In a frantic rush, Wei Xiao yanked her foot into one shoe, hand clutching the shoe rack to keep from toppling over. Late again, as usual… when her mom suddenly stepped in, blocking her path.
Wei Wei, wait— her mom's voice cut through the rush.
Wei Xiao blinked, confusion written all over her face. "Did… did something happen?"
Her mom paused, then said, Tomorrow… we're going back. Back to Shenzhen.
Wei Xiao blinked, thrown off for a moment.
What? But… didn't you guys say you'd stay for another week?
Her mom sighed, shaking her head. "Exams are coming earlier than expected. I can't take more time off. We'll have to head back."
Before Wei Xiao could even protest, her dad strolled out of the kitchen, apron still on and spatula in hand, like he was hosting his own cooking show.
Wei Wei! he called brightly. Invite your friends for dinner tonight. Ask what they like and text me — I'll cook it.
Wei Xiao hopped toward the door, still wrestling with her other shoe.
Mhm—kay! I'll bring them tonight! Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad!
Wei Xiao's reply was quick, almost automatic. But as the door swung shut behind her, the words "Back to Shenzhen" clung stubbornly at the edge of her mind.
***
Inside Tengxin's gaming lounge — a wide, open space built for employees to unwind — every corner buzzed with life. One wall hummed with rows of high-end PCs and VR pods, another glowed with retro arcade cabinets. In the far corner, shelves overflowed with board games. At the center, a sleek glass table waited for challengers — foosball, air hockey, ping pong.
The lounge was alive.
Laughter clashed with the sharp clack of foosball rods, the whir of air-hockey pucks, and the rapid-fire chorus of keyboards. From the arcade corner came the roar of engines, the blip of shooters, and the triumphant chime of high scores.
Ratatat! Ling takes high ground as the boss shifts form!
Ohhh—Wei Wei slips under the strike, clean as silk!
Chen leaned forward, one hand curled like an invisible mic in front of her mouth, eyes glittering as she hyped every move.
Ling sat straight-backed, calm as stone, one hand steady on the mouse, the other flicking across keys with ruthless efficiency. Her avatar vaulted high, locking in her angle just as Chen cried out again—
"They're closing in from both sides—this monster doesn't stand a chance!" Chen swung her invisible mic with a wide grin, her voice booming like a commentator on a grand stage.
Ling's barrage locked the beast in place, its health bar melting. Wei Wei slipped past the final swipe, blades flashing, and struck the glowing weak point.
Wei Xiao was the opposite of Ling—her posture tight, leaning close to the screen, lower lip caught between her teeth. Her fingers rattled the keys in a blur, shoulders tense, as if she was bracing to leap through the monitor itself.
Chen twirled her phantom mic, eyes wide, voice climbing higher—
"The bloom's done, baby—time for the kill!"
Suddenly, Wei Xiao's fingers faltered. Her avatar dropped into the boss's swipe, eyes flashing sharp with something unspoken.
Ling's voice cut in, calm but firm. "Wei Wei, what happened to you?"
She immediately adjusted, pinning the beast down again, leaving the opening wide. "Finish it."
Snapping back immediately, Wei Xiao's blades flashed and struck the glowing weak point..
The screen burst in light as Chen threw her arms up. "BOOOOSS DEFEATED!"
Suddenly a voice cut in. "Looks like you're a fan of BloomKill." Kai called out to Chen, grinning even as he lunged for the return.
Two tables away, the ping pong rally cracked like gunfire. The ball flickered between Kai and Tanaka at lightning speed, each strike sharper than the last. Tanaka—already a name in Tengxin for untangling impossible problems—played with the same cool precision at the table, every movement calculated, measured, exact.
Kai pressed harder, sweat beading at his brow, but Tanaka's calm smirk never faltered.
chen tilted her head. "Yeah—she's my favorite. How'd you know that?"
Kai smirked. Isn't it obvious? You've been tossing her lines around even her tagline. I know them all, because I watch her too.
He gave Chen a sly smirk, all dramatic eyebrow and cheeky sparkle, as the ball pinged off his paddle like it had no choice but to obey.
Admiration clear in his voice, he went on, She's got style—the way she hypes battles and pulls in pros, but still gives chances to players no one's even heard of. She's got an eye for talent.
Then, with sudden dramatic flair, he pressed a hand to his chest, completely lost in his own daydream… until the ball shot straight back at him, snapping him out of it. Shaking off the fantasy, he declared, "Just wait until she notices me too! And when she does, I'll step onto that stage and go against the top-notch players especially YangYang, China's number one PvP beast! he said, determination blazing in his voice.
Chen's eyes lit up. By the way he just signed a movie deal. The reels are everywhere.
I can't wait for his movie! He's ridiculously handsome, how does someone even get to look like that? Her hands clenched in excitement, cheeks flushing as a dreamy sigh escaped her.
Kai nodded eagerly. Yeah, he's all over the feed—gaming clips, edits, movie teasers. Everyone's going feral.
Chen grinned, practically bouncing with excitement.So many streamers had tried, but only BloomKill managed to drag him onto a live stream. He'd never appeared on anyone else's channel before.
Kai let out a low whistle. Guess BloomKill really does have some aura.
That's when Tanaka caught the ball mid-bounce, rolling it slowly between his fingers. His gaze stayed on the small white sphere, voice calm but carrying weight. Funny, though… BloomKill's got half the scene wrapped around her finger, yet no one knows her face. Always hidden. No slip-ups, no reveals. He tilted the ball in his palm, a faint smirk tugging at his mouth Almost like there's more to her than anyone realizes."
The ball clicked once against the paddle as he flicked it back into play—sharp, precise.
Ling lifted her cup, taking a slow sip before setting it down again with the faintest smile. "Maybe that's what she wants—her two worlds."
Across the table, Wei Xiao listened quietly, her own coffee warm in her hands. She raised it to her lips, sipping as the talk carried on—expression unreadable, but her ears catching every word.
***
"Take this report on the upcoming game event to Manager Hao in Creative R&D,"
Manager Li said as she handed Wei Xiao a thick folder, Tengxin's logo sharp on the cover and its pages tightly bound.
Wei Xiao picked up the file, gave a small nod, and made her way down the corridor.
When she arrived, Manager Hao wasn't at his desk. Instead, Sujin stepped casually in front of her and Wei Xiao braced herself she knew some minor drama was coming.
Her fingers tightened on the folder for a moment before loosening. "This is the report on the upcoming game event." She shifted the file in Sujin's hand, voice even. We're on a tight schedule. If anything looks off, just send a ticket.
Sujin's smile thinned, sharp and deliberate.
"Of course. Thank you for the… delivery."
The last word lingered, light but cutting — as if she were talking to a courier, not a colleague.Wei Xiao answered with a faint smile, untouched by the jab. She knew exactly what Sujin meant by that.
"No problem," Wei Xiao said, her tone smooth as silk as she started to turn away.
Before she could take a step, Sujin stepped in, her voice dripping with mockery. "Not sure… but I ordered from Pearl Dumpling House the other day and since I was busy, my friend got the delivery instead of me. The girl who delivered the bag looked a lot like you, Wei Xiao. Was it really you?"
Before Wei Xiao could reply, Sujin pressed on, honeyed words hiding a sharp edge. "Strange, isn't it? Tengxin pays really well. Why would you need a part-time job? And of all things—a delivery service? You could've just told me. I would've helped you."
Her smile was all fake sympathy, sharp beneath the sweetness.
Wei Xiao's lips curved into a calm, dismissive smile. "Thanks for the concern," she said smoothly, her voice steady and unbothered. "But I don't need help. What I do need is to get back to work."
She walked off without another glance, leaving Sujin standing in her own bitterness.The smile slipped from Sujin's face, nails pressing hard against the folder's edge until the paper crinkled.
***
Chen took a bite, her face lighting up with that unmistakable first-bite look of pure enjoyment.
"I've eaten eggplants before, but never like this—this braised eggplant is amazing!"
Ling, chewing thoughtfully, nodded between bites.
"Yeah, everything's perfect. The flavors… the seasoning… just wow. My stomach's already full, but my heart isn't."
Uncle Wei chuckled, leaning forward with the ladle.
"Eat more, you haven't had that much. You girls are still growing—here, try this hot and sour soup." He carefully scooped some into Ling's bowl.
Ling grinned, lifting her chopsticks like a toast.
"Perfect chef and good novelist. Uncle Wei is really great."
Chen shot him a playful thumbs-up across the table.
Ling paused mid-bite and reached into her bag, pulling out a small glass flask wrapped in a strip of faded cloth. Inside, the liquid shimmered a pale amber, faintly clouded with herbs. She set it carefully on the table and nudged it forward.
"This is liángchá my grandma brewed," she said, sliding it closer. She dries the herbs herself—mint, chrysanthemum, a bit of licorice root. It's cooling, good for digestion.
Auntie Hana's expression softened as she accepted the flask, the cool glass resting against her palm. How thoughtful. Please thank your grandma for me. It even smells refreshing already.
Uncle Wei's gaze lingered on his daughter, soft and thoughtful.
"But I am a little worried. Weiwei is usually so quiet with people… I'm glad she made friends like you." He nodded at Ling and Chen.
Both straightened almost in unison.
"Don't worry, Uncle, we've got her back."
Relieved, Uncle Wei laughed heartily.
"If you two are with her, then I don't need to be worried."
Still smiling, Auntie Hana tilted her head curiously.
"So many smart young people in your office. Do you all even have time for dating?"
Wei Xiao instantly choked on her rice, coughing hard, her face turning red.
"A-Mom—" she croaked, embarrassed.
Auntie Hana only raised an eyebrow.
"What? This is the right time for dating and finding a partner."
Uncle Wei reached over, patting his wife's hand with a gentle smile.
"Don't worry. When she finds the right person, she'll tell us herself."
Ling leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Uncle Wei, I heard you even went all the way to Japan just to propose to Auntie Hana. Is that true?"
"Wow, really? Auntie, Uncle—tell us the story!" Chen added eagerly.
Uncle Wei straightened in his chair, puffing his chest with mock pride.
"Of course it's true. I stood up like a man and went after her. Her father didn't like me at all, but I never let go of her hand."
Auntie Hana burst into laughter, waving him off.
"Hah! Don't listen to him. He was practically a child, following me everywhere with those puppy eyes. My father is strict and disciplined—everything your uncle wasn't. At first, he hated how childish and undisciplined he seemed. But after seeing his genuine love for me, even he had to give in."
The table erupted with old memories, spilling out like another dish served hot. Bowls clinked, chopsticks tapped, and steam rose from glossy dishes. The table glowed—laden with food, family, and a quiet warmth. With friends at her side and her parents beaming across the table, Wei Xiao felt a warmth she wished could last forever.