Falling Into Your Smile Episode 25 Recap
> Falling Into Your Smile Recap
Lu Sicheng's mother arrived at the ZGDX base, confronting Lu Sicheng about his relationship with Tong Yao. She expressed her displeasure at learning about his personal affairs from the internet and questioned if he thought it was appropriate. When Lu Sicheng tried to deflect, his mother pressed on, concerned he was making major life decisions without consulting his parents. She then turned to Tong Yao, asking if she thought Lu Sicheng's actions were proper.
Lu Sicheng firmly intervened, holding Tong Yao's hand and declaring his love for her, asserting that no one could change that. Seeing his determination, his mother accepted their relationship but warned them that judging by the hostile online sentiment, their path together would be difficult. Lu Sicheng reassured her, promising that he and Tong Yao would face whatever came their way together.
Following this, ZGDX Gaming released a public announcement confirming that team members Lu Sicheng and Tong Yao were dating. The announcement thanked fans for their support and stated the club's commitment to an open management philosophy, vowing not to interfere with personal relationships as long as they didn't affect training or tournament results. It also expressed the entire club's blessings for the couple and warned of legal action against those defaming or threatening them online.
Privately, Tong Yao admitted to Lu Sicheng that she had initially been afraid of the public announcement, fearing a backlash similar to what her ex-boyfriend Jian Yang had experienced, which led to lies and their eventual separation. However, she told him she now knew he was different from Jian Yang and was mentally prepared to face any storm without regret, resolved to become as strong as him.
Tong Yao then courageously started her live stream, facing an immediate barrage of negative comments. Fans sarcastically addressed her as "Mrs. Lu" and called her shameless. Tong Yao fired back, explaining the necessity of meeting her monthly streaming quota and teasing that Lu Sicheng had dramatically "forced" her to swear their commitment in front of his mother. She dismissed fan demands for her to break up, stating she found her boyfriend on her own merit.
When asked about Lu Sicheng's ranking, she placed him among the top three ADs, adding a playful jab that there was another AD "almost as good" nearby. Lu Sicheng then entered, childishly asking about his ranking. He critiqued her new champion's poor KDA and took over her mid-lane gameplay to "demonstrate." After being killed almost instantly, he leaned over, kissed a surprised Tong Yao, and left, leaving the stream's chat in an uproar.
Soon after, ZGDX faced Alpha, a seasoned team. ZGDX started poorly, losing the first game. In the second game, Alpha continued to target their top and jungle lanes. Commentators noted the apparent lack of coordination between Lao Mao and K, comparing it to their first time playing together. After Lao Mao died multiple times, he vented his frustration, accusing K of neglecting him, while K defended himself. Lu Sicheng sternly intervened, silencing their argument.
The team's internal conflict flared up again during a critical team fight for the Orochi. Lao Mao failed to stall an enemy as instructed, leaving ZGDX in a 4-on-5 disadvantage. K attempted to steal the Orochi but was instantly killed. Lao Mao and K immediately began blaming each other, prompting Lu Sicheng to once again demand they focus on defending.
Despite a last-ditch effort by Lao Mao to split-push, Alpha recalled to defend and then quickly overwhelmed ZGDX, handing them their first loss of the season. Back in the lounge, the tension between Lao Mao and K escalated, with Lao Mao storming off. Later at the base, K changed his live stream name from "Losing Points with My Consort Lao Mao" to a poetic line about a "new consort," sparking fan speculation.
Exhausted by the drama, K abruptly ended his stream. Concerned, Tong Yao went to discuss the escalating conflict with Lu Sicheng. However, he was more interested in being intimate with her, which she playfully rebuffed. He dismissed the fight as a minor squabble that would resolve itself. When Tong Yao suggested "love education," Lu Sicheng provocatively offered to threaten them with suspension instead, an idea she rejected as too harsh.
Downstairs, she found Lao Mao sulking, too upset to listen to her. Lu Sicheng then called a meeting with K and Lao Mao, meticulously detailing their mistakes with precise statistics he had memorized, pointing out Lao Mao's mere 11. 7% team fight participation and criticizing his failure to stall at the Orochi pit. He also questioned K's lack of timely support.
Lu Sicheng stated that while he could accept a loss, he would not tolerate them playing with a bad attitude. Silent and guilty, the two left. Lu Sicheng explained to a concerned Tong Yao that his harsh approach was necessary, as her softer "love education" wouldn't work on them. He assured her they would be fine because he was their captain. Later, Tong Yao found K and convinced him to duo-rank with Lao Mao.
During their game, K provided crucial support, leading to their reconciliation. Alone in her room, Tong Yao read online comments calling her a "succubus" and blaming her for ZGDX's potential demise. Lu Sicheng found her upset and reassured her, dismissing the insults as nonsense and stating he had never regretted their relationship. He reasoned that losing a qualifying match now was better than losing in the more critical knockout stage.
He praised her for caring so much about the team, which she took as a cue for a reward. He then embraced and kissed her, promising they wouldn't lose their next match. The next day, Lu Sicheng was compelled to participate in a live e-sports interview arranged by the club to salvage their reputation with a key sponsor.
When asked if the loss against Alpha and the team's internal conflict were linked to his relationship with Tong Yao, Lu Sicheng was unyielding. He stated their relationship was a private matter unrelated to performance and issued a direct challenge to his critics: "turn off our videos, refund your tickets. . . and unfollow me." He declared he felt no regret if they left and refused to apologize for a single loss, labeling such fans as "fence-sitters" and "internet trolls."
He concluded by asserting, "E-sports and our Mid, they're equal in my heart. I can't live without either of them." His defiant words ignited further outrage. Sponsors confronted the team managers, furious about canceled merchandise orders and accusing Lu Sicheng of being irresponsible. Both Tong Yao's and Lu Sicheng's worried parents called. Tong Yao's mother, hearing about the vicious online abuse, suggested her daughter come home and "inherit our enterprise" if things became too difficult. Tong Yao firmly refused, vowing to "continue on this path until the end."
