The Trophy Fox and the Countryside

At fifteen, Nan Ran met an unruly, red-haired internet cafe manager named Xu Yize in a remote little county town. The boy had no filter and said the rudest things, every word striking Nan Ran right in the heart. But Nan Ran was just as bad with words and couldn't think of a comeback.

At nineteen, Nan Ran moved to the big city. By chance, she ended up at the club where Jun Jiu played. His hair had gone from red to blue, and he'd traded the name Xu Yize for his gaming ID.

She spent her days serving tea and water and filming "scandals." She even managed to get some exclusive dirt on the KPL's most well-mannered mid laner. Before the two of them could spark a romance, a string of losses began to wear down Jun Jiu's defenses. Haters attacked the players and the club wherever they could, and even targeted Nan Ran, who had appeared on stream a few times.

Why did they end up apart? Maybe the winter of 2021 was simply too long, the transfer period dragged on forever, and the online abuse wouldn't let up.

Maybe it was because a thoughtful hand warmer couldn't be as scorching as that dazzling trophy, gleaming with glory.

Maybe it was because the boy was young and confident, unaware of the ways of the world. Maybe it was because capital held a girl hostage, and even skill could lose out to the timing of the market.

Years later, Nan Ran sat beside a stream, with golden ginkgo leaves scattered all around her. She looked up and their eyes met. They smiled at each other, as if they had finally let go.

"Doesn't it look like the golden rain from your finals?"

Who knew when he'd dyed his hair black again? It seemed some of his wildness and defiance had faded. He answered a different question from the one she'd asked.

"A Ran, I want to call you A Ran for the rest of my life."

She wasn't surprised to hear that. She simply scooped up a handful of leaves and flung them into the air. A line suddenly came to mind:

So many people's fates are like leaves, but you alone float through the air like golden rain.

Theme: Love won't stop him from winning a championship. It's encouragement and skill that make the difference.