Chapter 41

Just three days after the concert, Ying Nian and Yu Linran agreed to meet in the city where the base is located. That day, SF didn’t have any matches, and the team members had a half-day break. This time, Ying Nian wasn’t going to watch a game, but simply for a date with Yu Linran.

Their first official date.

The buzz on the internet had reached its peak. Before boarding the plane, Ying Nian was still scrolling through those messages, feeling completely indifferent. After the plane took off and passengers had to turn off their electronic devices, she even managed to take a peaceful nap.

But the matter had to start with SF.

In the two-plus years that Ying Nian has followed SF, she gained a certain level of recognition within the SF fan community. In the first year, she attended almost every match without fail to show support. During SF’s early days, when they had few fans and little fame, Ying Nian and the friends from the original fan group held up the support for the team. She and that group of friends could be considered the earliest and most core group of solid fans after SF’s reformation.

She had done excellent fan support work for SF, even getting her Weibo post retweeted by the official SF account. She had visited the base, taken countless beautiful photos of Yu Linran, and had a viral post with tens of thousands of shares that stirred heated discussions among netizens, bringing Yu Linran a lot of attention. Over the years, she had been consistently producing fan content without much pause.

One could say, there wasn’t another “fan leader” on Weibo with more followers than her.

Some people were drawn to her by reputation, gathering around her because they liked SF and Yu Linran, while others naturally couldn’t stand her.

[We’re all fans, so why should you be the famous one, the one everyone fawns over? Why are you the one who’s met him in person, been to the base, and why does the official account only retweet your posts and not others’? Why are you different from the rest of us?]

When Yu Linran liked her post, it was like a spark that completely ignited the bomb of resentment some people had been holding inside, the one labeled “unfairness.”

Esports audiences have forums dedicated to discussing games and tournaments. The night of the “like,” the first post discussing Ying Nian appeared on one of those forums—

[Does anyone know that ‘Yu Linran marry me’ girl? Am I the only one who thinks she’s way too much?]

The post’s content primarily attacked Ying Nian for “jumping up and down.”

[Whenever there’s any movement from SF, she’s the first to jump in, higher than anyone else. Someone who doesn’t know better might even think she’s part of SF’s staff. All Yu Linran did was like one of her Weibo posts, and she responded with two posts, deliberately making it seem like ‘the player I like is interacting with me.’ She’s so extra!]

[She’s terrible at the game, her skill level is abysmal, yet she has the nerve to keep posting her match results. She doesn’t even understand the game. I bet she only likes Yu Linran because of his looks. Yu Linran must have the worst luck in the world to have her as a fan!]

[Also, I noticed that she loves to seek attention. She’s terrified that no one will notice her, always inserting herself into everything. I suspect she doesn’t actually like the game at all; she just enjoys the sense of superiority from being fawned over. These esports leeches are so damn disgusting!]

…

Some people in the post thought the remarks were too harsh, while others felt there was some truth to them. Then, there was a group of people who, feeling like they had found kindred spirits, joined the original poster in venting with phrases like “I think,” “It seems to me,” and “She seems like,” eager to make sure their excitement didn’t go unnoticed.

This wasn’t just a simple minor episode. After the initial post died down, instead of ending, some strange wind fanned the flames even more.

In various forums, discussion boards, and gossip websites, what began as complaints about her “being too dramatic” escalated. People started digging up her old Weibo posts to analyze them one by one and even began trying to expose her true identity.

By the time Ying Nian met with Yu Linran, those people had already created a temporary Weibo account solely dedicated to posting long-form Weibo attacks against her. The individuals behind these long posts compiled the results of their criticisms and investigations from various threads, each more enthusiastic than the last as they shared and reposted, determined to reveal her “true face” to as many people as possible.

Ying Nian received numerous private messages from people who followed her, informing her about the situation. Some messages were comforting, some expressed concern, urging her to take care of herself.

Of course, she also received plenty of hateful messages.

Even some of the SF team members were alarmed by the situation. Cheng Run, Lin Shan, and Bo Can didn’t have Ying Nian’s WeChat, so they relayed their concerns through Yi Shen.

[Are you okay? Don’t pay attention to those things online. For now, maybe take a break from Weibo.]

Ying Nian initially replied that she was fine, then sent a meme, adding, [I’m not that easily affected. Let them say what they want. I’ll just live my life.]

It took a while for the response to come through, likely written by Cheng Run or Lin Shan, since the tone didn’t sound like Yi Shen’s usual style.

They said:

[Let’s be honest for once. From the time our team was reformed until now, you and those early fans were some of the very first people to support us. Back then, we couldn’t even fill the audience seats, and no one was there to cheer us on. You guys were the ones who gave us support, all the way to today. Even though you’re fans, we’ve always been really grateful to you.]

[In the first year, when we lost matches, we were also criticized, with insults flying everywhere, but it all passed in the blink of an eye. We understand how it feels. After all, in this circle, no player escapes criticism. We’re telling you this because over all this time, we’ve interacted with you a lot—eating at the same table, playing games together. Like Yi Shen, he’s always seen you as a friend. So, we hope this situation doesn’t affect you.]

Ying Nian thought about it for a long time and replied with a warm smiling emoji.

A second later, another message arrived: [Not just me, the captain also sees you as a friend! Don’t overthink things!!]

Ying Nian laughed and turned to the person beside her, asking, “Oh?”

Yu Linran’s lips curled slightly. “That last line is clearly from Yi Shen.”

“What about the first two parts?”

“The first one was from Cheng Run, and the second part sounds like Lin Shan.”

“No Bo Can?”

“Knowing his personality, he’s probably just watching from the side,” Yu Linran said. “At most, he’d say ‘hmm’ after they’re done, but Yi Shen wouldn’t specifically send a message with just ‘hmm.’”

Ying Nian couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

The members staying at the base enjoying their half-day off had no idea that Ying Nian was currently on her first official date with the captain they all admired.

Yu Linran gently tucked a strand of hair behind Ying Nian’s ear. She felt a bit uneasy and stared at her phone, not daring to look at him.

“Aren’t you upset?” he asked.

Ying Nian said in mock annoyance, “Why would I be upset? If seeing you made me unhappy, why would I have taken a flight to come all this way?!”

“The stuff on Weibo…” He frowned slightly, with a hint of guilt in his expression.

The situation had been triggered by his “like.” If he’d been more restrained, maybe she wouldn’t have had to deal with all this.

“I actually find them pretty funny, quite amusing,” Ying Nian shrugged and opened up the long Weibo post, showing it to him with interest. “Look at this!” she said, sharing her analysis with him.

She read the post out loud:

“‘This so-called “Yu Qu DaDa” claims on Weibo that she’s still in high school, with her so-called group friends backing her up, often mentioning in the comments that she has to attend school. I don’t know what this rich, idle “white and beautiful” boss is trying to do with this persona? Trying to attract little kids? But, hey, it seems to be working really well. Just look at how fast her follower count is growing. No fan leader has gained followers as quickly as she has. While other high schoolers are busy studying, our “Yu Qu DaDa” doesn’t have to go to class or deal with the hectic high school schedule. She’s at every one of our team’s matches! Truly amazing, isn’t she?!’ — Hahahaha, these people are killing me!”

Ying Nian exclaimed, “What’s wrong with these people? They want to control everything—even the air we breathe! What business is it of theirs whether I watch the matches or not? I’m perfectly capable of watching the games while keeping up with my studies, so what?”

She straightened her back, feeling quite “proud” as the “Yu Qu DaDa” who had been admitted to a prestigious university.

“And look at this one!” 

“‘Collaborating with her so-called group friends, bragging about her looks, after creating the rich girl persona, now she’s starting the beautiful girl persona. Why does this Big Boss have so much drama? If she’s so good-looking, why isn’t there a single photo on her Weibo? Living in her own delusions must be really enjoyable, huh?’ — Oh my gosh, this is so dumb! Hahaha! Who made this long post? These people are truly something. I don’t even know where to start laughing at them, oh my god!”

Ying Nian was genuinely amused, laughing so hard that she was bending over, almost breathless. As she laughed, she nudged Yu Linran with her elbow, urging him to join in.

But Yu Linran couldn’t find any of it funny. He grabbed her phone, turned off the screen, and stuffed it into her bag, his expression full of displeasure. “Stop looking at it.”

“Why can’t I look?” Ying Nian asked.

“What’s so good about reading people insulting you?” he frowned.

“Oh, come on…”

No matter how much Ying Nian tried to convince him, Yu Linran wouldn’t let her continue reading those posts.

Ying Nian had no choice but to change the subject. She licked her lips and fixed her eyes on him. “Captain, they say I’m creating a ‘beautiful girl persona.’ Hehe, do you think I’m pretty?”

Yu Linran glanced down slightly, pretending to assess her. After a moment, he said, “You’re alright, I guess.”

Ying Nian had been joking around, but the moment she heard his response, she got mad. “Just ‘alright’? I’m so good-looking! And all you can say is ‘alright’?! I wasn’t bothered by all the online nonsense, but now I’m actually upset with you, you big blockhead!”

“Come on, let’s talk this through properly! I’m practically a well-known rich beauty at my school. First of all, I won’t say my family is super wealthy, but we’re doing pretty well. When I got admitted here, the first thing my dad said was that he’d buy me a private villa in the city center! Second, am I fair-skinned? I am, right?! Third, my facial features—this nose, these eyes—which part isn’t good-looking? Am I not a rich beauty? Am I not beautiful?!”

She stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at Yu Linran with full force.

He had never seen a girl praise herself like that, and without the slightest bit of embarrassment. Yu Linran, helpless, said, “Those eyes, that nose… You sure don’t hold back, do you? I think it’s your mouth that’s the real problem—it’s truly noisy.”

Before she could argue further, Yu Linran gently tapped her on the head. “Alright, enough about that. If we keep this up, it’ll be time for dinner.”

As they began walking, Ying Nian continued to press, “So, am I good-looking or not?”

“…You’re good-looking. Very good-looking.”

At last, the chatterbox was satisfied.

However, Yu Linran still seemed a bit uneasy after thinking it over. “Should I let the coach and the others handle the Weibo situation?”

“No need!” Ying Nian waved her hand. “I can handle it!”

Seeing the concern in his eyes, Ying Nian confidently assured him, “If I can’t deal with it, I’ve got my dad. I won’t be taken advantage of.”

More importantly, it wasn’t just any random person that could cause her to suffer a loss!

…

Ying Nian’s first official date with Yu Linran wasn’t much different from their usual meetups for a meal. The situation on Weibo affected the atmosphere, and later, it started raining, so there wasn’t much progress. They ended up heading to a restaurant early to avoid the rain and have dinner.

The next morning, Ying Nian flew back, but the situation on Weibo escalated. Some people weren’t satisfied with just reposting the long Weibo to spread her so-called “true colors”; they had started digging into her real information. It seemed like they wouldn’t stop until they “exposed” her supposed fake “rich girl” persona, believing that only then would the situation reach its peak and come to an end.

Both Zhou Yao and Zheng Yinyin called her, one after the other. After hearing that she was doing well, they felt relieved.

Ying Nian was never one to be easily pushed around. After letting them act like clowns for a few days, she decided it was time to put an end to the farce. While holding a cup of iced cola and wearing slippers, she leisurely knocked on the door of Ying Yaoxing’s study.

“Dad! Can I borrow one of your company’s lawyers for a bit—”

…

The next evening, after several days of silence, “Yu Linran Marry Me” posted her first Weibo since the controversy began, marking an unexpected turning point in the chaotic spectacle. Just moments before, the ones furiously mocking and attacking her suddenly fell eerily silent, as if the scene had turned into a silent film.

In her Weibo post, “Yu Linran Marry Me” attached several images, including a screenshot of a lawyer’s letter. The posts that had made the most vicious and defamatory remarks about her—including the long Weibo post with over two thousand shares—were shown with screenshots of electronic notarization.

The text reads as follows:

【Living in your own delusions must be especially enjoyable, right? I’ll return that exact phrase to you. There’s no need to stir up trouble in the virtual world; it’s meaningless. I will defend my reputation through legitimate means. I wonder if you have the courage to take responsibility for your words and actions? I won’t say much more. See you in court.】