Chapter 43 Zhou Zekai certainly wasn't really going to scold them...
Zhou Zekai wasn't actually going to train. He was just annoyed by the comments and made up an excuse to leave.
Back in his dorm, he stared at Zhao Zhinian's chat window for a long time, pondering what to ask: "Did you see my comment?", "Are you and Yang Chen close?", "Do you know that netizens think you and someone else are a good match?"... There were too many questions. He had an urge to transform into Huang Shaotian, but he kept deleting and rewriting what he typed, finally sending only the most ordinary sentence: "Are you off work?"
After sending that message, he couldn't help but smirk self-deprecatingly. This was probably a case of not even having the right to be jealous.
Besides, there's nothing to be jealous about: everything that's going on online has nothing to do with Zhao Zhinian's own wishes. He can't control what kind of couples netizens like to ship.
Zhao Zhinian, who was still busy at the venue, naturally couldn't reply to his message immediately.
Zhou Zekai stared at the unanswered chat box and suddenly realized that perhaps he should change his approach.
He couldn't help but recall the opening match against Yizhan at the beginning of this season. Zhao Zhinian was also shrouded in anxiety at the time, and he comforted her by saying, "We can take it slow."
Because of the intensive training during the season, the countless commercial activities, and the team's marketing efforts, he was always worried that his busy schedule would become an uncertain factor in their relationship, especially since Zhao Zhinian was just a newcomer to the Glory circle at that time.
He understood Zhao Zhinian's feelings and hoped that she could focus on developing her career and shine on a broader stage.
But when all of this actually happened, watching her calmly conduct interviews on the StarCraft stage, interacting seamlessly with the players, and being seen and loved by more people... beneath that pride and satisfaction lay a panic that even she herself was unwilling to admit.
He suddenly understood how she felt back then.
When you watch someone you like head towards a bigger world, even if you know it's the right and beautiful direction, a secret sense of unease still rises in your heart: you're afraid she'll fly too high and too far, afraid that you'll no longer be the place she looks back to.
The DG team's post-match interview had just ended. After communicating with them, Zhao Zhinian adjusted her expression and took a few photos with Liu Zhaohan, which she would use for her Weibo update today. She would then accompany the DG team players to several interviews with foreign media outlets as their translator. While on the interview stand, she maintained a professional smile, but her slightly trembling hands holding the microphone betrayed her exhaustion and overwork.
After finishing all that, Zhao Zhinian dragged her tired body back to the dressing room, only to find Lin Shuang waiting there unexpectedly.
"Why are you here?" Zhao Zhinian asked in surprise.
Lin Shuang had work to do today and had originally told Zhao Zhinian that she wouldn't be coming. However, her work ended early, and upon learning that the cameraman had been arranged by Zhao Zhinian to return early, she worried that it would be too tiring for Zhao Zhinian to carry the dress and shoes alone, so she specially came to pick her up from work.
This wasn't Lin Shuang's first time backstage at the venue. She had previously served as Zhao Zhinian's assistant a few times. Zhao Zhinian was worried that he might be too busy to take care of her, so he specially applied for a temporary work pass for her so that she could come and go freely during the World Championships.
Seeing Zhao Zhinian come in, Lin Shuang immediately picked up the prepared coat and draped it over her shoulders. Then she took Zhao Zhinian's cold hands and gently rubbed them: "Your hands are unusually cold today. Are they frozen?"
Zhao Zhinian mouthed "menstrual period" silently. Lin Shuang understood, quickly walked to the water dispenser, picked up a paper cup, filled it with hot water, and handed it to her.
The warm water slid down her throat, and Zhao Zhinian finally felt her stiff body warm up a little. She sipped the hot water, rested for a while, then turned and went into the dressing room to change out of her formal dress and into warm, comfortable casual clothes.
As she finished tidying her clothes and came out, she ran into several staff members who were about to leave work. They enthusiastically invited her, "Want to go get some late-night snacks together?"
Having just finished a high-intensity job, Zhao Zhinian was really not in the mood. She was used to having a little something to eat before work, so she didn't feel hungry at the moment. Coupled with the discomfort of her period, all she wanted to do now was get back to her soft bed in the dormitory as soon as possible.
"I'm just too tired today," Zhao Zhinian declined, her voice filled with undisguised exhaustion. "I just want to go home and sleep like a log."
Upon hearing this, Lin Shuang deftly helped her pack her dress and shoes into her handbag, then tidied up the jewelry on the table, and said softly, "Then let's go back quickly, and I'll make you some brown sugar water when we get back."
While packing her things, Zhao Zhinian took a moment to reply to Zhou Zekai's WeChat message: "Just finished. Lin Shuang came to pick me up. I'll go home after tidying up in the dressing room."
Upon noticing her chatting with Zhou Zekai, Lin Shuang suddenly leaned closer mysteriously and asked in a low voice, "Haven't you checked Weibo today?"
Zhao Zhinian looked at her with a puzzled expression. She had been busy with work today and hadn't had a chance to touch her phone, let alone go on Weibo.
She opened Weibo, and the activity in her message list far exceeded her expectations.
DG's official Weibo account became exceptionally active after the team's victory, with fans taking the meme "Chinen is DG's mascot, Chinen is not allowed to speak English" to a whole new level.
A fan drew an adorable little comic strip, in which chibi versions of the DG players stand around her holding signs that say "No English allowed".
The official Weibo account actually commented below: "What can the other side use to beat us? We still have DG.Chinen on the sidelines~" and specifically tagged her account.
DG's performance at the World Championship garnered them many fans, and this official meme was a rare opportunity for her to gain exposure. A large number of DG fans flooded her Weibo with comments and interactions, and she politely replied to the official DG Weibo account: "I will continue to cheer for DG in the finals from the sidelines!"
However, when she saw Zhou Zekai's comment about "Sister Chinen", her fingers involuntarily stopped.
After watching the chaotic battle between the various CP fans in the comments section, and then looking back at this short comment, she felt a strange, subtle sense of "being caught cheating." Even though she hadn't done anything, she felt inexplicably guilty.
Lin Shuang peeked over and saw that she was still on Zhou Zekai's comment page. She smiled knowingly: "Isn't Sister Zhinian going to reply? Sister Zhinian has been getting a lot of younger brothers lately. It seems that someone is getting restless."
Zhao Zhinian coughed lightly, unsure how to reply, and casually locked the screen: "Don't talk nonsense."
After getting ready, she and Lin Shuang walked out of the venue side by side and stood by the roadside waiting for a car. The cool night breeze hit their faces, and Zhao Zhinian unconsciously shivered.
"Give them to me, you must be tired today." Lin Shuang said, taking the heavy tote bags containing dresses and shoes from her hands without further ado. Before Zhao Zhinian could refuse, she was left with only the lightest one.
Zhao Zhinian used her free right hand to adjust the collar of her slightly drafty coat, then turned to look at her side. Lin Shuang was carrying several large bags in one hand, gazing at the cars coming and going on the road, humming an unknown tune.
A warm feeling quietly welled up in Zhao Zhinian's heart. In this city she was not yet familiar with, having a friend who was so understanding and willing to share her burdens in the dead of night was perhaps a more precious gift than any work achievement.
"Lin Shuang," Zhao Zhinian called softly, "Thank you!"
Lin Shuang turned her head, feeling a little awkward at being thanked so formally. Under the streetlight, she smiled at her and said, "Don't mention it. Let's go. I'll make you some brown sugar water when we get back."
With today's work finished, Zhao Zhinian's hosting duties for this StarCraft World Championship have basically come to an end.
The only remaining possibility is the translation work on the day of the finals: if the DG team unfortunately loses and the European team wins the world championship, she will still have a chance to step onto the finals stage.
Offstage, she'll see if the official team will continue to assign her as a translator when other foreign media outlets interview the DG team.
Thinking about this, her feelings became somewhat complicated.
On one hand, I sincerely hope that DG can win and bring the championship trophy back to the region;
On the other hand, she secretly hoped that she could stand on the stage of the finals, even if it was just as a translator. After all, she had prepared for this opportunity for so long, and even bought a clean and neat suit for the finals. She secretly wanted to prove to the official StarCraft Conquest team that female hosts look good in suits too!
However, only one match of the semifinals has been played so far, and DG's opponent in the finals has not yet been determined, so it's too early to worry about these things.
On the other side, Zhou Zekai waited a long time for a reply after sending the WeChat message. He realized that Zhao Zhinian was probably still busy, so he couldn't help but browse Weibo for a while. Seeing the excited DG team fans in Zhao Zhinian's comment section, although he knew that netizens' comments should not be taken seriously, he still felt a subtle displeasure.
In the end, he chose to ignore it, closed Weibo, logged into Honor of Kings, entered the arena, and planned to use the game to calm his emotions.
After playing countless rounds in the arena, the phone that was lying to the side suddenly rang. It was Zhao Zhinian calling.
Zhou Zekai immediately withdrew from the match, quickly answered the phone, and handed the victory to his previously suppressed opponent: "Hey, are you back yet?"
Zhao Zhinian's slightly distant voice came from the other end of the phone, mixed with rustling sounds: "Yeah, I just got back to the dorm, washed up quickly, and am still packing my things, so I put it on speakerphone. Can you hear me?"
The background noise from the phone could be heard as she unpacked the package, rustled her clothes, and occasionally listened to footsteps. For some reason, these everyday sounds strangely soothed the slight unease in Zhou Zekai's heart.
"Hmm, are you tired today?" Hearing that Zhao Zhinian's voice was not as energetic as usual, he asked in a soft voice.
"Hmm..." Zhao Zhinian's response was filled with exhaustion: "It was my first time hosting such a high-profile competition, so I was extremely nervous. And I was also unlucky; I was on my period and was especially sensitive to the cold. I almost couldn't hold on on stage."
Zhou Zekai's heart tightened slightly: "Let's rest first."
"It's okay, I'm much better now. Lin Shuang just made me some brown sugar water. Although I'm not fully recovered, I'm at least halfway back to health, and..." She raised her voice, feigning energy, then softened her tone, "And I finally finished my work, so I wanted to talk to you. Maybe if you say a few nice things, I'll be fully recovered. Or are you saying you don't want to talk to me?"
"No!" Zhou Zekai quickly denied, "I was just worried you were too tired."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, then Zhao Zhinian's voice suddenly lowered, tinged with a sly smile: "Brother Kai..."
"Um?"
"Does calling you mean I can't call you Chinen-neechan anymore?"
Knowing that she was deliberately teasing his comment, Zhou Zekai's ears burned, and he stammered, finally managing to say in a low voice after a long pause, "Too many people call you 'sister'."
Zhao Zhinian didn't immediately realize whether he was referring to the professional players in the comments or the players in StarCraft who often called her "sister," so she reassured them, "Oh dear, they really are all younger brothers."
“But… netizens say you’re a good match for someone else.” Zhou Zekai’s voice was even lower.
Zhao Zhinian felt both sweet and amused: "Netizens are just joking, don't take it to heart. The official team is probably intentionally guiding things recently, and they'll chase after new hot topics after the World Championship."
There was still silence on the other end of the phone; clearly, someone was not satisfied with the answer.
Zhao Zhinian thought for a moment and decided to try a different approach to comfort him: "Do you know who your most popular CP pairing is on Weibo? I searched it the other day and it turned out to be you and Vice Captain Jiang! Even your CP pairing with Su Mucheng isn't as popular as your pairing with Vice Captain Jiang. Do you really have some special relationship with them? So, these are just netizens joining in the fun and joking around, don't take them to heart."
“It’s different,” Zhou Zekai stubbornly retorted.
“It’s the same.” Zhao Zhinian put the clothes in the closet, lay down on the bed, and continued to explain: “To me, they are like Deputy Captain Jiang or Su Mucheng are to you—friends and colleagues.”
"And what about me?" Zhou Zekai asked this question lightly and quickly, instantly silencing Zhao Zhinian on the other end of the phone.
All that could be heard on the phone was her soft breathing. After a while, her voice, tinged with laughter, came through: "You...you're Brother Kai."
This answer clearly did not satisfy Zhou Zekai, who pressed further: "Just Brother Kai?"
"What else?" Zhao Zhinian's voice was laced with sarcasm: "Captain Zhou? The Gun King? Or... one of Zhinian's younger brothers?"
Upon hearing the last address, Zhou Zekai couldn't help but purse his lips and retort, "I'm older than you."
"Really?" Zhao Zhinian feigned surprise: "Then who is it that calls me 'sister' on Weibo?"
Zhou Zekai was speechless, and he realized that the comment he left on impulse had now become the basis for her to tease him repeatedly.
Seeing that Zhou Zekai remained silent for a long time, Zhao Zhinian, lying on the bed, stared blankly at the ceiling. Perhaps it was because the bed was too warm, perhaps it was because she was too tired today, or perhaps it was because the days of running around had finally come to an end and she could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Before long, her eyes were already a little too tired to keep open, and her voice was filled with drowsiness: "Brother Kai, I'm really tired today... Maybe it's because I've reached a certain point, and I feel like I've finally breathed a sigh of relief."
Her voice trailed off, as if she were about to fall asleep at any moment, but she was still trying to stay awake and say a few more words.
Zhou Zekai softened his voice: "Get some rest."
"Hmm..." Zhao Zhinian responded groggily, and before her consciousness sank into darkness, she used her last shred of clarity to make a request: "Then... could you not hang up yet?"
Perhaps it was because she had experienced so much today: from the tense preparations before the competition, to the struggle under the spotlight, to the backstage enduring the discomfort of her period... In the end, everything was over smoothly. At this moment, she let down her guard, and exhaustion washed over her like a tide, making her want to grasp something involuntarily.
Therefore, the voice coming from the other end of the phone became the most reassuring thing for her.
Even though we were separated by a great distance, I could almost feel that familiar warmth.
She knew she might feel embarrassed about her current coquettishness and blush at her dependence when she woke up tomorrow, but at this moment, she just wanted to be a little willful, just like when she was a child and would always tightly clutch her mother's clothes before falling asleep when she was sick.
This request made Zhou Zekai pause for a moment, then a soft ripple of emotion welled up in his heart: "Okay."
He gently placed his phone beside his pillow and lay down as well. Listening to her even, calm breathing from the other end of the line, he suddenly felt that all the online disturbances and the unease and resentment surging within him had become insignificant at that moment.
The important thing is that, in the dead of night, they shared each other's breath and heartbeats over the phone, despite the great distance between them.
The moonlight outside the window was just right, gently spilling into the room. Zhao Zhinian on the other end of the phone was already fast asleep. Zhou Zekai looked at the ceiling and whispered, "Goodnight, Zhinian."
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