seemed to think it was a language barrier and they turned to Lee Kunhyeok’s translator who looked at him before shrugging. “He’s serious about her.” He added not surprised at the furious scoffs and pacing.

He was torn in a no-win situation. Surely his team could see that. “They weren’t telling anyone.” He expounded. “His own team and parents haven’t known for long. He didn’t know she was coming today.”

That much was obvious. If his friend hadn’t beaten them so badly, he might feel bad for the hit to Light’s reputation. It was clear the boys wanted the gossip. Wanted to question him more, but time and priorities were more important. Light was on a warpath and somehow, they still needed to win.

***

Du Dou blinked down at Glory of King’s Weibo post with it’s attached press release. Well. That was something you definitely didn’t see every day. His manager paced the room frustrated and Du Dou could imagine why. Glory of Kings knew what their brand ambassador was doing and had prepared for it.

Lu Sicheng hadn’t said a word.

What’s worse by Glory’s own words, they were taking responsibility for Chessman and Qiao Jingjing’s relationship.

During OPL’s final national match.

The heads of OPL must be cursing Lu Sicheng’s name right now.

“It can’t be that bad.” Someone said from the back of the room. They had all gathered for an emergency meeting during the half time break. “I mean… this means we get Qiao Jingjing. We’re keeping her. Yes, Chessman should have told us, but it’s not like he’s leaving us – she’s leaving them and bringing her fans with her. I’m sure we can be gracious about it especially since we’ve hit record high views for this game.”

It was true, they had hit a new all-time high and it probably was due to Qiao Jingjing’s presence. How many people had tuned in to the game to see just what was going on with Qiao Jingjing?

Do Dou was willing to bet the number was high.

“This doesn’t matter right now.” Their manager said reluctantly. “Until we know more, we aren’t talking about it. Do Dou, Xiao Fan don’t mention this, am I clear?”

Xiao Fan immediately protested. “We can’t ignore her! We’ve just talked about how many people are tuning in for this information! We want to keep them for the final round!” Do Dou debated about correcting him, after all it might not be the final round and shut his mouth. Something told him that whatever had possessed Lu Sicheng during the first game was still going to be the same driving factor during the second. “We have to address the elephant somehow.”

Their manager mulled it over before finally nodding his head. “Fine. But be careful and don’t mention Glory of Kings or anything they’ve referenced. Am I clear?” Dutifully Do Dou and Xiao Fan nodded their heads.

***

 Of all the woman Chessman had to fall for… he chose her? Qiao Jingjing wasn’t even that pretty and a mediocre actress at best. The fact that anyone was still giving Qiao Jingjing projects was shocking to Xia Jin. Qiao Jingjing didn’t deserve her reputation, and she definitely didn’t deserve Chessman.

Xia Jin knew there wasn’t a chance that Lu Sicheng would ever look at her. She was just a fan after all, and Chessman never looked at his fans. Oh, he treated them all with respect, thanked them for his support but if Xia Jin was honest with herself, the arrogant way he held himself separate from anyone and ignored them was part of his charm.

Nothing phased him, nothing moved him. He went where he wanted to go and fought with an intensity that others could only mimic. Xia Jin had been a fan of OPL for years now, but if she was honest with herself, she probably would have moved on already if it wasn’t for Chessman. She knew Lu Sicheng wasn’t Chessman entirely, that he was a persona created to improve, hits and loyalty, but she didn’t care.

She loved him.

Loved his style, his protective bearing over his team (no one messed with ZGDX not if they were smart) and the way he carried himself. His looks were the icing on the cake, one she would happily devour if only she could. But that was okay, because no one else got him either. Chessman was decidedly a man on a singular mission who never indulged.

Which brought her to this moment, and Chessman’s betrayal of his very character and name.

With an overpaid washed-up actress.

What’s worse, Chessman obviously didn’t see Qiao Jingjing like that at all. If the way he’d reacted when he’d seen her in the crowd was any proof, he not only knew her, but he liked her. Sent his brother (the younger, immature Lu) to her.

Xia Jin didn’t know if she should be happy or sad to watch Chessman play the best game of his life… all because of her.               Qiao Jingjing. Half time ended and Chessman, who never acknowledged his fans at the beginning of the game and always was a man on a mission looked unerringly at the woman cheering and arrogant enough to think she was good enough to wear his uniform. A light and a smirk on his face that he never gave to her despite her years of loyalty – or any of his other fans.

He'd even sent Yu Ming to sit beside her as if she’d get scared without support. She probably didn’t even know how to play the game or what positions any of them were playing.

She hoped he lost.

Immediately she blinked horrified. No, she didn’t! This was Chessman. Her Chessman. She didn’t want him to lose! But perhaps… a little humbling wouldn’t go amiss so he could realize that just because a famous (overrated) woman paid him attention didn’t mean he should pay attention back at her.

After all, he was Chessman and much better than this and Qiao Jingjing.

***

Zhou Lin of Heavenly Palace for Glory of Kings vaguely knew it was OPL’s National Final that day, but it wasn’t something he paid much attention to if he was honest. Most of his mind was fixed on remaining one of the best junglers in the league. There was a new upstart this season who thought he could best him and Zhou Lin was determined to crush him for it.

While they weren’t gaming all together per say, the entirety of Heavenly Palace was in their main gaming area hands flashing away on their phones as they each practiced. At least he thought everyone was practicing.

“Qiao Jingjing’s at OPL’s award show,” Night Swan (their tank) said abruptly. “And she’s wearing a ZGDX uniform.”

Zhou Lin, professional though he was, faltered completely missing the wide-open target he’d been aiming for. “What?” His soft exclamation was drowned out by Full Moon’s incredulous voice.

It would be too much to say all of Heavenly Palace loved Qiao Jingjing, but after her undisputed loyalty for them during the award show, and her easy manners and charm, they’d adopted her into their fold. Not completely, but she since the ceremony, she was kind enough to publicly and privately to have conversations with them on Weibo on occasion. Unknown to her, she’d become the team face that they unapologetically used against the league. (She might be the face of Glory… but she chose them.)

“Look!”

Their manager would kill them with how quickly they abandoned their games each of them scrambling to Weibo. Zhou Lin blinked in shock torn between jumping into the final’s livestream and clicking on the pictures and clips already up.

He clicked on a clip of Qiao Jingjing, wearing a ZGDX’s uniform (why not theirs?!), beaming at – Chessman! – that was Chessman! Who, even more shocking, was standing while the rest of his team sat around him obviously stopping him from going to his idol. Except, from the burning look in Chessman’s eyes that’s not what she was to him, nor based on Qiao Jingjing’s expression, what he was to her either.

He tried not to feel betrayed. Qiao Jingjing was Glory’s and Heavenly Palaces!

“She’s left Glory!” Night Swan cried. Clearly, he was reading something else rather than the bewitched looks being exchanged.

“What?” He and Full Moon asked again, just as incredulous. It wasn’t possible, they had another year before they needed to worry if Qiao Jingjing was renewing her contract.

“Glory of King’s just said they’re parting ways… and…” He paused in shock until Pegasus (their mid) elbowed him to keep talking. “Get this, Glory’s taking responsibility for Chessman and Qiao Jingjing getting together!”

“What?” Only to be drowned out again by Full Moon. How on earth did Glory think they were responsible for that?

“She learned from Chessman.” Snow said, their marksman’s voice low with awe. Zhou Lin swore softly to himself. It made sense and it fit. She’d told them she’d learned from the best marksman and obviously it wasn’t Snow (he wouldn’t have been able to keep that from the team) Zhou Lin assumed she’d learned from the legendary marksman the unassuming, Leaf, long since retired.

Clearly, he was wrong.

When she said she learned from the best… she learned from Chessman: the face of OPL. “It’s a different game.” Pegasus exclaimed, but his eyes were locked on his own screen. “It’s not even played on the same platform! Don’t tell me OPL’s phone version helped prepare him – everyone knows how horrible it is! And it was right before his own season, how on earth did he manage It? He couldn’t have!”

How? Because he was Chessman that’s how. It didn’t matter that it was for a different game everyone in their world, the gaming world, knew who Chessman was. Everyone wanted to be Chessman.

Even more so now, he thought bitterly, watching Qiao Jingjing watch Chessman, and he wasn’t the teammate half in love with her. Oh sure, playing with her was amazing, and he enjoyed mocking others in their league that she’d chosen him, but… others loved her. Poor Full Moon looked like Chessman had smashed his heart. Full Moon could compete with a lot of men… Chessman wasn’t one of them.

“I want to play him.” Snow breathed, eyes intent on his screen watching Chessman absolutely destroy. (They’d all switched to the actual game by this point.) “Do you think Qiao Jingjing could arrange something? Look at that precision! They don’t know what’s hit them!”

It was true, it was obvious that Chessman was at peak performance easily sliding between players that had to be good, though they didn’t really look it, sniping them off as he went. He was a man driven to succeed and it was clear he’d accomplish his goal.

“What round are they on?” He asked absently.

“Second.”

There wouldn’t be a third of that Zhou Lin was certain.

“Hey!” Full Moon said, “Isn’t that… doesn’t that look like Glory tactics?” Zhou Lin locked in once more, Full Moon wasn’t wrong, but it didn’t seem right either.

“He’s meshed the two.” Snow said excitedly. “He’s meshed Glory and OPL together.” For a long moment the boys just looked at each other. Their brains running through the possibilities. Chessman had changed gaming merely by being familiar with the two different franchises, bringing in hints of Glory to OPL and…

“Qiao Jingjing probably played with OPL tactics during our match.” Black Swan breathed and Zhou Lin couldn’t help but nod. It would explain how, unorthodoxly good she was. Why she kept the advantage so long against someone at Pig Rider and Heilu’s level.

“We need to practice more.” Snow said seriously, clearly realizing what Zhou Lin already did. The game of Glory was changed forever, just by having Chessman teach Qiao Jingjing to be a star.

Unbidden his mind drifted back to the blazing look Chessman sent Qiao Jingjing, they both probably felt it was worth it he thought with a sigh, then forced his mind to pay attention to the tactics displayed by Chessman and the two junglers… something told him he’d need it.

***

It was a drama in the making! Ling Yu professional scriptwriter and closeted gaming fan had long since wanted to write a gaming drama – but how to write it, and what to plot out to ensure it wet everyone’s appetite? There were several out there and you needed to ensure it stood out.

Enter Qiao Jingjing and Lu Sicheng her instant best seller. There was just one problem… either she needed Qiao Jingjing, Lu Sicheng, Glory and OPL to allow her the rights to do so… or she had to make it just different enough to ensure she didn’t get sued.

Hmmmm decisions, decisions. Ling Yu split her screens her writing document split between watching her drama in the making aka the game and writing it down… now how did they meet… Ah! Ling Yu just knew they met at a stuffy function the beautiful actress using the grumpy, remote gamer to get her away from a clingy ex-coworker.

Her agent was going to love this.

Perfect!

***

Jian Yang (Sunflower), along with the rest of his team, CK, watched YQCB get decimated in the second round of the national final. It sucked to being knocked out so early in the playoffs by ZGDX, but watching Chessman play now… it was clear who the victor was going to be.

He’d wanted YQCB to win, both because during the summer tournament ZGDX had beaten them for the final (but at least it had taken ZGDX three rounds to beat them.) and because ZGDX had knocked them out again during this year’s national tournament.

But as much as he hated to admit it… ZGDX would probably beat any team in the league if they were playing them today. Chessman was on fire. Who knew he was so susceptible to a girl? He was playing like a man possessed and as Fire Kirin of all Shikigamis. CK wouldn’t be stupid enough not to block Fire Kirin on a day when Chessman wanted to show off for his girlfriend. YQCB signed their surrender with that one move.

Not that YQCB was fighting badly, but they just weren’t fighting good enough to ensure a victory. Chessman sliding in between everyone to kill both close and far. Finally, finally Chessman died, and to Sunflower’s trained eye, this one didn’t look like it was deliberate either.

“Come on Hierophant.” He whispered. “You’re not going to get a better shot to turn the game around than right now.”

He watched in stunned amazement as Yue, Yue of all people, danced around Hierophant and his support preventing them from killing Cat and snagging the pit for themselves.

“I did not think Baby Lu was that good.” Zhou Ping said unable to keep the awe out of his voice. “What on earth did he do to his training routine to ensure this happened?”

“He probably fought against his brother on repeat.” Their manager said absently before abruptly continuing. “I got it! Qiao Jingjing mentioned Chessman by name in the Glory award show she went to. She talked about having a favorite… and that it’s okay to have one as long as you can play others. She used Lu Sicheng and Fire Kirin as an example.”

Jian Yang blinked. Why on earth was his manager looking up that now? They were in the middle of watching the final game of their series. “She mentioned Chessman at our competitor’s final? That’s awfully bold of her.” Zhou Ping said.

“Not only that… it’s rumored that Chessman was in the audience watching her and that he’s the person she tried to bring up to play with her during the second match.”

“Wait what?” Their coach asked. Only for the rest of CK to rebel.

“We don’t care about Qiao Jingjing or Chessman right now! We’re trying to watch the final!” Their manager being the smart man that he was, shut up.

***

Kun, Hierophant’s younger brother should be cheering loudly from his place in the stands because his brother had just killed Chessman… the only problem was Kun wasn’t playing and since he wasn’t playing he’d much rather go and sit with the pretty actress who’d stolen his heart months ago with her fantastic playing at the Glory of Kings competition. Beauty and gaming? Now that was a rare, perfect, combination. (Had he temporarily forgotten about her, maybe… but that was besides the point!)

He'd tried to go see Qiao Jingjing during the half time only to be turned away by her security. Nor to his chagrin was he the only one attempting to go in and see her. The few others who, due to their faces he swore looked familiar, but his Chinese wasn’t good enough to know who they were and most of the influencers and celebrities he followed were from his native Korea.

So, after a butchered attempt to see Qiao Jingjing in her private room – she’d have to like him right? He was good friends with Lu Sicheng – he’d been forced to retreat to his seat where he watched her from across the other side of the arena in vain trying to catch her eyes.

She unfortunately only had eyes for Chessman. He frowned… give him enough time, he was sure he could get her to like him over his brother’s controlling friend… if only he could get introduced.

***
Su Lou hadn’t been paying attention to Lu Sicheng’s gaming schedule. He’d rejected her on so many levels when all she’d been to him was lovely. If he wanted her back, he’d better be prepared to work for it. After all, he hadn’t even looked at the roses she’d brought him which, if she’d been less mad at him, would have been impressive because she’d gotten the biggest bouquet she could find in an effort to impress him.

Then he’d had her unceremoniously escorted out of the backstage area when she’d tried to see him during half time utterly humiliating her for no reason. She wasn’t the one to arrange the blind date after all. While true, Mrs. Lu had informed her mother that her unfilial son had refused to commit she had told Su Lou’s mom that every time in the past he’d shown up regardless of his protestations.

He'd refused with her.

At first Su Lou had thought her charms and good looks had either made him worried he wouldn’t be able to keep his persona in place, or he was playing hard to get – wanting to see how far Su Lou would go so she’d shown up at his game. During the actual game he hadn’t even looked at her, despite everyone else’s fawning. Lu Yue’s caustic remarks after his brother had left to got back into ZGDX’s private room had corrected that assumption.

The only thing left to her was a chance to hold her head up high and ignore the whispers and laughter. There had been several who had thought Chessman was too mean however and those had helped soothe her battered ego. She might not be a Lu, but she was a Su and that was enough. She wouldn’t give others the satisfaction of knowing they’d hurt her.

Somehow, someway Su Lou was trending on Weibo. She wasn’t worried at first, she had just gotten the newest line of Channel products and one of her posts might have gone viral. But no, she thought dismayed, looking at the pictures of Qiao Jingjing of all people cheering on Lu Sicheng happily wearing his uniform, that wasn’t the reason at all! What’s worse was Lu Sicheng’s utterly blazing look he sent back to the woman. Su Lou wanted to flush to the roots of her hair, and it wasn’t even directed at her.

What did this have to do with her?

@BlackFox987: No wonder @Su_Lou1111 was rejected by @Chessman so publicly! He was dating @Qiao_Jinging at the time! I’d reject her too if I had a hot actress in the wings!

There were thousands of them Su Lou realized with horror. Thousands commenting on her rejection by Lu Sicheng and most of them were not complimentary. Ignore it. She told herself firmly. Put your notifications on silent and walk away.

Unbidden her fingers zoomed up on the picture of Sicheng’s face, shocked but utterly happy to see someone in the crowd and felt her heart twitch in pain. She’d wanted this reaction. Wanted to be the one to break Sicheng’s gamer (what was his handle called again?) façade. Instead, it was to someone Su Lou wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to compete with.

She swallowed hard, forcing the tears back as she did so, bitter resentment pooling despite herself. She had wanted to be the new Mrs. Lu and now whether she wanted to or not, instead she was on the outside looking in at the man she wanted and the woman he clearly loved.

***

Yu Tu couldn’t help but laugh quietly to himself as once more what should have been the end of it, wasn’t. This one at least had nothing, absolutely nothing to do with him. His class chat exploded at Qiao Jingjing’s (and Li Pei Pei’s) presence at OPL’s final match of the season. Everyone was in shock as rumors and speculation abounded. Yu Tu smiled slightly, at least now he didn’t have any insider scoop into Jingjing’s life. He silenced the notifications, knowing from experience that it would be hours before the chat calmed down and went back to his book. He knew the answer Guan Zhai and he were looking for was here somewhere.

***

Du Dou gaped, even as Xiao Fan swore long and slow, as Sicheng whirled Qiao Jingjing in a firm circle before kissing her soundly in front of the massive arena and thousands of others via the OPL livestream. Any other player and Du Dou doubted he’d be this shocked. But it was Chessman the lone wolf who held everyone at a distance. Like Fire Kirin who he favored, get too close and get burned. Chessman who just gave the performance of a lifetime before decidedly kissing the woman who’d cheered so loudly and wholeheartedly for him. Chessman who was thoroughly staking his claim, ensuring everyone knew Qiao Jingjing was under the Lu family protection as he continued to kiss her ignoring the cheers and jeers. “And I thought the kiss in ‘A Light in Time’ was intense.” He breathed before his manager’s voice screamed in Xiao Fan and his ear reminding them that they were still live and if they didn’t have anything else to say either mute themselves or shut up.

***

Lu Wang Lan was back to killing her eldest. What on earth was he doing? Kissing Jingjing so passionately in public? Had she taught him nothing about the importance of decorum? Did he care nothing for the thousands of watching eyes? Was this really how he was treating the woman who was to be his wife in public? She took back all the happy thoughts she’d had of him when he’d both saved his brother and won nationals for ZGDX, the brat was about to experience the lecture of a lifetime.

***

Kun blinked as the camera zoomed in on Chessman and Qiao Jingjing’s embrace, the protective way Chessman wrapped himself around Qiao Jingjing and the decided way Chessman’s lips claimed hers publicly. He’d never thought Chessman could care for anyone outside of OPL and his family, and he’d seen Chessman’s shocked surprise at the beginning of the game and ruthless way Chessman had played against YQCB.

On second thought, maybe he wouldn’t flirt with Qiao Jingjing. If the way Chessman had taken his brother out for merely harassing Yue for a few minutes was anything to go by, not even being his brother’s… well brother… would save him.

***

Gu Zao (the Tier One University hopeful) blinked in awe as Chessman nailed the second game just as decidedly as the first. He knew Chessman was good, he was his idol after all, but he hadn’t realized how amazing Chessman was. How had he done that? Practically walked over YQCB during both games. Practice, time and effort. His parents had never minded Chessman being his idol and this was why. What parent wouldn’t want such a determined individual to be an inspiration for him?

Chessman ran towards Qiao Jingjing somehow a man still on a mission despite decisively winning the final game. Qiao Jingjing tipped out of the stands into Chessman’s waiting arms, trust in every movement. It was obvious she knew Chessman would catch her and he didn’t disappoint.

He spun her once, twice, before kissing her fiercely. Gu Zao’s jaw dropped open, not entirely sure what he was seeing. Chessman didn’t seem to care that everyone’s eyes were locked on them. The moment of shock before the crowd went crazy loud cheers drowning out the few jeers.

Huh, well this was proof of the importance and power of motivation. And well... his parents had talked about the importance of a balanced life… maybe they hadn’t just been talking about school, work and family.

***

Try as he might Chu Kong couldn’t keep the slightest of smirks off his face as he leaned against the wall, waiting at the closest tunnel to his boss and Qiao Jingjing. Cheng’s face the instant he’d realized Jingjing’s presence had been worth the subterfuge. He’d only cursory watched the game slightly more intrigued than normal (Chu Kong was not a gamer which had made for an interesting dynamic during the beginning of his employment, but they’d long since moved past that misunderstanding.). He couldn’t deny enjoying watching Cheng tear through the competition all because of his determination not to propose on a night he’d lost. Not that he’d confessed such things to Chu Kong, but Chu Kong did help manage Cheng’s life and many responsibilities and, knowing his employer and the light in his eyes, Miss Qiao would be Mrs. Lu shortly. Which meant he would have the busiest time of his life coming up before a well-deserved vacation.

Normally keeping things from his employer would bring Cheng’s cold anger crushing down on him. Somehow, he thought today’s efforts would bring the opposite especially since he’d made multiple travel and lodging arrangements for Cheng to choose from.

He had been beyond relieved when Jingjing had called him about actually attending the event. When he’d known she was going to be in Shanghai, but watching from a distance, he’d wanted to shake her. Still someone (and he was willing to bet it was Li Pei Pei) had finally gotten through to Jingjing and from how well she was being kissed, he doubted she regretted it.

He was sooo getting another raise.

***

Xia Qing didn’t know what to feel as she caught up on the class chat and watched the highlights and, she flushed uncomfortably, the thorough kiss between her former classmate and her boyfriend. She felt empty and lost for no reason. She wanted to jeer and mock Qiao Jingjing and say “See! See! You didn’t get Yu Tu. I at least got to be with him and share my life with him during college!”

But what would that even mean?

Qiao Jingjing had obviously and happily moved on.

Xia Qing never had she realized bitterly. She’d never moved on, and Jingjing had, and from the looks of things didn’t regret it. High school was so long ago and no longer important, it had played the role it was meant to do and there was no use dwelling on it or what could have beens. She watched the screen as Lu Sicheng the Lu heir of all people, pulled back from kissing Qiao Jingjing only to have Qiao Jingjing launch herself fully into his arms again, whispering private somethings into his ear.

She’d never seen Qiao Jingjing so radiant. She didn’t know what to think as Qiao Jingjing easily sent the Lu heir to collect the trophy seemingly completely happy to just wait once more on the sidelines as the Lu heir took control to make the shortest speech in history before turning the mike to someone else.

Xia Qing was the one to get into the university of their choice, not Qiao Jingjing. She was the one to date Yu Tu not Qiao Jingjing, yet why did it feel like after all these years, she was the one who missed out and lost instead of Qiao Jingjing? Why was she the one feeling bitter despite everything she’d achieved?

***

Tantai Jin was deep in code when the notification he’d set months ago went off, but he didn’t bother to look until hours later after the trouble code was found and he surfaced from his pet project. The notification in question was programed to only go off when Sicheng and Qiao Jingjing’s names were trending together.

His lips quirked upwards.

It looked like his friend was finally going public, and with a kiss like that…

He never would have guessed, when Sicheng contacted him about a leaked video, that his friend would be so gone on an actress. He knew his friend’s opinions on most celebrities. His friend’s cold reaction to learning Qiao Jingjing’s ex had leaked the video telling him Qiao Jingjing was his exception to the rule. Later, he realized she was Sicheng’s exception to every rule. 

He pulled up Sicheng’s contact information. “Don’t forget to let me know the date so I can tell father I’m unavailable that day.” He hesitated for a minute before adding “Congratulations. You both look very happy.”

***

Bonus

Jingjing happily accepted the champaign from Cheng as he stretched beside her on the couch sighing as he did so. The morning had been crazy with too little sleep to go on. Pei Pei had left to meet a friend and would go directly to the airport (she was too good of a friend to stay and be a third wheel) but first she had to know the good news and see the ring on Jingjing’s finger.

Then they’d needed to call their parents and Yue to inform them of their engagement. (For some strange reason none of them seemed surprised.) Finally, they had to go to ZGDX’s hotel and share their news with them. All in all, Jingjing felt a little gipped about the actual time she’d been able to spend with her fiancé. Fiancé! She flushed happily at the thought.

Luckily ZGDX hadn’t expected them to stick around and Jingjing and Cheng had been able to return to Jingjing’s apartment to crash on her couch. “Checkers,” Jingjing said one hand twisting in his. “I just want to clear up something.”

He turned to her, his own glass of champaign raised halfway to his lips. “Oh?” He said drawing it out into question.

“I’m willing to give up a lot of things when we combine our houses… but I’m not compromising on this couch got it?”

He laughed, tilting his glass to hers before leaning in to kiss her careful of the champaign. “I’m open to negotiations.”

Chapter Text

Sicheng wandered into his house dumping the two massive bags of stuffed animals down as he did so. The summer season of OPL was well on its way… but if he was being honest, it was Jingjing and his wedding (set between the summer season and nationals (like either of them had the patience or the schedule to wait longer)), and their desperate attempts to navigate both their mothers, and everyone else who seemed to have an opinion, which meant everyone, while simultaneously gaming and Jingjing did PR for the series she’d filmed last summer, that had caused him to go to the claw machines today.

“Jingjing?” He called. Her missing slippers and a set of heels indicating she’d made it back from the interview that brought her to Shenzhen in the first place.

“I’m in your office!” Jingjing called, before she tripped out of the room a strange piece of fabric dangling from one hand. She’d obviously had time to change out of her ‘on’ clothes and into the comfy skirts and large bulky shirt she preferred. “Dinner is in the fridge.” She said making her way to him a mischievous expression on her face. “I have other plans first.”

He raised his eyebrow at her. “With a blindfold?” He asked dryly and Jingjing nodded, her eyes still lit up with an unmistakable tease.

 He sighed loudly, dutifully lowering his head. The things he did for this woman. She danced around him, and he wasn’t surprised to find the black fabric was thick thoroughly blocking his vision as his crazy fiancé tied it tighter around his eyes. “You’re not going to leave me like this are you?” He asked suspiciously.

She rewarded him with a kiss just off his mouth, and he snagged her before she could run away, trailing his lips down her hair and face before he found hers. “Checkers!” She said breathlessly tugging herself away from him. “Not now! I have everything set up!”

Well, that sounded ominous. She took his hand, leading him as she navigated around his furniture, past her hanging chair and, if he guessed correctly, into his office.

He was right.

She sat him down on his chair carefully setting his fingers on his keyboard and mouse before she scampered off settling on his couch if the sounds were correct. What on earth was he supposed to be doing?

“Ready?” She asked breathless and Cheng couldn’t help but scoff.

“Am I ready for what?”

“To go,” She said ambiguously, “– Now!” Immediately the rapid sound of her keyboard clanging hit his ears, but there was no further explanation.

It was official. He was marrying a crazy person. But what did that imply about him since he was the one to change their relationship, first by asking her to give him a chance and second by proposing?

Her fingers were clearly moving rapidly on her keyboard and Cheng tapped aimlessly away on his own. He couldn’t see, so it wasn’t exactly like he was proving a challenge or assisting her in whatever this was.

“Jingjing what are you – we – doing?” He asked frustrated. There were a lot of things he’d rather be doing right now and others that they had to do – playing blindfolded on the computer wasn’t one of them.

“Just a little bit longer.” She soothed. “We’re almost done. I promise.”

Cheng sighed, even as his fingers automatically played out memorized patterns before abruptly Jingjing crowed in excitement.

“I won! I won! I’m a cheater and I don’t care because I won!”

What?

Cheng reached behind his head to grab the blindfold, but Jingjing was already there. Her hands ripping the black fabric away with a lot less care than she’d tied it on only a few minutes prior.

His eyes caught on his large screen and the hated letters written on it: “Defeat.”

“Jingjing?” He asked confused, turning his head to watch his celebrating and clearly happy fiancé.

She spun one more time before she turned her gaze to him, “I beat you Checkers.” He went to reel her in but she danced away with lightning-fast reflexes (It was almost like she’d had to dodge swords and axes and things).

“Do you remember…” She said, carefully just out of reach. “When you helped me break my diamond only wearing habit?”

Cheng frowned eyes flitting to her left hand and the ring she wore on it. Of course he did, he’d ensured her ring didn’t have a single diamond (not because Jingjing didn’t like diamonds because she certainly did) but due to an old interview where her fans went over-the-top crazy and she was accused of not liking her friend’s husband because she wore gold jewelry.

“You know I do.” He said instead and Jingjing nodded.

“And what did you say you’d do, if a girl could beat you at a game?” She asked instead and Cheng blinked. He hadn’t thought of that interview or telling Jingjing it in a long time. It hadn’t seemed problematic at the time. “I said if a girl could beat me at a game, I’d date her.” He replied, a light smirk growing on his face.

Jingjing had beat him on occasion in Glory – especially when she was mastering it and he had a bad team and a position he didn’t like.

“And if a girl could beat you at OPL?” She prodded, faux innocent.

He’d said he’d marry the fictitious girl.

His eyes flickered to his screen for a long moment, “Defeat” taking on a whole new meaning.

“I didn’t want to make a liar out of you Checkers.” She said still innocent, “After all… would you leave me at the alter if someone suddenly beats – ” She shrieked as Cheng lunged forward snagging her wrist and drawing her back with him onto his very expensive chair kissing her fiercely as he did. She molded to him instantly settling herself comfortably against him fingers tangling in his hair.

Long moments passed before he slowly released her lips. “I was blindfolded. I’m not sure it counts.” He whispered lips brushing hers.

Her breath was hot as she moved against his ear, “But Checkers it’s not my fault you weren’t paying any sort of attention to map awareness.”

He couldn’t help his disbelieving look. “You blindfolded me! Technically it is your fault.”

Jingjing shrugged looking thoroughly unrepentant “Maybe so.” She conceded, “But you didn’t say the person couldn’t manipulate the situation…”

He hadn’t, because it had been a flippant answer in a fictitious scenario that, at the time, he hadn’t thought anything of. His eyes slid back to the screen hoping Jingjing had the sense not to do this on his... “You little minx. This is my official account!” His stats hadn’t looked this bad even when he was sick and coughing up both lungs.

“Is it?” She asked still faux innocent. Cheng glared at her even as she leaned forward to kiss his nose. “Don’t worry Checkers – good games or bad, you’re mine.”

Cheng glanced at the horrible stats again before bringing his attention back to Jingjing, hand resting at the nape of her neck bringing her lips to his once more.

It was one bad game; he could make up for it… later.

Much later.

Chapter Text

It had been a horrible week. No, if Cheng was being honest, this last month was terrible, with only sporadic and spotty communication with his wife. When she’d signed for this dessert drama, they’d both been under the impression (and confirmed by contracts) that the studio funding the movie, would always ensure good cell and internet reception letting Cheng see his wife’s face during the ridiculously long-distance filming.

Instead, he might as well be a fan for all the time he had with her. Blurry, pixelated images and scrambled words that didn’t allow him to see her, let alone know what was happening or how her day had been. Texts messages seemed to take hours to go through so even that form of communication was lost to him.

He took his anger out in OPL. Each skirmish became a nasty battlefield with him decimating the competition. Frustration, longing and misery his key driving factor. The boys at the base had no choice but to tiptoe around him.

Only Yue, couldn’t fully escape him, and Cheng had to constantly check himself less he actually injure his brother while sparing. With each game in the season, more and more press seemed to show up salivating at his mood and Jingjing’s absence (she was filming!), trying to turn it into something either salacious or heartbreaking.

Cheng didn’t have the time or patience for any of it. He just wanted to know how his wife was doing and if she was okay. Especially since his wife’s least favorite actress to work with, Zhao Zi Qi, was filming with her. He also knew her well enough to know she was missing him as much as he was missing her and he ached to relieve her mind and let her know he was alright even if the rest of his team would probably disagree.

Of course, Lao Mao had to open his mouth and shatter Cheng’s fragile veneer with one stupid comment while gaming one afternoon. “The last time Jingjing was disconnected from the public for this long, is when she had that accident that broke and bruised her ribs.”

Vaguely Cheng knew Lao K was hitting Mao over the top of his head even as the rest gawked at his thoughtless statement, but all Cheng could hear was rushing water, images of his wife injured, broken and too far away looping in his head.

He stood abruptly, game half finished. He wasn’t even sure if he closed the door behind him.

***

Yue glared at Mao an angry retort buried. There was no point in voicing it. From the shocked dismay on Mao’s face, he knew he’d said the wrong thing (for once). Mao’s eyes tracking the front door where Cheng had stalked out of moments before.

Ming sighed, putting down his clipboard and dragging his headphones off of his head as he did so. “Why would you say that? You had to know how he’d react, he’s been on eggshells for weeks now.” He wasn’t wrong. They didn’t stand a chance to win the summer tournament if this kept up. After losing nationals, Yue was more than ready to win again.

Pang glanced at Yue a worried frown on his face, “They are alright right? It is just a distance thing?”

“It’s not the distance!” Yue cried getting up and furiously making his way to the dried pork he had stashed away. He was aware of Pang’s covetous eyes, but there wouldn’t be any left by the time he finished with it. The others knew what was going through Cheng’s head, K and Ming were sharp individuals, but sometimes Pang and Mao needed you to spell it out for them. “They’ve spent most of their relationship in and out of different cities from each other. His wife is in the middle of nowhere, he’s stuck here, and they can’t talk with each other due to bad connections.” He stuffed some pork into his mouth before adding caustically, “They haven’t gone this long without seeing or talking together since they met. Now do you get the picture?”

He left following his brother, knowing he wouldn’t be retreating to the arcade today, no today he’d be getting more bruises instead. Yue sighed, worth it.

***

Ge was holding on by a thread. Yue knew it was only a matter of time before he snapped, what the snapping would mean… Yue could only guess, but knowing his brother, Cheng had plans that were just waiting to happen. One thing was for sure, neither Cheng nor ZGDX could stand another three months of this.

He tried to keep his mind where it needed to be, on the game, but they were in the middle of half time in their game against King and once again his brother had ensured every eye was on him. When Cheng and ZGDX won nationals the day he and Jingjing had announced their relationship, he’d been a man on a mission, today that mission was ruthlessness pure and simple. Forget about the nexus, every player was a personal target just meant for Chessman to destroy – and he succeeded and then some.

Around Yue, the team paused uncertainly, and it was clear they weren’t sure what they could do to make the whole situation better. Yue sighed, it wasn’t like he could go to the dessert and kidnap Saozi himself, but it was a testament to how brittle the situation that he’d contemplated it.

Twice.

To make matters worse the PR part of Yue’s job, in Lu Enterprise, told him someone needed to talk to Cheng before the image he portrayed was misconceived even more and spread on all sorts of gossip mags and Weibo threads… if it wasn’t already too late.

Who was he kidding, from the invasive prickly questions set by the press, it was already too late with enough open speculation that the Lu heir and movie star were in for a fast, messy divorce instead of celebrating their one-year anniversary.

Perhaps, if they could hide behind the ZGDX base, it wouldn’t be so bad, but they all had a group event they were supposed to go to tomorrow with CK and Obsidian. With the mood Cheng was in, all it would do would damage their reputation.

Come On Ge, he thought bitterly, you’re the one who taught me about the importance of consequences and map awareness.

***

They finished their game with a victory in two rounds to absolutely no one’s surprise. What did shock Yue, was the dismissive way Cheng shook his head refusing the mike to give the aftergame VIP interview making his way backstage with barely an acknowledgement.

Yue sighed but dutifully slid into his brother’s place, grabbing the mike to answer their questions. Or more likely, to dodge unwanted ones. When on earth had he turned into the responsible one? If only a younger version of Cheng and he could see themselves now… neither one of them would believe it, though his younger self would have taken great pleasure out of it. Not so much now, when he had to actually be the responsible one.

Yue sighed again before her gestured to the first reporter Lu mask fully in place, let the fun begin.

***

His brother was missing. Before Yue had even finished answering the questions, Cheng had left. Three guesses to where his brother would want to go in such a hurry. Had Cheng forgotten about tomorrow’s event, or just not cared about it? Because one thing was for sure, Cheng was going to use his allotted by tomorrow and the rest of ZGDX were going to have to deal with the consequences. 

“If we get into trouble while he’s gone,” Pang said as they slowly rode the bus home, “He’s going to kill us.”

Mao nodded. “On the plus side, he’s going to see his wife which means he’s less likely to kill us on our day to day.”

Seeing her wouldn’t be enough. “Please tell me,” he texted Chu Kong, “That you’re earning your insanely expensive salary” (What Chu Kong took away was quite frankly ridiculous and Yue was a professional rich boy and gamer) “and are ensuring my brother can talk and see his wife on a regular basis.”

Chu Kong’s response was almost instant, and Yue breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his brother’s travel itinerary, the mess of people he was taking with him, and their plan on how to correct the communication towers from here on out.

It looked like ZGDX might just survive this drama after all.

***

Cheng could have decided not to make an entrance. It would have been easy, but he didn’t. Director Xiao and the studio failed to live up to their end of Jingjing’s contract and Cheng was tired of looking the other way. The man and studio had had a month to correct the problem after all.

A long, frustrating month.

If Jingjing was just Qiao Jingjing and not Lu Jingjing in private, they might have gotten away with it. Jingjing probably would have just gritted her teeth less she’d get a reputation for being difficult to work with. But Jingjing was Lu Jingjing in private – and when Lus signed contracts they expected both parties to uphold it.

They’d failed, which left Cheng (as usual) to solve the problem. About five miles from the shoot’s current location, he left half of his team behind for their own project before continuing with only three vehicles all filled with people who had assured him, they could do their job no matter how bad the outlook.

If they failed, he was firing Chu Kong.

He didn’t always play the rich kid or entitled businessman, today he planned to do it in spades. Most of the filming was clearly happening between rises of sand, but Cheng had his people park at the filming base, near the tents and the lone pathetic tower which held all of Cheng’s current woes.

Just with his entourage he caused looks, the crowd whispering as his people immediately set about unloading themselves and their gear. There were enough people not currently needed for filming that couldn’t help but turn their heads and gawk.

If Director Xiao had tried to solve his commitment, Cheng would enter quietly, visit his wife for a weekend with hardly anyone disturbed. He hadn’t, which meant a message needed to be sent – to the director, to the studio and any future company Jingjing might work with.

He got out of his vehicle, ignoring the filming going on and the conglomerate of people where his wife must be, so close yet so far, instead focusing on directing his people to fix the problem. Making an entrance didn’t mean he had to disturb her after all.

“Excuse me!” The director of operations, Fa Li (not to be confused with Director Xiao of the drama), yelled, Cheng recognized his nasally voice from initial contract negotiations, “Who are you people? You can’t touch our equipment; I’ll have you arrested for trespassing!”

Cheng’s people didn’t flinch, ignoring the slim man as they continued to follow Cheng’s previous instructions. They all knew the bonuses in their future if they succeeded. Quickly unpacking their equipment with all the necessary boosters and tools needed.

“I said to stop!” Fa Li slid between two of Cheng’s men hands raised as he did so.

“Mr. Fa.” Cheng said calmly bringing Fa Li’s attention to him. The man didn’t immediately recognize him, the large sunglasses and the semi-casual look not fitting with Fa Li’s preconceived notion of Lu Sicheng, but the authority and power Cheng had poured into those two words was unmistakable.

Cheng slowly took off his glasses and he was petty enough to take pleasure in the man’s instant blanch. “Someone hasn’t been fulfilling their side of a contract Mr. Fa. Do you know what happens when Lu family contracts aren’t upheld?”

There should have been murmurs from the people surrounding them, but they were too cowed to do so. Cheng could practically feel the wide-eyed stares, though his own people didn’t stop what they were doing.

“Mr., Mr. Lu Sicheng!” Fa Li said breathlessly. “I – we – weren’t expecting you! There was no, no warning?”

Cheng raised a cold eyebrow. “Oh?” He asked, voice deceptively calm. “How was I to let you know due to how poor your communication tower is?” He paused watching as Fa Li’s eyes flickered to Cheng’s men and the lone pathetic pillar in open dread before he continued. “I thought I was very generous. I waited a month for you to solve the communication issue – did you think I would wait the entire drama?” He let the man stutter for a moment, his displeasure lingering before he continued. “I assure you; I am not that patient. Today I’m solving your incompetence,” Cheng continued, “But rest assured, our lawyers will be talking to yours.”

The crowd had grown; someone must have spoke of the commotion to those at set because Director Xiao came up behind Mr. Fa a frown on his face. He caught Cheng’s eye and what he saw made him pale despite the hot sun, but Cheng didn’t have time for him anymore, because standing a few steps behind Director Xiao, walking through the crowd in an effort to see, was his wife.

The tight knot that had grown in the days since he’d dropped her off at the airport eased and Cheng took his first deep breath in a month. Her long hair was wrapped in a tight bun at the top of her head, costume piece clothing wrapped closely around her body, a sword held carelessly in her hand. She was a beautiful warrior yet somehow still so Jingjing his heart ached.

Her eyes found his and they immediately lit up with unadulterated joy, her shoulders relaxing as if her worries too, had just been eased. Then almost abruptly her eyes narrowed, and she turned away from him to see their people busy working on the tower. “Checkers!” She mouthed, still coming toward him, an exasperated frown in her eyebrows. Cheng shrugged unrepentantly, reaching out to take her hand in his to reel her towards him, arm sliding around her waist.

“Of course, don’t let me interrupt your filming schedule,” He said deceptively light, “I know how hard you work to ensure nothing disturbs you. My people will finish their work on” He stopped his eyes flickering to the lone sad looking tower that was supposed to allow communication with the rest of the world – aka him – before continuing, “this. They’ll leave when their work is completed.”

He wouldn’t be.

Director Xiao and Mr. Fa looked like they swallowed a lemon, but both were left with little choice but to smile graciously. “We’ve of course tried multiple things to fix it.” Director Xiao said cautiously, “We’re more then happy to have your people’s expertise though.” Cheng let his lips twitch in the beginnings of a dark smile that his wife would make him pay for later as he inclined his head in skeptical acknowledgement, before he turned his attention to the reason he was here in the first place.

“Be safe.” He whispered softly just for her before carefully kissing the top of her head and releasing her. Jingjing was a professional and would hate for him to interrupt their filming schedule more than he already had, even if letting her go, when he’d barely just seen her, was nearly impossible and a lesson in discipline.

Jingjing squeezed his waist once smiling up at him, clearly aware of what it cost him before she turned back to the director with her usual cheer. “Shall we go? I’m pretty sure I understand what you were wanting for that last shot.” She moved toward him as she spoke, bringing Director Xiao away from Cheng and back to where they’d left their cameras.

Cheng turned away from Fa Li settling himself against one of the jeeps facing his soon-to-be redundantly powerful tower, ignoring the stares and whispers around him as he did so. He was close, and once his people were gone, he was ready to have a true reunion with his wife.

 In private.

***

Jingjing worked hard to keep the stupid, besotted look off her face. After all, she was supposed to be a serious warrior who had been betrayed and learning there was more to life than just revenge. Still, staying in character was both almost impossible and laughingly easy. If she allowed herself to think that Cheng was only feet away, the smile wanted to creep in, but right now, she needed to channel his Lu cold control of a situation that was against the pair of them.

It helped that the person she was acting against was Zhao Zi Qi, a person that she had little to no respect for, whose eyes judged her for her husband’s disturbance of set while simultaneously she curled her lip in jealously (the cameras were focused on Jingjing’s face after all).

“Cut!” Director Xiao said and Jingjing unfroze, Xiao Zhu immediately rushing over to her with water.

“The Lu Enterprise people are packing up.” Xiao Zhu said quietly but quickly. “They’ve already finished. By the looks of things, Sicheng is indifferent to the apparent speed and ease it took to fix, but…” Xiao Zhu trailed off worriedly.

Jingjing kept her face carefully neutral. If it was an easy fix, Cheng would not be happy both at the studio for not resolving the issue and with himself because of how long he waited before solving it himself. She released her breath slowly, making it difficult for others to see her worry and frustration. Other than the first few days with the new crew, it had been a while since she’d had so many curious glances shown her way and watching her every move.

“Where’s Sicheng now?” There was no way her husband was leaving her, not like this. Not when they hadn’t even had a single quiet moment together.

“He’s just directing the last of his people to leave.”

“Bring him to my tent.” She said softly. The quicker Cheng got out from the public eye, the better.

***

Cheng gave a cursory look around his wife’s tent before he settled in what he knew had to be her favorite chair. Xiao Zhu had helped him get situated, before returning to set with an apologetic wave. As much as Xiao Zhu respected and liked him, she was never fully comfortable if he ever played the ‘cold businessman’ card. Typically, for his wife’s sake, he avoided it in front of her.

Today wasn’t one of those days. Nor was it a day he had enough control to watch his wife act, especially when swords would be flashing towards her.

Instead, he focused on the quick report given to him before his people had left. It had been ridiculously easy for his people to not only set up new equipment, but also to find what was wrong with the previous tower. Cheng’s lawyers were going to make the company pay for this last month of no contact.

Cheng pulled out his phone, unsurprised to see messages had poured in since the tower was fixed and completed. Chu Kong had given his lawyers the go-ahead as directed, and they had served the carefully worded lawsuit to Jingjing’s current employers. His mother wanted to know if he’d arrived well and if Jingjing was okay, while Hierophant, with his quiet humor, thought it was bad form to make the rest of his people go to a team event while he ducked out.

His phone chirped with a new message from Chu Kong and Cheng frowned as he opened it. Chu Kong would be working to give Cheng the bare minimum information right now. He knew Cheng wanted undisturbed time with this wife.

Yue’s angry face stared up at him in what was clearly a video clip.

What now? Couldn’t he leave his team alone for three minutes without them getting into trouble? He opened the link unsurprised by the instant playback (his people were the best after all).

Yue strode at the back of ZGDX (Cheng’s normal location) as their team arrived at the promo event Cheng was supposed to have gone to, the backs of the newly arrived Obsidian just in front of them. Around them a massive wave of reporters were yelling. It was too difficult to know who said what, but the gist of the clamoring voices was clear. Where was Cheng, and was it was true he was moments away from a divorce with Qiao Jingjing.

Cheng’s hands clenched in disgust and his phone’s case cracked warningly as the frenzy of voices one shouted after another. “Lu Yue, Lu Yue! Is it true your brother’s assets are going to be divided because of a sloppy prenup?”

“Is your brother’s recent affair with businesswoman Gao Song, the reason Qiao Jingjing fled to the dessert?”

“Lu Yue, Qiao Jingjing’s out of communication right now, can you confirm she broke your brother’s heart and is fleeing the consequences?”

“Lu Yue! How do you feel about your brother’s affair? Rumor has it you’re close to your sister-in-law, are you siding with her or your brother during this time?”

“Has Qiao Jingjing’s refusal to settle, sent your brother into the arms of another woman?”

“How is this affecting the team’s dynamic? What are you doing to reign in your team captain? Is it true you’ve been forced to suspend him from his captain responsibilities?”

“Is your brother too ashamed of his affair to show his face at today’s mandatory event?”

“Is your father and mother going to support your brother in his divorce, since no other Lu before him has participated in one?”

For a long moment, it looked like ZGDX, and Yue in particular, was going to ignore all the questions though it was clear it cost them. Mao’s furious face and clenched hands proof of the level of control he was expending not to say anything as he and Ming followed the stone-faced K into the building. Pang followed his icy cold game face on keeping pace beside Rui, whose face was turned worriedly towards the Lu masked Yue.

Yue waited until he was at the top step, where the press peaked and were directed backwards to allow the doors to be held open, the rest of the team safely in the building before he turned, a Lu in every inch of his bearing. “We will sue every single one of you for libel and defamation.” He said loudly and the reporters quieted salivating as he opened his mouth once more. “You’re all being completely ridiculous! You’ve answered your own questions but it won’t give you the clicks or follows you want and so you ignore it. You all know Jingjing’s filming in the dessert, because of some poor handling of the situation, it’s left my brother and sister-in-law unable to communicate for a month. They haven’t gone this long without speaking to each other since they met. Sicheng misses his wife! That’s where he’s gone – to fix the communication issue, because that’s what he does!

“Print anything but that – and you will see us in court.” Yue gave them all a calculated, utterly disgusted, look before he turned and strode into the building.

Cheng blinked, sometimes his brother’s unflinching loyalty to those he loved still surprised him. It would be a difficult lawsuit, but Cheng was willing to try to win it in order to silence people who just liked to stir trouble, given that Jingjing was involved, he was sure his mother would agree to move forward as well.

***

Jingjing stretched once before taking the sword back from Xiao Zhu prepping herself for the fight she was about to engage in. Normally she liked getting the physically exhausting scenes over with first thing in the morning if she could, but due to a slight issue, they’d had to push back the scene until the setting sun could double as dawn.

“And that’s a wrap with Qiao Jingjing for today! Great work Qiao Jingjing you did great!” The director’s first assistant said loudly, a forced smile on his face and Jingjing frowned. That wasn’t supposed to be happening. Her eyes narrowed drifting to the tent hiding her husband from her. She smelled a set up.

“Director?” She asked, trailing off as she made her way towards Director Xiao and the group of people constantly around him.

“Jingjing? Didn’t you hear? You’re done for the day!” There was definitely a nervous smile on his face and his eyes drifted to the lone jeep still parked at the base. Jingjing forced herself not to sigh. Director Xiao would be furious when he had time to think and realized how thrown he was making their filming schedule. She opened her mouth to object, but he interrupted her. “Jingjing it’s fine. We’ll use your stand in if we need anything and focus on Zhao Zi Qi’s face shots instead.”

Jingjing closed her mouth even though she still partially felt like arguing. Instead giving him her best smile and thanks before she turned to make her way out of her costume. Half of her argument was because she prided herself on being professional, but half of it was because Zhao Zi Qi’s boyfriend had shown up the other day with a massive spread from everyone and had disturbed their filming to Director Xiao’s fierce displeasure.

Probably worse she mused. The lack of internet had bogged down a lot of the filming process, with it fixed, it would be a bonus. The fact that it was a Lu who’d repaired it but held the studio in contempt for negligence…

Most likely Director Xiao would think it better, but Mr. Fa would hate it.

Oh well. You win some you lose some – and Jingjing had most definitely won.

***

One hand was on the wheel the other held Jingjing in his. Soon they’d be utterly alone. When Jingjing had signed this contract neither of them had thought the long distance would be a problem. They’d spent so much time apart after all, they’d both been wrong and the way Jingjing had immediately fit herself under his chin when she’d arrived in the tent was proof of the ache they’d both felt.

His people had done as he’d directed, the first half peeling off while the second half worked on the communication issue. Jingjing’s smile quirked at the luxurious tent complex Cheng had had his people set up just for the two of them far enough away from the main hub to ensure privacy.

“Isn’t this overkill?” Jingjing asked with a half smile. “I know you have to be back on Monday.” He did much to his displeasure, there were always too many requests on their time especially… well especially since his time as a team member of ZGDX was coming to a close.

They slowly got out of the car and Cheng was unsurprised to see the place deserted (he hadn’t wanted anyone hanging around). They’d set it up with comfort in mind, warm lights brightening up the lavish, thickly carpeted interior and a replica of Jingjing’s couch just waiting to be sat on. His eyes flickered over to the kitchen side of things unsurprised to see it set up per his instructions with their food waiting for them, but first, there were other things on his mind.

 As soon as he shut the door behind them, Cheng reeled Jingjing in for another long hug. For the first time in a very long month, happy, content and utterly oblivious to the rest of the world.

***

“Hello again dear readers!

As you know, I’ve been mostly out of commission these last few weeks, and I’ve missed writing and reporting to you! Due to our remote filming location, communication has been difficult and spotty… but today I have internet again! The place I’m working at has big names due to the director in charge, which has caused two actresses who hate each other to work together.

A few days ago, Actress B’s boyfriend showed up with hot pot and other delicacies for the whole crew… but today… Actress A’s significant other showed up with a score of people to fix our communication tower! I’ve never had faster internet in my life! I’m going to go through withdrawals when this project is over! I’m not sure who’s going to get in trouble for the poor reception we’ve been working with, but its clear Actress A’s partner is upset with being unable to see her and is determined to get his due.

“Actress A’s face when she saw him! I thought she was a good actress until that moment! I’ve never seen Actress A look so happy especially when the director let her go early today to spend time with her partner in private! (What could he do? It’s clear that the studio and not her partner are in the wrong, Director has no choice but to appease the pair!)

“What makes it funnier is Actress’s B’s boyfriend showed up and gave everyone food almost like a reward for not being able to see his girlfriend… but Actress’s A’s hus significant other put everyone in their places for not fulfilling their contract and fixing the issue himself before whisking her off who knows where!

I’ll keep everyone updated on how Actress B feels about Actress A’s undoubtably romantic partner’s visit!”

@Bluebird_Film_Addict!!!

Chapter Text

K glanced up from his computer eyebrow raising in surprise as Cheng strode down the spiral staircase in a crisp dark dress shirt and pants combination an unhappy scowl on his face. “Is your mom interfering again?” He couldn’t resist asking with a teasing smile. “Or are you being dragged into a last-minute business meeting because someone wasn’t doing their job?”

He smirked at Cheng’s heated gaze but was unsurprised when Cheng refused to comment. His Maserati peeled out of the driveway minutes later and K lost himself in Dragon’s livestream and his notes on the best ways to counter him.

Hours later he’d eaten and was back at his computer when Cheng finally came home. There was none of the tension from his previous bearing and K mentally crossed out a date from his mind. Cheng wouldn’t have been gone that long (and there was no bag full of arcade animals to relieve tension) if he was on a date. Which meant a Lu Enterprise meeting must have popped up unexpectedly on Cheng’s radar. Though the lack of tension told him that they’d already solved whatever problem had dragged him away. K turned back to his game; grateful not for the first time that he didn’t have to worry about juggling two careers – he just had to avoid ever being associated with his parents instead.

If K known that Cheng had gone to a blind date that day, his interest would have been peaked, and he would have moved in his shadows and jungle until he knew exactly what was going on.

***

Cheng had been spending more time on his phone lately, which wouldn’t have been suspicious… if he didn’t start sporting an amused quirk of his lips when he glanced down or the telling line of concentration. The quirk didn’t come every time, but Zhe Yan prided himself on knowing his players and Cheng’s Chessman persona flickered on and off depending what direction his phone was turned. The phone held sideways equalled Chessman –right side up equaled the quirked lips.

The only problem was why?

He didn’t think of it that often. After all, they were in their off season recovering from a frustrating defeat at the semi finals for nationals. Their summer season wouldn’t begin for another month which meant all the boys were in and out of the base taking advantage of their semi vacation.

Like an itch he couldn’t quite solve, the puzzling frustration kept coming until abruptly the behavior ended – the quirked lips and the Chessman themed sideways phone. He didn’t think of it again for months, not quite realizing the end of the quirked lips wasn’t because the situation went away, but the opposite. Cheng with his typical caution and planning had instead let his Lu  mask take its place. The turned phone and quirked lips were either perfectly timed or hidden from view to ensure his team full of inquisitive boys were none the wiser.

Not even Yan.

***

Xiao Pang yawned as he tiredly filled his cup in the small kitchenette of the large suite ZGDX (aka Lu Sicheng) had coughed up during their trip to Shanghai for the two-day meet and greet they were required to go to in their contract. The fact that the stingy eldest Lu had treated them to such nice accommodations had to be because team synergy around ZGDX was at an all time low.

Zhe Yan, Yu Ming and Lu Yue were in the hotbed, but they would be lying to themselves if they said they weren’t all suffering as Ming struggled to shift from player to coach. It couldn’t be easy, and Pang was grateful he had several more years before he had to worry about what he would do after.

The outer hotel door slid open, and Pang blinked out of his thoughts. Who was still out at this hour? It wasn’t exactly early, and he thought they’d all turned in after the weight of being so on for two days.

Of course. Pang thought half amused half exasperated as a familiar shape was lit up by the bright hallway lights.

Who would still be out but the workaholic himself?

Cheng was no longer as put together as he must have appeared in his business meeting, his tie was in his hand suit jacket undone his hair more relaxed than formal, but Pang couldn’t deny his captain still looked like a force to be reckoned with. Despite the late hour and the weight of the added business meeting, Cheng looked remarkably relaxed. A small comfortable smile on his face as he made sure the door was locked behind him before striding towards the private room he’d ensured was his during their stay in the city.

The water pitcher in Pang’s hands slipped and Cheng’s head snapped to him, tensing instantly. Pang blinked. He’d never been afraid of his captain before (okay that was a lie he kept telling himself), but there was something decidedly dangerous in the sudden shift in Cheng’s demeanor. Suddenly Yue’s ability to defend himself against JK didn’t seem odd or out of place at all.

In a moment it was gone, and Cheng was merely his captain again raising his eyebrow at Pang. “What are you still doing up at this hour?

Pang spluttered, it was obvious wasn’t it? “I should be asking you the same thing.” He held up his glass of water regardless.

Cheng’s lips quirked. “Business meeting ran late and then,” Cheng hesitated for a mere moment then shrugged before adding, “A friend of mine just got back from Beijing to Shanghai so we took the opportunity to see each other.”

Pang opened his mouth to inquire, but it was obvious it went well. Cheng’s relaxed demeanor proof of that. Cheng sauntered off to his own room before Pang could think of a polite rejoinder or question and he sighed. Cheng’s meetings weren’t important, right now they needed to figure out how to get back on track. Maybe then they’d stand a chance at winning the summer tournament.

***

“Where’s captain?” Lao Mao asked abruptly realizing one of their key members wasn’t sitting at his desk nor had he been there all morning.  

The team looked at him in surprise. “Haven’t you been reading your team messages?” Pang asked and Mao frowned. He had been, right until he hadn’t.

“I’ve been gone.” He defended himself. It was during their break after all. He trained hard and played with his team forever – but he’d taken the weekend to visit his family and tease his younger sister, other messages hadn’t been a priority and he’d silenced them in the moment and forgotten about them.

“Cheng’s gone to Shanghai for Lu Enterprise.”

“Oh,” Mao shrugged, was that all? That wasn’t too bad. It wasn’t the first time their captain had to leave for a few days at a time Cheng and Yue’s parents were demanding about their children’s responsibilities. “When’s he coming back? Wednesday?” Ming snorted and K shook his head. “When?” He started to ask again but Pang beat him to it.

“He’s gone for a month!”

A month? Mao blinked. But… they had practices they needed to do. Yah, he’d missed a weekend, but it had just been a weekend. A month would place them at the start of their national tournament. They were busy, Chengye couldn’t just leave for an entire month. Who did he think he was?

Lu Sicheng.

He turned to Yue confused and Yue shrugged in reply. “Don’t look at me. Ge and I don’t do the same thing in the company. I wouldn’t have thought this required a month worth of Ge’s time – but you know my brother, he’s typically really good at prioritizing responsibilities. If he says he needs to be in Shanghai…”

He needed to be in Shanghai.

“He better not miss practice.” Mao groused and turned back to his game.

***

Something was wrong with Ge. Something bad. Yue’s sleep patterns always fluctuated, especially when it got closer to the end of the month and he needed to make up live-streaming hours (not that it was an issue right now, he still had plenty of time before he needed to complete it), but he did pay attention to his brother’s livestreaming hours. Especially since Ge was out of the city and in the middle of a project for the family company.

He didn’t know much about the merger Cheng was currently working on with old Ye Qingyu, but it had to be harder than he’d initially thought because he would have assumed that Cheng wouldn’t need to go to Shanghai – let alone only have time to livestream late at night.

Yue watched his brother decimate the competition as Chessman ignoring his audience even more pointedly than normal as he did so. Ge’s eyes were locked on his screen, his background blurred (not that unusual when gaming outside of their base). Cheng took his various shikigami through their paces, practicing tricks, techniques and combinations as he did so, but very clearly a man who was frustrated. His audience knew it too. Cheng’s comment section becoming grittier and grittier as people wondered and speculated who and what had put Chessman in such a bad mood.

Yue sighed relieved when Cheng finally abruptly announced his leaving closing the feed as he did so. He called before his brother could pretend to have gotten away from his phone.

“What?” Ge barked and Yue grimaced. Just because his brother was frustrated didn’t mean he had to take it out on him… did it? It wasn’t Yue’s fault for once he was completely innocent.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked forgoing, like his brother, any type of hello.

“Talk about what?” Yue rolled his eyes. It was too late in the night, no, too early in the morning for Cheng to pretend to be stupid.

“Whatever has you in such a horrible mood. That poor player was clearly a newbie, and you decimated him.”

There was a long pause and Yue could almost see his brother reviewing his actions trying to determine just who Yue had referenced.

“I’m fine.” He said finally, voice tired, “Some information came down the pipeline to me today and I’m stuck on the solution.”

Yue frowned. “If Old Ye Qingyu’s being difficult – don’t sign. He needs us a lot more than we need him.”

He could almost feel his brother’s tired smile. “I’ll do that.” Ge ended the call abruptly and Yue held the phone back.

Rude. All he was doing was trying to help. Did his brother have to be so stubborn?

A text chirped and Yue glanced down at his phone. “Thanks.” His lips quirked into a half smile a warm feeling filling his chest. His brother couldn’t just tell him that? He had to text him? Typical Ge.

***

They’d won the previous tournament against CK, they were the summer champions… and somehow almost lost to a team that had nearly been regulated.

How? How was it possible?

K sighed. He knew exactly how that happened. OPL might be a team game, but the power of one player could never be underestimated. Especially in core positions like jungler (obviously, he played it), mid and AD: Attack Damage: Marksman.

With the addition of a single player, somehow YQCB’s team synergy and abilities skyrocketed into an amazing, difficult battle. The hardest K had been involved in since the summer final against CK.

The whole team was angry with their skin-of-the teeth win, but none more so than Chessman. K didn’t envy the poor people at Lu Enterprise who had to put up with his captain’s mood, because his captain was fairly seething by the end due to his personal defeat from Lee Kunhyeok.

Hierophant. Cheng’s counterpart, a fantastic player and somehow Cheng’s friend regardless. Already, Ming and Yan were in the process of planning against the newly formed YQCB. Mao was taking his anger at the near loss by working out, Rui was figuring out how YQCB had kept their secret and Yue and Pang were snacking while watching Hierophant’s best moments on YouTube a determined look on both of their faces.

Which left K slowly reviewing his own performance wondering if, even now, YQCB would be the hardest team to beat in the upcoming season.

One thing was for sure, Mao might have angrily expressed his feelings earlier to Cheng, but he wasn’t wrong, if they had any chance this coming season, Lu Enterprise or no Lu Enterprise they needed Cheng to be once more fully committed and fully Chessman.

***

Zhe Yan carefully studied Chessman as the team captain barely paused to settle his luggage at the door before making his way towards the stairs so he could shower and get ready for team pictures. Yue was right. This last month had been harder on Cheng than he’d initially thought. There was no way Chessman, stubborn and capable that he was, would make it through the season without crashing… and it hadn’t even started yet.

Cheng was young and could put his body through the ringer and bounce back. Clearly whatever claimed his attention in Shanghai, along with his already full gaming schedule, was too much.

“How much time do I have?” Cheng asked, though he didn’t wait for an answer confident that Yan would answer it regardless.

“Just over an hour.” He said eyes still locked on Cheng. Had he lost weight? “Are you alright? Yue mentioned you’d been rerouted to America this week. Did you just get back?” Yan couldn’t help but snort softly as Cheng ignored him and a few moments later his door shut behind him.

What now? Yan wondered. What could they do for Cheng? They needed him healthy, and from what his quick observations could tell him… he was decidedly not. But there was limited things they could do, Cheng was in Shanghai for Lu Enterprise not ZGDX. It was outside of their jurisdiction.

“Well?” Yue’s voice startled Yan from his thoughts, “I’m right aren’t I? Ge’s going to crash unless we do something isn’t he?”

Yan nodded once, half watching Cheng’s door half watching Yue watch his brother’s door. The younger Lu had obviously finished getting ready, his hair perfectly coiffed for the upcoming photos. More than that, Yue looked how Cheng typically did. Yue fairly bounded with health and energy, observant eyes that saw much more than anyone ever gave him credit for. Well, used to. After the disaster of JK, more people eyed him with a hidden question despite Yue’s cheerful persona still masking the man he truly was.

The current difference between the two was stark proving the need to do something. “I don’t know.” He said half absently. “I’m not sure what we can do, we’re not involved with Lu Enterprise.”

He jumped startled as Yue hit him, a surprised yet judgy look on his face. “That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard you say. You might not be involved in Lu Enterprise, but my last name is Lu. I do things for the company all the time. You know this.”

Yan blinked. Yue was right. He did know it. In his defence he was used to not relying on the younger Lu, but maybe that wasn’t a good enough reason. “I didn’t think you were involved in whatever this is, you made it sound like you weren’t.”

Yue tilted his head, “I’m not, but I’m still a Lu. I’m still read into the situation, if I want to be that is. I can so go to Shanghai if I want to and be an asset.” They looked at each other eyes widening with surprise.

Yue could join Cheng. If Cheng had more support, maybe, just maybe the predicted crash wouldn’t happen, or would be lessoned.

“Let me get a closer look at Ge.” Yue said seriously. “I’ll go look on him now, and if it’s as bad as I think… as bad as you apparently think, then I’ll go with him.”

“Are you sure he’ll let you?” Yan couldn’t help but ask. Cheng wasn’t exactly known for asking for or accepting aid.

For a moment the gaze looking back at him was full Lu, someone who held power and was used to getting their way, “He’d better – besides I’m not sure I’ll give him a choice.”

***

“It’s starting! It’s starting! Ming! Where are you? I told everyone what time Qiao Jingjing’s award show started. Get you butt into your chair K!”

Yue sighed, unfortunately trapped between a rock and a hard place otherwise known as Rui and Cat. This was going to a be a long award ceremony. How come Cheng hadn’t needed him in Shanghai? Then he could have missed it. In fact, maybe if he left now, he could still help and come home with his brother tomorrow morning.

“Save me,” He texted Ge who was luckily far away from this mess. “Cat’s making us watch the entire thing just in case we miss Qiao Jingjing’s appearance, I zone out when it’s our tournament.”

Traitor that he was, his brother refused to text him back.

Rude.

Ming finally slipped into his seat when the various teams were announced but Yue (discretely to avoid Mao) played on his phone barely paying attention. After all, he didn’t care about Glory. Why would he? OPL was far superior. He registered the roaring crowd looking up at Mao’s happy exclamation “Qiao Jingjing! She looks fantastic! Don’t you think she looks fantastic K?”

“She looks very beautiful.” K said dutifully with a slight roll of his eyes. Mao was oblivious to K’s snark, eyes fixed on Qiao Jingjing as she flirted, teased and easily navigated her audience.

Mao wasn’t wrong: Qiao Jingjing was definitely beautiful – but she was a celebrity. He might not have delt with as many as Ge had, but it had been enough. Most of them were so full of themselves, and who they were, they weren’t worth getting to know. True Qiao Jingjing might be different. She seemed earnest enough in her enthusiasm for Glory as they began figuring out ranks and who would lead the teams, but this evening would be nothing but overhyped disappointment. He’d seen her prior performance and despite Mao’s loyal objections, Qiao Jingjing would put on a mediocre (though probably sincere) show at best.

“Hi everyone! Do I really need to introduce myself to you?” Qiao Jingjing asked with her sincere, sunny smile, the diamonds in her pink sweater twinkling as she did so.

Yue was unsurprised as the crowd screamed a combination of “No” and “Yes” before Qiao Jingjing continued. “I told you when I got caught out a month or so ago, I understood why our pro gamers had multiple IDs to play with and I definitely do as well. So, I apologize, but I’m not going to tell you my main account name, but I am a King player: Forty-eight stars.” Yue blinked. Forty-eight stars? Qiao Jingjing? Not a chance. What had she done for the last month? Nothing but gaming?

Mao crowed triumphantly. “I told you she’d do well! See, forty-eight stars!”

“So she says,” K said teasingly. “I’ll judge on her performance and not just her word.”

“She doesn’t lie!” Mao defended hotly only to quiet when Pang grabbed his wrist jerking his head back to the computer screen.

“You’re the one who wanted to watch – so watch!” Mao sent one more dirty look at K before he locked in on his screen once more.

“ – Hopefully they think it worth it.” Qiao Jingjing was saying.

“If your rank is forty-eight stars, it must be!”

“You’d think, but I’ll tell you a secret!” She leaned in towards the MC a faux secret in her voice. “I’m used to being able to do more than one take, if I do a bad job my director tells me to do it again! I don’t get to do that tonight!” She finished louder and the crowd laughed.

Well, Yue thought, the famous actress undoubtably had charisma. The audience was eating out of her hand. “You don’t want to know how many people told me I only get one shot at tonight! One friend asked me if I remembered how many takes it took me to die well in A Light in Time and told me I couldn’t do that today!”

“Wait!” Mao suddenly exclaimed. “How many times did it take her?” He turned to K expectantly only to be met with K’s surprised face before turning to an equally startled Zhe Yan.

“I have no idea.” Yan said slowly. “But I can look it up for you.” Yue rolled his eyes. They were going to be here all night if this kept up and wouldn’t actually get to the game.

He was wrong, Ling Kai proving his worth moments later. “Oh ho, now I can honestly say we’re all curious for that number! Still, tonight we’ll let you keep your secrets and instead carry on to our draw where we learn who your teammates are… and who your new enemies will be…” He trailed off suggestibly as the cart bearing the players’ names wheeled up beside them.

The streamer, Wine Among Flowers according to the caption, as the second strongest opponent took the second team and together they drew the rest of their lineup. Yue easily admitted he didn’t care who they picked. Not at this stage at least. He did know a few more names from the professional Glory players and would rather see who went where.

“Jingjing, it’s time to pick one of your professional players. Name your first player.”

“Our first pick is Zhou Lin from Heavenly Palace.”

“She’s not a jungler.” K stated firmly confirming the position Yue had only guessed at. No, if she was pulling up a professional jungler, the odds were highly against it.

 “We choose Pig Rider from WGM and Heliu from Luo Shen.”

“Luo Shen just won the national tournament.” Ming stated confidently. “Heliu plays jungler as well.” He’d be a difficult opponent for Zhou Lin to beat then – given that Heliu would have just played him in the finals and won.

Qiao Jingjing didn’t look worried despite the fact she should know he’d just lost to their opponennt even as she called “Snow, Heavenly Palace.”

“AD – though versatile if needed.” Pang added eyes locked on the screen ignoring the byplay as the two teams went to get settled. “Interesting that she chose from the same team.”

“It’s a team game.” Ming refuted softly, eyes thoughtful. “That shows strategy. Pig Rider and Heliu haven’t played together unless its been in random scrimmages.”

They began to ban their characters, but Yue fully admitted to himself he hadn’t played Glory enough to know the significance of who was who. Though if he was to guess, from the targeted ban on Wine Among Flowers, he had to favor the AD position.

Mao cried out in disappointment when the second team banned their characters, and he wasn’t the only one who turned towards their teammate in confusion. “They’re banning Qiao Jingjing’s Shikigami.” He explained. “She put up a picture the other day of her stats, showcasing her playing mid and tank… it’s just…” He trailed off eyes full of disappointment “I think this game just got a lot harder for her.”

“I don’t think so,” Ming refuted, and Yue couldn’t help his eyebrow raise of surprise. “Think about it Mao,” He added when Mao turned towards him eyes full of wishful hope. “She’s now a king forty-eight-star player and she picked two people who coordinate well together. Someone like that doesn’t just showcase their hand.”

“I agree.” Zhe Yan said. “If she’s really forty-eight stars and she has been practicing like she said, this is a feint.”

“And Jingjing picked – ” the female announcer (Yue hadn’t cared to learn their names) said.

“Donghuang Taiyi?” One of the men interrupted her excitedly, “She’s picking Donghuang Taiyi ohh hoo ho, Qiao Jingjing’s trying to restore trust tonight!”

“Why does that name sound familiar?” Rui asked, speaking for the first time.

“That’s the character she was when her playing got betrayed!” Mao defended hotly before adding matter-of-factly, “It was the first time she’s played him. I bet she’s mastered him now.”

Fans, Yue thought dryly, are the worst.

The announcers continued to bicker, but they were drowned out when Yan announced that apparently no one knew how many times it took Qiao Jingjing to die in “A Light of Time” and that fact had already started an internet meltdown.

“Enemy minions will be arriving in five seconds.” The deep voice announced along with the countdown flashing across the screen. Qiao Jingjing’s Donghuang Tayai and Snow’s Sun Shangxiang raced through the bottom lane killing gremlins as they went to level up faster. Snow, as the AD/marksman taking those first essential kills.

“They’re walking into an ambush.” K said emotionlessly and Yue couldn’t help but agree. Yes, they definitely were. The question was, not if Snow knew it, but if Qiao Jingjing would both recognize it and be able to help counter it.

Donghuang darted forward moving erratically with his massive tail curled tightly next to his body in an effort to be a smaller target. Huh, well would you look at that, Qiao Jingjing had some map awareness after all. That, or she just knew the importance of listening to her professional players. The shot came whizzing past Donghuang’s head and Yue couldn’t help twitching his lips as Qiao Jingjing successfully dodged and ulted the professional player’s character.

Within seconds Snow struck leaving a smoking crater in his wake.

Cries of “First Blood!” were drowned by Mao and Pang’s cheers. Not bad, Yue thought with a half-smile, but it was early days yet.

“She’s definitely studied Snow’s style.” Yan mused and the team nodded in agreement. Bout after bout, Qiao Jingjing’s Donghuang Taiyi seemed to intrinsically move with the AD (marksman Yue corrected himself, marksman). She was his shadow, both openly in front of him and hidden as needed. Together they moved with a precision that should have taken months.

“She’s never played with Snow… has she?” Pang asked confused.

“No.” Mao said confidently. “Qiao Jingjing posted during the final game that she hadn’t played with any of them but was looking forward for this opportunity to do so.”

“Then how?” Pang asked, but K interrupted him.

“She’s obviously trained with someone good.” K answered, “Someone who, in the very least, can mimic styles,” He gestured towards the screen, “That’s what she’s done here that’s all.”

Yue watched amused as the two professional players attempted to kill the celebrity (more likely kill Snow to be honest) only to be thwarted by lack of training together on their part and the unprecedented skill Qiao Jingjing unapologetically smashed in their faces, as first Pig Rider, then Discerning Eyes and finally Heliu faced against them.

“She’s not going to make it.” Rui muttered. Yue held his breath despite himself, watching Donghuang dive across the plains into the jungle section. Heliu’s blade struck hard catching the celebrity’s character in a killing blow. Seconds later Snow avenged her.

Together Pang and Mao started to clap. “Okay,” Pang acknowledged, “I take back everything I’ve said about her. She’s a decent support.”

“Decent?” Mao spluttered. “You call that decent? What does she have to do to impress you?”

Pang’s grin was sharklike. “Get them to the finish line – and win.”

As soon as Qiao Jingjing came to, she was off, racing towards her marksman with all the speed she could muster. Moving as fast as she could towards Snow’s position. Yue watched unsurprised to see the momentum clearly with Qiao Jingjing’s team. Mental fortitude was half the battle and undeniably Qiao Jingjing was in everyone on Star-Reaching Team’s heads and they broke before Jingjing’s team’s onslaught.

“Victory!”

The words flashed across Mao’s screen and Qiao Jingjing and her team jumped to their feet celebrating together. The team was obvious in good humor, forcing a backstage worker to gesture them forward when they refused to get the hint.

“Qiao Jingjing!” Ling Kai said forcing them to pay attention to him, “It looks like you took all of your haters’ comments seriously. What a performance! You redeemed Donghuang Taiyi that’s for sure!”

Qiao Jingjing was smiling as she answered, high off her triumph. “Thank you. I wanted to play Donghuang Taiyi tonight and my very demanding teacher, ensured I worked to achieve my dream by killing me repeatedly until it didn’t happen anymore.”

“Well, my hats off to him. You definitely made him proud!” Abruptly Ling Kai’s voice changed dramatically. “Ladies and gentlemen Good Luck Team may have won the first game, bbbuuuuuttt as you know, Star Reaching Team can come back in game two!

“Well,” Mao said over top of the announcer “Do you believe me now?”

“Eh,” Pang mused. “She’s alright.” Yue couldn’t help but laugh at Mao’s outraged spluttering.

“Before we begin, we’re going to spice it up a bit by throwing in a caveat each team gets to work with…” He trailed off and Qiao Jingjing turned, following his gesture to see another draw box wheeling towards them.

“Qiao Jingjing if you please.”

She reached forward, passing the note to Ling Kai, “And Good Luck Team gets to ban an extra player next round. Hopefully for Star-Reaching team’s sake, it won’t be too damaging.”

Ling Kai gestured and Wine Among Flowers moved forward repeating Qiao Jingjing’s motion and giving his scrap of paper to the MC. Ling Kai read it and blinked, silence stretching as he turned towards Qiao Jingjing and her team. “This hurts.” He said bluntly with a nod. “Good Luck team you lose your most valuable player and must exchange him – in this case Snow – before the next game.”

“Oh crap.” Mao breathed and Yue couldn’t help but nod. Snow had been instrumental in helping Qiao Jingjing secure her first victory. With the loss of Snow, she’d have to pick someone from a rival team – someone who didn’t know the best ways to play with Zhou Lin.

“You mean,” Snow gestured to himself uncertainly eyes darting between Qiao Jingjing and Ling Kai. “I have to sit down?”

Ling Kai nodded sympathetically. “I’m afraid that’s how it works. Everyone let’s give Snow a big round of applause for his stunning – and I do mean stunning – performance!” Ling Kai barely paused before adding “Well, Jingjing? Your replacement?” The celebrity was biting her lip clearly thinking hard as she did so.

“I,” she hesitated for only a fraction of a second before she recovered herself. “I remember the rules saying I can pick anyone from the audience. Correct?”

“Yes,” Ling Kai said slowly in an unspoken question.

“They don’t have to be a professional Glory player, do they?”

K snorted loudly. “Qiao Jingjing is a bold little thing, she wants to bring up a nonprofessional player? Isn’t her only role here supposed to be highlighting the league?”

“Her teacher’s in the audience.” Zhe Yan stated almost on top of K. “He has to be. Who else would she want to pull up?”

“You, you want to pull up a random audience member?” Ling Kai asked clearly surprised. “You but…” He trailed off looking beside him to Pig Rider and Heliu before his hand trailed to his ear and his instructions. “As you said, you can choose any audience member, the rules are rules.”

“Yes, I do, thank you. Well, maybe. I’m not sure. I need to consult my LS first.”

“Your LS?” Ling Kai wasn’t the only one confused, the crowd buzzed with questions, everyone turning to their neighbor seeking answers. “What does LS stand for?”

Qiao Jingjing gave a small quirky grin, “Today it can stand for Legal Support, although LC and Legal Counsel works too.”

“She could be a Lu – who thinks of the importance of legal counsel at a time like this?” Pang argued over top of Ling Kai.

Yue snorted. “Someone who’s surrounded by contracts that’s who. To me that move alone makes the most sense – and it’s the most strategic thing she’s done yet.”

“I guess you can ask your legal support.” Ling Kai said, “But preferably quick.” Qiao Jingjing’s eyes looked out, and he could see her scanning the whole crowd. She was protecting him, he realized surprised. Whoever this random player was, she wasn’t looking just at his spot in the stands in case the answer wasn’t the one she wanted.

Qiao Jingjing let out a breath of disappointment though Yue could see her trying valiantly to hide it and moments later it vanished behind her determination as she turned again to Ling Kai. “Legal support says no. So, I guess I won’t be pulling from the crowd tonight.” 

“Wait,” Mao argued. “Already? Who did she ask?”

“Wait,” Ling Kai asked surprised. “You got your answer? Already?”

Qiao Jingjing sent Ling Kai a sardonic look, “You didn’t think I was asking for a full-blown analysis, did you?”

Ling Kai blinked, and Yue’s lips twitched. No, no she certainly hadn’t. She didn’t have the time for it. The answer would have been the mere shake of a head from her legal counsel or something just as barely perceptible for anyone else watching.

Qiao Jingjing took a deep breath, “Full Moon. I choose Full Moon from Heavenly Palace.”

Yue watched invested despite himself as Ling Kai couldn’t help but interject, “Er… okay, but Jingjing, just so you know, Full Moon is a support. You know that right?” Qiao Jingjing froze in shock, her eyes widening in horror, lips parting in the perfect gasp of ‘oh crap’ before she spun to her team in apology, valiantly trying to recover herself and failing.

“I,”

“She forgot he was a support?” Pang yelled outrage. “He’s one of the best supports in Glory! Maybe beyond! How could she forget his role?” Yue blinked shocked at Pang’s hot defense for a player he’d never had anything to do with.

“Uh, would you like to repick?” Ling Kai asked flustered.

“Yes!” Mao shouted quickly.

“No!” Pang argued angrily as he stuffed his face full of something that looked mildly inedible to Yue. “Let her deal with the consequences of her choice!” Yue snorted, raising his hands in defense when Pang’s glare swung in his direction. He honestly could care less who Qiao Jingjing gamed with, but his brother wasn’t even in Shenzhen and yet his presence was still here. How many times had Ge lectured him and the team about being aware of and accepting consequences?

“No,” Jingjing said, hollowly, “You’ve already been so accommodating and that’s rude to Full Moon.” She bit her lip, before visibly in front of the crowd centering herself with a wide uncertain smile. “We’ve got this. I’m sure.”

Mao bit his lips clearly worried, and Yue sighed. As annoying as Mao would be if she did great… he’d be a pain to deal with if he was pouting. He frowned as the cameras locked on Qiao Jingjing’s team, most of the camera angles were on her repentant face, only one flickered to her teammates – specifically Full Moon and Zhou Lin – and they weren’t sad, if anything they looked crazy with glee.

“Something’s wrong.” The far announcer said softly, and Yue couldn’t help but agree.

“You don’t think…” Ming asked eyes leaving the screen to consult with Zhe Yan.

“It’s a possibility.” Zhe Yan confirmed, Yue’s eyes narrowed back on Qiao Jingjing daring the cameras to show her teammates one more time, her teammates whose backs were to the opposite team. The teams settled into their respective chairs and the choosing and banning period began again.

“Hold on,” The male announcer on the left said wildly. “Qiao Jingjing’s playing marksman? She’s making up for her mistake by playing marksman?”

“Who else would play it?” the female announcer countered. “She probably feels like she has too – but to pick Baili Shouyue! That’s a difficult character to choose. He easily misfires and requires precision handling since he can be quite jerky if you aren’t careful.”

Finally, the words Yue and everyone else had been waiting for echoed and flashed across the screen “Enemy minions have arrived.”

Yue watched Qiao Jingjing as, step in step with her support, they sped up their line with whirlwind speed. He didn’t know enough about Baili Shouyue to know if he was difficult, but from the snippets of conversation he got from the announcers, he was definitely not a level one marksman, and Qiao Jingjing chose him.  “Did she set this up?” Yue asked. Seemingly Ming and Yan thought so, hence their conversation… but why? Marksman was a difficult role. He doubted Qiao Jingjing, her unexpected first round notwithstanding, could pull it off. Still, the pair barely paused as Jingjing sniped the little minions in her way. Leveling up as quickly as she could in preparation for her real enemies.

“I think so.” Yan said softly. “The next minutes will tell… but I think so, everything else she’s done is strategic, I doubt she forgot where she is and what she’s doing. I mean she is an actress.” Mao let out a breath but otherwise ignored Yan’s statement eyes locked on his idol and her companion.

Qiao Jingjing came to an abrupt halt, her first potential victim in front of her and Yue held his breath (much to his annoyance), but this moment determined the rest of the round. If she could pull this off… She hid behind a pillar as the other marksman popped into view. Full Moon darted out and almost instantly Wine Among Flowers’ support ulted him, locking Full Moon’s Cai Weji into unmoving vulnerability.

It would be the perfect moment. If she could get him now… Wine Among Flowers lined his shot blasting backwards as Qiao Jingjing’s Baili Shouyue caught him directly once, twice.

Yue let out a heavy breath, nor was he the only one as “First Blood!” danced across the screen. Even as the crowd went wild, Full Moon’s Cai Weiji jerked free from Discerning Eyes’ ult catching his enemy in a lock when the uncertain player flinched away from Baili Shouyue.

Qiao Jingjing levelled and took the shot Full Moon provided for her. “What just happened?” the female announcer asked. “That was… that was – ”

“Yes!” Mao said overtop of the announcer. “Yes! I told you! I told you all she could play and you didn’t believe me! Now she’s playing marksman! Ha!” Yue resisted the urge to rub his head. He was soo not up to a gloating Mao… but on the other hand neither would his brother and he was coming home tomorrow. Thank goodness.

Qiao Jingjing surged forward, Full Moon catching the blast meant for Jingjing, his shield fraying under the quick triple attack Heliu threw at him. The jungle might be Heliu’s, but distance was Qiao Jingjing’s and clearly, she actually knew it. Whoever had trained her, had done an excellent job. She threw herself into a sideways jump just to the side of Full Moon’s block. She locked on to the jungler shooting at him even as she rolled continuously away from Heliu’s punishing counterattack. She practically circled him; Heliu tried spinning with her, but it left him vulnerable. He spun to block Full Moon only to smash forward in an ignominious heap as Qiao Jingjing’s punishing hit slammed into his back.

Abruptly Qiao Jingjing turned directly to the camera in her face. “For you.” She mouthed clearly.

That idiot. She couldn’t be that smart or she would see – Baili Shouyue flinched back as Full Moon was forced to save Qiao Jinjing from getting killed. Yue could practically see her telling herself “Map awareness Jingjing.” Her poor teacher was probably furious with her right now and he didn’t blame him. What on earth had she been thinking? Gloating? In a game when it could go either way? That was a rookie mistake!

The professional enemy mid popped up, but it was clear his character was at a disadvantage against the agile fox. Qiao Jingjing sniped him, he avoided the second shot, but then Full Moon was there, dodging around Lucky Charm as he did so to ult the professional player, Qiao Jingjing finishing him off quickly. Before either of them could touch Lucky Charm, their own jungler, Zhou Lin arrived, easily taking her out.

“She’s a marksman.” One announcer breathed.

“No duh,” his counterpart scoffed, echoing Yue’s own thoughts. “She’s playing Baili Shouyue after all.”

“No.” he said. “I mean, her role, the one she favors, she’s not just playing marksman. It’s her position, the one she defines herself as. The one her tactics center around. She grabbed Full Moon, not because he was part of Heavenly Palace – though I assume that’s what she wanted it to look like. She grabbed him because of all professional support players, he has the reputation for being adaptable to different styles. I can’t tell fully what she’s playing, but Full Moon is letting her lead and adapting to her with the best of his ability and can I just say – I’m here for it.”

Yan nodded. “That guy isn’t wrong. I agree with him. I think her favorite position is definitely marksman. She felt she had to prove something by playing the support she lost with during the first game, but now all bets are off. She just wants to play her best, in the position she can showcase her talent.”

“Well,” Ming said slowly, a proud little smile on his face, “She’s succeeding is all I can say. Did you see her? She’s using their ignorance of her to run circles around them.”

“Heliu and Pig Rider aren’t going to put up with it for much longer.” K put in, Yue glanced at their quieter teammate, surprised to see him invested in the Glory game.

“That’s what her team is for… more specifically why she needed Full Moon. They’re right, he’s adaptable.”

The game continued, the greatest hinderance were definitely the two unexperienced players on both teams. The streamer could hold his own, and Qiao Jingjing was doing so as well forcing the pressure to be felt by the tank and mid positions. (Which was a pity. They needed a good mid – it wasn’t a minor position despite how Qiao Jingjing’s team was playing it.) Pig Rider played mid – but it was clear Zhou Lin, Full Moon and Qiao Jingjing knew his tactics and the best way to counter him.

The mistake came from Qiao Jingjing’s side, and almost in an instant they were aced. Mao groaned, but Yue remained silent. They’d pushed the opposite team far enough back to their own Nexus that they would all have time to revive before their own Nexus was in too much danger. Besides that… at this point it didn’t matter technically if they lost, unless Qiao Jingjing made a colossal mistake, she’d more than proven her position. Indeed, she’d stand apart from most gaming celebrity endorsers and ambassadors as one who cared, thoroughly knew the game and played it masterfully.  

Almost as if she wanted to solidify the doubters, Qiao Jingjing saw what Pig Rider and Heiliu wanted hidden. As soon as she revived, she ran towards their weaker players. Zhou Lin clearly realized he didn’t have the majority of the fighters, but both he and Full Moon were too far away, with Full Moon having to battle the streamer.

“Come on,” it wasn’t Mao, but Rui who had mostly been watching silently. Yue glanced at the boys surrounding him, each clearly invested in the performance that Qiao Jingjing had given. This is what her brand was about, he thought ruefully – a genuine performance you couldn’t help but get behind. Glory’s management had been wise to pick her and to trust her enough to let her play tonight. Who knows? Maybe they had designed the video leak without her knowledge knowing she’d put in the effort needed to bring her fans solidly to Glory, because after tonight, Glory would be breaking all their stats for new players. He was tempted (he’d never do it, but the temptation was definitely there).

Qiao Jingjing’s tank fell under the onslaught, but Qiao Jingjing didn’t pause, just rolled into a crouch as close as she dared. She couldn’t hit Pig Rider clean, but it didn’t matter. She must have given instructions to their mid because he teleported half a stone throw away and Qiao Jingjing’s hit – directly aimed through her teammate – sailed through his previous position slicing through the extended Pig Rider. He flew through the air with the direct hit and she quickly clocked him again with her thicker blast.

The boys cheered even as she jumped out of the way from Heliu’s strike bouncing down once. His retaliation caught Baili Shouyue’s leg (Mao and Pang groaned loudly) even as she fired four shots in quick succession from the air.

He fell dead.

And that was that. With those few seconds the netizen comments from her doubters would be temporarily silenced. She took both professional players on alone. Yue smirked. Not bad little marksman, not bad at all.

Their victory was sinched and in the next few minutes Qiao Jingjing’s team triumphantly entered the enemy base. The players viciously attacking the Nexus the last piece keeping their victory away except… Qiao Jingjing wasn’t. Instead, she hovered over the respawning area. He glanced at Yan and Ming who were exchanging confused looks before one shrugged. Their musing drowned out by Mao, Pang and Rui’s cheers as “Victory” flashed across the screen.

Two – zero. Just how Yue liked it. Huh, he just might owe Mao an apology.

Nah, then he really wouldn’t shut up about Qiao Jingjing and Yue was already at his max when it came to her, fantastic performance or not.

Once again, Qiao Jingjing’s team made no move towards going to the front of the stage too busy celebrating in their happy bubble. Yue could relate, he didn’t like leaving his team in the immediate aftermath either (unless it was to gloat of course).

“Qiao Jingjing,” Ling Kai thundered, and immediately stopped under the assault on everybody’s eardrums. “Can I just say on behalf of everyone – that you more than deserve your spot as Glory of King’s brand ambassador. No one, and I mean no one, expected whatever it was you pulled off tonight.”

Qiao Jingjing threw the announcer an arch look. “Are you sure no one expected it?” she asked, “I had to learn the game from someone after all.”

Ling Kai faltered and Yue snorted. She wasn’t wrong. Someone had to know this would happen, and he was willing to bet Glory’s management was one of them. “True – well if that’s the case, a massive round of applause for your teacher! Do we get to know his handle at least?”

Jingjing laughed. “I’m sure you will someday.” She said with a smile politely refusing to reply further.

“That’s a pity.” Ming said softly. “I would love to meet him. He seems to be extremely tactical.”

“A retired player?” K mused in half a question.

“Could be,” Yan admitted only to be shushed by Mao.

“Shut up! I want to hear this! She’s speaking!”

“I like Baili Shouyue. He’s my favorite character to play in Glory. I planned on playing him and the marksman position tonight for a while. However, I was told I could have a favorite, after all look at First Light from QC Happy, Decoy from LGD Gaming, or even Chessman from OPL. Each are known to have favorite characters; the trick is not letting anyone know your next move. I know I’m only playing Baili Shouyue once in public, but my teacher ensured if I chose a marksman, I could play the marksman position regardless of who.”

“Did she?” Yue asked confused. She hadn’t, had she? He was hearing things, right? Why on earth would she mention his brother?

“Chessman! She knows Chessman! Qiao Jingjing knows us! She knows me!”

Yue blinked, Mao’s logic was flawed. Before he could say anything, K already was.

“Cheng is the face of OPL. It makes sense she’d look him up. Especially, when she was just starting as brand ambassador – that does not mean she knows you. Why would she? She’s Glory’s ambassador remember?”

“Then why does she know Cheng? He’s OPL as well.”

K rolled his eyes exasperatedly, “It’s not like she said she met him, it means she knows he has a favorite. He’s the most famous player in OPL. Most people know a few facts about him. Besides that, it’s probably what her teacher told her. He’s a gamer and he definitely knows Chessman.” It was true, as far as the gaming community was concerned, his Ge was more than just OPL. He was iconic across the board. Yue could see the instant Mao agreed, deflating sadly as he did before his eyes locked once more on the flirting actress.

“I wish I could have played with her.” He said wistfully. Yue hesitated, unsure what to do to comfort his friend, it wouldn’t happen but now didn’t seem the time to confirm it.

“Hey,” K said again, and Yue wasn’t surprised that K was the one to both bring Mao back to reality and comfort him. “Cheng’s home tomorrow and the season’s starting – and maybe Qiao Jingjing will pay attention when we win nationals.”

Yue huffed, why on earth would Qiao Jingjing care? Still, Mao looked cheered – which was the only thing that mattered at the moment.

***

Pang chewed his lip wondering what on earth he could do to keep Cheng from crashing. Nothing, but on top of that, Pang wasn’t sure what he could do to keep Cheng from dying out halfway through their second game. Literally.

They’d won the first, but it wasn’t due to the legendary prowess of their captain. Their captain who was currently curled up on the couch underneath Yue and Yan’s jackets looking absolutely miserable. His eyes were closed, his throat swollen enough to give credence to each slow and deliberate breath. This close it was obvious he’d put on stage makeup in an effort to give him some type of color. It worked to disguise his health, but one look at his game stats proved makeup couldn’t solve everything.

Yue moved towards Cheng, his hand hovering just far enough away not to actually touch him. “Ge,” he said softly, “It’s time.” Cheng’s eyes opened slowly, with none of the sharp precision he was known for, blinking once, twice, in confusion before his location seemed to settle in his mind. Cheng shifted, starting to get up, but Yue’s hand shot out to help gripping his brother by the arm and shoulder to lift him despite Cheng’s pathetic little eyeroll.

“Gonna make it captain?” Pang asked lightly.

Cheng focused on him, but the typical look that struck fear in his heart was decidedly pain filled.

Pang held his breath forcing a smile on his face. Oh yah, this was decidedly going to be a jungler, mid, top and support game.

***

Cheng was on his phone again an unguarded smile on his face. Zhe Yan kept his gaze carefully on the computer and the game they were watching when really all he wanted to do was observe his captain.

Something was going on with him. Ever since he’d recovered from being sick, Cheng had been… not distracted per say but always aware of whoever was on the other side of his phone. If Yan hadn’t known Cheng as well as he did, he might have been able to convince himself it was nothing.

It was decidedly not nothing. Yue betrayed Cheng even if the former probably had no idea or desire to do so. It was written all over the smirk on Yue’s face whenever he noticed Ge’s attention glued to his phone. It was the little comments Yue would go out of his way to murmur to Cheng where no one else could hear, the twitch Cheng would make towards his slipper before subsiding.

Typically, if there were secrets the brothers openly kept in front of the team, it was due to their roles in Lu Enterprise… every instinct Yan had said screamed that was incorrect. Yue was too smirky, too teasy, Cheng’s behavior too stereotypical and yet out of character.

Cheng had gone to Shanghai for a month because of Lu Enterprise, but clearly, he’d seen a woman while there. To the best of his knowledge there was only one woman Cheng had ever referenced with any degree of fondness. Only one woman he’d worked hard to ensure no one knew just who he was speaking to or friends with.

Life Support.

Yan was busy immersing himself in the headache of detangling oneself from one career only to go into OPL management when Ming pointedly shut the door to their office, placing his tablet on his desk, fingers clasped together.

“So… are we going to talk about it?” Ming asked. Yan’s lips twitched at the familiar words. Given the current circumstances, there was only one thing Ming wanted to talk about that didn’t include game strategy, and the last time they discussed Cheng’s private life, the words and location had been similar.

“What do you know?” He asked instead causing Ming to raise his eyebrows but dutifully respond.

“You mean other than the fact that Cheng’s clearly started seeing someone while in Shanghai? Not much.” His eyes narrowed at Yan, “What do you know?”

Yan shrugged. “Nothing more than you, only guesses and inferences. Yue knows all. He’s too smug not to.” Ming nodded clearly having put that information already together.

“The second… the second is a stretch I grant you, but I think Cheng’s seeing Life Support.” He kept his gaze steady wondering if Ming would see what he was, if he’d think it just a stretch, which it very well could be even if it did feel correct.

For a long minute Ming didn’t say anything, his fingers just drummed beside him on the desk as he reviewed what little they knew of Life Support. She wasn’t afraid of Cheng; the gifts she’d given them fully knowing it would get back to Cheng were proof of that. It was something someone who dated him would need. (Cheng got his own way enough without extra help.) From the snacks she gave, she was wealthy enough not to immediately covet Cheng’s own and was familiar with the perks and cons of wealth.

“Yue likes her.” Ming said softly. “She has that going for her too.”

He did and Ming was right. Yue’s opinion would influence Cheng. Oh, if Cheng liked the girl enough, he’d go through fire for her, but Cheng cared deeply for his brother. Knowing his brother supported him – stood up to their mother for him – would solidify the brothers in a way they’d never been before.

“This is going to be interesting.” Ming added softly and Yan couldn’t help but agree, though he wondered if interesting would be a strong enough description for their upcoming season.

***

K remained silent, as was his custom, bemused despite himself as Cheng struggled and failed to keep his Chessman persona on his face. Right before a match. Instead, a bizarre and utterly happy smile stretched wide. Clearly K wasn’t the only one disturbed, Alpha’s entire line up looked like they too were struggling to keep their game faces on.

For the opposite reason.

Cheng’s good humor was obvious and clearly Alpha knew a happy, cheerful Chessman equaled their doom. For a moment K wished he was in the stands instead of playing, because something told him this would be an amazing match to watch before he reigned it in. It would also be an amazing game to play.

“Ge, I’m having a burning passion to switch our strategy and play four to one. What do you think?”

Yue was crazy. He couldn’t possibly be talking about four to one – it’d been phased out by the game creators during this version of a game. It had forced ZGDX to pivot one of their strategies because the four to one method had synched their national championship victory two years before. With the new game changes, it was practically obsolete.

“What?” Cat exclaimed from beside him. “It doesn’t work for the new version!”

“It really doesn’t,” Pang added. “It’ll be almost impossible for Cheng to pull it off. Why are you even suggesting it?” Which was a very good question, why on earth would Yue suggest such a difficult strategy when they didn’t need it to win?

Still… “Captain’s good enough to ace them… if we can keep them off of him long enough.” K mused, “But it’s not what we’ve been practicing and why bother when our current strategy is perfect?”

Cheng looked at his brother, eyebrow raised, and Yue grinned cheerfully back at him. “Come on Ge, we both know you can do it. Especially today.”

“Checkers that much of an insult?” Pang asked what they were all (other than Yue) wondering. “I’ve heard you called much worse.”

“It’s not an insult.” Cheng refuted, “Neither is it for you.” For another minute he just looked at Yue and then he nodded eyes flickering to Zhe Yan. “Unless you boys object now – I say we go for it. The way I’m feeling, we’ll crush them.”

“None from me.” K said softly, he glanced at Alpha who were trying and failing to make it look like they weren’t worried about ZGDX’s discussion.

“We’re crazy.” Pang added with a frown and Cat nodded emphatically. “Absolutely crazy… but none from me either.”

“Let’s do this…” Cat said with a crazy grin, “But if you fail us captain, I’m blaming you.”

They weren’t going to fail. It was clear in Cheng’s entire bearing. He was going to bring Alpha down a notch because of one word: Checkers.

Zhe Yan just stared at Cheng and K could see the same assessment he’d just made in their coach’s eyes. “It’s your call captain.” He said before he moved to shake the opposing coach’s hand.

K was right. From the moment they started, Cheng owned the board. It wasn’t that everyone else played horrible, they just couldn’t match Cheng’s synergy. He knew the game too well to be stopped and with the four of them acting as Cheng’s guard, he levelled up and decimated the competition… in a way that OPL designers had thought they’d made impossible.

He wondered how OPL felt as they reviewed Cheng’s footage from the first round, Cheng’s incredible victory was against them as much as it was Alpha. K snorted somehow knowing two things, one they hated and loved Cheng for this as much as they hated and loved him for everything he did. His victory brought them clicks and attention, but those who knew the game, knew he’d beaten the game makers just as assuredly as he’d beaten Alpha.

Two… whoever called Cheng Checkers, was definitely not Cheng’s mother.

***

“Anyone livestreaming?” Ming asked and Pang’s head shot up. that question was only asked if you wanted to talk about things that you didn’t want overheard. He held his breath as everyone answered in the negative. Ming’s eyes were locked on their captain. Excellent food and a show he thought happily before reaching for his snacks. What on earth did he want to say to Cheng? The man was boring the only thing he had time for was gaming or Lu Enterprise (which was filled with an unseemly amount of NDAs). “Are you ever going to confess to us Chengye?” Ming asked with a knowing smile.

Pang turned to Cheng confused. Confess? What on earth would he confess? Cheng raised a brow back at Ming. “Confess?” Cheng asked confused… no that wasn’t his confused voice. It was a challenge.

One Ming didn’t hesitate to answer. “That you’re seeing someone.” Pang choked, coughing violently on the pork rind he was eating.

He wasn’t the only one taken by surprise as Mao’s loud voice echoed around the room. “Captain seeing someone? Not possible. He doesn’t leave his computer for anything – expect Lu business I guess.”

“Consider this a confession.” Cheng said dryly almost over top of Mao’s comment. “Though why it took you this long to ask, is beyond me. You’ve suspected for a while.”

Wait… wait, what? Cheng was seeing someone? Ming was right, how? He never left his computer. It was impossible. Still… “Captain?” Pang asked. “You’re – seeing someone? You never said!” He had to be wrong, Cheng trusted them. If he was seeing someone, he would tell them. Right? Pang was Cheng’s support! He had to tell him the important things… at least that’s what he always thought.

And it was important, the whole way Cheng carried himself was proof of that even as Cheng tried to hide just how much this faceless person meant to him.  “I am.” Cheng confirmed eyes locked on Pang’s face. “That’s why Yue and I have to go to Beijing this weekend.”

Ice ran through Pang’s veins as he tried to make sense of Cheng’s information. Yue didn’t help cheekily adding, “Mom wants to meet her daughter-in-law.”

“What?” Rui asked shocked, coming into the room from his office. “You mean Ming’s right? You’re seeing someone and you’re introducing her to your parents?

How? How was this happening? How had they not known?

“The lone wolf is caught.” K said mockingly and Cheng sent his next glare to him. Oh… so it was just Mao, Rui and he who didn’t know.

“Who?” Mao asked and Yue visibly faltered.

“Now that I know,” Zhe Yan said for the first time, though it was obvious Ming and he had planned the whole confrontation. “There’s only one girl Cheng’s ever referenced.”

Cheng had talked about a girl? The only one he could think of was –  “Chen Jinyang? I thought she was seeing that guy from YQCB. It can’t be Su Lu, even Cheng has better taste than her.” That earned him Cheng’s glare. Apparently, Cheng wasn’t seeing Su Lu… wait was that the reason Cheng had been so adamant against the blind date his mother had set up and why Yue refused to help? It wasn’t blackmail after all. But… he’d been seeing her that long? The blind date was back in December.

“Life Support.” Ming corrected with a half-smile. “Cheng’s been seeing Life Support. The question is for how long?”

“Life Support’s a girl?” Mao exclaimed and Pang was grateful Cat asked the question for him. “But… but didn’t Chengye claim she was a guy?”

“Nope.” Zhe Yan said, “He very carefully let you make your own assumptions there.”

Pang felt like he’d been punched in the chest… his captain had been hiding this from him since the summer? Why? Was the trust and comradery that Pang relied on just another lie or façade for the Lu heir? Another layer he hid his true self behind?

“Which begs the question,” K said and it was obvious he wasn’t thrown like Pang felt. “Who exactly is Life Support?” Cheng visibly tensed and Pang frowned. Why? He was seeing the girl, wasn’t he? Why did he care about hiding who she was? Who was she?

Yue stepped in raising his hands placatingly. “Leave him be. You’ll meet Life Support soon, I promise. None of you have met her anyways. And besides – ” He continued loudly over the protests, “If my mom doesn’t know her yet, including a name and face, you don’t get that information either. In the meantime, I’ll see what I can do to arrange for a meet okay?”

Cheng visibly relaxed even as Ming asked, “She lives in Shanghai, doesn’t she?”

Cheng stood clearly intent on making an exit rather than being interrogated further. “She’s in Beijing actually.” He snarked before leaving.

As one they turned to Yue who paled under their pointed stares “Gotta go! Bye!” He yelled dashing out of his chair and making a beeline to follow his brother’s footsteps before they could ask him anything.

“Yue!” Pang called angrily but the younger Lu was already jumping into his own car fleeing the base just as surely as his brother did.

K turned to Yan a determined look on his face. “Now that everything’s out in the open… what do you know?”

Yan just shrugged. “That’s pretty much it. Cheng’s obviously seeing someone – and given that he didn’t deny it’s Life Support, I assume that guess is correct. Since he’s introducing her to his mom now, we can bet she didn’t know either until Cheng tried passing off the name Checkers as something he calls him instead of his girlfriend.”

Pang blinked again. Checkers. Cheng was dating someone who called him Checkers. If any of the boys tried it, Cheng would be filling the opening on ZGDX’s roster because he’d kill them.

Rui frowned asking what they were all wondering, “Then… why isn’t he talking to us? And why don’t we know her name?”

They didn’t have an answer.

***

K didn’t know what to think, he knew Cheng was dating someone, it was obvious from the way Cheng had changed since coming back from Shanghai, but… for a year?

He’d known Life Support for a year?

Cheng had told them nothing. Nothing as someone else became the most important person in his life.

K would be lying if he said it didn’t hurt.

What’s worse he was dating a celebrity. Cheng didn’t have great opinions on celebrities; one too many Lu Enterprise bargains with entitled well-known faces, and yet somehow he was dating one.

Yet… he’d never heard Cheng talk about anyone like he talked about his girl. His face as he pictured her and their moments together in his mind. What had happened to their fierce one-track mind captain?

“The power of love.” Pang had said once Cheng had left to shower, his eyes following their captain a mocking lilt to his voice.

It had to be, but what on earth did this mean for the team? Cheng didn’t care about the public, he never had, yet for this girl he willfully kept their relationship private. However, ZGDX wasn’t the public. Where did they fit in, and why were they the last to know?

***

 It would almost be amusing Ming thought worriedly, listening to his teammates guess yet another celebrity… if it wasn’t likely to backfire on them. From the tense way Cheng and Yue carried themselves, they fully expected them to guess her, which considering how many stars there were in China… was saying something.

So whoever Life Support was, she was a top tier celebrity.

In some ways, the idea of Chessman with a celebrity was absolutely bizarre. In others… would a celebrity be able to keep up with him? From everything Ming had already pondered, the answer was yes and yet…

He’d soon know.

Cheng glared at them as the rest of them settled into the oversized van. “I’ll meet you there.” He told them seriously and there was no getting away from the sharp warning in his face and tone. “So help me, behave and be polite.”

Ming wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Cheng so nervous not even during nationals. Cheng ignored his snarking teammates instead making his way over to his Porche letting them shut the door to their own vehicle as he peeled away moments later.

Yue was in the driver’s seat, although by his own acknowledgement he’d never been to Cheng’s girlfriend’s house before. “He’s going to want a few minutes with her first.” Yue said softly clearly aware of the tension left by K’s “The last year didn’t give that away?” comment as he slowly moved the van into gear and into traffic.

Shockingly enough there wasn’t much chatter, no more last-minute speculations on who Cheng was seeing and Ming couldn’t help but feel grateful even if the mood in the van was decidedly uncomfortable.

“Will we like her?” Ming found himself asking hesitatingly, because with how Cheng was acting… if they didn’t, the team dynamic would be forever changed.

Yue hesitated hands fidgeting on the steering wheel before his shoulders straightened and he sent a challenging look to Ming before glancing through his review mirror at his other teammates, “Yes. You will like her… but only if you give her, give them a chance.”

Ming frowned. Why wouldn’t they give her a chance? Wasn’t that what they were doing right now? Giving her a chance?

Minutes later, his heart sinking as he stared at Qiao Jingjing and Cheng, clearly dressed as a couple with Cheng’s arm securely around her waist, he finally understood what Yue meant, why Cheng and Yue had hesitated to tell the team and the knowledge that their team had changed forever.

***

It was almost like a red haze had settled over K’s vision. Cheng had left with Cat and somehow K was meant to make small talk with Qiao Jingjing.

Qiao Jingjing, who K could care nothing about, if not for Cat’s obsession. K knew more random trivia about Qiao Jingjing then he had a right to – and it was all because of Mao, not the boy who was apparently dating her. He knew Qiao Jingjing loved spending her birthday with her fans, was a huge advocate for the importance of hard work and her best friend was still the girl she went to school with. All because of Cat.

Yet here he was, at her house sitting on her chair because of Cheng. Cheng caused the warm welcoming smile on her face and the confident way she met each of their gazes – as if she knew them (she didn’t!). Qiao Jingjing relaxed on her couch, Yue, who might as well be her bodyguard, beside her. She laughed as she recounted a story about Cheng going through multiple packs of yogurt during his time at her house and how he avoided the cherry ones for as long as possible.

Rui and Pang earnestly responded with stories they’d had with Cheng themselves grinning as Qiao Jingjing beamed happily as they did so.

It was so wrong. Qiao Jingjing knowing Cheng, loving Cheng. How? How was it Qiao Jingjing? He knew the story, had heard if from Cheng, but really? Qiao Jingjing had just ‘happened’ to go on the same blind date as Cheng?

Uh huh, sure. That was believable.

Yet… according to her, she was giving up her contract with Glory of Kings for one reason and one reason only.

Cheng.

He wasn’t sure what to think, while the Glory contract was nice… it wasn’t like it was Qiao Jingjing’s main form of money, but Cheng, Lu Sicheneg, would be a nice catch even for someone as influential as Qiao Jingjing.

K aimed for neutral, but he doubted anyone looking at him would agree with that statement. From the glares Yue sent him when Qiao Jingjing wasn’t looking, the younger Lu was less than impressed with him. On a different day, Yue’s obvious frustration might bother or amuse him – not today.

Yue wasn’t the only one who knew something was wrong. Pang and Rui were oblivious, too busy focusing on Qiao Jingjing, but Ming and Yan were aware and carefully working to divert Qiao Jingjing’s attention from him. It wasn’t enough, from the way Qiao Jingjing tiptoed around him, she knew that K wasn’t wowed by her celebrity status or relationship.

The door to her office slammed open and Cat practically tripped over himself in his quest to greet Qiao Jingjing. K sighed, however mad Cat was… it clearly wasn’t Qiao Jingjing he was angry at.

***

Ming waited until late in the evening before he carefully shut the door to Yan and his office. Just in case. Yan’s eyes flickered up from his screen and the look on Ming’s face must have convinced him that Ming needed his attention because he turned fully towards him even as Ming gripped the back of his chair with tense fingers.

Yan wouldn’t be here soon. In only a short time this office would be his and his alone, but after the master-class way Yan had gotten the boys to confess their struggles and cares Ming wasn’t sure he’d be able to live up to expectations. Yan was an amazing coach one who had worked hard to get his boys to confess their issues and to help align them once more to their main goal – the championship – and to fix their broken relationship.

“Do you think it will work?” Ming asked softly. “Do you think it will be enough?”

For a long moment Yan just studied him, and it was clear the last few weeks were taking a toll on him just as much as it had the rest of ZGDX. “It’ll be a start.” Yan said softly. “They’ll start to see Cheng’s relationship as just that, a relationship rather than a pointed attack geared to let us think he doesn’t trust us.”

Ming flushed. He didn’t think that… did he? He’d repeated to himself that Cheng’s relationship really wasn’t his business multiple times since he’d realized Cheng was dating someone. Knowing that he was dating Qiao Jingjing had seemed to negate that knowledge. “Opening the door was important.” Ming admitted slowly, “We needed to talk about it in an open manner rather than letting it fester any longer. Cat being Cat helped too.”

Mao was a focal point of hurt, whether it was his own pain or others on his behalf, Ming couldn’t help but put Mao in the center of pain in his chest. To have Mao say he’d get over it… cut to the heart of the matter. If Mao who had a legendary temper could forgive, shouldn’t Ming? After all, Qiao Jingjing wasn’t his idol (her two crime dramas he loved not withstanding) and even if she was, what right did that give him to make demands on Cheng?

“Cheng has to be feeling really guilty.” Ming said slowly as understanding began to creep in. Yan frowned, tilting his head in question and Ming dutifully expounded. “He’s Cheng. We know how protective he is. He’s been remarkably controlled about the whole thing. He’s taken extra livestreaming with Yue for punishment, been more open than I’ve ever seen him and hasn’t yelled at K or anyone for the way we treated Qiao Jingjing when we met her. I’m surprised he hasn’t done something drastic like fight us instead of Yue.” With Cheng carefully controlling his temper both in public and in private, Yue was the victim of Cheng’s bad mood.

“Don’t give him ideas.” Yan chided before he leaned back in his chair. “Cheng should level out in these next few days as well.”

It was Ming’s turn to frown. “Why?” It wasn’t like Cheng heard their conversation, “Did you talk to him about everything?”

For a long moment Yan didn’t say anything, just looked at Ming with those dark eyes that seemed able to read any battle situation and create a feasible game plan. “Sit down.” Yan said softly and Ming jerkily shifted into his chair.

Nothing good happened with those words.

The silence that followed was nothing short of painful. Yan smiled at Ming, but at best it was bittersweet. “You’re not going to like what I’m about to tell you, but keep in mind this is one of the most important lesson’s your going to have to take away and learn how to deal with and handle as a coach.” Ming’s frown deepened and he resisted the urge to chew on his lips. “Yue’s meeting time changed.” Yan announced calmly. “He was in Cheng’s office the entire time our team was talking.”

Cheng’s office door wasn’t shut.

Pain jerked in his chest as Yan’s betrayal, almost on the heals of Cheng and Yue’s, slammed into him. What? He’d betrayed the boys who trusted him with their confidence? Had let the subject of their conversation (one of them), where they were bearing their feelings and hurt hear them? It was supposed to be a private meeting for the wounded. Why on earth had he let Yue hear? What on earth was Yue going to do with that information?

Yan just watched at him, Ming could practically see Yan categorizing his emotions before Yan asked quietly, “What’s one of our main jobs as coach Ming?”

His mind flashed back to their early days, and Yan’s slow steady advice ensuring, not just good battle strategy, but to make sure the team could function as a team. To ensure they helped buoy each other up.

“Then why did you let Yue here?” He couldn’t help but ask, “We needed this, and you betrayed us.”

“Are not Yue and Cheng still part of this team?” Yan asked quietly. “Do you not feel that they might be struggling with the team’s reaction? It’s not just about our hurt feelings, not if we want the team to function with some semblance of trust again. We might have felt we know Qiao Jingjing – but we don’t, the fact that Cheng has quietly been able to know and date her for whoever knows how long is proof of that. Do they not have the right to wish their team supports them in this?”

It was another blow to the chest but this one hit differently. Somehow during this whole thing, Ming hadn’t imagined he was part of the problem. Not even when he knew Cheng was fraying because of their reaction. Cheng should be upset, he’d hurt them. The problem was clearly Cheng and Yue and their secrets and yet… wasn’t Cheng entitled to his own relationship? Hadn’t Ming believed that right until he found out it was Qiao Jingjing Cheng was dating?

Yan was right… they were lucky Cheng was handling this as patient as he was… and that was probably only because of Qiao Jingjing and her influence on Cheng. How much longer would that last if the team didn’t sort out their hurt feelings?

He looked at Yan new appreciation for the dilemma he faced in the midst of his hurt and respect for the decision Yan had made even as it hurt him. “I think you should stay another season Yan. I have so much more to learn from you still.” He confessed quietly but heartfelt.

Yan’s half smile was sadly proud even as he shook his head. “You’ll be fine. You’ll see.”

***

K would be lying if he said he didn’t want to hate her, because he did. But he also knew it was a lot of his own issues coming through. There were two things K had never been good at. Sharing and expanding his circle. Growing up in the toxic environment he had, caused K to treasure everything that could be his. He carefully guarded everything from his brother because if his brother liked it, his parents would ensure it belonged to the only loved child they had. Gaming had been his refuge. A place he could leave the house and become good, excellent even. His brother and parents couldn’t take that away from him and so he treasured it.

He also was wary of new people. He hated it when his circle grew. He’d been so relieved it was Ming and Yue taking the vacant positions of ZGDX because he was afraid his sometimes caustic behavior would cost the team. When he’d figured out Cheng was dating, he naively thought it wouldn’t affect them much. Especially since Cheng didn’t seem to go out of his way to see the girl often.

Until it was Qiao Jingjing.

Now, here they were still trying to make it to finals and juggle the woman that ZGDX couldn’t stop revolving around. He was in the middle of playing OPL with her and the rest of ZGDX and he couldn’t even kill her because she was playing on his team.

Ironically enough he was protecting her from Cheng who’d sent him a warning look seconds before the game began. How Qiao Jingjing had time to game with them was beyond him, but when Cheng had casually threw it out to the team, Cat and Pang had jumped at the offer and here they were. Yue, Mao, K and Qiao Jingjing with a random support thrown in, verses Ming, Cheng, Pang, and two random players filling the top and jungler position.

They were all playing on their unofficial accounts, which was good because the playing was getting nasty with both sides determined to win regardless of team. Which would be fun, if not for Qiao Jingjing. She complicated everything, and yet it was clear she was trying hard not to step on anyone’s toes (other than their opponents).

It was maddening.

What made it worse… she was good for Cheng.

He’d known it before he’d even met her, seen it in the smiles Cheng would reluctantly show and the way he handled certain situations… but now, when Cheng was no longer hiding his relationship, it was clear as day. She softened his rough edges, strengthened his determination, warmed his cold exterior and comforted and reached beyond the Chessman and Lu mask.

K might want to hate her… but she was making it awfully difficult.

***

It was too bad that Jingjing couldn’t make it to the final, Mao thought wistfully. It would be amazing if she could watch them play. Still, she would be watching them, but from a distance and it wasn’t the same. How times changed, only a month or so ago the idea of Qiao Jingjing tuning into his game would have him absolutely exhilarated… but times change. Jingjing was now much more, rather than Qiao Jingjing the amazing and talented… she was also just Jingjing.

Not that Mao didn’t still love her and think he knew more random facts about her than almost anyone, but it wasn’t the same. According to Pang every time she called Cheng, he would subtly relax, as if just hearing her voice was enough to reground himself. Rui said that it was because of Jingjing that Cheng interfered and stopped ZGDX from pursuing the ‘no relationship angle.’ Mao thought Rui was probably right, but it was more than that. Because despite what people thought about him, Mao did think, and he wasn’t oblivious to everything. Cheng didn’t just interfere with ZGDX, he’d also talked to the pretty heiress dating YQCB’s jungler. A year or so ago he wouldn’t of cared and let them suffer the consequences, but because of Jingjing, he willingly entered a fight no one expected him to.

So, despite the fan Mao would always be, Jingjing’s pedestal had shifted into something much more grounded into reality. Mao wasn’t even sure how, but there it was. Which was the main reason he wanted Jingjing there, not just to watch him, but to see the accumulation of all of Cheng’s work as well.

From the way Cheng’s mask crept into place every time Jingjing’s name came up in regards to the final (even Mao had seen it), his captain was desperately trying to hide how much he wanted his girlfriend with him during this time as well.

Mao couldn’t blame him, but he understood why Qiao Jingjing couldn’t. Contracts were huge. He eyed Cheng sympathetically as their captain put in what was probably his last pregame game and sighed turning to his own screen. Cheng was clearly zeroed in to his task, it was about time Mao did too.

***

Rui wasn’t sure what to think when the screens showing Mao’s pointing finger suddenly split into two. ZGDX’s reaction on one screen and a beaming Jingjing on the other.

Rui blinked twice even as Yue gave a loud shout of joy beside him. It couldn’t be, he mused. Jingjing was in Beijing, Cheng was joining her tomorrow. Cheng had told them so and he had been remarkably transparent about everything after the trust debacle.

In a fraction of a second, Cheng was standing and Rui couldn’t help his exclamation even as Pang and Ming shackled Cheng’s wrists as one.

“Ge what are you doing?” Yue asked though he too was standing. Rui’s eyes flickered to the youngest Lu unsurprised to see his eyes locked on the large screen showcasing his brother and his almost sister-in-law. Rui glanced back unable to help his answering grin to the smug but radiant smile of a beaming Jingjing. A Jingjing who unapologetically wore an illegal uniform for ZGDX showcasing her loyalty in one blazing flag of glory.

For a long moment OPL held its breath only for Cheng to break it as he scrambled for his headphones with one hand not tearing his eyes away from Jingjing as he did so. “Yue.” His voice crackled across the internal miked communications system piping directly into their private room for them alone. “Go sit with Jingjing. Now.”

The order had barely left Cheng’s voice before his brother was out the room like a shot, Rui could see him sprinting down the hall before he turned abruptly out of view. Rui blinked after him suddenly left alone in the large spacious room before his eyes flickered back to the screen. Jingjing and Cheng still dominated the board and Rui swallowed uncomfortably at the verifiable heat in both of their gazes only to be broken by both a camera change, to encompass Yue, and Cheng’s eyes flitting to his brother and back to Jingjing gesturing where Yue needed to go. Within moments the youngest Lu cleared the barrier separating him from Jingjing and reassuring his brother that he would watch over her.

In almost a daze Rui watched the banning of the players noting absently that they were correct in their guesses of who YQCB would ban including the obvious Fire Kirin Cheng favored but hadn’t played in a professional game for quiet some time.

Minutes later Yan entered the room his face serious, a coach’s game face if Rui ever saw one. The second the door closed behind him Yan grinned fiercely at Rui. “We’ve done it Rui! We’ve done it! Jingjing just won us the game!”

Rui blinked, was that what happened?

***

As much as K hated to admit it… Qiao Jingjing was good for something. It was too much to say she’d won the national for them (or more accurately caused the motivation that won them the game), but she certainly synched it with her presence. K couldn’t help but remember the last game they’d played against YQCB, it was one of the most grueling games of K’s experience and he’d been dreading a repeat with such an evenly matched opponent.

With her mere presence, she’d lit a fire under Cheng K had never seen before, take that back, K wasn’t sure anyone had seen it before (and that was saying something considering Cheng had constructed ZGDX from the ground up). K hadn’t glanced at her from the moment the game started until the end of round one, but the instant he did, she’d already caught Cheng’s gaze in hers loudly cheering unapologetically for her boyfriend.

Yue had confirmed what he’d guessed when he’d complained about the hand Qiao Jingjing had squeezed when the first game had gotten too intense. Qiao Jingjing wasn’t a dainty celebrity always concerned about her image first and her people second. No, Qiao Jingjing was as sincere as her brand showcased.

K couldn’t honestly say he was surprised by Cheng’s celebratory kiss he gave Qiao Jingjing moments after she’d tipped into his arms from the stands, it was such a Lu thing to do (maybe not the kiss itself, but ensuring everyone knew she was under his protection definitely was). He was surprised when after only a few more minutes, Qiao Jingjing gracefully stepped back allowing Cheng to rejoin the circle as they hoisted the trophy high into the air.

She hadn’t tried to join them, K realized as Cheng took the mik ensuring he had full control over the questions posed by the announcer. K had imagined she would. That Qiao Jingjing would sidle in beside Cheng and help hoist their victory. She’d helped earn it, only a fool would suggest otherwise after watching their last game, but she hadn’t. She was content even now to wait in the shadows as Ming gave his rehearsed, heartfelt goodbye.

She wasn’t trying to steal Cheng or his team, logically he knew that. It was an oversimplification argument at best, but K couldn’t help but wonder if that was part of his problem with her along with the scars from his childhood.

How terribly juvenile.

Qiao Jingjing flew into Cheng’s arms the second Cheng led the way into their private room and K couldn’t help his small smile from gracing his face especially when Yue smashed into Qiao Jingjing and Cheng’s side only to be quickly bracketed by Pang and Mao in another mass hug. Cheng’s arms weren’t around their teammates, instead they were locked around Qiao Jingjing doing his best to ensure Qiao Jingjing wasn’t turned into a pancake against his chest. He only half succeeded.

Eventually they had to leave to make it to the afterparty, and Mao happily led the way to the bus, he stopped for a second and K moved his head somehow unsurprised to see the extra seats had been added to accommodate Qiao Jingjing and her friend. Some how, some way, Jingjing having a seat on their bus just fit.

***

Bonus

She shouldn’t be nervous, and yet… the massive complex home to ZGDX loomed above her and Jingjing had to take a breath. Beside her Cheng tugged her closer leaning in to whisper in her ear. “Are you just going to look at it… or are we going in?”

She hip checked him unsurprised when once more it threw her off balance instead of him forcing him to steady her with a put upon sigh. “You know that hasn’t worked yet… I’m not sure still trying is good for your health.”

She rolled her eyes, but it had accomplished what she was looking for. She was ready to step through those doors for the first time. They’d come a long way from those first awkward moments when they’d blindsided Cheng’s team. While some still held her at a distance, the initial hurt, animosity and betrayal were past them.

Jingjing caught her fiancé’s eyes nodding brightly at him and Cheng moved forward confidently hand shifting from her waist to her hand closing around her ring-clad finger. They entered together and Jingjing couldn’t help but laugh at the bright, ,custom slippers waiting for her just inside the doors, the left foot had OPL’s logo imprinted on it, the right had Glory’s patch.

She grinned up at Cheng. “Thanks for the warm welcome Checkers.” She said planting a smacking kiss on the side of his jaw. “I love them.”

He shook his head a half smile on his face. “It wasn’t me.” He admitted nodding to the main living area, “It was them.” He squeezed her hand briefly, “Welcome, officially, to the ZGDX family.”

Chapter Text

Jingjing shifted slightly in her chair determined to find a slightly more comfortable position. One thing Glory had on OPL was definitely the comfortability in seating arrangements. Beside her, Cheng flashed her a small quirk in his lips clearly aware of the struggle Jingjing’s rear-end was having in the stiff black chair she was seated in reaching out as he did so to take her thigh in his hand and giving it a light squeeze.

Yue, on Cheng’s other side stifled a yawn, barely pretending, due to Cheng’s orders, to pay attention to the OPL spokesperson currently handing out lesser awards for those in game creation rather than playing. They really should do this like Glory did. After the successful turnout during their award show with Jingjing, they’d since invited other big names for a charity match halfway through their award program.

OPL did not.

Which meant the teams dozed in and out as award after award was given, clapping when others began to clap and looking in the right direction but that was it. By contrast, Cheng forced ZGDX to be on their best behavior which led most of the team to smile politely or at the very least look like they were paying attention. They couldn’t do anything else without negative camera coverage especially with their recent crowning win, Cheng’s reputation and Jingjing’s face, leading the camera always panning in their direction. Jingjing wasn’t surprised exactly. It seemed that ever since their relationship became public the crowed loved seeing her and Cheng together the relationship ZGDX had created with Jingjing.

At first, Jingjing couldn’t help but be embarrassed especially since Cheng wasn’t and had no qualms about PDA (and after that introductory kiss to the world she didn’t exactly have a good argument) when it helped get them out of a situation or played to the crowd. Luckily Cheng also didn’t care about offending the crowd either by deliberately ignoring them or with a well-placed caustic comment.

Today, as the undisputed face of OPL, he couldn’t in good faith do any, which meant Jingjing and his team suffered in silence their hands growing numb from all the clapping they were doing. The monotony might have been solved if there was an award they were looking forward to, but their award – the national championship cup – was handed out the day of the finale leaving them with nothing to look forward to now. In other circumstances Cheng might get Player of the Year or AD of the Year, but Jingjing hazarded a guess that Cheng wouldn’t get either of them again until possibly next year during his final year of playing OPL professionally. K probably wouldn’t win Jungler of the Year award due to Kun’s tricky playing that had Heirophant’s younger brother really coming into his own and Old Cat was hardly as flexible as some of the newer players. Not even the fact that it was depressingly K and Cat’s final year playing professionally would likely sway the judges towards them. Which meant a long evening (complete with after party) with grumpy boys even though they’d already won the main trophy.

At least now, unlike when she and Cheng first got together, she knew the handles of most the players even if their actual names sometimes eluded her. She could pick out her favorites, the fans’ favorites and the players who she despised easily enough. However, she rarely leaned over to whisper to her husband with her quirky tidbits due to the constant blasted cameras.

“And for our Upcoming Player of the Year Award…” Their MC, Fa Gong, said loudly into the microphone and the crowd held their breath. Jingjing paused with them, though outwardly she didn’t let any of her confusion shine. Why would the crowd care so much about this award? “…Tong Yao, Smiling, from King!”

Oh, Jingjing thought with a small smile, that was why.

She cheered enthusiastically (it would not look good to only cheer half heartedly at OPL’s first professional female player) as the small, short redhead made her way up the stairs. She’d come a long way this season slowly coming into her own with a team almost as young as she was. From the moment she’d stepped onto the gaming stage the crowd (especially the female crowd) was hers.

If only Smiling knew it.

It had surprised Jingjing when talk exploded about the Smiling being a girl and how excited everyone was to finally have a female player. Jingjing had come from Glory of Kings and couldn’t remember a time they didn’t have female professional players (maybe in its first years but then again maybe not, Chu Ping Ting had helped create it.) and the hype of Smiling was a little hard for her to understand, though she wished the younger girl nothing but her fulfilled dreams.

Cheng had been impressed with her playing skillset almost from the beginning. Smiling was an aggressive player and King had beat ZGDX the first time they played against them with Smiling because their style had changed so drastically with the addition of one player.

***

“I don’t get it.” Jingjing said to Cheng her phone propped up on her mirror so she could see him as she took the rest of her costume make up off. “Why is she the first professional female player? You can’t tell me you haven’t played against talented female players. I know you have.”

Cheng smiled at her almost lazily from his curled position on the ZGDX roof, the cool breeze wafting lightly at his hair. “Sure, there’s been talented women…. But to be the first is a tremendous responsibility and a huge weight for the team and the woman chosen. She’ll be the trail blazer, the runner, she’s paving the way forward for everyone else. It’s a lot of responsibility and blindness for one woman to bear… and one team. Young boys aren’t exactly known for their maturity level.”

Jingjing couldn’t help but laugh, “Are you saying,” she said teasingly, “That teams haven’t been able to handle women due to their maturity level? That Smiling’s team won’t be able to handle her?”

Cheng looked away pondering her words and Jingjing couldn’t help but appreciate the way Cheng mused things over to give her his best answer. “I think King’s a good choice to bring in Smiling – to bring in a female player in general.” He finally said, “They’re young enough to adapt quickly to her style. They aren’t as locked into their world as say… ZGDX is or CK.  They went through the gauntlet themselves a couple of years back when we smashed them and are humble enough to learn from their mistakes. Right now, their fan base has tripled which is great for them since they’re a new team, and they seem to be riding the storm alright.”

It was Jingjing’s turn to ponder, “I really hope she has a good manager and someone to teach her the importance of PR.” She said wistfully, “It’s a difficult moment losing your privacy.” She admitted softly. For a long moment she looked at herself in the mirror, half of her makeup emphasizing Qiao Jingjing wiped away pieces of Just Jingjing peaking through in her less defined cheekbone and mascara free eyes. She was that girl once, someone who could blend in the crowd, giggle and laugh with Pei Pei and no one the wiser. She’d chosen this true, but she wouldn’t deny missing the moments of true privacy behind. She hoped Smiling knew what she was doing. That Smiling was prepared for how crazy her life was about to become.

“Jingjing,” Cheng said softly, and her attention snapped back to her husband and his eyes, despite the distance, could still see her. “It’ll be hard.” He admitted, “I can look in and see what OPL is doing in general for her.” He offered, and she knew it was for her, for the years she felt like she was winging it, “I don’t think they picked her lightly though, she’ll struggle, we all did, but it will be okay.”  

It would be, she didn’t doubt it. She nodded once, before she turned the subject towards the dinner party her mother-in-law was hosting in Beijing where she fully expected all her children (including Jingjing) to attend.

***

Tong Yao gave a short bow to Fa Gong before she took the mike hesitating with wide eyes as she took in the crowd before she visibly worked to steady herself and raise the microphone. It was hardly her first time speaking in front of a crowd, she’d been forced to live stream like the rest of OPL’s players and take promotional and after game interviews, but Jingjing could still clearly see the girl was nervous.

She gave a shy almost nonexistent smile her soft voice echoed with the power of the loud microphone. “I’d like to thank everyone for the support I’ve had throughout this season – we’ve had our ups and downs, and I appreciate everyone who’s stuck with me.” Jingjing resisted the urge to snort, that was true, whether Smiling liked it or not, drama seemed to follow the young girl forcing her team and captain to encircle her in safety as she learned the ropes of being a public figure.

“Naturally I want to thank my parents who have supported me – despite not understanding what it is I see in gaming.” Beside her on her right K stiffened and Jingjing slowly shifted her hand until she could grab his. It didn’t matter how many years had gone by since he’d last seen his parents, it was a hurt that kept on gifting and K’s fingers curved briefly over hers in thanks. “My friends who believed in me,” She smiled off to one side of the room and Jingjing wasn’t surprised to see the loud Chen Jinyang sitting next to her husband with the rest of YQCB. “And a team that supports me – even when I get us in trouble with the league.”

Her fans cheered loudly, and Tong Yao’s shy smile flitted towards her team before she looked out to the crowd again. For a moment she almost seemed to lock on ZGDX before her gaze moved onward and Smiling took a deep breath, hands visibly gripping the microphone tightly. “I also, I mean” she stumbled slightly before her shoulders stiffened with the same fighting spirit that had led her throughout the national tournament. “I’m also grateful for Chessman.” She stated clearly and it was all Jingjing could do not to show her surprise. She could feel Cheng’s confusion though as she glanced at her husband in hopefully pride rather than letting her real emotions show, nothing but the Lu mask shone on his face. Beside him, Yue’s face also slipped into his mask, though his eyes were narrowed slightly in speculation. Now Smiling’s gaze locked on Cheng’s as she continued. “Like many players, I wouldn’t be here without Chessman and I’m grateful for him and his influence.” Tong Yao paused once more, this time turning towards the top piers where OPL management lurked another short bow in place. “Finally, I’d like to thank OPL and King’s management for giving me a chance to live my dream.”

One more bow and she turned, not looking at the crowd as she rose, and gave the mike back to the MC her cheeks visibly flushed in embarrassment as she did so. With all the camera’s safely on the young girl returning to her seat and cheering teammates Jingjing felt safe to whisper to her husband.

“Does Smiling know you talked to OPL management about PR and safety training for unexperienced players?” She asked softly lips barely moving and Cheng shook his head minutely. Yue looked their way but it was obvious he couldn’t hear what Jingjing was saying from the face he made at her.

“Did you know she thinks you influenced her?” This time Cheng shrugged, clearly unconcerned about the random seeming shout out from the lone female player.

“I can’t see it being more than how I influence anyone else. I’m not sure why it needed a shoutout but… maybe she’s just being polite.”

***

Cheng was wrong and somehow Jingjing knew it even before Tong Yao nervously and shyly made her way to the corner Cheng had stolen for the pair of them to regain their baring’s after the first half of making the rounds. Her husband’s harsh persona ensuring others kept their distance while they reset themselves. Tong Yao must have decided this was her chance despite it. Her hands were holding the sleeves of her airy, pink, dress with nervous fingers and Jingjing could see the fight she’d obviously had with herself to come talk to them. Each step proclaimed that while she wore high heels tonight, she preferred something with a much lower heel. They were roughly the same height, Jingjing mused, though she might naturally be an inch or so taller. It didn’t look it now because, since Jingjing had now married a giant, she constantly wore tall heels in an effort to negate the distance between them.

Jingjing smiled as warmly as she could gesturing for Tong Yao to come closer and Cheng sighed, fingers pinching her waist once in annoyance about their interruption before he straightened, turning to Tong Yao with much more neutral interest than his earlier harsh stares.

Behind her, two of her teammates were trying so hard to be nonchalant in their support standing just far enough away to ensure privacy for them and Smiling while attempting to be unobtrusive. They failed miserably instead standing out like a sore thumb. It didn’t matter, Jingjing thought amused, though the crowd made it too loud for them to hear their conversation, Smiling knew they were there and that they supported her. Smiling had come so far this year, but clearly, she was still trying to figure out just who she was and her teammates were there for her as she grew.

“Tong Yao,” Jingjing said happily, reaching out and taking her hand in hers, “I don’t know quite how we’ve managed it until this point, but I don’t think I’ve met you in person. I’m Lu Jingjing, it’s so nice to meet you.” Tong Yao’s eyes widened slightly in confusion, so Jingjing continued with a wink. “I know – obviously what everyone still knows me as is Qiao Jingjing – and I still use it a lot… but this isn’t for work, I’m here as a wife not a celebrity.”

“I see.” Tong Yao said hastily. “It’s nice to meet you Qiao – Lu – Jingjing. I’m Tong Yao.” Jingjing nodded, turning her body slightly and getting Tong Yao to unconsciously mimic her. It gave the younger girl a fraction more privacy. Sicheng and she could control most of their expressions by this point especially in places where they needed to be so ‘on’. She doubted Tong Yao’s already blushing face could hide what she was thinking quite so easily.

“I wanted to take this moment and explain why I called you out Lu Sicheng.” Tong Yao stated hesitatingly and Jingjing bit her lip to resist laughing at the positively nonthreatening facial expression her husband had adopted for Jingjing’s sake.

Fingers poked unmercifully against her ribs again and Jingjing resisted the urge to squirm. Oh, he was going to get it later, she thought vindictively, struggling to keep her focus on Tong Yao without making the girl squirm from Cheng’s flirting. Just you wait Checkers.

“I, I, for a long time I loved gaming and hated gamers.” Tong Yao said quietly, and Jingjing resisted the urge to raise her eyebrow, “Professional gamers especially. I thought they were all cheaters, liars and well nasty pieces of works.” She admitted, her fingers were still wrapped in her sleaves, but Jingjing rather suspected it was less from nervousness and more to do with her subject. “There were a few events that helped lead me to these conclusions,” she admitted softly. Tong Yao had once dated Sunshine, CK’s jungler, Jingjing knew, and it hadn’t ended happily or neutrally. It had started off a slew of drama and gossip for the young player during the start of this season and Jingjing couldn’t help but think at the time she was grateful ZGDX was away from the firing squad.

“When you two started dating, I was furious.” Tong Yao admitted, and Jingjing blinked in polite surprise. How could Sicheng and her relationship possibly affect this young woman? “I wanted you to know better.” She said eyes fixed on Jingjing. “I wanted you to know that if you were with Chessman all he was going to do was break your heart.” Suddenly her open smile was a lot harder to maintain. Checkers? Break her heart? Not a chance. They worked too hard on open, honest communication and to support each other for that to happen. Cheng was her rock, her anchor in her storm. He held her steady when she needed him to and rocked her soothingly when she required a safe harbor to cry. He always stood in front to block all the bullets that could hurt her and their precious secret. In turn, she did her best to see and support him whether Cheng or Sicheng, Checkers or Chessman.

This poor girl, how badly had she been hurt to view all the world through her limited experiences? (Never mind the fact she was a celebrity! Her industry wasn’t paragons of virtue by any stretch of the imagination.)

Cheng opened his mouth, and she knew her husband well enough to know the cutting retort coming to his lips and she shifted slightly to reassure him, keeping her face open to the woman who had just insulted her husband as she did so. “I kept waiting.” Tong Yao admitted in response. “Every time you popped up in Weibo or my feed, every game you went to, or when Chessman, you showed up to Qiao Jingjing’s – your set, I kept waiting to see the heartbreak… and every time you were happy.” Jingjing’s lips twitched at the slight hyperbole but didn’t bother correcting Smiling, on the whole Cheng and she had many more joyful moments than sad.

Smiling’s head tilted slightly as she continued chewing slightly on her lip as she did so, “Then you were filming in the dessert Qiao – Lu – Jingjing and I thought, ha. Here I am, justified.” She gave a small, slightly bitter smile at Jingjing. “Lu Yue got up and yelled at the press making them all feel like idiots for not telling the obvious tale; Chessman missed you. All the while instead of supporting you two, we were all slandering him.” (There’d been an equal number slandering her, Jingjing thought ruefully, but obviously that wasn’t the point.) “In reality, when it all came down to it, Chessman just wanted to ensure he could see your face again.” Her eyes were wistful as she whispered barely loud enough for Jingjing to hear, “To be with you in some small measure despite the physical distance between you…”

She trailed off for a moment clearly lost in thoughts and memories before her shy smile was back and she focused on both of them. “I realized that the day I was waiting for – for you to break her heart… wasn’t going to happen.” Another pause this one shorter, “I signed my contract with King to join them during this year’s national tournament the next day. They’d approached me earlier, they knew that Ballast was leaving and wanted to fill his shoes with me. When I froze, they asked me to think about it… but I wasn’t ready. I didn’t think I’d ever be ready or that I’d ever be able to seize my dream even though it was right there.”

Something shifted in Smiling’s gaze, it wasn’t her ‘player’ persona so much as the gaze of a woman coming to herself, knowing she could accomplish her goals from a place of strength rather than fear and Jingjing couldn’t help but beam at her encouragingly. “I realized if Chessman, the face of OPL, wasn’t a bad guy… then a league filled with people who wanted to be him, wanted to achieve what you’ve achieved couldn’t possibly be filled with only bad guys either. So, when I say I’m only here because of you, I mean it. Not because of your example as a player, but in how you treat your wife.”

She turned slightly catching her two lurking teammates’ eyes in a blinding smile queuing Jingjing to just how Tong Yao got her gaming handle (much better than Hand Picked Cotton she thought ruefully). “My team’s taken that revelation,” Smiling said, still looking at her teammates briefly before centering once more on Cheng and Jingjing, “And has built on it. There’s a lot of good people in the league – men who struggle to be sure – but men who are worth fighting for. I never would have seen that without the pair of you, so thank you.”

Jingjing reached forward, grasping Smiling’s hand once in firm pressure, but the ball was in Cheng’s court, not hers.

“I can’t say I’m particularly thrilled in how you thought I’d treat my wife,” Cheng started and Jingjing rolled her eyes, not hiding the elbow she dug into his ribs. Annoying man that he was, he refused to flinch instead his hand started dragging the same dancing pattern along her ribs that always got her heartrate to race effortlessly catching Jingjing’s breath.

Smiling nodded solemnly oblivious to Cheng’s hand and he continued, “However, you’re not wrong, there are a lot of fantastic boys here who just want to do and be their best… but you also were correct about other more unsavory men who we also attract in this industry, and some do still exist in OPL whether OPL likes it or not.” Cheng admitted, “I’d be remiss in my duty, both as a man, a husband and as someone invested in OPL, if I didn’t say be careful and remember the lesson’s you’ve unfortunately learned while not forgetting the good as well.

“Remember even when you have a bad experience, there are good men – people who will have your back and don’t be afraid to go to them when you need to – especially if you feel like you shouldn’t need to.” Cheng sighed, “You may currently be the only female player Tong Yao,” He tilted his head towards the two boys still lurking, “but you’re not alone, you’re paving the way for other girls just like you. Remember that and I’ll forgive your assumption that I wanted to or don’t care if I hurt Jingjing.”

If she kissed him right now, would that be frowned upon? Cheng had changed and grown so much from that first meeting long ago and it was all she could do not to smother him in her kisses. How she loved him. His fingers pinched her slightly before resuming their pattern and Jingjing took her que. “He means it Tong Yao. You’ve done a remarkable job this season despite the many challenges you’ve faced, and you deserve both an enjoyable experience and protection.”

Tong Yao nodded eyes watering slightly annnnddd it was time to change the subject. The woman deserved more than to let her insecurity and past feed the gossip mill more than it already had.

“Practice hard this off season.” Cheng said steadily, the shift subtle but clearly more Chessman than Cheng, “If not, Yue will crush you in our first game.”

It did the trick, Smiling’s competitive spirit suddenly in the forefront and she scoffed loudly, body shifting into a more secure, confrontational, stance. “He wishes. Just wait until he tries my…” She trailed off clearly realizing if she betrayed her strategy to them Yue would be able to beat her. She took a deep breath, centering herself once more and far more Tong Yao than Smiling. “Thank you.” She said sincerely, “Thank you both.”

Jingjing smiled as Cheng inclined his head unsurprised when Tong Yao gave a small bow before returning to her teammates’ searching gazes. Their arms surrounded her instantly forming a stiff line as they moved towards the food tables set up on the far side of the large hotel room.

Lips settled on her head and Jingjing smiled her gaze pulling away from the long trio. Now wasn’t the time to discuss anything she thought reluctantly even as Cheng guided her back towards the throng and the networking they unfortunately still had to do, but knowing Cheng loved her and was here was enough for now.

***

It was late when they arrived back at their home in Shanghai. It had shifted slightly from the time Cheng had come to teach her how to play Glory (the couch replaced with an exact replica thank you very much), but the warm feeling of contentment the skyline brought hadn’t faded. If anything, Cheng’s presence had only made it grow.

Cheng smashed against the door hands automatically raising to cradle Jingjing as she unapologetically molded herself against his larger frame.

“What’s this for?” He whispered between kisses, hands gliding up and down her back as he matched the fervor of her lips.

“I love you.” Jingjing said fiercely. “So much. Every time I think I can’t possibly love you more you say or do something that steals my heart again.”

Cheng laughed even as he carefully moved her away from him to help her from her coat and shoes. “You have low expectations for me wife. Telling someone they’re not alone – when they obviously aren’t even if it feels that way – is pretty bare minimum.” They moved slowly into the living room and Jingjing didn’t bother feigning surprise or resistance as he pulled her directly onto his lap.

“It was more than that.” Jingjing protested, this time keeping her lips from his searching ones. “It’s more than that and you know it.”

“Maybe I do,” He acknowledged, “but your experience with Zhang Chao is something I don’t want repeated by anyone.” Only a short time ago the name Zhang Chao would have Jingjing stiffening in an instant looking to see if the once fan favorite was anywhere close to her. Now, now that name and the person attached to it was behind her. Forever.

Her husband was amazing and once she’d finally confessed the entire interactions and trouble with Zhang Chao, the popular actor had suddenly found himself plummeting in public opinion, regard and job prospects.

All without anyone knowing Cheng was responsible.

To this day with all the trauma and drama surrounding Zhang Chao, a link never existed tying any of it back to the Lus. Jingjing included.

She could never have imagined when she’d first met Checkers in that restaurant, as an almost routine favor to a friend years ago now, what it, what he would do for her life. What she could do for his, but she gave her friend a gift basket every time the date rolled around in thanks anyways.

“I know,” She said softly, lips brushing against his once more in a practiced motion of peace rather than the earlier heated passion. “And I’m grateful for it and you everyday.”

She’d indulged her friend that day, and now, and every day since, she seemed to be falling into the glory that was the two of them and planned to do so forever.