In front of a small hotel counter.

Ren Xiang stared at Lu Manman for a long time and asked uncertainly, “Are you… my fan?”

Lu Manman touched her face. She wasn’t wearing a mask, so it was no wonder he didn’t recognize her.

Her mask was very large, and combined with the bangs covering her forehead, only her bright black eyes were visible. With such heavy makeup, no one could recognize her without the mask.

“I’m not your fan,” Lu Manman said. “But I am a fan of Yuan Xiu.”

Ren Xiang raised an eyebrow. This girl didn’t know how to be polite. Although Yuan Xiu was indeed very popular, saying you’re a fan of someone else in front of another idol…

Never mind, he was generous and wouldn’t care.

“You want Yuan Xiu’s autograph, huh? But I’m a bit busy right now. Maybe next time I’ll help you get his autograph,” Ren Xiang said as he led the girl beside him upstairs. “Bye-bye.”

Lu Manman pulled a baseball cap from her bag and put it on her head, saying, “May I ask if you have Yuan Xiu’s phone number?”

Ren Xiang saw the cap with the X logo and was momentarily stunned.

“You…”

He walked over to Lu Manman, examined her baseball cap, and exclaimed in surprise, “You’re a fan of W? The W fan who got caught by Yuan Xiu in the men’s restroom?”

She asked, puzzled, “What do you mean by ‘caught’?”

Ren Xiang quickly explained, “Ah, it’s rare! Our team captain, the old virgin, has been so upright and proper for so many years. Haha, who would’ve thought he’d stumble in Manhattan, crossing the vast Pacific Ocean for a one-night stand! Sister, you are… impressive!”

He gave her a thumbs-up.Lu Manman had no idea what he was talking about and simply asked, “Do you have Yuan Xiu’s contact information?”

Ren Xiang quickly replied, “Why do you need his contact information, sis? Come with me, I’ll take you back to the base to meet Yuan Xiu.”

The girl beside him frowned and asked, “Aren’t we getting a room?”

Ren Xiang said, “Something came up today. My sister traveled a long way, so I’m taking her back. We’ll meet up next time, okay?”

The girl left in a huff.

Ren Xiang took Lu Manman to the X Team Club base.

The club base was located at the foot of Mingyang Mountain, within a villa community near a university town. The environment was beautiful and conveniently close to the city, with B University nearby, making it easy to find food and shopping.

The villa was large and two-story, with a modern black-and-white color scheme and floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides.

The mountain range behind the villa was solemn and quiet in the night. Mingyang Mountain was likely their usual training ground, as mountainous and wilderness areas are common training spots for real-life professional competitive events.

A few years ago, after the game “PUBG” became popular, real-life PUBG competitions emerged, sweeping the world like real-life CS did in the past, and it became a prosperous industry chain.

In addition to professional competitions, there were also many amateur game competitions. Merchants would lease a piece of mountain land and turn it into a competition venue that anyone could participate in.

The game rules were simple: compete for resources, “kill” or be killed in various postures and positions, and the winner would “eat chicken” (a term for winning). The simulated gun shooting in the game was basically brainless operation, easy for anyone to pick up. Compared to the game, these real-life competitions were not only more exciting but also provided physical exercise.

Thus, this form of gaming swept across the country upon its introduction, becoming widely popular. Many university clubs even started organizing such competitive events.

Although China’s professional teams didn’t perform well in these games, it didn’t affect the public’s enthusiasm and interest in participating. The government also strongly promoted it, advocating for a strong nation with a fit population.

…

The moon hung above the willow trees.

Ren Xiang brought Lu Manman back to the base.

In the yard outside, a purebred German Shepherd lay on the grass. When it saw strangers approaching, it barked a few times. Ren Xiang made a hand gesture to the dog, and it obediently lay back down on the grass, no longer barking.

As Ren Xiang opened the door, Ah Heng came running out in his shorts to get some water. Seeing Lu Manman, the cup in his hand shook.

Gu Zhefeng, who was lying on the sofa playing a game, let out a lazy “Oh” and said, “Someone’s going to get scolded again.”

“Ren Xiang, it’s one thing to mess around outside, but you know the rule—no bringing girls back to the base!” Ah Heng, now fully dressed, returned, visibly agitated. “Even if you’re fooling around, you should know your limits. If the captain finds out, he’ll skin you alive.”

Ren Xiang smiled and said, “Calm down. Let me introduce her. This is W’s…”

Even Gu Zhefeng sat up from the sofa, and Ah Heng looked at Lu Manman in surprise.

But then Ren Xiang cleared his throat and said slowly, “W’s little fangirl.”

“Ugh…”

The two of them lost interest again. “You’re not hooking up with your own fans; now you’re going after W’s fans.”

“I don’t have that kind of skill,” Ren Xiang said with a grin. “Only the captain has the ability to get W’s fans.”

At these words, Ah Heng looked at Lu Manman more closely, finding her increasingly familiar. “Oh, isn’t this the girl who came out of the men’s restroom with the captain that night… W’s fan?”

“Exactly.”

Seeing the luggage in Lu Manman’s hand, Ah Heng asked in confusion, “You came to China?”

“Yes, my name is Lu Manman. I’m here on an exchange program,” Lu Manman explained with a smile. “I’m studying at B University.”

“Wow, what a coincidence. Our captain also studies at B University.”

Lu Manman said curiously, “So, he’s still a student?”

“That’s not surprising,” Ah Heng explained. “Unlike in the US, where professional esports teams are more developed and players can focus solely on gaming without worrying about their education or jobs, most players here in China still face family pressure. They usually juggle both studies and competitions, like our captain.”

“Maybe that’s why Chinese professional teams aren’t as successful,” Ah Heng continued. “Given the current environment, we might not be inferior in terms of physical ability or strategy.”

Lu Manman nodded, “I see.”

“Are you here to wait for Yuan Xiu?” Ah Heng asked. “Have you contacted him before?”

“No, because we’re not very familiar,” Lu Manman said. “But since I’m in China, he’s the only person I know. I just ran into a small problem and need a place to stay for the night. I’ll go to the school tomorrow.”

“Not very familiar?” Ren Xiang’s eyes twinkled with a smile. “You’ve already done that and you’re still not familiar? You Americans are so open. I’m jealous.”

Lu Manman was puzzled. “Done what?”

“You know, doing it in the men’s restroom…” Ren Xiang started.

Ah Heng slapped the back of Ren Xiang’s head and interrupted, “Yuan Xiu went home tonight, so he probably won’t be back.”

“Ah, that’s okay. I don’t want to trouble Captain Yuan Xiu. I just need a place to stay for the night. If you don’t have any spare rooms, I can look for somewhere else,” Lu Manman said.

“No, don’t worry,” Ren Xiang quickly said. “Even though our spare rooms are used for storage, there is a room you can use. You can stay in my room. It’s totally fine; I’ll sleep on the floor.”

Ah Heng kicked him. “Stop talking nonsense. You’re not allowed to think about the captain’s woman. Looks like you need a beating.”

“Hey, hey, just kidding,” Ren Xiang said. “Manman, you can sleep in the captain’s room. It’s totally fine.”

“Yes, yes, you can sleep in Yuan Xiu’s room,” Ah Heng said. “Just remember to lock the door at night. Don’t open it for anyone, especially this teddy bear here.”

Ah Heng continued to kick Ren Xiang’s butt.

Lu Manman hesitated, “Should we call Yuan Xiu to ask for his permission? It’s not right to just enter his room without asking.”

“It’s totally fine,” Ren Xiang said. “Considering your relationship with the captain… sleeping in his bed is nothing. The man is practically yours.”

Lu Manman didn’t quite understand the implication behind his words and asked, “Considering our relationship?”

“Yuan Xiu said you two are on very good terms.”

“Oh,” Lu Manman smiled. “Actually, we’re not that close, but thank you for taking me in. If possible, please inform him. Thank you.”

She bowed to them.

Ren Xiang remarked, “I noticed this girl is just like W, always bowing to people. Don’t you think?”

Ah Heng said, “That’s called being polite. Not everyone is as casual as you.”

Gu Zhefeng yawned and said indifferently, “Like idol, like fan.”

Ah Heng agreed, “True. A teddy bear idol like Ren Xiang will attract a bunch of teddy bear fans.”

Ren Xiang grumbled defiantly, “Just count how many idols in the circle are like me, willing to sacrifice themselves to make fans happy. I think the league committee should give me a National Idol Diligence Award.”

Ah Heng retorted, “Have some shame.”

Gu Zhefeng chuckled, “Heh.”

***

In the evening, Lu Manman took a shower and changed into her nightgown before entering Yuan Xiu’s room.

The room carried a faint scent of books and wood, a blend of cleanliness that was mild yet distinct. It wasn’t messy, but it also wasn’t exceptionally tidy, typical of a normal young man’s room.

On the desk were several Marvel superhero figures and a model forest sandbox. In the sandbox, dozens of army-green figurines were strategically placed throughout the corners of the forest, depicting a tactical arrangement.

This type of sandbox was also used for team analysis during matches.

The bookshelf was lined with military-themed books, interspersed with some economics textbooks. Lu Manman speculated that Yuan Xiu must be studying finance or economics.

Quite a diverse range of interests.

She obediently took her shower, got into bed, and placed her luggage by the door, moving quietly so as not to disturb anything in the room. After all, it was someone else’s space, and she felt deeply apologetic for intruding, let alone potentially disrupting anything.

On the bed, there was a large cartoon plush pillow. Oh right, she had searched Yuan Xiu’s information online and read in an interview that he liked to sleep while holding onto something.

Furthermore, some teammates joked without reservation, mentioning how Yuan Xiu had bought various body pillows online, including ones modeled after famous personalities like Aoi Sora.

So, it turned out to be a cartoon plush pillow.

Lu Manman placed the pillow on the nearby couch, then curled up under the covers. She thought about video calling her two dads, but she had forgotten to ask for the club’s Wi-Fi password earlier. By now, everyone was probably asleep, and she didn’t want to disturb them.

She decided to leave a message for her dads to let them know she was safe, then turned off the lights and went to sleep.

It was her first night in China. Despite some hiccups along the way, she was grateful to have found a place to stay and even encountered an old friend, or rather, an old opponent. And now, she was sleeping on the soft bed of that old opponent.

What a strange experience.

She adjusted the square-patterned quilt and took a breath, sensing a faint fragrance of Yuan Xiu within it.

It was like tobacco mixed with sandalwood.

The night in a foreign land was unusually quiet, and she slowly drifted off to sleep.