A Lucky Advance and a Familiar Face

Lan Mengyao’s face lit up with a smile. ‘As expected of my sister, she’s truly clever.’

“It seems luck is on their side. Because they endured the longest, the three bottom-ranked teams will now advance.”

Yu Shengshui rose to her feet, her gaze falling upon Lan Mengyao.

“Shall we go, or will you go chat with your adorable sister?”

Watching the five individuals celebrate joyfully, Lan Mengyao offered a smile of contentment.

“This is only the beginning. There’s another match tomorrow, so I hope they can adjust and recover.”

While a strong urge to join them lingered, Lan Mengyao knew that if she did, her white-haired little sister would undoubtedly swell with pride, eager to claim all the credit. A loss tomorrow, fueled by such arrogance, would be disastrous. It was better to wait until the very end.

“Hmph, they managed to win, didn’t they…?”

The blonde girl, seated in the distance, also let out a sigh of relief. She rose to her feet, her silhouette blending seamlessly into the encroaching night.

“We advanced! We’re through to the next round!”

“That’s fantastic! The way we executed that crucial pull at the end, grouping them all together, was absolutely brilliant!”

“Exactly! And because we were hidden in the shadows, they couldn’t see us or issue any warnings!”

All three appeared exceptionally joyful after their victory, as if their shattered confidence had been miraculously restored.

There was no doubt they desperately needed a victory. Simultaneously, Qing Zixi required this win to solidify her authority as commander.

“Alright, I’ve mostly grasped everyone’s playstyles in this competition. Let’s head back to discuss tactics, and then we can check the draw.”

“Yeah, I think I’ll just hand the captaincy over to you from now on~”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly accept. Luoluo, you should remain captain; I’ll simply handle the commanding.”

The five individuals, their steps light with renewed vigor, went to discuss tactics, commencing a meeting to formally establish Qing Zixi as their overall commander.

****

The following afternoon, the spectator stands were even more packed. With Qing Zixi now at the helm, the team’s composition during the selection phase visibly evolved, becoming far more cohesive and well-rounded. Gone was yesterday’s disorganized approach where every member simply prioritized their own offensive capabilities.

“Hmm, they’re showing proper rhythm and control. I’d say they’re likely to win today.”

Owing to their dramatic comeback victory yesterday, Qing Zixi’s team garnered significant attention from the audience today. True to expectations, they fought their way out of the encirclement. Though they stumbled repeatedly and found themselves in desperate, make-or-break situations several times, they ultimately advanced into the semifinals.

“Phew, the semifinals are three days away. We can finally get some proper rest now!”

Upon returning to the dorm, Qing Zixi collapsed onto her bed with a thud.

Then, as if a thought had suddenly struck her, she reached for her phone.

Whenever Qing Zixi had streamed before, the moment she went live, Xia Mengying would inevitably pop up, constantly asking when they could play together. Xia Mengying would often start her own stream alongside Qing Zixi’s, invariably siphoning away all her viewers.

Gazing at the string of unanswered calls Xia Mengying had made, Qing Zixi felt a strong urge to tell her to stop stealing her audience!

–Are you sure you want to call Xia Mengying?

After yet another prolonged confirmation click, Qing Zixi found herself wishing she could smash the infuriating phone. However, the exorbitant price she’d discovered online quickly brought her back to reality, and she tenderly wiped the screen with a tissue.

“What’s up, Little Xi? You finally called me! I’ve missed you so much!”

A familiar voice emanated from the other end of the line. Judging by her tone, Xia Mengying seemed to be in her ‘true form’ state.

“Um, where exactly is Mengying’s home?”

Qing Zixi had never actually visited Xia Mengying’s home. In the past, it was always her various ‘sisters’ who came to her house, with the adults chatting in the living room while the children played together. It often felt as though her own home had been designated as their personal party venue.

However, she no longer had a home of her own now.

“I can’t believe I didn’t tell you! I’ll come pick you up!”

“Oh, no, that’s too much trouble. I’ll just take a taxi.”

If she weren’t still unable to withdraw her live-streaming earnings, Qing Zixi would certainly consider herself a minor heiress.

However, as her monthly earnings hadn’t yet been processed, Qing Zixi’s entire fortune amounted to merely a few dozen yuan from red packet grabs on her phone. How could such a paltry sum cover a taxi fare?

A mischievous smile crept onto her face.

“Betting on myself to win — perfectly reasonable, wouldn’t you say?”

Gazing at her phone, where her balance had multiplied several times over, Qing Zixi felt an immense surge of happiness.

Indeed, after a string of losses, Qing Zixi’s team had long since fallen out of favor. However, just before their final match, she stumbled upon a group chat discussing the competition, with people placing bets on who would win or lose. Without hesitation, she staked her entire balance on her own team’s victory.

“Alright, I’ll go get ready now and send you my location.”

“Okay!”

Having received the location, Qing Zixi booked a ride and settled into the car.

Indeed, not everyone resided in a palatial estate like Zi Yun’ai. Xia Mengying’s home was a modest, single-story house. Yet, as Qing Zixi watched the car enter a particular residential complex and pull up to a familiar-looking entrance, a strange sense of déjà vu washed over her.

‘This complex’s name… it can’t be the same one Lan Mengyao lives in, can it?’

With a knot of complex emotions, Qing Zixi nervously rode the elevator to Xia Mengying’s door and tapped gently.

If Lan Mengyao were to appear at Xia Mengying’s home, Qing Zixi was fully prepared to make a swift escape.

After all, she had almost been eliminated, and her advancement had been a mere stroke of luck. She simply had no face to show Lan Mengyao, a professional player of such caliber.

Lan Mengyao would undoubtedly tease her mercilessly, and Qing Zixi wouldn’t even be able to retort!

However, only when Qing Zixi saw the door open to reveal a petite, pink-haired individual—who was, in one particular aspect, disproportionately large—did her anxious heart finally settle.

Unbeknownst to her, even if Xia Mengying and Lan Mengyao shared the closest of friendships, Xia Mengying would never share her unique ‘prey’ with anyone else, especially not Lan Mengyao.

After changing into a pair of soft slippers, Qing Zixi settled onto the sofa and posed a question.

“Mengying, do you live in the same complex as Mengyao?”

“Yes, that’s right. While we’re not in the same building, living close by means we can at least look out for each other, doesn’t it?”

Xia Mengying was carrying over a platter of freshly cut fruit, perhaps this was the ‘preparation’ she had mentioned on the phone.

“Besides, buying together means we get a discount. Neither of us wastes money like *certain other people*.”

“Pfft.”

Qing Zixi chuckled, gesturing towards the fruit platter. The ‘certain other people’ Xia Mengying alluded to remained unspoken, a knowing understanding passing between the two of them.

“I watched your matches too, Little Xi! You played really well, making it to the semifinals. Keep up the great work~”

‘Gulp…’

‘Played really well…’

‘Barely scraping into the elimination rounds by sheer luck, struggling through a series of bloody, stumbling matches to reach the semifinals—could that truly be considered ‘playing well’?’

While Qing Zixi suspected a subtle jab, she knew that Xia Mengying held no real interest in games. Even as close friends with Lan Mengyao, a professional player, they rarely discussed gaming topics in their daily lives.

‘So, she was probably just genuinely trying to encourage me.’