X team and Team π are about to start their match.

Commentator 1: “The players are now in their final warm-up before the game. Although it’s called a friendly match, both sides seem very enthusiastic and neither is backing down!”

Commentator 2: “Which team are you rooting for to win this game?”

Commentator 1: “While the game will be decided by their skills, and nobody can predict the outcome, deep down, I selfishly hope π will win.”

Commentator 2: “It seems you’ve been drawn in by π’s free fried chicken.”

Commentator 1: “Although Team π exudes confidence as the challengers, Team X, the defenders, also appear spirited and are showing no signs of weakness. Just look at them… um.”

Commentator 1 fell silent for a few seconds.

The camera zooms in on Team X’s resting area. The players are sitting in a row, Ren Xiang with his legs crossed, Gu Zhefeng leaning against Ah Heng, playing the mobile game “Wilderness Action”.

Ren Xiang: “Let’s drop into the main city area.”

Ah Heng: “What main city area? You want to land and become a box?”

Ren Xiang: “Seek fortune amidst danger.”

Ah Heng: “…”

Ren Xiang: “Boldly ride dragons and tigers; if you’re timid, just ride an old sow.”

Ah Heng: “…Jump, jump, jump. Why so much nonsense?”

Commentator 1: “Um, it seems Team X’s players are quite relaxed, still playing games. They must be very confident.”

Commentator 2: “Maybe they also want to freeload on π’s free fried chicken.”

Yuan Xiu stood alone by the wall, holding his phone, sending a text message that remained unanswered for a long time.

Checking the time, there was less than half an hour left until the game started.

***

Lu Manman changed into a light-colored three-leaf clover casual sports outfit, tied her hair into a ponytail, looking fresh and neat.

Just as she was about to leave, Cheng Yu suddenly stopped her: “Hey, you’re going for an interview! Even if you don’t do heavy makeup, at least apply some foundation powder to make your complexion look better.”

Lu Manman glanced at herself in the mirror, still without any makeup. Due to excitement and nervousness, her face was flushed.

“It’s okay,” she waved her hand. “It’s not like I’m joining a major corporation, just a club member. They mainly look at skills.”

“You just don’t get it,” Cheng Yu pulled her to his desk, opened his makeup bag, and took out primer. “Even student council elections now consider appearance. And in your professional league, where players are in the spotlight, if you don’t look good, who’s going to support you? Nowadays, looks are everything.”

Lu Manman had no response. Thinking about it, looks weren’t particularly important in the American League; fans cared more about skill. She wondered how things were in China.

She didn’t refuse Cheng Yu’s kindness and let her dab the brush on her face.

With half an hour until the interview started, the interview location was at the Jiang Tian Grand Hotel. Lu Manman hailed a taxi at the intersection and hurried over.

Back in the American League, new player interviews were usually held at camp venues, so she was puzzled why Team Pi’s interview was at a hotel.

Maybe it was a cultural difference. Her Dad Louis said the Chinese liked to discuss things at the dinner table.

*Ding!* Her phone buzzed.

Lu Manman unlocked the screen, revealing a text from an unknown number: “Where are you?”

Quickly composing a reply, Lu Manman typed: “I’m out. Who’s this?”

“Your idol’s husband,” came the response.

Lu Manman: “???”

“Yuan Xiu.”

Lu Manman: “Oh, hello ‘husband’!”

Lu Manman: “No, I mean, hello ‘idol’s husband’!”

Yuan Xiu: “Where are you?”

Lu Manman thought for a moment. She decided not to tell him she was heading to Team Pi’s interview. Success would be fine, but if she failed, it would be embarrassing. She didn’t want him to think less of her.

Lu Manman: “Just… out for dinner with friends. It’s the weekend, after all.”

Thinking about it, they hadn’t even exchanged phone numbers yet. How could he be interested in what she was doing on the weekend?

Yuan Xiu sighed with relief on the other end. “Today there’s a match between Team X and Team Pi. As a fan aspiring to join a professional team, understanding the tactics in domestic professional matches, I think you should watch the live broadcast.”

Lu Manman replied, “You have a match today? I’m sorry, I’ve been too busy these days to follow this kind of news. Has the match started yet?”

Yuan Xiu: “It’s about to start, half an hour left.”

Lu Manman: “Good luck.”

Yuan Xiu: “…”

Lu Manman: “I’ll watch the replay tonight when I get back. Don’t worry, I’ll watch the whole match carefully.”

Yuan Xiu: “Are you busy right now?”

Lu Manman: “A little.”

The taxi stopped at the entrance of Jiang Tian Grand Hotel.

“Not saying more, focus on your preparations. Good luck with your chicken,” Lu Manman quickly replied before putting away her phone.

She didn’t have time to dwell on why Yuan Xiu cared about her whereabouts half an hour before the match started or whether she paid attention to the game.

It was time for the interview, nervous and jittery. As the former captain of Queen, she used to interview others and never thought she would be the applicant one day.

Stay calm, Lu Manman, you can do this!

Lu Manman stepped into the elevator and arrived at the Peony Hall on the third floor.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door.

Cool air greeted her, accompanied by the sound of girls chatting and laughing.

In front of her was a fountain sculpture, its gentle splashing echoing in the quiet and elegant atmosphere of the private room. Directly ahead was a Chinese-style screen with a round table behind it, seemingly occupied by several people.

A waitress in a qipao approached quietly. “Miss, are you here for the interview?”

“Yes, I am,” Lu Manman nodded.

“Please follow me,” the waitress gestured.

The waitress seated Lu Manman at the table, where she looked around and noticed that all the girls present were young. She counted over ten of them, sitting around the round table.

Some girls were dressed up with makeup, wearing dresses and high heels, while others, like Lu Manman, were in sports attire. They all shared a common trait: youth and a certain level of attractiveness.

Lu Manman was surprised. Why was today’s interview exclusively for girls?

Back when she interviewed for Queen, boys and girls competed together, without gender segregation, because official matches didn’t distinguish between genders; it was a mixed competition.

She couldn’t quite grasp China’s professional team recruitment model.

Nevertheless, seeing so many girls interested in professional gaming made Lu Manman happy. Yuan Xiu had mentioned before that in real professional esports, there had been only a few female players.

With so many girls interested in competitive gaming, it would slowly change the industry’s male-dominated status quo.

One of the girls next to her whispered, “Are you a student too?”

“Yes, I am,” Lu Manman replied.

“I am too, from B University. Have you competed before?”

“Yes, I used to be on a professional team.”

“Wow, you have experience! That’s impressive. You’ll definitely pass.”

“Good luck,” Lu Manman replied with a smile.

The girls can quickly get to know each other with just a few words, some of them have even exchanged WeChat contacts.

At this moment, the door of the room opened, and several middle-aged men walked in and took their seats.

All the girls stood up to greet them.

“Ladies, sorry to keep you waiting!” The greasy-faced manager, Xu Jian, sat down, smiling broadly, and greeted, “Please sit down, don’t be shy, don’t be nervous, let’s just have a casual meal together.”

The girls obediently sat down.

With several male managers joining the table, the relaxed atmosphere the girls had just been enjoying naturally diminished, and everyone ate in silence, feeling a bit constrained.

Of course, there were also a few outgoing and perceptive girls who stood up first to toast the managers.

“Manager Xu, I’m Qiao Jiajia, I toast to you.”

“Oh, why call me Manager Xu, so distant, just call me Brother Xu.”

Manager Xu Jian, with a round face and big ears, looked like he was about to burst into a big, fat smiley peony.

At that moment, Lu Manman’s phone vibrated, it was a message from Cheng Yu: “Hey, how’s it going?”

Lu Manman lowered her head to edit a text message: “The managers have arrived, we haven’t started discussing the interview yet, we’re all having a meal together, all girls, quite lively.”

Just after sending the message, Cheng Yu replied instantly: “All girls? What’s going on? Are the managers male or female?”

Lu Manman: “They are male.”

Cheng Yu: “…”

Cheng Yu: “So… you’re all a group of girls, dining with a few male managers at the hotel?”

Lu Manman: “Yes.”

Cheng Yu: “Why do I feel like there’s a problem with this interview? Luckily, there are many people, just focus on eating, but don’t drink, don’t toast either. Assess the situation and call me immediately if there’s an issue.”

After some thought, Lu Manman replied, “Okay.”

During the meal, several proactive girls made Xu Jian drink, while the less proactive girls were also forced to have a few drinks.

When it was Lu Manman’s turn, she held a teacup.

Xu Jian raised his eyebrows slightly as he assessed her, “Let me tell you, you young girls who haven’t even graduated from university yet, you don’t understand the ways of the world. In this day and age, if you want to get ahead, you have to work hard. Only by striving will you win!”

A girl beside him stepped in to support Lu Manman, “Brother Xu is right. Brother Xu, let me toast to you again, thank you for your guidance.”

Lu Manman sat down feeling sullen.

She agreed with the saying “strive to win,” but she couldn’t help feeling that Manager Xu’s words carried a deeper meaning.

She didn’t understand Chinese drinking table culture or the indirect way Chinese people speak.

Feeling perplexed.

Feeling a bit dispirited, she thought that after finishing the meal, the selection competition would probably begin. She couldn’t eat too much, or she might have indigestion later.

Lu Manman continued to eat in a refined manner.

Xu Jian continued, “Our Pi Club is one of the top professional clubs in the country, on par with the X Team. You know about the match between Pi and X today, right?”

The girls chimed in, “Yes, we know.”

Xu Jian casually asked, “So, who do you think will win?”

The girls exchanged glances and replied, “Of course, the Pi team will win. Isn’t it obvious?”

“Yeah, the X team is no match for Pi.”

Listening to their responses, Lu Manman was impressed. They already knew the outcome of the match even before it ended?

It occurred to her that this might be a test. The managers were testing their understanding of the industry and the teams in what seemed like a casual dinner.

“The X team is quite formidable,” Lu Manman decided to analyze, “Their captain, Yuan Xiu, is strong in both long-range and close combat, a rare all-around player; Ren Xiang is fast and unpredictable, a skilled ambusher in the jungle; Ah Heng is quick-witted, strategic, suitable for support, quickly gathering resources for the team and timely supply delivery; as for Gu Zhefeng, he’s even more impressive, the youngest and most powerful sniper in the country.”

With her words, the whole table fell into silence.

Confused by their reaction, Lu Manman continued, “Of course, Pi is also very good…”

She then analyzed each member of the Pi team, but it wasn’t as detailed as the analysis of the X team members, as she hadn’t had real combat experience with them.

After finishing her analysis, Lu Manman looked expectantly at the managers. She had done her homework, and her analysis was objective, without any flattery. Hopefully, it would earn their favor.

Xu Jian cleared his throat and said, “I didn’t expect a girl to have such a deep understanding of professional teams. You seem to be a fan of the X team. Why did you decide to submit your resume to our Pi team?”

In her mind, Lu Manman thought, “I didn’t intend to submit my resume to your Pi team. I contacted all the domestic teams, and only Pi responded.”

But she couldn’t tell the truth. Instead, she replied with a diplomatic statement, “I just feel that the atmosphere at Pi is very welcoming, full of potential for development, and suits me well.”

“Miss, since you understand the professional scene and competition so well, I’ll toast to you,” Xu Jian raised his glass to Lu Manman.

Lu Manman raised her teacup in return.

Xu Jian insisted, “You can’t drink tea, here, fill up her glass with wine.”

Lu Manman hastily declined, “I can’t drink alcohol, I get drunk with just a little.”

Since the last time she took a tiny sip and ended up so drunk that she stumbled into the men’s restroom and embarrassingly met Yuan Xiu, she had firmly decided to abstain from alcohol.

“You can’t avoid drinking, Miss. Although you are a girl, in Chinese society, there’s gender equality. Girls should also learn to drink, or how will you navigate the workplace after graduating? Don’t you agree?” Xu Jian explained.

A few more outgoing girls chimed in, “Yes, that’s right, Brother Xu is right.”

Lu Manman remained firm in not drinking, mainly because she knew that drinking could lead to embarrassing situations.

However, by refusing to drink, she felt like she was not giving face to Manager Xu. Oh well, she sensed that this interview was becoming quite challenging. All she could do was hope to perform well during the practical training later.

After a satisfying meal, the group left the hotel and headed to a KTV.

Standing in front of the Donghuang Nightclub, Lu Manman felt a bit disheveled. How was it not over yet? It was already afternoon, when would the formal interview actually begin?

Some girls were already hesitating as they looked at the nightclub’s imposing entrance, considering finding an excuse to leave. Lu Manman asked them, “Are you leaving already?”

“Yeah, we are.”

“But we’ve come this far, wouldn’t it be a shame to give up now?”

“Oh, it doesn’t matter to us anyway. We just came to see if we can get in.”

After a few girls made their excuses and left, only Lu Manman and a few other girls who had been toasting Manager Xu during dinner remained.

Lu Manman was also torn about whether to leave. Just as those girls had said, they were just here to see if they could get into the team, and it didn’t matter to them. But Lu Manman genuinely wanted to join the Pi professional team.

“Come what may, face the challenge head-on. It’s a rare opportunity to have this kind of interview, I can’t let it slip away. Maybe after a bit of fun, the managers will start the interviews,” Lu Manman thought to herself.

Lu Manman decided to go into the nightclub with the others.

….

Little Lame Donkey: “Did you win the match?”

Yuan Xiu had just finished showering, changed out of his army green camouflage uniform, and put on the team’s attire.

He was drying his slightly damp hair with a towel, taking a brief moment in the rest area, waiting for the award ceremony to come.

As he turned on his phone, Lu Manman’s message popped up first.

Yuan Xiu’s lips curled slightly as he stepped out of the rest area and quickly replied with his fingertips, “No need to ask.”

Little Lame Donkey: “Congratulations!”

Yuan Xiu: “Hmm.”

A few minutes later, Lu Manman sent him another message: “I want to ask you something.”

“Hmm?” Yuan Xiu responded.

Lu Manman sat in a corner of the KTV, watching a few girls happily singing and sitting beside Manager Xu and others.

She composed her message: “Actually… I went for an interview at Pi today. It started with dinner, now singing, but I don’t know when the actual interview will begin. Is your X team’s recruitment process similar?”

Yuan Xiu adjusted his pants leg, about to sit down, but upon seeing this message, he immediately straightened his posture.

“…”

Lu Manman looked at the ellipsis and was puzzled, “I’m just asking.”

“Name of the KTV, room number.”

Little Lame Donkey: “Ah.”

Yuan Xiu: “…Quick.”

Little Lame Donkey: “Donghuang Nightclub, Imperial Concubine VIP Room.”

….

Yuan Xiu didn’t even have time to change out of his team uniform. He strode out of the rest area in a hurry.

Ah Heng called out to him, “Captain, where are you rushing off to?”

“To catch a donkey.”

Ah Heng caught up with him, “We still have the award ceremony later, and then we have to have dinner with Pi!”

Yuan Xiu suddenly roared, “Damn the dog’s meal!”

Ah Heng stood bewildered at the door, watching Yuan Xiu’s fierce departure down the corridor.

This…

This damn…

Who provoked him?

…

In the nightclub’s VIP room, the girls sat with the managers, singing, drinking, and playing dice.

Lu Manman flipped through the messages exchanged with Yuan Xiu just now. Is he… coming over?

Otherwise, why ask for the nightclub’s location and even the room number?

She looked around the VIP room, where a few men’s faces were flushed from alcohol, getting closer to the girls.

It seemed like today’s interview was going to be a bust.

Feeling a sense of disappointment, Lu Manman had sensed something was off since arriving at the nightclub, but she refused to give up.

She wanted to compete, to join a professional team, so she was unwilling to accept defeat. With a glimmer of hope, she had been sitting here for so long.

But it seemed like the male managers were not here to interview them but to have a good time with the girls.

Disappointed and disheartened, Lu Manman was about to leave with her bag. However, at that moment, Xu Jian approached with two glass cups in hand and sat next to her.

“What’s your name?” Xu Jian asked.

Lu Manman moved slightly away from him and replied quietly, “Lu Manman.”

“Lu Manman, I can see that you genuinely want to join the Pi team.”

Lu Manman glanced at the girls beside her, who had also persevered until now. It was impossible that they weren’t genuinely aiming to join the team. Especially one girl, whom Lu Manman had just bumped into in the restroom, had endured the drinking session and even vomiting, showing great determination.

So, is this how things are done in the country?

Her expression turned colder, “Manager Xu, I really don’t know why we are sitting here. If there’s no interview, I’ll leave.”

Xu Jian remained calm, poured the golden-orange beer into a glass, and handed it to Lu Manman, gently coaxing.

“I’ll be honest with you. Our team needs a substitute player, gender doesn’t matter, but we only have one spot. Look at them, they are all competing for that one substitute position. Why should I choose you over them? Give me a reason to convince me.”

“I have experience playing professionally, and my performance is good, as I mentioned in my resume,” Lu Manman quickly responded.

“I remember, you came from the American League, right?”

“Yes.”

“This isn’t America. In America, there’s the ‘W’ and there are some girls who have achieved results in competitions. But in the domestic scene, the situation might be more challenging. You’ve seen it yourself, your competitors are all excellent.”

“Choose me, and I won’t disappoint you,” Lu Manman hurriedly said, “I can achieve what the ‘W’ can do. If I join Pi, within a year, I’ll lead Pi into the global tournament.”

Lu Manman still had her confidence.

However, she never expected Xu Jian to suddenly smile and say, “You’re truly a naive and innocent little girl, the more I look at you, the more I like you!”

As he said this, his hand landed on Lu Manman’s thigh.

Lu Manman felt as if she had been shocked. With a quick motion, she stood up from her seat and took several steps back.

A wave of nausea surged through her, almost making her sick.

Everything became clear to her. This wasn’t an interview; this was… accompanying men.

Xu Jian didn’t anticipate her strong reaction. His expression turned cold as he pushed the glass towards her, “Miss, have a drink. Let’s talk about joining the team.”

Lu Manman’s temper flared up. Acting without considering the consequences, she picked up the glass and splashed the contents directly onto Xu Jian’s face, “Drink this, damn it!”

Splatter.

Everyone around stopped what they were doing and looked towards Xu Jian.

Caught off guard by the splashed drink, Xu Jian couldn’t hide his anger. His nose seemed about to go crooked from fury.

However, a girl immediately walked over to him, offering tissues to wipe his face and clothes, trying to defuse the situation for Lu Manman, “Manager Xu, don’t be angry. This girl is still young and doesn’t know any better.”

Seemingly in retaliation, Xu Jian pulled the girl who was helping him into his arms and pointed at Lu Manman, scolding angrily, “You have no shame, pretending to be innocent at this point! If you really think you’re above it all, then leave now. I don’t need you. There are plenty of beautiful women around. You think too highly of yourself.”

Fuming, Lu Manman grabbed her bag, turned around, and started to leave. She reached for the door handle but paused at the doorway.

Turning back, she saw the girl being embraced by Xu Jian, her expression showing reluctance and disgust, yet she didn’t push him away.

Why not?

The girls in the room clearly knew that these sleazy men were taking advantage of them and felt repulsed, so why did they stay?

Gritting her teeth, Lu Manman finally turned back and walked back to Xu Jian.

Thinking she had changed her mind, Xu Jian raised an eyebrow and looked at her, “Miss, a wise person knows the right time to act. Do you understand? The opportunity is right in front of you.”

He patted his thigh, “Let’s see if you can seize it.”

“Today, I finally understand why the American League looks down on Chinese professional teams,” Lu Manman towered over him, giving him a cold stare, “Only the strong deserve respect. The Chinese team is too weak.”

Xu Jian’s eye twitched.

Lu Manman continued, “And the reason why the Chinese team is weak is because there are troublemakers like you in the team!”

Seemingly unfazed, Xu Jian sneered, “You have the fate of eating gutter oil but desire the power of the Central Committee. Who do you think you are?”

She looked around at the girls, “Why are you still here, letting these bastards bully you?”

They remained silent. The girl beside Xu Jian had an unpleasant expression, “If you want to leave, then leave. Why say so much? Not everyone can have the opportunity. Success comes at a cost, and if you don’t want to join the team, we do.”

To succeed, you have to pay the price.

Lu Manman agreed with this statement. The price of success could be sweat, tears, or all the hard work you willingly put in… but it should never involve selling your body and dignity.

As she turned to leave, Lu Manman suddenly kicked Xu Jian’s knee in retaliation for his previous inappropriate behavior.

“Ouch!” Xu Jian yelled, “You wretch! You even dare to kick me? I’ll crush you!”

Lu Manman turned and ran, opening the door and dashing into the corridor, heading towards the elevator.

Xu Jian chased after her, and Lu Manman watched as the elevator doors closed and it started to ascend: 2, 3, 4

…

Xu Jian ran towards her in three quick steps. In a hurry, she pressed the button, and with a “ding,” the elevator doors opened. Lu Manman rushed into the elevator, only to collide directly into a man’s arms.

The embrace was firm and robust.

The scent was a faint tobacco fragrance.

She lifted her head and saw the sharp jawline of Yuan Xiu.

He was wearing a red and black team uniform, and his handsome face had a touch of brightness because of it. He lowered his gaze to Lu Manman by his side, his deep eyes showing a hint of turbulence.

He reached out to steady Lu Manman’s shoulder, stabilizing her.

Looking towards Xu Jian not far away, a slight twitch appeared in the corner of his eye.

Xu Jian caught the gaze of the man in the elevator, immediately halting his steps and refraining from pursuing further.

As the elevator doors closed, Lu Manman defiantly raised her middle finger at Xu Jian:

‘f*ck you.’

….

At the back door of the school, there was a fried chicken shop.

Lu Manman sat on a high stool, with a bottle of cola on the table next to her. After Yuan Xiu paid, he brought over a box of crispy chicken bites and placed it in front of Lu Manman.

Lu Manman let out a silent burp after drinking her cola.

Yuan Xiu sat down on the high stool next to her, his loose pants now tightly outlining his long legs.

He sent a message to his teammates on his phone, then casually tossed the phone onto the table.

Lu Manman took another sip of cola and sneakily observed him. His bangs fell down, brushing his eyelids. Wow, his eyelashes were really long, longer and denser than a girl’s, so beautiful.

The two of them sat in an awkward silence for a while. Yuan Xiu skewered a piece of chicken bite with a toothpick and ate it.

So, Lu Manman also picked up a toothpick, asked the waiter for some tomato sauce, and dipped the chicken bites into it.

Then Yuan Xiu brought out some chili powder and asked, “Do you like spicy food?”

Lu Manman shook her head, “Not really.”

So Yuan Xiu poured the chili powder into a small plate beside him and dipped his chicken in it.

At that moment, Lu Manman’s phone rang, it was a call from Cheng Yu. She quickly answered it.

“I’ve already left, now I’m eating fried chicken outside the school… It seems like the opportunity to join the team is gone, but I don’t think they were genuinely looking for recruits anyway. It’s okay, no need to come over, I’m fine here…”

She looked at Yuan Xiu, his slender fingers delicately skewering the chicken bites, quietly dipping them in chili powder.

“I have a friend here, yeah, we’ll talk about it more tonight. Bye.”

After hanging up, Lu Manman said to Yuan Xiu, “Thank you for picking me up.”

“Hmm,” Yuan Xiu replied calmly, “What did you do to the Pi team’s manager?”

“Kicked him,” Lu Manman said, “Unfortunately, the angle wasn’t great, only hit his knee.”

Yuan Xiu put down the toothpick, “Where else do you want to kick?”

Lu Manman nonchalantly replied, “In the butt.”

Yuan Xiu paused, lowered his gaze, and looked at the chicken bites in the bowl.

Lu Manman felt like he was smiling, the curve of his lips was beautiful, like the morning sunlight casting a slanted glow.

“American girls like you, speaking so…” he raised his gaze, “uninhibited?”

“You act like you don’t swear,” Lu Manman retorted.

“We’re different.”

“What’s so great about guys,” Lu Manman rolled her eyes, glancing at the crotch area of his pants, “You just have one more…”

Yuan Xiu quickly skewered a piece of chicken bite and tossed it into her mouth, “Eat chicken.”

Lu Manman chewed on the chicken bite in silence, feeling a bit down.

Yuan Xiu advised, “Be more careful in the future if you encounter such situations. It’s important to be cautious.”

Lu Manman asked, “X doesn’t recruit girls, right?”

Yuan Xiu replied, “No, but…”

She looked up at him, a hint of hope in her eyes.

“If it’s the ‘w,’ there shouldn’t be a problem. High salary, official team member.”

Lu Manman tightened her grip on the toothpick, then after a moment, she skewered another piece of chicken bite, dipped it in tomato sauce, and took a small bite.

“The era of the ‘w’ has passed,” she said solemnly, “Perhaps in the future, new ‘w’s will emerge. Why can’t you be a little more patient?”

“During the thirty years of reform and opening up, the Chinese people have never stopped running forward. Our patience is hard to come by,” Yuan Xiu looked at Lu Manman, “The development model of excessive competition in real competitions in China does need to change, but it takes time.”

“I know I shouldn’t be saying these things to you,” she narrowed her eyes, “After all, you can’t control the investors’ thoughts, and I don’t want to put you in a difficult position.”

Yuan Xiu’s lips quirked up, “Putting me in a difficult position means you want to ask me to help you join X team. What makes you think I would agree? Even with the ‘w,’ I said I would only choose one substitute, especially for someone with average performance like you.”

Lu Manman looked up at him, his eyes deep, “We Chinese speak with our achievements. If you truly want others to believe in you, you have to perform as well as the ‘w,’ or even better.”

Frowning, Lu Manman said, “But I can’t even join a team.”

Yuan Xiu replied calmly, “Who says you have to play professionally to have achievements? Before I joined X, I played in countless school, provincial, and national competitions. Before Abandoned Wind joined X, the number of headshots he had was half of his current achievements.”

Lu Manman suddenly looked up at Yuan Xiu.Between Yuan Xiu’s starry brows, there was a firm and confident expression.

“If you’re determined to leave the past behind, then show your achievements. Let those who look down on you and bully you see that real competitions are not just for men, girls can excel too.”

Yuan Xiu’s words ignited a fiery determination within her.

Yes, there were various competitions in China, not just professional ones. Even their school often held different sports events. After all, this sport was truly… so popular in China!

In just a few words, Yuan Xiu pointed out a path to a brighter future for her.

“Yes! I will compete well and let my achievements speak for themselves!” Lu Manman clenched her fist, “You have faith in me, I won’t let you down!”

Yuan Xiu’s expression remained gentle as he picked up a chicken bite with a toothpick.

Looking at him, Lu Manman smiled, “Thank you.”

Yuan Xiu raised an eyebrow, “How are you thanking me?”

“Let me treat you to some salt and pepper chicken.”

Yuan Xiu shook his head, “I treated you to chicken bites, and now you want to treat me to salt and pepper chicken. This is called reciprocity, not gratitude.”

Online rumors described this man as sharp-tongued, cunning, and witty, unwilling to yield an inch. It seemed true… He was really living up to his reputation, even nitpicking about gratitude and manners. How else should she thank him?

Lu Manman asked, “Then what would you like?”

Not wanting to be called “Dad” or “Husband.”

Yuan Xiu’s eyes slightly flickered, revealing a charming smile.

“How about calling me ‘Brother’ and see how it feels.”