As they passed the waiting room, the TV was broadcasting an eSports channel. Wen Shixiu suddenly stopped pushing the wheelchair, watching the match on the screen, and said to An Junxing, “Miss Tang told me you were a professional CPL eSports player in China. Is that true?” Chapter 25: It’s Hard Not to Know When You Like Someone. At some point, Wen Shixiu had subtly changed from calling her “Miss An” to “Star.” But An Junxing didn’t notice; all her attention was now on the TV, where Lu Jiaming sat at the competition table, commanding his mouse and keyboard to defeat his opponents 7-0. “We have many Chinese patients in the hospital, so occasionally we broadcast domestic channels,” Wen Shixiu explained. An Junxing fell silent. She hadn’t expected that even in a hospital in Los Angeles, there were many who loved watching CPL matches, nor had she expected to see Lu Jiaming not in a dream but on TV, full of energy during his match. He was still so eye-catching; whenever he made an impressive move, the men in the hospital would cheer loudly. An Junxing stared at the screen, somewhat lost in thought. Wen Shixiu glanced at An Junxing beside him and smiled slightly. “Is that your team? TYG Team?” An Junxing nodded slightly, then realized something. “Did you ask Xia Yue about my details?” “There’s only one Lu in the CPL circle who’s famous for his good looks and top-tier gameplay; it’s hard for any girl not to like him, right?” An Junxing lowered her gaze, her emotions unreadable. “Isn’t it hard for someone as outstanding as him to like someone?” Wen Shixiu paused, seeing the sadness in An Junxing’s eyes, and felt a pang of guilt. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. I just don’t want you to keep everything bottled up; it’s not good for your treatment.” An Junxing shook her head, withdrawing her gaze. “I’m fine, just a bit sad thinking I can’t be an eSports player anymore.” Even if her severe hand injury had healed, she could never return to her former level. Her career as a professional player was over. The sound of celebration came from the TV. “How is TYG doing now?” she asked. Wen Shixiu replied truthfully, “Lu Jiaming is very impressive; he has secured a spot for TYG in the global finals as the number one seed.” An Junxing murmured, “TYG has always been a strong team.” She used to think she was indispensable to Lu Jiaming, until she realized he could still be the best without her.
“Do you still like playing games?” Wen Shixiu asked as he wheeled An Junxing back to her room. An Junxing was momentarily dazed by the question but nodded. Her sole goal once was to reach the global finals and win a trophy for CPL, but after meeting Lu Jiaming, her goal shifted to standing with him at the global finals, helping him win an FMVP. Yet these dreams were now unattainable. “Maybe you can try when you’re feeling better.” “Really?” An Junxing looked up at Wen Shixiu. “Of course,” he smiled. “Even if you can’t compete, you can relax a bit off-stage.” Though she knew it might be just a way to comfort her, An Junxing felt a flicker of hope. Chapter 26: Nightmare in Yicheng. That night in Yicheng, Lu Jiaming awoke from another nightmare. In his dream, he saw An Junxing struggling in her hospital room, which jolted him awake. The room was still dark; he was panting heavily, rubbing his temples, sweat beading on his forehead. He got up, turned on all the lights on the second-floor corridor of Lanwan, and went to the rooftop, leaning against the railing, looking into the distance. The fresh, cool wind blew, alleviating some of his fear. His phone showed it was 3 AM. Lanwan felt empty without An Junxing’s presence, the gaming room silent without the sound of keyboard clicks. Everything was eerily quiet, unsettling him. He had thought about his feelings for An Junxing, but his focus was always on the team. He took her companionship for granted and never imagined she would leave so abruptly. Now, his heart felt hollow. His phone vibrated. He picked up, hearing his teammates. “Boss, you’re still up?” “What’s up?” Lu Jiaming put the phone aside, lighting a cigarette. “Boss, get online, I just saw Star online!” Lu Jiaming’s hand froze, and he quickly grabbed his phone. “Right away.” He rushed into the gaming room, booted up the computer, and logged in. Scrolling through his friend list, he saw An Junxing’s icon was no longer gray; she was in-game. Lu Jiaming held his breath and opened a private chat with her. The actions of esports players’ hands often outpace their thoughts, and by the time they react, messages like “Why haven’t you come back yet?” are already sent. However, after a long wait, there was still no reply. For the first time, Lu Jiaming waited so patiently in front of the computer for a message. Half an hour later, when An Yunxing’s status changed from “in-game” to “online,” Lu Jiaming quickly sent several more messages. “Why aren’t you replying?” “Where have you been?” Again, there was a long wait. Finally, An Yunxing responded. “Brother Lu, I won’t be coming back.” Lu Jiaming paused for a moment, his fingers on the keyboard not stopping: “Why?” “We’re over.” “I never agreed to that.” “You don’t need to agree.” As An Yunxing’s messages came through one by one, Lu Jiaming’s face grew darker. “Is it because I didn’t pick you up as promised back in Yilu? This time, I can explain.” “Brother Lu, it’s not important anymore. I hope you can win the championship with TYG in the global finals.” “Are you still in Los Angeles? Why do you suddenly want to break up with me?” Lu Jiaming wasn’t sure if his quick typing or the other party’s hesitation caused the silence. There was no response for a while. Impatient, Lu Jiaming directly initiated a game call. An Yunxing answered the call, sounding weaker than usual. Lu Jiaming’s eyes clouded with doubt, but he quickly advised, “Xingxing, don’t be willful. Come back home immediately, and I won’t break my promise this time.” An Yunxing seemed to choke back a sob, her voice trembling: “Brother Lu, why have you never asked if I was willing, if I liked it?” This question left Lu Jiaming momentarily stunned. Before he could respond, a clear male voice came from the other end: “Xingxing, that’s enough for today.”
Chapter 27: What Can I Compete With?
Guilt in Lu Jiaming’s eyes turned to cold fury. “Who is he?” he asked, but An Yunxing had already hung up. Undeterred, Lu Jiaming sent another message: “Did you meet someone else there? Is he your new love?” After a moment of silence, An Yunxing replied: “Yes.” Lu Jiaming’s pupils constricted: “Would you even give up TYG and your career for him?” “Yes.” The single word on the computer screen continuously irritated Lu Jiaming’s nerves. The next second, he flipped the keyboard to the ground. The cozy setup in the esports room was now scattered all over, yet it did nothing to lighten Lu Jiaming’s gloomy expression. He stood up, slamming the door shut with a loud bang, his eyes filled with unprecedented anger, tinged with a hint of sorrow. “An Yunxing, you better not regret this.”
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles.
In a hospital room in Los Angeles, Wen Shixiu finally took away An Yunxing’s computer. “Come eat,” he said. An Yunxing, still dazed from the confrontation, nodded absentmindedly. The time difference between Los Angeles and China was significant; she thought she wouldn’t encounter Lu Jiaming again. Yet, they met in the game despite the vast time difference. Lu Jiaming’s schedule was always so strict…
