Two days later, on a warm and sunny afternoon, Yuan Xiu stood in front of the sand table, arranging plastic figurines in formation.

Gu Zhefeng moved his laptop next to him and said mysteriously, “Captain, I have some bad news to tell you.”

Yuan Xiu, with his long and slender fingers holding a plastic figurine, responded calmly, “Go ahead.”

“But you have to promise not to harm the innocent after you hear it. If you need to vent, please take it out on Ren Xiang.”

Ren Xiang was running on the treadmill nearby, sneezing repeatedly. He pointed at Gu Zhefeng and shouted, “I knew it! You’re talking behind my back again!”

Yuan Xiu calmly replied, “Don’t worry, I won’t take out my frustrations on minors.”

Gu Zhefeng handed the laptop to Yuan Xiu and said, “Your hat is currently being auctioned on a certain website. The advertisement reads: ‘National Husband’s Limited Edition Duckbill Cap. Guaranteed quality for over a decade. Its smell is soul-stirring and bone-chilling, a must-have artifact for your long, lonely nights. Starting bid is 99,998. For 99,998, you can own the husband’s exclusive, limited-edition treasured item. Don’t miss this opportunity!’”

Yuan Xiu: ……

Ah Heng had just come out of the gym, a towel draped over his shoulder. He looked at Yuan Xiu, who was sulking on the balcony with a cigarette, and asked, “Captain, what’s wrong? You look as dejected as if you just ate Korean kimchi hotpot.”

Gu Zhefeng said, “Lu Xiannu put his hat up for auction on a certain website. The bidding has already reached 170,000.”

Ah Heng widened his eyes in disbelief, “Isn’t it just a worn-out hat? I can’t believe someone actually bought it.”

Gu Zhefeng continued browsing through the auction items, “You can never imagine how thirsty Yuan Xiu’s fans are. Not just a hat, there are even people buying a strand of hair to match DNA for cloning a little monkey.”

“Terrifying popularity.”

However, Ah Heng changed the subject, “High popularity is a good thing, what has he lost?”

Ren Xiang took the computer and commented while looking, “That was the token of affection he gave to Lu Xiannu, but she resold it at a high price. How could he not have lost something?”

“This woman cares more about money than her husband.”

“All women are like that.” Ren Xiang lit a cigarette, speaking like an experienced driver, “Money is more practical than true love, the captain must be heartbroken.”

Gu Zhefeng shook his head and sighed, “Men who fall in love, how pitiful.”

Ah Heng peeled an orange, “Really? How come you all think he likes Lu Manman?”

Ren Xiang retorted, “If you don’t like someone, do you go around touching their butt?”

Ah Heng disdainfully remarked, “Aren’t you doing the same thing?”

Ren Xiang replied, “Don’t ruin my reputation! Aren’t all my flings true love?”

Gu Zhefeng added, “You use your lower half for ‘true love’.”

….

In the afternoon, Lu Manman and Cheng Yu went to participate in a competition at Mingyang Mountain. This kind of competition was organized by businesses, where participants paid to register, and anyone could join.

Of course, with Lu Manman leading the team, the two easily clinched the first place. In amateur games like this, Lu Manman could win even with her eyes closed. However, winning was not the primary goal; it was about honing their teamwork through practical experience and friction.

Cheng Yu was agile, intelligent, and quick to react. From Lu Manman’s professional perspective, she was quite a promising talent. With more practice, she might even excel in the professional scene.

Lu Manman had mentored newcomers before, and it was under her guidance that Qiao Xingye became the new queen team captain.

Now, guiding Cheng Yu was even easier than mentoring Qiao Xingye. Lu Manman was growing more confident, sure that they would definitely secure the championship in the doubles competition without a doubt.

In the evening, the two strolled back to the dormitory under the moonlight, with Lu Manman explaining tactics to Cheng Yu.

“In the later stages, it’s best to find a high vantage point to hide. Unless there are many buildings in the safe zone, where we can choose a multi-story building, it’s safer to find a good vantage point. Because with only a few houses, entering is like stepping into other players’ alert zones, which is particularly dangerous.”

Cheng Yu seemed not to pay attention to her words, nudging her with her elbow and laughing, “Look who’s here.”

Following her gaze, Lu Manman raised her head and saw Yuan Xiu standing by the lamppost below the female dormitory, dressed in a dark baseball jacket and jeans.

He seemed to be waiting for someone.

Lu Manman muttered, “He’s not waiting for me.”

“Who else would he be waiting for if not you, them?”

Cheng Yu looked up, and on the balcony of the dormitory building, the girls were all ecstatic, screaming Yuan Xiu’s name, filled with excitement.

A headache.

Lu Manman walked up to Yuan Xiu, stopping a couple of meters away from him.

Under the streetlight, her coat made her silhouette appear elongated.

Yuan Xiu took his hand out of his pocket and stood upright, facing her.

“I’m back.”

“Mm.”

Smiling, Cheng Yu said to Lu Manman, “Then I’ll go up first, you two talk.”

After she left, Yuan Xiu directly took hold of Lu Manman’s sleeve and pulled her away, saying, “Let’s talk somewhere else.”

Lu Manman was dragged all the way by him until they reached the deserted stairs at the playground, where he finally let go of her.

The lighting by the stairs was dim, but the moonlight tonight was exceptionally bright, casting a glow on his profile, exuding a clear and cool temperament.

“Where’s the hat?”

Lu Manman unzipped her backpack, took out a black X baseball cap from inside, but instead of handing it over, she hesitated and asked, “What about the mask?”

Yuan Xiu rummaged in his own bag and pulled out a neatly folded black mask, the ‘W’ embroidery looking particularly vivid under the moonlight.

As if in reprimand, he murmured, “You still want to sell my hat.”

Unwilling to back down, Lu Manman challenged, “You sell the mask first.”

“She didn’t want it herself.”

“Even so, you can’t sell it.”

“Hmm?”

“She’s retired now, her leg is injured, and everyone says she’s not good enough. Hearing it so often, she might just…” Lu Manman raised her head, looking at him with a hint of grievance, “She might just not believe in herself as much.”

“Perhaps she feels that by giving up all her past achievements, starting anew, she can achieve whatever she can, but at least she won’t disappoint her fans.”

Yuan Xiu listened silently, thinking that the burden of being an idol was quite heavy.

After she finished speaking, he slowly began, “Lu Manman, do you know, ever since I got involved in real competitive gaming in high school, this name ‘W’ has always been with me.”

Lu Manman was slightly taken aback.

“She has written the legend of real competitive gaming with her life story. From individual to team tournaments, achieving grand slams, every game breaks past records, never experiencing a defeat.”

“Every young person in the world who is obsessed with real competitive gaming, who wouldn’t love her.”

He looked at the crescent moon in the sky, a slight smile on his lips, his expression one of infatuation, “She is my goddess.”

…

As he looked back at Lu Manman, she leaned against the wall, covering her chest, with a face full of shock and disbelief, completely displaying a look of “Oh my God, what are you saying, don’t come near me, it’s too cheesy, I can’t accept it.”

Yuan Xiu furrowed his brows, “What’s your problem? I wasn’t talking about you, don’t get all worked up for nothing.”

Lu Manman straightened up, “Who’s getting worked up!” She walked up to him, kicking away some pebbles on the ground, “You gave me goosebumps out of nowhere.”

Yuan Xiu looked down at her, smiling, “How did I give you goosebumps?”

“Hey!”

Lu Manman rolled her eyes, “You talk too much nonsense, might bite your tongue.”

“I’m not afraid.” Yuan Xiu said, “My tongue is only for my wife to bite.”

“If W knew you were calling everyone ‘wife,’ be careful she might come to China and knock your head off!”

“I said my wife, did I say it was W? You’re too quick to silently acknowledge that W is my wife.”

Lu Manman hesitated in her words, waving her hand, “Curfew in the dorm, I need to go back.”

She handed the hat to Yuan Xiu, “Let’s trade, I’ll give you back the hat, you give me back the mask.”

After carefully examining the duckbill cap, Yuan Xiu’s expression eased slightly. He walked over to Lu Manman and carefully placed the hat on her head.

His gaze was particularly gentle at this moment as he adjusted the hat on her head, saying, “The gift Yuan Xiu gives away will not be taken back, but it is also not allowed for anyone to casually sell or pass it on, understood?”

Lu Manman, feeling defiant, pursed her lips, “What about the mask then?”

Yuan Xiu replied, “I’ll keep the mask.”

“You’re keeping that too!” Lu Manman exclaimed, “Why are you keeping such a personal item, are you obsessed with your goddess!”

Yuan Xiu chuckled, “I’m not obsessed with you, what’s your problem?”

“Ah, ah, ah.”

“Let’s go.”

“Yuan Xiu, Yuan Xiu!” Lu Manman hurriedly caught up with him, “Give it back to me, let it return to its roots in the W fan club. I’ll give you seventy thousand, no more than that!”

“You’re joking,” Yuan Xiu walked leisurely, “I bought it for 140 thousand, you’re making me lose seventy thousand. My dad will be furious if he finds out I do business like this.”

Lu Manman held onto him, “Then… I’ll pay you in installments!”

“What do you need to do for me to agree? Call me ‘big brother’?”

Lu Manman grabbed his sleeve, “Yuan Xiu, big brother!”

Yuan Xiu suddenly stopped in his tracks, looking down at her, his eyes carrying a deeper meaning.

“Say it again.”

Lu Manman tugged at his sleeve, lowered her head, a faint blush on her face, “Yuan Xiu, big brother.”

He pushed further, “Call me Yuan big brother.”

She obediently echoed, “Yuan big brother.”

“Call me Xiu big brother.”

“Xiu big brother.”

A smile that he couldn’t suppress crept onto Yuan Xiu’s lips.

“Can I have it back now?”

Yuan Xiu held the mask in his palm and raised it slightly, “I won’t be creepy about W.”

Lu Manman:…

Yuan Xiu continued, “When I see her next time, I’ll personally return it to her, it can also be a favor to my goddess.”

Lu Manman:…

“I’ll walk you back to your dorm.”

“No, no, no!” Lu Manman retreated in fear, “I’ll go back by myself.”

Watching her running back to her dorm, Yuan Xiu felt a great sense of relief, as if he hadn’t felt this light-hearted in a long, long time.

….

Climbing over the Line.

Wealthy Akko: So, the hat goes to you, the mask to him, and you were duped into calling him ‘Yuan big brother’ and ‘Xiu big brother’?

Lu Manman regresses to being 12 years old: [Sighs.]

Akko: Sly Chinese.

Lu Manman: Sly Chinese men.

Akko: By the way, since he wouldn’t return your mask, could he really be creepy towards you?

Lu Manman: [Terrified] No way, he doesn’t seem like that kind of person.

Akko: [Thoughtful expression] Never trust the appearance men display outside, there’s an old Chinese saying – appearances can be deceiving. You’ll never know what lurks beneath the polished exterior of a man who thinks with his lower half.

Lu Manman: Are you going all out to criticize your male compatriots?

Akko: I’m just stating facts.

Lu Manman: [Lighting a cigarette] It’s just a mask, how creepy can it be.

Akko: [Grins mischievously] It’s all about the position.

Lu Manman: ???

Akko: Hehehe.

Lu Manman: ???

Akko: Let your imagination run wild.

Just as Lu Manman had ended the chat, she sat on the bed flipping through a magazine for a while. Not done with her imagination yet, her phone screen lit up, showing a message from Yuan Xiu. She opened WeChat and saw a selfie of him shirtless, wearing her W mask, posing in front of the bathroom mirror.

The warm yellow light in the bathroom cascaded over his wheat-colored, taut skin. Even though the angle of the photo only showed his neck, it was enough to set off a small volcano in Lu Manman’s heart.

Lu Manman: Ahhh!

Yuan Xiu: Why so excited?

Lu Manman: Why, why are you wearing the W mask!

Yuan Xiu: Does it look good?

Lu Manman: You’re not even wearing clothes, and you’re in the bathroom!

Yuan Xiu: Huh?

Lu Manman: You promised you wouldn’t be creepy about W!

Yuan Xiu: Where did you see me being creepy about W?

Lu Manman: I saw it with both my eyes!

Yuan Xiu: I just put on the mask, what’s going on in your head?

Lu Manman: You’re wearing the mask but not wearing clothes!

Yuan Xiu: It’s a bit hot.

Lu Manman looked out the window, a dry leaf swirling down. It was already late autumn, soon to be winter.

“You do you. [Despair.jpg]”