Chapter 6 Greed and Impetuousness

She wore a beige cashmere coat over a silk shirt, high-waisted wide-leg pants, and pointed-toe stiletto ankle boots.

"You must be Zhiwei?"

The woman took a few steps closer, her smile friendly.

"I heard from your uncle that you have a fever, so I specially asked the kitchen aunt to stew rock sugar pears. It's good for your lungs and cough. Drink it while it's hot, it's good for your throat."

But Song Zhiwei froze as if a pause button had been pressed.

She stared at the woman in front of her, her throat tightening slightly.

"You...who are you?"

The woman seemed to notice her unusual behavior, but her smile remained unchanged.

"Oh, you just got back, so you probably don't know yet. I'm your uncle's girlfriend, my name is Qiao Yiqing."

She paused, as if recalling something.

“I came by yesterday when Aunt Zhou left, but then I got an urgent meeting at the company and had to leave early, so I didn’t get to see you.”

As she spoke, she gently placed the thermos in her hand on the bedside table.

"Object?"

Song Zhiwei repeated the sentence to herself.

These two words struck Song Zhiwei's mind like a muffled thunderclap, without warning.

Qiao Yiqing walked in with a smile.

She gently placed a bowl of still-steaming medicine on the table.

Then, she raised her hand and gently stroked Song Zhiwei's hair with her fingertips.

"Oh dear, this child's face is all red from the heat, and his forehead is burning hot. It's heartbreaking to see."

As she spoke, she naturally sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I had planned to go shopping with your uncle today. There's a new Japanese restaurant that just opened in the mall, and I heard it's pretty good. But seeing how you look, pale and with a fever, we'll skip it. Staying home with you, chatting, and playing cards will make the time fly by, won't it?"

"No...no need."

Song Zhiwei subconsciously shrank back.

She avoided Qiao Yiqing's gaze, her voice weak.

She never imagined that Zhou Yuze would actually end up with someone else.

Back in my school days, he was the most handsome guy on campus.

A high, straight nose and neat, short hair.

When she smiled, sunlight streamed down the entire corridor.

He is not only handsome, but also gentle and polite in his dealings with others.

Countless girls pursued him, from school beauties to top students in their grade.

But he didn't agree to any of them; he didn't want any of them.

It's not indifference, it's seriousness.

He politely rejected everyone who confessed their feelings to him.

He once said with a smile, "I don't want to be in a relationship right now; I want to focus on my studies first."

Song Zhiwei remembered those words and had savored them in her heart time and time again.

She had secretly thought...

He has no plans to date.

But now it seems she was overthinking it.

It turns out, he did want to be in a relationship.

I just didn't fancy those people.

Qiao Yiqing, however, is clearly different.

But Song Zhiwei couldn't quite describe how she felt.

Is it disappointment?

Is it bitterness?

Or is it a hidden jealousy?

She couldn't tell.

"It's okay. Shopping is so boring. The sun is so strong that you'll be covered in sweat after just a few steps."

Qiao Yiqing still had a bright smile and sparkling eyes.

She clapped her hands lightly and made the suggestion in a cheerful tone.

"Why don't we invite your uncle over, and the three of us can play some mobile games together? It'll be relaxing and fun, and the time will fly by."

Just as Song Zhiwei was about to decline, her lips parted slightly, and she managed to squeeze out half a "I" from her throat, when the door was gently pushed open.

Zhou Yuze's tall figure appeared at the door, wearing a simple light gray T-shirt.

He walked in, his gaze sweeping across the room before finally settling on Song Zhiwei's face.

"Still have a fever? Have you taken any medicine?"

Before she could answer, Qiao Yiqing had already stood up naturally, walked over and took his arm.

The two sat down together on the sofa next to them; the sofa was slightly dented.

She tilted her head and smiled, her voice light and cheerful.

“Let’s play some games with my little niece to pass the time, instead of going shopping. You can also take a break; don’t work all day and exhaust yourself.”

"OK."

Zhou Yuze nodded.

He glanced at the time and casually said, "Let's play the game we used to play. The three of us can team up and we're familiar with each other."

When Song Zhiwei heard the words "we used to," her heart skipped a beat.

She thought those words were directed at her.

After all, that game was one that she and Zhou Yuze had played together before.

Many weekend afternoons, they would sit on the living room sofa, each with an earphone, playing games and chatting.

Sometimes, after losing a game, he would ruffle her hair and say with a smile, "Don't worry, I'll carry you in the next game."

She was about to nod in agreement when she heard Qiao Yiqing happily chime in.

"Great! The new season just started this week, and the ranks have been reset. This is a rare opportunity. Can you help me rank up? I've practiced several games this week, but I'm still stuck in Diamond. I can't win when you're not around."

For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.

Song Zhiwei's smile froze on her lips.

It turns out that he had played that game with Qiao Yiqing many times.

Not just once, but frequently.

And she only found out now.

She silently lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously digging into her palm.

But that dull, oppressive feeling just wouldn't go away.

That faint glimmer of hope was like smoke blown away by the wind.

She had originally thought that perhaps he would look at her more often, just like before.

But reality slapped her hard in the face.

His gentleness and consideration towards her in those years were probably just out of the care of an elder for a younger person.

That gentleness never crossed any boundaries from beginning to end.

She should have realized it sooner.

The three people logged into their game accounts.

Zhou Yuze somehow recruited two more people into the team, making it a five-person team for ranked matches.

The team list on the screen flashed, and two unfamiliar IDs appeared.

Zhou Yuze said casually, "He's my friend, let's play together, we happen to need someone."

Qiao Yiqing smiled and nodded in agreement.

Song Zhiwei didn't say anything, but silently clicked "Accept Invitation".

He chose the marksman role, and Qiao Yiqing immediately chose the support role.

She always moved very close, and would occasionally send a signal like "Watch your position" or "Watch out for the bushes."

That level of attention was obvious to everyone; it wasn't just a matter of teamwork.

Song Zhiwei chose the mid lane herself.

Her skills aren't top-notch, but she's always been cautious.

She chose a mage who could clear lanes quickly and had strong survivability, and played steadily without being reckless.

In the early game, focus on farming minions and try to get as much as possible from each wave of minions, without being too greedy or taking too little.

Occasionally, I noticed that the enemy mid laner was positioned too far forward.

She would immediately send a signal on the minimap to alert her teammates.

"Watch out, the enemy jungler might come to gank."

Suddenly, the enemy jungler appeared.

A dark figure suddenly leaped out, unleashing a combo of skills in an instant.

Song Zhiwei's heart tightened, and her fingers trembled violently, almost causing her to make a mistake.

She didn't even see who the other person was; she only had time to activate her skill to slow them down, and despair was already in her heart.

She was startled and quickly used Flash.

But they were still caught up.

The flashing effect at the edge of the screen has just disappeared.

The enemy jungler's third skill has landed.

The health bar instantly dropped to the red zone.

Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest.

Qiao Yiqing's voice came through the earphones.

"Watch out in the bottom lane! Four of them are pushing the tower!"