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the hanged man
The panic that had gripped him before — that had choked him, that had driven him to sign up for the All-Stars rookie competition — melted away. A sense of calm washed over Qiao Yifan as he walked back through the stadium doors.
He wasn’t some hidden prodigy.
His contract with Tiny Herb wouldn’t be renewed.
And that was okay.
Qiao Yifan wasn’t giving up or being complacent — on the contrary he felt as if his eyes were being opened for the first time.
He felt free.
With his head held high, Qiao Yifan looked towards the dazzling stage with a smile.
ace of cups
Even outside of the stadium, Qiao Yifan’s ears were still filled with the roar of the crowd’s cheers. They’d done it. Happy had won the Challenger’s League.
“Yifan!” A voice called, and Qiao Yifan turned to see Gao Yingjie dressed in a hoodie and holding out a water bottle. Qiao Yifan grinned even harder, unable to contain the rush of happiness that swelled within him as he pulled Gao Yingjie into an embrace.
The water bottle Gao Yingjie had been holding clattered to the ground, and Qiao Yifan could hear it rolling around on the pavement. He could also hear snickers from his teammates behind him — even as they continued to walk and pretend like they weren’t paying attention.
“God, I’m so proud of you,” Gao Yingjie whispered, squeezing Qiao Yifan tighter. “You were amazing, Yifan.”
They pulled apart, and Qiao Yifan watched the shy, yet hopeful expression that bloomed on his friend’s face as he laced their fingers together. A kaleidoscope of butterflies danced in his belly.
Emboldened by the win — by his own strength — Qiao Yifan decided to let his feelings spill over and guide the way.
He leaned in, greeting Gao Yingjie’s lovely smile with a kiss.
six of wands
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes Qiao Yifan found a renewed sense of self within Happy. He spread his wings and persevered against all odds, going from reserve player to captain of a championship-winning team.
The tale of Qiao Yifan’s past faded into legend. Before long, the Glory world hardly remembered that timid reserve player. Instead, when they heard the name Qiao Yifan, an image of a crafty ghostblade sprung to their minds.
No matter how high he soared, though, Qiao Yifan never forgot his origins.
He never forgot to look back and reflect on how far he’d come.