Chapter Text
ID: Smiling
Why did this ID sound so familiar? Lu Si Cheng has to give this person credit as they play very well...for a solo player. The fact that this player could hold up against Yu Ming in the Mid lane is a feat in itself. When the words 'DEFEAT' flashed across the screen, everyone turned their attention toward him.
"Captain, what do you think?" Ming God asks as he massages his wrist.
"It's your replacement. You decide," Lu Si Cheng replied though his stern face says he has some comments on this decision.
"I think that this player can be our ticket into the international competition. They will need the training to be able to play in a team setting but that is something that we can work on before the next competition season," Ming God explains.
Lu Si Cheng just nodded at him. His mind, though, was still trying to remember where he had seen the ID 'Smiling' before. Had he played with this person before?
"Then I will contact this person to see if they're interested," Xiao Rui said as he pulled out his phone to search for that particular player on Weibo. It was difficult to confirm which account was the real one as this player has never shown their face before. Even on streams they don't have the video on and have a voice scrambler to disguise their voice. It makes it all more mysterious to find out the identity of this person. If they can hire this person, he can become the marketing GOD at headquarters. He can smell the pay increase now!
At that moment, Lu Si Cheng's phone chirped, notifying him of a new text message.
[My Beloved Salted Fish Maiden: Cheng Ge, my beloved boyfriend. Your precious girlfriend just wants you to know that she has been kidnapped by her best friend to go shopping because said best friend is having boy issues and therefore cannot go with you to dinner tonight. :( Your girlfriend would like you to please tell your next-door neighbor to get his shit together as your girlfriend cannot take any more of this and might die or cry very soon. MUAH]
He can only chuckle and shake his head at his girlfriend's antics.
[The Disguised Pervert: Consider this your punishment for not telling me you're back in the country. Send Chen Jin Yang my best regard and please let her know that XX Brand just open a new flagship store on ZZ street. :)]
[My Beloved Salted Fish Maiden: You're heartless!!!!! *crying GIF*]
While this text exchange occurs, Lu Si Cheng was smiling the whole time. This caused everyone else on the team to look at him in amazement. They have NEVER seen their captain smiling like that before. Was someone getting badly scolded? Ay, they feel for the poor soul. Whoever had the unfortunate fate which led them to cross paths with the Captain of ZGDX may they rest in peace. They should buy a lottery ticket as luck seems to be on their side today that they were not the one the Captain was scolding.
Lu Si Cheng looked up from his phone to see five pairs of eyes looking at him intensely, "What?"
That seems to have shook them out of their daze.
"N-nothing, Cheng Ge," replied Xiao Pang with a nervous laugh. "I just remembered I think I have to finish some streaming hours hahahahaha."
"Oh yes Lao Mao, have you finished your streaming hours yet," Xiao Rui suddenly asked and dragged the clueless Lao Mao away.
"Come on Lao K, I suddenly need to talk to you," Ming God said nervously and led Lao K to a meeting room.
Suddenly Lu Si Cheng was left alone with his phone, unsure what had occurred. Oh well.
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"Tong Yao, do you realize how lucky you are to be with someone like Cheng Ge?" said Jin Yang as she browsed the racks. Her best friend was slouching on the seat nearby, playing with her phone. Nothing's new.
"Say his name louder, why don't you," contested Tong Yao.
Her relationship with the GOD of the E-sports world was on a need to know basis. Jin Yang was lucky enough to be included as she was Tong Yao's best friend and fellow gossip. Tong Yao had happened to meet Lu Si Cheng when she was studying abroad to get away from everything that had gone down with Jian Yang. She had a clue who he was but not enough to be considered a fangirl. She knew he plays games, that's about it. They had happened to sit next to each other on the train and were both playing the same game on their phone and had happened to be in the same game but just on the opposite team. Luckily the train ride was a couple of hours long and so they kept being put in the same game whether on the same team or on the opposite team. One thing led to another and they exchanged contacts and the rest, as they say, was history. While keeping the relationship on the down low was quite difficult, it was also thrilling at the same time.
"How do you do it, Tong Yao? How do you maintain a relationship with a pro-gamer who only cares about his games more than you?" Jin Yang sighs frustratedly.
"You play the game with him," Tong Yao shot back with a smirk.
Jin Yang looked at her and sighed. "Never mind. I've asked the wrong person. You enjoy your dates in the Summoner's Rift and leave us normal folks to enjoy the dark reality world."
Just then, Tong Yao's phone notified her of an incoming message from Weibo.
[Xiao Rui: Hello friend! Do you want to come play professionally for ZGDX? We are very impressed with your skills!]
Xiao Rui? Isn't he the team manager for ZGDX? Scammers really are doing their homework now. This is probably a fake account.
[Xiao Rui: You don't need to decide now. Come watch the Spring Season Finals at the Mercedes Benz Stadium at ShenZhen this weekend. Come early and we can chat and you can even meet the team! We'll even cover hotel+tickets! Let me know if you are interested!]
She studied the text. Maybe this is not a scam. But why would they hire her when ZGDX has all positions filled already. Wasn't Ming God still playing? She should ask Cheng Ge.
Seeing her best friend focused on her phone irritates Jin Yang. She's surrounded by internet addicted idiots.
"Jeimei, are you abandoning me for your handsome General? What a good friend you are," Jin Yang said sarcastically. Tong Yao look up from her phone to see the irritated look on her best friend's face. She laugh awkwardly and quickly put her phone away.
"Jin Yang, you should get that shirt. It looks good on you," Tong Yao said in attempt to change the topic. Jin Yang gave her a bored look then decided to drop the topic and went back to looking at the outfit in the mirror.
After Jin Yang has finally vented her anger through dragging her best friend shopping, she dropped her friend back at the hotel she was staying at. Jin Yang was currently living with her grandmother so it was not convenient for Tong Yao to stay with her.
Tong Yao dragged her tired feet along with an obscene amount of shopping bags to the elevator then to her room. She dropped the bags at the foot of the bed then went to get clothes to shower. Her feet ached and her stomach hungry since Jin Yang was too angry to think about food. After her shower, Tong Yao was too tired to even think about food. All she wanted to do was to get comfy under the comforters and fly to dreamland. Just as she was getting comfortable, her phone rang, signaling an incoming video call. She looked over and saw her boyfriend's caller ID. She smiled and quickly went to pick up the phone. She was greeted with his stoic face.
"Cheng Ge? Why are you video calling me? Where's your roommate?" Tong Yao asked as she prop her phone on the bedside table. She laid down on the bed and brought the comforter up to cover her body.
"He's trying to rank up for an inspection coming up soon," he replied. "Going to bed? How was shopping?"
Tong Yao groaned loudly. This made Lu Si Cheng smile even bigger.
"You're terrible you know that," Tong Yao accused. "Jin Yang dragged me to so many stores today and made me try on so many clothes. My feet hurt. We didn't even stop for dinner."
Tong Yao realized too late what she had accidentally said. She really hoped that, by some miracle, her boyfriend didn't hear what she had said in the end. His deep frown seems to be telling her not to have false hope.
"You haven't eaten yet?" he asked. She felt chilled going down her back.
"My darling boyfriend, your girlfriend is so tired right now to think about eating. I only have enough energy to talk to you right now," she pleaded.
"..." he gave her a deadpanned look. "What hotel are you staying at? I'll bring you breakfast tomorrow."
"Ah? T-that's ok. Aren't you supposed to be in training right now for the Spring Championship? You're going against CK right?" Tong Yao inquired.
"Mm," he replied nonchalantly. "This weekend. The team is going over to the hotel tomorrow so we have enough time to adjust before the match. Do you want to come and watch?"
Tong Yao pretended to think about it even though she's really excited about it. It's the first time she can come watch her handsome boyfriend play live in person.
"Hmmmmmmmm," she pretended. "What's in it for me? Shall I come and root for CK?"
"You dare?" Lu Si Cheng challenge.
"I don't know Cheng Ge. Jin Yang did say Jian Yang looked pretty pitiful these days," she teased.
"Tong Yao. I am counting down the days until I get to see you," he said with a mischievous grin. "I have a list of misdemeanor that you need to make up for."
"Lu Si Cheng! You rascal! What misdemeanor? I'm so angry just looking at you. I'm going to bed. Good night!" she exclaimed and abruptly ended that call. Tch. Why was she coupled with such a pervert? She was tricked honestly. He was a decent looking man when she had first met him and then he turned into a pervert once she had agreed to be his girlfriend. Thinking of a plan, she quickly took her phone and opened her text messages.
[Smiling: Hi! I would love to come watch the match this weekend. Please send me the hotel+ ticket details.]
[Xiao Rui: Great! The team stays at the W hotel so I will book you a room there. Please text me when you arrive at the hotel and I will meet you at the receptionist desk.]
[Smiling: Ok! Also, please keep this meeting a secret, even from the team. I just want to see first and don't want unnecessary news if everything falls through.]
[Xiao Rui: Ok, that sounds reasonable.]
Lu Si Cheng is in for a big surprise!