Chapter 12

Song Zhen: ……

“Is that so? I think it must be your problem because I don’t feel childish at all,” Song Zhen said expressionlessly, looking utterly serious.

Her roommates all laughed.

Song Zhen took a deep breath. “As expected, roommates are useless. No help at all.”

After showering, she climbed into bed, opened her phone, and wanted to search something but couldn’t think of any keywords. In the end, she put her phone away and decided to sleep first. She’d cross that bridge when she came to it.

In the middle of the night, Song Zhen opened her eyes.

She had made up her mind. Next time they played a casual match, she’d pick Yao and skip the Support Gem just to annoy Pei Jiyin. She could already imagine the other person’s reaction—definitely miserable.

However, after waiting two days, Pei Jiyin still hadn’t logged in.

At the end of the month, Pei Jiyin spent all her time grinding Peak Matches until the very last match closed on the final day. Staring at her National Rank Two position, she sighed.

Still not enough. She really slacked off this month.

Pei Jiyin rubbed her neck and logged into her Smurf Account to relax. The moment she got on, Song Zhen sent her an invite.

She paused for two seconds. Had this girl ever been this proactive before? But she still accepted.

“Still not sleeping this late?”

“Can’t sleep,” Song Zhen replied.

“Oh, sweetheart, did you miss me? Inviting me the second I log in—were you waiting for me?”

“I wasn’t waiting. I just finished a match and saw you online,” Song Zhen said. “Let’s play casual matches again today.”

“Sure,” Pei Jiyin agreed. “Two matches, then sleep.”

The two entered the game. Song Zhen picked Yao, while Pei Jiyin chose Yu Ji.

Once in the game, Pei Jiyin noticed something was missing—the round Little Mooncake above Song Zhen’s head. She squinted and checked the items. Sure enough, Song Zhen hadn’t bought the Support Gem.

She couldn’t help but chuckle. No wonder Song Zhen hadn’t gone to help mid-lane at level one this time—she’d been planning this.

Song Zhen had been waiting for Pei Jiyin to say something, but then Yu Ji suddenly stopped moving mid-path. She froze.

Did she actually get mad…?

She was debating whether to sell her boots and buy the Support Gem when she noticed something new above Yu Ji’s head.

Song Zhen: ……

[All] DrinkMoreWater (Lu Ban Qi Hao): Yu Ji bought the Support Gem?

[All] Don’tRunSweetheart (Yu Ji): The little one wanted to play like this. What can I do?

[All] DrinkMoreWater (Lu Ban Qi Hao): ……

Song Zhen pursed her lips and coughed lightly.

“Sweetheart, so you’re playing carry this time?”

“Mhm,” Song Zhen replied.

As it turned out, things didn’t go smoothly at all. The enemy Jungler and their support dove them under turret about eight hundred times, leaving the two of them utterly helpless.

“Maybe I should just buy the Support Gem after all…” Song Zhen muttered.

“It’s fine, just play however you want. It’s not Ranked,” Pei Jiyin said.

Song Zhen: ……

She felt like she’d just shot herself in the foot.

“So why did you suddenly want to play like this today?”

Song Zhen: ……

“Ah… I watched some videos. The people who played like this seemed pretty good,” Song Zhen lied casually.

No way was she admitting she did it on purpose.

“Oh?” Pei Jiyin laughed. “Don’t tell me the first time we met and you were so… that was also from watching videos.”

Song Zhen: ???

“How come I never knew you were this smart?” Song Zhen said irritably.

“Well, that just proves you’re dumb,” Pei Jiyin replied with a laugh, taking advantage of her darkened screen to laugh freely.

Song Zhen: …

“Speaking of which, have you ever managed to get the Blue Buff?”

“Nope.”

“Then you’re just not good enough,” Pei Jiyin teased.

Song Zhen wanted to curse but held back.

“Next game, I’ll play Yao. Just watch me.”

“Then I’ll jungle, and I absolutely won’t give you the Blue Buff,” Song Zhen retorted.

Pei Jiyin chuckled: “Mid, ADC, or top lane—any of them could give me the Blue Buff.”

Song Zhen: …

Song Zhen: Aaaah!

This person was her nemesis.

They lost the game, and both Song Zhen and Pei Jiyin got reported, each losing one credit point.

They started a second game, with Pei Jiyin picking Yao and turning on her mic.

“Can anyone carry me…? I’ve lost so many Ranked Matches, just wanna relax and enjoy playing Yao for once,” Pei Jiyin said in a pitiful voice. “No one? Fine then… Sigh…”

Song Zhen: …

“Those teammates of mine… they didn’t even attack the Nexus when we were on the enemy’s high ground. We were so close…” Pei Jiyin’s voice trembled as if she were about to cry.

[Eat-a-Bowl-of-Rice-Noodles: What kind of Jungler do you like?]

Song Zhen really wanted to pick a Jungler but ended up choosing mid lane instead. After all, she was the one who had been losing nonstop for days.

Pei Jiyin thought for a few seconds: “Hmm… anything’s fine. Electric Rodent, Li Bai, Yao, Tiger… oh, how about Mirror Sister!”

[Eat-a-Bowl-of-Rice-Noodles: Sure.]

The other player locked in Mirror.

[Dust: Then what kind of ADC do you like?]

Song Zhen couldn’t understand—what was the difference between her and Pei Jiyin? Why were people so willing to respond to Pei Jiyin? When it came to her, teammates either muted all mics or only kept party chat on. No one ever paid her any attention.

“Wow, you guys are so nice. Why don’t I get teammates like this in Ranked? Big bro, you can play whatever you want,” Pei Jiyin cooed.

Song Zhen pursed her lips, still pondering this serious issue, when Pei Jiyin’s voice piped up again.

“Big sis, big sis, you won’t be mad if I follow someone else, right?”

“Big sis, big sis, you wouldn’t yell at me, would you?”

Song Zhen: …

“You’re so toxic.”

“Hehe,” Pei Jiyin giggled.

For the next fifteen minutes, Song Zhen was tempted to mute her speakers but kept them on, her mind flooded with Pei Jiyin’s endless “big sis, big sis, big sis” and “big bro, big bro, big bro.”

After securing both the Red and Blue Buffs, Pei Jiyin went mid lane and danced in front of Song Zhen, the taunt unmistakable.

“Childish,” Song Zhen muttered.

“Really? How am I childish? I’m not childish at all,” Pei Jiyin laughed. “I just think the Red and Blue Buffs look so pretty~”

“Big sis, are you mad? Big sis, I know you’re magnanimous—you wouldn’t get mad at me, right?”

“I’m younger than you.”

“Okay then, little sis.”

They won the game happily, with Pei Jiyin even securing seven kills and achieving “Godlike.”

Song Zhen couldn’t help but recall the first time she’d met Pei Jiyin—a tragic match where she hadn’t managed to secure a single kill.

Was this the difference between them?

Indeed, her own skin was still too thin.

After the game, the three previous teammates kept inviting Pei Jiyin, but she declined them all.

Pei Jiyin took a sip of water: “Well, little sis? Textbook-level performance, wasn’t it?”

“You’re amazing. Alright, I’m done playing. I need to go back and sleep.”

“Go back? Where do you usually play games?” Pei Jiyin asked curiously.

“On the rooftop. Playing in the dorm would disturb my roommate.”

“Got it,” Pei Jiyin replied. “Goodnight then.”

“Mhm, goodnight.”

Song Zhen returned to her dorm, moving quietly. She lay in bed but found herself unable to sleep, growing more frustrated the more she thought about it.

Was this what they called thriving in reality but failing online?

Pei Jiyin slept soundly that night, waking up at nine. With no morning classes, she felt perfectly at ease. She picked up her phone and stared at the word “Friday” for a while.

[Pei Jiyin: Senior, are you going tonight?]  

[Song Zhen: Yes.]  

[Pei Jiyin: That’s great!]  

Pei Jiyin felt relieved and got up to get ready, planning to do her makeup.

Song Zhen stared at her phone for a moment. If only that person could be like her junior, things would be so much better.  

She couldn’t help but click her tongue in annoyance.

Meanwhile, Pei Jiyin, sitting at her dressing table, sneezed. She rubbed her nose and frowned.  

Who on earth was talking about her behind her back?  

Pei Jiyin had never imagined an afternoon could feel so unbearably long.  

Cheng Yu noticed Pei Jiyin constantly checking the time and found it ridiculous.  

“Do you have a date tonight? Why the rush?”  

“It’s Chinese Dance Club activities. Senior will be there tonight,” Pei Jiyin explained.  

“Is that really worth getting so excited about?”  

“You wouldn’t understand,” Pei Jiyin said. “I’m slowly getting closer to her.”  

“Tch.” Cheng Yu studied Pei Jiyin for a moment. “She’s a third-year, right? She’ll be doing internships soon and won’t even be on campus.”  

Pei Jiyin: “…”  

“How tragic,” Cheng Yu shook her head.  

Pei Jiyin: “…”  

For some reason, she really felt like hitting someone.  

But it was indeed a problem. Pei Jiyin rubbed her chin. If her senior was going to be that busy, she wouldn’t want to bother her.