No Dating in Esports

[New Serial at the Bottom: Wild Dog and Mad Dog, a Slice-of-Life Story, Country Bumpkin vs. Rich Young Master] As a long-running global online game, New Century combines competitive play, dungeons, and open-world modes, with over a hundred million players. After its professional league was established, it topped the esports popularity charts for several years in a row. Su Xigu joined the academy team and burst onto the scene with his astonishing talent and good looks, quickly becoming the star AD carry for the powerhouse team SKU. In his first year competing, at just eighteen, he won the Summer Split championship. His popularity and value skyrocketed, earning him the nickname "Card God." In a pre-match media interview, a reporter asked, "Auka, SKU has won three championships in a row. Are you confident you can make it four?" Wearing his team jersey, Su Xigu kept his handsome face expressionless. "Yeah." Fans: "That's my boy. What a legend." The live chat: "What a show-off. He was the only rookie on the team that lost the WNC finals last year." Su Xigu: "." Without me, they wouldn't even have made it past the quarterfinals. SKU captain North, their jungler and two-time WNC champion Pei Xu, raised an eyebrow and picked up the conversation. "We welcome the challenge." However, during the Summer Split, news broke that Su Xigu was dating someone. After the match, Pei Xu was unusually cold. He didn't even stop in the media interview area, instead leading the team straight back to the lounge. Last year, when the Su family was short on money, Su Xigu's parents pressured him into being sent to Zhou Shiqing. Su Xigu had always thought Zhou Shiqing was the perfect partner: handsome and considerate. Then he accidentally saw a photo and realized he was just a carefully selected stand-in for someone else's beloved first love. At the SKU training base, Pei Xu slid open the door to the training room balcony and leaned against the wall. "Planning to grow mushrooms in here? We have a match tomorrow afternoon. Go to bed." Su Xigu turned and glared at him, then promptly blocked Zhou Shiqing. To hell with being a stand-in for someone's beloved first love. He was going to win the World Championship. After winning MVP in a qualifying match at the S7 World Championship, Su Xigu was about to get some rest when Pei Xu cornered him the moment he entered his room. "How long are you going to keep pretending?" Su Xigu's face went bright red, but he stubbornly kept it up. "Until we win the championship." Pei Xu fixed his gaze on Su Xigu's lips and slowly leaned closer. "I can't wait that long. I'll take a little interest in advance." Later, Su Xigu and Pei Xu fought their way through every obstacle toward ever grander arenas, standing shoulder to shoulder on the World Championship stage. Everyone in the world knew they were the most in-sync teammates and the closest of lovers. [Reader Advisory] 1. The bottom is a sharp-tongued kitty, a genius player who lives for his career. Pei Xu is the top and the official love interest. 2. An ex appears. If that bothers you, don't read. 3. The esports setting is inspired by real life, but the game is fictional and easy to follow. [Next Book Preview: Wild Dog and Mad Dog, Country Bumpkin vs. Rich Young Master] Cheng Shu grew up without a mother. She hadn't died; she'd been driven away by his gambling, hard-drinking father. She got on a bus to the county seat and never came back. Cheng Shu's only thought was: Good for her. The town was small, with few people, and there was never any need to wait until tomorrow for the gossip to spread. His classmates liked to call him a bastard. He didn't care. He wasn't much better than a stray dog by the roadside, anyway. At eighteen, newly promoted to his final year of high school, Cheng Shu had already decided what to do with his future: finish school and find work. He never expected that after returning from a fight, he'd find someone standing in the courtyard of the rundown house, which was barely the only property they owned. No gold or silver, but he had a suit, dress shirt, leather shoes, and a genuine leather suitcase. He looked like a rich man. Cheng Shu figured he was probably a con artist. After Liang Shenyan moved in, he was generous with his money. He pulled ten bills from his wallet. "Here's your living allowance." Cheng Shu didn't hesitate to accept them and tuck them into his pocket. "Thanks, boss." Liang Shenyan ignored him and went back to his room. Apart from coming out to eat, he didn't leave all day. Cheng Shu was happy to have some peace and quiet. After a while of getting along peacefully, Cheng Shu was shelling lotus seeds in the courtyard when he turned around and saw Liang Shenyan standing there. Liang Shenyan said, "I'll pay you to sleep with me." Cheng Shu replied, "Are you sick?" A few days later, Cheng Sanshun was hospitalized with lung cancer. Cheng Shu grabbed a stack of medical bills and rode his bike back to the rundown house. "Come with me to pay them." That night, he ended up sleeping in Liang Shenyan's bed. He slept soundly. It wasn't any different from usual. As they spent more time together, Cheng Shu found Liang Shenyan more and more likable. He was a fool with plenty of money and few words, except that he could be a little rough at night. From autumn to winter, the little house still looked shabby from the outside, but inside it had been completely transformed. Cheng Shu was leaning against Liang Shenyan while reading when he looked up and saw his mother had returned. He thought he was dreaming. There was another person in the family now. Cheng Shu and Liang Shenyan went to the river. Some idiot kid threw a rock at Cheng Shu's head. Liang Shenyan held the kid down and made him swallow a bellyful of water, while Cheng Shu sat nearby with blood running down his head, laughing that Liang Shenyan was like a mad dog that couldn't bark. Later, the people of the town gradually moved away. Cheng Shu never returned to the town either. Theme: Find a future for yourself, even in adversity.