WG - 58

The domestic preliminary tournament had concluded.

Based on the overall rankings, the YG team, Lpo team, Eagle Lion team, and Drop team officially secured their spots as representatives for China in the Asian Invitational.

Online forums and live streams were buzzing with discussions, while the audience at the venue continued to cheer and celebrate.

After emerging from backstage, Lao Mu quickly located the young woman sitting in the front row. Seeing her gaze fixed on the stage, he followed her line of sight and noticed Xie Ye casually spinning his chair to face the audience. Lao Mu’s lips twitched slightly.

This kid really had guts.

Lao Mu cleared his throat. “Miss Chi, ah.”

Chi Zhiyu heard the sound and immediately turned her attention away from the stage. Upon recognizing him, she paused. “Lao Mu, why are you here?”

Lao Mu gestured toward the stage with a tilt of his chin. “That kid told me to come find you after the match ended.”

Chi Zhiyu hesitated for a moment, then turned back to look at the stage. Xie Ye might have already spotted Lao Mu because he turned his chair back around and began packing up his keyboard and peripherals, preparing to leave.

The cheers from the crowd continued unabated. Wu Xuan and the others were too caught up in the excitement to notice Chi Zhiyu slipping away. It was the perfect time to leave unnoticed.

Lao Mu spoke up. “It’s about time. Do you want to say goodbye to your friends?”

Chi Zhiyu glanced at Wu Xuan, who was now completely absorbed in the frenzy. After a moment of thought, she replied, “Let’s go out first. I’ll send her a message later.”

There was no point trying to talk to her now—she wouldn’t hear a word.

“Alright.” Lao Mu took her backpack for her. “Let’s go, then.”

Chi Zhiyu nodded, adjusted her cap, and followed behind Lao Mu, quietly and discreetly leaving the venue.

Just as they were about to enter the backstage area, Lao Mu suddenly remembered something. “Oh, right. Put this on.”

Chi Zhiyu looked at the mask he handed her. “Hmm? Why?”

Lao Mu explained, “These journalists are crafty. They might be waiting outside. Your cap alone might not be enough to hide you. If they snap a photo, it could be trouble. I brought this mask for you. Try it on.”

“Oh, okay.”

Chi Zhiyu accepted the mask and put it on carelessly, then adjusted her cap again. Looking up at Lao Mu, her voice muffled, she asked, “Is this okay?”

“Sss.” Lao Mu observed her nearly faceless appearance, her eyes mostly hidden by the brim of her cap. After a moment of thought, he nodded. “Yeah, this should do. Though it’s a shame to hide such an excellent supporter’s good looks.”

Chi Zhiyu chuckled. “Didn’t you say it would be bad if I got photographed?”

“What’s bad about it for us? It’s Xie Ye who’s worried about you being photographed.” Lao Mu casually handed her a temporary staff pass. “This is just a temporary personnel badge. It’s not particularly useful—just wear it for show.”

Chi Zhiyu took it and glanced at it. There was no photo, but below it displayed a string of text:

——【Charming Gardenia】

Chi Zhiyu: “...”

Chi Zhiyu: ?

“Oh, right.” Lao Mu noticed her expression and added, “Xie Ye typed that name.”

“...”

He did it on purpose.

The sixteen teams from the stage gradually returned backstage to prepare to leave, but the journalists had been lying in wait. Their targets were clear—they were all waiting for the YG team to emerge so they could ambush them for interviews.

After waiting for what felt like forever, the Drop team came out first. The reporters swarmed them, thrusting recorders toward their captain, Wang Yixuan. “Congratulations on Drop securing a spot in the top four!”

Wang Yixuan, known for his silence, simply nodded. “Thanks.”

“How do you feel about your team’s performance this time?”

“It was good.”

“And as the team that was eliminated three times by Wild, how does that feel?”

“......”

Wang Yixuan remained expressionless. “Go ask Wild.”

The reporter stumbled, unsure how to respond, when someone suddenly laughed from behind. “Hey now, Wang. That question’s directed at you. You’ve got to answer properly, don’t you think?”

The voice sounded familiar.

The reporters immediately turned around to see the YG members emerging. Yang Bin stood at the forefront, walking over to Wang Yixuan and raising an eyebrow. “Come on, tell us—what’s it like getting wiped out three times by our Wild?”

Drop’s Cheng Li shot him a glance. “Yang Bin, stop being sarcastic. Didn’t I knock you down at the start of the match?”

Yang Bin clicked his tongue and fell silent.

When the reporters saw Yang Bin emerge, they quickly realized and turned their attention toward the YG team, rushing toward the back where Xie Ye stood.

Xie Ye frowned and took a step back.

“Hey, everyone, calm down.”

Lao Mu had just arrived with Chi Zhiyu and immediately stepped forward to block the journalists’ cameras. “Our players have just finished the match. Hahaha, they’re a bit tired. No need to rush... Oh, thank you for your concern... The Drop team is still here; you can interview them first...”

Chi Zhiyu hadn’t expected to walk straight into this scene. She froze momentarily, then instinctively moved closer to Xie Ye.

Seeing her approach, Xie Ye naturally reached out and pulled her wrist, drawing her behind him and completely shielding her from the cameras and reporters.

Chi Zhiyu obediently stood behind him, watching as her wrist remained firmly clasped in his hand. She gently poked his palm, signaling for him to let go.

Instead of releasing her, Xie Ye tightened his grip, enveloping her fingertips within his palm.

“...”

Chi Zhiyu couldn’t help but smile faintly. Looking up, she could only see his back, unable to glimpse his expression.

But somehow, she could imagine his smug demeanor.

Chi Zhiyu silently smiled, then, with a mix of nervousness and hesitation, slowly moved her hand upward, inch by inch, until it rested in his palm, interlocking their fingers.

His palm was broad and warm, fitting perfectly against hers, his fingers tightly wrapped around hers.

Chi Zhiyu’s heartbeat quickened, pounding rapidly with a mix of nervousness and subtle excitement. The surrounding reporters, with their cameras pointed directly at them, added an unexpected thrill to the moment.

After a few seconds of silence, she heard him chuckle softly.

At that moment, Chi Zhiyu couldn’t resist lowering her head, lightly resting her forehead against his back.

It felt almost like an act of shy surrender.

Feeling the gentle bump against his back, Xie Ye’s lips curved into a faint smile. His thumb caressed her fingertip, his mood seemingly pleasant.

Meanwhile, Drop’s members weren’t like the reporters—they stood idly by, enjoying the spectacle. When they turned and spotted Chi Zhiyu standing behind Xie Ye, they noticed her staff badge. Initially, they didn’t think much of it.

But seeing her wearing both a cap and a mask made them suspicious.

However, once they noticed the subtle interactions between the two, their gazes became deeply meaningful.

Cheng Li, standing close to Ding Hui, raised an eyebrow and leaned over to whisper mischievously, “Bro, do you guys have staff members tagging along now?”

Whether or not she was truly a staff member was obvious to everyone.

“Oh.” Ding Hui glanced at Xie Ye, then calmly looked back at Cheng Li. “What? Jealous?”

“......”

Cheng Li couldn’t take it anymore and turned to Wang Yixuan. “Boss Wang, these people are looking down on us!”

Wang Yixuan: “Oh.”

“......”

There were only a handful of teams in the domestic circuit. They frequently competed against one another, so they were all quite familiar. While they were rivals on the battlefield, off the field, they were just a group of like-minded friends.

Sometimes, fans could even catch them streaming games together online, teasing each other without any real animosity.

With Lao Mu blocking the reporters, they were unable to conduct interviews and had to turn their attention to Drop, asking routine questions.

Lao Mu sighed in relief and immediately turned to Yang Bin, subtly glancing backward.

Yang Bin understood and observed the reporters, most of whom had already shifted their focus to Drop.

Then, he glanced at Lin Jie and Ding Hui. In the next moment—

Yang Bin swiftly turned and led the team to sprint toward the back.

Reacting instantly, Xie Ye kept one hand holding Chi Zhiyu’s and pulled her in front of him, leaving the reporters and Drop behind as they dashed into the backstage lounge.

“Damn it...”

Drop’s entire team was stunned, utterly unprepared for how shamelessly YG could flee.

The reporters also failed to react in time. By the time they realized what had happened, the YG team was already inside the lounge.

“......”

???

......

Escaping from the venue, Chi Zhiyu followed Xie Ye back into the car heading to the base.

Yang Bin and Lin Jie were still discussing their escape in the front seat.

Chi Zhiyu, sitting in the back, found it amusing and couldn’t help but smile faintly.

“Happy about this?” Xie Ye sat beside her, pinching her fingertips playfully.

“?” Chi Zhiyu turned to look at him, blinking innocently. “I’m not smiling.”

With her face hidden behind her cap and mask, her expression should have been completely concealed.

Xie Ye reached out, removed her cap and mask, and brushed his thumb against the curve of her still-smiling lips. Raising an eyebrow, he teased, “You call this not smiling?”

Chi Zhiyu didn’t deny it and smiled openly. “What? Am I not allowed to smile?”

“Smile away.” Xie Ye gazed at the curve of her lips, his tone casual and cocky. “Your boyfriend gave you plenty of reasons to be proud today. You’ll probably dream about it tonight.”

“......”

Chi Zhiyu wasn’t as shameless as him. She pinched his cheek lightly and chided, “Can you not be so arrogant? What if people scold you later?”

“Oh.” Xie Ye’s tone was lazy. “What’s it to them?”

“......”

“Besides, when they see your face, they probably won’t have the heart to scold you.” Chi Zhiyu’s tone carried a hint of annoyance.

Xie Ye smirked. “Is my face blessed or something?”

“Consider it that way.” Chi Zhiyu examined him and added teasingly, “Heaven blessed you, but...”

“? “

“Not as blessed as me.”

“......”

Hua Bei, sitting beside Xie Ye, was practically pressed against the car door, too afraid to eavesdrop on their conversation.

Coincidentally, Ding Hui turned around and asked Xie Ye, “What are you doing later? Going home with Miss Chi or joining us for the gathering?”

Without hesitation, Xie Ye answered, “Home—”

“Gathering,” Chi Zhiyu interrupted, smiling at Ding Hui. “He’s going with you all. I’ll head back on my own later.”

“Don’t go alone,” Yang Bin chimed in. “Miss Chi, come with us. We all know each other anyway.”

Chi Zhiyu felt this was their team gathering and didn’t want to impose further. She already felt awkward about occupying a seat in the car, and attending their gathering would make her even more uncomfortable.

Perhaps sensing her reluctance, Lao Mu spoke up first. “Miss Chi, come along. You’re family now, not an outsider. There’s no reason for you not to join. Besides, if you don’t come, Xie Ye won’t stay long either. With you here, he’ll behave himself.”

“That’s right. Brother Ye might even take root here.”

“And it’s just a meal. Consider it a reward for all the hard work lately.”

Everyone chimed in, and Chi Zhiyu couldn’t refuse any longer. Nodding, she said, “Alright, I’ll bother you all then.”

Lin Jie waved dismissively. “No bother at all. Brother Ye wants you to come too.”

Before Chi Zhiyu could respond, Xie Ye’s eyelashes fluttered, and he drawled lazily, “Oh, you’re quite clever.”

“......”

Lao Mu booked a recently popular hot pot restaurant.

The car parked in the lot, and everyone disembarked, following Lao Mu leisurely into the restaurant.

Chi Zhiyu walked beside Xie Ye, scrolling through trending hashtags on Weibo.

Since the second half of the afternoon’s matches, the hashtags had been dominated by YG and Wild. By the end of the tournament, they exploded. Later, some expressed sympathy for the three teams mercilessly crushed that night, especially Drop.

Refreshing the feed, there was a post from a reporter lamenting how YG had escaped the press and left Drop to handle the interviews.

Below, netizens were laughing, sympathizing with Drop.

Drop’s Cheng Li might have seen the post too, as he directly commented beneath it: 【When will YG learn to be human?】

The comment garnered thousands of likes and retweets, sparking a flurry of replies.

【Don’t ask. If you ask, the answer is no.】

【Maybe you should ask if Wild’s gun knows how to be human.】

【Here’s a helping hand @Wild Team.】

【Didn’t you ask enough earlier today?】

......

Seeing this, Chi Zhiyu couldn’t help but laugh mischievously and handed her phone to Xie Ye.

Xie Ye skimmed through it briefly and said, “No problem.”

Chi Zhiyu: “Hmm?”

Xie Ye tapped the screen a few times before handing it back to her.

Chi Zhiyu took it, wondering what he had done, just as they arrived at the private room Lao Mu had reserved. She followed Xie Ye inside and casually chose a seat.

“Alright, everyone, pick what you’d like to eat,” Lao Mu distributed menus to everyone. When it was Xie Ye’s turn to choose, he simply handed the menu to Chi Zhiyu, letting her decide.

Chi Zhiyu scanned the menu. Most of the others had already selected their usual dishes, so she picked a few items Xie Ye and she often enjoyed. Originally planning to wait for the waiter, she decided to use the opportunity to visit the restroom and took the menu with her, opening the door and stepping out.

The reception desk was nearby. As Chi Zhiyu approached, she heard the door open behind her and glanced back. “Hmm? Why did you come out?”

Xie Ye casually closed the door and took the menu from her hand. “I’ll handle this. You go take care of your business.”

“Oh, alright.” Chi Zhiyu didn’t argue. Spotting the restroom sign, she continued walking alongside him.

Lao Mu’s private room was situated deep inside. As they strolled through the hallway, chatting casually, they passed a room near the entrance when its door suddenly opened.

Chi Zhiyu instinctively looked up and saw a tall, slender youth standing there. He had peach-shaped eyes and a faint smirk, exuding the aura of a spoiled aristocrat.

He seemed surprised to see anyone outside, pausing momentarily. Upon recognizing Xie Ye, he raised an eyebrow.

Chi Zhiyu noticed this and was slightly taken aback.

Xie Ye glanced at the person indifferently, then shifted his gaze and continued walking, pulling her along.

Chi Zhiyu turned her head to observe his expression, which appeared normal, showing no signs of recognizing the young man. Blinking, she thought it might be due to Xie Ye’s newfound fame from the afternoon, prompting the stranger to recognize him.

The restroom was around the corner to the right.

“I’ll go in first. You go ahead and hand in the order.”

After giving her instructions, Chi Zhiyu turned and entered the restroom.

Once she was inside, Xie Ye took the order slip and headed to the front desk to submit it. Meanwhile, the people who had finished dining in the adjacent private room also emerged.

The young man Xie Ye had encountered at the door stood beside him, chuckling lightly. “Friend, mind stepping aside? You’re blocking me from paying.”

Xie Ye glanced at him, smirking faintly. “What are you doing here?”

“Just hanging out. Quite a coincidence, huh?” Wen Yi drawled. “Running into you here.”

Xie Ye had no patience for small talk. “Finish eating and scram.”

“So you’re telling me to leave?” Wen Yi raised an eyebrow. “Did the Xie family buy this place or something?”

As he finished speaking, he happened to spot the person behind Xie Ye and called out, “Sheng Yu, come over here. Look who I bumped into.”

At the mention of his name, Xie Ye glanced sideways.

Sheng Yu, walking leisurely as if on vacation, approached. Upon seeing Xie Ye, he raised an eyebrow and drawled, “Master Xie, what a rare guest.”

“......”

Wen Yi seemed to recall something and looked at Xie Ye. “Oh, right. You’re off playing games now. No time for the Xie family’s affairs, huh?”

At this, Xie Ye shot him a glance and sneered. “A few months apart, and you’re still spouting nonsense.”

“Oh?” Wen Yi smirked. “Are you dissing me?”

Growing impatient, Xie Ye addressed Sheng Yu. “Pay and shut up, then take him and leave.”

Sheng Yu clearly didn’t want to leave either, smirking as he replied, “Long time no see, Master Xie. Don’t you miss us?”

“......” Xie Ye couldn’t hold back. “Do you two have issues?”

“Alright, alright.” Wen Yi swiped his card to pay. “We’re leaving. Won’t disturb you and your childhood sweetheart.”

Sheng Yu hadn’t seen Chi Zhiyu earlier but knew about Xie Ye’s situation. Upon hearing this, he hissed, “Master Xie, abandoning old friends for love?”

At this point—

Xie Ye looked at them and suddenly smirked. “Well, since we’ve met, let me tell you two something.”

“? “

“I’ve already found someone,” Xie Ye drawled lazily. “I’m nothing like you two anymore, so stop bothering me, got it?”