Summary: When Tong Yao joins ZGDX under the gamer ID Smiling, no one expects the rookie Mid to shake the OPL to its core. Fierce, brilliant, and hiding more secrets than anyone realizes, she quickly proves she can be as ruthless as Captain Lu Sicheng himself. Family rivalries, hidden identities, and the bond of an unexpected team collide as Tong Yao steps into the Rift, not just to play, but to change the game forever.
One-Shot
The Spring Championship Finale between CK and ZGDX had the entire arena packed to bursting, fans waving signs and chanting until the rafters seemed to shake. Jian Yang sat in his place on stage, headset balanced on his neck as the camera swept across the CK players for the official introductions. As captain and jungler, he carried himself with his usual cool poise, Sunflower's nameplate glowing bright in front of him. He reached for his water bottle casually, the practiced movements of a man long used to the spotlight.
Then the broadcast cut to the audience, a flash of movement in the stands drawing every eye. The camera lingered, the big screen magnifying a young woman's face framed by a waterfall of dark caramel hair shot through with streaks of gold, purple, and black that shimmered beneath the lights. Her eyes, sharp and bright as the desert sun, stared directly into the lens with a mischievous challenge. In her hands, raised high, was a bold sign scrawled in thick black marker:
"If Jian Yang loses this Championship Finale Game, I will disown his ass. And I can do it too, because I'm Yeye's favorite, not him."
The crowd erupted in laughter and cheers, the cheekiness of the message rippling through the stadium like wildfire. The camera zoomed closer, catching the way she bit her lip around an impish smile, daring him with every line of her expression.
On stage, Jian Yang had just taken a sip of water when the words hit the big screen. His eyes flicked upward, recognition crashing through him, and he choked violently, sputtering into his bottle as Hu Die clapped him on the back with wide-eyed concern. The usually unflappable captain looked utterly blindsided.
Because no one outside of CK, YQCB, and Jinyang knew. No one knew that the young woman in the audience was his younger cousin, freshly returned to Shenzhen after years studying abroad. He had no warning, no idea she was back, and certainly not that she would show up to his Championship match broadcasting her loyalty or threat to the entire esports community.
Jinyang, seated right beside her, was already doubled over in laughter, half-covering her face as the arena roared. The casters themselves were caught between trying to commentate and breaking down into hysterics at the unexpected drama.
And Jian Yang? For the first time in a long while, the captain of CK found himself thrown off balance, his carefully constructed composure slipping as his younger cousin, his Yeye's beloved favorite, announced her return in the most spectacularly embarrassing fashion possible.
Jian Yang's throat burned from the water he had half-inhaled, and as he slapped the bottle down harder than he meant to, his teammates were already grinning like hyenas. Lao Wang leaned back in his chair, a wheezing laugh escaping him. Hu Die had not stopped patting his back, eyes gleaming with mischief now that she realized what the sign meant. Xiao Hua was snickering so hard he nearly fumbled his mouse, and Haoyun Lai was muttering under his breath about how this was the funniest thing he'd ever seen in a finals match.
"Shut up," Jian Yang snapped, voice low and edged like glass, though the tips of his ears betrayed him by flushing pink. His glare could have frozen fire as he looked from one side of the stage to the other, daring any of them to push further. It only made them smirk harder.
They all knew. They had been the only ones allowed into the little family secret. They knew exactly who that girl was with her impossible hair that shimmered gold, purple, and black under the lights, with her desert-sharp eyes and that sign wielded like a weapon. They knew it was Tong Yao, his little cousin who had grown up forever just two steps behind him, forever the thorn in his side, the one person on earth who could unseat his composure in seconds flat. And now she had done it in front of thousands in the arena and millions watching the livestream.
Jian Yang cursed under his breath, the words slipping out in a hiss as he clenched his jaw and forced himself to stare straight at the monitor in front of him. "That damn brat," he muttered, fingers flexing over the keys. "She really came back just to screw with me."
The snickering didn't stop. In fact, it deepened, a chorus of muffled chuckles from his teammates as they exchanged glances like schoolchildren watching their strict teacher get scolded for once in his life. They had never seen Sunflower this rattled, this visibly off-balance. The iron-blooded captain of CK was swearing under his breath and grinding his teeth like a cornered man because his cousin had chosen this exact moment to make her grand reentry. And the truth that burned beneath all of it? If anyone in the world had the power to rile his ass up, it wasn't the fans, it wasn't the critics, it wasn't even the relentless pressure of being captain on finals day. It was her. It was Tong Yao. Always Tong Yao.
On the other side of the stage, ZGDX sat in their row, the hum of the crowd a constant roar pressing against the glass booth. Their headsets hung around their necks, the match delayed as an official jogged across to CK's side carrying a fresh keyboard. Jian Yang's irritation was obvious even from the corner of their booth, but that wasn't what had caught ZGDX's attention.
Because the camera had lingered, replaying that moment for the audience again, and ZGDX's eyes, every last one of them, locked on the woman with the wild streaked hair and the audacious sign held high for the world to see.
Ming, perched forward with his elbows braced on his knees, let out a low whistle. "Ohhh… well, that explains why Sunflower nearly drowned himself," he murmured, grin curling up his mouth. His eyes gleamed with the kind of satisfaction only chaos could bring. "Who is she? Because that was… brutal."
Lao Mao squinted at the screen, his face screwed up in thought. "She looks… familiar. Haven't I seen her around before?" His brows knit tighter, like some half-buried memory was clawing at him.
Pang was already shaking his head, trying not to laugh too loud. "Forget familiar, that's savage. 'Disown his ass'? And she dropped the Yeye card too?" He broke down into wheezy chuckles, clutching his belly as if he'd been stabbed there. "Oh, she's got guts. I like her already."
Lao K, who almost never spoke unless necessary, tipped his head slightly as if studying a rare species. "She has his eyes," he said finally, flat and quiet but undeniable. "Desert sharp. That's blood."
That shut them all up for a beat, the words hanging there. The realization crawled over their skins like static.
Ming was the first to break it, leaning back with a bark of disbelieving laughter. "You're telling me… that's family? Captain Sunflower's family? No way."
But Lao K didn't move, his steady expression unchanged, and that was enough to keep them from dismissing it.
Meanwhile, Sicheng hadn't moved at all since the image first lit the screen. The others laughed, speculated, tried to puzzle out who she was, but he sat still as stone, gaze locked on the monitor replaying her sign and her smirk. His dark amber eyes didn't waver, not once. He'd noticed the hair first, the streaks catching the light in colors both bold and strange, but it was her eyes that rooted him to the spot. Eyes that didn't flinch under the scrutiny of tens of thousands. Eyes that didn't just look, but dared. There was something about her presence, the easy audacity, the way she weaponized her smile like she knew exactly what she was doing to Jian Yang, and the fact she had done it without fear. That was not someone ordinary. Not some casual fan waving a witty sign.
No. She belonged to this world, somehow. And Sicheng couldn't look away.
In the back, Rui had leaned forward over the couch in the lounge, eyebrows climbing as he stared at the feed on the large monitor.
Yue was sprawled sideways on the cushions with a snack bag, frozen mid-bite as he muttered through a mouthful, "What the hell kind of fan drops a family bomb in front of millions?"
"Not a fan," Rui said slowly, shaking his head. His manager's instincts flared with unease. "That's not just some stranger. And if Jian Yang's choking himself over it, that's something we need to keep an eye on."
Back on stage, the replacement keyboard was finally being hooked in, the officials checking connections as the casters laughed nervously to fill the silence. But ZGDX's booth stayed unusually hushed.
Because for the first time in a long while, it wasn't the match, the draft, or their rivals that had thrown them off. It was the girl in the stands, with hair like fire and shadows and a smile sharp enough to cut Sunflower himself.
Yao had felt the weight of eyes before, the lingering, curious kind when she walked into a room, the ones that never quite knew what to make of her. But this was heavier. This was sharper. It pressed from across the stage, through the layers of glass and steel, across the endless chatter of the crowd. She could feel them. She tilted her head slightly, lips still curved in that impish smile, and her desert-gold eyes drifted to the booth across from her cousin's. ZGDX. Six figures silhouetted in sleek black, every pair of eyes fixed on her as though she had stepped into their orbit without asking. She held their gaze, unflinching, the sign still propped in her lap as if daring them to keep staring. The corner of her mouth tugged higher, knowing exactly what kind of ripple she'd set off. She wasn't blind. Jian Yang choking on his water was one kind of chaos. But rattling ZGDX, her cousin's greatest rivals? That was its own kind of delicious.
Jinyang nudged her side, whispering low enough for only her to hear, words dripping with glee. "You do realize," her best friend murmured, eyes alight with mischief, "that they're staring because they have no idea yet. They don't know you're about to be their new Mid. When they find out? Oh, Yao, the looks on their faces are going to be priceless."
Yao let out a quiet, breathy laugh, her shoulders lifting in the smallest shrug as she leaned closer. "That's half the fun, isn't it?"
Jinyang's grin widened, positively feral now. "And watching Jian Yang mope and sulk after this? Watching him try to act like it doesn't bother him that you're here, playing under Firestorm and about to join his enemies?" She let the words drag, savoring them like honey. "I can't wait. He's going to stew, and you know it."
Yao's eyes flicked back toward CK's booth where her cousin sat stiff-backed, his jaw tight, pretending to ignore the glances his teammates kept tossing him. Her smirk deepened, a glint of familial wickedness sparking in her gaze. She knew Jian Yang better than anyone. He could hide from rivals, he could outplay pressure, he could lead a team into finals. But he couldn't hide from her. Not here. Not ever. She leaned back in her seat, tossing her hair over her shoulder so the streaks of gold, purple, and black caught the stadium lights like molten glass. If ZGDX wanted to stare, let them. If Jian Yang wanted to stew, let him. The truth sat sweet and sharp in her chest: this was only the beginning.
Because soon enough, the secret would unravel. Soon enough, ZGDX would realize the girl with the sign, the cousin who could unseat Jian Yang in seconds flat, the audacious Firestorm tearing up the ladders, was theirs. Their new Mid. Their future.
Yao smiled faintly, a private little curve of lips no one but Jinyang saw. Let them wonder. Let them stare. The game hadn't even started yet.
The air behind the stadium was thick with the lingering vibration of chants and cheers, the night sky above Shenzhen buzzing with the energy of victory. CK's bus was idling, headlights cutting pale beams across the asphalt, while fans clamored behind the security gates farther out. The players moved in a loose cluster, the adrenaline of winning the Spring Championship still clinging to their skin.
And there she was, leaning casually against the metal railing by the bus, hair falling in molten waves of caramel streaked with gold, purple, and black that shimmered under the fluorescent lights.
Yao's grin was wide, taunting, the kind that stretched slow as if she'd been rehearsing it for years just for this moment. "Well, well," she drawled, her tone syrupy with mock sadness, "looks like I won't have to disown you after all. Tsk. I was almost looking forward to it too." Her eyes danced with amusement, the desert gold catching every flicker of light as she tilted her head toward Jian Yang.
Jian Yang stopped dead in his tracks, hands dragging down his face with a groan so loud it was almost theatrical. "Why… why, of all the people in the world, did the gods decide to curse me with you?" he muttered, his words muffled behind his palms. His voice rose in pitch, sharp with the frustration only family could spark. "A pain in the ass cousin who acts more like a bratty little sister!" He flung his hands up toward the sky, cursing the heavens themselves.
His team erupted. Hu Die immediately cracked up, slinging an arm around Tong Yao's shoulders with the kind of easy affection that declared her one of their own without hesitation. "So this is the legendary cousin, huh? No wonder he nearly drowned on stage." His grin was broad, unabashedly delighted as he gave her a gentle shake. "Welcome back, little sister."
Haoyun Lai "Luck" laughed so hard he bent double, his voice carrying in a high-pitched wheeze. "Oh, she's perfect. Absolutely perfect. Look at Sunflower's face, he looks like he aged ten years tonight." He lifted a hand, giving her a mock salute. "Good job, kid. Already more entertaining than half our games."
Xiao Hua "Floret" stepped in next, flicking her a smile as easy as breathing, though his eyes glimmered with interest as he said, "Don't let his grumbling fool you. He'll never admit it, but he missed you. We all did, even if we didn't know it yet." He winked. "Our little sister."
Even Lao Wang, the most grounded of the group, chuckled as he gave her a respectful nod. "Family is family," he said simply. "And you? You fit right in."
Yao laughed softly, letting their warmth wash over her even as Jian Yang stood there suffering the indignity of watching his teammates adopt her like she had been theirs all along. She had expected teasing. She had expected noise. But she hadn't expected the sudden, unshakable sense of belonging that crackled in their voices. She deliberately ignored the mischief curling on Jinyang's lips, her best friend leaning against the side of the bus with her arms crossed, watching the whole scene like it was better than any drama on screen. That smirk promised trouble later, whispered that Jinyang would not let her forget how spectacularly this night had played out.
Jian Yang groaned again, muttering curses under his breath in a blend of Mandarin and English as if no language could properly contain his suffering. His cousin. His thorn. His shadow. Of course she had returned in the loudest, most impossible way.
Yao only smirked wider, leaning into Hu Die's easy hold, her gaze fixed on her cousin's scowling face. "Come on, gege," she teased, voice lilting. "You won. You're Champion. Shouldn't you be happy?"
Jian Yang's answer was another groan, his head tipping back toward the stars as if he were asking the universe itself for strength.
The back lot was still alive with shouts and footsteps, the air charged with the aftershock of the finale. CK lingered around their bus, laughter spilling out as Tong Yao bantered with them, her cousin muttering curses to the heavens while his teammates treated her like their little sister.
That was the sight ZGDX walked into.
The champions still in their jackets, medals glinting around their necks, clustered close around a girl who looked far too comfortable in their orbit. ZGDX slowed as one, the noise around them dimming. Ming, Sicheng, Lao Mao, Lao K, and Pang strode up in their loose, confident line, Rui and Lu Yue trailing behind, their faces touched with the same curiosity that clung to every step.
The exchange began in the way men of the game knew best.
Jian Yang, who had spent the night rolling his eyes at his cousin, straightened with his team and dipped his head toward Ming. "It was an honor," he said, voice carrying weight even beneath his lingering irritation, "to go against you in your last game. You've been the standard for Mid for years. We won't forget that." One by one, CK's players bowed some, a show of respect that even the rivalry couldn't dull.
Ming's expression softened, the sharp wit in his eyes dimming into something solemn. He gave a slow nod, the corner of his mouth curling faintly as he clasped Jian Yang's shoulder. "And it was an honor to end it on the stage against you." His gaze swept the group with quiet approval. "All of you. The league's in strong hands."
But before the moment could settle, Yao stepped forward. She moved between the two teams like she belonged to neither and both, her hair catching every beam of fluorescent light, her eyes desert-sharp and glowing with mischief. She bowed slightly to Ming, her tone changing in an instant, still laced with fire, but softened by respect. "It's an honor," she said, steady and clear, "to be chosen as your successor." For a heartbeat, silence stretched. Then she straightened, smile curling into something wicked, her voice ringing like a match striking flame. "I am Tong Yao. Firestorm. And Smiling. Madam Lu and CEO Bao have already filled out the paperwork with me and signed it with both of our lawyers." She spread her hands as though unveiling something long in the making. "I will be going by Smiling as ZGDX's starter Mid."
The world tilted.
Jinyang's laughter broke it first, loud and sharp, her hand flying to her stomach as she nearly doubled over. "Oh my god, Yao, you didn't just—" She couldn't even finish, the sound spilling over like champagne foam.
CK's faces twisted in shock, Jian Yang's most of all. His horror was palpable, eyes wide, mouth opening then snapping shut again like he couldn't decide whether to roar or faint. "You—You're WHAT?" he croaked, his voice cracking so badly Haoyun Lai choked on his own laughter.
ZDGX froze as though the earth had stopped beneath their feet. Ming blinked once, then twice, stunned into rare silence. Pang's jaw dropped so far it looked like it might hit the asphalt. Lao Mao muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "holy shit." Lao K narrowed his eyes, analyzing her like a puzzle he had just realized was missing an entire corner. And Sicheng—Sicheng hadn't taken his eyes off her since the words left her mouth. His gaze, sharp and unreadable, tracked her with unnerving stillness, his mind already whirring, recalibrating everything.
Yao turned then, her smirk aimed like an arrow at her cousin. She jabbed a finger into Jian Yang's shoulder, forcing him to step back under the force of her grin. "So," she declared, voice ringing with challenge, "you'd better enjoy having that trophy for now, Ge. Because by the time the next OPL season ends on October 24th?" Her smile widened, wicked and bright as fire. "That trophy will be back in ZGDX's base. Sucks for you, Ge."
The night air erupted again, not from the crowd this time, but from the two teams caught in the aftershock of her words. Laughter, disbelief, a chorus of muttered curses and incredulous gasps.
And in the middle of it all stood Tong Yao, unflinching, her declaration burning brighter than the stadium lights behind them.
The chaos of her announcement had only just begun to settle into shocked laughter and incredulous mutters when Jian Yang suddenly lurched forward, his horror combusting into outright outrage. His voice cracked through the back lot, louder than the rumbling bus engines, his finger stabbing the air at her. "She should be on my team!" he all but wailed, sputtering like he had been personally betrayed by fate itself. "My team! How the hell does this brat end up on ZGDX of all places?!" His pout was so sharp it looked carved, his ears flushed pink with indignation. "Unbelievable! Absolutely not, I forbid this—"
Yao blinked once, twice, then arched a brow with a smirk sharp enough to cut glass. She stepped closer, tilting her chin up with her desert eyes locked on him, unflinching. When she spoke, her voice was flat, blunt, and mercilessly honest. "Ge," she said, her tone so matter-of-fact it silenced the laughter around them. "If I were under your command for even a week? I would smother you in your sleep."
The back lot detonated.
Hu Die burst out laughing so hard he doubled over, clutching his stomach with tears in his eyes. "Oh my god, she actually said it! She really said it!" He slapped Xiao Hua on the arm, wheezing. "Tell me you heard that—=, tell me you heard that!"
Xiao Hua could barely nod, his own laughter spilling unchecked. "Dead in a week. The great Sunflower, slain in his own bed by his cousin. History would weep."
Haoyun Lai fell against Lao Wang's shoulder, still cackling like a man unhinged. "Not even a week! She'd last three days, max! She's ruthless!"
Even Lao Wang, ever the grounded one, chuckled low and shook his head with the faintest of smiles. "She's got a point. These two in one base? Living together? It would be war."
Across from them, ZGDX's booth of men could no longer contain themselves.
Pang collapsed against the bus door with a shriek of laughter, his voice carrying clear down the row. "She just threatened murder like it was nothing! Oh, I like her. I like her a lot!"
Lao Mao snorted so hard it startled him, and even stoic Lao K's lips twitched faintly at the corners, betraying amusement. Ming's hand covered his mouth, but his shoulders shook as his eyes glittered with the delight of watching chaos unfold, knowing he had just handed the league to the perfect successor.
And Sicheng—Sicheng hadn't looked away once. His face remained calm, but there was a glimmer in his dark eyes, a flicker of something almost dangerous. Not laughter. Not shock. Something quieter. Something like recognition.
Jian Yang, meanwhile, stood frozen, his mouth opening and closing as if searching for words to counter her blunt declaration. All he managed was a strangled, "You—you wouldn't—"
Yao leaned closer, her smirk curling like smoke. "Try me."
The men around them lost it all over again, their laughter echoing under the floodlights as Jian Yang groaned loudly, dragging both hands down his face in abject defeat.
The laughter was still echoing like rolling thunder through the back lot when another sharp snort cut through it. Everyone turned in time to see Yue, lounging with his arms crossed and his usual unimpressed slouch, smirking like a man who'd just been vindicated by the heavens themselves.
"Finally!" he said loudly, shaking his head with exaggerated relief. "Someone actually gets it! Do you have any idea how much of a pain in the ass it is being under the command of your older sibling?" He jabbed a thumb toward Sicheng without even looking, grumbling. "It's torture. Absolute torture. I've been saying this for years and nobody listens." He didn't get further than that before Sicheng's hand swung out lazily, swatting his younger brother across the backside with a sharp smack that echoed in the cool night air. Yue yelped and stumbled forward, scowling as the laughter doubled in volume around them.
Jinyang's laughter rang clearest of all, rich and cutting as she straightened against the bus, eyes glimmering with mischief. "Oh, this isn't even that bad, boys," she drawled, waving a hand as if to calm them though her grin betrayed her joy. "If you'd all remember, Ai Jia, the Mid for YQCB?" She let the name hang, watching their faces shift as the thought clicked into place. "Yeah. He's Jian Yang's cousin. Which also makes him Yao-Yao's cousin."
That single sentence set off another wave of incredulous reactions. Hu Die nearly choked on his own laughter, clutching his chest. "You mean to tell me, three cousins spread across three rival teams? This is insane!"
Xiao Hua let out a long whistle, shaking his head. "The family dinners must be bloodbaths."
Haoyun Lai leaned his forehead against the bus window, tears of laughter streaking his face. "The OPL is a family feud. I can't, this is gold."
But Jinyang wasn't finished. Her grin widened wickedly, her eyes fixed on the ZGDX boys now. "And here's the best part," she said, each word sharp with relish. "Ai Jia doesn't even know she's back in the country yet. She kindly forgot to tell him. Forgot to mention she's not just back, but joining ZGDX." She paused deliberately, savoring the tension like a cat with prey. "So since YQCB's base is just up the drive and on the hill from ZGDX? Well, boys…" She spread her arms wide, laughter spilling out again. "Once Yao moves in, consider ZGDX officially invaded."
The effect was electric.
Pang's laughter turned into wheezing gasps, bending double against the bus door. Lao Mao barked out a sharp laugh, half in disbelief, while even Lao K's lips parted as though he couldn't quite contain the small exhale of humor that escaped. Rui groaned loudly from where he stood, already rubbing at his temples as if he could see the impending chaos laid out before him.
And Ming?
Ming threw his head back and laughed, long and unrestrained, eyes shining with wicked delight. "Perfect," he declared, clapping once, his voice ringing. "Absolutely perfect. The next season is going to be pure madness, and I wouldn't have it any other way."
Sicheng's reaction was different. He hadn't laughed like the others, hadn't groaned like Rui, hadn't choked like Jian Yang. His gaze remained locked on Tong Yao, unreadable in the half-light, his silence louder than the chaos surrounding them. The corner of his mouth ticked faintly, the barest ghost of a smirk, but his eyes were sharp, calculating. Watching her.
Yao, in turn, only smirked brighter, basking in the bedlam she had set off, her desert eyes gleaming with the satisfaction of someone who knew exactly the storm she was unleashing. Yao, arms folded now, shifted her weight lazily against the bus railing, her expression falling into something sharper, drier, her tone flat as stone when she finally cut through their noise. "Ai Jia?" she said, as if merely uttering the name already tested her patience. Her desert eyes rolled skyward before snapping back to them, blunt as a hammer. "Ai Jia is a clinging raccoon. If I didn't even tell Yang-Yang I was coming back, why in the world would I tell that man?"
Jinyang cackled instantly, folding in half with the force of her laughter, nearly slapping her knee. "Clinging raccoon, oh, that's perfect!"
Hu Die practically staggered backward, howling, "She called YQCB's Mid a raccoon! On what planet do cousins talk about each other like this?"
Haoyun Lai was crying again, hiccupping through his wheezes. "I can't breathe! A raccoon! He's never living this down!"
Xiao Hua, wiping his eyes, leaned toward Jian Yang with a grin. "She's not wrong though. I've seen how he follows you around, man. Clinging raccoon fits."
Jian Yang groaned and dragged his hands down his face for what felt like the hundredth time that night, muttering into his palms, "Why did I even let her live past age five…"
Yao ignored him entirely, voice rising louder now, dry and merciless. "Jia-Jia can't keep a secret if his life depended on it. You tell him one thing, and five minutes later he's whining it to Jinyang, or Rong-Rong. No. Absolutely not." She sniffed, a crisp dismissal. "The fewer people who knew I was back, the better. He'd have spoiled everything."
The ZGDX boys stared at her, half-dumbfounded and half-entertained beyond belief.
Pang leaned over to Lao Mao, whispering loudly enough for everyone to hear, "So she bullies not one but two cousins? Jian Yang and Ai Jia? I love her."
Lao Mao snorted. "She's terrifying. She fits here perfectly."
Even Lao K, who rarely entertained such banter, tipped his head faintly in approval. "At least she understands the weaknesses of her allies. That's useful."
Rui, meanwhile, groaned audibly, muttering something about how the press would eat this alive once they got wind of the tangled family tree between CK, YQCB, and now ZGDX. Ming was grinning ear to ear, his delight obvious as he let the chaos unfold without restraint.
Sicheng, leaning back with his arms crossed, watched her with that steady, unreadable gaze, the flicker of amusement tugging faintly at his lips but never reaching his eyes. Her bluntness, her ruthlessness, the way she dismissed Ai Jia like he was an annoying insect, he'd seen players talk big before, but this was different. She wasn't bluffing.
Yao only shrugged at the laughter she'd sparked, the corners of her mouth tugging upward again. "Call me cruel all you want. I call it realistic."
Jinyang was still laughing, unable to stop, her face flushed with delight. "Oh, Jia-Jia's going to throw a fit when he finds out. This is going to be so much fun."
Yao's smirk curved slow and dangerous, the kind of expression that promised fire before the spark even struck. The laughter around them had just begun to quiet into chuckles and murmurs when she tilted her head toward Jinyang, eyes glowing like molten gold under the floodlights. "Not as much fun," she said, voice dripping with a wicked amusement, "as when Ai Jia accuses you of betrayal, Jin-er."
Jinyang's laughter caught in her throat mid-breath.
Yao pushed off the railing and stepped into her best friend's space, her grin widening, every word sharp and merciless. "Because to him? You're his beloved 'Wifey.' His precious girlfriend. His anchor. And you knew about everything. Every single detail. You let him whine, let him rant, and never once told him his so-called little sister-cousin was coming back. Or that she was moving in with ZGDX." She paused deliberately, savoring the tension, her smirk blooming into something triumphant. "Now that, Jin-er, is betrayal."
The reaction was immediate.
Hu Die collapsed against Xiao Hua's shoulder, wheezing laughter that echoed across the parking lot. "Oh my god, she's going to get you killed! Ai Jia's going to throw a tantrum the size of the Great Wall!"
Xiao Hua was doubled over, pounding a fist against his thigh, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. "Wifey betrayal! He's going to cry for a week!"
Haoyun Lai was practically on the ground, howling, "Someone record this! I want his face when he finds out! Priceless!"
Even Lao Wang chuckled, shaking his head at the sheer madness of it all. "The poor boy's heart won't survive."
From ZGDX's side, Pang had slid halfway down the bus door, laughing like he might combust on the spot. "She just threw her best friend under the bus without blinking! This girl is merciless!"
Lao Mao was trying to steady himself, muttering, "This is pure chaos," between fits of laughter.
Lao K simply exhaled, faint amusement curling the corner of his lips as he observed, "Her enemies won't survive her."
Jinyang, for her part, shoved Yao's shoulder hard, her face flushed crimson as she tried to choke down her own hysterics. "You absolute devil! He's going to lose his mind, he's going to wail and cling and call me a traitor for weeks!" She half-squealed, half-laughed, burying her face in her hands. "I hate you, Yao-Yao!"
Yao only leaned back with a satisfied grin, arms crossing as she basked in the chaos she had ignited. "Hate me all you want, Jin-er. Just don't forget, I warned you. Tomorrow morning, your raccoon's claws are coming for you."
The men of both teams broke down again, the sound of their laughter echoing against the dark sky.
Jian Yang groaned loudly, muttering curses about why he had to be related to both of them.
But through all of it, Sicheng remained still, silent, his gaze never leaving Tong Yao. His teammates roared and clutched at each other, CK's boys howled and slapped their knees, but Sicheng watched the way she smiled when she dropped her bombs, the precision with which she chose her words, the absolute lack of fear in her posture. And for the first time since the trophy was lifted, he thought less about CK's win, and more about what was coming next season.
The laughter was still reverberating across the lot when a pointed sound cut through it, Rui clearing his throat. The ZGDX manager stepped forward, adjusting his glasses, his sharp eyes fixed on Tong Yao with a kind of restrained urgency. His voice was calm, but it carried the unmistakable authority of a man who dealt in contracts and logistics. "Tong Yao," he said carefully, "just to be absolutely clear, you meant what you said? The paperwork is signed, filed? You're officially with ZGDX?"
The playfulness that had lit her every word and smirk softened instantly. The desert edge in her eyes dulled to something steadier, gentler. She nodded once, firmly, the waves of her caramel-gold-purple hair shifting against her shoulders as she answered with sincerity. "Yes," she said, her tone low but clear. "I signed everything already. You should have the full copy in your inbox by now." She paused, her expression shifting just slightly, the seriousness deepening. "And it's not only as Mid. Madam Lu and CEO Bao also signed me on as the Data Analyst. I'll be helping Ming with strategies and training."
Silence dropped like a stone into water.
The men around her froze, stunned into wide-eyed stillness. Even Jinyang's mouth fell open, a stunned laugh caught somewhere in her throat. Ming blinked rapidly, his grin faltering as the weight of her words hit him, his supposed successor wasn't just stepping into his shoes, she was stepping into his role beside him, supporting him before fully taking over.
Pang's jaw fell open like a trapdoor, his head whipping toward Rui as if to confirm she wasn't joking.
Lao Mao muttered, "She's pulling double duty?" as though it were some impossible feat.
Hu Die shook his head slowly, a stunned smile twitching across his face. "She's insane, and brilliant."
But it was Sicheng's voice, low and deliberate, that rolled through the silence like distant thunder. His tone was smooth, deep, and dangerous, each word deliberate enough to make heads turn. "Are you getting paid," he asked, his gaze fixed on her with unsettling intensity, "for both roles?" He didn't blink, didn't shift, his expression carved from stone. "Because if you're not, I'll have a word with my mother and CEO Bao myself. I won't have one of my players working two different jobs without being compensated fairly." The back lot went still again, his voice resonating deeper than anyone else's laughter had moments ago. His teammates exchanged glances, some eyebrows raised, some smirks twitching, but none dared to comment.
Yao blinked at him, surprised by the firmness in his tone, the sharpness of the line he had drawn in her defense without hesitation. For once, she was caught off guard, blinking rapidly before nodding, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Yes," she said softly, her voice carrying enough to reach him. "I am being paid for both positions." Her smirk returned then, lighter now, as though she were indulging him. "Don't worry, Chessman. I don't come cheap."
Hu Die let out a low whistle, the tension cracking into startled laughter.
Pang clutched his chest dramatically, whispering, "Did he just… threaten his own mother for her?"
Lao Mao barked a laugh at that, and even Ming, recovering from his shock, couldn't hold back the curve of a grin.
But Sicheng didn't smile. He just inclined his head slightly, a satisfied flicker crossing his eyes before he leaned back again, folding his arms.
The buzz of murmurs and whispers was still rippling after Sicheng's low, thunderous defense when another voice cut across it, sharper than expected.
Yue, still rubbing at the sting on his backside from Sicheng's earlier swat, was frowning now, his normally lazy eyes narrowed as he stared openly at Tong Yao. "How?" he asked flatly, the weight of skepticism pulling every syllable. His gaze traveled from her impish smile to the calm way she held herself, like she belonged in the middle of these giants. "You're what—twenty-two? How are you a Mid, a Data Analyst, and apparently someone Ming himself would hand the reins to? How?"
The words hung heavy in the cool night, the laughter dimming as heads turned to see how she would answer. Even Jian Yang froze mid-protest, caught by the sudden seriousness.
Yao's smirk faded, her chin lifting instead, her expression sharpening into something cool and unimpressed. A quiet, almost disdainful sound slipped from her, half a scoff, half a snort, before she answered, her voice laced with crisp certainty. "I just graduated," she said, eyes locking with Yue's without so much as a blink, "with a double master's degree from Princeton."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Jinyang's laughter cut it first, sharp and unrepentant. She clapped a hand against her thigh and crowed, "Tell him, Yao-Yao! Go on, tell him again, because clearly his brain short-circuited the first time!"
Hu Die's jaw practically hit the pavement. "Double masters? At twenty-two? What the hell!" He spun toward Jian Yang with wide, accusing eyes. "And you didn't tell us?!"
Jian Yang sputtered, his hands flying uselessly. "How the hell was I supposed to tell you something I didn't know either?!"
Xiao Hua let out a long, low whistle, dragging a hand down his face. "Holy shit. She's lethal in-game and in real life."
Haoyun Lai just groaned, pressing both hands to his head. "She's going to run circles around us. She's already running circles around us!"
Even ZGDX, for all their legendary composure, looked rattled.
Pang was wide-eyed, muttering, "She's smarter than half this damn league combined."
Lao Mao swore under his breath. Lao K studied her like one might examine a blade fresh from the forge, sharp and gleaming. Rui had already pulled his phone out, thumbs flying, no doubt tearing through his inbox for the contract confirmation she'd mentioned.
And Ming—Ming stared at her for a long moment, the grin gone from his face, replaced by something quieter, heavier. Pride, perhaps, or recognition. The corner of his lips twitched upward. "No wonder," he murmured, almost to himself.
But it was Sicheng's gaze that pinned her in place again. That quiet, dark gaze that had tracked her every move since the camera first landed on her in the crowd. His expression didn't shift, but there was something new in the way his eyes lingered on her, a flicker of acknowledgment, a subtle shift of weight.
Yao, unbothered by their stunned silence, rolled her shoulders with an almost lazy grace. "So, yes," she added with a faint smirk, her voice cool. "That's how."
Lao K, calm as ever, shifted his weight forward just slightly. His voice came low and measured, but it carried clearly across the back lot. "What are your degrees?" he asked, his tone neither mocking nor incredulous, simply precise. His eyes, sharp and unwavering, fixed on her like a scalpel poised for detail.
Every head turned again. ZGDX, CK, even Jinyang leaned in closer, anticipation coiling in the silence.
Yao blinked once, as though mildly surprised that someone had asked outright, but then her lips curved faintly. Her voice when she answered was even, steady, but carried with it a quiet pride that couldn't be ignored. "My bachelor's degrees," she began, ticking them off with her fingers, "are in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics." A murmur stirred among the players, surprise already humming in their faces. She let it wash over them before continuing, her eyes glittering. "And my master's degrees are in Game Theory and Predictive Data Modeling."
The silence that followed this time was complete, deep enough that even the distant hum of the buses seemed to grow louder in the background.
Hu Die was the first to break, his voice cracking into the stillness. "What the actual, who even has a master's in Game Theory at twenty-two?" He ran both hands through his hair, turning in a circle like the world had tilted sideways. "Are you even human?!"
Xiao Hua groaned, throwing his head back. "Forget human. She's a machine. No wonder she's Firestorm. Who the hell studies predictive modeling for fun?"
Haoyun Lai staggered back against Lao Wang, clutching his chest as though the revelation physically struck him. "This girl's going to dismantle us and rebuild us in our sleep. We're doomed!"
Lao Wang, composed as always, let out a small chuckle, though his eyes carried something deeper, recognition, perhaps even respect. "Computer Science and Math at the foundation, Game Theory and Modeling on top. That's not just intelligence. That's precision. She's engineered herself for this."
Pang's jaw flapped open uselessly. "She's… a supercomputer. We're signing a damn supercomputer."
Lao Mao's eyes narrowed, trying to calculate what that meant for their training schedules, muttering, "That explains why Madam Lu and CEO Bao went silent about her hire. They were hiding a weapon."
Even Rui, practical to his bones, looked rattled as he glanced at his phone, his lips parting in disbelief when he no doubt found her contracts sitting neatly in his inbox exactly as she'd said.
Ming's grin returned slowly, wider this time, a gleam in his eyes like a man who had just seen the future unfold and found it even brighter than he dared hope. "Well," he said softly, almost reverently, "I did always say my replacement had to be smarter than me."
But it was Jian Yang who made the loudest sound, his groan exploding like thunder as he dragged both hands down his face. "Are you kidding me? Two bachelors, two masters, at twenty-two?!" He turned on her like a storm, his pout dragging his mouth down into a scowl. "And you didn't tell me ? You didn't tell anyone ?!"
Yao only shrugged, the smirk returning, her desert eyes glinting with mischief. "You never asked."
The explosion of laughter that followed shook the pavement, both CK and ZGDX collapsing into hysterics while Jian Yang wailed his frustration at the night sky like a man cursed.
Yue's voice sliced clean through it, blunt and careless in that way only the younger Lu brother could manage. He straightened from where he'd been leaning lazily against the bus, brushing chip crumbs from his hoodie as if nothing about this moment carried weight, and said dryly, "So… no matter what every other E-Sports team tries? They're screwed. Because with her on ZGDX? They'll never win against us."
The words dropped like a live grenade into the middle of the crowd.
For a breath, there was no reaction, only the echo of Yue's voice in the cool night. Then CK's laughter died first, cut off so abruptly it was almost painful. One by one, their expressions shifted, Hu Die's grin faltering into a pale grimace, Xiao Hua blinking hard as if the reality had only just slammed into him, Haoyun Lai's color draining as his laughter choked in his throat. Even Lao Wang's steady composure cracked, his brows pulling together in the faintest ripple of unease. They all looked at Tong Yao. Looked at her hair catching the floodlights in streaks of fire and shadow. Looked at her desert-gold eyes still glinting with defiance. Looked at the cousin who had just announced herself as Firestorm and Smiling, a double-master from Princeton, ZGDX's new Mid, Ming's successor and strategist.
And they paled. Horrified, wide-eyed, their victory trophy suddenly heavier in their hands.
Jian Yang, more than anyone, looked gutted, as if Yue's words had physically taken the ground out from under him. His mouth opened, then closed again, his face caught between outrage and despair. "You—you can't just say that!" he sputtered at Yue, his voice breaking. "Don't say that like it's already written!" But the way his team glanced at one another, silently realizing what Yue had said out loud, they knew. They all knew.
Ming's grin had returned, faint and knowing. Pang's face split in a wicked grin, giddy at the thought of dominating the league. Lao Mao's shoulders squared as though already preparing for the workload to come. Lao K's sharp gaze didn't waver, but there was a gleam in it, the acknowledgment of power now on their side. Rui pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something about media storms, but even he couldn't mask the inevitability Yue had voiced.
And Sicheng? Sicheng hadn't moved since Yue spoke, his arms crossed over his chest, eyes dark and steady on Tong Yao. He didn't laugh, didn't smirk, didn't add to the noise. But the faint flicker in his expression, the barest upward twitch of his lips, the glint in his gaze, said he agreed.
Yao didn't flinch from the weight of their stares. She only tilted her chin higher, her smirk curling slow, wicked, and certain. "Well," she said lightly, the words cutting through CK's horror like glass, "I did warn you, Ge. Enjoy that trophy while you can."
Jian Yang suddenly snapped. His horror, his disbelief, his exhaustion with his cousin's chaos, all of it boiled over in one desperate, flailing swing of the only weapon he had left. He jabbed a finger directly in Tong Yao's face, his voice raising to a petulant shout that cracked with the same frustration of a boy cornered by his younger sibling. "That's it! I'm telling your mother you broke her favorite vase!"
CK's boys flinched as though he had just swung Excalibur, their wide-eyed expressions snapping toward Tong Yao to see how she'd react. ZGDX straightened too, smirks twitching as if sensing they were about to witness something far more entertaining than any match.
Yao blinked once, slow and deliberate, her smirk curling as her desert-gold eyes narrowed with predatory amusement. Then, with a voice sharp as a blade and smooth as silk, she countered, "And I'll tell Yeye and Nia Nia that you were the one who broke Yeye's prized bottle of scotch. And the one who ruined Nia Nia's Persian rug with cranberry juice."
The effect was instantaneous.
CK howled. Hu Die collapsed against the bus, sliding down the side as his laughter came out in broken gasps. Xiao Hua bent double, wheezing so hard his face turned red. Haoyun Lai staggered backward into Lao Wang, clutching at his captain's shoulder for support as tears streamed down his face. Even the usually stoic Lao Wang broke, his shoulders shaking as he chuckled under his breath.
Pang screeched with laughter, his voice carrying across the lot. "Oh my god—she has blackmail! Family blackmail! "
Lao Mao doubled over, wheezing, and even Lao K exhaled a sharp laugh, unable to smother the flicker of amusement in his eyes.
Ming, his grin so wide it seemed to split his face, actually clapped once, delight dancing in his eyes as though the league itself had just been gifted to him on a silver platter.
Rui groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose again, muttering something about "public relations disasters waiting to happen," but even he couldn't stop the twitch at the corner of his mouth.
Jinyang was shrieking now, clapping her hands together as she doubled over in hysterics. "Yes! Oh my god, Yao-Yao, you're savage! He's going to cry to his grave about that rug!"
Jian Yang's face, meanwhile, had gone scarlet. His mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air, his finger still pointed at her though his hand now trembled from indignation. "You—you wouldn't dare—"
Yao stepped forward, smirk widening into a wicked grin as she leaned in, her voice dropping low, merciless. "Try me, Ge."
The eruption of laughter from both teams was deafening, their voices echoing into the night, drowning out even the rumble of the buses. Jian Yang groaned, dragging his hands through his hair, cursing the heavens with the drama of a man who had finally realized he could not win, not against his cousin. And Tong Yao stood there at the center of it all, chin tilted high, her smirk glowing brighter than any trophy.
The night still rang with laughter from her scotch-and-rug counterstrike, both CK and ZGDX roaring at Jian Yang's reddened face as he sputtered and groaned. It was then that Yue, ever the opportunist, straightened from where he'd been lounging and jabbed a finger at Tong Yao, his grin wild and his eyes gleaming like a man who had just found a messiah. "You!" he declared, his voice booming over the chaos, "Teach me your ways! Teach me how to put an older sibling in their place!"
The lot went silent for a heartbeat, just long enough for the picture to settle in everyone's mind, before Sicheng's sigh broke it, low and heavy with the weight of a long-suffering older brother. Without even glancing sideways, his hand came up and smacked Yue upside the head with a sharp crack that echoed like punctuation.
Yue yelped, clutching the side of his head, glaring with indignation. "Ow! See?! This is exactly what I mean! Look at him! He abuses me! You have to help me!"
Yao, already snorting in amusement, folded her arms and shook her head with mock gravity. "No thanks. I like living, thank you very much." Her smirk sharpened as her eyes gleamed in the dim light, voice laced with wry amusement. "Anything I know, I use in my own defense. You, Yue, are on your own when it comes to your brother."
The younger Lu's jaw dropped in betrayal. "What?! You can't just—"
Yao cut him off, stepping closer and jabbing her finger at him the same way she had at Jian Yang earlier. "No. I am not getting between you and him. He is now my captain. Which means you, little brother, are officially not my problem."
The explosion of laughter that followed rattled the pavement all over again.
Hu Die practically toppled against the bus door, shrieking, "She rejected him! Cold as ice!"
Xiao Hua was bent double, tears running down his face as he gasped, "Even Yue can't win against her!"
Haoyun Lai slid halfway to the ground, wheezing into his hands, while Lao Wang chuckled low, his shoulders shaking.
Pang from ZGDX was pounding the metal siding of the bus, cackled, "She just threw him back to Chessman like a hot potato! Legendary!"
Lao Mao laughed so hard his glasses nearly slid off his nose, and even Lao K, usually a wall of silence, let out a sharp breath that was undeniably a laugh.
Ming was doubled over, wiping at his eyes, his voice breaking through the din. "Oh my god, Yue, even she doesn't want to get caught between you and your brother! That says everything !"
Rui groaned again, muttering about needing aspirin, though his lips twitched as he looked away.
And Sicheng? He only exhaled quietly, lowering his hand back to his side as his dark eyes lingered on Tong Yao, who stood there with her arms crossed and a smirk curling over her lips, wholly unbothered by the storm she had created. His gaze was unreadable, but there was no denying the faint flicker of satisfaction in his expression, his newest Mid understood boundaries.
Jinyang finally let out a long, exasperated sigh. She straightened from where she'd been leaning against the bus, her arms folding over her chest, her eyes rolling toward the sky as if appealing to the heavens themselves. "Get used to it," she muttered, her tone dry as sandpaper. "She won't even help me with my older brother, and I'm supposed to be her best friend ." Her lips twisted into a grimace as she added with reluctant resignation, "Chen Kane is a nightmare, and Yao just leaves me to suffer."
That drew curious looks from the players, CK and ZGDX alike, though it was Yao's reaction that pulled them all in. She shot Jinyang a flat look, her desert eyes narrowing, her words muttered with the kind of blunt honesty that cut straight through any hope of reprieve. "Because more than half the time?" she said evenly, her voice carrying across the quieting laughter, "You deserve whatever Kane-ge does to your high-maintenance ass."
Jinyang gasped, clutching her chest as though stabbed, though her laughter bubbled just beneath it. "Betrayal! From my own sister in spirit!"
Yao rolled her eyes, shrugging as if the answer were obvious, her tone turning razor-sharp and matter-of-fact. "Besides, only someone suicidal or just as scary, would cross Kane-ge. And I, for one, like living."
The reaction was immediate.
Hu Die fell against Xiao Hua's shoulder again, laughing so hard he wheezed. "She just dragged her best friend! Savage!"
Xiao Hua covered his face, shoulders shaking, his muffled voice managing, "High-maintenance ass, oh my god, she's brutal."
Haoyun Lai clapped a hand over his mouth, trying and failing to smother his snort, while Lao Wang chuckled low, shaking his head at the brutal truth of her words.
Pang was practically crying with laughter. "She roasted her best friend without blinking!"
Lao Mao muttered through his chuckles, "That's loyalty for you, deadly loyalty." Even Lao K's lips twitched at the corners, the faintest ghost of a smirk breaking through his composure.
Ming slapped his knee, still grinning, his voice carrying loud and gleeful. "She's perfect . Absolutely perfect. This girl was made for ZGDX." Rui groaned for the third time that night, muttering about how they'd need an entire PR team just to keep up with her mouth.
And through it all, Sicheng stood quiet and steady, arms crossed, his dark gaze trained on Tong Yao with that same unreadable weight. If the others laughed at her sharpness, he studied it. If they marveled at her audacity, he measured it. His silence was louder than their noise.
Jian Yang, meanwhile, looked like he was ready to rip his hair out by the roots. "Unbelievable," he groaned, dragging his hands down his face again. "She torments me, she abandons her best friend, she terrifies half the league, and now she's my rival?!" He glared up at the heavens, shouting in anguish, "Why am I cursed with this demon of a cousin?!" Jian Yang's groans still echoed into the night, his hands tugging through his hair like a man at the end of his rope. He was red in the face, scowling at his cousin as though she were the devil herself, his teammates doubled over in laughter around him, ZGDX smirking like they'd just witnessed the birth of chaos incarnate.
And then Yao blinked. Slowly. Her eyes went wide with a kind of mock innocence that fooled no one, desert-gold gleaming sweetly under the floodlights. She folded her hands behind her back, tilted her head just so, and delivered her counterstrike in a voice so soft, so matter-of-fact, that it cut sharper than any scream. "It's because you love me," she said, blinking again like a doe-eyed angel. "And because I'm the only one standing between you and your mother's attempts at setting you up on blind dates. Don't even try to deny it, Ge. If it weren't for me? You'd already be engaged to some poor girl of her choosing. And you know it."
The back lot detonated.
Hu Die fell straight to his knees, pounding his fists into the pavement as he howled with laughter. "She's holding him hostage with his own love life!"
Xiao Hua doubled over so far he had to cling to Haoyun Lai for support, his voice strangled through tears. "Dead! I'm dead ! The mighty Sunflower saved from an arranged marriage by his demon cousin!"
Haoyun Lai wheezed, clutching his ribs. "She's not wrong! You'd have been married off a year ago, Captain, don't even lie!"
Even Lao Wang chuckled deeply, shaking his head, the rare amusement softening his usually steady face. "She's got you there, Jian Yang."
Lao Mao was doubled over, wheezing, while Lao K actually exhaled a short, amused breath—his version of a laugh.
Ming leaned back with his arms crossed, his grin wolfish, eyes sparkling as he crowed, "She's perfect . Absolutely perfect. Sunflower doesn't stand a chance."
Rui muttered something about family drama spilling into league politics, though even he couldn't hide the upward twitch of his lips.
And Sicheng? Still, he hadn't laughed. He hadn't mocked. He hadn't teased. He stood with his arms folded, his gaze locked firmly on her, the faintest flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. If the others were entertained, he was intrigued.
Jian Yang's face, meanwhile, went crimson all the way to his ears. "You—!" he sputtered, stabbing a finger at her. "You ungrateful little… don't you dare bring her into this!" He was half-choking, half-snarling, his dignity hanging on by a thread. "That's not the point! That's not—!"
Yao only rocked back on her heels, her smirk widening into a wicked grin as she cut him off with brutal cheer. "It's exactly the point, Ge."
The laughter roared back to life, echoing into the night, while Jian Yang buried his face in his hands and cursed the heavens for saddling him with a cousin who could dismantle him in front of half the OPL in less than five minutes.
The laughter was still rumbling, the two teams doubled over at Tong Yao's merciless jab about saving Jian Yang from his mother's matchmaking, when Jinyang, eyes bright with mischief and lips loose from too much amusement, suddenly blurted out without thinking. "Didn't Yao-er," she said, the words tumbling fast and gleeful, "find that dirt on that one heiress your mother was dead set on pairing you with last year?"
Every head turned at once.
Jinyang, emboldened by the attention, grinned wickedly and barreled on. "Yeah, she found out the girl was already pregnant by another guy and her family was trying to pawn her off on someone fast. Isn't that right, Yao-er?"
The effect was instantaneous.
CK erupted. Hu Die dropped flat to the pavement, pounding it with his fist, his laughter broken and gasping. "She saved him from that ! She actually saved him from being set up as the world's biggest fool!"
Xiao Hua staggered backward until his shoulders hit the bus, clutching his stomach as he howled. "Oh my god, Sunflower almost became a stepdad before twenty-five! I can't breathe!"
Haoyun Lai slid halfway down the bus door, shrieking with laughter so hard his face turned scarlet. Lao Wang, though his expression remained composed, covered his mouth with his hand, and the subtle shake of his shoulders gave him away.
Pang was choking on his laughter, clutching at Ming's arm for support as he laughed so hard tears streamed down his face. Lao Mao's glasses fogged over as he doubled forward, choking on his laughter. Even Lao K's lips parted in something dangerously close to a grin, and Rui muttered under his breath, "This is a public relations nightmare waiting to happen," while looking like he might keel over from suppressed laughter himself.
Ming leaned against the bus, shaking his head with a wolfish grin. "This family… this family is chaos incarnate."
And then there was Jian Yang. His face went crimson so fast it was as if someone had painted it on, his jaw dropping in sheer horror. "You—!" he sputtered, pointing at Tong Yao with a shaking hand. "You told her about that?! Yao! That was supposed to stay between us!"
Yao only shrugged, utterly unbothered, her smirk blooming wicked and smug. "What can I say, Ge? Jin-er remembers everything. Not my fault she has a sharp tongue."
Jian Yang groaned, dragging both hands down his face, his voice muffled behind his palms. "I hate this. I hate both of you. Do you know what my mother would do if she ever heard this out loud?!"
"Probably thank me," Yao countered dryly, her desert eyes gleaming as she tilted her chin high. "Because I saved her precious son from being trapped by a desperate family and becoming a tabloid headline. You're welcome, Ge."
That broke the fragile dam all over again, the men around them collapsing into fits of laughter until their stomachs ached.
Sicheng, however, stood silent. His gaze lingered on Tong Yao, steady and unreadable, his lips neither curling nor frowning. But there was something in his eyes, a flicker of calculation, a faint gleam of understanding, that cut through the noise. Where the others laughed, he measured. And Tong Yao, basking in the chaos she'd sparked, only smiled brighter.
The laughter was still rolling like waves against the buses, both teams doubled over from the heiress revelation, when Yao's smirk softened into something quieter. Her arms folded, her chin tipping down slightly, her voice dropping into a mutter that still carried in the cool night. "Besides," she said, her desert eyes flicking between Jian Yang and Jinyang, "no one tortures my cousins but Jinyang. Because Ai Jia really is her problem, not mine."
That earned another ripple of chuckles, but Jian Yang's reaction was different. He let out a long, weary sigh, the kind of sound only older brothers and captains seemed to master. Then, without ceremony, he reached out and ruffled her thick caramel hair, messing the purple-gold-black streaks until they tumbled into her face. His expression softened despite himself, his voice low enough that only those close caught the words. "Love ya, brat," he murmured, resignation and fondness twined in equal measure. "Even if you are a demonic hell spawn of a menace."
Yao snorted, batting his hand away and tossing her hair back with a practiced flip, but her eyes glinted with something warmer as she shot back, "Love you too, Ge. Especially when I chase away all those females who only sniff around you because you're famous now. Because you've made a name for yourself."
Jian Yang stiffened, caught off guard, his ears tinting pink at her bluntness, while the others leaned in, listening.
Yao continued, her tone sharper now, though her smirk curved fond beneath it. "I don't have to worry about Ai Jia. Any female stupid enough to go after him would be suicidal. Jinyang would eat them alive for looking at her clinging raccoon the wrong way. But you?" Her gaze pinned him, merciless and protective all at once. "Till you find someone like her to defend your butt, that's my job. Whether you like it or not."
The lot fell into stunned silence for a heartbeat.
CK blinked as one, Hu Die's smile softening just a fraction, Xiao Hua's laughter fading into something more thoughtful, Haoyun Lai shifting his weight as though seeing their captain and his cousin in a new light. Lao Wang's brows rose faintly, impressed, while even ZGDX's smirks dimmed, the weight of her words cutting sharper than her banter.
Pang muttered under his breath, "Damn. She doesn't just roast, she protects." Lao Mao nodded slightly, lips tight, and even Lao K inclined his head as though acknowledging her conviction. Ming's grin lingered, but his eyes were sharp, measuring. Rui pressed his lips together, already calculating how this truth would shape the team dynamic.
And Sicheng? He hadn't looked away once, his gaze steady, deep, and unreadable, the faintest flicker crossing his face as though he understood exactly what she meant, what it cost to stand like that, fierce and unyielding for someone else.
Jian Yang, flustered and pink-eared, groaned loudly, trying to hide his softened expression. "Why are you like this," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, "turning everything into a dramatic declaration? You're impossible." But his hand lingered for a second longer on the top of her head before he pulled away, and Yao's smirk softened into something smaller, warmer, before she tilted her chin high again, reclaiming her edge.
The laughter was tapering off into little bursts and snickers when the first sharp ding cut through the air. Everyone turned as Jinyang frowned down at her phone, the glow of the screen illuminating her face. Her brows shot up, then she let out a sharp snort, pressing her lips together as her shoulders began to shake with restrained amusement.
Then, like dominoes, the others' phones began to buzz and chime. One by one, pockets lit up, vibrations hummed against the metal siding of the buses, until nearly every man in that lot was staring down at a notification.
It wasn't a photo. Not some candid leak or shaky fan-shot. It was official. The OPL feed announcement, bold and unmistakable: "TONG YAO, GAMER ID: SMILING, JOINS ZGDX AS STARTER MIDLANER."
Silence dropped like a curtain. Every set of eyes that had a phone flickered up toward her, toward the young woman leaning casually with streaked hair gleaming under the floodlights, toward the desert-gold gaze that now blinked back at them, startled.
Yao's own phone buzzed furiously in her pocket, the screen flashing with an incoming call. She glanced at the name, then pressed her lips together in the faintest smirk before pressing the silence button without hesitation. Sliding the phone back into her pocket, she lifted her chin, her voice calm and dry. "I am not," she said flatly, "dealing with the clinging raccoon right now."
The words were still hanging when Jian Yang's phone began to ring loudly. The screen lit his face in a sickly glow, Ai Jia's name screaming from it in bold letters. Jian Yang's eye twitched violently. With a guttural groan, he stabbed the silence button, muttering curses under his breath. And then, as if on cue, Jinyang's phone exploded with noise, buzzing violently in her hand. The caller ID glared up at her: Ai Jia.
The lot fell apart.
Hu Die bent double, shrieking with laughter. "He's targeting you now! He's going through the whole family tree!"
Xiao Hua slid down the side of the bus, gasping for air. "First Yao, then Yang, now you, oh my god, he's climbing the chain of command!"
Haoyun Lai wheezed, tears streaking down his cheeks. "The clinging raccoon is going feral! He's hunting her down!"
Even Lao Wang let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "That boy has no dignity when it comes to her."
Pang was howling, clutching at his stomach. "He's desperate! Someone save Wifey Jinyang!"
Lao Mao was bent forward, choking on laughter, while Lao K muttered in disbelief, "He's relentless."
Rui rubbed at his temples, muttering darkly about sponsors already flooding his inbox. Ming, however, leaned back against the bus, roaring with laughter so hard his shoulders shook.
And Sicheng? He didn't laugh, not outwardly. He stood a step back, watching the chaos swirl, his gaze fixed on Tong Yao as she stood there calm and collected, ignoring the buzzing storm like it was beneath her notice. His lips pressed into the faintest curve, his silence speaking volumes more than the riot around him.
Jinyang groaned loudly, holding the phone out at arm's length as if it might bite her. "This is it. This is how I die. Betrayed by my own boyfriend because my best friend kept her mouth shut."
Yao only smirked, her voice light but sharp as glass. "Good luck, Jin-er. The raccoon's your problem now."
The night air was sharp with tension, laughter still clinging like smoke to the edges of every man's breath as Jinyang's phone buzzed and buzzed, Ai Jia's name lighting the screen in blinding insistence. She groaned dramatically, dragging her free hand down her face. "This is it," she muttered, half to Yao and half to the gawking crowd of CK and ZGDX boys. "This is the moment I lose what's left of my sanity. The raccoon's going feral."
Yao leaned against the bus with her arms crossed, her desert-gold eyes glittering with wicked amusement. "Answer him," she drawled, voice smooth as smoke. "Put him out of his misery before he starts calling Yeye. Or worse, Nia Nia."
That set off another round of muffled laughter, Hu Die nearly choking as he slapped a hand over his mouth.
With a hissed curse, Jinyang finally swiped the green button, thrusting the phone onto speaker. "What?!" she snapped, her tone sharp enough to cut glass.
The explosion on the other end nearly made them all flinch.
"JIN-ER!" Ai Jia's voice was a wail, shrill and panicked, echoing so loudly through the speaker that several players covered their ears. "HOW COULD YOU?! YOU—YOU TRAITOR! YOU BACKSTABBER! I LOVED YOU AND YOU BETRAYED ME!"
The lot detonated.
Hu Die collapsed fully to the ground, wheezing. Xiao Hua had tears streaming down his face, barely able to breathe. Haoyun Lai was banging his head against the bus door, shrieking with laughter. Even Lao Wang was doubled over slightly, muffled chuckles shaking his chest.
"WHAT betrayal?!" Jinyang argued back, her face red with a mix of fury and humiliation as the two teams howled around her. "What are you talking about, you overgrown raccoon?!"
"DON'T PLAY DUMB!" Ai Jia wailed, his voice cracking like glass. "YOU KNEW! You knew Yao-Yao was back! You knew she was Firestorm! You knew she joined ZGDX! And you didn't tell me! Your beloved boyfriend! Your soulmate! Your everything!" His voice pitched higher with every word until he was practically keening. "I trusted you, Jinyang! I told you all my secrets! And you—you just—just betrayed me!"
Yao's smirk stretched wickedly, her eyes gleaming like molten gold. She pushed off the bus and muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear, "Called it."
The eruption of laughter nearly drowned out Ai Jia's sobbing tirade.
Pang was shrieking, sliding down the bus door with his hands over his stomach. Lao Mao was doubled over, choking on laughter. Even Lao K's lips twitched as he shook his head, a quiet exhale betraying his amusement. Ming was laughing hard, his voice cutting above the noise, "He called her soulmate! Oh my god, this is priceless!" Rui pinched the bridge of his nose, groaning as he muttered something about media disasters and restraining orders.
And Jian Yang—Jian Yang looked like he was about to combust, his face scarlet as he dragged both hands through his hair. "Kill me now," he groaned. "Kill me. Someone end me. I cannot live in a world where my cousin and my teammate are this insane!"
"DON'T IGNORE ME! " Ai Jia screamed through the phone, his voice breaking into hiccuping sobs. "Jin-er, explain yourself right now or I'll—"
But Jinyang had had enough. Her face flushed, her eyes wide, she slammed her thumb against the screen and ended the call with a furious hiss. "I swear to god, I am breaking up with that raccoon tomorrow."
The lot exploded again, two entire championship teams collapsing under the weight of their laughter, while Yao leaned casually against the bus, arms crossed, her smirk smug and satisfied. "Don't bother," she muttered. "He'll crawl back in five minutes. Raccoons don't stay gone for long."
Yao was still smirking when Ai Jia's meltdown ended with Jinyang furiously hanging up on him, the entire back lot of professional gamers wheezing and doubled over. She straightened from the bus, brushing her hair back from her face, her eyes dancing with wicked amusement. Then, with a laugh so light it cut through the noise, she waved a hand to dismiss the crowd of stunned, gasping men. "Alright, enough," she said, grinning like she had gotten exactly what she wanted from the night. "I need to get back to my apartment and feed the love of my life."
The words sliced clean through the chaos.
Every man froze.
ZGDX and CK alike stiffened mid-laugh, their expressions flipping from amusement to shock in an instant. Heads snapped toward her as though synchronized, eyes wide, jaws half-dropping. Even Ming blinked. Even Rui froze mid-scroll on his phone. Sicheng's eyes narrowed sharply at those words.
Only Jian Yang and Jinyang remained perfectly still, their expressions flat, unbothered. Jian Yang pinched the bridge of his nose like he was already nursing a migraine, and Jinyang shook her head with a low chuckle, watching the storm unfold exactly as she knew it would. Because they knew. They knew what "love of her life" meant.
The others didn't.
Before anyone could demand clarification, Yao tossed her hair back, turned on her heel, and called lazily over her shoulder to the men of ZGDX. "By the way, I've already got permission to bring my cat to the base. So get used to it, boys." Then she slid into her black jeep, the engine purring to life, and with a flick of her hand through the open window, she pulled away into the night.
Jian Yang exhaled long and loud, muttering darkly as the taillights disappeared. "Cat? More like a demon spawn straight from the last layer of hell."
The silence she left behind cracked almost immediately with Pang's scandalized voice. His brows were furrowed, his jaw slack as he stammered, "Wait—what did she mean by ' love of her life' ? Does she—does she have a boyfriend?"
Every eye turned on Jinyang. The young woman chuckled softly, leaning her shoulder against the bus, her eyes warm with fondness. "No, boys. Not a boyfriend." She tilted her chin, her lips quirking with amusement. "She's talking about Da Bing. Her precious fur baby."
That only deepened the confusion.
"Fur baby?" Pang repeated, his face twisting.
Hu Die raised both brows, curiosity sharpening. "What kind of cat needs permission to be brought into a base?"
Xiao Hua leaned forward, incredulous. "Wait… Da Bing? Isn't that Mandarin for… Big Ice? Or Big Cake?"
Haoyun Lai barked out a laugh. "What kind of name is that for a boyfriend or a cat?!"
Jinyang grinned wide, savoring the tension, before she delivered the truth. "Da Bing is her Snow Leopard."
The lot detonated.
Hu Die gaped, his jaw working uselessly. "Her—what?"
Pang clutched at his chest like the words physically struck him. "Snow leopard? Like… the apex predator?!"
Xiao Hua swore loudly, spinning to face Jian Yang. "You let her keep a snow leopard?!"
Jian Yang groaned, dragging his hands down his face. " Let her? Do I look like someone who can stop her from doing anything? She found the damn beast half-dead and abandoned three years ago. She nursed it back to health, got a special license, and now it's her overgrown demon spawn." His tone dripped with pure exhaustion. "Da Bing eats better than I do."
ZDGX froze, their minds breaking as they imagined their new Mid bringing a snow leopard into their pristine base. Pang gaped, "We're going to live with a monster cat?!" Lao Mao clutched his hair. "How the hell are we supposed to train with a predator pacing the halls?!"
Even Ming cracked, his laughter booming as he doubled over, tears shining in his eyes. "She's bringing a snow leopard ! Oh, this is too perfect!" Rui, pale as paper, was already muttering under his breath about legal paperwork and liability insurance.
And Sicheng? His lips twitched. Just barely. The faintest ghost of a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, though his eyes remained sharp and steady. Of course she'd have something wild, dangerous, impossible. Of course.
The parking lot was still vibrating with shock and scattered laughter, CK staring at Jian Yang like he had just confessed to harboring a dragon in his spare bedroom, ZGDX unraveling into half-panicked, half-hysterical disbelief. Snow leopard. Their new Mid was bringing a snow leopard into the base.
Pang was practically hyperventilating against the side of the bus. "Do you know how big those things are?! What if it decides it doesn't like us?" Lao Mao muttered furiously about training schedules ruined by fear of death, and even Rui looked pale, already calculating medical liabilities.
It was Jinyang who finally straightened, her brows pulling together as her voice cut through the spiraling noise. "Enough." The laughter and whining quieted, their eyes swinging toward her as she folded her arms and fixed them with a steady, unflinching look. Her voice came firm, sharper than her usual teasing tone. "Da Bing is well trained and always listens to Yao. Always. He has never attacked anyone, xcept her ex two years ago, and that," she said quickly, her gaze hardening, "is a story neither Jian Yang nor I will ever tell you why."
CK snickered nervously, ZGDX fell silent again, and Jian Yang muttered darkly, covering his face as if just the mention of that incident was enough to make him want to kill that damn ex himself once more.
Jinyang pressed on, her tone softening but losing none of its seriousness. "Da Bing is usually well-behaved. He'll just give you judgmental looks, maybe pace a little, but he's never harmed anyone who didn't deserve it. He's Yao's emotional support animal. She has the license. She has the vest. She has the paperwork that allows him to travel everywhere with her. Legally. Officially. Permanently." Her eyes swept across the stunned faces of ZGDX, lingering on Pang, on Lao Mao, on Rui. "So please, don't be dramatic about him. Because the moment you start treating Da Bing like a problem, you'll make Yao feel like an outcast. And if you make her feel like an outcast?" Jinyang's tone sharpened again, fierce now. "She'll keep her distance. From all of you." Her words hit like stones tossed into still water, leaving ripples behind in the silence.
And then Sicheng moved.
The captain of ZGDX stepped forward from where he had been standing in his quiet, immovable way. His tall frame cut into the space, his shadow falling across Pang and Lao Mao as his gaze swept the team. His dark eyes burned cold, his voice smooth but heavy as steel as he spoke. "She probably already has it cleared with ZGDX headquarters," he said, his tone so certain it brooked no argument, "and with my mother." His gaze sharpened, slicing toward Pang's wide eyes, Lao Mao's nervous frown, even Rui's pale face. "You're adults. Grown men. Act like it."
The silence that followed was heavy. Uncomfortable. Sharp.
Pang's mouth opened, then shut with an audible click. Lao Mao looked down, shoving his hands in his pockets. Even Rui, usually the one with authority in these matters, pressed his lips into a thin line and nodded once, quickly.
Sicheng didn't add anything else. He didn't need to. His glare lingered just long enough to freeze the last whispers of protest before he stepped back again, arms folding across his chest, his face once more unreadable.
CK's boys exchanged glances, Hu Die stifling a chuckle as he whispered to Xiao Hua, "God help ZGDX now, they've got two demons instead of one." Jian Yang muttered curses under his breath, dragging a hand through his hair as though the very thought of Da Bing prowling ZGDX's base was too much to bear.
And Jinyang? Jinyang's lips curved faintly, her eyes darting toward Yao's retreating taillights. For all the chaos her best friend caused, she knew one thing: Yao had just been handed the fiercest shield a player could ask for in Lu Sicheng.
The night air was heavy with the weight of what had just been revealed, the laughter fading into uneasy silence as Jinyang's warning and Sicheng's icy rebuke hung over the gathered players. The men shifted in place, some rubbing at the backs of their necks, some staring down at their shoes, the earlier hilarity now curdling into a stiff awareness of what they had nearly done.
It was then Ming finally spoke. The former Mid, the man whose name had been synonymous with ZGDX for years, let out a long, tired sigh as he straightened from his lean against the bus. His expression hardened, the warmth drained from his eyes as he swept his gaze across his team with the weight of authority that still clung to him like armor. "Grow up, idiots," he said, his voice sharp enough to sting, though not raised. It didn't need to be. The quiet disappointment cut deeper than any shout could.
Pang flinched visibly. Lao Mao stiffened. Even Rui, who had been hovering behind, winced faintly at the tone.
Ming's gaze narrowed further, his words landing slow and deliberate. "I will not have you making my successor, the one it took me forever to even get to agree to a tentative maybe about joining us, feel like an outcast. Do you understand me? Do you have any idea how much work it took just to get her to consider us?" His voice dropped lower, heavier, every syllable lined with the sharp edge of memory. "I didn't know Firestorm was a girl. I didn't know Firestorm was Tong Yao. But I knew whoever Firestorm was, they were the future of this team. My replacement." His lips curled, his eyes hard. "If you chase her off because you're more dramatic than a five-year-old denied candy, then you won't just deal with me. You'll deal with Madam Lu and CEO Bao. And I promise you, none of you want that fight."
The silence that followed was suffocating.
And then Sicheng stepped forward, his presence cutting through the dim light like a blade. His arms folded across his chest, his dark gaze sweeping over his team, cold enough to freeze fire. When he spoke, his voice was a low rumble, dark and absolute. "They'll deal with me as well."
The words landed like iron, sending a ripple of dread through the air. Pang swallowed hard, his earlier nerves twisting into fear. Lao Mao nodded quickly, stiff as a soldier caught under inspection. Even Lao K, who rarely showed reaction, inclined his head once, sharp and certain. For a long moment, the only sound was the soft hum of the bus engines and the distant cheers of lingering fans. CK's players shifted uneasily, watching as ZGDX's captain and legend bore down on the team with words like shackles.
And Ming, his glare unwavering, added one final sting, his tone cutting low. "She's not just a player. She's not just my successor. She's our future. And if you can't respect that, then you don't belong here."
The silence was absolute. No one dared laugh. No one dared speak.
Only Jian Yang let out a long groan, dragging a hand down his face. "God help us all," he muttered, "because now my cousin has two wolves guarding her. The league's doomed."