Falling Into Your Smile Episode 18 Recap
> Falling Into Your Smile Recap
Following the public altercation, a suspended Tong Yao first reassured her worried parents over the phone. In a group chat, her friend Chen Jinyang encouraged Tong Yao's aggressive stance, wishing she had done more, while another friend, Satori, urged caution. Team manager Xiao Rui explained that the one-match suspension was a relatively light punishment, warning that the situation could have escalated and jeopardized her career if it had reached league officials.
Feeling helpless, especially since Lu Sicheng's mother had been involved in the decision, Tong Yao believed any explanation would be futile. As negative comments and a video of the incident spread online, she apologized to her teammates for the trouble. A visibly upset Lu Sicheng cut the discussion short, and Xiao Rui announced an impromptu practice match against their next opponents, Team Obsidian. For the practice match, Lu Yue was set to replace Tong Yao as the Mid laner.
During champion selection, Lu Yue struggled with his limited champion pool, leading to some banter from Fatty and Satori. Lu Sicheng eventually guided Lu Yue to pick Oitsuki. As the practice match unfolded, Lu Yue's performance was critiqued; he was often seen farming at crucial moments instead of joining team fights, leading to missed opportunities.
Lao Mao later privately told Fatty that he saw Lu Sicheng delete the video of the incident from his phone and ask him not to mention it, suggesting Lu Sicheng was subtly protecting Tong Yao. Afterwards, Xiao Rui delivered a stern lecture to the team, stressing the importance of self-reliance for professional players and recounting how Lu Sicheng had gone to great lengths to help Lu Yue overcome a past suspension.
After the practice match, the team decided to go out for a meal, but Tong Yao chose to stay behind to live stream, citing concerns about her deducted wages. During her stream, she expressed no regret for her stance against the inappropriate event activity, though she deeply regretted the trouble it brought upon her teammates and the club. Unbeknownst to her, Lu Sicheng had joined her live stream.
She openly lamented about Lu Sicheng having ignored her all day, feeling trapped in an "icy hell." When her teammates returned to the base, they revealed that Lu Sicheng had bought her porridge, implying his concern. They teased Tong Yao about her obvious romantic feelings for Lu Sicheng, noting that both of them were being overly proud and stubborn. The following day, ZGDX faced Team Obsidian in the OPL National Championship group stage.
Lu Yue started as Mid laner, with commentators subtly alluding to Tong Yao's absence due to the previous day's incident. Lu Yue, playing Enenra, secured an impressive first blood early in the game. However, as the match progressed, his performance faltered due to poor team coordination and a tendency to prioritize farming over crucial team fights. Despite these struggles, ZGDX managed to secure a victory. Following the match, Lu Sicheng took Tong Yao aside, confronting her about her reckless actions.
He cited examples of other professional players whose careers were severely impacted by similar controversies, emphasizing that a reputation, once tarnished, is difficult to recover. He reminded her of his previous advice to be cautious and explained how the team had adapted to her aggressive playstyle, making Lu Yue's transition into the Mid role challenging. Lu Sicheng then sternly challenged Tong Yao, demanding a compelling reason why he shouldn't give up on her.
Lu Sicheng underscored the team-centric nature of professional e-sports, stating that individual heroics have no place. As he continued to press her, Tong Yao declared her unwavering desire to win every match with the team, to never be absent, to avoid disappointing anyone, to not become a burden, and to ultimately reach the pinnacle of their world alongside them.
Lu Sicheng acknowledged her frustrations and the unfair criticism she faced, explaining that the team had participated in the controversial activity to support her and gather evidence. He advised her to prioritize protecting herself before others. When Tong Yao asked when she would be strong enough to do so, he replied, "When you're so strong that no one can defeat you."
Before the next match, she asked if he himself was that strong and fearless, to which he admitted he also experienced fear and hesitation. When she finally asked if he had been ignoring her purely out of anger, he revealed the true reason: he was afraid—afraid that he would soften up and give in.
