“Alright, you little bragger! Did you surrender that last match just to finish it so fast?!”

Li Wei chuckled carelessly at Xiao Feng’s teasing and nodded. “Hahaha, you know me best!”

...

Xiao Feng stopped bantering with Li Wei and turned to Situ Changxi, who was shyly tugging his sleeve. “Changxi, what games do you usually play? Wanna team up?”

Situ Changxi pressed her lips together, a hint of embarrassment in her voice. “X-Xiao Feng… truth is, I don’t really play games.”

Xiao Feng barely blinked. Totally normal for a girl—not like guys. If *she* were a guy saying that? Now *that’d* be shocking.

“Then let’s play PUBG! I’m skipping team games with Li Wei—he’s a teammate trap.”

Situ Changxi nodded with a soft smile. “Okay! I’ll play whatever you pick.”

Li Wei rolled his eyes nearby, voice dripping with mock jealousy. “Ooh-la-la~ Look at you two! So sweet! I need lemon-vinegar milk tea *stat*!”

Xiao Feng laughed and shot back, “Cut the sass. You in for PUBG or not?”

Li Wei’s tone flipped instantly. “Oh? You *do* remember your bro exists? Nah, I’ll pass on ‘eating chicken’!”

Xiao Feng cursed. “Screw you! Coming or not? Log in already!”

Li Wei glanced at Situ Changxi—still clueless about the double meaning—and grinned. “Sure thing, Brother Feng!”

*Is this young lady really this innocent?* he mused inwardly.

After renting a PUBG account for gaming-newbie Situ Changxi, the trio queued up.

Her username? SITUCHANGXI—simple, earnest, just like her.

Xiao Feng’s: gaydbkbql

Li Wei’s: znjycrf

Xiao Feng quickly walked her through controls and rules. Sharp as she was, Situ Changxi grasped the basics fast.

He clicked “Start.”

The pre-game lobby erupted:

“Paratrooper One lbw, ready!”

“Hey beauty, let me carry you to chicken dinner—trust me!”

“Bro, cheap cheats! All types!”

“Death to cheat sellers!”

Xiao Feng and Li Wei ignored it. Situ Changxi’s small hands trembled slightly.

*First time gaming with Xiao Feng… Don’t be weak. You’ve got this, Situ Changxi. Breathe!*

But the more she pep-talked herself, the tighter the nerves coiled. Classic.

3… 2… 1… 0.

Plane airborne.

“Paratrooper One lbw, ready!” echoed again.

Xiao Feng and Li Wei exchanged a knowing glance and smirked.

“Changxi, we’re jumping. Just follow me,” Xiao Feng said gently through the mic.

“Mm!” she replied.

“What about me?” Li Wei piped up.

“You’re no newbie, jerk. I’m guiding Changxi. Go solo,” Xiao Feng shot back.

“Holy crap! Xiao Feng, so cruel! So heartless!”

Amid bickering and laughter, the match rolled on. Time slipped by.

After the round ended, Xiao Feng stood up. “Bathroom break—be right back!” He pulled off his headset and hurried toward the restroom.

Just as he reached for the curtain of the men’s room, he collided with a man exiting—head buried in his phone.

“Ouch!”

“Holy crap! Watch where you’re going, blind?!” the man snapped first.

Xiao Feng’s patience snapped. “How about *you* watch your mouth? Donate those eyes if you’re not using them!”

Their eyes met.

Both froze.

“Xiao Feng?!”

“Hong Tao?!”