I Am Glory [Esports]

The blurb for the upcoming novel Lover is below~

Blurb:

Older woman and younger woman / a little pursuit after the breakup / equally matched

A flirtatious older coach × a younger, clingy, top-tier hunter who says what she means at first, then pretends otherwise later

Growing up, Zhao Qingzhi heard all about Qin Zhao's achievements. Qin Zhao was the other people's child everyone resented.

She excelled in school, was gifted in the arts, tall and gorgeous, and came from a happy family. Even after both her parents died in an accident, she managed to make the starting lineup of an esports club within a year and win the world championship.

Qin Zhao, professional ID Artist, was universally recognized as the world's top hunter. She was proud and beautiful, and broke out of the niche as soon as she entered the scene. In those years, Artist was practically a godlike figure in the community.

Zhao Qingzhi was her cousin, her fan, her friend... her follower, and perhaps also the lover Qin Zhao had raised with her own hands.

Qin Zhao taught her how to play, how to plan out the map, and how to draft and ban. She drove her to and from school, bought her plush toys, baked desserts, and told her she hoped all her wishes would come true.

But before long, Qin Zhao was suddenly hit with a wave of scandals: bullying teammates, a messy private life, exploiting trainees, and so on. Then, without a trace of reluctance, she retired, sold the club and Zhao Qingzhi, and left for parts unknown.

All that remained was a bouquet of roses that had already wilted.

The person Zhao Qingzhi hated most was Qin Zhao. Qin Zhao had been the one to bring her home, only to casually kick her aside. Zhao Qingzhi swore that if Qin Zhao ever dared to appear before her again, she would make her pay, and make her wish she were dead.

At the meeting table, Qin Zhao made her debut as the team's new coach. Zhao Qingzhi stared at that familiar face and lost herself in thought. What revenge? What wishing she were dead? Only two words remained in her mind: She's thinner.

She really was thinner. Her belt cinched around a lean, strong waist. Zhao Qingzhi hurriedly looked away. Faced with her heart pounding like a charging bull, she decided she needed to consult a therapist.

When Qin Zhao heard about it, she knocked on Zhao Qingzhi's door in the middle of the night and leaned lazily against the doorframe, one long eyebrow raised. "You've got the strongest woman in the whole league. Why ask anyone else?"

Zhao Qingzhi: What was I saying before? Who was supposed to wish they were dead?

Right now, holding herself back was making her feel like she was wishing she were dead.

Note:

1. The title and one-line blurb are from the award citation for the Yu Nu Nymph Award.

2. The match details aren't professional. Just enjoy the spectacle. You can follow along even if you've never played Identity V.

3. The competitive version of the game is fictional.

4. There are no real-life inspirations. Please don't associate this with real teams.

(waves a handkerchief) Upcoming novel Lover:

Wen Xiaoman willingly became someone's lover.

To escape an arranged marriage, she ran off to a small seaside city. With no money and no family or friends, she took a temporary job as a bartender at a local bar.

One day, after drinking too much, she was woozy with alcohol when she noticed a woman at the bar who seemed to have been watching her. Her eyes were very light, and she looked at people with intense focus.

Wen Xiaoman said, as if possessed, "You're beautiful."

The woman froze, then politely replied, "Sorry, I'm already engaged."

Wen Xiaoman blurted out, "I can be your lover."

...Well, why not? She could at least let herself go for once.

In her drunken haze, Wen Xiaoman only remembered that the woman was very good in bed, that her kisses were hot, and that even her breath was enticing.

Wen Xiaoman was her lover for two years. The woman took good care of her and never skimped on money or intimacy. She was even exceptionally considerate, until Wen Xiaoman found out she was getting married.

Right. She had been engaged all along.

Wen Xiaoman packed her bags and ran away once again.

But this time, before she could board the train, someone knocked her unconscious. When she woke up, she was tied to a bed. The woman curled her lips into a smile and asked, "What, are you planning to run away from our wedding a second time?"

"Since when has Song Wan been this unwanted on the marriage market?"

Wen Xiaoman stared in shock. Only then did she realize that she'd spent two years as her own fiancee's lover.

Song Wan had never intended to enter an arranged marriage. She'd only heard that the girl she was supposed to marry had a fiery temper, and that she'd run away the very day she received the news. Curious, Song Wan followed her. There was no particular reason; she simply wanted to see what kind of girl she was.

Stubborn, baring her teeth, and not yet tamed. She didn't seem like a sheltered young lady. She was probably some distant relative from one branch of the Wen family, sent to fob off Song Wan.

But she really was adorable.

After being with her once, Song Wan couldn't stop thinking about her. She liked the way the other woman had tears in her eyes in bed, yet stubbornly refused to make a sound.

Song Wan really had decided to marry Wen Xiaoman. But somehow, Wen Xiaoman had heard the news and run away. Song Wan personally brought her back and tied her to the bed. After saying those words, she saw the shock on Wen Xiaoman's face.

So she really hadn't heard of Song Wan. She didn't know who her fiancee was.

Song Wan walked over to the bed and patted Wen Xiaoman's shoulder reassuringly. It was all right. Tonight, Wen Xiaoman would only be calling her by that name.

Theme: Keep striving despite setbacks.