Falling Into Your Smile Episode 3 Recap
> Falling Into Your Smile Recap
Continuing after the previous night's test match, Tong Yao and Fatty engaged in a duo queue. Tong Yao’s incredible APM and aggressive playstyle quickly turned the game into her personal highlight reel, with Fatty, playing Support, primarily serving as a damage sponge. Despite Fatty expressing feeling like a "lone wolf" and joking about playing a "staged game," Tong Yao defended her approach, explaining that as Support, his role was to tank damage so she could carry the team.
Her performance earned her the MVP title and the nickname "Mulan of E-sports" from Fatty. After the match, K, another ZGDX teammate, remarked on Tong Yao’s impressive play, noting she took most of the team's gold and kills, but his comment sarcastically implied she was a show-off who didn't care about her teammates. Fatty quickly dismissed K’s negativity, asserting that Tong Yao played exceptionally well. Lu Sicheng and God Ming discussed Tong Yao’s performance.
God Ming acknowledged K's point about Tong Yao’s risky playstyle and lack of team awareness, concerns he had previously raised during her test match. Despite his current hand injury, God Ming defended his choice of Tong Yao, stating she was the best of over a hundred candidates, possessing a strong will to win and a fearless spirit. He believed fresh talent like her was essential for ZGDX to reach the finals.
Lu Sicheng agreed that Tong Yao needed to learn to be a professional player, not just a gamer. They decided that God Ming would create a comprehensive training plan for her, with Lu Sicheng’s assistance, starting the next day. Their conversation was interrupted by a call from Lu Sicheng’s father, who complained that Lu Sicheng’s mother had left home again after a minor disagreement. Resigned, Lu Sicheng agreed to return home the following day.
The next day, God Ming initiated Tong Yao's training by emphasizing that in professional e-sports, team victory is paramount over individual triumph. He instructed her to shed her reckless habits and view herself as a "screw in the machine" of the team. Although Tong Yao declared herself ready, her enthusiasm waned upon discovering the training focused on basic tasks like APM practice, last-hit training, and studying game lore.
She found these exercises too rudimentary, but God Ming firmly explained that e-sports required rigorous training far beyond casual gaming. He pushed her through repetitive drills until she felt exhausted. During a brief moment without supervision, Tong Yao secretly began playing Spider Solitaire, only to be promptly discovered by God Ming, eliciting an embarrassed smile from her. After the arduous day, Tong Yao collapsed into bed.
She was roused after dark by Fatty, who informed her that God Ming had arranged a ranked duo queue for her with K. Reluctantly, Tong Yao made her way downstairs. As the game began, she was shocked to discover her ex-boyfriend, Jian Yang, on her team, playing under the name "Sunflower." Jian Yang, recognizing her, typed in the chat that he would protect her. Her surprise turned to despair when she realized Lu Sicheng was the enemy Jungler.
Fatty warned her that Lu Sicheng would likely camp her mid-lane. Desperate to win the match to reach "Lord of Kyoto," Tong Yao panicked. Fatty suggested a strategy: since Lu Sicheng’s Shikigami was a mid-game character, an early gank from Jian Yang could shut him down. He then mischievously advised her to appeal to Lu Sicheng's better nature. Taking Fatty's advice, Tong Yao messaged Lu Sicheng in-game, begging him not to target her since she was on her promotion match.
Her plea, however, ignited a fierce rivalry between the three male players. Shortly after, as Tong Yao pushed her minion wave, a level-four Lu Sicheng emerged from the jungle and swiftly eliminated her. Witnessing this, Jian Yang gritted his teeth and soon seized an opportunity to kill Lu Sicheng in revenge. The game devolved into a relentless series of kills.
As Tong Yao repeatedly fell to Lu Sicheng, Fatty tried another trick, bringing his cat, Da Bing, near Lu Sicheng's setup and having Tong Yao type messages threatening his beloved fish, but Lu Sicheng was unfazed. Tong Yao’s continued pleading messages annoyed K, while a jealous Jian Yang began criticizing her in the chat. Finally losing his temper, K threw off his headphones and left his station to take a call.
Moments later, Lu Sicheng called Tong Yao, curtly informing her he would be back tomorrow and telling her to "keep an eye on herself and her cat." After the match, gossip-hungry netizens created a viral post titled "ZGDX's Duo Lane's Ambiguous Interactions, CK's God Yang Ignored," comparing the drama to a famous legend. The community speculated wildly, questioning Tong Yao’s character and relationship with Lu Sicheng.
The news reached Tong Yao's parents, and her mother called immediately, demanding to know if she was there to play games or to find a boyfriend. Tong Yao exasperatedly denied everything, citing her demanding 12-hour training schedule. Her mother correctly guessed that "God Yang" was her ex-boyfriend, Jian Yang, and warned her to be careful as a female pro gamer, urging her not to get involved in scandals.
Lu Sicheng returned earlier than expected and immediately confronted Tong Yao about her relationship with Jian Yang, summarizing the dramatic online post that painted them as a love triangle. Meanwhile, at the CK team base, a sullen Jian Yang was prodded by his teammates to share his story. He admitted Tong Yao was his ex-girlfriend and that he had introduced her to professional gaming.
In a flashback, he recalled teaching her to play, picking her main Shikigami, and their sweet early relationship. However, their story soured when he was scouted for a pro team. He pursued his career, creating a distance she couldn't bridge, leading to their breakup. After his story, his teammates playfully teased him for "grooming a spy" for an enemy team, provoking an angry outburst.
Facing Lu Sicheng’s interrogation, Tong Yao explained her past with Jian Yang, stating she hadn't mentioned it because the year-old breakup was ancient history to her. She apologized for the trouble she'd caused. Lu Sicheng, not angry, reassured her that as the only female pro player, she would inevitably attract such attention and that once the novelty faded, only her skill would matter.
As they spoke, Tong Yao noticed a fan comment about them being seen holding hands and expressed her frustration at the baseless rumor. With a smirk, Lu Sicheng deliberately took her hand, making her blush as he mockingly asked if she still felt wronged. Just then, her phone buzzed with a message from Jian Yang, asking to get back together and claiming their breakup was a misunderstanding caused by long distance.
Seeing her engrossed in her phone, a curious Lu Sicheng pretended to get fruit to peek at her screen, but she quickly hid it. Tong Yao then declared her intention to post a clarification on Weibo, but Lu Sicheng dismissed it as unnecessary, revealing he had already posted one himself, stating the rumors were false. Impressed, Tong Yao praised his protective nature, quipping that his future wife would be very lucky.
Lu Sicheng responded with a gentle pat on her head, telling her to focus on their upcoming public practice match. That evening, Tong Yao replied to Jian Yang, firmly stating that their relationship was in the past and they should stop contacting each other. A defeated Jian Yang immediately called Ai Jia, whose team base was next to ZGDX. Anticipating the question, Ai Jia quickly reassured him that the rumors about Tong Yao and Lu Sicheng were false before abruptly ending the call to get back to his game.
