Falling Into Your Smile resumo, enredo, sinopse

Sinopse de Falling Into Your Smile

Tong Yao stepped into the professional e-sports circle as a girl with great strength and became the first official female e-sports player in the Chinese division of the professional league.

Facing questions and all kinds of inconveniences, she overcame difficulties and persevered with the support of her teammates. She stood on the world stage to make up for the regret of six years of no championship in mainland China, and let the dream of e-sports blossom.

Resumos de Falling Into Your Smile

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On a rain-slicked street, Chen Jinyang rushed into an internet cafe, where a crowd enthusiastically watched a large screen. Tong Yao, the national server's top Tamamo-no-Mae player, was skillfully playing, achieving a pentakill that drew cheers from the audience. After the game, Chen Jinyang immediately pulled Tong Yao away, revealing that she had broken up with her boyfriend, Ai Jia, who prioritized gaming over their relationship.

As they shopped, Tong Yao received a message from a professional team, ZGDX, inviting her to join. Chen Jinyang, initially skeptical and thinking it was a scam, realized it was indeed ZGDX, the famous team where Lu Sicheng played. Back home, Tong Yao told her parents about the offer, but her mother dismissed it as a scam, reminding her she was about to start a corporate job.

Despite her mother's strong disapproval and a scolding about her gaming habits, Tong Yao, contemplating in bed that night, decided to take the leap and booked a flight to Shanghai to learn more about professional e-sports. In Shanghai, Tong Yao met Xiao Rui, the manager of ZGDX, outside the arena. Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the ZGDX team bus, which was immediately swarmed by reporters.

They cornered God Ming, the team's Mid laner, questioning him about rumors of his retirement due to a hand injury. God Ming remained silent as his teammates coolly walked past the media. Xiao Rui then formally invited Tong Yao to join ZGDX, stating that her joining would be the biggest news of the year, especially with God Ming's impending retirement creating a vacant Mid laner spot. Tong Yao later went to a supermarket to buy supplies.

Finding only one large bottle of water, she hid it on the highest shelf. Lu Sicheng, ZGDX's captain and famed AD player, coincidentally entered the aisle and observed her actions, musing aloud about "short people" who hide things on high shelves. After Tong Yao left, Lu Sicheng retrieved the water.

Back at the team base, his teammate Fatty immediately drank from the bottle, much to Lu Sicheng's quiet displeasure, as he recounted the strange encounter with "a short girl" in the supermarket. Later, in an elevator, Tong Yao was surprised to find herself sharing the space with Lu Sicheng. Flustered and carrying many items, she struggled to reach the button for the 46th floor. Lu Sicheng, seeing her predicament, silently pressed the button for her.

Embarrassed, Tong Yao stammered that she could have reached it, but Lu Sicheng simply acknowledged her with a terse "OK." On the day of the OPL Spring Championship finals, Tong Yao attended the match with Chen Jinyang. The hosts introduced the CK team, highlighting their popular Jungler, Jian Yang, also known as God Yang. Next, ZGDX was introduced, featuring Lao Mao, God Ming, K, Fatty, and their captain, Lu Sicheng.

As the players settled into their booths, Jian Yang spotted Tong Yao in the audience via the broadcast screen. Startled, he spat out his water and referred to her as his "ancestor," who was there to "collect a debt." The Ban/Pick phase began. ZGDX banned Yamakaze, Miketsu, and Satori, while CK banned Kosodenote, Enma, and Aobozu. For their first pick, ZGDX chose Menreiki.

CK intended to counter with Tamamo-no-Mae, but Jian Yang, distracted by seeing Tong Yao, made a crucial error and accidentally locked in Ootengu instead, shocking everyone. The first game commenced with Jian Yang clearly off his game. He made repeated mistakes, getting caught and killed multiple times, collapsing his team's tempo. His teammates grew frustrated as he accumulated a dismal score of zero kills, eight deaths, and two assists.

During a crucial team fight, Jian Yang made another misplay, leading to his demise. ZGDX capitalized on CK's disarray and won the first game. Afterward, a visibly annoyed Jian Yang left the stage. Outside, he encountered Tong Yao and tried to apologize for their past, but she remained cool, stating their relationship was over and that ZGDX had invited her to play professionally.

Jian Yang scoffed at the idea of a girl playing professionally, prompting Tong Yao to retort about his own embarrassing performance. In the second game, Jian Yang picked his signature Shikigami, Mannendake, determined to vent his frustration. He displayed high-level maneuvers, securing first blood on ZGDX's Jungler, K. However, Lu Sicheng countered with a brilliant play in the mid lane, securing a double kill and giving ZGDX an advantage. A tense period of maneuvering ensued.

Suddenly, Jian Yang's Mannendake ambushed and eliminated Lu Sicheng, shifting the momentum. Jian Yang then went on a rampage, securing a triple kill as CK wiped ZGDX and won the second game, tying the series 1-1. The third game began with ZGDX strategically targeting Jian Yang, forcing CK onto the defensive. As a critical fight for Orochi began, Jian Yang successfully stole the objective, turning the tide for CK.

A fierce battle erupted, and in the end, only Jian Yang and Lu Sicheng remained. After a dazzling display of skill from both players, Jian Yang ultimately defeated Lu Sicheng, securing a quadra kill and leading CK to victory, crowning them the champions. As CK celebrated, God Ming looked at his hands, silently blaming his injury for the loss. Just as the crowd prepared to leave, God Ming returned to the stage.

He delivered an emotional speech, announcing his official retirement. He spoke about his journey, his family's initial disapproval, and his dream for e-sports. He expressed regret that his hand injury forced him to step down, making way for fresh blood. He looked toward Tong Yao, saying he hoped someone would carry on his dream. Inspired, Tong Yao stood up and publicly declared her decision to join ZGDX. Outside the arena, Jian Yang confronted Tong Yao again.

He was shocked that she had actually joined ZGDX, questioning why she didn't join his team instead since he was the one who taught her how to play. Tong Yao firmly told him that her decision was her own dream and had nothing to do with him, criticizing his poor performance in the first game. Jian Yang angrily retorted that he could have intentionally lost the other two games as a "gift" to her new team.

Tong Yao defiantly stated that ZGDX didn't need his charity. Their heated argument concluded with both agreeing to face each other on the battlefield. As they argued, Lu Sicheng appeared. He stated he had overheard their loud argument and sarcastically remarked he was enjoying the "sweet" drama. Acknowledging his new "interesting" teammate, he noted that the fun of life and gaming lies in its unpredictability. He then asked Tong Yao if she was ready for all that lay ahead.

The news of ZGDX recruiting a female player, Tong Yao, spread like wildfire, igniting a fierce online debate. Many netizens expressed strong doubts, questioning the team's decision to bring in a "nobody" to replace the retiring God Ming, especially a female player. They cynically remarked on ZGDX's perceived desperation for popularity.

However, Tong Yao's best friend, Chen Jinyang, staunchly defended her during a phone call, arguing that gender shouldn't restrict one's ability to play professionally and asserting Tong Yao's superior skills over her detractors. Tong Yao, known online as the top-ranking "Tamamo-no-Mae," also made a public statement, which the ZGDX team read, asserting that professional gaming has no gender boundaries and girls can excel if they truly commit. Amidst the online chatter, the doorbell rang at the ZGDX base.

Lu Sicheng, already irritable from struggling to gain ranking points and facing a potential 20% salary cut if he dropped a level, assumed it was his food delivery. Without a second glance, he took the bag from Tong Yao, thanked her, and promptly shut the door, leaving her and her cat, Da Bing, outside. Fatty, who had been busy posting negative comments about Tong Yao on an alt account, soon noticed the food wasn't his.

The team then saw Tong Yao's social media post about the incident and finally realized their new teammate was the one Lu Sicheng had dismissed as a delivery person. Once inside, Tong Yao and Lu Sicheng engaged in a silent standoff until their manager, Xiao Rui, intervened. He formally introduced Tong Yao, detailing her impressive achievements: topping the national server at nineteen and becoming the "Lord of Kyoto" on the South Korean server at twenty-one.

Xiao Rui then introduced the rest of the team: Lao Mao, the Top laner, a "muscleman" with a slow reaction time; Fatty, the Support and the team's "nanny," described as a kind and harmless nerd; and K, the Jungle, who appears cool but is actually quite sophomoric. Lu Sicheng, the team's sharp-tongued AD, unapologetically stated he mistook her for a delivery person.

When Tong Yao introduced her cat, Da Bing, Lu Sicheng sternly warned her to watch her "furry beast" carefully, expressing concern for his "sons"—his pet fish—and the "food chain" threat the cat posed. Fatty then led Tong Yao to her new room, proudly unveiling a space he had meticulously decorated. The room was overwhelmingly pink, adorned with what he considered "girls-only decorations," including bedclothes with pink trim and lace, and flamingo-themed items.

Though Tong Yao was inwardly horrified by the stereotypical "girly" aesthetic, she politely told Fatty it was nice. As he left, he gave her a team handbook and told her Xiao Rui would explain the training routine the next day. That night, Tong Yao messaged her parents to confirm her safe arrival, which prompted her dad to initiate a video call. Her overprotective father immediately began questioning the security of the door locks and windows.

Her mother then took over, criticizing Tong Yao's decision to pursue professional gaming over a "proper job" like the bank internship she had secured. She questioned if gaming offered benefits like social insurance and a housing fund, which Tong Yao confirmed it did. After enduring her parents' bickering, a resigned Tong Yao ended the call and read the team handbook before going to sleep.

The next morning, Tong Yao was woken by her alarm and, finding the common area empty, she went looking for food. The team's live-in chef and cleaner, an auntie, arrived from grocery shopping and explained that the players rarely wake before noon due to their late-night training, quipping that "morning doesn't exist in an e-sports player's dictionary." Just then, Fatty stumbled into the living room in his Superman boxers.

Tong Yao playfully complimented them, causing a startled Fatty to shriek and retreat. Soon after, Lu Sicheng emerged in a bathrobe, freezing for a moment upon seeing Tong Yao before quickly returning to his room, clearly still unaccustomed to having a female teammate. Shortly after, team manager Xiao Rui arrived with God Ming, who, despite retiring from play, would now serve as the team's coach.

Xiao Rui called Tong Yao aside and informed her about the mandatory 45 hours of live streaming required monthly. Having never shown her face online, Tong Yao asked if she could wear a mask, but Xiao Rui insisted she face her fans with courage as a professional. Following their discussion, Tong Yao officially signed her contract. Xiao Rui then tasked a reluctant Lu Sicheng with taking her shopping for daily necessities.

Lu Sicheng protested, citing his need to rapidly climb from the "Elite" rank to "Lord of Kyoto" for an upcoming assessment, but Xiao Rui was firm. On their way to the mall, Tong Yao and Lu Sicheng immediately resumed bickering, with him teasing her about her height. Their argument was interrupted by Ai Jia, the Mid player for YQCB, and Liang Sheng, YQCB's captain. Tong Yao excitedly introduced her university senior, Ai Jia, to a still-aloof Lu Sicheng.

Ai Jia is also the ex-boyfriend of Tong Yao's best friend, Jinyang, who had forbidden Tong Yao from contacting him. After the teams agreed to a friendly match, Ai Jia privately begged Tong Yao to help him get unblocked by Jinyang. Tong Yao hinted that Jinyang had sacrificed overseas opportunities for him, while he was only focused on his live stream earnings.

As they drove, Lu Sicheng recognized Tong Yao as the "stubborn shorty" he had seen struggling to reach something on the 46th floor of their hotel during the Spring Playoffs, but she denied it. Their bickering continued at the supermarket. When Tong Yao couldn't reach a pair of pink slippers on a high shelf, Lu Sicheng reluctantly helped her.

This action made Tong Yao realize he was the "water thief" who had taken the bottled water she'd hidden on a high shelf in a previous incident. Lu Sicheng defended himself, claiming he thought he was "sieged by a group of dwarf zombies" that day. After checking out, they were swarmed by fans. Panicked, Tong Yao tried to hide, worried about her appearance without makeup.

When fans asked if she was Lu Sicheng's girlfriend, he dismissively said she was a "team staff member." Afterward, Lu Sicheng gave her a stark lesson: if the team's performance declined because of her, she would face immense public backlash. He stressed that in e-sports, only strength earns respect. She had to prove her worth to silence the doubters, just as he had. " In esports," he concluded, "being weak is the original sin."

Back at the base, Lu Sicheng sarcastically likened the shopping trip to "taking a kindergarten daughter to buy snacks." Tong Yao was shown to her new gaming station, God Ming's former spot. Fatty proudly presented her new chair, adorned with pink decorations. Lu Sicheng, calling the decor an "eyesore," immediately ordered its removal, threatening to blame her if he lost rank. Tong Yao retorted that not all girls like pink. God Ming then stepped in, reminding her that her performance in the upcoming team warm-up competition would determine her future with ZGDX.

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.

ZGDX prepared for their upcoming practice match against FNC, an old opponent they held a 4-2 record against from the previous season. God Ming led the pre-match analysis, emphasizing the need to take this year's matches seriously due to FNC's new Korean import, Kun, a dominant jungler acquired from Lu Sicheng's former team, TAT. God Ming detailed FNC's jungle-centric strategy, warning the top, mid, and jungle players to coordinate well.

He then strategized with Tong Yao on her Shikigami choices, correctly predicting FNC would ban her favorite, Tamamo-no-Mae. Tong Yao confidently selected Ootengu. God Ming reminded her that this was her first practice match with ZGDX and she couldn't let her guard down. Before the match, God Ming cryptically told Lu Sicheng that the "script is laid out," leaving the rest to him. As the match began, Lu Sicheng made precise tactical calls.

When FNC's jungler, Kun, was spotted in their jungle, Lu Sicheng correctly deduced it was a bait and that Kun was actually setting up an ambush in the bot lane, redirecting his team to secure their own top lane resources instead. Shortly after, Tong Yao secured the first kill on FNC's mid laner. Lu Sicheng critiqued her for gambling without proper vision, though he also noted that FNC's jungler seemed "not very bright."

Kun messaged Tong Yao in-game, calling her "feisty," prompting a sarcastic remark from Lu Sicheng about his opponent having time to type during a match. Lu Sicheng then orchestrated a trap, sending his teammates to the top lane while having Fatty return to base to mislead FNC into thinking the bot lane was clear. Kun fell for the bait, allowing ZGDX to ambush and eliminate FNC's top laner. Following this success, Lu Sicheng instructed his team to attempt stealing Orochi.

During the fight, Fatty was eliminated and the team was about to retreat. However, Tong Yao boldly flashed into the enemy group, unleashing a flurry of skills that resulted in multiple kills, turning the tide and securing victory for ZGDX. Her teammates praised her impressive play, but Lu Sicheng called the move "too risky." Tong Yao argued it was the perfect moment to strike as FNC had expended their abilities.

Her teammates defended her, and Lu Sicheng conceded that confidence was a valuable trait. After the match, FNC's jungler, Kun, apologized to his fans on a live stream but also commended Tong Yao's performance and expressed eagerness for their next encounter. Lu Sicheng, visibly annoyed, told Tong Yao to stop watching and, after she demanded a reward for her performance, jokingly drew a small red flower on her hand.

Later, while Fatty was hosting a live stream, viewers became preoccupied with an "E-Sports' Legend of White Snake" rumor involving Tong Yao, her ex-boyfriend Jian Yang, and Lu Sicheng. Tong Yao took over the stream to clarify that Jian Yang was her ex and on her blacklist. Lu Sicheng then stepped in, firmly stating that there was nothing going on between him and Tong Yao and that they would announce it if they were ever in a relationship.

Afterward, the team went out for a hot pot dinner. Tong Yao was initially shocked by the expensive menu, but her appetite returned when Fatty revealed Lu Sicheng was paying. During the meal, Tong Yao explained to Xiao Rui that she had initially been skeptical about joining the team, thinking his Pinyin-laced invitation was a scam.

She confessed that her parents also disapproved, but she was inspired to pursue a professional career after watching ZGDX's match against CK and hearing God Ming's speech. That night, with the team out, a lone K danced wildly at the base, only to be discovered by Tong Yao's parents, who had arrived unannounced and found the door unlocked.

On the way back, Fatty told Tong Yao that Lu Sicheng was the eldest son of the powerful Lu's Group and that his family were shareholders in the team. Overhearing them, Lu Sicheng playfully questioned their gossip. Alone with Tong Yao, he lightly pinched her ear as she looked up, startling her. The team returned to find Tong Yao's parents waiting. Her mother immediately confronted her about drinking alcohol.

While Fatty distracted her father with a tour of the base, Tong Yao's mother pressed her about the online rumors, particularly the "White Snake Legend" involving 'Chessman.' In response, Tong Yao passionately defended her choice to become a professional e-sports player, contrasting it with the "meaningless" conventional life her parents envisioned and expressing her dream of winning a world championship. She requested three months to prove herself until the national league, securing a "gentleman's agreement" with her reluctant father.

Her mother, still wary, warned her to be careful around 'Chessman.' Just then, Lu Sicheng and Xiao Rui arrived to escort her parents to a temporary room. Tong Yao introduced Lu Sicheng, who then revealed his nickname was indeed 'Chessman' and kindly helped with their bags. As her parents were leaving, her mother told her she could come home the next day if she was unhappy. Tong Yao quickly reassured her that she was doing well and wanted to stay. After they left, Lu Sicheng wished her good luck.

The ZGDX team's base was bustling the next morning. Tong Yao descended the stairs with her parents, surprised to find everyone already up. Fatty enthusiastically greeted her parents, listing the abundant breakfast options. K offered a polite morning greeting, and Lao Mao, holding a dumbbell, was comically practicing English phrases. Lu Sicheng and God Ming, deep in discussion about reviewing yesterday's match, also stopped to greet Tong Yao's parents.

During breakfast, Tong Yao's mother discreetly asked her who the "Chessman" she often mentioned was and if he was interested in her. Lu Sicheng, overhearing, coolly introduced himself to her parents, stating that he also goes by the name Chessman.

Later, as Tong Yao waited for a rideshare to take her parents to the station, her mother expressed concerns about the base's secluded location, advising Tong Yao not to go out alone at night and playfully suggesting Lu Sicheng could accompany her. She also subtly probed into Lu Sicheng's family background. Tong Yao laughingly dismissed the questions, jokingly offering to get his household registration record for her.

After her parents departed, Lu Sicheng, who had clearly overheard the conversation, appeared behind Tong Yao with a knowing smirk, informing her it was time for the team meeting. During the meeting, manager Xiao Rui began discussing the 4-Protect-1 tactic. Lao Mao interrupted to retrieve a parcel, soon returning with numerous gift boxes from Bestore, all for Tong Yao from her fans. As Fatty and Lao Mao excitedly sorted through the snacks, they found a package from "Sunflower, Jian Yang."

Lao Mao proceeded to read aloud an ambiguous letter from Jian Yang asking Tong Yao if she ever thought of "A Place Where the Sun Shines." Mortified, Tong Yao demanded that all future parcels from him be rejected. Amidst the team's laughter, Xiao Rui sternly announced a new schedule: training would now begin at 9 AM, meaning 8 AM wake-up calls, much to the team's dismay. The next morning, Xiao Rui mercilessly woke everyone, threatening salary deductions for non-compliance.

Lao Mao, having experience in physical training, led a warm-up that quickly escalated from a promised "slow jog" into a demanding run, leaving the sleepy team grumbling. Back at the base, Lu Sicheng was live streaming when Tong Yao approached to complain about the new exercise regimen. The live stream audience erupted, demanding she appear on camera.

Xiao Rui seized the opportunity, reminding Tong Yao of her 45-hour monthly streaming contract and warning of deductions if she failed to meet her KPI. Cornered, Tong Yao reluctantly agreed but asked for time to "prepare," which earned a teasing remark from Lu Sicheng about her needing to dress up for a "queen's ball." Soon after, Tong Yao's friend, Chen Jinyang, arrived in a sports car to help her prepare, a sight that immediately captivated Lao Mao.

Chen Jinyang, a friend Tong Yao had called for an "emergency," was actually there to do her makeup. As she worked, she chided Tong Yao for her dark circles and dry skin, advising her on a skincare routine. Their conversation drifted to the "E-Sports' Legend of White Snake" rumors involving Tong Yao, Jian Yang, and Lu Sicheng, and Jian Yang's persistent attempts to reconnect. In turn, Tong Yao asked about Chen Jinyang's relationship with Ai Jia.

Chen Jinyang expressed frustration with his singular focus on e-sports and neglect of their future. She also revealed she was considering an offer to host the National Championship draw ceremony. Once Tong Yao's makeup was done, they went downstairs, where Lu Sicheng was visibly impressed. Meanwhile, Ai Jia heard Chen Jinyang's car and rushed out calling her name, but she drove off without seeing him, leaving him dejected.

Tong Yao began her first live stream, initially daunted by the 300,000 viewers. Lu Sicheng, sitting beside her, immediately began to cause trouble by reading insulting comments from the chat aloud, mocking her height and calling her a "primary school student." Annoyed and distracted, Tong Yao struggled to focus and quickly lost the match. Furious, she blamed Lu Sicheng for the loss and abruptly ended the stream, declaring she needed yogurt to recover from the ordeal.

Later, Xiao Rui informed Lu Sicheng that their rival team, TAT, had invited ZGDX to a training match. Lu Sicheng immediately refused, stating Tong Yao needed more time. Meanwhile, TAT's mid-laner, Ah Tai, gave a provocative interview, dismissing ZGDX's new female player as a publicity stunt and labeling the team "cowards" for not accepting their challenge. The interview caused an uproar online, leading ZGDX's owner to order Xiao Rui to accept the match.

Lu Sicheng remained adamantly against it, causing a heated argument with Xiao Rui. He finally revealed his true reasoning: Ah Tai was a notorious "mid-laner quality inspector" known for systematically crushing the confidence of new players in training matches, often ending their careers. Lu Sicheng cited the case of God Niu from the Star team, who was defeated by Ah Tai using God Niu's own championship commemorative hero skin.

He explained that Ah Tai's goal was to publicly dismantle his opponent's best hero, and this time, he was targeting Tong Yao to claim her title as the "top Tamamo-no-Mae in China." Lu Sicheng clarified he wasn't protecting her because she was a girl, but because she was a rare "gem" with pure talent that he didn't want to see shattered before being polished. Just as Xiao Rui was convinced, they discovered the rest of the team had been eavesdropping.

Forced to explain, Xiao Rui laid out the full situation. Unfazed, Tong Yao boldly declared she wouldn't retire before winning a championship. She rejected the idea of running away, arguing it was better to face defeat now than on the official stage. Confidently, she proclaimed her intent to be the "pretty girl who enforces justice," certain she could win. The training match against TAT began.

As Lu Sicheng predicted, TAT banned several of Tong Yao's main heroes and then immediately picked Tamamo-no-Mae. He advised her to choose Higanbana and focus on farming, avoiding direct confrontation. However, Ah Tai relentlessly targeted her. Despite her teammates' efforts to protect her, she was repeatedly outplayed and killed. The team tried to comfort her, but the loss clearly took its toll. As her teammates went to bed, a defiant Tong Yao stayed behind.

Still deeply affected, she queued for another solo game, murmuring she would sleep "after this round." However, her performance suffered, and she lost this match as well, leaving her in a state of quiet frustration.

Despite the late hour, Tong Yao, unable to sleep after the previous night's difficult practice match, continued to train. Lu Sicheng found her still awake in the early morning and thoughtfully brought her a glass of milk. He gently shielded her eyes with his hand, stopping her intense practice. This gesture broke Tong Yao's composure; the emotional weight she had been carrying all night found its outlet, and she burst into tears.

Lu Sicheng gently placed his hand on her head, stroking it and quietly comforting her as her emotions overwhelmed her. News of the practice match video, which had been deliberately leaked, spread quickly, with netizens overwhelmingly criticizing Tong Yao. At the ZGDX training base, other team members gathered to discuss the situation, dismayed by the malicious online comments. Simultaneously, the usually aloof Lu Sicheng began to publicly refute the netizens' attacks online.

Downstairs, the team members watched Tong Yao descend like a zombie and rushed to comfort her. After a cold response, Tong Yao chose to go out for some fresh air. As she left, Lu Sicheng secretly messaged her, reminding her to return early. A disheartened Tong Yao met her best friend Chen Jinyang at a bar. Shortly after they sat down, a drunk man began to harass them. Just then, Ai Jia appeared and promptly scared the man away.

Chen Jinyang, however, was far from appreciative of his sudden appearance. Ai Jia sat down and started acting playfully, but Chen Jinyang, already vexed by her friend's distress, vented her frustration on him. Despite her sharp words, she was secretly pleased by his submissive attitude. Ai Jia then moved to another table and secretly messaged Jian Yang, informing him of their location. At the ZGDX base, Lu Sicheng frequently checked the time while chatting with Xiao Rui.

When it reached 11 PM, a worried Lu Sicheng received a message from Chen Jinyang and immediately headed to the bar. Jian Yang had arrived earlier and found a heavily intoxicated Tong Yao. Ai Jia thoughtfully pulled Chen Jinyang aside, giving the former couple space. Seizing the opportunity, Jian Yang poured out his feelings to Tong Yao, expressing regret for his past mistakes and pleading for another chance. However, the inebriated Tong Yao gave no direct response to his request.

At an adjacent table, Ai Jia and Chen Jinyang discussed the psychological pressures of professional e-sports. Just as Jian Yang's attempts to connect with Tong Yao grew increasingly awkward, Lu Sicheng arrived. Seeing the drunken Tong Yao, Lu Sicheng asserted his authority as captain. In front of Jian Yang, he announced he was taking her back to the base. Jian Yang, about to follow, was stopped and silenced by Chen Jinyang, left to watch them depart.

On the way back, Lu Sicheng carried the drunken Tong Yao on his back. In her intoxicated state, she confessed her true fears: she wasn't crying over the loss or the online criticism, but over the feeling of letting her team down and the collapse of her "faith" in her signature hero. Lu Sicheng advised her to build a new faith based on the determination to win.

Arriving downstairs, Lu Sicheng set Tong Yao down, intending to buy hangover medicine, but she pulled him back. Still upset about an earlier incident where he had grabbed her, she used her inebriation to pull on his sleeve in retaliation. Lu Sicheng smiled helplessly before leaving. Tong Yao then stumbled back into the base alone. Inside, she saw Lu Yue, who was wearing a red shirt, and mistook him for a ghost.

Panicked, she fled back downstairs and jumped onto the returning Lu Sicheng's back. Lu Sicheng carried the hysterical Tong Yao back inside, where the scene was witnessed by Lu Yue. Only then did Tong Yao realize the two men were brothers. The team gathered as Lu Yue delivered a long monologue about returning to the team as a potential substitute for Tong Yao.

Still disoriented, Tong Yao misheard parts of the conversation and frantically apologized to Lu Sicheng, believing she was about to be benched or expelled. As a dramatic "parting gift," she then offered each team member a used tissue she had been crying into.

The next morning, Tong Yao woke up groggily and went downstairs where she encountered Xiao Rui, who remarked that her performance the previous night had been amazing. Still bewildered, Tong Yao gradually recalled her various antics from the drunken night before. Feeling utterly humiliated, she collapsed onto her bed, later emerging from her room wearing a monkey mask to hide her face.

Lu Sicheng, having woken up early, discovered his yogurt was missing from the fridge and immediately confronted Tong Yao. As they conversed, Lu Sicheng recounted her embarrassing actions from the night before: mistaking his brother, Lu Yue, for a ghost; tearfully insisting on her own strength and refusal to be a substitute; singing a children's song which he described as a "horrifying song"; forcing snot-filled tissues onto teammates as "farewell gifts"; licking her cat's fur; and even biting people.

He jokingly added that he woke up early just to get a rabies vaccine. Mortified, Tong Yao pleaded with him to stop, expressing her regret and surprise that Long Island Iced Tea contained alcohol. Lu Sicheng dryly explained that not everything is what it seems, just as sweetheart cakes don't actually contain sweethearts. He then urged her to change out of her pajamas before the others woke up.

Back in her room, Tong Yao called her best friend, Chen Jinyang, who asked if she was over her hangover. Tong Yao admitted she had no memory of the previous night, but Chen Jinyang emphasized the one crucial detail: Lu Sicheng had carried her away right in front of Jian Yang, her ex-boyfriend. Tong Yao was shocked to learn Jian Yang had been there and blamed Ai Jia for calling him.

At that moment, Ai Jia interrupted their call, causing Chen Jinyang to hang up awkwardly. After the call, Tong Yao noticed text messages from Jian Yang on her phone, expressing concern for her headache and proposing they get back together, but she chose not to reply. Downstairs, as the team prepared to train, Tong Yao, still wearing her mask out of embarrassment, found Lu Yue at her computer. A dispute over the chair ensued.

Lu Yue stubbornly refused to move, challenging her to make the chair respond to her. To get her seat back, Tong Yao created a diversion by yelling in feigned shock at Lao Mao, accusing him of licking the team's cat. The bizarre accusation made Lu Yue turn around in confusion, allowing Tong Yao to quickly reclaim her spot. Soon, it was lunchtime.

As everyone gathered at the table, they found Lu Yue eating there, having dragged Tong Yao's gaming chair with him. He claimed it was the "starting Mid's chair," mocking Tong Yao as the "lousiest Mid." She retorted that she was still better than a substitute like him. Disgusted by the tension, Fatty and K immediately grabbed their food and left to eat elsewhere. Lao Mao, after a moment's hesitation, followed suit, leaving Lu Yue to eat alone.

That evening, Tong Yao, about to sleep, realized someone was playing on her account. She went downstairs and found Lu Yue at her computer, playing ranked games with the team. She scolded him for using her account without permission. In the current match, Lu Yue was up against Ah Tai again, using the same team composition Tong Yao had previously. In the game's chat, Ah Tai accused Lu Yue of being as arrogant as his brother.

However, Ah Tai's aggressive strategies proved ineffective against Lu Yue's famously cautious playstyle. Lu Yue skillfully outmaneuvered him, securing multiple kills and leading ZGDX to a swift victory. After the win, Tong Yao excitedly praised Lu Yue. Buoyed by the victory, Lu Yue boasted that he had studied all of Ah Tai's matches and that his defensive style had been key to many victories last season.

However, Fatty immediately poured cold water on his celebration, questioning the value of past achievements when they couldn't even attend the finals "because someone was absent." He openly blamed Lu Yue for God Ming's severe hand injury and declared that while the club could keep Lu Yue as a substitute, he would never accept him as a teammate before storming off.

Lu Sicheng went to check on Fatty, while Lao Mao's attempt to downplay the issue earned a sharp rebuke from K. Feeling remorseful, Lu Yue also left the room. Back in her room, intrigued by the day's events, Tong Yao searched online for ZGDX's past. She discovered that a year prior, at the peak of their popularity, the team had unexpectedly withdrawn from the National Championship finals, sparking widespread criticism.

She learned this incident was directly linked to Lu Yue and God Ming's severe hand injury. Still confused, Tong Yao went downstairs for a drink and overheard Fatty telling K that he couldn't accept Lu Yue's nonchalant return, insisting that time cannot forgive all mistakes. Tong Yao approached them and tried to defend Lu Yue, suggesting his stable performance made him a suitable starter, but both Fatty and K were resolute in their opposition.

The next day, Tong Yao was woken by a frantic call from Chen Jinyang. A video of the year-old incident had been leaked online, turning ZGDX into a target of public criticism. Lu Sicheng was already on the phone with a sponsor, trying to manage the fallout. Soon, an internal meeting was convened. Xiao Rui, the team manager, concluded the leak must have come from an insider. At this, Fatty stood up and admitted he posted the video.

He apologized for implicating Tong Yao but stated his actions were aimed solely at Lu Yue. Reiterating that he would never accept him as a teammate, Fatty passionately denounced Lu Yue as the primary cause of God Ming's retirement. Even when God Ming tried to defend Lu Yue, Fatty refused to stop, arguing that Lu Yue's violent actions reinforced the public's negative perception of pro gamers as "useless fools" and that unlike Lu Yue, he felt "shame" for his mistakes.

Lu Yue retorted that Fatty's leak also hurt the team, but Fatty called him a "coward" who always ran from responsibility. Their argument escalated until teammates intervened to pull them apart. Tong Yao led Fatty outside to calm him down. Seeing her confusion, Fatty recounted the full story.

A year ago, after a friendly match, a drunk Lu Yue overheard a player from the rival team, Brother A, badmouthing Lu Sicheng and calling Lu Yue a "relation" who got in through nepotism. Enraged, Lu Yue smashed a bottle over Brother A's head, leading to a brawl where he was beaten by Brother A's group.

God Ming, happening upon the scene, rushed in to protect Lu Yue and was pushed to the ground, sustaining a severe laceration on his wrist. The injury ended his career. Fatty concluded, expressing disbelief that God Ming still protected Lu Yue and frustration that God Ming had to bear the consequences for Lu Yue's lack of control. As Tong Yao finally understood the whole story, she received another call from Chen Jinyang, informing her that Ai Jia was live-streaming to "prove Lu Yue's innocence."

Ai Jia launched a live stream to reveal the truth behind Lu Yue's actions. He recounted that Brother A of Team JK had initially provoked the situation with arrogant remarks, calling ZGDX players conceited and showing disrespect after an exhibition match, which ZGDX won 2-0. Frustrated by the loss, Brother A was overheard planning to hire people to injure the ZGDX players, specifically threatening to have their hands broken.

However, he warned his men not to harm Lu Yue due to his family's influence. Upon hearing this direct threat against his teammates, Lu Yue reacted impulsively to stop them before they could act. Ai Jia emphasized that if Lu Yue had not intervened, the consequences could have been severe. Having watched the live stream, the ZGDX team realized they had misjudged Lu Yue.

Fatty, who had posted a video that fueled the misunderstanding, sincerely apologized to Lu Yue for blaming him without knowing the full story. K also apologized for his earlier behavior, and the team finally reconciled. Later that evening, Lu Sicheng addressed the incident during his own live stream. He confirmed that Lu Yue had initiated the physical altercation but directed viewers to Ai Jia's stream for the full context.

Lu Sicheng also clarified that while God Ming's hand injury was related to the fight, it was exacerbated by a pre-existing condition, a tendon tear common among professional carry players. He asserted that while he wouldn't resort to violence himself, he would ensure anyone who bullied his teammates would face serious repercussions. Meanwhile, Lu Yue proudly showed Tong Yao his renewed contract, leading to playful banter.

Lu Sicheng advised Lu Yue to focus on expanding his Shikigami pool instead of boasting. In the kitchen, Fatty, determined to make amends for the wage deduction he incurred, prepared dinner for the team. At the table, he apologized to Lu Yue for his previous accusations. The mood lightened, but the team began teasing Fatty about the lack of meat in the meal. Tong Yao then discovered that he had secretly hidden extra meat in Lu Yue's bowl.

Embarrassed by the teasing, Fatty retreated to his room. The conversation then shifted to the team's roster, with Lu Yue and Tong Yao bickering over the starting mid-laner position. Lu Yue argued that new members often start as substitutes, citing Lu Sicheng's own career path. Lu Sicheng intervened, stating that since neither of them had prior official tournament experience, they would both have to prove their skills to earn the starting spot.

The next day, the club provided Lu Yue with a new computer, ending his need to share with Tong Yao, though their playful insults continued. Tong Yao spent a day out with her best friend, Chen Jinyang. Chen Jinyang revealed she had put her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Ai Jia, back on her "internship boyfriend" list, a cycle that had repeated for six years. Tong Yao confided her anxiety about competing with Lu Yue for the starting position.

To boost her confidence, Chen Jinyang took her shopping for lingerie, calling it a "battle dress" for Tong Yao's upcoming profile picture shoot. Tong Yao expressed a preference for more innocent designs, but Chen Jinyang insisted on the power of "obscured beauty." After a spa treatment, Chen Jinyang dropped Tong Yao off at the base. Hearing her car, Ai Jia rushed out calling her name, but she drove past without stopping, leaving him dejected.

Back at the base, Tong Yao found Lu Yue at her desk eating her snacks. Their playful squabble was interrupted by Lu Sicheng, who noticed Tong Yao's new manicure, long eyelashes, and strong perfume. He called her outside and sternly criticized her new look, arguing that it would hinder her gaming performance and distract the team. He leaned in close to assess her perfume and bluntly disapproved, leaving her stunned. Unbeknownst to them, Lu Yue had filmed the entire exchange.

Lu Sicheng caught him and warned him not to snitch to their mother before throwing his shoe at his mischievous brother, who collapsed dramatically. That evening, Chen Jinyang video-called Tong Yao and playfully suggested she was falling in love with Lu Sicheng, noting he was the only one who could "tame" her and asking if her heart raced when she thought of him. During their call, the team cat, Da Bing, knocked over a vase.

Hearing the crash, Lu Sicheng immediately entered Tong Yao's room to check on her. As he left, he was confronted by Fatty and Lao Mao, who had been eavesdropping. Fatty immediately assumed they were dating. Lu Sicheng hastily lied, claiming Tong Yao had fallen out of bed, a story Tong Yao overheard from her room. When Lu Sicheng jokingly claimed he could hear her fall again, she muttered that he was framing her.

The next morning in the gym, Lu Yue and Tong Yao continued their rivalry, mimicking each other while arguing over the starting position. Nearby, K, wearing a facial mask, pointed out their antics to Lao Mao, calling him a "moron" in the process. Annoyed, Lao Mao made K smell his shoe, causing K to faint from the odor. Disbelieving, Lao Mao smelled his own shoe and promptly fainted as well. Shortly after, the team's new uniforms arrived.

While everyone happily tried them on, Lu Sicheng bluntly remarked that Tong Yao looked like a child no matter what she wore, offending her. However, as she prepared to leave her room, Tong Yao recalled Chen Jinyang's advice about being a "perfect woman" and went back to retrieve the sexy lingerie she had initially dismissed.

The ZGDX team arrived at the photoshoot location, where makeup artists began preparing them. Tong Yao, as the only girl, required more time, so her teammates proceeded with their individual photos first. As the team neared completion, Tong Yao was still not ready. Xiao Rui suggested Lu Sicheng go and hurry her up, noting that Tong Yao was seemingly intimidated by him.

Lu Sicheng entered the makeup room without knocking, only to find Tong Yao in the middle of changing her clothes. After an awkward moment, he hastily retreated, flustered and blushing, grabbing a candy to calm his nerves. When Lu Yue came by to check, Lu Sicheng sent him away, stating Tong Yao would be out soon. Once she was dressed, Tong Yao confronted Lu Sicheng about barging in. He admitted he had seen something but downplayed it.

She insisted he should have knocked first, pointing out that even Lu Yue was stopped from entering. Lu Sicheng retorted that after waiting for an hour and forty minutes, the probability of walking in on her changing was as likely as finding her dead on the floor. Despite his teasing, he surprised her with a sincere apology.

Amused, Tong Yao joked that in ancient times, such an incident would require him to marry her, to which he warned her not to push her luck. Tong Yao then headed to the studio for her solo shots. Xiao Rui also arranged for some joint photos, first pairing Lu Yue with Tong Yao for a "fated rivals" theme. Next, Lu Sicheng was called up to pose with her.

He questioned the need for a separate photo, but Xiao Rui explained it was requested by the club's PR department. A stool was brought in to adjust for their height difference, and as they posed, Lao Mao remarked that it looked like a wedding photoshoot, causing both of them to become visibly uncomfortable. After returning to the base, the team discussed the teaser photos that had just been posted online.

They noted the rise of "Yue Yao" shippers (fans supporting Lu Yue and Tong Yao) and encouraged "Cheng Yao" shippers to stay strong. Lu Sicheng explained he had instructed the PR team to post the photos to clarify the team's lineup, but admitted the move backfired. He had received numerous calls and messages from his and Lu Yue's mothers, who saw the pictures and mistakenly believed their sons were in a relationship with the same girl.

Lu Yue immediately called his mother to clear up the misunderstanding regarding himself, cheekily adding that he couldn't speak for his brother. Later, Chen Jinyang messaged Tong Yao, teasing her about the photoshoot and her proximity to Lu Sicheng. She also warned Tong Yao that men who like "rabbit with carrot" patterned underwear, which Tong Yao wore that day, were undoubtedly perverts. Meanwhile, online debates grew about whether Tong Yao or Lu Yue would be the starting Mid.

While they were chatting, God Ming messaged Tong Yao to come down for training. In her haste, Tong Yao slipped and tumbled down the stairs. Her teammates rushed to her aid. Lu Sicheng, visibly worried, checked if she was okay before scolding Lu Yue for being nosy and crowding her. Afterward, Tong Yao confronted Lu Sicheng, demanding he delete the strange nickname he had saved for her on his phone.

He feigned ignorance before bringing up an old grudge about a Weibo post she had refused to delete. She argued the nickname, which referenced her underwear, made her feel insecure. Lu Sicheng retorted that calling a teammate by her underwear pattern would make him seem like a pervert, but then cuttingly added that if he were one, she wasn't his type.

His words startled Tong Yao, who backed away as he leaned in and mockingly told her not to get any closer. That night, Tong Yao had a nightmare in which she and Lu Sicheng were rabbits, and he chased her down while repeating his harsh words. The next day, Xiao Rui and God Ming announced a practice match against Team YQCB to prepare for the National Championship, noting YQCB's new AD player was "big news."

Tong Yao was selected as the starting Mid for the match. Lu Yue protested, but was silenced by Lu Sicheng. God Ming clarified that the final starting lineup would depend on a statistical comparison between Tong Yao and Lu Yue. Lu Sicheng then warned Tong Yao that if she lost, she would be relegated to the bench. The practice match began. The opposing AD, whose ID was garbled, was exceptionally aggressive, killing Lu Sicheng twice.

The ZGDX team felt their opponents knew Lu Sicheng's strategies intimately. Despite the setbacks, Lu Sicheng, with Fatty's help, orchestrated a comeback, leading ZGDX to a narrow victory. After the match, Lu Sicheng calmly stated, "Hierophant is here," and left the room, leaving his teammates to explain his history with the player. Lao K revealed that Lu Sicheng and Hierophant were known as "light and shadow" in the Korean league, where Lu Sicheng was once Hierophant's substitute.

Their similar styles led to speculation that Lu Sicheng was merely imitating Hierophant, a notion the proud Lu Sicheng despised. His teammates clarified that Lu Sicheng wasn't forced out; in fact, he had outshone Hierophant for two seasons. He chose to return to China to win a world title, a decision that frustrated Hierophant, who wanted to defeat him officially.

Since they missed their chance to face off in the previous year's finals, Hierophant had followed him to the Chinese league. The episode concluded with a flashback to Lu Sicheng's first day on the Korean team, showing his formal introduction to Lee Gun Hyuk (Hierophant), marking the beginning of their intense rivalry.

In Korea, Lu Sicheng diligently trained under the watchful eye of Hierophant. After a successful game, Hierophant commended Lu Sicheng on his performance. Later, when Hierophant's team, TAT, won a match, he decided to let Lu Sicheng play in the next one. Lu Sicheng didn't disappoint, leading the team to another victory. Following this, Hierophant announced that he and Lu Sicheng would rotate in future matches, asking the audience for their support.

Due to their similar playing styles, Korean netizens dubbed them the "light and shadow duo." When Lu Sicheng learned of the nascent esports scene in China, he decided to return home. As a parting gift, Hierophant gave Lu Sicheng the Rubik's Cube they often played with, telling him to return it when they met again on stage.

Lost in these memories, Lu Sicheng was pulled back to the present by a frantic call from Liang Sheng, a player from a neighboring team. Liang Sheng explained that Hierophant had gone missing at the mall after their practice match. With Hierophant's interpreter unexpectedly gone, Liang Sheng couldn't communicate with him and was at a loss. As Lu Sicheng prepared to leave, Tong Yao, concerned about the impending rain, approached him.

However, Lu Sicheng was dismissive, coldly rejecting her offer of an umbrella and remarking that her fawning wouldn't get him to change the nickname he had for her. Feeling her kindness was unappreciated, Tong Yao quietly returned to her seat. Lu Sicheng met Liang Sheng and headed to the mall, where they found Hierophant engrossed at a claw machine. Hierophant revealed he had come to China partly because of Liang Sheng, whom he had chosen as his new support.

Their conversation quickly turned competitive, with Hierophant declaring his intention to defeat Lu Sicheng on the Chinese stage. Lu Sicheng reminded him of their recent practice match where Hierophant lost, to which Hierophant claimed he had merely let him win out of courtesy. They resolved to face each other in the upcoming National Championship. Back at the base, the team was playing board games when Xiao Rui sent Tong Yao to bring an umbrella to Lu Sicheng.

At the mall, she found Lu Sicheng and Hierophant with Liang Sheng. Hierophant, apologizing for the trouble, gifted all his claw machine winnings to Liang Sheng. Lu Sicheng, in turn, playfully hung a rabbit plushie he had won around Tong Yao’s neck. As heavy rain began to fall, Lu Sicheng draped his jacket over Tong Yao, and the four of them walked back to the base.

Upon their return, Lu Sicheng, who had given his jacket to Tong Yao, sneezed from the cold and went upstairs to take a hot shower. After he left, Xiao Rui and Fatty noticed the rabbit plushie on Tong Yao. When Fatty learned where it came from, he playfully tried to snatch it, prompting Tong Yao to quickly protect it and retreat. The draw ceremony for the National Championship soon commenced, hosted by Chen Jinyang and Xiao Sen.

Jian Yang, noticing Tong Yao and Lu Sicheng chatting closely, made a threatening gesture towards the ZGDX team before his team, CK, took the stage and drew Group B. Next, Lu Sicheng went up, looking unwell. Tong Yao asked if he was sick, but he dismissed her concern, trying to suppress his coughs and claiming he'd be fine in two days. He drew Group A for ZGDX.

Subsequently, Ai Jia of YQCB went on stage, shamelessly pulling Chen Jinyang into a photo before descending. The draw concluded with the announcement that the opening match of the National Championship would be ZGDX versus CK. After returning to the base, Lu Yue and God Ming briefly discussed the results. In her room, Tong Yao attempted to research their opponents but soon gave up, opting to scroll through encouraging comments from fans online, which quietly boosted her morale.

The long-awaited opening match began before a large crowd, with Tong Yao's parents watching from home. As CK was introduced, ZGDX appeared at the tunnel entrance. Overwhelmed by nervousness, Tong Yao hesitated. Noticing her apprehension, Lu Sicheng turned back and gently patted her head to reassure her. Still tense, Tong Yao walked at the end of the line, her voice strained during the team introductions. The teams entered the ban/pick phase. CK’s first ban targeted Tong Yao's signature Shikigami, Tamamo-no-Mae.

ZGDX retaliated by banning Lucky's Tanuki. Both teams continued to focus their bans on mid-lane Shikigami, and ZGDX also banned Jian Yang’s renowned Aobozu. During the pick phase, Lu Sicheng, determined to end the game quickly, controversially chose Youko. The phase concluded with ZGDX fielding an aggressive early-game lineup, while CK opted for a composition suited for the late game. Moments before the match started, Tong Yao was struck by a severe stomachache.

Unaware her microphone was live to the production team, she loudly declared her urgent need to use the restroom, much to the amusement of her teammates. As her discomfort grew, Tong Yao wanted to withdraw, but it was too late—the match was about to begin.

During the first match, Tong Yao informed her teammates that the opposing jungler, Jian Yang, was her ex-boyfriend, hoping to encourage K to gank mid. K, however, responded coolly, stating he would come when necessary. As the game progressed, Lu Sicheng and Fatty in the bot lane collaborated to eliminate CK team's duo. Meanwhile, Jian Yang stealthily approached the mid lane and initiated a gank on Tong Yao.

Tong Yao quickly called for K's assistance, leading to a skirmish where the outnumbered Jian Yang was eventually eliminated. After respawning, Jian Yang moved to the top lane, catching Lao Mao off guard and securing a kill. Disadvantaged, Lao Mao complained about K's absence from his lane. Hearing this, Tong Yao and K both moved to the top lane to assist. The three worked together, winning a small team fight, much to the frustration of the slain CK players.

Soon after, ZGDX capitalized on their advantage, securing the Orochi. With this momentum, they pushed directly into the CK team's base, destroying their crystal and securing the first win. The defeated CK team returned to their lounge to discuss countermeasures, deciding to target the visibly unwell Lu Sicheng in the next game. In the ZGDX lounge, the victorious team was in high spirits. Tong Yao was reapplying her makeup while Fatty casually scrolled through Weibo.

However, their captain, Lu Sicheng, was slumped on the sofa, resting due to a fever. Noticing his condition, Tong Yao expressed concern, but Lu Sicheng simply stated they needed to finish the game quickly before going to rest. The second match began, and Lu Sicheng, clearly not in top form, found himself pressured. Soon, Jian Yang coordinated with his bot lane teammates to take down Lu Sicheng. Seeing ZGDX’s main carry eliminated, the CK team prepared to take the Orochi.

Just as ZGDX seemed ready to abandon the objective, Tong Yao bravely ventured into the Orochi pit alone. She executed a series of powerful combos, eliminating CK's Butterfly and then Little Flower for a double kill. In response, Jian Yang and Lucky charged directly at Tong Yao. At that critical moment, Fatty arrived just in time to save her. The rest of the ZGDX team quickly converged, trapping the CK players and securing a clean three-for-zero exchange.

ZGDX then took the Orochi and immediately grouped to push the mid lane. The CK team was overwhelmed and continuously pushed back. Finally, Tong Yao executed a skill combo to dive into the enemy team and then flashed back, successfully baiting out many of CK's abilities. Seizing the opportunity created by CK's poor positioning, ZGDX initiated a team fight. CK's players fell one after another, powerless as ZGDX dismantled their crystal, securing their second victory.

After their triumph, ZGDX went on stage to wave to the audience. During the subsequent interview, Tong Yao and Lu Sicheng offered brief remarks before leaving. Back at the base, Lu Sicheng went home early due to his illness, while the remaining teammates prepared for the evening's carnival. At that moment, Tong Yao also decided to return home, citing physical discomfort. To accommodate her, Xiao Rui called back the same driver who had taken Lu Sicheng.

In the car, Lu Sicheng asked Tong Yao why she was also going home. When Tong Yao vaguely explained that her pants were dirty, an inexperienced Lu Sicheng misunderstood, believing she had soiled herself, and asked her to move away from him with a look of distaste. Upon returning to the base, Tong Yao was browsing community forums when Xiao Rui messaged her, asking her to take medicine to Lu Sicheng.

Tong Yao reluctantly brought water and medicine to him, but Lu Sicheng complained that the water was too hot. At this, Tong Yao, who had just started her period, erupted. She launched into a tirade against him, and Lu Sicheng, left with no alternative, conceded and followed her demands. Tong Yao then decided to cook porridge. As she went downstairs to wash rice, a sharp pain shot through her lower abdomen, causing her to collapse.

Just then, Lu Sicheng came downstairs, took the pot from her, washed the rice, and set it to cook. He then thoughtfully touched Tong Yao's head before going back upstairs. Later, while Tong Yao was watching a live stream, Lu Sicheng heard a noise and rushed downstairs, fearing she had hurt herself. Finding her fine, he reached out and gently touched her stomach, causing her to blush and freeze.

Realizing she didn't have a hot water bag, Lu Sicheng chided her before finding one for her—one featuring a caricature of himself. With the hot water bag, Tong Yao felt some relief. They ate the porridge together before going upstairs to rest. Later, the rest of the ZGDX team returned from the carnival. Fatty immediately went upstairs to check on Lu Sicheng and Tong Yao. He then rushed back downstairs, too excited to speak, gesturing wildly. Curious, the others followed him upstairs. Lu Yue opened the door, paused in shock, then quickly slammed it shut, leaving the others even more bewildered.

The morning after the tournament, Lu Sicheng and Tong Yao are woken by Xiao Rui calling from outside. When Lu Sicheng opens the door, his teammates are already waiting, smirking at the discovery of Tong Yao in his room. They immediately begin teasing him. Lu Sicheng, unbothered, claims Tong Yao's own bed was dirty, forcing her to sleep in his.

His teammates, including Fatty, are unconvinced, pointing out the numerous empty beds in the base and suggesting it was a deliberate choice. They playfully accuse him of making "big news" by tricking a young girl into his bed. Lu Sicheng retorts that Tong Yao is an adult, so it isn't illegal. His teammates fire back that it constitutes "workplace harassment" and jokingly threaten to call the police unless he wakes her up.

Exasperated, Lu Sicheng orders them downstairs, promising to wake her. Inside, Tong Yao is hiding under a blanket on the floor, mortified. Lu Sicheng pulls it off, teasingly asking if, in ancient times, she'd be "drowned in a pig cage" for this, or if he should just marry her for the "801st time" given how much trouble she causes. Tong Yao mistakes his teasing for a proposal and asks about a dowry.

Lu Sicheng scoffs at the idea, reminding her of his high salary and that he was mocking her. He then starts checking his blanket for stains, causing a flustered Tong Yao to try and stop him, promising to wash it if needed. Their playful struggle sends them off-balance, and Tong Yao falls on top of Lu Sicheng. Just then, Fatty opens the door with shrimp dumplings, freezing at the sight. He quickly claims Lu Sicheng isn't there and retreats.

After Fatty leaves, Lu Sicheng suggests Tong Yao change out of her sweaty clothes to avoid catching a cold, and the embarrassed Tong Yao quickly leaves the room. Later, after waking up from a nap, Tong Yao finds her teammates live-streaming and realizes she is behind on her own required streaming hours, so she starts a broadcast. At the CK base, Jian Yang is reviewing match replays when he gets a notification that Tong Yao is live.

He starts watching with a smile, but his mood sours as Lu Sicheng repeatedly criticizes Tong Yao's gameplay on her stream. The situation escalates when Lu Sicheng makes a suggestive comment, "I miss the time when you were shivering in bed, too scared to say a word," causing the live chat to erupt. A flustered Tong Yao tries to deny everything, but the damage is done. Watching from his base, an enraged Jian Yang slams his phone shut.

His curious teammates, who were watching over his shoulder, start mocking him about his ex-girlfriend's apparent closeness with Lu Sicheng, annoying him into ordering them back to training. Lu Sicheng's on-stream comments, combined with the earlier "double C sharing a bed" incident, fuel widespread online rumors that he and Tong Yao are living together. That evening, Jian Yang rushes to the ZGDX base.

He borrows a phone to call Tong Yao, telling her he's at the entrance but security won't let him in. Tong Yao, in the middle of a game, asks Lu Yue to take over and hurries out. On her way, she is stopped by Ai Jia, who warns her against getting back with an ex, reminding her of her own vow to never date another e-sports player.

Tong Yao reassures him she has no intention of reconciling but feels responsible for getting the drunk Jian Yang home safely. When she meets Jian Yang, he immediately embraces her, but she pushes him away. He desperately tries to explain a past misunderstanding, but Tong Yao is skeptical. He then complains about Lu Sicheng’s comments and how the entire internet now believes they are a couple, driving him crazy.

Tong Yao dismisses it as simple team banter and reminds him that their relationship is over. Meanwhile, Lu Sicheng receives a message from Chen Jinyang reporting that Tong Yao is "dating" and that he's seen comments about her hugging Jian Yang. Excusing himself to "buy candy," Lu Sicheng finds them. He interrupts Jian Yang's plea for a second chance by asking Tong Yao for money, making his presence known.

He then states two facts: Tong Yao will be at the world finals as a competitor, not as a spectator for Jian Yang's team, and the championship trophy is destined for ZGDX. Having made his point, he tells them to continue their chat. Jian Yang asks Tong Yao if their relationship would have survived if he hadn't become a professional player.

She clarifies that his career wasn't the problem; it was that he never saw her as an equal who could stand beside him. With their dreams and goals misaligned, she declares them incompatible. Seeing how drunk he is, Tong Yao offers to get him home. They agree to be "friends," and she unblocks him from her contact list, warning him not to send strange messages about getting back together. They share a final hug before he leaves.

As Tong Yao returns to the base, she finds Lu Sicheng waiting to interrogate her. He immediately questions the hug, scoffing at her "friendly hug" explanation. She, in turn, accuses him of being there to "make a scene" rather than buy candy. Their argument is interrupted by Lu Yue, who asks if she got back with Jian Yang or if she is now with Lu Sicheng. Tong Yao denies both, repeating her rule against dating pro players.

Lu Sicheng ends the conversation with a stern warning: "Our team's goal is the championship. No dating, no treason." Back in her room, Tong Yao sees the online speculation is still raging. She gets a call from Chen Jinyang, who asks about the meeting with Jian Yang. Tong Yao explains she only unblocked him and sent him home. Chen Jinyang presses further, asking if she truly believes Lu Sicheng’s intervention was only for the team's sake.

Tong Yao deflects, joking that a popular, handsome guy like Lu Sicheng would have to be "under her spell" to fall for her. Unconvinced, Chen Jinyang hints that Lu Sicheng's actions suggest something more. After they hang up, Tong Yao is left pondering the online comments, which echo her friend's suspicions about Lu Sicheng's feelings.

Tong Yao woke from a dream where she married Lu Sicheng. Shaken, she tried to wash the image away but it persisted. She mentally reminded herself that she was a professional player, not there for romance, and that she had set a goal not to date an e-sports player. Determined not to be influenced by her friends, she got up to research opponents and make notes. The next morning, Xiao Rui discovered Tong Yao's detailed notes on Team King.

Impressed, he and God Ming praised her efforts. God Ming noted that such analysis is typically a data analyst's job, adding they hadn't planned such deep preparation for a newly-promoted team like King, wanting the team to rest. Tong Yao argued that they shouldn't underestimate any opponent. God Ming clarified it was about prioritizing stronger opponents like a reborn YQCB, but he acknowledged her hard work.

As Tong Yao continued her work, Lu Sicheng approached, teasing her for being "so free" while grabbing her notebook. He questioned her precise calculations, revealing he had glanced at her notes. Although his words were dismissive, he thoughtfully brought her breakfast and slippers, showing concern for her well-being. He then asked to borrow her "diary," which contained her analysis of Team King, despite having previously dismissed the need to study them.

On the bus to the competition, Lu Sicheng reviewed Tong Yao's notes. He read aloud Ah Guang's predicted jungle path and gank patterns to K, who found Tong Yao's handwritten commentary on where to counter-gank confusing. Lu Sicheng playfully suggested Tong Yao was a natural drama queen, explaining her theatrical additions. At the venue, commentators introduced Team King's Jungler, Ah Guang, praising his talent. Ah Guang, on screen, declared his team's fierce determination, stating they would crush ZGDX.

As players settled in, the team compositions were revealed: ZGDX picked Ibaraki-doji for Top, Yoto Hime for Jungler, Ootengu for Mid, Dodomeki for AD, and Ichimokuren for Support. Team King countered with Shuten Doji for Top, Mannendake for Jungler, Menreiki for Mid, and a bot lane of Hakuro and Kuro. Before the match, God Ming reiterated the strategy: focus on the jungler and ensure the top, mid, and jungler work together.

Lu Sicheng jokingly stated he would "sit back," while K assured him they would carry him to victory. Tong Yao, feigning modesty, claimed she was just a "minor Mid" afraid of the opposing Jungler, to which Lu Sicheng confidently retorted that Ah Guang should be the one truly afraid. In the team's resting area, Lu Yue watched the match intently.

The first game commenced with an unusual move from ZGDX: K and Tong Yao, instead of farming, concealed themselves in a brush. This puzzled the commentators, who noted the team's puzzling decision to fall behind. Soon after, Team King's Jungler, Ah Guang, moved to invade ZGDX's jungle. As he entered, K and Tong Yao sprung their ambush, catching him completely off guard and securing First Blood.

A frustrated Ah Guang chastised his teammates for their lack of vision and timely callouts. The commentators questioned how ZGDX had anticipated his movements, while ZGDX's players openly praised the effectiveness of Tong Yao's handbook. As the game progressed, ZGDX's complete mastery of Ah Guang's jungle patterns allowed them to anticipate his every move, creating an overwhelming advantage. ZGDX consistently oppressed Team King, who struggled to mount any effective resistance, and swiftly destroyed their crystal to win the first game.

The second game followed a similar pattern. Unable to adapt, Team King was easily dominated, and ZGDX secured a flawless 2-0 victory. After the match, the players met for the traditional handshake. A dejected Ah Guang approached Lu Sicheng, expressing his admiration for ZGDX's thorough preparation. Lu Sicheng, however, humbly deflected the praise, crediting the effort to Tong Yao's meticulous analysis. This revelation caused Ah Guang to look at Tong Yao with newfound respect.

As Lu Sicheng was called away for the MVP interview, he playfully asked Tong Yao if she had just been "bad-mouthing" him to Ah Guang. During the post-match interview, Lu Sicheng was asked about ZGDX's in-depth preparation. He again attributed their success to Tong Yao, humorously suggesting she was overly anxious and feared their team would "get trounced" if they underestimated anyone.

While he praised her strength and serious attitude, his lighthearted tone visibly annoyed Tong Yao, who silently packed her belongings in the resting room. Her teammates then began discussing the rampant online criticism from fans directed at Team King. The discussion revealed that Ah Guang was being singled out and "bashed the worst" for his performance, with the public overlooking the strategic reasons for his struggles.

Tong Yao, feeling empathy for him, asked why the audience was so harsh, and her teammates explained the brutal reality of e-sports fandom. Disturbed by the unfairness, Tong Yao quietly went to the washroom. On her way, Tong Yao heard muffled sounds from an exit passageway. She discovered Ah Guang hiding and crying by himself. She approached to comfort him, and Ah Guang poured out his feelings of humiliation, stung by the online criticism after his team's crushing defeat.

He expressed frustration at being unable to explain the strategic nuances of his performance to the public. Tong Yao, understanding his pain, shared her own experience of being utterly defeated by Ah Tai of Team TAT, admitting she still felt nervous seeing his ID. She empathized with the feeling of falling hard after being highly praised, comparing it to her own past overconfidence. She encouraged him, reminding him that his team's professional journey had just begun.

She confessed the immense effort she put into studying his team, having watched dozens of their matches, highlighting her dark circles as proof that ZGDX's victory was far from "easy." She urged Ah Guang not to belittle himself and to embrace the hard-earned position his team had secured. This realization, she shared, was something she herself had come to understand while comforting him. Thankful for her words, Ah Guang began to feel better.

As Tong Yao and Ah Guang emerged from the passageway, they ran straight into Lu Sicheng. Visibly irate, he confronted Tong Yao, demanding to know why she hadn't answered his calls and accusing her of "making the opponent's Jungler cry" while hiding away with him. He continued his rapid-fire accusations, sarcastically asking if she was "collecting" team captains. His sharp words left Tong Yao too stunned to respond.

Back in the team car, while chatting with her teammates, Tong Yao suddenly declared her intention to challenge Ah Tai to another match. This stunned her teammates, but to everyone's surprise, Lu Sicheng, despite his anger just moments before, agreed to arrange it for the very next afternoon. As her teammates cheered her on, no one noticed the subtle, affectionate smile that touched Lu Sicheng's lips.

After comforting Ah Guang, who was distraught over harsh fan comments following his team's loss, Tong Yao reflected that victory is never easy and one should never underestimate an opponent. She then declared to Lu Sicheng her desire to challenge Ah Tai again. Before the match, she was visibly nervous, joking about needing the toilet. Her teammates, Lao Mao and Xiao Rui, tried to reassure her.

Lu Sicheng, however, sarcastically commented on her poor mental strength, suggesting she learn from Lu Yue's passive, "defensive tower"-like playstyle. As the game was about to begin, Tong Yao frantically searched for her mouse. Lu Sicheng gently guided her hand to it, noting how cold it was. He first seemed to mock her nervousness by reminding her of her past courage, prompting Lao K to question if he was truly comforting her.

However, Lu Sicheng then sincerely told her to close her eyes, breathe deeply, and relax, assuring her, "It doesn't matter if you lose. I'll carry you to victory." This rare display of support surprised and touched Lao K, who exclaimed that Lu Sicheng was finally speaking like a "normal man" to a woman. Xiao Pang playfully retorted, reminding them of how they had begged Lu Sicheng for victory during past assessments.

The match began, and Tong Yao chose Higanbana, the same hero she had been defeated with previously. Her anxiety led to frequent mistakes and extreme caution, causing her to constantly retreat. Observing her poor performance, Lu Sicheng began to verbally provoke her, pointing out her hesitation to leave the tower and how she was falling behind economically despite having zero deaths, asking if she was "disconnected." Despite his goading, Tong Yao became increasingly tense.

When Lao K initiated an attack and sacrificed himself, Tong Yao failed to seize the opportunity. Lao Mao also came to support, but she still retreated, disappointing her teammates. However, Lu Sicheng's continued provocations, mixed with firm encouragement, began to take effect. He pushed her to attack, assuring her he would avenge her if she failed. As the battle intensified, his words gave her the final push she needed.

After a decisive team fight, he urged her to push ahead in a one-on-one situation against Ah Tai at the enemy's base crystal. Overcoming her internal pressure, Tong Yao engaged Ah Tai while simultaneously attacking the tower, securing the victory for ZGDX. Her teammates celebrated her success, and Tong Yao, still holding the attacking posture on her mouse, had tears in her eyes as she looked at the victory screen.

To celebrate, Xiao Rui suggested they go out for a meal, on the club's tab. Tong Yao reflected that this victory was a milestone, transforming her past defeat into "armor" and solidifying her conviction as a professional gamer. Later, on the team bus, Tong Yao and Xiao Rui watched an old interview on a phone where Lu Sicheng complimented Tong Yao, stating ZGDX would be stronger with her. The team teased Lu Sicheng about his rare smile.

Annoyed, he snatched the phone and claimed the compliments were pre-written, but Xiao Rui quickly exposed his lie. As they struggled over the phone, the driver suddenly hit the brakes. Tong Yao lost her balance, but Lu Sicheng quickly pulled her into his arms. This stunned everyone, and Lu Yue in the back immediately took photos to exaggeratedly report the "hero saving the beauty" incident to their mother.

Lu Sicheng remarked that such heroics require long arms, while Xiao Pang playfully called Tong Yao a "small animal." At the celebratory barbecue, Lu Sicheng's phone rang. Lu Yue hinted that it was his "sister-in-law" calling. Lu Sicheng answered the call from his mother, Madam Wang. Tong Yao, overhearing his indulgent tone, mistakenly concluded he was talking to a girlfriend. Feeling a pang of jealousy, she excused herself to the restroom. Upon returning, she found him still on the phone.

Observing her upset expression, Lu Sicheng, seeing her jealousy, teased her to stop her wild imagination, remarking that she wasn't "worthy" of feeling jealous for him. Madam Wang called again, this time about a blind date. Lu Sicheng vehemently refused, citing his packed schedule. He outlined his impossible criteria for a partner: someone who wouldn't interfere with his gaming life and would be as "quiet as if she does not exist."

Lu Yue took the phone to defend his brother but was quickly threatened by their mother and "betrayed" Lu Sicheng. He relayed the details of the blind date: the woman was Su Luo, a pretty lady his age, recently returned from the UK, from a family with business ties to theirs. Hearing about Su Luo's seemingly perfect qualities, Tong Yao felt a surge of discomfort.

Lu Sicheng insisted his game, Onmyoji Arena, and his in-game character, Oitsuki, were his "girlfriend," dismissing the idea of a real relationship. Days later, during a team meeting, Lu Sicheng came downstairs looking for his car keys. Tong Yao immediately asked where he was going. He patiently explained that his mother had set up the blind date and only informed him after the woman had already left.

Noticing Tong Yao was barefoot, he chastised her and thoughtfully gave her a pair of slippers to wear. At a café, Lu Sicheng met Su Luo. He intended to simply drive her home, but she, impressed by his appearance, excused herself to the restroom to touch up her makeup, telling her mother over the phone how satisfied she was. While waiting, Lu Sicheng texted with Tong Yao, who advised him that takoyaki could "win over any woman."

He then ordered a large takoyaki, sarcastically claiming it was for his "pet," a "rabbit" that was also a "trash can" because it "eats everything." Su Luo, who had declined the snack, was nonetheless charmed by Lu Sicheng's good looks. Just as they were about to leave, it began to rain heavily. Lu Sicheng's gentlemanly act of running to get the car further impressed her.

In the car, Su Luo tried to arrange another meeting, but Lu Sicheng gently but directly told her they weren't a good match, suggesting the sudden rain was a sign for them to end the date. Back at the base, Tong Yao distractedly rewatched the interview clip of Lu Sicheng complimenting her. Seeing that he was still not back, Lu Yue teased her that the blind date must be going well and they would soon have a "sister-in-law."

Increasingly annoyed, Tong Yao declined his invitation to play a game, claiming she was tired, and retreated to her room. Lao Mao, noticing her foul mood after Lu Yue's comments, cryptically asked his teammate, "What do you think?" implying the obvious reason for her behavior.

Tong Yao, feeling bored, calls her friend Chen Jinyang. Chen Jinyang asks why Tong Yao didn't stop their captain, Lu Sicheng, from going on a blind date. Tong Yao explains that Lu Sicheng’s date is a 1. 72-meter-tall, overseas-educated finance master whose family is a business partner, and feels she is no match.

Chen Jinyang dismisses the master's degree, suggesting Lu Sicheng wouldn't care about her major, and teases Tong Yao about her height, joking that she should pray Lu Sicheng has a unique taste for shorter women. Tong Yao denies comparing herself, asserting she only wanted to gossip, leading Chen Jinyang to highlight Tong Yao’s own talent as the "Mulan of E-sports." Chen Jinyang then jokingly advises Tong Yao to jump under the sun after the rain to grow taller.

Soon after, Lu Sicheng returns to the base. Hearing his car, Tong Yao rushes downstairs. After a brief, slightly awkward exchange, she brightens when Lu Sicheng calls her over and hands her a box of octopus balls, her favorite. Lu Yue, seeing the food, also comes over, but Lu Sicheng, showing clear favoritism, hadn't prepared any for his younger brother. Lu Yue insists, managing to get some from Tong Yao's portion after some playful threats.

Lu Sicheng observes them, a slight smile forming on his lips. The team prepares for their next match against FNC. Before they take the stage, a promotional video and highlight reel is played on the big screen. To Tong Yao's horror, the screen unexpectedly shows a "Quote of the Match" segment featuring her. In the clip, she is seen complaining about a severe stomachache, vividly describing her need to "poop."

The entire audience erupts in laughter, while Tong Yao is mortified, wanting to disappear. Despite her embarrassment, and the manager jokingly praising her for getting the team on the trending topics, she is unable to be replaced and has to play. The game begins. Lu Sicheng sternly warns Tong Yao that if she gets killed even once, he will play her embarrassing "Quote of the Match" video on a massive TV for 24 hours.

From the outset, FNC’s Jungler, Kun, disregards his own jungle and instead repeatedly invades the mid lane, targeting Tong Yao. Kun’s Mannendake unleashes explosive early damage, constantly forcing Tong Yao to retreat to her tower. Despite attempts to counter-attack and her teammate K’s timely rescues, Kun’s relentless aggression, including multiple tower dives, leads to Tong Yao being killed repeatedly. Frustrated, Tong Yao exclaims that Kun has turned the mid lane into a "double lane" by camping her.

She expresses extreme annoyance and threatens to "vomit" if he appears again, while Lu Sicheng tersely tells her to "shut up." During a team fight over the Orochi, Tong Yao attempts to disrupt FNC, but Kun abandons the objective, vaulting over a wall to chase and kill her, even as K secures the Orochi for ZGDX. Despite Tong Yao accounting for half of her team's deaths, ZGDX gains an advantage, pushes aggressively, destroys FNC's crystal, and secures victory.

After the game, a visibly angry Tong Yao is asked by her teammates to reflect on the match. Suddenly, FNC’s Jungler, Kun, appears at their door. To everyone's surprise, he directly approaches Tong Yao, asking her to greet his fans on his live stream. Tong Yao reluctantly introduces herself. Kun then tells her that his fans think they are a good match, prompting Lu Sicheng to intervene, asserting that live streaming is not allowed there.

Before leaving, Kun boldly asks Tong Yao for her WeChat ID and scans her QR code. Watching this unfold, Lu Sicheng coldly questions Tong Yao if she is "collecting stamps," sarcastically remarking that Kun seems to have everyone's WeChat. Afterward, he dismisses her to recap the game's issues with the team. The next match begins, and the dynamics have shifted dramatically. This time, Lu Sicheng, clearly displeased by Kun’s earlier actions, relentlessly targets FNC’s Jungler.

Commentators note how Kun is having a terrible game, being chased and repeatedly killed by Lu Sicheng in the jungle. Tong Yao, no longer being singled out, now roams with Lu Sicheng, displaying a renewed, vengeful spirit. In one notable instance, Lu Sicheng kills Kun with a single, precise move. ZGDX dominates the team fights, quickly pushing into FNC's base and securing another victory.

As the ZGDX team prepares to leave, they find Kun waiting enthusiastically by their team bus, inviting them to dinner. Despite Lu Sicheng labeling him "out of control," Kun gets on their bus and attempts to sit next to Tong Yao. Lu Sicheng quickly intervenes, instructing Fatty to switch seats with him, thereby placing himself between Kun and Tong Yao. On the bus, Kun starts messaging Tong Yao, praising her gameplay.

Sensing his intentions, Tong Yao discreetly complains to Lu Sicheng that Kun is trying to flirt with her. Without hesitation, Lu Sicheng leans over and loudly declares in Korean, "She's my girl. Leave her alone, you brat!" Kun is utterly stunned. Lu Sicheng simply tells Tong Yao not to worry, assuring her that Kun won't bother her anymore.

Later, at dinner, Kun attempts to engage Lu Sicheng in a conversation about Tong Yao, pressing him on whether she is truly his girlfriend. Lu Sicheng unequivocally states that even if she isn't his woman now, she will be in the future. Kun, undeterred, argues that he believes in love at first sight, finds Tong Yao incredibly cute, and promises to treat her well, even giving her all the kills in future matches.

He vows to announce their relationship on social media to the world. Lu Sicheng, however, remains unyielding, calling Kun a "little brat" and reminding him of his past in Korea where he frequently changed girlfriends. Kun insists this time is different. As the discussion escalates, an exasperated Lu Sicheng raises his hand as if to strike Kun, firmly reiterating, "I told you, she's my girl."

Back at the table, Tong Yao kindly offers Kun a piece of grilled meat, but Lu Sicheng swiftly snatches it away before he can take it. The following day, Chen Jinyang invites Tong Yao to her newly rented five-star suite near the ZGDX villa. Chen Jinyang explains she decided to give her boyfriend, Ai Jia, another chance after he presented a compelling "life plan."

She suggests Tong Yao should move in, stating it would be easier for her to "assist" her. During their chat, Tong Yao plays a voice message for Chen Jinyang to translate. The message, clearly from Lu Sicheng, contains the forceful declaration in Korean: "She's my girl. Leave her alone, you brat!" Chen Jinyang translates the words, then teasingly asks if Tong Yao has been watching too many Korean dramas, before realizing the voice belongs to Lu Sicheng.

Tong Yao becomes visibly nervous yet slightly excited, while Chen Jinyang's curiosity is piqued. One day, while Lu Sicheng is showering, he receives a WeChat message from Su Luo, his blind date, informing him she bought front-row tickets for their Sunday game and wants to have dinner afterward. Annoyed, Lu Sicheng immediately confronts Lu Yue, demanding to know how Su Luo got his number.

Lu Yue confesses that their mother had given it to Su Luo, claiming he was threatened with having to inherit the family business if he didn't comply. Meanwhile, Lu Sicheng receives a message from Kun, challenging his claim about Tong Yao. Kun states that he will attend the weekend game to see if Lu Sicheng and Tong Yao are truly together, vowing to pursue Tong Yao if they are not.

Just then, Tong Yao appears, confronting Lu Sicheng about his Korean declaration on the bus. Feigning innocence, Lu Sicheng claims she misheard and quickly makes an excuse to leave. Later that night, Lu Sicheng is talking to Hierophant. Lu Sicheng comments that Kun has been "quite outrageous" lately and expresses a feeling of being watched. Hierophant dismisses it, jokingly suggesting it might be a ghost. Feeling uneasy, Lu Sicheng abruptly cuts the conversation short.

Moments later, Tong Yao emerges from her hiding spot, revealing she was the one secretly observing them and relieved she wasn't caught. The next morning, Lu Sicheng wakes up to find a heart-shaped breakfast prepared. Tong Yao appears, playfully adding that since he publicly claimed she was "his woman," she feels he should even inform her of his sock color. Lu Sicheng, in an uncharacteristically serious tone, replies that his socks are black.

Tong Yao then casually explains she made the breakfast for Da Bing, the team's cat, but since he didn't like it, she offered it to Lu Sicheng to avoid waste. Lu Sicheng happily begins to eat, and they share a comfortable moment. Before the upcoming match, Su Luo arrives at the venue carrying a strikingly large bouquet of roses, drawing considerable attention. From the stage, Tong Yao curiously observes the scene.

Lu Sicheng notices Tong Yao looking in that direction and, misinterpreting her curiosity, becomes jealous. He possessively grabs Tong Yao's head and turns her to face him, warning her that if she "flirts" again, he'll "French kiss" her in front of Su Luo to deter any thoughts. Tong Yao denies flirting, but Lu Sicheng insists she was. She asks him to release her, but he refuses, claiming Su Luo is still watching. When Tong Yao asks if his blind date would be jealous, Lu Sicheng states that he had already turned her down.

The competition commenced with commentators Ah Heng and Shuo Shuo setting the stage for the ZGDX versus Arashi match. Meanwhile, Ai Jia, watching the broadcast with Jin Yang, wryly commented on the unfolding "Shura Field," drawing attention to the entangled dynamics between Lu Sicheng, his blind date Su Luo, Tong Yao, and her admirer Kun, who were all present. ZGDX swiftly secured victory in the first match. Afterward, Tong Yao spotted Su Luo approaching with a lavish bouquet of roses.

Panicked, she instinctively tugged on Lu Sicheng's sleeve. When he turned and asked what was wrong, she was startled into silence and hurried back to the lounge alone, privately wondering how a heroine in a Korean drama would handle the situation. Before leaving the stage, Lu Sicheng found Tong Yao and casually pulled an eyelash from her face, a gesture she found peculiar. Back in the lounge, he returned carrying the enormous bouquet from Su Luo.

His teammates were astonished and immediately began to tease him, joking that the flowers were from his "fiancée" and questioning Tong Yao's status. They even sang a song to playfully mock her, and Lao Mao joked that her hair-washing water must be green, implying she was being cheated on. Lu Sicheng dismissed the "fiancée" talk, but the teasing continued. Soon after, Kun arrived with a bag of mixed nuts specifically for Tong Yao, insisting they were healthy and delicious.

Lu Sicheng’s annoyance was palpable as he questioned Kun's frequent visits and open flattery of Tong Yao. Kun, in turn, boasted about his romantic prowess, claiming he could pluck stars from the sky for her. Growing increasingly frustrated, Lu Sicheng sarcastically remarked that Kun, the jungler from FNC, seemed to be proposing marriage with the nuts. He scoffed at the idea, recalling how Kun had mercilessly targeted Tong Yao in their previous match.

Tong Yao, however, simply commented that Kun's nuts were delicious, which sparked further teasing from her teammates about Lu Sicheng's obvious jealousy. Exasperated, Lu Sicheng told them to stop gossiping and prepare for the next match. In the second match, ZGDX secured another decisive victory. As they descended from the stage, Fatty accidentally stepped on Tong Yao's shoe, causing her to lose her balance.

Just as she was about to fall, Lu Sicheng swiftly turned and caught her in a princess carry, stunning the audience. Spectators erupted in speculation, convinced the two were dating. Su Luo, witnessing the scene, was visibly angered and left, while Kun appeared both surprised and disheartened. Lu Sicheng carried Tong Yao all the way to the interview stage. During the interview, Tong Yao expressed her satisfaction with the win and credited her teammates.

When asked about being the only female professional player, she explained that while initially anxious, everyone had been kind and had not given her special treatment, which she appreciated. She challenged the prejudice that women are inferior to men in certain fields, asserting that women can excel at anything, including esports. Playfully, she complained that Lu Sicheng had never publicly praised her. When questioned about the princess carry, Tong Yao clarified that Fatty had simply caused her to trip.

She insisted there was nothing romantic between them, jokingly promising to announce it with a loudspeaker from the stage if they ever started dating. Meanwhile, a reporter from "E-Sports Farm" analyzed Su Luo's actions, noting she seemed unfamiliar with esports, brought a large bouquet, gave it to Lu Sicheng backstage, and left without it. The reporter concluded that Su Luo had deliberately orchestrated the scene to stir up rumors and generate media attention.

After the match, the team headed to a shoe store, leaving the massive bouquet behind. Lu Sicheng generously offered to buy everyone new shoes. Captivated by his appearance, female shop assistants secretly admired him and commented on how beautiful Tong Yao was and what a perfect couple they made, which brought a secret joy to Tong Yao. As the team left, Su Luo confronted them and invited Lu Sicheng to dinner, but he coldly declined.

When Su Luo tried to follow, Lu Yue intervened, accusing her of deliberately spreading rumors and causing trouble for the team. Su Luo retorted that an esports player should be allowed a personal life and brazenly admitted her actions were intentional, aimed at discouraging Lu Sicheng's female fans. She argued the publicity would be beneficial, especially since their families wanted them to get married.

Lu Yue countered that his brother could have a relationship, "but not with you," and demanded she delete Lu Sicheng's WeChat contact and stop harassing him. When Su Luo tried to give Lu Yue money, citing a superstition about paying for gifted shoes to ward off bad luck between couples, he rejected it, stating the custom only applied to actual couples. Observing the exchange, Lu Sicheng dismissed his brother's actions as childish before they left.

Back at the base, Lu Sicheng began a live stream. When asked about the woman at the arena, he clarified she was a blind date arranged by his parents whom he had rejected. He humorously declared his only goal was to win the world championship and confirmed he had deleted her contact information.

In response to a fan's question about his ideal partner, Lu Sicheng reiterated his preference for someone who played games better than him, stating that dating someone outside the esports world would be a waste of time. When a fan insulted Tong Yao's height, Lu Sicheng fiercely defended his teammate and had the fan blocked. Unexpectedly, he then challenged Tong Yao to a one-on-one solo match, with a massive late-night crayfish feast as the prize for the winner.

The solo match, broadcast live, commenced with Fatty outlining the rules: a mid-lane duel decided by three kills or one tower, using warrior heroes. Lu Sicheng secured the first kill, but then began to intentionally go easy on Tong Yao, allowing her to level the score to 2-2. As the match reached its climax, with his deliberate leniency, Tong Yao ultimately clinched the victory, much to the delight of their teammates who were eagerly anticipating their crayfish.

As they celebrated, a subtle smirk appeared on Lu Sicheng's face, revealing his satisfaction. Just then, he received a call from Su Luo, who wanted a final meeting to promise she would no longer bother him. He explained that she might come to the base if he refused. Seeing Tong Yao’s visible disappointment, she quietly told Lu Sicheng that she did not want him to go, and he appeared moved by her words.

Tong Yao excitedly recounted her recent solo match with Lu Sicheng to her best friend, Chen Jinyang. Chen Jinyang was thrilled, convinced Lu Sicheng had intentionally let Tong Yao win. Tong Yao, however, insisted he hadn't gone easy on her, suggesting her victory was due to her superior familiarity with the mid lane. Chen Jinyang advised her not to act rashly, noting that if a man has feelings, he will eventually express them; otherwise, Tong Yao might be overthinking things.

After the call, Tong Yao found Lu Sicheng downstairs and asked why he hadn't left for his date with Su Luo. Lu Sicheng implied he had overheard her earlier comment about not wanting him to go. Flustered, Tong Yao claimed she was merely concerned about him being distracted from the team's goal of winning the championship.

Lu Sicheng then revealed he had changed the meeting location to the base entrance before reiterating that "relationships don't exist in e-sports" and their focus must be on the National Championship. Outside, Lu Sicheng was confronted by Hierophant and his teammates, who teased him about deliberately losing the solo match to Tong Yao. Lu Sicheng denied it, attributing his loss to a calculation error and dryly remarking that Tong Yao was probably already plotting to replace him.

As they left, Su Luo arrived. Lu Sicheng coldly told her they were not suitable. Despite Su Luo's apologies for her fans' behavior and her offer to learn about the e-sports world, Lu Sicheng was unmoved. He explained that if he truly wanted someone, he would protect them, emphasizing he was a pro gamer, not an idol. He then stated he would marry someone who could beat him at Onmyoji Arena—or even just at Tetris—before leaving abruptly.

Back at the base, the team was grumbling about being hungry, worried the popular crayfish restaurant would sell out. Hearing their complaints, Tong Yao went out to find Lu Sicheng. After confirming his date had left, they decided to drive to the crayfish shop in the southern part of the city, a distance that surprised Tong Yao.

At the shop, a staff member mistook Tong Yao for Lu Sicheng’s girlfriend, commenting that she looked at him with the affection of a wife. Lu Sicheng smiled at the observation. While carrying the food, Lu Sicheng revealed his hand was hurting from a chronic strain common for AD players. Tong Yao immediately took the heavy bags from him, scolding him for not mentioning his injury sooner.

Visibly touched by her concern, Lu Sicheng thanked her and gave her a gentle head pat, leaving her momentarily stunned. On the drive back, Tong Yao again asked if he had intentionally lost their match. He playfully teased that she didn't have a "girly heart" to understand such complex plots. When she insisted she did, he conceded with a smile and gave her another gentle head pat.

Tong Yao then tried to express her concern about his hand and suggest physiotherapy but became flustered. Noticing her nervousness, Lu Sicheng turned on the radio and began singing along, subtly easing her anxiety. Upon returning, they shared the crayfish with their teammates. Fatty started a live stream of their feast, declaring that RIO cocktails and crayfish were the perfect combination, as endorsed by their mid laner, Smiling.

Noticing Lu Sicheng wasn't eating, Tong Yao peeled a crayfish and offered it to him. He took it directly from her fingers with his mouth, prompting playful teasing from their teammates, who called them a "husband and wife" pair. Their banter was interrupted when Xiao Rui pulled Lu Sicheng aside. Xiao Rui informed Lu Sicheng that his repeated rejections of Su Luo had angered his mother, who was now pressuring the club.

As a result, they were obligated to attend an anime convention, as the contract was already signed despite their packed schedule. Lu Sicheng reluctantly agreed but made it clear this was the last time the club would make such an arrangement for him. At the convention, while the team was having breakfast, a crowd of fans surrounded them for autographs. Tong Yao noticed one fan, Jia Qi, repeatedly asking for signatures.

She alerted Xiao Rui, who politely dismissed the fan due to their schedule. Angered, Jia Qi insulted them for being pretentious and later posted negative comments online, accusing Tong Yao of acting like a big shot. Later, the team reviewed the event schedule and found an activity requiring them to princess-carry showgirls unreasonable, citing the models' short skirts and the risk of aggravating their hand injuries.

Jia Qi, now acting as a staff member, refused their request to change the activity. She antagonized them, claiming "everyone is here for the money" and threatening to post on social media that the ZGDX players were "too precious" to participate. Infuriated, Tong Yao shoved her. Lu Sicheng immediately intervened, pulling Tong Yao back as Jia Qi dramatically accused her of assault. Tong Yao retorted, "So only you are a woman? Am I a man in your eyes?"

before teammates de-escalated the situation. Left alone in the dressing room, Tong Yao cried out of frustration. Meanwhile, Jia Qi started a live stream, exaggerating the incident and calling Tong Yao a "lunatic" with a temper, which led to a wave of online backlash. As the situation escalated, the club's executive director and Lu Sicheng's mother, Wang Lan, arrived for a meeting. She immediately penalized Xiao Rui by docking two months of his salary.

Lu Sicheng rushed in and proposed a solution: the club should issue a sincere public apology while using friendly media and other teams to clarify the truth. However, his mother insisted that since Tong Yao initiated physical contact, she must be held accountable and proposed a one-match suspension. To everyone's surprise, Lu Sicheng agreed, then asked Xiao Rui to take Tong Yao out so he could speak with his mother privately.

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.

ZGDX secured an impressive victory against Team Obsidian in their latest match. Early on, ZGDX successfully took down the Kraken, then used that momentum to dominate team fights, with Lu Sicheng notably achieving a triple kill that led to the decisive push on Team Obsidian's crystal. Back in the lounge, Tong Yao praised Lu Yue for his MVP performance, triggering their usual playful bickering until Lu Sicheng intervened, putting a stop to their squabbling.

Exiting the base, ZGDX was met by a barrage of aggressive reporters. Tong Yao appeared overwhelmed as they relentlessly questioned her about her recent suspension and whether her actions were a calculated move for attention. Lu Sicheng immediately stepped forward, quoting a specific article of the Criminal Law regarding defamation, effectively silencing the reporters with his authoritative warning.

Following this intense encounter, Lu Yue was interviewed, where he acknowledged Tong Yao's skill and stated that despite his strong performance, she remained better suited as the team's starter, affirming his trust in his teammates' judgment while vowing to continue improving. Later, at a restaurant, Lu Sicheng showed subtle concern for Tong Yao's foot blister. They unexpectedly encountered Xu Tai Lun from Team DQ. Five.

A fan of Xu Tai Lun approached Tong Yao, telling her that he had defended her during his own livestream. Afterwards, Tong Yao puzzled over where else she had seen him, eventually recalling his appearance on Ning Jia Qi's livestream and concluding they must be a couple. Lu Sicheng then quickly diverted her attention by urging her to eat.

After dinner, as the team rode the bus back to the base, Lu Sicheng instructed the driver to pull over, explaining he needed to buy something and that the team shouldn't wait for him. As he stepped off the bus, he cast a lingering glance back at Tong Yao, who had fallen asleep. Back at the base, Fatty discovered that one of Lu Sicheng's beloved goldfish was missing.

Tong Yao, feeling guilty, quickly tried to cover up, suggesting the fish had overeaten. When Lu Sicheng returned, Tong Yao delivered a comically elaborate speech about respecting nature's food chain before confessing that her cat, Da Bing, had devoured the fish. Fatty attempted to lighten the mood by humorously suggesting the goldfish might have "flown away." Lu Sicheng, visibly displeased, silently handed Tong Yao a band-aid for her foot, offering no further scolding.

Later, Tong Yao learned from Jin Yang that Lu Sicheng, seeking revenge, had been searching for live piranhas online, but instead purchased Venus flytraps, intending to place them near the fish tank to "bite" anyone who dared disturb his new fish again, much to Tong Yao's alarm for Da Bing. Worried about Da Bing following the Venus flytrap incident, Tong Yao woke early to check on her cat.

She found Lu Sicheng asleep on the living room sofa, still logged into a ranking match. Concerned he might catch a cold, she kindly covered him with a blanket. Unexpectedly, Lu Sicheng, in his sleep, pulled her into a tight embrace, mistaking her for Da Bing. As they lay in this awkward position, Fatty descended the stairs, witnessed the scene, and immediately retreated to share the "news" with his teammates.

Lu Sicheng eventually woke to find Tong Yao beside him, and both were flustered. Tong Yao attempted to explain her innocent intentions, but Lu Sicheng's denial only made her point out how unconvincing he sounded. Despite Lu Sicheng's lack of sleep, Tong Yao suggested they visit the animal and plant market to buy him a new goldfish. He agreed, and they both headed off to get ready, with Lu Sicheng even teasing Tong Yao to wash her hair.

Downstairs, their teammates, particularly Fatty, were astonished by their dressed-up appearance, openly speculating if they were going on a date rather than just buying fish. Lao Mao, observing them, lamented his own single status in comparison. At the bustling flower market, Lu Sicheng teased Tong Yao about her difficulty walking in high heels. Soon after, a passerby accidentally bumped into Tong Yao, causing her to stumble. Lu Sicheng swiftly caught her, preventing a fall.

They shared a brief, intense gaze amidst falling flower petals before Tong Yao, feeling self-conscious, quickly moved away. Lu Sicheng watched her walk unsteadily, a knowing smile playing on his lips. At the goldfish stall, Lu Sicheng insisted on black fish, while Tong Yao playfully preferred red ones, leading to more lighthearted banter. The stall owner, mistaking them for a couple, advised Lu Sicheng to concede to his "girlfriend." Tong Yao quickly clarified that they were not dating.

After haggling for the fish, Lu Sicheng unexpectedly took Tong Yao's hand and led her away. They then visited a cat stall, where Tong Yao expressed a desire for a new kitten, but Lu Sicheng playfully rejected the idea, stating that two "nuisances"—referring to Tong Yao and Da Bing—were enough for the base.

While there, they spotted Xu Tai Lun with a woman who was clearly not Ning Jia Qi, leading Tong Yao to realize he was cheating on his presumed girlfriend. Lu Sicheng, unfazed, merely commented on Tong Yao's poor judgment in men. Afterward, they shared a simple noodle meal. Despite Tong Yao's initial reluctance to go to a movie, wanting to play ranking games instead, Lu Sicheng revealed he had already bought tickets for "Black Widow."

Inside the cinema, he advised Tong Yao on adapting to life as a public figure, emphasizing the need to be unswayed by public opinion. During the movie, Xu Tai Lun and his companion were also seen. After the movie, fans immediately swarmed them. Tong Yao instinctively tried to hide, but Lu Sicheng urged her to face the public. When asked if they were dating, Tong Yao nervously stated they were merely "teammates" who coincidentally watched a movie together.

Lu Sicheng, visibly annoyed by her response, sarcastically questioned if she truly expected people to believe their "fish-buying" alibi before playfully threatening to spoil "Black Widow" for her. Back at the base, Lu Sicheng was content with the new goldfish. Meanwhile, Tong Yao, watching Xu Tai Lun's live stream, became furious as he denied his cheating allegations by concocting a flimsy alibi involving his kitten, even implying that she was mistaken.

Subsequently, during her own live stream, Tong Yao subtly but pointedly countered the online rumors about her and Lu Sicheng, asserting their "teammate" status. She then sarcastically addressed the claims about Xu Tai Lun, implying he was one of the people who entered the cinema late to avoid being seen, suggesting fans "ask him themselves" about his whereabouts. Lu Sicheng, who was present, observed her actions with a contemplative expression. The next match began, pitting ZGDX against DQ. Five.

Fatty expressed unusual nervousness before the game, remarking on his unsettling feeling. From the outset, DQ. Five's entire team surprisingly coordinated an attack on Tong Yao in the mid-lane, quickly securing "First Blood" as she was overwhelmed, leading commentators to question this aggressive early-game strategy.

In the first match, ZGDX held a lead over DQ. Five. DQ. Five's Jungler, Xu Tai Lun, relentlessly targeted ZGDX's mid-laner, Tong Yao, with his Shikigami, Yamakaze. He ganked her repeatedly, determined to slay her. Though Tong Yao grew frustrated, ZGDX's bot lane duo, Lu Sicheng and Fatty, began pushing towers, disrupting Xu Tai Lun's singular focus. Despite Xu Tai Lun's continued aggression, which often resulted in disadvantageous one-for-one trades, ZGDX gained momentum.

During a pivotal team fight at the twenty-minute mark, Lu Sicheng delivered a spectacular performance, securing a quadruple kill. Even as ZGDX pushed into their base, Xu Tai Lun persisted in chasing Tong Yao. Ultimately, ZGDX demolished DQ. Five's base and claimed victory. After the game, Xu Tai Lun confronted Tong Yao, questioning why she spoke ambiguously about the cinema incident during her live stream instead of clearing his name.

Tong Yao retorted that she had the freedom to say what she pleased and that not exposing him was already a favor. Xu Tai Lun then offered to intentionally lose the next game if she agreed to keep his secrets. Tong Yao defiantly refused and bit him on the arm before fleeing. Before the second match, Lu Sicheng noticed Xu Tai Lun's bandaged arm and Tong Yao’s pale face.

He confronted Tong Yao about "flirting" with the opposing jungler, to which she tried to correct his wording. Lu Sicheng sternly instructed her to explain herself after the match. In the second game, Xu Tai Lun once again focused on ganking Tong Yao. This time, Lu Sicheng and Fatty actively protected her, repeatedly turning the tables and killing Xu Tai Lun. After securing a decisive team fight victory, ZGDX pushed to DQ. Five's base.

However, instead of ending the game, an angered Lu Sicheng waited for Xu Tai Lun to respawn and killed him in his own fountain as revenge before destroying the base. During the post-game interview, Tong Yao was questioned about Xu Tai Lun's on-field behavior. As she began to answer, Lu Sicheng intervened, taking the microphone to protect her from misspeaking and warned the media against misconstruing her words.

Back at the base, after hearing the full story of the confrontation, Lu Sicheng locked a defiant Tong Yao out of the house. That evening, Tong Yao used the team's food delivery as leverage, threatening to let herself be bitten by mosquitoes outside while the team starved. Lu Sicheng relented, allowing her back in after she admitted her mistake. The next morning, Tong Yao took her cat, Da Bing, to the pet store, and Lu Sicheng offered her a ride.

There, Tong Yao encountered the fan she had seen with Xu Tai Lun, who asked her to watch a kitten she believed had feline distemper. Lu Sicheng returned and learned the kitten only had a common cold. The fan soon returned to pick up the healthy kitten. Back at the base, Tong Yao watched Xu Tai Lun's live stream and was agitated by his lies, particularly when he claimed he was co-raising the kitten with his girlfriend, Ning Jia Qi.

Hearing Tong Yao's rant about the lack of good men in esports, Lu Sicheng defended himself and, placing his hand over hers, asked her to "give it a try." A confused Tong Yao missed the implication, and an embarrassed Lu Sicheng retracted his hand. Shortly after, news broke online confirming Xu Tai Lun's infidelity. Evidence posted by a user named "In Your Name," who was revealed to be his girlfriend Ning Jia Qi, exposed his affair with the fan.

While ZGDX members discussed the scandal and its negative impact on the league, the official ruling was announced: Xu Tai Lun was suspended for a season and DQ. Five was heavily fined. Heartbroken by the betrayal and backlash from Xu Tai Lun's fans, Ning Jia Qi, also known as Guo Guo, left her residence. At the tournament venue, Tong Yao spotted a distraught Guo Guo standing alone in the rain.

Guo Guo tearfully asked if she was responsible for destroying Xu Tai Lun. Tong Yao gave a neutral response and handed Guo Guo her umbrella, walking back into the rain. In the interview room, a concerned Lu Sicheng gave the drenched Tong Yao a towel. She expressed her disillusionment, suggesting esports players might not be worthy of their fans' admiration. Lu Sicheng gently reassured her that not all players were like Xu Tai Lun, citing their own team's discipline. He then looked at her seriously and repeated his earlier question, "Do you want to give it a try?" making his romantic intentions clear.

Following Lu Sicheng's unexpected confession, Tong Yao stood stunned for a moment. Then, feeling a lack of confidence, she intentionally raised her voice, retorted a few times, and tried to leave, but Lu Sicheng called her back. The two sat down to discuss the matter. Tong Yao accused Lu Sicheng of being too aggressive with his tone, and he softened, agreeing to talk calmly.

However, Lu Sicheng's patience wore thin with Tong Yao's evasiveness, and his tone hardened again, only to revert immediately when she called him out. He repeatedly asked for a clear answer, but Tong Yao remained noncommittal. Lu Sicheng asked her to give him a chance, setting a deadline of 9 PM that night for her answer, claiming it would affect his sleep. He also told her to dry her hair before their upcoming interview.

During the interview, the hosts noted the lack of interaction between Lu Sicheng and Tong Yao, speculating about internal conflict. When asked about Korean players, Tong Yao praised skilled individuals, but Lu Sicheng countered that relying on them was a "temporary solution" and that the local scene needed to improve from within. They also differed on solutions to issues in the esports industry, with Tong Yao favoring player self-awareness and Lu Sicheng advocating for better club management.

On the topic of relationships between pro gamers and fans, Tong Yao stressed the need for a proper distance, condemning "third parties" and fans with "possessive" behavior. Lu Sicheng added that young players are easily misled and need self-control, firmly stating his own lifestyle was "not problematic" and that he was "someone you can entrust your future with." Finally, when asked about dating within the esports circle, Lu Sicheng openly responded, "Why not?"

and turned to Tong Yao, asking, "Don't you want to?" Tong Yao, flustered, simply replied, "I don't know," sparking whispers among the audience. After the interview, Tong Yao went to the restroom and overheard women outside calling her and Lu Sicheng a "despicable couple" and her a "third wheel" and a "vicious woman." Distraught, she wondered if she had "ruined him" and hid until they left.

Later that evening, Lu Sicheng texted Tong Yao, reminding her of the 9 PM deadline. At 8:58:30 PM, he texted the time and asked for her answer. When she hesitated, he sent another message at 8:59:30 PM, revealing he had brought a "cat hostage" from the DQ. Five base, threatening to abduct the cat if he was "still single after 30 seconds." This prompted Tong Yao to rush downstairs and embrace him.

He cheekily asked why she didn't hug him back sooner, declaring, "Both the cat and you are mine." When she called him out for his methods, he justified himself by saying, "All is fair in war. Without this cat, I would've never been able to hug you." Tong Yao playfully called him a "stupid thug" and settled into his embrace. The next morning, Tong Yao excitedly called Chen Jinyang to announce the news.

Chen Jinyang rushed to the ZGDX base, where Tong Yao introduced the cat, which Chen Jinyang recognized as the one formerly belonging to Xu Tai Lun. Tong Yao explained that Lu Sicheng had adopted it and she had named it "Little Shallot." She then confessed that she and Lu Sicheng were now in an "indescribable relationship." Chen Jinyang shrieked with excitement, teasing Tong Yao about "sleeping with General Lu" before conquering the esports world.

Tong Yao clarified that they hadn't slept together yet. She explained their relationship was in a "probation period," quoting that "practice is the sole criterion for testing truth" to determine if he truly was a "good man," unlike others. Chen Jinyang sarcastically likened the arrangement to an "experiment" with a "refund" option, a "three-month probation," and a "five-year warranty." Later, Tong Yao found Lu Sicheng on the phone with Hierophant.

He explained that due to the recent scandals, OPL clubs were tightening rules, and YQCB had imposed a 10 PM curfew. Tong Yao then tattled to Xiao Rui that Lu Sicheng had just tried to tempt Hierophant to go out for a drink. As revenge, Lu Sicheng playfully grabbed Tong Yao's hand and intertwined their fingers, refusing to let go. Xiao Rui, completely distracted by the new cat, failed to notice their intimate gesture.

Lu Sicheng continued to tease Tong Yao about her "soft hand," prompting her to call him a "stupid thug." After escaping his grasp, Tong Yao received a teasing text from him saying that even the neutered cats had a companion to sleep with, while she "only had Onmyoji Arena." She then saw online comments targeting Chen Jinyang, accusing her of being jobless and financially dependent on her boyfriend, Ai Jia.

To address the rumors, Ai Jia went live, vehemently defending Chen Jinyang and clarifying that he was the one who pursued her. Chen Jinyang then boldly appeared on the stream, showing off her expensive designer items and a luxury car, sarcastically claiming Ai Jia bought them for her and declaring herself "Queen." A frantic Ai Jia had to interject that he couldn't possibly afford the car. That night, Lu Sicheng texted Tong Yao, asking if she missed him.

He then used the excuse of getting her water to go to her room. The moment she opened the door, he abandoned his usual cool demeanor and embraced her tightly. Tong Yao expressed her anxieties about how the recent controversy was affecting even "normal relationships," mentioning the criticism Chen Jinyang faced. Lu Sicheng reassured her that fan opinions didn't represent his own and he wouldn't force her to go public.

He acknowledged he "broke the rules first" and would take full "responsibility." He then hugged her again, gave her a kiss, and jokingly called her an "accomplice," saying her skills, professional attitude, and cuteness had "seriously enticed" him. Embarrassed, Tong Yao pushed him out of her room. The next day, Tong Yao went to the arena to watch Ai Jia's match and was recognized by fans. She enthusiastically signed autographs and took photos with them.

Chen Jinyang joined her, vowing to attend all of Ai Jia's matches and sit in the front row to "show off her long legs." Some fans gave Tong Yao a support bracelet, thanking her for speaking up for female gamers, which made her feel proud. From a distance, Lu Sicheng watched her and texted that she was "smiling like an idiot."

When she excitedly told him about her new fans, he replied dismissively, calling her response "perfunctory," before telling her to "raise your head, your hubby is here." Fans soon spotted him, causing a stir. Before leaving, Lu Sicheng leaned in and warned Tong Yao not to "flirt with other people" when he wasn't around, "not even girls."

The YQCB team's match began with fans fervently chanting Hierophant's name. Early in the game, a fierce team fight erupted, and Ai Jia showcased exceptional skill, turning the tide with precise maneuvers that included stunning an opponent to free Hierophant. However, Chen Jinyang, who didn't understand the game, was more focused on a large pimple on Ai Jia's forehead, a result of his recent stress. With Hierophant's addition, YQCB dominated, swiftly securing a victory in their first match.

After the match, Chen Jinyang was harassed by female fans behind her. One fan condescendingly questioned why Chen Jinyang was even there, implying she was with Ai Jia only for his fame and didn't care about the game. Chen Jinyang initially chose to endure the insults for Ai Jia's sake, but when the fan's criticisms escalated after YQCB's loss in the second game, Chen Jinyang expressed her frustration at having to deal with such fans while Ai Jia was competing.

Meanwhile, in the ZGDX lounge, the team studied YQCB's strategies, noting their opponents' relaxed state, which suggested they had a solid plan. The second game commenced, with YQCB attempting a new "4-Protect-1" strategy focused on Hierophant's Hakuro. However, this unfamiliar approach led to a significant disadvantage. Ai Jia's performance on Yuki Onna was notably poor, a stark contrast to his previous game as he made numerous mistakes and reverted to an old, ineffective playstyle.

The opposing team, Alpha, exploited their lack of synergy, quickly winning the second match and tying the series. Witnessing his team's defeat and the continued harassment of Chen Jinyang, Ai Jia became enraged. He descended from the stage, directly confronted the fan for insulting Chen Jinyang, and stated that his performance had nothing to do with her and that he would not tolerate his girlfriend being bullied.

He then assertively picked up Chen Jinyang and carried her away from the arena. Back in the lounge, Ai Jia, usually reserved, passionately expressed his long-held frustrations, revealing that he had been "infuriated for days." He declared his disdain for fans who spread negativity, especially those who attacked his girlfriend under the guise of protecting his reputation. Ai Jia proclaimed that he would always protect Chen Jinyang, emphasizing that their relationship was their own business.

Moved by his powerful words, Chen Jinyang reciprocated his feelings, acknowledging the challenges of their public relationship but reaffirming her commitment. She bravely told him she would endure any difficulty for him, because she knew he would always be there for her. They then embraced and kissed. Tong Yao, witnessing this intimate moment from outside, quietly closed the door. As she turned, she encountered Lu Sicheng.

Understanding her thoughts without needing words, he offered a comforting hug and playfully remarked that he had to protect her, joking that he couldn’t bear the thought of his chest and abs not belonging to her. Despite Ai Jia's absence from the starting lineup in the third match due to his emotional state, YQCB managed to secure the series victory, a result of their strong team performance.

Later, as ZGDX prepared for their own match against Team Doomsday, they debated their strategy. Tong Yao, despite YQCB's recent failure with it, proposed using the "4-Protect-1" strategy, suggesting she play Yuki Onna to prove the Shikigami's viability. Lu Sicheng, intrigued by the idea of "teaching other ADCs how to implement the strategy"—a subtle jab at Hierophant's earlier struggle—agreed to the unconventional approach. The match began with ZGDX facing significant early pressure.

However, Tong Yao, with a well-timed ultimate and coordinated efforts with Fatty, initiated a crucial skirmish, securing two kills for ZGDX without any losses and helping them recover. Lu Sicheng, as the core of the "4-Protect-1" strategy, focused on farming to scale into the late game. As Team Doomsday attempted to secure the Orochi, Lu Sicheng, still farming, finally reached level 18 on Hakuro.

Just as Orochi's health was nearly depleted, Lu Sicheng joined the team fight, his fully-leveled Hakuro unleashing devastating damage. ZGDX seized the opportunity, eliminating their opponents and securing a stunning come-from-behind victory. In the post-match interview, Lu Sicheng subtly mocked Hierophant’s performance with the 4-Protect-1 strategy. When reporters shifted to questions about players' private lives, Lu Sicheng's demeanor became sharp. He passionately defended professional players' right to personal relationships, comparing demanding fans to overbearing parents.

He urged fans to empathize, pointing out that players dedicate immense time to training and deserve a personal life. When pressed further, Lu Sicheng confessed that he already had someone he liked, causing a ripple of excitement. Tong Yao, standing nearby, blushed but tried to maintain a calm facade. Lu Sicheng concluded by advising fans to stay "close to his stage, but far from his life."

After the interview, as the ZGDX team went on stage to bow, Lu Sicheng playfully bickered with Tong Yao, teasing her about her performance in the match they just won. He held her arm, and though she tried to pull away, he maintained his grip. As the team walked off stage, Tong Yao looked at Lu Sicheng with admiration.

It is said that the meaning of falling in love lies in finding that one person who can give you everything you desire, who is capable, fearless, and always ready to stand by your side.

During a press conference, keen-eyed netizens noticed subtle interactions between Lu Sicheng and Tong Yao, sparking online discussions about their relationship. Online comments debated Lu Sicheng's stance on professional gamers dating, with some viewers expressing support, while others, concerned about potential distractions, voiced strong disapproval of Tong Yao. One observant netizen even claimed to have seen Lu Sicheng's hand moving under the table, suggesting he was holding Tong Yao's hand.

Lu Sicheng, responding to a question about his personal life, had stated he already had someone he liked, further fueling the speculation. Later, on the bus ride back to the base, as their teammates slept, Lu Sicheng gently took Tong Yao's hand and leaned in to kiss her. A sudden noise on the bus startled them, causing them to quickly separate. After a brief chat, they embraced again, sharing another deep kiss.

Upon returning to the base, as the team members chatted, preparing to order food, Lu Sicheng declined Fatty’s offer and headed upstairs, giving Tong Yao a subtle signal that she didn't understand at first. Soon after, she received a text message from Lu Sicheng. Realizing his intent, Tong Yao made an excuse and followed him upstairs. In the room, Lu Sicheng hid behind the door and embraced Tong Yao from behind as she entered.

Feeling a bit awkward, Tong Yao quickly pulled away, but Lu Sicheng persisted. As he leaned closer, Tong Yao quickly diverted his attention by suggesting they go on a date the next day. Lu Sicheng agreed, and Tong Yao seized the opportunity to quickly leave the room. The next morning, Tong Yao came downstairs looking particularly well-dressed. Xiao Rui immediately made a bet with Fatty, predicting Lu Sicheng's imminent appearance. True to form, Lu Sicheng soon followed.

Their teammates gathered around, playfully interrogating them. Lu Sicheng and Tong Yao offered vague excuses before getting into a car and driving away. During the drive, Tong Yao appeared upset by something Lu Yue had said. Lu Sicheng quickly comforted her, telling her Lu Yue was just teasing. Their conversation deepened, touching upon the idea of having children, but a shy Tong Yao quickly cut him off. Returning to lighter topics, they arrived at a shopping mall.

Seeing Tong Yao's interest in a claw machine, Lu Sicheng decided to show off his skills, attracting a crowd. After a persistent effort, he emerged victorious, carrying a bag full of stuffed animals. As they laughed, Tong Yao spotted some of her fans and quickly pulled her hand away from Lu Sicheng, a reaction that annoyed him. Observing his displeasure, Tong Yao tried to explain her actions, but Lu Sicheng, still annoyed, bought masks for them.

He then shared his perspective, explaining that he didn't care about public opinion as long as his actions were genuine, emphasizing that he simply loved her and hadn't done anything wrong. His words deeply resonated with Tong Yao, who stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. They then headed to a movie theater, where Lu Sicheng was still beaming from her kiss. Finding themselves alone in the empty theater, Lu Sicheng became playful.

Tong Yao, unable to resist his charms, eventually gave in, and they shared a long, passionate kiss in the deserted cinema. Back at the base, the team discussed their upcoming trip to Xiamen. Everyone looked to Lu Sicheng for a decision, and after Tong Yao nodded her approval, he agreed to go. Soon after, the team boarded a flight to Xiamen.

Upon arriving at their hotel, Tong Yao stepped out to call her mother and assure her of their safe arrival. While outside, she encountered a young fan named Yang Yang, who recognized her and asked for an autograph, causing her to lose track of time. Noticing Tong Yao's prolonged absence, Lu Sicheng went out to find her.

When he did, he asked her about their relationship, and upon receiving her confirmation, they embraced and kissed in front of the hotel entrance. Fatty witnessed the entire scene, dropping his milk bottle in shock, the sound breaking the awkward silence. Lu Sicheng and Tong Yao turned to find Fatty, and playfully "sandwiched" him, interrogating him about what he saw. Fatty, unable to handle their public display of affection, eventually gave up on interrupting them.

Later, back in their hotel rooms, Lu Sicheng initiated a video call with Tong Yao. After a brief chat, they hung up. Fatty, after finishing his shower, spoke with Lu Sicheng about Tong Yao, and secretly recorded Lu Sicheng's affectionate comments about her. The next morning, Tong Yao, having just woken up, received Fatty's message and listened to Lu Sicheng's heartfelt words, smiling contentedly.

Just then, her friend Chen Jinyang video-called her, and during their conversation, Tong Yao learned of Chen Jinyang's plan to buy Ai Jia's team. After a few more casual remarks, they ended the call. Out on the street, Fatty recorded his travel vlog, inadvertently capturing Lu Sicheng and Tong Yao holding hands. To keep Fatty quiet, the couple had to bribe him with pork jerky from a snack shop.

Inside, they playfully bickered and teased each other while selecting the snacks. Upon returning to their hotel after their activities, the ZGDX team saw a middle-aged couple standing anxiously at the entrance with luggage, seemingly waiting for someone. Just then, K stepped out of a car. The couple, his parents, immediately began to scold K in their dialect. K's face darkened, and he turned to walk away. Seeing this, the team quickly moved to calm the parents, while Lao Mao rushed to follow K.

After K's parents' visit to the ZGDX base and K's subsequent emotional breakdown, Tong Yao comforted him and then met with Chen Jinyang. Chen Jinyang revealed she had purchased Team YQCB and planned to host an e-sports carnival at their alma mater, Shengang University, to improve public understanding of professional gaming. Xiao Rui reluctantly agreed to let the ZGDX team attend when he saw Lu Sicheng's enthusiasm.

At the carnival, Tong Yao and Ai Jia answered student questions about their e-sports careers. Tong Yao clarified that her passion stemmed from her own dream, not just a boyfriend. Chen Jinyang spoke about her relationship with Ai Jia, emphasizing that love transcends hobbies and highlighting Ai Jia's dedication to her despite his demanding career. Another student asked Tong Yao about balancing gaming and academics, and she emphasized time management.

Ai Jia shared his struggles with parental opposition and his determination to succeed, regardless of the outcome. After the interview, Ai Jia reunited with his mother, Ms. Lin, who had been invited by Chen Jinyang. Ms. Lin expressed her newfound understanding and acceptance of Ai Jia's career choice. Ai Jia, Chen Jinyang, and Ms. Lin then left to visit Ai Jia's father.

Back at the ZGDX base, the team discovered online rumors and "evidence" of a romantic relationship between Lu Sicheng and Tong Yao. They teased Tong Yao relentlessly, and Lu Sicheng joined in, even admitting to having a crush on her. Tong Yao, annoyed, left the room. Later, at Jian Yang's Team CK match, Lu Sicheng and Tong Yao's presence caused a stir. They kissed publicly, enraging Jian Yang.

Back in their hotel room, Tong Yao complained about the backlash from the public display of affection. Chen Jinyang teased her about potentially marrying into wealth. Tong Yao worried about the impact on her gaming. Back at the ZGDX base, Lu Sicheng kissed Tong Yao on the phone to prove something to his mother, Mrs. Lu, who was planning a visit. Tong Yao grew anxious, and Lu Yue jokingly claimed his future status as Tong Yao's brother-in-law.

That night, Tong Yao was upset by negative fan comments. The next day, Mrs. Lu arrived at the base. Lu Sicheng took responsibility for publicizing their relationship, and Xiao Rui assured Mrs. Lu that the PR department had an emergency plan. The team's managers then agreed to release an official announcement about the relationship.

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."

The public announcement of Lu Sicheng and Tong Yao’s relationship ignited a furious reaction online. Netizens, dubbing Tong Yao “Succubus Tong,” accused her of seducing Lu Sicheng and causing ZGDX’s performance to suffer, pointing to the team’s recent defeat by Team Alpha as evidence. Inside the ZGDX base, Xiao Rui advised the team to avoid social media and focus on their upcoming games.

Lu Sicheng stated that winning was the only way to silence their critics, emphasizing that e-sports is about skill, not words. Soon after, ZGDX faced their old rivals, FNC. They secured the first round, and as the second began, Tong Yao played exceptionally well. With perfect coordination, she and Lu Sicheng dominated the game, leading ZGDX to another victory. As the MVP of both rounds, Tong Yao was interviewed post-match.

She candidly addressed the team’s initial frustration from the online negativity and acknowledged they were still adjusting their command strategy. When asked about her relationship with Lu Sicheng, she defended him, stating he was striving to stand on the world stage under the national flag, burdened by everyone’s hopes. She urged fans to admire players for their skill, not superficial qualities, and spoke about the challenges female players face, asserting she would not regret her words.

After the interview, Lu Sicheng, who had been waiting for her, approached. Tong Yao confessed she was afraid he would be upset with her for speaking so boldly, but he acknowledged her self-awareness and forgave her, noting how difficult it already was for female players in the scene. Meanwhile, other team captains and prominent figures stepped forward to support the couple.

Ai Jia delivered a powerful speech echoing Tong Yao’s sentiments about Lu Sicheng’s burdens and dream, while Chen Jinyang wryly commented on his emotional delivery. K and Lao Mao went live on their stream, reassuring fans that the ZGDX team’s relationships were harmonious. Players from other teams also expressed their support for Tong Yao, urging fans to be respectful. Amidst the celebratory atmosphere, Tong Yao received a mysterious package.

Inside, she found live cockroaches and a threatening letter warning her to stay off the stage. In her shock, she accidentally cut her hand on a razor blade hidden in the package. The team rushed to her side; Lu Sicheng immediately comforted her and tended to her wound, while Xiao Rui took photos for evidence and called the police.

Recognizing the severity of the threat, the club decided to bench Tong Yao for her safety in the upcoming match, substituting Lu Yue into the lineup. Upon hearing this, an uncharacteristically furious Lu Sicheng slammed his strategy book down and stormed off. Despite her injury, Tong Yao remained calm, agreeing with the decision and insisting the incident be kept private to prevent copycat acts.

Concerned by Lu Sicheng’s angry departure, Tong Yao tried to call him, but his phone was off. She sent him worried messages, fearing he might act impulsively. Back at the base, Lu Yue and the team began practicing with the new lineup. Alone in her room and unable to reach him, Tong Yao brought her cat to bed for comfort before eventually falling into an uneasy sleep. Late that night, Lu Sicheng quietly returned and, finding her asleep, embraced her.

The next day, ZGDX faced CK. Lu Sicheng played with a brutal intensity, as if venting his anger through the game. He delivered a stunning Pentakill, leaving the CK players overwhelmed as ZGDX secured the win. After the match, Lu Sicheng refused the MVP interview, causing a stir. Media swarmed the ZGDX base, pressing him for an explanation.

Lu Sicheng gave only cold, terse responses, until Lu Yue, unable to tolerate the intrusive questions, fiercely defended him and threatened legal action against any media outlet that published fabricated reports. Following the incident, Lu Sicheng remained distant and sullen, even towards Tong Yao. Troubled by his behavior, she confided in Chen Jinyang, expressing her fears that he was unhappy with her.

Chen Jinyang reassured her, suggesting Lu Sicheng was blaming himself for her injury and his own pride was causing him to withdraw. Back at the base, Tong Yao lay in bed, overwhelmed by the situation. To comfort herself, she repeatedly listened to a recording of Lu Sicheng's voice, but eventually broke down, washing her face in the bathroom to hide her tears. The pressure led her to question if her relationship with Lu Sicheng was a mistake.

Tong Yao, hiding in the bathroom, was trying to clean her wound while crying heartbrokenly. Just then, Lu Sicheng entered, and she quickly wiped away her tears. When he questioned her, Tong Yao stubbornly insisted she wasn't crying, claiming her hand hurt after getting water on her wound. Lu Sicheng then patiently knelt down to bandage her hand, pointing out her clumsy work.

As Lu Sicheng rose to leave, Tong Yao quickly got up and hugged him tightly, finally letting out all her pent-up emotions. She tearfully asked why he hadn't said a word to her for days, leaving her feeling like an abandoned troublemaker, and wondered if they should break up. Lu Sicheng, initially taken aback, softened and confessed he wasn't angry at her, but at himself for failing to protect her.

He explained that recent events had left him confused and he didn't know how to face her, feeling he was no longer the perfect, unflappable man in her eyes. Reassuring her that breaking up was unthinkable, he declared he would take care of her for life. He then sealed her words with a kiss and gently guided her onto the bed. The next morning, Tong Yao awoke to a message from a friend directing her to ZGDX’s official announcement.

The club clarified that Tong Yao’s absence was due to a hand injury from a malicious parcel and condemned such behavior, threatening legal action. Xiao Rui explained that Lu Sicheng had pressured the club to release the statement to counter escalating rumors.

He also revealed that the sender was the same person who wrote the defamatory post "How Succubus Tong Came to Be," a fan known as "Mo Mo The Demon King," who had even boasted on a private account about sending razor blades. Online, opinions were divided, with some supporting Tong Yao and others condemning the doxxing of a private individual. Amidst the growing outcry, Mo Mo released a tearful video apology.

She introduced herself as a ninth-grade student and a former loyal fan of ZGDX and Lu Sicheng, claiming to suffer from severe depression and showing a diagnosis from March. She asserted that the doxxing had disrupted her life, preventing her from sleeping for two days, and implied she was contemplating suicide by holding up sleeping pills. This intensified the public's anger, with many turning against Tong Yao and demanding a public apology.

However, some skeptical fans questioned the authenticity of Mo Mo's diagnosis, while others who had contacted local police noted there were no reports of a ninth-grade student's suicide attempt. The club management decided to restrict Tong Yao from all team activities and suggested she issue a public apology to appease the online negativity. Lu Sicheng vehemently opposed this, arguing that the true cause was the malicious parcel, the diagnosis was questionable, and the video's claims were unverified.

He criticized the club for prioritizing public opinion over its players' welfare. Despite his status as the largest shareholder, the management insisted on their decision. Declaring that he would take responsibility as the team's captain, Lu Sicheng left the meeting, made a phone call, and drove off. Back at the base, God Ming was leading the team in analyzing their upcoming opponent, YQCB, highlighting their aggressive leader, Hierophant. During the analysis, Lu Sicheng received a call and left, becoming unreachable.

As their training match approached, God Ming offered to step in, despite an issue with his own hand. Just as they were about to begin, Lu Sicheng returned, apologizing for the delay. During the practice match, however, he was clearly not in good form and was quickly killed. Tong Yao noticed him rubbing his hand and asked about it, but he dismissed her concerns. Early the next morning, Tong Yao found Lu Sicheng pulling an all-nighter, playing ranked matches.

She rushed downstairs to stop him, reminding him not to overtrain his hand. He explained he was practicing after his poor performance in the training match and reluctantly agreed to stop if she played the last game for him. Anticipation for the ZGDX vs. YQCB match was high. In the lounge, the team looked somber. Tong Yao took coffee to Lu Sicheng and God Ming, who were talking in the corridor.

She and Lao Mao overheard Lu Sicheng explaining his strategy: he wouldn't pick a late-game Shikigami because he needed to suppress Hierophant early and end the match quickly, declaring, "Hierophant is mine." The match began. During the Ban/Pick phase, on Lu Sicheng's instruction, ZGDX controversially banned Tesso, a Shikigami Hierophant had recently been practicing, much to Hierophant's visible annoyance. YQCB banned Mannendake, Tamamo-no-Mae, and Higanbana, while ZGDX also banned Susabi and Ubume.

For their picks, ZGDX chose Ootengu for Tong Yao, Yasha for the jungle, and Ibaraki Doji for the top lane. YQCB selected Chin, Yamausagi, Menreiki, and Yoto Hime. Surprisingly, Lu Sicheng chose the aggressive Youko instead of the safer Komatsu, aiming for an early-game advantage. The game began with Lu Sicheng playing aggressively in the bot lane.

He secured an early kill on the enemy support, but Hierophant immediately responded with a tower dive, eliminating both Lu Sicheng and the ZGDX support. In the top lane, Lao Mao's ill-advised solo advance resulted in his death; Lao K arrived to trade kills with YQCB's support but was also killed by the tower. Despite the setbacks, ZGDX managed to destroy YQCB's mid tower. Lu Sicheng then made a risky call for the team to take the Orochi.

Lao Mao urged a retreat as YQCB was about to respawn, but Lu Sicheng insisted they could fight. As YQCB revived and closed in, Lu Sicheng inexplicably missed his ultimate—a critical error. The ensuing team fight was a disaster for ZGDX. They were team-wiped, and YQCB swiftly pushed their base to secure the victory. The defeat left the ZGDX members visibly dejected. Lao Mao, frustrated by the loss, angrily left the stage. Tong Yao again saw Lu Sicheng rubbing his hand and expressed her concern, but he simply dismissed it as the team's internal issues became starkly apparent.

After ZGDX suffered a defeat in their first match against YQCB, the team gathered in the resting room for a reflection. God Ming pointed out that YQCB's victory was due to their impeccable defense and zero mistakes, contrasting with ZGDX's frequent positioning errors, lack of coordination, slow backup, and overall arrogance. He admitted his fault for tolerating their behavior and stressed the importance of unity and playing defensively in the upcoming crucial match.

Lu Sicheng added that to beat YQCB, they needed to be even more solid. He explained that he picked Youko for the previous match to counter Hierophant, aiming for a quick victory before Hierophant could farm and dominate. Seeing the team's somber silence, Lao Mao, still fuming, slammed the table and walked out. As the second match began, ZGDX surprised the commentators with an unconventional lineup.

After a round of bans, Tong Yao shockingly picked Yuki Onna, leading commentators to speculate about a "4-Protect-1 Strategy." Their surprise deepened when ZGDX next picked Hannya, leaving them baffled about the team's unusual combination. Despite the unexpected picks, the early game unfolded steadily for over thirteen minutes, with both teams focusing on farming and pushing lanes. The calm was broken when a team fight erupted in the bot lane.

Although ZGDX quickly converged, YQCB unexpectedly committed four members to the fight before abruptly retreating the moment Tong Yao arrived. The missed opportunity left the ZGDX members frustrated. Observing YQCB's disciplined and defensive play, Lu Sicheng realized their opponents were adopting a prolonged strategy, emphasizing the need for ZGDX to be cautious in late-game team fights. Soon, YQCB moved to take Orochi. Hierophant ordered Ai Jia to stall in the mid lane while he secured the objective.

Lao Mao suggested split-pushing, but Lu Sicheng insisted on contesting Orochi and initiated the team fight. Tong Yao quickly eliminated Ai Jia, but the rest of the team was forced into a bad position. Lao Mao and K were killed, with K failing to steal the objective. With the Kirin buff on YQCB, ZGDX found themselves at a disadvantage. His teammates, including a critically low-health Tong Yao, urged Lu Sicheng to retreat, but he stubbornly insisted he could still fight.

Ultimately, ZGDX was wiped out. As their nexus exploded, YQCB claimed victory. During the post-match handshake, Hierophant informed Tong Yao about Lu Sicheng's hand injury relapse and entrusted her to take care of him. On the silent bus ride back, the ZGDX team was visibly dejected. Back at the base, Xiao Rui's attempt to uplift their spirits was futile.

Lao Mao, unable to contain his frustration, challenged Lu Sicheng, questioning his recent late nights, distracted state, and his decision to pick Youko, accusing him of disregarding God Ming's strategy. Lu Sicheng remained silent until God Ming revealed that Lu Sicheng had specifically requested Youko, stating he couldn't handle a prolonged fight. Tong Yao then intervened, revealing Lu Sicheng's relapsed hand injury was the reason he wanted a quick match. The team was shocked.

Xiao Rui then revealed that Lu Sicheng had been secretly resolving the "Mo Mo the Demon King" incident for Tong Yao, discovering the user was an adult troublemaker who faked her suicide and had already been brought to the police station. Enraged by the secrecy, Lao Mao accused Lu Sicheng of lacking trust in his teammates, asserting that they would have supported both him and Tong Yao.

He declared that if Lu Sicheng didn't trust them, they didn't need him as a captain, then stormed out, threatening to retire if they failed to qualify for the International Championship. Fatty and the others chased after him, reassuring him that they needed to face problems together. While Xiao Rui confided in God Ming, questioning his decision to bring Tong Yao to the team, God Ming countered that she had positively influenced everyone.

Meanwhile, Tong Yao tried to comfort Lu Sicheng, who had secluded himself in his room. He asked to be left alone, but Tong Yao persisted, sitting outside his door and offering a heartfelt monologue about how he, despite being a formidable captain, was still human and how she had come to rely on him.

She revealed how touched she was by his public protection, sharing that she had been prepared to apologize publicly, but he had told her she didn't have to compromise herself because he was there for her. Elsewhere, Xiao Rui, overwhelmed by stress, drowned his sorrows in alcohol, breaking down in tears over his fear of losing any team member. Continuing her plea, Tong Yao told Lu Sicheng that if Lao Mao left, she would blame herself.

This finally prompted Lu Sicheng to open the door. He embraced Tong Yao, admitting that Lao Mao was right and that he had been wrong to believe he could handle everything alone. He confessed his need for his teammates, acknowledging his own fears. With renewed determination, Tong Yao messaged the team, calling a meeting for the next day. The following day, Lu Sicheng delivered a sincere apology to the team.

He admitted his fault in changing the strategy without discussion and shouldering all burdens alone. He promised to change, to listen to his teammates, and to face all future challenges together as a true team. The team responded with relief. Lao Mao, initially feigning indifference, eventually broke down in tears, embracing Lu Sicheng and apologizing for his own outburst, restoring their camaraderie. Soon after, Lu Sicheng received a call from the police.

He and Tong Yao went to the station to confront the online harasser, Lin Mo, and her parents. The police confirmed Lin Mo had sent the razor blades. Her parents attempted to downplay the severity, citing her age (18) and offering to settle. Lu Sicheng firmly refused, highlighting the severe harm Tong Yao had endured. The exasperated police officer intervened, revealing that Lin Mo had a prior history of sending threatening letters.

Given her age and repeat offenses, the police proceeded with official detention. The ZGDX Gaming Club later issued a statement confirming the facts of the case. Watching the news, Tong Yao remarked to Lu Sicheng that it was karma, affirming that "no one stays on top forever, and no one stays at the bottom forever."

After the match against YQCB, the ZGDX team members were frustrated, especially Lao Mao. Later, Lao Mao questioned Lu Sicheng's decision-making during the game, and Tong Yao revealed Lu Sicheng's hand injury to the team. The next day, Lu Sicheng apologized to the team, and the team members reconciled with each other. Subsequently, Lu Sicheng received a call from the police station and went there with Tong Yao.

Back at the base, Lu Sicheng and Tong Yao were spending time together when Tong Yao's mother called, wanting Tong Yao to bring Lu Sicheng home that weekend to meet him. At first, Tong Yao was reluctant, but eventually agreed. Arriving at Tong Yao's home, she grew nervous and tried to dissuade Lu Sicheng from entering. Tong Yao's mother then opened the door and welcomed them inside.

Tong Yao discovered that her father had become interested in online shopping and was watching game live streams. Lu Sicheng helped Tong Yao's father set up his new computer, while Tong Yao assisted her mother in the kitchen. In the kitchen, Tong Yao's mother gave Tong Yao advice about relationships and personal safety. Meanwhile, Lu Sicheng was interviewed by Tong Yao's father, who questioned his intentions. Lu Sicheng assured him of his sincerity and commitment to Tong Yao.

Later, Lu Sicheng and Tong Yao left her parents' home. Chen Jinyang revealed to Ai Jia her plan to nurture young e-sports talents. The next morning, Tong Yao brought breakfast to Chen Jinyang, and they chatted about life and career choices. The elimination rounds began, and ZGDX prepared for their match against CK. In the player tunnel, Lu Sicheng comforted a nervous Tong Yao.

During the Ban/Pick phase, CK strategically targeted Tong Yao's Mid lane picks, while ZGDX focused on limiting God Yang. In Game One, CK attempted to gank Lao Mao in the Top lane, but ZGDX quickly rotated to assist. Later, CK's Mid laner ganked Fatty and Chessman in the Bot lane, but ZGDX retaliated by eliminating CK's Top laner. ZGDX eventually secured the Orochi buff and pushed into CK's base, winning the first game.

During the break, Lu Sicheng encountered God Yang, who expressed his surprise at Tong Yao becoming a pro gamer. God Yang also revealed that he did not want to break up with her previously. Lu Sicheng asked God Yang not to tell Tong Yao about him secretly eating candy. As Game Two began, CK banned Youko. Tong Yao confronted Lu Sicheng about secretly eating candy. CK's Lucky picked Onikiri, which caught ZGDX off guard.

Lucky dominated the game, and CK won Game Two, tying the series 1-1. In the decisive Game Three, Tong Yao secured a solo kill against CK's Mid laner, but was later eliminated. ZGDX set a trap near the Orochi pit, eliminating several CK members and securing the Orochi buff. ZGDX then pushed into CK's base, destroying their throne and winning the match, advancing to the semi-finals. After the match, Jian Yang approached Lu Sicheng and Tong Yao, expressing his understanding of why they "weren't suitable for each other" and wishing her happiness.

The remaining teams determined their victors, and ZGDX successfully advanced to the National Championship finals. YQCB acknowledged ZGDX as their main concern in the semifinals, with Hierophant eager to face them in the Grand Finals. After the match, ZGDX returned to their base where Xiao Rui, the manager, gave them a congratulatory card. Tong Yao complained about the lack of a celebratory red envelope compared to other teams.

Lu Sicheng dismissed this, saying reaching the finals was standard for them, and offered her candy. The team joked as Lao K introduced a new MIHOO mask for combating dry skin from late-night training. Lu Sicheng announced a closed training period until the Grand Finals, with rules forbidding socializing with the lady boss next door or discussing tactics with former teammates. He even joked about grounding the cats, with the team quipping about drawing maps on their backs.

Before the training, Lu Sicheng treated the team to a large meal. At the restaurant, they encountered the heavily intoxicated DQ. Five team, who had been demoted. Civet, DQ. Five's captain, approached Xiao Rui, expressing his love for being a professional gamer and his teammates, despite the regrets. He acknowledged his career was ending but hoped ZGDX, the "lucky ones," would continue further. Xiao Rui explained that DQ.

Five had once replaced ZGDX in the World Championships, but lost momentum after Xu Tai Lun's departure and were demoted. ZGDX discussed the harsh reality of demotion, where teams often disband. Fatty promised to cook Curry Beef Potato Rice after they defeated YQCB, and the team vowed to "never give up." Back at their base, Civet posted a farewell message to DQ. Five on Weibo, garnering support from fans.

In Shanghai, at their hotel, Tong Yao received a birthday call from Chen Jinyang, who hinted at gifts from Lu Sicheng and relayed her mother’s message about being careful, causing Tong Yao to blush. Fatty then ate most of the food, including all the crab roe soup dumplings. He suddenly suffered from acute gastroenteritis and was hospitalized. Despite his condition, Fatty declared he would play the next match and demanded biscuits, threatening to make Tong Yao his support.

Lu Sicheng, without his wallet, borrowed Tong Yao's wallet to buy biscuits. He then saw her ID and realized it was her birthday. He quickly left. Back in the hospital room, Tong Yao was on the phone with her mother, downplaying her birthday. Suddenly, the ZGDX teammates entered with a cake, followed by Lu Sicheng with red roses, surprising Tong Yao. Despite the upcoming finals, her teammates insisted on celebrating.

As Tong Yao closed her eyes to make a wish, Lu Sicheng placed a "smiley necklace" around her neck, promising "A necklace this year and a diamond ring next year that comes with a marriage certificate." Fatty joked about being ignored, and Xiao Rui declared the "Double C" the stars of the night. Xiao Rui then presented everyone with a "360° without dead angle" amulet, vowing to resign if they didn't win the championship.

In the hospital corridor, Lu Sicheng pressed Tong Yao about her birthday wish, but she refused to tell him. Lu Sicheng confessed his wish: "I wish that I could be by your side for the rest of my life." Ming shared his wish to defeat YQCB, win the national title, and advance to the World Championships, adding that "ZGDX will not disappear from the game." Lu Sicheng reinforced that with luck and unity, their wishes would come true.

Meanwhile, at the YQCB base, the team studied ZGDX's strategies, focusing on Tong Yao's gameplay. Hierophant entered with numerous dolls, appearing uneasy. Liang Sheng and his teammates noticed his nervousness. Hierophant confessed his anxiety, as the Grand Finals approached, especially his "ultimate battle" against Lu Sicheng. He revealed that he initially came to China for a comfortable end to his career but credited his teammates for changing his perspective.

He expressed gratitude for their "absolute trust" and stated that they could reach a "higher-level stage," proving that "nothing is impossible." The team chanted, "YQCB! Seek hegemony!" On the day of the Grand Finals, Lu Sicheng comforted a nervous Tong Yao in the players' tunnel, reminding her they would conquer the world stage together.

The announcer welcomed everyone to the "Onmyoji Arena Pro League 2020 National Grand Finals," highlighting the "battle of the strongest" between ZGDX, a "star-studded team," and YQCB, a "dark horse." As the crowd chanted a countdown, the announcer declared the commencement of the final battle of 2020.

The grand finals of the National Championship were about to begin. Off-stage, Tong Yao's parents eagerly watched the television, anticipating their daughter's performance, while the members of the CK team gathered around a computer screen to spectate. During the Ban/Pick phase, the pre-game trash talk was in full swing across the team channels. Fatty confidently claimed that ZGDX's bottom lane was so strong they could win with "a dog" as support.

Lee Gun Hyuk of YQCB, known as Hierophant, issued a public challenge to Lu Sicheng, declaring his intent to defeat him on his home turf and witness his "tears of regret" while lifting the trophy. Lu Sicheng, unfazed, retorted that the answer to "who's the World's Best AD" would always be himself. In the mid-lane channel, YQCB's Ai Jia condescendingly stated that "e-sports is a men's world" and promised to teach Tong Yao a lesson.

Tong Yao fired back, calling him a "cowardly farmer who only waits for team fights" and daring him to fight her head-on instead of hiding under his tower. The banter escalated with playful arguments about ZGDX's infamous "duo top lane" and Lu Sicheng's supposed tantrums, prompting Lu Sicheng to jokingly threaten his teammate with a lawsuit for spreading rumors. Finally, a stern God Ming interrupted their playful chatter, urging them to focus as the Ban/Pick phase officially commenced.

As the first game began, Fatty, playing Umibozu, attempted an early invade into the enemy jungle but was quickly spotted by Hierophant. His risky move cost him both his Flash and Bind, earning a sharp rebuke from Lu Sicheng. Familiar with Hierophant's aggressive style, Lu Sicheng warned that a gank was coming at level three. True to his prediction, Hierophant attempted a tower dive on the bot lane.

However, he miscalculated by taking tower aggro first, which allowed Lu Sicheng to shield Fatty and save him. Hierophant was forced to flee with critical health. Meanwhile, in the top-side jungle, Lao K discovered YQCB's jungler, Kim Eun Suk, stealing his creeps and called Tong Yao for help. Their coordinated attack successfully eliminated Kim Eun Suk, securing First Blood for ZGDX.

Despite the early advantages, God Ming cautioned the team against overconfidence, noting that Ai Jia excelled at finding opportunities under pressure. His warning proved prescient when a confident Tong Yao overextended, attempting a solo tower dive on Ai Jia. Kim Eun Suk emerged from a nearby brush, ambushing and killing her. YQCB then began to relentlessly target Tong Yao, severely stunting her in-game economy. As the game progressed, YQCB grouped up in the mid lane.

Tong Yao impulsively initiated a fight, and though ZGDX followed up, the poor timing resulted in a devastating 2-for-4 exchange in YQCB's favor. With their significant lead, YQCB moved to secure Orochi. However, the revived ZGDX members rushed to contest. While the team engaged from the front, Lao K snuck in from behind, creating an opening for Lu Sicheng to skillfully steal Orochi from under YQCB's noses. Caught off guard, YQCB was forced to retreat to their high ground.

ZGDX pushed relentlessly, picking off the YQCB members one by one. Lu Sicheng secured a Triple Kill, and as the last opponent fell, ZGDX destroyed their base, claiming victory in the first game. Before the second game, still mindful of her previous overaggression, Tong Yao repeatedly chanted "farm timidly, don't throw" to herself, amusing her teammates. In the bot lane, Lu Sicheng cleverly baited Hierophant, leading to an easy First Blood for ZGDX and prompting Fatty to taunt his counterpart.

However, YQCB quickly retaliated. Their jungler, Kim Eun Suk, coordinated with Hierophant to gank and eliminate Lu Sicheng. Kim Eun Suk then rotated mid, catching an overconfident Tong Yao off guard and securing another kill, which allowed him to snowball his advantage. Finding themselves at a disadvantage, ZGDX made a desperate attempt to sneak Orochi. But YQCB anticipated the move and collapsed on them, turning a two-man attempt into a five-on-two slaughter.

Lu Sicheng and Lao K were eliminated, and the rest of ZGDX fell shortly after, resulting in a team wipe and the loss of Orochi. YQCB then pushed to ZGDX's base and destroyed it, evening the series 1-1. After the loss, Lu Sicheng reminded Tong Yao of his old adage: "In e-sports, being a noob is a crime," stressing the need to win the final game. The third and final game began with the score tied.

The immense pressure was palpable, especially on Tong Yao, who hesitated during hero selection. At God Ming's urging, she locked in Onikiri, a hero she had previously lost with against YQCB, surprising commentators and fans. The game started with Ai Jia immediately pressuring Tong Yao under her tower. Seeing she needed help, Lao Mao and Lao K rotated mid. Ai Jia, having pushed too far, was caught out and eliminated by Tong Yao and Lao Mao, giving ZGDX First Blood.

Kim Eun Suk, who had also come to gank Tong Yao, was then swiftly killed by Lao Mao, resulting in a crucial two-for-zero trade for ZGDX. The team then secured the Kraken, engaging in lighthearted banter during the lull, with Lu Sicheng joking that the long match was making him need a restroom break. The game stretched past the 50-minute mark, becoming a "bladder game," as the commentators called it.

Fatigue set in, with Lu Sicheng feeling pain in his hand. Just as morale began to dip, Fatty spontaneously started singing a silly song. The other ZGDX members joined in, creating a singing relay that instantly lifted their spirits. The critical moment arrived as ZGDX pushed YQCB's high ground. In the ensuing team fight, Hierophant managed to eliminate Tong Yao, and Fatty also fell.

Lu Sicheng traded back, killing Kim Eun Suk and Hierophant before being taken down by Ai Jia, leaving only Lao Mao and Lao K to defend their base. Just as YQCB prepared for a final push, Tong Yao revived. Rushing back into the fray, she eliminated Ai Jia with a single combo and went on to secure a Triple Kill, single-handedly turning the tide.

With Lu Sicheng also reviving, the commentators dubbed them the "Condor Heroes of e-sports" as they charged YQCB's base. Lu Sicheng intercepted a respawning Hierophant, allowing Tong Yao to bypass him and directly assault the enemy crystal. Seconds before YQCB's other players could respawn, Tong Yao destroyed the crystal, sealing a dramatic victory for ZGDX and punching their ticket to the World Championship. The arena erupted in cheers.

On stage, Lu Sicheng and Tong Yao shared a passionate kiss amidst the celebration. Across the platform, Ai Jia spotted his girlfriend, Chen Jinyang, in the crowd, jumped down from the stage, and embraced her with a kiss of his own. Sometime later, Ai Jia and Chen Jinyang held their wedding. Tong Yao, serving as a bridesmaid, caught the bride's bouquet. At that exact moment, a well-dressed Lu Sicheng, looking like a groom-to-be, slowly emerged from the crowd and walked towards her.