She actually managed to secure a Triple Kill at the very end!
Qiao Jingjing took off her headphones and stood up excitedly, but perhaps she was too exhilarated. Forgetting she was wearing ten-centimeter high heels, she lost her balance and stumbled sideways.
Before the audience could even gasp, Yu Tu, who was beside her, swiftly reached out and steadied her.
The cameras precisely captured this moment—not only did they film it, but they even froze the frame for a few seconds, focusing on the exchanged glance between the two.
Yu Tu didn’t let go immediately. "Are you okay?" he asked.
Qiao Jingjing was a beat slow to react. "...I’m fine."
Yu Tu released his hold.
Partly out of excitement and partly to mask her embarrassment, Qiao Jingjing took turns hugging each of her teammates. At the host’s call, both teams returned to the center of the stage. The host first asked the losing team for their thoughts.
The Anchor said, "I’m really happy to be here, and I’m lucky to have been sniped countless times by my goddess. I can die without regrets."
Riding Pig is Honest remarked, "I really didn’t expect to lose in the second round. I guess we underestimated them a bit at the start. Their Zhuge Liang played really well."
The other two random players automatically took the blame: "We were too much of a liability."However, the middle-aged uncle who was a Supreme Grandmaster subtly hinted, 'Actually, I don’t usually play the top lane position, so I’m not used to it.'" I usually play Jungler, so there was some overlap."
"You all played very well," the host said cheerfully, moving on. "Alright, thank you for the fantastic performance. Please head backstage to rest for now."
The losing team waved goodbye to the audience, who responded with enthusiastic applause.
When it was the winning team’s turn, the host said, "I think Jingjing was the most impressive today. Does anyone disagree?"
"Um... I know we’re about to engage in some mutual flattery, but could you tone it down a bit? Make it easier for me to respond?"
The guest was too good at banter, and the host felt genuinely relaxed today. He wiped imaginary sweat from his brow. "Then, the best among the female players?"
Qiao Jingjing retorted, "Are you trying to set me up for a fall today? At most, I’m the one with the highest heels."
Everyone burst into laughter.
The host asked concernedly, "So, Jingjing, are your heels okay?"
"My feet... uh, you’re asking about the shoes?"
The laughter, which hadn’t yet subsided, grew even louder.
Yu Tu couldn’t help but smile.
"The goddess is really amazing. That Baili Shouyue play just now was too slick—it totally blew me away. I genuinely didn’t expect it. Did you practice specifically for it?"
"Yes."
"Your coordination with your classmate was great, especially during that Pig Slaughtering God moment. Do you usually coordinate like this? Him on Zhuge Liang, you on Shouyue?"
"Not really. He plays every position, and he’s amazing with every hero. Actually, he’s the one teaching me."
"I saw it too—his Zhuge Liang positioning was too slick. With skills like that, young man, have you considered going pro?"
Before Yu Tu could answer, Qiao Jingjing replied for him, "Probably not. He’s already so old."
Yu Tu coughed.
The host exclaimed, "...You’re turning on him just like that? Do you remember how many times he supported you out of classmate camaraderie?"
Qiao Jingjing said, "Oh... Well, he should."
The host looked at Yu Tu. What could he do?
Yu Tu said, "I should."
By this time, Weibo and various forums had completely exploded.On a relatively private yet bustling forum, a post labeled "image-heavy warning" garnered numerous replies.
"Is Qiao Jingjing making this public? Rounding up, it's basically public, right?"
"Probably not... If it were real, wouldn't they hide it?"
"Didn't they say they're both single? Feels like they specifically mentioned it to avoid misunderstandings."
"As a fan, I have to say their visuals are such a perfect match! I've always quietly wondered which actor would suit my girl's looks, but today opened up a new possibility! Someone outside the industry is even better! That way we don't have to fight with the guy's fans!"
"That young man's doting smile totally melted me. Can I admit I used to be an anti-fan of Qiao Jingjing? I went to watch KPL today with ill intentions too, but now I still don't like Qiao Jingjing yet I've fallen for her and her classmate's CP? The tragedy of being superficial?"
Surprisingly, many replies below expressed agreement with her.
"I feel like I'm not watching a competition but an idol drama."
"Seems like the other party is just an ordinary office worker? Would Qiao Jingjing even be interested?"
"Upstairs, go look at Qiao Jingjing's gaze... if it weren't for good acting skills, I'd say that's love."
"This young man's Zhuge Liang is so skilled! He could totally go pro, then he'd have money."
"LOL, didn't you see Qiao Jingjing complaining about being old? Professional players are only seventeen or eighteen."
Various topics about Qiao Jingjing and KPL quickly trended on hot searches, drawing more people to watch the livestream. The number of live viewers kept climbing, and Alex almost immediately called Ling Jie, excitedly securing next year's contract.
Ling Jie and the fans felt like they were in a dream. They won? And an undisputed 2:0 at that?
The exhibition match ended here, followed by the award ceremony.
Zhou Yin returned directly to the guest seats, while the other four winning team members were led backstage by staff. Ling Jie and Xiao Zhu were already waiting there, with Ling Jie immediately giving Qiao Jingjing a strong hug, patting her vigorously.
"More exciting than you winning an award."
...Obviously. As if she had ever won any credible awards before.
Qiao Jingjing asked for her phone, eager to browse through comments—mainly looking for praise. A Triple Kill, after all! Her fans must have been blown away by how cool she was. But just as she got her phone, staff from King Tier came over.
"Jingjing, we'll need you to present the award for Annual Most Popular Player soon, plus there's a photo session. Could you please come with us?"
"Oh." Qiao Jingjing casually handed her phone to Yu Tu. "Hold this for me."
Then she hurried off with the staff, but after a few steps turned back to hug the short-haired girl and shake hands with the bespectacled young man.
"Thank you both."
Then she rushed off again.
The short-haired girl was completely stunned. She needed to count how many times her goddess had hugged her today.
The bespectacled young man adjusted his glasses, blushing as he whispered, "I think I'm becoming a fan."
Yu Tu lowered his head with a faint smile that quickly disappeared. His gaze fell on Qiao Jingjing's phone in his hand. She seemed to have changed her phone case again—it was sparkling and particularly eye-catching.
Ling Jie was still ecstatic. "2:0, plus a Triple Kill! I wouldn't dare dream of such perfect results."
She turned to Yu Tu: "Teacher Yu, thank you. This was all thanks to you."
Yu Tu snapped out of his thoughts. "You're welcome."
2:0...
Indeed, a perfect conclusion.After receiving the Popularity Award, Qiao Jingjing had to wait for the group photo session, so she was seated back in the guest area for a while. During this time, she remembered Yu Tu's coat and quietly slipped to the back row to fetch it for him, causing a stir among the onlookers.
The event was quite lengthy, and by the time the group photo was done and Qiao Jingjing returned, it was already past nine o'clock.
After seeing off the accompanying staff, she peeked into the lounge and found only Yu Tu inside. He was leaning back on the sofa, seemingly lost in thought.
Qiao Jingjing pushed the door open and swiftly appeared before him, startling him out of his reverie.
"Where's Ling Jie?"
Yu Tu looked up, his gaze settling on the clothes in her hand.
"She and Xiao Zhu went to discuss something with the Honor of Kings team, I think. They said to have the driver take you back first." He stood up as he spoke.
"Oh." Qiao Jingjing handed him the clothes. "Your coat."
"Thanks," he said, glancing down at the coat. "Did you go get it?"
"Yeah, and a whole crowd watched me do it."
Feeling thirsty, Qiao Jingjing spotted a bottle of mineral water on the table. Just as she was about to open it, she caught sight of Yu Tu, her eyes twinkling mischievously as she handed it to him.
Yu Tu opened it for her and then passed her phone back. "Your phone."
"Mhm." Qiao Jingjing took a sip of water and scrolled through her phone for the driver's number. "Let's head back first, then."
Yu Tu lowered his gaze slightly. "We're not going the same way. There's a subway station nearby; I'll take that."
"Don't be silly." Qiao Jingjing was exasperated. "How are you going to leave? The crowd outside has dispersed, and the exits are all lined up. If you go out like this, you'll get swarmed."
In the end, they left together through a special passage arranged by the staff.
The van glided smoothly along the quiet night roads.
Once in the vehicle, Qiao Jingjing immediately started scrolling through Weibo. She had been interrupted earlier and felt like she'd missed out on hundreds of thousands of praises.
Sure enough, she was already trending, occupying several spots: "Qiao Jingjing's Classmate," "Qiao Jingjing Honor of Kings," and "Qiao Jingjing Baili Shouyue."
Although she suspected "Qiao Jingjing Baili Shouyue" would have more compliments, she couldn't resist clicking on "Qiao Jingjing's Classmate" first.
For now, there weren't many marketing accounts posting about it—most were from KPL or her own fans.
#Qiao Jingjing's Classmate# If Qiao Jingjing's classmate is this handsome, does that mean their high school class had ridiculously good looks? This guy should join the entertainment industry—with looks like that, he'd have nothing to fear. Plus, he's super smart and great at gaming. He might even end up with more fans than Qiao Jingjing.
Qiao Jingjing: "..."
I refuse to believe it.
#Qiao Jingjing's Classmate# Jingjing, your classmate is quite the catch—brains and looks all in one package, great for future generations. Hurry up and start dating! Play games together and stop being single. You teased him about being old, but have you considered you're the same age? He didn't even clap back—what a good sport.
Qiao Jingjing: "..."
Is this the year-end marriage pressure and mother-in-law fans who adore their future son-in-law at first sight?
#Qiao Jingjing's Classmate# Zhuge Liang was just too cool, ahhh! That Golden Body move was executed so smoothly. I'm not a Qiao Jingjing fan, but I'm officially stanning her classmate now. An aerospace designer in Shanghai—must be from the Eighth Academy, right? I have a classmate working there; I'm going to ask around!
Qiao Jingjing had been enjoying the comments up to this point, but when she read this one, her heart skipped a beat, and her rationality instantly snapped back into place.She thought for a moment, then returned to the trending page, took a screenshot, circled "Qiao Jingjing's Classmate," and sent it to Ling Jie via WeChat.
Jingjing: "Find a way to get this trending topic removed, and fast."
Jingjing: "Contact all the marketing accounts and media outlets, tell them not to mention Teacher Yu. Delete any that already have, no matter the cost."
Ling Jie quickly replied: "We didn’t push this; it went up naturally."
Jingjing: "I know. Just get it taken down quickly, whatever it takes. I don’t want Yu Tu to get too much attention."
Ling Jie: "Why? You even brought him on stage."
Jingjing: "I didn’t know he was going back to research."
Jingjing: "The entertainment industry is too noisy; it’ll distract him. And he can’t be this high-profile at the research institute."
Jingjing: "No matter the cost, understand? There are plenty of topics today, and the King Tier side might not appreciate us stealing the spotlight."
She typed rapidly, sending three messages in a row.
Ling Jie: "Got it, I’ll handle it right away. Hey, didn’t Teacher Yu tell you he was going back to the institute?"
Yeah...
She only found out on stage.
Qiao Jingjing put away her phone and looked at Yu Tu. He was quietly gazing out the car window, enveloped in a somber atmosphere.
It seemed that ever since she returned backstage, Yu Tu had suddenly grown quiet from the corners of his eyes and brows. He wasn’t as unrestrained as during the competition, nor as composed and talkative as on stage.
It was like... the expression he occasionally showed over the past few days.
Qiao Jingjing suddenly felt a bit uneasy.
"Why didn’t Hao Huang come today?" Qiao Jingjing gripped her phone and spoke up.
Yu Tu turned to her, his voice somewhat low. "He can be indiscreet sometimes. I thought it better he not know who you are."
"Oh."
After a moment, Qiao Jingjing asked, "On stage just now, you said your profession is an aerospace designer. Have you changed your mind and decided to go back to the institute?"
"Yes."
"When did you decide?"
"In Xi’an," Yu Tu replied briefly.
"Oh." Qiao Jingjing paused.
"When do you start work?"
"Tomorrow."
So soon?
"Jingjing."
"Hmm?" Qiao Jingjing tilted her head to look at him.
"I probably won’t be able to give you a birthday gift."
Qiao Jingjing blinked.
Yu Tu said, "I won’t have time to play games anymore. Just now, I uninstalled the game."
His gaze had been fixed elsewhere, but now it turned to her. His expression, illuminated by the light outside the car, was somewhat indistinct, carrying an indescribable tone.
"So, I probably won’t ever be able to give you a five consecutive legendary."
Qiao Jingjing wanted to say, "You just gave me a Triple Kill on the stage. A Triple Kill in the arena is much more impressive than an ordinary five consecutive legendary."
But she didn’t say it.
She had a feeling—Yu Tu was saying goodbye to her. But she quickly laughed at herself for overthinking it. He was just saying he wouldn’t play games anymore.
So, what would happen to them from now on?
No more games, no more daily interactions, no more shared topics... Would they become friends who occasionally greet each other on WeChat?
It was as if they had shared a long holiday together, and now both their holidays were over, and they had to return to their former paths.
A sudden, inexplicable panic welled up in Qiao Jingjing’s heart.
It felt as if it wasn’t just the holiday that was ending, but something else as well.The two fell into silence again, the quiet in the car becoming unsettling.
The van passed through an intersection when Yu Tu spoke up, "I'll get off at the subway station ahead."
Qiao Jingjing looked at him.
Yu Tu kept his gaze lowered, "It's convenient to get back from here."
"Ling Jie invited us to have a late-night snack together to celebrate."
"I won't go, I have work tomorrow."
The car stopped near the subway entrance. After saying goodbye, Yu Tu got out, and the car slowly started moving again.
Outside the window, Yu Tu's figure was receding into the distance as the driver began to accelerate. No, Qiao Jingjing thought, not like this. She didn't know how it should be, but it couldn't end like this.
A sudden impulse seized her, and she shouted, "Stop the car!"
The car halted.
She pulled open the door and chased after him.
"Yu Tu!"
Yu Tu stopped and turned around.
Qiao Jingjing ran up to him, breathless but with eyes shining as if filled with light. She looked at him, nervous yet earnest, and asked, "Yu Tu, would you be willing to be with me?"
You're so smart, you must know, right? You must know how much I like you.
Yu Tu looked at her—her gaze passionate and innocent, brimming with all that was most worthy of kindness and cherishing in this world, just like the girl who had looked at him over a decade ago.
He knew. He had always known. He thought she would never say it, that they would eventually drift apart. That's why he had allowed himself to be so indulgent during this final holiday, indulging in fulfilling his promise to accompany her until the competition ended.
It was his own greed for the irrational.
Yu Tu slowly clenched his fist, yet when he spoke, his voice was calm and gentle, "Jingjing, you belong to a dazzling world, and I belong to another."
It was a privilege to walk together for a while, but they were destined to go their separate ways.
He said, "We're not suitable for each other."
OpenNovel