C12 Part1

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

Chapter 12: The Heart Belongs To (Part 1)

The incident with the fight at the VPG base was blown up a lot, and the club quickly contacted Qiu Ying to begin crisis PR management.

It was fortunate that the photo uploaded by the exposer was of low quality, as you could only faintly see two people leaning against a wall and their faces were completely unclear. The official VPG club Weibo account issued a statement: This is a normal discussion between team members which has been deliberately twisted.

As for Qi Yue’s attack on Qiu Ying during his livestream, the official account posted several WeChat screenshots to prove that in truth there was someone passing themselves off as Qiu Ying to propose an obscure transaction; Qi Yue wasn’t familiar with Qiu Ying, believed it to be true without verifying for himself, and was hereby apologizing to Qiu Ying.

At the same time, Qi Yue also apologized to Qiu Ying on Weibo, which Qiu Ying forwarded to express their peace.

Qiu Ying, the victim, was considerably cooperative throughout the entire process. There was only one reason for it: Ji Xiangkong had really taken action.

The Newland and VPG clubs were very close to each other, and so that night Lin Yixuan had happened to drop in at VPG and personally chance upon this scene.

“My Chinese was taught by our PE teacher, so I can’t really describe the specifics. At the time, wasn’t Qi Yue dissing you on his livestream? So Xiangkong told him to end his stream, but he was super stubborn and his mouth was still dirty. I was pretty far away so I couldn’t hear well what they were saying, but I saw Xiangkong smile all of a sudden… He smiled with that sunny-bright smile and I knew it was all over!”

Qiu Ying gripped her phone as she listened to Lin Yixuan’s recollection of the scene. She was so nervous she didn’t even dare to take in a breath.

“He grabbed Qi Yue’s collar and pushed him to the wall and threatened him, ‘Just try and say that one more time,’ but Qi Yue isn’t a fuel-efficient lamp, y’know, and kept jabbing at him not even caring bout his own death.” Lin Yixuan’s voice tapered off gradually, like he was looking for the right words to say. “Qi Yue said that he’d already done… done that to you, and the user experience was really bad…”

Qiu Ying’s head buzzed as she trembled with anger. “He’s lying!”

Lin Yixuan nearly dropped his phone from the shock of her woman-scorned roar. It was a little while before he could respond, “After Xiangkong heard that he straight-up punched Qi Yue, and kept on punching him as he smiled. His aura there was really terrifying, that’s what I’d call it, it scared this gege so much my knees got weak…”

Qiu Ying’s eyes went red, a sourness floating in her nose. Her heart went both hot and cold, at once moved and yet indignant, as well as slightly anxious.

She was slightly worried, for some reason, because Qi Yue had always had a hostile attitude toward her from beginning to end. There was still no guarantee he knew he was wrong even after this event; he was only forced to apologize because of pressure from CEO Shu Wen. Qi Yue was the unequivocal main force of VPG, so Qiu Ying didn’t want Ji Xiangkong to completely fall out with him because of her.

For teams in team competitions, disharmony amongst members was the biggest landmine. If the accusations were ever verified, he would inevitably fall into an unceasing storm of public opinion in the future. After the VPG club contacted Qiu Ying, she promised to cooperate with their PR to limit the reach of this event to a minimum.

Lin Yixuan warned her on the phone that recently the storm surrounding VPG was quite intense, so for now it was best not to contact Ji Xiangkong lest any gossip material slip out. Qiu Ying’s head dropped down as she twisted the hem of her clothes into a chrysanthemum. She bit her lower lip and nodded.

During this time, there were many gossip news articles coming out about Qiu Ying in the esports circle, one after another. As a potential suspect of “breaking up the harmony between team members”, even if many parties had cleared it up, Qiu Ying was still cursed to death by many VPG fans. The previous “beaten up by Qiao Xin in a solo match” event resurfaced to become popular, and the recording of that game quickly became a hot topic on Weibo.

At this most critical moment, esports reporter Lu Yiyi took the lead in writing a long internet article. Detailed clips of Qiu Ying when she was commentating at the Fall Competition combined with the actual battle situation made it evident that Qiu Ying wasn’t at all an embroidered pillow; she truly had real talent and real drive. Lu Yiyi appealed to everyone that they not follow the direction of the wind by cursing her, but to make a judgment after watching the competition recordings.

Lu Yiyi was a reporter who wasn’t all that popular within the circle, so in the beginning there were very few people who read the article. The one who delivered charcoal in that snowy weather was — Qiu Ying’s commentary partner in the Fall Competition, Luo Tian, who stepped up and forwarded Lu Yiyi’s article to fully affirm Qiu Ying’s ability as a new Conquer commentator. With one person taking the lead, well-known commentators expressed their positions one after another and finally calmed the stormy field.

At the end of Lu Yiyi’s article was attached a picture of Qiu Ying sleeping on the hotel sofa in the deep of night. The laptop on the side table wasn’t closed and the screen was filled with game data. Messy outline papers covered nearly the entire keyboard. Her head was covered with a thick notebook.

Below the picture was a sentence that was famous online.

“All the hard work that no one knows of, is what bystanders call: luck.”

The next weekend when Qiu Ying met Pei Xi at her part-time job at Dream Traveler, the other person coldly looked at her. Despite the fact that he didn’t say anything, she could still read such messages like “I knew it” and “In the end you’re still harming him” on his face. Her scalp suddenly prickled and she felt so guilty she didn’t dare to look straight at him.

Tonelessly, Pei Xi asked her, “What did you do to mess with Qi Yue?”

“I’ve never even talked to him!” Qiu Ying fisted her hand and slammed it on the table. After a moment, she seemed to think of something. “Is he still dating Qiao Xin?”

There was no expression on Pei Xi’s face. “Don’t know.”

Qiu Ying knocked her right fist in her left palm as she suddenly realized, “Then that explains everything.”

Pei Xi’s eyebrows drew together. Perhaps he didn’t understand.

Qiu Ying side-eyed him with contempt. “Qiao Xin’s pillow talk, hm, she’s slandering me there.”

Pei Xi’s eyebrows drew together even closer, still not understanding. Qiu Ying was too lazy to explain it to him and left him out to dry.

There came the voices of several people from the staircase. Qiu Ying seemed to be struck by lightning as she shot up from the chair with a whoosh. She circled around several times in the same place, at loss for what to do, and muttered, “It’s over, it’s over it’s over!”

She crouched down in an attempt to get underneath the table, then felt like that wasn’t proper, but when she stood up her head banged against the bottom of the table. It hurt so much she inhaled, sharp, kneading at her head while circling randomly around the bar. In the end, she finally thought of something and went to the bar to grab onto Pei Xi’s sleeve, both eyes lit with bold flames of expectation. “Can I borrow your room to hide in?”

“Why?” Pei Xi lowered his face, his lips pressed together. He took his hand back with dissatisfaction.

Qiu Ying was so nervous she didn’t care about anything and messily poked around in his coat pockets. “Aiya, don’t ask so many questions, where’s the room card, is it still in here?”

Just as her hand touched his pocket, Pei Xi became so agitated that he went stiff and unintentionally took a step back. Unexpectedly, Qiu Ying neither overlooked nor spared him. She chased after him, unwilling to give up before she achieved her goal.

Pei Xi’s breathing stopped, his voice gloomy. “Are you done?!”

Tugging and pulling, both sides used all of their strength. Qiu Ying used too much force, she went off-balance, and when she fell she accidentally dragged Pei Xi down with her.

The bridge of her nose slammed into Pei Xi’s collarbone, but before she had time to feel embarrassed a shadow suddenly cast over their bodies and drew her attention.

“Need any help?”

Very slowly, Qiu Ying turned her head to see Ji Xiangkong with both hands stuck in his pants pockets. His eyes were lowered, looking down at them from a high position. His peach-blossom eyes were curved into crescent moons, warm light spilling out, thin lips hooking upward, his smile gentle and cordial.

For some reason, Lin Yixuan’s words from before sounded in her ears: “Punching him while smiling, I got so scared my knees went weak…”

Tonight, Ji Xiangkong had been dragged by some friends to Dream Traveler; for a get-together with some old friends in the circle, they had to go to the most high-end internet cafe in the country. He was originally planning to stay a while and then leave, yet he hadn’t expected to see such a wonderful scene at the entrance of the VIP floor.

Qiu Ying climbed up from the group with a shadowy face and went back to the bar to sit down in resentment. Pei Xi didn’t explain either. He patted his clothes off and went back to his room without saying a single word. The surrounding people all looked at each other, then smiled with tacit understanding.

After that group of people entered the box, Qiu Ying stared at the computer screen, ashen, sitting as if she were on pins and needles. After a short while she saw Ji Xiangkong go down the stairs by himself. Hurriedly, she asked the manager on duty for a break and quickly followed him down.

When she ran to the entrance, Qiu Ying saw that Ji Xiangkong hadn’t left yet. His arms were folded and he was leaning against a stone pillar.

“Didn’t you have classes, weren’t free before? Not coming to Sun ge’s place to find me, but going so diligently to Dream Traveler.” Seeing Qiu Ying carefully move over to his side, Ji Xiangkong bowed slightly. He tilted his head as he came closer to her and raised his eyebrows, “And working too? The drunkard’s heart isn’t in the cup, is it?”1

“Hey, what are you saying? Why can’t I understand you? I really did have classes before, this isn’t being idle, I wanted to make some extra income. Recently I’ve been so poor I’ve had no money for food, look, I’ve lost a whole lot of weight…”

Ji Xiangkong paid no heed to her, striding forward and away. He was wearing a grey turtleneck sweater, a trench coat, with wide shoulders and a narrow waist, handsome and tall, black pants setting off how long and straight his legs were.

Qiu Ying ran after him with small steps. “I didn’t lie to you on purpose…”

Ji Xiangkong said, laughing, “Why are you following me? Go back to work.”

“Although it wasn’t convenient to tell you, it’s absolutely not how you think… ay, are you still listening? Hey, look at me!” Qiu Ying looked up and called to him, “Void?”

He looked straight ahead.

“Ji god?”

He still paid no heed to her.

“Ji shuai-ge?”2

It went unheeded.

Qiu Ying grit her teeth, tugged at the hem of his clothes, both pupils covered with a layer of mist, and pitifully called out, “Xiangkong gege.”

“Calling me gege at a time like this.” Ji Xiangkong stopped walking, squinting sideways at her. “Act cute, keep on acting cute.”

Though acting cute was Qiu Ying’s signature skill when it came to certain circumstances, he had now hit her a fastball and she was instead embarrassed. Her eyelashes were lowered as she puffed out her cheeks slightly. “No, will you teach me how?”

“Won’t teach.”

“Let’s go out to eat something?”

“Won’t go.”

“What happens if I’m hungry?”

“Starve, hm.”

Qiu Ying desperately shook her head, stomping her feet anxiously. “I told you that I didn’t lie to you on purpose!”

“Don’t believe you.”

Suddenly there was no more movement behind him. Ji Xiangkong turned back to see the young girl drooping her head, biting hard on her lip. Her left foot wasn’t moving; her right foot was drawing circles on the ground, looking like she didn’t know what else she could do.

He came over to her quite calmly.

“I won’t forgive you, unless… you kiss me.” Ji Xiangkong’s tone was lazy, deadpan as he said, “Qianqian does this every time she makes me unhappy.”

Qiu Ying blinked. He was talking about Sun Zeyi’s little sister, but would that aloof iceberg loli really do something like this?

At this moment she was anxious and panicky, all tangled up, she wasn’t thinking about so much of anything. She went up on tiptoe to hook at Ji Xiangkong’s neck and kissed his cheek.

This reaction was completely unexpected by Ji Xiangkong. He froze for a moment before his face shuttered up. His voice went practically severe. “Why are you so tricky?”

Qiu Ying’s whole body was hazy. The corners of her mouth twitched, her face overcast. “Didn’t you tell me to?!”

Ji Xiangkong coldly laughed. “If Pei Xi tells you to kiss him, would you too?”

Qiu Ying retorted with her head stuck out, “Just make him try and say something like that!”

Ji Xiangkong nodded. “Oh, so you would?”

“Of course not!” Qiu Ying’s cheeks flamed, tears rising up in her eyes. “Why are you so indescribable?!”

Seeing that he had truly made her anxious, Ji Xiangkong’s heart softened and his eyebrows smoothed out. Gently, he said, “Aren’t I being shy? Aren’t innocent teenage boys allowed to use anger to hide their shyness?”

His eyes were set deep, browbones handsome, and his gaze was electric when he focused it on her. “Tell me, why on earth are you lying to me and hiding from me?”

“Actually, there’s a reason for it.” Qiu Ying lowered her gaze and repeated the words those boys had previously said about her at Sun Zeyi’s internet cafe. “I’m worried that in your eyes, I’m still how I was before… Do you still hate me?”

Ji Xiangkong looked at her with a disbelieving face, like he was looking at a flying pig. “Are you stupid?”

She wanted to keep asking, but after he kept the changing the subject again and again, she could only give up.

**

Ji Xiangkong took Qiu Ying to eat a midnight meal on the ground floor of the shopping center. When she thought of the issue with the fight at the VPG base, Qiu Ying’s heart palpitated. She felt like she couldn’t shirk the blame for it.

Ji Xiangkong shook his head. “Even without you, the issue between Qi Yue and I is still objective.”

Qiu Ying mumbled with dissatisfaction, “He’s so weird, how could he not like you?”

Seeing her roll her eyes as if she was pondering some perplexing issue, Ji Xiangkong smiled for a moment. “Even if I’m a social flower, there are also people who’re allergic to flower pollen.”

With that said, he bent his index finger to rap on Qiu Ying’s forehead. “You should be like Lin Yixuan and eat more walnuts — boost your brain.”

Qiu Ying frowned. “I’m not stupid.”

“Let me test you: Lin Yixuan will absolutely want to eat walnuts before games, but he doesn’t have a nutcracker and uses a door to open them every time.” Ji Xiangkong snapped his fingers. “So the question is, can eating a walnut that’s been cracked open by a door still boost the brain?”

“Yes.” Qiu Ying thought for a bit. “A walnut that’s been cracked open by a door can boost the brain that’s been cracked open by a door.”

Ji Xiangkong came to an epiphany. “Then it really does boost him when he eats them.”

“You’re blackening him!” Qiu Ying grinned and made as if she was going to send a WeChat message. “I’m going to tell him.”

Ji Xiangkong raised his eyebrows high. “Oh, do you guys still stay in touch?”

Of course. Otherwise, who’d feed me information?

Qiu Ying proudly raised her eyebrows and said with all the pompousness of an aged veteran, “It’s very normal, we’re all in the circle.”

She hadn’t yet touched the screen when Ji Xiangkong stole away her phone. He put it next to his own phone, a red and a blue phone case, quite interdependent on each other. Qiu Ying reached out to grab it only to be lightly blocked by him. Ji Xiangkong lifted his chin a bit and idly said, “You’re not allowed to chat with someone else when you’re eating with me.”

**

While they were walking around after eating, they passed by the shopping center’s Virtual Reality exhibition. On a whim, Qiu Ying lined up to try it out. The black VR helmet covered both eyes and her whole body felt like it’d fallen into another world. Qiu Ying helped her put on the headphones. The girl’s ears were pale and delicate, with a light pink flush, capillaries faintly visible. His gaze deepened as he unconsciously tightened his lower lip.

The VR helmet demonstration consisted of a dozen short components. Ji Xiangkong watched Qiu Ying go forward, swaying, her arms slowly waving around midair. From time to time she grinned in surprise, as if she were exploring a new world. Her palm suddenly hit him and rubbed against his chest a few times, before it was retrieved in a panic. Ji Xiangkong’s eyes were soft as he turned his head and laughed quietly.

In Qiu Ying’s vision, at times she was in the depths of space in a spaceship, at times falling in a world at the very bottom of the ocean, at times perched on the top of a skyscraper, and suddenly her vision was swathed in boundless darkness. When she heard a fear-inducing sound to her right, Qiu Ying turned her head in nervousness—

“Ahhhh! Dinosaur!”

Qiu Ying stepped back a few paces and fell into someone’s arms. Slightly panicked and mindless, she went to take off the helmet but the other person caught her around the waist first.

Ji Xiangkong’s voice came from above her head. “Now I’ll answer your question from before.”

Qiu Ying’s mind went blank, her body tensing. Her heartbeat was as chaotic as if she were awaiting some kind of trial.

“I don’t hate you,” Ji Xiangkong said quietly into her ear. “I really like you.”

With a boom, Qiu Ying’s breathing froze. She was wearing a helmet and couldn’t see what his face looked like in reality; the only thing she could see a full expanse of twinkling stars in the sky. Instantaneously, dazzling fireworks burst forward, colorful firelight gradually becoming like delicate flower petals. The fragmented cherry blossom petals drifted down like rain.

A trickle of sweetness seeped through the dam of her heart, meandering to become an ocean.

previous chapter | contents page | next chapter

1 A saying that refers to having ulterior motives; comes from a story where a drunkard says that he drinks not to enjoy the wine but to appreciate the scenery around him.

2 Much like how some people call Qiu Ying meinu, shuai-ge (“handsome brother”) refers to a handsome man.

***

so this is a good place to end the update!!!!!!!! leave any thoughts and comments below!!!

Like this:Like Loading...

Related