46
Wednesday evening's wind swept through the gaps between the city's tall buildings, carrying the shadows of sycamore leaves and landing on Yu Wang's black Bentley parked below the office building. The car window was lowered a third of the way down, and he held a half-smoked cigarette between his fingers, his gaze fixed on the exit. As soon as Shen Qingyu appeared, his indifference instantly transformed into tenderness.
Today she wore an off-white dress with delicate pearl buttons at the collar, and the hem swayed gently with her steps. Her makeup was meticulously applied, with light apricot eyeshadow softening the corners of her eyes and a nearly transparent bean paste lipstick. Her look was delicate yet understated, perfectly fitting for meeting an elder.
"Have you been waiting for a long time?" Shen Qingyu opened the car door, and a faint scent of gardenia drifted in with her movement. It was the scent of the hand cream she often used.
Yu Wang put out his cigarette in the car's ashtray and helped her fasten her seatbelt. "Just arrived." The car slowly merged into the evening rush hour traffic, the destination "Yu's Residence in the Western Suburbs" glowing warmly on the navigation screen. While waiting at a red light, he tilted his head, his eyes fixed on the fingertips of her skirt, a small gesture she made when she was nervous.
"Are you nervous?" he asked, his voice softer than the evening breeze outside the window.
Shen Qingyu paused for a moment, then looked up and smiled at him, with a glimmer in her eyes: "A little bit."
The car drove out of the city, the tall buildings gradually receding, and the tree-lined road meandered towards the suburbs. Over half an hour later, the black car pulled into a villa complex of blue brick and black tile. The stone lions at the gates exuded solemnity in the twilight. When the car stopped in front of a Chinese-style courtyard with a wooden sign reading "Yu Mansion," two people were already standing at the door—Yu An, dressed in a light yellow dress, bounded towards them, followed by Zhou Zhiyi, wearing a light gray suit.
Yu An ran towards Shen Qingyu, stretched out his hand and took her arm, his eyes shining like stars, "Sister Qingyu, long time no see! My girlfriends are all asking for the link to the lipstick you gave me last time!"
Shen Qingyu was infected by her enthusiasm, and his tense nerves relaxed a little. He smiled and rubbed her hair: "You are getting more and more beautiful, An An."
Zhou Zhiyi walked forward, bumped shoulders with Yu Wang, raised his eyebrows, and said with a hint of teasing in his tone: "Grandpa and Brother Yu Hong are already in there. Grandpa specially put down his pen early today and is waiting for you." He and Yu An got engaged last year, and now he is already half-son-in-law of the Yu family, so he speaks with ease.
Yu An walked ahead, arm in arm with Shen Qingyu, chattering about the pomegranate tree in the courtyard that his grandfather had planted himself and the many rare ancient books hidden in his study. Yu Wang and Zhou Zhiyi followed behind, whispering about recent events. They crossed the orchid-lined courtyard, pushed open the carved wooden door, and were instantly enveloped by the warm light of the living room.
At the desk on one side of the living room stood an elderly man, his hair gray but spirited. He wore a navy blue double-breasted shirt and held a wolf-hair brush in his hand, leaning over a sheet of rice paper. The ink smeared across the paper, forming the four characters: "Family Harmony and Business Prosperity." Hearing the noise, the old man put down his brush and turned, his gaze first landing on Yu Wang, then slowly shifting to Shen Qingyu. His gaze was scrutinizing, but not sharp, revealing the gentle consideration of an elder regarding a younger person, without feeling oppressive.
"Grandpa." Yu Wang took a step forward and spoke respectfully.
Yu Daou nodded, his eyes still on Shen Qingyu, and spoke with the calmness of an old-school intellectual: "This is Miss Shen, right?"
"Hello, Grandpa Yu. Just call me Qingyu." Shen Qingyu stepped forward and bowed slightly, her movements graceful and elegant. She had already prepared, and she pulled out an exquisite brocade box from her bag and handed it to him. "I heard you like tea. This is the Mingqian Longjing tea my brother brought back from Hangzhou last month. It's all freshly picked buds. Please try it and see if it suits your taste."
Yu Daou took the brocade box, his fingertips touching the embroidery, and a flicker of admiration flashed in his eyes. He knew it was rare to find Longjing tea before the Lion Peak Ming Festival. This child was not only thoughtful, but also knew his limits. "You're very thoughtful." He handed the brocade box to the servant beside him and pointed to the sofa in the middle of the living room. "Sit down, Xiaohong will be here soon."
As soon as he finished speaking, the doorbell rang. The servant opened the door, and a man wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a light gray suit walked in, carrying a black briefcase. He looked elegant and refined. It was Yu Wang's uncle, Yu Hong. He had just returned from a business trip abroad and had rushed straight here without even going home.
"Sorry I'm late. I just got off the plane and was stuck in traffic." Yu Hong took off his coat and handed it to the servant. He glanced across the living room, smiled and greeted Yu Dayu and Zhou Zhiyi, and finally landed on Shen Qingyu, his eyes filled with kindness. "I've heard a lot about you. Xiao Wang mentioned you a lot on the phone. He said you're not only smart, but you also understand him very well."
This sentence made Shen Qingyu's cheeks slightly red. Yu Wang also coughed lightly and explained to her in a low voice: "Uncle is joking with me."
The family dinner was held in the small dining room next to the living room. A round table was laden with dishes—steamed sea bass was Yu Wang's favorite as a child, braised pork was melt-in-your-mouth, and there was also sweet and sour spare ribs, which Shen Qingyu had mentioned as a favorite, and which had obviously been specially prepared by the servants. Although Yu Da'ou didn't talk much, he would always pick up food for Shen Qingyu, asking her if she was busy at work and how her family was doing. Yu Hong was knowledgeable and talkative, and he talked about everything from the recent hot topic of artificial intelligence to the development of the e-sports industry. He also discussed the team's newly introduced tactical system with Yu Wang and Zhou Zhiyi, and the atmosphere gradually became lively. Yu An was the most lively, telling funny stories from time to time, making everyone laugh, and even Yu Da'ou couldn't help laughing out loud.
Shen Qingyu was a little nervous at first, but looking at the happy scene in front of her and the gentle glances Yu Wang occasionally gave her, the uneasiness in her heart gradually dissipated - this was not a serious "inspection", but a real family reunion, and it was proof that Yu Wang had included her in his life.
After dinner, when the servants were clearing the table, Yu Dayu glanced at Yu Wang and said softly, "Xiao Wang, come with me to the study."
Yu Wang knew what his grandfather wanted to talk to him about. He gave Chen Qingyu a reassuring look and followed Yu Daou into the study. The study was filled with the scent of ink and old books. The bookshelves were filled with thread-bound books, and on the desk was the phrase "Family Harmony and Business Prosperity" that he had just written. Yu Daou sat in a rattan chair and pointed to the chair opposite him. He waited for Yu Wang to sit down before slowly speaking.
"Qingyu is a good kid. She's calm, dignified, well-educated, and worthy of you." Yu Daou didn't beat around the bush. His tone was direct, yet affirmative. "If your mother were still alive, she would definitely like you to find such a wonderful girl."
When Yu Wang mentioned his mother, his eyes warmed slightly. He knew that his mother passed away early, and his grandfather had always treated him like his own son. Now that he had received his grandfather's recognition, his heart felt like it was wrapped in a warm current. "Thank you, Grandpa."
"Now that it's confirmed, treat them well." Yu Daou took out a brown file bag from the drawer and handed it to Yu Wang. "This is a gift for you and Qingyu—the property title deed for the riverside apartment in the city center. It's already been renovated, and the furniture is all chosen according to your preferences. You young people should have your own home. You don't have to live in the team dormitory all the time."
Yu Wang quickly declined and pushed the document bag back: "Grandpa, this is too valuable, I can't accept it. I can make money now and buy an apartment myself, you can keep it for yourself."
"Take it." Yu Daou waved his hand, his tone firm and unyielding. "Grandpa is very pleased that you have worked hard to live the life you love. This is a gift from Grandpa, and it's also the money your mother left behind. She said a long time ago that when you get married, she would prepare a home for you."
Speaking of his mother's last wish, Yu Wang could no longer refuse. He took the document bag, his fingertips touching the property deed inside, and his heart was filled with warmth and sadness. "Thank you, Grandpa. I will take good care of Qingyu and visit you often."
When she came out of the study, Shen Qingyu was sitting in the living room chatting with Yu An. Seeing Yu Wang, she immediately stood up and walked over, asking in a low voice: "What did grandpa say to you?"
Yu Wang held her hand tightly, his eyes full of smiles: "Nothing, just talked to me about your future plans." He didn't tell me about the apartment right away, wanting to leave it for a surprise for her later.
When they left the Yu family that night, Yu Daou stood at the door to see them off. He watched Yu Wang drive Shen Qingyu away and said to Yu Hong, "Xiao Wang, this child, has finally found his own happiness." Yu Hong nodded, looked at the car lights going away, and said with a smile, "Qingyu is a good girl, they will be happy."
-
The team's training was in good order, but no one expected that a sudden storm was quietly approaching them.
It was late at night. Yu Wang had just finished training and returned to his apartment. He had washed up and was about to rest when his phone suddenly rang rapidly. It was Lu Hu calling. He picked up the phone, but before he could say anything, he heard Lu Hu's anxious voice: "Yu Wang, something's happened! Someone online is saying that you fixed a match three years ago! Now it's trending all over the internet!"
"What?" Yu Wang sat up suddenly, his sleepiness instantly dissipated. He turned on the computer and logged into Weibo, and sure enough, he saw that the topic "Yu Wang Fixing Matches" was ranked first in the hot search, followed by the word "explosion". Clicking in, he saw a post on top that was posted by an anonymous account, with a group of screenshots of chat records attached - the content showed that three years ago when the WIN team participated in the domestic league, Yu Wang had discussed with a person with the ID "Shadow", accepted 500,000 yuan from the other party, deliberately lost the game in the finals, and manipulated the results of the game. The revelation also attached a fuzzy voice message. The voice was processed, but it was 70% similar to Yu Wang. The person in the voice said things like "Don't worry, I will deliberately make mistakes in the finals" and "The money will be transferred to the account I designated".
Yu Wang's fingers gripped the mouse tightly, his knuckles whitening. He'd always remember that final three years ago. Back then, the team was strapped for cash, and the players trained until the wee hours of the morning just to get the championship bonus and relieve the pressure. How could he possibly have fixed the match? Those chat logs were completely fabricated!
"How is that possible! How could Brother Yu possibly have fixed a match!" The next morning, in the team training room, Fatty saw the news and was the first to jump up and refute it, clapping his keyboard loudly. "In that final three years ago, the captain's hands were worn out fighting to win. How could he have been paid to fix a match? This is clearly someone deliberately trying to discredit him!"
Little Y was also frantic, his mouse swishing back and forth. "What's wrong with those netizens? They don't even look at the evidence and just follow the crowd to criticize! Brother Yu is working so hard, can't they see?"
Chen Chenchen remained relatively calm. She quickly tapped away on her keyboard to contact legal services, saying, "I've already contacted a lawyer and will send a letter of clarification as soon as possible. Hu Ge is also contacting the platform to have the post removed, but it's been forwarded so many times that it's impossible to delete it all."
Yu Wang sat in his chair, looking at the explosive post on his computer screen, his face gloomy. He knew that this kind of revelation was the most heartbreaking - although there was no solid evidence, the word "match-fixing" was enough to ruin an esports player's career.
Sure enough, within just a few hours, online chatter completely spiraled out of control. Netizens, unaware of the truth, jumped on the bandwagon, accusing Yu Wang of "betraying the fans' trust" and "tarnishing the spirit of esports." Fans of former rival teams even came forward to "corroborate" the situation, claiming that Yu Wang's performance in the finals was indeed "abnormal." Even the official WIN Team Weibo account was flooded with comments calling for "Yu Wang to get out of the esports world" and "disband the WIN Team."
Shen Qingyu saw the news that morning. When she opened her phone and saw the vicious comments, her heart tightened instantly. She immediately drove to the WIN team's training base.
Pushing open the door to the training room, I saw Yu Wang sitting in a chair, his back radiating fatigue, his brows furrowed, his eyes bloodshot. The other players sat silently in their respective seats, the atmosphere oppressive and suffocating.
Shen Qingyu walked over and gently held Yu Wang's hand. His hand was cold and still trembling slightly. "I believe you." She looked into his eyes and said firmly, "I know how hard you worked for what happened three years ago. Those revelations are all false. We will definitely find out the truth."
Yu Wang raised his head and saw the trust and heartache in Shen Qingyu's eyes. His tense nerves relaxed a little. He held her hand, his fingertips pressing hard, as if to draw strength from her: "I will find out the truth. I will not let those people destroy the team, nor will I let you suffer any injustice."
In the next few days, the Yu family used their connections to contact cybersecurity experts to trace the whistleblower's IP address and fund flow; the team's legal team collected evidence and prepared to sue the anonymous whistleblower; and the Shen family was responsible for communicating with the media to minimize the impact of public opinion on the team.
Shen Qingyu wasn't idle either. She remembered Yu Wang mentioning that three years ago, someone had tried to bribe him to fix a match, but he had flatly refused. She searched through Yu Wang's chat logs and emails from that time, and finally found the original chat log on an old hard drive. It was a conversation between Yu Wang and "Shadow." There was no mention of "taking money to fix a match" in it. Instead, it was all Yu Wang's rejection of the other party: "I won't joke about the game, and I won't betray the trust of my teammates and fans. Don't contact me again."
"Found it!" Shen Qingyu rushed to Yu Hong's office with the hard drive and said excitedly, "This is the original chat record from that year. It can prove that Yu Wang was wrongly accused!"
Yu Hong immediately ordered technicians to recover the contents of the hard drive. Meanwhile, cybersecurity experts reported: "The IP address of 'Shadow' is located overseas, but by tracing the flow of funds, we discovered that the manipulator behind it is from the Li Group."
The truth finally came to light. The WIN team immediately held a press conference, releasing the original chat logs, a technical expert's report on the voice recording (proving it was AI-generated), and evidence that the Li Group manipulated the leak.
At the press conference, Yu Wang looked at the media and fans in the audience and spoke calmly but firmly: "From the day I started playing esports, I knew that 'fair competition' was the bottom line. Three years ago, I wouldn't fix a match; I won't do it now, and I won't do it in the future. I will use my strength to prove it to everyone who supports me."
After the press conference, public opinion suddenly reversed. Netizens rushed to apologize to Yu Wang, with hashtags like #YuWangInnocent# and #LiChengzeGetOutOfBusiness# trending on the internet. Li Group's stock price plummeted due to manipulation of public opinion and malicious defamation, and the company was investigated by regulators. Those who spread the rumors also became targets of public criticism, ultimately forcing them to publicly apologize and resign from their positions at the company.
After the storm, everything finally returned to normal. WIN Team's training returned to its former lively pace, and the fans' support was even more enthusiastic than before. Yu Wang and Shen Qingyu's relationship also became stronger amidst this storm.
On a sunny weekend, Yu Wang brought Shen Qingyu to a riverside apartment in the city center. Upon opening the door, Shen Qingyu realized that this was a gift from Yu Wang's grandfather. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room overlooked the Huangpu River, shimmering in the sunlight. The living room was decorated in a warm Nordic style, with a light gray sofa, a log coffee table, and photos of them together hanging on the wall. The bedroom had a large dressing room, specially prepared by Yu Wang for her. What surprised her most was that there was a dedicated e-sports room next to the study, filled with top-notch equipment, including the limited edition keyboard and mouse she had given to Yu Wang.
"Do you like it?" Yu Wang put his arms around her waist from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder, his voice gentle.
Shen Qingyu turned around and looked at him, her eyes filled with tears of happiness: "I like it very much. This is our home."
Yu Wang gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, held her hand, and looked at her seriously: "After meeting your parents, let's get married."
Shen Qingyu opened her eyes wide in surprise, then broke into a brilliant smile, a smile even brighter than the sunlight outside the window. She nodded vigorously, her voice choked with sobs, but incredibly clear: "Okay."
Outside the window, the Huangpu River flows quietly, and cruise ships slowly pass by, leaving a long trail of water. In the distance, the lights of the Bund gradually light up, and the lights of the Oriental Pearl Tower are dazzling, witnessing the prosperity of this city and the promise of a couple.
Yu Wang hugged Shen Qingyu tightly, feeling her body temperature, his heart filled with peace - after going through ups and downs, he finally understood that the best happiness is to have someone who is willing to believe in you, accompany you, face all difficulties together, and guard a home that belongs to them together.
The evening breeze blew in from the window, carrying with it the scent of the river and the hope for the future. Their story had just begun.
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