Chapter 12: Middle Purple

The morning rush at the train platform was a chaotic blur of noise and motion. Zhang LiQiang stood near the edge, checking his watch and mentally calculating how much time he'd need to pick up Lu Yufei's blind box and still make it back for practice.

He tucked his phone away and leaned against the pillar, eyes scanning the crowd idly. That's when he noticed a group of high school boys clustered near a petite figure. She stood tensely, head down, trying to shuffle away without drawing attention.

"Hey, don't walk away. We just wanna talk," one of the boys teased, his tone mockingly sweet.

"Yeah, what's your name? You look cute in that cap," another chimed in, stepping closer to block her escape.

Her hand clutched her bag strap tightly as she tried to sidestep them again. Zhang LiQiang frowned, recognizing her familiar posture.

Wang Chaihong's throat tightened. She opened her mouth, trying to say something, but the words wouldn't come. Her chest tightened, her heart racing like she was caught in a game with no escape route.

Her anxiety hit her like a wave, thick and choking. Her hands started to shake, and her vision blurred at the edges. It felt like the world was closing in on her, the noise of the platform fading into a dull roar. She could only stare at her shoes, hoping they would just walk away.

Out of nowhere, a tall frame blocked my view. "Hey," he called out, voice calm but sharp enough to slice through the chatter. The boys were taken aback, their cocky expressions faltering as they took in his height and no-nonsense demeanor.

"Do we have a problem here?" Zhang LiQiang said simply, his tone firm.

"Relax, brother," one of the boys muttered, raising his hands in mock surrender. "We were just joking around."

Zhang LiQiang continued to stare blankly at them. The group exchanged glances, their confidence shrinking under his steady gaze. They backed off, mumbling excuses before disappearing into the crowd.

He looked behind at her, Wang Chaihong raised her head slightly and recognized the side profile. Their eyes met, and she instinctively avoided his gaze.' Ah…it's him again…'

Zhang LiQiang hesitated, unsure of how to approach her. 'Is she trembling again?' She was standing motionless, her head still lowered. Comforting someone wasn't exactly his area of expertise. Glancing at the tracks, he noticed the train pulling into view. "Um…The train's about to arrive," he said gently, keeping his voice low.

She didn't respond, her fingers tightening around her bag strap. 'What should I say…' her lips pulled into a line. Zhang LiQiang scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, then did the only thing he could think of. He stepped closer and extended the strap of his bag toward her. "Here," he said, his tone soft but firm.

For a moment, she stayed frozen, but then her hand reached out hesitantly. Her grip on the strap was so light it barely tugged at it. Satisfied, Zhang LiQiang turned and began walking toward the train doors, keeping his pace slow. She followed behind him, clutching the strap like a lifeline.

They boarded the train, finding a quiet corner away from the crowds. Wang Chaihong kept her head down, staring at the floor. Her hands hadn't stopped trembling. 'I need to say something…'

"Thank you," she said suddenly, her voice so quiet he almost missed it.

Zhang LiQiang turned fully toward her, surprised. "No problem," he replied casually. 'This is the first time I heard her voice' he leans his head against the wall.

An awkward silence fell between them as the train began moving. Zhang LiQiang staring out at the blur of buildings rushing past the window. But the curiosity in the back of his mind wouldn't let him leave it at that.

"What's your name?" he asked, his tone gentle.

She flinched slightly at the question, as if unsure whether to answer. 'It would be rude not to say anything…' After a moment, she finally said, "Wang Chaihong."

"I'm Zhang LiQiang," he said, keeping his tone light. "Nice to meet you."

She peeked up at him from under the brim of her cap, her expression wary. But when their eyes met briefly, she seemed to relax—just a little.

After a moment, Zhang LiQiang cleared his throat, breaking the quiet. "So," he began casually, as if they were two old friends passing the time, "When did you start playing FPS games?"

Wang Chaihong's fingers twitched against the strap as she looked up and blinked at him, startled by the question. Of all the things he could've asked, that hadn't been on her list. "Three years ago… I guess," she mumbled, her voice soft and hesitant. "On and off."

"Three years and already this good?" Zhang LiQiang tilted his head thoughtfully, his tone sincere. "That's pretty impressive."

Wang Chaihong didn't respond, unsure how to take the compliment. It wasn't dripping with sarcasm like so many others she'd heard. If anything, it just seemed… genuine.

Zhang LiQiang didn't push for more. Instead, he shifted topics. "By the way," he asked, glancing at her bag, "Do you still have my card?"

At this, Chaihong blinked again, surprised by the question. She hesitated for a moment before nodding and patting her bag's outer pocket. "Yeah… I still have it."

"Good," Zhang LiQiang replied simply, though the faintest hint of relief crossed his features.

Wang Chaihong grab the hem of her shirt, "Why me? Why do you want me on your team?" she held her breath.

"I like your IGL style. Our team is too aggressive. We need some discipline." Zhang LiQiang stated the flaws of his team like it was nothing. He knows Heavenly Jade Gaming works best when there is a brain behind their brawls.

Wang Chaihong stares at the view behind him, she thought about a video of Heavenly Jade's gameplay last night. "The allegations on…Dan Xiao? Is it true?"

His shoulder tensed up, hearing his former team member's name "Yeah. Someone tipped off to the officials that someone on our team was doing it. At first, I didn't believe it but evidence was presented."

'I bet you would mock me for my naivety if I said I didn't know and I don't believe Dan Xiao would do something like that' his jaws clenched. Zhang LiQiang never doubts his judgment when it comes to picking the people he surrounds himself with.

Wang Chaihong's gaze suddenly shifts to seriousness "Was he a good person? Did you believe he voluntarily did it?"