“I’ll Listen to You.”

After Nan Pei adjusted the personnel for the TKT team, everyone was worried about TKT’s future.

“Crown of Thorns,” as a MOBA game, requires a lot of teamwork, and with rapid version changes, it’s rare to switch teammates, especially with entirely new ones.

However, after Duan Heng returned from the hospital, he didn’t continue to sulk. When the coach asked him to train with the new teammates, he didn’t object, which was surprisingly calm.

Nan Pei knew that once this team gelled, TKT would be on an incredible comeback path.

But…

Duan Heng and the new teammates weren’t meshing well.

In the initial matches, the new teammates lacked coordination, each playing their own game like sleepwalkers, with results so poor they seemed like amateurs.

The coaching staff saw this and considered it a major mistake by Nan Pei.

Even Manager Ruan couldn’t hide his anxiety and said to Nan Pei, “President Pei, is this team really okay?”

Nan Pei sat in the club’s lobby, eating fruit, leisurely popping a grape into his mouth, crossing his legs, and said, “Winners need some trials. Is that hard to understand?”

He thought, these five are the main characters in “Crown,” how could there be a problem?

While Nan Pei knew the novel’s plot, the others didn’t, including the five in the team.

After training, Duan Heng’s expression wasn’t good.

Nan Pei’s display of desire for victory at the hospital made Duan Heng choose to trust him. He thought things would improve, but the training results were disappointing.

During a break, Nan Pei personally brought some fruit into the practice room, placing it on Duan Heng’s desk, saying, “Xiao Duan, tough training…”

Duan Heng frowned, “Do you think we still need to train?”

“Winning and losing are common,” Nan Pei said gently, “Don’t get discouraged by one failure.” He gently patted Duan Heng’s shoulder, trying to comfort him.

But ever since Nan Pei carried him downstairs, Duan Heng was sensitive to their physical contact, and he brushed Nan Pei’s hand away.

His tone was icy, “Changing teammates was a failure. You don’t understand e-sports.”

Internally, Nan Pei thought he was just a scapegoat but put on a guilty face, “Xiao Duan, I just wanted you to win. I didn’t expect the integration to be so tough… Sorry, I don’t understand e-sports.”

Duan Heng should have been angry.

But for some reason, he remembered Nan Pei’s anxious look when carrying him to the hospital and his busy efforts there, and he couldn’t muster any anger.

He frowned and said stiffly, “Don’t make decisions on your own next time.”

Nan Pei quickly nodded, thinking, I’ll do it again next time.

Although Duan Heng’s attitude towards Nan Pei wasn’t as bad, the rest of TKT gradually developed opinions about him. They unanimously believed TKT had no hope of advancing this year.

Some even quietly complained in front of Nan Pei that this was too risky.

However, two days later.

An unexpected turn occurred.

Duan Heng and the new teammates failed to integrate repeatedly. Just as everyone was about to give up, the coach decided to switch the positions of several core players and try changing the playstyle from aggressive to strategic.

These suggestions were privately discussed between Nan Pei and the coach.

Initially, the coach didn’t take it seriously, but later, he decided to give it a shot, boldly reallocating team roles as Nan Pei suggested.

After this adjustment, TKT…

Began to work seamlessly.

The past few days of integration seemed to pay off at that moment, with each player playing a crucial, irreplaceable role in practice matches.

Even the coach was stunned.

Everyone couldn’t help but praise the newly adjusted TKT team’s excellent performance:

“This new team is really strong.”

“It’s all thanks to Heng Ge, leading the team to rapid improvement.”

“The coach did a great job with the adjustments…”

However, both Duan Heng and the coach felt it wasn’t that simple.

Duan Heng recalled what Nan Pei said to Manager Ruan, that even a glimmer of hope should be tried to make TKT win.

It turned out that Nan Pei’s “glimmer of hope”…

Was real.

At this moment, Duan Heng felt this team had a real chance to shine in the qualifiers.

But he and the coach both found it strange why Nan Pei would think of forming such an unlikely team.

After the adjustments, the new TKT team grew stronger, sweeping opponents in almost every match. The teammates became more coordinated, the atmosphere lively, and they even developed more strategies.

After training, Duan Heng felt a long-lost sense of satisfaction.

The TKT members gathered to watch, excited by their brilliant performance.

But Duan Heng recalled the doubts everyone had about Nan Pei and his own outburst at him, feeling a bit uneasy.

Duan Heng took off his headphones, intending to find Nan Pei in the crowd.

He thought he couldn’t possibly feel guilty towards Nan Pei.

Yet at this moment, he couldn’t help but want to find Nan Pei and say a few words.

However, Duan Heng was told that Nan Pei had already left the club.

Manager Ruan said, “President Pei’s decision to change teammates wasn’t understood by everyone. He said he didn’t mind, but he must feel bad inside.”

Duan Heng frowned.

The coach spoke up for Nan Pei, “The new TKT team is indeed much stronger, President Pei’s decision was right.”

“I guess even President Pei didn’t expect it,” Manager Ruan sighed, “He wants Xiao Duan to win more than anyone. Seeing them not doing well must have made him feel guilty, so he left.”

Duan Heng’s frown deepened.

He suddenly got up, left the training room, went outside, took out his phone, and opened his chat with Nan Pei.

He paused.

The chat was mostly one-sided messages from Nan Pei, with almost no replies from him.

The recent messages were all encouragements from Nan Pei.

Duan Heng’s fingers tightened.

After hesitating, he began typing in the text box.

This was the first time Duan Heng initiated a message to Nan Pei.

It was simple, just two words:

“Where are you?”

Duan Heng held his phone, waiting for Nan Pei’s response.

But ten minutes, twenty minutes, an hour passed…

Nan Pei never replied.

Duan Heng glanced at his phone occasionally, frowning slightly each time, losing focus on training.

Feeling a bit irritated, after two hours, he sent another message to the unanswered chat:

“Busy?”

Nan Pei was indeed busy.

He had finally adjusted the TKT team, advancing Duan Heng’s career line to 15%, achieving a milestone victory.

However, an unexpected situation arose in the entertainment novel.

According to the plot, once Lu Bairan secured the “Love Meteor Shower” role, filming would start smoothly, and he’d soon become popular.

But Nan Pei received a call from the crew, informing him of a new investor joining, possibly altering the roles.

“A new investor?” Nan Pei was puzzled, “How could this happen? Wasn’t this project considered unpromising?”

The crew replied that another investor saw potential in the project and decided to invest heavily.

This meant Lu Bairan’s lead role might be challenged.

Nan Pei couldn’t let his efforts go to waste.

He immediately left the TKT club, changed clothes in the west, and took Lu Bairan to the crew.

Facing the possibility of a role change, Lu Bairan remained calm, having experienced it several times.

“With a new investor, the crew might have no choice,” Lu Bairan said calmly in the car, “If they change it, I can play a supporting role.”

“I won’t allow it!” Nan Pei gripped the steering wheel, gritting his teeth, “The lead role is yours! No one can take it!”

This was the start of Lu Bairan’s career. Without this lead role, he couldn’t complete his task!

Lu Bairan was surprised.

He didn’t expect Nan Pei to defend him so fiercely.

Although Lu Bairan initially disliked the idol drama, every time something bad happened, Nan Pei was always at the forefront, fighting for his interests.

Now he felt like not filming would be letting Nan Pei down.

At the crew, Nan Pei aggressively communicated with the producers, saying, “Xiao Ran’s role is set. This drama is tailor-made for him. Without him, it loses its soul!”

The producers said, “We’re not saying we have to replace Xiao Ran, but now that Xingyao Entertainment is heavily investing, they want to promote a newcomer. We naturally have to reassess the male lead.”

Nan Pei took a deep breath and firmly said, “I disagree.”

The crew didn’t expect Nan Pei to be so adamant.

With no resolution, the producer said, “You’ll have to discuss this with Xingyao…”

“Who’s Xingyao’s president?” Nan Pei asked, frowning.

“Xingyao is a subsidiary of Huo Group, currently led by CEO Huo Yao.”

Hearing the name, Nan Pei was stunned.

Before he could react, the producer dialed Huo Yao’s number.

A deep, pleasant male voice came from the other end:

“What is it?”

Nan Pei cleared his throat and said, “President Huo, I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Nan Pei.”

Huo Yao was clearly taken aback.

“Is your company insisting on changing the male lead due to investment?” Nan Pei asked, frowning.

Huo Yao fell silent.

After a moment, Huo Yao spoke, “Is the male lead confirmed?”

Nan Pei replied, “Yes, it’s set as Xiao Ran. I won’t accept changing the male lead. If you insist, then I’ll have to…”

“Okay.”

Huo Yao’s calm voice surprised everyone:

“I’ll listen to you.”

Nan Pei was stunned, holding the phone: “What did you say?”

“I said,” the man’s mature voice carried a hint of amusement, “I’ll listen to you, no change.”

Nan Pei didn’t expect the issue to be resolved so easily.

Lu Bairan stood by, equally bewildered—was this investor really so agreeable?

The crew members exchanged glances.

“President Huo is truly generous. Investing in this drama won’t disappoint you,” Nan Pei sighed in relief, saying, “I hope to meet President Huo and thank you in person.” His impression of Huo Yao improved greatly.

Huo Yao seemed even more pleased, “I look forward to it.”

Nan Pei recalled his previous attempt to buy a house from Huo Yao, which was flatly rejected, thinking perhaps meeting him might change things.

However, after hanging up, Nan Pei couldn’t help but think, why does Huo Yao’s voice…

Sound so familiar?