Lin Jianxi smiled, her slender fingers turning a page of the yellowed book. “Qiao Zhisheng, do you have nothing better to do besides playing games?”
“I do—practicing the piano,” Qiao Zhisheng’s voice sounded a bit listless. “Just relaxing for a bit. Xie Zhiyun has already set up a room and is waiting for us.”
With things put that way, there was no refusing. After hanging up, Lin Jianxi opened Honor of Kings. As soon as she logged in, she received party invitations from both Xie Zhiyun and Qiao Zhisheng simultaneously.
Lin Jianxi accepted Qiao Zhisheng’s invitation. The moment she entered the party room, she heard Qiao Zhisheng’s voice.
“Xixi, turn on your mic.”
Lin Jianxi switched on her microphone. “Brother Zhiyun, Shengsheng, good evening. Same positions as usual tonight?”
Xie Zhiyun’s low voice came through the headset. “Good evening. I’m fine with anything. I’ll follow your lead.”
Qiao Zhisheng said, “Let’s stick to the usual arrangement.”
After the group settled on the plan, Xie Zhiyun started the game. Lin Jianxi played mid-lane, Xie Zhiyun played jungle, and Qiao Zhisheng took the role of marksman.
The first match ended in eleven minutes with their opponents defeated.
Qiao Zhisheng said, “This feels so boring. How about we switch things up? I’ll jungle, Xixi, and Xie Zhiyun can support you as marksman. What do you think?”
The tips of Lin Jianxi’s fingers gripping her phone turned slightly pale. She was a gaming novice. Despite playing Honor of Kings with them for several years, she only knew how to play mid-lane.
Seeing that Lin Jianxi hadn’t spoken for a while, Xie Zhiyun broke the silence. “It’s fine. Zhisheng can handle jungle. Axi, I’ll protect you.”
Lin Jianxi steeled herself and said, “Okay.” She hadn’t expected a disagreement to arise during hero selection.
Qiao Zhisheng: “Xixi, pick Luban.”
Xie Zhiyun: “Pick Hou Yi. Choose based on the enemy lineup. Hou Yi is more suitable for this match.”
Lin Jianxi: “…” So which one should she pick?
Qiao Zhisheng: “Dude, is Hou Yi even available? He’s banned. Can’t you see that?”
A moment of silence followed, with no one speaking.
As the hero selection timer was about to run out, Lin Jianxi randomly tapped a hero. Since she couldn’t play marksman anyway, it didn’t matter which hero she chose.
Xie Zhiyun: “Goya works too.”
Qiao Zhisheng switched to Li Bai’s Phoenix Imprisoned skin. “Sis, don’t worry. My Li Bai will carry you.”
Xie Zhiyun laughed. “Sorry, but the enemy team has Dong Huang. Looks like you won’t be carrying this match.”
Qiao Zhisheng: “Xie Zhiyun! Why do you have to be so annoying? No one would think you’re mute if you kept quiet. If we lose this match, it’s your fault.”
Xie Zhiyun: “If we lose, it’s because your skills are too weak.”
Qiao Zhisheng was left speechless: “You…”
The game had already begun. Qiao Zhisheng and Xie Zhiyun immediately stopped bickering.
Xie Zhiyun said, “Axi, I’ll help the mage clear mid-lane first. Be careful. Just clear the minion waves and don’t engage with the enemy. I’ll come to help you soon.”
“Okay.” Lin Jianxi focused on the game. After clearing the minion waves, she played defensively under the tower.
But Lin Jianxi hadn’t expected to be tower-dived and killed by the enemy team as soon as she reached level three. To put it bluntly, she was ganged up on—three enemies came for her at once.
Qiao Zhisheng criticized Xie Zhiyun, “Xie Zhiyun, do you even know how to play support? Why wait until level four? You can go protect Xixi right now.”
Faced with Qiao Zhisheng’s criticism, Xie Zhiyun admitted honestly, “No, I don’t. This is my first time playing support.”
Qiao Zhisheng was left speechless: “…”
Xie Zhiyun was playing as Yao, hiding in the left bush on the bottom lane, waiting for Lin Jianxi to respawn. Once Lin Jianxi revived, Xie Zhiyun stuck close to her side without taking a single step away.
Whether it was due to Lin Jianxi’s skill issues or the opponents being too strong, the two of them died three times in a row.
The enemy team had already pushed to the second tower. Lin Jianxi couldn’t help but press her hand to her forehead. “It looks like we’re going to lose…”
As soon as she finished speaking, silence fell over the game.
After a moment, Xie Zhiyun broke the silence. “Ah Xi, let’s focus on farming first. Our economy is too weak to fight. Go take Li Bai’s jungle.”
Lin Jianxi’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. “If I take Li Bai’s jungle, won’t Sheng Sheng become useless?”
Qiao Zhisheng spoke up timidly, “Sister-in-law, it’s not that I’m useless—it’s the Li Bai I’m playing that’s useless.”
“…”
Xie Zhiyun said, “Ah Xi, I’ll teach you how to play. First, stack six layers of passive by clearing minions to enhance your basic attacks. Then use the first skill to dash and drift.”
Lin Jianxi followed Xie Zhiyun’s instructions and found that Goya’s attack range had increased, and she could indeed accelerate.
Xie Zhiyun explained Goya’s skills to Lin Jianxi. Lin Jianxi learned quickly and had already taken down two enemy kills. However, her awareness was weak, and after securing two consecutive kills, she got a bit overconfident and died again.
Xie Zhiyun really wanted to sell his support item, but if he did, how could he, as a Yao, carry the game?
Qiao Zhisheng came to the bottom lane to help them. “Xie Zhiyun, hide in the right bush. Xi Xi, step out and bait the enemy marksman. I’ll be there right away.”
“Okay.” Lin Jianxi controlled Goya to stand in the middle of the lane, clearing minions, while Yao hid in the bush to her right.
Suddenly, Dong Huang flashed over and locked onto Goya with his ultimate. Lin Jianxi panicked, her voice trembling with urgency. “Xie Zhiyun! Quick, quick, quick! Get on me! I’m about to die!”
Jiang Xu was passing by Lin Jianxi’s study when he heard her anxious voice through the crack in the door. He paused, his deep eyes darkening like ink.
Immediately after, Xie Zhiyun’s low, warm voice sounded in his ears. Jiang Xu stood still for a few seconds before pushing the door open expressionlessly and walking in.
Xie Zhiyun hurriedly said, “Coming, coming!”
Qiao Zhisheng chimed in, “I’m coming too. Does this dead loach think it hasn’t died enough times?”
Before Lin Jianxi could get Xie Zhiyun’s Yao to attach to her, she was instantly killed by the enemy marksman.
Looking at her lifeless body on the ground, Lin Jianxi sighed helplessly. As expected, she wasn’t cut out for gaming. She was better suited to being a tailor.
Suddenly, Qiao Zhisheng’s frustrated voice came through the phone. “Xie Zhiyun, Xi Xi is already dead! What are you still standing around for? Hurry up and get on me!”
Lin Jianxi deflated like a balloon, lazily leaning back in her chair and lowering her gaze to watch Qiao Zhisheng’s Li Bai wreak havoc in the game.
Abruptly, Lin Jianxi’s phone was taken by a hand with distinct, elegant knuckles. She instinctively looked up and met Jiang Xu’s cool, handsome face.
Ignoring her, Jiang Xu took the phone and walked straight to the sofa diagonally across the room. He sat down leisurely, lowering his gaze to focus on the phone screen.
Lin Jianxi’s eyes followed Jiang Xu. Frowning, she walked over to the sofa across from him, her fair and delicate face cold as she stared down at him from above.
Jiang Xu looked up and met the woman’s starry eyes, holding her gaze until Xie Zhiyun’s voice came through the phone, breaking the moment.
“Ah Xi? You’ve respawned—why are you just standing there? The second tower is about to fall. Hurry up and clear the minions to defend!”
Lin Jianxi listened to Xie Zhiyun’s puzzled voice. She reached out to snatch the phone from Jiang Xu’s hand, but the man held it tightly, and she couldn’t wrest it away from him.
Lin Jianxi’s brows furrowed even tighter. She took a deep breath and mouthed silently, “Give me back my phone.”