Chapter 6. Zhao Zhinian looked around, thinking...

Zhao Zhinian looked around, trying to find a safe place for Zhou Zekai to wait. Her gaze swept over the audience seats that had already begun to be cleared, and then she looked at his overly conspicuous disguise and the incongruous Tiny Herb support banner in his hand. She really couldn't bear to leave him alone outside.

“You…” She hesitated for a moment, then lowered her voice, “Why don’t you come with me to the backstage lounge? There are no fans there, and fewer staff, so it’s safer than here.”

Zhou Zekai thought for a moment, then nodded obediently, holding the banner: "Okay."

Zhao Zhinian greeted the staff first, then stepped off the stage and led Zhou Zekai, who was fully armed, quickly through the side passage of the stage to the backstage. Because she was worried that there might be a "true Glory fan" mixed in among the staff, Zhao Zhinian tried her best to shield him with her body. Fortunately, the lighting in the backstage passage was not too bright, and the staff were all busy with their own things, so no one paid special attention to this "mystery guest" brought in by the host.

The temporary backstage lounge was shared by guests and staff, and it was empty as the event had just ended. Zhao Zhinian pointed to an empty chair in the corner and whispered to Zhou Zekai, "Sit here and wait for me. I'll be right back."

Zhou Zekai obediently sat down on a chair in the corner of the lounge, pulling his hat brim down to minimize his presence, like a huge but unusually restrained penguin, as if trying to blend into the corner. Zhao Zhinian picked up her bag and the clothes she was going to change into and quickly went into the dressing room.

Zhou Zekai was no stranger to the rest room. Although his looks were exceptionally striking even in the league, he still needed to be made up for when attending events. However, waiting alone was still a bit unbearable, especially knowing that his crush was changing clothes in the locker room just a wall away. He could only distract himself by playing with the support banner in his hand.

As if sensing Zhou Zekai's bewilderment, Heaven had specially arranged two spectators for him. The door to the lounge was politely knocked on and then pushed open.

When Zhou Zekai heard the knock on the door, he really wanted to rush over and lock it, but unfortunately, this place was public, and knocking was just a matter of courtesy; he had no right to stop anyone from entering.

The TinyHerbal manager led Gao Yingjie in with a professional smile on his face, while Gao Yingjie followed behind him, looking shy but also excited after the activity.

Unsure whether it was appropriate to speak, Zhou Zekai remained silent in the corner, even unconsciously lowering his breathing rate.

"Oh? Miss Zhao isn't here?"

Zhou Zekai didn't reply, but Zhao Zhinian was worried that he wouldn't be able to handle things alone, so she quickly answered when she heard his voice: "I'm here, I'm here."

She had just changed her clothes, from an elegant little dress to a more casual white short-sleeved T-shirt and loose jeans. After quickly tidying herself up, she hurried out of the dressing room.

The two realized that Zhao Zhinian should have been changing clothes, and worried that their sudden entry might be a disturbance, so they quickly stepped back towards the door. It wasn't until Zhao Zhinian came out to greet them that the Tiny Herb manager spoke warmly: "Ms. Zhao, we came specifically to thank you. Today's event went very smoothly; thank you for your hard work!"

"We came here specifically to thank you!" The Tiny Herb manager smiled and nudged Gao Yingjie forward. "This is Yingjie's first time coming to Shanghai independently for an event, and thanks to your help in guiding him and engaging him with the activities, the results have been excellent!"

Gao Yingjie quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply: "Thank you so much for today!"

"This is just my job. Besides, Yingjie has already done a fantastic job. I'm just adding icing on the cake." Zhao Zhinian felt embarrassed by the big gesture and quickly helped him up. "You two don't need to be so polite. Just call me Zhinian."

Gao Yingjie was a little embarrassed by the praise. He knew his own personality and was grateful to the host for guiding and supporting him. He also liked this beautiful and kind older sister and mustered up the courage to call her "Sister Chinen".

"Zhinian, can Yingjie and I add you on WeChat? If there's an opportunity in the future, we can continue to cooperate." The manager took the initiative to speak when he saw that Gao Yingjie was hesitant to speak.

Gao Yingjie nodded in agreement and added, "By the way, Sister Zhinian, do you play Honor of Kings?"

Mentioning Glory, his eyes lit up instantly, filled with the anticipation of finding a like-minded player. "If you play, we can play together sometime. I can teach you! My mage isn't as good as the captain, but I'm still pretty good!" He finished, then added shyly, "Of course, if you don't mind..."

Gao Yingjie is not good at socializing. When he met an easy-going older sister, he wanted to show his friendliness. He found that his most comfortable and familiar topic was still Glory. However, he was afraid that if he brought up Glory rashly, the other party might not be interested. He subconsciously looked around to change his gaze. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a strange figure fully armed in a corner.

“Of course, it would be my honor.” Zhao Zhinian smiled and rummaged through her bag for her phone. Regarding Honor’s invitation, she smiled, “I’ve only been playing Honor for a short time; I’m still a newbie…”

Gao Yingjie's gaze was drawn to the support banner in the hand of the person in the corner—it was a support banner for Tiny Herb! Could it be a Tiny Herb fan? Gao Yingjie couldn't help but turn his head to examine the person closely, and suddenly felt that the figure looked increasingly familiar.

His eyes widened suddenly, an unbelievable thought forming in his mind. He almost blurted it out, his voice trembling with uncertainty: "Zhou... Captain Zhou?!"

The word "Team Leader Zhou" startled the Tiny Herb manager, who immediately followed Gao Yingjie's gaze to the person in the corner.

Zhou Zekai, who had been hiding in the corner pretending to be a penguin, finally raised his head, gently pulled down his mask to reveal his highly recognizable face, and nodded slightly to the Tiny Herb manager and Gao Yingjie: "Hello."

TinyHerb Manager: "!!!"

He stared in disbelief at Zhou Zekai, the ace player of Samsara and now the "number one player in Glory," who actually appeared backstage at his own newcomer's event, holding a Tiny Herb banner and sitting in the corner of the lounge!

His mind raced, and he suddenly remembered the abrupt phone call from the manager yesterday demanding tickets, and the manager's repeated emphasis on "Do not interact!"

So that's how it is! It wasn't any of the manager's relatives or friends who wanted to watch! It was Zhou Zekai himself who wanted to watch! And judging from the situation... Zhou Zekai couldn't possibly be some kind of "true fan of Tiny Herb," ​​he must be a true fan of the host.

The Tiny Herb manager instantly realized what was going on, his expression a fascinating mix of shock, confusion, and then a hint of embarrassed understanding. He quickly tried to smooth things over: "Oh! It's Team Leader Zhou! I didn't expect you to come. Why didn't you give us a heads-up? We could have made the arrangements..."

He had mentally cursed Manager Samsara a thousand times: Why is this all so secretive! What if Zhou Zekai is recognized at the scene and causes a commotion?

Gao Yingjie confirmed his guess. He looked at Zhao Zhinian and then at Zhou Zekai, remembering that he had just invited Sister Zhinian to play Glory, and even offered to "carry" her... while the senior Glory player, Captain Zhou, was sitting there. He suddenly became flustered: "Captain Zhou, hello! I'm sorry! I didn't know you..."

Zhou Zekai remained calm, put his mask back on, and said succinctly, "It's nothing."

Zhao Zhinian was also a little confused by this sudden "glorious family reunion". She felt her cheeks getting hotter and hotter. She could only bite the bullet and explain to the two members of Tiny Herb: "Um... Captain Zhou just happened to be passing by... and asked to wait for me."

The excuse was so lame that even she didn't believe it, but she still calmly opened her WeChat QR code and handed it to the two of them.

The Tiny Herb manager, being a seasoned veteran, immediately smoothed things over and eased the awkwardness: "We didn't expect Captain Zhou to come; it's truly an honor for us! Since it's such a coincidence, how about we eat together tonight? I know a good local restaurant nearby, and we also wanted to thank Chinen."

Gao Yingjie nodded repeatedly from the side.

Zhou Zekai shook his head, turned his gaze to Zhao Zhinian, and said in a natural but undeniably firm tone, "No."

He paused, then clearly uttered a few words: "We made an appointment."

These five words struck TinyHerb's manager and Gao Yingjie like a thunderbolt.

Us? We made a date?

The Tiny Herb manager instantly understood! This was no coincidence at all! There was a prior agreement! He and Gao Yingjie were the unexpected ones!

A wave of immense embarrassment and sudden understanding washed over him. The Tiny Herb manager immediately followed suit, plastering a knowing smile on his face: "Oh, oh, oh! I understand! We won't bother you any longer! Yingjie and I will take our leave now!"

He practically dragged the still bewildered Gao Yingjie toward the door, saying, "Take your time chatting, you two! Have fun! When you go to Beijing, we'll treat you!"

The door slammed shut, shutting out the outside world.

The lounge fell silent instantly.

Zhao Zhinian glared at the person in the corner who had just cleared the room with a single sentence, feeling both annoyed and amused.

"Zhou Zekai! You..." She didn't know what to say anymore, "We made a promise? Your words could easily lead to misunderstandings!"

Zhou Zekai looked up, his eyes sparkling beneath the brim of his hat, but this time, there seemed to be something else mixed in with his gaze. He stood up, walked to her, pursed his lips slightly, and spoke in a slightly lower voice than usual, with a hint of… grievance?

"Yes. We made it a long time ago." He insisted on this point first, then looked into her eyes, as if emphasizing a crucial but overlooked fact: "I'll carry you in Glory."

His tone even carried a hint of barely perceptible urgency, as if emphasizing his advantage: "I... am better than him."

Looking at his unusually childlike, competitive, and aggrieved expression, Zhao Zhinian momentarily forgot her shyness, only finding it amusing and heart-melting. Was the Gun King...jealous? Or simply feeling that his Glory skills were being underestimated?

She couldn't help but laugh: "Okay, Captain Zhou is the best! Let's head over to eat first!"

Zhou Zekai seemed satisfied with her reaction; the slight grievance in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a handsome smile.

Meanwhile, in the theater corridor, Gao Yingjie's phone rang. It was from Wang Jiexi, the caring "old father" of Tiny Herb.

"Yingjie, how did today's event go?" Wang Jiexi's voice was as steady and authoritative as ever.

"Captain, Captain! Everything went smoothly! Sister Zhinian took special care of me! Oh! Sister Zhinian is the event host." Gao Yingjie quickly reported, mentioning Zhao Zhinian reminded him of the mysterious guest backstage, and he couldn't help but share some gossip with the captain, "After the event, backstage, I saw Captain Zhou from Samsara, holding our Tiny Herb banner..."

"Zhou Zekai?" Wang Jiexi's tone carried a hint of surprise. "Why would he attend your event?"

"No!" Gao Yingjie quickly denied, not believing that he was big enough to have "Gun King" as his fan: "Team Leader Zhou should be waiting for Sister Zhinian backstage... It startled me. The manager also said that the tickets that Manager Samsara asked for yesterday were probably for Team Leader Zhou."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, as if Wang Jiexi was processing this rather substantial piece of information.

"Alright, I understand. You did a good job, get some rest." Wang Jiexi's voice was devoid of much emotion.

After hanging up the phone, Wang Jiexi pondered what Gao Yingjie had just conveyed: Zhou Zekai was clearly waiting for that female host.

Gun King is truly amazing at taking action, quietly orchestrating a major event!

His "fatherly" habits kicked in, and he decided to open the QQ group, find Zhou Zekai, and subtly remind him to be mindful of his influence.

[Wang Bu Liu Xing]: I heard that Captain Zhou graced Yingjie's meet-and-greet today and even received some support items?

[Wang Bu Liu Xing]: I appreciate your support for Tiny Herb, but you should be more careful next time. If you are recognized by fans, it will cause trouble for the host.

Just as Zhou Zekai was about to leave with Zhao Zhinian, he felt his phone vibrate, took it out and glanced at it.

Zhao Zhinian glanced at it curiously.

Zhou Zekai had no intention of keeping anything from her. Since she was so close, he quickly handed her his phone screen, which showed her a message from Wang Jiexi.

Zhao Zhinian looked at the well-intentioned reminder and nodded in agreement: "Captain Wang is right... You really took too much risks today."

Zhou Zekai stared at the screen, blinked, seemingly contemplating the potential trouble his actions might cause. He frowned slightly, then began typing a reply very seriously.

[One Shot Through the Clouds]: I won't do it again.

【一枪穿云】: Thank you.

After Zhou Zekai replied to the message, Zhao Zhinian gently tugged at his sleeve: "Let's go, I'm hungry."

Zhou Zekai put away his phone, glanced at her tugging at his sleeve, and nodded: "Okay. Let's eat."

A note from the author:

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