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With how common the name Ye Qiu is, it stands to reason that among them there would be at least one other who finds themself entangled in the wonder of Glory.
Going back in time, there were numerous moments that could be said to have sealed Ye Qiu’s fate: When Excellent Era won their first championship, when One Autumn Leaf signed on with Excellent Era, or when Ye Qiu curiously made an account on Glory’s first server–and was witness to Dazzling Hundred Blossoms magnificent playstyle.
In his more cynical moods, Ye Qiu thinks it might have been the day he was born, when his parents named him ‘Qiu’ instead of ‘Chun’.
Perhaps if God Ye’s face wasn’t a mystery, or if Ye Qiu was Excellent Era’s fanboy instead of Zhang Jiale’s, this would be a kinder story. Alas, this young Glory player’s birth name became a demon in his heart, his reverse-scale.
The second season of the Glory Professional Alliance, Ye Qiu was challenged 48 times at his regular cafe, by people wanting to boast defeating ‘Champion Ye Qiu’. Ye Qiu wasn’t even an arena regular and still he weeped at the declining record.
Some players who learned his account name didn’t even have the courtesy to PK in the arena, instead ambushing him in the wild. Silver-equipment enthusiast Ye Qiu lost dozens of rare materials and experiments every time. With each incident, his resentment grew.
When he still accepted challenges, Ye Qiu would be heckled for playing a spitfire instead of battlemage. But, with a name like his, nobody believed him when he said he supported Dazzling Hundred Blossoms. The next day, he came in with his hair dyed bright pink.
In the end, he gave up internet cafes altogether, and sorrowfully borrowed a friend’s computer to play Glory until he saved up enough money to purchase his own.
The only good his name did him was when he applied for the R&D position at Hundred Blossoms. The recruiters found his name so ironic they overlooked his sad resume and hired him on the spot. Not that it mattered, his name followed him like a plague.
“Ye Qiu?! Your name is Ye Qiu? Like EE’s Ye Qiu?” His new senior, Mo Shi, asked playfully.
Senior Liu Guanyi, sensing entertainment, interceded. “Wait, which ‘Ye’ and which ‘Qiu’?”
Ye Qiu tried to hide a grimace. “...'Ye' like foliage…and ‘Qiu’ for the season.”
The eyes of the entire department lit up with mischief and Ye Qiu’s hopes died before they could even rise.
Senior Liu wrapped an arm around Ye Qiu’s shoulder, tittering with fake awe, “What’s someone so high-profile doing in our humble department?”
“Aiya, clearly he’s trying to steal Hundred Blossoms equipment stats to get a leg up this season!”
“How dedicated of God Ye to sneak into the R&D department for victory.”
“More like black-bellied. You can never trust those tacticians,” another senior tutted.
Just like the captain they supported, their attacks came in flashes, deafening Ye Qiu’s passionate denials of being associated with Captain Ye in any way, shape, or form.
Senior Mo rubbed his head consolingly. “Of course, even God Ye is a rookie in our department~”
“Haha yes! You’re just Rookie Qiu here. Welcome to Hundred Blossoms R&D–” Senior Liu stifled a chuckle “–Rookie Qiu! Fu Qing will show you the ropes.”
Ye Qiu futilely believed that would be the end of the ‘God Ye’ jokes. So futilely...
The jokes may have grown stale for him five years ago, but every new person he met found it absolutely hilarious.
Ye Qiu didn’t know where the overworked, timid, and harried R&D worker stereotype came from. The only thing true in that sentence was that they were overworked, but timid? Where were these mythical submissive and innocently compassionate researchers? Certainly not in Hundred Blossoms. As Ye Qiu found out first-hand, R&D workers were starved for entertainment; they may not play Glory in the frontlines but they still fought. When they weren’t obsessively experimenting and calculating probabilities, they argued tooth-and-claw for materials, spilled tea hotter than dragon fire, and jumped on opportunities to tease faster than Huang Shaotian. Our department could coach the pro-players on trash talking, Ye Qiu thought morosely.
By the end of the month, Ye Qiu had to be held back from changing his name. His friend mercilessly spirited away the filled out and signed name-change forms. They were concerned for him? They should be concerned about Captain Ye! This was all his fault! Ye Qiu wouldn’t have to change his identity if Captain Ye didn’t steal his. Ye Qiu paused. Yes! Captain Ye should be the one changing his name, not Ye Qiu!
Muttering, Ye Qiu fervently drew up plans to uncover One Autumn Leaf’s identity and get him to change his name. His friend merely looked on with dead-eyed resignation.
Somewhere in City B, a young businessman felt strangely vindicated.
For six years Ye Qiu had forgotten the feeling of peace and comfort, until his vacation to South Korea. After Korean BBQ for dinner, he and his friends decided to unwind at a PC Bang. Ye Qiu cried at the entrance when the receptionist confusedly handed back his ID card and his friend patted his back while guiding him to a ticket machine to reserve a spot. Nobody had asked him about Captain Ye the entire visit. If only God Zhang wasn’t stationed in China, Ye Qiu might have contemplated moving there permanently.
All his enduring; of the jokes, ribbing, the shame of being labelled an EE supporter, all became worth it when he finally got to meet his idol, his god, the player behind Hundred Dazzling Blossoms, Zhang Jiale. His idol stopped by for a meeting about potential upgrades to his weapons, and Ye Qiu raced for the chance to receive an autograph (on a limited edition postcard of Zhang Jiale from season two of the Glory Alliance).
His idol cackled the entire time he was signing the photo, but that couldn’t bring down Ye Qiu’s mood, because Zhang Jiale took out his phone and asked for a selfie with Ye Qiu! To post on his Weibo! Ye Qiu was over the moon. He knew it was just Zhang Jiale’s way of making fun of Captain Ye, but, truthfully, that made the experience even more priceless.
#YeQiu_ultimate_ZhangJiale_fanboy was trending for weeks afterwards.
“Any way you could get Ye Qiu to change his name please?”
His idol chuckled. “Haha that would be funny, but unlikely.”
“Can you tell me who he is so I can for– ask him though, please?”
“Not a chance.”
Ye Qiu sighed. It seemed not even his idol could help him achieve justice.
“He’s a fake Ye Qiu! I can’t prove it, but I just know that it’s true!” Ye Qiu declared to Senior Mo as they walked. His arms gesticulating wildly like a crazed conspiracy theorist. “You know, us Ye Qius have completely rejected him as one of us! Because we can tell!”
“I know a Ye Qiu who is a huge fan of Excellent Era though?”
“He doesn’t speak for us.” Ye Qiu instantly cut off relations.
“And you do?” Senior Mo asked jokingly.
Ye Qiu gave him a dry stare; it was answer enough.
A young businessman on a plane to City H felt oddly smug.
Captain Ye announcing his retirement should have been the end of things. Alas, the universe (his R&D team) had to get in one last hurrah.
Senior Liu's expression turned surprised upon seeing Ye Qiu at his desk, drafting a proposal for silver-equipment combinations.
“Rookie Qiu, what are you still doing here?”
Ye Qiu tilted his head, warily searching the room and noticing his co-workers' eager gazes. “What do you mean? I just clocked in.”
Senior Mo entered behind Senior Liu and exclaimed, “Ahh is that Rookie Qiu!? We’re going to miss you, rookie! Aiya you’ve only been here two years but you’re already leaving.”
Senior Liu wiped invisible tears. “So young to retire la.” He patted Ye Qiu’s shoulder and sternly informed him to take care of himself. Instantly, the rest of the department joined in with similarly tearful well-wishes and send-offs.
Ye Qiu was not amused. “...Oh. Ha ha very funny.”
Why couldn’t he have a normal team? Why wasn’t his idol part of Tyranny’s club? Tyranny was probably celebrating properly… Then Ye Qiu imagined what would happen if someone with the same name as Han Wenqing’s greatest rival/enemy were to waltz into their stronghold. He shivered. He thanked the heavens Zhang Jiale would never leave Hundred Blossoms for Tyranny and banished the image.
It was to this scene of an impromptu yet dramatic retirement party for a 25-year-old employee, that the team leader walked in. The team leader blinked, and Ye Qiu breathed a sigh of relief.
However, if Ye Qiu thought he could count on the team leader, he was wrong. In the PvP arena, nobody was spared.
“Little Qiu, I thought you retired. Take your severance and get out of here!”
“I hate all of you.”
His seniors just laughed. Assholes, the lot of them.
Ye Qiu loathed the idea on a spiritual level, but he had to praise Ye Xiu for finally confessing his imposter status. At last, he was finally free from ‘Ye Qiu’ jokes, he could frequent internet cafes again, and would no longer be associated with his idol’s opponents. He might even be able to follow his idol to Tyranny! He had his name back and the future was bright!
Senior Liu peeked over his computer. “Could you check how many scarlet poison tails server two has Rookie Qiu–” He smirked. “-Ah sorry, it’s Rookie Xiu now, isn’t it?”
Ye Qiu’s eyes twitched. He dropped his head onto the keyboard and groaned.
Ye Xiu, until I die, you are my mortal enemy for life!
Elsewhere, every Tyranny fan (plus a young businessman) felt a disturbance in the force, and a sudden urge to prove their hatred for Ye Xiu.
(In a hotel in City S, Ye Qiu cursed out Ye Xiu on QQ. He just knew that his stupid older brother was somehow causing his random mood swings)